Vehicle body structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12024008-B2
Application number	US-202117643332-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2021
Priority date	Jul 20, 2021
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

An embodiment vehicle body includes a rear cross member unit disposed in a vehicle width direction and coupled to front portions of a pair of rear side members disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle body, a pair of side seal units respectively coupled to end portions of the rear cross member unit in a vehicle length direction, a front cross member unit coupled to front portions of the pair of side seal units in the vehicle width direction, an upper cross member unit coupled to upper portions of the pair of side seal units in the vehicle width direction, and a rear floor panel assembly connected to the rear cross member unit, the pair of side seal units, the front cross member unit, and the upper cross member unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle body comprising:
a rear cross member unit disposed in a vehicle width direction and coupled to end portions of a pair of rear side members disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle body;
a pair of side sill units respectively coupled to end portions of the rear cross member unit in a vehicle length direction;
a front cross member unit coupled to front portions of the pair of side sill units in the vehicle width direction, wherein the front cross member unit is positioned below the rear cross member unit;
an upper cross member unit coupled to upper portions of the pair of side sill units in the vehicle width direction, wherein the upper cross member unit is positioned above the rear cross member unit; and
a rear floor panel assembly connected to the rear cross member unit, the pair of side sill units, the front cross member unit, and the upper cross member unit.

2. The vehicle body of claim 1 , further comprising a battery mounting space of a dome shape in the rear floor panel assembly.

3. The vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of side sill units comprises:
a side sill panel connected to the rear cross member unit, the front cross member unit, and the upper cross member unit; and
an outer reinforcement panel coupled to an outer surface of the side sill panel.

4. The vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein the rear cross member unit comprises:
a first rear cross member coupled to front portions of the pair of rear side members;
a second rear cross member coupled to the first rear cross member to form a closed section; and
at least one bulkhead coupled to the first rear cross member or the second rear cross member in the closed section.

5. A vehicle body comprising:
a rear cross member unit disposed in a vehicle width direction and coupled to end portions of a pair of rear side members disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle body;
a pair of side sill units respectively coupled to end portions of the rear cross member unit in a vehicle length direction;
a front cross member unit coupled to front portions of the pair of side sill units in the vehicle width direction, the front cross member unit comprising:
a first front cross member coupled in the vehicle width direction to a front lower portion of a first side sill unit of the pair of side sill units;
a second front cross member disposed at a predetermined distance from the first front cross member and coupled in the vehicle width direction to a front lower portion of a second side sill unit of the pair of side sill units; and
an upper reinforcement member respectively coupled to upper surfaces of the first and second front cross members; an upper cross member unit coupled to upper portions of the pair of side sill units in the vehicle width direction; and
a rear floor panel assembly connected to the rear cross member unit, the pair of side sill units, the front cross member unit, and the upper cross member unit.

6. The vehicle body of claim 5 , wherein the upper cross member unit comprises:
a first upper cross member corresponding to the first front cross member and coupled to a front upper portion of the first side sill unit in the vehicle width direction; and
a second upper cross member corresponding to the second front cross member and coupled to a front upper portion of the second side sill unit in the vehicle width direction and disposed at a predetermined distance from the first upper cross member.

7. The vehicle body of claim 6 , wherein the upper cross member unit further comprises:
a third upper cross member disposed at a rear side of the first and second upper cross members and coupled to the upper portions of the pair of side sill units; and
at least one reinforcing connection member connecting the third upper cross member and the rear cross member unit in the vehicle length direction and being coupled to the rear floor panel assembly.

8. The vehicle body of claim 7 , wherein the rear floor panel assembly comprises:
a rear floor panel connected to the rear cross member unit, the pair of side sill units, the first upper cross member, the second upper cross member, and the third upper cross member; and
an intermediate panel connected to the first front cross member and the first upper cross member, connected to the second front cross member and the second upper cross member, connected to the pair of side sill units, and coupled to the rear floor panel.

9. The vehicle body of claim 6 , wherein:
spaced-apart end portions of the first and second front cross members are connected to each other through a tunnel member; and
the tunnel member is coupled to the rear floor panel assembly.

10. The vehicle body of claim 9 , wherein:
spaced-apart end portions of the first and second upper cross members are connected to each other through a tunnel reinforcement member; and
the tunnel reinforcement member is coupled to the tunnel member.

11. The vehicle body of claim 6 , further comprising a battery mounting space of a dome shape in the rear floor panel assembly.

12. The vehicle body of claim 6 , wherein:
the front cross member unit is positioned below the rear cross member unit; and
the upper cross member unit is positioned above the rear cross member unit.

13. A vehicle body comprising:
a rear cross member unit disposed in a vehicle width direction and coupled to front end portions of a pair of rear side members disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle body;
a pair of side sill units respectively coupled to end portions of the rear cross member unit in a vehicle length direction;
a front cross member unit coupled to front portions of the pair of side sill units in the vehicle width direction;
an upper cross member unit coupled to upper portions of the pair of side sill units in the vehicle width direction;
a rear floor panel assembly connected to the rear cross member unit, the pair of side sill units, the front cross member unit, and the upper cross member unit;
a battery lower fixing unit provided in the rear cross member unit and the front cross member unit; and
a battery upper fixing unit coupled to an inner side upper surface of the rear floor panel assembly.

14. The vehicle body of claim 13 , wherein the battery lower fixing unit comprises:
a plurality of weld bolts provided in the rear cross member unit; and
a plurality of weld nuts provided in the front cross member unit.

15. The vehicle body of claim 14 , wherein the rear cross member unit, the pair of side sill units, and the front cross member unit form a battery mounting section having a rectangular shape in a horizontal cross-section.

16. The vehicle body of claim 13 , wherein the battery upper fixing unit comprises:
a first mounting bracket connected to the upper cross member unit in the vehicle width direction;
a second mounting bracket connecting the rear cross member unit and the upper cross member unit in the vehicle length direction; and
a third mounting bracket disposed on an opposite side of the second mounting bracket in the vehicle width direction and connecting the rear cross member unit and the upper cross member unit in the vehicle length direction.

17. The vehicle body of claim 16 , wherein the first mounting bracket, the second mounting bracket, and the third mounting bracket are arranged in a triangular structure.

18. The vehicle body of claim 13 , wherein the upper cross member unit comprises:
a first upper cross member corresponding to a first front cross member and coupled to a front upper portion of a first side sill uni

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• An Byeongdo

Classifications

• B62D25/2027 Primary

  the subunits being rear structures · CPC title

• B62D25/2018

  the subunits being front structures · 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

• B60Y2200/91

  Electric vehicles · CPC title