The present disclosure, in general, relates to vehicle rear part structure and specifically relates to a reinforcement structure for a back panel provided below a rear door opening of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Automotive industry has always been known to be very competitive as far as its design and material usage are concerned. The automotive industry is always facing greater market pressure to develop high quality products more quickly with different variants of a particular vehicle model in order to cater different segments of end users.
[0003] The high quality of the product is measured on the basis of reliability and durability of the certain product. The reliability is the measure of unanticipated interruptions or unexpected failures occuring during use of a certain product by a customer. However, the durability is the ability of a component to remain functional, without requiring excessive maintenance or repair, when faced with the challenges of normal operation over its design lifetime.
[0004] Precisely, durability of the component is measured by including years of life, hours of use, and number of operational cycles. In economics, goods with a long usable life are referred to as durable and reliable goods.
[0005] In general, a number of tests have been carried out to determine the root cause of unexpected/premature failure of various components, so that the problem can be fixed or minimized to a certain extent. This premature failure of components results in higher warranty costs or maintenance costs. In addition, it also increases the overall cost of the product, as the product has to design and develop again and again in order to fulfil the shortcomings with the existing one. In addition, the

interesting part of introducing the concept of failure investigation is that the failure of one component results in failure of other components.
[0006] Hence, there is need of the product having sufficient reliability and/or durability with lower cost that includes less warranty expenses as well as less design & the development expenses.
[0007] The present disclosure mainly focusses on a vehicle rear part structure 100 and components as shown in FIG. 1. The vehicle rear part structure 100 includes a back panel 102 positioned below a back door opening part of vehicle, a back plate (not shown) attached to the back panel 102 and fixing an absorber, a rear floor panel 104 connected with a lower end of the back panel 102 and forming a floor surface of a vehicle rear part structure 100, and a towing hook 106 which is fixed to the rear floor panel 104 in a vicinity of a connection part where the back panel 102 and the rear floor panel 104 are connected to each other.
[0008] Precisely, an existing reinforcement structure 110 ranges from the towing hook 106 to the back plate (not shown) that in turn fixed to the back panel 102. A muffler hanger 108 which supports muffler and is fixed to the reinforcement structure 110. Muffler is a part of an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. Depending upon the road conditions, the vehicle body has to bear various magnitudes of dynamic and static forces. It also has to surmount the high impact forces and stresses induced by potholes and speed bumps and still maintain the structural integrity.
[0009] These loads are channelized to the body-in-white (BIW) structure due to which the stresses are induced in the joinery region of the rear floor 104 (around spare tire well), reinforcement structure 110 and the back panel 102.
[0010] There is also a need of commonization of the design of reinforcement structure, so that it can easily be mounted in both the types of drive trains. In case of two- wheel drive only the front wheels are power driven, but in four- wheel drive front and rear wheel are power driven. Therefore, in all wheel drive, a differential

unit is positioned below the rear floor to drive the rear wheel due to which the rear floor is translated in upward direction to accommodate the differential unit. This change in floor layout requires accommodation of two different reinforcements in both the types of drives to maintain same structural durability performance. The present disclosure also helps in reducing the time and cost incurred in product design & development (for two separate variants of reinforcement structure in the aforementioned region).
[0011 ] Hence, the present disclosure aims to design the reinforcement structure having enhanced strength, cost-effective and can easily be accommodated in both the type of design of rear floor (with different rear floor position for each drive condition) thereby meeting the performance requirement and commonizing the reinforcement.
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0012] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfy, are listed herein below.
[0013] It is a general or primary object of present disclosure to provide the reinforcement structure having enhanced strength, stiffness and cost -effective in nature.
[0014] It is another obj ect of the present disclosure to provide the reinforcement structure that can easily be accommodated in both the type of design of rear floor (with different rear floor position for each drive condition).
[0015] It is further object of present disclosure to provide the reinforcement structure having optimized section modulus.
[0016] These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent when reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY
[0017] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a reinforcement structure for a back panel provided below a back door opening of a vehicle. The concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0018] In accordance with an embodiment, the present disclosure provides the reinforcement structure for a back panel provided below a back door opening of a vehicle, the reinforcement structure comprising a channel running from a muffler hanger to a towing hook fixed on the back panel, and a vertical bead formed adjacent to a top end of the channel for mounting the muffler hanger.
[0019] In an aspect, the channel is concave toward the rear of the vehicle and elongated in the vehicle height direction.
[0020] In an aspect, the channel is attached to the back panel through spot welding.
[0021] In an aspect, the reinforcement structure comprises an S-shaped profile connecting the channel to the vertical bead of the reinforcement structure.
[0022] In an aspect, a bead formed at the extreme end is spot welded with the back panel.
[0023] In an aspect, the vertical bead extends from top portion of the S-shaped bead till an extreme lower end of the reinforcement structure.
[0024] In an aspect, the reinforcement structure comprises a stepped profile formed at a lower end of the bead near the region of the towing hook.
[0025] To further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present subject matter, a description relating thereto will be made with reference to

the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the scope of the present subject matter.
[0026] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0027] The illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and processes that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:
[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle rear part structure and components such as existing reinforcement structure mounted over the back panel in accordance with the prior art;
[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates the vehicle rear part structure and components such as proposed reinforcement structure mounted over the back panel and an enlarged view of the same in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0030] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] A few aspects of the present disclosure are explained in detail below with reference to the various figures. Example implementations are described to illustrate the disclosed subject matter, not to limit its scope, which is defined by the claims. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize a number of equivalent variations of the various features provided in the description that follows.
EXEMPLARY IMPLEMENT A TIONS/EMBODIMENTS
[0032] While the present disclosure may be embodied in various forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will hereinafter be described, some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the disclosure and is not intended to limit the disclosure to the specific embodiments illustrated. Not all of the depicted components described in this disclosure may be required, however, and some implementations may include additional, different, or fewer components from those expressly described in this disclosure. Variations in the arrangement and type of the components may be made without departing from the scope of the claims as set forth herein.
[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates a proposed reinforcement structure 200 for mounting on the back panel 102 provided below the rear door opening of a vehicle and the enlarged view of the same in accordance with the present disclosure.
[0034] In general, the vehicle rear part structure 100 includes a back panel 102 that is positioned below a back door opening region of the vehicle, a back plate is attached over the back panel 102 and fixing an absorber, a rear floor panel 104 connected with a lower end of the back panel 102 and forming a floor surface of a vehicle rear part 100, and a towing hook 106 along with towing hook is fixed to the

rear floor panel 104 in a vicinity of a connection part where the back panel 102 and the rear floor panel 104 are connected to each other.
[0035] The reinforcement structure 200 proposed by the present disclosure has enhanced strength and stiffness that helps in overcoming the shortcomings associated with the existing one.
[0036] The proposed reinforcement structure 200 comprises a channel 202 running from a muffler hanger 108 to a towing hook 106 fixed on the back panel 102, and a vertical bead 204 formed adjacent to a top end of the channel 202 for mounting the muffler hanger 108. The channel 202 is attached to the back panel 102 through continuous spot welding that increases the stiffness between the reinforcement structure 200, the back panel, and the rear floor 104. In addition, the channel is concave toward the rear of the vehicle and elongated in the vehicle height direction.
[0037] The reinforcement structure 200 further comprises an S-shaped bead 206 connecting the channel 202 to vertical bead 204 of the reinforcement structure 200. Further, a bead 208 formed at the extreme end of the reinforcement structure 200 is spot welded with the back panel 102. Due to less depth and higher width of the S-shaped bead and the channel profile 202, the stiffness is improved around the central region of the reinforcement structure 200. This increases overall strength of the reinforcement structure 200.
[0038] In addition, the vertical bead 204 that is used for mounting the muffler hanger 108 extends from top portion of the S-shaped bead 206 till an extreme lower end of the reinforcement structure 200. The design of the vertical bead 204 distributes the generated stress uniformly.
[0039] It further comprises a stepped profile 210 formed at a lower end of the bead 212 near the region of the towing hook 106. This step profiled design increases the stiffness around the local region.

ADVANTAGES
[0040] The proposed reinforcement structure comprises sufficient strength and stiffness for vehicle durability performance requirement. In addition, the design of the reinforcement structure is in such a manner that it can be accommodated in for all drive variants of vehicle.
[0041] The above description does not provide specific details of the manufacture or design of the various components. Those of skill in the art are familiar with such details, and unless departures from those techniques are set out, techniques, known, related art or later developed designs and materials should be employed. Those in the art are capable of choosing suitable manufacturing and design details.
[0001] Further, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. It will be appreciated that several of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into other systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may subsequently be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as encompassed by the following claims.
[0002] The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others.
[0003] It will be appreciated that variants of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated

alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

We claim

1. A reinforcement structure (200) for a back panel (102) provided below a
back door opening of a vehicle, the reinforcement structure (200)
comprising:
a channel (202) running from a muffler hanger (108) to a towing hook (106) fixed on the back panel (102); and
a vertical bead (204) formed adjacent to a top end of the channel (202) for mounting the muffler hanger (108).
2. The reinforcement structure (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the channel (202) is concave toward the rear of the vehicle and elongated in the vehicle height direction.
3. The reinforcement structure (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the channel (202) is attached to the back panel (102) through spot welding.
4. The reinforcement structure (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising an S-shaped bead (206) connecting the channel (202) to the vertical bead (204) of the reinforcement structure (200).
5. The reinforcement structure (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a bead (208) formed at the extreme end is spot welded with the back panel (102).
6. The reinforcement structure (200) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the vertical bead (204) extends from top portion of the S-shaped bead (206) till an extreme lower end of the reinforcement structure (200).

7. The reinforcement structure (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a stepped profile (210) formed at a lower end of the bead (212) near the region of the towing hook (106).