Vehicle frame structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11518438-B2
Application number	US-202016910929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2020
Priority date	Jun 28, 2019
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle frame structure includes a pair of rear side members extending along a length of a vehicle in a lower part of the vehicle, and a first cross member coupling the pair of rear side members. The first cross member includes an intermediate member and a pair of coupling members. The intermediate member extends along a width of the vehicle at a location further downward with respect to the rear side members and is located under a motor unit. The pair of coupling members respectively extend downward or diagonally downward from the respective side members toward the opposite ends of the intermediate member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle frame structure comprising:
a pair of side members extending along a length of a vehicle in a lower part of the vehicle; and
a first cross member coupling the pair of side members, wherein
the first cross member comprises:
an intermediate member extending along a width of the vehicle at a location further downward with respect to the side members, the intermediate member being located under a motor unit; and
a pair of coupling members respectively connected to opposite ends of the intermediate member along the width of the vehicle, the coupling members respectively extending downward or diagonally downward from the respective side members toward the opposite ends of the intermediate member.

2. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the coupling members are respectively removably fastened to the opposite ends of the intermediate member by fastening members.

3. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second cross member coupling the pair of side members at a location further outward along the length of the vehicle with respect to the first cross member, wherein
the second cross member includes an intermediate portion along the width of the vehicle, the intermediate portion facing the motor unit along the length of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a torque rod extending from a lower part of the motor unit outward along the length of the vehicle, the torque rod being fastened to a bottom face of the second cross member.

5. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the intermediate member has a linear shape extending straight along the width of the vehicle.

6. A vehicle frame structure comprising:
a pair of side members extending along a length of a vehicle in a lower part of the vehicle; and
a first cross member coupling the pair of side members, wherein
the first cross member comprises:
an intermediate member extending along a width of the vehicle at a location further downward with respect to the side members, the intermediate member being located under a motor unit; and
a pair of coupling members respectively connected to opposite ends of the intermediate member along the width of the vehicle, coupling the intermediate member to the pair of side members, the coupling members respectively extending downward or diagonally downward from the respective side members between the opposite ends of the intermediate member and the pair of side members.

7. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 6 , wherein
the coupling members are respectively removably fastened to the opposite ends of the intermediate member by fastening members.

8. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a second cross member coupling the pair of side members at a location further outward along the length of the vehicle with respect to the first cross member, wherein
the second cross member includes an intermediate portion along the width of the vehicle, the intermediate portion facing the motor unit along the length of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a torque rod extending from a lower part of the motor unit outward along the length of the vehicle, the torque rod being fastened to a bottom face of the second cross member.

10. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 6 , wherein
the intermediate member has a linear shape extending straight along the width of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nagaya Satoru
• Toda Yoshimi
• Ikeda Yozo
• Maeda Shingo

Classifications

• B60K1/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) · CPC title

• B60K2001/0438

  Arrangement under the floor · CPC title

• B60Y2306/01

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

• B62D31/02 Primary

  for carrying large numbers of passengers, e.g. omnibus · CPC title

• B62D27/02

  rigid · CPC title