TWO- OR FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE ELECTRIC VEHICLE FEATURING A FRONT CROSSBAR FOR EQUIPMENT SUPPORT

Abstract

An electric motor vehicle comprising, in a front engine compartment, a crossmember (10) including equipment fixed above it (20), and fixings for receiving a powertrain (2) disposed below this crossmember (10), and comprising at the ends of this crossmember (10) links (12) connected to supports of the vehicle body (14), these links (12) of the crossmember (10) allowing mounting in one direction giving a high position of the crossmember (10), and in the opposite direction giving a low position of the crossmember (10). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: ELECTRIC VEHICLE WITH TWO OR FOUR DRIVE WHEELS COMPRISING A FRONT CROSSMEMBER FOR SUPPORTING EQUIPMENT

[0001] The present invention relates to a two- or four-wheel drive electric motor vehicle comprising in a front compartment an equipment support crossmember which is equipped with powertrain mountings, as well as a family of vehicles formed with this type of motor vehicle.

[0002] A known type of electric motor vehicle, presented in particular by document FR-A1-3110495, comprises in the front engine compartment a flat crossmember arranged in a horizontal plane, produced by extrusion of an aluminum alloy, which is fixed at its ends to the front side members by means of elastic connections to filter vibrations.

[0003] The vehicle's traction powertrain comprising an electric machine and a reducer driving the front wheels, is suspended under the crossmember by means of elastic connections. The top of the flat crossmember receives equipment fixed above having a significant mass and volume, in particular electrical equipment used to control the powertrain.

[0004] This arrangement makes it possible to group the various important components of the powertrain on a single crossmember, providing different filtration devices to avoid transmitting vibrations and noise to the vehicle body.

[0005] The installation of the powertrain under the front crossmember and the equipment above this crossmember generally gives a total height footprint of this assembly which fills the space between the base of the vehicle and the hood of the compartment.

[0006] Another type of known vehicle, presented in particular by document FRAI-2954232, comprises a chassis arranged under the rear trunk of the vehicle, receiving the rear axle comprising a powertrain for electric traction of the rear wheels, arranged in the center of this chassis.

[0007] Generally speaking, it is known to produce a family of vehicles comprising similar front compartments, receiving for certain versions a power unit for driving the front wheels fixed under the front cross member and a power unit for driving the rear wheels, fixed in a rear chassis, which gives a version of the vehicle with four drive wheels.

[0008] Other versions of this family of vehicles only have the motor group- rear-wheel drive, without the front one, to give a version of the vehicle with two rear wheels that is less powerful but more economical. However, in these two-wheel drive versions, the removal of the front powertrain leaves a free space under the front crossmember, but with accessibility problems that do not allow it to be used to form a trunk where one can store things.

[0009] To overcome this problem, it is possible to provide a front crossmember arranged at a lower level, lowering it into the volume provided below for the powertrain, but in this case, two different crossmembers or crossmember supports must be provided, to obtain two crossmember levels adapted to the versions with and without front engine. However, this solution poses problems of different types of crossmembers or supports requiring the management of more numerous part references, and industrial tooling adapted to produce them in large series, which adds complexity and increases costs.

[0010] The present invention aims in particular to avoid these problems of the prior art.

[0011] To this end, it proposes an electric motor vehicle comprising in a front engine compartment a crossmember comprising equipment fixed above, and fixings making it possible to receive a powertrain arranged below this crossmember, and comprising at the ends of this crossmember connections connected to supports of the body of the vehicle, this motor vehicle being remarkable in that the connections of the crossmember allow mounting in one direction giving a high position of the crossmember, and in an inverted direction giving a low position of the crossmember.

[0012] An advantage of this electric motor vehicle is that by simply reversing the direction of assembly of the connections at the ends of the cross member, using the same cross member produced according to a single model, this cross member can be arranged in a high position by fixing the powertrain underneath for a four-wheel drive vehicle, or in a low position for a two-wheel rear drive vehicle.

[0013] In the same family of vehicles receiving a common type of cross member and connections, this facilitates mass production and reduces costs, for the two-wheel drive vehicle, equipment is fixed to this cross member at a lower height, which frees up a usable volume above to form a trunk that is easily accessible directly under the hood of the front compartment.

[0014] The invention may further comprise one or more of the following features, which may be combined with each other.

[0015] Advantageously, the crossmember has a flat shape comprising two opposite faces arranged in a plane substantially parallel to the ground under the vehicle.

[0016] In this case, advantageously the crosspiece includes through connection holes which allow the connections to be fixed on one face or the other face of this crosspiece.

[0017] Advantageously, each connection substantially forms a bracket comprising a flat base fixed to a support on the vehicle body, and a perpendicular part connected to the cross member.

[0018] In this case, advantageously the flat base has assembly holes passing through it, allowing this base to be placed on the support of the body in one direction or the other, and to be tightened thereon by screws engaged in these holes.

[0019] Furthermore, advantageously the transverse end face of the perpendicular part comprises a transverse end face having holes allowing fixing on one of the two opposite faces of the crosspiece.

[0020] Advantageously, the perpendicular part has a greater thickness as it moves away from the flat base.

[0021] Advantageously, the motor vehicle having a mounting in the reverse direction giving a low position of the cross member, comprises above the equipment a trunk allowing the storage of belongings.

[0022] The invention also relates to a family of motor vehicles comprising any one of the preceding characteristics, remarkable in that it comprises vehicles having an assembly in one direction giving the high position of the cross member, and in an inverted direction giving the low position, and in that the cross members and the connections are identical components for the entire family.

[0023] In particular, the vehicles of the family being all equipped with an electric traction powertrain driving the rear wheels, this family includes vehicles having a mounting in one direction giving the high position with a powertrain fixed under the cross member, and vehicles having a mounting in one direction giving the low position without a powertrain under this cross member.

[0024] The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and advantages will appear more clearly on reading the description below given by way of example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0025] [Fig. 1] is a front view of the front engine compartment of a four-wheel drive electric vehicle according to the invention, equipped with a front and rear powertrain;

[0026] [Fig.2] is a view of the cross member with its supports of this vehicle;

[0027] [Fig.3] is a front view of the cross member showing the two mounting positions possible from its supports;

[0028] [Fig.4] is a front view of the front engine compartment of a two-wheel drive electric vehicle according to the invention, comprising only a rear powertrain; and

[0029] [Fig.5] is a view of the cross member with its supports of this vehicle.

[0030] Throughout the document the upper or above direction is relative to the axis vertical of a vehicle placed on horizontal ground.

[0031] Figures 1 and 2 show a front powertrain with electric traction 2 driving the front wheels of the vehicle 4 held by suspension arms connected to a chassis 6 passing under this powertrain, each wheel having a spring and shock absorber combination 8 to ensure its suspension. The four-wheel drive vehicle also has an electric traction powertrain driving the rear wheels.

[0032] The power unit 2 comprising an electric traction machine and a speed reducer, is fixed under a flat cross member 10 arranged in a horizontal plane, comprising at each end a connection 12 which is fixed on top of a lateral side member of the front engine compartment 14.

[0033] The flat crossmember 10 receives above, in an equipment volume 16 formed below the upper front hood of the vehicle 18, equipment 20 fixed on this crossmember, comprising in particular electronic equipment for controlling the electric traction machine.

[0034] The entire available height starting from the upper hood 18 to below the vehicle is filled successively by a functional clearance necessary under this hood to avoid interference, the equipment 20 arranged in the volume of equipment 16 and fixed on the front cross member, the thickness of this front cross member, the power unit 2 then the thickness of the front cradle 6. It can be seen that, in the vertical direction, at the level of the power unit 2 the entire space is filled.

[0035] The flat crossmember 10 has in its central part fixing holes 30 allowing the power unit 2 to be fixed below and the equipment 20 above, and at each end connecting holes 32 allowing a connection 12 arranged below this crossmember to be fixed on each side. The holes 30, 32 of the crossmember 10 are through holes.

[0036] Each connection 12 substantially forms a bracket comprising a flat, horizontal base 34 having through-holes for assembly on the vehicle 36 for placement and fixing on a side member of the vehicle 14, and a vertical perpendicular part 38 having an inner side, facing the axis of the vehicle, inclined to form an increasing thickness as it rises towards the cross member 10.

[0037] Connecting screws engaged in the connecting holes 32 above the crosspiece 10 are screwed below this crosspiece into holes in the transverse end face of the perpendicular part 38 of each connection 12. This transverse end face has a greater width at the level of its support under the crosspiece 10 in order to ensure stability and strong fixing.

[0038] [Fig. 3] shows two possibilities for mounting the links 12 on the crosspiece 10, comprising a high position A shown in Figures 1 and 2, and a low position B with the reversal of each connection relative to the plane of the crosspiece, which are fixed above this crosspiece with the vertical perpendicular part 38 rising and the horizontal base 34 arranged in height.

[0039] By using the same through-connection holes 32 formed at the ends of the crosspiece 10, the connection screws are engaged on one side or the other of this crosspiece to screw them on the other side, in the thicker part of the perpendicular part 38 rising or falling of each connection 12. For the two mounting positions A, B, a strong fixing of the connections 12 on the crosspiece 10 is obtained.

[0040] In the low position B the crosspiece 10 is lowered by a height H corresponding to the vertical distance between the bottom of the horizontal base 34 of the high position A, and the bottom of this base returned in the low position B.

[0041] Figures 4 and 5 show, for a vehicle comprising only an electric traction powertrain at the rear, the crossmember 10 comprising the connections 12 in the low position B.

[0042] The underside of the horizontal base 34 of each link 12 is fixed above its side member 14, as on the vehicle shown [Fig.l], thanks to the through assembly holes 36 formed on this base. A cross member 10 is obtained which is lowered by the height H relative to the four-wheel drive vehicle, which is possible thanks to the absence of a powertrain below this cross member.

[0043] It will be noted that in the low position B the square shape of the connection 12 allows the perpendicular part 38 to descend on the side of the side member 14, and to arrange the cross member 10 below the upper level of this side member.

[0044] The equipment 20 remains fixed above the crosspiece 10, as for the high position A, presenting a positioning also lowered by the height H. Between the front cover 18 and the volume reserved for the equipment 16, an available space 50 is obtained having a thickness equal to the height H, making it possible to form, for example, a trunk arranged directly under this cover and easily accessible.

[0045] Advantageously, on the same family of vehicles comprising two-wheel and four-wheel drive vehicles, for the equipment 20 common to these two types of vehicles, electrical cable harnesses are provided having a standard length making it possible to adapt to the difference in height of this equipment, which makes it possible to limit the number of different component references.

[0046] The motor vehicle according to the invention allows, with always the same crossmember 10 and the same connections 12, by a simple arrangement of these connections above or below this crossmember, to produce two types of vehicles having different engines which gives a reduction in the number of components, and a larger mass production of the same components which makes it possible to improve the quality and optimize costs.

Claims

Claims

1. Electric motor vehicle comprising in a front engine compartment a crossmember (10) comprising equipment fixed above (20), and fixings allowing to receive a power unit (2) arranged below this crossmember (10), and comprising at the ends of this crossmember (10) connections (12) connected to supports of the body of the vehicle (14), characterized in that the connections (12) of the crossmember (10) allow mounting in one direction giving a high position (A) of the crossmember (10), and in an inverted direction giving a low position (B) of the crossmember (10).

2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross member (10) has a flat shape comprising two opposite faces arranged in a plane substantially parallel to the ground under the vehicle.

3. Motor vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the cross member (10) comprises through connection holes (32) which allow the connections (12) to be fixed on one face or the other face of this cross member (10).

4. Motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each connection (12) substantially forms a bracket comprising a flat base (34) fixed to a support of the vehicle body (14), and a perpendicular part (38) connected to the cross member (10).

5. Motor vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the flat base (34) has assembly holes (36) passing through it, allowing this base (34) to be placed on the support of the body (14) in one direction or the other, and to be tightened thereon by screws engaged in these holes (36).

6. Motor vehicle according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the perpendicular part (38) comprises a transverse end face having holes allowing fixing on one of the two opposite faces of the cross member (10).

7. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the perpendicular part (38) has a greater thickness moving away from the flat base (34).

8. Motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, having a mounting in the reverse direction giving a low position (B) of the cross member (10), characterized in that it comprises above the equipment (20) a chest (50) allowing the storage of belongings.

9. Family of motor vehicles according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises vehicles having an assembly in one direction giving the high position (A) of the crossmember (10), and in an inverted direction giving the low position, and in that the crossmembers (10) and the connections (12) are identical components for the entire family.

10. Family of motor vehicles according to claim 9, all equipped with an electric traction powertrain driving the rear wheels, characterized in that it comprises vehicles having a mounting in one direction giving the high position (A) with a powertrain (2) fixed under the crossmember (10), and vehicles having a mounting in one direction giving the low position (B) without a powertrain (2) under this crossmember (10).

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