VEHICLE FRONT PORTION STRUCTURE

• US 20200130495A1
• Filed: 10/28/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Kazuki
• Granted Patent: US 11,565,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/01 Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/11 with resilient means for suspension , e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/152 Front or rear frames
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/155 Sub-frames or underguards
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/08 Front or rear portions sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/2036 the subunits being side panels, sills or pillars B62D21/157 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/023 Assembly of structural joints

Abstract

A vehicle front portion structure includes: a battery case that is installed beneath a floor of a vehicle; front side members that extend in a vehicle longitudinal direction further toward a vehicle front side than the battery case; side rails that structure portions of a suspension member that is disposed further toward the vehicle front side, and that extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction; first connecting members that connect the battery case and the front side members; and second connecting members that connect a vehicle longitudinal direction front end portion of the battery case and vehicle longitudinal direction rear ends of the side rails, that face the battery case in the vehicle longitudinal direction as seen in a plan view and in a side view, and that face the side rails in the vehicle longitudinal direction as seen in a plan view and in a side view.

Claims

1. A vehicle front portion structure comprising:

a battery case that is installed beneath a floor of a vehicle;

front side members that extend in a vehicle longitudinal direction further toward a vehicle front side than the battery case;

side rails that structure portions of a suspension member that is disposed further toward the vehicle front side than the battery case, and that extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction;

first connecting members that connect the battery case and the front side members; and

second connecting members that connect a vehicle longitudinal direction, front end portion of the battery case and vehicle longitudinal direction rear ends of the side rails, that face the battery case in the vehicle longitudinal direction as seen in a plan view and in a side view, and that face the side rails in the vehicle longitudinal direction as seen in a plan view and in a side view.

2. The vehicle front portion structure of claim 1, wherein vehicle longitudinal direction rear ends of the front side members and the vehicle longitudinal direction rear ends of the side rails are offset in a vehicle transverse direction.

3. The vehicle front portion structure of claim 1, wherein vehicle longitudinal direction front end portions of the second connecting members each have a pair of supporting portions that extend toward a vehicle front side, and rear end portions of the side rails are supported by the supporting portions.

4. The vehicle front portion structure of claim 3, wherein the supporting portions support vehicle transverse direction side surfaces of the side rails, and the side rails and the supporting portions are fastened by fastening members that are inserted from vehicle transverse direction outer sides.

5. The vehicle front portion structure of claim 3, wherein each of the second connecting members includes:

a pair of transmitting portions that extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction from respective rear ends of the pair of supporting portions;

a rear wall portion that connects rear ends of the pair of transmitting portions in a vehicle transverse direction;

a first rib that connects the pair of transmitting portions at a vehicle longitudinal direction front side of the rear wall portion;

a second rib that connects the rear wall portion and a first joining portion that joins the first rib and one transmitting portion of the pair of transmitting portions; and

a third rib that connects a rear end of the second rib and a second joining portion that joins the first rib and another transmitting portion of the pair of transmitting portions,

wherein a third joining portion, which joins the second rib and the third rib, overlaps with a rear end of a corresponding side rail in a vehicle vertical direction.

6. The vehicle front portion structure of claim 5, wherein the battery case includes corner portions at a vehicle longitudinal direction front end portion as seen in a vehicle plan view, and each third joining portion faces a corresponding corner portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

7. The vehicle front portion structure of any one of claim 1, wherein heights of centroids of the side rails in a vehicle vertical direction coincide with a height of a centroid of the battery case in the vehicle vertical direction.