Battery Case Cross Member With Closed-Section Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle frame members face challenges in maintaining load-bearing capacity while minimizing size, particularly in structures where the floor cross members need to support both vehicle width and up-down direction loads during side collisions, which is complicated by increasing the cross section to enhance rigidity.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle frame member design featuring a hat-shaped outer component joined to a battery case and an inner component forming a closed cross-section, with vertical walls and a frame-shaped portion, enhancing rigidity without increasing size, and allowing for efficient load distribution and fastening without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the cross section of floor cross members is increased to maintain load-bearing capacity, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the vehicle cabin space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The inner component is nested within the hat-shaped outer component, forming a nested structure where the inner component occupies the internal space of the outer component. This nesting approach allows the frame member to maintain load-bearing capacity through the combined structure without increasing external dimensions, thereby preserving vehicle cabin space while achieving the required strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a simple hat-shaped cross-section to a complex three-dimensional structure by adding the inner component with vertical walls and frame-shaped portions. This dimensional enhancement creates multiple closed cross-sections that improve load-bearing capacity in both vehicle width and up-down directions without increasing the external footprint, thus maintaining cabin space.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the cross section of floor cross members is increased to maintain rigidity, then the rigidity is improved, but the size of the frame member is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The inner component is nested within the hat-shaped outer component, forming a nested structure where the inner component occupies the internal space of the outer component. This nesting approach allows the frame member to maintain load-bearing capacity through the combined structure without increasing external dimensions, thereby preserving vehicle cabin space while achieving the required strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame member is segmented into two distinct components: the outer hat-shaped component and the inner component with vertical walls and frame-shaped portions. This segmentation allows each component to contribute specifically to rigidity in different directions, creating a composite structure that achieves high rigidity without requiring a larger overall size.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a closed cross-section structure is formed to improve rigidity, then the rigidity is improved, but the structural complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The outer hat-shaped component and the inner component are merged to form an integrated closed cross-section structure. This merging creates multiple closed sections that enhance rigidity while the components can be manufactured separately and assembled, balancing structural complexity with manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner component serves multiple functions: it forms closed cross-sections with the outer component to improve rigidity, provides vertical walls for load-bearing in the up-down direction, and creates frame-shaped portions for structural stability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, thereby managing structural complexity while achieving high rigidity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle frame member includes: an outer component extending in a vehicle width direction, joined to an upper surface of a battery case, and having a hat-shaped cross-section that is open on the lower side in a vehicle up-down direction as viewed from the vehicle width direction; and an inner component provided between the battery case and the outer component and forming, together with the outer component, a closed cross-section. The inner component includes a vertical wall extending in the vehicle up-down direction and a frame-shaped portion having a frame shape as viewed from the vehicle width direction.