JP7775650B2 - Body structure - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to automobile body structures.

In conventional automobile floor panels, a tunnel section is formed in the center of the vehicle's left-right direction, extending in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction. The tunnel section houses the exhaust pipe that extends from the engine compartment at the front of the vehicle to the rear, the propeller shaft that transmits power from the engine at the front of the vehicle to the rear wheels, and other components, and therefore bulges out significantly above the bottom of the seat cushion.

For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a tunnel frame is known that is attached to the upper surface of the tunnel section and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. The front portion of the tunnel frame branches out in the left and right directions, with the left and right front portions each connected to the dash panel.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-177831

In the structure of Patent Document 1, assuming an impact load acts from the front of the vehicle, a load directed toward the rear of the vehicle is input to the left and right front portions of the tunnel frame. In this case, since the left and right front portions of the tunnel frame in Patent Document 1 are not restrained, there is a risk that the front side of the tunnel frame will bend. If the front side of the tunnel frame is bent, the effectiveness of absorbing the impact load from the front of the vehicle will be reduced.

This disclosure was made in consideration of these points, and its purpose is to improve the absorption effect of impact loads from the front of the vehicle.

In order to achieve the above objective, the first aspect of the present disclosure can be premised on a vehicle body structure to be provided on an automobile. The vehicle body structure includes a floor panel that forms the floor of a passenger space where seats for passengers are provided; a dash panel that extends upward from the front of the floor panel and separates the front portion of the passenger space; a left suspension support member that supports a front suspension forward of the dash panel and on the left side of the vehicle; a right suspension support member that supports a front suspension forward of the dash panel and on the right side of the vehicle; a center frame that is disposed above and spaced apart from the floor panel in the vehicle width center of the passenger space and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle; a left front frame that is connected to the front portion of the center frame, extends to the left suspension support member and is fixed to the left suspension support member; a right front frame that is connected to the front portion of the center frame, extends to the right suspension support member and is fixed to the right suspension support member; and a connecting member that connects the floor panel to at least one of the rear portion of the left front frame, the rear portion of the right front frame, and the front portion of the center frame.

With this configuration, when an impact load acts from the front, the impact load is input from the left suspension support member through the left front frame to the center frame, and from the right suspension support member through the right front frame to the center frame. Because the left front frame and center frame are connected, there is a risk of bending deformation at or near this connection, or at or near the connection between the right front frame and center frame. However, with this configuration, the rear of the left front frame, the rear of the right front frame, and the front of the center frame are connected to the floor panel by connecting members, thereby suppressing such bending deformation.

For example, by connecting and restraining the rear of the left front frame to the floor panel, bending deformation at or near the connection with the center frame is suppressed. Similarly, by connecting and restraining the rear of the right front frame to the floor panel, bending deformation at or near the connection with the center frame is suppressed. Furthermore, by connecting and restraining the front of the center frame to the floor panel, bending deformation at or near the connection with the left or right front frame is suppressed. This improves the absorption of impact loads from the front of the vehicle.

In a second aspect of the present disclosure, the rear portion of the left front frame has a left connection portion for connecting to the front portion of the center frame. The rear portion of the right front frame has a right connection portion for connecting to the front portion of the center frame. The connecting member includes a left connecting member that connects the left connection portion to the floor panel, and a right connecting member that connects the right connection portion to the floor panel.

With this configuration, the left and right connection portions can be connected to the floor panel, further reducing bending deformation between the left and right front frames and the center frame.

In a third aspect of the present disclosure, the left connection portion and the right connection portion are fixed to the dash panel.

With this configuration, the left and right connection portions are also restrained by the dash panel.

In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the front side of the center frame branches in the left-right direction of the vehicle and has a left frame component and a right frame component. The left frame component is connected to the left connection portion, and the right frame component is connected to the right connection portion.

With this configuration, the front side of the center frame can be fixed to the dash panel at two locations spaced apart in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the floor panel is provided at the front of the vehicle and has a cross member extending in the vehicle width direction, and the lower part of the connecting member is fixed to the cross member.

With this configuration, the cross member increases the rigidity of the floor panel, and by fixing the lower part of the connecting member to this highly rigid floor panel, the effect of suppressing the bending deformation described above is further improved.

As explained above, bending deformation of the left front frame, right front frame, and center frame can be suppressed, thereby improving the absorption effect of impact loads from the front of the vehicle.

1 is a side view of an automobile equipped with a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the automobile is divided into an upper structure and a lower structure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the vehicle body structure as seen from above. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the vehicle body structure. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 4. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 4. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the passenger space side floor panel and its vicinity. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a seat rail and its vicinity. FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing a portion of the seat rail and its vicinity. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a mounting portion of the seat rail and its vicinity. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a bent portion of the center frame and its vicinity. FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a front portion of a rear frame member that constitutes the center frame. FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the connecting member as seen from another direction. FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioning device and its vicinity. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a rear vehicle body structure in which the inclination angle of the center frame is increased. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the inclination angle of the center frame is increased. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dash panel and its vicinity as viewed from the rear side of the vehicle. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cooling path. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the layout of the cooling water supply pipes and discharge pipes. FIG. 2 is a view showing the layout of the cooling water supply pipes and discharge pipes as viewed from the left side.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiment is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

Figure 1 is a side view of an automobile 1 equipped with a vehicle body structure A according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the left. In describing this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the vehicle will be referred to simply as the "longitudinal direction," the front side of the vehicle will be referred to simply as the "front side," and the "rear side" of the vehicle will be referred to simply as the "rear." Furthermore, the width direction of the vehicle is the lateral direction of the vehicle, with the left side of the vehicle being referred to simply as the "left side" and the right side of the vehicle being referred to simply as the "right side."

(Overall structure of the automobile)
The automobile 1 is a passenger vehicle, and a passenger space R1 for passengers is provided in the middle of the automobile 1 in the longitudinal direction. The passenger space R1 includes a front seat (front seat) FS constituting the front seat and a rear seat (rear seat) RS constituting the rear seat. The front seat FS includes a driver's seat located on the right (or left) side of the passenger space R1 and a passenger seat located on the left (or right) side of the passenger space R1. Rear seats RS are also located on the right and left sides of the passenger space R1. Although not shown, a third-row seat may be located behind the rear seat RS. Furthermore, the rear seat RS is not essential and may be omitted.

A front door FD and a rear door RD are located on the left and right sides of the passenger space R1, respectively. In the case of a vehicle 1 without a rear seat RS, the rear door RD can be omitted.

A front space R2 is provided in front of the passenger space R1 of the automobile 1. This front space R2 can accommodate the powertrain PT as needed. When the powertrain PT is mounted in the front space R2, the front space R2 can also be called, for example, a powertrain storage room, a motor room, or an engine room. A bonnet hood BF is provided at the top of the front space R2.

Behind the passenger space R1 of the automobile 1 is a luggage space R3 capable of accommodating luggage and other items. The luggage space R3 can be opened and closed using a trunk lid TR. Behind the passenger space R1 of the automobile 1 and below the luggage space R3, a rear space R4 is provided. This rear space R4 can accommodate the powertrain PT that generates power for the automobile 1, as needed. When the powertrain PT is installed in the rear space R4, the rear space R4 can also be referred to as, for example, a powertrain storage room, a motor room, an engine room, etc.

The powertrain PT may be mounted in both the front space R2 and the rear space R4, or in only one. If the powertrain PT is mounted only in the front space R2, the vehicle will be a front-wheel drive vehicle in which the powertrain PT drives only the front wheels FT. If the powertrain PT is mounted only in the rear space R4, the vehicle will be a rear-wheel drive vehicle in which the powertrain PT drives only the rear wheels RT. Furthermore, if the powertrain PT is mounted in both the front space R2 and the rear space R4 and drives both the front wheels FT and the rear wheels RT, the vehicle will be a four-wheel drive vehicle.

The powertrain PT includes at least a traction motor M (shown in Figure 2) for driving the drive wheels, and may also include a reducer, transmission, etc. as necessary. Therefore, the automobile 1 is an electric vehicle. The traction motor M is disposed so that its center of rotation extends in the left-right direction. In addition to the traction motor M, the powertrain PT may also include, for example, a control unit. The powertrain PT may also include an internal combustion engine. A battery unit Y (also shown in Figure 1) for supplying power to the traction motor M is mounted on the bottom of the automobile 1. For example, the battery unit Y may be charged using power generated by the internal combustion engine, or at least one of the front wheels FT and the rear wheels RT may be driven by power generated by the internal combustion engine.

The type of automobile 1 does not have to be a four-door vehicle as shown in FIG. 1 as an example, and may be, for example, an automobile without a rear door RD. Furthermore, although not shown, the present invention can also be applied to automobiles such as hatchbacks, in which the rear space R4 can be opened and closed with a tailgate.

As shown in Figure 2, automobile 1 is equipped with a lower structure 2 and an upper structure 3, and the lower structure 2 and upper structure 3 constitute vehicle body structure A. Figure 2 shows the upper structure 3 with its original components removed, such as doors FD, RD, bonnet hood BF, fenders, windshield, roof, center pillars, rear pillars, bumpers, front and rear lighting devices, instrument panel, and front and rear seats. Figure 2 also shows the lower structure 2 with its original components removed, such as front wheels FT, rear wheels RT, and suspension devices.

The lower structure 2 is equipped with a battery unit Y. The battery unit Y has a front battery FB, a rear battery RB, and a frame 10 that surrounds the front battery FB and the rear battery RB. The lower structure 2 also has a front support frame 20 that extends forward from the front of the frame 10, and a rear support frame 30 that extends rearward from the rear of the frame 10.

Although not shown, in the case of typical electric vehicles, the battery unit is often separate from the vehicle body and can be attached and detached under the floor. However, in this embodiment, not only are the batteries FB, RB integrated into the frame-type frame 10 that surrounds the batteries FB, RB, but the front support frame 20 and rear support frame 30 are also integrated, and the front support frame 20 and rear support frame 30, along with the batteries FB, RB, can be attached and detached to the upper structure 3.

Specifically, the automobile 1 of this embodiment is configured to be separable into an upper and lower structure 2 having batteries FB and RB, and an upper structure 3 that forms the passenger space R1 and luggage space R3. Being separable into upper and lower structures means that the lower structure 2 is integrated with the upper structure 3 using fastening members such as bolts, nuts, and screws, without using welding, adhesives, or the like. This allows the lower structure 2 to be separated from the upper structure 3 as needed when performing maintenance or repairs on the automobile 1 after it has been delivered to the user, improving maintainability.

Here, a ladder frame type body structure is known as an automobile body structure. In a ladder frame type body structure, the ladder frame can be separated into an upper and lower portion and a cabin, but because the ladder frame extends continuously in the fore-and-aft direction, it primarily bears the collision load in frontal and rearal collisions. In a side collision, the ladder frame only secondarily bears the collision load, and it is the cabin that primarily bears the collision load. In this way, in a ladder frame type body structure, the components that bear the collision load in frontal and rearal collisions and in side collisions are usually separate.

In contrast, in the case of the automobile 1 of this embodiment, the lower structure 2, which has a front support frame 20 and a rear support frame 30, and the upper structure 3 are separable. However, in the event of a frontal collision, a rear collision, or a side collision, the collision load is received by the lower structure 2 and the upper structure 3, and the collision load is distributed and absorbed between the two structures 2, 3. This technical concept differs significantly from conventional ladder frame-type vehicle body structures. The structures of the lower structure 2 and the upper structure 3 will be explained below in order.

(undercarriage)
First, the lower structure 2 will be described. In addition to the batteries FB, RB, the frame 10, the front support frame 20, and the rear support frame 30, the lower structure 2 also includes a power train PT, front wheels FT, rear wheels RT, and front suspension devices SP1, SP2 and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4 shown by phantom lines in Fig. 4. The types of the front suspension devices SP1, SP2 and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4 are not particularly important, and the vehicle body structure can be changed depending on the types of the front suspension devices SP1, SP2 and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the frame 10, which forms the skeleton of the battery unit Y, is a member that surrounds and protects the front battery FB, the rear battery RB, harnesses, and the like. This frame 10 is formed large below the passenger space floor panel 41 (described later), extending from near the left end to near the right end of the passenger space floor panel 41 and from near the front end to near the rear end of the passenger space floor panel 41. By providing the frame 10 over a wide area below the passenger space floor panel 41, it is possible to mount large-capacity batteries FB and RB in the vehicle 1. The batteries FB and RB may be, for example, lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, or other secondary batteries. The batteries FB and RB may also be so-called battery cells or battery packs containing multiple battery cells.

The frame 10 comprises a left side member 11, a right side member 12, a front member 13, and a rear member 14. The left side member 11, the right side member 12, the front member 13, and the rear member 14 are made of, for example, an aluminum alloy extrusion, but may also be made of aluminum alloy plate material or press-formed steel plate material. In the following description, "extrusion material" refers to an aluminum alloy extrusion material, and "press-formed material" refers to aluminum alloy plate material or press-formed steel plate material. Furthermore, each member may be made of, for example, casting, die-casting, etc.

The cross-sectional shapes of the left side member 11, right side member 12, front member 13, and rear member 14 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction are all rectangular. The left side member 11, right side member 12, front member 13, and rear member 14 are all positioned at the same height and extend approximately horizontally. When joining the lower structure 2 to the upper structure 3, the front member 13 is fastened to the bottom of the dash panel 50 with fastening members, and the left side member 11 and right side member 12 are fastened to the left and right side sills 60 with fastening members, respectively. The rear member 14 is fastened to the connecting panel 43 (described below) with fastening members.

The left side member 11 is located at the left end of the lower structure 2 and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The right side member 12 is located at the right end of the lower structure 2 and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The left side member 11 and the right side member 12 are respectively located on the vehicle width inward side of the left and right side sills 60 (described below). The front member 13 is located in front of the battery unit Y and extends in the left-to-right direction from the front end of the left side member 11 to the front end of the right side member 12. The left end of the front member 13 is connected to the front end of the left side member 11, and the right end of the front member 13 is connected to the front end of the right side member 12. The rear member 14 is located at the rear of the battery unit Y and extends in the left-to-right direction from the rear end of the left side member 11 to the rear end of the right side member 12. The left end of the rear member 14 is connected to the rear end of the left side member 11, and the right end of the rear member 14 is connected to the rear end of the right side member 12.

A cover member 15, which serves as a bottom plate, is attached to the lower part of the frame 10. The frame 10 is closed from below by the cover member 15. The cover member 15 extends approximately horizontally and is fixed to the undersides of the left side member 11, right side member 12, front member 13, and rear member 14, as well as to the side sill 60, as described below. The upper part of the frame 10 may be closed by a lid (not shown) or by the passenger space side floor panel 41, as described below. Electric power from the batteries FB and RB housed within the frame 10 is supplied to the drive motor M via a drive control circuit (not shown). Furthermore, the batteries FB and RB can be charged via a charging socket (not shown).

Figure 5 shows a cross section of the center of the vehicle body structure A in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 5, first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are provided inside the frame 10 as reinforcing members extending in the left-right direction. The first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C all have the same height, the same as the front member 13 and the rear member 14. The first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C may be made of extruded material or press-formed material. In this embodiment, three battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are provided, but the number of battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C can be increased or decreased depending on the longitudinal dimension of the frame 10.

The first to third battery-side cross members (battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, 10C) are spaced apart from one another in the fore-and-aft direction, with the first battery-side cross member 10A positioned at the front and the third battery-side cross member 10C positioned at the rear. The lower portion of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, 10C is fixed to the upper surface of the cover member 15. The left end of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, 10C is fixed to the inner surface (right side) of the left side member 11, and the right end of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, 10C is fixed to the inner surface (left side) of the right side member 12. In other words, the battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, 10C are members that connect the left side member 11 and the right side member 12.

A front central member 16 and first to third rear central members 17-19 are provided inside the frame 10 as reinforcing members extending in the fore-and-aft direction. The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 can also be called a battery frame extending in the fore-and-aft direction, and the battery unit Y has a structure having a battery frame consisting of the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19. The battery frame may also include a left side member 11, a right side member 12, a front member 13, and a rear member 14.

The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are positioned at approximately the same height and are located in the left-right center of the frame 10. The lower ends of the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are attached to the upper surface of the cover member 15. The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 extend from the front member 13 to the rear member 14.

The front central member 16 is disposed between the front side member 13 and the first battery-side cross member 10A, with the front end of the front central member 16 fixed to the left-right center of the front side member 13 and the rear end of the front central member 16 fixed to the left-right center of the first battery-side cross member 10A. Therefore, the front side member 13 is a member that extends to connect the front ends of the left side member 11 and right side member 12 with the front end of the front central member 16.

The first rear central member 17 is disposed between the first battery-side cross member 10A and the second battery-side cross member 10B, with the front end of the first rear central member 17 fixed to the left-right center of the first battery-side cross member 10A and the rear end of the first rear central member 17 fixed to the left-right center of the second battery-side cross member 10B. The second rear central member 18 is disposed between the second battery-side cross member 10B and the third battery-side cross member 10C, with the front end of the second rear central member 18 fixed to the left-right center of the second battery-side cross member 10B and the rear end of the second rear central member 18 fixed to the left-right center of the third battery-side cross member 10C. The third rear central member 19 is positioned between the third battery-side cross member 10C and the rear member 14, with the front end of the third rear central member 19 fixed to the left-right center of the third battery-side cross member 10C and the rear end of the third rear central member 19 fixed to the left-right center of the rear member 14. Therefore, the first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, 10C, the front central member 16, and the first to third rear central members 17-19 are arranged in a lattice pattern inside the frame 10 and connected to each other, further enhancing the reinforcing effect of the frame 10 and, ultimately, the reinforcing effect of the lower structure 2.

When an imaginary line extending in the fore-and-aft direction is imagined in a plan view, the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 are positioned left-right so that they are located on that imaginary line. In other words, the first to third rear central members 17-19 are positioned on an imaginary extension line rearward of the front central member 16. The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 may also be composed of a single member that is continuous in the fore-and-aft direction. In this case, one member would extend from the front member 13 to the rear member 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of left and right front support frames 20 are provided, extending substantially horizontally in a straight line below the upper structure 3. Each front support frame 20 can be made of, for example, an extruded material or a press-formed material. In this embodiment, since each front support frame 20 is made of an extruded material, the cross-sectional shape in the direction perpendicular to the fore-and-aft direction is substantially uniform from the front end to the rear end.

The left front support frame 20 is connected to a portion of the front member 13 that constitutes the front portion of the frame 10, which is to the left of the center in the left-right direction, and this connection portion is located to the right of the left side member 11 of the frame 10. The right front support frame 20 is connected to a portion of the front member 13 that is to the right of the center in the left-right direction, and this connection portion is located to the left of the right side member 12 of the frame 10. The left and right front support frames 20 are approximately the same height.

The front powertrain PT is attached to the front support frame 20 via a mounting member (not shown). In this case, the front support frame 20 serves as a front motor support frame that supports the drive motor M in front of the battery unit Y. The lower structure 2 is provided with drive shafts S1 on the left and right that transmit the output of the powertrain PT (the rotational force of the drive motor M) to the left and right front wheels FT, respectively.

Furthermore, the left and right suspension arms that constitute part of the front suspension units SP1 and SP2, shown by phantom lines in Figure 4, are supported so as to be able to swing freely up and down relative to the left and right front support frames 20. The front support frames 20 may also be members that support the suspension arms without supporting the powertrain PT.

As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of rear support frames 30 are provided on the left and right, similar to the front support frames 20, and extend rearward in a generally horizontal, linear fashion. Each rear support frame 30 can be made of, for example, an extruded material or a press-formed material. In this embodiment, each rear support frame 30 is made of an extruded material.

The left rear support frame 30 is connected to a portion of the rear member 14 that forms the rear of the frame 10, which is to the left of the center in the left-right direction, and this connection portion is located to the right of the left side member 11 of the frame 10. The right rear support frame 30 is connected to a portion of the rear member 14 that is to the right of the center in the left-right direction, and this connection portion is located to the left of the right side member 12 of the frame 10.

The rear powertrain PT is attached to the rear support frame 30 via mounting members (not shown). In this case, the rear support frame 30 serves as a rear motor support frame that supports the drive motor M behind the battery unit Y. Drive shafts S2 are provided on the left and right of the lower structure 2, transmitting the output of the powertrain PT (the rotational force of the drive motor M) to the left and right rear wheels RT, respectively.

Furthermore, the left and right suspension arms that constitute part of the rear suspension units SP3 and SP4, shown by phantom lines in Figure 4, are supported so as to be able to swing freely up and down relative to the left and right rear support frames 30. The rear support frames 30 may also be members that support the suspension arms without supporting the powertrain PT.

(superstructure)
Next, the upper structure 3 will be described. The upper structure 3 includes a floor component 40, a dash panel 50, and a pair of left and right side sills 60. The floor component 40 is a component disposed above the frame-type frame 10 and rear support frame 30 of the lower structure 2. The floor component 40 includes a passenger-space-side floor panel (first floor panel) 41 that constitutes the floor of the passenger space R1, in which the front seats FS and rear seats RS (shown in FIG. 1) on which passengers sit are provided, a luggage-space-side floor panel (second floor panel) 42 that constitutes the floor of the luggage space R3, and a connection panel 43 that connects the rear portion of the passenger-space-side floor panel 41 and the front portion of the luggage-space-side floor panel 42. The connection panel 43 constitutes a kick-up portion.

The floor structural member 40 can be composed of a member formed by pressing a steel plate or the like. The passenger space side floor panel 41, the luggage space side floor panel 42, and the connecting panel 43 may be integrally formed, or may be formed separately and then connected. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the passenger space side floor panel 41, the luggage space side floor panel 42, and the connecting panel 43 are described as being divided into three parts, but the floor structural member 40 including these panels 41 to 43 may also be referred to as the floor panel. Furthermore, only the passenger space side floor panel 41 may also be referred to as the floor panel.

The passenger space-side floor panel 41 extends from the front to the rear of the passenger space R1 and from the left side to the right side of the passenger space R1. The passenger space-side floor panel 41 in this embodiment has a floor tunnel-less structure, i.e., it does not have a tunnel section. That is, conventional automobile floor panels typically have a tunnel section in the center of the vehicle width direction that bulges upward and extends in the fore-and-aft direction. This tunnel section serves, for example, to pass an exhaust pipe extending rearward from an engine mounted in the engine room at the front of the vehicle, or a propeller shaft that transmits the engine's output to the rear wheels. The diameter of the exhaust pipe or propeller shaft is often 10 cm or more. Furthermore, to prevent interference between the exhaust pipe or propeller shaft and the floor panel, a gap of at least several centimeters is required. Furthermore, an insulator or other suitable material may be installed on the inner surface of the tunnel section. Due to these factors, the tunnel section may bulge out from the floor panel by, for example, 15 cm or more, or even 20 cm or more, which means that in terms of its position relative to the seat, the upper end of the tunnel section is higher than the lower end of the seat cushion on the seat rail and the vertical center of the seat cushion. A structure without a tunnel section that bulges out significantly upward like this is called a tunnel-less structure.

As mentioned above, the passenger space side floor panel 41 does not have a tunnel portion with a height of 15 cm or more or 20 cm or more from the upper surface of the passenger space side floor panel 41. However, it may have a low bulge portion with a height of 5 cm or less or 10 cm or less from the upper surface of the passenger space side floor panel 41. Such a low bulge portion does not function as a tunnel portion because it is not possible to pass an exhaust pipe or propeller shaft through it. Therefore, even if it has a low bulge portion with a height of 5 cm or less or 10 cm or less from the upper surface of the passenger space side floor panel 41, it is still a floor panel with a tunnelless structure. Furthermore, the passenger space side floor panel 41 may have ribs or the like that protrude upward and extend in the fore-and-aft direction. Because the height of such ribs is only a few centimeters, the floor panel is still a tunnelless structure even if it has ribs.

In this embodiment, because the powertrain PT includes the traction motor M, there is no need to mount an internal combustion engine in the front space R2, and therefore the exhaust pipe does not need to be routed to the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, if the powertrain PT is mounted in the rear space R4, the powertrain PT can also drive the rear wheels RT, eliminating the need for a propeller shaft. Therefore, the passenger space side floor panel 41 can have a tunnel-less structure.

As shown in Figure 3, a recess 41a that bulges downward is formed in the middle of the passenger space floor panel 41 in the front-to-rear direction. The recess 41a has a bottom surface 41b on which the feet of a rear seat occupant sitting in the rear seat RS can be placed. The bottom surface 41b is formed approximately horizontally. The front portion of the recess 41a is formed to gradually become deeper toward the rear. The recess 41a can be formed continuously from the left side to the right side of the passenger space floor panel 41.

The bottom surface 41b of the recess 41a is set to approximately the same height as the lower part of the side sill 60 (described later), allowing the height of the bottom surface 41b to be sufficiently low. The longitudinal positional relationship between the recess 41a and the seat cushion of the rear seat RS is set so that when a rear seat occupant sitting in the rear seat RS places their feet directly below, their feet naturally rest on the bottom surface 41b. The front position of the recess 41a is set so that when a rear seat occupant sitting in the rear seat RS moves their feet diagonally forward, their feet rest on the bottom surface 41b. In other words, the position and longitudinal dimensions of the recess 41a are set so that the rear seat occupant's feet can rest on the bottom surface 41b even if they move their feet slightly forward or backward. This increases the foot space for the rear seat occupant and improves comfort. The depth of the recess 41a can be, for example, 5 cm or more or 10 cm or more.

A floor frame 41c extending in the front-to-rear direction is provided in the left-to-right center of the recessed portion 41a. The lower part of the floor frame 41c is fixed to the bottom surface 41b of the recessed portion 41a. By providing the floor frame 41c, the portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41 where the recessed portion 41a is formed can be reinforced.

In addition, a rear reinforcing member 47 extending in the front-to-rear direction is provided behind the recessed portion 41a of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The rear reinforcing member 47 is joined to the upper surface of the passenger space side floor panel 41. This rear reinforcing member 47 may be provided as needed or may be omitted.

The luggage space side floor panel 42 is positioned higher than the passenger space side floor panel 41. The rear space R4 is located below the luggage space side floor panel 42. In other words, the luggage space side floor panel 42 is positioned to separate the luggage space R3 from the rear space R4. The front-to-rear dimension of the luggage space side floor panel 42 is set shorter than the front-to-rear dimension of the passenger space side floor panel 41.

Because the luggage space side floor panel 42 is positioned higher than the passenger space side floor panel 41, the connection panel 43 extends in the vertical direction. The connection panel 43 may be vertical, or may be inclined so that it is positioned further back as it goes higher.

As shown in Figure 7, the dash panel 50 is a partition wall between the front space R2 and the passenger space R1, extending upward from the front of the passenger space floor panel 41 and also extending left and right, separating the front of the passenger space R1.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the left and right side sills 60 are disposed so as to extend in the front-to-rear direction at both left and right ends of the passenger space floor panel 41. The left end of the passenger space floor panel 41 is connected to the vertical middle portion of the left side sill 60, with the upper portion of the side sill 60 protruding upward from the connection portion of the passenger space floor panel 41 and the lower portion of the side sill 60 protruding downward from the connection portion of the passenger space floor panel 41. A battery unit Y including batteries FB and RB is disposed below the passenger space floor panel 41, so that the lower portion of the side sill 60 overlaps with the batteries FB and RB in a side view of the vehicle. Similarly, the right side sill 60 is connected to the right end of the passenger space floor panel 41.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper structure 3 is equipped with a pair of left and right hinge pillars 70. The right hinge pillar 70 extends upward from the front end of the right side sill 60. The left hinge pillar 70 also extends upward from the front end of the left side sill 60. Left and right front doors FD (shown in FIG. 1) are rotatably attached to the left and right hinge pillars 70, respectively. The left edge of the dash panel 50 is connected to the right side surface of the left hinge pillar 70. The right edge of the dash panel 50 is connected to the left side surface of the right hinge pillar 70. Although not shown, a center pillar, a rear pillar, etc. are also provided on the upper structure 3.

A left front wheel suspension support member 51A is provided on the left side of the upper structure 3, forward of the dash panel 50, supporting the left front wheel FT suspension unit (front suspension unit) SP1 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4). Furthermore, a right front wheel suspension support member 51B is provided on the right side of the upper structure 3, forward of the dash panel 50, supporting the right front wheel FT suspension unit (front suspension unit) SP2 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4). The type of suspension units SP1 and SP2 is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, suspension arms, shock absorbers, springs, etc. that support the front wheels FT so that they can swing freely up and down. The vehicle body-side ends of the suspension arms and the upper ends of the shock absorbers are attached to the front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B. The front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B may be made of, for example, aluminum die-cast, but are not limited to this and may also be made of a combination of steel plates, etc.

As shown in Figure 6 and other figures, three left-side fixing frames 52A are provided on the left side, forward of the dash panel 50, for fixing the left front wheel suspension support member 51A. The three left-side fixing frames 52A are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and the front portions of the three left-side fixing frames 52A are fixed to the front wheel suspension support member 51A. Meanwhile, the rear portions of the uppermost and vertically intermediate left-side fixing frames 52A are fixed to the left hinge pillar 70 or the left side of the dash panel 50. Furthermore, the rear portion of the lowest left-side fixing frame 52A is fixed to the left side sill 60.

As only a portion of the frame is shown in Figure 3, three right-side fixing frames 52B are provided on the right side, forward of the dash panel 50, for fixing the right front wheel suspension support member 51B. The three right-side fixing frames 52B are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and the front portions of the three right-side fixing frames 52B are fixed to the front wheel suspension support member 51B. Meanwhile, the rear portions of the uppermost and vertically intermediate right-side fixing frames 52B are fixed to the right hinge pillar 70 or the right side of the dash panel 50. Furthermore, the rear portion of the lowest right-side fixing frame 52B is fixed to the right side sill 60.

As shown in FIG. 2, a left-side crash can 53A extending forward is fixed to the front portion of the left front wheel suspension support member 51A. A right-side crash can 53B extending forward is fixed to the front portion of the right front wheel suspension support member 51B. Bumper reinforcements 140 extending in the left-right direction are attached to the front portions of the left and right crash cans 53A and 53B.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the upper structure 3 includes a left front frame 54A and a right front frame 54B. Specifically, the left front frame 54A connects the front portion of the center frame 80 (described later) to the left front wheel suspension support member 51A, and the right front frame 54B connects the front portion of the center frame 80 to the right front wheel suspension support member 51B. The left front frame 54A is inclined so that it is positioned more leftward as it approaches the front. The right front frame 54B is inclined so that it is positioned more rightward as it approaches the front. Connecting the left and right front wheel suspension support members 51A, 51B to the front portion of the center frame 80 increases the rigidity of the front wheel suspension support members 51A, 51B, improving vehicle handling stability. This also increases the rigidity of the front side of the vehicle, including the area around the dash panel 50.

The upper structure 3 includes a left rear side frame 112A that extends in the longitudinal direction on the left side and rearward of the rear of the passenger space side floor panel 41, and a right rear side frame 112B that extends in the longitudinal direction on the right side and rearward of the rear of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The front portion of the left rear side frame 112A is connected to the rear portion of the left side sill 60. The front portion of the right rear side frame 112B is connected to the rear portion of the right side sill 60. The longitudinal middle portion of the left rear side frame 112A and the longitudinal middle portion of the right rear side frame 112B are connected by a luggage compartment side cross member (connecting member) 105 that extends in the lateral direction.

On the left side of the upper structure 3, rear of the connecting panel 43, is provided a left rear wheel suspension support member 110A that supports the suspension device (rear suspension device) SP3 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4) for the left rear wheel RT. The rear wheel suspension support member 110A is fixed to the left rear side frame 112A. On the right side of the upper structure 3, rear of the connecting panel 43, is provided a right rear wheel suspension support member 110B that supports the suspension device (rear suspension device) SP4 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4) for the right rear wheel RT. The rear wheel suspension support member 110B is fixed to the right rear side frame 112B. The type of suspension devices SP3 and SP4 is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, suspension arms, shock absorbers, springs, etc. that support the rear wheel RT so that it can swing freely up and down.

The upper parts of the springs and shock absorbers of the left suspension unit SP3 are connected to the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A is the left load input part 110a, to which the load from the springs and shock absorbers is input. The upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B is connected to the upper parts of the springs and shock absorbers of the right suspension unit SP4. The upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B is the right load input part 110b, to which the load from the springs and shock absorbers is input. The left and right load input parts 110a and 110b are also fixed to the left and right sides of the luggage space side floor panel 42. Furthermore, the left and right load input parts 110a and 110b are connected by the luggage space side cross member 105. The luggage compartment side cross member 105 is joined to the upper surface of the luggage compartment side floor panel 42, and the luggage compartment side floor panel 42 and the luggage compartment side cross member 105 form a closed cross-sectional structure extending in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, a rear cross member 44E is provided below the left load input portion 110a and the right load input portion 110b. The rear cross member 44E is joined to the rear portion of the passenger space side floor panel 41.

The upper structure 3 can be divided into, for example, a front body structure and a rear body structure. As shown in FIG. 4 , the rear of the passenger space-side floor panel 41 of the upper structure 3 can be considered the rear body structure. Behind the connecting panel 43 of the upper structure 3, a left rear frame 111A is provided, connecting the rear of the center frame 80 to the left rear wheel suspension support member 110A, and a right rear frame 111B is provided, connecting the rear of the center frame 80 to the right rear wheel suspension support member 110B. Connecting the left and right rear wheel suspension support members 110A, 110B to the rear of the center frame 80 increases the rigidity of the rear wheel suspension support members 110A, 110B, improving vehicle handling stability. This also increases the rigidity of the rear side of the vehicle, including the area around the connecting panel 43.

The left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B are disposed below the luggage compartment-side floor panel 42. As shown in FIG. 6, the rear portion of the left rear frame 111A is fixed to the upper portion of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A, i.e., the left load input portion 110a. The left rear frame 111A is inclined in side view so that it is positioned lower as it moves forward from the upper portion of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A, and is inclined in plan view so that it approaches the vehicle width center as it moves forward, as shown in FIG. 4. The rear portion of the right rear frame 111B is fixed to the upper portion of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B, i.e., the right load input portion 110b. The right rear frame 111B is inclined in side view so that it is positioned lower as it moves forward from the upper portion of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B, and is inclined in plan view so that it approaches the vehicle width center as it moves forward, as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, the left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B are positioned so that they are positioned further outward in the vehicle width direction as they move toward the rear, and the distance between the left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B becomes narrower as they move toward the front.

The rear portion of the left rear frame 111A is also connected to the longitudinal middle portion of the left rear side frame 112A. As a result, the left rear frame 111A extends from the rear portion of the center frame 80 to the left rear side frame 112A, and serves as a left-side connecting frame that connects the rear portion of the center frame 80 to the left rear side frame 112A. The left rear frame 111A is also a left-side rear connecting frame that connects the left load input portion 110a and the rear cross member 44E. In other words, the front portion of the left rear frame 111A is also fixed to the left load input portion 110a, and the rear portion of the left rear frame 111A is also fixed to the rear cross member 44E.

The rear portion of the right-side rear frame 111B is also connected to the longitudinal middle portion of the right-side rear side frame 112B. As a result, the right-side rear frame 111B extends from the rear portion of the center frame 80 to the right-side rear side frame 112B, and serves as a right-side connecting frame that connects the rear portion of the center frame 80 to the right-side rear side frame 112B. The right-side rear frame 111B is also a right-side rear connecting frame that connects the right-side load input portion 110b and the rear cross member 44E. In other words, the front portion of the right-side rear frame 111B is also fixed to the right-side load input portion 110b, and the rear portion of the right-side rear frame 111B is also fixed to the rear cross member 44E.

The left rear frame 111A is positioned so that it slopes upward toward the left load input portion 110a. Therefore, the upward load from rear suspension unit SP3 is input to the left rear frame 111A in a tensile direction, making the left rear frame 111A less likely to flex and deform than when a compressive load is input, thereby suppressing vibrations and noise caused by the load input from rear suspension unit SP3. The same is true for the right rear frame 111B.

The left rear frame 111A is located in front of the left rear drive shaft S2. When viewed from the front-to-rear direction, the left rear drive shaft S2 is positioned so that it overlaps with a portion of the left rear frame 111A. Specifically, the height of the left-to-right middle portion of the left rear drive shaft S2 is approximately the same as the height of the portion between the front and rear of the left rear frame 111A.

The right rear frame 111B is located in front of the right rear drive shaft S2. When viewed from the front-to-rear direction, the right rear drive shaft S2 is positioned so that it overlaps with a portion of the right rear frame 111B. Specifically, the height of the left-to-right middle portion of the right rear drive shaft S2 is approximately the same as the height of the portion between the front and rear of the right rear frame 111B.

As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the passenger space side floor panel 41 has a front cross member 44A, an intermediate cross member 44B, a recessed portion front cross member 44C, a recessed portion rear cross member 44D, and a rear cross member 44E. The front cross member 44A, the intermediate cross member 44B, the recessed portion front cross member 44C, the recessed portion rear cross member 44D, and the rear cross member 44E extend in the left-right direction and are fixed to the upper surface of the passenger space side floor panel 41. Therefore, the front cross member 44A, the intermediate cross member 44B, the recessed portion front cross member 44C, the recessed portion rear cross member 44D, and the rear cross member 44E are arranged in the passenger space R1 so as to intersect with the center frame 80 (described later) in a plan view.

The front cross member 44A is disposed in front of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The front portion of the front cross member 44A is also joined to the lower part of the dash panel 50. The intermediate cross member 44B is disposed rearward of the front cross member 44A and forward of the recess 41a, and the intermediate cross member 44B and the passenger space side floor panel 41 form a closed cross section. The rear cross member 44E is disposed rearward of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The rear cross member 44E is also fixed to the connecting panel 43.

The recessed portion front cross member 44C is disposed rearward of the intermediate cross member 44B, extending laterally along the front portion of the recessed portion 41a. The recessed portion rear cross member 44D is disposed rearward of the recessed portion front cross member 44C, extending laterally along the rear portion of the recessed portion 41a. The recessed portion front cross member 44C and the passenger space side floor panel 41 form a closed cross section, and the recessed portion rear cross member 44D and the passenger space side floor panel 41 also form a closed cross section. The recessed portion front cross member 44C and the protruding portion rear cross member 44D reinforce the portion where the recessed portion 41a is formed. The front portion of the floor frame 41c disposed inside the recessed portion 41a is connected to the left-right center of the recessed portion front cross member 44C, and the rear portion of the floor frame 41c is connected to the left-right center of the recessed portion rear cross member 44D.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the upper structure 3 includes a pair of left seat rails 90 supporting the left front seat FS, and a pair of right seat rails 91 supporting the right front seat FS. The left seat rail 90 is used to adjust the fore-aft position of the left front seat FS, and is disposed on the left side of the passenger space floor panel 41, extending in the fore-aft direction. The right seat rail 91 is used to adjust the fore-aft position of the right front seat FS, and is disposed on the right side of the passenger space floor panel 41, extending in the fore-aft direction.

The left seat rail 90 is positioned above the intermediate cross member 44B and the recessed portion front cross member 44C, and is attached to the intermediate cross member 44B and the recessed portion front cross member 44C. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the left seat rail 90 extends from the intermediate cross member 44B to the recessed portion front cross member 44C, with the front portion of the left seat rail 90 attached to the intermediate cross member 44B and the rear portion of the left seat rail 90 attached to the recessed portion front cross member 44C.

The right seat rail 91 similarly extends from the intermediate cross member 44B to the recessed portion front cross member 44C, with the front portion of the right seat rail 91 attached to the intermediate cross member 44B and the rear portion of the right seat rail 91 attached to the recessed portion front cross member 44C.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the intermediate cross member 44B has a front common bracket 45 to which the front portions of the left seat rail 90 and right seat rail 91 are attached, spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. Note that the center frame 80 is omitted from FIG. 10 . As shown in FIG. 11 , the front common bracket 45 is elongated in the left-right direction and is fixed to the upper surface of the intermediate cross member 44B. The left-right center of the front common bracket 45 is located at the left-right center of the intermediate cross member 44B. The left-right center of the front common bracket 45 is provided with a central fixing portion 45a (shown only in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 ), into which the lower portion of the second connecting member 102 (described later) is inserted. To the left of the central fixing portion 45a of the front common bracket 45 is provided a left fixing portion 45b (shown only in FIG. 4 and FIG. 11 ), to which the front portion of the left seat rail 90 is fixed with a fastening member (not shown), such as a bolt or a screw. To the right of the central fixing portion 45a of the front common bracket 45 is a right fixing portion 45c (shown only in Figures 4 and 11) to which the front portion of the right seat rail 91 is fixed by a fastening member (not shown). Note that the seat rail is omitted from Figures 3 to 5 and 11.

The recessed portion-front cross member 44C also has a rear common bracket 46 to which the rear portions of the left seat rail 90 and right seat rail 91 are attached, spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 11 , the rear common bracket 46 is elongated in the left-right direction and is fixed to the upper surface of the recessed portion-front cross member 44C. The left-right center of the rear common bracket 46 is located at the left-right center of the recessed portion-front cross member 44C. The left-right center of the rear common bracket 46 is provided with a central fixing portion 46a (shown only in FIGS. 10 and 11 ), into which the lower portion of a connecting member (described below) is inserted and fixed. To the left of the central fixing portion 46a of the rear common bracket 46, a left fixing portion 46b (shown only in FIGS. 4 and 11 ) is provided, to the left of which the rear portion of the left seat rail 90 is fixed by a fastening member (not shown). To the right of the central fixing portion 46a of the rear common bracket 46 is provided a right fixing portion 46c (shown only in Figures 4 and 11) to which the rear portion of the right seat rail 91 is fixed by a fastening member (not shown).

As shown in Figure 8 and other figures, the upper structure 3 includes a center frame 80 that extends from the dash panel 50 to the connecting panel 43. This center frame 80 is located in the left-right center, and the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 of the battery unit Y are also located in the left-right center. In other words, the positions of the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 and the center frame 80 are set so that, in a plan view, the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 overlap with the center frame 80.

The center frame 80 is disposed above and spaced apart from the passenger space floor panel 41 in the left-right center of the passenger space R1, and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The distance between the underside of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger space floor panel 41 can be set to, for example, 10 cm or more or 20 cm or more at its farthest point. The left front seat FS and rear seat RS are disposed to the left of the center frame 80, while the right front seat FS and rear seat RS are disposed to the right of the center frame 80.

By positioning the center frame 80 above and away from the passenger space floor panel 41, components, etc., can be disposed between the underside of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger space floor panel 41. The space between the underside of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger space floor panel 41 can also be used as an item storage area. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the center frame 80 according to this embodiment has a bent portion 80A that bends vertically in the middle of the front-to-rear direction. Providing the bent portion 80A on the center frame 80 allows, for example, the rear portion of the center frame 80 to be lower than the front portion of the center frame 80, thereby improving the comfort of rear seat passengers. Furthermore, since the front portion of the center frame 80 can be higher than the rear portion of the center frame 80, large components, items, or multiple components can be disposed below the front portion of the center frame 80. The bent portion 80A is formed in a position forward of the center of the front-to-rear direction of the center frame 80. The position where the bent portion 80A is formed is not limited to the position shown in the figure, but may be, for example, the center of the center frame 80 in the front-to-rear direction, or a portion rearward of the center of the center frame 80 in the front-to-rear direction.

That is, the center frame 80 has a front frame member 81 extending in the fore-and-aft direction, a rear frame member 82 disposed rearward of the front frame member 81, and a connecting member 83 connecting the rear of the front frame member 81 and the front of the rear frame member 82. The front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 are hollow, i.e., cylindrical and extending in the fore-and-aft direction, and can be made of, for example, extruded material. Making the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 hollow results in lightweight, highly rigid members. When the center frame 80 is used as a ventilation means for air conditioning, as described below, the rear of the rear frame member 82 may be closed to prevent air conditioning from leaking.

The vertical cross section of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 taken along the vehicle width direction is rectangular. Therefore, the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 have upper and lower wall portions extending in the left-right direction, and left and right side wall portions extending in the up-down direction. The cross-sectional shape of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 is not limited to a rectangular shape, and may be a polygon with pentagons or more sides, or may be a circle or an ellipse.

The longitudinal dimension of the rear frame member 82 is set to be longer than the longitudinal dimension of the front frame member 81. Therefore, the connection between the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 is located forward of the longitudinal center of the passenger space R1. Note that the center frame 80 is not limited to a two-piece structure consisting of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82, but may be made up of a single member from front to rear, or may have a three-piece structure.

The front frame member 81 is inclined at a first inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane and extends linearly. On the other hand, the rear frame member 82 is inclined at a second inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane that is smaller than the first inclination angle and extends linearly. In other words, because the rear frame member 82 is inclined at a different inclination angle from the front frame member 81, a bent portion 80A that bends downward is formed at the connection between the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82. In this embodiment, the rear frame member 82 is arranged so that it inclines downward toward the rear. Note that the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 may have the same inclination angle. In this case, the bent portion 80A is not formed.

12 and 13, a first partition wall portion 82a is provided inside the rear frame member 82, extending in the vehicle width direction and the longitudinal direction to divide the interior space into an upper passage and a lower passage. Furthermore, a second partition wall portion 82b is provided inside the rear frame member 82, extending in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction to divide the interior space into a left passage on the left side of the vehicle width direction and a right passage on the right side of the vehicle width direction. The first partition wall portion 82a and the second partition wall portion 82b are integrally molded. The first partition wall portion 82a and the second partition wall portion 82b form four passages inside the rear frame member 82, namely, an upper-left passage T11, an upper-right passage T12, a lower-left passage T13, and a lower-right passage T14. The first partition wall portion 82a and the second partition wall portion 82b function as ribs provided inside the center frame 80. The first partition wall portion 82a and the second partition wall portion 82b may be provided as needed, and one or both may be omitted. Also, three or more partition wall portions may be provided.

In addition, similar to the interior of the rear frame member 82, a first partition wall 81a is provided inside the front frame member 81 so as to extend in the vehicle width direction and the fore-and-aft direction, and this first partition wall 81a divides the interior space of the front frame member 81 into an upper passage and a lower passage. A second partition wall 81b is also provided inside the front frame member 81, dividing the interior space into a left passage on the left side of the vehicle width direction and a right passage on the right side of the vehicle width direction. Similar to the rear frame member 82, the first partition wall 81a and second partition wall 81b form an upper left passage T11, an upper right passage T12, a lower left passage T13, and a lower right passage T14 inside the front frame member 81.

As shown in Figures 14 to 16, the connecting member 83 is tubular and connects the rear portion of the front frame member 81 and the front portion of the rear frame member 82 so that they can communicate with each other. The rear portion of the front frame member 81 and the front portion of the rear frame member 82 are connected when inserted into the connecting member 83. Specifically, the connecting member 83 has an upper wall portion 83a and a lower wall portion 83b that extend in the left-right direction, and a left wall portion 83c and a right wall portion 83d that extend in the up-down direction. The upper wall portion 83a extends from the upper portion of the left wall portion 83c to the upper portion of the right wall portion 83d, and the lower wall portion 83b extends from the lower portion of the left wall portion 83c to the lower portion of the right wall portion 83d. The front-to-rear dimension of the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83 is set to be longer than the front-to-rear dimension of the upper wall portion 83a. To accommodate the difference in the front-to-rear dimensions of the upper wall portion 83a and the lower wall portion 83b, the front-to-rear dimensions of the left wall portion 83c and the right wall portion 83d become longer as they go downward.

The interior of the connecting member 83 is provided with a first connecting wall portion 83e extending in the left-right direction from the vertical middle portion of the left wall portion 83c to the vertical middle portion of the right wall portion 83d, and a second connecting wall portion 83f extending from the horizontal middle portion of the upper wall portion 83a to the horizontal middle portion of the lower wall portion 83b. The first connecting wall portion 83e and the second connecting wall portion 83f are integrally molded with the upper wall portion 83a, the lower wall portion 83b, the left wall portion 83c, and the right wall portion 83d.

A front notch 83g is formed on the front side of the second connecting wall 83f, into which the rear portion of the front frame member 81 is inserted. Furthermore, a rear notch 83h is formed on the rear side of the second connecting wall 83f, into which the front portion of the rear frame member 82 is inserted. When the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 are connected by the connecting member 83, the upper left passage T11, upper right passage T12, lower left passage T13, and lower right passage T14 of the front frame member 81 communicate with the upper left passage T11, upper right passage T12, lower left passage T13, and lower right passage T14 of the rear frame member 82, respectively.

It is also possible to provide the bent portion 80A while omitting the connecting member 83. In this case, the bent portion 80A of the center frame 80 can be formed by bending the center frame 80. For example, the bending may be performed simultaneously when the center frame 80 is extruded, or the bending may be performed after the extrusion.

As shown in Figure 17, the upper structure 3 is equipped with an air conditioning unit 120 that generates conditioned air to be blown into the passenger space R1. This air conditioning unit 120 is disposed forward of the front portion of the front frame member 81 and is located in front of the center frame 80. Details of the air conditioning unit 120 will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 20 , the center frame 80 includes a left-side frame component 84A and a right-side frame component 84B that form the front portion of the center frame 80, resulting in a bifurcated shape in the left-right direction. The left-side frame component 84A and the right-side frame component 84B are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The rear portion of the left-side frame component 84A is fixed to the left side of the front frame component 81 in the middle of the front-rear direction. The left-side frame component 84A is inclined in a plan view so that it is positioned further leftward from its fixed portion to the front frame component 81. The front portion of the left-side frame component 84A is connected to a portion of the dash panel 50 that is spaced above the passenger space-side floor panel 41. The rear portion of the left-side front frame 54A is connected to the front portion of the left-side frame component 84A. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 20 , the rear portion of the left-side front frame 54A has a left connection portion 54a. The left connection portion 54a is a member that connects the left front frame 54A to the front portion of the left frame component 84A, and is fixed to the dash panel 50. The front portion of the left front frame 54A extends to and is fixed to the left front wheel suspension support member 51A.

The rear portion of the right frame component 84B is fixed to the right side surface of the front frame component 81 at the midpoint in the fore-and-aft direction. The right frame component 84B is inclined in plan view so that it is positioned more to the right as it moves forward from its fixed portion to the front frame component 81. The front portion of the right frame component 84B is connected to a portion of the dash panel 50 that is spaced above the passenger space-side floor panel 41. The rear portion of the right front frame 54B (shown in FIG. 4) is connected to the front portion of the right frame component 84B. Specifically, the rear portion of the right front frame 54B has a right connection portion 54b, as shown in FIG. 20. The right connection portion 54b is a member that connects the right front frame 54B to the front portion of the right frame component 84B and is fixed to the dash panel 50. The front portion of the right front frame 54B extends to and is fixed to the right front wheel suspension support member 51B.

The upper structure 3 includes multiple connecting members 101-103. The connecting members 101-103 extend upward from the passenger space side floor panel 41, have their upper portions fixed to the center frame 80, and are used to connect the center frame 80 to the passenger space side floor panel 41. The connecting members 101-103 include a first connecting member 101, a second connecting member 102, and a third connecting member 103, which are made of, for example, an extruded material. The number of connecting members 101-103 is not limited to multiple and may be one.

Of the first to third connecting members 101-103, the first connecting member 101 is disposed furthest forward in the passenger space R1 and is located rearward from the dash panel 50. The lower portion of the first connecting member 101 is fixed to a portion of the passenger space floor panel 41 rearward from the dash panel 50, and the upper portion of the first connecting member 101 is fixed to a portion of the center frame 80 rearward from the dash panel 50. As a result, the center frame 80, first connecting member 101, passenger space floor panel 41, and dash panel 50 form a closed cross-sectional structure in side view. In other words, the connection of the center frame 80, first connecting member 101, passenger space floor panel 41, and dash panel 50 forms a ring-shaped structure.

As shown in FIG. 3 and other figures, the second connecting member 102 is disposed rearward and spaced apart from the first connecting member 101. The lower portions of the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102 are fixed to positions spaced apart from each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The upper portions of the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102 are fixed to positions spaced apart from each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the center frame 80. Therefore, the center frame 80, the first connecting member 101, the passenger space side floor panel 41, and the second connecting member 102 form a closed cross-sectional structure in side view. The third connecting member 103 is disposed rearward and spaced apart from the second connecting member 102.

As shown in FIG. 20 , the first connecting member 101 has a left-side member (left-side connecting member) 101A and a right-side member (right-side connecting member) 101B. The lower portions of the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B are fixed to the front cross member 44A, but may also be fixed directly to the main body of the passenger space side floor panel 41. The left-side member 101A extends upward from the front cross member 44A at an angle in a front view so that the upper portion is positioned further to the left. The upper portion of the left-side member 101A is fixed to the front portion of the left frame component 84A of the center frame 80. The upper portion of the left-side member 101A may also be fixed to the left connection portion 54a. In this case, the left-side member 101A connects the left connection portion 54a to the passenger space side floor panel 41.

The right-side member 101B extends upward from the front cross member 44A at an angle in front view, so that the upper part is positioned further to the right. The upper part of the right-side member 101B is fixed to the front portion of the right-side frame component 84B of the center frame 80. The upper part of the right-side member 101B may also be fixed to the right-side connection portion 54b. In this case, the right-side member 101B connects the right-side connection portion 54b to the passenger space side floor panel 41. Furthermore, because the front portions of the left-side frame component 84A and the right-side frame component 84B are separated laterally, most of the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B, excluding their lower portions, are separated laterally, and the left-side distance between the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B becomes wider as it goes upward.

Although not shown, the first connecting member 101 may connect the rear of the left front frame 54A to the passenger space side floor panel 41. In this case, the upper part of the left side member 101A of the first connecting member 101 is fixed to the rear of the left front frame 54A, and the lower part of the left side member 101A is fixed to the passenger space side floor panel 41. The first connecting member 101 may also connect the rear of the right front frame 54B to the passenger space side floor panel 41. In this case, the upper part of the right side member 101B of the first connecting member 101 is fixed to the rear of the right front frame 54B, and the lower part of the right side member 101B is fixed to the passenger space side floor panel 41.

The left-right dimension of the second connecting member 102 is set to be longer than its front-rear dimension, but is equal to or shorter than the left-right dimension of the center frame 80. This prevents the left and right sides of the second connecting member 102 from protruding from the center frame 80 in the left-right direction. In addition, the cross section of the second connecting member 102 is set to be larger than the cross section of the left side member 101A or the right side member 101B.

The lower part of the second connecting member 102 is fixed between the left seat rail 90 and the right seat rail 91 in the front common bracket 45 of the intermediate cross member 44B. Specifically, the lower part of the second connecting member 102 is inserted into and fixed to the central fixing portion 45a located in the lateral center of the front common bracket 45. In other words, the common bracket 45 to which the left seat rail 90 and the right seat rail 91 are attached is a high-strength member and has a relatively long dimension in the vehicle width direction, ensuring a large fixing area to the main body of the cross member 44B and increasing the fixing strength. By fixing the lower part of the second connecting member 102 to this high-strength common bracket 45, the connecting strength of the center frame 80 by the second connecting member 102 can be further increased. Note that the lower part of the second connecting member 102 may be fixed directly to the main body of the passenger space side floor panel 41 or to the intermediate cross member 44B.

The upper part of the second connecting member 102 is fixed to the bent portion 80A of the center frame 80. Specifically, the upper part of the second connecting member 102 is fixed to the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83. Therefore, the second connecting member 102 extends from the bent portion 80A of the center frame 80 toward the passenger space side floor panel 41. The front-to-rear dimension of the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83 is longer than the front-to-rear dimension of the upper wall portion 83a, ensuring a wide joint area with the second connecting member 102. If the connecting member 83 is omitted, the upper part of the second connecting member 102 can be fixed directly to the center frame 80.

Like the second connecting member 102, the third connecting member 103 has a cross section that is long in the left-right direction. The lower part of the third connecting member 103 is fixed to the recessed portion front cross member 44C. The upper part of the third connecting member 103 is fixed to the lower wall portion of the rear frame member 82 of the center frame 80. As shown in Figure 8, the third connecting member 103 is also fixed to the front part of the floor frame 41c.

As shown in Figure 4, the rear of the center frame 80 is connected to the connection panel 43 and the rear cross member 44E. Specifically, a rear connecting member 104 is fixed to the rear of the center frame 80, and the left-right center of the rear cross member 44E is fixed to the lower part of this rear connecting member 104. The rear of the center frame 80 and the rear cross member 44E are connected by the rear connecting member 104.

The rear side of the rear connecting member 104 is fixed to the connection panel 43. Therefore, the rear of the center frame 80 is also connected to the connection panel 43 via the rear connecting member 104. The lower part of the rear connecting member 104 is also fixed to the rear of the passenger space side floor panel 41. In other words, the dash panel 50 and the connection panel 43 are connected by the center frame 80. At this time, because the center frame 80 is spaced above and away from the passenger space side floor panel 41, the passenger space side floor panel 41, dash panel 50, connection panel 43, and center frame 80 are integrated to form a closed cross-sectional structure in side view. This allows the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body to be sufficiently improved, even though the passenger space side floor panel 41 has a floor tunnel-less structure.

Furthermore, the front of the left rear frame 111A and the front of the right rear frame 111B are fixed to the lower part of the rear connecting member 104. This connects the rear of the center frame 80 to the left rear wheel suspension support member 110A via the left rear frame 111A, and also connects the rear of the center frame 80 to the right rear wheel suspension support member 110B via the right rear frame 111B. This increases the rigidity of the rear wheel suspension support members 110A, 110B, improving the handling stability of the vehicle. It also simultaneously increases the rigidity of the rear side of the vehicle, including the connecting panel 43 and its surrounding area.

Figures 18 and 19 show the case where the inclination angle of the center frame 80 is large. In this example, the rear portion of the center frame 80 is connected to the rear portion of the floor frame 41c. This center frame 80 has a straight shape with no bends, but it may also have bends. The rear portion of the center frame 80 is positioned lower than the front portion of the seat cushion of the rear seat RS. This prevents the rear portion of the center frame 80 from getting in the way of the occupant in the rear seat RS, preventing a decrease in comfort for the rear seat occupant. The rear portion of the center frame 80 is also fixed to the floor panel 41 on the passenger space side.

In the example shown in Figure 19, the rear of the center frame 80 is also connected to the front of the rear reinforcing member 47. In this example, a recessed portion rear cross member 44D is provided at the rear of the recessed portion 41a, which reinforces the recessed portion 41a and its vicinity. The recessed portion 41a and its vicinity are also reinforced by the floor frame 41c. Furthermore, because the center frame 80, which is located above and spaced apart from the passenger space floor panel 41, is connected to the floor frame 41c, the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body can be sufficiently improved.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the drive motor M of the rear powertrain PT is supported by the rear support frame 30 via a mounting member or the like (not shown), and is disposed rearward of the vehicle relative to the rear of the center frame 80. The height of the rear drive motor M can be set arbitrarily by adjusting the mounting height to the rear support frame 30. In this embodiment, the height of the rear drive motor M is set so that the height of at least a portion of the rear drive motor M from its upper to lower portion is the same as the height of the rear of the center frame 80. Furthermore, the height of the rotation center of the rear drive motor M, i.e., the height of the vertical center of the drive motor M, is set lower than the rear of the center frame 80. By positioning the rear powertrain PT in this manner, for example, if an impact load acting from the rear of the vehicle is input to the drive motor M and causes the drive motor M to move forward, the load acting forward of the vehicle will act on the rear of the center frame 80. At this time, because the rear portion of the center frame 80 is connected to the rear cross member 44E, connecting panel 43, etc. and is integrated with the passenger space side floor panel 41, the forward movement of the driving motor M is prevented by the center frame 80. The forward movement of the driving motor M is also prevented by the passenger space side floor panel 41 and rear cross member 44E.

Next, the layout of the front powertrain PT will be described with reference to Figure 17. The front powertrain PT is supported on the front support frame 20 via mounting members (not shown) or the like. The height of the front traction motor M can be set as desired by adjusting the mounting height to the front support frame 20. The front powertrain PT is located forward of the first connecting member 101. At least a portion of the air conditioning unit 120 is located between the first connecting member 101 and the powertrain PT.

The air conditioning unit 120 has a cooler (heat exchanger) 121 through which conditioned air passes, and an air conditioning casing 122 that houses the cooler 121. The cooler 121 is a cooling heat exchanger consisting of an evaporator or the like for cooling the conditioned air. However, instead of the cooler 121, a heating heat exchanger consisting of a heater core or condenser for heating the conditioned air may be used, and the cooler may be disposed in another location. In this embodiment, the cooler 121 is disposed forward of the dash panel 50. Although not shown, a compressor for compressing the refrigerant and an expansion valve for decompressing the refrigerant also constitute part of the air conditioning unit 120.

The vertical center of the cooler 121 is located above the center of rotation of the front traction motor M. That is, for example, if the vehicle 1 collides from the front and a rearward impact load is applied to the powertrain PT, the powertrain PT may begin to move backward depending on the magnitude of the impact load. By positioning the front powertrain PT as described above, the center frame 80, which extends in the fore-and-aft direction, is located behind the powertrain PT and is connected to the passenger space floor panel 41 by connecting members 101-103. Therefore, the center frame 80 and connecting members 101-103 prevent the powertrain PT from moving backward. Furthermore, because the passenger space floor panel 41 is also located behind the powertrain PT, the passenger space floor panel 41 may also prevent the powertrain PT from moving backward.

Next, a specific configuration example of the air conditioner 120 will be described. In addition to the cooler 121, the air conditioning casing 122 of the air conditioner 120 contains a heater (not shown), an air mix damper 122a for generating conditioned air at a desired temperature by changing the mixing ratio of cool air that has passed through the cooler 121 and warm air that has passed through the heater, and a blowing direction switching damper 122b for distributing the generated conditioned air at the desired temperature to various parts of the vehicle interior. By operating the blowing direction switching damper 122b, the conditioned air can be supplied to the inner surface of the front windshield FG (shown in FIG. 1), to the upper bodies of occupants, or near the feet of occupants. The operation of the blowing direction switching damper 122b is well known.

The front portion of the air conditioning casing 122 houses the cooler 121 and air mix damper 122a, and is located forward of the dash panel 50. On the other hand, the rear portion of the air conditioning casing 122 houses the air outlet direction switching damper 122b, and is located in the passenger space R1, passing through the dash panel 50. As a result, the cooler 121 and air mix damper 122a are closer to the powertrain PT than the air outlet direction switching damper 122b. The front portion of the air conditioning casing 122 may also be located rearward of the dash panel 50.

The rear portion of the air conditioning casing 122 has a duct-shaped air outlet section 122c through which conditioned air generated inside the air conditioning casing 122 is blown out. The air conditioning casing 122 also has an air guide duct 122d that connects the air outlet section 122c to the interior of the center frame 80 and introduces the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet section 122c into the interior of the center frame 80. The air guide duct 122d is located above the control device 130 (described below) and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The front portion of the air guide duct 122d is connected to the air outlet section 122c, while the rear portion of the air guide duct 122d is connected to the front portion of the front frame member 81 of the center frame 80. As a result, the conditioned air generated by the air conditioning unit 120 is introduced into the interior of the center frame 80 via the air guide duct 122d. The air guide duct 122d may be a component that constitutes part of the center frame 80.

Because the center frame 80 extends in the fore-and-aft direction, the conditioned air can be guided to the desired location in the fore-and-aft direction in the passenger space R1. In this case, because the air guide duct 122d is located above the control device 130 and has a predetermined width in the left-and-right direction, direct sunlight is also blocked by the air guide duct 122d, making it even more difficult for it to reach the control device 130. Furthermore, by using the center frame 80 as an air conditioning duct, it is not necessary to install a separate air conditioning duct, and the passenger space R1 can be made larger than if a separate air conditioning duct were installed.

As shown in FIG. 20 , an upper blower 80b is provided in a portion of the upper wall of the center frame 80 rearwardly of the air guide duct 122d for blowing the conditioned air in the upper left passage T11 and the upper right passage T12 upward. The upper blower 80b is located rearward of the backrest of the front seat FS on the upper wall of the center frame 80, with one provided on each side. The left upper blower (left blower) 80b is cylindrical and communicates with the upper left passage T11, while the right upper blower (right blower) 80b is cylindrical and communicates with the upper right passage T12. The downstream end of the upper blower 80b opens upward to face the occupant seated in the rear seat RS.

As shown in FIG. 5 , lower air blowers 80c are provided in the lower wall of the center frame 80, at a location rearward of the air guide duct 122d, for blowing the conditioned air in the lower-left passage T13 and the lower-right passage T14 downward. The lower air blowers 80c are located rearward of the seat cushion of the front seat FS and are provided on both the left and right sides of the lower wall of the center frame 80. The left lower air blower 80c is cylindrical and communicates with the lower-left passage T13, while the right lower air blower 80c is cylindrical and communicates with the lower-right passage T14. The lower air blowers 80c are formed as rear underfoot ducts that extend downward toward the recess 41a, extend downward from the center frame 80, and then bend outward in the vehicle width direction. The rear underfoot ducts can also be called rear heat ducts.

In addition, because the center frame 80 has a cross-section large enough to improve the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body, the airflow noise can be kept low even if the volume of airflow circulating inside is increased. In particular, because the center frame 80 extends in a nearly straight line, the internal passages also have a nearly straight line shape, which also helps to keep the airflow noise low. Furthermore, if the center frame 80 is not provided with insulation, the heat of the airflow circulating inside the center frame 80 is transferred to the wall of the center frame 80 and radiated from the outer surface of the wall into the passenger space R1. This enables comfortable air conditioning using radiant heat. Note that the center frame 80 may also be provided with insulation.

(Controller layout)
The vehicle body structure A includes a control device 130 (shown in Figures 9, 17, 23, etc.) that controls the controlled devices mounted on the automobile 1. Examples of the controlled devices include a powertrain PT, a brake device, an electronically controlled suspension device, lighting devices, a navigation device, a head-up display device, an audio device, an in-vehicle monitor, and a television. The control device 130 that controls these controlled devices includes a high-performance CPU, memory, etc., and therefore is large in size and vulnerable to high heat and shock. The control device 130 is also provided with a water jacket through which cooling water flows as a countermeasure against heat generation. In addition, the vehicle may be equipped with in-vehicle entertainment functions (video playback function, music playback function), etc., which also increases the size of the control device 130.

In this embodiment, the control device 130 is disposed below the front portion of the center frame 80 in the passenger space R1. As described above, the height of the front portion of the center frame 80 is higher than the rear portion of the center frame 80, so even a large control device 130 can be disposed therein. As shown by the phantom line in Figure 17, an instrument panel IP, on which instruments are mounted, is disposed above the front portion of the center frame 80. The instrument panel IP extends in the left-right direction from the left side to the right side of the passenger space R1. The front portion of the instrument panel IP reaches the bottom of the front windshield FG (shown in Figure 1).

In front of the control device 130, the left-side member 101A and right-side member 101B that make up the first connecting member 101 are arranged. Additionally, the second connecting member 102 is arranged behind the control device 130. As a result, the control device 130 is arranged between the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102, and there are gaps between the first connecting member 101 and the control device 130, and between the second connecting member 102 and the control device 130.

Since the control device 130 is located below the center frame 80 within the passenger space R1, direct sunlight from outside is blocked by the center frame 80, making it difficult for it to reach the control device 130. This allows the control device 130 to be located in a thermally advantageous location. Furthermore, since the instrument panel IP is located above the control device 130, direct sunlight is also blocked by the instrument panel IP, making it even more difficult for it to reach the control device 130. Furthermore, since the control device 130 is covered by the instrument panel IP, it is difficult to see from the outside, which is also preferable from a security standpoint.

An air guide duct 122d is also provided above the control device 130. The heat of the conditioned air is transferred to the wall of the air guide duct 122d and is radiated as radiant heat from the outer surface of the wall toward the control device 130. At this time, conditioned air whose temperature has been adjusted to make the passenger space R1 comfortable flows inside the air guide duct 122d, so the radiant heat from the air guide duct 122d acts to suppress a rise in the temperature of the control device 130. The air guide duct 122d can also block direct sunlight.

Furthermore, assuming an impact load acts from the front, for example, the center frame 80 extends in the front-to-rear direction, so it absorbs at least a portion of the impact load and suppresses deformation of the vehicle body in its vicinity. In other words, the control device 130, which is located below the center frame 80, is protected from impact loads from the front. The same is true for impact loads from the rear. In particular, the left side member 101A and the right side member 101B can firmly connect the center frame 80 to the passenger space side floor panel 41 at at least two points, thereby improving the protection performance of the control device 130.

Furthermore, assuming that an impact load acts from the side of the vehicle, because the control device 130 is positioned corresponding to the center of the vehicle width, the impact load from the side is less likely to be transmitted directly to the control device 130, and the control device 130 is protected from the impact load from the side. In addition, because the control device 130 is positioned between the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102, it is less likely that an impact load in the front-to-rear direction will act on the control device 130, further improving protection performance.

(Cooling path)
Next, the cooling path will be described. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of the cooling path provided in the automobile 1. The cooler 121 can be configured, for example, as a cooling heat exchanger for the air conditioning unit 120, but is not limited thereto and may also be a dedicated cooler provided separately from the air conditioning unit 120. The cooler 121 has a passage for coolant as a heat exchange medium, and the coolant flowing through this passage is cooled by heat exchange with a low-temperature refrigerant inside the cooler 121. The vehicle body structure A includes a supply pipe 131 for supplying the coolant cooled by the cooler 121 to a water jacket (not shown) of the control device 130, and a discharge pipe 132 for discharging the coolant supplied to the control device 130. The supply pipe 131 is provided with a pump P for sending the coolant to the control device 130. The coolant discharged from the discharge pipe 132 passes through the cooler 121, is cooled, and then is drawn into the pump P. By circulating the coolant in this manner, the control device 130 is cooled. The cooling water that has cooled the control device 130 is used to cool the batteries FB and RB, and then used to cool the traction motor M, before returning to the cooler 121. Note that a refrigerant may be used instead of the cooling water.

As shown in Figure 17, the cooler 121 is disposed further rearward than the front powertrain PT, and is closer to the dash panel 50. This allows the cooler 121 to be located closer to the control device 130 than the front powertrain PT. As a result, the length of the supply pipe 131 can be shortened and the pipe path is simplified, reducing pressure loss when supplying cooling water to the control device 130 and reducing the loss of cold energy from the cooler 121 to the control device 130, allowing the control device 130 to be cooled more efficiently.

As shown in FIG. 22 , the supply pipe 131 and the exhaust pipe 132 extend through the dash panel 50 and are disposed between the left member 101A and the right member 101B. By disposing the supply pipe 131 and the exhaust pipe 132 between the left member 101A and the right member 101B, the supply pipe 131 and the exhaust pipe 132 are less likely to be hit by the feet of an occupant, thereby reducing damage to the supply pipe 131 and the exhaust pipe 132. The supply pipe 131 and the exhaust pipe 132 extend in the front-to-rear direction below the air conditioning unit 120.

(Effects of the embodiment)
As described above, according to this embodiment, when an impact load acts from the front of the vehicle, the impact load is input from the left front wheel suspension support member 51A through the left front frame 54A to the center frame 80, and from the right front wheel suspension support member 51B through the right front frame 54B to the center frame 80. At this time, because the left front frame 54A and the center frame 80 are connected, there is a risk that this connection portion or its vicinity will be bent or that the connection portion between the right front frame 54B and the center frame 80 or its vicinity will be bent. However, in this embodiment, the above-mentioned bending deformation can be suppressed by connecting at least one of the vehicle rear portion of the left front frame 54A, the vehicle rear portion of the right front frame 54B, and the vehicle front portion of the center frame 80 to the occupant space side floor panel 41 by the first connecting member 101.

For example, by connecting and restraining the rear portion of the left front frame 54A to the passenger space side floor panel 41, bending deformation at or near the connection portion with the center frame 80 is suppressed. Similarly, by connecting and restraining the rear portion of the right front frame 54B to the passenger space side floor panel 41, bending deformation at or near the connection portion with the center frame 80 is suppressed. Furthermore, by connecting and restraining the front portion of the center frame 80 to the passenger space side floor panel 41, bending deformation at or near the connection portion with the left front frame 54A or right front frame 54B is suppressed. This improves the absorption of impact loads from the front of the vehicle.

The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted as limiting. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

As described above, the present invention can be used, for example, as a body structure for an electric vehicle.

1 Automobile 41 Passenger space side floor panel 43 Connection panel 44A Front cross member 50 Dash panel 51A Front wheel suspension support member (left side suspension support member)
51B Front wheel suspension support member (right side suspension support member)
54A Left front frame 54B Right front frame 80 Center frame 101 First connecting member 102 Second connecting member A Vehicle body structure R1 Passenger space R3 Luggage space

Claims (4)

In a body structure provided in an automobile,
a floor panel that constitutes a floor of an occupant space in which a seat for an occupant is provided; and
a dash panel extending upward from a front portion of the floor panel and partitioning a front portion of the vehicle from the passenger space;
a left suspension support member for supporting a front suspension on the left side of the vehicle and forward of the dash panel;
a right suspension support member for supporting a front suspension on the right side of the vehicle and forward of the dash panel;
a center frame disposed above and spaced apart from the floor panel in a vehicle width direction central portion of the passenger space and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction;
a left front frame connected to a front portion of the center frame, extending to the left suspension support member, and fixed to the left suspension support member;
a right front frame connected to a front portion of the center frame, extending to the right suspension support member, and fixed to the right suspension support member;
a connecting member that connects at least one of the rear portion of the left front frame, the rear portion of the right front frame, and the front portion of the center frame to the floor panel ,
a rear portion of the left front frame having a left connection portion for connection to a front portion of the center frame;
a rear portion of the right front frame having a right connection portion for connection to a front portion of the center frame;
The connecting member includes a left connecting member that connects the left connection portion and the floor panel, and a right connecting member that connects the right connection portion and the floor panel . The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 ,
The left and right connection portions are fixed to the dash panel. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2 ,
a front side of the center frame is branched in the left-right direction of the vehicle and has a left frame component and a right frame component,
the left frame component is connected to the left connection portion,
The right frame component is connected to the right connection portion of the vehicle body structure. The vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
The floor panel has a cross member provided at the front and extending in the vehicle width direction,
A vehicle body structure in which the lower part of the connecting member is fixed to the cross member.