Rear structure of electric vehicle

Abstract

To improve the mounting strength and support rigidity of the towing hook at the rear of the vehicle. [Solution] The rear structure 100 of the electric vehicle includes a rear floor panel 1 provided at the rear of the vehicle, which has a bulge 1a that bulges downward from the vehicle, and a bracket 7 that is joined to the rear of the lower surface of the rear floor panel 1 and supports the towing hook 6. The bracket 7 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the corner 1c between the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulge 1a and the outer side wall 1a2 of the bulge 1a in the vehicle width direction, and is joined to the bottom wall 1a1 and the side wall 1a2. The bracket 7 has a bracket projection 71 that protrudes downward from the vehicle, which has a bracket bottom wall 71a, an inclined bracket front wall 71b and a bracket rear wall 71c. The front leg portion 6a of the towing hook 6 is joined to the bracket front wall 71b, and the rear leg portion 6b of the towing hook 6 is joined to the bracket rear wall 71c.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rear structure of an electric vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, a towing hook is provided on the lower surface of a rear floor panel at the rear of a vehicle. The towing hook is not only used when towing another vehicle, but also used when securing the vehicle to the floor of a transport ship or the loading platform of a truck with a wire or the like. Therefore, a load based on the weight of the towing object acts on the rear of the vehicle to which the towing hook is attached during towing, and a load based on the weight of the own vehicle acts when the ship or truck shakes during transportation. Therefore, the rear of the vehicle to which the towing hook is attached is required to have strength and rigidity capable of withstanding the action of the above load.

[0003] For example, in the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, the towing hook is disposed at the center in the vehicle width direction on the lower surface of the bottom wall portion of a rear floor panel in which a spare tire housing recess bulging downward of the vehicle is formed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Incidentally, battery units installed in electric vehicles are becoming larger. As a result, even small electric vehicles equipped with large battery units will have a weight comparable to, for example, a medium-sized vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine. Therefore, if a structure is adopted for the rear of an electric vehicle, such as the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, in which the towing hook is positioned in the center of the vehicle width direction on the underside of a wide rear floor panel, it may become difficult to ensure sufficient strength and rigidity of the rear of the vehicle to withstand the load based on the vehicle's own weight acting on it during transport.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a rear structure for an electric vehicle having a structure that can improve the mounting strength and support rigidity of the towing hook at the rear of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, according to one aspect of the present invention, a rear structure for an electric vehicle is provided, comprising: a rear floor panel provided at the rear of the vehicle having a bulge that bulges downwards from the vehicle; and a bracket joined to the lower surface of the rear floor panel and supporting a towing hook, wherein the bracket extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the corner between the bottom wall of the bulge and the outer side wall of the bulge in the vehicle width direction, and is joined to the bottom wall and the side wall, and the towing hook has a front leg portion and a rear leg portion that are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the front leg The bracket has a bracket projection that protrudes downward from the vehicle, and the bracket projection has a bracket bottom wall that faces the bottom wall below the bottom wall, a bracket front wall that is inclined from the front end of the bracket bottom wall so as it moves towards the front of the vehicle, and a bracket rear wall that extends from the rear end of the bracket bottom wall toward the side of the bottom wall, the front leg is joined to the inclined front wall of the bracket, and the rear leg is joined to the rear wall of the bracket. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a rear structure for an electric vehicle having a structure that can improve the mounting strength and support rigidity of a towing hook at the rear of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the rear structure of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from above the vehicle. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the aforementioned rear structure, seen from below the vehicle. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the aforementioned rear structure, seen from the underside of the vehicle. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the main part of the rear structure. [Figure 5] Figure 3 shows the towing hook and bracket omitted. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the rear structure of the modified electric vehicle, seen from the underside of the vehicle. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a side view of the main part of the rear structure shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figures 1 to 3 are perspective views of the rear structure 100 of an electric vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 1 is a perspective view seen from above the vehicle, Figure 2 is a perspective view seen from below the vehicle, Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the rear structure 100 seen from below the vehicle, and Figure 4 is a side view of the main part of the rear structure 100. In the figures, the direction of arrow Fr indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the direction of arrow U indicates the top in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the direction of arrow R indicates the right side in the vehicle width direction when the occupants inside the vehicle are facing forward, and the direction of arrow L indicates the left side in the vehicle width direction when the occupants inside the vehicle are facing forward. In the following description, "front" and "rear" correspond to the front and rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, "up" and "down" correspond to the top and bottom in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and "left" and "right" correspond to the left and right in the vehicle width direction when the occupants inside the vehicle are facing forward.

[0011] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the rear structure 100 of the electric vehicle in this embodiment includes a rear floor panel 1, a pair of rear side members 2, 2, a lateral reinforcing member 3, a rear skirt panel 4, a rear cross member 5, and a bracket 7 that supports the towing hook 6.

[0012] The rear structure 100 is applied to the rear structure of an electric vehicle driven by a drive unit including a drive motor. In this embodiment, it is applied to the rear structure of a front-wheel-drive electric vehicle. For example, the drive unit is located at the front of the electric vehicle, and the battery unit that supplies power to the drive unit is located below the main floor panel, which is located in front of the rear floor panel 1. The rear floor panel 1, the pair of rear side members 2,2, the lateral reinforcing member 3, the rear skirt panel 4, the rear cross member 5, the towing hook 6, and the bracket 7 are each made of thin metal sheet material. The pair of rear side members 2,2 and the rear cross member 5 each constitute part of the vehicle body structure member (vehicle frame) and are members with higher rigidity compared to other elements.

[0013] The rear floor panel 1 is located at the rear of the vehicle and is a panel member that constitutes the floor portion of the underside of the vehicle body. The length (width) of the rear floor panel 1 in the vehicle width direction is set to be approximately the same as the length (vehicle width) in the vehicle body direction.

[0014] The rear floor panel 1 has a bulge 1a that extends downwards toward the vehicle. The rear of the rear floor panel 1 has a generally hat-shaped cross-section that is open upwards, and the bulge 1a constitutes a recess in this hat-shaped cross-section. In the illustrated example, when viewed from one side in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the bulge 1a has a generally horizontally elongated rectangular shape. The bulge 1a consists of a bottom wall 1a1 facing downwards toward the vehicle, side walls 1a2, 1a2 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and a front wall 1a3 facing forward toward the vehicle. The center position of the bulge 1a in the vehicle width direction coincides with or approximately coincides with the center of the rear floor panel 1 in the vehicle width direction. Referring to Figure 4, the bulge 1a of the rear floor panel 1 protrudes downwards from the lower surface of the rear side member 2. In the illustrated example, the bulge 1a does not have a rear wall and is open to the rear, and the rear end of the bottom wall 1a1 and the rear ends of each side wall 1a2 coincide with the rear end of the rear floor panel 1.

[0015] The pair of rear side members 2,2 extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the rear floor panel 1, and are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction. Each rear side member 2 is located below the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the rear floor panel 1 and is joined to the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the rear floor panel 1 by spot welding or the like. In the illustrated example, each rear side member 2 has a generally U-shaped cross-section that is open upwards and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The bulge 1a of the rear floor panel 1 occupies most of the area between the pair of rear side members 2,2 of the rear floor panel 1 at the rear of the vehicle and bulges downward over a wide area.

[0016] The lateral reinforcement member 3 is a reinforcement member that extends in the vehicle width direction along the lower surface of the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulging portion 1a of the rear floor panel 1 and is joined to the bottom wall 1a1. In the illustrated example, the lateral reinforcement member 3 has a generally hat-shaped cross-sectional shape that is open upward and extends in the vehicle width direction. The lateral reinforcement member 3 is disposed at the center portion in the vehicle front-rear direction on the bottom wall 1a1. The length (total length) of the lateral reinforcement member 3 in the vehicle width direction is set to be slightly shorter than the length (width) of the bottom wall 1a1 in the vehicle width direction. The lateral reinforcement member 3 has a front flange 3a and a rear flange 3b, and each flange (3a, 3b) is joined to the lower surface of the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulging portion 1a by spot welding or the like.

[0017] The rear skirt panel 4 is a panel member that extends in the vehicle width direction along the rear end portion 1b of the rear floor panel 1, which is the rear end portion of the rear floor panel 1. The rear skirt panel 4 extends left and right to the rear end portion of the rear side member 2, and in the rear portion of the vehicle, it extends in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle vertical direction over the entire width direction of the vehicle body. And the rear end opening of each rear side member 2 and the rear end opening of the bulging portion 1a of the rear floor panel 1 are blocked by the rear skirt panel 4. The lower end of the rear skirt panel 4 protrudes below the lower surface of the rear side member 2, and the upper end of the rear skirt panel 4 protrudes above the upper surface of the rear side member 2.

[0018] ​​

[0019] The towing hook 6 is a member used during towing or transportation, and is provided at the rear of the vehicle so as to protrude downward from the lower surface of the rear floor panel 1. The towing hook 6 is formed into an appropriate shape by bending and curving a metal rod-shaped member (a round bar having a circular cross-sectional shape in the illustrated example).

[0020] The towing hook 6 has a front leg portion 6a and a rear leg portion 6b that are separated from each other in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a curved portion 6c that connects the front leg portion 6a and the rear leg portion 6b and curves so as to protrude below the vehicle. When viewed from one side in the vehicle up-down direction, the towing hook 6 extends linearly in the vehicle front-rear direction. Also, when viewed from one side in the vehicle width direction, the towing hook 6 protrudes downward. In the illustrated example, each leg portion (6a, 6b) extends linearly, and the curved portion 6c is formed in a U shape that is generally open upward when viewed from one side in the vehicle width direction. Referring to FIG. 4, the front leg portion 6a inclines so as to approach the lower surface of the rear side member 2 more as it goes forward from the upper end on the front side of the curved portion 6c, and the rear leg portion 6b inclines so as to approach the lower surface of the rear side member 2 more as it goes backward from the upper end on the rear side of the curved portion 6c.

[0021] Also, the lower portion 6c1 of the U-shaped curved portion 6c extends linearly in the front-rear direction, the vertical rod portion 6c2 on the front side of the curved portion 6c is longer than the vertical rod portion 6c3 on the rear side of the curved portion 6c, and the upper end of the vertical rod portion 6c2 on the front side is located at a higher position than the upper end of the vertical rod portion 6c3 on the rear side. Also, in the illustrated example, the lower end of the rear leg portion 6b and the upper end of the vertical rod portion 6c3 on the rear side are located on an extension line behind the central axis of the front leg portion 6a.

[0022] Bracket 7 is joined to the rear of the underside of the rear floor panel 1 and is a member that supports the towing hook 6. In this embodiment, bracket 7 is made of a single part formed by press forming or the like from a thin metal sheet and is a member that is long in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The towing hook 6 is attached to bracket 7 by being joined to bracket 7 which is joined to the rear floor panel 1, and as a result, is joined to the underside of the rear floor panel 1 via bracket 7.

[0023] Next, the main parts of the rear structure 100 of the electric vehicle will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Figure 5 is a diagram from Figure 3 with the towing hook 6 and bracket 7 omitted.

[0024] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the bracket 7 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the corner 1c between the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulge 1a and the outer side wall 1a2 of the bulge 1a in the vehicle width direction, at the rear of the lower surface of the rear floor panel 1, and is joined to the bottom wall 1a1 and the side wall 1a2. In other words, the bracket 7 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, straddling the corner 1c where the bottom wall 1a1 and the side wall 1a2 intersect, at a position close to the rear end of the bulge 1a, and covering the corner 1c, and is joined to the bottom wall 1a1 and the side wall 1a2. In the illustrated example, the bracket 7 extends along the right corner 1c, covering the rear part (more specifically, roughly the rear half) of the entire range of the right corner 1c in the longitudinal direction. The corner 1c can also be called the ridge where the bottom wall 1a1 and the side wall 1a2 intersect (the ridge between the bottom wall 1a1 and the side wall 1a2). Therefore, it can also be said that the bracket 7 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the ridge (1c) on one side of the bulge 1a in the vehicle width direction at the rear of the lower surface of the rear floor panel 1.

[0025] The bracket 7 has a bracket projection 71 that protrudes downward from the vehicle. The bracket projection 71 has a bracket bottom wall 71a, a bracket front wall 71b, and a bracket rear wall 71c.

[0026] The bracket bottom wall 71a faces the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulging portion 1a below it. In other words, the bracket bottom wall 71a is separated downward from the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulging portion 1a (the lower surface of the rear floor panel 1).

[0027] The bracket front wall 71b is inclined such that it approaches the bottom wall 1a1 as it moves from the front end of the bracket bottom wall 71a toward the front of the vehicle. In other words, the bracket front wall 71b is inclined upwards toward the front, and the distance from the bottom wall 1a1 decreases as it moves from the rear toward the front. The front end of the bracket front wall 71b is in contact with the bottom wall 1a1. In the illustrated example, the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulge 1a is also slightly inclined upwards toward the front, but since the angle of inclination of the bracket front wall 71b with respect to the horizontal is greater than the angle of inclination of the bottom wall 1a1 with respect to the horizontal, there is a gap between the part of the bracket front wall 71b other than the front end of the bracket front wall 71b and the bottom wall 1a1.

[0028] The bracket rear wall 71c extends from the rear end of the bracket bottom wall 71a toward the side of the bottom wall 1a1. In the illustrated example, the bracket rear wall 71c is also inclined. That is, the bracket rear wall 71c is inclined so that it approaches the bottom wall 1a1 as it moves toward the rear of the vehicle from the rear end of the bracket bottom wall 71a. Furthermore, the bracket rear wall 71c is inclined upwards toward the rear, and the distance from the bottom wall 1a1 decreases as it moves from the front to the rear. The rear end of the bracket rear wall 71c is in contact with the rear end of the bottom wall 1a1 (rear floor panel rear end 1b). In the illustrated example, the inclination angle of the bracket rear wall 71c with respect to the horizontal is greater than the inclination angle of the bracket front wall 71b with respect to the horizontal.

[0029] In the illustrated example, the bracket projection 71 is formed by the rear portion of the bracket 7, including the rear end, bulging downwards. The bracket projection 71 bulges downwards to have an outer shape that is generally truncated square, and has a trapezoidal contour when viewed from either the vehicle width direction or the vehicle front-rear direction. In other words, the bracket projection 71 has an inner wall 71d and an outer wall 71e, and the trapezoidal piece 7A, which is formed from the bracket front wall 71b, bracket bottom wall 71a, and bracket rear wall 71c, is closed from the inside in the vehicle width direction by the inner wall 71d, and the trapezoidal piece 7A is closed from the outside in the vehicle width direction by the outer wall 71e. Thus, the bracket projection 71 has a bracket bottom wall 71a, a bracket front wall 71b, a bracket rear wall 71c, an inner wall 71d, and an outer wall 71e, and has an overall outer shape that is convex downwards and generally truncated square.

[0030] The front leg portion 6a of the towing hook 6 is joined to the bracket front wall 71b, which is inclined upwards, and the rear leg portion 6b of the towing hook 6 is joined to the bracket rear wall 71c. In the illustrated example, the bracket rear wall 71c is also inclined, and each leg portion (6a, 6b) of the towing hook 6 is joined to the bracket projection 71 using the inclined wall (71b, 71c) as the joining area. Specifically, the front leg portion 6a is inclined at an angle matching the inclination angle of the bracket front wall 71b, extends along the bracket front wall 71b, and is welded to the lower surface of the bracket front wall 71b. Similarly, the rear leg portion 6b is inclined at an angle matching the inclination angle of the bracket rear wall 71c, extends along the bracket rear wall 71c, and is welded to the lower surface of the bracket rear wall 71c. In other words, in the illustrated example, the towing hook 6 is positioned below the rear of the corner portion 1c (ridge portion) that extends in the front-rear direction of the bulge portion 1a of the rear floor panel 1, by joining its front and rear leg portions (6a, 6b), which are the front and rear ends, to the front and rear inclined wall portions (71b, 71c) of the bracket projection portion 71 that protrudes downward at the rear of the bracket 7.

[0031] In this embodiment, the rear structure 100 further includes a lateral reinforcing member 3 as described above, and the bracket 7 has a rear end portion 7a1 that is joined to at least one of the rear skirt panel 4 and the rear end portion 1b of the rear floor panel 1, and extends from the rear end portion 7a1 to at least the front end position of the lateral reinforcing member 3 and is joined to the lateral reinforcing member 3. Although not particularly limited, in the illustrated example, the rear end portion 7a1 of the bracket 7 is joined to both the lower edge of the rear skirt panel 4 and the rear end portion 1b of the rear floor panel 1 (more specifically, the rear end portion of the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulge portion 1a). The bracket 7 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the rear skirt panel 4 to the front end position of the lateral reinforcing member 3 located in front of the bulge portion 1a, and has a front end portion 7a2 that is joined to the lateral reinforcing member 3.

[0032] In the illustrated example, the bracket 7 consists of a bracket projection 71 and a bracket body 72 to which the upper part of the bracket projection 71 is joined, and which is joined to the bulge 1a of the rear floor panel 1. In the illustrated example, the bracket projection 71 is formed integrally with the bracket body 72.

[0033] Specifically, the bracket body 72 has a bracket front extension piece 72a, a bracket inner flange 72b, and a bracket outer flange 72c. The bracket front extension piece 72a extends forward from the front end of the bracket projection 71 and is joined to the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulge 1a by spot welding or the like. The bracket inner flange 72b extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the inner end of the bracket projection 71 in the vehicle width direction and the inner end of the bracket front extension piece 72a in the vehicle width direction and is joined to the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulge 1a by spot welding or the like. The bracket outer flange 72c extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the outer end of the bracket projection 71 in the vehicle width direction and the outer end of the bracket front extension piece 72a in the vehicle width direction and is joined to the side wall 1a2 of the bulge 1a on the bracket 7 side by spot welding or the like.

[0034] More specifically, the bracket front extension piece 72a extends along the portion of the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulge 1a between the end of the lateral reinforcing member 3 and the corner 1c of the bulge 1a, from the front end of the bracket front wall 71b to the front end position of the lateral reinforcing member 3. The bracket inner flange 72b extends generally horizontally inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the inner wall 71d of the protruding portion and the inner end of the bracket front extension piece 72a in the vehicle width direction. One end of the lateral reinforcing member 3 in the vehicle width direction (the end on the bracket 7 side) is sandwiched between the front part of the bracket inner flange 72b and the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulge 1a, and in this state, the one end of the lateral reinforcing member 3 in the vehicle width direction, the front part of the bracket inner flange 72b, and the bottom wall 1a1 are joined in a triple-layered manner by spot welding or the like. The bracket outer flange 72c is inclined to follow the side wall 1a2 of the bulge 1a and extends over the entire length of the bracket 7 in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0035] In this embodiment, the bracket 7 has a pair of beads 7b, 7b that are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, and each bead 7b extends from the lower part of the bracket front wall 71b toward the front of the bracket 7 and bulges downward toward the vehicle. The front leg portion 6a of the towing hook 6 is joined to the portion of the bracket front wall 71b between the pair of beads 7b, 7b. In other words, the front leg portion 6a is located between the pair of beads 7b, 7b and is joined from below to a recess that extends from the lower part of the bracket front wall 71b in the vehicle width direction toward the front of the bracket 7 and bulges upward toward the vehicle.

[0036] In this embodiment, the spacing W between the pair of beads 7b, 7b widens from the rear to the front. In the illustrated example, the minimum spacing W is set to a length slightly greater than the diameter of the front leg portion 6a of the towing hook 6. The pair of beads 7b, 7b are formed in a symmetrical shape (i.e., left-right symmetrical) with respect to the vehicle width direction.

[0037] In this embodiment, the front ends 7b1 of a pair of beads 7b, 7b are located within the intersection range C between the bracket 7 and the lateral reinforcing member 3. Each bead 7b preferably extends from the lower part of the bracket front wall 71b to at least the central part of the intersection range C with the lateral reinforcing member 3 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In the illustrated example, the front end 7b1 of each bead 7b is located slightly beyond the central part of the intersection range C. In the illustrated example, each bead 7b extends from the bracket front wall 71b of the bracket projection 71 to a position near the front end of the bracket front extension piece 72a of the bracket body 72.

[0038] In the illustrated example, the bracket 7 has a pair of rear beads 7c, 7c that are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, each of which extends from the lower part of the bracket rear wall 71c toward the rear end 7a1 of the bracket 7 and bulges downward toward the vehicle. The front leg portion 6a of the towing hook 6 is joined to the portion of the bracket rear wall 71c between the pair of rear beads 7c, 7c. In other words, the rear leg portion 6b is located between the pair of rear beads 7c, 7c and is joined from below to a recess that extends from the lower part of the bracket rear wall 71c in the vehicle width direction toward the rear end 7a1 of the bracket 7 and bulges upward toward the vehicle. Thus, in the illustrated example, downward-bulging beads (7b, 7c) are formed on each of the front and rear inclined wall portions (71b, 71c) in the vehicle width direction of the trapezoidal bracket projection 71 in side view.

[0039] Referring to Figures 1 and 5 (particularly Figure 5), in this embodiment, the rear floor panel 1 has a bottom wall front and rear bead 1d that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the corner 1c covered by the bracket 7 and bulges upward on the vehicle, and a plurality of bottom wall branch beads 1e that branch off from the bottom wall front and rear bead 1d, and are provided in a range that overlaps with at least the bracket projection 71 in the vehicle vertical direction.

[0040] Specifically, the front and rear bottom wall beads 1d extend over approximately the entire length of the bottom wall 1a1 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, between the end of the transverse reinforcing member 3 in the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulging portion 1a and the corner portion 1c of the bulging portion 1a. The central and front portions of the front and rear bottom wall beads 1d in the vehicle's longitudinal direction overlap the bracket 7 vertically. In the illustrated example, the front and rear bottom wall beads 1d extend to the extent of the front wall 1a3 of the bulging portion 1a.

[0041] The multiple bottom wall branching beads 1e are, in other words, positioned within the range of at least the front-to-rear length of the towing hook 6 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. Some of the multiple bottom wall branching beads 1e extend outward in the vehicle width direction (towards the corner 1c), while the remainder of the multiple bottom wall branching beads 1e extend inward in the vehicle width direction. Although not particularly limited, in the illustrated example, in the area overlapping with the bracket projection 71, three bottom wall branching beads 1e branch out in the vehicle width direction from the front and rear bottom wall beads 1d. In the illustrated example, two bottom wall branching beads 1e branch inward in the vehicle width direction, and the bottom wall branching bead 1e between the two bottom wall branching beads 1e branches outward in the vehicle width direction. In addition, in the area overlapping with the bracket front extension piece 72a, one arc-shaped bottom wall branching bead 1e branches outward in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the multiple (four) bottom wall branching beads 1e branch off from each other at different positions in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and the branching directions of two adjacent bottom wall branching beads 1e are alternately opposite in the vehicle's width direction.

[0042] Of the two outward-facing bottom wall branching beads 1e, the rear bead branches at a longitudinal position corresponding to the center of the bracket projection 71 in the vehicle longitudinal direction (specifically, the bracket bottom wall 71a of the bracket projection 71). Of the two outward-facing bottom wall branching beads 1e, the front arc-shaped bead branches at a longitudinal position corresponding to the lateral reinforcing member 3 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Furthermore, of the two inward-facing bottom wall branching beads 1e, the front bead branches at a longitudinal position corresponding to the connection point of the front leg 6a of the towing hook 6 to the bracket 7 (bracket front wall 71b) in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the rear bead of the two inward-facing bottom wall branching beads 1e branches at a longitudinal position corresponding to the connection point of the rear leg 6b of the towing hook 6 to the bracket 7 (bracket rear wall 71c) in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0043] In the illustrated example, the bulging portion 1a has multiple longitudinal beads 1f and multiple transverse beads 1g, in addition to the front and rear bottom wall beads 1d and the bottom wall branching bead 1e. The multiple longitudinal beads 1f are formed on the bottom wall 1a1 and the front wall 1a3, spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, and extend in the longitudinal direction. Most of the multiple longitudinal beads 1f intersect with the transverse reinforcing member 3 and extend to the front wall 1a3. The multiple transverse beads 1g are provided on each side wall 1a2 and a part of the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulging portion 1a and extend in the vehicle width direction.

[0044] In the illustrated example, the inner flange 72b of the bracket overlaps the inward-facing bottom wall branch bead 1e both vertically and horizontally. At each portion of the inner flange 72b that overlaps with the inward-facing bottom wall branch bead 1e, an inner flange projection 72b1 is formed, which bulges upward to conform to the bulging shape of the inward-facing bottom wall branch bead 1e and is joined to the bottom wall branch bead 1e by spot welding or the like. The inner flange 72b of the bracket is also joined to the bottom wall 1a1 both in front of and behind the inner flange projection 72b1.

[0045] Furthermore, the bracket outer flange 72c overlaps with the lateral bead 1g of the side wall 1a2 in the vehicle width direction. At each portion of the bracket outer flange 72c that overlaps with the lateral bead 1g, an outer flange protrusion 72c1 is formed that bulges outward in the vehicle width direction, following the bulging shape of the lateral bead 1g, and is joined to the lateral bead 1g by spot welding or the like. The bracket outer flange 72c is also joined to the side wall 1a2 at the front and rear of the outer flange protrusion 72c1.

[0046] In the rear structure 100 of the electric vehicle according to this embodiment, configured as described above, the bracket 7, which is joined to the rear of the lower surface of the rear floor panel 1 and supports the towing hook 6, extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the corner 1c between the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulging portion 1a that bulges downwards of the vehicle and the side wall 1a2 on the outer side of the bulging portion 1a in the vehicle width direction, and is joined to the bottom wall 1a1 and the side wall 1a2. With this configuration, the towing hook 6 can be joined and attached to the bracket 7 which extends along the corner 1c of the rear floor panel 1, which has relatively high strength. In this way, by setting the joining point of the bracket 7 to the rear floor panel 1 to the corner 1c (ridge portion) that extends in the longitudinal direction, the mounting rigidity and support rigidity of the towing hook 6 are improved, and the load acting on the towing hook 6 is widely distributed along the corner 1c to the bottom wall 1a1 side and the side wall 1a2 side of the rear floor panel 1, so that the deformation of the bracket 7 and the rear floor panel 1 during towing and transport is easily reduced to within the range of elastic deformation.

[0047] In the rear structure 100 of the electric vehicle, the bracket 7 has a bracket projection 71 that protrudes downward from the vehicle. The front leg 6a of the towing hook 6 is joined to the bracket front wall 71b of the bracket projection 71, and the rear leg 6b is joined to the bracket rear wall 71c of the bracket projection 71. This configuration increases the rigidity of the connection point of the towing hook 6 to the bracket 7 through the bracket projection 71. Thus, by setting the connection point of the towing hook 6 to the bracket 7 to the bracket projection 71, the mounting rigidity and support rigidity of the towing hook 6 are also improved. Furthermore, since the front leg 6a of the towing hook 6 is joined to the bracket front wall 71b which is inclined upward, and the rear leg 6b is joined to the bracket rear wall 71c, the load acting on the towing hook 6 is efficiently distributed front to back between the bracket front wall 71b and the bracket rear wall 71c, and further distributed over a wide area along the corner 1c to the rear floor panel 1. As a result, stress concentration at the joint between the towing hook 6 and the bracket 7 is reduced, and deformation of the towing hook 6 and the bracket 7 is more effectively reduced within the range of elastic deformation. In particular, since the bracket front wall 71b to which the front leg portion 6a is joined is inclined upwards, the load that may act on the rear of the vehicle via the towing hook 6 due to shaking during transport can be received by the bracket front wall 71b, which extends in a direction generally parallel to the direction of input of the load. As a result, a portion of the load that may act during transport can be received in the shear direction, where the joint strength is relatively high, at the welded joint between the bracket front wall 71b and the front leg portion 6a, thereby more effectively improving the mounting rigidity and support rigidity of the towing hook 6.

[0048] As described above, the rear structure 100 of the electric vehicle according to this embodiment has a structure that can improve the mounting strength and support rigidity of the towing hook 6 at the rear of the vehicle.

[0049] In this embodiment, the rear structure 100 further includes a lateral reinforcing member 3 that extends in the vehicle width direction along the lower surface of the bottom wall 1a1 of the bulging portion 1a and is joined to the bottom wall 1a1. The rear end portion 7a1 of the bracket 7 is joined to at least one of the rear skirt panel 4 and the rear end portion 1b of the rear floor panel, and the front end portion 7a2 of the bracket 7 is joined to the lateral reinforcing member 3, thereby more effectively improving the support rigidity of the bracket 7. Furthermore, the bracket 7 extends from the rear end portion 7a1 to at least the front end position of the lateral reinforcing member 3 and is joined to the lateral reinforcing member 3. In this way, by extending beyond (penetrating) the rear end of the lateral reinforcing member 3 to the front end position of the lateral reinforcing member 3 and being joined to the lateral reinforcing member 3, it is possible to effectively prevent the floor from bending in the bottom wall 1a1 starting from the lateral reinforcing member 3 due to the joining of the lateral reinforcing member 3 to the bottom wall 1a1.

[0050] In this embodiment, the bracket 7 has a pair of beads 7b, 7b that are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, each extending from the lower part of the bracket front wall 71b toward the front of the bracket 7 and bulging downwards toward the vehicle, and the front leg portion 6a of the towing hook 6 is joined to the portion between the pair of beads 7b, 7b of the bracket front wall 71b. As a result, the rigidity of the joint portion 6a of the towing hook 6 on the bracket 7 is efficiently increased, and the mounting strength and support rigidity of the towing hook 6 are efficiently increased.

[0051] In this embodiment, the spacing W between the pair of beads 7b, 7b widens from the rear to the front, so that the load acting via the towing hook 6 during towing and transport can be distributed more efficiently and over a wider area in the vehicle width direction by the pair of beads 7b, 7b. As a result, deformation of the bracket 7 and rear floor panel 1 during towing and transport is easily reduced within the range of elastic deformation, and the occurrence of damage such as cracks in the bracket 7 and rear floor panel 1 is prevented.

[0052] In this embodiment, since the front ends 7b1 of the pair of beads 7b, 7b are located within the intersection range C between the bracket 7 and the lateral reinforcing member 3, the load acting via the towing hook 6 during towing and transport can be relieved by the pair of beads 7b, 7b through the intersection range C to the relatively rigid lateral reinforcing member 3. As a result, the deformation of the bracket 7 and the rear floor panel 1 during towing and transport is reliably reduced within the range of elastic deformation, and the occurrence of damage such as cracks in the bracket 7 and the rear floor panel 1 is more reliably prevented.

[0053] In this embodiment, the rear floor panel 1 has a front and rear bottom wall bead 1d that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and bulges upward on the vehicle, along the corner 1c covered by the bracket 7 on the bottom wall 1a1, and a plurality of bottom wall branch beads 1e that branch off from the front and rear bottom wall beads 1d. The plurality of bottom wall branch beads 1e are provided in a range that overlaps with at least the bracket protrusion 71 in the vehicle vertical direction. Therefore, the rigidity of the rear floor panel 1 is increased by the front and rear bottom wall beads 1d and the plurality of bottom wall branch beads 1e in the range that overlaps with the bracket protrusion 71, which is the connection point of the towing hook 6. As a result, the occurrence of damage such as cracks in the bracket 7 and the rear floor panel 1 is more reliably prevented.

[0054] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and further modifications and changes are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention.

[0055] For example, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the bracket 7 may extend to the rear cross member 5, or it may be formed from multiple members. Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the rear structure 100 of an electric vehicle according to a modified example, viewed from the lower side of the vehicle, and Figure 7 is a side view of the main part of the rear structure shown in Figure 6.

[0056] Specifically, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the bracket 7 extends further forward than the intersection range C with the lateral reinforcing member 3, and the front end portion 7a2 of the bracket 7 is joined to the rear cross member 5. In other words, the bracket 7 has a front end portion 7a2 that is joined to the rear cross member 5, extends to the rear cross member 5, and covers the entire range of the corner portion 1c in the front-rear direction. In this way, by extending the bracket 7 to the lateral reinforcing member 3, deformation such as bending in the vertical direction of the rear floor panel 1 is suppressed, and further deformation of the rear floor panel 1 is reduced by joining the front end portion 7a2 of the bracket 7 to the rear cross member 5.

[0057] Furthermore, if the bracket 7 extends to the rear cross member 5, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the bracket 7 may have not only a pair of beads 7b, 7b and a pair of rear beads 7c, 7c, but also a pair of front beads 7d, 7d. The pair of front beads 7d, 7d are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, and each of the pair of front beads 7d, 7d extends from a predetermined point within the intersection range C between the bracket 7 and the lateral reinforcing member 3 to the front end portion 7a2 of the bracket 7 and bulges downwards toward the vehicle.

[0058] Specifically, in the modified examples shown in Figures 6 and 7, the pair of beads 7b, 7b formed on the inclined bracket front wall 71b extend parallel to each other, and the pair of front beads 7d, 7d extend forward of the pair of beads 7b, 7b. Therefore, the bead-shaped portion consisting of the pair of beads 7b, 7b and the pair of front beads 7d, 7d extends from the joint of the front leg portion 6a of the towing hook 6 beyond the intersection range C with the lateral reinforcing member 3, and further to the joint with the rear cross member 5. As a result, the load acting during towing and transport can be transferred to the highly rigid lateral reinforcing member 3 and rear cross member 5, further reliably preventing damage such as cracks in the bracket 7 and rear floor panel 1.

[0059] In the modified examples shown in Figures 6 and 7, the bracket 7 also has a pair of connecting beads 7e, 7e that connect the rear ends of a pair of beads 7b, 7b to the front ends of a pair of rear beads 7c, 7c. The pair of connecting beads 7e, 7e are formed on the bracket bottom wall 71a of the bracket projection 71 and extend in the front-rear direction, spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the bead-shaped portion extends from the joint of the rear leg portion 6b of the towing hook 6 to the joint with the rear cross member 5, allowing the load during towing and transport to be more reliably transferred to the high-rigidity portion.

[0060] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the bracket projection 71 may be formed by a separate member from the member forming the bracket body 72. In this case, the bracket body 72 covers the entire range of the corner 1c in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, in this modified example, the bracket projection 71 is formed by multiple members. By forming the bracket projection 71 by a separate member from the member forming the bracket body 72, the strength and shape of each member of the bracket 7 can be easily optimized, making it easy to achieve both weight reduction and high rigidity.

[0061] Specifically, in the illustrated example, the bracket projection 71 is formed by joining four members. More specifically, the bracket projection 71 of the bracket 7 consists of a first member that constitutes a trapezoidal piece 7A in side view, which is made up of a bracket bottom wall 71a, a bracket front wall 71b, and a bracket rear wall 71c; a second member that constitutes the inner wall 71d of the projection; and a third member that constitutes the outer wall 71e of the projection. It also consists of a fourth member having a bracket front extension piece 72a, a bracket inner flange 72b, and a bracket outer flange 72c. The bracket body 72 is formed integrally by joining the bracket projection 71, which is made up of three members, and the bracket body 72, which is made up of one member.

[0062] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the bracket bottom wall 71a may be inclined upwards at the front, and the bracket rear wall 71c may extend vertically without inclination. In addition, in the towing hook 6, the front vertical bar portion 6c2 and front leg portion 6a may extend continuously in a straight line, and the rear vertical bar portion 6c3 and rear leg portion 6b may extend continuously in a straight line.

[0063] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the rear structure 100 may have a bracket cover 8 that covers the rear end 7a1 of the bracket 7 from the rear and is joined to the rear end 7a1. Specifically, in the illustrated example, the lower part of the bracket cover 8 is joined to the bracket rear wall 71c, the upper part of the bracket cover 8 is joined to the lower part of the rear skirt panel 4, and the rear leg portion 6b of the towing hook 6 is joined while sandwiched between the bracket rear wall 71c of the bracket 7 and the bracket cover 8.

[0064] The number of branches in the bottom wall branching bead 1e can be set as appropriate. Also, multiple bottom wall branching beads 1e may branch off from each other at the same position in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The corner 1c covered by the bracket 7 may be the right-hand corner. In other words, the bracket 7 and the towing hook 6 may be positioned on the left-hand corner side of the bulge 1a of the rear floor panel 1 instead of the right-hand corner side. The rear end portion 7a1 of the bracket 7 only needs to be joined to at least one of the rear skirt panel 4 and the rear end portion 1b of the rear floor panel 1. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 1. Rear floor panel 1a Bulge 1a1 Bottom wall 1a2 side wall 1a3 front wall 1b Rear end of rear floor panel 1c Corner 1d Bottom wall front and rear beads 1e Bottom wall branching bead 1f Vertical bead 1g horizontal bead 2,2 Pair of rear side members 3. Lateral reinforcing members 3a Front flange 3b Rear flange 4 Rear skirt panel 5 Rear cross member 5a Front flange 5b Rear flange 6 Towing Hooks 6a Front leg 6b Hind leg 6c Curved section 6c1 Lower part 6c2 Front vertical bar section 6c3 Rear vertical bar 7 Brackets 7A Trapezoidal section in side view 71 Bracket protrusion 71a Bracket bottom wall 71b Bracket front wall 71c Bracket rear wall 71d Inner wall of protrusion 71e Projection outer wall 7a1 Rear end 7a2 Front end 7b,7b Pair of beads 7b1 Front end of a pair of beads 7c, 7c pair of rear beads 7d, 7d pair of front beads 7e,7e Pair of connecting beads 72 Bracket body 72a Bracket front extension piece 72b Bracket inner flange 72b1 Inner flange protrusion 72c bracket outer flange 72c1 Outer flange protrusion 8 Bracket Covers 100 Rear structure of electric vehicle C Crossover Range W: The distance between a pair of beads.

Claims

1. A rear structure for an electric vehicle, comprising a rear floor panel provided at the rear of the vehicle having a bulge that protrudes downwards from the vehicle, and a bracket joined to the rear of the lower surface of the rear floor panel and supporting a towing hook, The bracket extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the corner between the bottom wall of the bulge and the outer side wall of the bulge in the vehicle width direction, and is joined to the bottom wall and the side wall. The towing hook has a front leg portion and a rear leg portion that are separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a curved portion that connects the front leg portion and the rear leg portion and protrudes downward from the vehicle, The bracket has a bracket projection that protrudes downward from the vehicle, and has a bracket bottom wall that faces the bottom wall below the bottom wall, a bracket front wall that is inclined so as it moves closer to the bottom wall from the front end of the bracket bottom wall toward the front of the vehicle, and a bracket rear wall that extends toward the side of the bottom wall from the rear end of the bracket bottom wall. The rear structure of an electric vehicle is characterized in that the front leg portion is joined to the front wall of the bracket, and the rear leg portion is joined to the rear wall of the bracket.

2. The bulging portion further includes a transverse reinforcing member that extends in the vehicle width direction along the lower surface of the bottom wall and is joined to the bottom wall, The rear structure of an electric vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the bracket has a rear end that is joined to at least one of the rear skirt panel and the rear end of the rear floor panel, which is the rear end of the rear floor panel, and extends from the rear end to at least the front end position of the lateral reinforcing member and is joined to the lateral reinforcing member.

3. The bracket has a pair of beads spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, each of which extends from the lower part of the front wall of the bracket toward the front of the bracket and bulges toward the lower part of the vehicle. The rear structure of an electric vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the front leg portion is joined to the portion between the pair of beads of the front wall of the bracket.

4. The rear structure of an electric vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the spacing between the pair of beads widens from the rear to the front.

5. The rear structure of an electric vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the front ends of the pair of beads are located within the intersection range of the bracket and the lateral reinforcing member.

6. The rear cross member further includes an extension in the vehicle width direction along the portion of the lower surface of the rear floor panel that is forward of the bulging portion, and is joined to the rear floor panel. The rear structure of an electric vehicle according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the bracket has a front end that is joined to the rear cross member and extends to the rear cross member.

7. The rear structure of an electric vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the bracket has a pair of front beads spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, each of which extends from a predetermined location within the intersection range of the bracket and the lateral reinforcing member to the front end of the bracket and bulges downward toward the vehicle.

8. The bracket comprises a bracket projection and a bracket body to which the upper part of the bracket projection is joined, and which is joined to the rear floor panel. The rear structure of an electric vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the bracket projection is formed by a member separate from the member forming the bracket body.

9. The rear structure of an electric vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the floor panel has a bottom wall front and rear bead that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the corner portion covered by the bracket and bulges upward on the vehicle, and a plurality of bottom wall branch beads that branch off from the bottom wall front and rear bead, wherein the plurality of bottom wall branch beads are provided in a range that overlaps with the bracket protrusion in the vehicle vertical direction.

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