Rear structure of the vehicle

Abstract

The present invention includes: a pair of left and right members 5a (5b) of a vehicle; a first cross member 20 extending in the vehicle width direction and connecting rear sections of the pair of side members 5a (5b); a bumper reinforcement 15 extending in the vehicle width direction and connecting the rear ends of the pair of side members 5a (5b); a rear wheel drive unit 2 disposed in front of and below the first cross member 20; and a spare tire 3 supported by the first cross member 20 at a position behind the rear wheel drive unit 2. A stopper 30 for suppressing forward movement of the spare tire 3 is provided between the rear wheel drive unit 2 and the spare tire 3. The stopper 30 is positioned so as to face the front surface of the spare tire 3 at a position above a center line CLt of the spare tire 3 in the vertical direction. The bumper reinforcement 15 is positioned so as to face the rear surface of the spare tire 3 at a position below the center line CLt of the spare tire 3 in the vertical direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0003]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rear structure of a vehicle equipped with a spare tire at the rear lower part.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles equipped with a spare tire under the rear floor of the vehicle, such as pickup trucks, are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle in which a cross member extending in the vehicle width direction between left and right side members is provided with a traction device such as a chain, and a spare tire is supported so as to be suspended below the cross member.

[0003] Furthermore, in the vehicle described in Patent Document 1, a structure for fixing the spare tire in a rearwardly upward direction is proposed. Thereby, when the spare tire is pushed from the rear to the front during a rear-end collision of the vehicle, the spare tire escapes downward with respect to vehicle-mounted equipment such as a differential arranged in front of the spare tire, and it is possible to protect the vehicle-mounted equipment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in vehicles that drive the rear wheels with an electric drive system, such as an electric motor, a relatively large drive system is positioned near the rear axle. On the other hand, in some cases, such as in pickup trucks, the vertical position of the spare tire is set higher behind the rear wheels in order to ensure a large departure angle. In such cases, where vehicle-mounted equipment positioned in front of the spare tire located at the rear of the vehicle is positioned below it, it may be difficult to move the spare tire under the structure in the event of a rear-end collision, as described in Patent Document 1.

[0006] This invention was made to solve these problems and aims to provide a rear vehicle structure that suppresses damage to vehicle-mounted equipment caused by the movement of the spare tire during a rear-end collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the rear structure of a vehicle according to the present invention comprises a pair of side members spaced apart in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, a cross member extending in the vehicle width direction to connect the rears of the pair of side members, vehicle-mounted equipment positioned in front of and below the cross member, and a spare tire supported on the lower surface of the cross member behind the vehicle-mounted equipment and under the floor, wherein a bumper reinforcement extending in the vehicle width direction is provided behind the spare tire, and a stopper is provided between the vehicle-mounted equipment and the spare tire to suppress the forward movement of the spare tire, the stopper is positioned above the center in the vertical direction of the spare tire and facing the front surface of the spare tire, and the bumper reinforcement is positioned below the center in the vertical direction of the spare tire and facing the rear surface of the spare tire.

[0008] As a result, when the bumper reinforcement is pushed forward during a rear-end collision, it contacts the lower part of the rear surface of the spare tire, above the vertical center, causing the front of the spare tire to rotate and move forward. Then, the front of the spare tire contacts the stopper, preventing it from moving forward. This prevents the spare tire from colliding with vehicle-mounted equipment located in front of the stopper. Furthermore, by allowing the spare tire to rotate so that its front end moves upward, it is possible to prevent the spare tire from colliding with vehicle-mounted equipment when it moves forward, and to ensure that the front end of the spare tire makes contact with the stopper more reliably.

[0009] Preferably, a deformation-inducing portion that induces vertical deformation is provided on the front surface of the cross member. This design allows the deformation-inducing portion of the cross member to deform when the spare tire is pushed forward during a rear-end collision, making it less likely for the cross member to restrict the rotation of the spare tire.

[0010] Preferably, the deformation-inducing portion is located above the vehicle width end of the spare tire or above the vehicle width end of the rim of the spare tire. As a result, when the front of the spare tire rotates upward, a deformation-inducing portion is provided at the vehicle width end of the spare tire or the portion above the vehicle width end of the spare tire, which are areas that are likely to come into contact with the cross member. Therefore, the rotation of the spare tire is less likely to be restricted in the event of a rear-end collision.

[0011] Preferably, an inclined portion is provided at the front of the lower surface of the cross member, which is inclined forward and upward of the vehicle. This allows the inclined portion of the cross member to easily rotate the front of the spare tire upward when the spare tire is pushed forward during a rear-end collision. Preferably, the spare tire is mounted on the cross member at an angle that is forward and upward of the vehicle.

[0012] This allows the front of the spare tire to rotate upward when the bumper reinforcement pushes the rear of the spare tire forward during a rear-end collision. Preferably, the rear wheels of the vehicle are suspended by a De Dion suspension system having a De Dion tube extending in the width direction of the vehicle, and the De Dion tube is positioned behind the vehicle-mounted equipment and in front of the spare tire.

[0013] This allows the De Dion tube to mitigate collisions with vehicle-mounted equipment if the spare tire is pushed forward by the bumper reinforcement during a rear-end collision. Preferably, the vehicle is an electric vehicle, and the vehicle-mounted equipment is a rear-wheel drive unit including a drive motor.

[0014] This makes it possible to suppress collisions with the rear-wheel drive unit when the spare tire is pushed forward during a rear-end collision of an electric vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the vehicle rear structure of the present invention, even if the spare tire is pushed forward by the bumper reinforcement during a rear-end collision, collision with vehicle-mounted equipment located in front of the spare tire can be avoided, thereby protecting the vehicle-mounted equipment. In particular, when the spare tire is pushed forward, the front of the spare tire rotates to move upward, which allows the spare tire to more reliably contact the stopper located above the center of the spare tire in the vertical direction, thereby restricting the movement of the spare tire and improving the ability to avoid collisions with vehicle-mounted equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a top view showing the rear structure of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the rear structure of a vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a side view showing a support structure of a spare tire according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory view of the position of a deformation inducing portion according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a side view showing a rear structure of a vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is an explanatory view showing a movement state of a spare tire during a rear-end collision of a vehicle according to the third embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a top view showing a rear structure of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows various frames of the vehicle, a rear-wheel drive unit 2 (vehicle-mounted equipment), and a spare tire 3. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a rear structure of the vehicle 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 adopting the rear structure of the present invention is, for example, a pickup truck, and the rear wheels are suspended by a De Dion type suspension device 4.

[0018] The vehicle 1 includes a pair of left and right side members 5a and 5b that extend in the vehicle front-rear direction and are arranged at intervals in the vehicle width direction. The De Dion type suspension device 4 has a structure in which left and right support portions 7a and 7b that rotatably support a drive shaft 6 for the rear wheels are connected by a De Dion tube 8. The left and right support portions 7a and 7b are respectively suspended from the left and right side members 5a and 5b by leaf springs 9a and 9b. In addition, both ends of the De Dion tube 8 in the vehicle width direction are respectively connected to the left and right side members 5a and 5b by dampers 10a and 10b.

[0019] Vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle whose rear wheels are driven by an electric motor. One rear-wheel drive motor (driving motor), a transmission, and a differential are collectively configured as a rear-wheel drive unit 2. In addition, as part of the rear-wheel drive unit 2, high-voltage components 2a such as a transformer are provided on top of the rear-wheel drive motor. The drive shaft 6, which drives the rear wheels, extends in the width direction from the rear of the rear-wheel drive unit 2. The De Dion tube 8 is located behind the drive shaft 6 and the rear-wheel drive unit 2. The spare tire 3 is located behind the De Dion tube 8.

[0020] A bumper reinforcement 15 is fixed to the rear ends of a pair of side members 5a and 5b. The bumper reinforcement 15 extends in the vehicle width direction and supports the rear bumper of the vehicle 1 (not shown). In this embodiment, the bumper reinforcement 15 has a pair of left and right brackets 151a and 151b extending rearward and downward from the rear ends of the pair of side members 5a and 5b, and a main body portion 152 extending in the vehicle width direction and connecting the pair of brackets 151a and 151b.

[0021] Furthermore, vehicle 1 is equipped with multiple cross members that extend in the width direction and connect the left and right side members 5a and 5b. As cross members at the rear of the vehicle, there are, in order from the rear of the vehicle toward the front, a first cross member 20 (cross member in the claims), a second cross member 21, and a third cross member 22.

[0022] The first cross member 20 is equipped with a spare tire carrier 25 that supports the spare tire 3, located approximately in the center of its width direction. The spare tire 3 is positioned so that one side of the spare tire 3 is in contact with the lower surface of the first cross member 20, and the axis of the spare tire 3 extends in the vertical direction. That is, as shown in Figure 2, the center line CLt in the width direction of the spare tire 3 extends approximately in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0023] The second cross member 21 supports the rear of the rear-wheel drive unit 2 via an arm 28. The second cross member 21 is equipped with a stopper 30 extending downward from the second cross member 21. The stopper 30 is located in front of the spare tire 3 and behind the rear-wheel drive unit 2. The stopper 30 has a width in the vehicle width direction of several tens of centimeters and is positioned so as to overlap (oppose) the spare tire 3 when viewed from the front or rear direction.

[0024] The third cross member 22 supports the front of the rear-wheel drive unit 2 via the mount 29. Using Figure 2, the positional relationships of the rear-wheel drive unit 2, spare tire 3, bumper reinforcement 15, and stopper 30 will be described in detail. The bumper reinforcement 15 is located behind the spare tire 3 and is positioned to face the center line CLt, which passes through the center of the vertical width of the rear end surface 3a of the spare tire 3, and the lower end. The bumper reinforcement 15 may also extend downward from the lower end of the rear end surface 3a of the spare tire 3.

[0025] As described above, the stopper 30 extends downward from the second cross member 21 to a position below the upper end of the front end surface 3b of the spare tire 3, and above the center line CLt. Furthermore, the front surface 15a of the bumper reinforcement 15 is approximately parallel to the rear end surface 3a of the spare tire 3. It is desirable that the upper part of the front surface 15a of the bumper reinforcement 15 does not slope upward toward the rear; for example, the front upper part of the bumper reinforcement 15 is not significantly chamfered.

[0026] Furthermore, the rear surface 30a of the stopper 30 is approximately parallel to the front end surface 3b of the spare tire 3. It is desirable that the rear surface 30a of the stopper 30 does not slope downward toward the front of the vehicle. Furthermore, the rear-wheel drive unit 2 is located below the center line CLt of the spare tire 3.

[0027] In vehicle 1, which has the rear structure described above, when rear-ended, the bumper reinforcement 15 is pushed and moves forward, contacting the rear end surface 3a of the spare tire 3 and pushing the spare tire 3 forward. At this time, the bumper reinforcement 15 pushes the lower part of the rear end surface 3a of the spare tire 3, causing the spare tire 3 to rotate and move forward so that the front part moves upward. Then, the upper part of the front end surface 3b of the spare tire 3 comes into contact with the stopper 30. This promotes the rotation of the spare tire 3 and suppresses its forward movement. Therefore, even if the spare tire 3 moves forward during a rear-end collision, it is possible to avoid collision with the rear-wheel drive unit 2.

[0028] In particular, when a rear-end collision occurs, the front of the spare tire 3 rotates and moves forward, causing it to move upward to avoid the rear-wheel drive unit 2, which is located below the center line CLt of the spare tire 3. This improves the spare tire 3's ability to avoid collision with the rear-wheel drive unit 2. Furthermore, even if the amount of downward protrusion of the stopper 30 is small, it is possible to make contact with the stopper 30 when the spare tire 3 moves forward during a rear-end collision.

[0029] Furthermore, since a hollow De Dion tube 8 is positioned between the rear-wheel drive unit 2 and the spare tire 3, even if the spare tire 3 moves towards the rear-wheel drive unit 2, it will collide with the De Dion tube 8 before hitting the rear-wheel drive unit 2, thus protecting the rear-wheel drive unit 2. Figure 3 is a side view showing the support structure of the spare tire 3 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the position of the deformation induction part 35 according to the second embodiment, and is a view of the first cross member 20 and the spare tire 3 from above.

[0030] In the spare tire support structure of the second embodiment, the structure of the spare tire support 3 differs from that of the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, in the second embodiment, a deformation-inducing portion 35 that induces vertical deformation is provided on the front surface of the first cross member 20 that supports the spare tire 3. The deformation-inducing portion 35 can be formed, for example, by providing an opening or a bead that extends in the vehicle width direction and protrudes in the front-rear direction on a part of the front surface of the first cross member 20, or by thinning the thickness of a part of the front surface of the first cross member 20.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, the deformation induction portion 35 can be provided at the point where the front surface of the first cross member 20 intersects with the outer peripheral end of the spare tire 3, or at the point where the front surface of the first cross member 20 intersects with the outer peripheral end of the rim 3c of the spare tire 3. When providing the deformation induction portion 35, since the rim 3c is harder than the outer peripheral end (rubber) of the spare tire 3, it is desirable to provide it at least at two locations where it intersects with the outer peripheral end of the rim 3c.

[0032] Furthermore, it is desirable not to provide a deformation-inducing portion 35 on the front surface of the area where the spare tire carrier 25 is provided on the first cross member 20, that is, the area supporting the spare tire 3. In normal conditions, when there is no collision, the spare tire 3 is supported in contact with a relatively strong support portion on the lower surface 20a of the first cross member, and in normal conditions the spare tire 3 is supported relatively firmly by the first cross member 20. .

[0033] In the second embodiment, when the bumper reinforcement 15 pushes the rear end surface 3a of the spare tire 3 forward during a vehicle rear-end collision, the deformation-inducing portion 35 provided on the first cross member 20 deforms, making it easier for the front part of the spare tire 3 to rotate upward. Therefore, collision with the rear-wheel drive unit 2 located below and in front of the spare tire 3 during a vehicle rear-end collision can be further suppressed.

[0034] Furthermore, an inclined portion 40 that slopes upward toward the front may be provided on the front part of the lower surface 20a of the first cross member, either in conjunction with the deformation-inducing portion 35 or without the deformation-inducing portion 35. The inclined portion 40 may be provided along the entire width direction of the first cross member, or it may be provided at the same position as the deformation-inducing portion 35 in the second embodiment. The inclined section 40 makes it easier for the front of the spare tire 3 to rotate upward during a rear-end collision.

[0035] Figure 5 is a side view showing the support structure of the spare tire 3 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the movement state of the spare tire 3 during a rear-end collision of the vehicle 1 according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 5, in the third embodiment, the lower surface 20a of the support portion for the spare tire 3 of the first cross member 20 is configured to be inclined upward toward the front of the vehicle. As a result, the spare tire 3 is supported so as to be inclined upward toward the front of the vehicle under normal conditions. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, when the bumper reinforcement 15 pushes the rear end surface 3a of the spare tire 3 forward during a rear-end collision, the front part of the spare tire 3 is more likely to rotate upward. This makes it possible to suppress the spare tire 3 from colliding with the rear-wheel drive unit 2 during a rear-end collision.

[0036] As described above, in the vehicle 1 employing the rear structure of this embodiment, the spare tire 3 is supported so as to be suspended from the first cross member 20 at the rear of the vehicle. In addition, a rear-wheel drive unit 2 having an electric motor or the like that drives the rear wheels of the vehicle 1 is positioned in front of the spare tire 3. In this embodiment, since a stopper 30 is provided between the rear-wheel drive unit 2 and the spare tire 3, when the bumper reinforcement 15 moves forward together with the rear bumper during a rear-end collision and pushes the spare tire 3 forward, the stopper 30 prevents the spare tire 3 from moving forward, and the front part of the spare tire 3 rotates upward, thereby preventing the spare tire 3 from colliding with the rear-wheel drive unit 2.

[0037] In particular, since the stopper 30 is located above the vertical center (center line CLt) of the spare tire 3 and the bumper reinforcement 15 is located below the center line CLt of the spare tire 3, when the vehicle is rear-ended, the bumper reinforcement 15 contacts the part of the spare tire 3 below the center line CLt and the stopper 30 contacts the part of the spare tire 3 above the center line CLt, causing the front part of the spare tire 3 to rotate and move upward.

[0038] This prevents the spare tire 3 from colliding with the rear-wheel drive unit 2. Furthermore, the rear wheels of the vehicle 1 in this embodiment are suspended by a De Dion-type suspension system 4 having a De Dion tube 8 extending in the vehicle width direction, with the De Dion tube 8 positioned behind the rear-wheel drive unit 2 and in front of the spare tire 3.

[0039] As a result, if the spare tire 3 is pushed forward by the bumper reinforcement 15 during a rear-end collision, even if the spare tire 3 is approaching the rear-wheel drive unit 2, it will come into contact with the De Dion tube 8, restricting its forward movement and further preventing a collision with the rear-wheel drive unit 2. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, a deformation-inducing portion 35 that induces vertical deformation is provided on the front surface of the first cross member 20. Therefore, when the spare tire 3 is pushed forward during a rear-end collision, the deformation-inducing portion 35 of the first cross member 20 deforms, making it easier for the spare tire 3 to rotate without being obstructed by the first cross member 20.

[0040] Furthermore, deformation-inducing portions 35 are provided on the first cross member 20 at the vehicle width direction end of the spare tire 3 and above the rim 3c, that is, above the rigid parts of the spare tire 3. This allows the spare tire 3 to rotate more easily without being restricted in the event of a rear-end collision. Furthermore, by ensuring high strength in areas other than the deformation-inducing portion 35 of the first cross member 20, the spare tire 3 is firmly supported during normal vehicle operation other than during a collision. It becomes possible to place it there.

[0041] Alternatively, by making the front part of the lower surface 20a of the first cross member 20 a pre-inclined inclined portion 40 as described above, the spare tire 3 can rotate more easily in the event of a rear-end collision. Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the spare tire 3 is attached to the first cross member 20 in advance at an angle to the front and upward of the vehicle, so that the spare tire 3 rotates more easily in the event of a rear-end collision.

[0042] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, in the above embodiments, the shapes of various parts such as the stopper 30 may be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, although the above embodiment uses a De Dion-type suspension system 4 for the rear wheels, the present invention can also be applied to vehicles using other types of suspension systems. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 1 vehicle 2. Rear-wheel drive unit (vehicle-mounted equipment) 3 Spare tire 4. De Dion suspension system 5a, 5b Side members 8 De Dion tubes 15 Bumperinforce 20. First cross member (cross member) 30 Stoppers 35 Deformation Inducing Part 40 Slope

Claims

1. A pair of side members are arranged at intervals in the vehicle's width direction and extend in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, A cross member extending in the vehicle width direction to connect the rear ends of the pair of side members, Vehicle-mounted equipment positioned in front of and below the aforementioned cross member, A spare tire is supported on the lower surface of the cross member behind the vehicle-mounted equipment and under the floor, Equipped with, A bumper reinforcement extending in the vehicle width direction is provided behind the spare tire. A stopper is provided between the vehicle-mounted equipment and the spare tire to suppress the forward movement of the spare tire. The stopper is positioned above the center of the spare tire in the vertical direction and facing the front surface of the spare tire, and the bumper reinforcement is positioned below the center of the spare tire in the vertical direction and facing the rear surface of the spare tire. A rear structure of a vehicle characterized by the following.

2. A deformation-inducing portion is provided on the front surface of the cross member to induce vertical deformation of the cross member. The rear structure of the vehicle according to feature 1.

3. The deformation-inducing portion is located above the vehicle width end of the spare tire or above the vehicle width end of the rim of the spare tire. The rear structure of the vehicle according to feature 2.

4. An inclined portion is provided at the front of the lower surface of the cross member, which slopes forward and upward of the vehicle. The rear structure of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The spare tire is mounted to the cross member at an angle that is forward and upward of the vehicle. The rear structure of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The rear wheels of the aforementioned vehicle are suspended by a De Dion suspension system having De Dion tubes extending in the width direction of the vehicle. The De Dion tube is positioned behind the vehicle-mounted equipment and in front of the spare tire. The rear structure of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The aforementioned vehicle is an electric vehicle, The aforementioned vehicle-mounted equipment is a rear-wheel drive unit including a drive motor. The rear structure of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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