Vehicle Floor Reinforcement Structure with Continuous Vertical Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle floor structures face issues with reduced rigidity due to step formations, low vertical wall heights, and trumpet-shaped rear end portions of the floor tunnel, leading to increased vehicle interior noise and decreased stability.
Innovation Solution
A floor reinforcement structure featuring a continuous vertical wall with increased height above the floor tunnel, a hat-like floor tunnel with crank-shaped leg portions, and a separate panel member at the rear end to maintain rigidity, along with a projecting fuel tank part and curved top edges to enhance overall vehicle body rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If steps are provided to the vertical wall of the rear floor to form mount board and fuel tank housing, then productivity and layout are improved, but the rigidity against floor shaking and vehicle body rigidity are lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical wall is divided into multiple height levels (first height level at front, second height level at rear) with the third height level at the floor tunnel joining portion being higher than both. This segmentation allows the structure to provide rigidity where needed (at the floor tunnel joining portion) while still enabling functional requirements (mount board and fuel tank housing) at other locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical wall has different height levels at different locations to provide localized rigidity. The third height level is specifically increased at the floor tunnel joining portion to enhance rigidity where it is most needed, while other portions can be optimized for their specific functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the height of the vertical wall of the rear floor is lowered at the floor tunnel portion for layout reasons, then layout flexibility is improved, but the rigidity against floor shaking and vehicle body rigidity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical wall implements local quality by having different height levels at different locations. The third height level at the floor tunnel joining portion is specifically increased to maintain vehicle body rigidity, while other portions can be optimized for layout requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the rear end portion of the floor tunnel is given a trumpet shape for exhaust pipe arrangement, then layout is improved, but the lateral area of the vertical wall is reduced, weakening rigidity against floor shaking
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical wall has localized height variations with the third height level being higher at the floor tunnel joining portion to compensate for the reduced lateral area caused by the trumpet shape of the floor tunnel rear end.
4Ease of operation
If the height of the rear end portion of the floor tunnel is reduced gradually toward the rear to expand foot space, then passenger comfort is improved, but the rigidity of the floor tunnel and local rigidity of the floor are lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical wall implements local quality by having the third height level higher than both the first and second height levels at the floor tunnel joining portion. This localized increase in height compensates for the rigidity reduction in the gradually lowering floor tunnel rear end.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention includes a floor reinforcement structure for vehicle body providing rigidity to an area around a main and rear floor joint; improving vehicle-body rigidity and rigidity against floor shaking and associated vehicle interior noise; and improving vehicle running stability. A floor reinforcement structure includes: a main floor; rear floor; side sill; a floor tunnel with a hat-like cross-section protruding from the floor and located medially in the main floor in the vehicle width direction and extending in a front-and-rear direction; and a vertical wall at the front of the rear floor extending in a vehicle vertical direction. The vertical wall is continuous with no steps The height of a top face thereof is larger than twice the height of a top face of the side sill, which is more than twice the height of a top face of a rear end portion of the floor tunnel.