Vehicle body structure and vehicle
By adding a third energy-absorbing structure, especially a third energy-absorbing box, to the vehicle body structure, the problems of limited space in the engine compartment and inconsistent powertrain mounting points were solved, resulting in better energy absorption and cushioning effects and improved vehicle crashworthiness, while also increasing the passenger compartment space.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ZHEJIANG ZEEKR INTELLIGENT TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-18
AI Technical Summary
Traditional vehicles have limited space in the engine compartment, with the powertrain and radiator taking up most of the space, resulting in excessive front bulkhead intrusion, poor overall vehicle crashworthiness, and difficulty in standardizing powertrain mounting points.
A third energy-absorbing structure, including a third energy-absorbing box, is added to the body structure and located on the front side of the front bulkhead beam assembly. It absorbs energy and buffers through crumple ribs and crumple holes, forming three force transmission paths, reducing the intrusion of the powertrain into the passenger compartment, and lowering the strength requirements of the front bulkhead beam assembly.
It improves the uniformity of powertrain installation points in the engine compartment, reduces the design difficulty of the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly, increases the cockpit space, and enhances the vehicle's crashworthiness and occupant safety.
Smart Images
Figure CN2025138216_18062026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Body structure and vehicle
[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202411812530.6, filed on December 10, 2024, entitled "Vehicle Body Structure and Vehicle", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field
[0002] This application relates to the field of vehicle manufacturing technology, and in particular to a vehicle body structure and a vehicle equipped with the vehicle body structure. Background Technology
[0003] In today's increasingly popular new energy hybrid vehicles, the pursuit of efficient space utilization leads to a reduction in the distance from the front wheel center to the heel (the horizontal distance between the front wheel center and the accelerator pedal), which increases the proportion of passenger compartment space. However, this results in a smaller engine compartment. Furthermore, the current pursuit of minimalist vehicle design also reduces engine compartment space. Consequently, in traditional vehicles, components such as the powertrain and radiator occupy a significant portion of the engine compartment. This often results in excessive frontal intrusion during a frontal collision, leading to poor overall vehicle crashworthiness.
[0004] Furthermore, in general, the front bumper assembly of a traditional vehicle body structure includes a front bumper beam, a first longitudinal beam, a front bulkhead crossbeam assembly, and a second longitudinal beam, which are connected end-to-end to form a "U"-shaped frame structure. Among them:
[0005] Because the powertrain sizes vary significantly between different vehicle models, in order to avoid excessive intrusion of large powertrains in collision conditions, large powertrains need to be positioned relatively forward and small powertrains relatively rearward, resulting in inconsistent powertrain mounting points.
[0006] Meanwhile, in order to prevent the powertrain from colliding with the front crossbeam assembly and intruding into the cab to injure the occupants, it is necessary to control the amount of intrusion by increasing the thickness of the front crossbeam assembly, increasing the cross-sectional area of the parts, and improving the strength of the materials, which increases the design difficulty of the front crossbeam assembly. Summary of the Invention
[0007] In view of the above, this application provides a vehicle body structure and a vehicle, and the following is an overview of the subject matter described in detail in this application. This overview is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.
[0008] A vehicle body structure includes a central tunnel, and a front bumper beam, a first longitudinal beam, a front bulkhead crossbeam assembly, and a second longitudinal beam connected end to end to form a frame structure. The central tunnel is located behind the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly and is connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly.
[0009] The vehicle body structure also includes
[0010] The first energy-absorbing structure is disposed on the first longitudinal beam;
[0011] The second energy-absorbing structure is disposed on the second longitudinal beam;
[0012] A third energy-absorbing structure is located in the frame structure and connected to the front crossbeam assembly. The third energy-absorbing structure is at least partially closer to the front bumper beam than the front crossbeam assembly.
[0013] Optionally, in the above-described vehicle body structure, the third energy-absorbing structure includes multiple contraction ribs arranged sequentially along a first direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the length direction of the front bulkhead beam assembly.
[0014] Optionally, in the above-mentioned vehicle body structure, a crumple gap with a distance greater than zero is provided between adjacent crumple ribs;
[0015] And / or, at least a portion of the contraction ribs include a main board region and a side region located at at least one edge of the main board region, the length direction of the side region being perpendicular to the first direction, and the thickness of the side region gradually decreasing in a direction away from the main board region.
[0016] Optionally, in the above-described vehicle body structure, the first energy-absorbing structure includes a first energy-absorbing box, one end of which is connected to the front anti-collision beam, and the other end is connected to the front end of the first longitudinal beam.
[0017] Optionally, in the above-described vehicle body structure, the second energy-absorbing structure includes a second energy-absorbing box, one end of which is connected to the front anti-collision beam, and the other end of which is connected to the front end of the second longitudinal beam.
[0018] Optionally, in the above-mentioned vehicle body structure, the third energy-absorbing structure includes a third energy-absorbing box, the projections of the third energy-absorbing box and the central channel in the vehicle's longitudinal direction at least partially overlap, and the third energy-absorbing box is connected to the front side of the lower front panel in the front bulkhead assembly, and the central channel is connected to the rear side of the lower front panel in the front bulkhead assembly.
[0019] Optionally, in the above-described vehicle body structure: the rear end of the top surface of the third energy-absorbing box is connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly; the rear end of the bottom surface of the third energy-absorbing box extends rearward along the lower front bulkhead relative to the rear end of the top surface of the third energy-absorbing box.
[0020] Optionally, in the above-mentioned vehicle body structure, one or more collapse holes are provided on the upper side of the third energy-absorbing box;
[0021] And / or, the lower side of the third energy-absorbing box is provided with one or more collapse holes;
[0022] And / or, the front end of the third energy-absorbing box is provided with one or more collapse holes;
[0023] And / or, at least a portion of the corners at the front end of the third energy-absorbing box are provided with collapse holes.
[0024] Optionally, in the above-mentioned vehicle body structure, the front end of the third energy-absorbing box is far away from the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly, and the projected area of the front end in the vertical plane is S1;
[0025] The rear end of the third energy-absorbing box is connected to the front crossbeam assembly, and the projected area of the rear end in the vertical plane is S2, where S2 > S1.
[0026] Optionally, in the above-described vehicle body structure, the third energy-absorbing box includes:
[0027] The box unit has a first crumple zone on its lower side, and the first crumple zone includes a plurality of first crumple ribs arranged sequentially along the first direction.
[0028] The cover unit has a second collapse zone on its upper side, and multiple second collapse ribs are arranged sequentially along the first direction in the second collapse zone.
[0029] The cover unit is fastened to the upper opening of the box unit.
[0030] Optionally, in the above-described vehicle body structure, the box unit further includes:
[0031] The first side plate is located on the left and right sides of the first crumple zone;
[0032] The first top plate is located in front of the first collapse zone;
[0033] The first connecting portion, located on the rear side of the first crumple zone, is configured to connect to the front bulkhead beam assembly.
[0034] Optionally, in the above-described vehicle body structure, the cover unit further includes:
[0035] The second side plate is located on the left and right sides of the second crumple zone;
[0036] The second top plate is located in front of the second collapse zone;
[0037] The second connection, located on the rear side of the second crumple zone, is configured to connect to the front bulkhead beam assembly.
[0038] Optionally, in the above-described vehicle body structure, the third energy-absorbing structure is welded to or connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly via fasteners.
[0039] Optionally, in the above-described vehicle body structure, the third energy-absorbing structure includes sheet metal structural components.
[0040] A vehicle having the body structure described above.
[0041] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the vehicle body structure provided in this application not only has energy-absorbing structures on the first and second longitudinal beams respectively, but also adds a third energy-absorbing structure on the front side of the front crossbeam assembly. The third energy-absorbing structure can directly absorb and buffer the powertrain and other devices in the engine compartment when a collision occurs at the front of the vehicle, thereby reducing the amount of the powertrain and other devices in the engine compartment entering the passenger compartment, thus avoiding the problem of excessive front intrusion and poor overall vehicle crashworthiness.
[0042] Furthermore, in the vehicle body structure provided in this application, since a third energy-absorbing structure is added to the front side of the front crossbeam assembly, it can specifically absorb and buffer energy for powertrains of all sizes, thereby facilitating the uniformity of powertrain mounting points.
[0043] Furthermore, in the vehicle body structure provided in this application, since a third energy-absorbing structure is added to the front side of the front crossbeam assembly, the strength requirements of the front crossbeam assembly can be reduced, which helps to reduce the design difficulty of the front crossbeam assembly. Attached Figure Description
[0044] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or related technologies of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0045] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle body structure provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0046] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the combined structure of the third energy-absorbing box and the front crossbeam assembly in Figure 1.
[0047] Figure 3 is a side view of the combined structure of the third energy-absorbing box, the front crossbeam assembly, and the central channel in Figure 1.
[0048] Figure 4 is an exploded structural diagram of the third energy-absorbing box, the front crossbeam assembly, and the central channel in Figure 3.
[0049] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the third energy-absorbing box and the lower front panel.
[0050] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the combined structure of the third energy-absorbing box and the lower front panel.
[0051] Figure 7 is a magnified view of the bottom connection area of the combined structure in Figure 6.
[0052] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a third energy-absorbing box provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0053] Figure 9 is a side view of the third energy-absorbing box in Figure 8.
[0054] Figure 10 is an exploded structural diagram of the third energy-absorbing box shown in Figure 8.
[0055] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the combined structure of the vehicle body structure and engine assembly provided in the embodiment of this application.
[0056] Figure 12 is a top view of the combined structure of the third energy-absorbing box and its surrounding devices in the vehicle provided in the embodiment of this application.
[0057] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the structure and partial dimensions of the first and second longitudinal beams in a vehicle equipped with a third energy-absorbing box, according to an embodiment of this application.
[0058] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the structure and some dimensions of the first and second longitudinal beams in a vehicle without a third energy-absorbing box, at the same scale as Figure 13.
[0059] Wherein: 1-Front bumper beam, 21-First longitudinal beam, 22-Second longitudinal beam, 3-Third energy-absorbing box, 4-Front bulkhead crossbeam assembly, 40-Front bulkhead crossbeam body, 41-Front bulkhead panel, 42-Front bulkhead lower panel, 5-Central channel, 6-Powertrain, 7-High voltage wiring harness, 8-Fuel pipe, 9-Steering, 10-Exhaust pipe, 11-Wheelpack, 301-Crunch rib, 302-Crunch gap, 303-Crunch hole, 31-Box unit, 32-Cover unit, 311-First crumple zone, 3111-First crumple rib, 312-First side panel, 313-First connecting part, 314-First top plate, 321-Second crumple zone, 3211-Second crumple rib, 322-Second side panel, 323-Second connecting part, 324-Second top plate. Detailed Implementation
[0060] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0061] It should be noted that the X direction of the vehicle mentioned in this application refers to the front-to-back direction of the vehicle. Front and back are relative terms, with the front being closer to the front of the vehicle than the back. The Y direction of the vehicle refers to the width direction of the vehicle, and the Z direction of the vehicle refers to the height direction of the vehicle.
[0062] Please refer to Figure 1. This application embodiment provides a vehicle body structure, which includes a central tunnel 5, and a front bumper beam 1, a first longitudinal beam 21, a front bulkhead crossbeam assembly 4, and a second longitudinal beam 22 connected end to end to form a U-shaped frame structure. The central tunnel 5 is located on the rear side of the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly 4 (i.e., the central tunnel 5 is located on the side of the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly 4 away from the front bumper beam 1), and the central tunnel 5 is fixedly connected to the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly 4.
[0063] In addition, the vehicle body structure also includes a first energy-absorbing structure disposed on the first longitudinal beam 21, a second energy-absorbing structure disposed on the second longitudinal beam 22, and a third energy-absorbing structure disposed in the above-mentioned U-shaped frame structure. The third energy-absorbing structure is fixedly connected to the front crossbeam assembly 4, and the third energy-absorbing structure is at least partially closer to the front bumper beam 1 relative to the front crossbeam assembly 4.
[0064] As can be seen, the vehicle body structure provided in this application not only has energy-absorbing structures on the first longitudinal beam 21 and the second longitudinal beam 22, but also adds a third energy-absorbing structure on the front side of the front crossbeam assembly 4. This third energy-absorbing structure can directly absorb and buffer the powertrain and other devices in the engine compartment during a frontal collision (the force transmission path can be seen from the arrow in Figure 11), thereby reducing the amount of powertrain and other devices entering the passenger compartment and avoiding excessive frontal intrusion and poor overall vehicle crashworthiness. Furthermore, because the third energy-absorbing structure is added to the front side of the front crossbeam assembly, the vehicle body structure provided in this application can specifically absorb and buffer energy from powertrains of all sizes, thus facilitating the standardization of powertrain mounting points. In addition, because the third energy-absorbing structure is added to the front side of the front crossbeam assembly, the strength requirements for the front crossbeam assembly are reduced, thus reducing the design complexity of the front crossbeam assembly.
[0065] In practical implementation, the first, second, and third energy-absorbing structures mentioned above can all be energy-absorbing boxes, or any other structure with energy-absorbing effects. For ease of understanding, the following explanation uses an energy-absorbing box structure as an example.
[0066] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3. In some embodiments, the first energy-absorbing structure includes a first energy-absorbing box, one end of which is connected to the front bumper beam 1, and the other end is connected to the front end of the first longitudinal beam 21; the second energy-absorbing structure includes a second energy-absorbing box, one end of which is connected to the front bumper beam 1, and the other end is connected to the front end of the second longitudinal beam 22; the third energy-absorbing structure includes a third energy-absorbing box 3, the rear end of which is fixedly connected to the front bulkhead beam assembly 4. Referring to Figure 8, the third energy-absorbing box 3 includes multiple crumple ribs 301 arranged sequentially along a first direction L. These crumple ribs 301 can absorb energy and buffer the powertrain and other devices in the engine compartment during a frontal collision, thereby reducing the amount of powertrain and other devices entering the passenger compartment. It should be noted that the first direction L mentioned herein refers to a horizontal direction perpendicular to the length direction of the front bulkhead beam assembly 4, and also the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body structure.
[0067] Furthermore, among the multiple collapsible ribs 301 arranged in parallel, a collapsible gap 302 with a distance greater than zero is provided between adjacent collapsible ribs 301. When the front of the vehicle collides, the collapsible gap 302 deforms first, and then the collapsible ribs 301 deform, thereby achieving a layered and stable buffering effect.
[0068] Furthermore, among the multiple collapsible ribs 301 arranged in parallel, each collapsible rib 301 includes a main body region 3011 and a side region 3012 located at at least one edge of the main body region 3011. The length direction of the side region 3012 is perpendicular to the first direction L mentioned above, and the thickness of the side region 3012 gradually decreases in the direction away from the main body region 3011. When the front of the vehicle collides, the multiple collapsible ribs 301 are compressed and deformed sequentially from front to back. During this process, the "thinned side region 3012" allows adjacent collapsible ribs 301 to first overlap each other when compressed, and then deform during the overlapping process. The force transmission direction during the deformation process is relatively stable, which helps to improve the stability of the buffering process and the final buffering effect.
[0069] Traditional vehicle body structures require longitudinal beams to transmit force to both the sill beams and the center tunnel. Therefore, these beams are designed at an angle, causing the aforementioned U-shaped frame structure to taper inwards towards the vehicle, resulting in insufficient space at the rear of the engine compartment. To address this, the frame structure provided in this application places the third energy-absorbing structure in the middle of the front crossbeam assembly 4 or as close as possible to it. This increases the number of force transmission paths from two (located on the first and second longitudinal beams respectively) to three (located on the first, second, and third energy-absorbing structures respectively), effectively improving the stability issues of the traditional U-shaped design. For example, please refer to Figures 1 and 11. The third energy-absorbing box 3 is located behind the powertrain 6, connected to the front side of the lower front panel 42, and located on the longitudinal extension line of the central channel 5. Thus, the third energy-absorbing box 3 and the central channel 5 are located on the front and rear sides of the lower front panel 42, respectively. The projections of the third energy-absorbing box 3 and the central channel 5 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction at least partially overlap, so as to form a third force transmission path that can transmit force to the central channel 5 through the third energy-absorbing box 3.
[0070] Specifically, referring to Figures 2 to 6, in some embodiments, the front bulkhead beam assembly 4 includes a front bulkhead panel 41, a front bulkhead beam body 40, and a front bulkhead lower panel 42 connected sequentially from top to bottom. The upper end of the front bulkhead lower panel 42 is connected to the front bulkhead beam body 40, and the lower end of the front bulkhead lower panel 42 extends rearward and downward relative to its upper end. Correspondingly, the rear end of the top surface of the third energy-absorbing box 3 (see the second connecting part 323 in Figure 10) is connected to the front side of the front bulkhead lower panel 42, and the rear end of the bottom surface of the third energy-absorbing box 3 (see the third connecting part 315 in Figure 10) extends rearward relative to the rear end of the top surface of the third energy-absorbing box 3; the bottom front end of the central channel 5 is an inclined structure adapted to the inclined rear side of the front bulkhead lower panel 42. Thus, the third energy-absorbing box 3 and the central channel 5 not only overlap at least partially in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, but also, in the vertical direction (i.e., the height direction of the vehicle), the rear end of the bottom surface of the third energy-absorbing box 3 and the front end of the central channel 5 overlap at least partially. During a vehicle collision, the third energy-absorbing box 3 can participate in collision energy absorption in advance, absorbing some of the energy from the powertrain 6 during a high-speed frontal collision, and can directly transfer the energy to the central channel 5, thereby improving the force transmission efficiency, reducing the amount of frontal intrusion in a high-speed frontal collision, and thus better protecting the safety of the occupants.
[0071] Referring to Figures 8 and 10, in some embodiments, the upper side of the third energy-absorbing box 3 is provided with one or more crumple holes 303; and / or, the lower side of the third energy-absorbing box 3 is provided with one or more crumple holes 303; and / or, the front end of the third energy-absorbing box 3 is provided with one or more crumple holes 303; and / or, at least a portion of the corners of the front end of the third energy-absorbing box 3 are provided with crumple holes 303. For example, the central area of the front end of the third energy-absorbing box 3, as well as its lower left and lower right corners, are respectively provided with crumple holes 303. The aforementioned crumple holes 303 not only serve as energy-absorbing buffers but also help reduce the vehicle's weight.
[0072] Please refer to Figures 8 and 9. In some embodiments, the thickness 'a' of the front end of the third energy-absorbing box 3 is less than the thickness 'b' of the rear end. Therefore, assuming the projected area of the front end of the third energy-absorbing box 3 away from the front crossbeam assembly 4 in the vertical plane is S1, and the projected area of the rear end of the third energy-absorbing box 3 near the front crossbeam assembly in the vertical plane is S2, then S2 > S1. This structure is beneficial for ensuring the stable deformation of the third energy-absorbing box 3 during a frontal collision, thus ensuring the stability of the energy absorption and buffering process.
[0073] Optionally, referring to Figure 10, in some embodiments, the third energy-absorbing box 3 is composed of a box body unit 31 and a cover unit 32. Specifically: the lower side of the box body unit 31, which is the lower side of the third energy-absorbing box 3, is provided with a first collapse region 311, which includes multiple first collapse ribs 3111 arranged sequentially along a first direction L; the upper side of the cover unit 32, which is the upper side of the third energy-absorbing box 3, is provided with a second collapse region 321, which includes multiple second collapse ribs 3211 arranged sequentially along the first direction L; and the cover unit 32 is fastened to the upper opening of the box body unit 31.
[0074] In addition, the housing unit 31 also includes a first side plate 312, a first top plate 314, and a first connecting portion 313, wherein: the first side plate 312 is located on the left and right sides of the first crumple zone 311 and bends upward; the first top plate 314 is located on the front side of the first crumple zone 311 and bends upward; the first connecting portion 313 is located at the rear end of the first side plate 312 and bends outward, and is configured to connect with the front side of the lower front panel 42 in the front beam assembly 4. Correspondingly, the cover unit 32 also includes a second side plate 322, a second top plate 324, and a second connecting portion 323, wherein: the second side plate 322 is located on the left and right sides of the second crumple zone 321 and bends downward; the second top plate 324 is located on the front side of the second crumple zone 321 and bends downward; the second connecting portion 323 is located at the rear end of the second crumple zone 321 and bends upward, and is configured to connect with the front beam assembly 4. Specifically, the second connecting part 323 is located at the rear end of the top surface of the third energy-absorbing box 3, and the second connecting part 323 is connected to the front side of the lower front panel 42 in the front beam assembly 4. When the cover unit 32 and the box unit 31 are fastened together to form the third energy-absorbing box 3, the second side plate 322 and the second top plate 324 of the cover unit 32 are located outside the first side plate 312 and the first top plate 314 of the box unit 31 and are welded to them, respectively.
[0075] In some embodiments, the third energy-absorbing box 3 is a sheet metal structural component. For example, the box unit 31 and the cover unit 32 mentioned above are different sheet metal components, and are respectively provided with shrinkage ribs or shrinkage hole structures. However, it is not limited to this. The third energy-absorbing structure (e.g., the third energy-absorbing box 3) fixedly connected to the front beam assembly 4 provided in this application can also adopt other forms of structural components, or adopt other different material designs, to achieve different or substantially the same performance effects.
[0076] During the production process, the first side plates 312 on the left and right sides of the box unit 31 and the second side plates 322 on the left and right sides of the cover unit 32 are first welded together to form the third energy-absorbing box 3. Then, the third energy-absorbing box 3 is installed to the front side of the lower front panel 42 of the front beam assembly 4 through the first connecting part 313 located at the rear of the box unit 31 and the second connecting part 323 located at the rear of the cover unit 32. The rear side of the lower front panel 42 is connected to the central channel 5. Specifically, the first connecting part 313, the lower front panel 42, and the central channel 5 can be fixedly connected by welding three layers of plates simultaneously. Similarly, the second connecting part 323, the lower front panel 42, and the central channel 5 can also be fixedly connected by welding three layers of plates simultaneously. However, this is not the only option. In other embodiments, the third energy-absorbing box 3, the front beam assembly 4, and the central channel 5 can also be fixedly connected by fasteners (e.g., screw connections).
[0077] In some embodiments, the third force transmission path where the third energy-absorbing box 3 is located can be decoupled from other structures. By making specific designs and material designs for the energy-absorbing ribs in the third energy-absorbing structure and adjusting the installation form, different energy absorption and force transmission effects can be achieved, thereby ensuring that the force transmission of other structures in the forward cabin remains basically unchanged, and realizing the universal design of cabin parts and installation points.
[0078] In summary, this application also provides a vehicle with the body structure described above, namely, a third energy-absorbing structure is provided on the front side of the front crossbeam assembly 4 opposite to the powertrain 6. This third energy-absorbing structure can be an energy-absorbing box structure, namely, a third energy-absorbing box 3. In specific implementation, in this body structure, not only is the third energy-absorbing box 3 provided on the front side of the front crossbeam assembly 4, but also a first energy-absorbing box is provided between the front end of the first longitudinal beam 21 and the front anti-collision beam 1, and a second energy-absorbing box is provided between the front end of the second longitudinal beam 22 and the front anti-collision beam 1.
[0079] When a high-speed frontal collision occurs, the front bumper beam 1 first deforms and compresses the first and second energy-absorbing boxes, transferring the collision force to the first and second longitudinal beams 21 and 22. Then, the powertrain 6 rapidly moves rearward and compresses the third energy-absorbing box 3. The third energy-absorbing box 3 and the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly 4 deform, transferring energy through the central tunnel support plate to the central tunnel 5 and the rear of the vehicle, while simultaneously reducing the cross-sectional forces of the first and second longitudinal beams 21 and 22. At the same time, the third energy-absorbing box 3 comes into contact with the powertrain 6, and its own energy-absorbing ribs deform along the first direction L, rapidly absorbing some of the collision energy. The remaining energy is transferred through the rear end of the third energy-absorbing box 3 to the central tunnel 5 and the rear of the vehicle, thereby reducing the intrusion of the powertrain 6 into the passenger compartment and better protecting occupant safety.
[0080] During the above process, as the powertrain 6 moves backward and quickly comes into contact with the third energy-absorbing box 3, the third energy-absorbing box 3 absorbs a portion of the force and then transmits it to the central channel 5. Thus, the third energy-absorbing box 3 can provide some energy absorption for the powertrain 6. In some embodiments, this can reduce the space between the powertrain 6 and the front crossbeam assembly 4 in the vehicle's X direction, thereby increasing the proportion of the cockpit space and simplifying the force transmission structure design in the central channel cockpit. This reduces the encroachment of the body structure on the cockpit space, thereby reducing the space requirements of the powertrain 6 on the cockpit and engine compartment, which is conducive to releasing the freedom of styling design and increasing the proportion of the cockpit space.
[0081] In some embodiments, in the vehicle provided in this application, the first longitudinal beam 21 and the second longitudinal beam 22 are collectively referred to as longitudinal beams. Because a third energy-absorbing structure is provided on the front side of the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly 4 opposite to the powertrain 6, thus:
[0082] The thickness of the outer plate of the longitudinal beam can be changed from 1.6 / 2.0 to 1.4 / 1.6 (2.0), the thickness of the inner plate of the longitudinal beam can be changed from 2.0 / 2.0 to 1.8 / 2.0, and the thickness of the reinforcing plate of the longitudinal beam can be changed from 2.0 to 1.6; (all values in this paragraph are in millimeters)
[0083] The thickness of both the outer and inner longitudinal beam panels can be reduced by 10% to 20% to achieve lightweight vehicle body design.
[0084] While keeping the X-axis dimension (i.e., the length of the longitudinal beam in the vehicle's longitudinal direction) and Z-axis dimension (i.e., the length of the longitudinal beam in the vehicle's height direction) unchanged, its area dimension in the YZ section can be reduced by 10% to 12%, which is beneficial to increase the spacing dimension between the first longitudinal beam 21 and the second longitudinal beam 22, and to be compatible with powertrains with larger Y-axis dimensions, enabling diversified designs for the engine compartment powertrain layout.
[0085] For example, please refer to Figures 13 and 14. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the structure and partial dimensions of the first longitudinal beam 21 and the second longitudinal beam 22 in a vehicle equipped with a third energy-absorbing box according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the structure and partial dimensions of the first longitudinal beam 21 and the second longitudinal beam 22 in a vehicle without a third energy-absorbing box, at the same scale as Figure 13. By comparing the cross-sectional dimensions (YZ cross-section) of the longitudinal beams at multiple locations in Figures 13 and 14, as well as the spacing between the first longitudinal beam 21 and the second longitudinal beam 22, it can be seen that a third energy-absorbing structure is provided on the front side of the front crossbeam assembly 4. This can reduce the cross-sectional dimensions of the longitudinal beams, thereby increasing the spacing between the first longitudinal beam 21 and the second longitudinal beam 22. This increases the Y-direction arrangement space of the powertrain at the front of the engine compartment. It also increases the Y-direction arrangement space of the wheel arch 11 outside the first longitudinal beam 21 and outside the second longitudinal beam 22 (i.e., the W position in Figure 13 can reserve a larger arrangement space for the wheel arch). This allows the architecture design to accommodate larger tires and powertrains while meeting safety collision requirements, provided that the length distance from the center point of the front wheel to the contact point between the foot and the brake pedal remains unchanged.
[0086] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, since a third energy-absorbing structure is located on the front side of the front crossbeam assembly 4 opposite the powertrain 6, safety-related components such as the fuel line 8 and high-voltage wiring harness 7 must avoid the location of the third energy-absorbing structure to prevent risks such as electrical or oil leakage during a collision and to avoid spontaneous combustion after the collision. Moreover, to ensure the lifting installation of the exhaust pipe 10, its Z-axis projection must avoid the third energy-absorbing structure by at least 20mm to meet the lifting installation requirements. At the same time, to meet the heat hazard requirements, the exhaust pipe 10 must maintain a static gap of at least 30mm with its surroundings, causing the exhaust pipe 10 and the steering 9 to move outward simultaneously, and the longitudinal beams of the vehicle body to adjust their trajectory according to the layout requirements.
[0087] In some embodiments, the third energy-absorbing structure is a third energy-absorbing box 3, which can be made of steel, specifically HC300LA, HC340 / 590DP, or HC420 / 780DP. Furthermore, the third energy-absorbing box 3 and the lower front bulkhead 42, as well as the central tunnel 5 and the lower front bulkhead 42, can be joined by spot welding. For example, the third energy-absorbing box 3 can be a self-welded box structure, contacting the front side of the lower front bulkhead 42, while the rear side of the lower front bulkhead 42 contacts the central tunnel 5. The third energy-absorbing box 3, the lower front bulkhead 42, and the central tunnel 5 are then fixedly connected by three layers of spot welding. During a frontal collision, the third energy-absorbing box 3 and the front bulkhead crossbeam assembly 4 can simultaneously transmit force in the X direction to the central tunnel 5 (see the arrow direction in Figure 11), thereby reducing the amount of front bulkhead intrusion and improving the safety performance of the passenger compartment.
[0088] In some embodiments, the powertrain of gasoline or hybrid vehicles has a large longitudinal dimension and a small effective energy absorption space, so the body structure provided in this application can be adopted. Moreover, the third energy-absorbing structure of the same form can be compatible with various powertrain and engine compartment layouts, and this application does not specifically limit the specific structure of the powertrain and engine compartment layout.
[0089] In summary, the vehicle body structure and vehicle provided in this application have at least the following advantages:
[0090] During a frontal collision, this body structure adds a force transmission path in the middle in addition to the longitudinal beams on both sides, which helps to reduce the risk of instability of the longitudinal beams on both sides during a collision.
[0091] During a frontal collision, the vehicle body structure increases the force transmission path at the front of the vehicle from two to three by adding a third energy-absorbing structure in the middle of the front crossbeam assembly 4. This reduces the strength requirements of the longitudinal beams on both sides (i.e., the first longitudinal beam 21 and the second longitudinal beam 22), reduces the design difficulty of the longitudinal beams, and thus facilitates the realization of a universal design.
[0092] Because the load-bearing capacity of the longitudinal beams is reduced, the longitudinal beams can be moved outwards, and it is not necessary to design the front of the vehicle's U-shaped frame structure as a structure that is wider at the front and narrower at the rear, thus giving the engine compartment more room for layout.
[0093] Since the third energy-absorbing structure (e.g., the third energy-absorbing box 3) added in this application directly corresponds to the central channel, the received collision force can be transmitted in a straight line to the central channel and then dispersed to the rear of the vehicle, resulting in smoother force transmission and better force transmission performance.
[0094] Since the third energy-absorbing structure (e.g., the third energy-absorbing box 3) added in this application constitutes the central force transmission structure and is designed outside the passenger compartment, it can intervene in advance during the collision process, thereby reducing the impact of the collision force on the passenger compartment and further improving the safety of the occupants in the vehicle.
[0095] The third energy-absorbing structure (e.g., the third energy-absorbing box 3) added in this application can be adjusted independently relative to other body structures. The design requirements of different vehicle models can be met by adjusting the third energy-absorbing structure separately.
[0096] Since the third energy-absorbing structure (e.g., the third energy-absorbing box 3) added in this application constitutes the central force transmission structure, that is, the third force transmission path in addition to the patent path where the two longitudinal beams are located, the collision force corresponding to the two longitudinal beams can be dispersed. Thus, by keeping the collision force of the two longitudinal beams basically consistent in different models, the universal design of the longitudinal beams in multiple models can be achieved.
[0097] The energy absorption design of the third force transmission path can absorb the changes in collision capability generated by different powertrains, ensuring that the intrusion amount is the same and realizing the uniformity of the installation point of the powertrain inside the cabin.
[0098] It can achieve compatibility with multiple powertrains and engine compartment layouts under the same architecture. The first energy-absorbing box is added for gasoline or hybrid models, while the energy-absorbing box is removed for pure electric models, and other engine compartment structures remain basically the same.
[0099] The third force transmission path is a crushing energy absorption design, which can compensate for the poor energy absorption of the longitudinal beams during high-speed collisions.
[0100] It should be noted that the terms "up," "down," "front," "rear," "top," and "bottom" used in this article are based on the perspective when the vehicle is in normal driving mode, and are not limited to the actual orientation of the vehicle body structure in actual production or other situations.
[0101] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed.
[0102] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.
[0103] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1. A vehicle body structure, comprising a central channel (5), and a front anti-collision beam (1), a first longitudinal beam (21), a front crossbeam assembly (4), and a second longitudinal beam (22) connected end to end to form a frame structure, wherein the central channel (5) is located on the rear side of the front crossbeam assembly (4) and is connected to the front crossbeam assembly (4); in, Also includes: The first energy-absorbing structure is disposed on the first longitudinal beam (21); The second energy-absorbing structure is disposed on the second longitudinal beam (22); The third energy-absorbing structure is located in the frame structure and is connected to the front crossbeam assembly (4). The third energy-absorbing structure is at least partially closer to the front bumper beam (1) than the front crossbeam assembly (4).
2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein, The third energy-absorbing structure includes multiple shrinkage ribs (301) arranged sequentially along a first direction (L), which is perpendicular to the length direction of the front beam assembly (4).
3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2, wherein, A shrinkage gap (302) with a distance greater than zero is provided between adjacent shrinkage ribs (301); And / or, at least part of the contraction rib (301) includes a main board region (3011) and a side region (3012) located at at least one edge of the main board region (3011), the length direction of the side region (3012) being perpendicular to the first direction (L), and the thickness of the side region (3012) gradually decreasing in a direction away from the main board region (3011).
4. The vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The first energy-absorbing structure includes a first energy-absorbing box, one end of which is connected to the front anti-collision beam (1), and the other end is connected to the front end of the first longitudinal beam (21). And / or, the second energy-absorbing structure includes a second energy-absorbing box, one end of which is connected to the front anti-collision beam (1), and the other end is connected to the front end of the second longitudinal beam (22); And / or, the third energy-absorbing structure includes a third energy-absorbing box (3), the projections of the third energy-absorbing box (3) and the central channel (5) in the vehicle longitudinal direction at least partially overlap, and the third energy-absorbing box is connected to the front side of the front lower plate (42) in the front crossbeam assembly (4), and the central channel (5) is connected to the rear side of the front lower plate (42) in the front crossbeam assembly (4).
5. The vehicle body structure according to claim 4, wherein, The upper side of the third energy-absorbing box (3) is provided with one or more collapse holes (303); And / or, the lower side of the third energy-absorbing box (3) is provided with one or more collapse holes (303); And / or, the front end of the third energy-absorbing box (3) is provided with one or more collapse holes (303); And / or, at least a portion of the corners at the front end of the third energy-absorbing box (3) are provided with collapse holes (303).
6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 4 or 5, wherein, The front end of the third energy-absorbing box (3) is far away from the front crossbeam assembly (4), and the projected area of the front end in the vertical plane is S1; The rear end of the third energy-absorbing box (3) is connected to the front crossbeam assembly (4), and the projected area of the rear end in the vertical plane is S2, where S2 > S1.
7. The vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein, The third energy-absorbing box (3) includes: The box unit (31) has a first collapse area (311) on its lower side. The first collapse area (311) includes multiple first collapse ribs (3111) arranged sequentially along a first direction (L). The first direction (L) is perpendicular to the length direction of the front beam assembly (4). The cover unit (32) has a second collapse area (321) on its upper side, and the second collapse area (321) has multiple second collapse ribs (3211) arranged sequentially along the first direction (L); The cover unit (32) is fastened to the upper opening of the box unit (31).
8. The vehicle body structure according to claim 7, wherein, The housing unit (31) also includes: The first side plate (312) is located on the left and right sides of the first collapse area (311); The first top plate (314) is located in front of the first collapse zone (311); The first connecting part (313), located on the rear side of the first crumple zone (311), is configured to connect with the front beam assembly (4); And / or, The cover unit (32) also includes: The second side plate (322) is located on the left and right sides of the second collapse zone (321); The second top plate (324) is located in front of the second collapse zone (321); The second connecting part (323), located on the rear side of the second crumple zone (321), is configured to connect with the front beam assembly (4).
9. The vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The third energy-absorbing structure is welded to or connected to the front crossbeam assembly (4) via fasteners; And / or, the third energy-absorbing structure includes a sheet metal structural component.
10. A vehicle, wherein, The vehicle body structure is provided as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.