IMPROVED SIDE LINER for ELECTRICALLY POWERED MOTOR VEHICLE UNDERBONE

Abstract

The invention relates to a chassis rail (L2) for an electric motor vehicle, said rail having a U-shaped cross-section open laterally to the outside of the chassis and comprising a horizontal wall (1c), a vertical wall (1b), and an upper wall (1a) at least partially inclined upwards. Said rail (L2) is intended to be fitted, on both sides and in a central and intermediate manner, into the ends of adjacent rails (L1, L3) of the same cross-section. It is characterized in that the connection between the upper wall (1a) and the vertical wall (1b) of said intermediate rail (L2) is provided with a chamfer (11) forming a hinge intended to ensure the pivoting of the upper wall (1a) towards the inside of the cross-section when said rail is fitted into the adjacent rails. (Fig. 3)

Description

Title of the invention: IMPROVED SIDE LINER for the UNDERBODIES OF ELECTRICALLY POWERED MOTOR VEHICLES

[0001] The invention relates, in general, to the field of the structure of electric motor vehicles and is concerned, more particularly, with an improvement of the underbody of these vehicles.

[0002] Some electric vehicles are equipped with a so-called "Cell to body" floor which delimits the upper part of the underbody and which also serves as a cover for the battery tray. During vehicle assembly, this tray is thus positioned against the underbody beneath the horizontal underside of the floor.

[0003] The underbody of this type of vehicle generally comprises, on either side, a set of three longitudinal members: a front longitudinal member, a central longitudinal member, and a rear longitudinal member. The central longitudinal member is the last piece assembled to the underbody (by welding) and is inserted between the front and rear longitudinal members by being brought in transversely and then fixed to the lateral edges of the horizontal underside of the floor.

[0004] However, assembling the central spar to the two other spars proves problematic. Indeed, these spars are rigid steel pieces with a roughly U-shaped cross-section that are fitted transversely into one another.

[0005] However, to reinforce the vehicle's underbody which must withstand side and frontal impacts, the central longitudinal member is made with a greater thickness of metal (approximately 1.3mm) than the other two longitudinal members, which poses difficulties in fitting together.

[0006] Furthermore, during assembly, the central side member is brought in transversely from a position higher than its final position to avoid interference with the horizontal parts of the surrounding components (floor and front and rear side members). Under these conditions, the upper part of the central side member comes into contact with the upper parts of the other two side members, which hinders assembly.

[0007] Patent JP5683200B2 describes a motor vehicle underbody comprising a side member and a floor locally provided with a chamfer.

[0008] Patent application FR3111320A1 describes a central side member of a motor vehicle formed from a stamped sheet metal profile provided with at least one reinforcing element in the form of a fold in the sheet metal.

[0009] However, these documents do not relate to the assembly of a central longitudinal member to a subframe and do not disclose a solution to the problem technique of transverse interlocking of a rigid central U-section stringer with other stringers of the same section.

[0010] In this context, the invention aims to propose an improvement of the central longitudinal member consisting of giving its upper part an increased and sufficient deformation capacity to allow it to be easily assembled in the environment of the subframe.

[0011] This goal is achieved, according to the invention, by means of a subframe for an electric motor vehicle, said sideframe having a U-shaped section open laterally to the outside of the subframe and comprising a horizontal wall, a vertical wall and an upper wall at least partially inclined upwards, said sideframe being intended to be fitted, on both sides and in a central and intermediate manner, into the ends of adjacent sideframes of the same section, characterized in that the connection between the upper wall and the vertical wall of said central intermediate sideframe is provided with a chamfer forming an articulation intended to ensure the pivoting of the upper wall towards the inside of the section when fitting said sideframe into the adjacent sideframes.

[0012] According to a specific embodiment of the longeron of the invention, the chamfer comprises two radii.

[0013] Preferably, these rays are identical and correspond to angular sectors between 30° and 60°.

[0014] To facilitate its realization, it is provided that the chamfer extends over the entire length of the central spar.

[0015] Another object of the invention is a method of assembling an electrically powered vehicle underbody comprising a floor, front and rear side members respectively and a central side member as defined above, characterized in that after assembly of the front and rear side members on said floor, said central side member is fitted transversely and in an intercalary manner into the ends of adjacent side members by deformation of its upper wall and then fixed on the lower lateral edge of the floor.

[0016] Yet another object of the invention is a base for an electrically powered motor vehicle comprising a floor laterally provided with a front longitudinal member and a rear longitudinal member, characterized in that it further comprises a central longitudinal member, as defined above, assembled on both sides by intercalary fitting into the front and rear longitudinal members.

[0017] According to a specific application, the base of the invention comprises a "cell to body" type floor ensuring the sealing of the upper part of a battery tray.

[0018] A final object of the invention is an electric motor vehicle whose structure incorporates a chassis as defined above

[0019] In its most general aspect, the improvement brought about by the invention makes it possible to simplify and facilitate the assembly of the various components of the underbody of electric motor vehicles with a "cell to body" floor and, in particular, of its side rails.

[0020] Thanks to the invention and the presence of the chamfer, the central longitudinal member is more flexible and can thus easily deform during its assembly with the floor and the front and rear longitudinal members.

[0021] By increasing the angular amplitude of the rotation of the upper wall around a longitudinal axis, the radii provided on the chamfer facilitate the downward pivoting of the central stringer and thus facilitate both its docking on the lower horizontal edge of the floor and its engagement in the section of the adjacent stringers.

[0022] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the accompanying figures, for which:

[0023] [Fig.1] is a side perspective view of an electric motor vehicle underbody with a "cell to body" floor during the assembly of a central longitudinal member according to the invention.

[0024] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of a central longitudinal member according to an embodiment preferential of the invention.

[0025] [Fig.3] is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lateral part of the base of the invention at the longitudinal ends of the central spar of [Fig.2], during the initial phase of assembly.

[0026] [Fig.4] is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lateral part of the base of the invention at the longitudinal ends of the central spar of the [Fig.2], in final assembly position.

[0027] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs throughout the figures.

[0028] Naturally, the embodiments of the central longitudinal member and the subframe according to the invention, schematically illustrated in the figures above and described below, are given only by way of non-limiting examples. It is explicitly provided for within the scope of the invention that different embodiments can be proposed and combined to create others.

[0029] The invention relates to the general field of the structure of electric motor vehicles and is more particularly concerned with the underbody of these vehicles which is specifically provided with a floor called "cell to body".

[0030] As illustrated by [Fig. 1], such a floor P delimits the upper part of the substructure and, moreover, provides the function of a cover for the battery tray (not (represented here). During vehicle assembly, this tray is thus positioned against the underside under the horizontal lower face of the floor.

[0031] The underbody of this type of vehicle generally comprises, on each side, a set of three longitudinal members: a front longitudinal member L1, a rear longitudinal member L3, and an intermediate central longitudinal member L2. These longitudinal members have a U-shaped cross-section that is open laterally to the outside of the underbody in their assembled position. This cross-section is delimited, on the underbody side, by a substantially vertical solid wall 1b, which is slightly curved in this case. Their lower wall 1b extends in a horizontal plane, while their upper wall 1b is, at least partially, slightly inclined upwards.

[0032] The central longitudinal member L2 is made with a greater thickness of metal (approximately 1.3mm) than the other two longitudinal members L1, L3 in order to reinforce the underbody in this area to protect the batteries and the passenger compartment in case of side impacts.

[0033] During the final phase of assembly of the subframe, the central longitudinal member L2, which is of interest to the invention, is brought last in a transverse direction (as illustrated by the arrow on [Fig.1]) from a position higher than its final position to avoid interference with the horizontal parts of the surrounding parts (floor P and front longitudinal members L1 and rear longitudinal members L3).

[0034] The central longitudinal member L2 is then fitted, at its longitudinal ends, in an intercalary manner into the front longitudinal member L1 and the rear longitudinal member L3, as illustrated by figures 3 and 4, its vertical wall 1b then bearing against the lateral edge of the floor P. Then the central longitudinal member L2 is fixed (by welding or screwing), on the one hand, to the lateral edges PI of the horizontal lower face of the floor P and secured, on the other hand, with the adjacent longitudinal members L1, L3 (for example by means of a nut, as illustrated in [Fig.4]).

[0035] However, when inserted into the adjacent L1, L3 spars, the upper wall of the current central spar tends to come into contact with the upper parts of the ends of the other two spars L1, L3, which hinders the assembly operations.

[0036] The invention aims to facilitate this phase of assembly by modifying the profile of the central spar L2 to allow it to engage transversely, without blocking, in the section of the two other spars L1, L3. To this end and as illustrated by figures 2, 3 and 4, the connection between the upper wall la and the vertical wall 1b of the central spar L2 is provided with a chamfer 11 forming a hinge and allowing the upper wall la to pivot towards the inside of the section when this spar L2 is fitted into the adjacent spars L1, L3.

[0037] Preferably, the chamfer 11 is made over the entire length of the spar L2 and is delimited by two identical radii lia, 11b which correspond to angular sectors between 30° and 60°.

[0038] However, it is possible to provide, without departing from the scope of the invention, that the chamfer is present only at the ends of the spar L2. Similarly, an alternative embodiment may consist in the two radii lia, 11b being different in order to adapt the deformation capacity of the upper wall la of the central spar L2 to different sections of the front spar L1 and rear spar L3.

Claims

Demands

1. A chassis rail (L2) for an electric motor vehicle, said rail having a U-shaped section open laterally to the outside of the chassis and comprising a horizontal wall (le), a vertical wall (1b) and an upper wall (la) at least partially inclined upwards, said rail (L2) being intended to be fitted, on both sides and in a central and intermediate manner, into the ends of adjacent rails (L1, L3) of the same section, characterized in that the connection between the upper wall (la) and the vertical wall (1b) of said intermediate central rail (L2) is provided with a chamfer (11) forming a joint intended to ensure the pivoting of the upper wall (la) towards the inside of the section when fitting said rail into the adjacent rails.

2. Longeron according to claim 1, characterized in that said chamfer (11) comprises two radii (11a, 11b).

3. Longeron according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said radii (lia, 11b) are identical.

4. Longeron according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said radii (lia, 11b) correspond to angular sectors between 30° and 60°.

5. Longer according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said chamfer (11) extends over the entire length of the central longer (L2).

6. Method of assembling an electric vehicle underbody comprising a floor (P), front (L1) and rear (L3) side members and a central side member (L2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after assembly of the front (L1) and rear (L3) side members on said floor (P), said central side member (L2) is fitted transversely and in an intercalary manner into the ends of adjacent side members (L1, L3) by deformation of its upper wall (la) and then fixed on the lower lateral edge (PI) of the floor (P).

7. Underbody of an electrically powered motor vehicle comprising a floor (P) laterally provided with a front longitudinal member (L1) and a rear longitudinal member (L3), characterized in that it further comprises a central longitudinal member (L2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 4 assembled, on both sides, by interlocking in the front and rear longitudinal members.

8. Base according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said floor (P) is a "cell to body" type floor ensuring the sealing of the upper part of a battery tray.

9. Electric motor vehicle whose structure incorporates a subframe according to claim 7 or 8.

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