Vehicle lower structure

Abstract

A vehicle lower structure includes: a battery case mounted on a lower portion of a vehicle, including a lower case that constitutes a housing portion that houses a battery module, and an upper cover that constitutes the housing portion together with the lower case; a first flange portion formed on an outer edge portion of the lower case, extending toward an outer side of the housing portion; a second flange portion formed on an outer edge portion of the upper cover, extending toward the outer side of the housing portion, and engaged with the first flange portion; and a wall portion disposed between the battery module and an engagement portion where the first flange portion and the second flange portion are engaged, and overlapping the engagement portion when viewed from a side surface of the battery case.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the lower structure of a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-60206 discloses technology related to a sealing structure for a battery casing mounted in a vehicle. In this document, flange portions are formed on the periphery of both the lower casing and the upper casing that constitute the battery casing. Furthermore, the flange portions of the lower casing and the upper casing are joined together by sealing members and fixing members.

[0003] On the other hand, when the joint between the lower housing and the upper housing (hereinafter referred to as the "upper cover") is cut due to maintenance or other reasons, there is a possibility that the battery (hereinafter referred to as the "battery module") housed in the battery housing (hereinafter referred to as the "battery housing") may be damaged if it comes into contact with the cutting tool. In the aforementioned literature, the flange of the lower housing is provided on the upper side of the battery module housed in the battery housing, but from the viewpoint of suppressing damage to the battery module, there is room for further improvement, including in the shape of the battery housing itself. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned situation, this disclosure provides a vehicle lower structure that can suppress damage to the battery module when the joint between the lower housing and the upper cover is cut off.

[0005] The vehicle lower structure according to the first embodiment includes: a battery housing mounted on the lower part of the vehicle, having a lower housing constituting a housing portion for housing a battery module, and an upper cover constituting the housing portion together with the lower housing; a first flange portion formed on the outer edge of the lower housing portion and extending outward toward the outside of the housing portion; a second flange portion formed on the outer edge of the upper cover portion and extending outward toward the outside of the housing portion, and engaging with the first flange portion; and a wall portion disposed between the battery module and the joint portion where the first flange portion and the second flange portion engage, and overlapping the joint portion when viewed from the side of the battery housing.

[0006] In the vehicle lower structure according to the first embodiment, the battery housing mounted on the lower part of the vehicle includes a lower housing and an upper cover. The lower housing and the upper cover together form a housing for the battery module, and the upper cover can be engaged with the lower housing. Here, a first flange extending outward toward the outside of the housing is formed on the outer edge of the lower housing. On the other hand, a second flange extending outward toward the outside of the housing is formed on the outer edge of the upper cover, and the second flange engages with the first flange. Furthermore, a wall is disposed between the battery module and the joint where the first flange and the second flange engage, and the wall is configured to overlap the joint when viewed from the side of the battery housing.

[0007] In this embodiment, a wall portion is provided such that it overlaps with the joint portion where the first flange portion and the second flange portion meet when viewed from the side of the battery casing. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the joint portion is cut off for maintenance of the battery casing, even if a cutting tool that enters between the first flange portion and the second flange portion attempts to enter the receiving portion of the battery casing, the cutting tool will only come into contact with the wall portion, thus suppressing damage to the battery module.

[0008] Regarding the vehicle lower structure involved in the second method, based on the vehicle lower structure involved in the first method, the aforementioned wall portion is formed on the aforementioned lower shell or the aforementioned upper cover.

[0009] In the vehicle lower structure involved in the second method, the wall is formed in the lower shell or the upper cover. Therefore, compared with the case where a separate component is provided as the wall, the number of components can be reduced.

[0010] Regarding the vehicle lower structure involved in the third method, based on the vehicle lower structure involved in the first or second method, the aforementioned wall portion becomes an upper protrusion provided at the upper end of the aforementioned lower housing, and is formed by setting an inflection point at a position above the aforementioned joint portion and folding back along the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0011] In the vehicle lower structure according to the third method, the wall portion becomes an upper protrusion located at the upper end of the lower housing. This upper protrusion is formed by setting an inflection point at a position higher than the joint and folding back along the vertical direction of the vehicle, so that when viewed from the side of the battery housing, the wall portion appears to be in a state of two overlapping layers. Therefore, in this method, damage to the battery module can be further suppressed.

[0012] Furthermore, the upper cover is joined to the lower cover from the top side with the battery module housed within the lower cover. Therefore, since a wall portion is provided at the upper end of the lower cover, it is preferable from an assembly point of view compared to the case where a lower protrusion is provided on the upper cover side.

[0013] As described above, the vehicle lower structure disclosed herein can suppress damage to the battery module when the joint between the lower housing and the upper cover is cut off. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic exploded perspective view showing the structure of a vehicle that uses the vehicle substructure described in this embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic top view showing the lower structure of the vehicle involved in this embodiment.

[0016] Figure 3 It was cut off along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle. Figure 2 The diagram shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the lower structure of the vehicle.

[0017] Figure 4 It was cut along the width of the vehicle. Figure 2 The diagram shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the lower structure of the vehicle.

[0018] Figure 5 It was cut along line AA. Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic end view of the vehicle's lower structure. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Hereinafter, the vehicle lower structure according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described using the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, identical or equivalent parts in the drawings will be labeled with the same or similar reference numerals, and repeated descriptions will be omitted. In addition, when multiple identical or equivalent parts are included in the drawings, sometimes only a few will be labeled with reference numerals for ease of observation. Also, in each drawing, arrow FR indicates the front side in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and arrow UP indicates the upper side in the vehicle's vertical direction. Arrow RH indicates the right side in the vehicle width direction, and in this embodiment, it indicates the outer side in the vehicle width direction. Hereinafter, when only the directions of longitudinal, vertical, and left / right are used in the description, unless otherwise specified, they represent the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the left / right direction (vehicle width direction).

[0020] <Structure of the vehicle's substructure>

[0021] First, the structure of the vehicle using the vehicle substructure described in this embodiment will be explained.

[0022] Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a vehicle 10 in which the vehicle lower structure 12 according to this embodiment is applied is shown. In this embodiment, the vehicle 10 is divided into a front part (hereinafter referred to as "front module") 13, a central part (hereinafter referred to as "central module") 14, and a rear part (hereinafter referred to as "rear module") 15.

[0023] For example, the front module 13 includes a pair of left and right wheel arches 16 capable of accommodating wheels (not shown), and a crossbeam 17 connecting the left and right wheel arches 16. In addition, the wheel arches 16 and the crossbeam 17 are integrally formed by die casting using materials such as aluminum alloy and magnesium alloy.

[0024] In addition, the central module 14 includes a battery pack (battery housing) 18. The battery pack 18 is made of a light metal such as aluminum alloy, and when viewed from above, it is a rectangular plate with the long side in the vehicle's longitudinal direction as the long side. The battery pack 18 is supported by a battery frame 19.

[0025] The battery frame 19, for example, is a roughly rectangular frame with the long side of the vehicle's longitudinal direction when viewed from above. It is integrally constructed as a pair of left and right side frames (hereinafter referred to as "lower side beams") 21 extending along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on both outer sides of the battery pack 18 in the vehicle width direction, a front crossbeam 19F connecting the front ends of the pair of left and right lower side beams 21, and a rear crossbeam 19R connecting the rear ends of the pair of left and right lower side beams 21.

[0026] The battery frame 19 is formed by extrusion molding, for example, using materials such as aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy. In addition, the structure of the battery frame 19 can be appropriately changed according to the shape of the front module 13 and the rear module 15, and the manufacturing method can also be changed accordingly.

[0027] Furthermore, the rear module 15 includes: a pair of left and right wheel arches 28 disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and capable of accommodating wheels (not shown), and a support member 30 connecting the left and right wheel arches 28 and capable of supporting a rear seat (not shown). In addition, the wheel arches 28 and the support member 30 are the same as those in the front module 13, and are integrally formed by die casting using materials such as aluminum alloy and magnesium alloy.

[0028] Next, the main parts of the vehicle lower structure 12 of this embodiment will be described.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a partial schematic top view of a vehicle 10 equipped with the vehicle lower structure 12 of this embodiment. (See attached image.) Figure 2 As shown, a battery pack 18 is mounted on the vehicle 10. The battery pack 18 has a plurality of battery modules 20 (four in this embodiment). The plurality of battery modules 20 are arranged in the width direction of the vehicle. A gap GP is formed between the battery modules 20. In this embodiment, there are four battery modules 20, therefore, the number of gaps GP formed between these battery modules 20 is three.

[0030] Each battery module 20 has multiple battery cells 22. The multiple battery cells 22 are arranged in the battery module 20 along the front-rear direction of the vehicle. That is, the battery pack 18 is configured such that multiple battery modules 20 having multiple battery cells 22 arranged along the front-rear direction of the vehicle are arranged along the width direction of the vehicle.

[0031] Figure 3 It cuts along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle. Figure 2 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the lower structure of the vehicle at point 12. Figure 4 It is cut along the width of the vehicle. Figure 2 The cross-sectional view of the lower structure 12 of the vehicle shown. Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the battery pack 18 has a lower housing 24 and an upper cover 26. Additionally, Figure 2 The illustration of the upper cover 26 is omitted. Furthermore, Figure 4 In the middle, the lower shell 24 and the upper cover 26 are represented by line diagrams to simplify their shapes.

[0032] like Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 As shown, the battery pack 18 has a lower housing 24 and an upper cover 26. The lower housing 24 is a component with a box-shaped receiving part 23 that can accommodate the battery module 20, including a lower plate 24L, a front plate 24F, a rear plate 24R, and a pair of left and right side plates 24S.

[0033] The lower plate 24L is a plate-shaped portion that supports the battery module 20 from below. Furthermore, the front plate 24F and rear plate 24R are plate-shaped portions erected from the front and rear ends of the lower plate 24L, respectively, and the side plates 24S are plate-shaped portions erected from both sides of the lower plate 24L in the vehicle width direction. Additionally, the upper surface of the lower housing 24 is open, and a flange portion (first flange portion) 25 extends from the periphery of the lower housing 24 toward the outer side of the receiving portion 23.

[0034] Additionally, a shear plate 46 extending in the vehicle's longitudinal direction and width direction is provided on the lower side of the battery pack 18. The shear plate 46 is formed of metal plates such as aluminum alloy plates and steel plates, and is respectively connected to a pair of lower side beams 21 that extend along the vehicle's longitudinal direction on both outer sides closer to the vehicle width direction than the battery pack 18, thus becoming one of the vehicle's frame components (see reference). Figure 1 The battery pack 18 is connected to the side. As a result, the lower surface of the battery pack 18 is covered by the shear plate 46, and the battery module 20 is protected by the shear plate 46 from the influence of foreign objects on the road surface.

[0035] On the other hand, the upper cover 26 is a cover-like component that blocks the upper surface of the lower housing 24, including the receiving portion 23 formed together with the lower housing 24. The upper cover 26 has the same structure as the lower housing 24, including an upper plate 26U, a front plate 26F, a rear plate 26R, and a pair of left and right side plates 26S. In addition, the upper plate 26U is a plate-like portion that covers the battery module 20 from the top.

[0036] Furthermore, the lower surface of the upper cover 26 is open, and a flange portion (second flange portion) 27 extends from the periphery of the upper cover 26 toward the outer side of the receiving portion 23. This flange portion 27 can be engaged with the flange portion 25 formed on the lower housing 24 in a closed state via the joint portion 29, and the lower housing 24 and the upper cover 26 constitute the battery pack 18.

[0037] Figure 5 Show along Figure 1The diagram shows the end face of line AA when it is cut. Figure 5 As shown, the side plate 24S of the lower housing 24 includes a longitudinal wall portion 32, inclined portions 34 and 36, and an upper protrusion (wall portion) 38. The longitudinal wall portion 32 is formed on the lower part of the side plate 24S of the lower housing 24, and is erected from the outer edge of the lower plate 24L toward the upper side. An inclined portion 34 is formed on the upper side of the longitudinal wall portion 32, and the longitudinal wall portion 32 and the inclined portion 34 are connected by a buckling portion 40.

[0038] The inclined portion 34 is formed inclined upwards and outwards in the vehicle width direction, starting from the bent portion 40. An inclined portion 36 is formed above the inclined portion 34, and the inclined portion 34 and the inclined portion 36 are connected via the bent portion 42. The inclined portion 36 is formed inclined upwards and outwards in the vehicle width direction, starting from the bent portion 42. Furthermore, the angle between the inclined portion 36 and the vertical line is smaller than the angle between the inclined portion 34 and the vertical line.

[0039] Furthermore, an upper protrusion 38 is provided at the upper end of the inclined portion 36. The upper protrusion 38 includes an inflection point 44, with the inflection point 44 as the top, and the inclined portion 45 is formed by folding back towards the outer side in the vehicle width direction and at an angle downward. In other words, the upper protrusion 38 includes the inclined portion 36, the inflection point 44, and the inclined portion 45, which is formed opposite to the inclined portion 36.

[0040] Furthermore, the upper protrusion 38 and the flange 25 are connected via a bend 48. The flange 25 extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the bend 48 and engages with the flange 27 of the upper cover 26 via a joint 29.

[0041] Here, the upper protrusion 38 is formed to protrude upwards compared to the flange 25. Furthermore, the upper protrusion 38 folds back along the vertical direction of the vehicle, starting from the inflection point 44, and the inclined portion 45 and inclined portion 36 are formed in a state of overlapping in a side view. Moreover, the upper protrusion 38 is formed to overlap with the joint portion 29 when viewed from the side of the battery pack 18.

[0042] <The function and effect of the vehicle substructure>

[0043] Next, the function and effects of the vehicle substructure involved in this embodiment will be explained.

[0044] For application Figure 1 Regarding the vehicle 10 of the vehicle lower structure 12 shown in this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, a battery module 20 is constructed by multiple battery cells 22. The battery cells 22 are arranged in the battery module 20 along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle, and the battery module 20 is arranged along the width direction of the vehicle.

[0045] Therefore, multiple battery cells 22 can be efficiently configured in both the longitudinal and transverse directions of the vehicle. In particular, since the battery cells 22 in the battery module 20 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the number of battery cells 22 in each row can be increased compared to a structure in which the battery cells 22 are arranged along the width of the vehicle.

[0046] In this embodiment, the battery pack 18 that houses a plurality of battery cells 22 has a lower housing 24 and an upper cover 26. The flange portion 25 formed on the outer edge of the side plate 24S of the lower housing 24 and the flange portion 27 formed on the outer edge of the side plate 26S of the upper cover 26 are joined by a joint portion 29.

[0047] In this embodiment, along the vehicle width direction, an upper protrusion 38 is provided between the joint 29 where the battery module 20 and the lower housing 24 are joined to the upper cover 26. The upper protrusion 38 is configured to overlap with the joint 29 when viewed from the side of the battery pack 18.

[0048] For example, there may be a situation where the joint 29 where the lower housing 24 and the upper cover 26 are joined is cut off due to maintenance of the battery pack 18. In this case, the cutting tool that enters between the flange 25 of the lower housing 24 and the flange 27 of the upper cover 26 may pass through the joint 29 between the lower housing 24 and the upper cover 26 and enter towards the receiving portion 23 of the battery pack 18.

[0049] In contrast, in this embodiment, an upward protrusion 38 is provided along the vehicle width direction between the battery module 20 and the joint 29 where the lower housing 24 joins the upper cover 26. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if a cutting tool attempting to cut through the joint 29 between the lower housing 24 and the upper cover 26 tries to enter the receiving portion 23 of the battery pack 18, it will encounter the upward protrusion 38 on the lower housing 24, thereby suppressing the movement of the cutting tool towards the receiving portion 23. Thus, in this embodiment, the entry of the cutting tool attempting to cut through the joint 29 towards the receiving portion 23 can be suppressed, thereby preventing damage to the battery module 20.

[0050] Here, the upper convex part 38 will be explained in detail.

[0051] In this embodiment, the upper protrusion 38 is provided at the upper end of the side plate 24S of the lower housing 24, and is formed by setting an inflection point 44 above the joint 29 between the lower housing 24 and the upper cover 26 and folding back along the vertical direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, the upper protrusion 38 includes an inclined portion 36, an inflection point 44, and an inclined portion 45, with the inclined portion 45 and the inclined portion 36 forming opposite each other. In other words, in this embodiment, the upper protrusion 38 is in a state of two overlapping layers when viewed from the side of the battery pack 18. Therefore, in this embodiment, damage to the battery module 20 can be further suppressed.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper protrusion 38 of the side plate 24S provided on the lower housing 24 is folded back along the vertical direction of the vehicle and connected to the flange 25. Therefore, the upper protrusion 38 is formed with a gap in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, during a side collision of the vehicle 10 (hereinafter referred to as "side collision of the vehicle"), if a collision load is input along the vehicle width direction, the upper protrusion 38 is crushed along the vehicle width direction. As a result, in this embodiment, collision energy can be absorbed, and consequently, the collision load input to the battery module 20 side can be reduced.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper protrusion 38 is provided at the upper end of the lower housing 24. During the assembly of the battery pack 18, the upper cover 26 is joined from the upper side of the lower housing 24 with the battery module 20 housed inside the lower housing 24. Therefore, as in this embodiment, the upper protrusion 38 is provided at the upper end of the lower housing 24, which is preferable from an assembly point of view compared to the case where a lower protrusion is provided on the upper cover 26 side, although not shown.

[0054] In addition, a wall portion that overlaps with the joint 29 of the lower housing 24 and the upper cover 26 when viewed from the side of the battery pack 18 can be provided. Therefore, the protrusion is not limited to being provided on the lower housing 24 side, and a lower protrusion can also be provided on the upper cover 26 side.

[0055] Thus, the wall portion is formed on the lower housing 24 or the upper cover 26, thereby reducing the number of components in this embodiment compared to the case where the wall portion is provided as a component other than the lower housing 24 or the upper cover 26. Of course, the wall portion can also be provided by other components other than the lower housing 24 or the upper cover 26.

[0056] The above describes one embodiment of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure is not limited to such an embodiment. It is also possible to combine one embodiment with various modifications as appropriate, and it is self-evident that it can be implemented in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle substructure, wherein, have: A battery housing, mounted on the lower part of a vehicle, having a lower housing that constitutes a housing portion for housing a battery module, and an upper cover that together with the lower housing constitutes the housing portion; The first flange portion is formed on the outer edge of the lower housing and extends outward toward the outside of the receiving portion; The second flange is formed on the outer edge of the upper cover, extends outward toward the outside of the receiving part, and engages with the first flange. as well as A wall portion is disposed between the battery module and the joint where the first flange portion and the second flange portion engage, and overlaps with the joint portion when viewed from the side of the battery housing.

2. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 1, wherein, The wall portion is formed in the lower housing or the upper cover.

3. The vehicle substructure according to claim 1, wherein, The wall portion becomes an upper protrusion located at the upper end of the lower housing, and is formed by folding back along the vertical direction of the vehicle by setting an inflection point at a position above the joint portion.

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