Motor vehicle and rear-end module therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9828031-B2
Application number	US-201515128033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2015
Priority date	Mar 22, 2014
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A motor vehicle includes a body, which body has at least two rear longitudinal members each forming a primary load path for collision forces, wherein the motor vehicle has a rear-end module that can be pre-assembled as a sub-assembly, which rear-end module can be connected to the body as part of the vehicle assembly after the completion of the body-in-white and has at least a supporting structure for fastening chassis components of a rear wheel suspension and a beam structure extending from the supporting structure toward the motor-vehicle rear for absorbing collision forces, wherein the supporting structure and the beam structure form at least one second load path for collision forces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body having at least two rear longitudinal members, which each form at least one primary load path for collision forces;
a rear-end module pre-assembled as a sub-assembly group, and which after completion of the body-in-white is connectable with the vehicle body during assembly of the vehicle, said rear-end module having on each side of the motor vehicle at least one support structure for fastening chassis components of a rear wheel suspension, and a first beam structure extending from the at least one support structure toward a rear of the motor vehicle for absorbing collision forces, wherein the support structure and the first beam structure together form at least one secondary load path for collision forces; and
a second beam structure extending in driving direction frontward and having a front end region connected with a floor structure of a passenger compartment of the vehicle body, said support structure being detachably connectable with the second beam structure so as to extend the at least one secondary load path into the floor structure.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support structure and the at least one first beam structure are connected to each other in transverse direction of the motor vehicle by at least one module carrier.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the rear-end module includes a trough-shaped floor structure adapted for receiving aggregates selected from the group consisting of a gas tank, batteries, accumulators, reserve wheel, control devices and equipment defining a vehicle variant.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first beam structure is configured as a box-shaped or tubular carrier in the manner of a longitudinal member.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the beam structure is configured as a shell-shaped carrier.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the beam structure is adapted to receive a gas bottle so as to embrace the gas bottle.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the support structure has mounts for fastening chassis components.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the chassis components include a member selected from the group consisting of chassis control arms, stabilizers, tie rods, spring elements, damper elements, steering actuator, active systems for roll suppression and level regulation.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support structure is configured as extruded part, in particular made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the rear-end module is non-detachably connected with the vehicle body.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the rear-end module is connected to the vehicle body by gluing.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the rear-end module has devices for fastening a rear axle drive.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one secondary load path when viewed in vehicle transverse direction is arranged between the longitudinal members of the vehicle body.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first beam structure, when viewed in vertical direction of the vehicle is arranged below the longitudinal member or is offset downward at least relative to the longitudinal member.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support structure is connected with a component of the primary load path by means of at least one of tensile struts and compression struts.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the component of the primary load path to which the at least one support structure is connected includes at least one of the longitudinal member and a side sill of the vehicle body.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the rear-end module is rigidly connected with the vehicle body.

18. A rear-end module for a vehicle body of a motor vehicle, said motor vehicle having at least two rear longitudinal members, which each form at least one primary load path for collision forces, said rear end module comprising:
a support structure for fastening chassis components of a rear wheel suspension, with one said support structure provided for each side of the motor vehicle; and
a beam structure which in an installed state of the rear-end module in the vehicle body extends from the support structure toward a rear of the motor vehicle for absorbing collision forces, wherein the support structure and the beam structure in the installed state form at least one secondary load path on each side of the motor vehicle for absorbing and/or transmitting collision forces, said support structure being detachably connectable with a second beam structure which extends frontward in driving direction and has an end region which is connectable with a floor structure of a passenger compartment of the vehicle body, so as to extend the at least one secondary load path into the floor structure.

19. The rear-end module of claim 18 , wherein in the installed state of the rear-end module the at least one secondary load path is arranged between the longitudinal members of the vehicle body when viewed in transverse direction of the motor vehicle.

20. The rear-end module of claim 18 , wherein in the installed state of the rear-end module the at least one secondary load path, in particular the beam structure, is arranged below the longitudinal member when viewed in a vertical direction of the motor vehicle or is at offset downward least relative to the longitudinal member.

21. The rear-end module of claim 18 , wherein in the installed state of the rear-end module the support structure is connectable with components of the primary load path, in particular the longitudinal member or a side sill of the vehicle body by means of tensile struts and/or compression struts.

22. The rear-end module of claim 18 , wherein in the installed state of the rear-end module, the rear-end module is rigidly connectable with the vehicle body.

23. The rear-end module of claim 18 , wherein the at least one support structure and the at least one first beam structure are connected to each other in transverse direction of the vehicle by at least one module carrier.

24. The rear-end module of claim 18 , further comprising a trough-shaped floor structure adapted for receiving aggregates selected from the group consisting of a gas tank, batteries, accumulators, reserve wheel, control devices and equipment defining a vehicle variant.

25. The rear-end module of claim 18 , wherein the first beam structure is configured as a box-shaped or tubular carrier in the manner of a longitudinal member.

26. The rear-end module of claim 18 , wherein the beam structure is configured as a shell-shaped carrier.

27. The motor vehicle of claim 26 , wherein the beam structure is adapted to receive a gas bottle so as to embrace the gas bottle.

28. The rear-end module of claim 18 , wherein the support structure has mounts for fastening chassis components.

29. The rear-end module of claim 28 , wherein the chassis components include a member selected from the group consisting of chassis control arms, stabilizers, tie rods, spring elements, damper elements, steering actuator, active systems for roll suppression and level regulation.

30. The rear-end module of claim 18 , wherein the at least one support struc

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Langhoff Hans-Jürgen
• Rugies Stefan
• Urban Tobias
• Decker Dennis
• Enderle Sebastian
• Schlichter Pascal

Classifications

• B62D24/00

  Connections between vehicle body and vehicle frame (B62D23/00, B62D33/077 take precedence) · CPC title

• B62D21/155 Primary

  Sub-frames or underguards · CPC title

• B60K15/063

  Arrangement of tanks · CPC title

• B62D29/008

  predominantly of light alloys, e.g. extruded · CPC title

• B62D21/11

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