Patent Description:
Recently, the vehicle industry has introduced a new concept of future mobility vision for realizing a dynamic human-centered future city. One of these future mobility solutions is a PBV (Purpose Built Vehicle) as a purpose-based mobility.

The PBV is an environment-friendly mobility solution that provides customized services necessary for occupants during the time of traveling from the origin to the destination, and it may also perform optimal path predetermination and cluster driving for each situation using electric vehicle-based and artificial intelligence.

For example, the PBV is a box-type design vehicle with a large interior space, and windshield glass is configured at the front of the vehicle body to provide a large interior space.

The vehicle body of this PBV includes an underbody (also referred to as a rolling chassis or skateboard in the industry) and an upper body mounted on the underbody. Here, the battery module is mounted on the underbody. In addition, the upper body may be a space frame formed by welding steel plates or pipes to form a skeleton.

However, such a PBV has a problem that, as the front vehicle body is designed in a box shape, the front frame strength may be weak and the impact absorption performance in the case of a forward collision may be weak.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

<CIT> provides a structural frame for the body of a motor vehicle with amount of space for the occupants of a vehicle to enhance the user experience, whilst maintaining structural rigidity and safety. <CIT> provides a four wheel vehicle using an electric motor for driving the vehicle and a battery unit for supplying electric power to the electric motor.

The present invention relates to a vehicle body. Particular embodiments relate to a front vehicle body structure of a PBV (Purpose Built Vehicle).

Embodiments of the present invention provide a front vehicle body structure capable of increasing the skeletal strength at the front side of the vehicle body and increasing front impact performance.

According to the present invention, a front vehicle body structure, as defined by independent claim <NUM>, includes an underbody and an upper body coupled to the underbody, and the front vehicle body structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a front cowl disposed in front of the upper body, and a cowl support unit connected to the front cowl through a front pillar and a front side member of the upper body. The cowl support unit includes a cowl lower cross member connected to the front of the front side member along the vehicle width direction, a cowl lower support connected to the cowl lower cross member and the front cowl, and a cowl upper side support connecting an upper portion of the front pillar and the front cowl. The cowl support unit further includes a cowl lower side support connected to a lower portion of the cowl upper side support and to the front pillar, and a fender apron upper member connected to the cowl lower support and the front pillar. The front vehicle body structure further includes a front floor panel mounted on the upper body, a floor upper coupled to the front floor panel, and at least one floor reinforcement frame combined along the front and rear directions on the floor upper.

The cowl support unit may include a lower load pass, an upper load pass, and a top load pass to transfer the load input from the front to the front pillar.

The cowl support unit may further include a cowl cross bar assembly coupled along the vehicle width direction to the floor reinforcement frame.

The cowl cross bar assembly may include a reinforcement member connected to the fender apron upper member and the front pillar, and a pair of cowl cross bars that is connected to the reinforcement member through both ends.

The cowl cross bar assembly may further include a spacer member engaged with the fender apron upper member and the reinforcement member therebetween.

The cowl cross bar assembly may further include a cowl cross bar extension connected with the floor reinforcement frame and coupled with the pair of cowl cross bars.

The pair of cowl cross bars may include closed cross-sections of different shapes.

The reinforcement member may be connected to the wheel house of the upper body and a body mounting support coupled to the front side member.

At the front end of the front side member, a first mount point may be formed at a position corresponding to the cowl lower cross member and the cowl lower support, and a first engage portion may be installed to the first mount point.

The first engage portion may be engaged in the first mounting portion of the underbody, and the first mounting portion may be provided in a front crash box of a front back beam assembly.

A second mount point may be formed between the front end and the rear end of the front side member at a position corresponding to the body mounting support coupled to the wheel house of the upper body, and the second engage portion may be installed to the second mount point.

The second engage portion may be engaged in the second mounting portion of the underbody, and the second mounting portion may be provided on the front chassis frame at the rear side of the front back beam assembly.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to increase the strength of the front side skeleton of the underbody and the upper body, and improve the front collision performance of the vehicle.

In addition, the effects obtained or predicted by exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be disclosed directly or implicitly in the detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. That is, various effects predicted according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be disclosed within a detailed description to be described later.

Since these drawings are for reference only to explain exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the technical idea of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the accompanying drawings.

The following elements may be used in connection with the drawings to describe embodiments of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those of ordinary skill in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the scope of the present invention, defined by the appended claims.

In order to clearly describe embodiments of the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and the same reference numerals are attached to the same or similar components throughout the specification.

Since the sizes and thicknesses of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of description, the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown in the drawings, and the thicknesses are enlarged to clearly express various parts and regions.

In addition, in the following detailed description, the names of the configurations are divided into first, second, etc. to distinguish the configurations in the same relationship, and are not necessarily limited to the order in the following description.

Throughout the specification, when a part includes a certain component, it means that other components may be further included rather than excluding other components unless specifically stated to the contrary.

In addition, terms such as. means, etc. described in the specification mean a unit of a comprehensive structure that performs at least one function or operation.

<FIG> is a drawing showing a vehicle which may be provided with a front vehicle body structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, a front vehicle body structure <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be applied to vehicle <NUM>, for example, a Purpose Built Vehicle (hereinafter referred to as PBV).

The PBV <NUM> is an electric vehicle-based environment-friendly mobile vehicle that provides the occupants with the customized services they need during their travel time from origin to destination. Furthermore, the PBV <NUM> may be a box-type design vehicle with a large interior space. The PBV <NUM> of the box-type design described above has windshield glass (not shown in the drawing) at the front of the vehicle body.

The PBV <NUM> includes a skateboard type underbody <NUM> (also referred to as a rolling chassis in the industry) and an upper body <NUM> mounted on the underbody <NUM>.

A battery assembly <NUM> is mounted on the underbody <NUM>. The underbody <NUM> includes a front chassis frame <NUM>, a center chassis frame <NUM>, and a rear chassis frame <NUM> connected to each other along the front and rear directions of the vehicle body. These front, center and rear chassis frames <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> include cross members.

A front back beam assembly <NUM> is connected to the front side of the front chassis frame <NUM>. A rear back beam assembly <NUM> is connected to the rear side of the rear chassis frame <NUM>.

The front back beam assembly <NUM> includes a front crash box <NUM> and a front back beam <NUM>. The front crash box <NUM> connects the front back beam <NUM> and the front chassis frame <NUM>.

The upper body <NUM> is a body that is coupled to the underbody <NUM>, and includes a cabin in the center part between the front and rear parts, for example, it may be a space frame formed by connecting steel plates or pipes.

The upper body <NUM> includes front side members <NUM> provided on both sides of the front part, and a side assembly <NUM> connected to the front side members <NUM> along the front and rear directions of the vehicle body. These front side members <NUM> and side assembly <NUM> are combined with the underbody <NUM>.

Here, the side assembly <NUM> includes a front pillar <NUM> disposed at the front of the vehicle, a rear pillar <NUM> disposed at the rear of the vehicle body, and a center pillar <NUM> disposed between the front pillar <NUM> and the rear pillar <NUM>.

And, the side assembly <NUM> includes front quarters <NUM> provided on both sides of the front part. In addition, a wheel house <NUM> is formed in the front quarter <NUM>. A front floor panel <NUM> is installed between the front quarters <NUM> on both sides of the upper body <NUM>.

In the industry, the vehicle width direction is called the L direction, the vehicle body length direction (the direction before and after the vehicle body) is called the T direction, and the height direction of the vehicle body is called the H direction. However, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, instead of setting the LTH direction as described above as the reference direction, the constituent elements in the following will be described by setting the vehicle width direction, front-rear direction and the up and down (vertical) direction of the vehicle body.

In addition, the end (one/one end or the other/one end) in the following may be defined as either end, and is defined as a certain part (one/one end or the other/one end) including the end.

The front vehicle body structure <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is capable of improving the strength of the skeleton at the front side of the vehicle body and improving the absorption performance of the collision load caused by the front collision of the vehicle body.

<FIG> are drawings showing the front vehicle body structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the front vehicle body structure <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a front cowl <NUM> and a cowl support unit <NUM>.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the front cowl <NUM> is a front structure of the upper body <NUM> and is disposed at the front of the upper body <NUM>. The front cowl <NUM> is disposed along the vehicle width direction at the front of the upper body <NUM>.

This front cowl <NUM> may be connected to the front side members <NUM> and the front pillar <NUM> through the cowl support unit <NUM>.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the cowl support unit <NUM> supports the front cowl <NUM>, and may improve stiffness of the front cowl <NUM> and the underbody <NUM> in the front-rear direction, the vehicle width direction and the vertical direction of the vehicle body.

The cowl support unit <NUM> is connected to the front cowl <NUM> through the front side member <NUM> and the front pillar <NUM> of the upper body <NUM>.

The cowl support unit <NUM> includes a cowl lower cross member <NUM>, a cowl lower support <NUM>, a cowl upper side support <NUM>, a cowl lower side support <NUM>, a fender apron upper member <NUM>, and a cowl cross bar assembly <NUM>.

The cowl lower cross member <NUM> is to improve the vehicle width direction strength of the cowl lower support <NUM>, and is connected to the front of the front side member <NUM> along the vehicle width direction.

In the above, the cowl lower support <NUM> is to improve the up and down direction strength of the front cowl <NUM>, and is disposed between the front cowl <NUM> and the cowl lower cross member <NUM> in the up and down directions. The cowl lower support <NUM> may be provided in pairs, but is not limited thereto. The cowl lower support <NUM> has its lower part connected to the cowl lower cross member <NUM>, and its upper part is connected to the front cowl <NUM>.

The cowl upper side support <NUM> is for improving the stiffness of the front cowl <NUM> in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction, and is connected to the upper part of the front pillar <NUM> and the front cowl <NUM> in an arch form.

The cowl lower side support <NUM> is for improving the stiffness of the front cowl <NUM> in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and is connected to the lower portion of the cowl upper side support <NUM> and the front pillar <NUM>.

The fender apron upper member <NUM> is equipped with a fender panel <NUM> on the front side of the upper body <NUM>, and the fender apron upper member <NUM> increases the rigidity of the cowl lower support <NUM> in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. The fender apron upper member <NUM> is connected to the cowl lower support <NUM> and the front pillar <NUM>.

<FIG> are drawings showing a cowl crossbar assembly of a cowl support unit applied to the front vehicle body structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, a floor upper <NUM> is coupled to the front floor panel <NUM> in the upper body <NUM>. The floor upper <NUM> is for mounting the vehicle's steering device (not shown in the drawing), and is connected to the front side member <NUM>.

On the upper surface of the floor upper <NUM>, at least one, for example, a pair, of floor reinforcement frames <NUM> are coupled to be spaced apart from each other along the vehicle width direction.

In the front floor structure of the upper body <NUM>, the cowl cross bar assembly <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is for mounting the steering device on the floor upper <NUM>. The cowl cross bar assembly <NUM> also functions to improve the front-rear direction and vehicle width direction strength of the fender apron upper member <NUM>.

The cowl cross bar assembly <NUM> connects the cowl lower support <NUM>, the fender apron upper member <NUM>, and the front pillar <NUM>. The cowl cross bar assembly <NUM> is attached to the floor reinforcement frame <NUM> along the vehicle width direction.

This cowl cross bar assembly <NUM> includes a reinforcement member <NUM>, a spacer member <NUM>, a pair of cowl cross bars <NUM> and <NUM>, and a cowl cross bar extension <NUM>.

The reinforcement member <NUM> is to reinforce the rigidity and the strength of the cowl cross bars <NUM> and <NUM>. The reinforcement member <NUM> has a panel shape and is connected to the fender apron upper member <NUM> and the front pillar <NUM>.

The reinforcement member <NUM> shares the cross-section of the fender apron upper member <NUM> and the front pillar <NUM>, and also functions to improve the strength/rigidity against forward impact and endurance loads.

The reinforcement member <NUM> is connected to the wheel house <NUM> of the upper body <NUM> and a body mounting support <NUM> connected to the front side member <NUM>. One side of the body mounting support <NUM> is attached to the reinforcement member <NUM>, and the other side is attached to the front side member <NUM> through the front floor panel <NUM>.

The spacer member <NUM> is provided between the fender apron upper member <NUM> and the reinforcement member <NUM> in order to reinforce their strength. The spacer member <NUM> is connected with the fender apron upper member <NUM> and the reinforcement member <NUM>.

<FIG> is an enlarged view of the connection configuration of the spacer member <NUM> of <FIG>. Referring to <FIG>, the spacer member <NUM> engages with the fender apron upper member <NUM> and the reinforcement member <NUM> through a bolt 66a and a nut 66b. This spacer member <NUM> may be provided as a bracket having a pipe shape into which a pair of bolts 66a may be fitted.

The pair of cowl cross bars <NUM> and <NUM> may be dual cowl cross bars on which the steering device may be seated. The pair of cowl cross bars <NUM> and <NUM> are disposed along the vehicle width direction on the floor reinforcement frame <NUM>, and are coupled to the reinforcement member <NUM>. Both ends of the cowl cross bars <NUM> and <NUM> penetrate reinforcement member <NUM> and may be welded to the reinforcement member <NUM>.

The pair of cowl cross bars <NUM> and <NUM> are disposed to be spaced apart from each other along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. Hereinafter, the cowl cross bar positioned in the front is referred to as a front cowl cross bar <NUM>, and the cowl cross bar positioned at the rear is referred to as a rear cowl cross bar <NUM>.

The front and rear cowl cross bars <NUM> and <NUM> are provided in the form of pipes with closed cross-sections of different shapes. For example, the front cowl cross bar <NUM> may be formed as a circular closed cross-section 67a. In addition, the rear cowl cross bar <NUM> may be formed as a quadrangle closed cross-section 69a.

The cowl cross bar extension <NUM> is for integrating the front and rear cowl cross bars <NUM> and <NUM> through the floor reinforcement frame <NUM>. The cowl cross bar extension <NUM> engages the floor reinforcement frame <NUM> with the front floor panel <NUM> via a bolt <NUM>. And, the cowl cross bar extension <NUM> is welded to the front and rear cowl cross bars <NUM> and <NUM>.

<FIG> is a drawing showing a mounting portion of the front vehicle body structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a first mount point <NUM> is formed in a portion connected to the cowl lower cross member <NUM> and the cowl lower support <NUM> in the front of the front side member <NUM>.

The first engage portion <NUM> is installed at the first mount point <NUM>. The first engage portion <NUM> includes, for example, a first mounting bolt <NUM> that is fitted in the up and down directions to the first mount point <NUM> and fixed through a mounting bracket.

This first engage portion <NUM> is engaged with the first mounting portion <NUM> of the underbody <NUM>. The first mounting portion <NUM> is mounted in the front crash box <NUM> of the front back beam assembly <NUM> mentioned above. The first mounting portion <NUM> includes, for example, a first weld nut <NUM> engaged with the first mounting bolt <NUM>.

In addition, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, between the front and rear of the front side member <NUM>, a second mount point <NUM> connected to the body mounting support <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>) is formed.

The second engage portion <NUM> is installed at the second mount point <NUM>. The second engage portion <NUM> includes, for example, a second mounting bolt <NUM> that is fitted in the up and down directions to the second mount point <NUM> and fixed through a mounting bracket.

This second engage portion <NUM> is engaged with the second mounting portion <NUM> of the underbody <NUM>. The second mounting portion <NUM> is provided on the front chassis frame <NUM> on the rear side of the front back beam assembly <NUM>. The second mounting portion <NUM> includes, for example, a second weld nut <NUM> engaged with the second mounting bolt <NUM>.

Hereinafter, the effects of the front vehicle body structure <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to the description and accompanying drawings disclosed above.

The front vehicle body structure <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes the cowl support unit <NUM> for supporting the front cowl <NUM> positioned at the front of the upper body <NUM>.

The cowl support unit <NUM> is connected to the front cowl <NUM> through the front side member <NUM> and the front pillar <NUM> of the upper body <NUM> and supports the front structure of the front cowl <NUM>.

The cowl support unit <NUM> includes the cowl lower cross member <NUM>, the cowl lower support <NUM>, the cowl upper side support <NUM>, the cowl lower side support <NUM>, the fender apron upper member <NUM>, and the cowl cross bar assembly <NUM>.

<FIG> is a drawing for explaining an effect of the front vehicle body structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, specifically explaining the action of the cowl support unit <NUM>, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the road load may be transmitted to the front side member <NUM>, and a lower load pass <NUM> is formed, through which the road load is transferred to the front pillar <NUM> through the fender apron upper member <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the load input to the floor reinforcement frame <NUM> is transferred to the front pillar <NUM> through the cowl cross bar assembly <NUM> and the cowl lower side support <NUM>, forming an upper load pass <NUM>.

Also, referring to <FIG>, a top load pass <NUM> is formed in which the load input to the cowl lower cross member <NUM> and the cowl lower support <NUM> is transferred to the front pillar <NUM> through the cowl upper side support <NUM>.

Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, strength of the vehicle body in the front-rear direction, the vehicle width direction and the up and down direction between the front cowl <NUM>, the cowl support unit <NUM>, and the underbody <NUM> may be improved and torsional strength may be also improved.

Meanwhile, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first mount point <NUM> connected to the cowl lower cross member <NUM> and the cowl lower support <NUM> is formed on the front side member <NUM>. And, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first mounting portion <NUM> engaged with the first mount point <NUM> is formed in the front crash box <NUM> in the front back beam assembly <NUM> of the underbody <NUM>.

Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the body mounting support <NUM> connected to the wheel house <NUM>, and the second mount point <NUM> connected to the fender apron upper member <NUM> and the cowl cross bar assembly <NUM> are provided to the front side member <NUM>. In addition, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second mounting portion <NUM>, in which the second mount point <NUM> is engaged, is formed on the front chassis frame <NUM> of the underbody <NUM>.

Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connection strength of the first mounting portion <NUM> to which the first mount point <NUM> is coupled may be less than the connection strength of the second mounting portion <NUM> to which the second mount point <NUM> is coupled.

Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the vehicle is in a frontal collision, deformation occurs first in the first mounting portion <NUM> due to a collision load, and deformation may not occur in the second mounting portion <NUM>.

Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the front impact performance of the vehicle can be improved by absorbing and distributing the impact load due to the front impact of the vehicle through the first and second mounting portions <NUM> and <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A front vehicle body structure (<NUM>) comprising:
an underbody (<NUM>);
an upper body (<NUM>) coupled to the underbody (<NUM>);
a front cowl (<NUM>) disposed in front of the upper body (<NUM>); and
a cowl support unit (<NUM>) connected to the front cowl (<NUM>) through a front pillar (<NUM>) and a front side member (<NUM>) of the upper body (<NUM>),
wherein the cowl support unit (<NUM>) comprises:
a cowl lower cross member (<NUM>) connected to a front of the front side member (<NUM>) along a vehicle width direction;
a cowl lower support (<NUM>) connected to the cowl lower cross member (<NUM>) and the front cowl (<NUM>);
a cowl upper side support (<NUM>) connecting an upper portion of the front pillar (<NUM>) and the front cowl (<NUM>);
a cowl lower side support (<NUM>) connected to a lower portion of the cowl upper side support (<NUM>) and to the front pillar (<NUM>); and
a fender apron upper member (<NUM>) connected to the cowl lower support (<NUM>) and the front pillar (<NUM>),
wherein the front vehicle body structure (<NUM>) further comprises:
a front floor panel (<NUM>) mounted on the upper body (<NUM>);
a floor upper (<NUM>) coupled to the front floor panel (<NUM>); and
a floor reinforcement frame (<NUM>) disposed along a front-rear direction on the floor upper (<NUM>).