Vehicle lower structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11524725-B2
Application number	US-202117179424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2021
Priority date	Mar 31, 2020
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle lower structure includes: a battery pack having first and second battery units and a battery cover; and a fuel tank that is arranged on a vehicle rear side to be higher than the first and second battery units. At positions under a floor panel, the first and second battery units are arranged on both sides in a vehicle width direction of a propeller shaft. The battery cover has a coupling section that couples first and second battery accommodation sections. The coupling section couples the first and second battery accommodation sections such that a vehicle rear side thereof is higher than the first and second battery accommodation sections, extends in the vehicle width direction at a position above the propeller shaft, and is arranged next to a vehicle front side of the fuel tank.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle lower structure including: a drive source having an engine and a drive motor; a floor panel forming a floor surface of a cabin; and a propeller shaft extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction at a position under the floor panel to transmit power from the drive source to a drive wheel, the vehicle lower structure comprising:
a battery pack having a first battery unit, a second battery unit, and a battery cover, at positions under the floor panel, the first battery unit and the second battery unit being arranged separately from each other on both sides in a vehicle width direction of the propeller shaft and storing electricity to be supplied to the drive motor; and
a fuel tank arranged at a position under the floor panel and on a vehicle rear side of the first battery unit and the second battery unit in a manner to be higher than the first battery unit and the second battery unit, wherein
the battery cover has:
a first battery accommodation section accommodating the first battery unit;
a second battery accommodation section accommodating the second battery unit; and
a coupling section that couples the first battery accommodation section and the second battery accommodation section, and

the coupling section couples the first battery accommodation section and the second battery accommodation section such that a vehicle rear side thereof is higher than the first battery accommodation section and the second battery accommodation section, extends in the vehicle width direction at a position above the propeller shaft, and is arranged next to a vehicle front side of the fuel tank.

2. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the coupling section is formed such that a length thereof in the vehicle longitudinal direction is less than a length of each of the first battery accommodation section and the second battery accommodation section.

3. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 2 , wherein
the floor panel has a kick-up section in a rear portion of the floor panel at a position under a rear seat, the kick-up section being formed to be higher than a front portion of the floor panel, and
the coupling section and the fuel tank are arranged under the kick-up section.

4. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a tank attachment member to which a fixture belt to fix the fuel tank is attached, wherein
the coupling section includes a concave section on an upper side of the coupling section, the concave section being dented downward, and
the tank attachment member is arranged in the concave section.

5. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 4 , wherein
the coupling section is formed by joining a front cover member arranged on the vehicle front side and a rear cover member arranged on the vehicle rear side, and
mating surfaces of the front cover member and the rear cover member are formed to be inclined downward in the vehicle toward the vehicle rear side.

6. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the floor panel has a kick-up section in a rear portion of the floor panel at a position under a rear seat, the kick-up section being formed to be higher than a front portion of the floor panel, and
the coupling section and the fuel tank are arranged under the kick-up section.

7. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a tank attachment member to which a fixture belt to fix the fuel tank is attached, wherein
the coupling section includes a concave section on an upper side of the coupling section, the concave section being dented downward, and
the tank attachment member is arranged in the concave section.

8. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the coupling section is formed by joining a front cover member arranged on the vehicle front side and a rear cover member arranged on the vehicle rear side, and
mating surfaces of the front cover member and the rear cover member are formed to be inclined downward in the vehicle toward the vehicle rear side.

9. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a tank attachment member to which a fixture belt to fix the fuel tank is attached, wherein
the coupling section includes a concave section on an upper side of the coupling section, the concave section being dented downward, and
the tank attachment member is arranged in the concave section.

10. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 2 , wherein
the coupling section is formed by joining a front cover member arranged on the vehicle front side and a rear cover member arranged on the vehicle rear side, and
mating surfaces of the front cover member and the rear cover member are formed to be inclined downward in the vehicle toward the vehicle rear side.

11. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the coupling section is formed by joining a front cover member arranged on the vehicle front side and a rear cover member arranged on the vehicle rear side, and
mating surfaces of the front cover member and the rear cover member are formed to be inclined downward in the vehicle toward the vehicle rear side.

12. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a tank attachment member to which a fixture belt to fix the fuel tank is attached, wherein
the coupling section includes a concave section on an upper side of the coupling section, the concave section being dented downward, and
the tank attachment member is arranged in the concave section.

13. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 6 , wherein
the coupling section is formed by joining a front cover member arranged on the vehicle front side and a rear cover member arranged on the vehicle rear side, and
mating surfaces of the front cover member and the rear cover member are formed to be inclined downward in the vehicle toward the vehicle rear side.

14. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 7 , wherein
the coupling section is formed by joining a front cover member arranged on the vehicle front side and a rear cover member arranged on the vehicle rear side, and
mating surfaces of the front cover member and the rear cover member are formed to be inclined downward in the vehicle toward the vehicle rear side.

15. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 9 , wherein
the coupling section is formed by joining a front cover member arranged on the vehicle front side and a rear cover member arranged on the vehicle rear side, and
mating surfaces of the front cover member and the rear cover member are formed to be inclined downward in the vehicle toward the vehicle rear side.

16. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 12 , wherein
the coupling section is formed by joining a front cover member arranged on the vehicle front side and a rear cover member arranged on the vehicle rear side, and
mating surfaces of the front cover member and the rear cover member are formed to be inclined downward in the vehicle toward the vehicle rear side.

Assignees

• Mazda Motor

Inventors

• Kohara Yasuhiro
• Sogame Katsumasa

Classifications

• B60K5/02

  with the engine main axis, e.g. crankshaft axis, substantially in or parallel to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60K2015/0634

  the fuel tank is arranged below the vehicle floor · CPC title

• B60K2001/0438

  Arrangement under the floor · CPC title

• B60K2015/0633

  the fuel tank is arranged below the rear seat · CPC title

• B60L50/64

  Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title