# US 11,993,141 B2 · Vehicle body structure

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- Number: US 11,993,141 B2
- Document ID: US11993141B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/585,233
- Filed: 2022-01-26
- Published: 2022-10-06
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2021-03-30
- Assignees: Mazda Motor Corporation
- Applicants: Mazda Motor Corporation
- Inventors: Isao Toda; Takayuki Kimura; Takehiro Kamei; Hiroshi Tanaka; Haruo Ohe; Masaya Hiramatsu; Masanobu Fukushima; Takao Fukuda; Hironobu Hashiguchi; Hiroyuki Baba
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993141B2

## CPC

- B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B62D 25/025: {Side sills thereof}
- B62D 25/2009: {in connection with other superstructure subunits}
- B60K 26/02: of initiating means or elements
- B60K 2001/0438: {Arrangement under the floor}
- B60Y 2306/01: Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
- 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
- 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)
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

## Abstract

A vehicle structure includes side sills, pillars, a first battery arrangement portion provided inside the vicinity of the pillars in a vehicle width direction below a floor panel, and a second battery arrangement portion provided at a center portion in the vehicle width direction below the floor panel in a region inside an outer portion of the first battery arrangement portion in the vehicle width direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle body structure of a motor vehicle including a floor panel forming a floor surface of a vehicle interior, a traction motor, and batteries that supply electric power to the traction motor, the vehicle body structure comprising:
a pair of right and left side sills arranged to extend in a front-rear direction at both end portions of the floor panel in a vehicle width direction;
a pair of right and left pillars each extending upward from the pair of right and left side sills;
a first battery arrangement portion provided inside a vicinity of the pillars in the vehicle width direction below the floor panel such that the batteries are arranged therein; and
a second battery arrangement portion provided at a center portion in the vehicle width direction below the floor panel such that the batteries are arranged therein,
wherein a front seat is attached to a first floor panel of the floor panel where no battery is arranged and lower in height than other floor panels.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle body structure of claim 1, further comprising:
a floor tunnel portion bulging upward at a center portion of the floor panel in the vehicle width direction, wherein
the second battery arrangement portion is provided inside the floor tunnel portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle body structure of claim 2, wherein
the first battery arrangement portion is provided outside the floor tunnel portion in the vehicle width direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle body structure of claim 1, wherein
the first battery arrangement portion includes first battery arrangement portions arranged on both sides in the vehicle width direction with respect to the second battery arrangement portion, and
the second battery arrangement portion and the first battery arrangement portions on both sides in the vehicle width direction are provided continuously in the vehicle width direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The vehicle body structure of claim 4, further comprising:
a battery case housing the batteries and fixed to at least either one of the floor panel or the side sills,
the single battery case includes one of the first battery arrangement portions on one side in the vehicle width direction, the second battery arrangement portion, and the first battery arrangement portion on the other side in the vehicle width direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle body structure of claim 1, wherein
the floor panel includes
a front floor panel for placing a heel of a pedal operator operating a pedal provided at the motor vehicle, and
a rear floor panel provided at a rear of the front floor panel,
the front floor panel is positioned higher than the rear floor panel, and
the first battery arrangement portion is provided below the front floor panel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The vehicle body structure of claim 2, wherein
the floor panel includes
a front floor panel for placing a heel of a pedal operator operating a pedal provided at the motor vehicle, and
a rear floor panel provided at a rear of the front floor panel,
the front floor panel is positioned higher than the rear floor panel, and
the first battery arrangement portion is provided below the front floor panel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The vehicle body structure of claim 3, wherein
the floor panel includes
a front floor panel for placing a heel of a pedal operator operating a pedal provided at the motor vehicle, and
a rear floor panel provided at a rear of the front floor panel,
the front floor panel is positioned higher than the rear floor panel, and
the first battery arrangement portion is provided below the front floor panel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The vehicle body structure of claim 4, wherein
the floor panel includes
a front floor panel for placing a heel of a pedal operator operating a pedal provided at the motor vehicle, and
a rear floor panel provided at a rear of the front floor panel,
the front floor panel is positioned higher than the rear floor panel, and
the first battery arrangement portion is provided below the front floor panel.

### Claim 10

A vehicle body structure of a motor vehicle including a floor panel forming a floor surface of a vehicle interior, a traction motor, and batteries that supply electric power to the traction motor, the vehicle body structure comprising:
a pair of right and left side sills arranged to extend in a front-rear direction at both end portions of the floor panel in a vehicle width direction;
a pair of right and left pillars each extending upward from the pair of right and left side sills;
a first battery arrangement portion provided inside a vicinity of the pillars in the vehicle width direction below the floor panel such that the batteries are arranged therein; and
a second battery arrangement portion provided at a center portion in the vehicle width direction below the floor panel such that the batteries are arranged therein,
wherein the first battery arrangement portion is located below a front floor panel of the floor panel,
the second battery arrangement portion is formed in a floor tunnel portion provided at a center portion of the floor panel in the vehicle width direction, and
lower portions of the first battery arrangement portion and the second battery arrangement portion are at substantially a same height as a height of a lower surface of a first floor panel of the floor panel.