Body Side Sill Structure for Lower Battery Pack Side-Impact Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automotive body structures fail to adequately reduce the load transferred to the battery pack during a side collision, leading to insufficient protection of the battery pack from damage.
Innovation Solution
A side sill and floor cross member configuration where the floor cross member, made of a metal sheet with a tensile strength of 1180 MPa or more, is designed to transfer the load input to the side sill after the side sill is deformed, using a groove-shaped end portion that contacts the joining surface of the side sill inner and outer, maintaining the side sill inner's form and absorbing collision energy without deforming the floor cross member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the side sill outer and side sill inner are crushed to absorb collision energy, then collision energy absorption is improved, but the load transferred to the battery pack cannot be sufficiently reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The floor cross member is pre-positioned to contact the joining surface between side sill inner and outer at a location that enables it to engage the load transfer path before the side sills are fully crushed, allowing it to intercept and redirect collision loads away from the battery pack
Solution Approach 2:
The floor cross member acts as an intermediary structure that receives collision loads from the side sill joining surface and redirects them to the vehicle floor and other structural components, preventing direct load transmission to the battery pack while still allowing side sill crushing for energy absorption
2Force
If the floor cross member contacts the side sill inner to transfer load, then load transfer to floor cross member is improved, but the side sill inner form is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The floor cross member contacts only the joining surface between side sill inner and outer at specific locations, allowing load transfer without interfering with the overall crushing and deformation behavior of the side sill inner structure during collision
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 configuration effectively reduces the load transferred to the battery pack, minimizing its deformation and protecting it from damage during a side collision by maintaining collision energy absorption capacity.
Implementation Method 1
the side sill outer is deformed and crushed
Implementation Method 2
the side sill outer and the side sill inner are crushed to compressive deformation to efficiently absorb the collision energy
Data Source
AI summary
An automotive body side structure includes: a side sill extending in a front-rear direction of a vehicle body at a vehicle outer side of the vehicle body in a vehicle width direction and including a side sill inner and a side sill outer joined at an upper end portion and a lower end portion in a vehicle height direction, the side sill inner having a groove shape opening toward vehicle outside in the vehicle width direction and including a top portion and vertical walls, and the side sill outer having a groove shape opening toward vehicle inside in the vehicle width direction; a battery pack disposed at a lower part of the vehicle body vehicle inside in the vehicle width direction relative to the side sill; and a floor cross member extending in the vehicle width direction above the side sill vehicle inside in the vehicle width direction.