Vehicle-body front structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles face challenges in absorbing impact loads during collisions due to reduced accessory components, and positioning the traveling motor to absorb impact can interfere with the steering shaft, making it difficult to satisfy both impact absorption and steering wheel layout requirements.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-body front structure for electric vehicles with a partition wall portion extending in the vehicle width direction, where the traveling motor is installed below a lower-side portion of the partition wall, and a recess is formed above it to accommodate the steering shaft, allowing for proper positioning and inclination to avoid interference with the motor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the traveling motor is positioned to absorb impact load in collisions, then impact absorption capability is improved, but interference with the steering shaft occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall portion is configured to extend in the vehicle width direction rather than only in the vehicle front-rear direction, creating a three-dimensional space that accommodates both the traveling motor for impact absorption and the steering shaft for steering operations, thereby resolving the spatial conflict between these two components
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall portion is divided into multiple sections including a first partition wall portion and a second partition wall portion that extends in the vehicle width direction, creating distinct zones that separately accommodate the traveling motor and steering shaft without interference
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the steering shaft position and inclination angle are adjusted to avoid interference with the traveling motor, then interference is reduced, but the direction and position of the steering wheel with respect to the occupant become inappropriate
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall portion extends in the vehicle width direction to create lateral space, allowing the steering shaft to maintain its optimal inclination angle and position for proper steering wheel placement while the traveling motor is accommodated in the newly created width-direction space
3Reliability
If the lower-side portion of the partition wall is positioned further to the vehicle rear, then crash stroke is secured for impact absorption, but space for steering shaft passage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall is segmented into a first partition wall portion and a second partition wall portion, where the second portion extends in the vehicle width direction to create a dedicated passage space for the steering shaft, while the first portion is positioned to ensure adequate crash stroke for impact absorption
Data Source
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AI summary
[Problem] Both of a requirement for absorption of an impact load in a collision and a requirement for layout of direction and position of a steering wheel are satisfied. [Means for Solution] A vehicle-body front structure A includes a partition wall portion 71 which demarcates a vehicle cabin inside space R1. A lower-side portion of the partition wall portion 71 is formed to be positioned further to vehicle rear toward a lower position. A traveling motor is installed below the lower-side portion of the partition wall portion 71. A recess portion 71b which is recessed toward vehicle front is formed in a portion, on an upper side of the traveling motor, in the partition wall portion 71. An inserting hole 71d through which a steering shaft 122 is inserted is formed in a lower wall portion 71c of the recess portion 71b.