IP Library Granted Patent US 12,304,568
Granted Patent B2
US 12,304,568 · App. 17/939,974 · Granted May 20, 2025

Vehicle-body structure including a center frame with a downward tilt

Inventors: Takuma Inami (Hiroshima, JP); Nobuyuki Nakayama (Hiroshima, JP); Hiroyuki Baba (Hiroshima, JP); Takashi Hirakawa (Hiroshima, JP); Hideaki Hoshuyama (Hiroshima, JP); Tsuneki Shimanaka (Hiroshima, JP)
Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
B62D25/2009B62D25/20B62D25/2018B62D25/2027B62D25/2045B60K1/00B60K2001/0438B62D21/04B62D21/11B62D21/152B62D25/082B62D25/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,304,568
App. No.
17/939,974
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

To sufficiently improve the distortion stiffness of a vehicle body with minimized influence on comfort in an occupant space. A vehicle-body structure includes a floor panel constituting a floor of an occupant space including a seat on which a passenger sits, and a center frame disposed to be higher than and away from the floor panel at a vehicle-width-direction central portion of the occupant space and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction. The center frame is arranged at a downward tilt toward the vehicle rear side. A rear portion of the center frame is connected to the floor panel.

Claims (31)

1. A vehicle-body structure provided in an automobile, the vehicle-body structure comprising:

a floor panel constituting a floor of an occupant space including a seat on which a passenger sits;

a center frame disposed to be higher than and away from the floor panel at a vehicle-width-direction central portion of the occupant space and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction, wherein

the center frame is arranged at a downward tilt toward a vehicle rear side, and

a rear portion of the center frame is connected to the floor panel at a position rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction further than where the seat is attached to the floor panel; and

a kick-up portion connected to the rear portion of the center frame and the floor panel.

2. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 1 , comprising a traveling motor that drives rear wheels of the automobile, wherein

the traveling motor is disposed on the vehicle rear side of the rear portion of the center frame, and

the traveling motor has a barycenter that is set to be lower than an upper end of the rear portion of the center frame and higher than a lower end of the rear portion of the center frame.

3. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 2 , wherein

a rear portion of the floor panel includes a cross member extending in a vehicle width direction, and

a connecting member that connects the cross member and the rear portion of the center frame is provided.

4. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 3 , wherein the seat includes a left seat disposed on a vehicle left side and a right seat disposed on a vehicle right side of the center frame.

5. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 4 , comprising a dash panel extending upward from a front portion of the floor panel and partitioning a vehicle front portion of the occupant space, wherein

the center frame continuously extends from a part of the dash panel positioned higher than and away from the floor panel to a rear portion of the floor panel.

6. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 3 , comprising a dash panel extending upward from a front portion of the floor panel and partitioning a vehicle front portion of the occupant space, wherein

the center frame continuously extends from a part of the dash panel positioned higher than and away from the floor panel to a rear portion of the floor panel.

7. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 2 , comprising a dash panel extending upward from a front portion of the floor panel and partitioning a vehicle front portion of the occupant space, wherein

the center frame continuously extends from a part of the dash panel positioned higher than and away from the floor panel to a rear portion of the floor panel.

8. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 2 , wherein the seat includes a left seat disposed on a vehicle left side and a right seat disposed on a vehicle right side of the center frame.

9. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

a rear portion of the floor panel includes a cross member extending in a vehicle width direction, and

a connecting member that connects the cross member and the rear portion of the center frame is provided.

10. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 1 , wherein the seat includes a left seat disposed on a vehicle left side and a right seat disposed on a vehicle right side of the center frame.

11. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 1 , comprising a dash panel extending upward from a front portion of the floor panel and partitioning a vehicle front portion of the occupant space, wherein

the center frame continuously extends from a part of the dash panel positioned higher than and away from the floor panel to a rear portion of the floor panel.

12. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 1 , further comprising a dash panel extending upward from a front portion of the floor panel and partitioning a vehicle front portion of the occupant space, the dash panel, the kick-up portion and the floor panel form a closed cross-section structure in a side view.

13. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 2 , further comprising a dash panel extending upward from a front portion of the floor panel and partitioning a vehicle front portion of the occupant space, wherein the center frame, the dash panel, the kick-up portion and the floor panel form a closed cross-section structure in a side view.

14. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 9 , further comprising a dash panel extending upward from a front portion of the floor panel and partitioning a vehicle front portion of the occupant space, wherein the center frame, the dash panel, the kick-up portion and the floor panel form a closed cross-section structure in a side view.

15. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 10 , further comprising a dash panel, wherein the center frame, the dash panel, the kick-up portion and the floor panel form a closed cross-section structure in a side view.

16. The vehicle-body structure according to claim 1 , wherein a height of the center frame from the floor panel decreases continuously from a vehicle front side to the vehicle rear side.

Priority Claims (7)
JP 2021-161834 · Sep 30, 2021 · national
JP 2021-183258 · Nov 10, 2021 · national
JP 2021-183259 · Nov 10, 2021 · national
JP 2021-183261 · Nov 10, 2021 · national
JP 2021-183318 · Nov 10, 2021 · national
JP 2021-183326 · Nov 10, 2021 · national
JP 2021-183330 · Nov 10, 2021 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17903197 · Sep 6, 2022
Provisional Application 63403804 · Sep 5, 2022
Related Publication 20230096066A1 · Mar 30, 2023
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