IP Library Granted Patent US 12,548,841
Granted Patent B2
US 12,548,841 · App. 18/265,729 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Vehicle structure

Inventors: Tsukasa Arai (Osaka, JP); Yoshiki Kashiwagi (Osaka, JP); Shota Nagata (Osaka, JP); Hiroshi Miyauchi (Osaka, JP); Masatomo Teshima (Osaka, JP); Hugh Foran (Auburn Hills, MI); Max Kamiyama (Osaka, JP)
Assignees: Teijin Limited; Teijin Automotive Technologies, Inc.
H01M50/249B60K1/04B62D27/065B62D29/043H01M50/209H01M50/222H01M50/227H01M50/229H01M50/242H01M50/262H01M50/276H01M50/278H01M50/28B62D21/15H01M2220/20
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,548,841
App. No.
18/265,729
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a vehicle structure disposed at a lower portion of a center of a vehicle body, the vehicle structure including: a battery cover, a battery tray, and a structural member A for absorbing impact energy. Each of the battery cover and the battery tray is configured with an integrally molded fiber-reinforced plastic. The structural member A is located outside in a vehicle width direction of at least the battery cover and the battery tray. The structural member A is fastened together with the battery cover and the battery tray.

Claims (35)

1 . A vehicle structure disposed at a lower portion of a center of a vehicle body, the vehicle structure comprising

a battery cover, a battery tray, and a structural member for absorbing impact energy,

the structural member is located outside in a vehicle width direction of at least one of the battery cover and the battery tray,

the structural member is fastened together with the battery cover and the battery tray

wherein the battery cover includes a rib and has a natural frequency in a primary mode of 25 Hz or more; and

wherein a relation of between a number n1 of fixed points between the structural member and the vehicle body and a number n2 of fixed points between the battery cover and the vehicle body satisfies n1>n2.

2 . The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein the structural member is fastened together with the battery tray and the battery cover by a stepped bolt.

3 . The vehicle structure according to claim 2 , wherein the battery cover, the battery tray, and the structural member are stacked and fastened together.

4 . The vehicle structure according to claim 2 , wherein the structural member, the battery cover, and the battery tray are stacked and fastened together.

5 . The vehicle structure according to claim 1 ,

wherein the structural member includes a first vertical wall and a second vertical wall located on an inside of the first vertical wall in the vehicle width direction,

the first vertical wall and the second vertical wall extend in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and

a minimum thickness of the first vertical wall is smaller than a maximum thickness of the second vertical wall.

6 . The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein each of the battery cover and the battery tray is configured with an integrally molded fiber-reinforced plastic using a sheet molding compound.

7 . The vehicle structure according to claim 1 ,

wherein a cross member of the structural member is inserted into the battery tray,

(1) the battery tray includes a first bottom portion, a peripheral wall erected on an outer periphery of the first bottom portion, a first inner wall connected to the first bottom portion, a second inner wall connected to the first bottom portion, and a second bottom portion connected to both the first inner wall and the second inner wall and raised from the first bottom portion,

(2) the first bottom portion, the peripheral wall, the first inner wall, the second inner wall, and the second bottom portion are configured with an integrally molded fiber-reinforced plastic, and

(3) a recessed portion extending in the vehicle width direction is formed by the first inner wall, the second inner wall, and the second bottom portion, and

the cross member is inserted into at least one location of the recessed portion.

8 . The vehicle structure according to claim 7 , wherein the cross member is joined to the structural member.

9 . The vehicle structure according to claim 7 , wherein an angle formed by the first bottom portion and the first inner wall and an angle formed by the first bottom portion and the second inner wall are 90 degrees or more and 135 degrees or less.

10 . The vehicle structure according to claim 7 , wherein discontinuous fibers are continuously dispersed in a boundary area between the first bottom portion and the first inner wall, a boundary area between the first bottom portion and the second inner wall, and a boundary area between the first bottom portion and the peripheral wall.

11 . The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic has a minimum thickness of 1 to 5 mm.

12 . The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein a lowermost part of the structural member is located at a lower position than a lowermost part of the battery tray.

13 . The vehicle structure according to claim 5 ,

wherein an upper end of the first vertical wall of the structural member is above a first bottom portion of the battery tray, and a lower end of the first vertical wall of the structural member is below a first bottom portion of the battery tray.

14 . The vehicle structure according to claim 5 ,

wherein an upper end of the second vertical wall of the structural member is above a first bottom portion of the battery tray, and a lower end of the second vertical wall of the structural member is below a first bottom portion of the battery tray.

15 . The vehicle structure according to claim 12 , further comprising a protective wall below the battery tray,

wherein the protective wall is connected to the structural member.

16 . The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the structural member comprises a first vertical wall and a second vertical wall located on an inside of the first vertical wall in the vehicle width direction,

the first vertical wall and the second vertical wall extend in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and

a strength of the first vertical wall is lower than a strength of the second vertical wall.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 4, 2025
From: TEIJIN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: TEIJIN LIMITED
Reel/Frame 070732/0250 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2023
From: FORAN, HUGH
To: TEIJIN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 064870/0192 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2023
From: ARAI, TSUKASA; KASHIWAGI, YOSHIKI; NAGATA, SHOTA; MIYAUCHI, HIROSHI; TESHIMA, MASATOMO; KAMIYAMA, MAX
To: TEIJIN LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064870/0232 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63122048 · Dec 7, 2020
Related Publication 20240047809A1 · Feb 8, 2024
References Cited (38)
US 6085854A · Nishikawa · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 8835033B2 · Choi et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9056631B2 · Nakamori · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 10461383B2 · Haag · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 11211656B2 · Matecki · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20130119706A1 · Katayama et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20180237075A1 · Kawabe et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180337377A1 · Stephens · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190081297A1 · Nakamori · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200114972A1 · Lee et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 108454370A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
DE 102017005313A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
DE 102017005314A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
EP 2332761A1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
ES 2382248T3 · 2012 [cited by examiner]
JP 2008174181A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 2010153130A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011124101A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013201112A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014024488A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014080116A · 2014 [cited by examiner]
JP 2017196952A · 2017 [cited by examiner]
JP 2018131133A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020055504A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2022111787A · 2022 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2012063393A1 · 2012 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2013105340A1 · 2013 [cited by examiner]
WO 2020227458A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP-2014080116-A English Translation (Year: 2014). [cited by examiner]
DE-102017005314-A1 English Translation (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
WO-2013105340-A1 English Translation (Year: 2013). [cited by examiner]
WO-2012063393-A1 English Translation (Year: 2012). [cited by examiner]
DE-102017005313-A1 English Translation (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
ES-2382248-T3 English Translation (Year: 2012). [cited by examiner]
JP-2022111787-A English Translation (Year: 2022). [cited by examiner]
JP-2017196952-A English Translation (Year: 2017). [cited by examiner]
Int'l Search Report for PCT/US2021/061558, dated Mar. 4, 2022. [cited by applicant]
Office Action issued in corresponding Japanese Appln. No. 2023-534159, dated Oct. 1, 2024. [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,636,944