IP Library Granted Patent US 11,654,762
Granted Patent B2
US 11,654,762 · App. 17/179,421 · Granted May 23, 2023

Vehicle lower structure

Inventors: Yasuhiro Kohara (Hiroshima, JP); Katsumasa Sogame (Hiroshima, JP)
Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
B60K1/04B60K6/24B60K6/26B60K6/28B60K13/04B60K15/063B60K17/22B60L50/66B62D25/20B60K2001/0438B60K2015/0634B60L2210/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,654,762
App. No.
17/179,421
Granted
May 23, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle lower structure includes: first and second battery units that are arranged under a floor panel and on both sides in a vehicle width direction of a propeller shaft; right and left floor frames disposed on a lower surface side of the floor panel. The floor frame has a front inclined section and a width increased section. The first and second battery units are arranged between the width increased sections 52 of the right and left floor frames. A battery-related electrical component, a width of each of which in the vehicle width direction is less than a width of each of the first and second battery units, is arranged between the front inclined sections.

Claims (54)

1. A vehicle lower structure including: a drive source having a drive motor; a floor panel forming a floor surface of a cabin; and a propeller shaft extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction at a position under the floor panel to transmit power from the drive source to a drive wheel, the vehicle lower structure comprising:

a first battery unit and a second battery unit that are arranged under the floor panel and separately from each other on both sides in a vehicle width direction of the propeller shaft and store electricity to be supplied to the drive motor; and

right and left floor frames that are disposed on a lower surface side of the floor panel, are disposed separately from each other in the vehicle width direction, and extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction, wherein

each of the right and left floor frames has a front inclined section and a width increased section, the front inclined section being inclined to an outer side in the vehicle width direction from a vehicle front side toward a vehicle rear side, and the width increased section extending linearly and rearward from the front inclined section toward the vehicle rear side, and

for each of the right and left floor frames, a width of the width increased section is increased to the outer side in the vehicle width direction, the width of the width increased section being greater than a width of the front inclined section,

the first battery unit and the second battery unit are arranged between the width increased sections of the right and left floor frames, and

at least one battery-related electrical component, a width of the at least one battery-related component in the vehicle width direction is less than a width of each of the first battery unit and the second battery unit, is arranged between the front inclined sections of the right and left floor frames, and

no portion of the floor frame is between the first and second battery units in the vehicle width direction.

2. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 1 , wherein the battery-related electrical component includes a DC/DC converter and an inverter, the DC/DC converter is formed such that a width thereof in the vehicle width direction is less than that of the inverter, and is arranged on a side of the inverter associated with the vehicle front side.

3. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 2 , wherein the DC/DC converter is formed such that a length thereof in the vehicle longitudinal direction is greater than that of the inverter, and is arranged to be superposed on the inverter in a vertical direction.

4. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 3 , wherein

the drive source includes the drive motor and an engine, a transmission, which is coupled to the engine, is coupled to a side of the propeller shaft associated with the vehicle front side, and

the battery-related electrical component is arranged between the transmission and one of the right and left floor frames.

5. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 4 further comprising

an exhaust system component of the engine, wherein at a position between the front inclined sections of the right and left floor frames, the exhaust system component is arranged between the transmission and the other of the right and left floor frames.

6. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 5 , wherein

each of the right and left floor frames has a rear inclined section that is inclined to an inner side in the vehicle width direction from the width increased section toward the vehicle rear side, and

a fuel tank is arranged between the rear inclined sections of the right and left floor frames.

7. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 4 , wherein

each of the right and left floor frames has a rear inclined section that is inclined to an inner side in the vehicle width direction from the width increased section toward the vehicle rear side, and

a fuel tank is arranged between the rear inclined sections of the right and left floor frames.

8. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 3 , wherein

each of the right and left floor frames has a rear inclined section that is inclined to an inner side in the vehicle width direction from the width increased section toward the vehicle rear side, and

a fuel tank is arranged between the rear inclined sections of the right and left floor frames.

9. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 2 , wherein

the drive source includes the drive motor and an engine, a transmission, which is coupled to the engine, is coupled to a side of the propeller shaft associated with the vehicle front side, and

the battery-related electrical component is arranged between the transmission and one of the right and left floor frames.

10. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 9 further comprising:

an exhaust system component of the engine, wherein at a position between the front inclined sections of the right and left floor frames, the exhaust system component is arranged between the transmission and the other of the right and left floor frames.

11. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 10 , wherein

each of the right and left floor frames has a rear inclined section that is inclined to an inner side in the vehicle width direction from the width increased section toward the vehicle rear side, and

a fuel tank is arranged between the rear inclined sections of the right and left floor frames.

12. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 9 , wherein

each of the right and left floor frames has a rear inclined section that is inclined to an inner side in the vehicle width direction from the width increased section toward the vehicle rear side, and

a fuel tank is arranged between the rear inclined sections of the right and left floor frames.

13. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 2 , wherein

each of the right and left floor frames has a rear inclined section that is inclined to an inner side in the vehicle width direction from the width increased section toward the vehicle rear side, and

a fuel tank is arranged between the rear inclined sections of the right and left floor frames.

14. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the drive source includes the drive motor and an engine, a transmission, which is coupled to the engine, is coupled to a side of the propeller shaft associated with the vehicle front side, and

the battery-related electrical component is arranged between the transmission and one of the tight and left floor frames.

15. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 14 further comprising:

an exhaust system component of the engine, wherein at a position between the front inclined sections of the right and left floor frames, the exhaust system component is arranged between the transmission and the other of the right and left floor frames.

16. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 15 , wherein

each of the right and left floor frames has a rear inclined section that is inclined to an inner side in the vehicle width direction from the width increased section toward the vehicle rear side, and

a fuel tank is arranged between the rear inclined sections of the right and left floor frames.

17. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 14 , wherein

each of the right and left floor frames has a rear inclined section that is inclined to an inner side in the vehicle width direction from the width increased section toward the vehicle rear side, and

a fuel tank is arranged between the rear inclined sections of the right and left floor frames.

18. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the right and left floor frames has a rear inclined section that is inclined to an inner side in the vehicle width direction from the width increased section toward the vehicle rear side, and

a fuel tank is arranged between the rear inclined sections of the right and left floor frames.

19. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 1 , wherein neither the first battery unit nor the second battery unit is outward of the width increased sections in the vehicle width direction.

20. The vehicle lower structure according to claim 1 , wherein in an overhead plan view of the vehicle lower structure, the width increased section is at all times wider in the vehicle width direction than any portion of the front inclined section for each of the right and left floor frames.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2021
From: KOHARA, YASUHIRO; SOGAME, KATSUMASA
To: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055327/0294 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2020-063300 · Mar 31, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210300168A1 · Sep 30, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,427,843 US 12,454,170