Vehicle body longitudinal beam structure, vehicle and vehicle assembly method

The adjustable longitudinal beam structure solves the problem of adaptability to different powertrains, enables rapid development and compactness of the body structure, reduces costs and space waste, and ensures smooth assembly and structural strength.

CN122276014APending Publication Date: 2026-06-26MERCEDES BENZ GRP

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
MERCEDES BENZ GRP
Filing Date
2026-05-11
Publication Date
2026-06-26

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing front longitudinal beam structure of automobile bodies cannot adapt to the differences in external dimensions and force transmission paths of different powertrains, resulting in extended development cycles, increased costs of molds and parts, high assembly complexity, and wasted engine compartment space.

Method used

Design a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure that allows the front longitudinal beam to adjust its span through rotation and translation. Combined with the drive mechanism, the longitudinal beam span can be dynamically adjusted to adapt to the width requirements of different powertrains.

Benefits of technology

Reduce the development cycle and cost of the vehicle body structure, reduce investment in assembly equipment, reduce space waste, improve the compactness and lightweighting of the overall vehicle layout, and at the same time ensure structural strength and safe transmission path.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This invention proposes a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure, comprising: a pair of front longitudinal beams and a front bulkhead crossbeam, the rear ends of the pair of front longitudinal beams being fixed to the front bulkhead crossbeam. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure is configured to allow at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam to change its position relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam, thereby at least partially adjusting the longitudinal beam span between the pair of front longitudinal beams along the vehicle width direction. According to embodiments of the invention, the width requirements of different powertrain types can be adapted by adjusting the longitudinal beam span between the front longitudinal beams, reducing the development cycle and development cost of the vehicle body structure; the longitudinal beam span can also be appropriately increased during powertrain assembly to facilitate the assembly process, while the longitudinal beam span can be appropriately reduced after powertrain assembly to reduce space waste in the vehicle width direction; and the structure is simple while ensuring the structural strength of the front longitudinal beams, without affecting the safe force transmission path during a collision. This invention also proposes a corresponding vehicle and vehicle assembly method.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle technology, and more particularly to a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure, a vehicle, and a corresponding vehicle assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most automotive front longitudinal beam structures employ a fixed design, with the span between the two front longitudinal beams along the vehicle's width direction (Y-axis) determined early in development and difficult to adjust. With the advancement of automotive platform strategies, the same platform often needs to be compatible with various powertrains, including range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and traditional internal combustion engines (ICEs). Due to differences in the external dimensions and force transmission paths of different powertrains, fixed-span longitudinal beams cannot achieve complete sharing between the engine compartment and the body. This often necessitates the redevelopment of longitudinal beam structures for different powertrain options, leading to extended development cycles and significantly increased mold and component costs.

[0003] Furthermore, during the assembly of the upper and lower vehicle bodies, a hoisting process is typically used to assemble the powertrain along the vertical direction (Z-axis) between two fixed front longitudinal beams. This presents several challenges. First, to ensure the powertrain's positional accuracy in the Y-axis and reduce its sway, specialized tooling must be used for auxiliary positioning. This not only increases the complexity of the assembly process and equipment investment but also affects the production cycle. Second, to overcome the instability during hoisting and avoid interference between the powertrain and the front longitudinal beams, a large Y-axis installation clearance must be reserved between the front longitudinal beams and the powertrain during the design phase. However, this clearance has no practical use in subsequent use, resulting in wasted engine compartment space and hindering the compactness and lightweighting of the overall vehicle layout. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure to overcome these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure, a vehicle, and a corresponding vehicle assembly method, so as to at least partially overcome various technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure is provided, comprising: A pair of front longitudinal beams, and The front bulkhead crossbeam, and the rear ends of a pair of front longitudinal beams are fixed to the front bulkhead crossbeam. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure is configured to allow at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam to change its position relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam, thereby at least partially adjusting the longitudinal beam span along the vehicle width direction between the pair of front longitudinal beams.

[0006] In one exemplary embodiment, the pair of front longitudinal beams are configured to change their position relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam by rotational movement of at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam.

[0007] In one exemplary embodiment, at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body.

[0008] In one exemplary embodiment, at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam is configured to rotate about a vertical axis extending in the vertical direction.

[0009] In one exemplary embodiment, on a cross section of each front longitudinal beam perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, the longitudinal axis is located within the cross section and adjacent to the contour edge of the cross section.

[0010] In one exemplary embodiment, the vertical axis is located at the connection point between each front longitudinal beam and the front bulkhead crossbeam and / or on each front longitudinal beam.

[0011] In one exemplary embodiment, each front longitudinal beam is configured to rotate as a whole relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment, each front longitudinal beam includes a front section and a rear section of the longitudinal beam rotatably connected to each other, the rear end of the rear section of the longitudinal beam being connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment, the pair of front longitudinal beams are configured to change their position relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam by translational movement of at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam along the vehicle width direction.

[0014] In one exemplary embodiment, a horizontal guide rail is provided on the front bulkhead crossbeam, and the rear end of the front longitudinal beam is disposed within the horizontal guide rail so that the front longitudinal beam can slide along the horizontal guide rail.

[0015] In one exemplary embodiment, each front longitudinal beam includes a first segment and a second segment slidably connected to each other, the rear end of the second segment being connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam, and the first segment being configured to be capable of translational movement relative to the second segment in the vehicle width direction.

[0016] In one exemplary embodiment, a drive mechanism is configured to drive at least a portion of the front longitudinal beam to perform rotational and / or translational movements to change its position relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the drive mechanism includes a motor, a longitudinal beam connecting structure, a crossbeam connecting structure, and a connecting rod connecting the longitudinal beam connecting structure and the crossbeam connecting structure. A slide rail is provided on the outer side of the front longitudinal beam in the vehicle width direction and / or the front side of the front bulkhead crossbeam. The motor drives the corresponding longitudinal beam connecting structure and / or the crossbeam connecting structure to slide along the corresponding slide rail, while the connecting rod drives at least a portion of the front longitudinal beam to perform rotational and / or translational motion.

[0018] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is provided that includes the body longitudinal beam structure described in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0019] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method for assembling a vehicle is provided, wherein the vehicle is the vehicle described in a second aspect of the present invention, the method comprising: The longitudinal beam span between at least a portion of the pair of front longitudinal beams is adjusted to a first span. Assemble the powertrain between at least a portion of the pair of front longitudinal beams, and The longitudinal beam span between at least a portion of the pair of front longitudinal beams is adjusted to a second span that is less than the first span.

[0020] In one exemplary embodiment, under the second span, the minimum clearance between each front longitudinal beam and the powertrain is greater than or equal to the minimum safe distance between the front longitudinal beam and the powertrain.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the present invention according to the above aspects are that it can adapt to the width requirements of different powertrain types (such as REEV, BEV and ICE) by adjusting the longitudinal beam span between the front longitudinal beams, thereby reducing the development cycle and development cost of the vehicle body structure; it can also appropriately increase the longitudinal beam span when assembling the powertrain to facilitate the assembly process, reduce the equipment investment required during the assembly process or reduce the complexity of special tooling; and it can appropriately reduce the longitudinal beam span after assembling the powertrain to reduce the waste of space in the width direction of the vehicle, which is conducive to the compactness and lightweighting of the overall vehicle layout; in addition, it can ensure the structural strength of the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure while simplifying the structure, and does not affect the safe force transmission path during a collision. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will provide a better understanding of its principles, features, and advantages. The drawings include: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 2 schematically shown Figure 1A schematic diagram illustrating the principle of rotating a portion of the vehicle's longitudinal beam structure; Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the longitudinal beam span adjustment in the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure; Figure 4 The powertrain and Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the positional relationship of the longitudinal beam structure of the vehicle body during the assembly process; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure including a drive mechanism is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 The drive mechanism of the drive mechanism of the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. Figure 10 The drive mechanism of the drive mechanism of the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial technical effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention.

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 1 As shown, a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of left and right front longitudinal beams 1 and a front bulkhead crossbeam 2, wherein the rear ends of each front longitudinal beam 1 in the vehicle longitudinal direction X are fixed to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 according to the present invention is configured to allow at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam 1 to change its position relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2, thereby enabling at least partial adjustment of the longitudinal beam span between the pair of front longitudinal beams 1 in the vehicle width direction Y. Here, "position" refers to the position and / or orientation of at least a portion of the front longitudinal beam 1 relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2. Figure 1In the exemplary embodiment shown, each front longitudinal beam 1 includes a front section 11 and a rear section 12 rotatably connected to each other. The front section 11 covers the dimensions of the powertrain 200 in the vehicle longitudinal direction X. The rear end of the rear section 12 is connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2. The pair of front longitudinal beams 1 are configured to rotate through the rotational movement of the front section 11 of each front longitudinal beam 1, particularly about a longitudinal axis L1 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction X. Figure 1 (As shown by the hollow arrow) This changes the position of the crossbeam 2 relative to the front panel, thereby adjusting the span between the front sections 11 of the pair of longitudinal beams.

[0025] Figure 2 schematically shown Figure 1 The diagram shows a portion of the longitudinal beam structure 100, specifically the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam, perpendicular to the front-rear direction X of the vehicle body. It also illustrates the principle of rotation of the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam. Figure 2 The left figure schematically shows a front longitudinal beam 1 ( Figure 1 The rear section 12 of the front longitudinal beam (located on the upper side of the vehicle's right front longitudinal beam) and the positioning pins 111, 112 and latch 113 between the rear section 12 and the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam, and Figure 2 The right figure shows a schematic diagram of a state after the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam is rotated relative to the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam, that is, relative to the front panel crossbeam 2.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, both the front section 11 and the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam are hollow beams. The front section 11 and the rear section 12 are rotatably connected by a first locating pin 111, which is fixed in position. The first locating pin 111 is located at the section of the front longitudinal beam 1 perpendicular to the front-rear direction X of the vehicle body (i.e., Figure 2 Within the surface shown and adjacent to the contour edge of the cross section, Figure 2Specifically shown is the upper outer end, i.e., the corner, which allows the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam to rotate about the axis of the first locating pin 111, i.e., the longitudinal axis L1 extending along the front-rear direction X of the vehicle body. Furthermore, on the two inner walls adjacent to the locating pin 111, the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam is also provided with stops 121 and 122. Correspondingly, a second locating pin 112 is also installed inside the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam. This second locating pin 112 rotates with the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam and aligns with the corresponding stops 121 and 122 at the two ends of its rotational stroke. The front longitudinal beam 1 also includes a pin 113, which is inserted from the outside into the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam and engages with the corresponding stops 121 and 122 to restrict the movement of the second locating pin 112, thereby restricting the movement of the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam. That is, with the pin 113 inserted, the front section 11 and the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam are locked and cannot perform the aforementioned rotational movement. Only after the pin 113 is removed can the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam perform the aforementioned rotational movement. Figure 2 As shown by the double-arrowed arc in the image.

[0027] Through the aforementioned eccentric rotational motion of the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam, such as Figure 3 As shown, at least a portion of the longitudinal beam span of the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 can be adjusted. Specifically, when the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam does not change its position relative to the rear section 12, the front section 11 and the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam extend continuously, as shown... Figure 1 The solid line in the diagram shows the front longitudinal beam 1. At this time, the front longitudinal beams 1 have a consistent beam span, which is equal to the distance w1 between the rear sections 12 of a pair of longitudinal beams along the vehicle width direction Y. When the pin 113 is pulled out and the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam changes its position relative to the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam through rotational movement, the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam reaches... Figure 1 The position of the dotted line in the middle, and in the section of the front part 11 of the longitudinal beam, such as Figure 3 As shown, the distance between the pair of front longitudinal beams 11 is increased to w2. This adjustment of the longitudinal beam span facilitates powertrain assembly and also allows for compatibility with different powertrain types (such as REEV, BEV, and ICE).

[0028] Figure 4 The powertrain 200 and Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship of the longitudinal beam structure 100 of the vehicle body during the assembly process. Firstly, as shown... Figure 4 As shown in the figure above, before the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam changes its position through rotational motion, the distance between the two front sections 11 of the longitudinal beam is... Figure 3In the w1 of the prior art, the gap y between the front section 11 of each longitudinal beam and the powertrain 200 is relatively small. In the prior art, since the span between the front longitudinal beams is fixed, to avoid interference between the powertrain and the front longitudinal beams during assembly, the corresponding gap y is usually designed to be relatively large and must be retained after assembly, thus resulting in wasted space in the vehicle width direction Y. In contrast, according to embodiments of the present invention, as... Figure 4 As shown in the figure below, the gap between the front longitudinal beam 1 and the powertrain 200 can be increased by rotating the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam outward in the vehicle width direction Y, resulting in an increased installation gap Δy. This larger installation gap Δy helps reduce the possibility of interference between the front longitudinal beam 1 and the powertrain 200, thereby facilitating the smooth assembly of the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 and the powertrain 200 in the vertical direction Z. After assembly, the gap between the front longitudinal beam 1 and the powertrain 200 can be restored to y by rotating the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam inward to its original position. In this embodiment of the invention, since the powertrain 200 can be assembled with a larger installation gap Δy, this gap y can be designed to be very small, for example, only slightly larger than or even equal to the minimum safe distance between each front longitudinal beam 1 and the powertrain 200, thereby reducing the waste of space in the vehicle width direction Y after assembly. The saved space in the vehicle width direction Y can be allocated to the front suspension space, for example, increasing the wheel steering angle and reducing the turning radius. Furthermore, according to embodiments of the present invention, the installation width requirements of different powertrain types can be adapted by adjusting the span between the longitudinal beams 1.

[0029] In additional or alternative embodiments, the front longitudinal beam 1 can also rotate as a whole about a longitudinal axis L1 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. For example, the front longitudinal beam 1 is formed as a single beam, or the front longitudinal beam 1 includes a front section and a rear section of the longitudinal beam fixedly connected to each other, and is rotatably connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2 about the longitudinal axis L1 at the rear end or at the rear end of the rear section of the longitudinal beam. Thus, the longitudinal beam span can be adjusted by the overall rotational movement of each front longitudinal beam 1. Alternatively, while the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam can rotate relative to the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam, the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam is also configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2, thereby enabling segmental adjustment of the longitudinal beam span, and further increasing the longitudinal beam span between the front sections 11 by increasing the distance between the rear sections 12 of the longitudinal beam.

[0030] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 5 As shown, a pair of front longitudinal beams 1 are configured to change their position relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2 through their respective rotational movements, the axis of rotation around which the rotational movements are about a vertical axis L2 extending in the vertical direction Z. That is, in Figure 5In the embodiment shown, the horizontal angle between a pair of front longitudinal beams 1 is adjusted by the overall horizontal swing of the front longitudinal beam 1, thereby adjusting the longitudinal beam span.

[0031] Figure 5 The diagram shows the connection position of the vertical axis L2 between each front longitudinal beam 1 and the front bulkhead beam 2. The invention is not limited to this, of course. The vertical axis L2 may also be additionally or alternatively located on each front longitudinal beam 1, so that the longitudinal beam span between a portion of each front longitudinal beam 1 can be adjusted by the horizontal swing of that portion.

[0032] Adjusting the horizontal angle between a pair of front longitudinal beams 1 as described above to adjust the longitudinal beam span not only facilitates the assembly of the powertrain 200 and reduces space waste in the vehicle width direction Y, but also enables the body longitudinal beam structure 100 to adapt to more types of powertrain layouts and width requirements, thereby reducing the vehicle development cycle and development costs.

[0033] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 6 As shown, a pair of front longitudinal beams 1 are configured to change their position relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2 by translating at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam 1 (shown as a whole in the figure) along the vehicle width direction Y, thereby adjusting the longitudinal beam span.

[0034] In one example, in order to achieve the overall translational movement of the front longitudinal beam 1, a horizontal guide rail can be provided on the front bulkhead beam 2, and the rear end of the front longitudinal beam 1 is set in the horizontal guide rail, so that the front longitudinal beam 1 can slide along the horizontal guide rail.

[0035] In another example, such as Figure 7 As shown, each front longitudinal beam 1 can be configured to include a first segment 13 and a second segment 14 slidably connected to each other. The first segment 13 can cover the dimensions of the powertrain 200 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction X. The rear end of the second segment 14 is connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2, and the first segment 13 is configured to be able to translate relative to the second segment 14 in the vehicle width direction Y. Optionally, the rear end of the second segment 14 can be fixedly connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2, or it can be slidably connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2 as described in the example above, with the longitudinal beam span adjusted segmentally by means of the two segments.

[0036] In particular, such as Figure 7 As shown, the front longitudinal beam 1 may include both a front section 11 and a rear section 12, as well as a first section 13 and a second section 14. The front section 11 of the longitudinal beam is capable of rotational movement relative to the rear section 12, and this rotational movement can be a rotation about the longitudinal axis L1 (e.g., Figure 1 As shown, Figure 7 (not shown), or it can be a rotation about the vertical axis L2 (e.g. Figure 5 and Figure 7 (as shown), and the first segment 13 is capable of translational movement relative to the second segment 14. More specifically, in Figure 7 In the example shown, the connection between the front section 11 and the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam is located on the first section 13, and the connection between the first section 13 and the second section 14 is located on the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam. The first section 13 can be translated outward from the solid line position relative to the second section 14 to the dashed line position. At the dashed line position, the front section 11 of the longitudinal beam can continue to rotate outward about the vertical axis L2 relative to the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam to further expand the longitudinal beam span. Thus, the longitudinal beam span can be adjusted over a wider range through the combined translation and rotation of the four sections. Preferably, both the front section 11 and the first section 13 can cover the dimensions of the powertrain 200 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction X. Furthermore, the connection between the front section 11 and the rear section 12 of the longitudinal beam can coincide with the connection between the first section 13 and the second section 14, or it can be as follows: Figure 7 The locations shown are staggered, and each scheme can be implemented using well-known structural designs.

[0037] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, as follows: Figure 8 As shown, the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a drive mechanism 3, which is configured to drive at least a portion of the front longitudinal beam 1 to perform the rotational motion and / or the translational motion to change the position relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2, thereby adjusting the longitudinal beam span.

[0038] The drive mechanism 3 may include a motor (not shown), a longitudinal beam connecting structure 31, a crossbeam connecting structure 32, and a connecting rod 33 connecting the longitudinal beam connecting structure 31 and the crossbeam connecting structure 32. A slide rail may be provided on the outer side of the front longitudinal beam 1 in the vehicle width direction Y and / or on the front side of the front bulkhead crossbeam 2. The motor, particularly a lead screw motor, can drive the corresponding longitudinal beam connecting structure 31 and / or crossbeam connecting structure 32 to slide along the corresponding slide rail, while the connecting rod 33 drives at least a portion of the front longitudinal beam 1 to rotate and / or translate. Specifically, when the motor stops driving, the longitudinal beam connecting structure 31 and / or crossbeam connecting structure 32 also stop moving; that is, the drive mechanism 3 is configured to fix the front longitudinal beam 1 in any position within its stroke.

[0039] Figure 9 An example of the drive mechanism of drive mechanism 3 is schematically shown. For example... Figure 9As shown, the crossbeam connecting structure 32 can be fixed to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2, or it can be part of the front bulkhead crossbeam 2. The longitudinal beam connecting structure 31 can be, for example, a slider, which is slidably disposed in a slide rail on the front longitudinal beam 1. The two ends of the connecting rod 33 are respectively hinged to the longitudinal beam connecting structure 31 and the crossbeam connecting structure 32. The front longitudinal beam 1 is Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the front longitudinal beam has its rear end rotatably connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2 about a vertical axis L2. In this example, a lead screw motor is configured to drive the longitudinal beam connecting structure 31 to slide along the front longitudinal beam 1, when the longitudinal beam connecting structure 31 is as follows... Figure 9 When sliding as indicated by the straight arrow, the connecting rod 33 will cause the front longitudinal beam 1 to rotate around its rear end as indicated by the curved arrow, thereby changing the position of the front longitudinal beam 1 and adjusting the longitudinal beam span.

[0040] Figure 10 This schematically illustrates another example of the drive mechanism of the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 and the drive mechanism 3. (See also...) Figure 10 As shown, the longitudinal beam connecting structure 31 can be fixed to the front longitudinal beam 1, or be part of the front longitudinal beam 1. The crossbeam connecting structure 32 can be, for example, a slider, which is slidably disposed in a slide rail on the front bulkhead crossbeam 2. The two ends of the connecting rod 33 are respectively hinged to the longitudinal beam connecting structure 31 and the crossbeam connecting structure 32. The front longitudinal beam 1 is... Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the front longitudinal beam has its rear end slidably connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam 2. In this example, a lead screw motor is configured to drive the crossbeam connecting structure 32 to slide along the front bulkhead crossbeam 2. Figure 10 When sliding as indicated by the arrow, the connecting rod 33 will drive the front longitudinal beam 1 to perform a translational movement as indicated by the arrow, thereby changing the position of the front longitudinal beam 1 and adjusting the longitudinal beam span.

[0041] To ensure the stability of the movement of the front longitudinal beam 1 or a portion thereof, the drive mechanism 3 may include additional longitudinal beam connecting structures, crossbeam connecting structures, and connecting rods. Figures 8 to 10 These additional structures are schematically shown but not given reference numerals. With proper design and calculation, these additional longitudinal beam connection structures, crossbeam connection structures, and linkages can be configured to support the stable movement of the front longitudinal beam 1 without over-restraining it, and with proper design, they can also contribute to improving the structural strength of the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100.

[0042] Of course, the longitudinal beam connecting structure 31, the crossbeam connecting structure 32, and the connecting rod 33 are not limited to the structures described above. For example, the connecting rod 33 can actually be plate-shaped or other shapes or structures to help improve the structural strength of the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100, regardless of the position of the front longitudinal beam 1. In addition, the longitudinal beam connecting structure 31 and the crossbeam connecting structure 32 can both be sliders, and through appropriate design and calculation, they can drive at least a portion of the front longitudinal beam 1 to rotate and / or translate, either separately or through coordinated cooperation.

[0043] Those skilled in the art will understand that the vehicle body longitudinal beam structure 100 of the present invention is also applicable to rear-engine vehicles. In this case, the front longitudinal beam 1 in the aforementioned embodiment corresponds to the rear longitudinal beam, the longitudinal beam span between the rear longitudinal beams can be adjusted, and the corresponding powertrain is assembled between a pair of rear longitudinal beams.

[0044] The present invention also provides a vehicle including a body longitudinal beam structure 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] The present invention also provides a method for assembling the above-mentioned vehicle, comprising: The longitudinal beam span between at least a portion of a pair of front longitudinal beams 1 is adjusted to the first span. Assemble the powertrain 200 between at least a portion of a pair of front longitudinal beams 1, and The maximum longitudinal beam span between at least a portion of a pair of front longitudinal beams 1 is adjusted to a second span that is less than the first span.

[0046] Here, the second span can be equal to or slightly greater than the minimum safe distance between the front longitudinal beam 1 and the powertrain 200, thereby reducing the waste of space in the vehicle width direction Y, as described above.

[0047] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, they are given for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various substitutions, alterations, and modifications can be conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100), comprising: A pair of front longitudinal beams (1), and The front bulkhead crossbeam (2), the rear ends of the pair of front longitudinal beams (1) are fixed to the front bulkhead crossbeam (2), The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) is configured to allow at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam (1) to change its position relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam (2) and thus at least partially adjust the longitudinal beam span between the pair of front longitudinal beams (1) in the vehicle width direction (Y).

2. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to claim 1, wherein, The pair of front longitudinal beams (1) are configured to change their position relative to the front bulkhead beam (2) by rotational movement of at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam (1).

3. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, At least a portion of each front longitudinal beam (1) is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis (L1) extending in the front-rear direction (X) of the vehicle body.

4. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to claim 3, wherein, On each front longitudinal beam (1), in a section perpendicular to the front-rear direction (X) of the vehicle body, the longitudinal axis (L1) is located within the section and adjacent to the outline edge of the section.

5. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, At least a portion of each front longitudinal beam (1) is configured to rotate about a vertical axis (L2) extending in the up-down direction (Z).

6. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to claim 5, wherein, The vertical axis (L2) is located at the connection point between each front longitudinal beam (1) and the front bulkhead crossbeam (2) and / or on each front longitudinal beam (1).

7. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein, Each front longitudinal beam (1) is configured to rotate integrally relative to the front bulkhead crossbeam (2); or Each front longitudinal beam (1) includes a front section (11) and a rear section (12) of the longitudinal beam that are rotatably connected to each other, the rear end of the rear section (12) of the longitudinal beam being connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam (2).

8. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The pair of front longitudinal beams (1) are configured to change their position relative to the front bulkhead beam (2) by translational movement of at least a portion of each front longitudinal beam (1) along the vehicle width direction (Y).

9. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to claim 8, wherein, A horizontal guide rail is provided on the front bulkhead beam (2), and the rear end of the front longitudinal beam (1) is disposed within the horizontal guide rail so that the front longitudinal beam (1) can slide along the horizontal guide rail; and / or Each front longitudinal beam (1) includes a first section (13) and a second section (14) slidably connected to each other, the rear end of the second section (14) being connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam (2), and the first section (13) being configured to be able to translate relative to the second section (14) in the vehicle width direction (Y).

10. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising: A drive mechanism (3) is configured to drive at least a portion of the front longitudinal beam (1) to rotate and / or translate to change its position relative to the front bulkhead beam (2).

11. The vehicle body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to claim 10, wherein, The drive mechanism (3) includes a motor, a longitudinal beam connecting structure (31), a crossbeam connecting structure (32), and a connecting rod (33) connecting the longitudinal beam connecting structure (31) and the crossbeam connecting structure (32). A slide rail is provided on the outer side of the front longitudinal beam (1) in the body width direction (Y) and / or the front side of the front bulkhead crossbeam (2). The motor drives the corresponding longitudinal beam connecting structure (31) and / or the crossbeam connecting structure (32) to slide along the corresponding slide rail, and the connecting rod (33) drives at least a part of the front longitudinal beam (1) to rotate and / or translate.

12. A vehicle comprising a body longitudinal beam structure (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A method for assembling a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is the vehicle according to claim 12, the method comprising: The longitudinal beam span between at least a portion of the pair of front longitudinal beams (1) is adjusted to a first span. Assemble the powertrain (200) between at least a portion of the pair of front longitudinal beams (1), and The longitudinal beam span between at least a portion of the pair of front longitudinal beams (1) is adjusted to a second span that is less than the first span.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, Under the second span, the minimum clearance between each front longitudinal beam (1) and the powertrain (200) is greater than or equal to the minimum safe distance between the front longitudinal beam (1) and the powertrain (200).