Vehicle Lower Body Frame With Closed Sections for Battery Side Impact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle lower body structures face challenges in maintaining the cross-sectional shapes of impact absorption members when subjected to impact loads in the vehicle width direction, leading to reduced energy absorption capacity per unit length.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle lower body structure incorporates closed cross-sectional structural units within the frame, which extend in the vehicle width direction and maintain their shape during deformation, ensuring impact energy absorption without complicating the configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If impact absorption members extend in the vehicle front-rear direction, then they can absorb impact loads, but their cross-sectional shapes become difficult to maintain when subjected to impact loads in the vehicle width direction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpact energy absorption capacityVSAvoidcross-sectional shape maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the orientation of the impact absorption members from extending in the vehicle front-rear direction to extending in the vehicle width direction. This dimensional reorientation allows the closed cross-sectional structural units to maintain their cross-sectional shapes during deformation while still absorbing impact energy effectively in the vehicle width direction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Strength

If impact absorption members extend in the vehicle front-rear direction, then they can absorb impact loads, but the impact energy absorbed per unit length in the vehicle width direction becomes smaller

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpact energy absorption capacityVSAvoidimpact energy absorption per unit length
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reorients the impact absorption members to extend in the vehicle width direction rather than the front-rear direction. This allows the closed cross-sectional structural units to compressively deform in the direction they extend, maximizing the impact energy absorbed per unit length when subjected to impact loads in the vehicle width direction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the key parameter of the impact absorption members' orientation from front-rear direction to width direction. This parameter change enables the structural units to align with the direction of impact loads, optimizing the energy absorption efficiency per unit length.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the frame is designed to absorb impact in the vehicle width direction, then battery protection is improved, but the configuration becomes more complex with partition walls

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery protectionVSAvoidframe configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent simplifies the frame configuration by using impact absorption members that extend in the vehicle width direction with closed cross-sections, eliminating the need for complex partition walls extending in the front-rear direction. This maintains battery protection while reducing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design ensures consistent impact energy absorption per unit length in the vehicle width direction, protecting the battery and maintaining structural integrity by dispersing impact loads effectively.

Implementation Method 1

When an impact load in the vehicle width direction is input to the frame, the closed cross-sectional structural units compressively deform in the direction in which the impact load was input

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 2

the cross-sectional shapes of inner parts, in the vehicle width direction, of the closed cross-sectional structural units are maintained even when deformation of the impact absorption member progresses

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP4574495A1Vehicle lower body structure
Publication Date: 2025.06.25 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4574495A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4574495A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4574495A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vehicle lower body structure, includes a battery (35) disposed at a vehicle lower side relative to a vehicle cabin (16); a frame (22, 38) disposed at an outer side, in a vehicle width direction, of the battery (35), a position in a height direction of a part of the frame (22, 38) overlapping with the battery when viewed in the vehicle width direction; and an impact absorption member (48, 54, 74) provided inside the frame (22, 38) and including closed cross-sectional structural units (56, 76) whose cross-sectional shapes, when viewed in the vehicle width direction, are closed cross-sections, the closed cross-sectional structural units (56, 92, 76) extending in the vehicle width direction.