Vehicle side sill structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicular side sill structure which can support a battery assembly securely and disperse a buffer load uniformly.SOLUTION: A disclosed vehicular side sill structure includes: a side sill coupled to an edge part of a center floor and having a first cavity and a second cavity partitioned by a partition wall member; a reinforcement material which is housed in the first cavity of the side sill and may be deformed by a buffer load; and a component which is housed in the second cavity of the side sill. The second cavity is located above the first cavity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a side sill structure for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a side sill structure for a vehicle that can firmly support a battery assembly and uniformly distribute a collision load. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, as awareness of the threat of the environment and the depletion of petroleum resources has increased, research and development into environmentally friendly electric vehicles (EVs) has been gaining momentum. Electric vehicles include PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles), BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles), and FCEVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles).

[0003] An electric vehicle has a high-voltage battery assembly mounted on the vehicle body, which includes one or more battery cells (or battery modules), electrical components associated with the one or more battery cells, a battery case in which the battery cells and the electrical components are mounted, and a cover that covers the top of the battery case. A number of cross members are fixed inside the battery case, and the rigidity and strength of the battery case are enhanced by the cross members. The high-voltage battery assembly is attached to the floor panel of the vehicle body.

[0004] A pair of side sills are attached to both sides of the floor panel, each side sill including an inner side sill and an outer side sill, and a side reinforcement member made of an aluminum extrusion material is attached to the inside of each inner side sill. A pair of side flanges are provided on both sides of the battery case, and each side flange is connected to each side sill by a bolt, a cylindrical nut (pipe nut), or the like, thereby attaching the high-voltage battery assembly to each side sill. Electric vehicles not only require an increase in battery size to increase the driving range, but also require the battery to be safely protected from collisions.

[0005] On the other hand, in electric vehicles equipped with sliding doors, the roller guide track that guides the sliding door is located inside the side sill, so the width of the battery must be reduced. This means that the battery capacity cannot be increased, which limits the range of the electric vehicle. In addition, since the center side members located on both sides of the side sill and center floor are not physically connected, the collision rigidity and support rigidity of the side sill are weak, and the collision load transmitted through the side sill cannot be effectively distributed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent No. 10-0852061 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a side sill structure for a vehicle that can firmly support a battery assembly and uniformly distribute a collision load. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the vehicle side sill structure of the present invention comprises a side sill connected to an edge of a center floor and having a first cavity and a second cavity partitioned by a partition member, a reinforcement material housed in the first cavity of the side sill and deformable by a collision load, and a component housed in the second cavity of the side sill, wherein the second cavity is located above the first cavity.

[0009] The vehicle further includes a battery case mounted under the center floor, the battery case having side mounts coupled to the reinforcement members by fasteners.

[0010] The first cavity and the reinforcing member may be horizontally aligned with the battery case along a width direction of the vehicle.

[0011] The second cavity and the component are positioned higher than the battery case.

[0012] The side sill has an opening that communicates with the second cavity.

[0013] The vehicle further includes a center side member connected to the bottom surface of the center floor, and the side sill has a first flange connected to an edge of the center floor and a second flange connected to the center side member.

[0014] The side sill may include an exterior wall facing the exterior of the vehicle, an interior wall facing the interior of the vehicle, a bottom wall connecting the exterior wall and the interior wall, an upper wall aligned horizontally with the center floor, and an intermediate wall extending toward the center side member. The first flange extends from the upper wall, and the second flange extends from the intermediate wall.

[0015] The bottom wall is located above the side mount, and the middle wall is located higher than an upper surface of the battery case.

[0016] The side sill may include an exterior wall facing the exterior of the vehicle, an interior wall facing the interior of the vehicle, a bottom wall connecting the exterior wall and the interior wall, an upper wall horizontally aligned with the center floor, an extension wall extending toward a center of the center floor, and a reinforcing wall extending from the extension wall toward the center floor. The reinforcing wall is connected to the center floor.

[0017] The bottom wall is located above the side mount, and the extension wall is located higher than an upper surface of the battery case.

[0018] The component is characterized as a roller guide track mounted in the second cavity.

[0019] The component is characterized in that it has a configuration to be accommodated or deployed in the second cavity. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, a battery assembly has a first cavity that houses a reinforcing material to which a battery case of the battery assembly is attached, and a second cavity that houses components. The second cavity is located higher than the first cavity, so that when a vehicle collision occurs, components such as a roller guide track housed in the second cavity are prevented from directly striking the battery assembly, thereby safely protecting the battery assembly.

[0021] According to the present invention, the edge of the battery case of the battery assembly can be protected by the interior side wall of the side sill and the center side member (or extension wall). Therefore, the width of the battery case is increased compared to the conventional technology, and the capacity of the battery assembly can be increased. In addition, with the increased width of the battery case, the height of the battery case and the height of the center floor can be reduced compared to the conventional technology, and the center floor can be flattened, so that the passenger compartment of the vehicle can be sufficiently spacious. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the vehicle body according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] An enlarged view of part B in FIG. 2 shows a vehicle side sill structure. [Figure 4] 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the roller guide track in FIG. 3 is moved toward the center side member by a collision load when a side collision occurs. FIG. [Diagram 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a vehicle side sill structure according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram of a vehicle side sill structure showing yet another embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a step is accommodated in a second cavity of the side sill. [Figure 7] 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the step is partially deployed in the vehicle side sill structure of FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the step is fully deployed in the vehicle side sill structure of FIG. 7. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same components in each drawing.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the floor structure of the vehicle body 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a center floor 2, a pair of side sills 11 coupled to both side edges of the center floor 2, and a battery assembly 5 attached under the center floor 2. The center floor 2 may be disposed under the vehicle body so as to form the bottom of the vehicle body, and a pair of center side members 9 may be attached to the bottom surface of the center floor 2, and the pair of center side members 9 may be spaced apart along the width direction of the vehicle body 1. Each center side member 9 may be disposed adjacent to the corresponding side sill 11 individually. Each center side member 9 may be located closer to the center of the center floor 2 than the corresponding side sill 11. Each center side member 9 may extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Each center side member 9 may be integrally connected to a front side member 9a and a rear side member 9b. Each side sill 11 may extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 1, and the pair of side sills 11 may be individually connected to both side edges of the center floor 2 by fasteners, welding, or the like.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, a vehicle side sill structure 10 relating to an embodiment of the present invention may include a side sill 11 having a first cavity 21 and a second cavity 22 partitioned by a partition member 14, a reinforcement member 12 attached to the first cavity 21 of the side sill 11, and components 51, 60 attached to the second cavity 22 of the side sill 11.

[0026] Each side sill 11 may have a first flange 11a coupled to an edge of the center floor 2 and a second flange 11b coupled to the center side member 9. The first flange 11a may be coupled to each edge of the center floor 2 by welding, fasteners, or the like, and the second flange 11b may be coupled to the center side member 9 by welding, fasteners, or the like. In this manner, each side sill 11 is directly and physically connected to the center side member 9 by the second flange 11b, so that the collision performance and support rigidity of each side sill 11 can be improved. In the event of a side collision of the vehicle, a collision load may be transmitted to the center side member 9 through each side sill 11, and the collision load transmitted to the center side member 9 may be dispersed along the longitudinal direction of the center side member 9, thereby disappearing or being absorbed.

[0027] Each side sill 11 may have a cavity, and the cavity of each side sill 11 may be divided into a first cavity 21 and a second cavity 22 by a bulkhead member 14. The first cavity 21 may have a configuration for accommodating the reinforcement member 12, and the reinforcement member 12 may be attached to the first cavity 21 by a number of brackets. The second cavity 22 may accommodate various components, such as a roller guide track (see FIGS. 3 to 5) 51 for guiding the rollers of the sliding door, a step 60 that can be deployed toward the exterior of the vehicle, and the like.

[0028] The first cavity 21 may be aligned horizontally with respect to the battery case 6 of the battery assembly 5 along the width direction of the vehicle, and since the second cavity 22 is located above the first cavity 21, the second cavity 22 may be located higher than the battery assembly 5 along the height direction of the vehicle. Thus, when a vehicle collision occurs, the components 51 and 60 attached to the second cavity 22 can be prevented from directly hitting the battery assembly 5. In particular, the second cavity 22 and the components 51 and 60 may be aligned horizontally with the center side member 9 along the width direction of the vehicle, and therefore, when a vehicle collision occurs, the components 51 and 60 moving due to the collision load hit the center side member 9, so that the battery case 6 of the battery assembly 5 is safely protected.

[0029] Each side sill 11 may have an opening 13 through which a roller carrier or step 60 of a sliding door or the like passes, and the opening 13 may communicate with the second cavity 22. The reinforcement 12 may have a structure having a plurality of ribs and thus may be deformable by a collision load. The reinforcement 12 may be a compression member made through an extrusion process. The reinforcement 12 may be made of aluminum or aluminum alloy material. The reinforcement 12 may extend along the longitudinal direction of the side sill 11.

[0030] The battery assembly 5 may include a battery case 6 that houses one or more battery cells (or battery modules) and electrical components associated with the battery cells. The battery case 6 may have a pair of side mounts 7 connected to a side sill 11. Each side mount 7 may be coupled to a reinforcement member 12 by a fastener 8 such as a bolt, a through pipe, or the like. Thus, the battery assembly 5 is connected to and supported by the pair of side sills 11 through the pair of side mounts 7.

[0031] The first cavity 21 of each side sill 11 and the reinforcement 12 may be horizontally aligned with the battery case 6 of the battery assembly 5 along the width direction of the vehicle, so that the side of the battery assembly 5 is safely protected by each side sill 11 and the reinforcement 12. The reinforcement 12 may include a first portion 12a and a second portion 12b integrally connected to the first portion 12a. The side mount 7 of the battery case 6 may be coupled to the first portion 12a by a fastener 8, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the first portion 12a may be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the second portion 12b, so that the coupling rigidity of the side mount 7 of the battery case 6 is enhanced.

[0032] The bulkhead member 14 may have a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional profile of the stiffener 12 housed in the first cavity 21 and the shape and structure of the components 51, 60 attached to the second cavity 22. This allows the bulkhead member 14 to determine the cross-sectional shape of the first cavity 21 and the cross-sectional shape of the second cavity 22.

[0033] 3 and 4, the side sill 11 may include an exterior wall 31 facing toward the exterior of the vehicle, an interior wall 32 facing toward the interior of the vehicle, a bottom wall 33 connecting the exterior wall 31 and the interior wall 32, an upper wall 34 aligned horizontally with the center floor 2, and an intermediate wall 35 extending toward the center side member 9. The first flange 11a may extend upward from the upper wall 34, and the second flange 11b may extend upward from the intermediate wall 35. The intermediate wall 35 may be located on the same plane as at least a portion of the partition member 14. The intermediate wall 35 may be located on the same plane as the bottom of the center side member 9. The interior wall 32 and the intermediate wall 35 may be perpendicular to each other.

[0034] The bottom wall 33 may be located on the side mount 7 of the battery case 6, the interior side wall 32 may face the side wall of the battery case 6, the intermediate wall 35 may extend horizontally between the upper wall 34 and the bottom wall 33, the intermediate wall 35 and the center side member 9 may be located higher than the upper surface of the battery case 6, and the edge of the battery case 6 may be located between the interior side wall 32 and the intermediate wall 35. As a result, the interior side wall 32 of the side sill 11 can cover the side surface of the battery case 6, and the intermediate wall 35 and the center side member 9 of the side sill 11 cover the upper surface edge of the battery case 6, so that the edge of the battery case 6 is safely protected by the side sill 11 and the center side member 9.

[0035] In this way, in the present invention, the edge of the battery case 6 of the battery assembly 5 is protected by the interior side wall 32 and intermediate wall 35 of the side sill 11, and the center side member 9. Therefore, the width of the battery case 6 can be increased compared to the conventional technology, thereby increasing the capacity of the battery assembly 5. In addition, as the width of the battery case 6 is increased, the height (H1) of the battery case 6 and the height (H2) of the center floor 2 can be made lower than in the conventional technology, and the center floor 2 can be made flat, thereby ensuring sufficient passenger compartment space for the vehicle.

[0036] 3 and 4, a roller guide track 51 for guiding the rollers of the sliding door may be attached to the second cavity 22 of the side sill 11, and the second cavity 22 and the roller guide track 51 may be located higher than the battery assembly 5. That is, since the second cavity 22 and the roller guide track 51 are not horizontally aligned with the battery assembly 5, the roller guide track 51 is prevented from hitting the battery assembly 5 when a vehicle collision occurs.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, when a vehicle collision occurs, the collision load may be distributed to the reinforcement 12 accommodated in the first cavity 21 of the side sill 11 and the roller guide track 51 attached to the second cavity 22 of the side sill 11, and the reinforcement 12 can absorb the transmitted collision load by deforming due to the transmitted collision load, and the roller guide track 51 moves toward the center side member 9 due to the transmitted collision load, so that the collision load is dissipated or absorbed through the center side member 9.

[0038] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a vehicle side sill structure 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 5, the side sill 11 may include an extension wall 36 extending from the interior side wall 32 toward the center of the center floor 2, and a reinforcing wall 37 extending from the extension wall 36 toward the center floor 2. The extension wall 36 and the reinforcing wall 37 may extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the extension wall 36 and the interior side wall 32 may be perpendicular to each other. In the embodiment of Fig. 5, the second flange is omitted, and the roles of the intermediate wall 35 and the center side member 9 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 can be replaced by the reinforcing wall 37 and the extension wall 36.

[0039] That is, the extension wall 36 may have a structure in which the intermediate wall 35 and the center side member 9 in FIG. 3 form a single body. The extension wall 36 may be located on the same plane as at least a part of the partition member 14. The extension wall 36 may have a length capable of covering a part of the upper surface of the battery case 6. The upper end of the reinforcing wall 37 may have a flange 37a, which may be joined to the bottom surface of the center floor 2 by welding or the like. Thus, the support rigidity and collision performance of the side sill 11 can be improved by the extension wall 36 and the reinforcing wall 37.

[0040] The extension wall 36 may extend horizontally between the upper wall 34 and the bottom wall 33. The extension wall 36 may be located higher than the upper surface of the battery case 6, and the edge of the battery case 6 may be located between the interior side wall 32 and the extension wall 36. As a result, the interior side wall 32 of the side sill 11 can cover the side of the battery case 6, and the extension wall 36 of the side sill 11 covers the upper surface edge of the battery case 6, so that the edge of the battery case 6 is safely protected by the side sill 11 and the extension wall 36. In this way, in the present invention, the edge of the battery case 6 of the battery assembly 5 is protected by the interior side wall 32 and the extension wall 36 of the side sill 11. Therefore, the width of the battery case 6 can be increased compared to the conventional technology, and the capacity of the battery assembly 5 is increased. In addition, with the increase in the width of the battery case 6, the height of the battery case 6 and the height of the center floor 2 can be reduced compared to the conventional technology, and the center floor 2 can be flattened, so that a sufficient passenger compartment of the vehicle can be secured.

[0041] 6 to 8 are diagrams showing a vehicle side sill structure 10 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, a step 60 for assisting getting on and off a vehicle may be attached to the second cavity 22 of the side sill 11, and the step 60 can move between a stored position (FIG. 6) in which the step 60 is stored in the second cavity 22 and a deployed position (FIG. 8) in which the step 60 is fully deployed from the second cavity 22 toward the outside of the vehicle. The step 60 may include a first step member 61 attached to the second cavity 22, a second step member 62 slidably and pivotably attached to the first step member 61, and a third step member 63 pivotably attached to the second step member 62.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 6, when the step 60 is in the stored position, the first step member 61, the second step member 62, and the third step member 63 may overlap each other and be stored in the second cavity 22. As shown in Fig. 7, when the step 60 is partially deployed from the second cavity 22, the second step member 62 may be slid toward the outside of the vehicle along the first step member 61. As shown in Fig. 8, when the step 60 is in the deployed position, the third step member 63 may be pivoted relative to the second step member 62, thereby horizontally spreading the third step member 63. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 1. Vehicle body 2 Center Floor 5 Battery Assembly 6 Battery case 7 Side Mount 8 Fasteners 9 Center side member 9a Front side member 9b Rear side member 10. Vehicle side sill structure 11 Side sill 11a First flange 11b Second flange 12 Reinforcement 12a First Part 12b Second Part 13 Aperture 14 Partition wall member 21 First Cavity 22 Second Cavity 31 Outdoor wall 32 Indoor wall 33 Bottom Wall 34 Upper wall 35 Intermediate Wall 36 Extension wall 37 Reinforced Wall 37a Flange 51 Roller guide track 60 Steps 61 First step member 62 Second step member 63 Third step member

Claims

1. a side sill coupled to an edge of the center floor and having a first cavity and a second cavity defined by a partition member; a reinforcing member that is accommodated in a first cavity of the side sill and is deformable by a collision load; a component received in the second cavity of the side sill; the second cavity is located above the first cavity; a battery case mounted under the center floor, the battery case having side mounts coupled to the stiffeners by fasteners; A side sill structure for a vehicle further including a center side member connected to a bottom surface of the center floor, the side sill having a first flange connected to an edge of the center floor and a second flange connected to the center side member.

2. The side sill structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first cavity and the reinforcing member are horizontally aligned with the battery case along a width direction of the vehicle.

3. The side sill structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the second cavity and the component are located higher than the battery case.

4. The side sill structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the side sill has an opening communicating with the second cavity.

5. The side sill includes an exterior wall facing toward the exterior of the vehicle, an interior wall facing toward the interior of the vehicle, a bottom wall connecting the exterior wall and the interior wall, an upper wall horizontally aligned with the center floor, and an intermediate wall extending toward the center side member, 2. The side sill structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first flange extends from the upper wall and the second flange extends from the intermediate wall.

6. The side sill structure for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the bottom wall is located above the side mount, and the intermediate wall is located higher than an upper surface of the battery case.

7. The side sill includes an exterior wall facing toward the exterior of the vehicle, an interior wall facing toward the interior of the vehicle, a bottom wall connecting the exterior wall and the interior wall, an upper wall horizontally aligned with the center floor, an extension wall extending toward the center of the center floor, and a reinforcing wall extending from the extension wall toward the center floor, The vehicle side sill structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing wall is connected to the center floor.

8. The side sill structure for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the bottom wall is located above the side mount, and the extension wall is located higher than an upper surface of the battery case.

9. The vehicle side sill structure according to claim 1, wherein the component is a roller guide track mounted in the second cavity.

10. The vehicle side sill structure according to claim 1 , wherein the component is a step configured to be accommodated or deployed in the second cavity.

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