Side wall assembly, upper vehicle body structure assembly, vehicle frame structure and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a side wall assembly, an upper vehicle body structure assembly, a vehicle frame structure and a vehicle, and belongs to the technical field of vehicle parts, and the side wall assembly comprises a thermal expansion type pipe and a casting connector which are connected. The bearing capacity of the side wall assembly to the top action can be improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vehicle parts, in particular to a side wall assembly, an upper body structure assembly, a frame structure and a vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0002] The side wall of the vehicle body is a key structural component of the vehicle body, which plays a crucial role in supporting the roof load (such as rollover, top impact), transmitting side collision force, and protecting the integrity of the passenger compartment. In the related art, the strength of the side wall of the vehicle body is low, and the load bearing capacity of the top is poor, which may cause the top to collapse and the passenger compartment to intrude in a specific accident, increasing the safety risk. SUMMARY

[0003] The embodiments of the present application provide a side wall assembly, an upper body structure assembly, a frame structure and a vehicle to at least partially solve the above technical problems.

[0004] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to the first aspect of the present application, a side wall assembly is provided, comprising a thermal expansion pipe and a casting joint connected.

[0005] According to the second aspect of the present application, an upper body structure assembly is provided, comprising the above-mentioned side wall assembly.

[0006] According to the third aspect of the present application, a frame structure is also provided, comprising the above-mentioned side wall assembly or comprising the above-mentioned upper body structure assembly.

[0007] According to the fourth aspect of the present application, a vehicle is also provided, comprising the above-mentioned side wall assembly or comprising the above-mentioned upper body structure assembly or comprising the above-mentioned frame structure.

[0008] In the side wall assembly of the embodiments of the present application, the thermal expansion pipe and the casting joint are connected, the external load is transmitted and distributed through the thermal expansion pipe through the casting reinforced joint, and the load bearing capacity of the side wall assembly for the top can be improved.

[0009] Other features and advantages of the present application will be described in detail in the following specific embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings needed in the embodiment description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor on the basis of these drawings.

[0011] For a more complete understanding of the present application and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts.

[0012] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a side wall assembly provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2 is a structural diagram of a thermal expansion type pipe and casting joint provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 3 is Figure 2 is an enlarged diagram of a portion A in FIG. 1;

[0015] Figure 4 is Figure 2 is an enlarged diagram of a portion B in FIG. 1;

[0016] Figure 5 is a structural diagram of another thermal expansion type pipe and casting joint provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 6 is Figure 5 is an enlarged diagram of a portion C in FIG. 1;

[0018] Figure 7 is Figure 5 is an enlarged diagram of a portion D in FIG. 1;

[0019] Figure 8 is Figure 5 is an enlarged diagram of a portion E in FIG. 1;

[0020] Figure 9 is a structural diagram of still another thermal expansion type pipe and casting joint provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 10 is Figure 9 is an enlarged diagram of a portion F in FIG. 1;

[0022] Figure 11 is Figure 9 is an enlarged diagram of a portion G in FIG. 1;

[0023] Figure 12 is Figure 9 is an enlarged diagram of a portion H in FIG. 1;

[0024] Figure 13 is a structural diagram of a side wall assembly provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 14 is Figure 13 is an enlarged diagram of a portion I in FIG. 1;

[0026] Figure 15 is Figure 13 is an enlarged schematic view of the J portion in FIG. 1;

[0027] Figure 16 is Figure 13 is a sectional view along the direction of L1-L1 in FIG. 1;

[0028] Figure 17 is Figure 16 is an enlarged schematic view of the K portion in FIG. 1;

[0029] Figure 18 is a structural schematic view of an inner panel provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 19 is Figure 18 is an enlarged schematic view of the M portion in FIG. 1;

[0031] Figure 20 is Figure 18 is an enlarged schematic view of the N portion in FIG. 1;

[0032] Figure 21 is Figure 18 is an enlarged schematic view of the O portion in FIG. 1;

[0033] Figure 22 is Figure 18 is an enlarged schematic view of the P portion in FIG. 1;

[0034] Figure 23 is a structural schematic view of still another thermal expansion type pipe and casting joint provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 24 is Figure 23 is an enlarged schematic view of the Q portion in FIG. 1;

[0036] Figure 25 is Figure 23 is an enlarged schematic view of the R portion in FIG. 1;

[0037] Figure 26 is an exploded view of a side wall assembly provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 27 is a structural schematic view of a rocker and B pillar provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 28 is an exploded view of a partial structure of a side wall assembly provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 29 is a further illustration of a partial structure in FIG. 1. Figure 28

[0041] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: ​

[0042] 1, side assembly; 10, support assembly; 11, A pillar; 13, B pillar; 133, reinforcing plate; 135, mounting cavity; 15, side upper beam; 17, roof; 18, side; 2, heat-expandable tube; 21, first end; 23, second end; 20, lower A pillar inner plate; 70, outer plate; 210, rocker reinforcement; 220, lower A pillar reinforcing plate; 25, front cross beam; 26, middle cross beam; 201, bolt hole; 3731, mouth;

[0043] 30, joint assembly; 31, A pillar joint; 33, cross beam joint; 332, first connecting end; 333, second connecting end; 335, third connecting end; 338, reinforcing rib; 50, inner plate; 51, side portion; 53, cross beam lap joint portion; 3, cast joint; 35, cavity; 37, opening; 373, C-shaped structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 1 The present application provides a side assembly 1, which comprises a heat-expandable tube 2 and a cast joint 3 connected together.

[0046] In the side assembly of the embodiments of the present application, the heat-expandable tube 2 and the cast joint 3 are connected together, and the heat-expandable tube transmits and distributes external load through the cast joint, so that the load bearing capacity of the side assembly for top action can be improved. In addition, the heat-expandable tube 2 and the cast joint 3 connected together can also effectively improve the strength of the side assembly 1. Specifically, the load bearing capacity of the side assembly for top action can refer to the ability of the side assembly (such as the connection region of the A pillar, the B pillar, the roof cross beam and the side) to resist deformation or maintain structural integrity when bearing external force from the top (such as rolling, top impact, heavy weight compression, etc.).

[0047] In some examples, the heat-expandable tube 2 can be changed in thickness and cross-sectional shape according to actual working conditions, so that the side assembly 1 can have greater strength, better load bearing capacity for top action, and better balance between rigidity, elasticity and light weight.

[0048] The cast joint 3 can be an integrated die-casting structure.

[0049] In some embodiments, the heat-expandable tube 2 and the cast joint 3 can be arranged adjacent to each other.

[0050] The heat-expanding pipe 2 is a pipe manufactured by a heat-expanding forming process, which is a process of expanding the pipe material to the inner wall of the mold by means of internal pressure (such as hydraulic or pneumatic pressure) after heating the pipe material to a plastic state, so as to obtain a pipe with complex cross-sectional shape and accurate size. The heat-expanding pipe 2 has the following advantages: lightweight: the variable diameter or variable wall thickness structure can be designed according to the stress requirement, which reduces the material consumption while ensuring the strength. High strength: the metal flow in the forming process improves the material structure and enhances the mechanical properties of the pipe. Reduce stress concentration: the complex geometry that cannot be achieved by traditional welding process can be achieved by one-piece forming, and the welding points also cause stress concentration. Low cost: compared with the multi-segment welding structure, the number of parts and assembly process is reduced.

[0051] In some embodiments, the cast joint 3 is overlapped with the heat-expanding pipe 2, and the overlap length can be greater than 200 mm, for example, 200 mm, 210 mm, etc.

[0052] In some embodiments, the cast joint 3 can be screwed with the heat-expanding pipe 2. Specifically, the side wall assembly 1 can further include a bolt connecting column installed on the cast joint 3, and the side wall assembly 1 can further include a connecting piece, which can be a bolt. Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The bolt can be provided in the bolt hole 201 of the heat-expanding pipe 2 and the bolt connecting column, so as to screw the cast joint 3 with the heat-expanding pipe 2. The number of bolts can be greater than or equal to 2, for example, two, three, etc. Wherein, the installed bolts can be distributed along the length direction of the heat-expanding pipe 2. In an example, the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint is screwed with the heat-expanding pipe 2 of the A-pillar. For example, the bolt can be provided in the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint and the heat-expanding pipe 2 of the upper A-pillar, so as to screw the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint with the heat-expanding pipe 2 of the upper A-pillar. Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 The connection relationship between the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint and the heat-expanding pipe 2 of the upper A-pillar is shown in Figure 2 The cast joint 3 in Figure 2The heat-expandable tube 2 in the side wall assembly 1 is the heat-expandable tube 2 of the A-pillar. In an example, an accommodation cavity is formed between the inner plate 50 and the outer plate 70, and the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint can fill part of the accommodation cavity. The cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint can be made of aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, or the like. The cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint can be provided with a bolt hole, and a bolt can be connected to the lower A-pillar inner plate 20 through the bolt hole. At the same time, the contact surface between the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint and the lower A-pillar inner plate 20 can be bonded by structural adhesive, and the application direction can be along the length direction of the heat-expandable tube, so that the overall deformation capability and the connection reliability of the heat-expandable tube 2 can be further improved.

[0053] In some embodiments, the heat-expandable tube 2 is provided in plurality, and at least one cast joint 3 is connected between two adjacent heat-expandable tubes 2. In some embodiments, the cast joint 3 is provided in plurality, and at least one heat-expandable tube 2 is connected between two adjacent cast joints 3. The heat-expandable tube 2 can be provided in plurality, and the cast joint 3 can be provided in plurality. The support assembly 10 can include one or more of the A-pillar 11, the B-pillar 13, and the side wall 18. It is easily understood that the A-pillar 11 can include the heat-expandable tube 2; the B-pillar 13 can include the heat-expandable tube 2; and the side wall 18 can include the heat-expandable tube 2. Further, according to different installation positions, in some embodiments, the heat-expandable tube 2 includes one or more of the heat-expandable tube of the A-pillar, the heat-expandable tube of the B-pillar, and the heat-expandable tube of the side wall. The A-pillar 11 can be the pillar on both sides of the front windshield, supporting the roof and connecting the front wall, and needs to balance the field of view and the collision strength (part of the vehicle type reduces the blind area by optimizing the cross section or using high-strength steel). The B-pillar 13 can be the pillar between the front and rear doors, which is the core force component of side collision, and is often integrated with a seat belt adjusting device and a window lifting mechanism.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 2 In an embodiment, the heat-expandable tube 2 of the A-pillar includes a first end 21 and a second end 23 oppositely arranged along the length direction thereof. From the first end 21 to the second end 23, the cross-sectional area of the heat-expandable tube 2 of the A-pillar first increases and then decreases. That is, along the extension direction of the heat-expandable tube 2, the cross-sectional area of the heat-expandable tube 2 first increases and then decreases. In other words, the heat-expandable tube 2 has a structure that the two ends are thin and the middle part is thick. The two ends of the heat-expandable tube 2 are thin, which facilitates the connection of the cast joint 3 of the joint assembly 30 and the wrapping of the cast joint 3 to the end of the heat-expandable tube 2. The middle part of the heat-expandable tube 2 is thick, which is conducive to the heat-expandable tube 2 of the support assembly 10 to fully fill the accommodation cavity formed between the inner plate 50 and the outer plate 70, and to improve the overall support strength of the side wall assembly 1.

[0055] In an example, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2The heat-expandable tube 2 in the A-pillar is a heat-expandable tube 2 of the A-pillar, which has a variable cross-section design with small cavities at both ends and a large cavity in the middle. On the one hand, the heat-expandable tube 2 of the A-pillar can be better connected with the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint, and on the other hand, the space can be fully utilized. Further, the two ends of the heat-expandable tube 2 of the A-pillar, i.e., the first end 21 and the second end 23, can be respectively provided with bolt holes 201, so as to facilitate the penetration of the connecting piece. In an embodiment, the connecting piece can include a bolt, which can be buckled into a bolt connecting column, and then the bolt is penetrated into the bolt connecting column for close connection.

[0056] In an example, the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint and the cross beam joint 33 can each be provided with a bolt connecting column.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 In some embodiments, at least part of the cast joint 3 is provided with a cavity 35, and at least part of the heat-expandable tube 2 is installed in the cavity 35. Thus, the overall stability and connection reliability of the side wall assembly 1 can be further improved. Among them, Figure 5 The connection relationship between the cross beam joint 33 and the B-pillar is shown in the figure. Figure 5 The heat-expandable tube 2 in the B-pillar is a heat-expandable tube 2 of the B-pillar.

[0058] In some embodiments, the cast joint 3 is further provided with an opening 37 communicating with the cavity 35. The opening 37 of the cast joint 3 can be located on the side of the cavity 35 facing the outside of the vehicle, so as to facilitate the connection of the other side of the cast joint 3 with other structures, such as the inner plate 50. It is also convenient to install the end of the heat-expandable tube 2 in the cavity 35. In some examples, the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint can be provided with a cavity 35 at one end of the heat-expandable tube 2 of the A-pillar, for installing part of the heat-expandable tube 2 of the A-pillar. Please refer to Figure 6 In some examples, the cross section of the end of the cast joint 3 connected with the heat-expandable tube 2 is a C-shaped structure 373, which can be formed by bending the side wall of the end of the cast joint 3. The C-shaped structure 373 has a mouth portion 3731, which communicates with the cavity 35, and the opening 37 is located on the different side of the cavity 35. In these examples, the lap joint position of the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint and the heat-expandable tube 2 of the A-pillar is a C-shaped structure design, which semi-wraps the heat-expandable tube 2 of the A-pillar. In other examples, the cast joint 3 of the B-pillar joint can also be provided with a cavity 35 at one end, for installing part of the heat-expandable tube 2, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0059] In some examples, on the cast joint 3 of the integrated die-casting structure, a threaded column can be arranged at a certain interval (generally 100-200 mm), and the cast joint 3 of the integrated die-casting structure is mechanically connected to the side wall part 51 of the inner plate of the carbon fiber through a bolt.

[0060] Please refer to Figure 1 In some embodiments, the side wall assembly 1 includes a support assembly 10 and a joint assembly 30. The support assembly 10 includes the thermal expansion tube 2. The joint assembly 30 includes the cast joint 3. At least part of the cast joint 3 can be connected to the thermal expansion tube 2. In these embodiments, the side wall assembly 1 can be reinforced by the cast joint, and the external load can be transmitted and distributed through the thermal expansion tube 2 between the castings, so as to strengthen the load bearing capacity of the side wall assembly 1 for the top action. The roof strength can be improved. According to the test of the inventor, the improvement efficiency of the roof test force value of the scheme using the traditional sheet metal structure in the related art is 2.5 kN / kg; and the improvement efficiency of the roof test force value of the scheme using the embodiments of the present application can reach 5 kN / kg. The scheme of the embodiments of the present application can significantly improve the load bearing capacity for the top action compared with the scheme using the traditional sheet metal structure in the related art.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 13 , Figure 14 , Figure 15 and Figure 16 In some embodiments, the side wall assembly 1 further includes an inner plate 50. The inner plate 50 can be connected to the support assembly 10, and the inner plate 50 can be connected to the joint assembly 30, for example, the inner plate 50 can be connected to the thermal expansion tube 2. The inner plate 50 can be connected to the cast joint 3. The inner plate 50 is arranged inside the side wall assembly 1. The inside of the side wall assembly 1 can be the side of the side wall assembly 1 away from the outside of the vehicle.

[0062] The inner plate 50 can be screwed with the thermal expansion tube 2. In some examples, a bolt can be arranged through the thermal expansion tube 2, the cast joint 3 and the inner plate 50, so as to screw the inner plate 50 with the thermal expansion tube 2. The inner plate 50 can be provided with a plurality of connecting holes 55 for the bolt to pass through. Please refer to Figure 17 , Figure 18 , Figure 19 , Figure 20 , Figure 21 Please refer to Figure 18 , Figure 18 for the structure of the inner plate 50. Please refer to Figure 13 , Figure 13 for the inner side of the inner plate 50 mounted with the inner plate 50, and the inner plate 50 can cover the inside of the A-pillar, the B-pillar and the side wall.

[0063] In some examples, the inner plate 50 can be a carbon fiber inner plate, and the inner plate 50 can be an integrally formed inner plate.

[0064] In combination with Figure 13 and Figure 18 In some examples, the inner plate 50 can include a side wall portion 51 and a cross beam lap portion 53 connected together, and the side wall portion 51 and the cross beam lap portion 53 can be integrally formed. The side wall portion 51 is arranged corresponding to the side wall 18 of the support assembly, and the cross beam lap portion 53 is arranged corresponding to the cross beam joint 33 of the support assembly. The side wall portion 51 and the cross beam lap portion 53 are integrated in the inner plate 50 by integrally forming. The inner plate 50 can be a carbon fiber inner plate, and the forming flexibility is high.

[0065] Further, the inner plate 50 can be formed with a cavity structure, and the cavity structure can be arranged corresponding to the cross beam joint 33. The inside of the cavity structure can be mounted with the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint, and the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint can be an integrally die-cast structure, so as to strengthen the performance at the cross beam joint.

[0066] In combination with Figure 5 , Figure 13 In some embodiments, the support assembly 10 includes a B pillar 13, and the B pillar 13 includes the heat-expandable tube 2. The heat-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar is connected to the inner plate 50.

[0067] The connection mode of the heat-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar to the inner plate 50 can be bolted connection through pre-holes of the inner plate 50 and the heat-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar. In some examples, the heat-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar can be a profiled heat-expandable tube 2. In addition to being connected by bolts, the heat-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar and the inner plate 50 can also be connected by applying structural glue. The application direction of the structural glue should be along the height direction of the B pillar 13, and the number of application directions can be greater than or equal to two, such as two, three, etc. The structural glue can be uniformly distributed in the width direction of the B pillar 13.

[0068] In combination with Figure 15 and Figure 16 , Figure 17 In some embodiments, the B pillar 13 further includes a reinforcing plate 133 connected to the inner plate 50. The reinforcing plate 133 can be arranged to be outwardly arranged. The reinforcing plate 133 can be a heat-formed reinforcing plate.

[0069] In some embodiments, a mounting cavity 135 is formed between the reinforcing plate 133 and the inner plate 50, and at least part of the heat-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar is mounted in the mounting cavity 135. Figure 17 The heat-expandable tube 2 in the above is the heat-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar.

[0070] The reinforcing plate 133 can be a hot-formed reinforcing plate, and the hot-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar can be connected to the reinforcing plate 133 by means of plug welding. The length of each plug weld can be greater than or equal to 30 mm, for example, 30 mm, 40 mm, etc. The welds are distributed along the height direction of the B pillar 13, and the interval is determined according to the welding process, and the mutual influence between adjacent welds needs to be avoided. The number of plug welds along the height direction of the B pillar 13 is greater than or equal to 2, for example, two or three, which can be uniformly distributed along the width direction of the B pillar 13. The reinforcing plate 133, the hot-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar, and the inner plate 50 are connected into a whole structure that cooperatively bears force by means of the above connection mode. In this way, the connection mode of the hot-expandable tube 2, the carbon fiber inner plate 50, and the hot-formed reinforcing plate 133 overcomes the defect that the hot-expandable tube 2 and the inner plate and the outer plate of the B pillar made of different materials have poor overall cooperative deformation capacity, and can better reduce the stress of the B pillar 13 at the joint position. In this way, on the one hand, the hot-expandable tube 2 with good overall performance can further strengthen the structure of the B pillar 13; on the other hand, the hot-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar 13 cooperatively bears force with the inner plate and the outer plate, which can better reduce the pressure of the connection at the joint position of the B pillar 13. In the embodiments of the present application, for the key structure of the B pillar 13 which affects both the top pressure and the side impact performance, a hot-formed reinforcing plate 133 can be further arranged outside the hot-expandable tube 2. The upper part of the reinforcing plate 133 can be connected to the top casting joint 3 of the B pillar 13 by means of bolts, the lower part can be welded to the rocker reinforcing plate, and the middle part can be connected to the hot-expandable tube 2 by means of plug welding.

[0071] Please refer to Figure 17 and Figure 27 In some embodiments, the joint position of the B pillar 13 is the hot-formed reinforcing plate 133 and the carbon fiber inner plate 50, and the hot-formed reinforcing plate 133 and the carbon fiber inner plate 50 can be connected by means of gluing. In this way, the connection of the hot-formed reinforcing plate 133, the hot-expandable tube 2 of the B pillar, and the carbon fiber inner plate 50 in the B pillar 13 is mainly concentrated in the middle part of the B pillar 13, which can reduce the stress at the joint position of the B pillar 13, avoid gluing failure, and also improve the top pressure bearing capacity of the whole structure.

[0072] In the embodiments of the present application, the cast joint (for example, the cross beam joint 33) of the side wall assembly, the carbon fiber inner plate 50, and the carbon fiber outer plate 70 all have relatively large strength, and the joint assembly 30 also has relatively good bending and torsional stiffness. In addition, the side wall part 51 and the cross beam lap part 53 are integrated in the inner plate 50 by integral forming. The cross beam lap part 53 can specifically serve as a cross beam joint lower end plate, and the side wall part 51 can specifically serve as a side wall inner plate. The integral carbon fiber inner plate integrated with the cross beam joint lower end plate and the side wall inner plate can be connected by bolts and adhesion. This structure overcomes the defects of the traditional sheet metal structure cross beam end plate and the side wall inner plate, which are only connected by welding points, the connection mode is single, and the welding point connection position is a relatively large stress area.

[0073] In some examples, the A-pillar 11 can include an upper A-pillar and a lower A-pillar. Please refer to Figure 2 The upper A-pillar includes a thermal expansion tube 2, Figure 2 The thermal expansion tube 2 in the above is the thermal expansion tube 2 of the upper A-pillar. The abutting position of the thermal expansion tube 2 of the upper A-pillar with the outer plate 70 and the inner plate 50 can be reinforced by structural adhesive to connect the thermal expansion tube 2 with the outer plate 70 and the carbon fiber inner plate 50, so as to coordinate the stress.

[0074] Please refer to Figure 27 , Figure 27 The side wall structure is shown in the form of splicing, in which the lower A-pillar reinforcement plate 220 is spliced with the lower A-pillar inner plate 20, and the upper part is filled with the cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint, which can be specifically provided as an integral cast. The cast joint 3 of the A-pillar joint can be connected with the A-pillar inner plate 20 and the A-pillar reinforcement plate 220 by bolts. In an example, the A-pillar inner plate 20 and the A-pillar reinforcement plate 220 are connected by welding points at the front and rear stopper positions, which can be connected by welding points and the like; the lower parts are respectively connected with the rocker reinforcement beam 210 to form a lap joint, which can be connected by a hot melt self-tapping rivet technology (FDS) and the like. The reinforcement plate 133 is connected with the rocker reinforcement beam 210. The reinforcement plate 133 can be specifically a B-pillar thermal forming reinforcement plate.

[0075] Please refer to Figure 28 and Figure 29 In some examples, the upper body structure assembly can include a roof 17, and the thermal expansion tube 2 of the side wall is connected to the roof 17 on the side facing the roof. The roof 17 is used to cover the upper part of the inner plate 50 and the outer plate, and a receiving cavity is formed between the roof 17 and the inner plate 50 and the outer plate and the roof 17. The support assembly 10 and the joint assembly 30 can be located in the receiving cavity.

[0076] In some examples, the roof 17 can be specifically an integral carbon fiber roof.

[0077] In some examples, please refer to Figure 28 andFigure 29 , Figure 29 The figure is a partial enlarged view of the connection between the inner plate 50 and the front cross beam and the middle cross beam. The through cavity formed by the outer plate 70, the inner plate 50, the front cross beam 25 and the middle cross beam 26 can be filled with the cross beam joint cast joint 3. The cross beam joint cast joint 3 can be a B-pillar-cross beam integrated cast. The front cross beam 25 can be a carbon fiber front cross beam, and the middle cross beam 26 can be a carbon fiber middle cross beam. The inner plate 50 can be a carbon fiber integrated inner plate.

[0078] During installation, the thermal expansion tube 2 of the support assembly 10, the cast joint 3 of the joint assembly 30, and the inner plate 50 can be connected together as a whole by bolts, and then the reinforcing plate 133 is connected, and then the outer plate 70 is connected, and then the roof 17 is connected. The roof 17 here refers to the roof 17 of the vehicle roof.

[0079] Please refer to Figure 9 , Figure 9 The thermal expansion tube 2 in the figure is a side wall thermal expansion tube 2, which can be a side wall upper edge beam 15 thermal expansion tube 2. The side wall thermal expansion tube 2 can be screwed with the inner plate 50 through the bolt hole located on the side, and the side wall thermal expansion tube 2 can be screwed with the carbon fiber roof 17 through the bolt hole located on the upper part. While being bolted, the side wall upper edge beam 15 thermal expansion tube 2 can be tightly attached to the roof 17 and the inner plate 50. In some examples, structural glue can be used to reinforce the connection, and the number of structural glue can be greater than or equal to two, such as two, three, etc., so that the side wall upper edge beam 15 thermal expansion tube 2 can be connected to the side wall 18 outer plate 70 and the carbon fiber inner plate 50 through the adhesive connection. In some embodiments, the carbon fiber inner plate 50 and the side wall upper edge beam 15 thermal expansion tube 2 are screwed, and the thermal expansion tube 2 and the side wall 18 outer plate 70 and the carbon fiber inner plate 50 can be connected through the adhesive connection, thereby avoiding the need to open a hole in the side wall 18 outer plate, making the appearance more beautiful and having better sealing and waterproof performance.

[0080] Please refer to Figure 26 In some embodiments, the side wall assembly 1 further comprises an outer plate 70, and the outer plate 70 is connected with the reinforcing plate 133, and the reinforcing plate 133 is located between the outer plate 70 and the inner plate 50.

[0081] In some embodiments, the B-pillar is in a structure formed by a carbon fiber outer panel, a hot-formed reinforcement panel, a heat-expandable tube, and a carbon fiber inner panel. The carbon fiber outer panel and the hot-formed reinforcement panel can be connected by adhesive bonding, the hot-formed reinforcement panel and the heat-expandable tube can be connected by plug welding, and the heat-expandable tube and the carbon fiber inner panel can be connected by screwing, so that the overall thickness is small, the space occupied is small, and the connection is more compact and the overall performance is better. In these embodiments, the connection focus is placed in the middle part of the B-pillar, which can effectively reduce the stress on the stopper and improve the problem of load reduction caused by stopper glue opening under external load. Please refer to Figure 26 Furthermore, the lower part of the heat-expandable tube 2 of the B-pillar does not extend to the position of the rocker reinforcement beam 210, and the lower part of the heat-expandable tube 2 of the B-pillar is arranged in a spaced manner with the rocker reinforcement beam 210. Specifically, the lower part of the heat-expandable tube 2 of the B-pillar can extend to the upper part of the lower hole of the inner panel. In this way, the strength of the lower part of the B-pillar can meet the requirements, and the function of energy absorption of the lower part of the B-pillar under side impact conditions is taken into account. In addition, it is convenient for the installation of safety belts, pipelines and the like.

[0082] Please refer to Figure 26 , Figure 26 for a specific display of the structure of the lower A-pillar inner panel 20, the rocker reinforcement beam 210, the lower A-pillar reinforcement panel 220, and the outer panel 70. The outer panel 70 can be an integrated carbon fiber side wall outer panel. The integrated carbon fiber side wall outer panel can be buckled to the structure formed by the heat-expandable tube 2 and the cast joint 3, and connected to the structure formed by the heat-expandable tube 2 and the cast joint 3 by structural adhesive, rivets, etc.

[0083] In some embodiments, the outer panel can be a carbon fiber outer panel 70.

[0084] Please refer to Figure 9 , Figure 9 for a specific display of the structure relationship between the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint and the heat-expandable tube 2 of the side wall, Figure 9 the heat-expandable tube 2 in the above-mentioned structure is a heat-expandable tube 2 of the side wall. In some embodiments, the support assembly 10 further comprises a side wall 18, and the side wall 18 comprises the heat-expandable tube 2.

[0085] In some embodiments, the heat-expandable tube 2 of the side wall can be connected with the inner panel 50.

[0086] Please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 8 In some embodiments, the side wall assembly 1 further comprises a cross beam, the joint assembly 30 comprises a cross beam joint 33 connected with the cross beam, and the cross beam joint 33 comprises the cast joint 3. Please refer to Figure 28The cross beam can specifically include a front cross beam 15 and a middle cross beam 26. The cross beam joint 33 can specifically include a joint between the front cross beam and the joint position of the side wall 18, and a joint between the B column 13 and the joint position of the middle cross beam. In an embodiment, a receiving cavity is formed between the inner plate 50, the outer plate and the roof 17, and the cross beam joint 33 can fill part of the receiving cavity. The cross beam joint 33 has good bending stiffness and local compression resistance at the position of the cross beam joint 33, and can well resist the pressure of the pressure plate on the vehicle body in the roof crush test.

[0087] In some embodiments, the inner plate 50 includes a cross beam joint portion 53, which can be a cross beam joint plate. The cross beam joint plate can be connected with the cross beam, and the cross beam joint plate can be connected with the A column 11. A cross beam joint can be connected between the cross beam and the A column 11. This structure can be arranged at the roof pressure position, which can further improve the stiffness of the side wall assembly 1.

[0088] Further, the inner plate 50, the outer plate 70 and the roof 17 can be made of carbon fiber, so as not to be limited by the stamping process of sheet metal.

[0089] In some embodiments, the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint is provided with a reinforcing rib 338. The cast joint 3 includes opposite first and second sides, and the reinforcing rib 338 is connected to the first side and extends away from the second side. The side wall assembly 1 includes an inner plate 50 connected to the second side. The reinforcing rib 338 improves the carrying capacity and lightens the weight.

[0090] In some embodiments, the thickness of the cast joint 3 can be appropriately reduced in the area where the cast joint 3 is connected with the heat-expandable tube 2. In the connection area, the heat-expandable tube 2 is connected with the cast joint 3 by bolts, and the heat-expandable tube 2 can serve as the main load-bearing structure. In some embodiments, the heat-expandable tube 2 is not of uniform thickness, and can be made of a TRB (Tailor Rolled Blanks) to have a variable thickness design, so that the material distribution of the heat-expandable tube 2 is more reasonable, and the weight is further reduced.

[0091] The reinforcing rib 338 of the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint is in contact with the inner plate 50 at a flat surface, so as to facilitate the connection between the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint and the inner plate 50. The connection can be by bolts or glue. The inner plate 50 can be a carbon fiber inner plate 50. The reinforcing rib 338 is arranged towards the outside of the vehicle.

[0092] In some embodiments, the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint can be screwed with the inner plate 50, and the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint can be provided with bolt connecting columns for the bolts to pass through. The bolt connecting columns can be multiple, and the distance between two adjacent bolt connecting columns can be 100-200 mm, which can be determined according to different roof crush test target values, and the bolts can be fastened after passing through.

[0093] In some embodiments, the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint is also provided with bolt connecting columns at the positions where the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint extends into the front cross beam 25, the B column 13, to facilitate bolt connection.

[0094] In some embodiments, the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint is also provided with bolt connecting columns at the positions where the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint extends into the front cross beam 25, the B column 13, to facilitate bolt connection.

[0095] The cast joint 3 and the lap joint position of the heat expansion type pipe of the upper A column, the heat expansion type pipe of the B column, and the heat expansion type pipe of the side wall are similar to the connection form of the heat expansion type pipe and the cast joint at the A column joint 31, which adopts the form of the cast joint semi-wrapping the heat expansion type pipe 2.

[0096] In some embodiments, the second side is a plane. The contact position of the cast joint 3 and the inner plate 50 is a plane. The plane is provided to enable the connection performance of the cast joint 3 and the vehicle body to be strengthened by structural glue.

[0097] Please refer to Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 , and Figure 12 In some embodiments, the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint includes a first connecting end 332, the support assembly 10 includes the A column 11, the A column 11 includes the heat expansion type pipe 2, and the first connecting end 332 is connected with the heat expansion type pipe 2 of the A column.

[0098] Please refer to Figure 23 , Figure 23 for the connection between the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint and the heat expansion type pipe 2 of the A column, Figure 23 for the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint, Figure 23 for the heat expansion type pipe 2 of the A column.

[0099] Please refer to Figure 22 , Figure 23 , Figure 24 The cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint includes a second connecting end 333, the support assembly 10 includes the B column 13, the B column 13 includes the heat expansion type pipe 2, and the second connecting end 333 is connected with the heat expansion type pipe 2 of the B column.

[0100] Please refer to Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 , the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint includes a third connecting end 335, the support assembly 10 includes a side wall 18, the side wall 18 includes the thermal expansion tube 2, and the third connecting end 335 is connected with the thermal expansion tube 2 of the side wall. The cross beam joint 33 can be a one-piece structure.

[0101] Please refer to Figure 25 , in an example, the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint is close to one side of the inner plate 50, and the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint and the side wall of carbon fiber are bonded by structural adhesive, forming a composite connection form of adhesive and mechanical connection, to ensure the common stress and deformation of the cast and the carbon fiber structure. Unlike the traditional sheet metal structure, which is caused by the consideration of material utilization rate, resulting in the traditional connection form that the joint cavity of the cross beam and the side wall is not through, and the upper plate and the lower lap end plate of the cross beam are connected with the inner plate of the side wall structure only by welding points, the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint of the embodiment of the application adopts a one-piece die-casting structure, and the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint can be placed in the through cavity formed between the inner plate and the outer plate, thereby forming a high-strength joint structure, which greatly improves the body structure stiffness and roof strength performance.

[0102] The cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint connects the cross beam, the A-pillar 11 and the B-pillar 13 into a whole, achieving the purpose of coordinating the stress. Specifically, the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint can further include a fourth connecting end connecting the front cross beam, and the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint can further include a fifth connecting end connecting the middle cross beam. The first end 21 of the thermal expansion tube 2 of the A-pillar can be connected with the joint cast 3 of the upper A-pillar. The second end 23 of the thermal expansion tube 2 of the A-pillar can be connected with the first connecting end 332 of the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint. The second connecting end 333 is connected with the upper segment of the B-pillar 13. Thus, in some embodiments, the front cross beam, the upper A-pillar, the middle cross beam and the upper segment of the B-pillar 13 can be connected into a whole by the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint, achieving the purpose of coordinating the stress.

[0103] In an example, the length of the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint extending into the cross beam can be greater than or equal to 200 mm, for example, can be 200 mm, 210 mm, etc. The cross beam can include a front cross beam, a middle cross beam, etc., and the part of the cross beam joint cast joint 3 extending into the cross beam is also provided with a reinforcing rib 338 and a bolt connecting column, which can be arranged along the width direction of the cross beam. The position of the bolt arrangement can equally divide the width of the cross beam into three parts. In an example, the lap plate of the front cross beam and the middle cross beam can be holed at the corresponding position of the bolt connecting column for bolt connection. In an example, the contact surface of the cross beam joint cast joint 3 and the cross beam lap plate is a fitting plane, which can be connected by applying structural glue, and the length direction of the structural glue can be consistent with the length direction of the cross beam, and the number of structural glues can be greater than or equal to 2, for example, can be two, three, etc.

[0104] In an example, the support assembly 10 can include a B column 13, which can include a thermal expansion pipe 2, specifically a random thermal expansion pipe 2. The length of the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint extending into the B column 13 can be greater than or equal to 250 mm, for example, can be 250 mm, 260 mm, etc. The number of bolts can be greater than or equal to 2, for example, can be two, three, etc., and the bolts can be arranged and installed along the height direction of the B column 13 to ensure reliable connection of the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint and the thermal expansion pipe 2 of the B column. At the same time, the thermal expansion pipe 2 of the B column and the extending part of the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint are tightly fitted, and at least two layers of structural glue can be applied, for example, can be two or three layers, etc. The length of each layer of glue can be equal to the lap length of the cast joint 3 of the cross beam joint and the thermal expansion pipe 2 of the B column. The structural glue can be arranged along the width direction of the B column 13.

[0105] Please refer to Figure 13 , Figure 13 for a structure of the side wall assembly 1, Figure 13 The side wall assembly 1 in includes an A column 11, a B column 13, and a side wall 18, wherein the A column joint 31, the thermal expansion pipe 2 of the A column 11, the cross beam joint 33, and the thermal expansion pipe 2 of the side wall are connected in sequence. At the same time, the cross beam joint 33 is also connected with the thermal expansion pipe 2 of the B column 13.

[0106] In the embodiment of the present application, the joint assembly 30 comprises a cast joint 3, at least part of the cast joint 3 is connected with the hot expansion tube 2, so that the joint position can be reinforced by the cast. The hot expansion tube 2 can be connected with each cast joint 3 in series to form an integrated side wall assembly 1. The side wall assembly 1 has at least the following characteristics: first, the overlapping position of the cast joint 3 and the hot expansion tube 2 is arranged in a half-wrapped form, which facilitates the assembly line production and improves the convenience of the side wall assembly 1 of the vehicle body during the assembly process; second, the structure in the half-wrapped form and in the same direction as the reinforcing rib 338 (towards the outside of the vehicle body) can meet the process requirements of the cast draw angle.

[0107] The embodiment of the present application has the following effects:

[0108] First, in the side wall assembly 1 of the present application, the cast, the hot-formed steel material, the hot expansion tube 2, and the inner plate 50 and the outer plate 70 of the carbon fiber side wall 18 are integrated. Through the above structure, a high level of lightweight can be achieved, and good top pressure and side impact protection capability can be achieved.

[0109] Second, in the side wall assembly 1 of the present application, carbon fiber is used as the inner plate 50 and the outer plate 70 of the side wall 18, the hot expansion tube 2 is arranged in the middle and firmly connected with the cast by bolts, and the bending load bearing capacity is stronger than the structure of the cast and the sheet metal in the related art. Moreover, the cast of the present application is arranged at the overlapping joint of the front cross beam and the side wall 18, which plays a role of penetrating and supporting the joint cavity.

[0110] Third, in the side wall assembly 1 of the present application, the joint assembly 30 comprises a cast joint 3, in other words, at least part of the joint assembly 30 can be a cast structure. The cast joint 3 can serve to connect the hot expansion tube 2 and form a vehicle body structure frame on the one hand. On the other hand, the cast joint 3 can comprise a penetrating and integral filling reinforcing structure, which can better improve the bending resistance and local load capacity of the joint.

[0111] According to a second aspect of the present application, an upper vehicle body structure assembly is provided, comprising the above-mentioned side wall assembly 1. The upper vehicle body structure assembly comprises the above-mentioned side wall assembly 1, and the upper vehicle body structure assembly has all the beneficial effects of the above-mentioned side wall assembly 1, which will not be repeated here.

[0112] According to a third aspect of the present application, a vehicle frame structure is provided, comprising the above-mentioned side wall assembly 1 or comprising the above-mentioned upper vehicle body structure assembly. The vehicle frame structure has all the beneficial effects of the above-mentioned side wall assembly 1 or the above-mentioned upper vehicle body structure assembly, which will not be repeated here.

[0113] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, which comprises the side wall assembly 1 described above or comprises the upper vehicle body structure assembly described above or comprises the vehicle frame structure described above. The vehicle has all the beneficial effects of the side wall assembly 1 described above or the upper vehicle body structure assembly described above or the vehicle frame structure described above, and the present disclosure will not be repeated here.

[0114] In the description of the present application, the terms "first", "second" are only for the purpose of description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined with "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more, unless otherwise specifically limited.

[0115] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment is focused on, and the parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment can be referred to the related description of other embodiments.

[0116] The embodiments, implementation manners and related technical features of the present application can be combined or replaced with each other without conflict.

[0117] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present application, and does not limit the present application in any form. Any simple modification, equivalent change and modification made to the above embodiment according to the technical essence of the present application without departing from the technical solution of the present application still belongs to the scope of the technical solution of the present application.

Claims

1. A side panel assembly, characterized in that: Includes connected thermal expansion tubes and casting joints.

2. The side panel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least part of the casting joint is provided with a cavity, and at least part of the thermal expansion tube is installed in the cavity.

3. The side panel assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The casting joint is further provided with an opening communicating with the cavity; and / or The opening of the casting joint is located on a side of the cavity facing the outside of the vehicle.

4. The side panel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal expansion tube and the casting joint are arranged adjacent to each other; and / or There are multiple thermal expansion tubes, and at least one casting joint is connected between two adjacent thermal expansion tubes; and / or There are multiple casting joints, and at least one thermal expansion tube is connected between two adjacent casting joints; and / or The cross section of one end of the casting joint connected to the thermal expansion tube is a C-shaped structure; and / or The casting joint and the thermal expansion tube are threaded; and / or The thermal expansion tube comprises a first end and a second end oppositely disposed along its length direction. From the first end to the second end, the cross-sectional area of ​​the thermal expansion tube first increases and then decreases.

5. The side panel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side panel assembly includes: A support assembly including the thermal expansion tube; A joint assembly includes the casting joint.

6. The side panel assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The side panel assembly further includes an inner panel, which is connected to the support assembly and / or the joint assembly, and is disposed inside the side panel assembly.

7. The side panel assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: The inner panel is a carbon fiber inner panel; and / or The inner panel is an integrally formed inner panel.

8. The side panel assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: The inner panel includes a side portion and a crossbeam overlapping portion connected to each other.

9. The side panel assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: The support assembly includes a B-pillar, the B-pillar includes the thermal expansion tube, and the thermal expansion tube of the B-pillar is connected to the inner panel.

10. The side panel assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that: The B-pillar further includes a reinforcement plate connected to the inner panel.

11. The side panel assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that: The reinforcement plate is configured to be disposed toward the outside of the vehicle; and / or A mounting cavity is formed between the reinforcing plate and the inner plate, and at least part of the thermal expansion tube of the B-pillar is mounted in the mounting cavity; and / or The reinforcing plate is a thermoformed reinforcing plate.

12. The side panel assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that: The side panel assembly further includes an outer panel connected to the reinforcement panel.

13. The side panel assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that: The reinforcing plate is located between the outer plate and the inner plate; and / or The outer panel is a carbon fiber outer panel.

14. The side panel assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The support assembly further includes a side panel including the heat expansion tube.

15. The side panel assembly according to claim 14, characterized in that: The side panel assembly further includes an inner panel, and the heat expansion tube of the side panel is connected to the inner panel.

16. The side panel assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The side panel assembly further includes a crossbeam, the joint assembly includes a crossbeam joint connected to the crossbeam, and the crossbeam joint includes the casting joint.

17. The side panel assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that: The casting joint of the beam joint is provided with reinforcing ribs.

18. The side panel assembly according to claim 17, characterized in that: The casting joint includes a first side surface and a second side surface that are opposite to each other. The reinforcing rib is connected to the first side surface and extends in a direction away from the second side surface. The side panel assembly includes an inner panel that is connected to the second side surface.

19. The side panel assembly according to claim 18, characterized in that: The second side surface is a plane.

20. The side panel assembly according to claim 16, wherein: The casting joint of the cross beam joint includes a first connection end, the support assembly includes an A-pillar, the A-pillar includes the thermal expansion tube, and the first connection end is connected to the thermal expansion tube of the A-pillar; and / or The casting joint of the cross beam joint includes a second connection end, the support assembly includes a B-pillar, the B-pillar includes the thermal expansion tube, and the second connection end is connected to the thermal expansion tube of the B-pillar; and / or The casting joint of the crossbeam joint includes a third connecting end, the support assembly includes a side panel, the side panel includes the thermal expansion tube, and the third connecting end is connected to the thermal expansion tube of the side panel; and / or The beam joint is an integrated structure.

21. An upper vehicle body structure assembly, characterized in that: The side panel assembly comprises the side panel assembly described in any one of claims 1-20.

22. A vehicle frame structure, characterized in that: The side panel assembly comprises any one of claims 1 to 20 or the upper vehicle body structure component comprises the upper vehicle body structure component of claim 21.

23. A vehicle, characterized in that: The vehicle body comprises the side panel assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 20, the upper vehicle body structure component according to claim 21, or the vehicle frame structure according to claim 22.

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