Automotive floor structure

#The present invention relates to an automotive floor structure, and particularly to a floor structure of an automobile, such as an electronic car, in which a large battery unit is mounted below the floor.

#An automobile having a large battery unit mounted therein, such as an electronic car, may have a floor structure including a pair of side sills extending in a fore-and-aft direction on either side of a vehicle body, a front floor panel extending between the side sills, a pair of floor frames (side members) extending in the fore-and-aft direction at positions spaced inward from the two side sills, respectively, in a lateral direction of the vehicle body, and a cross member extending in the lateral direction over the front floor panel (on the cabin side) and having ends attached to the two floor frames, respectively, wherein a battery unit is disposed flatly below the front floor panel between the two floor frames or on the inner side of the two floor frames in the lateral direction.

#In the automobiles having such a battery unit arrangement, for the purpose of protecting the battery unit from damage in case of a side collision, an outrigger may be disposed between the side sill and the floor frame on each side of the vehicle body so that the outrigger collapses to absorb impact energy at the time of a side collision (see patent document 1, for example) or a reinforcement member (brace) may be attached to each floor frame to prevent inward tilting of the floor frame at the time of a side collision (see patent document 2, for example).

#FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view showing an embodiment of an automotive floor structure according to the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a plan view of the automotive floor structure according to the embodiment;

#FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the automotive floor structure according to the embodiment;

#Now, an embodiment of an automotive floor structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 15. In the following description, it is assumed that “attachment” is achieved by welding such as spot welding so long as it is not indicated otherwise. Further, a “hat-shaped cross section” refers to a lateral cross section of a member having a groove-shaped cross-sectional portion with a flange piece (welding margin) projecting outward from each side of the groove-shaped cross-sectional portion.

#As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the floor structure includes a pair of side sills 10 extending in parallel with each other in a fore-and-aft direction on either side of a vehicle body. Each side sill 10 includes an inner member 10A and an outer member 10B each made of a high tensile steel sheet (high strength steel sheet) and provided with a hat-shaped cross section, where the inner member 10A and the outer member 10B are attached to form a closed cross section (see FIGS. 8 and 9). A pair of side sill extension members 11 are attached to rear ends of the pair of side sills 10, respectively, and connect the pair of side sills 10 to a pair of rear side frames 18 on either side of the vehicle body (see FIG. 3).

#A front floor panel 12 extends between the side sills 10, and has a pair of lateral edge portions attached to the corresponding inner members 10A.