Electric vehicle frame

The frame design with outwardly protruding flanges on side rails addresses the limited battery capacity issue by ensuring space for larger batteries without deformation risk during side collisions, thus extending the electric vehicle's driving range.

JP2026025213APending Publication Date: 2026-02-16DAIMLER TRUCK AG
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024127851
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-08-02
Publication Date
2026-02-16

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The challenge in electric vehicles, particularly trucks, is the limited battery capacity due to the need for space between side rails to prevent battery damage during side collisions, which restricts the lateral expansion of the battery.

Method used

A frame design with protruding flanges on the second side rail portions outwardly positioned, connected to the first and third side rails, ensuring a larger battery space while preventing deformation damage.

Benefits of technology

This design allows for a significant increase in battery size in the vehicle width direction, enhancing the driving distance per charge by preventing battery damage during side collisions.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To increase the size of a battery while preventing the battery from being damaged by the deformation of a side rail in a side collision.SOLUTION: The electric vehicle 1 driven by electric power from the battery 9 between the side rails 3R, 3L includes the side rails 3R, 3L and the cross members 4a to 4e connecting the side rails 3R, 3L, and the side rails 3R, include the first side rail part 31 in the vehicle front part, the second side rail part 32 in the vehicle middle part, and the third side rail part 33 in the vehicle rear part. 3L, the first and third side rail portions 3133, have a pair of flange portions protruding inward from the web portion, the second side rail portion 32 has a pair of flange portions protruding outward from the web portion, the web portion back surface at the front end of the second side rail portion 32 is joined to the web portion back surface of the first side rail portion 31, the web portion back surface at the rear end of the second side rail portion 32 is joined to the web portion back surface of the third side rail portion 33, and the battery 9 is disposed between the second side rail portions 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a frame for an electric vehicle that is suitable for use in an electric truck. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, electric vehicles using electric motors (hereinafter simply referred to as "motors") as a drive source have been developed not only for passenger cars but also for large vehicles with frames such as trucks. In order to extend the driving distance per charge for such electric vehicles such as trucks, studies are underway to increase the battery capacity (i.e., increase the battery size).

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an invention relating to a frame for an electric truck that combines strength and rigidity to ensure the viability of the frame while enabling an increase in the capacity of the battery placed between the side rails. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-196297 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In an electric vehicle equipped with a ladder frame having side rails, when a battery is placed between the side rails, it is necessary to take measures against a side collision, in which another vehicle collides with the side of the vehicle. One example of a side collision countermeasure is to ensure sufficient space between the side rails and the battery so that the battery is not damaged by deformation of the side rails that may occur during a side collision.

[0006] However, considering the expected deformation of the side rail during a side collision, a considerable amount of space (e.g., several tens of mm) is required between the side rail and the battery. This space limits the expansion of the battery in the lateral direction of the vehicle, and also limits the increase in battery capacity, which is an issue.

[0007] To address this issue, it is conceivable to partially shift the longitudinal region of the side rail where the battery is located outward in the vehicle width direction to widen the battery placement area in the vehicle width direction. However, in this case, inclined portions (so-called slant sections) that are bent outward in the vehicle width direction in a plan view are required before and after the portion of the side rail that is widened in the vehicle width direction, which limits the longitudinal region of the battery placement area and also limits the increase in battery capacity.

[0008] This invention was conceived with a focus on these issues, and one of its objectives is to provide a frame for an electric vehicle in which a battery is placed between both side rails, which allows for a larger battery size while preventing the battery from being damaged by deformation of the side rails in the event of a side collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve at least part of the above problems, and can be realized as the following aspects or application examples. The electric vehicle frame according to this application example is provided on an electric vehicle that is driven by power from a battery arranged between a pair of side rails extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and is an electric vehicle frame that includes a pair of side rails and a plurality of cross members that connect the pair of side rails, and each of the pair of side rails includes a first side rail portion located at the front of the vehicle, a second side rail portion located at the middle of the vehicle, and a third side rail portion located at the rear of the vehicle. The first side rail portion and the third side rail portion are arranged so that a pair of flange portions protrude inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper and lower edges of the web portion, the second side rail portion is arranged so that a pair of flange portions protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper and lower edges of the web portion, the back surface of the web portion at the front end of the second side rail portion is connected to the back surface of the web portion at the rear end of the first side rail portion, the back surface of the web portion at the rear end of the second side rail portion is connected to the back surface of the web portion at the front end of the third side rail portion, and the battery is arranged between the pair of second side rail portions.

[0010] According to this application example, the second side rail in which the battery is disposed is disposed so that a pair of flanges protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper and lower edges of the web portion, so that the flanges are located outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the web portion. Furthermore, the back surface of the web portion of the second side rail is connected to the back surfaces of the web portions of the first and third side rails, so that the web portion of the second side rail is located outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the web portions of the first and third side rails. As a result, the distance between the pair of second side rails is significantly increased, ensuring a sufficient gap between the second side rail and the battery. This allows for an increased size of the disposed battery in the vehicle width direction while preventing damage to the battery due to deformation of the side rails in a side collision. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to this invention, the distance between the pair of second side rail portions where the battery is disposed is significantly increased, preventing damage to the battery due to deformation of the side rails in the event of a side collision, while increasing the size of the disposed battery in the vehicle width direction, enabling the battery to be larger, thereby extending the driving distance per charge of the electric vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electric vehicle frame according to each embodiment. [Figure 2] 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views (sectional views taken along arrows AA and BB in FIG. 1) of the frame for an electric vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view taken along the CC arrow in FIG. 1) of the frame for an electric vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 is a cross-sectional view (corresponding to a cross section taken along the line AA and a cross section taken along the line BB in FIG. 1) of the frame for an electric vehicle according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a cross-sectional view (corresponding to a cross section taken along the line AA and a cross section taken along the line BB in FIG. 1) of the frame for an electric vehicle according to the third embodiment. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views (corresponding to the left half of the cross sections taken along arrows AA and BB in FIG. 1 ) of the right half in the vehicle width direction of the frame for an electric vehicle, showing modified examples of the plate member of each embodiment, where (a) shows a first modified example, (b) shows a second modified example, and (c) shows a third modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The following embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques not explicitly described in the embodiments. The configurations of the following embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, they can be selected or combined as needed.

[0014] The electric vehicle according to the embodiment described below is an electric truck equipped with a drive motor (hereinafter simply referred to as a "motor") as a drive source, and the electric vehicle frame according to the embodiment is a frame for an electric truck. However, the electric vehicle frame of this invention is not limited to trucks and can be applied to other electric vehicles as well. The electric vehicle includes not only those equipped with only a drive motor as a drive source, but also hybrid vehicles equipped with a motor and an engine (internal combustion engine) as a drive source, and hybrid vehicles equipped with only a motor as a drive source and also equipped with a generator engine.

[0015] 1 to 6, the vehicle is assumed to be on a horizontal plane, and the front of the vehicle is indicated by "FR," the rear of the vehicle by "RR," the right side in the vehicle width direction by "RH," the left side in the vehicle width direction by "LH," the vertically upward direction by "UP," and the vertically downward direction by "DW," all of which are indicated by arrows.

[0016] [1. First embodiment] [1-1. Overall structure] As shown in FIG. 1, the electric truck 1 according to this embodiment includes an electric truck frame (hereinafter simply referred to as "frame") 2, a cab 5, a cargo box 6, front wheels 7, rear wheels 8, a drive unit (not shown) such as a drive motor, a drive power supply unit (not shown), a battery 9, and a power distribution unit (PDU; not shown).

[0017] The frame 2 has a pair of side rails, a left side rail 3L and a right side rail 3R (when there is no need to distinguish between them, they may simply be referred to as "side rails 3"), and multiple cross members 4a to 4e. The left side rail 3L and the right side rail 3R extend along the vehicle front-rear direction of the electric truck 1 and are arranged parallel to each other in the vehicle width direction. The multiple cross members 4a to 4e connect the left side rail 3L and the right side rail 3R at their respective positions. This makes the frame 2 a so-called ladder frame. The frame 2 supports a cab 5, a cargo box 6, a drive unit, a drive power supply unit, a battery 9, and other heavy objects mounted on the electric truck 1. The cab 5, which includes a driver's seat (not shown), is supported above the front of the frame 2, and the cargo box 6 is supported above the rear of the frame 2.

[0018] The left and right front wheels 7 and the left and right rear wheels 8, each consisting of dual tires, are suspended from the electric truck frame 2 via a suspension mechanism (not shown) and support the weight of the electric truck 1. Driving force is transmitted to the left and right rear wheels 8, and the rear wheels 8 function as drive wheels. Although not shown in detail, the drive unit has a motor, a reduction mechanism, and a differential mechanism. The motor receives AC power from a power distribution unit and generates the driving force required for the electric truck 1 to travel. The driving torque of this motor is reduced to a rotational speed suitable for vehicle travel and transmitted to the rear wheels 8, which are the drive wheels. This allows the electric truck 1 to travel.

[0019] The battery 9 is a secondary battery that mainly supplies power to the motor as an energy source for propelling the electric truck 1, and is provided with a plurality of relatively large, high-capacity battery modules inside its casing 9A to store the power required for the electric truck 1. In Figures 1 and 3, only the outer shape of the casing 9A of the battery 9 is shown, and the internal structure is not shown.

[0020] The battery 9 extends vertically downward from the lower end positions of the side rails 3R, 3L, thereby increasing the size of the battery 9, i.e., increasing its capacity. In this embodiment, the casing 9A of the battery 9 is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped, but the shape of the casing 9A is not limited to this. The battery 9 is disposed between the side rails 3L, 3R and supported by the side rails 3L, 3R. The battery 9 also supplies power to a group of electric accessories (not shown) mounted on the electric truck 1.

[0021] [1-2. Main components of the electric truck frame] 1 to 3, each side rail 3R, 3L is comprised of a first side rail portion 3A located at the front of the vehicle, a second side rail portion 3B located at the middle of the vehicle, and a third side rail portion 3C located at the rear of the vehicle. Note that the right side rail 3R and the left side rail 3L are bilaterally symmetrical and have the same structure, so in Figs. 2 and 3 and Figs. 4 and 5 described below, only the right side rail 3R is labeled with reference numerals indicating the detailed configuration, and the left side rail 3L is omitted.

[0022] The first side rail portion 3A and the third side rail portion 3C each include a web portion 31a, 31c and a pair of flange portions 32a, 32c, 33a, 33c that are arranged to protrude from the upper and lower edges of the web portions 31a, 31c. Similar to a typical side rail, the flange portions 32a, 32c, 33a, 33c protrude inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper and lower edges of the web portions 31a, 31c.

[0023] The second side rail portion 3B also includes a web portion 31b and a pair of flange portions 32b, 33b arranged to protrude from the upper and lower edges of the web portion 31b. However, unlike typical side rails, the flange portions 32b, 33b protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper and lower edges of the web portion 31b.

[0024] The back surface of web portion 31b at the front end 3Bf of the second side rail 3B is joined to the back surface of web portion 31a at the rear end 3Ar of the first side rail 3A. Similarly, the back surface of web portion 31b at the rear end 3Br of the second side rail 3B is joined to the back surface of web portion 31c at the front end 3Cf of the third side rail 3C. Note that the side of each web portion 31a, 31b, 31c from which flanges 32a, 32b, 32c, 33a, 33b, 33c protrude is referred to as the front surface, and the side behind the front surface is referred to as the back surface.

[0025] In this embodiment, the joining portions where the web portions 31b and 31a are joined and where the web portions 31b and 31c are joined are joined by fastening members such as bolts and nuts or rivets. In FIG. 2 and other figures, the axes of the fastening members are indicated by dashed lines, and the fastening members are not shown. Note that the joining portions may also be joined by other means such as welding. Furthermore, the overlap amount a1 between the web portions 31b and 31a in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the overlap amount a2 between the web portions 31b and 31c in the vehicle longitudinal direction are set according to the required joining strength.

[0026] A battery 9 is disposed between the pair of second side rails 3B, 3B arranged in this manner. The clearance b1 between the front end of the battery 9 and the rear end 3Ar of the first side rail 3A and the clearance b2 between the rear end of the battery 9 and the front end 3Cf of the third side rail 3C are set with various safety considerations in mind.

[0027] In this embodiment, plate members 10 are fixed to both ends of the pair of upper and lower flanges 32b, 32b of each second side rail portion 3B, and are arranged parallel to the web portion. In this embodiment, the plate members 10 are fixed to both ends of the flanges 32b, 33b by welding.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the plate member 10 extends over almost the entire area of ​​the second side rail portion 3B in the vehicle front-rear direction. The primary purpose of this plate member 10 is to improve the rigidity of the side rail 3 so as to suppress deformation of the side rail 3 toward the battery 9 in the event of a side collision of the electric truck 1. In this case, the area of ​​the side rail 3 where it is desired to improve the rigidity is the second side rail portion 3B where the battery 9 is located.

[0029] As described above, the front end 3Bf and rear end 3Br of the second side rail 3B are fastened and joined to the rear end 3Ar of the first side rail 3A or the front end 3Cf of the third side rail 3C, respectively, so the front end 3Bf and rear end 3Br of the second side rail 3B already have increased rigidity. Therefore, the plate member 10 may be disposed only in an area excluding the front end 3Bf and rear end 3Br of the second side rail 3B.

[0030] 3, the plate member 10 extends over the entire area corresponding to the vertical position of the battery 9, that is, over an area including the upper end to the lower end of the casing 9A. Specifically, the plate member 10 extends over an area from a predetermined margin β1 above the upper end of the casing 9A to a predetermined margin β2 below the lower end of the casing 9A.

[0031] In addition to the first purpose described above, the plate member 10 has a second purpose of protecting the side of the battery 9 from flying stones and the like and of keeping the battery 9 warm by preventing wind from directly hitting the side of the battery 9 when the vehicle is stopped or when the vehicle is running. Thus, to protect and keep the battery 9 warm in addition to improving the rigidity of the side rail 3, the plate member 10 is required in an area extending from a predetermined margin β1 above the upper end of the casing 9A to a predetermined margin β2 below the lower end of the casing 9A. Note that the margins β1 and β2 may be equal or different.

[0032] In this embodiment, the plate member 10 includes a plate main body 11 and flange-like portions 12, 13 bent at the upper and lower edges thereof toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. The flange-like portions 12, 13 are bent at approximately 45° toward the inside in the vehicle width direction in areas corresponding to the margins β1, β2. This bending is intended to improve the rigidity of the plate member 10 while reducing its thickness (weight).

[0033] In this case, the extent of the area to be bent in the vertical direction and the angle of bending can be set as appropriate. In other words, increasing the bending area or the bending angle (approaching a right angle) can further improve the rigidity, but on the other hand, this will result in an increase in the size (weight) of the plate member 10. Therefore, it is preferable to set the size of the bending area and the bending angle taking these factors into consideration.

[0034] [1-3. Actions and Effects] The frame for an electric vehicle according to this embodiment is configured as described above, and can provide the following functions and effects.

[0035] The second side rail 3B, on which the battery 9 is disposed, has a pair of flanges 32b, 33b protruding outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper and lower edges of the web 31b, with the flanges 32b, 33b positioned further outward in the vehicle width direction than the web 31b. Furthermore, the back surface of the web 31b of the second side rail 3B is joined to the back surfaces of the webs 31a, 31c of the first side rail 3A and the third side rail 3C, so that the web 31b of the second side rail 3B is positioned further outward in the vehicle width direction than the webs 31a, 31c of the first side rail 3A and the third side rail 3C.

[0036] That is, the pair of second side rail portions 3B, 3B are positioned outboard in the vehicle width direction by the vehicle width dimension S of the first side rail portion 3A and the third side rail portion 3C. Therefore, the distance between the pair of second side rail portions 3B, 3B is significantly expanded by twice the vehicle width dimension S. Even if sufficient spacing is ensured between each second side rail portion 3B and the battery 9 so that the battery 9 is not damaged by deformation of the side rails 3R, 3L in a side collision, the vehicle width dimension of the battery 9 can be significantly increased. Furthermore, the frame width expansion section described in the "Problems" section is no longer necessary, and the vehicle longitudinal dimension of the battery 9 can be ensured. This makes it possible to extend the driving distance per charge of an electric vehicle.

[0037] In this embodiment, plate members 10, which are arranged parallel to the web portion 31, are fixed to both ends of the pair of flange portions 32b, 33b of each second side rail portion 3B. These plate members 10 extend over substantially the entire area of ​​the second side rail portion 3B in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction or over a desired area. This gives the second side rail portions 3B of the side rails 3R, 3L located to the sides of the portion where the battery 9 is located a closed cross-sectional structure, improving its rigidity. As a result, the amount of deformation of the second side rail portions 3B of the side rails 3R, 3L in the event of a side collision by another vehicle is reduced, and the space S1 (distance d1) between the side rails 3R, 3L and the battery 9 can be reduced, which also allows for larger batteries.

[0038] As a result, if the second side rail portions 3B, 3B had the same shape and arrangement as the first side rail portion 3A and the third side rail portion 3C and did not have the plate member 10, the vehicle width direction size of the battery would be limited, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 3, whereas the present battery 9 can be significantly increased in vehicle width direction size, as shown by the solid line in Figure 3.

[0039] In particular, in this embodiment, the upper and lower edges of the plate member 10 are provided with flange-shaped portions 12, 13 that are bent outward in the vehicle width direction, so that the rigidity of the plate member 10 can be improved while reducing the thickness (weight) of the plate member 10, and the plate member 10 can efficiently improve the rigidity of the second side rail portion 3B of the side rails 3R, 3L.

[0040] Furthermore, because the plate member 10 extends to an area corresponding to the vertical position of the battery 9, even in the present embodiment where the battery 9 extends to an area vertically below the lower end positions of the side rails 3R, 3L, the plate member 10 covers the side surfaces of the battery 9 that extend downward from the side rails 3R, 3L. This protects the battery 9 from being hit by flying stones and the like. Similarly, the battery 9 can be kept warm by preventing the side surfaces from being directly hit by wind when the vehicle is stopped or when the vehicle is running, thereby preventing the battery 9 from cooling down.

[0041] [2. Second embodiment] [2-1. Main components of the electric truck frame] As shown in FIG. 4, the frame for an electric truck of this embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in that a plate member 10A fixed to a second side rail portion 3B is different from that of the first embodiment, but the rest is configured similarly to that of the first embodiment. The plate member 10 in the first embodiment extends to the entire area corresponding to the vertical position of the battery 9 below the second side rail portion 3B, but the plate member 10A in the present embodiment simply configures the second side rail portion 3B to have a closed cross section and does not extend to the area corresponding to the vertical position of the battery 9.

[0042] [2-2. Actions and Effects] The electric vehicle frame according to this embodiment is configured as described above, and due to its unique configuration consisting of the first side rail portion 3A, second side rail portion 3B, and third side rail portion 3C of the side rails 3R, 3L, the pair of second side rail portions 3B, 3B on which the battery 9 is arranged can be significantly expanded, thereby achieving the effect of significantly increasing the size of the battery 9 in the vehicle width direction even when sufficient spacing is ensured between each second side rail portion 3B and the battery 9 so that the battery 9 is not damaged by deformation of the side rails 3R, 3L in the event of a side collision.

[0043] Furthermore, since the plate member 10A forms the second side rail portion 3B into a closed cross section, deformation of the side rails 3R, 3L during a side collision is suppressed, and it becomes possible to narrow the distance between each second side rail portion 3B and the battery 9, which also has the effect of increasing the vehicle width size of the battery 9.

[0044] [3. Third Embodiment] [3-1. Main components of the electric truck frame] As shown in Fig. 5, the electric truck frame of this embodiment is equipped with spacers 40 at the joints between the second side rail portion 3B and the first and third side rail portions 3A and 3C. Except for this, the frame is configured similarly to the second embodiment.

[0045] That is, spacers 40 are interposed between the back surface of the web portion 31b at the front end 3Bf of the second side rail portion 3B and the back surface of the web portion 31a at the rear end 3Ar of the first side rail portion 3A, and between the back surface of the web portion 31b at the rear end 3Br of the second side rail portion 3B and the back surface of the web portion 31c at the front end 3Cf of the third side rail portion 3C.

[0046] The spacer 40 can be interposed between the web portions 31b and 31a, and between the web portions 31b and 31c, by fastening them together with fastening members such as bolts and nuts or rivets, with the spacer 40 sandwiched between them. The spacer 40 may also be joined to the web portions 31a to 31c by other means such as welding. Furthermore, depending on the thickness (size in the vehicle width direction), the spacer 40 may be made of a solid steel plate, or may be made of a hollow steel material with a closed cross section (equipped with reinforcing material inside as needed).

[0047] [3-2. Actions and Effects] The electric vehicle frame according to this embodiment is configured as described above, and in addition to the same functions and effects as those of the second embodiment, it is possible to promote the expansion of the space between the pair of second side rail portions 3B, 3B on which the battery 9 is arranged, depending on the thickness of the spacer 40. This provides the effect of further increasing the size of the battery 9 in the vehicle width direction.

[0048] [4. Other] The configurations of the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In the above-described embodiments, the second side rail portion 3B is provided with the plate members 10, 10A that define a closed cross section, but the shape of the plate members is not limited to this. For example, instead of the plate members 10, 10A, plate members 10B, 10C as shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b) may be provided.

[0049] 6(a) is obtained by removing the upper edge portion of the plate member 10 of the first embodiment. The plate member 10 of the first embodiment includes a plate main body portion 11 and flange-like portions 12, 13 that are bent into a flange shape on the upper and lower edges of the plate main body portion 11 and are bent into a flange shape on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, respectively, whereas the plate member 10B includes the plate main body portion 11 and the flange-like portion 13 that is bent into a flange shape on the lower edge of the plate main body portion 11 and is not provided with the flange-like portion 12 on the upper edge.

[0050] Like the plate member 10, the plate member 10B extends significantly downwardly beyond the second side rail portion 3B, making the lower edge of the plate member 10B prone to deformation, for example, during a vehicle side collision. For this reason, the lower edge of the plate member 10B is required to have improved rigidity, and a flange-like portion 13 is formed to improve this rigidity. In contrast, the upper edge of the plate member 10B does not extend above the second side rail portion 3B, making the upper edge of the plate member 10B less prone to deformation, for example, during a vehicle side collision. Therefore, the upper edge of the plate member 10B does not need to have improved rigidity, and the flange-like portion 12 at the upper edge is omitted.

[0051] 6(b), similar to the plate member 10 of the first embodiment, the plate member 10C includes a plate main body portion 11c and flange-shaped portions 12c, 13c bent into flange shapes at the upper and lower edges of the plate main body portion 11c. However, the flange-shaped portions 12c, 13c are bent outward in the vehicle width direction. The rigidity can be improved whether the flange-shaped portions 12c, 13c are bent inward or outward in the vehicle width direction, and the direction in which they are bent can be determined based on their relationship with other surrounding components so as not to interfere with those other components.

[0052] In each of the above-described embodiments and modifications, the plate members 10, 10A, 10B, and 10C are provided, but as shown in FIG. 6(c), the plate members may be omitted. In this case, too, the unique configuration of the first side rail portion 3A, second side rail portion 3B, and third side rail portion 3C of the side rails 3R, 3L has the effect of significantly increasing the vehicle width direction size of the battery 9 to be placed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1. Electric trucks (electric vehicles) 2. Electric truck frame (electric vehicle frame, frame) 3 Side Rails 3A First side rail 3Ar Rear end of first side rail portion 3A 3B Second side rail 3Bf Front end of second side rail portion 3B 3Br Rear end of second side rail portion 3B 3C Third side rail 3Cf Front end of third side rail portion 3C 3L Left side rail 3R right side rail 4a~4e Cross member 5 Cab 6 packing boxes 7 Front wheels 8 rear wheels 9 Battery 9A Casing 10 Plate member 11 Plate body portion of plate member 10 12 flange-shaped portion of plate member 10 13 flange-shaped portion of plate member 10 31a Web portion of first side rail portion 3A 31b Web portion of second side rail portion 3B 31c Web portion of third side rail portion 3C 32a, 33a Flange portion of first side rail portion 3A 32b, 33b Flange portion of second side rail portion 3B 32c, 33c Flange portion of third side rail portion 3C FR Front of vehicle RR rear of vehicle RH Right side of vehicle width LH Left side of vehicle width UP vertically upward DW Vertical downward S: Vehicle width direction size of the first side rail portion 3A and the third side rail portion 3C S1 Space between side rail 3 and battery 9 d1 Distance between spaces S1 and S2 β1, β2 Vertical margin

Claims

[Claim 1] An electric vehicle frame provided on an electric vehicle driven by electric power from a battery disposed between a pair of side rails extending in a vehicle front-rear direction, the electric vehicle frame comprising the pair of side rails and a plurality of cross members connecting the pair of side rails, Each of the pair of side rails comprises a first side rail portion located in the front of the vehicle, a second side rail portion located in the middle of the vehicle, and a third side rail portion located in the rear of the vehicle, the first side rail portion and the third side rail portion are disposed so as to have a pair of flange portions protruding inward in the vehicle width direction from upper and lower edges of a web portion, the second side rail portion is disposed so as to have a pair of flange portions protruding outward in the vehicle width direction from upper and lower edges of the web portion, a rear surface of the web portion at the front end of the second side rail portion is connected to a rear surface of the web portion at the rear end of the first side rail portion, and a rear surface of the web portion at the rear end of the second side rail portion is connected to a rear surface of the web portion at the front end of the third side rail portion, The battery is disposed between the pair of second side rail portions. A frame for an electric vehicle.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Electric truck frame

    JP2020196297A