Abstract: A recessed portion is formed at a lower face of a frame member provided at a vehicle rear portion and having a closed cross section extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, where a damper of a rear suspension is inserted into and fixed. A front portion of the frame member is joined to a side sill extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction at a position offset outwardly from the frame member. Branch-shaped closed cross sections branching off from the closed cross section inwardly and outwardly relative to the damper are formed at a recessed-portion corresponding position. A front portion of the frame member located in front of the recessed-portion corresponding position extends in an oblique direction forwardly and outwardly and a front end of the frame member is joined to a rear portion of the side sill.

Abstract: A recessed portion is formed at a frame member provided at a rear portion of a vehicle body and having a closed cross section extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction such that a part of a lower face of the frame member is recessed upwardly, where a damper of a rear suspension is inserted and fixed. Closed cross sections are formed at a position corresponding to the recessed portion, in a longitudinal direction, of the frame member. The closed cross sections are configured to branch off from the closed cross section inwardly and outwardly in the vehicle width direction relative to the damper. A ridgeline extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is formed at least at a portion of the frame member which is positioned in front of the recessed portion.

Abstract: A lower vehicle body structure is provided, which includes a vehicle body floor having a bottom surface part, a floor tunnel bulging upwardly from the bottom surface part of the vehicle body floor and extending in vehicle front-and-rear directions, a power transmission mechanism disposed inside the floor tunnel, a mount member supporting the power transmission mechanism from below, and seat rails disposed on the vehicle body floor and slidably supporting seats from below. The mount member and the seat rails are jointly fastened to the vehicle body floor.

Abstract: A lower vehicle body structure includes a vehicle body floor having a bottom surface part, a floor tunnel bulging upwardly from the bottom surface part and extending in vehicle front-and-rear directions, side sills extending in the front-and-rear directions, hinge pillars extending upwardly from the side sills, first frames, lowered parts and second frames. Each first frame extends in the front-and-rear directions between the floor tunnel and a side sill. Each lowered part is provided to the bottom surface part between a first frame and a side sill so as to be lowered below a part where the floor and the side sills are joined. Each second frame extends to a first frame, obliquely rearwardly and inwardly from a side sill along an upper surface of the bottom surface part, and forms in a part including a lowered part a closed cross-section between the bottom surface part and a second frame.

Abstract: In a vehicle in which a power transmission mechanism in a floor tunnel is supported by a mount member, it is possible to achieve compatibility between suppression of deformation of the floor tunnel and reliable support of the mount member while achieving weight reduction of the vehicle body and simplification of the vehicle body structure. The mount member that supports the power transmission mechanism arranged in the floor tunnel from below is fixed at a predetermined fixed position with respect to at least one of the vehicle body floor and the floor cross member, and the fixed position is arranged to overlap with the floor cross member in the vehicle longitudinal direction, is arranged outside of the floor tunnel in a vehicle width direction, and is arranged upward of the bottom surface part of the vehicle body floor in a vehicle vertical direction.

Abstract: A front vehicle body comprises a front frame having a closed cross-section, an apron reinforcement, a suspension housing, and first and second bulkheads arranged in the closed cross-section of the front frame. The suspension housing comprises first and second open cross-sections extending in a vehicle width direction and interconnecting the front frame and the apron reinforcement. The first and second open cross-sections include front ridgeline portions which are a high-rigidity portion extending in the vehicle width direction. The first and second bulkheads are arranged in the closed cross-section and located at or near positions which are continuous to lower ends of the front ridgeline portions.

Abstract: There are provided a hinge pillar extending in a vehicle vertical direction, an apron reinforcement extending forward from the hinge pillar, a connecting member provided below the apron reinforcement and connecting the hinge pillar and the apron reinforcement in a brace shape, a dash panel provided in back of the connecting member and extending in a vehicle width direction, a wheel house provided in front of the dash panel, and an apron rear panel provided on an inward side, in the vehicle width direction, of and closely to the connecting member and connecting a rear portion of the wheel house and the dash panel.

Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle comprises a front frame which extends in a longitudinal direction, an apron reinforcement which is positioned above and on an outward side, in a vehicle width direction, of the front frame and extends in the longitudinal direction, and a suspension housing which is provided to be laid between the front frame and the apron reinforcement and accommodating a suspension therein, wherein the suspension housing includes a narrow-width portion which has the narrowest width in the longitudinal direction in an upper view, and a suspension tower portion where a damper member of the suspension is attached is formed at a portion of the suspension housing which includes the narrow-width portion.

Abstract: A rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle comprises a wheel house, a side frame, a suspension comprising a damper, and a suspension housing connecting the side frame and the wheel house. The suspension housing includes a support face portion for supporting the damper, a level floor portion which extends outward from its connection portion to the side frame, and a vertical wall portion which extends upward from an outward-side edge portion, in a vehicle width direction, of the level floor portion up to an inward-side edge portion, in the vehicle width direction, of the support face portion.

Abstract: A rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle comprises a wheel house, a side frame, a suspension comprising a damper and a spring, and a suspension housing connecting the side frame and the wheel house. The suspension housing includes a supporting part for supporting the damper and a spring receiving part for supporting an upper end portion of the spring at a position located on an outward side, in a vehicle width direction, of the side frame and on an upward side, in a vehicle vertical direction, of a lower end of the side frame. Further, connection portions connecting, in the vehicle vertical direction, the side frame and the spring receiving part are provided on a downward side, in the vehicle vertical direction, of the spring receiving part.

Abstract: A rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle comprises a wheel house provided at a side face portion of a vehicle-body rear portion, a side frame extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction on an inward side, in a vehicle width direction, of the wheel house, a suspension comprising a damper provided to extend in a vehicle vertical direction for damping a vertical load inputted from a wheel thereto and a bump stopper provided on a shaft center of the damper, and a suspension housing including a support face portion for supporting the damper and provided to connect the side frame and the wheel house, wherein the suspension housing comprises a peripheral wall portion which is provided to extend downward from the support face portion and enclose the bump stopper at least partially.

Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle comprises a front frame which extends in a longitudinal direction, an apron reinforcement which is positioned above and on an outward side, in a vehicle width direction, of the front frame and extends in the longitudinal direction, and a suspension housing which is provided to be laid between the front frame and the apron reinforcement and accommodating a suspension therein, wherein the suspension housing includes a narrow-width portion which has the narrowest width in the longitudinal direction in an upper view, and a suspension tower portion where a damper member of the suspension is attached is formed at a portion of the suspension housing which includes the narrow-width portion.

Abstract: A front vehicle body comprises a front frame, an apron reinforcement, and a suspension housing. The suspension housing comprises first and second open cross-sections extending in a vehicle width direction and interconnecting the front frame and the apron reinforcement. The suspension housing includes first joint portions which are joined to an outer face of the front frame and second joint portions which are joined to an inner face of the front frame. The first joint portions and the second joint portions are arranged on an end portion of the suspension housing which is positioned on a front-frame side such that they are alternately aligned in a vehicle longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A pair of rear side frames respectively comprise front bending-promotion portions, middle bending-promotion portions and rear bending-promotion portions which cause the rear side frames to bend inward, in a vehicle width direction, in a trough-folding shape in a rear collision of a vehicle, and a longitudinal distance L2 between the front bending-promotion portions and the middle bending-promotion portions is set to be longer than a longitudinal direction L1 between the middle bending-promotion portions and the rear bending-promotion portions. Thereby, there is provided a rear vehicle-body structure of an automotive vehicle which can properly absorb a collision load at a vehicle-body rear portion, even if a rear side frame is made from material which may not cause smooth bucking of the rear side frame.

Abstract: There are provided a hinge pillar extending in a vehicle vertical direction, an apron reinforcement extending forward from the hinge pillar, a connecting member provided below the apron reinforcement and connecting the hinge pillar and the apron reinforcement in a brace shape, a dash panel provided in back of the connecting member and extending in a vehicle width direction, a wheel house provided in front of the dash panel, and an apron rear panel provided on an inward side, in the vehicle width direction, of and closely to the connecting member and connecting a rear portion of the wheel house and the dash panel.

Abstract: A front vehicle body comprises a front frame, an apron reinforcement, and a suspension housing. The suspension housing comprises first and second open cross-sections extending in a vehicle width direction and interconnecting the front frame and the apron reinforcement. The suspension housing includes first joint portions which are joined to an outer face of the front frame and second joint portions which are joined to an inner face of the front frame. The first joint portions and the second joint portions are arranged on an end portion of the suspension housing which is positioned on a front-frame side such that they are alternately aligned in a vehicle longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A front vehicle body comprises a front frame having a closed cross-section, an apron reinforcement, a suspension housing, and first and second bulkheads arranged in the closed cross-section of the front frame. The suspension housing comprises first and second open cross-sections extending in a vehicle width direction and interconnecting the front frame and the apron reinforcement. The first and second open cross-sections include front ridgeline portions which are a high-rigidity portion extending in the vehicle width direction. The first and second bulkheads are arranged in the closed cross-section and located at or near positions which are continuous to lower ends of the front ridgeline portions.

Abstract: A pair of rear side frames respectively comprise front bending-promotion portions, middle bending-promotion portions and rear bending-promotion portions which cause the rear side frames to bend inward, in a vehicle width direction, in a trough-folding shape in a rear collision of a vehicle, and a longitudinal distance L2 between the front bending-promotion portions and the middle bending-promotion portions is set to be longer than a longitudinal direction L1 between the middle bending-promotion portions and the rear bending-promotion portions. Thereby, there is provided a rear vehicle-body structure of an automotive vehicle which can properly absorb a collision load at a vehicle-body rear portion, even if a rear side frame is made from material which may not cause smooth bucking of the rear side frame.

Abstract: A gusset member which is provided in back of a front wheel and connects a dash panel and a hinge pillar is provided. A first reinforcing member which is connected to the gusset member to reinforce a lower portion of the hinge pillar is provided. Accordingly, a cabin deformation of a vehicle side portion as a whole can be properly restrained, thereby ensuring a sufficient space of a vehicle compartment.

Abstract: A surface treatment method includes covering a surface of a casting mold with a carbon film containing at least one type of nanocarbon selected from the group including carbon nanocoils, carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofilaments, and further applying fullerenes to that surface. With this surface treatment method being performed on a surface (a cavity surface, etc. of a casting mold) making contact with a molten casting material such as aluminum, etc., sticking of the molten casting material to the mold is inhibited, release resistance of the product is reduced, and release effectiveness is improved. The release effectiveness lasts longer than in the case of a conventional carbon film.