# US 2019/0168813 A1 · Vehicle side structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168813 A1 - Document ID: US20190168813A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/206,096 - Filed: 2018-11-30 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakamoto; Naohiko Ueno - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168813A1 ## CPC - B62D 25/04: Door pillars {; windshield pillars} - B62D 29/007: {predominantly of special steel or specially treated steel, e.g. stainless steel or locally surface hardened steel} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A vehicle side structure includes a pillar upper portion, a pillar lower portion, a joining portion, and a constituent part. The pillar upper portion constitutes, in a side portion of a vehicle, an upper part in the vehicle up-down direction in a pillar outer panel. The pillar lower portion constitutes a lower part, in the vehicle up-down direction, of the pillar outer panel, and has a tensile strength lower than the pillar upper portion. In the joining portion, a first part including an upper end of the pillar lower portion is joined to a second part including a bottom end of the pillar upper portion in a state where the first part overlaps with an inner side of the second part. The constituent part is provided in the first part of the pillar lower portion, at a position above the bottom end in the vehicle up-down direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle side structure comprising: a pillar upper portion constituting, in a side portion of a vehicle, an upper part in a vehicle up-down direction in a pillar outer panel as an outer plate of a center pillar extending along the vehicle up-down direction, the pillar upper portion being joined to a roof side rail extending along a vehicle front-rear direction; a pillar lower portion constituting a lower part, in the vehicle up-down direction, of the pillar outer panel, the pillar lower portion being joined to a rocker extending along the vehicle front-rear direction, the pillar lower portion having a tensile strength lower than the pillar upper portion; a joining portion where a first part including an upper end of the pillar lower portion is joined to a second part including a bottom end of the pillar upper portion in a state where the first part overlaps with an inner side of the second part in a vehicle width direction; and a constituent part provided in the first part of the pillar lower portion, at a position above the bottom end in the vehicle up-down direction, the constituent part including one of a projection projecting inwardly in the vehicle width direction or a hole. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein the hole is an elongate hole provided along the vehicle front-rear direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein the second part of the pillar upper portion is provided with a low strength portion having a tensile strength lower than other parts of the pillar upper portion, the low strength portion being provided at a position above the bottom end in the vehicle up-down direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle side structure according to claim 3, wherein the low strength portion is placed so as to overlap with at least a part of the constituent part in a vehicle side view. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The vehicle side structure according to claim 3, wherein the low strength portion and the constituent part are placed below a belt line of the vehicle in the vehicle up-down direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle side structure according to claim 5, wherein the belt line is a line passing through a door-panel upper end of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein: the pillar lower portion includes a first edge line portion provided between an outer wall portion of the pillar lower portion, facing outward in the vehicle width direction, and a front wall portion overhanging inwardly in the vehicle width direction from a front end of the outer wall portion; the pillar lower portion includes a second edge line portion provided between the outer wall portion and a rear wall portion overhanging inwardly in the vehicle width direction from a rear end of the outer wall portion; and the constituent part is provided in the first edge line portion and the second edge line portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein the pillar upper portion is made of a hot stamp material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle side structure according to claim 8, wherein the hot stamp material is manufactured by hot press working in which a steel sheet is pressed while the steel sheet is heated at a recrystallization temperature or more.