EV Body Bridge Beam Structure for Side-Impact Battery Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle body structures for electric vehicles face challenges in achieving lightweight designs while maintaining high battery protection performance, particularly in absorbing and dispersing impact forces during side collisions.
Innovation Solution
The proposed vehicle body structure includes a battery positioned at the center lower portion, a hollow side sill extending in the front-rear direction, a hollow first member disposed below the side sill, and at least one second member made of steel extending in the vehicle width direction. This configuration allows for impact absorption and dispersion through the crushing of these members, enhancing battery protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a tubular reinforcing member extending in the vehicle width direction is used, then side collision performance is improved, but battery protection performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle body structure is divided into multiple functional members: side sills for side collision resistance, first members (bridge beams) for impact absorption, and second members (bridge piers) for supporting the battery. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its specific function, resolving the contradiction between side collision performance and impact absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third dimension (vehicle height direction) by adding bridge piers that extend in the vehicle height direction, in addition to the traditional side sills extending in the vehicle width direction. This dimensional expansion creates a three-dimensional protective framework that simultaneously addresses both side collision resistance and impact absorption.
2Strength
If a tubular structure is used for the reinforcing member, then resistance to axial load is improved, but resistance to side load deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple structural elements with different strength characteristics: side sills with closed cross sections for axial strength, and bridge beams with hat-shaped cross sections for side load resistance. By combining these different structural forms, the system achieves both axial load resistance and side load resistance simultaneously.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a hollow structure is used for the first member, then impact absorption is improved, but structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The first member (bridge beam) uses a hat-shaped cross section with local reinforcement at critical areas. The hollow structure provides impact absorption, while the flanged structure provides localized strength where needed. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between impact absorption and structural strength.
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
The structure effectively absorbs and disperses impact forces during side collisions, achieving lightweight and high battery protection performance for electric vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
crushing of the hollow first member together with the side sill allows an impact to be absorbed
Implementation Method 2
the second member extending in the vehicle width direction supports the first member from the inside in the vehicle width direction
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body structure for an electric vehicle includes: a battery disposed at a center lower portion of a vehicle body; a side sill being hollow and extending in a vehicle body front-rear direction outside in a vehicle width direction of the battery; a bridge beam member being hollow, disposed below the side sill and outside in the vehicle width direction of the battery, extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction, and having a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle body front-rear direction formed as a closed cross section; and at least one bridge pier member made of steel, extending in the vehicle width direction from the battery toward the bridge beam member, and having a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle width direction forming at least a part of a closed cross-sectional shape.