Wheel cover torsion box and vehicle

Abstract

The application discloses a wheel cover torsion box and a vehicle. The wheel cover torsion box comprises a torsion box and a wheel cover. The wheel cover comprises a shock absorber mounting seat and a torsion box connecting part. The shock absorber mounting seat is provided with a hollow part near one side of a front compartment upper side beam. The torsion box connecting part is connected between the shock absorber mounting seat and the torsion box. Through the above scheme, the vehicle body structure can reduce the maintenance cost, meet the extreme sports shock absorbing demand and the whole vehicle collision safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive technology, and in particular to a wheel arch torque box and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] The front compartment structure of a car is a crucial area at the front of the vehicle that houses the powertrain (engine, transmission, etc.), cooling system, some chassis components, and numerous electrical systems. Its structural design is not only related to vehicle performance and ease of maintenance, but also key to the vehicle's overall collision safety, rigidity, and NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness).

[0003] The front compartment structure includes the front wheel arches, torsion box, longitudinal beams and front bulkhead. Existing front compartment structures usually include split structures and integrated structures. Due to process limitations, the components of the split structure are prone to insufficient strength, resulting in insufficient overall collision performance and NVH performance. The integrated structure is large in size, expensive, and has high maintenance and replacement costs. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main technical problem addressed by this application is to provide a wheel arch torque box and vehicle that can reduce maintenance costs, meet the shock absorption requirements of extreme sports, and improve the overall vehicle collision safety.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a wheel cover torque box, including a torque box and a wheel cover; the wheel cover includes a shock absorber mounting seat and a torque box connecting part, the shock absorber mounting seat is provided with a hollow part on the side near the upper side beam of the front compartment, and the torque box connecting part is connected between the shock absorber mounting seat and the torque box.

[0006] The wheel cover torque box is an integrally cast structure.

[0007] The wheel arch torsion box further includes at least two reinforcing beams, which are distributed along a first direction. One end of each reinforcing beam is connected to the shock absorber mounting base, and the other end of each reinforcing beam is used to connect to the upper beam of the front compartment. The at least two reinforcing beams and the shock absorber mounting base enclose the hollow portion.

[0008] The reinforcing beam has a cavity, and the cavity is provided with a plurality of first reinforcing ribs.

[0009] The torque box connecting part includes a connecting plate, which is arc-shaped. The top edge of the connecting plate is connected to the shock absorber mounting base, and the bottom edge of the connecting plate is connected to the torque box. The connecting plate is also provided with an A-pillar connecting plate for connecting with the A-pillar. The connecting plate is provided with at least one force transmission beam, and the two ends of the force transmission beam extend towards the A-pillar connecting plate and the shock absorber mounting base, respectively.

[0010] The force transmission beams are multiple, and the ends of the multiple force transmission beams near the shock absorber mounting base are connected. Along the extension direction of the force transmission beams, the distance between the ends of the multiple force transmission beams near the A-pillar connecting plate gradually increases.

[0011] The force transmission beam includes at least two spaced-apart force transmission plates, and a plurality of second reinforcing ribs are connected between the two force transmission plates.

[0012] The wheel cover torque box further includes a longitudinal beam connecting part, which is connected to the bottom of the wheel cover. One end of the longitudinal beam connecting part is connected to the torque box, and the other end of the longitudinal beam connecting part is used to connect to the longitudinal beam. The longitudinal beam connecting part is also connected to one end of the force transmission beam.

[0013] Along the first direction, the longitudinal beam connecting part is provided with a first groove and a second groove respectively. The first groove is located on the side of the second groove close to the longitudinal beam. The first groove is recessed towards the inside of the vehicle body, and the second groove is recessed towards the outside of the vehicle body.

[0014] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, another technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a vehicle, including a body structure, wherein the body structure includes the wheel arch torsion box, the upper front compartment beam and the longitudinal beam as described in any of the technical solutions, the upper front compartment beam being connected to the shock absorber mounting seat; the longitudinal beam extending along the first direction, one end of the longitudinal beam being connected to the bottom of the wheel arch, and the other end of the longitudinal beam being connected to the upper front compartment beam.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: Unlike existing technologies, the wheel arch torque box provided in this application connects the wheel arch and the torque box together, resulting in a smaller overall structure. In everyday low-speed accidents, when the front end of the front compartment structure experiences slight deformation, only the sheet metal parts at the front of the wheel arch torque box, such as the longitudinal beams, need to be replaced; the wheel arch torque box itself does not need to be replaced. Compared to an integrated front compartment structure, the wheel arch torque box of this application reduces maintenance costs. Furthermore, because the wheel arch torque box of this application has a hollow section on the shock absorber mounting side, it provides clearance for suspension components on the chassis, such as the upper wishbone, meeting the shock absorption requirements of extreme driving. This hollow section also effectively reduces the height of the wheel arch in the Z-direction, providing more space for the front cover to deform under impact, thus meeting the overall vehicle collision safety requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the wheel cover torque box of this application;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the wheel cover torque box of this application from another angle;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the vehicle body structure of this application.

[0019] Reference numerals: 10. Wheel arch torque box; 11. Wheel arch; 111. Shock absorber mounting base; 1111. Shock absorber mounting plate; 1112. Mounting side plate; 1113. Mounting hole; 112. Torque box connection part; 1121. Connecting plate; 11211. A-pillar connecting plate; 1122. Force transmission beam; 11221. Force transmission plate; 11222. Second reinforcing rib; 113. Hollowed-out part; 114. Reinforcing beam; 1141. First reinforcing rib; 115. Upper beam mounting plate; 12. Torque box; 13. Longitudinal beam connection part; 131. First groove; 132. Second groove; 20. Front cabin upper beam; 30. Longitudinal beam. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of this application clearer and more explicit, the following detailed description is provided with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0021] For ease of understanding, the accompanying diagram shows the mutually orthogonal X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The direction along the X-axis is called the X-direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body; the direction along the Y-axis is called the Y-direction, which is the lateral direction of the vehicle body; and the direction along the Z-axis is called the Z-direction, which is the height direction of the vehicle body. The Z-direction is the normal direction relative to the plane containing the X and Y directions. Furthermore, the view of various elements parallel to the plane containing the X and Y directions is called a top view.

[0022] See Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the wheel arch torque box of this application. The wheel arch torque box 10 includes a wheel arch 11 and a torque box 12. The wheel arch 11 includes a shock absorber mounting base 111, a hollow portion 113, and a torque box connecting portion 112. The hollow portion 113 is disposed on the side of the shock absorber mounting base 111 near the upper side beam 20 of the front compartment. The torque box connecting portion 112 connects the shock absorber mounting base 111 and the torque box 12.

[0023] The shock absorber mounting base 111 includes a top shock absorber mounting plate 1111 and a mounting side plate 1112. Along the Y-direction, the top of the mounting side plate 1112 is connected to the inner side of the shock absorber mounting plate 1111, the outer side of the shock absorber mounting plate 1111 is used to connect to the upper side beam 20 of the forward compartment, and the bottom of the mounting side plate 1112 is used to connect to the longitudinal beam 30. The shock absorber mounting plate 1111 has mounting holes 1113. The shock absorber is installed below the shock absorber mounting plate 1111 and on the outer side of the mounting side plate 1112. The end of the shock absorber passes through the mounting holes 1113 and is fixed to the shock absorber mounting plate 1111. Along the Y-direction, the shock absorber mounting plate 1111 and the upper side beam 20 of the forward compartment are spaced apart, and the hollow portion 113 is formed between the shock absorber mounting plate 1111 and the upper side beam 20 of the forward compartment. The torque box 12 is located at the intersection of the bottom of the A-pillar 40, the wheel cover 11, and the front end of the longitudinal beam 30. Along the X direction, the torque box 12 is connected to the rear side of the wheel cover 11 through the torque box connector 112, and the torque box 12 is located below the wheel cover 11.

[0024] The wheel arch torque box 10 provided in this application connects the wheel arch 11 and the torque box 12 together, resulting in a smaller overall structure. In everyday low-speed accidents, when the front end of the front compartment structure experiences slight deformation, only the sheet metal parts at the front of the wheel arch torque box 10, such as the longitudinal beam 30, need to be replaced; the wheel arch torque box 10 itself does not need to be replaced. Compared to an integrated front compartment structure, the wheel arch torque box 10 of this application can reduce maintenance costs. Furthermore, because the wheel arch torque box 10 of this application has a hollow portion 113 on one side of the shock absorber mounting seat 111, it can provide clearance for suspension components on the chassis, such as the upper wishbone, meeting the shock absorption requirements of extreme sports. This hollow portion 113 can also effectively reduce the height of the wheel arch 11 in the Z direction, providing more space for the front cover to deform under impact, thus meeting the overall vehicle collision safety requirements.

[0025] Optionally, in one embodiment, the wheel arch torque box 10 is an integrally cast structure. Specifically, the wheel arch torque box 10 is an integrally die-cast structure made of heat-free aluminum alloy. This material has sufficient elongation after tensile fracture and bending angle, which can ensure that the structure has good plasticity, so that its shape and size changes can remain within the specified range under long-term service conditions, thereby ensuring performance stability.

[0026] Optionally, in one embodiment, the wheel arch torsion box 10 further includes two reinforcing beams 114 and an upper beam mounting plate 115. The two reinforcing beams 114 extend substantially along the Y direction and are distributed along the X direction on the front and rear sides of the shock absorber mounting plate 1111, respectively. The upper beam mounting plate 115 extends along the X direction, and the upper beam is positioned along the Y direction on the outer side of the shock absorber mounting plate 1111. One inner end of each of the two reinforcing beams 114 is connected to the mounting plate of the shock absorber mounting seat 111, and one outer end of each reinforcing beam 114 is connected to the upper beam mounting plate 115. The upper beam mounting plate 115, the two reinforcing beams 114, and the shock absorber mounting plate 1111 together form a hollow portion 113. The upper beam mounting plate 115 is used for fixed connection with the upper beam 20 of the front compartment. In other embodiments, a greater number of reinforcing beams 114 may be provided.

[0027] In this embodiment, reinforcing beams 114 are provided on both sides of the hollow portion 113, which increases the strength of the top of the shock absorber mounting base 111 and compensates for the strength reduction caused by the hollow portion 113. Furthermore, the two reinforcing beams 114 can also extend downward to both sides of the mounting side plate 1112, further increasing the support stiffness of the wheel arch 11, improving the strength of the rear part of the front compartment structure, and enhancing collision safety.

[0028] In one embodiment, the reinforcing beam 114 has a cavity, within which a plurality of first reinforcing ribs 1141 are provided. Specifically, the reinforcing beam 114 is generally an upward-opening groove structure, with a plurality of first reinforcing ribs 1141 provided within the groove structure. The two ends of each first reinforcing rib 1141 are connected to the groove wall of the groove structure, and the extension directions of the plurality of first reinforcing ribs 1141 are intersecting. In this embodiment, a honeycomb cavity is formed within the reinforcing beam 114, which achieves lightweighting while further improving the strength of the wheel cover 11.

[0029] See Figure 1 and combined Figure 2 , Figure 2This is a perspective view of the wheel arch torque box of this application from another angle. In one embodiment, the torque box connecting part 112 includes a connecting plate 1121, which is arc-shaped to avoid tire envelopment. The top edge of the connecting plate 1121 is connected to the rear reinforcing beam 114, and the bottom edge of the connecting plate 1121 is connected to the torque box 12. An A-pillar connecting plate 1121 for connecting to an A-pillar (not shown) is also provided on the outer side of the connecting plate 1121. The A-pillar connecting plate 1121 is perpendicular to the Y direction to facilitate connection with the A-pillar along the Y direction. At least one force transmission beam 1122 is provided on the connecting plate 1121. The two ends of the force transmission beam 1122 extend towards the A-pillar connecting plate 1121 and the shock absorber mounting seat 111, respectively. The force transmission beam 1122 protrudes from the surface of the connecting plate 1121. The force transmission beam 1122 can protrude from the inner surface or the outer surface of the connecting plate 1121. The design of the 1122 force transmission beam ensures the continuity of force transmission stiffness. When the front of the vehicle is impacted, such as... Figure 1 As shown by the dashed arrow, the impact force can be transmitted from the longitudinal beam 30 to the wheel cover 11, and then transmitted backward along the force transmission beam 1122 to disperse the impact force and ensure collision safety.

[0030] In one embodiment, there are multiple force transmission beams 1122. These beams are connected at one end near the shock absorber mounting base 111. Along the extension direction of the force transmission beams 1122, the distance between the ends of the multiple force transmission beams 1122 and the ends near the A-pillar connecting plate 1121 gradually increases. In other words, along the X direction, the front ends of the multiple force transmission beams 1122 are connected at the same point, located at the bottom end of the force transmission beams 1122. Furthermore, as the multiple force transmission beams extend rearward, the distance between them in the height direction Z gradually increases. These multiple force transmission beams 1122 disperse the impact force transmitted from the longitudinal beam 30 to various components behind the wheel arch 11, such as the torsion box 12 and the A-pillar, further ensuring collision safety. Specifically, the end of the upper force transmission beam 1122 is connected to the upper part of the A-pillar connecting plate 1121 to distribute the impact force to the A-pillar, and the end of the lower force transmission beam 1122 is connected to the lower part of the A-pillar connecting plate 1121 to distribute the impact force to the A-pillar and the torsion box 12.

[0031] Furthermore, the force transmission beam 1122 includes at least two spaced-apart force transmission plates 11221, which are spaced apart substantially along the Z-direction. A plurality of second reinforcing ribs 11222 are connected between the two force transmission plates 11221. The second reinforcing ribs 11222 extend substantially along the Z-direction to further enhance the strength of the force transmission beam 1122, thereby ensuring the strength of the wheel cover 11.

[0032] In one embodiment, the wheel arch torsion box 10 further includes a longitudinal beam connecting portion 13. The longitudinal beam connecting portion 13 is connected to the bottom of the wheel arch 11 and extends substantially along the X direction. The rear end of the longitudinal beam connecting portion 13 is connected to the torsion box 12, and the front end of the longitudinal beam connecting portion 13 is used to connect to the longitudinal beam 30. The longitudinal beam connecting portion 13 is also connected to the front end of the force transmission beam 1122. Specifically, the longitudinal beam connecting portion 13 is connected to the bottom of the mounting side plate 1112. The longitudinal beam connecting portion 13 extends along the bottom of the torsion box connecting portion 112 and substantially along the X direction to connect with the torsion box 12. The longitudinal beam connecting portion 13 can also be a cavity structure with multiple reinforcing ribs, which can effectively transmit part of the impact force of the longitudinal beam 30 to the torsion box 12 while achieving weight reduction. In this embodiment, the impact force from the longitudinal beam 30 can be dispersed to the two force transmission beams 1122 and the longitudinal beam connecting portion 13 respectively, ensuring collision safety. Optionally, the longitudinal beam connecting part 13 of this application can be integrally cast with the wheel cover 11 and the torsion box 12, and the reinforcing ribs in the longitudinal beam connecting part 13 can be connected to the force transmission plate 11221, the second reinforcing rib 11222, etc.

[0033] In one embodiment, the longitudinal beam connecting portion 13 is provided with a first groove 131 and a second groove 132. The first groove 131 is located below the mounting side plate 1112, on the inner surface of the longitudinal beam connecting portion 13, and recessed towards the outer side of the vehicle body. The second groove 132 is located below the torque box connecting portion 112, on the outer surface of the longitudinal beam connecting portion 13, and recessed towards the inner side of the vehicle body. The second groove 132 can be located on the reinforcing rib of the longitudinal beam connecting portion 13, so that the second groove 132 is recessed towards the inner side of the vehicle body, i.e., the opening faces outwards. The first groove 131 and the second groove 132 can serve as guide grooves, so that when the front compartment structure is subjected to a strong high-speed impact, the guide wheel cover torque box 10 undergoes horizontal outward bending deformation in the concave direction. This deformation guiding structure can better protect the safety of the occupants.

[0034] This application also provides a vehicle including the wheel arch torque box 10 of any of the above embodiments. See also... Figure 3 , Figure 3This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the vehicle body structure of this application. The vehicle body structure 1 shows the front compartment portion of the vehicle body, including a wheel arch torque box 10, a front compartment upper beam 20, and a longitudinal beam 30. The wheel arch torque box 10 includes a torque box 12 and a wheel arch 11 connected together. The wheel arch 11 is a body structure 1 surrounding the top and sides of the wheel. The torque box 12 is located at the intersection of the bottom end of the A-pillar 40, the wheel arch 11, and the front end of the longitudinal beam 30. Along the X direction, the torque box 12 is connected to the rear side of the wheel arch 11, and the torque box 12 is located below the wheel arch 11. The front compartment upper beam 20 is an arc-shaped strip structure extending substantially along the X direction. The front compartment upper beam 20 is connected to the top of the wheel arch 11, and along the Y direction, the wheel arch 11 is connected to the inner side of the front compartment upper beam 20. The rear end of the front compartment upper beam 20 extends to connect with the A-pillar 40. The longitudinal beam 30 extends along the X direction and is located below the upper side beam 20 of the front compartment. The rear end of the longitudinal beam 30 is connected to the bottom of the wheel cover 11, and the front end of the longitudinal beam 30 is connected to the upper side beam 20 of the front compartment through the upper side beam connecting beam 21.

[0035] The vehicles provided in this application can be pure gasoline vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, or pure electric vehicles, and are also applicable to any other type of vehicle, such as SUVs, off-road vehicles, MPVs, etc., especially seven-seater MPVs.

[0036] The above are merely embodiments of this application and do not limit the scope of this patent application. Any equivalent structural or procedural changes made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the scope of patent protection of this application.

Claims

1. A wheel cover torque box, characterized in that, Including torque box and wheel cover; The wheel cover includes a shock absorber mounting base and a torque box connection part. The shock absorber mounting base has a hollowed-out part on the side near the upper beam of the front compartment. The torque box connection part connects the shock absorber mounting base and the torque box.

2. The wheel cover torque box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel cover torque box is a one-piece cast structure.

3. The wheel cover torque box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel arch torsion box also includes at least two reinforcing beams, which are distributed along a first direction. One end of each reinforcing beam is connected to the shock absorber mounting base, and the other end of each reinforcing beam is used to connect to the upper side beam of the front compartment. The at least two reinforcing beams and the shock absorber mounting base enclose the hollow portion.

4. The wheel cover torque box according to claim 3, characterized in that, The reinforcing beam has a cavity, and the cavity is provided with a plurality of first reinforcing ribs.

5. The wheel cover torque box according to claim 3, characterized in that, The torque box connecting part includes a connecting plate, which is arc-shaped. The top edge of the connecting plate is connected to the shock absorber mounting base, and the bottom edge of the connecting plate is connected to the torque box. The connecting plate is also provided with an A-pillar connecting plate for connecting to the A-pillar. The connecting plate is provided with at least one force transmission beam, and the two ends of the force transmission beam extend toward the A-pillar connecting plate and the shock absorber mounting base, respectively.

6. The wheel cover torque box according to claim 5, characterized in that, There are multiple force transmission beams, and the ends of the multiple force transmission beams near the shock absorber mounting base are connected. Along the extension direction of the force transmission beams, the distance between the ends of the multiple force transmission beams near the A-pillar connecting plate gradually increases.

7. The wheel cover torque box according to claim 5, characterized in that, The force transmission beam includes at least two spaced-apart force transmission plates, and a plurality of second reinforcing ribs are connected between the two force transmission plates.

8. The wheel cover torque box according to claim 5, characterized in that, The wheel cover torque box also includes a longitudinal beam connecting part, which is connected to the bottom of the wheel cover. One end of the longitudinal beam connecting part is connected to the torque box, and the other end of the longitudinal beam connecting part is used to connect to the longitudinal beam. The longitudinal beam connecting part is also connected to one end of the force transmission beam.

9. The wheel cover torque box according to claim 8, characterized in that, Along the first direction, the longitudinal beam connecting part is provided with a first groove and a second groove respectively. The first groove is located on the side of the second groove close to the longitudinal beam. The first groove is recessed towards the inside of the vehicle body, and the second groove is recessed towards the outside of the vehicle body.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Including a vehicle body structure, the vehicle body structure comprising: Wheel cover torque box as described in any one of claims 1-9; The upper side beam of the front compartment is connected to the shock absorber mounting base; A longitudinal beam extends along the first direction, with one end of the longitudinal beam connected to the bottom of the wheel arch and the other end of the longitudinal beam connected to the upper side beam of the front compartment.

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