vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle including a suspension member.SOLUTION: A vehicle includes a body and a suspension member disposed at lower portion of the body. The suspension member includes a pair of side rails extending in a vehicle front-back direction. The suspension member includes a front cross member disposed between the pair of side rails to extend in a vehicle width direction. The suspension member includes a pair of connection members connecting the front cross member to the pair of side rails. Each of the pair of connection members includes an upper plate, a lower plate, and side plates. The upper plate is bonded to an upper surface of the side rail and protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction from the side rail. The lower plate is bonded to a lower surface of the side rail and protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction from the side rail. The side plates connect the upper plate and the lower plate that protrude from the side rail. The lower plate is bonded to an upper surface of the front cross member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to vehicles. In particular, it relates to the structure of a suspension member that supports a suspension.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a suspension member including a pair of side rails extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and a front cross member disposed between the side rails and extending in the vehicle width direction. The suspension member is a vehicle structure for supporting a suspension (particularly, a suspension arm) and is attached to the body from below at the front part of the vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Due to the layout of various components in the front compartment, it may be preferable to position the front cross member below the side rails. However, if the front cross member is positioned below the side rails, the function as a reinforcing member connecting the pair of side rails may be reduced, and the rigidity of the suspension member may be reduced.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The vehicle disclosed herein comprises a body and a suspension member attached to the lower front side of the body. The suspension member comprises a pair of side rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The suspension member comprises a front cross member positioned between the pair of side rails and extending in the width direction of the vehicle. The suspension member comprises a pair of connecting members connecting the front cross member to the pair of side rails. Each of the pair of connecting members comprises an upper plate, a lower plate, and a side plate. The upper plate is joined to the upper surface of the side rail and protrudes inward from the side rail in the width direction of the vehicle. The lower plate is joined to the lower surface of the side rail and protrudes inward from the side rail in the width direction of the vehicle. The side plate connects the upper plate and the lower plate that protrude from the side rail. The lower plate is joined to the upper surface of the front cross member.

[0006] The manner of "joining" is not particularly limited and may be performed by welding or bolting, for example. Furthermore, "joining" is a concept that includes the presence of other parts, such as spacers, between the parts being joined.

[0007] In the vehicle described above, the lower surface of the connecting member is connected to the lower surface of the side rail. The upper surface of the front cross member is joined to the lower surface of the connecting member. Therefore, the front cross member can be positioned lower than the side rail. The connecting member has a closed cross section structure formed by an upper plate, a lower plate, and a side plate. Because the front cross member can be connected to the side rail via a closed cross section structure, sufficient rigidity of the connection can be ensured. It is possible to lower the position of the front cross member relative to the side rail while maintaining its function as a reinforcing member.

[0008] The front cross member may further include a bracket that protrudes forward from the front of the vehicle and is configured to support the radiator. The bracket may include a plate-like member that is separate from the front cross member, faces the front cross member, and extends in the vehicle width direction. The area of ​​the plate-like member in the vehicle width direction may overlap with at least a portion of the area of ​​the connecting member in the vehicle width direction. With this structure, the rigidity of the front cross member in the area where the connecting member is located can be increased by the plate-like member. Sufficient rigidity of the connection can be ensured.

[0009] The side rail may further include a flange located at the front end of the vehicle. The flange may be connected to a bracket. With this structure, the side rail, flange, bracket, front cross member, and connecting member can form an annular structure. This makes it possible to increase the rigidity of the connection.

[0010] The upper plate may comprise a first region located above the side rails and a second region projecting inward from the side rails in the vehicle width direction. It may further comprise a motor mount positioned between the first and second regions. The motor supported by the motor mount is not particularly limited. The motor is a concept that includes electric motors, motor units in which electric motors and control units are integrated, engines, and the like. With this structure, the connecting members can also function as mechanisms for supporting the motor mount.

[0011] The motor mount may be fastened to the side rail together with the top plate. This structure allows for a firm fixation between the connecting member and the side rail by fastening the motor mount. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing an overview of Vehicle 1. [Figure 2] This is a top view of the suspension member 10. [Figure 3] This is an exploded perspective view of the suspension member 10 on the front right side of the vehicle. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV. [Figure 5] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view along the VV line. [Figure 6] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] <Vehicle Structure> Vehicle 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the coordinate system of Figure 1, "Front" indicates the direction forward of the vehicle. "Up" indicates the direction upward of the vehicle. "Left" indicates the left when viewed from the rear of the vehicle towards the front. The meaning of the coordinate system is the same in subsequent drawings. Note that since the vehicle of this embodiment has a symmetrical shape, only one side of the vehicle may be described later.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle 1 comprises a body 2 and a plurality of wheels 14f, 14r. A suspension member 10 is attached to the lower front side of the body 2. The suspension member 10 is a structure that mainly supports the suspension (particularly the suspension arm). A radiator 30 and a motor unit 40 are attached to the suspension member 10. The motor unit 40 is a component in which the motor and power control unit are integrated. The motor unit 40 drives at least one of the plurality of wheels 14f, 14r.

[0015] <Structure of suspension member 10> Figure 2 shows a top view of the suspension member 10. Figure 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the suspension member 10 at the front right side of the vehicle. The suspension member 10 comprises a pair of side rails 11, a front cross member 12, a pair of connecting members 13, a rear cross member 14, a pair of fastening members 15 and 16, a pair of flanges 17, and a pair of brackets 21. The side rails 11 have a shape that is symmetrical with respect to each other in the left-right direction and each extends along the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The front cross member 12 extends in the width direction of the vehicle between the pair of side rails 11 at the front of the vehicle. The pair of connecting members 13 connect the front cross member 12 to the pair of side rails 11. The rear cross member 14 connects the pair of side rails 11 in the width direction of the vehicle at the rear of the vehicle. The specific shape and structure of the pair of side rails 11 and the front cross member 12 are not particularly limited.

[0016] The fastening member 15 is a member that fixes the rear part of the suspension member 10 to the body 2. The fastening member 16 is a member that fixes the front part of the suspension member 10 to the front side member (not shown). The suspension member 10 is fixed to the underside of the body 2 in a suspended state by the fastening members 15 and 16.

[0017] <Structure of connecting member 13> Figure 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV in Figure 3. Figure 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view along the line VV in Figure 3. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the connecting member 13 comprises an upper plate 13U, a lower plate 13L, and a side plate 13S. The upper plate 13U is joined to the upper surface 11t of the side rail 11 and protrudes inward from the side rail 11 in the vehicle width direction. The lower plate 13L is joined to the lower surface 11b of the side rail 11 and protrudes inward from the side rail 11 in the vehicle width direction. The side plate 13S connects the upper plate 13U and the lower plate 13L that protrude from the side rail 11. The side plate 13S is also joined to the inner side surface 11s of the side rail 11 in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the connecting member 13 has a closed cross-sectional structure formed by the upper plate 13U, the lower plate 13L, and the side plates 13S. And the upper plate 13U and the lower plate 13L are structured to sandwich the side rail 11 from above and below. Therefore, the joining strength between the side rail 11 and the connecting member 13 can be enhanced. The upper surface 12t of the front cross member 12 is joined to the lower surface of the lower plate 13L. As a result, the position of the front cross member 12 in the vehicle up-and-down direction can be made lower than the lower surface 11b of the side rail 11.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 4, the upper plate 13U includes a first region R1 located above the side rail 11 and a second region R2 protruding inward in the vehicle width direction from the side rail 11. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the motor mount 41 is disposed on the upper plate 13U across the first region R1 to the second region R2. The motor mount 41 is a member for fixing the motor unit 40 to the suspension member 10. In FIG. 3, the motor mount 41 is depicted as a simplified plate-like member. The motor mount 41 is fastened to the side rail together with the upper plate 13U by bolts or the like (not shown). As a result, by fastening the motor mount 41 to the side rail 11, the connecting member 13 and the side rail 11 can be firmly fixed.

[0019] Note that the method of forming the closed cross-sectional structure of the connecting member 13 may be various. It may be formed by combining bent steel plates and welding them to each other. It may also be an integrally formed part machined or created by a 3D printer.

[0020] Further, the connecting member 13 has an opening 13a where the side plates 13S are not arranged. By providing the opening 13a, it becomes easier to perform each process such as welding and fastening. It is possible to improve the assembly workability while maintaining the strength.

[0021] <Structure of the bracket 21> Bracket 21 is connected to the lower end of the radiator 30 and is a member that supports the radiator 30 from below. Two brackets 21 are provided symmetrically on the front of the suspension member 10. Each bracket 21 is fixed to the suspension member 10 and protrudes forward from the front cross member 12. Bracket 21 is provided with a hole 21a.

[0022] The radiator 30 is a thin, roughly rectangular component that extends along the vehicle width and vertical directions. As shown in Figure 3, the radiator 30 is equipped with rubber bushings 31. The rubber bushings 31 are provided symmetrically on the lower part of the radiator 30. The position of the rubber bushings 31 corresponds to the holes 21a of the bracket 21.

[0023] The bracket 21 includes a plate-shaped member 22. As shown in Figure 5, the plate-shaped member 22 has an L-shaped cross-section and has a lower surface 22b and a side surface 22s. The front cross member 12 has a hat-shaped cross-section and has a flange portion 12f that protrudes forward of the vehicle. The lower surface 22b of the plate-shaped member 22 is joined to the upper surface of the flange portion 12f. As a result, the side surface 22s of the plate-shaped member 22 is positioned away from the side surface 12s of the front cross member 12 and extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0024] This allows for the addition of a plate-shaped member 22 to the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (vehicle width direction) of the front cross member 12 (see Figure 5). Because the cross-sectional shape can be made more complex, the second moment of area of ​​the front cross member 12 can be increased. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the area E1 of the plate-shaped member 22 in the vehicle width direction overlaps with at least a portion of the area E2 of the connecting member 13 in the vehicle width direction. This allows the rigidity of the front cross member 12 in the area where the connecting member 13 is present to be increased by the plate-shaped member 22. By combining the bracket 21 and the plate-shaped member 22, it is possible to improve the rigidity of the connection made by the connecting member 13 while maintaining space-saving design.

[0025] <Structure of flange 17> A flange 17 is positioned at each of the front ends of a pair of side rails 11 in the direction of the vehicle. A bump reinforcement (not shown) is attached to the flange 17 via a crash box (not shown). The inner end 17e of the flange 17 in the vehicle width direction is connected to a bracket 21.

[0026] This structure allows for the formation of an annular structure using the side rails 11, flanges 17, brackets 21, front cross members 12, and connecting members 13. The rigidity of the connection part can be increased by the connecting members 13.

[0027] <Effects> Due to the layout of various components within the front compartment, it is sometimes preferable to position the front cross member 12 below the side rails 11. However, the front cross member 12 functions as a reinforcing member connecting a pair of side rails 11. Therefore, if the front cross member 12 is positioned below the side rails 11, the rigidity of the suspension member 10 may decrease. In the technology described herein, the front cross structure is divided into a member extending in the vehicle width direction (front cross member 12) and a member connected to the side rails 11 (connecting member 13). The connecting member 13 is joined to the side of the side rail, and the upper surface of the front cross member 12 is joined to the lower surface of the connecting member 13. This makes it possible to position the front cross member 12 below the side rails 11. The connecting member 13 has a closed cross section structure formed by an upper plate 13U, a lower plate 13L, and a side plate 13S. Since the front cross member 12 can be connected to the side rails 11 via the closed cross section structure, sufficient rigidity of the connection between the two can be ensured. This design allows for a reduction in the rigidity of the suspension member 10 while lowering the position of the front cross member 12 relative to the side rail 11. As a result, the structures within the motor compartment can be positioned lower, enabling a lower center of gravity for the vehicle and a design with a lowered hood. Furthermore, it allows for a smaller motor compartment and a vehicle with shorter overhangs, thus preventing an increase in the overall size of the vehicle.

[0028] Figure 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI in Figure 3. Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view with the radiator 30, motor unit 40, and piping 50 mounted. The piping 50 connects the radiator 30 and the motor unit 40. The cross-section of the front cross member 112 in the conventional structure is shown by a dashed line, and the cross-section of the front cross member 12 in this embodiment is shown by a solid line. Compared to the conventional front cross member 112, the front cross member 12 in this embodiment can be moved downward in the vertical direction of the vehicle. This allows for the formation of mounting space MS for the piping 50, thus lowering the mounting position of the radiator 30, motor unit 40, and piping 50. This enables a lower center of gravity for the vehicle and a smaller motor room. Furthermore, by lowering the mounting position of these components, it becomes possible to secure the workspace WS necessary for inspection and replacement work. In addition, interference between the front cross member 12 and the radiator 30 can be avoided, making it possible to secure a stroke ST to avoid light collision damage.

[0029] As a comparative example, consider the case where the height of the front cross member 12 is lower than the side rail 11 without the connecting member 13. In this state, if the motor mount 41 is placed on the side rail 11, the motor mount 41 must be supported only by the upper surface 11t of the side rail 11. The support area of ​​the motor mount 41 becomes small. On the other hand, in the technology of this embodiment, the connecting member 13 can also function as a member for supporting the motor mount 41. Since the motor mount 41 can be supported by the upper surface 11t of the side rail 11 and the second region R2, the support area of ​​the motor mount 41 can be increased. This makes it possible to stably fix the motor unit 40.

[0030] The specific examples of the technology disclosed in this specification have been described in detail above, but these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes to the specific examples described above. The technical elements described in this specification or in the drawings exhibit technical usefulness individually or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. The technology illustrated in this specification or in the drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving even one of these objectives itself constitutes technical usefulness.

[0031] <Variation> The vehicle structure of this embodiment is not limited to electric vehicles powered by a motor, but can also be suitably adopted in vehicles with an engine. The electric vehicles referred to herein include, for example, rechargeable electric vehicles charged by an external power source, fuel cell vehicles powered by fuel cells, and hybrid vehicles that also have an engine.

[0032] Motor mount 41 is an example of a prime mover mount. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 2: Body 10: Suspension member 11: Side rail 12: Front cross member 12t: Top surface 13: Connecting member 13U: Top plate 13S: Side plate 13L: Bottom plate 17: Flange 21: Bracket 22: Plate-shaped member

Claims

1. Body and, A suspension member attached to the lower front side of the body, A vehicle equipped with, The aforementioned suspension member is A pair of side rails extending in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, A front cross member positioned between a pair of the aforementioned side rails and extending in the vehicle width direction, A pair of connecting members connecting the front cross member and the pair of side rails, It is equipped with, Each of the pair of connecting members is An upper plate which is joined to the upper surface of the side rail and protrudes inward from the side rail in the vehicle width direction, A lower plate is joined to the lower surface of the side rail and protrudes inward from the side rail in the vehicle width direction, A side plate connecting the upper plate and the lower plate, which protrude from the side rail, Equipped with, The upper plate, the lower plate, the side plate located on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and the side surface of the side rail on the inside in the vehicle width direction form a closed cross-sectional structure extending in the vehicle width direction. The lower plate and the upper surface of the front cross member are joined together. vehicle.

2. Body and, A suspension member attached to the lower front side of the body, A vehicle equipped with, The aforementioned suspension member is A pair of side rails extending in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, A front cross member positioned between a pair of the aforementioned side rails and extending in the vehicle width direction, A bracket that protrudes forward from the front cross member and is configured to support the radiator, A pair of connecting members connecting the front cross member and the pair of side rails, It is equipped with, Each of the pair of connecting members is An upper plate which is joined to the upper surface of the side rail and protrudes inward from the side rail in the vehicle width direction, A lower plate is attached to the lower surface of the side rail and protrudes inward from the side rail in the vehicle width direction, A side plate connecting the upper plate and the lower plate, which protrude from the side rail, Equipped with, The lower plate and the upper surface of the front cross member are joined together. The bracket comprises a plate-shaped member that is separated from the front cross member, faces the front cross member, and extends in the vehicle width direction. The area of ​​the plate-shaped member in the vehicle width direction overlaps with at least a portion of the area of ​​the connecting member in the vehicle width direction. vehicle.

3. The side rail further comprises a flange located at the front end of the side rail in the vehicle-forward direction, The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the flange is connected to the bracket.

4. Body and, A suspension member attached to the lower front side of the body, A vehicle equipped with, The aforementioned suspension member is A pair of side rails extending in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, A front cross member positioned between a pair of the aforementioned side rails and extending in the vehicle width direction, A pair of connecting members connecting the front cross member and the pair of side rails, It is equipped with, Each of the pair of connecting members is An upper plate which is joined to the upper surface of the side rail and protrudes inward from the side rail in the vehicle width direction, A lower plate is attached to the lower surface of the side rail and protrudes inward from the side rail in the vehicle width direction, A side plate connecting the upper plate and the lower plate, which protrude from the side rail, Equipped with, The lower plate and the upper surface of the front cross member are joined together. The upper plate comprises a first region located above the side rail and a second region protruding inward from the side rail in the vehicle width direction. The engine mount is further provided, which is located across the first and second regions. vehicle.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the engine mount is fastened to the side rail together with the upper plate.

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