Lightweight racing car body structure

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of racing cars, in particular to a car body structure of a light-weight racing car, which comprises a frame body, a front cabin fixing frame and a rear cabin fixing frame are respectively and fixedly arranged at two ends of the frame body, a seat frame is arranged in the middle of the frame body, and the front cabin fixing frame, the rear cabin fixing frame and the seat frame are all arranged on a chassis; the seat frame comprises a bent pipe beam, a seat bearing frame and a straight beam; vertical rods are fixedly arranged on the two sides of the end, close to the forecabin fixing frame, of the seat frame respectively. An instrument supporting beam is arranged at the end, close to the forecabin fixing frame, of the seat frame. An anti-rolling frame is arranged at the end, close to the rear cabin fixing frame, of the seat frame. According to the car body structure of the light-weight racing car, light weight of the car body can be achieved, and meanwhile high strength, high rigidity and safety protection performance of the racing car are guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of racing technology, and in particular to a lightweight racing car body structure. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of racing car design, the car body structure plays a crucial role. It mainly consists of outer panels, beams, struts, and structural reinforcements, all of which work together to bear and transmit various loads. The design of the car body structure directly affects the safety performance, durability, rigidity, and modal performance of the race car, while also having a decisive impact on the weight and manufacturing cost. Especially in the field of new energy lightweight racing cars, lightweight design is key to improving the overall performance of the car. Lightweighting not only reduces energy consumption and improves energy efficiency, but also further enhances the dynamic performance of the race car by optimizing the frame structure (e.g., reducing the number of unnecessary steel tubes and adjusting the wall thickness of the steel tubes). However, while pursuing lightweighting, it is essential to ensure that the race car meets the requirements of racing regulations and actual operating conditions, especially in terms of safety protection and crash resistance, where compromises are unacceptable. As a key structural component of a race car, the frame has particularly clear design goals: high strength, high rigidity, good comfort, and extreme lightweighting. As pioneers of new energy vehicles, electric racing cars face unprecedented challenges in the lightweight design of their body structures. How to achieve lightweighting of the body structure while ensuring the safety performance of the race car has become an urgent problem to be solved. Currently, although there have been some attempts at lightweight design, traditional racing car body structure design still suffers from problems such as excessive structural weight, insufficient specific stiffness, and poor energy absorption. These issues not only affect the overall performance of the race car but also increase energy consumption and raw material consumption, limiting the further development of new energy racing car technology. The specific shortcomings are as follows:

[0003] 1. Traditional racing seat load-bearing structures often rely on crossbeams and longitudinal beams in the middle of the chassis to support the weight of the seat and driver. This design can easily lead to stress concentration in the middle of the chassis under harsh road conditions, potentially causing cracks and affecting the overall driving safety of the vehicle.

[0004] 2. Traditional racing car instrument support beams mostly adopt a vertical structure. This design restricts the driver's movement space, especially during emergency escape, as it can hinder the driver's leg movement and increase the difficulty of escape. Furthermore, with a vertical instrument support beam, the equipment on the dashboard is prone to falling off when the race car encounters severe bumps, posing a threat to driving safety.

[0005] 3. Some race car chassis structures remain too heavy and have low specific stiffness, making it impossible to achieve weight reduction goals while ensuring safety. Furthermore, poor energy absorption and cushioning are also a major challenge in current lightweight design. These problems not only limit the improvement of race car performance but also increase energy consumption and raw material consumption, hindering the sustainable development of new energy racing car technologies.

[0006] 4. In terms of the vehicle's partial structure, traditional designs are often too conservative. For example, the structural design of the roll cage diagonal brace area is overly complex, adding unnecessary weight. The number of side beams in the side guardrails of the driver's compartment is also excessive, which also contributes to the increase in the overall vehicle weight.

[0007] 5. Traditional connection methods between vehicle body pillars and chassis longitudinal or transverse beams also have defects. The force transmitted by the vehicle body pillars is often concentrated and absorbed by a certain chassis transverse or longitudinal beam, which makes that component prone to stress concentration and local fracture, affecting the overall driving safety of the vehicle. Utility Model Content

[0008] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a lightweight racing car body structure that achieves lightweighting of the car body while ensuring high strength, high rigidity, and safety performance of the racing car.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0010] A lightweight racing car body structure, characterized in that it includes a frame, with a front cabin fixing frame and a rear cabin fixing frame fixedly installed at both ends of the frame, and a seat frame installed in the middle of the frame, wherein the front cabin fixing frame, the rear cabin fixing frame and the seat frame are all mounted on the chassis;

[0011] The seat frame includes a curved tube beam and a seat support frame. The two ends of the curved tube beam are fixedly connected to the two sides of the frame body near the cabin fixing frame, respectively. The middle part of the curved tube beam is fixedly connected to one side of the seat support frame. The two ends of the seat support frame away from the curved tube beam are fixedly connected to the two sides of the frame body near the rear cabin fixing frame through straight beams.

[0012] Uprights are fixedly installed on both sides of the seat frame near the front cabin fixing frame. One end of each upright is fixedly connected to the corresponding end of the curved tube beam via a short crossbeam, and one side of the other end of the upright is fixedly connected to the front cabin fixing frame.

[0013] An instrument support beam is provided at one end of the seat frame near the front cabin mounting frame;

[0014] A roll cage is provided at one end of the seat frame near the rear cabin fixing frame. The two ends of the roll cage are respectively fixedly connected to the ends of the two straight beams away from the seat support frame, and the two sides of the roll cage are fixedly connected to the rear cabin fixing frame through support rods; one side of the roll cage is fixedly connected to the rear cabin fixing frame.

[0015] Furthermore, both ends of the instrument support beam are fixedly connected to the end faces of the two uprights away from the curved pipe beam.

[0016] Furthermore, the instrument support beam has an arched structure, and the instrument support beam is bent at 50°-80° toward the front cabin fixing frame.

[0017] Furthermore, guardrails are provided on both sides of the middle part of the frame, and the two ends of the guardrails are fixedly connected to the roll cage and the uprights, respectively.

[0018] Furthermore, the seat support frame is provided with a seat, and mounting plates are provided on both sides of the seat support frame. One end of the mounting plate is fixedly connected to the seat support frame, and the other end is fixedly connected to the seat.

[0019] Furthermore, a seat support beam is provided on the back of the seat, one end of which is fixedly connected to the seat support frame and the other end is fixedly connected to the seat.

[0020] Furthermore, the uprights and the roll cage are fixedly connected to the chassis via reinforcing plates;

[0021] The front cabin fixing frame, the rear cabin fixing frame, the uprights and the bottom of the roll cage are all fixedly provided with connecting shafts. The connecting shafts are threaded with two sleeves so that the two sleeves clamp the chassis.

[0022] Furthermore, wheels are provided on both sides of the front cabin fixing frame and the rear cabin fixing frame, and the wheels are connected to the corresponding front cabin fixing frame and the rear cabin fixing frame respectively through suspension.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0024] By removing the crossbeams and longitudinal beams in the middle of the chassis and moving the seat frame support structure to the top of the chassis, straight beams and curved tube beams fix the seat frame to the bottom of the uprights and roll cage. This allows the vertical force on the seat frame support structure to be transferred to the vehicle body first, achieving effective force distribution and avoiding stress concentration, thus ensuring the overall driving safety of the vehicle. Compared with a single-piece crossbeam, the curved tube beam connection to the chassis, through the design of a shorter crossbeam, reduces the weight by 0.4kg, achieving the goal of lightweighting, while still being sufficient to support the force transmitted by the seat support structure and maintain the overall stability of the vehicle body. The instrument support beam has an arched structure, forming an outward-folding structure for the instrument frame, which not only improves aesthetics and comfort but also expands the cockpit space, facilitating driver leg movement and enabling faster escape in emergencies. Moreover, even if the race car vibrates due to severe impacts, the arched structure of the instrument support beam ensures that the instruments and other equipment on the instrument frame remain stably and securely mounted on the dashboard, ensuring driving safety. The roll cage is fixedly connected to the rear compartment mounting frame on both sides via support rods, allowing the shock absorbers of the rear compartment mounting frame to provide cushioning for the roll cage. Furthermore, compared to traditional racing cars, this roll cage support structure eliminates the extended columns and crossbeams, reducing the overall vehicle weight by 1.4 kg. The diagonal bracing structure ensures the roll cage can withstand significant deformation during rollovers, ensuring driver safety. The frame adopts a one-piece structure with high bending and torsional stiffness, simplifying the structure of the side rails on both sides of the driver's cab. This eliminates the two side beams installed in the middle of each side rail in the traditional design, reducing weight by 3.1 kg. This achieves both structural strength and rigidity while maintaining lightweight design. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the lightweight racing car body structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the frame structure of a lightweight racing car according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a side view of the frame of a lightweight racing car according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the sleeve structure of a lightweight racing car according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] In the diagram, 1-frame, 101-chassis, 11-front cabin fixing frame, 12-rear cabin fixing frame, 2-seat frame, 21-bent pipe beam, 22-seat support frame, 23-straight beam, 24-upright pole, 241-short crossbeam, 25-seat, 251-mounting plate, 252-seat support beam, 3-instrument support beam, 4-roll cage, 5-guardrail, 6-reinforcing plate, 7-connecting shaft, 71-sleeve. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0031] It should be noted that when a component is described as "fixed to" another component, it can be directly on the other component or may have a component in between. When a component is considered "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or may have a component in between. When a component is considered "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or may have a component in between. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0033] Please also see Figures 1 to 4 As shown, a preferred embodiment of the lightweight racing car body structure of this utility model includes a frame 1, with a front cabin mounting bracket 11 and a rear cabin mounting bracket 12 fixedly mounted at both ends of the frame 1. Wheels 8 are mounted on both sides of the front cabin mounting bracket 11 and the rear cabin mounting bracket 12, and the wheels 8 are connected to the corresponding front cabin mounting bracket 11 and the rear cabin mounting bracket 12 respectively through suspension 81.

[0034] A seat frame 2 is provided in the middle of the frame 1. The front cabin fixing frame 11, the rear cabin fixing frame 12 and the seat frame 2 are all installed on the chassis 101.

[0035] like Figure 1 He Ru Figure 2As shown, a seat frame 2 is installed in the middle of the frame 1. The seat frame 2 includes a curved pipe beam 21 and a seat support frame 22. The two ends of the curved pipe beam 21 are fixedly connected to both sides of the end of the frame 1 near the cabin fixing frame 11, respectively. The middle part of the curved pipe beam 21 is fixedly connected to one side of the seat support frame 22. The two ends of the seat support frame 22 away from the curved pipe beam 21 are fixedly connected to both sides of the end of the frame 1 near the rear cabin fixing frame 12 via straight beams 23. The straight beams 23 are connected to the seat support frame 22 by MIG welding, and the curved pipe beam 21 is welded to the seat support frame 22.

[0036] The seat support frame 22 is equipped with a seat 25. Mounting plates 251 are provided on both sides of the seat support frame 22. One end of the mounting plate 251 is fixedly connected to the seat support frame 22, and the other end is fixedly connected to the seat 25. One side of the mounting plate 251 is connected to the seat support frame 22 by MIG welding, and the other side is connected to the seat 25 by screws and nuts.

[0037] A seat support beam 252 is provided on the back of the seat 25. One end of the seat support beam 252 is fixedly connected to the seat support frame 22, and the other end is fixedly connected to the seat 25.

[0038] The seat 25 is made of carbon fiber with a thickness of 2mm, which significantly reduces the overall weight of the vehicle. The seat support beam 251 is 250mm long and has an angle of 118°. The overall design forms an elastic support beam that can effectively provide rearward support for the seat 25.

[0039] Uprights 24 are fixedly installed on both sides of the seat frame 2 near the front cabin fixing frame 11. One end of the two uprights 24 is fixedly connected to the corresponding end of the curved tube beam 21 through a short crossbeam 241, and one side of the other end of the uprights 24 is fixedly connected to the front cabin fixing frame 11.

[0040] An instrument support beam 3 is provided at one end of the seat frame 2 near the front cabin fixed frame 11.

[0041] like Figure 2 As shown, the instrument support beam 3 is fixedly connected at both ends to the end faces of the two uprights 24 away from the curved beam 21; the instrument support beam 3 has an arched structure and is bent at 50°-80°, preferably 60°, towards the front cabin mounting frame 11. In this embodiment, the angle between the extension line of the upright 24 and the instrument support beam 3 is 50°-80°.

[0042] The instrument support beam 3 features an arched structure, creating an outward-folding design for the instrument frame. This not only enhances aesthetics and comfort but also expands the cockpit's space, facilitating driver leg movement and enabling faster escape in emergencies. Furthermore, even if the race car vibrates due to severe impacts, the arched structure of the instrument support beam 3 ensures that the instruments and other equipment on the instrument frame remain stable and securely mounted on the dashboard, guaranteeing driving safety. The outward-arching shape of the instrument support beam 3, which is flipped 60 degrees towards the front compartment mounting bracket 11, and manufactured using a cold-bending process, reduces welding points, resulting in a unified structure that improves overall strength and durability. The segmented cold-bending process also reduces the difficulty of component processing.

[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, a roll cage 4 is provided at one end of the seat frame 2 near the rear cabin fixing frame 12. The two ends of the roll cage 4 are fixedly connected to the ends of the two straight beams 23 away from the seat support frame 22, and the two sides of the roll cage 4 are fixedly connected to the rear cabin fixing frame 12 through support rods 41; one side of the roll cage 4 is fixedly connected to the rear cabin fixing frame 12.

[0044] In this embodiment, the roll cage 4 is fixedly connected to the rear compartment mounting frame 12 on both sides via support rods 41, allowing the shock absorbers of the rear compartment mounting frame 12 to provide cushioning for the roll cage 4. Furthermore, compared to traditional racing cars, the roll cage 4 support structure in this embodiment eliminates the extended pillars and crossbeams, reducing the overall vehicle weight by 1.4 kg. The diagonal bracing structure ensures the roll cage can withstand significant deformation during rollovers, ensuring driver safety. The roll cage 4 is made of 3K carbon fiber, which has advantages such as light weight, higher fatigue resistance, and higher energy absorption than steel, avoiding the disadvantages of being difficult to repair and prone to wear after a collision.

[0045] Guardrails 5 are installed on both sides of the middle part of the frame 1, and the two ends of the guardrails 5 are fixedly connected to the roll cage 4 and the uprights 24 respectively.

[0046] In this embodiment, the frame 1 adopts an integrated structure with high bending stiffness and torsional stiffness, which simplifies the structure of the guardrails 5 on both sides of the driver's cab. It eliminates the two side beams installed in the middle of the guardrails on both sides of the driver's cab in the traditional solution, reducing the weight by 3.1 kg. While ensuring the structural strength and stiffness of the whole vehicle, it achieves the goal of lightweighting.

[0047] The uprights 24 and roll cage 4 are fixedly connected to the chassis 101 via reinforcing plates 6. The chassis 101 is made of aluminum alloy, and the reinforcing plate 6 has a T-shaped structure. When the force borne by the vehicle's uprights is first transferred to the reinforcing plate 6, it is then distributed by the reinforcing plate 6 to the crossbeams or longitudinal beams of the chassis 101 in contact with it, preventing stress from occurring on any particular crossbeam or longitudinal beam of the chassis 101. In this embodiment, the reinforcing plate 6 achieves the purpose of dispersing the load-bearing capacity, thereby improving the strength of the aluminum alloy chassis 101 and ensuring the safety of the race car.

[0048] In this embodiment, the crossbeam and longitudinal beam in the middle of the chassis are removed, and the seat frame 2 load-bearing structure is moved to the top of the chassis. The straight beam and the curved tube beam fix the seat frame 2 to the bottom of the upright 24 and the roll cage 4, so that the vertical force on the load-bearing structure of the seat frame 2 is first transmitted to the vehicle body, achieving effective force decomposition and avoiding stress concentration, thereby ensuring the driving safety of the whole vehicle. Compared with the whole integrated crossbeam, the way the curved tube beam 21 is connected to the chassis 101 in this embodiment reduces the weight by 0.4kg through the design of the short crossbeam, achieving the purpose of lightweighting, while being sufficient to support the force transmitted by the seat load-bearing structure and maintain the overall stability of the vehicle body.

[0049] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the front cabin mounting frame 11, rear cabin mounting frame 12, uprights 24, and roll cage 4 are all fixedly equipped with connecting shafts 7 at their bottoms. Two sleeves 71 are threaded onto the connecting shafts 7 to clamp the chassis 101. In this embodiment, the front cabin mounting frame 11, rear cabin mounting frame 12, uprights 24, and roll cage 4 are fixed to the chassis 101 via the connecting shafts 7 and sleeves 71, which prevents deformation of the chassis 101's tubing and facilitates disassembly and maintenance.

[0050] In this embodiment, the frame 1 is made of 4130 seamless steel tubing, which has high strength and toughness, excellent fatigue resistance, good weldability, and reduces tubing weight while maintaining the same strength requirements. Painting is used to compensate for the tendency to rust.

[0051] This embodiment, through reasonable structural design and manufacturing process, ensures the high strength and rigidity of the race car, while improving its comfort and safety performance. The instrument support beam 3 is designed and manufactured in an outward arch shape and tilts towards the front of the car, which not only improves aesthetics and comfort but also expands the cockpit space, facilitating driver leg movement and enabling rapid escape in emergencies. In addition, the structural design of the roll cage 4's diagonal bracing area enhances the race car's resistance to deformation, ensuring driver safety.

[0052] Furthermore, the technical solution of this utility model also has significant economic benefits. By adopting lightweight materials and a reasonable structural design, the manufacturing and maintenance costs of the race car are reduced. At the same time, the reduction in the weight of the race car also reduces energy consumption and emissions, meeting current environmental protection and sustainable development requirements.

Claims

1. A lightweight racing car body structure, characterized in that, Includes a frame (1), with a front cabin fixing frame (11) and a rear cabin fixing frame (12) fixedly installed at both ends of the frame (1), and a seat frame (2) installed in the middle of the frame (1). The front cabin fixing frame (11), the rear cabin fixing frame (12) and the seat frame (2) are all installed on the chassis (101). The seat frame (2) includes a curved tube beam (21) and a seat support frame (22). The two ends of the curved tube beam (21) are fixedly connected to the two sides of the frame (1) near the cabin fixing frame (11), respectively. The middle part of the curved tube beam (21) is fixedly connected to one side of the seat support frame (22). The two ends of the seat support frame (22) away from the curved tube beam (21) are fixedly connected to the two sides of the frame (1) near the rear cabin fixing frame (12) through straight beams (23). The seat frame (2) has uprights (24) fixedly installed on both sides near the front cabin fixing frame (11). One end of the two uprights (24) is fixedly connected to the corresponding end of the curved pipe beam (21) through a short crossbeam (241), and one side of the other end of the uprights (24) is fixedly connected to the front cabin fixing frame (11). An instrument support beam (3) is provided at one end of the seat frame (2) near the front cabin fixing frame (11); The seat frame (2) is provided with a roll cage (4) at one end near the rear cabin fixing frame (12). The two ends of the roll cage (4) are fixedly connected to the ends of the two straight beams (23) away from the seat support frame (22), and the two sides of the roll cage (4) are fixedly connected to the rear cabin fixing frame (12) through support rods (41); one side of the roll cage (4) is fixedly connected to the rear cabin fixing frame (12).

2. The lightweight racing car body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The instrument support beam (3) is fixedly connected at both ends to the end faces of the two uprights (24) away from the curved pipe beam (21).

3. The lightweight racing car body structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The instrument support beam (3) is an arched structure, and the instrument support beam (3) is bent at 50°-80° toward the front cabin fixing frame (11).

4. The lightweight racing car body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame (1) is provided with guardrails (5) on both sides of the middle part, and the two ends of the guardrails (5) are fixedly connected to the roll cage (4) and the upright (24) respectively.

5. The lightweight racing car body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The seat support frame (22) is provided with a seat (25). Mounting pieces (251) are provided on both sides of the seat support frame (22). One end of the mounting piece (251) is fixedly connected to the seat support frame (22), and the other end is fixedly connected to the seat (25).

6. The lightweight racing car body structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The seat (25) has a seat support beam (252) on its back. One end of the seat support beam (252) is fixedly connected to the seat support frame (22), and the other end is fixedly connected to the seat (25).

7. The lightweight racing car body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upright (24) and the roll cage (4) are fixedly connected to the chassis (101) by a reinforcing plate (6); The bottom of the front cabin fixing frame (11), the rear cabin fixing frame (12), the upright (24) and the roll cage (4) are all fixedly provided with connecting shafts (7), and the connecting shafts (7) are threaded with two sleeves (71) so that the two sleeves (71) can clamp the chassis (101).

8. The lightweight racing car body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Wheels (8) are provided on both sides of the front cabin fixing frame (11) and the rear cabin fixing frame (12). The wheels (8) are connected to the corresponding front cabin fixing frame (11) and the rear cabin fixing frame (12) respectively by suspension (81).

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