Floor structure for electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12528544-B2
Application number	US-202318314912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2023
Priority date	Aug 12, 2022
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

An embodiment floor structure for an electric vehicle includes a floor panel connected to a pair of side sills respectively disposed along a front-to-back direction of a vehicle body on a left side and a right side of the vehicle body, each of the side sills including a sill inner member and a sill outer member connected together, a pair of reinforcement members disposed on an inside of each side sill along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle body, and a fastening device engaged to the sill inner member of one of the side sills and to the reinforcement member on a same side of the vehicle body as the one of the side sills.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A floor structure for an electric vehicle, the floor structure comprising:
a floor panel connected to a pair of side sills respectively disposed along a front-to-back direction of a vehicle body on a left side and a right side of the vehicle body, each of the side sills comprising a sill inner member and a sill outer member connected together; a pair of reinforcement members disposed on an inside of each side sill along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle body; a fastening device engaged to the sill inner member of one of the side sills and to the reinforcement member on a same side of the vehicle body as the one of the side sills; and a battery assembly mounted on a lower part of the floor panel and on a lower portion of each of the sill inner members and a lower portion of each of the reinforcement members through a battery mounting assembly, wherein the battery mounting assembly comprises:
a bolt support portion formed on a side flange portion provided on a side of the battery assembly;
a support bracket connected to an inner surface of the lower portion of the sill inner member and engaged to one of the reinforcement members;
a pipe nut fixed to the support bracket and connected to the bolt support portion; and
a mounting bolt engaged with the pipe nut through the bolt support portion.

2 . The floor structure of claim 1 , wherein the fastening device engages an upper portion of the sill inner member and an upper portion of the reinforcement member.

3 . The floor structure of claim 1 , wherein the fastening device engages a lower portion of the sill inner member and a lower portion of the reinforcement member.

4 . The floor structure of claim 1 , wherein the fastening device comprises:
a blind nut penetrating the sill inner member and connected to the reinforcement member; and an engage bolt engaged with the blind nut.

5 . The floor structure of claim 4 , wherein the blind nut comprises:
a bolt connection portion disposed between an inner surface of the sill inner member and the reinforcement member and connected to a penetration hole formed in the sill inner member; a bending part extended from the bolt connection portion and inserted and fitted to the reinforcement member; and a bolt engage part that extends from the bending part.

6 . The floor structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the reinforcement members comprises a plurality of closed sections partitioned by at least one partition and comprises an aluminum extruded material.

7 . The floor structure of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel has a flat form and is connected to the sill inner members at the left side and the right side of the vehicle body.

8 . A floor structure for an electric vehicle, the floor structure comprising:
a floor panel connected to a pair of side sills respectively disposed along a front-to-back direction of a vehicle body on left and right sides of the vehicle body, each of the side sills comprising a sill inner member and a sill outer member connected together; a pair of reinforcement members disposed on an inside of each side sill along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle body; a fastening device engaged to the sill inner member of one of the side sills and to one of the reinforcement members on a same side of the vehicle body as the one of the side sills; a seat cross member extending in a vehicle width direction and connected to an upper surface of the floor panel; and a seat mounting bracket connected to an upper surface of the seat cross member and the sill inner member, wherein the seat mounting bracket comprises:
second junction flange portions on both sides in the front-to-back direction of the vehicle body and connected to the seat cross member and connected to the floor panel;
a second forming part between the second junction flange portions; and
a third junction flange portion extended from the second forming part and each of the second junction flange portions and connected to the sill inner member.

9 . The floor structure of claim 8 , wherein the seat cross member comprises:
first junction flange portions on both sides in the front-to-back direction of the vehicle body and connected to the upper surface of the floor panel; and a first forming part between the first junction flange portions.

10 . The floor structure of claim 8 , wherein the fastening device defines a load path connected to the reinforcement member through the seat cross member, the seat mounting bracket, and the sill inner member.

11 . An electric vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body comprising a pair of side sills respectively disposed along a front-to-back direction of the vehicle body on a left side and a right side of the vehicle body, each of the side sills comprising a sill inner member and a sill outer member connected together; a floor panel connected to the side sills; a pair of reinforcement members disposed on an inside of each side sill along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle body; fastening devices engaged to the sill inner members and the reinforcement members on the left side and the right side of the vehicle body, respectively; and a battery assembly mounted on a lower part of the floor panel, the battery assembly comprising side flange portions provided on both sides in a vehicle width direction, wherein:
the side flange portions are respectively connected to a lower portion of the sill inner members and a lower portion of the reinforcement members, and
the battery mounting assembly further comprises:
a bolt support portion formed on a side flange portion provided on a side of the battery assembly;
a support bracket connected to an inner surface of the lower portion of the sill inner member and engaged to one of the reinforcement members;
a pipe nut fixed to the support bracket and connected to the bolt support portion; and
a mounting bolt engaged with the pipe nut through the bolt support portion.

12 . The electric vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the fastening devices engage an upper portion of the sill inner member and an upper portion of the reinforcement member on the left side and the right side of the vehicle body, respectively.

13 . The electric vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the fastening devices engage a lower portion of the sill inner member and a lower portion of the reinforcement member on the left side and the right side of the vehicle body, respectively.

14 . The electric vehicle of claim 11 , wherein each of the fastening devices comprises:
a blind nut penetrating the sill inner member and connected to the reinforcement member; and an engage bolt engaged with the blind nut.

15 . The electric vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the blind nut comprises:
a bolt connection portion disposed between an inner surface of the sill inner member and the reinforcement member and connected to a penetration hole formed in the sill inner member; a bending part extended from the bolt connection portion and inserted and fitted to the reinforcement member; and a bolt engage part that extends from the bending part.

16 . The electric vehicle of claim 11 , wherein each of the reinforcement members comprises a plurality of closed sections partitioned by at least one partition and comprises an aluminum extruded material.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• An Byeongdo
• Cha Mun Soo
• Oh Heedae

Classifications

• B60K1/04 Primary

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B62D21/157

  for side impacts · CPC title

• B60K2001/0438

  Arrangement under the floor · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• Y02T10/64

  Electric machine technologies in electromobility · CPC title