Vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle that can suppress the deformation of 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 wider in the vehicle width direction than the first side frames; a pair of perimeter frames that connect the first side frames with the second side frames; and a battery pack that supplies electric power to a power source of the vehicle. The battery pack has first brackets fixed to the perimeter frames.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 having an internal combustion engine as a power source and an electric vehicle equipped with a battery pack and having a motor or the like as a power source.

[0005] As described above, when a battery pack is mounted on a frame, the weight increases compared to a vehicle having an internal combustion engine as a power source. For this reason, a vehicle equipped with a battery pack has an increased load on the frame during a collision compared to a vehicle having an internal combustion engine as a power source.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle capable of suppressing deformation of 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 the front portion of the vehicle and extending in the 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 wider than the first side frames in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, a pair of perimeter frames connecting the first side frames and the second side frames, and a battery pack that supplies power to a power source of the vehicle. The battery pack has a first bracket fixed to the perimeter frame.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to this vehicle, when the vehicle collides, when the perimeter frame deforms, the first bracket can suppress the deformation of the perimeter frame. Thereby, the deformation of the second side frame can be suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments 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 reference to the vehicle, 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 configured by secondary batteries such as a plurality of lithium-ion batteries. Details of the battery pack 2 will be described later.

[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, and a cross member 12.

[0014] The pair of perimeter frames 10 are added only when the battery pack 2 is mounted. The pair of front side frames 6 are disposed at the front part 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 disposed 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] The pair of rear side frames 8 are disposed behind the front side frames 6, at a position 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 of hollow cylindrical structural members, and the battery pack 2 is disposed 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 expand outward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear and connect the front side frame 6 and the rear side frame 8. Since the structure of the perimeter frame 10 is symmetric about the left-right axis, in the description of the perimeter frame 10, the structure of the left 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 of 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 near the rear end Pb. Therefore, the perimeter frame 10 has buckling portions near the front end and near the rear end. The perimeter frame 10 absorbs collision energy while rotating clockwise or counterclockwise when viewed from above at the buckling portions.

[0017] The cross member 12 is disposed 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 battery pack 2 includes a pair of first brackets 2a and a pair of second brackets 2b. The front portion 2c of the battery pack 2 in the present embodiment has a trapezoidal shape that expands outward in the vehicle width direction along the perimeter frame 10 as it goes rearward. The rear portion 2d of the battery pack 2 has a rectangular shape that extends in the front-rear direction along the rear side frame 8.

[0019] The first bracket 2a supports the vehicle width direction of the front portion 2c of the battery pack 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the first bracket 2a is formed in a cross-sectional C shape having an opening toward the front portion 2c of the battery pack 2. As shown in an enlarged view of the first bracket 2a portion on the right side of FIG. 3, an auxiliary bracket 2e extends in the vehicle width direction from the side surface 2f of the battery pack 2. The first bracket 2a is fixed to the battery pack 2 by being welded and fixed to the battery pack 2 while accommodating the auxiliary bracket 2e in the opening.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the first bracket 2a is fixed to the lower surface of the perimeter frame 10. The first bracket 2a is fixed at a position different from the vicinity of the rear end that becomes the buckling portion of the perimeter frame 10. In the present embodiment, a first through hole 2g with a first interval T1 is provided in the first bracket 2a. Bolt holes are provided in the perimeter frame 10 while avoiding the vicinity of the rear end. The first bracket 2a is fixed to the bolt hole of the perimeter frame 10 by a bolt passing through the first through hole 2g.

[0021] The second bracket 2b supports the vehicle width direction of the rear portion 2d of the battery pack 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the second bracket 2b is formed in a cross-sectional C shape having an opening toward the rear portion 2d of the battery pack 2. As shown in an enlarged view of the second bracket 2b portion on the right side of FIG. 4, an auxiliary bracket 2h extends in the vehicle width direction along the side surface 2f of the battery pack 2. The second bracket 2b is fixed to the battery pack 2 by being welded and fixed to the side surface and the lower surface of the auxiliary bracket 2h.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the second bracket 2b is fixed to the lower surface of the rear side frame 8. In the present embodiment, a second through hole 2i with a second interval T2 is provided in the second bracket 2b. Bolt holes are provided in the rear side frame 8. The second bracket 2b is fixed to the bolt hole of the rear side frame 8 by a bolt passing through the second through hole 2i.

[0023] The vehicle C configured as described above absorbs the energy generated by the collision while the perimeter frame 10 rotates during an offset collision. At this time, the first bracket 2a fixed to the perimeter frame 10 receives a load when the perimeter frame 10 rotates, suppressing the rotation of the perimeter frame 10. As a result, the bending moment applied to the perimeter frame 10 is suppressed. As a result, the deformation of the rear side frame 8 is suppressed. That is, the first bracket 2a functions as a member for suppressing the bending moment of the perimeter frame 10. In the present embodiment, the first interval T1 is wider than the second interval T2. Thereby, the first bracket 2a is more likely to deform than the second bracket 2b, and it is easier to adjust the rotation amount of the perimeter frame 10. That is, the rotation amount (deformation amount) of the perimeter frame 10 can be adjusted by the first interval T1, the plate thickness of the first bracket 2a, the strength of the material, and the like. In the present embodiment, the first bracket 2a and the second bracket 2b are made of the same material and have the same plate thickness. The vehicle C of the present embodiment makes the first bracket 2a easier to deform by the difference between the first interval T1 and the second interval T2.

[0024] On the other hand, the second bracket 2b mainly has a function of supporting the battery pack 2. The load received by the front side frame 6 due to the offset collision of the vehicle C is absorbed by the deformation of the first bracket 2a and the perimeter frame 10. For this reason, the deformation of the rear side frame 8 is suppressed. As a result, the deformation of the second bracket 2b is also suppressed, and the deformation of the battery pack 2 is suppressed.

[0025] Such a vehicle C receives a load only by the perimeter frame 10 in a vehicle having an engine E (see FIG. 1) without a battery pack 2 as a power source. In the case of an electric vehicle equipped with the battery pack 2 and having a motor M (see FIG. 1) as a power source, the load is received by the perimeter frame 10 and the first bracket 2a. As a result, a part of the front side frame 6, the rear side frame 8, and the perimeter frame 10 can be made common. As a result, the vehicle C can be manufactured at a lower cost.

[0026] As described above, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle capable of suppressing deformation of the frame 1 when the battery pack 2 is mounted.

[0027] <Other Embodiments> As described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described. 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 modification examples described in this specification can be arbitrarily combined as necessary.

[0028] (a) In the above embodiment, the example in which the first bracket 2a and the second bracket 2b are fixed to the perimeter frame 10 and the rear side frame 8 by bolts has been described. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The first bracket 2a may be fixed to the perimeter frame 10 by a method such as riveting or welding in order to adjust the amount of deformation. Similarly, the second bracket 2b may be fixed to the rear side frame 8 by a method such as riveting or welding.

[0029] (b) In the above embodiment, when the vehicle C is an electric vehicle, an electric vehicle in which a motor is driven 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.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0030] 1: Frame, 2: Battery pack, 2a: First bracket, 2b: Second bracket 6: Front side frame, 8: Rear side frame 10: Perimeter frame, 12: Cross member C: Vehicle Pb: Rear end, Pf: Front end T1: The first interval, T2: The second interval

Claims

1. A pair of first side frames disposed at the front portion of the vehicle and extending in the 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 wider than the first side frames in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, a pair of perimeter frames connecting the first side frames and the second side frames, a battery pack for supplying power to a power source of the vehicle, comprising: The battery pack has a first bracket fixed to the perimeter frame, a vehicle.

2. The cross section of the first bracket has a shape with an opening facing the battery pack, The vehicle according to Claim 1.

3. The battery pack has a second bracket fixed to the second side frame, The vehicle according to Claim 1.

4. The first bracket is fixed to the perimeter frame at a first interval, The second bracket is fixed to the second side frame at a second interval, The first interval is wider than the second interval, The vehicle according to Claim 3.

5. The perimeter frame has a buckling portion that buckles when the vehicle collides, The first bracket is fixed at a position different from the buckling portion, The vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 4.

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