Impact energy absorbing structure in upper vehicle body portion, and impact energy absorbing component

An impact energy absorbing structure in an upper vehicle body portion, comprising:

• a vehicle body structural member extending in a lengthwise direction;
• an interior trim spaced from the structural member by an interval extending inwardly from the structural member;
• an energy absorbing member disposed in the interval between the interior trim and the structural member and extending along the structural member in the lengthwise direction, the energy absorbing member being formed so that sections of the energy absorbing member taken on imaginary planes perpendicular to the lengthwise direction are substantially uniform along a substantial extent of the lengthwise direction, the sections of the energy absorbing member having dimensions that allow containment of the energy absorbing member within a portion of the interval that exists in an impact load acting direction;
• and
• at least one spacer substantially filling a variable gap that is formed between at least one of an outside of the energy absorbing member and the structural member and the outside of the energy absorbing member and the interior trim in the impact load acting direction, along the substantial extent of the lengthwise direction, wherein the at least one spacer is located so as to substantially fill the variable gap based on a variation of the interval between the structural member and the interior trim.