Vehicle Body Frame Cross Member Segmentation for Underfloor Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle body frame structures that aim to improve rigidity often compromise underfloor space, making it difficult to increase the size of fuel tanks or battery units in vehicles, as cross members and reinforcements occupy valuable space.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body frame structure that includes side sills, a cross member extending in the width direction with a central arch shape, and a floor pan, where the cross member is coupled to the side sills and floor pan, allowing for increased underfloor space while maintaining rigidity through a cross member stiffener and slanted edges that enhance load dispersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cross members and reinforcements are added to improve vehicle body rigidity, then vehicle body rigidity is improved, but underfloor space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cross member is divided into a front wall surface portion and a rear wall surface portion that are coupled together, creating a segmented structure. This segmentation allows the cross member to maintain rigidity while optimizing space utilization in the underfloor area, resolving the contradiction between strength and space occupation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross member is designed with protrusions that extend toward the rear of the vehicle, utilizing the front-rear dimension more effectively. This dimensional optimization allows the cross member to provide structural reinforcement without excessively occupying the lateral underfloor space, thereby maintaining both rigidity and space efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If cross member extends uniformly in width direction, then manufacturing is simplified, but underfloor space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cross member features localized protrusions at specific positions rather than a uniform structure throughout. This local quality approach provides targeted reinforcement where structurally necessary while maintaining open space in other underfloor areas, optimizing both manufacturing feasibility and space utilization.
3Quantity of substance
If larger fuel tank or battery unit is installed to increase cruising distance, then vehicle cruising distance is improved, but vehicle body rigidity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented cross member structure with front and rear wall surface portions allows for strategic placement of fuel tanks or battery units in the created spaces. This segmentation enables larger energy storage components to be installed while the cross member maintains structural rigidity through its divided configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
By utilizing the front-rear dimension with protrusions, the design creates vertical and lateral spaces that can accommodate larger fuel tanks or battery units without compromising the cross member's rigidity, thus enabling increased cruising distance while maintaining structural strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body frame structure for a vehicle includes: side sills extending in a vehicle front-rear direction on respective sides in a vehicle width direction; a cross member extending in the width direction in a vehicle central part in the front-rear direction and coupled to the side sills at respective vehicle ends in the width direction; and a floor pan extending toward a vehicle rear side of the cross member in a vehicle lower part. The cross member includes a cross member front and a cross member rear coupled to each other. A vehicle rear upper end of the cross member rear and a vehicle front lower end of the floor pan are coupled in a vehicle up-down direction. A side in the width direction that constitutes the vehicle rear upper end has slants extending from inside in the width direction toward outside of a vehicle rear part.