초록 ▼

A vehicle frame includes an inverter protection brace extending between front and rear sub-frames located below and in front of side under frame members. A gusset of the brace strongly connects to the front sub-frame to load a beam section without overloading attaching bolts. The brace has a bolted

A vehicle frame includes an inverter protection brace extending between front and rear sub-frames located below and in front of side under frame members. A gusset of the brace strongly connects to the front sub-frame to load a beam section without overloading attaching bolts. The brace has a bolted connection attaches to the rear sub-frame. The brace deforms forward of the bolted connection creating a safety cage around an inverter during frontal impacts. A reinforcement bracket attaches to the side frame under members to define a pocket for temporarily catching the rear sub-frame. Ramps connect to the reinforcement bracket allowing sliding of the rear sub-frame rearward, and direct movement downwardly beneath a battery assembly. A catching surface defined on the ramp engages at least one rear sub-frame attached structure. A tether connects between the pair of side frame under-members and the rear sub-frame for improving the interaction of the rear sub-frame against the ramps.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A frame structure for a land vehicle having wheels to engage a surface over which the vehicle moves, an electric motor enabling the vehicle to be moved along the surface, the frame structure providing support for a vehicle body, where at least a portion of the frame structure permanently changes

1. A frame structure for a land vehicle having wheels to engage a surface over which the vehicle moves, an electric motor enabling the vehicle to be moved along the surface, the frame structure providing support for a vehicle body, where at least a portion of the frame structure permanently changes shape in response to impact of the frame structure with another body, the frame structure adapted to absorb energy from frontal impacts, the frame structure extending under a front portion of the vehicle body, the improvement of the frame structure comprising: a front sub-frame and a rear sub-frame located below and in front of a pair of side frame under-members; andan inverter protection brace extending between the front sub-frame and the rear sub-frame, the inverter protection brace having a gusset at a front end to strongly connect to the front sub-frame to load a beam section without overloading attaching bolts, and a bolted connection at a rear end to the rear sub-frame for transferring energy during frontal impacts. 2. The improvement of claim 1 further comprising: the rear sub-frame attaches at an A-point bolt connection and a B-point bolt connection, wherein loading from the inverter protection brace travels through the rear sub-frame to the A-point bolt connections located on a pair of front frame side members, the rear sub-frame deforms at the A-point bolt connections and at least one of the pair of side frame under-members buckles rearward of the B-point bolt connections for energy absorption during frontal impacts. 3. The improvement of claim 2, wherein a portion of the inverter protection brace load through the A-point bolt connection contributes to deformation timing and shape of the pair of front frame side members between the A-point bolt connection and the B-point bolt connection. 4. The improvement of claim 3, wherein the gusset rotates below the front sub-frame to delay loading of the inverter protection brace and delay bending of the pair of front frame side members to improve energy absorption of the front frame side members during frontal impacts. 5. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the inverter protection brace deforms adjacent the bolted connection at the rear end to form a safety cage around an inverter during frontal impacts. 6. The improvement of claim 1 further comprising: a catching structure promoting additional energy absorption through locking of the catching structure with respect to the rear sub-frame, such that continued rearward motion results in weld separation and crush of the side frame under-members. 7. The improvement of claim 1 further comprising: ramps connected to the pair of side frame under-members for directing rearward sliding movement of the rear sub-frame and attached structures downwardly beneath a battery assembly. 8. The improvement of claim 7, wherein the ramps have multiple interface angles and are aligned with a chamfered surface of the rear sub-frame to allow sliding movement, while a pitch angle of each ramp is set to provide a trajectory of the rear sub-frame motion taking into account crushing of the ramp and the rear sub-frame such that attached structures of the rear sub-frame pass below the battery assembly. 9. The improvement of claim 7, wherein the ramps are bolted to the pair of side frame under-members. 10. The improvement of claim 7 further comprising: a catching surface formed on at least one of the ramps for engaging the rear sub-frame and attached structures to improve energy absorption during frontal impacts. 11. The improvement of claim 10, wherein the catching surface interacts with a steering gear to promote additional crushing and energy absorption during sliding movement relative to the ramps. 12. The improvement of claim 7 further comprising: a reinforcement bracket attached to the pair of side frame under-members for facilitating formation and controlling a deformation shape of an energy absorption pocket in the corresponding side frame under-member during a frontal impact for temporarily restraining the rear sub-frame providing an energy absorption path before the rear sub-frame is released and allowed to slide past the reinforcement bracket. 13. The improvement of claim 12, wherein the reinforcement bracket provides attachment for the battery, attachment for the ramps, and initiates formation of an energy absorption pocket during frontal impacts. 14. The improvement of claim 12, wherein the reinforcement bracket is welded to the pair of side frame under-members at a location rearward and inboard of a B-point attachment of the rear sub-frame to the pair of side frame under-members. 15. The improvement of claim 12, wherein the reinforcement bracket facilitates buckling of a bottom wall of the pair of side frame under-members and defines a boundary strength of a reinforcement outboard rearward wall of the energy absorption pocket, wherein a position of the rearward wall determines an initiation strength of the bottom wall buckling for pocket formation. 16. The improvement of claim 15, wherein an angular position of the reinforcement outboard rearward wall of the side frame under-member determines a strength of a back wall and a deformed shape of the energy absorption pocket. 17. The improvement of claim 7 further comprising: a tether connected between the pair of side frame under-members and the rear sub-frame for holding the rear sub-frame against the ramps to increase energy absorption. 18. The improvement of claim 17 further comprising: a noise-vibration, ride and handling brace is modified to define the tether, the tether attaching to the pair of side frame under-members at two outboard locations and to the rear sub-frame at two B-point inboard locations. 19. The improvement of claim 17, wherein the tether rotates at a location of attachment to a pair of side frame under-members providing a limited degree of displacement away from the ramps requiring additional crush of the rear sub-frame and higher friction. 20. The improvement of claim 17, wherein the tether is angled forward from outboard attachments, such that during a frontal impact rearward motion of the rear sub-frame slackens the tether to a point where the tether rotates to a position perpendicular to a vehicle axis. 21. The improvement of claim 20, wherein the tether slack from rotation is less than an increase in vertical displacement of the rear sub-frame thereby requiring additional crush of the rear sub-frame and attached structures before tether separation. 22. A method of assembling structural members for absorbing energy from frontal impacts of a frame structure for a land vehicle having wheels to engage a surface over which the vehicle moves, an electric motor enabling the vehicle to be moved along the surface, the frame structure providing support for a vehicle body, where the frame structure permanently changes shape in response to impact of the frame structure with another body, the frame structure extending under a front portion of the vehicle body, the method comprising: connecting an inverter protection brace extending between a front sub-frame and a rear sub-frame located below and in front of a pair of side frame under-members;providing a gusset at a front end the inverter protection brace to strongly connect to the front sub-frame to load a beam section without overloading attachment bolts; andbolting the inverter protection brace at a rear end to the rear sub-frame to transfer energy during frontal impacts. 23. The method of claim 22 further comprising: attaching the front and rear sub-frames at an A-point bolt connection and a B-point bolt connection; andconnecting ramps to the pair of side frame under-members for directing rearward sliding movement of the rear sub-frame and attached structures downwardly beneath a battery assembly. 24. The method of claim 23 further comprising: forming a catching surface on at least one of the ramps for engaging the rear sub-frame and attached structures to improve energy absorption during frontal impacts. 25. The method of claim 24 further comprising: attaching a reinforcement bracket to the pair of side frame under-members for facilitating formation and controlling a deformation shape of an energy absorption pocket in the corresponding side frame under-member during a frontal impact for temporarily restraining the rear sub-frame providing an energy absorption path before the rear sub-frame is released and allowed to slide past the reinforcement bracket. 26. The method of claim 25 further comprising: connecting a tether between the pair of side frame under-members and the rear sub-frame for holding the rear sub-frame against the ramps to increase energy absorption. 27. A frame structure adapted to absorb energy from frontal impacts, the frame structure extending under a front portion of a vehicle body, the frame structure comprising: an inverter protection brace extending between a front sub-frame and a rear sub-frame located below and in front of a pair of side frame under-members, the inverter protection brace having a gusset at a front end to strongly connect to the front sub-frame to load a beam section without overloading attaching bolts, and a bolted connection at a rear end to the rear sub-frame with a deformable portion defining a hinge area forward of the bolted connection creating a safety cage around an inverter during frontal impacts;a reinforcement bracket attached to the pair of side frame under-members for facilitating formation and controlling a deformation shape of an energy absorption pocket in the corresponding side frame under-member during a frontal impact for temporarily restraining the rear sub-frame providing an energy absorption path before the rear sub-frame is released and allowed to slide past the reinforcement bracket;ramps connected to the reinforcement bracket allowing sliding of the rear sub-frame and attached structures rearward, while directing rearward sliding movement of the rear sub-frame downwardly beneath a battery assembly;a catching surface formed on at least one ramp for engaging at least one rear sub-frame attached structure; anda tether connected between the pair of side frame under-members and the rear sub-frame for holding the rear sub-frame against the ramps for retarding motion of the rear sub-frame by positive engagement between the tether and the rear sub-frame, where the tether deforms beyond an elastic limit to restrain relative motion of the rear sub-frame to increase energy absorption during frontal impacts.