Patent Publication Number: US-2023158876-A1

Title: Structural assembly and vehicle having structural assembly

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a structural assembly and a vehicle having a structural assembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
     The desire to reduce automotive fuel consumption and emissions has been well documented. Thus, electric vehicles have been developed to significantly reduce reliance on internal combustion engines. In general, electric vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles because they are driven by one or more rechargeable battery packs having lithium-ion batteries, for example, or any other suitable electrical power storage units. The battery pack typically powers one or more motors to drive a set of wheels. The size and weight of the battery pack is typically greater for electric vehicles capable of traveling long distances (e.g., electric vehicles capable of traveling more than 500 miles). Depending on the mounting location relative to the electric vehicle, the battery pack may be susceptible to various vehicle loads. 
     Integration of rechargeable battery packs into the structure of existing vehicles and providing efficient load paths in a variety of operating conditions can be challenging, primarily due to the increased weight of the battery packs and their larger footprint in the vehicle. The present disclosure addresses these issues related to the integration of rechargeable battery packs in electric vehicles. 
     SUMMARY 
     This section provides a general summary of the disclosure and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. 
     In one form, the present disclosure discloses a structural assembly for a vehicle that includes a battery structure having a battery frame. The structural assembly comprises a vehicle frame and a vehicle body. The vehicle frame has opposed longitudinal rails. The vehicle body is separate from and mounted on the vehicle frame. The vehicle body includes opposed rockers extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Each opposed longitudinal rail is located between a respective rocker and the battery frame of the battery structure. 
     In variations of the structural assembly of the above paragraph, which may be implemented individually or in any combination: the rockers overlap the opposed longitudinal rails; the opposed longitudinal rails are spaced apart from the respective rocker by a predetermined distance; the predetermined distance is less than or equal to 19 millimeters; a plurality of mounts are secured to a respective opposed longitudinal rail and a jounce bumper is disposed on a respective mount and between the respective mount and the vehicle body; a vehicle suspension system is secured to the vehicle frame and a wheel of the vehicle; the vehicle body includes cross members extending above the opposed longitudinal rails and the battery structure; the vehicle frame is made of steel; the vehicle frame does not include cross members at or near a center portion of the vehicle frame; and the opposed longitudinal rails are spaced apart from a respective side of the battery frame. 
     In another form, the present disclosure discloses an electric vehicle that comprises a battery structure, a vehicle frame, a vehicle suspension system, and a vehicle body. The battery structure has a battery frame. The vehicle frame has opposed longitudinal rails. The vehicle suspension system is secured to the vehicle frame and a respective wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle body is separate from and mounted on the vehicle frame. The vehicle body does not include cross members at or near a center portion thereof and includes opposed rockers extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Each opposed longitudinal rail is located between a respective rocker and the battery frame of the battery structure. The rockers overlap the opposed longitudinal rails. 
     In variations of the structural assembly of the above paragraph, which may be implemented individually or in any combination: the vehicle frame is made of steel. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic view of a vehicle including a structural assembly according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a vehicle frame and a vehicle body of the vehicle of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the vehicle frame and the vehicle body of the vehicle of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a bottom view of the vehicle frame and the vehicle body of the vehicle of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a bottom view of the vehicle frame of the vehicle of  FIG.  1   ; and 
         FIG.  6    is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the vehicle of  FIG.  1    during an impact event. 
     
    
    
     The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  1 - 4   , a vehicle  10  such as an electric vehicle is provided. In the example provided, the electric vehicle is a battery electric vehicle (BEV). In other examples, the electric vehicle may be a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV), or a fuel cell vehicle. The vehicle  10  includes a battery structure  12  ( FIGS.  2  and  3   ), a vehicle frame  14  and a vehicle body  16 . The battery structure  12  may be rechargeable and may include lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, or any other suitable electrical power storage units. The battery structure  12  may be disposed at various locations of the vehicle  10  and may be secured to the vehicle frame  14  via a battery pack support assembly  17 . In this way, the battery structure  12  is supported by the vehicle frame  14  and is remote from a passenger cabin (not shown) and cargo compartments (not shown) of the vehicle  10 , therefore, not occupying space that would otherwise be available for passengers or cargo. The battery structure  12  includes an outer support frame  18 . The battery structure  12  powers a rear motor (not shown) to drive rear wheels  20   a ,  20   b  of a set of rear wheels  20  via a rear axle  22 . Similarly, the battery structure  12  powers a front motor (not shown) to drive front wheels  24   a ,  24   b  of a set of front wheels  24  via a front axle  26 . 
     With additional reference to  FIG.  5   , the vehicle frame  14  is made of a metal material such as steel, for example, and is the main supporting structure of the vehicle  10 , to which various components are attached either directly or indirectly. For example, a suspension system  30  ( FIG.  4   ) is secured to the vehicle frame  14 , and secures the wheels  20 ,  24  of the vehicle  10  to the vehicle frame  14 . The suspension system  30  provides a smooth ride by absorbing energy from various road bumps while driving, and assists the wheels  20 ,  24  to remain in contact with the road by increasing wheel friction. The suspension system  30  includes various components such as upper and lower control arms, shock absorbers, and ball joints, for example. 
     The vehicle frame  14  includes opposed longitudinal rails  28   a ,  28   b  and cross members  32 . The rails  28   a ,  28   b  are spaced apart from each other and may establish a length of the vehicle frame  14 . The rails  28   a ,  28   b  are also spaced apart from a respective side  33  of the outer support frame  18 . In this way, components such as electrical conduits, for example, may extend along and between the outer support frame  18  and the rails  28   a ,  28   b . The cross members  32  connect the rails  28   a ,  28   b  to each other. The suspension system  30  may be secured to the rails  28   a ,  28   b  and/or the cross members  32 . It should be understood that the vehicle frame  14  does not include cross members at or near a center portion thereof to accommodate the battery structure  12 . It should also be understood that the rails  28   a ,  28   b  are spaced apart a greater distance at the center portion of the vehicle frame  14  than at the ends of the vehicle frame  14 . A plurality of mounts  34  are secured to and along a respective rail  28   a ,  28   b  of the vehicle frame  14  at or near the center portion of the vehicle frame  14 . 
     The vehicle body  16  is separate from and mounted on the vehicle frame  14 . Stated differently, the vehicle body  16  is mounted on the plurality of mounts  34  secured to the vehicle frame  14 . Jounce bumpers are disposed on a respective mount  34  and between the respective mount  34  and the vehicle body  16 . The vehicle body  16  includes cross members  35  ( FIGS.  2  and  3   ) extending above the opposed longitudinal rails  28   a ,  28   b  and the battery structure  12 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  2   , the vehicle body  16  also includes a front end (not shown), a plurality of pillars (e.g., A-pillars (not shown), B-pillars  36   b , C-pillars  36   c , hinge pillars (not shown)), roof rails  38 , and rockers  40 . In one example, the front end includes a bumper (not shown), a pair of opposed beams or inner rails (not shown), and a pair of opposed upper rails (not shown). The bumper extends in a transverse direction relative to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle  10  and is secured to front ends of the pair of beams. Each beam extends from a respective hinge pillar to the bumper. Each beam is also arcuate and extends around a front wheel  24   a ,  24   b  of the vehicle  10  and forms a portion of a respective front wheel well. The upper rails are positioned above the beams and extend from a respective hinge pillar to a respective beam. The upper rails also form a portion of a respective front wheel well. 
     The A-pillars, the B-pillars  36   b , the hinge pillars, the rockers  40  and the roof rails  38  cooperate to define door openings  42  in the vehicle body  16 . Doors (not shown) are rotatably coupled to the hinge pillars between a closed position (not shown) in which the doors are disposed within the door openings  42  and an open position (not shown) in which the doors are removed from the door openings  42 . 
     Each rocker  40  is elongated and extends along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle  10 . Each rocker  40  also overlaps a respective opposed longitudinal rail  28   a ,  28   b  and is spaced apart from the respective opposed longitudinal rail  28   a ,  28   b  by a predetermined distance X ( FIG.  3   ; the predetermined distance X is measured from an inner member  64  of the rocker  40  to the respective opposed longitudinal rail  28   a ,  28   b ). In one example, the predetermined distance X may be less than or equal to 19 millimeters (mm). Each opposed longitudinal rail  28   a ,  28   b  is located between a respective rocker  40  and the outer support frame  18  of the battery structure  12 . A front end of the rocker  40  is housed within and secured to a respective hinge pillar (i.e., the front end of the rocker  40  is disposed within a cavity of the respective hinge pillar). 
     The rocker  40  includes an outer member  62 , the inner member  64 , and an inner rocker  66 . The outer member  62  is secured to the inner member  64  via welding. In some configurations, the outer member  62  is secured to the inner member  64  with mechanical fasteners. The cross members  35  extend from the inner member  64 . The inner rocker  66  is housed within a cavity formed via the outer and inner members  62 ,  64 , and extends along an inboard portion of the outer member  62 . 
     A structural assembly of the present disclosure comprises the vehicle frame  14  and the vehicle body  16 . The rockers  40  being a predetermined distance from the respective opposed longitudinal rail  28   a ,  28   b  and overlapping the respective opposed longitudinal rail  28   a ,  28   b  provides improved load paths for distributing loads during a vehicle impact event. For example, as shown in  FIG.  6   , the structural assembly distributes the loads from the rockers  40  to the respective opposed longitudinal rail  28   a ,  28   b  during the impact event. In this way, the vehicle body  16  is inhibited from being displaced relative to the vehicle frame  14 . Further, the rockers  40  engaging the respective opposed longitudinal rail  28   a ,  28   b  provides energy absorption at any position along the length of the rockers  40 . 
     Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all numerical values indicating mechanical/thermal properties, compositional percentages, dimensions and/or tolerances, or other characteristics are to be understood as modified by the word “about” or “approximately” in describing the scope of the present disclosure. This modification is desired for various reasons including industrial practice, material, manufacturing, and assembly tolerances, and testing capability. 
     As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.” 
     The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.