Floor structure for a passenger car body and modular systems

Abstract

The invention relates to a floor structure (10) for a passenger car body, with side sills (12, 14), with a main floor element (16) arranged between the side sills (12, 14) and connected to the side sills (12, 14), which has a central tunnel (18) arranged in the transverse direction of the vehicle between the side sills (12, 14), with at least one longitudinal beam arrangement (22) arranged in the vertical direction of the vehicle below the main floor element (16) and in the transverse direction of the vehicle between one of the side sills (12, 14) and the central tunnel (18), which has two longitudinal beams (26, 28) spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle and connected to the main floor element (16), and with at least one electrical energy storage device (20) which is arranged in the transverse direction of the vehicle between the longitudinal beams (26, 28) of the longitudinal beam arrangement (22), wherein a respective, electrical energy storage device (20) facing the electrical energy storage device (20) Wall (W1,W2) of the respective longitudinal beam (26, 28) of the longitudinal beam arrangement (22) is arranged at an angle (α) which is less than or equal to 90 degrees to a respective base surface) G1, G2) of the respective longitudinal beam (26, 28).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a floor structure for the body of a passenger car according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a modular system for different construction variants of such a floor structure.

[0002] Such floor structures for passenger car bodies are already well known from the general state of the art. The respective floor structure, also referred to as the substructure, has side sills spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the vehicle, as well as a main floor element arranged between and connected to the side sills, which includes a central tunnel arranged transversely between the side sills. At least one longitudinal beam assembly is also provided, arranged vertically below the main floor element and transversely between one of the side sills and in the central tunnel, which comprises two longitudinal beams spaced apart from one another transversely and connected to the main floor element.Furthermore, at least one electrical energy storage device is provided, which is arranged in the transverse direction of the vehicle between the longitudinal members of the longitudinal member arrangement.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to create a particularly lightweight and space-saving and modularly adaptable floor structure for a passenger car body, whereby an energy storage device can be advantageously protected and a particularly advantageous accident behavior can be achieved.

[0004] This problem is solved by a floor structure with the features of claim 1 and by a modular system with the features of claim 6.

[0005] Advantageous embodiments with appropriate further developments of the invention are specified in the remaining claims.

[0006] A first aspect of the invention relates to a floor structure for a passenger car body, preferably designed as a self-supporting body shell and also referred to as a body-in-white or body-in-white. The floor structure comprises two side sills spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of the passenger car, as well as a main floor element arranged transversely between the side sills and, in particular, connected to the side sills on both sides, i.e., at both ends. This main floor element is also referred to as the main floor panel or is designed as a single main floor panel. The main floor element has a central tunnel arranged transversely between the side sills, which, viewed transversely, is located in the center of the main floor element.The floor structure also includes at least one longitudinal beam arrangement positioned vertically below the main floor element, which is arranged transversely between one of the side sills and the center tunnel, and thus transversely between the side sills. The longitudinal beam arrangement includes, in particular, at least or exactly, two longitudinal beams spaced apart from each other transversely and connected to the main floor element, which are also referred to as first longitudinal beams. Whenever the term "longitudinal beams" is used before and below, it refers, unless otherwise specified, to the first longitudinal beams. In particular, the side sills are lateral, second longitudinal beams of the floor structure. An energy storage device, preferably designed as an electrical energy storage device, is also provided, in which energy, in particular electrical energy, and in particular electrochemical energy, is to be stored or stored.The energy storage device is arranged transversely in the vehicle direction between the longitudinal beams and the longitudinal beam assembly. Preferably, the energy storage device is an electrical energy storage device and is a high-voltage component whose electrical voltage, in particular its operating or nominal voltage, is preferably greater than 48 volts, more preferably greater than 50 volts, and most preferably greater than 60 volts, and most preferably several hundred volts.

[0007] In order to achieve a particularly cost-effective, lightweight, and space-saving design of the floor structure, as well as advantageous modular adaptability of the floor structure, while also advantageously protecting the energy storage device and achieving advantageous crash behavior, so that persons in the interior of the passenger car are advantageously protected, especially in the event of a side impact, the invention provides that a respective wall of the respective longitudinal beam of the longitudinal beam arrangement facing the electrical energy storage device is arranged at a first angle to a respective base surface of the respective longitudinal beam, i.e., runs or is designed, wherein the first angle is less than or equal to 90 degrees.

[0008] Preferably, it is provided that the respective wall of the respective longitudinal beam facing the energy storage device is arranged at a second angle to a respective connection surface of the electrical energy storage device, i.e., is designed or runs in such a way that the device is connected to the longitudinal beams of the longitudinal beam arrangement via its connection surfaces, wherein the second angle is less than or equal to 90 degrees.

[0009] Preferably, a crossbeam, also referred to as a crossbeam structure, is arranged in the vehicle's vertical direction above the main floor element and above the energy storage system. This crossbeam is, for example, a floor support and is therefore also referred to as a floor-crossbeam structure. The longitudinal beams of the longitudinal beam arrangement are connected to each other via the crossbeam.

[0010] It has proven particularly advantageous if at least one connection area of ​​each longitudinal beam adjoins the respective wall of the longitudinal beam facing the energy storage unit, and this connection area is then linked to the crossbeam. Thus, each connection area is a section located between the longitudinal beams and the crossbeam.

[0011] It has proven particularly advantageous if the respective connection area is arranged at a third angle to the respective wall, i.e., is designed or runs at a third angle to which the respective connection area connects, wherein the third angle is less than or equal to 90 degrees.

[0012] A second aspect of the invention relates to a modular system for different construction variants of a floor structure according to the first aspect of the invention. For example, the main floor element and the side sills form a first assembly that is common to all construction variants, and the longitudinal beam structure and the energy storage unit form a second assembly specific to each construction variant. The second assembly can optionally be connected to the first assembly to produce a first of the construction variants, or it can be omitted from the first assembly to produce a second of the construction variants, such that the first construction variant comprises the first assembly and the second assembly connected therein, and the second construction variant comprises the first assembly but is free of the second assembly. The modular system according to the invention is a modular construction system.which serves to reinforce the floor structure, also referred to as the substructure, at advantageous positions for the protection of the energy storage device, and in which the substructure can be adapted to the resulting different positions of the vehicle's center of gravity and thus also to the different rotational behavior of the vehicle around this center of gravity during a side impact with an opposing vehicle or an accident barrier, so that intrusion of a body structure into an energy storage installation space is prevented during the impact, and in the direct impact area of ​​the body structure on the energy storage device, a clearance is created by the floor structure according to the invention in order to prevent excessive intrusions into the energy storage device, to achieve an advantageously long range of the vehicle and at the same time to keep the weight of the vehicle particularly low, especially in vehicles,which are based on a common platform but have higher requirements compared to a base vehicle regarding vehicle mass, high-voltage safety (for example, protection of electrical components of electric vehicles), occupant safety, or variations in dimensional concept (for example, wheelbases and / or overhangs). In particular, the aforementioned advantages can be realized by the invention in vehicles that are based on a common platform but have higher requirements compared to a base vehicle regarding high-voltage safety (for example, protection of electrical components of vehicles with electrified drive) or have a higher vehicle weight, whereby crossbeam structures within the energy storage system can be avoided or minimized compared to conventional solutions, so that energy content can be maximized for a given installation space and thus the vehicle range.

[0013] The invention is also based on the understanding that, with conventional solutions, if no appropriate countermeasures are taken, the use of conventional, deep-drawn floors with longitudinal beam structures featuring large angled ends can create bottlenecks in the energy storage system. In the event of an accident, particularly a side impact, initial contact (intrusion of the body shell into the battery structure) can occur in these bottlenecks. This conventionally necessitates massive, costly, and heavy-duty reinforcement measures in the body shell structure and / or large transverse structures within the energy storage system and / or a reduction in the energy storage system's volume. However, this reduces the energy storage capacity within the energy storage system's installation space, thus decreasing the vehicle's range and precluding flexible adaptation to different vehicle variants. These disadvantages can now be avoided by the invention.

[0014] In particular, the modular system can be formed through the following configurations: - by varying the first angle and / or second angle; and / or - by varying the number and / or material grades and / or material thicknesses and / or cross-sections of the longitudinal beams of the longitudinal beam arrangement; and / or - by varying the number and / or material grades and / or material thicknesses and / or cross-sections of the crossbeam; and / or - by varying the number of connection areas

[0015] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawing. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as those mentioned below in the figure description and / or shown in the figures alone, can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0016] This shows: Fig. 1. A schematic cross-sectional view of a floor structure for the body of a passenger car; and Fig. 2. A further schematic cross-sectional view of the soil structure is shown in part.

[0017] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements are provided with the same reference symbols.

[0018] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a floor structure 10 for a passenger car body, preferably designed as a self-supporting body and also referred to as a body shell or body-in-white. This means that the body, in its fully manufactured state, comprises the floor structure 10. The floor structure 10 has two side sills 12 and 14 spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of the passenger car, the transverse direction being illustrated by an arrow y. The floor structure 10 also has a main floor element 16, also referred to as or designed as a main floor panel, arranged in the transverse direction between the side sills 12 and 14, which is connected to the side sills 12 and 14, particularly on both sides and especially at both ends, and has a central tunnel 18 arranged in the transverse direction between the side sills 12 and 14.

[0019] The floor structure 10 also includes at least one energy storage device 20 arranged in the vehicle's vertical direction below the main floor element 16. The vehicle's vertical direction is illustrated by an arrow z. For example, the energy storage device 20 is an electrical energy storage device, in particular a battery, and most especially a high-voltage battery (HV battery).

[0020] Furthermore, the floor structure 10 has two longitudinal beam assemblies 22 and 24 arranged vertically below the main floor element 16, with the longitudinal beam assemblies 22 and 24 arranged side by side in the transverse direction of the vehicle. Longitudinal beam assembly 22 is arranged transversely between the side sill 12 and the center tunnel 18, and longitudinal beam assembly 24 is arranged transversely between the center tunnel 18 and the side sill 14. Each longitudinal beam assembly 22, 24 has, in this case, precisely two longitudinal beams, with the longitudinal beams of longitudinal beam assembly 22 being designated 26 and 28 and the longitudinal beams of longitudinal beam assembly 24 being designated 29 and 32. For example, the respective longitudinal beams 26 and 28 or 29 and 32 of the respective longitudinal beam arrangement 22, 24 are connected to the respective longitudinal beam arrangement 22, 24, in particular directly, to the main floor element 16.It is also evident that the respective longitudinal beams 26 and 28, and 29 and 32, of the respective longitudinal beam arrangement 22, 24 are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The energy storage device 20 is arranged in the transverse direction of the vehicle between the longitudinal beams 26 and 28, such that, viewed in the transverse direction of the vehicle, the energy storage device 20 is at least partially overlapped on both sides by the respective longitudinal beam 26, 28 of the longitudinal beam arrangement 22.

[0021] In order to realize particularly advantageous properties of the floor structure 10, also referred to as the substructure, a wall W1, W2 of each longitudinal beam 26, 28 facing the energy storage unit 20 is arranged at an angle α to a base surface G1, G2 of the respective longitudinal beam 26, 28, wherein the respective angle α is less than or equal to 90 degrees. Furthermore, the respective wall W1, W2 of each longitudinal beam 26, 28 facing the energy storage unit 20 is arranged at an angle α to a respective connection surface A1, A2 of the energy storage unit 20, which is connected directly to the respective longitudinal beam 26, 28, in particular to the respective base surface G1, G2. The energy storage unit 20 is connected to the longitudinal beam 26, in particular to the base surface G1, via its connection surface A1, and to the longitudinal beam 28, in particular to the base surface G2, via its connection surface A2.In the embodiment shown in the figures, the connection surface A1 and the base surface G1 are parallel to each other. Furthermore, the connection surface A2 and the base surface G2 are parallel to each other. For example, the connection surface A1 rests directly against the base surface G1. For example, the connection surface A2 rests directly against the base surface G2.

[0022] In the floor structure 10, it is also provided that at least one crossbeam 30 of the floor structure 10 is arranged in the vehicle's vertical direction above the main floor element 16 and above the energy storage unit 20, wherein the crossbeam 30 is a floor crossbeam. The longitudinal beams 26 and 28 are connected to each other via the crossbeam 30. Furthermore, it is provided that a respective connection area AB1, AB2 of the respective longitudinal beam 26, 28 adjoins the respective wall W1, W2 of the respective longitudinal beam 26, 28 facing the energy storage unit 20, and is connected to the crossbeam 30 via its respective connection area AB1, AB2. Fig.1 It is particularly evident that the respective connection area AB1, AB2 of the respective longitudinal beam 26, 28 is arranged at a respective angle β to the respective wall W1, W2 of the respective longitudinal beam 26, 28, i.e., is designed or runs, wherein the respective angle β is less than or equal to 90 degrees.

Images