Vehicle lower section structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10486515-B2
Application number	US-201715804218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2017
Priority date	Nov 7, 2016
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle lower section structure includes: a pair of rear side-members that is disposed in a vehicle lower section so as to be separated from each other in a vehicle width direction, and that are extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; a first cross-member extending in the vehicle width direction, to which the rear side-members joined; a second cross-member extending in the vehicle width direction at the rear of the first cross-member in the vehicle front-rear direction, to which the rear side-members joined; and a battery that is housed in a housing section surrounded by the rear side-members, the first cross-member, and the second cross-member, at least part of the battery overlapping with the rear side-members when viewed along the vehicle width direction, and at least part of the battery overlapping with the first cross-member and the second cross-member when viewed along the vehicle front-rear direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle lower section structure comprising:
a pair of rear side-members disposed in a vehicle lower section so as to be separated from each other in a vehicle width direction, the pair of rear side-members each extending in a vehicle front-rear direction;
a first cross-member extending in the vehicle width direction, with the pair of rear side-members joined to the first cross-member;
a second cross-member extending in the vehicle width direction at a rear side of the first cross-member in the vehicle front-rear direction, with the pair of rear side-members joined to the second cross-member;
a battery that is housed in a housing section surrounded by the pair of rear side-members, the first cross-member, and the second cross-member, at least part of the battery overlapping with the pair of rear side-members when viewed along the vehicle width direction, and at least part of the battery overlapping with the first cross-member and the second cross-member when viewed along the vehicle front-rear direction; and
a reinforcement member comprising:
a main body disposed in a vehicle vertical direction above the battery,
a first coupling portion formed at a front side of the main body in the vehicle front-rear direction and directly joined to the first cross-member, and
a second coupling portion formed at a rear side of the main body in the vehicle front-rear direction and directly joined to the second cross-member.

2. The vehicle lower section structure of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement member has a profile such that the main body is positioned in the vehicle vertical direction above the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion when viewed along the vehicle width direction.

3. The vehicle lower section structure of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement member is a seat frame to install a seat thereon.

4. The vehicle lower section structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing section comprises a floor panel comprising
a bottom portion extending in the vehicle front-rear direction below the battery in the vehicle vertical direction, and
an inclined portion extending diagonally upward toward a rear side from a rear edge of the bottom portion in the vehicle front-rear direction; and

the second cross-member is arranged on the inclined portion.

5. The vehicle lower section structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle lower section further comprises
a rear suspension member installed with a rear shock absorber, and
a third cross-member extending along the vehicle width direction with the pair of rear side-members joined to the third cross-member, the third cross-member being configured to bear force input from the rear shock absorber to the pair of rear side-members through the rear suspension member; and

the second cross-member is disposed at a front side of the third cross-member in the vehicle front-rear direction.

6. The vehicle lower section structure of claim 1 , wherein the first cross-member includes an upper cross-member and a lower cross-member presenting a substantially hexagonal shaped profile closed cross-section when viewed along the vehicle width direction.

7. The vehicle lower section structure of claim 1 , wherein the second cross-member presents a substantially L-shaped cross section when viewed along the vehicle width direction, the second cross-member including an upper wall, an upper flange protruding out from a rear edge of the upper wall toward a rear of the vehicle, a vertical wall extending downward in the vehicle vertical direction from a front edge of the upper wall, and a lower flange protruding from a lower edge of the vertical wall toward a front of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Saeki Koji

Classifications

• B60N2/012

  The seat support being a part of the vehicle body or chassis · CPC title

• B60Y2306/01

  Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection · CPC title

• B62D25/20

  Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)} · CPC title

• B60K1/04 Primary

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B62D21/02 Primary

  comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members · CPC title