Vehicle center frame module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12509155-B2
Application number	US-202217748867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2022
Priority date	Nov 9, 2021
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle center frame module includes a pair of side sills, each side sill including a side sill inner having a closed cross section and a side sill outer having a closed cross section, wherein an inboard side surface of the side sill outer and an outboard side surface of the side sill inner are joined, and a plurality of crossmembers connecting the pair of side sills in a transverse direction of a vehicle, the crossmembers including a first crossmember and a second crossmember disposed behind the first crossmember in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle center frame module comprising:
a pair of side sills, each side sill comprising a side sill inner having a closed cross section and a side sill outer having a closed cross section, wherein an inboard side surface of the side sill outer and an outboard side surface of the side sill inner are joined; and a plurality of crossmembers connecting the pair of side sills in a transverse direction of a vehicle, the crossmembers comprising a first crossmember and a second crossmember located behind the first crossmember in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and a center longitudinal member extending along a central longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the center longitudinal member having an opening in a rear end, wherein a central portion of the first crossmember is located in the opening of the center longitudinal member, wherein the center longitudinal member comprises a front opening at a front end receiving a dash crossmember, and wherein the front opening has an L-shaped cross section including a front engaging portion and a bottom engaging portion.

2 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 1 , wherein the side sill inner comprises a material having higher strength and stiffness than a material of the side sill outer.

3 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 1 , wherein the side sill inner comprises a high-tensile strength steel plate.

4 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the side sill inner is greater than a cross-sectional area of the side sill outer.

5 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 1 , wherein the side sill inner and the side sill outer are joined to define a stepped structure.

6 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the side sill outer is disposed lower than a bottom surface of the side sill inner in a height direction of the vehicle.

7 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 1 , wherein the side sill further comprises a rivet nut extending through the side sill inner and configured to mount a battery assembly.

8 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 7 , wherein the rivet nut comprises:
a nut body extending through the side sill inner; a top head disposed on a top end of the nut body; and a bottom head disposed on a bottom end of the nut body.

9 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 8 , wherein:
the nut body comprises internal threads on an inner circumferential surface thereof; the top head is supported and joined to a top surface of the side sill inner; and the bottom head is supported and joined to a bottom surface of the side sill inner.

10 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 1 , further comprising support brackets, wherein each end portion of each crossmember is coupled to a respective one of the pair of side sills by a respective one of the support brackets.

11 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 10 , wherein each support bracket comprises a first surface fixed to the respective crossmember and a second surface fixed to the side sill inner, the first surface being perpendicular to the second surface.

12 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 11 , wherein each support bracket further comprises an inclined surface extending obliquely between the first surface and the second surface.

13 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 1 , wherein each crossmember comprises a high-tensile strength steel plate.

14 . A vehicle center frame module comprising:
a pair of side sills, each side sill comprising a side sill inner having a closed cross section and a side sill outer having a closed cross section, wherein an inboard side surface of the side sill outer and an outboard side surface of the side sill inner are joined; at least two crossmembers connecting the pair of side sills in a transverse direction of a vehicle, the crossmembers comprising a first crossmember and a second crossmember located behind the first crossmember in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle; at least two side longitudinal members connected perpendicularly to the at least two crossmembers; and a center longitudinal member extending along a central longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the center longitudinal member having an opening in a rear end, wherein a central portion of the first crossmember is located in the opening of the center longitudinal member, wherein the center longitudinal member comprises a front opening at a front end receiving a dash crossmember, and wherein the front opening has an L-shaped cross section including a front engaging portion and a bottom engaging portion.

15 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 14 , wherein the side longitudinal members comprise:
a pair of first side longitudinal members extending from the first crossmember to the second crossmember; and a pair of second side longitudinal members extending from the second crossmember toward a rear of the vehicle.

16 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 15 , wherein each second side longitudinal member is aligned with a corresponding first side longitudinal member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

17 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 14 , wherein the side sill inner comprises a material having higher strength and stiffness than a material of the side sill outer.

18 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 14 , wherein the opening in the rear end of the center longitudinal member has a U-shaped cross section comprising a top engaging portion, a rear engaging portion, and a bottom engaging portion for mechanically joining the center longitudinal member to the first crossmember.

19 . The vehicle center frame module according to claim 14 , further comprising a front crossmember located in front of the first crossmember, wherein the center longitudinal member extends from the first crossmember to the front crossmember, wherein the front crossmember includes a center opening configured to receive the center longitudinal member, and wherein the center opening has a U-shaped cross section.

20 . A vehicle center frame module comprising:
a pair of side sills, each side sill comprising a side sill inner having a closed cross section and a side sill outer having a closed cross section, wherein an inboard side surface of the side sill outer and an outboard side surface of the side sill inner are joined; at least two crossmembers connecting the pair of side sills in a transverse direction of a vehicle, the crossmembers comprising a first crossmember and a second crossmember located behind the first crossmember in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle; at least two side longitudinal members connected perpendicularly to the at least two crossmembers; and a center longitudinal member extending along a central longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the center longitudinal member having an opening in a rear end, wherein a central portion of the first crossmember is located in the opening of the center longitudinal member, wherein the opening in the rear end of the center longitudinal member has a U-shaped cross section comprising a top engaging portion, a rear engaging portion, and a bottom engaging portion for mechanically joining the center longitudinal member to the first crossmember.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Kang Jeon Woong
• Min Huen Sick

Classifications

• B62D27/023

  Assembly of structural joints · CPC title

• B60K2001/0438

  Arrangement under the floor · CPC title

• H01M50/262

  with fastening means, e.g. locks · CPC title

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title