IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,528,346
Granted Patent B2
US 12,528,346 · App. 18/109,863 · Granted Jan 20, 2026

Vehicle-body front structure including side frame protrusions

Inventors: Kota Yoshida (Hiroshima, JP); Taiki Yotsuyanagi (Hiroshima, JP); Satoshi Nakamura (Hiroshima, JP)
Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
B60K1/04B60L3/0007B60L50/66B62D21/02B62D21/11B62D21/15B62D21/152B62D21/157B62D25/08B62D25/20H01M50/242H01M50/249B60K2001/0438B60L53/12H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,528,346
App. No.
18/109,863
Granted
Jan 20, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle-body front structure includes a front-side battery frame which is provided in a front of the battery casing 10 a pair of left and right side frames which extend from the front-side battery frame toward vehicle front to be positioned on vehicle-width-direction outer sides toward front, a pair of left and right impact absorption members in front of the side frames, a front member between the left and right impact absorption members, and left and right projections arranged between the left and right side frames and the left and right impact absorption members and protrude to the vehicle-width-direction outer sides of fronts of the left and right side frames, respectively.

Claims (37)

1 . A vehicle-body front structure for an electric vehicle which includes a traveling motor and a battery casing which houses a battery supplying electric power to the traveling motor, the battery casing being disposed below a floor panel, the vehicle-body front structure comprising:

a front-side battery frame on a front side of the battery casing;

a pair of left and right side frames which extend from the front-side battery frame toward a vehicle front so that the left and right side frames are positioned on vehicle-width-direction outer sides;

a pair of left and right impact absorption members respectively provided in front of the left and right side frames;

a front member that extends between the left and right impact absorption members; and

a left projection member located between the left side frame and the left impact absorption member, wherein the left projection member protrudes toward the vehicle-width-direction outer side at a front end of the left side frame, and

a right projection member located between the right side frame and the right impact absorption member, wherein the right projection member protrudes toward the vehicle-width-direction outer side at a front end of the right side frame.

2 . The vehicle-body front structure according to claim 1 , comprising a frame bracket which couples rear portions of the left and right side frames with the front-side battery frame, wherein the frame bracket has a left-side support on the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the left side frame and supports the left side frame from the vehicle-width-direction outer side and a right-side support on the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the right side frame and supports the right side frame from the vehicle-width-direction outer side.

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

the front-side battery frame extends in a vehicle width direction, and

outer ends of the front-side battery frame in the vehicle width direction extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of a rear of the left side frame and extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of a rear of the right side frame, respectively.

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

the left projection has a base fixed to the front of the left side frame and to the left impact absorption member and couples the left impact absorption member with the left side frame, and a protrusion that protrudes from the base to the vehicle-width-direction outer side, and

the right projection has a base fixed to the front of the right side frame and to the right impact absorption member and couples the right impact absorption member with the right side frame, and a protrusion that protrudes from the base to the vehicle-width-direction outer side.

5 . The vehicle-body front structure according to claim 4 , wherein

outer ends of the front member in the vehicle width direction extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the front of the left side frame and extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the front of the right side frame, respectively.

6 . The vehicle-body front structure according to claim 5 , wherein

when seen in a vehicle front-rear direction, the outer ends of the front member in the vehicle width direction overlaps with at least a part of the left projection and the right projection, respectively.

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

outer ends of the front member in the vehicle width direction extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the front of the left side frame and extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the front of the right side frame, respectively.

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

the left projection has a base fixed to the front of the left side frame and to the left impact absorption member and couples the left impact absorption member with the left side frame, and a protrusion that protrudes from the base to the vehicle-width-direction outer side, and

the right projection has a base fixed to the front of the right side frame and to the right impact absorption member and couples the right impact absorption member with the right side frame, and a protrusion that protrudes from the base to the vehicle-width-direction outer side.

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

outer ends of the front member in the vehicle width direction extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the front of the left side frame and extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the front of the right side frame, respectively.

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

the front-side battery frame extends in a vehicle width direction, and

outer ends of the front-side battery frame in the vehicle width direction extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of a rear of the left side frame and extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of a rear of the right side frame, respectively.

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

the left projection has a base fixed to the front of the left side frame and to the left impact absorption member and couples the left impact absorption member with the left side frame, and a protrusion that protrudes from the base to the vehicle-width-direction outer side, and

the right projection has a base fixed to the front of the right side frame and to the right impact absorption member and couples the right impact absorption member with the right side frame, and a protrusion that protrudes from the base to the vehicle-width-direction outer side.

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

outer ends of the front member in the vehicle width direction extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the front of the left side frame and extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the front of the right side frame, respectively.

13 . The vehicle-body front structure according to claim 1 , wherein the left projection protrudes to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of a front of the left impact absorption member and the right projection protrudes to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of a front of the right impact absorption member.

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

outer ends of the front member in the vehicle width direction extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the front of the left impact absorption member and extend to the vehicle-width-direction outer side of the front of the right impact absorption member, respectively.

15 . The vehicle-body front structure according to claim 1 , wherein left and right projections are closer to the front member than the front-side battery frame in a vehicle front-rear direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2023
From: YOSHIDA, KOTA; YOTSUYANAGI, TAIKI; NAKAMURA, SATOSHI
To: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062715/0089 →
Priority Claims (5)
JP 2022-026685 · Feb 24, 2022 · national
JP 2022-026690 · Feb 24, 2022 · national
JP 2022-026703 · Feb 24, 2022 · national
JP 2022-026708 · Feb 24, 2022 · national
JP 2022-026710 · Feb 24, 2022 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 18109363 · Feb 14, 2023
Provisional Application 63445026 · Feb 13, 2023
Related Publication 20230264746A1 · Aug 24, 2023
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