Modular vehicle frame for an electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12466484-B2
Application number	US-202218574836-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	Jul 12, 2021
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

The present invention relates to a modular vehicle frame ( 1 ) for an electric vehicle, comprising a plurality of extruded profiled beams ( 16, 17, 18, 19 ), which have, at least in portions, a substantially identical cross-sectional area, wherein: at least one connecting element ( 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 ) for an electric motor ( 2 ), a steering system ( 3 ), a cooler unit and/or a suspension system ( 4 ) can be arranged on the plurality of profiled beams ( 16, 17, 18, 19 ) by means of a frictional and/or interlocking connection; each profiled beam ( 16, 17, 18, 19 ) has a main direction of extension ( 76 ); each profiled beam ( 16, 17, 18, 19 ) has at least three channels ( 60, 62, 64 ) along the main direction of extension ( 76 ) which are formed by at least two projections ( 29 ) within the profiled beam ( 16, 17, 18, 19 ); each channel ( 60, 62, 64 ) forms a central axis ( 78 ) along the main direction of extension ( 76 ); a mounting plane is defined by the central axes ( 78 ); and the modular vehicle frame ( 1 ) has at least one fastening unit ( 66 ) which is designed to fasten the profiled beams ( 16, 17, 18, 19 ) substantially orthogonally to the main direction of extension ( 76 ), or substantially orthogonally to the main direction of extension ( 76 ) in the mounting plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A modular vehicle frame ( 1 ) for an electric vehicle, comprising a plurality of extruded profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ), which have, at least in portions, an identical cross-sectional area, wherein: at least one connecting element ( 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ) for an electric motor ( 2 ), a steering system ( 3 ), a cooler unit, and/or a suspension system ( 4 ) is arranged on the plurality of profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) via a frictional and/or interlocking connection; each profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) has a main direction of extension ( 76 ); each profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) has at least three channels ( 60 , 62 , 64 ) along the main direction of extension ( 76 ) which are formed by at least two projections ( 29 ) within the profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ); each channel ( 60 , 62 , 64 ) forms a central axis ( 78 ) along the main direction of extension ( 76 ); a mounting plane is defined by the central axis ( 78 ); and the modular frame ( 1 ) has at least one fastening unit ( 66 ) which is configured to fasten the profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) substantially orthogonally to the main direction of extension ( 76 ), or substantially orthogonally to the main direction of extension ( 76 ) in the mounting plane, wherein at least one of the projections ( 29 ) of at least one profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) comprises two guide channels ( 68 , 70 ) for forming a longitudinal projection ( 30 ) within the profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ), wherein a first thread ( 54 ) is arranged substantially orthogonally to the central axis ( 78 ) in a first longitudinal projection ( 72 ), and a second thread ( 55 ) is arranged substantially orthogonally to the mounting plane in a second longitudinal projection ( 74 ).

2 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) have an identical cross-sectional area over an entire length of the profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) along the main direction of extension ( 76 ).

3 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) have at least partially different lengths along the main direction of extension ( 76 ) to form the modular vehicle frame ( 1 ).

4 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening unit ( 66 ) comprises at least one threaded bore ( 24 , 26 ) in a first profiled beam and a bore ( 21 , 27 ) in a second profiled beam, such that the first profiled beam is connectable to the second profiled beam by a bolt ( 25 ).

5 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein a thread ( 21 ) is arranged between the two guide channels ( 68 , 70 ) and in the longitudinal projection ( 30 ).

6 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 5 , wherein the thread ( 21 ) is arranged substantially orthogonally to the mounting plane or substantially orthogonally to the central axis ( 78 ) of one of the at least three channels ( 60 , 62 , 64 ) of the profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ).

7 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein a first channel ( 60 ) of the at least three channels ( 60 , 62 , 64 ) of the profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) has a shorter length along the main direction of extension ( 76 ) than the other channels ( 62 , 64 ).

8 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting element ( 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ) is extruded and is fastened to at least one of the profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) by a bolted connection.

9 . A modular vehicle frame ( 1 ) for an electric vehicle, comprising a plurality of extruded profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ), which have, at least in portions, an identical cross-sectional area, wherein: at least one connecting element ( 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ) for an electric motor ( 2 ), a steering system ( 3 ), a cooler unit, and/or a suspension system ( 4 ) is arranged on the plurality of profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) via a frictional and/or interlocking connection; each profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) has a main direction of extension ( 76 ); each profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) has at least three channels ( 60 , 62 , 64 ) along the main direction of extension ( 76 ) which are formed by at least two projections ( 29 ) within the profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ); each channel ( 60 , 62 , 64 ) forms a central axis ( 78 ) along the main direction of extension ( 76 ); a mounting plane is defined by the central axis ( 78 ); and the modular frame ( 1 ) has at least one fastening unit ( 66 ) which is configured to fasten the profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) substantially orthogonally to the main direction of extension ( 76 ), or substantially orthogonally to the main direction of extension ( 76 ) in the mounting plane, wherein a first channel ( 60 ) of the at least three channels ( 60 , 62 , 64 ) of the profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) has a shorter length along the main direction of extension ( 76 ) than the other channels ( 62 , 64 ).

10 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) have an identical cross-sectional area over an entire length of the profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) along the main direction of extension ( 76 ).

11 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) have at least partially different lengths along the main direction of extension ( 76 ) to form the modular vehicle frame ( 1 ).

12 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein the fastening unit ( 66 ) comprises at least one threaded bore ( 24 , 26 ) in a first profiled beam and a bore ( 21 , 27 ) in a second profiled beam, such that the first profiled beam is connectable to the second profiled beam by a bolt ( 25 ).

13 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the projections ( 29 ) of at least one profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) comprises two guide channels ( 68 , 70 ) for forming a longitudinal projection ( 30 ) within the profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ).

14 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 13 , wherein a thread ( 21 ) is arranged between the two guide channels ( 68 , 70 ) and in the longitudinal projection ( 30 ).

15 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 14 , wherein the thread ( 21 ) is arranged substantially orthogonally to the mounting plane or substantially orthogonally to the central axis ( 78 ) of one of the at least three channels ( 60 , 62 , 64 ) of the profiled beam ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ).

16 . The modular vehicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein the connecting element ( 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ) is extruded and is fastened to at least one of the profiled beams ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) by a bolted connection.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Hammer Uwe

Classifications

• F16B7/18

  using screw-thread elements {(F16B7/025 takes precedence; for turnbuckles F16B7/06)} · CPC title

• B62D21/11 Primary

  with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions} · CPC title