# US 11,077,881 B2 · Lower vehicle body structure for vehicle

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- Number: US 11,077,881 B2
- Document ID: US11077881B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/491,515
- Filed: 2018-02-21
- Published: 2020-01-30
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-10
- Assignees: Mazda Motor Corporation
- Applicants: Mazda Motor Corporation
- Inventors: Yamato Matsuda; Nobuyuki Nakayama; Shuji Muraoka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077881B2

## CPC

- B62D 21/157: {for side impacts}
- B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B62D 21/03: transverse members providing body support
- B62D 25/20: Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)}
- B62D 25/2036: {the subunits being side panels, sills or pillars (B62D21/157 takes precedence)}
- B62D 27/023: {Assembly of structural joints}
- B60K 2001/0438: {Arrangement under the floor}
- B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries}
- B60Y 2200/91: Electric vehicles
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A lower vehicle body structure for a vehicle includes a floor panel, a pair of side frames, a battery, a left and right pair of side sills, a cross-member, an impact absorption member, and a reinforcement member. The impact absorption member is disposed at a lower surface side of the floor panel and at a position overlapping the cross-member in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body so as to extend in a vehicle width direction between the side frames and the side sills. Also, the impact absorption member is joined to the side frames and the side sills. The reinforcement member is disposed in the cross-member to extend in the vehicle width direction between portions of the cross-member, which correspond to the left and right pair of side frames in the vehicle width direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lower vehicle body structure for a vehicle, comprising:
a floor panel forming a floor surface of a vehicle compartment;
a left and right pair of side frames disposed at a lower surface side of the floor panel so as to be spaced apart in a vehicle width direction and extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body;
a battery disposed below the floor panel and between the left and right pair of side frames;
a left and right pair of side sills respectively joined to vehicle-widthwise both end portions of the floor panel and arranged on vehicle-widthwise outer sides of the left and right pair of side frames to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body;
a cross-member disposed on an upper surface side of the floor panel to extend in the vehicle width direction between the left and right pair of side sills;
an impact absorption member which is disposed at the lower surface side of the floor panel and at a position overlapping the cross-member in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body to extend in the vehicle width direction between the side frames and the side sills and is also joined to the side frames and the side sills to absorb an impact load input from the vehicle-widthwise outer side; and
a reinforcement member disposed in the cross-member to extend in the vehicle width direction between portions of the cross-member, which correspond to the left and right pair of side frames in the vehicle width direction, wherein
the impact absorption member includes impact absorption member side fragile portions which are fragile to an impact load input from the vehicle-widthwise outer side, and the cross- member includes cross-member side fragile portions which are fragile to an impact load input from the vehicle-widthwise outer side and are provided on vehicle-widthwise outer sides of the side frames in the vehicle width direction,
the impact absorption member side fragile portions and the cross-member side fragile portions are provided at positions overlapping with each other in the vehicle width direction, and
the impact absorption member side fragile portions are configured with first recessed portions which are provided on a front surface portion and a rear surface portion of the impact absorption member respectively so that the first recessed portions extend in the up-down direction of the vehicle body and dent toward an inner side of the impact absorption member respectively, and
the cross-member side fragile portions are configured with second recessed portions which are provided on a front surface portion and a rear surface portion of the cross-member respectively so that the second recessed portions extend in the up-down direction of the vehicle body and dent toward an inner side of the cross-member respectively.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The lower vehicle body structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the cross-member includes a plurality of cross-members disposed on the upper surface side, the plurality of cross-members being arranged to overlap with the battery in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and being arranged to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and
the impact absorption member includes a plurality of impact absorption members disposed at positions overlapping the plurality of cross-members in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body.

### Claim 3

A lower vehicle body structure for a vehicle, comprising:
a floor panel forming a floor surface of a vehicle compartment;
a left and right pair of side frames disposed at a lower surface side of the floor panel so as to be spaced apart in a vehicle width direction and extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body;
a battery disposed below the floor panel and between the left and right pair of side frames;
a left and right pair of side sills respectively joined to vehicle-widthwise both end portions of the floor panel and arranged on vehicle-widthwise outer sides of the left and right pair of side frames to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body;
a cross-member disposed on an upper surface side of the floor panel to extend in the vehicle width direction between the left and right pair of side sills;
an impact absorption member which is disposed at the lower surface side of the floor panel and at a position overlapping the cross-member in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body to extend in the vehicle width direction between the side frames and the side sills and is also joined to the side frames and the side sills to absorb an impact load input from the vehicle-widthwise outer side; and
a reinforcement member disposed in the cross-member to extend in the vehicle width direction between portions of the cross-member, which correspond to the left and right pair of side frames in the vehicle width direction, wherein
each of the pair of side frames has a closed cross-section extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and
the reinforcement member extends from a position where one end portion of the reinforcement member in the vehicle width direction overlaps an intermediate portion of a bottom surface of the one side frame in the vehicle width direction to a position where the other end portion of the reinforcement member in the vehicle width direction overlaps an intermediate portion of a bottom surface of the other side frame in the vehicle width direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The lower vehicle body structure for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein
the impact absorption member includes impact absorption member side fragile portions which are fragile to an impact load input from the vehicle-widthwise outer side, and the cross-member includes cross-member side fragile portions which are fragile to an impact load input from the vehicle-widthwise outer side and are provided on vehicle-widthwise outer sides of the side frames in the vehicle width direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The lower vehicle body structure for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the impact absorption member side fragile portions and the cross-member side fragile portions are provided at positions overlapping with each other in the vehicle width direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The lower vehicle body structure for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein
the cross-member includes a plurality of cross-members disposed on the upper surface side, the plurality of cross-members being arranged to overlap with the battery in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and being arranged to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and
the impact absorption member includes a plurality of impact absorption members disposed at positions overlapping the plurality of cross-members in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The lower vehicle body structure for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein
the reinforcement member is disposed inside the cross member, is formed to be shorter in length in the vehicle width direction than the cross-member, and includes: an upper surface portion extending in the vehicle width direction; and a front surface portion and a rear surface portion each extending downward from the upper surface portion, and
linking members each coupled to the front surface portion and the rear surface portion of the reinforcement member so as to section the inside of the cross-member in the vehicle width direction are respectively provided at both end portions of the reinforcement member in the vehicle width direction.