Vehicle undercover structure

Abstract

To provide an undercover structure for a vehicle, by which shock or noise caused by foreign matter or obstacle colliding with the undercover is reduced and a battery pack is efficiently protected from the impact.SOLUTION: An undercover structure for a vehicle, according to the present invention, has an undercover covering a battery pack, located below a floor assembly of the vehicle, from below. The undercover has a front panel and a rear panel behind the front panel. A connection region connecting a rear end region of the front panel and a front end region of the rear panel is formed. The connection region is disposed further forward than the battery pack. The front panel has a body portion disposed along a horizontal direction of the vehicle; and a projecting portion deformed so as to project upward from this body portion. The projecting portion has one or more inclined surface portions formed so as to incline from an outer periphery toward an inner periphery in a plan view of the projecting portion as it extends from a lower position to a higher position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an undercover structure for a vehicle having an undercover that covers, from below, a battery pack that is located below a floor assembly of the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In vehicles configured to be driven by a motor, such as electric vehicles, a battery pack that supplies power to the motor is often disposed below a floor assembly. Such vehicles have an undercover that covers the battery pack from below to protect the battery pack. Taking into consideration its manufacturing efficiency, strength, and the like, the undercover is sometimes configured to connect a front panel and a rear panel that is located closer to the rear of the vehicle than the front panel.

[0003] One example of a vehicle undercover structure including an undercover is one in which a single undercover is configured to connect a front half (front panel) and a rear half (rear panel) that are divided into two parts, the connection between the front half and the rear half is arranged to pass under the battery pack, and the front half and the rear half of the undercover have flat plate portions (main body portions) that face the bottom surface of the battery pack (see, for example, Patent Document 1, particularly paragraphs

[0023] to

[0025] , Figures 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-147070 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the above example of the undercover structure, the main body portions of the front and rear panels of the undercover are simply formed flat, and foreign objects such as pebbles and muddy water kicked up by the wheels, particularly the front wheels, or obstacles such as sidewalk steps, curbs, and car stops that the vehicle runs over, tend to collide with the undercover from the front and below of the vehicle.

[0006] Therefore, the undercover in the example of the undercover structure may not be able to adequately absorb the impact caused by the collision of such a foreign object or obstacle. In this case, the undercover may not be able to adequately protect the battery pack. Furthermore, the collision of the foreign object or obstacle with the undercover may generate noise that is unpleasant to the occupants, mainly from the undercover.

[0007] In view of the above situation, it is desirable for a vehicle undercover structure to efficiently mitigate the impact and noise caused by the collision of a foreign object or obstacle with the undercover, and to efficiently protect the battery pack from such impact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the problem, one embodiment of the vehicle undercover structure includes an undercover that covers from below a battery pack that is located below a floor assembly of the vehicle, the undercover having a front panel and a rear panel that is located closer to the rear of the vehicle than the front panel, and a joint area is formed by joining the rear end region of the front panel in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and the front end region of the rear panel in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the joint area being located closer to the front of the vehicle than the battery pack, the front panel having a main body portion that is arranged along the horizontal direction of the vehicle and a convex portion deformed to protrude upward from the main body portion, and the convex portion has one or more inclined surface portions that are formed to slope from the outer periphery of the convex portion in a planar view toward the inner periphery as it moves from the bottom to the top. Effect of the Invention

[0009] In one embodiment of the vehicle undercover structure, the impact and noise caused by a foreign object or obstacle colliding with the undercover can be efficiently mitigated, and the battery pack can be efficiently protected from such impact. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view that shows, in schematic form, a vehicle having a vehicle undercover structure according to this embodiment, with its battery pack and undercover disassembled. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a bottom view that diagrammatically shows the vehicle undercover structure according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line YY in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line ZZ in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The vehicle undercover structure according to one embodiment will be described together with a vehicle provided with the same. The vehicle provided with the vehicle undercover structure according to this embodiment (hereinafter, simply referred to as the "undercover structure" as necessary) is an electric vehicle. However, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle other than an electric vehicle that can be provided with the undercover structure.

[0012] In Figs. 1 to 5 used in the description of this specification, directions based on the vehicle are indicated as follows. In Figs. 1 to 3 and 5, the front of the vehicle and the rear of the vehicle are indicated by a single-sided arrow F and a single-sided arrow B, respectively. In Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the left and right when facing the front of the vehicle are indicated by a single-sided arrow L and a single-sided arrow R, respectively. The width direction of the vehicle is indicated by a single-sided arrow L and a single-sided arrow R. Furthermore, in Figs. 1 and 3 to 5, the top and bottom of the vehicle are indicated by a single-sided arrow U and a single-sided arrow D, respectively.

[0013] In addition, the left and right directions refer to the left and right directions when facing the front of the vehicle. The horizontal direction refers to the direction along the front-rear and width directions of the vehicle. The upper and lower directions of the vehicle are sometimes simply called the upper and lower directions, respectively.

[0014] "Vehicle undercover structure and vehicle overview" An overview of a vehicle undercover structure 10 and a vehicle according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. That is, the vehicle undercover structure 10 and the vehicle according to this embodiment are generally configured as follows. As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle undercover structure 10 is provided on a vehicle. The vehicle has a battery pack 1 and a floor assembly 2. The battery pack 1 is located below the floor assembly 2. The undercover structure 10 has an undercover 11 that covers the battery pack 1 from below.

[0015] 2 and 3, the undercover 11 has a front panel 20 and a rear panel 30 located closer to the rear of the vehicle than the front panel 20. The undercover structure 10 is formed with a joining region 12 that joins a rear end region 21 of the front panel 20 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction and a front end region 31 of the rear panel 30 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 3, the joining region 12 is disposed closer to the front of the vehicle than the battery pack 1. As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the front panel 20 has a main body portion 22 disposed along the horizontal direction of the vehicle. The front panel 20 also has a convex portion 23 deformed so as to protrude upward from the main body portion 22. The convex portion 23 has one or more inclined surface portions 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d formed so as to incline from the outer periphery of the convex portion 23 toward the inner periphery in a plan view as it moves from the bottom to the top.

[0017] Furthermore, the vehicle undercover structure 10 and the vehicle according to the present embodiment can be generally configured as follows. As shown in Fig. 5, the multiple inclined surface portions 23a-23d include a front inclined surface portion 23a located toward the front end of the convex portion 23 in the vehicle front-rear direction. The multiple inclined surface portions 23a-23d include a rear inclined surface portion 23b located toward the rear end of the convex portion 23 in the vehicle front-rear direction. The inclination angle of the rear inclined surface portion 23b in the vertical direction is larger than the inclination angle of the front inclined surface portion 23a in the vertical direction.

[0018] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the floor assembly 2 has a floor tunnel 3 located approximately in the center in the vehicle width direction. This floor tunnel 3 is formed so as to bulge upward and extend in the vehicle front-rear direction. With reference to Figures 2 to 4, the front panel 20 has a plurality of convex portions 23. Each of the convex portions 23 is located on either side of the floor tunnel 3 in the vehicle width direction.

[0019] 5, the convex portion 23 has a top surface portion 23e located at its upper end. The top surface portion 23e is fastened to the floor assembly 2.

[0020] "Vehicle Details" 1 to 4, the vehicle can be specifically configured as follows. With reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 3, and Fig. 4, the battery pack 1 of the vehicle is configured to be capable of supplying power to a motor (not shown) used to drive the vehicle. Furthermore, the battery pack 1 is configured to be rechargeable.

[0021] 4, the battery pack 1 has a connector 1a connected to a high-voltage cable 1b configured to enable the battery pack 1 to supply power to the outside and receive power from the outside of the battery pack 1. Furthermore, the connector 1a is disposed so as to overlap with the floor tunnel 3 in the vehicle width direction.

[0022] 2 to 4, the floor assembly 2 has two floor panels 4 located on both sides of the floor tunnel 3 in the vehicle width direction. Referring to FIG. 4, the floor assembly 2 has two side cross members 5 located below the two floor panels 4. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the floor assembly 2 has a central cross member 6 located below the floor tunnel 3. The central cross member 6 extends to connect the two side cross members 5.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4, the floor tunnel 3 is formed to have a substantially hat-shaped cross section. The floor tunnel 3 has a top surface portion 3a located at its upper end. The floor tunnel 3 has two side surfaces 3b extending downward from both ends of the top surface portion 3a in the vehicle width direction. The two side surfaces 3b are formed so that the distance between the two side surfaces 3b increases from the top to the bottom. The floor tunnel 3 has two flange portions 3c protruding from the lower ends of the two side surfaces 3b toward both sides in the vehicle width direction.

[0024] Each flange portion 3c has a flange main body 3d extending in the projecting direction thereof. Each flange portion 3c also has a flange recessed area 3e located between the corresponding side portion 3b and the flange main body area 3d of the flange portion 3c in the projecting direction thereof and recessed downward with respect to the flange main body area 3d.

[0025] In the floor assembly 2, each floor panel 4 has an inner edge 4a located at its inner end in the vehicle width direction. The two flange portions 3c of the floor tunnel 3 are located above the inner edge portions 4a of the two floor panels 4, respectively. In this case, the inner edge portions 4a of the two floor panels 4 extend so as to cross the flange recessed areas 3e of the two flange portions 3c of the floor tunnel 3, respectively. However, the two flange portions of the floor tunnel can also be located below the inner edge portions of the two floor panels, respectively.

[0026] The flange body regions 3d of the two flange portions 3c in the floor tunnel 3 overlap the inner edge portions 4a of the two floor panels 4 in the vertical direction, respectively, and are joined by welding to the inner edge portions 4a of the two floor panels 4. The two side portions 3b in the floor tunnel 3 also overlap the inner edge portions 4a of the two floor panels 4 in the vertical direction, respectively, and are joined by welding to the inner edge portions 4a of the two floor panels 4. However, these joints can also be achieved by joining means other than welding.

[0027] 3, in the floor assembly 2, the two side cross members 5 and the central cross member 6 are aligned in the vehicle width direction. The two side cross members 5 and the central cross member 6 extend along the vehicle width direction. The two side cross members 5 and the central cross member 6 are positioned so as to overlap with the joining region 12 of the undercover 11 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0028] 4, the two side cross members 5 abut against the two floor panels 4 in the vertical direction, respectively, and are joined to the two floor panels 4 by welding, respectively. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the central cross member 6 abuts against the floor tunnel 3 in the vertical direction, and is joined to the floor tunnel 3 by welding. However, these joints can also be achieved by joining means other than welding.

[0029] "Details of vehicle undercover structure" 2 to 5, the vehicle undercover structure 10 can be configured in detail as follows. The front panel 20 has two side regions 24 located on both sides in the vehicle width direction with respect to the floor tunnel 3. Although not particularly clearly shown, the two side regions 24 are located below the driver's seat and the passenger seat, respectively. As shown in Fig. 3, the rear panel 30 abuts against the battery pack 1 in the up-down direction.

[0030] 2 and 3, the undercover 11 has two intermediate mounting portions 13 configured to mount its joining region 12 to the central cross member 6. The two intermediate mounting portions 13 are located outboard in the vehicle width direction relative to two front mounting portions 14, which will be described later. However, at least one of the two intermediate mounting portions may also be located between the two front mounting portions in the vehicle width direction. The undercover may have one or three or more intermediate mounting portions.

[0031] Specifically, each intermediate mounting portion 13 is configured to be fastened to the central cross member 6 by fastening means using bolts or screws and nuts, with the front end region 31 of the rear panel 30 and the rear end region 21 of the front panel 20 overlapping each other in the vertical direction. However, this fastening can also be achieved by fastening means other than fastening means using bolts or screws and nuts. The intermediate mounting portions can also use means other than the fastening means.

[0032] 2 to 5, the front panel 20 has one convex portion 23 located on one side of the floor tunnel 3 in the vehicle width direction, and one convex portion 23 located on the other side of the floor tunnel 3 in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the front panel 20 has two convex portions 23. The top surface portions 23e of the two convex portions 23 abut against the flange recessed areas 3e of the two flange portions 3c in the floor tunnel 3, respectively.

[0033] Furthermore, the undercover 11 has two front mounting parts 14 configured to respectively mount the top surface parts 23e of the two convex parts 23 to the flange concave areas 3e of the two flange parts 3c in the floor tunnel 3. The two front mounting parts 14 are configured to fasten the top surface parts 23e of the two convex parts 23 to the flange concave areas 3e of the two flange parts 3c by fastening means using bolts or screws and nuts. In other words, in each front mounting part 14, the top surface part 23e of the convex part 23 and the flange concave area 3e of the flange part 3c of the floor tunnel 3 that abuts against this top surface part 23e are fastened together by fastening means using bolts or screws and nuts.

[0034] Therefore, even if a foreign object E such as a pebble or muddy water kicked up from below the vehicle by the wheels, especially the front wheels, gets into the convex portion 23, the foreign object E is unlikely to come into contact with the fastening means located at the top surface 23e of the convex portion 23. As a result, it is possible to prevent impact and noise caused by the foreign object E colliding with the fastening means such as a bolt, a screw, or a nut. Furthermore, since the fastening means is located at the top surface 23e at the upper end of the convex portion 23, even when the vehicle runs on a flooded road, the fastening means is unlikely to come into contact with water, and as a result, it is possible to prevent corrosion of the fastening means. When viewed from the front of the vehicle, the connector 1a of the battery pack 1 is located between these two convex portions 23.

[0035] However, this fastening can also be achieved by fastening means other than fastening means using bolts or screws and nuts. Furthermore, the front panel can also have one or more convex parts located on one side of the vehicle width direction relative to the floor tunnel and one or more convex parts located on the other side of the vehicle width direction relative to the floor tunnel. In particular, the front panel can also have one or more convex parts fastened to one of the flange recessed areas of the two flange parts and one or more convex parts fastened to the other of the flange recessed areas of the two flange parts. The front panel can also have one or more convex parts fastened to the floor panel. The undercover can have one or three or more front mounting parts.

[0036] 2, the undercover 11 has a battery pack guard 15 located below the front end region 31 of the rear panel 30. The battery pack guard 15 is disposed adjacent to the joining region 12 of the undercover 11 in the vehicle front-rear direction. The battery pack guard 15 is disposed along the vehicle width direction. The battery pack guard 15 extends over the entire front end region 31 of the rear panel 30. The battery pack guard 15 can be formed in a pipe shape.

[0037] 4, each convex portion 23 has a left inclined surface portion 23c located toward the left end in the vehicle front-rear direction. Each convex portion 23 also has a right inclined surface portion 23d located toward the right end in the vehicle front-rear direction. In the front panel 20, the lower ends of the inclined surface portions 23a to 23d of each convex portion 23 are joined to the main body portion 22. In the front panel 20, each convex portion 23 is formed integrally with the main body portion 22.

[0038] As described above, the vehicle undercover structure 10 of this embodiment comprises an undercover 11 that covers from below the battery pack 1 that is located below the vehicle floor assembly 2, the undercover 11 having a front panel 20 and a rear panel 30 that is located closer to the rear of the vehicle than the front panel 20, and a joining region 12 that joins the rear end region 21 of the front panel 20 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and the front end region 31 of the rear panel 30 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is formed, the joining region 12 being positioned closer to the front of the vehicle than the battery pack 1, the front panel 20 having a main body portion 22 that is arranged along the horizontal direction of the vehicle and a convex portion 23 that is deformed so as to protrude upward from the main body portion 22, and the convex portion 23 has one or more inclined surface portions 23a-23d that are formed so as to incline from the outer periphery of the convex portion 23 in a plan view toward the inner periphery as it moves from the bottom to the top.

[0039] Generally, when a vehicle is traveling, foreign objects such as pebbles and muddy water kicked up from below the vehicle by the wheels, particularly the front wheels, or obstacles such as a step on a sidewalk, a curb, or a car stopper that the vehicle runs over, tend to collide with the front portion of the undercover in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the front and below of the vehicle. In contrast, in the undercover structure 10 according to this embodiment, the front panel 20 is disposed closer to the front of the vehicle than the battery pack 1, so that a space having a height equivalent to the thickness of the battery pack 1 can be formed between the front panel 20 and the floor assembly 2. Therefore, such a space can efficiently mitigate the impact from the undercover 11 toward the battery pack 1 caused by a foreign object E (shown in FIG. 5) or an obstacle from the front and below of the vehicle.

[0040] Moreover, the rigidity of the undercover 11 can be efficiently improved by the convex portion 23. In particular, as shown in Fig. 5, the inclined surface portions 23a to 23d of the convex portion 23 can allow the foreign object E to escape so as to prevent the foreign object E from repeatedly colliding with the undercover 11 as indicated by the one-sided arrow J. Therefore, according to the vehicle undercover structure 10 according to this embodiment, the impact and noise caused by the collision of the foreign object E or an obstacle can be efficiently mitigated. Furthermore, the battery pack 1 can be efficiently protected from such impact.

[0041] In the vehicle undercover structure 10 of this embodiment, the multiple inclined surface portions 23a-23d have a front inclined surface portion 23a located near the front end of the convex portion 23 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and a rear inclined surface portion 23b located near the rear end of the convex portion 23 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and the inclination angle of the rear inclined surface portion 23b in the vertical direction is greater than the inclination angle of the front inclined surface portion 23a in the vertical direction.

[0042] In such an undercover structure 10, the front inclined surface portion 23a and the rear inclined surface portion 23b of the convex portion 23 allow foreign object E from the front and below of the vehicle to efficiently escape so as to roll on the ground toward the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent foreign object E that has entered the convex portion 23 from repeatedly colliding with the convex portion 23. As a result, it is possible to prevent the generation of noise caused by such repeated collisions.

[0043] In the vehicle undercover structure 10 of this embodiment, the floor assembly 2 has a floor tunnel 3 located in the center of the vehicle width direction, the floor tunnel 3 is formed so as to bulge upward and extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the front panel 20 has a plurality of the convex portions 23, each of which is located on either side of the floor tunnel 3 in the vehicle width direction.

[0044] Generally, when a vehicle is traveling, foreign objects kicked up by the wheels, particularly the front wheels, tend to collide with the undercover, particularly the side portions of the front panel in the vehicle width direction, from the front, below, and outside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle. In contrast, in the undercover structure 10 according to this embodiment, the convex portion 23 is disposed in the side region 24 of the front panel 20 located on either side of the floor tunnel 3 in the vehicle width direction, and therefore the convex portion 23 can efficiently reduce the impact and noise caused by the collision of the foreign object E.

[0045] In the vehicle undercover structure 10 according to this embodiment, the convex portion 23 has a top surface portion 23e located at its upper end, and the top surface portion 23e is fastened to the floor assembly 2. In such an undercover structure 10, the rigidity of the undercover 11 can be efficiently improved by the convex portion 23 fastened to the floor assembly 2. Therefore, the impact and noise caused by the collision of a foreign object E or an obstacle can be efficiently mitigated.

[0046] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the present invention can be modified and changed based on the technical concept thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1... battery pack, 2... floor assembly, 3... floor tunnel 10... vehicle undercover structure (undercover structure), 11... undercover, 12... joining region 20...Front panel, 21...Rear end area, 22...Body portion, 23...Convex portion, 23a...Slope section, front slope section, 23b...Slope section, rear slope section, 23c...Slope section, left slope section 23d...Slope part, right slope part, 23e...Top part 30...rear panel, 31...front end region

Claims

1. an undercover that covers from below a battery pack that is located below a floor assembly of the vehicle; The undercover has a front panel and a rear panel located closer to the rear of the vehicle than the front panel, A joint region is formed by joining a rear end region of the front panel in a vehicle front-rear direction and a front end region of the rear panel in a vehicle front-rear direction, The coupling region is disposed closer to the front of the vehicle than the battery pack, The front panel has a main body portion disposed along the horizontal direction of the vehicle and a convex portion deformed so as to protrude upward from the main body portion, The convex portion has one or more inclined surface portions formed so as to be inclined from an outer periphery to an inner periphery in a plan view of the convex portion as it moves from a lower portion to an upper portion, The convex portion has a top surface portion located at an upper end thereof, The top surface portion is fastened to the floor assembly. Undercover structure for vehicle.

2. the plurality of inclined surface portions include a front inclined surface portion located near a front end of the convex portion in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a rear inclined surface portion located near a rear end of the convex portion in the vehicle front-rear direction, The vehicle undercover structure according to claim 1 , wherein an inclination angle of the rear inclined surface portion relative to the vertical direction is larger than an inclination angle of the front inclined surface portion relative to the vertical direction.

3. The floor assembly has a floor tunnel located at the center in the vehicle width direction, The floor tunnel is formed so as to bulge upward and extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the front panel having a plurality of said convex portions; The vehicle undercover structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the convex portions is located on both sides of the floor tunnel in a vehicle width direction.

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