SIDE SILL ASSEMBLY OF VEHICLE

An embodiment side sill assembly of a vehicle includes a side sill inner, a side sill inner reinforcement connected to a front end of the side sill inner and a front pillar inner lower of the vehicle, a side sill inner pipe disposed in a length direction of the vehicle and connected to the front end of the side sill inner, and a side sill inner extension connecting the side sill inner reinforcement and the side sill inner pipe to the side sill inner.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a side sill assembly of a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

A lower side surface of a vehicle is provided with a side sill in a length direction of the vehicle and becomes a structure body at the lower side surface of the vehicle.

The side sill is configured by bonding a side sill inner and a side sill outer to each other, and a reinforcing member may be provided between the side sill inner and the side sill outer.

In recent years, the spread of electric vehicles has been expanding. In general, in the electric vehicle, since a battery is installed in a lower portion of a floor panel of the electric vehicle, a vehicle body should be formed to prevent the battery from being damaged in the event of a collision.

In the event of a head-on collision (especially, a small overlap collision) or a side collision, a structure of the side sill should sufficiently protect the battery.

In addition, even in order to reduce injuries to occupants, the side sill requires sufficient rigidity against a head-on collision and a side collision.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a side sill assembly of a vehicle that forms a structure of a lower side surface of the vehicle. Particular embodiments relate to a side sill assembly of a vehicle that improves head-on collision and side collision performance by expanding connectivity to a front structure of the vehicle and strengthening side rigidity.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a side sill assembly of a vehicle that is capable of absorbing a collision load in the event of a small overlap collision and supporting a collision load introduced in the event of a side collision.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a side sill assembly of a vehicle including a side sill inner, a side sill inner reinforcement connected to a front end of the side sill inner and a front pillar inner lower of the vehicle, a side sill inner pipe disposed in a length direction of the vehicle and connected to the front end of the side sill inner, and a side sill inner extension configured to connect the side sill inner reinforcement and the side sill inner pipe to the side sill inner.

The side sill inner reinforcement may surround an outer side of the side sill inner pipe.

A plurality of slits may be formed in the side sill inner pipe at intervals in the length direction of the vehicle.

The slits may be formed on upper and lower surfaces of the side sill inner pipe.

The side sill inner pipe may be provided as a plurality of side sill inner pipes at intervals in a height direction of the vehicle.

The side sill inner reinforcement may surround the side sill inner pipes vertically adjacent to each other in different directions.

The side sill inner extension may be coupled to an outer surface of the side sill inner pipe in a width direction of the vehicle.

A cross section of the side sill inner reinforcement may be formed to alternately face an inner side and an outer side in the width direction of the vehicle.

An upper end and a lower end of the side sill inner reinforcement may be connected across the front pillar inner and the side sill inner, respectively.

The side sill inner pipe may be formed to be longer than the side sill inner reinforcement.

A predetermined length from a front end of the side sill inner extension may be connected to the side sill inner reinforcement, and a length behind the predetermined length may be connected to the side sill inner pipe.

Upper and lower ends of the side sill inner extension may be connected to the side sill inner at a portion of the side sill inner extension connected to the side sill inner pipe.

The side sill assembly may further include a honeycomb reinforcement lower having a bottom surface fastened to the side sill inner and a honeycomb reinforcement upper connected to front and rear ends of the honeycomb reinforcement lower, wherein both ends of an assembly of the honeycomb reinforcement lower and the honeycomb reinforcement upper may be open in a width direction of the vehicle.

The honeycomb reinforcement upper and the honeycomb reinforcement lower may be continuously and repeatedly disposed in the length direction of the vehicle.

Among the honeycomb reinforcement uppers and the honeycomb reinforcement lowers, front ends of a honeycomb reinforcement upper and a honeycomb reinforcement lower, which are located at a foremost side of the vehicle in the length direction of the vehicle, may be connected to the side sill inner extension.

A battery mount to which a battery mounting bolt is fastened may be coupled to the side sill inner and the honeycomb reinforcement lower.

An upper end of the battery mount may be fixed to the honeycomb reinforcement upper.

A concave portion may be formed in an intermediate portion of the honeycomb reinforcement upper.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a side sill assembly of a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The side sill assembly of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a side sill inner12, a side sill inner reinforcement21connected to a front end of the side sill inner12and a front pillar inner lower13of the vehicle, a side sill inner pipe22disposed in a length direction of the vehicle and connected to the front end of the side sill inner12, and a side sill inner extension23configured to connect the side sill inner reinforcement21and the side sill inner pipe22to the side sill inner12.

In the side sill assembly of the vehicle, upper and lower portions of the side sill inner12and upper and lower portions a side sill outer (not shown) are fastened to each other, respectively, thereby forming a structure in the length direction of the vehicle at a lower end of a side surface of the vehicle.

A side end of a floor panel11is fastened to the side sill inner12. A battery is installed in a lower portion of the floor panel11.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, in order for the side sill assembly connected to the side end of the floor panel11to improve vehicle body rigidity against a head-on collision, a reinforcing structure is provided at a front end of the side sill assembly.

The side sill inner reinforcement21is connected to the front end of the side sill inner12and the front pillar inner lower13of the vehicle. Since the side sill inner reinforcement21is additionally provided in a portion where the side sill inner12and the front pillar inner lower13are connected, the side sill inner reinforcement21supports a load input from a front end of the vehicle in the event of a head-on collision of the vehicle, particularly, a small overlap collision. Therefore, the side sill inner12and the front pillar inner lower13are prevented from being deformed.

In particular, looking at a cross section of a surface perpendicular to the length direction of the vehicle, the side sill inner reinforcement21is formed to alternately face an inner side and an outer side of the vehicle in a width direction. That is, the cross section of the side sill inner reinforcement21is formed in a corrugated shape in the form of an accordion to increase a cross section supporting a load, thereby sufficiently supporting a load input in the length direction of the vehicle.

An upper end and a lower end of the side sill inner reinforcement21are connected across the front pillar inner lower13and the side sill inner12, respectively. That is, some portion of a front side of the side sill inner reinforcement21is bonded to the front pillar inner lower13, and the remaining portion of the front side thereof is bonded to the side sill inner12.

The side sill inner pipe22is disposed in the length direction of the vehicle and is connected to the front end of the side sill inner12.

The side sill inner pipe22together with the side sill inner reinforcement21supports a load input from the front end of the vehicle. To this end, the side sill inner reinforcement21is formed to surround an outer side of the side sill inner pipe22.

A plurality of side sill inner pipes22are disposed at intervals in a height direction of the vehicle.FIGS.3and4show a configuration in which two side sill inner pipes22are vertically disposed. Since the plurality of the side sill inner pipes22are disposed in the height direction of the vehicle, the load input from the front end of the vehicle may be sufficiently supported by the plurality of side sill inner pipes22.

Meanwhile, the side sill inner pipes22disposed adjacent to each other in the height direction of the vehicle are surrounded by the side sill inner reinforcement21in different directions. That is,FIG.3shows that the side sill inner pipe22positioned at an upper portion is surrounded by the side sill inner reinforcement21in an outer direction of the vehicle, and the side sill inner pipe22positioned at a lower portion is surrounded by the side sill inner reinforcement21in an inner direction of the vehicle.

A plurality of slits22a are formed in the side sill inner pipe22at intervals in a length direction of the side sill inner pipe22. The slit22a induces deformation of the side sill inner pipe22in the event of a head-on collision to absorb some of a collision load. The slit22a may be formed on each surface of the side sill inner pipe22. Preferably, the slit22a is formed on upper and lower surfaces of the side sill inner pipe22. In addition, the slit22a positioned at the front side of the vehicle is formed to be greater than the slit22a positioned at a rear side of the vehicle. For example, a size of the slit22a may be formed to be reduced toward the rear side of the vehicle. This is because, in the event of a head-on collision, a large amount of deformation is induced in the front side of the side sill inner pipe22to absorb a large amount of a collision load.

The side sill inner extension23connects the side sill inner reinforcement21and the side sill inner pipe22to the side sill inner12. A front end of the side sill inner extension23is connected to the side sill inner reinforcement21in an outer direction of the vehicle (seeFIG.7). In addition, the side sill inner pipe22is connected from an intermediate portion to a rear end of the side sill inner extension23in the outer direction of the vehicle, and upper and lower ends of the side sill inner extension23are connected to the side sill inner12(seeFIG.8). Since the front end and a portion adjacent thereto of the side sill inner extension23, that is, a predetermined length from the front end thereof, is connected to the side sill inner reinforcement21, and a length after the intermediate portion is connected to the side sill inner pipe22, the side sill inner pipe22is formed to be longer than the side sill inner reinforcement21.

FIG.9shows a state in which a collision load F1is input in the event of a head-on collision of the vehicle, particularly, a small overlap collision. In the event of a small overlap collision, the collision load F1is directly transmitted to the side sill assembly through the side sill inner reinforcement21, the side sill inner pipe22, and the side sill inner extension23without passing through the front side member14. As the side sill inner reinforcement21, the side sill inner pipe22, and the side sill inner extension23support the collision load F1in front of the side sill inner12, and the side sill inner pipe22is deformed, some of the collision load F1is absorbed so that rigidity of the side sill assembly in the length direction of the vehicle can be improved. Therefore, deformation of an occupant compartment may be prevented to reduce injuries of occupants.

In addition, in order to improve vehicle body rigidity of the side sill assembly against a side collision, a honeycomb reinforcement upper24and a honeycomb reinforcement lower25are provided in the side sill assembly.

The honeycomb reinforcement lower25is formed to be concave and connected to a bottom surface of the side sill inner12.

An overall shape of the honeycomb reinforcement upper24is formed to be convex, and thus front and rear ends of the honeycomb reinforcement upper24are connected to front and rear ends of the honeycomb reinforcement lower25, respectively.

The front and rear ends of the honeycomb reinforcement upper24and the honeycomb reinforcement lower25are bonded to each other, and thus both ends of an assembly of the honeycomb reinforcement upper24and the honeycomb reinforcement lower25are open in the width direction of the vehicle. This hollow structure is continuously and repeatedly disposed in the length direction of the vehicle.

The assembly of the honeycomb reinforcement upper24and the honeycomb reinforcement lower25is connected to the side sill inner extension23. That is, among honeycomb reinforcement uppers24and honeycomb reinforcement lowers25, a honeycomb reinforcement upper24and a honeycomb reinforcement lower25, which are located at the foremost side of the vehicle in the length direction of the vehicle, are connected to the side sill inner extension23.

Meanwhile, a concave portion24a is formed in an intermediate portion of the honeycomb reinforcement upper24, and thus the shape of the honeycomb reinforcement upper24is formed in the form of an “M.” Since the concave portion24a is formed in the honeycomb reinforcement upper24, a cross-sectional area of the honeycomb reinforcement upper24may be increased to sufficiently support collision energy in the event of a side collision.

A battery mount31for mounting a battery is fastened to the side sill inner12and the honeycomb reinforcement lower25. A mounting bolt for mounting the battery to the side sill assembly is fastened to the battery mount31. A lower end of the battery mount31may be fastened to the side sill inner12and the honeycomb reinforcement lower25to mount the battery.

In addition, an upper end of the battery mount31is fixed to the honeycomb reinforcement upper24.

Since the upper end and the lower end of the battery mount31are fixed, the side sill inner12, the honeycomb reinforcement lower25, and the honeycomb reinforcement upper24also serve to reinforce a structure for mounting the battery. Thus, when a heavy battery is mounted, a weight of the battery is supported.

Referring toFIG.10, even when a collision load F2due to a side collision is input to the side sill assembly in the event of the side collision, the honeycomb reinforcement upper24and the honeycomb reinforcement lower25additionally support the collision load F2, thereby improving rigidity of the side sill assembly against a side collision.

In accordance with a side sill assembly of a vehicle of embodiments of the present disclosure, which has the above-described configuration, in the event of a head-on collision of a vehicle, especially, a small overlap collision, since a side sill inner pipe absorbs a collision load and a side sill inner reinforcement supports the collision load, deformation of a front pillar inner lower and a side sill inner can be prevented. In the event of the small overlap collision, since the deformation of the side sill inner is prevented, deformation of an occupant compartment and damage to a battery can be prevented.

In addition, since a honeycomb reinforcement upper and a honeycomb reinforcement lower support a collision load introduced in the event of a side collision, it is possible to prevent a phenomenon of the deformation of the occupant compartment or the damage to the battery due to the side collision.

While embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure without being limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. Accordingly, it should be noted that such alternations or modifications fall within the claims of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure should be construed on the basis of the appended claims.