Vehicle frame structure

Abstract

To obtain a vehicle frame structure that can suppress the accumulation of water near the ground terminal. [Solution] The vehicle frame member 12 comprises a first surface 50, a second surface 52, a vertical surface 54, and ribs 44. The first surface 50 has a fastening portion 40 to which an earth terminal 28 is attached, and the second surface 52 is formed to be lower in height than the first surface 50. On the other hand, the ribs 44 are connected to the vertical surface 54 and partially surround the second surface 52 at the first outer edge portion 52A on the second mounting seat 48 side of the second surface 52, and the contact piece 36 of the earth terminal 28 contacts it. Furthermore, the second surface 52 is a first inclined surface 58 that slopes downward toward the vehicle side as it moves away from the vertical surface 54. As a result, water that enters the second surface 52 is discharged along the first inclined surface 58, making it possible to prevent water from accumulating on the second surface 52.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle skeleton structure.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique related to a water stop structure provided at a bolt fastening portion of a vehicle metal body. In this prior art, a water stop member is provided so as to surround a bolt hole formed in the vehicle metal body, and when a ground terminal is fastened to the vehicle, the water stop member is pressed and the bolt is fastened to achieve water stopping.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above prior art, if water accumulates near the ground terminal, the ground terminal may corrode.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and an object thereof is to obtain a vehicle skeleton structure capable of suppressing water accumulation near a ground terminal.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The vehicle frame structure according to the first embodiment is a vehicle frame structure comprising a vehicle frame member integrally formed by casting, wherein the vehicle frame member comprises a first surface having a fastening portion to which an earth terminal is attached, a second surface formed to be lower in height than the first surface, a vertical surface connecting the fastening portion and the second surface in the height direction, and a rib connected to the vertical surface that partially encloses the second surface and abuts against a contact piece formed on the earth terminal, wherein the second surface is a first inclined surface that slopes downward toward the vehicle side as it moves away from the vertical surface.

[0007] In the first embodiment of the vehicle frame structure, a vehicle frame member is integrally molded by casting, and the vehicle frame member has a first surface, a second surface, a vertical surface, and ribs. The first surface has a fastening portion to which an earth terminal is attached, and the second surface is formed to be lower in height than the first surface. The fastening portion provided on the first surface and the second surface are connected in the height direction by the vertical surface.

[0008] On the other hand, the rib is connected to the vertical surface and partially encloses the second surface, and the tip of the ground terminal abuts against it. Therefore, when attaching the ground terminal to the fastening part, the tip of the ground terminal abuts against the rib in the direction of rotation of the fastening member, thereby preventing the ground terminal from rotating.

[0009] Here, the second surface is a first inclined surface that slopes downward towards the vehicle as it moves away from the vertical surface. Therefore, water guided onto the second surface is guided (discharged) downward towards the vehicle along the first inclined surface. In this way, in this embodiment, by providing a drainage path for the water that has flooded the second surface, it is possible to prevent water from accumulating on the second surface.

[0010] The vehicle frame structure according to the second embodiment is configured such that, in the vehicle frame structure according to the first embodiment, the rib is configured such that the second surface is connected to the vertical surface and includes a first outer edge portion on which the rib is erected, and a second outer edge portion is connected to the vertical surface and faces the first outer edge portion, and the first inclined surface further has a second inclined surface that slopes downward toward the vehicle side as it moves from the second outer edge portion side toward the first outer edge portion side.

[0011] In the vehicle frame structure according to the second embodiment, the second surface is connected to the vertical surface and comprises a first outer edge and a second outer edge that face each other, with ribs erected on the first outer edge side. Here, the first inclined surface further has a second inclined surface that slopes downward toward the vehicle side as it moves from the second outer edge side toward the first outer edge side.

[0012] As a result, in this embodiment, the formation of a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface on the second surface guides water guided onto the second surface towards the lower side of the vehicle along the first and second inclined surfaces. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to further prevent water from accumulating on the second surface.

[0013] The vehicle frame structure according to the third embodiment is the vehicle frame structure according to the second embodiment, wherein the ribs are formed on the upstream side in the inclination direction of the first inclined surface, and the second inclined surface is formed on the downstream side in the inclination direction of the first inclined surface.

[0014] In the vehicle frame structure according to the third embodiment, ribs are formed on the upstream side in the direction of inclination of the first inclined surface, and a second inclined surface is formed on the downstream side in the direction of inclination of the first inclined surface. In other words, in this embodiment, on the second surface, water flows along the inclination of the first inclined surface on the side where ribs are provided, and water flows along the inclination of the second inclined surface on the side where ribs are not provided. Therefore, in this embodiment, water on the second surface can be discharged to other surfaces through the parts where ribs are not provided.

[0015] The fourth embodiment of the vehicle frame structure is a vehicle frame structure according to the first embodiment, wherein the ground terminal comprises a conductive portion fastened to the fastening portion, a tip portion formed on a surface different from the conductive portion and capable of contacting the rib, and a connecting piece connecting the conductive portion and the tip portion in the height direction, wherein the height of the vertical surface is greater than the length of the connecting piece.

[0016] In the vehicle frame structure according to the fourth embodiment, the ground terminal is composed of a conductive portion, a tip portion, and a connecting piece. The conductive portion is fastened to a fastening portion, and the tip portion is formed on a surface different from the conductive portion and is capable of contacting a rib. The connecting piece connects the conductive portion and the tip portion in the height direction. In this embodiment, the height of the vertical surface connecting the first surface and the second surface is greater than the length of the connecting piece.

[0017] As a result, when the conductive portion of the ground terminal is fastened to the fastening portion, a gap is created between the tip of the ground terminal and the second surface while the tip of the ground terminal is in contact with the rib. Therefore, even if water adheres to the area around the rib, it is possible to prevent the tip from coming into contact with that water. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] As described above, the vehicle frame structure according to the present invention can suppress the accumulation of water near the ground terminal. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a vehicle frame member to which the vehicle frame structure according to this embodiment is applied, as seen from the right front and above side of the vehicle. [Figure 2] This is an enlarged perspective view showing an enlarged view of the main part of a vehicle frame member to which the vehicle frame structure according to this embodiment is applied. [Figure 3] This is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the vehicle frame structure according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the vehicle frame structure according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] (A) is a plan view for explaining the function of the vehicle skeleton structure according to the present embodiment, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A shown in (A). [Figure 6] It is a rear view showing the state of Figure 4 viewed from the vehicle rear side. [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0020] Hereinafter, the vehicle skeleton structure according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the arrow FR appropriately shown in each drawing indicates the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the arrow UP indicates the upper side in the vehicle vertical direction. The arrow RH indicates the right side in the vehicle width direction, and in the present embodiment, indicates the outer side in the vehicle width direction. Hereinafter, when the description is made simply using the front-rear, vertical, and left-right directions, the directions refer to the front and rear in the vehicle front-rear direction, the upper and lower in the vehicle vertical direction, and the left and right in the vehicle left-right direction (vehicle width direction), unless otherwise specified.

[0021] (Configuration of Vehicle Skeleton Structure) First, the configuration of the vehicle skeleton structure according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0022] Figure 1 shows an example of a vehicle skeleton member 12 to which the vehicle skeleton structure 10 according to the present embodiment is applied. The vehicle skeleton member 12 is integrally formed by casting using an aluminum alloy or the like as a material. This vehicle skeleton member 12 is used, for example, in vehicles 14 such as electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles that travel with power generated by a power unit.

[0023] The vehicle frame member 12 has wheelhouses 18 on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle 16, where the front wheels (not shown) are positioned. The right wheelhouse 18 and the left wheelhouse 18 are connected by a cross member 20. An upper member 22 extends from the upper end of each wheelhouse 18 along the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and a suspension tower (hereinafter referred to as "suspension tower") 24 is provided on the inside of the upper member 22 in the vehicle's width direction. Below the suspension tower 24, a front side member 26 extends along the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

[0024] Generally, equipment requiring high current, such as cooling fans and steering motors mounted on the vehicle 14, needs to be grounded, and the negative terminal (ground terminal 28; see Figure 2) of each piece of equipment is connected to (attached to) the vehicle frame member 12.

[0025] For example, in this embodiment, the ground terminal 28 is made of, for example, iron, stainless steel, and is attached to a mounting portion 30 (described later) provided on the front side (area A) of the suspension tower 24 of the vehicle frame member 12. Note that the position of the mounting portion 30 is not limited to this.

[0026] Figure 2 shows an enlarged perspective view of the main part showing the earth terminal 28 attached to the mounting portion 30 provided in the left side area of ​​the vehicle frame member 12, and Figure 3 shows an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the earth terminal 28 and the mounting portion 30 provided on the vehicle frame member 12.

[0027] (Ground terminal) First, let's explain the ground terminal 28.

[0028] The earth terminal 28 is composed of a conductive portion 34 to which the earth wire 32 is connected, a contact piece (tip portion) 36 provided on the opposite side of the earth wire 32 in the conductive portion 34, and a connecting piece 38 that connects the conductive portion 34 and the contact piece 36.

[0029] The conductive portion 34 is flat and is capable of surface contact with the fastening portion 40 provided on the mounting portion 30 of the vehicle frame member 12. In addition, the conductive portion 34 has an insertion hole 34A formed in it, which is aligned with the fastening hole 40A through which a fastening bolt 42, which is screwed into the fastening hole 40A formed in the fastening portion 40, can be inserted.

[0030] The contact piece 36 is designed to contact the rib 44 provided on the mounting portion 30. Furthermore, the contact piece 36 is formed on a different surface from the conductive portion 34, and there is a height difference between the contact piece 36 and the conductive portion 34. For this reason, the connecting piece 38 connects the contact piece 36 and the conductive portion 34 in the height direction.

[0031] In this example, the connecting piece 38 has a crank shape when viewed from the front of the vehicle, and connects the contact piece 36 and the conductive portion 34 in the height direction and the length direction (length along the longitudinal direction of the conductive portion 34). However, since the connecting piece 38 only needs to connect the contact piece 36 and the conductive portion 34 in the height direction, the shape of the connecting piece 38 is not particularly limited.

[0032] (Mounting part) Next, the mounting portion 30 will be described. The orientation of the mounting portion 30 (vehicle front-rear direction or vehicle width direction) is not particularly limited and can be changed as appropriate. However, for the sake of explanation, the orientation shown in Figure 2 will be used as an example.

[0033] The mounting portion 30 is composed of a first mounting seat 46 and a second mounting seat 48, with the second mounting seat 48 positioned lower on the vehicle than the first mounting seat 46. Since the first mounting seat 46 and the second mounting seat 48 have substantially the same basic configuration, the first mounting seat 46 will be described as a representative example, and the configuration of the second mounting seat 48 will be omitted from the description, using the same reference numerals as the first mounting seat 46.

[0034] In this embodiment, for example, the first mounting seat 46 has a rectangular shape with the vehicle width direction as its longitudinal direction in a substantially plan view. The first mounting seat 46 is composed of a first surface 50 and a second surface 52 which are the upper surfaces of the first mounting seat 46, and the second surface 52 is positioned lower on the vehicle than the first surface 50.

[0035] Therefore, a vertical surface 54 is formed between the first surface 50 and the second surface 52, connecting them in the vehicle's vertical direction (height direction). The height of the vertical surface 54 is greater than the length of the connecting piece 38 of the ground terminal 28.

[0036] Here, a fastening portion 40 is formed on the first surface 50 of the first mounting seat 46. The fastening portion 40 is slightly higher than the surface of the first surface 50, so that it can be felt even if it is formed in a place that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Two fastening holes 40A are formed in the fastening portion 40, and fastening bolts 42 can be screwed into each of them via washers 55.

[0037] Figure 6 shows Figure 4 as viewed from the rear of the vehicle. As shown in Figure 6, the fastening portion 40 is formed to follow the shape of the fastening hole 40A when viewed from the rear of the vehicle. In other words, the first mounting seat 46 is hollowed out and formed to avoid creating excess material.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5(A), the fastening portion 40 is provided on the second mounting seat 48 side of the first surface 50, and the side wall 56 connecting the first mounting seat 46 and the second mounting seat 48 in the height direction is partially provided in an arc shape along the shape of the fastening hole 40A. Note that Figures 4 and 5(A) show the fastening portion 40 in a state where the fastening hole 40A has not been formed.

[0039] On the other hand, the second surface 52 is connected to the vertical surface 54, and a rib 44 is erected on the first outer edge 52A on the second mounting seat 48 side of the second surface 52. In other words, the rib 44 is provided on the extension of the fastening portion 40, partially enclosing the second surface 52, and the upper end of the rib 44 is formed to be slightly lower than the fastening portion 40. Furthermore, the rib 44 is formed up to partway down the first outer edge 52A of the second surface 52, and the first outer edge 52A of the second surface 52 is divided into a first portion P where the rib 44 is formed and a second portion Q where the rib 44 is not formed.

[0040] Furthermore, the second surface 52 has a first inclined surface 58 that slopes downward toward the vehicle as it moves away from the vertical surface 54 (arrow A). In addition, the second surface 52 has a second inclined surface 60 that slopes downward toward the vehicle as it moves toward the first outer edge 52A, starting from the second outer edge 52B which is located on the opposite side of the first outer edge 52A, on the downstream side (second part Q side) of the inclination direction of the first inclined surface 58 (arrow B). In other words, in this embodiment, a rib 44 is formed on the upstream side of the inclination direction of the first inclined surface 58, and a second inclined surface 60 is formed on the downstream side of the inclination direction of the first inclined surface 58.

[0041] (Function and effect of vehicle frame structure) Next, the operation and effects of the vehicle frame structure according to this embodiment will be described.

[0042] In this embodiment, the vehicle frame member 12 shown in Figure 1 is integrally molded by casting. As shown in Figure 3, the mounting portion 30 to which the earth terminal 28 is connected is provided with a first surface 50, a second surface 52, a vertical surface 54, and a rib 44. The first surface 50 has a fastening portion 40 to which the earth terminal 28 is attached, and the second surface 52 is formed to be lower in height than the first surface 50.

[0043] On the other hand, the rib 44 is connected to the vertical surface 54 and partially surrounds the second surface 52 at the first outer edge 52A on the second mounting seat 48 side of the second surface 52, and the contact piece 36 of the ground terminal 28 contacts it. Therefore, when attaching the ground terminal 28 to the fastening part 40, the contact piece 36 of the ground terminal 28 contacts the rib 44 in the direction of rotation of the fastening bolt 42, thereby preventing the ground terminal 28 from rotating.

[0044] Here, as shown in Figure 4, the second surface 52 is a first inclined surface 58 that slopes downward toward the vehicle as it moves away from the vertical surface 54 (arrow A). Therefore, water guided onto the second surface 52 is guided downward toward the vehicle along the first inclined surface 58.

[0045] Thus, in this embodiment, a path is provided on the second surface 52 for draining water that has seeped onto the second surface 52, making it possible to prevent water from accumulating on the second surface 52. In other words, in this embodiment, even if a rib 44 is provided on the second surface 52 to prevent the earth terminal 28 from rotating, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of water around the rib 44.

[0046] Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of water near the ground terminal 28, thereby suppressing corrosion of the ground terminal 28 and suppressing electrical leakage.

[0047] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the second surface 52 is connected to the vertical surface 54 and is composed of a first outer edge portion 52A and a second outer edge portion 52B that face each other, with a rib 44 erected on the first outer edge portion 52A side. In this embodiment, further, on the downstream side (second portion Q side) in the inclination direction of the first inclined surface 58, a second inclined surface 60 is formed that inclins toward the vehicle downward side as it moves from the second outer edge portion 52B toward the first outer edge portion 52A side (arrow B).

[0048] Thus, in this embodiment, since the first inclined surface 58 and the second inclined surface 60 are formed on the second surface 52, water guided onto the second surface 52 is guided (discharged) along the first inclined surface 58 and the second inclined surface 60 toward the lower side of the vehicle. For this reason, in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent water from accumulating on the second surface 52.

[0049] In this embodiment, the rib 44 is provided on the vertical surface 54 side of the first outer edge portion 52A. In other words, in this embodiment, the rib 44 is not provided on the side of the first outer edge portion 52A opposite to the vertical surface 54, so the first outer edge portion 52A is composed of a first portion P where the rib 44 is formed and a second portion Q where the rib 44 is not formed.

[0050] Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5(A) and (B), water on the second surface 52 is discharged to the second mounting seat 48 side through the second portion Q where the rib 44 is not formed. Since the second mounting seat 48 has substantially the same configuration as the first mounting seat 46, as a result, water on the second surface 52 of the first mounting seat 46 is discharged to the lower side of the vehicle via the second surface 52 of the second mounting seat 48. Figure 5(B) is a cross-section when cut along line AA shown in Figure 5(A), and mainly shows the water flowing from the first mounting seat 46 to the second mounting seat 48.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the height of the vertical surface 54 connecting the first surface 50 and the second surface 52 is greater than the length of the connecting piece 38 provided on the earth terminal 28. As a result, in this embodiment, when the conductive portion 34 of the earth terminal 28 is fastened to the fastening portion 40, a gap is created between the contact piece 36 of the earth terminal 28 and the second surface 52 while the contact piece 36 of the earth terminal 28 is in contact with the rib 44. Therefore, even if water adheres to the area around the rib, it is possible to prevent the contact piece 36 from coming into contact with that water.

[0052] Furthermore, when fastening the conductive portion 34 of the earth terminal 28 to the fastening portion 40, the connecting piece 38 of the earth terminal 28 abuts against the vertical surface 54, and the contact piece 36 of the earth terminal 28 abuts against the rib 44. This allows the earth terminal 28 to be positioned in three directions relative to the first mounting seat 46, even if the fastening portion 40 is formed in a location that is not visible. In other words, it becomes possible to fasten the earth terminal 28 to a predetermined position even in locations that are difficult to see.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a fastening hole 40A into which a fastening bolt 42 can be screwed is formed in the first surface 50 of the first mounting seat 46. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first surface 50 can be formed in a substantially flat shape. In this embodiment, since the mounting portion 30 to which the earth terminal 28 is connected is formed in the vehicle frame member 12 which is molded by casting, the degree of design freedom in the shape of the mounting portion 30 is improved.

[0054] As an example, although not shown in the diagram, it is also possible to erect a boss on the first surface 50 into which a fastening bolt 42 can be screwed. However, in this case, the shape of the first surface 50 becomes complex. For this reason, in the comparative example, there are concerns that the thickness of the mold will be reduced around the boss, and that gas will accumulate in the area where the boss is formed, resulting in poor molten metal flow.

[0055] In contrast, in this embodiment, since the first surface 50 is formed in a substantially flat shape, the mold life can be extended compared to the comparative example, and the molten metal flow during molding is improved, resulting in improved moldability.

[0056] In this embodiment, on the second surface 52, a second inclined surface 60 is formed on the downstream side (second portion Q side) of the inclination direction of the first inclined surface 58, which slopes downward toward the vehicle side as it moves from the second outer edge portion 52B toward the first outer edge portion 52A (arrow B). However, in this embodiment, since it is sufficient for the second surface 52 to be able to drain water, the second inclined surface 60 is not necessarily required.

[0057] Furthermore, the first inclined surface 58 and the second inclined surface 60 do not necessarily have to be formed at the same angle. For example, the first inclined surface 58 may be formed with a larger inclination angle around the rib 44 to allow for faster drainage.

[0058] Furthermore, although the second surface 52 has been described in this embodiment, the first surface 50 may also have an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the vehicle side as it moves away from the second surface 52, similar to the second surface 52.

[0059] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes a vehicle frame member 12 provided at the front of the vehicle as a vehicle frame structure integrally molded by casting, it goes without saying that it may also be applied to a vehicle frame member provided at the rear of the vehicle.

[0060] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications may be used in appropriate combinations with one embodiment, and of course, the invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0061] 10. Vehicle frame structure 12 Vehicle frame components 14 vehicles 28 Ground terminal 32 Ground wire 34 Conductive section 36 Contact piece (tip, ground terminal) 38 Connecting piece 40 Fastening part 44 Ribs 50 Front page 52 Second side 52A First outer edge 52B Second outer edge 54 Vertical surface 58 First slope 60 Second slope

Claims

1. A vehicle frame structure comprising vehicle frame members integrally formed by casting, The aforementioned vehicle frame member is A first surface having a fastening portion to which an earth terminal is attached, A second surface is formed to be lower in height than the first surface, The fastening portion and the second surface are connected in the height direction by a vertical surface, A rib connected to the aforementioned vertical surface, partially enclosing the second surface, and against which the tip of the ground terminal abuts, Equipped with, The vehicle frame structure is such that the second surface is a first inclined surface that slopes downward toward the vehicle as it moves away from the vertical surface.

2. The second surface mentioned above is, The first outer edge portion is connected to the aforementioned vertical surface and has the aforementioned ribs erected, A second outer edge portion is connected to the aforementioned vertical surface and faces the first outer edge portion, It consists of, The vehicle frame structure according to claim 1, wherein the first inclined surface further has a second inclined surface that slopes downward toward the vehicle as it moves from the second outer edge side toward the first outer edge side.

3. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 2, wherein the rib is formed on the upstream side in the direction of inclination of the first inclined surface, and the second inclined surface is formed on the downstream side in the direction of inclination of the first inclined surface.

4. The aforementioned ground terminal is A conductive portion fastened to the fastening portion, A tip portion formed on a surface different from the conductive portion and capable of contacting the rib, A connecting piece that connects the conductive portion and the tip portion in the height direction, It consists of, The vehicle frame structure according to claim 1, wherein the height of the vertical surface is greater than the length of the connecting piece.

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