Vehicle body structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9259998-B1
Application number	US-201414518002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 20, 2014
Priority date	Oct 20, 2014
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle body includes first and second side rails, a first cross member and a second cross member. A multi-piece well configured to house hybrid electronic hardware includes a well floor having a first side, a second side, a first end, and a second. The first end is secured to the first cross member to define a well first end wall. The second end is secured to the second cross member to define a well second end wall. A first frame side support is secured to the first side to define a well first side wall. A second frame side support is secured to the second side to define a well second side wall. The first frame side support is laterally spaced inwardly from and connected to the first side rail and the second frame side support is laterally spaced inwardly from and connected to the second side rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle body comprising:
a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal first and second side rails;
a first cross member and a second cross member longitudinally spaced from the first cross member, each of the first and second cross members spanning between and interconnecting the first and second side rails; and
a multi-piece well configured to house associated hybrid electronic hardware including:
a well floor having a first side, a second side laterally opposite the first side, a first end, and a second end longitudinally opposite the first end, the first end being secured to the first cross member to define a first end wall of the well, the second end being secured to the second cross member to define a second end wall of the well,
a first frame side support secured to the first side of the well floor to define a first side wall of the well and a second frame side support secured to the second side of the well floor to define a second opposite side wall of the well, wherein the first frame side support is laterally spaced inwardly from and connected to the first side rail and the second frame side support is laterally spaced inwardly from and connected to the second side rail,
a separate support component spanning between the first and second frame side supports and suspended above the well floor, and
a lid member configured to cover an opening defined by the well, the support component being secured to an underside of the lid member.

2. The vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein each of the well floor, the first and second frame side supports, and the first and second cross members are separate structural components of the well.

3. The vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second frame side supports spans between and interconnects the first and second cross members.

4. The vehicle body of claim 1 , further including:
a separate first support member configured to interconnect the first frame side support and the first side rail, and
a separate second support configured to interconnect the second frame side support and the second side rail.

5. The vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein the first cross member and the support component define seat mount locations for a pair of associated front seats.

6. The vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle body is configured such that critical load paths caused by a front impact load or a side impact load are oriented along one of sides of the well and above the well.

7. The vehicle body of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle body is configured to transfer an impact load to the vehicle body caused by a frontal collision from the first cross member toward the first and second side rails and the first and second frame side supports.

8. The vehicle body of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle body is configured to transfer an impact load to the vehicle body caused by a side collision from one of the first and second side rails to the other of the first and second side rails via the first and second cross members and the support component.

9. The vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein the end sections of the support component releasably fastened to the first and second frame side supports.

10. The vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein the well floor includes a first portion and a second portion elevated relative to the first portion, the support component being aligned with a wall defining an intersection between the first and second portions of the well floor.

11. A multi-piece well for a vehicle body configured to house associated hybrid electronic hardware, the well comprising:
a well floor having a first side, a second side laterally opposite the first side, a first end, and a second end longitudinally opposite the first end;
a first frame end support secured to the first end of the well floor and a second frame end support secured to the second end of the well floor, the first and second frame end supports defining opposite end walls of the well, end portions of each of the first and second frame end supports being connected to respective first and second side rails of the vehicle body;
a first frame side support secured to the first side of the well floor and the first side rail and a second frame side support secured to the second side of the well floor and the second side rail, the first and second frame side supports defining opposite side walls of the well, end portions of each of the first and second frame side supports being connected to the first and second frame end supports; and
a separate support component spanning over an opening defined by the well, end portions of the support component being in direct engagement with and releasably fastened to the first and second frame side supports.

12. The well of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second frame side supports includes a separate support member configured to interconnect the first and second frame side supports with the respective first and second side rails.

13. The well of claim 11 , further including a lid member configured to cover the well opening, the support component being secured to an underside of the lid member.

14. The well of claim 13 , wherein the first frame end support and the support component define seat mount locations for a pair of associated front seats.

15. The well of claim 11 , where the first and second frame end supports define first and second cross members of the vehicle body.

16. A method for forming a vehicle frame, comprising:
providing a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal first and second side rails;
connecting a first cross member to the first and second side rails;
connecting a second cross member to the first and second side rails; and
forming a well on the vehicle frame, the well including a well floor, first and second end walls and first and second side walls, wherein the forming step includes:
securing a first end of the well floor to the first cross member wherein the first cross member defines the first end wall of the well,
securing a second end of the well floor to the second cross member wherein the second cross member defines the second end wall of the well,
securing a first frame side support to a first side of the well floor wherein the first frame side support defines the first side wall of the well, and connecting the first frame side support to the first and second cross members,
securing a second frame side support to a second side of the well floor wherein the second frame side support defines the second side wall of the well, and connecting the second frame side support to the first and second cross members, and
fastening a support component to the first and second frame side supports such that the support component spans over the well floor;

connecting the first frame side support to the first side rail; and
connecting the second frame side support to the second side rail;
providing a lid member configured to cover an opening defined by the well, and

securing the support component to an underside of the lid member.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising providing seat mounts for associated front seats on the first cross member and the support component.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Leanza Anthony John
• Ishizono Manabu

Classifications

• B62D21/03

  transverse members providing body support · CPC title

• B62D21/155

  Sub-frames or underguards · CPC title

• B60K2001/0438

  Arrangement under the floor · CPC title

• B60K1/04 Primary

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B62D25/20

  Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)} · CPC title