TRUNK AS STIFFENING ELEMENT
A stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle includes a first longitudinal support beam and a second longitudinal support beam. A trunk of the electric vehicle is positioned between the first longitudinal support beam and the second longitudinal support beam. The trunk is positioned between a front bumper and a firewall of the electric vehicle. The trunk includes a trunk base forming a floor of the trunk. The trunk base includes one or more stiffening elements positioned across one or both of a width or length of the trunk base.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle, comprising:
a crash cross beam;
a first crash beam coupled with and extending rearward from the crash cross beam;
a second crash beam coupled with and extending rearward from the crash cross beam; and
a trunk positioned between the first crash beam and the second crash beam, the trunk being positioned inward of the crash cross beam, wherein the trunk comprises a support beam that extends across a width of the trunk.
3 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:
each of the first crash beam and the second crash beam comprise at least one dimple that is configured to cause the respective crash beam to crumple in an accordion-like manner in an event of a frontal impact.
4 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:
the crash cross beam comprises a medial portion, a first end, and a second end; and
the first end and the second end are bent reward relative to the medial portion.
5 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:
the support beam is positioned adjacent a rear wall of the trunk.
6 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising:
a firewall positioned rearward of the trunk and coupled with rear ends of the first crash beam and the second crash beam.
7 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 6 , wherein:
the firewall is coupled with the rear ends of the first crash beam and the second crash beam via one or more crash elements.
8 . A stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle, comprising:
a first crash beam coupled positioned on a first lateral side of the electric vehicle;
a second crash beam coupled positioned on a second lateral side of the electric vehicle; and
a trunk positioned between the first crash beam and the second crash beam, the trunk comprises a support beam that extends across a width of the trunk, wherein the support beam is positioned proximate a rear wall of the trunk.
9 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 8 , wherein:
the trunk further comprises a shelf that extends from a rear wall of the trunk.
10 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 9 , wherein:
the shelf comprises the support beam.
11 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 8 , wherein:
the support beam comprises a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall.
12 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 11 , wherein:
the support beam comprises a rib that extends from a front of the top wall to a rear of the bottom wall.
13 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 11 , wherein:
the support beam comprises a trapezoidal cross section; and
the rear wall slopes rearward from a bottom of the rear wall to a top of the rear wall.
14 . The stiffening element to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 8 , wherein:
the support beam is positioned within an interior of the trunk.
15 . A method of stiffening an electric vehicle to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
positioning a trunk between a first crash beam and a second crash beam of the electric vehicle, the trunk defining a storage compartment inward of a crash cross beam of the electric vehicle; and
positioning a trunk support beam across a width of the trunk, the trunk support beam being configured to stiffen the trunk in an event of a side impact, wherein the trunk support beam is positioned proximate a rear wall of the trunk.
16 . The method of stiffening an electric vehicle to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 15 , wherein:
positioning the trunk support beam comprises securing or forming the trunk support beam against a trunk shelf extending from a rear wall of the trunk.
17 . The method of stiffening an electric vehicle to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 15 , wherein:
the support beam comprises a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, and
a rib that extends from the top wall to the bottom wall.
18 . The method of stiffening an electric vehicle to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 15 , wherein:
the crash cross beam comprises a generally rectangular cross section and includes at least one rib formed within an interior of the crash cross beam.
19 . The method of stiffening an electric vehicle to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 15 , wherein:
the first crash beam and the second crash beam are coupled with a firewall of the electrical vehicle.
20 . The method of stiffening an electric vehicle to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 19 , wherein:
the trunk is formed between the crash cross beam and the firewall.
21 . The method of stiffening an electric vehicle to protect against a side or frontal impact for an electric vehicle of claim 15 , wherein:
the trunk is formed in a portion of the electric vehicle that is forward of a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle.