Combined construction
The coupling structure between the torque box and side sill or battery frame enhances load transmission, addressing inefficiencies in existing vehicle structures to ensure collision safety performance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- AISIN CORP
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-13
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle structures face inefficiencies in transmitting collision loads from the A-pillar to the side sill or battery frame, risking inadequate collision safety performance and increasing the number of parts with reinforcing brackets.
A coupling structure between the torque box and the side sill or battery frame, featuring multiple wall portions forming a box cross-section and a rib portion that overlaps with the side sill, enhancing load transmission efficiency.
The structure efficiently transmits collision loads to the side sill or battery frame, ensuring improved collision safety performance without increasing the number of parts.
Smart Images
Figure 2026077058000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a coupling structure between a torque box coupled to a front side member and a side sill or a battery frame.
Background Art
[0002] A technique of integrally forming a front side member and a torque box by casting to form a structure that is easy to absorb energy is known.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] However, in the prior art as described above, the A-pillar that contacts the back side (the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction) of the torque box receives a collision load, but there is a space between the A-pillar and the side sill, and the load to the rocker EA is transmitted by a single bolt. In such a structure, the transmission of the collision load to the side sill cannot be efficiently realized, and there is a risk that the required collision safety performance cannot be ensured. On the other hand, it is also possible to set a reinforcing bracket in the A-pillar to establish collision safety performance, but such a configuration has a problem that the number of parts increases.
[0005] Therefore, on one side, the present disclosure aims to provide a structure in which the transmission of a collision load to a side sill or a battery frame is efficiently realized, thereby making it easier to ensure the required collision safety performance.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] In one aspect, the coupling structure between the torque box, which is coupled to the front side member, and the side sill or battery frame, The side sill or battery frame has multiple wall portions extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which form a box cross-section when viewed in cross-sectional view by planes intersecting in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The torque box has a portion that overlaps with the side sill or battery frame when viewed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The opposing portion is provided with a coupling structure having a rib portion that overlaps the wall portion when viewed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a structure that efficiently transmits collision loads to the side sill or battery frame, thereby making it easier to ensure the required collision safety performance. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] This is a plan view showing the front section of a vehicle, such as an automobile. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram of the box-shaped cross-section at the front end of the side sill, and is a perspective view showing the area near the front end of the side sill. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of an example of a coupling structure between the torque box and the side sill. [Figure 3A] This is a magnified view of a portion of Figure 3. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the rib portion and the first wall portion in the joint structure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] The following describes each embodiment in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are merely examples and are not limiting, and the shapes in the drawings may be partially exaggerated for illustrative purposes. Also, for clarity, in some cases, only a portion of parts with the same attribute are assigned reference numerals in the drawings. In the following description, the front-rear direction corresponds to the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
[0010] Figure 1 is a plan view showing the front portion of a vehicle such as an automobile. This embodiment is suitable for vehicles equipped with a large battery 9, which is the power source for a vehicle drive motor (not shown), but it can also be applied to engine-powered vehicles.
[0011] As shown in Figure 1, a pair of front side members 11 are provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The front side members 11 are made of, for example, a metal plate, have a hollow structure with a substantially rectangular cross-section, and extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The pair of front side members 11 form part of the body (vehicle body).
[0012] A crash box 12 may be provided at the front end of each front side member 11. The crash box 12 may be fastened to the front side member 11 with fasteners such as bolts and nuts.
[0013] The front end of the crash box 12 may be connected to the bump reinforcement 16. The bump reinforcement 16 extends in the vehicle width direction. The bump reinforcement 16 is formed from, for example, a metal plate. The crash box 12 may be fastened to the bump reinforcement 16 with fasteners such as bolts and nuts.
[0014] The details of the front side member 11 and crash box 12 are optional, and the crash box 12 may be omitted.
[0015] The rear end of each front side member 11 is connected to the side sill 30 via the torque box 20.
[0016] The torque box 20 is a member having relatively high strength and rigidity so as to form a load transmission path as described later. The torque box 20 is coupled to the rear end of each front side member 11 and also coupled to the front end of the side sill 30. The torque box 20 may be fastened to the rear end of each front side member 11 by a fastener such as a bolt, nut, etc. Further, the torque box 20 is coupled to the front end of the side sill 30 by a fastener such as a bolt, nut, etc. Note that the details of the torque box 20 are arbitrary except for the characteristic configuration (the characteristic configuration related to the coupling structure 1 with the side sill 30) described later. The torque box 20 is, for example, a casting member (aluminum die-cast member) such as an aluminum alloy. The torque box 20 may be integrally formed with other peripheral members.
[0017] In a vehicle (see FIG. 1) in which a battery case 90 for housing the battery 9 is mounted under the passenger compartment, the torque box 20 may extend so as to cover the corner portion (the corner portion on the front side and outside of the vehicle) of the battery case 90 from the front side of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 1.
[0018] The side sill 30, also referred to as a rocker EA (Energy Absorption), is disposed outside the battery case 90 that houses the battery 9 in the vehicle width direction. That is, the side sill 30 may extend in the vehicle front-rear direction in a manner of covering the battery case 90 from the outside in the vehicle width direction. Note that the side sill 30 may be formed as a battery frame.
[0019] Note that the coupling structure 1 between the torque box 20 and the side sill 30 may be symmetric, so hereinafter, only one of the left and right sides will be described.
[0020] FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the box cross-sectional shape at the front end of the side sill 30 and is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the front end of the side sill 30.
[0021] The side sill 30 has multiple wall portions 31 and 32 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which form a box cross section in cross-sectional view along the YZ plane (an example of a plane intersecting in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle). The side sill 30 may be an extruded material formed by extrusion molding of an aluminum alloy, and may have similar box cross sections at various positions in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The box cross section may be a honeycomb shape formed by combining multiple closed sections, as shown in Figure 2. In the example shown in Figure 2, the box cross section has one closed section on the upper side, three closed sections on the lower side, and one closed section in the center, and the overall width of the cross section (width in the vehicle width direction) increases in a stepped manner from the upper side to the lower side.
[0022] In this embodiment, the multiple wall portions 31 and 32 include a first wall portion 31 extending in the vehicle width direction and a second wall portion 32 extending in a direction that intersects the vehicle width direction when viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The first wall portion 31 is connected to multiple other wall portions 32. In the example shown in Figure 2, there are four first wall portions 31 and four second wall portions 32 in the vertical direction and one in the diagonal direction.
[0023] In the modified version, the box cross-section may take on other shapes, allowing for a wide range of modifications.
[0024] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an example of the coupling structure 1 between the torque box 20 and the side sill 30, and Figure 3A is an enlarged view of the main part (opposing part 22) of Figure 3. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the rib portion 222 and the first wall portion 31 in the coupling structure 1, and is a cross-sectional view taken by the XZ plane passing through the rib portion 222.
[0025] As described above, the torque box 20 is connected to the front end of the side sill 30 by fasteners such as bolts and nuts (not shown). For example, in this embodiment, the torque box 20 may be connected to the lower surface of the front end of the side sill 30 and the inner surface in the vehicle width direction by fasteners (not shown).
[0026] In this embodiment, the torque box 20 has an opposing portion 22 that overlaps the side sill 30 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The opposing portion 22 covers the entire front end of the side sill 30, but in a modified example, it may cover only a portion of the front end of the side sill 30.
[0027] The opposing portion 22 faces the front end face of the side sill 30 on the rear surface of the vehicle. That is, the opposing portion 22 faces the front end faces of the multiple wall portions 31 and 32. In this case, the opposing portion 22 may be in surface contact with the front end faces of the multiple wall portions 31 and 32, or it may be in close proximity with a small gap (see Figure 4). The front end faces of the multiple wall portions 31 and 32 may be a common surface, in which case the rear surface of the opposing portion 22 extends within the same plane as that common surface. However, in a modified example, the front end face of the side sill 30 may include multiple different surfaces (for example, two surfaces with steps) or curved surfaces, in which case the rear surface of the opposing portion 22 may include similar multiple surfaces or curved surfaces, thereby facing (contacting or approaching) the entire front end faces of the multiple wall portions 31 and 32.
[0028] The opposing portion 22 has a rib portion 222 on the front surface of the vehicle that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle. The rib portion 222 is thicker than the surrounding portion (the portion with greater plate thickness in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle). Preferably, the rib portion 222 extends in the vehicle width direction, as shown in Figure 3.
[0029] The rib portion 222 has the function of increasing the strength and rigidity of the torque box 20 itself. In particular, the rib portion 222 has the function of transmitting the force in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle that the torque box 20 receives from the front side member 11 to the side sill 30 by increasing the rigidity of the torque box 20 against forces received in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (hereinafter also referred to as the "load transmission function") (see arrows R31 to R33 in Figure 3).
[0030] Preferably, the rib portion 222 overlaps the first wall portion 31 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in order to efficiently enhance the load transmission function. That is, as shown in Figure 3A, the rib portion 222 is at the same height as the first wall portion 31 (see Figure 2; only the outer edge of the vehicle is visible in Figure 3A) and is located within the formation range of the first wall portion 31 in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the load is more easily transmitted from the torque box 20 to the side sill 30 via the first wall portion 31 from the rib portion 222, thereby efficiently enhancing the load transmission function described above.
[0031] Here, preferably, in order to efficiently enhance the load transmission function, the rib portion 222 overlaps the first wall portion 31 over its entire length (the entire length in the vehicle width direction) when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In this case, the outer side of the rib portion 222 in the vehicle width direction extends to a position where it overlaps with the outer end of the side sill 30 in the vehicle width direction (the second wall portion 32 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction).
[0032] Furthermore, the rib portion 222 is preferably connected to another rib portion 223 that overlaps with the front side member 11 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in order to efficiently enhance the load transmission function. As a result, the rib portion 222 can more easily receive loads from the front side member 11 via the other rib portion 223, thereby efficiently enhancing the load transmission function described above.
[0033] Furthermore, the rib portion 222 may overlap only a portion of the multiple first wall portions 31 (first wall portions 31 of different heights) when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, but preferably it overlaps all of the multiple first wall portions 31 in order to efficiently enhance the load transmission function. This maximizes the load transmission function described above.
[0034] Although each embodiment has been described in detail above, the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope described in the claims. Furthermore, it is possible to combine all or more of the components of the embodiments described above.
[0035] For example, in the above-described embodiment, a rib portion 222 overlapping the first wall portion 31 when viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction is provided on the opposing portion 22 in order to efficiently enhance the load transmission function. However, instead of this, or in addition, a vertical rib portion overlapping the second wall portion 32 when viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction may be provided on the opposing portion 22. For example, a vertical rib portion may connect a pair of vertically adjacent rib portions 222.
[0036] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the opposing portion 22 has a rib portion 222 that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle on the front surface of the vehicle, but instead of this, or in addition, it may have a rib portion that protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle on the rear surface of the vehicle. In this case, the rib portion that protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle may be provided in the same manner as the rib portion 222, at a position that overlaps with the first wall portion 31 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
[0037] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the opposing portion 22 has a flat surface with a substantially constant thickness in the area surrounding the rib portion 222 (the area where the rib portion 222 is not formed), but it may have holes or notches. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0038] 1 Joint structure, 11 Front side member, 20 Torque box, 22 Opposing section, 222 Rib section, 30 Side sill, 31 First wall section, 32 Second wall section
Claims
1. A coupling structure between a torque box coupled to a front side member and a side sill or battery frame, The side sill or battery frame has multiple wall portions extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which form a box cross-section when viewed in cross-sectional view by planes intersecting in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The torque box has a portion that overlaps with the side sill or battery frame when viewed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The opposing portion has a connecting structure having a rib portion that overlaps the wall portion when viewed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
2. The plurality of wall portions include a first wall portion extending in the vehicle width direction and a second wall portion extending in a direction that intersects the vehicle width direction when viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The coupling structure according to claim 1, wherein the rib portion overlaps the first wall portion when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
3. The first wall portion exists in a plurality of manner, connected via the second wall portion. The coupling structure according to claim 2, wherein the rib portion overlaps with a plurality of the first wall portions when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
4. The coupling structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rib portion has the function of transmitting the force in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle that the torque box receives from the front side member to the side sill or battery frame via the wall portion.