Vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle that can absorb the load acting on a frame when a battery pack is mounted.SOLUTION: A vehicle comprises: a pair of first side frames that are disposed in a front part of the vehicle and extend in the front-rear direction; a pair of second side frames that are disposed rearward of the first side frames and extend in the front-rear direction at positions outer than the first side frames in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle; a pair of perimeter frames that connect the first side frames with the second side frames; a battery pack at least a part of which is fixed to the second side frames; a cross member that is disposed in front of the battery pack and connects the perimeter frames or the second side frames with each other; and connection members that extend from the perimeter frames and are connected to the cross member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, vehicles having a battery pack are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the vehicle of Patent Document 1, a battery frame constituting the housing of the battery pack is fixed to the rear end of the side frame.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the vehicle of Patent Document 1, the battery frame functions as a part of the vehicle body skeleton (frame). Therefore, the vehicle of Patent Document 1 has a structure premised on a vehicle equipped with a battery pack. However, in recent years, it has been required to share parts between a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine and an electric vehicle equipped with a battery pack and powered by a motor or the like.

[0005] As described above, when a battery pack is mounted on a frame, the weight increases compared to a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine. Therefore, in a vehicle equipped with a battery pack, the load applied to the frame during a collision is greater than that in a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle capable of reducing the load applied to the frame when a battery pack is mounted.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The vehicle according to the present disclosure includes a pair of first side frames disposed at a front portion of the vehicle and extending in a front-rear direction, a pair of second side frames disposed rearward of the first side frames and extending in the front-rear direction at a position outside the vehicle width direction of the first side frames, a pair of perimeter frames connecting the first side frames and the second side frames, a battery pack at least partially fixed to the second side frames, a cross member disposed in front of the battery pack and connecting the perimeter frames or the second side frames to each other, and a connecting member extending from the perimeter frame and connected to the cross member.

Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to this vehicle, in addition to the deformation of the perimeter frame when the vehicle collides, the connecting member also deforms, and the impact can be absorbed. As a result, when the battery pack is mounted, the load applied to the first side frame is dispersed by the perimeter frame and the connecting member, and the load on the second side frame can be reduced and the deformation can be suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, with respect to the vehicle as a reference, the front side of the vehicle is denoted as F, the rear side as B, the right side as R, the left side as L, the upper side as U, and the lower side as D. In the following specification, the left-right direction is referred to as the vehicle width direction.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle C includes a frame 1. The vehicle C is a separate-frame type vehicle that fixes a body 4 via a body mount to the upper part of the frame 1. The vehicle C can mount an engine E, which is an internal combustion engine, as a power source on the frame 1. On the other hand, when the vehicle C does not mount the engine E, it can mount a motor M as a power source. When the vehicle C mounts the motor M, it mounts a battery pack 2 that supplies power to the motor M.

[0012] The battery pack 2 of the present embodiment is a case formed of sheet metal or resin. The battery pack 2 houses a battery module composed of secondary batteries such as a plurality of lithium-ion batteries.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 1 of the vehicle C includes a pair of front side frames (an example of a first side frame) 6, a pair of rear side frames (an example of a second side frame) 8, a pair of perimeter frames 10, a cross member 12, and a pair of connecting members 14.

[0014] The pair of front side frames 6 are arranged at the front portion of the vehicle C and extend in the front-rear direction. The pair of front side frames 6 are formed of hollow cylindrical structural members and are arranged at intervals in the vehicle width direction. The pair of front side frames 6 are fixed by a plurality of member members 6a extending in the vehicle width direction. The front side frame 6 supports the engine E or the motor M and is provided with a body mount bracket 1a to support the body 4 (see FIG. 1).

[0015] A pair of rear side frames 8 are arranged behind the front side frames 6, are arranged at positions outside the vehicle width direction of the vehicle C than the front side frames 6, and extend in the front-rear direction. The pair of rear side frames 8 are formed by a hollow cylindrical structural member, and the battery pack 2 is arranged inside the vehicle width direction. The battery pack 2 is fixed to the lower surface of the rear side frame 8 by bolts or the like.

[0016] A pair of perimeter frames 10 are added only when the battery pack 2 is mounted. The pair of perimeter frames 10 spread outward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear and connect the front side frames 6 and the rear side frames 8. Since the structure of the perimeter frame 10 is symmetric about the left and right, in the description of the perimeter frame 10, the structure of the right perimeter frame 10 will be described. In the present embodiment, the front end Pf of the perimeter frame 10 is welded and fixed to the front side frame 6. The rear end Pb of the perimeter frame 10 is welded and fixed to the rear side frame 8. The perimeter frame 10 is formed by a hollow cylindrical structural member, and the cross-sectional area near Pm between the front end Pf and the rear end Pb is larger than the cross-sectional area of the front end Pf and the cross-sectional area of the rear end Pb. For this reason, when the front side frame 6 receives a load due to a collision of the vehicle C or the like, the perimeter frame 10 buckles near the front end Pf and the rear end Pb and absorbs the collision energy while rotating clockwise or counterclockwise when viewed from above.

[0017] The cross member 12 is arranged in front of the battery pack 2 and connects the pair of perimeter frames 10 to each other or the pair of rear side frames 8 to each other. In the present embodiment, the cross member 12 connects the pair of perimeter frames 10 to each other.

[0018] The pair of connecting members 14 extend from the perimeter frame 10 and are connected to the cross member 12. Since the structure of the connecting member 14 is symmetric about the left - right axis, in the description of the connecting member 14, the structure of the right - hand connecting member 14 will be described. The connecting member 14 is formed by a hollow cylindrical structural member and is bent in an arch shape (arc shape) from the vehicle width direction toward the front - rear direction. The thickness of the connecting member 14 and the like can be appropriately changed according to the weight of the vehicle C or the load received by the front side frame 6 during a collision.

[0019] The connecting member 14 has a bellows portion 14a. In the present embodiment, the bellows portion 14a is disposed in the arcuate - shaped portion of the connecting member 14.

[0020] The front end portion of the connecting member 14 is rotatably connected to the perimeter frame 10. In the present embodiment, the front end portion of the connecting member 14 is rotatably connected to a bracket 10a formed at the front end portion of the perimeter frame 10 by a bolt that penetrates vertically. In the present embodiment, a straight portion 14b extending in the front - rear direction is provided at the rear end portion of the connecting member 14. The straight portion 14b extends to the battery pack 2. The battery pack 2 is provided with ribs 2a extending in the front - rear direction, and the straight portion 14b is connected to these ribs 2a.

[0021] The rear end portion of the connecting member 14 is rotatably connected to the cross member 12. The connecting member 14 is rotatably connected to the cross member 12 by a bolt provided in the straight portion 14b and penetrating vertically up to the cross member 12.

[0022] Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the deformed states of the perimeter frame 10 and the connecting member 14 during an offset collision will be described. In the following description, the deformed states of the right - hand perimeter frame 10 and the connecting member 14 when an offset collision occurs on the right side of the vehicle C will be described. For the left side, since the deformation is symmetric about the left - right axis with respect to the right side, the description will be omitted.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, for example, when an offset collision occurs in vehicle C, the right front side frame 6 receives a load. As a result, the perimeter frame 10 is pushed. In FIG. 3, the perimeter frame 10 rotates counterclockwise, and the front end portion of the perimeter frame 10 enters the inner side in the vehicle width direction (the left side in FIG. 3). This shows a state where the distance between the connection point X1 of the connecting member 14 to the perimeter frame 10 and the connection point X2 of the connecting member 14 to the cross member 12 has become closer.

[0024] At this time, the connecting member 14 receives a load from the bracket 10a of the perimeter frame 10 and is pushed inward in the vehicle width direction. When the connecting member 14 is pushed from the perimeter frame 10, while rotating clockwise with the bolt portion of the bracket 10a as a fulcrum, the bellows portion 14a transmits the load to the battery pack while being crushed to absorb the collision energy. As a result, in addition to absorbing the collision energy due to the rotation of the perimeter frame 10, by transmitting the load from the connecting member 14 provided in the direction to suppress the rotation of the perimeter frame 10 to the cross member 12 and the battery pack, the load applied to the front side frame 6 can be reduced. As a result, the load applied to the rear side frame 8 (see FIG. 2) can be reduced, and the deformation of the battery pack 2 (see FIG. 2) can be suppressed.

[0025] In FIG. 4, the perimeter frame 10 rotates clockwise, and the front end portion of the perimeter frame 10 is shown in a state of opening to the outer side in the vehicle width direction (the right side in FIG. 4). This shows a state where the distance between the connection point X1 of the connecting member 14 to the perimeter frame 10 and the connection point X2 of the connecting member 14 to the cross member 12 has become farther.

[0026] At this time, the connecting member 14 receives a load from the bracket 10a of the perimeter frame 10 and is pulled outward in the vehicle width direction. When the connecting member 14 is pulled from the perimeter frame 10, it rotates counterclockwise with the bolt portion of the bracket 10a as a fulcrum, and the bellows portion 14a is pulled to absorb the collision energy. As a result, in addition to absorbing the collision energy due to the rotation of the perimeter frame 10, the load applied to the front side frame 6 can be reduced by the load transmission of the connecting member 14 provided in the direction of suppressing the rotation of the perimeter frame 10. As a result, the load applied to the rear side frame 8 (see FIG. 2) can be reduced, and the deformation of the battery pack 2 (see FIG. 2) can be suppressed.

[0027] In the vehicle C, the direction of the load applied to the front side frame 6 changes depending on the position of the offset collision. As a result, the perimeter frame 10 deforms while rotating counterclockwise or clockwise as described above. In the vehicle C of the present disclosure, both ends of the connecting member 14 are rotatably supported. As a result, the connecting member 14 functions as an energy absorber that absorbs the load received by the perimeter frame 10 as the distance between the connection point X1 and the connection point X2 changes. Furthermore, since the connecting member 14 is formed in an arch shape, it is easy to deform both on the stretching side and the shrinking side. Furthermore, since the connecting member 14 has a bellows portion 14a in the arch-shaped portion, it is even easier to deform.

[0028] In addition, when the vehicle C uses the engine E (see FIG. 1) as a power source, it is also possible to remove the connecting member 14. As a result, an electric vehicle equipped with the battery pack 2 and using the motor M (see FIG. 1) as a power source and an internal combustion engine vehicle using the engine E as a power source can share components such as the front side frame 6. As a result, the vehicle C can be manufactured at a lower cost.

[0029] As described above, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle C that can reduce the load applied to the frame 1 when the battery pack 2 is mounted.

[0030] <Other Embodiments> As described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been explained. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the invention. In particular, a plurality of modifications described in this specification can be arbitrarily combined as necessary.

[0031] (a) In the above embodiment, an example in which the connecting member 14 is connected to the perimeter frame 10 and the cross member 12 by bolts has been described. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. As long as the connecting member 14 is rotatably supported by the perimeter frame 10 and the cross member 12, the connecting method may be other methods such as riveting or welding.

[0032] (b) In the above embodiment, when the vehicle C is an electric vehicle, an electric vehicle that drives a motor by the power of a battery housed in the battery pack 2 has been described as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The vehicle C may be a hybrid vehicle that supplies power from the battery pack 2 to the motor M and generates electricity using the engine E. Alternatively, the vehicle C may be a plug-in hybrid vehicle that can be externally charged and externally powered among hybrid vehicles.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0033] 1: Frame, 2: Battery pack, 4: Body 6: Front side frame, 8: Rear side frame 10: Perimeter frame, 10a: Bracket 12: Cross member 14: Connecting member, 14a: Bellows part, 14b: Straight part C: Vehicle, Pb: Rear end, Pf: Front end

Claims

1. A pair of first side frames arranged at the front part of the vehicle and extending in the front-rear direction, A pair of second side frames arranged behind the first side frames and extending in the front-rear direction at a position outside the vehicle width direction of the first side frames, A pair of perimeter frames connecting the first side frames and the second side frames, A battery pack at least partially fixed to the second side frames, A cross member arranged in front of the battery pack and connecting the perimeter frames or the second side frames to each other, A connecting member extending from the perimeter frame and connected to the cross member, A vehicle comprising the above.

2. The connecting member is formed by being bent in an arch shape from the vehicle width direction towards the front-rear direction, The vehicle according to Claim 1.

3. The connecting member has a bellows, The vehicle according to Claim 1.

4. The front end portion of the connecting member is rotatably connected to the perimeter frame, The vehicle according to Claim 1.

5. The rear end portion of the connecting member is rotatably connected to the cross member, The vehicle according to Claim 1.

6. The connecting member is rotatably connected to the front end of the perimeter frame, The vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 5.

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