IP Library Granted Patent US 12,643,385
Granted Patent B2
US 12,643,385 · App. 18/109,854 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Vehicle-body front structure including reinforcement members

Inventor: Kota Yoshida (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 12,643,385
App. No.
18/109,854
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle-body front structure for an electric vehicle includes a front-side battery frame which extends in a vehicle width direction, a pair of left and right side frames and which extend forward from the front-side battery frame, a cross member between the left and right side frames and, and reinforcement members and which extend toward vehicle rear from the cross member toward the front-side battery frame.

Claims (58)

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

a front-side battery frame fixed to a front portion of the battery casing and extending in a vehicle width direction;

a pair of side frames including a left side frame and a right side frame which extend from the front-side battery frame toward a vehicle front;

a cross member coupling the left side frame and the right side frame, the cross member being spaced apart from the front-side battery frame to the vehicle front;

a reinforcement member which extends from an intermediate portion of the cross member toward the front-side battery frame; and

a frame bracket coupling a rear portion of each of the left side frame and the right side frame to the front-side battery frame, wherein the reinforcement member and the pair of the left side frame and the right side frame are disposed at a same height in a vehicle height direction to form a horizontal load transmission path to the front-side battery frame.

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

the left and right side frames are inclined toward vehicle-width-direction outer sides toward the vehicle front.

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

a rear of the reinforcement member abuts the frame bracket.

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

the reinforcement member includes a left-side reinforcement member and a right-side reinforcement member spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, and

the left-side reinforcement member and the right-side reinforcement member are disposed on vehicle-width-direction outer sides toward rear.

5 . The vehicle-body front structure according to claim 3 , further comprising

a suspension arm forming part of a front suspension apparatus is supported to be swingable around a pivot point directly adjoining a leading edge of the front-side battery frame on a vehicle-width-direction outer side of the frame bracket.

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

a front of the traveling motor is disposed rearward of a front of the cross member.

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

an intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction is below a lower surface of the side frames, and

the reinforcement member extends from the intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction toward the front-side battery frame below the left and right side frames.

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

an intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction is below a lower surface of the side frames, and

the reinforcement member extends from the intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction toward the front-side battery frame below the left and right side frames.

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

an intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction is below a lower surface of the side frames, and

the reinforcement member extends from the intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction toward the front-side battery frame below the left and right side frames.

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

a front of the traveling motor is disposed rearward of a front of the cross member.

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

an intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction is below a lower surface of the side frames, and

the reinforcement member extends from the intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction toward the front-side battery frame below the side frames.

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

a front of the traveling motor is disposed rearward of a front of the cross member.

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

the reinforcement member includes a left-side reinforcement member and a right-side reinforcement member spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, and

the left-side reinforcement member and the right-side reinforcement member are disposed on vehicle-width-direction outer sides toward rear.

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

an intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction is below a lower surface of the side frames, and

the reinforcement member extends from the intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction toward the front-side battery frame below the left and right side frames.

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

a front of the traveling motor is disposed rearward of a front of the cross member.

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

a rear of the reinforcement member abuts the frame bracket.

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

the reinforcement member includes a left-side reinforcement member and a right-side reinforcement member spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction, and

the left-side reinforcement member and the right-side reinforcement member are disposed on vehicle-width-direction outer sides toward rear.

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

a front of the traveling motor is disposed rearward of a front of the cross member.

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

an intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction is below a lower surface of the side frames, and

the reinforcement member extends from the intermediate portion of the cross member in the vehicle width direction toward the front-side battery frame below the left and right side frames.

20 . A vehicle-body front structure of an electric vehicle which includes a traveling motor and in which a battery casing housing a battery is disposed below a floor panel, the vehicle-body front structure comprising:

a front-side battery frame fixed in a front portion of the battery casing and extending in a vehicle width direction;

a pair of side frames including a left side frame and a right side frame which extend from the front-side battery frame toward a vehicle front;

a cross member coupling the left side frame and the right side frame;

a reinforcement member which extends toward a vehicle rear from the cross member toward the front-side battery frame; and

a suspension arm forming part of a front suspension apparatus, wherein the reinforcement member and the pair of the left side frame and the right side frame are disposed at a same height in a vehicle height direction to form a horizontal load transmission path to the front-side battery frame, and

the suspension arm is supported to be swingable around a pivot point directly adjoining a leading edge of the front-side battery frame.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2023
From: YOSHIDA, KOTA
To: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062715/0154 →
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 20230264558A1 · Aug 24, 2023
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