Body structure

Abstract

To improve protection performance of a control device of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle body structure A includes: a floor panel 41 forming a floor of an occupant space; a center frame 80 which is disposed spaced apart from the floor panel 41 in an upward direction at a center part as seen in a vehicle width direction of the occupant space and extends in a vehicle anteroposterior direction; and a control device 130 which controls a part to be controlled mounted on a motor vehicle. The control device 130 is disposed below a vehicle front part of the center frame 80.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle body structure. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, electronic control of various parts of automobiles has progressed, and control devices including microcomputers that control multiple controlled units have become larger. Furthermore, automated driving, the incorporation of external communication functions, and the incorporation of entertainment functions have also spurred the increase in the size of control devices.

[0003] For example, in the automobile disclosed in Patent Document 1, the control device is disposed inside the instrument panel, below the top surface of the instrument panel and above the accelerator pedal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-35789 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, as mentioned above, vehicle control devices include microcomputers and the like, which make them vulnerable to high heat and shock, and so it is important to decide where to place them on the vehicle body. In this regard, Patent Document 1 places the control device below the top surface of the instrument panel, which is considered to be advantageous in that it is less likely to be exposed to direct sunlight.

[0006] However, assuming that an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, for example, the instrument panel of Patent Document 1 is not structured to be able to withstand loads in the front-to-rear direction, and therefore it is expected that the control device will not be adequately protected.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above points, and an object thereof is to improve the protection of a vehicle control device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present disclosure can be based on a vehicle body structure provided in an automobile. The vehicle body structure includes a floor panel that forms a floor of an occupant space where seats for occupants are provided, a center frame that is disposed above and spaced apart from the floor panel in the vehicle width direction center of the occupant space and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a control device that controls controlled units mounted on the automobile. The control device is disposed below the vehicle front portion of the center frame.

[0009] With this configuration, the control device is located below the center frame in the passenger space, so that direct sunlight from outside is blocked by the center frame and is less likely to reach the control device, allowing the control device to be located in a thermally advantageous location.

[0010] Furthermore, assuming that an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, because the center frame extends in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the center frame absorbs at least a portion of the impact load and suppresses deformation of the vehicle body in the vicinity. In other words, the control device disposed below the center frame is protected from the impact load from the front. The same applies to the impact load from the rear of the vehicle.

[0011] Furthermore, assuming that an impact load acts from the side of the vehicle, the control device is positioned to correspond to the center of the vehicle width, making it difficult for the impact load from the side to be transmitted directly to the control device, and the control device is protected from the impact load from the side.

[0012] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, the vehicle further includes an air conditioning unit provided in front of the center frame, and an air guide duct that connects an outlet portion of the air conditioning unit to an interior of the center frame formed hollow, and that introduces conditioned air blown out from the outlet portion into the interior of the center frame. The air guide duct can be disposed above the control device.

[0013] With this configuration, conditioned air generated by the air conditioning unit is introduced into the center frame through the air guide duct. Because the center frame extends in the fore-and-aft direction, the conditioned air can be guided to a desired location in the fore-and-aft direction in the passenger space. In this case, because the air guide duct is located above the control device, direct sunlight is also blocked by the air guide duct, making it even more difficult for the sunlight to reach the control device.

[0014] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, Extends downward from The instrument panel is located 。

[0015] In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the vehicle further includes a connecting member extending upward from the floor panel, having an upper portion fixed to the center frame, and connecting the center frame to the floor panel. The connecting member includes a first connecting member provided in front of the control device and a second connecting member provided in rear of the control device.

[0016] With this configuration, the first and second connecting members firmly connect the center frame to the floor panel at least at two locations. Because the control device is located between the first and second connecting members, it is less likely to be subjected to impact loads in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, further improving protection performance.

[0017] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the vehicle further includes a dash panel extending upward from a front portion of the floor panel and separating a front portion of the vehicle from the passenger space. In this case, the front portion of the center frame can be connected to the dash panel.

[0018] With this configuration, the impact load from the front of the vehicle is also absorbed by the dash panel, making it less likely that the impact load from the front of the vehicle will act on the control device, further improving protection performance.

[0019] A floor panel according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure has a cross member extending in the vehicle width direction so as to intersect with the center frame in a plan view in the passenger space, and the connecting member extends upward from the cross member, has an upper portion fixed to the center frame, and can connect the center frame to the cross member.

[0020] With this configuration, the cross member provided in the passenger compartment reinforces the vehicle body. The center frame, which is located above the floor panel, is connected to the cross member with a connecting member, increasing the strength of the vehicle body around the control device and further improving protection. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] As described above, since the vehicle control device is disposed below the center frame disposed above and spaced apart from the floor panel, the control device can be protected from heat and impact. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of an automobile equipped with a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the automobile is divided into an upper structure and a lower structure. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the vehicle body structure as seen from above. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the vehicle body structure. [Figure 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 4. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the passenger space side floor panel and its vicinity. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a seat rail and its vicinity. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing a portion of the seat rail and its vicinity. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a mounting portion of the seat rail and its vicinity. [Figure 12] 4 is a cross-sectional view of a bent portion of the center frame and its vicinity. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a front portion of a rear frame member that constitutes the center frame. [Figure 14] FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the connecting member as seen from another direction. [Figure 16] FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioning device and its vicinity. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a rear vehicle body structure in which the inclination angle of the center frame is increased. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the inclination angle of the center frame is increased. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dash panel and its vicinity as viewed from the rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cooling path. [Figure 22] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the layout of the cooling water supply pipes and discharge pipes. [Figure 23] FIG. 2 is a view showing the layout of the cooling water supply pipes and discharge pipes as viewed from the left side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0024] 1 is a side view of an automobile 1 equipped with a vehicle body structure A according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the left. In the description of this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the "longitudinal direction," the front side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the "front side," and the "rear side" of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the "rear." The width direction of the vehicle is the lateral direction of the vehicle, with the left side of the vehicle being simply referred to as the "left side" and the right side of the vehicle being simply referred to as the "right side."

[0025] (Overall structure of the vehicle) The automobile 1 is a passenger vehicle, and a passenger space R1 for passengers is provided in the middle of the automobile 1 in the longitudinal direction. The passenger space R1 is provided with front seats (front seats) FS constituting the front seats, and rear seats (rear seats) RS constituting the rear seats. The front seats FS include a driver's seat located on the right (or left) side of the passenger space R1, and a passenger seat located on the left (or right) side of the passenger space R1. Rear seats RS are also located on the right and left sides of the passenger space R1. Although not shown, a third row of seats may be provided behind the rear seats RS. Furthermore, the rear seats RS are not essential and may be omitted.

[0026] A front door FD and a rear door RD are disposed on the left and right sides of the passenger space R1, respectively. In the case of an automobile 1 without a rear seat RS, the rear door RD can be omitted.

[0027] A front space R2 is provided in front of the passenger space R1 of the automobile 1. A powertrain PT can be installed in this front space R2 as needed. When the powertrain PT is installed in the front space R2, the front space R2 can also be called, for example, a powertrain storage room, a motor room, an engine room, etc. A bonnet hood BF is provided at the top of the front space R2.

[0028] Behind the passenger space R1 of the automobile 1, there is provided a luggage space R3 capable of accommodating luggage and the like. The luggage space R3 can be opened and closed by a trunk lid TR. Behind the passenger space R1 of the automobile 1 and below the luggage space R3, there is provided a rear space R4. A powertrain PT that generates power for the automobile 1 can be installed in this rear space R4 as needed. When the powertrain PT is installed in the rear space R4, the rear space R4 can also be called, for example, a powertrain storage room, a motor room, an engine room, etc.

[0029] The powertrain PT may be mounted in both the front space R2 and the rear space R4, or in only one of them. If the powertrain PT is mounted only in the front space R2, the vehicle is a front-wheel drive vehicle in which the powertrain PT drives only the front wheels FT. If the powertrain PT is mounted only in the rear space R4, the vehicle is a rear-wheel drive vehicle in which the powertrain PT drives only the rear wheels RT. Furthermore, if the powertrain PT is mounted in both the front space R2 and the rear space R4 and drives the front wheels FT and the rear wheels RT, the vehicle is a four-wheel drive vehicle.

[0030] The powertrain PT includes at least a traction motor M (shown in FIG. 2) for driving the drive wheels, and may also include a reducer, a transmission, etc. as necessary. Therefore, the automobile 1 is an electric vehicle. The traction motor M is disposed so that its center of rotation extends in the left-right direction. In addition to the traction motor M, the powertrain PT may also include, for example, a control unit, etc. The powertrain PT may also include an internal combustion engine. A battery unit Y (also shown in FIG. 1) for supplying power to the traction motor M is mounted on the bottom of the automobile 1. For example, the battery unit Y may be charged using power generated by the internal combustion engine, or at least one of the front wheels FT and the rear wheels RT may be driven by power generated by the internal combustion engine.

[0031] The type of automobile 1 does not have to be a four-door vehicle as shown in Fig. 1 as an example, and may be, for example, an automobile without a rear door RD. Furthermore, although not shown, the present invention can also be applied to an automobile in which the rear space R4 can be opened and closed with a tailgate, such as a hatchback.

[0032] As shown in Figure 2, automobile 1 is equipped with a lower structure 2 and an upper structure 3, and the lower structure 2 and upper structure 3 constitute a vehicle body structure A. Figure 2 shows the upper structure 3 with the doors FD, RD, bonnet hood BF, fenders, windshield, roof, center pillars, rear pillars, bumpers, front and rear lighting devices, instrument panel, front and rear seats, etc., originally equipped on the upper structure 3, removed. Figure 2 also shows the lower structure 2 with the front wheels FT, rear wheels RT, suspension devices, etc., originally equipped on the lower structure 2, removed.

[0033] The lower structure 2 is equipped with a battery unit Y. The battery unit Y has a front battery FB, a rear battery RB, and a frame 10 that surrounds the front battery FB and the rear battery RB. The lower structure 2 also has a front support frame 20 that extends forward from the front of the frame 10, and a rear support frame 30 that extends rearward from the rear of the frame 10.

[0034] Although not shown, in the case of a typical electric vehicle, the battery unit is often separate from the vehicle body and is detachably attached under the floor. However, in this embodiment, not only are the batteries FB, RB integrated into the frame-type frame 10 that surrounds the batteries FB, RB, but the front support frame 20 and rear support frame 30 are also integrated into the frame-type frame 10, and the front support frame 20 and rear support frame 30, together with the batteries FB, RB, are detachably attached to the upper structure 3.

[0035] Specifically, the automobile 1 of this embodiment is configured to be separable into an upper and lower structure 2 having batteries FB, RB, and an upper structure 3 that forms the passenger space R1 and the luggage compartment space R3. Being separable into upper and lower structures means that the lower structure 2 is integrated with the upper structure 3 using fastening members such as bolts, nuts, and screws, without using welding, adhesives, or the like. This allows the lower structure 2 to be separated from the upper structure 3 as needed when performing maintenance or repairs on the automobile 1 after it has been delivered to the user, improving maintainability.

[0036] Here, a ladder frame type vehicle body structure is known as an automobile body structure. In the case of a ladder frame type vehicle body structure, the ladder frame can be separated into an upper and lower portion and a cabin. However, since the ladder frame extends continuously in the fore-and-aft direction, it mainly bears the collision load in the event of a frontal collision and a rearward collision. In the event of a side collision, the ladder frame only auxiliarily bears the collision load, and it is the cabin that mainly bears the collision load. In this way, in a ladder frame type vehicle body structure, the components that bear the collision load in the event of a frontal collision and a rearward collision and in the event of a side collision are usually separated.

[0037] In contrast, in the case of the automobile 1 of this embodiment, the lower structure 2 having the front support frame 20 and rear support frame 30 and the upper structure 3 are separable, but in the event of a frontal collision, a rear collision, or a side collision, the collision load is received by the lower structure 2 and the upper structure 3, and the collision load can be distributed and absorbed between the two structures 2, 3, which is a significant difference in technical concept from a conventional ladder frame type vehicle body structure. Below, the structures of the lower structure 2 and the upper structure 3 will be explained in order.

[0038] (undercarriage) First, we will explain the lower structure 2. In addition to the batteries FB, RB, the frame 10, the front support frame 20, and the rear support frame 30, the lower structure 2 also includes a power train PT, front wheels FT, rear wheels RT, and front suspension devices SP1, SP2 and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4 shown by imaginary lines in Fig. 4. There are no particular restrictions on the types of the front suspension devices SP1, SP2 and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4, and it is also possible to change the vehicle body structure depending on the types of the front suspension devices SP1, SP2 and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2 , the frame-type frame 10, which forms the framework of the battery unit Y, is a member for enclosing and protecting the front battery FB, the rear battery RB, harnesses, and the like. The frame-type frame 10 is formed large below a passenger-space-side floor panel 41 (described later), extending from near the left end to near the right end of the passenger-space-side floor panel 41 and from near the front end to near the rear end of the passenger-space-side floor panel 41. By providing the frame-type frame 10 over a wide area below the passenger-space-side floor panel 41 in this manner, it becomes possible to mount large-capacity batteries FB and RB in the automobile 1. The batteries FB and RB may be, for example, lithium-ion batteries, all-solid-state batteries, or other secondary batteries. The batteries FB and RB may also be so-called battery cells or battery packs containing multiple battery cells.

[0040] The frame 10 includes a left side member 11, a right side member 12, a front member 13, and a rear member 14. The left side member 11, the right side member 12, the front member 13, and the rear member 14 are made of, for example, an aluminum alloy extrusion, but may also be made of aluminum alloy plate material or press-formed steel plate material. In the following description, the term "extruded material" refers to an aluminum alloy extrusion material, and the term "press-formed material" refers to an aluminum alloy plate material or press-formed steel plate material. Furthermore, each member may be made of, for example, a casting, a die-cast, or the like.

[0041] The left side member 11, the right side member 12, the front member 13, and the rear member 14 all have rectangular cross-sectional shapes in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The left side member 11, the right side member 12, the front member 13, and the rear member 14 are all disposed at the same height and extend substantially horizontally. When joining the lower structure 2 to the upper structure 3, the front member 13 is fastened to the bottom of the dash panel 50 with fastening members, and the left side member 11 and the right side member 12 are fastened to the left and right side sills 60 with fastening members, respectively. The rear member 14 is fastened to a connection panel 43 (described later) with fastening members.

[0042] The left side member 11 is provided at the left end of the lower structure 2 and extends in the front-rear direction. The right side member 12 is provided at the right end of the lower structure 2 and extends in the front-rear direction. The left side member 11 and the right side member 12 are respectively disposed on the vehicle widthwise inner side of left and right side sills 60 (described later). The front member 13 is provided at the front of the battery unit Y and extends in the left-right direction from the front end of the left side member 11 to the front end of the right side member 12. The left end of the front member 13 is connected to the front end of the left side member 11, and the right end of the front member 13 is connected to the front end of the right side member 12. The rear member 14 is provided at the rear of the battery unit Y and extends in the left-right direction from the rear end of the left side member 11 to the rear end of the right side member 12. The left end of the rear member 14 is connected to the rear end of the left side member 11, and the right end of the rear member 14 is connected to the rear end of the right side member 12.

[0043] A cover member 15 serving as a bottom plate is attached to the lower part of the frame 10. The frame 10 is closed from below by the cover member 15. The cover member 15 extends substantially horizontally and is fixed to the lower surfaces of the left side member 11, the right side member 12, the front member 13, and the rear member 14, and is also fixed to a side sill 60 as described below. The upper part of the frame 10 may be closed by a lid (not shown) or by a passenger space side floor panel 41 (described below). Electric power from batteries FB, RB housed in the frame 10 is supplied to a driving motor M via a driving control circuit (not shown). Furthermore, the batteries FB, RB can be charged via a charging socket (not shown).

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a cross section of the center portion of the vehicle body structure A in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 5, first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are provided inside the frame 10 as reinforcing members extending in the left-right direction. The first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C all have the same height, which is the same as the height of the front member 13 and the rear member 14. The first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C may be made of extruded material or press-formed material. In this embodiment, three battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are provided, but the number of battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C can be increased or decreased depending on the longitudinal dimension of the frame 10.

[0045] The first to third battery-side cross members (battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, 10C) are spaced apart from one another in the front-to-rear direction, with the first battery-side cross member 10A positioned at the front and the third battery-side cross member 10C positioned at the rear. The lower portions of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, 10C are fixed to the upper surface of the cover member 15. The left ends of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, 10C are fixed to the inner surface (right side surface) of the left side member 11, and the right ends of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, 10C are fixed to the inner surface (left side surface) of the right side member 12. In other words, the battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, 10C are members that connect the left side member 11 and the right side member 12.

[0046] A front central member 16 and first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are provided inside the frame 10 as reinforcing members extending in the front-to-rear direction. The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 can also be called a battery frame extending in the front-to-rear direction, and the battery unit Y has a structure having a battery frame made up of the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19, etc. The battery frame may include a left side member 11, a right side member 12, a front member 13, and a rear member 14.

[0047] The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are disposed at approximately the same height and are provided in the center of the rectangular frame 10 in the left-right direction. The lower ends of the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are attached to the upper surface of the cover member 15. The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 extend from the front member 13 to the rear member 14.

[0048] The front central member 16 is disposed between the front member 13 and the first battery-side cross member 10A, with the front end of the front central member 16 fixed to the left-right center of the front member 13 and the rear end of the front central member 16 fixed to the left-right center of the first battery-side cross member 10A. Therefore, the front member 13 is a member that extends to connect the front ends of the left side member 11 and the right side member 12 to the front end of the front central member 16.

[0049] The first rear central member 17 is disposed between the first battery-side cross member 10A and the second battery-side cross member 10B, with the front end of the first rear central member 17 fixed to the left-right center of the first battery-side cross member 10A and the rear end of the first rear central member 17 fixed to the left-right center of the second battery-side cross member 10B. The second rear central member 18 is disposed between the second battery-side cross member 10B and the third battery-side cross member 10C, with the front end of the second rear central member 18 fixed to the left-right center of the second battery-side cross member 10B and the rear end of the second rear central member 18 fixed to the left-right center of the third battery-side cross member 10C. Furthermore, the third rear central member 19 is disposed between the third battery-side cross member 10C and the rear-side member 14, with the front end of the third rear central member 19 fixed to the left-right center of the third battery-side cross member 10C and the rear end of the third rear central member 19 fixed to the left-right center of the rear-side member 14. Therefore, the first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, 10C, the front central member 16, and the first to third rear central members 17-19 are arranged in a lattice pattern inside the frame-type frame 10 and connected to each other, further enhancing the reinforcing effect of the frame-type frame 10 and, ultimately, the reinforcing effect of the lower structure 2.

[0050] When an imaginary straight line is imagined extending in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view, the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 are positioned in the left-to-right direction so as to be located on that imaginary straight line. In other words, the first to third rear central members 17-19 are provided so as to be located on an imaginary extension line rearward of the front central member 16. The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 may also be configured as a single member that is continuous in the front-to-rear direction. In this case, one member would extend from the front member 13 to the rear member 14.

[0051] As shown in Fig. 2, a pair of left and right front support frames 20 are provided, and extend substantially horizontally and linearly below the upper structure 3. Each front support frame 20 can be made of, for example, an extruded material or a press-formed material. In this embodiment, since each front support frame 20 is made of an extruded material, the cross-sectional shape in the direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction is substantially uniform from the front end to the rear end.

[0052] The left front support frame 20 is connected to a portion of the front member 13 that constitutes the front part of the frame 10 that is shifted to the left of the center in the left-right direction, and this connection portion is located to the right of the left side member 11 of the frame 10. The right front support frame 20 is connected to a portion of the front member 13 that is shifted to the right of the center in the left-right direction, and this connection portion is located to the left of the right side member 12 of the frame 10. The left and right front support frames 20 have approximately the same height.

[0053] The front powertrain PT is attached to the front support frame 20 via a mount member (not shown). In this case, the front support frame 20 serves as a front motor support frame that supports the travel motor M in front of the battery unit Y. Drive shafts S1 are provided on the left and right of the lower structure 2 to transmit the output of the powertrain PT (the rotational force of the travel motor M) to the left and right front wheels FT, respectively.

[0054] 4, left and right suspension arms constituting part of the front suspension devices SP1 and SP2 are supported so as to be able to swing freely up and down relative to the left and right front support frames 20. The front support frames 20 may be members for supporting the suspension arms without supporting the powertrain PT.

[0055] 2, a pair of rear support frames 30 are provided on the left and right, similar to the front support frames 20, and extend rearward in a substantially horizontal straight line. Each rear support frame 30 can be made of, for example, an extruded material or a press-formed material. In this embodiment, each rear support frame 30 is made of an extruded material.

[0056] The left rear support frame 30 is connected to a portion of the rear member 14 that constitutes the rear part of the frame 10 that is shifted to the left of the center in the left-right direction, and this connection portion is located to the right of the left side member 11 of the frame 10. In addition, the right rear support frame 30 is connected to a portion of the rear member 14 that is shifted to the right of the center in the left-right direction, and this connection portion is located to the left of the right side member 12 of the frame 10.

[0057] The rear powertrain PT is attached to the rear support frame 30 via a mount member (not shown). In this case, the rear support frame 30 serves as a rear motor support frame that supports the travel motor M behind the battery unit Y. Drive shafts S2 are provided on the left and right sides of the lower structure 2 to transmit the output of the powertrain PT (the rotational force of the travel motor M) to the left and right rear wheels RT, respectively.

[0058] 4, left and right suspension arms constituting part of rear suspension units SP3 and SP4 are supported so as to be able to swing freely up and down relative to left and right rear support frames 30. The rear support frames 30 may be members for supporting the suspension arms without supporting the powertrain PT.

[0059] (superstructure) Next, the upper structure 3 will be described. The upper structure 3 includes a floor constituent member 40, a dash panel 50, and a pair of left and right side sills 60. The floor constituent member 40 is a member disposed above the frame-type frame 10 and rear support frame 30 of the lower structure 2. The floor constituent member 40 includes a passenger-space-side floor panel (first floor panel) 41 that constitutes the floor of the passenger space R1 in which the front seats FS and rear seats RS (shown in FIG. 1) on which passengers sit are provided, a luggage-space-side floor panel (second floor panel) 42 that constitutes the floor of the luggage space R3, and a connection panel 43 that connects the rear portion of the passenger-space-side floor panel 41 and the front portion of the luggage-space-side floor panel 42. The connection panel 43 constitutes a kick-up portion.

[0060] The floor structural member 40 can be formed, for example, from a member obtained by press-forming a steel plate or the like. The passenger space-side floor panel 41, the luggage space-side floor panel 42, and the connecting panel 43 may be integrally formed, or may be formed separately and then connected. In this embodiment, the passenger space-side floor panel 41, the luggage space-side floor panel 42, and the connecting panel 43 are described as being divided into three parts, but the floor structural member 40 including these panels 41 to 43 may also be called the floor panel. Alternatively, only the passenger space-side floor panel 41 may also be called the floor panel.

[0061] The passenger space-side floor panel 41 extends from the front to the rear of the passenger space R1 and from the left side to the right side of the passenger space R1. The passenger space-side floor panel 41 according to this embodiment has a floor tunnel-less structure, i.e., does not have a tunnel portion. That is, conventional automobile floor panels typically have a tunnel portion in the center of the vehicle width direction that bulges upward and extends in the front-to-rear direction. This tunnel portion is used, for example, to pass an exhaust pipe extending rearward from an engine mounted in an engine compartment at the front of the vehicle or a propeller shaft that transmits the output of the engine mounted in the engine compartment at the front of the vehicle to the rear wheels. The diameter of the exhaust pipe or propeller shaft is often 10 cm or more. Furthermore, to prevent interference between the exhaust pipe or propeller shaft and the floor panel, a gap of at least several centimeters is required between the exhaust pipe or propeller shaft and the floor panel. Furthermore, an insulator or the like may be provided on the inner surface of the tunnel portion. Due to these factors, the tunnel may bulge out from the floor panel by 15 cm or 20 cm, and in terms of its position relative to the seat, the upper end of the tunnel will be higher than the lower end of the seat cushion on the seat rail or the vertical center of the seat cushion. A structure without a tunnel that bulges out significantly upward like this is called a tunnel-less structure.

[0062] As described above, the passenger space side floor panel 41 does not have a tunnel portion with a height of 15 cm or more or 20 cm or more from the upper surface of the passenger space side floor panel 41. However, it may have a low bulge portion with a height of 5 cm or less or 10 cm or less from the upper surface of the passenger space side floor panel 41. Such a low bulge portion does not function as a tunnel portion because an exhaust pipe or a propeller shaft cannot be passed through it. Therefore, even if the passenger space side floor panel 41 has a low bulge portion with a height of 5 cm or less or 10 cm or less from the upper surface of the passenger space side floor panel 41, the floor panel is still a tunnel-less structure. The passenger space side floor panel 41 may also have ribs or the like that protrude upward and extend in the front-to-rear direction. Because the height of such ribs is only a few centimeters, the floor panel is still a tunnel-less structure even if it has ribs.

[0063] In this embodiment, because the powertrain PT includes the traction motor M, there is no need to mount an internal combustion engine in the front space R2, and therefore there is no need to lead the exhaust pipe to the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, if the powertrain PT is mounted in the rear space R4, the powertrain PT can also drive the rear wheels RT, eliminating the need for a propeller shaft. Therefore, the passenger space side floor panel 41 can have a tunnel-less structure.

[0064] As shown in Figure 3, a recess 41a that bulges downward is formed in the middle of the passenger space floor panel 41 in the front-to-rear direction. The recess 41a has a bottom surface 41b on which the feet of a rear seat occupant sitting in the rear seat RS can be placed. The bottom surface 41b is formed approximately horizontally. The front portion of the recess 41a is formed to gradually become deeper toward the rear. The recess 41a can be formed continuously from the left side to the right side of the passenger space floor panel 41.

[0065] The bottom surface 41b of the recess 41a is set to be substantially the same height as the lower portion of the side sill 60 (described later), thereby allowing the height of the bottom surface 41b to be sufficiently low. The longitudinal positional relationship between the recess 41a and the seat cushion of the rear seat RS is set so that when a rear seat occupant sitting in the rear seat RS places their feet directly below, their feet naturally rest on the bottom surface 41b. The position of the front of the recess 41a is set so that when a rear seat occupant sitting in the rear seat RS moves their feet diagonally forward, their feet rest on the bottom surface 41b. In other words, the position and longitudinal dimensions of the recess 41a are set so that the rear seat occupant's feet can rest on the bottom surface 41b even if they move their feet slightly forward or backward. This increases the foot space for the rear seat occupant, improving comfort. The depth of the recess 41a can be, for example, 5 cm or more or 10 cm or more.

[0066] A floor frame 41c extending in the front-rear direction is provided in the center of the recessed portion 41a in the left-right direction. The lower part of the floor frame 41c is fixed to the bottom surface portion 41b of the recessed portion 41a. By providing the floor frame 41c, it is possible to reinforce the portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41 where the recessed portion 41a is formed.

[0067] Additionally, a rear reinforcing member 47 extending in the front-to-rear direction is provided behind the recessed portion 41a of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The rear reinforcing member 47 is joined to the upper surface of the passenger space side floor panel 41. This rear reinforcing member 47 may be provided as needed, or may be omitted.

[0068] The luggage space-side floor panel 42 is positioned higher than the passenger space-side floor panel 41. The rear space R4 is located below the luggage space-side floor panel 42. In other words, the luggage space-side floor panel 42 is disposed so as to separate the luggage space R3 from the rear space R4. The front-rear dimension of the luggage space-side floor panel 42 is set shorter than the front-rear dimension of the passenger space-side floor panel 41.

[0069] Since the luggage space side floor panel 42 is disposed higher than the passenger space side floor panel 41, the connection panel 43 extends in the vertical direction. The connection panel 43 may be vertical, or may be inclined so that the upper side is positioned further rearward.

[0070] As also shown in Figure 7, the dash panel 50 is a component that serves as a partition between the front space R2 and the passenger space R1, and extends upward from the front of the passenger space side floor panel 41 and also extends in the left-right direction, separating the front of the passenger space R1.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 4 , the left and right side sills 60 are disposed so as to extend in the front-to-rear direction at both left and right end portions of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The left end portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41 is connected to the vertical middle portion of the left side sill 60, with the upper portion of the side sill 60 protruding upward from the connection portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41 and the lower portion of the side sill 60 protruding downward from the connection portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41. A battery unit Y including batteries FB, RB is disposed below the passenger space side floor panel 41, so that the lower portion of the side sill 60 overlaps with the batteries FB, RB in a side view of the vehicle. Similarly, the right side sill 60 is connected to the right end portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 3, the upper structure 3 is equipped with a pair of left and right hinge pillars 70. The right hinge pillar 70 extends upward from the front end of the right side sill 60. The left hinge pillar 70 also extends upward from the front end of the left side sill 60. Left and right front doors FD (shown in FIG. 1) are rotatably attached to the left and right hinge pillars 70, respectively. The left edge of the dash panel 50 is connected to the right side surface of the left hinge pillar 70. The right edge of the dash panel 50 is connected to the left side surface of the right hinge pillar 70. Although not shown, a center pillar, a rear pillar, etc. are also provided on the upper structure 3.

[0073] A left front wheel suspension support member 51A is provided on the left side of the upper structure 3, forward of the dash panel 50, supporting a suspension device (front suspension device) SP1 (shown by phantom lines in FIG. 4) for the left front wheel FT. Furthermore, a right front wheel suspension support member 51B is provided on the right side of the upper structure 3, forward of the dash panel 50, supporting a suspension device (front suspension device) SP2 (shown by phantom lines in FIG. 4) for the right front wheel FT. The type of suspension devices SP1 and SP2 is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, a suspension arm, shock absorbers, springs, etc. that support the front wheel FT so that it can swing freely up and down. The vehicle body-side ends of the suspension arms and the upper ends of the shock absorbers are attached to the front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B. The front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B may be made of, for example, aluminum die-cast, but are not limited to this and may also be made of a combination of steel plates, etc.

[0074] As shown in Figure 6 and other figures, three left-side fixing frames 52A for fixing a left front-wheel suspension support member 51A are provided on the left side forward of the dash panel 50. The three left-side fixing frames 52A are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and the front portions of the three left-side fixing frames 52A are fixed to the front-wheel suspension support member 51A. Meanwhile, the rear portions of the uppermost and vertically intermediate left-side fixing frames 52A are fixed to the left hinge pillar 70 or the left side of the dash panel 50. Furthermore, the rear portion of the lowest left-side fixing frame 52A is fixed to the left side sill 60.

[0075] As only a portion of the right side is shown in Figure 3, three right side fixing frames 52B for fixing a right front wheel suspension support member 51B are provided on the right side, forward of the dash panel 50. The three right side fixing frames 52B are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and the front portions of the three right side fixing frames 52B are fixed to the front wheel suspension support member 51B. Meanwhile, the rear portions of the uppermost and vertically intermediate right side fixing frames 52B are fixed to the right hinge pillar 70 or the right side of the dash panel 50. Furthermore, the rear portion of the lowest right side fixing frame 52B is fixed to the right side sill 60.

[0076] 2, a left-side crash can 53A extending forward is fixed to the front portion of the left front wheel suspension support member 51A. A right-side crash can 53B extending forward is fixed to the front portion of the right front wheel suspension support member 51B. Bumper reinforcements 140 extending in the left-right direction are attached to the front portions of the left and right crash cans 53A, 53B.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 4 , the upper structure 3 includes a left front frame 54A and a right front frame 54B. Specifically, the left front frame 54A connects the front portion of a center frame 80 (described later) to a left front-wheel suspension support member 51A, and the right front frame 54B connects the front portion of the center frame 80 to a right front-wheel suspension support member 51B. The left front frame 54A is inclined so that it is positioned more leftward toward the front. The right front frame 54B is inclined so that it is positioned more rightward toward the front. Connecting the left and right front-wheel suspension support members 51A, 51B to the front portion of the center frame 80 increases the rigidity of the front-wheel suspension support members 51A, 51B, improving vehicle handling stability. This also increases the rigidity of the front side of the vehicle, including the area around the dash panel 50.

[0078] The upper structure 3 includes a left rear side frame 112A that extends in the front-to-rear direction on the left side and rear of the rear portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41, and a right rear side frame 112B that extends in the front-to-rear direction on the right side and rear of the rear portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41. A front portion of the left rear side frame 112A is connected to the rear portion of the left side sill 60. A front portion of the right rear side frame 112B is connected to the rear portion of the right side sill 60. A front-to-rear intermediate portion of the left rear side frame 112A and a front-to-rear intermediate portion of the right rear side frame 112B are connected by a luggage compartment side cross member (connecting member) 105 that extends in the left-right direction.

[0079] A left rear wheel suspension support member 110A is provided on the left side of the upper structure 3, rear of the connecting panel 43, which supports a suspension device (rear suspension device) SP3 (shown by phantom lines in FIG. 4) for the left rear wheel RT. The rear wheel suspension support member 110A is fixed to the left rear side frame 112A. Furthermore, a right rear wheel suspension support member 110B is provided on the right side of the upper structure 3, rear of the connecting panel 43, which supports a suspension device (rear suspension device) SP4 (shown by phantom lines in FIG. 4) for the right rear wheel RT. The rear wheel suspension support member 110B is fixed to the right rear side frame 112B. The type of suspension devices SP3 and SP4 is not particularly limited, but may, for example, include a suspension arm, shock absorber, spring, etc. that support the rear wheel RT so that it can swing freely up and down.

[0080] The upper parts of the springs and shock absorbers of the left suspension unit SP3 are connected to the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A is a left load input part 110a to which the load from the springs and shock absorbers is input. The upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B is connected to the upper parts of the springs and shock absorbers of the right suspension unit SP4. The upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B is a right load input part 110b to which the load from the springs and shock absorbers is input. The left load input part 110a and the right load input part 110b are also fixed to both the left and right sides of the luggage space side floor panel 42. The left load input part 110a and the right load input part 110b are further connected by a luggage space side cross member 105. The luggage compartment side cross member 105 is joined to the upper surface of the luggage compartment side floor panel 42, and the luggage compartment side floor panel 42 and the luggage compartment side cross member 105 form a closed cross-sectional structure extending in the vehicle width direction.

[0081] 2, a rear cross member 44E is provided below the left load input portion 110a and the right load input portion 110b. The rear cross member 44E is joined to the rear portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41.

[0082] The upper structure 3 can be divided into, for example, a front body structure and a rear body structure. As shown in FIG. 4, the rear side of the passenger space side floor panel 41 of the upper structure 3 can be the rear body structure. A left rear frame 111A that connects the rear portion of the center frame 80 to the left rear wheel suspension support member 110A, and a right rear frame 111B that connects the rear portion of the center frame 80 to the right rear wheel suspension support member 110B are provided rearward of the connecting panel 43 of the upper structure 3. Connecting the left and right rear wheel suspension support members 110A, 110B to the rear portions of the center frame 80 increases the rigidity of the rear wheel suspension support members 110A, 110B, respectively, improving the handling stability of the vehicle. At the same time, the rigidity of the rear side of the vehicle, including the periphery of the connecting panel 43, can also be increased.

[0083] The left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B are disposed below the luggage space-side floor panel 42. As shown in FIG. 6, the rear portion of the left rear frame 111A is fixed to the upper portion of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A, i.e., the left load input portion 110a. The left rear frame 111A is inclined in a side view so that it is positioned lower as it extends forward from the upper portion of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A, and is inclined in a plan view so that it approaches the center in the vehicle width direction as it extends forward, as shown in FIG. 4. The rear portion of the right rear frame 111B is fixed to the upper portion of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B, i.e., the right load input portion 110b. The right rear frame 111B is inclined in a side view so that it is positioned lower as it extends forward from the upper portion of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B, and is inclined in a plan view so that it approaches the center in the vehicle width direction as it extends forward, as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, the left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B are positioned so that they are positioned further outward in the vehicle width direction as they move toward the rear, and the distance between the left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B becomes narrower as they move toward the front.

[0084] In addition, the rear portion of the left rear frame 111A is also connected to the longitudinal middle portion of the left rear side frame 112A. As a result, the left rear frame 111A extends from the rear portion of the center frame 80 to the left rear side frame 112A, and serves as a left-side connecting frame that connects the rear portion of the center frame 80 and the left rear side frame 112A. The left rear frame 111A is also a left-side rear connecting frame that connects the left load input portion 110a and the rear cross member 44E. In other words, the front portion of the left rear frame 111A is also fixed to the left load input portion 110a, and the rear portion of the left rear frame 111A is also fixed to the rear cross member 44E.

[0085] In addition, the rear portion of the right rear frame 111B is also connected to the longitudinal middle portion of the right rear side frame 112B. As a result, the right rear frame 111B extends from the rear portion of the center frame 80 to the right rear side frame 112B, and serves as a right-side connecting frame that connects the rear portion of the center frame 80 and the right rear side frame 112B. The right rear frame 111B is also a right-side rear connecting frame that connects the right load input portion 110b and the rear cross member 44E. In other words, the front portion of the right rear frame 111B is also fixed to the right load input portion 110b, and the rear portion of the right rear frame 111B is also fixed to the rear cross member 44E.

[0086] The left rear frame 111A is disposed so as to incline upward toward the left load input portion 110a. Therefore, the upward load from rear suspension unit SP3 is input to the left rear frame 111A in a tensile direction, making the left rear frame 111A less likely to bend and deform than when a compressive load is input. This reduces vibrations and noise caused by the load input from rear suspension unit SP3. The same is true for the right rear frame 111B.

[0087] The left rear frame 111A is disposed in front of the left rear drive shaft S2. When viewed from the front-to-rear direction, the left rear drive shaft S2 is disposed so as to overlap a portion of the left rear frame 111A. Specifically, the height of the left-to-right middle portion of the left rear drive shaft S2 is approximately the same as the height of the portion between the front and rear portions of the left rear frame 111A.

[0088] Additionally, the right rear frame 111B is disposed in front of the right rear drive shaft S2. When viewed from the front-to-rear direction, the right rear drive shaft S2 is disposed so as to overlap a portion of the right rear frame 111B. Specifically, the height of the middle portion of the right rear drive shaft S2 in the left-to-right direction is approximately the same as the height of the portion between the front and rear portions of the right rear frame 111B.

[0089] 3 and 6, the passenger space-side floor panel 41 has a front cross member 44A, an intermediate cross member 44B, a recessed portion front cross member 44C, a recessed portion rear cross member 44D, and a rear cross member 44E. The front cross member 44A, the intermediate cross member 44B, the recessed portion front cross member 44C, the recessed portion rear cross member 44D, and the rear cross member 44E extend in the left-right direction and are fixed to the upper surface of the passenger space-side floor panel 41. Therefore, the front cross member 44A, the intermediate cross member 44B, the recessed portion front cross member 44C, the recessed portion rear cross member 44D, and the rear cross member 44E are arranged in the passenger space R1 so as to intersect with a center frame 80 (described later) in a plan view.

[0090] The front cross member 44A is disposed in front of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The front portion of the front cross member 44A is also joined to the lower portion of the dash panel 50. The intermediate cross member 44B is disposed rearward of the front cross member 44A and forward of the recessed portion 41a, and the intermediate cross member 44B and the passenger space side floor panel 41 form a closed cross section. The rear cross member 44E is disposed rearward of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The rear cross member 44E is also fixed to the connecting panel 43.

[0091] The recessed portion front cross member 44C is disposed rearward of the intermediate cross member 44B and extends in the left-right direction along the front portion of the recessed portion 41a. The recessed portion rear cross member 44D is disposed rearward of the recessed portion front cross member 44C and extends in the left-right direction along the rear portion of the recessed portion 41a. The recessed portion front cross member 44C and the passenger space side floor panel 41 form a closed cross section, and the recessed portion rear cross member 44D and the passenger space side floor panel 41 also form a closed cross section. The recessed portion front cross member 44C and the protruding portion rear cross member 44D reinforce the portion where the recessed portion 41a is formed. The front portion of the floor frame 41c disposed inside the recessed portion 41a is connected to the left-right center portion of the recessed portion front cross member 44C, and the rear portion of the floor frame 41c is connected to the left-right center portion of the recessed portion rear cross member 44D.

[0092] 8, the upper structure 3 is equipped with a pair of left seat rails 90 (left and right) that support the left front seat FS, and a pair of right seat rails 91 (left and right) that support the right front seat FS. The left seat rail 90 is used to adjust the fore-and-aft position of the left front seat FS, and is disposed on the left side of the passenger space side floor panel 41 and extends in the fore-and-aft direction. The right seat rail 91 is used to adjust the fore-and-aft position of the right front seat FS, and is disposed on the right side of the passenger space side floor panel 41 and extends in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0093] The left seat rail 90 is positioned above the intermediate cross member 44B and the recessed portion-front cross member 44C, and is attached to the intermediate cross member 44B and the recessed portion-front cross member 44C. That is, as also shown in Figure 9, the left seat rail 90 extends from the intermediate cross member 44B to the recessed portion-front cross member 44C, with the front portion of the left seat rail 90 attached to the intermediate cross member 44B and the rear portion of the left seat rail 90 attached to the recessed portion-front cross member 44C.

[0094] Similarly, the right seat rail 91 extends from the intermediate cross member 44B to the cross member 44C in front of the recess, with the front portion of the right seat rail 91 attached to the intermediate cross member 44B and the rear portion of the right seat rail 91 attached to the cross member 44C in front of the recess.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 10 , the intermediate cross member 44B has a front common bracket 45 to which the front portion of the left seat rail 90 and the front portion of the right seat rail 91 are attached while being spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. Note that the center frame 80 is omitted from FIG. 10 . As shown in FIG. 11 , the front common bracket 45 is elongated in the left-right direction and is fixed to the upper surface of the intermediate cross member 44B. The left-right center of the front common bracket 45 is located at the left-right center of the intermediate cross member 44B. The left-right center of the front common bracket 45 is provided with a central fixing portion 45a (shown only in FIGS. 10 and 11 ), into which the lower portion of a second connecting member 102 (described later) is inserted. To the left of the central fixing portion 45a of the front common bracket 45, a left fixing portion 45b (shown only in FIGS. 4 and 11 ) is provided to which the front portion of the left seat rail 90 is fixed with a fastening member (not shown), such as a bolt or a screw. A right fixing portion 45c (shown only in FIGS. 4 and 11) to which the front portion of the right seat rail 91 is fixed by a fastening member (not shown) is provided to the right of the central fixing portion 45a of the front common bracket 45. Note that the seat rail is omitted from FIGS. 3 to 5 and 11.

[0096] The recessed portion-front cross member 44C also has a rear common bracket 46 to which the rear portions of the left seat rail 90 and the right seat rail 91 are attached with a space between them in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 11 , the rear common bracket 46 is elongated in the left-right direction and is fixed to the upper surface of the recessed portion-front cross member 44C. The left-right center of the rear common bracket 46 is located in the left-right center of the recessed portion-front cross member 44C. The left-right center of the rear common bracket 46 is provided with a central fixing portion 46a (shown only in FIGS. 10 and 11 ), into which a lower portion of a connecting member (described later) is inserted and fixed. To the left of the central fixing portion 46a of the rear common bracket 46, a left fixing portion 46b (shown only in FIGS. 4 and 11 ) is provided, to the left of which the rear portion of the left seat rail 90 is fixed by a fastening member (not shown). To the right of the central fixing portion 46a of the rear common bracket 46 is provided a right fixing portion 46c (shown only in Figures 4 and 11) to which the rear portion of the right seat rail 91 is fixed by a fastening member (not shown).

[0097] 8 and other figures, the upper structure 3 is provided with a center frame 80 that continues from the dash panel 50 to the connection panel 43. This center frame 80 is located in the center in the left-right direction, and the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 of the battery unit Y are also located in the center in the left-right direction. In other words, the positions of the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 and the center frame 80 are set so that the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 and the center frame 80 overlap each other in a plan view.

[0098] The center frame 80 is disposed above and spaced apart from the passenger space-side floor panel 41 in the left-right center of the passenger space R1, and extends in the front-rear direction. The distance between the lower surface of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger space-side floor panel 41 can be set to, for example, 10 cm or more or 20 cm or more at its farthest point. The left front seat FS and rear seat RS are disposed to the left of the center frame 80, while the right front seat FS and rear seat RS are disposed to the right of the center frame 80.

[0099] By disposing the center frame 80 above and spaced apart from the passenger-space-side floor panel 41, components, etc., can be disposed between the lower surface of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger-space-side floor panel 41. The space between the lower surface of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger-space-side floor panel 41 can also be used as an item storage area. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the center frame 80 according to this embodiment has a bent portion 80A that bends vertically in the middle portion in the front-to-rear direction. Providing the bent portion 80A in the center frame 80 allows, for example, the rear portion of the center frame 80 to be lower than the front portion of the center frame 80, thereby improving the comfort of rear seat passengers. Furthermore, since the front portion of the center frame 80 can be higher than the rear portion of the center frame 80, it is possible to dispose large components, objects, or multiple components below the front portion of the center frame 80. The bent portion 80A is formed in a portion forward of the center portion in the front-to-rear direction of the center frame 80. The position where the bent portion 80A is formed is not limited to the position shown in the figure, but may be, for example, the center of the center frame 80 in the front-to-rear direction, or may be a portion closer to the rear than the center of the center frame 80 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0100] That is, the center frame 80 has a front frame member 81 extending in the fore-and-aft direction, a rear frame member 82 disposed rearward of the front frame member 81 and extending rearward, and a connecting member 83 connecting the rear portion of the front frame member 81 and the front portion of the rear frame member 82. The front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 are hollow, i.e., cylindrical and extending in the fore-and-aft direction, and can be made of, for example, extruded material. Making the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 hollow results in lightweight, highly rigid members. When the center frame 80 is used as a blower for conditioned air, as described below, the rear portion of the rear frame member 82 may be closed to prevent leakage of conditioned air.

[0101] The vertical cross sections of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 taken along the vehicle width direction are rectangular, and therefore the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 have upper and lower wall sections extending in the left-right direction, and left and right side wall sections extending in the up-down direction. The cross-sectional shapes of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 are not limited to rectangular, and may be polygonal with pentagons or more sides, or may be circular or elliptical.

[0102] The longitudinal dimension of the rear frame member 82 is set to be longer than the longitudinal dimension of the front frame member 81. Therefore, the connection portion between the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 is located forward of the center of the passenger space R1 in the fore-and-aft direction. Note that the center frame 80 is not limited to a two-piece structure consisting of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82, and may be configured as a single member from the front to the rear, or may have a three-piece structure.

[0103] The front frame member 81 is inclined at a first inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane and extends linearly. On the other hand, the rear frame member 82 is inclined at a second inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane that is smaller than the first inclination angle and extends linearly. In other words, the rear frame member 82 is inclined at an inclination angle different from that of the front frame member 81, thereby forming a bent portion 80A that bends downward at the connection portion between the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82. In this embodiment, the rear frame member 82 is arranged so that it inclines downward toward the rear. Note that the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 may have the same inclination angle. In this case, the bent portion 80A is not formed.

[0104] As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , a first partition wall 82a is provided inside the rear frame member 82, extending in the vehicle width direction and the front-rear direction to divide the interior space into an upper passage and a lower passage. Furthermore, a second partition wall 82b is provided inside the rear frame member 82, extending in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction to divide the interior space into a left passage on the left side in the vehicle width direction and a right passage on the right side in the vehicle width direction. The first partition wall 82a and the second partition wall 82b are integrally molded. The first partition wall 82a and the second partition wall 82b form four passages inside the rear frame member 82, namely, an upper-left passage T11, an upper-right passage T12, a lower-left passage T13, and a lower-right passage T14. The first partition wall 82a and the second partition wall 82b function as ribs provided inside the center frame 80. The first partition wall portion 82a and the second partition wall portion 82b may be provided as needed, and one or both of them may be omitted. Also, three or more partition wall portions may be provided.

[0105] Similarly to the interior of the rear frame member 82, a first partition wall portion 81a is also provided inside the front frame member 81 so as to extend in the vehicle width direction and the front-rear direction, and this first partition wall portion 81a divides the internal space of the front frame member 81 into an upper passage and a lower passage. Also provided inside the front frame member 81 is a second partition wall portion 81b that divides the interior space into a left passage on the left side in the vehicle width direction and a right passage on the right side in the vehicle width direction. Similar to the interior of the rear frame member 82, an upper-left passage T11, an upper-right passage T12, a lower-left passage T13, and a lower-right passage T14 are formed inside the front frame member 81 by the first partition wall portion 81a and the second partition wall portion 81b.

[0106] As shown in FIGS. 14 to 16 , the connecting member 83 is tubular and connects the rear portion of the front frame member 81 and the front portion of the rear frame member 82 so that they can communicate with each other. The rear portion of the front frame member 81 and the front portion of the rear frame member 82 are connected by being inserted into the connecting member 83. Specifically, the connecting member 83 has an upper wall portion 83a and a lower wall portion 83b that extend in the left-right direction, and a left wall portion 83c and a right wall portion 83d that extend in the up-down direction. The upper wall portion 83a extends from an upper portion of the left wall portion 83c to an upper portion of the right wall portion 83d, and the lower wall portion 83b extends from a lower portion of the left wall portion 83c to a lower portion of the right wall portion 83d. The dimension of the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83 in the front-to-rear direction is set to be longer than the dimension of the upper wall portion 83a in the front-to-rear direction. To correspond to the difference in the front-rear dimensions of the upper wall portion 83a and the lower wall portion 83b, the front-rear dimensions of the left wall portion 83c and the right wall portion 83d become longer as they go downward.

[0107] A first connecting wall portion 83e extending in the left-right direction from the vertical middle portion of the left wall portion 83c to the vertical middle portion of the right wall portion 83d, and a second connecting wall portion 83f extending from the horizontal middle portion of the upper wall portion 83a to the horizontal middle portion of the lower wall portion 83b are provided inside the connecting member 83. The first connecting wall portion 83e and the second connecting wall portion 83f are integrally molded with the upper wall portion 83a, the lower wall portion 83b, the left wall portion 83c, and the right wall portion 83d.

[0108] A front notch 83g into which the rear portion of the front frame member 81 is inserted is formed on the front side of the second connecting wall portion 83f. Furthermore, a rear notch 83h into which the front portion of the rear frame member 82 is inserted is formed on the rear side of the second connecting wall portion 83f. When the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 are connected by the connecting member 83, the upper-left passage T11, the upper-right passage T12, the lower-left passage T13, and the lower-right passage T14 of the front frame member 81 communicate with the upper-left passage T11, the upper-right passage T12, the lower-left passage T13, and the lower-right passage T14 of the rear frame member 82, respectively.

[0109] The bent portion 80A can be provided without using the connecting member 83. In this case, the bent portion 80A of the center frame 80 can be formed by bending the center frame 80. For example, the bending process may be performed simultaneously with the extrusion process of the center frame 80, or the bending process may be performed after the extrusion process.

[0110] 17, the upper structure 3 is equipped with an air conditioner 120 that generates conditioned air to be blown into the passenger space R1. The air conditioner 120 is disposed forward of the front portion of the front frame member 81, and is located in front of the center frame 80. Details of the air conditioner 120 will be described later.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 20 , the center frame 80 includes a left frame component 84A and a right frame component 84B that form the front portion of the center frame 80, resulting in a bifurcated shape in the left-right direction. The left frame component 84A and the right frame component 84B are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The rear portion of the left frame component 84A is fixed to the left side surface of the front frame component 81 at the midpoint in the fore-aft direction. The left frame component 84A is inclined in a plan view so that it is positioned more to the left as it moves forward from its fixed portion to the front frame component 81. The front portion of the left frame component 84A is connected to a portion of the dash panel 50 that is spaced upward from the passenger space-side floor panel 41. The rear portion of the left front frame 54A is connected to the front portion of the left frame component 84A. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 20 , the rear portion of the left front frame 54A has a left connection portion 54a. The left connecting portion 54a is a member for connecting the left front frame 54A to the front portion of the left frame constituent member 84A, and is fixed to the dash panel 50. The front portion of the left front frame 54A extends to the left front wheel suspension support member 51A and is fixed to the left front wheel suspension support member 51A.

[0112] The rear portion of the right frame component 84B is fixed to the right side surface of the front frame member 81 at the midpoint in the fore-and-aft direction. The right frame component 84B is inclined in a plan view so that it is positioned more to the right as it moves forward from the portion where it is fixed to the front frame member 81. The front portion of the right frame component 84B is connected to a portion of the dash panel 50 that is spaced above the passenger space-side floor panel 41. The rear portion of the right front frame 54B (shown in FIG. 4) is connected to the front portion of the right frame component 84B. Specifically, the rear portion of the right front frame 54B has a right connecting portion 54b as shown in FIG. 20. The right connecting portion 54b is a member for connecting the right front frame 54B to the front portion of the right frame component 84B and is fixed to the dash panel 50. The front portion of the right front frame 54B extends to the right front wheel suspension support member 51B and is fixed to the right front wheel suspension support member 51B.

[0113] The upper structure 3 is equipped with a plurality of connecting members 101-103. The connecting members 101-103 extend upward from the passenger space side floor panel 41, have their upper portions fixed to the center frame 80, and are members for connecting the center frame 80 to the passenger space side floor panel 41. The connecting members 101-103 include a first connecting member 101, a second connecting member 102, and a third connecting member 103, which are made of, for example, an extruded material. The number of connecting members 101-103 is not limited to multiple and may be one.

[0114] Of the first to third connecting members 101 to 103, the first connecting member 101 is disposed furthest forward in the passenger space R1, and is spaced rearward from the dash panel 50. A lower portion of the first connecting member 101 is fixed to a portion of the passenger space-side floor panel 41 that is spaced rearward from the dash panel 50, and an upper portion of the first connecting member 101 is fixed to a portion of the center frame 80 that is spaced rearward from the dash panel 50. As a result, the center frame 80, the first connecting member 101, the passenger space-side floor panel 41, and the dash panel 50 form a closed cross-sectional structure in a side view. In other words, the center frame 80, the first connecting member 101, the passenger space-side floor panel 41, and the dash panel 50 are connected to form a ring-shaped structure.

[0115] 3 and other figures, the second connecting member 102 is disposed rearward and spaced apart from the first connecting member 101. The lower portion of the first connecting member 101 and the lower portion of the second connecting member 102 are fixed to positions spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The upper portion of the first connecting member 101 and the upper portion of the second connecting member 102 are fixed to positions spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction of the center frame 80. Therefore, the center frame 80, the first connecting member 101, the passenger space side floor panel 41, and the second connecting member 102 form a closed cross-sectional structure in side view. The third connecting member 103 is disposed rearward and spaced apart from the second connecting member 102.

[0116] As shown in FIG. 20 , the first connecting member 101 has a left-side member (left-side connecting member) 101A and a right-side member (right-side connecting member) 101B. The lower portions of the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B are fixed to the front cross member 44A, but may also be fixed directly to the main body of the passenger space-side floor panel 41. The left-side member 101A extends upward from the front cross member 44A at an angle in a front view so that the upper portion is positioned further left. The upper portion of the left-side member 101A is fixed to the front portion of the left frame component member 84A of the center frame 80. The upper portion of the left-side member 101A may also be fixed to the left connection portion 54a. In this case, the left-side member 101A connects the left connection portion 54a and the passenger space-side floor panel 41.

[0117] The right-side member 101B extends upward from the front cross member 44A at an angle in a front view so that the upper portion is positioned further to the right. The upper portion of the right-side member 101B is fixed to the front portion of the right frame component 84B of the center frame 80. The upper portion of the right-side member 101B may be fixed to the right connection portion 54b. In this case, the right-side member 101B connects the right connection portion 54b and the passenger space side floor panel 41. Furthermore, since the front portion of the left-side frame component 84A and the front portion of the right-side frame component 84B are separated in the left-right direction, most of the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B, excluding their lower portions, are separated in the left-right direction, and the left-right distance between the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B becomes wider as it goes upward.

[0118] Although not shown, the first connecting member 101 may connect the rear portion of the left front frame 54A to the passenger space side floor panel 41. In this case, an upper portion of the left side member 101A of the first connecting member 101 is fixed to the rear portion of the left front frame 54A, and a lower portion of the left side member 101A is fixed to the passenger space side floor panel 41. The first connecting member 101 may also connect the rear portion of the right front frame 54B to the passenger space side floor panel 41. In this case, an upper portion of the right side member 101B of the first connecting member 101 is fixed to the rear portion of the right front frame 54B, and a lower portion of the right side member 101B is fixed to the passenger space side floor panel 41.

[0119] The left-right dimension of the second connecting member 102 is set to be longer than the front-rear dimension, but is equal to or shorter than the left-right dimension of the center frame 80. This prevents both the left and right sides of the second connecting member 102 from protruding in the left-right direction from the center frame 80. In addition, the cross section of the second connecting member 102 is set to be larger than the cross sections of the left side member 101A or the right side member 101B.

[0120] The lower part of the second connecting member 102 is fixed between the left seat rail 90 and the right seat rail 91 in the front common bracket 45 of the intermediate cross member 44B. Specifically, the lower part of the second connecting member 102 is inserted into and fixed to the central fixing portion 45a provided in the center of the front common bracket 45 in the lateral direction. In other words, the common bracket 45 to which the left seat rail 90 and the right seat rail 91 are attached is a high-strength member and has a relatively long dimension in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, a large fixing range to the main body of the cross member 44B is ensured, thereby increasing the fixing strength. By fixing the lower part of the second connecting member 102 to the common bracket 45, which has high strength and fixing strength, the connecting strength of the center frame 80 by the second connecting member 102 can be further increased. The lower part of the second connecting member 102 may be directly fixed to the main body of the passenger space side floor panel 41 or to the intermediate cross member 44B.

[0121] An upper portion of the second connecting member 102 is fixed to the bent portion 80A of the center frame 80. Specifically, an upper portion of the second connecting member 102 is fixed to the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83. Therefore, the second connecting member 102 extends from the bent portion 80A of the center frame 80 toward the passenger space-side floor panel 41. The front-to-rear dimension of the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83 is longer than the front-to-rear dimension of the upper wall portion 83a, so a wide joint area with the second connecting member 102 can be ensured. If the connecting member 83 is omitted, the upper portion of the second connecting member 102 can be fixed directly to the center frame 80.

[0122] The third connecting member 103 has a cross section that is long in the left-right direction, similar to the second connecting member 102. The lower part of the third connecting member 103 is fixed to the recessed portion front cross member 44C. The upper part of the third connecting member 103 is fixed to the lower wall part of the rear frame member 82 of the center frame 80. As shown in FIG. 8, the third connecting member 103 is also fixed to the front part of the floor frame 41c.

[0123] 4, the rear of the center frame 80 is connected to the connection panel 43 and the rear cross member 44E. Specifically, a rear connecting member 104 is fixed to the rear of the center frame 80, and the center portion of the rear cross member 44E in the left-right direction is fixed to the lower part of this rear connecting member 104. The rear of the center frame 80 and the rear cross member 44E are connected by the rear connecting member 104.

[0124] The rear side of the rear connecting member 104 is fixed to the connection panel 43. Therefore, the rear portion of the center frame 80 is also connected to the connection panel 43 via the rear connecting member 104. The lower portion of the rear connecting member 104 is also fixed to the rear portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41. That is, the dash panel 50 and the connection panel 43 are connected by the center frame 80. At this time, because the center frame 80 is spaced upward from the passenger space side floor panel 41, the passenger space side floor panel 41, the dash panel 50, the connection panel 43, and the center frame 80 are integrated to form a closed cross-sectional structure in a side view. This makes it possible to sufficiently improve the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body even though the passenger space side floor panel 41 has a floor tunnel-less structure.

[0125] Furthermore, the front portions of the left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B are fixed to the lower portion of the rear connecting member 104. As a result, the rear portion of the center frame 80 and the left rear wheel suspension support member 110A are connected by the left rear frame 111A, and the rear portion of the center frame 80 and the right rear wheel suspension support member 110B are connected by the right rear frame 111B. This increases the rigidity of the rear wheel suspension support members 110A and 110B, improving the handling stability of the vehicle. At the same time, the rigidity of the rear side of the vehicle, including the connection panel 43 and its surroundings, can also be increased.

[0126] 18 and 19 are diagrams showing an example in which the inclination angle of the center frame 80 is large. In this example, the rear portion of the center frame 80 is connected to the rear portion of the floor frame 41c. This center frame 80 has a straight shape with no bent portions, but it may also have bent portions. The rear portion of the center frame 80 is located lower than the front portion of the seat cushion of the rear seat RS. This prevents the rear portion of the center frame 80 from getting in the way of the occupant in the rear seat RS, preventing a decrease in comfort for the rear seat occupant. The rear portion of the center frame 80 is also fixed to the floor panel 41 on the passenger space side.

[0127] 19, the rear of the center frame 80 is also connected to the front of the rear reinforcing member 47. In this example, a recessed portion rear cross member 44D is provided at the rear of the recessed portion 41a, and the recessed portion 41a and its vicinity are reinforced by the recessed portion rear cross member 44D. The recessed portion 41a and its vicinity are also reinforced by the floor frame 41c. Furthermore, the center frame 80, which is spaced above the passenger space side floor panel 41, is connected to the floor frame 41c, and the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body can be sufficiently improved.

[0128] As shown in FIG. 5 , the traction motor M of the rear powertrain PT is supported by the rear support frame 30 via mount members (not shown) and is disposed rearward of the rear of the center frame 80. The height of the rear traction motor M can be set arbitrarily by adjusting the mounting height of the rear support frame 30. In this embodiment, the height of the rear traction motor M is set so that the height of at least a portion of the rear traction motor M from its upper to lower portion is the same as the height of the rear of the center frame 80. Furthermore, the height of the rotation center of the rear traction motor M, i.e., the height of the vertical center of the traction motor M, is set lower than the rear of the center frame 80. By arranging the rear powertrain PT in this manner, for example, when an impact load acting from the rear of the vehicle is input to the traction motor M and causes the traction motor M to move forward, the load acts on the rear of the center frame 80 in the forward direction of the vehicle. At this time, because the rear portion of the center frame 80 is connected to the rear cross member 44E, the connecting panel 43, etc. and is integrated with the passenger space side floor panel 41, the forward movement of the traveling motor M is prevented by the center frame 80. The forward movement of the traveling motor M is also prevented by the passenger space side floor panel 41 and the rear cross member 44E.

[0129] Next, the layout of the front powertrain PT will be described with reference to Fig. 17. The front powertrain PT is supported on the front support frame 20 via mounting members and the like (not shown). The height of the front driving motor M can be set arbitrarily depending on the mounting height to the front support frame 20. The front powertrain PT is disposed in front of the first connecting member 101. At least a portion of the air conditioning device 120 is disposed between the first connecting member 101 and the powertrain PT.

[0130] The air conditioner 120 has a cooler (heat exchanger) 121 through which conditioned air passes, and an air conditioning casing 122 that houses the cooler 121. The cooler 121 is a cooling heat exchanger made up of an evaporator or the like for cooling the conditioned air. However, instead of the cooler 121, a heating heat exchanger made up of a heater core or condenser for heating the conditioned air may be used, and the cooler may be disposed in another location. In this embodiment, the cooler 121 is disposed forward of the dash panel 50. Although not shown, a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, an expansion valve for decompressing the refrigerant, and the like also constitute part of the air conditioner 120.

[0131] The vertical center of the cooler 121 is located above the center of rotation of the front traction motor M. That is, for example, if the automobile 1 is hit from the front and a rearward impact load is applied to the powertrain PT, the powertrain PT may begin to move backward depending on the magnitude of the impact load. By arranging the front powertrain PT as described above, the center frame 80 extending in the fore-and-aft direction is located behind the powertrain PT and connected to the passenger space side floor panel 41 by connecting members 101-103. Therefore, the center frame 80 and connecting members 101-103 prevent the powertrain PT from moving backward. Furthermore, because the passenger space side floor panel 41 is also located behind the powertrain PT, the passenger space side floor panel 41 may also prevent the powertrain PT from moving backward.

[0132] Next, a specific configuration example of the air conditioner 120 will be described. In addition to the cooler 121, the air conditioner casing 122 of the air conditioner 120 contains a heater (not shown), an air mix damper 122a for generating conditioned air at a desired temperature by changing the mixing ratio of cool air that has passed through the cooler 121 and warm air that has passed through the heater, and a blowout direction switching damper 122b for distributing the generated conditioned air at the desired temperature to various parts of the vehicle interior. Depending on the operation of the blowout direction switching damper 122b, the conditioned air can be supplied to the inner surface of the front windshield FG (shown in FIG. 1), to the upper body of an occupant, or to the area near the feet of an occupant. The operation of the blowout direction switching damper 122b is conventionally known.

[0133] The front portion of the air conditioning casing 122 houses the cooler 121 and the air mix damper 122a, and is disposed forward of the dash panel 50. On the other hand, the rear portion of the air conditioning casing 122 houses the air outlet direction switching damper 122b, and is disposed in the passenger space R1, penetrating the dash panel 50. Therefore, the cooler 121 and the air mix damper 122a are closer to the powertrain PT than the air outlet direction switching damper 122b. The front portion of the air conditioning casing 122 may be disposed rearward of the dash panel 50.

[0134] The rear portion of the air conditioning casing 122 has a duct-shaped air outlet portion 122c through which conditioned air generated inside the air conditioning casing 122 is blown out. The air conditioning casing 122 also has an air guide duct 122d that connects the air outlet portion 122c with the interior of the center frame 80 and introduces the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet portion 122c into the interior of the center frame 80. The air guide duct 122d is disposed above the control device 130 (described later) and extends in the front-to-rear direction. A front portion of the air guide duct 122d is connected to the air outlet portion 122c, while a rear portion of the air guide duct 122d is connected to a front portion of a front frame member 81 of the center frame 80. As a result, the conditioned air generated by the air conditioning device 120 is introduced into the interior of the center frame 80 via the air guide duct 122d. The air guide duct 122d may be a component that constitutes part of the center frame 80.

[0135] Because the center frame 80 extends in the front-rear direction, the conditioned air can be guided to a desired location in the front-rear direction in the passenger space R1. In this case, because the air guide duct 122d is disposed above the control device 130 and has a predetermined width in the left-right direction, direct sunlight is also blocked by the air guide duct 122d, making it even more difficult for the sunlight to reach the control device 130. Furthermore, by using the center frame 80 as an air conditioning duct, it is not necessary to provide a separate air conditioning duct, and the passenger space R1 can be made larger than in the case where a separate air conditioning duct is provided.

[0136] As shown in Fig. 20, an upper blower 80b for blowing the conditioned air in the upper left passage T11 and the upper right passage T12 upward is provided in a portion of the upper wall of the center frame 80 that is rearwardly spaced from the air guide duct 122d. The upper blower 80b is located rearward of the backrest of the front seat FS on the upper wall of the center frame 80, and is provided on both the left and right sides. The left upper blower 80b (left blower) is cylindrical and communicates with the upper left passage T11, while the right upper blower 80b (right blower) is cylindrical and communicates with the upper right passage T12. The downstream end of the upper blower 80b is open upward so as to face the occupant seated in the rear seat RS.

[0137] As shown in FIG. 5, lower air-blowing sections 80c are provided in the lower wall of the center frame 80 at a position rearward of the air guide duct 122d to blow conditioned air downward from the lower-left passage T13 and the lower-right passage T14. The lower air-blowing sections 80c are located rearward of the seat cushion of the front seat FS and are provided on both the left and right sides of the lower wall of the center frame 80. The left lower air-blowing section 80c is cylindrical and communicates with the lower-left passage T13, while the right lower air-blowing section 80c is cylindrical and communicates with the lower-right passage T14. The lower air-blowing sections 80c are formed as rear underfoot ducts that extend downward toward the recessed portion 41a, and then bend outward in the vehicle width direction after extending downward from the center frame 80. The rear underfoot ducts may also be called rear heat ducts.

[0138] Furthermore, since the center frame 80 has a cross section large enough to improve the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body, the blowing noise can be kept low even if the volume of the air conditioning air circulating inside is increased. In particular, since the center frame 80 extends in a nearly straight line, the internal passages also have a nearly straight line shape, which also makes it possible to keep the blowing noise low. Furthermore, if the center frame 80 is not provided with a thermal insulator or the like, the heat of the air conditioning air circulating inside the center frame 80 is transferred to the wall of the center frame 80 and radiated from the outer surface of the wall into the passenger space R1. This enables comfortable air conditioning using radiant heat. Note that the center frame 80 may also be provided with a thermal insulator.

[0139] (Controller layout) The vehicle body structure A is equipped with a control device 130 (shown in Figures 9, 17, 23, etc.) that controls the controlled devices mounted on the automobile 1. Examples of the controlled devices include a powertrain PT, a brake device, an electronically controlled suspension device, lighting devices, a navigation device, a head-up display device, an audio device, an in-vehicle monitor, and a television. The control device 130 that controls these controlled devices includes a high-performance CPU, memory, etc., so it is large in size and is vulnerable to high heat and shock. The control device 130 is also provided with a water jacket through which cooling water flows as a countermeasure against heat generation. In addition, the vehicle may be equipped with in-vehicle entertainment functions (video playback function, music playback function), etc., in which case the control device 130 also becomes large in size.

[0140] The control device 130 of this embodiment is disposed below the front portion of the center frame 80 in the passenger space R1. As described above, the height of the front portion of the center frame 80 is higher than the rear portion of the center frame 80, so even a large control device 130 can be disposed therein. As shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 17, an instrument panel IP, on which instruments are mounted, is disposed above the front portion of the center frame 80. The instrument panel IP extends in the left-right direction from the left side to the right side of the passenger space R1. In addition, the front portion of the instrument panel IP reaches the bottom of the front windshield FG (shown in FIG. 1).

[0141] A left member 101A and a right member 101B that constitute the first connecting member 101 are disposed in front of the control device 130. In addition, a second connecting member 102 is disposed behind the control device 130. As a result, the control device 130 is disposed between the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102, and a gap is provided between the first connecting member 101 and the control device 130 and between the second connecting member 102 and the control device 130.

[0142] Since the control device 130 is disposed below the center frame 80 in the passenger space R1, direct sunlight from outside is blocked by the center frame 80, making it difficult for it to reach the control device 130. This allows the control device 130 to be disposed in a thermally advantageous location. Furthermore, since the instrument panel IP is disposed above the control device 130, direct sunlight is also blocked by the instrument panel IP, making it even more difficult for the sunlight to reach the control device 130. Furthermore, since the control device 130 is covered by the instrument panel IP, it becomes difficult to see from the outside, which is also preferable from a security standpoint.

[0143] In addition, an air guide duct 122d is disposed above the control device 130. The heat of the conditioned air is transferred to the wall of the air guide duct 122d and is radiated as radiant heat from the outer surface of the wall toward the control device 130. At this time, conditioned air whose temperature has been adjusted to make the passenger space R1 comfortable flows inside the air guide duct 122d, so the radiant heat from the air guide duct 122d acts to suppress a temperature rise in the control device 130. In addition, the air guide duct 122d can also block direct sunlight.

[0144] Furthermore, assuming that an impact load acts from the front, for example, the center frame 80 extends in the front-to-rear direction, so that at least a portion of the impact load is absorbed by the center frame 80 and deformation of the vehicle body in the vicinity thereof is suppressed. In other words, the control device 130 disposed below the center frame 80 is protected from the impact load from the front. The same is true for the impact load from the rear. In particular, the left side member 101A and the right side member 101B can firmly connect the center frame 80 to the passenger space side floor panel 41 at at least two points, thereby improving the protection performance of the control device 130.

[0145] Furthermore, assuming that an impact load acts from the side of the vehicle, since the control device 130 is disposed to correspond to the center in the vehicle width direction, the impact load from the side is less likely to be transmitted directly to the control device 130, and the control device 130 is protected from the impact load from the side. In addition, since the control device 130 is disposed between the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102, the impact load in the front-rear direction is less likely to act on the control device 130, further improving the protection performance.

[0146] (cooling path) Next, the cooling path will be described. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of the cooling path provided in the automobile 1. The cooler 121 can be configured, for example, as a cooling heat exchanger for the air conditioner 120, but is not limited thereto and may be a dedicated cooler provided separately from the air conditioner 120. The cooler 121 has a passage for coolant as a heat exchange medium, and the coolant flowing through this passage is cooled by heat exchange with a low-temperature refrigerant inside the cooler 121. The vehicle body structure A includes a supply pipe 131 for supplying the coolant cooled by the cooler 121 to a water jacket (not shown) of the control device 130, and a discharge pipe 132 for discharging the coolant supplied to the control device 130. The supply pipe 131 is provided with a pump P for sending the coolant to the control device 130. The coolant discharged from the discharge pipe 132 passes through the cooler 121, is cooled, and then is drawn into the pump P. By circulating the coolant in this manner, the control device 130 is cooled. The cooling water that has cooled the control device 130 is used to cool the batteries FB and RB, and then used to cool the driving motor M, before returning to the cooler 121. Note that a refrigerant may be used instead of the cooling water.

[0147] 17, the cooler 121 is disposed rearward of the front powertrain PT and closer to the dash panel 50. This allows the cooler 121 to be closer to the control device 130 than the front powertrain PT. Therefore, the length of the supply pipe 131 can be shortened and the pipe path is simplified, which reduces pressure loss when the cooling water is supplied to the control device 130 and reduces loss of cold energy from the cooler 121 to the control device 130, allowing the control device 130 to be cooled efficiently.

[0148] 22, the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132 extend through the dash panel 50 and are disposed between the left member 101A and the right member 101B. By disposing the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132 between the left member 101A and the right member 101B, the feet of an occupant are less likely to hit the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132, thereby suppressing damage to the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132. The supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132 extend in the front-rear direction below the air conditioner 120.

[0149] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, according to this embodiment, the control device 130 is disposed below the center frame 80 in the passenger space R1, so that, for example, direct sunlight from outside is blocked by the center frame 80 and is less likely to reach the control device 130. Therefore, the control device 130 can be disposed in a thermally advantageous location.

[0150] Furthermore, assuming that an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, for example, the center frame 80 extends in the front-to-rear direction, so that the center frame 80 absorbs at least a portion of the impact load and suppresses deformation of the vehicle body in the vicinity thereof. In other words, the control device 130, which is disposed below the center frame 80, is protected from the impact load from the front. The same applies to the impact load from the rear of the vehicle.

[0151] In addition, assuming that an impact load acts on the side of the vehicle, the control device 130 is positioned to correspond to the center of the vehicle width direction, so that the impact load from the side is less likely to be transmitted directly to the control device 130, and the control device 130 is protected from the impact load from the side.

[0152] The above-described embodiments are merely examples in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0153] As described above, the present invention can be used as a body structure for an electric vehicle, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0154] 1. Automobiles 41 Passenger space side floor panel 43 Connection Panel 44A Front cross member 50 Dash Panel 80 Center Frame 101 first connecting member 102 second connecting member 130 Control device A. Body structure R1 Occupant space R3 luggage space

Claims

[Claim 1] In a body structure provided in an automobile, a floor panel that constitutes a floor of an occupant space in which a seat for an occupant is provided; and a center frame disposed above and spaced apart from the floor panel in a vehicle width direction central portion of the passenger space and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; a control device that controls a controlled device mounted on the automobile; an air conditioning device provided at the front of the center frame; an air guide duct that connects a blowout section of the air conditioning device with an interior of the center frame formed in a hollow shape and introduces conditioned air blown out from the blowout section into the interior of the center frame, the control device is disposed below the front portion of the center frame, The air guide duct is disposed above the control device.

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