Suspension member structure

Abstract

To enable strength against lateral force to be easily ensured even when a suspension member includes only one cross member.SOLUTION: A suspension member structure 10 includes: a front suspension member 16 that includes a pair of right and left side rails 18 extending in a vehicle front-back direction and a rear cross member 20 connecting the right and left side rails 18 in a vehicle right-left direction; a motor 14 disposed on a vehicle front side of the rear cross member 20 and supported by the rear cross member 20; a pair of right and left front motor mounts 30 fixed to the right and left side rails 18 on a vehicle front side of the motor 14 and to which the motor is attached; and a connection member 40 connecting the right and left front motor mounts 30 in the vehicle right-left direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a suspension member structure. [Background technology]

[0002] In the mounting structure for vehicle electrical components disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, the front suspension member is composed of a pair of left and right side members extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a front cross member connecting the front ends of the left and right side members in the transverse direction of the vehicle. A housing, which is a structural component that protects the electrical components, is located on the vehicle rear side of the front cross member. This housing is located across the left and right side members and connects the left and right side members in the transverse direction of the vehicle. This allows for weight reduction without reducing the strength and rigidity of the electrical component mounting portion, which is mainly composed of the suspension member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-024779 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned prior art, the suspension member has only one cross member, which makes it easier to secure a large space for installing a battery under the floor of the vehicle cabin, for example, but there is room for improvement in terms of ensuring sufficient strength against lateral forces.

[0005] In consideration of the above, the present invention has an object to provide a suspension member structure that makes it easier to ensure strength against lateral forces even when the suspension member has a configuration having only one cross member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The suspension member structure of the first aspect comprises a suspension member having a pair of left and right side rails extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and a cross member connecting the left and right side rails in the left-right direction of the vehicle, a motor arranged on one side of the cross member in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and supported by the cross member, a pair of left and right motor mounts fixed to the left and right side rails on one side of the motor in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and to which the motor is attached, and a connecting member connecting the left and right motor mounts in the left-and-right direction of the vehicle.

[0007] According to a first aspect, the suspension member has a pair of left and right side rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a cross member connecting the left and right side rails in the transverse direction of the vehicle. A motor is disposed on one side of the cross member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The motor is supported by the cross member. On one side of the motor in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a pair of left and right motor mounts are fixed to the left and right side rails, and the motor is attached to the left and right motor mounts. The left and right motor mounts are connected in the transverse direction of the vehicle by a connecting member, and the left and right side rails are connected in the transverse direction of the vehicle via the left and right motor mounts and the connecting member. Therefore, the left and right motor mounts and the connecting member function similarly to a cross member. This makes it easier to ensure strength against lateral forces even when the suspension member has a configuration with only one cross member.

[0008] The suspension member structure of the second aspect is the same as that of the first aspect, wherein each motor mount has a base portion fixed to each side rail, a shaft portion protruding from the base portion toward the center of the vehicle in the left-right direction, an outer cylindrical portion arranged coaxially outside the shaft portion and to which the motor is attached, and an elastic body arranged between the shaft portion and the outer cylindrical portion, and the shaft portions of the left and right motor mounts are connected by the connecting member.

[0009] According to the second aspect, the base of each motor mount is fixed to each side rail. A shaft protrudes from the base toward the center in the left-right direction of the vehicle. An outer cylindrical portion to which a motor is attached is arranged coaxially with the shaft on the outside of the shaft, and an elastic body is arranged between the outer cylindrical portion and the shaft. The shafts of the left and right motor mounts are connected by a connecting member. In this way, the left and right motor mounts are provided with shafts connected by the connecting member, so the left and right motor mounts can be connected with a simple configuration.

[0010] The suspension member structure of the third aspect is the same as that of the second aspect, except that the tip of the shaft is formed in a plate shape, and a slit into which the tip of the shaft fits is formed at the end of the connecting member in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the shaft and the connecting member are fastened together by a fastener that passes through the tip of the shaft and the end of the connecting member.

[0011] According to the third aspect, the tip of the plate-shaped shaft is fitted into a slit formed in the end of the connecting member in the vehicle's left-right direction. The shaft and the connecting member are fastened together by a fastener that passes through the tip of the shaft and the end of the connecting member. This allows the shaft and the connecting member to be firmly connected. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As described above, according to the present invention, even if the suspension member has a configuration having only one cross member, it is easy to ensure strength against lateral forces. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a part of a vehicle to which a suspension member structure according to an embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a suspension member structure according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a part of the front motor mount and the connecting member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] A suspension member structure 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Note that the arrows FR, UP, and RH shown appropriately in each figure indicate the forward direction (direction of travel), upward direction, and rightward direction of the vehicle, respectively. Hereinafter, when the terms front-rear, left-right, and up-down are used simply in the description, they will refer to front-rear in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, left-right in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and up-down in the up-down direction of the vehicle.

[0015] (composition) As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle to which the suspension member structure 10 according to this embodiment is applied is an electric vehicle having a motor 14 mounted in the front for driving left and right front wheels 12. The motor 14 is connected to a battery (not shown) via a PCU (power control unit) (not shown), and drives the front wheels 12 with power supplied from the battery. The PCU is located, for example, above the motor 14, and the battery is located, for example, under the floor of the vehicle interior (not shown).

[0016] The motor 14 is supported by a front suspension member 16. The front suspension member 16 is made of, for example, a steel plate, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, has a pair of left and right side rails 18 extending in the front-to-rear direction, and a rear cross member 20 connecting the pair of left and right side rails 18 in the left-to-right direction. The front suspension member 16 corresponds to the "suspension member" in this invention, and the rear cross member 20 corresponds to the "cross member" in this invention.

[0017] The left and right side rails 18 are disposed below a pair of left and right front side members (not shown) that extend in the front-to-rear direction at the front of the vehicle. Front body mounts 22 are provided at the front ends of the left and right side rails 18, and rear body mounts 24 are provided at the rear ends of the left and right side rails 18. These front body mounts 22 and rear body mounts 24 are connected to the left and right front side members, so that the front suspension member 16 is supported in a suspended state by the left and right front side members. The left and right front wheels 12 are connected to the front-to-rear intermediate portions of the left and right side rails 18 via left and right lower arms 26 (not shown in FIG. 2).

[0018] The rear cross member 20 is disposed rearward of the motor 14 and spans between the rear portions of the left and right side rails 18. This connects the left and right side rails 18 in the left-right direction via the rear cross member 20 behind the motor 14. The motor 14 is disposed above the longitudinal center of the front suspension member 16 with the axial direction of the output shaft 14A (see FIG. 2; not shown in FIG. 1) aligned along the left-right direction, and is supported by the rear cross member 20 via a lower arm 26. The rear motor mount 28 is attached to the upper surface of the longitudinal center of the rear cross member 20.

[0019] A pair of left and right front motor mounts 30 are fixed to the upper surfaces of the left and right side rails 18 forward of the motor 14, and the motor 14 is attached to these front motor mounts 30. Each front motor mount 30 corresponds to the "motor mount" in this invention.

[0020] 3, each front motor mount 30 has a base portion 32, a shaft portion 34, an outer cylinder portion 36, and an elastic body 38. The base portion 32 is formed from a metal such as steel in a generally triangular pyramid shape and is fixed to the side rail 18 by welding, bolting, or other means. The shaft portion 34 is formed from a metal such as steel in a rod shape and protrudes from the upper end of the base portion 32 toward the center in the left-right direction. The shaft portion 34 is integrated with the base portion 32 by means of casting, press fitting, bolting, or other means.

[0021] The base end 34B of the shaft 34 (i.e., the end on the outer side in the left-right direction) is cylindrical with the left-right direction as the axial direction, and the tip end 34A of the shaft 34 is plate-shaped with the thickness direction in the up-down direction. An outer cylinder 36 is disposed on the outside of the base end 34B of the shaft 34. The outer cylinder 36 is formed into a cylindrical shape from a metal such as steel, and is disposed coaxially with the base end 34B of the shaft 34. An elastic body 38 made of rubber or the like is disposed between the base end 34B of the shaft 34 and the outer cylinder 36.

[0022] The elastic body 38 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is disposed in a state where it is sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface of the base end 34B of the shaft portion 34 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder portion 36. The outer cylinder portion 36 is supported on the shaft portion 34 via this elastic body 38. A bracket (not shown) is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder portion 36, and the motor 14 is fixed to this bracket. As a result, the motor 14 is supported on each side rail 18 via each front motor mount 30.

[0023] The shafts 34 of the left and right front motor mounts 30 are connected in the left-right direction by a connecting member 40. The connecting member 40 is formed in the shape of a square bar from a metal such as steel, and is positioned with its longitudinal direction in the left-right direction. Slits 42 are formed at both left and right ends of the connecting member 40, and the tip ends 34A of each shaft 34 fit into each slit 42.

[0024] Two left and right through-holes 43, 44 that penetrate vertically are formed in the tip end 34A of each shaft portion 34 and in both left and right ends of the connecting member 40. Bolts 46 inserted into these through-holes 43, 44 are threaded into nuts 48, thereby fastening and fixing both left and right ends of the connecting member 40 to the tip end 34A of each shaft portion 34. As a result, the left and right side rails 18 are connected in the left-right direction forward of the motor 14 via the left and right front motor mounts 30 and the connecting member 40. The bolts 46 and nuts 48 correspond to the "fasteners" in this invention.

[0025] (Action and effect) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0026] In the suspension member structure 10 configured as described above, the front suspension member 16 has left and right side rails 18 extending in the fore-and-aft direction and a rear cross member 20 connecting the left and right side rails 18 in the left-right direction. A motor 14 is disposed forward of the rear cross member 20. The motor 14 is supported by the rear cross member 20 via a rear motor mount 28. Forward of the motor 14, left and right front motor mounts 30 are fixed to the left and right side rails 18, and the motor 14 is attached to the left and right front motor mounts 30.

[0027] In this suspension member structure 10, the left and right front motor mounts 30 are connected in the left-right direction by a connecting member 40, and the left and right side rails 18 are connected in the left-right direction via the left and right front motor mounts 30 and the connecting member 40. Therefore, the left and right front motor mounts 30 and the connecting member 40 function similarly to a cross member (a front cross member in this case). This makes it possible to ensure sufficient strength against lateral forces even in a configuration in which the front suspension member 16 only has the rear cross member 20 (i.e., the front suspension member 16 does not have a front cross member). Moreover, because the left and right front motor mounts 30 serve as part of the cross member, the number of parts and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0028] Furthermore, in this suspension member structure 10, the base portion 32 of each front motor mount 30 is fixed to each side rail 18. A shaft portion 34 protrudes from the base portion 32 toward the center in the left-right direction. An outer cylinder portion 36, to which the motor 14 is attached, is disposed coaxially with the shaft portion 34 on the outside of the shaft portion 34, and an elastic body 38 is disposed between the outer cylinder portion 36 and the shaft portion 34. The shaft portions 34 of the left and right front motor mounts 30 are connected in the left-right direction by a connecting member 40. In this way, because the left and right shaft portions 34 connected by the connecting member 40 are provided on the left and right front motor mounts 30, the left and right front motor mounts 30 can be connected with a simple configuration.

[0029] In this suspension member structure 10, the tip portion 34A of each shaft portion 34 is formed in a plate shape, and slits 42 into which the tip portion 34A of each shaft portion fits are formed at both left and right ends of the connecting member 40. Then, bolts 46 passing through the tip portion 34A of each shaft portion 34 and both left and right ends of the connecting member 40 are screwed into nuts 48, thereby fastening each shaft portion 34 and the connecting member 40 together. With this configuration, each shaft portion 34 and the connecting member 40 can be firmly connected.

[0030] In the above embodiment, the front suspension member 16 is described as the "suspension member" of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this. The suspension member of the present invention may also be a rear suspension member.

[0031] In addition, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the gist thereof. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the scope of the rights of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 10 Suspension member structure 14 Motor 16 Front suspension member (suspension member) 18 Side rail 20 Rear cross member (cross member) 30 Front motor mount (motor mount) 32 Base 34 Shaft 34A Tip 36 Outer cylinder 38 Elastic Body 40 Connecting member 42 Slit 46 Bolts (fasteners) 48 Nuts (fasteners)

Claims

1. a suspension member including a pair of left and right side rails extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and a cross member connecting the left and right side rails in the left-right direction of the vehicle; a motor disposed on one side of the cross member in the vehicle longitudinal direction and supported by the cross member; a pair of left and right motor mounts fixed to the left and right side rails on one side of the motor in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and to which the motor is attached; a connecting member that connects the left and right motor mounts in the left-right direction of the vehicle; A suspension member structure comprising:

2. Each of the motor mounts is a base portion fixed to each of the side rails; a shaft portion protruding from the base portion toward the center in the left-right direction of the vehicle; an outer cylinder portion disposed coaxially outside the shaft portion and to which the motor is attached; an elastic body disposed between the shaft portion and the outer cylinder portion; and 2. A suspension member structure according to claim 1, wherein shaft portions of the left and right motor mounts are connected by the connecting member.

3. The tip of the shaft is formed in a plate shape, a slit into which the tip end of the shaft portion is fitted is formed at an end of the connecting member in the vehicle left-right direction, 3. A suspension member structure according to claim 2, wherein the shaft portion and the connecting member are fastened together by a fastener passing through the tip end of the shaft portion and the end of the connecting member.

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