Interchangeable Middle Floor Units for Hybrid Vehicle Platform Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle body structures face challenges in sharing platforms between gasoline and hybrid vehicles, leading to increased manufacturing costs, reduced luggage space, and weight inefficiencies, particularly due to the need for additional components to secure electrical components and fuel tanks.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body structure that shares a platform between gasoline and hybrid vehicles by using interchangeable middle floor units, where the gasoline vehicle's middle floor unit accommodates a fuel tank and the hybrid vehicle's middle floor unit houses an electrical component, allowing for a smaller fuel tank and increased luggage space, while cross-members provide impact protection without additional reinforcing members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an electrical component is arranged in the luggage room to share a platform between gasoline and hybrid vehicles, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but luggage space is interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical component is relocated from the horizontal luggage room space to the vertical dimension by positioning it below the rear seat. This dimensional transition allows the luggage room to maintain its full capacity while the electrical component occupies previously underutilized space beneath the seating area.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor structure is segmented into multiple levels: the main floor for luggage storage and a lower level for housing electrical components. This segmentation is achieved through the cover member that creates a subdivided space below the rear seat, allowing independent arrangement of different components without mutual interference.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a cover member is mounted below the rear seat to form a storage space for the battery, then the battery can be stored, but the number of components increases and manufacturing cost and vehicle body weight are interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it forms the storage space for the battery, acts as a structural support element, and creates a protective enclosure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function, thereby reducing the total number of parts while maintaining all necessary capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage space for the battery and the structural framework are merged into a single integrated assembly. The cover member combines the functions of a container and a structural support, eliminating the need for separate reinforcing members and reducing both component count and overall weight.
3Area of stationary object
If an electrical component is provided below the rear seat to secure a large space in the vehicle interior, then vehicle interior space is improved, but space for arranging a fuel tank becomes difficult to secure and platform sharing with gasoline vehicle becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to be dynamically configurable through interchangeable floor units. The gasoline vehicle floor unit and hybrid vehicle floor unit can be swapped depending on the vehicle type, allowing the same basic platform to adapt to different powertrain configurations while maintaining optimal space utilization in each case.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor unit design allows parameter changes between configurations: the gasoline version prioritizes fuel tank space with a different structural arrangement, while the hybrid version optimizes for electrical component placement. These parameter changes enable platform sharing while accommodating different spatial requirements.
4Reliability
If a reinforcing member is added to protect the electrical component from impact load, then protection is improved, but the number of components increases and manufacturing cost and vehicle body weight are interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is designed as a composite structure that combines protective and structural functions. By integrating the protection function into the existing structural component rather than adding separate reinforcing members, the design achieves impact protection while minimizing weight increase and component count.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body structure includes a first middle floor unit for a gasoline vehicle and a second middle floor unit for a hybrid vehicle, and the first and second middle floor units are made interchangeable with each other. A front floor unit and a rear floor unit are made shareable by the gasoline vehicle and the hybrid vehicle. That is, the front floor unit and the rear floor unit can be regarded as a platform. Additionally, the second middle floor unit includes a housing, and an IPU is stored in an interior of the housing.