Movable EV Frunk Layout for Access and Drive Motor Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electric vehicles, the accommodation of a frunk (front trunk) either on the leading end side for convenience or on the upper side for safety poses a trade-off between convenience and safety, particularly in the event of a collision where high-voltage components like the drive motor may be subjected to impact.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle front structure that includes side frames, strut towers, a hood, a moving mechanism attached to the side frames, and a frunk attached to the moving mechanism, allowing the frunk to be movable in the front-rear direction and upward when the hood is opened, thus optimizing space and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the frunk is positioned on the leading end side of the housing space, then the convenience of loading and unloading items is improved, but the drive motor may be subjected to impact during collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The frunk is designed to be movable between a stored position and a working position. When the hood is closed, the frunk is positioned at the leading end for convenient access. When the hood is opened, the frunk can be moved forward and upward to clear the drive motor from potential impact zones, thus dynamically adjusting position based on operational state to resolve the contradiction between convenience and safety
Solution Approach 2:
The frunk movement mechanism enables the frunk to move not only in the front-rear direction but also in the vertical dimension (upward movement). This multi-dimensional movement capability allows the frunk to be repositioned both forward and upward when the hood is opened, creating additional spatial separation from the drive motor and effectively resolving the impact risk while maintaining leading-end positioning for convenience when closed
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the frunk is positioned on the upper side of the drive motor, then safety during collisions is improved, but the convenience of loading and unloading items deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The frunk transitions from a static upper-side position to a dynamic positionable system. When the hood is closed, the frunk moves to the leading end position for convenient access. When the hood is opened, it moves forward and upward to achieve safe positioning. This dynamic repositioning resolves the contradiction by providing context-dependent positioning rather than a fixed compromise
3Ease of operation
If the frunk is made movable in the front-rear direction and upward, then both convenience and safety are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The moving mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it enables front-rear movement for positioning, provides upward movement for clearance, and integrates with the hood opening/closing operation. By combining these functions into a single mechanism system rather than separate actuators for each degree of freedom, the patent reduces overall complexity while achieving the desired multi-directional movement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The moving mechanism is designed to be automatically actuated by the hood opening/closing operation itself. The mechanism utilizes the existing hood movement to trigger or drive the frunk repositioning, rather than requiring an independent control system or additional power source. This self-service approach reduces control system complexity while achieving the complex multi-directional repositioning function
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle front structure includes: side frames in a left and right pair; strut towers in a left and right pair that are each located respectively on outer sides of the side frames continuously in a vehicle width direction; a hood configured to open and close a housing space in which at least a drive motor is disposed; a moving mechanism attached to at least the side frames; and a frunk attached to the moving mechanism and positioned above the drive motor. The frunk is movable at least in a front-rear direction according to an operation of the moving mechanism and is movable forward in a state where the hood is opened. The frunk is movable upward in the state where the hood is opened, and an upper end of the moving mechanism is attached to a lower end of the frunk.