JP7828532B2 - Vehicle body structure - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to the body structure of an automobile.

In recent years, the electronic control of various parts of automobiles has advanced, leading to an increase in the size of control systems, including microcomputers that control multiple controlled units. Furthermore, the automation of driving, the inclusion of external communication functions, and the integration of entertainment features are also contributing to the increasing size of these control systems.

For example, in the automobile disclosed in Patent Document 1, the control device is positioned inside the instrument panel, below the upper surface of the instrument panel and above the accelerator pedal.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-35789

Incidentally, as mentioned above, vehicle control systems include microcomputers and other components, making them susceptible to high temperatures and impacts, thus raising concerns about their placement within the vehicle. In this regard, Patent Document 1, which places the control system below the upper surface of the instrument panel, is considered advantageous in that it is less exposed to direct sunlight.

However, considering, for example, a scenario where an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, the instrument panel in Patent Document 1 is not designed to withstand loads in the longitudinal direction, and therefore, it is conceivable that the control device would not be adequately protected.

This disclosure is made in view of the above points, and its purpose is to improve the protection of vehicle control systems.

To achieve the above objective, the first aspect of this disclosure may be based on a vehicle body structure provided in an automobile. The vehicle body structure comprises a floor panel constituting the floor of the passenger compartment where seats are provided; a center frame positioned above the floor panel at the center of the passenger compartment in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vehicle's longitudinal direction; and a control device for controlling a control unit mounted in the automobile. The control device is positioned below the front portion of the center frame.

In this configuration, the control unit is positioned below the center frame within the passenger compartment. Therefore, direct sunlight from the outside is blocked by the center frame, making it difficult for the control unit to reach it. Thus, the control unit can be positioned in a thermally advantageous location.

Furthermore, considering, for example, an impact load acting from the front of the vehicle, since the center frame extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, at least a portion of the impact load is absorbed by the center frame, and deformation of the vehicle body in the vicinity is suppressed. In other words, the control device located below the center frame is protected from impact loads from the front. The same applies to impact loads from the rear of the vehicle.

Furthermore, considering the case where an impact load is applied from the side of the vehicle, since the control device is positioned to correspond to the center in the vehicle's width direction, the impact load from the side is less likely to be directly transmitted to the control device, thus protecting the control device from lateral impact loads.

A second aspect of this disclosure further comprises an air conditioning unit provided at the front of the vehicle on the center frame, and an air guide duct that connects the air outlet of the air conditioning unit to the hollow interior of the center frame, thereby introducing the conditioned air blown from the air outlet into the interior of the center frame. The air guide duct can be positioned above the control device.

In this configuration, the conditioned air generated by the air conditioning system is introduced into the center frame via an air duct. Since the center frame extends in the longitudinal direction, the conditioned air can be directed to any desired location in the longitudinal direction within the passenger compartment. In this case, because the air duct is positioned above the control unit, direct sunlight is further blocked by the air duct, making it even more difficult for sunlight to reach the control unit.

In a third aspect of this disclosure, an instrument panel is provided that extends from above to below the front of the center frame .

A fourth aspect of this disclosure further comprises a connecting member extending upward from the floor panel, with its upper portion fixed to the center frame, and connecting the center frame to the floor panel. The connecting member includes a first connecting member provided at the front of the vehicle of the control device and a second connecting member provided at the rear of the vehicle of the control device.

This configuration allows the center frame to be firmly connected to the floor panel at at least two points using the first and second connecting members. Since the control device is positioned between the first and second connecting members, impact loads in the vehicle's longitudinal direction are less likely to act on the control device, further improving its protective performance.

A fifth aspect of this disclosure further comprises a dash panel extending upward from the front of the floor panel and partitioning the front of the passenger compartment. In this case, the front of the center frame can be connected to the dash panel.

With this configuration, impact loads from the front of the vehicle are also absorbed by the dashboard panel, making it less likely for impact loads from the front of the vehicle to act on the control system, thus further improving protection.

The floor panel relating to the sixth aspect of this disclosure has a cross member extending in the vehicle width direction so as to intersect the center frame in a plan view within the passenger compartment. The connecting member extends upward from the cross member, its upper portion fixed to the center frame, and can connect the center frame to the cross member.

This configuration provides a cross member in the passenger compartment, thereby reinforcing the vehicle body. Furthermore, since the center frame, which is located above the floor panel, is connected to this cross member by a connecting member, the strength of the vehicle body around the control unit is increased, further improving protection.

As explained above, the vehicle's control system is positioned below the center frame, which is located above the floor panel, thus protecting the control system from heat and impact.

This is a side view of an automobile equipped with a body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view showing a car divided into an upper structure and a lower structure. This is a perspective view of a part of the vehicle's structure, seen from above. This is a plan view of a part of the vehicle body structure. This is a cross-sectional view along the line V-V in Figure 4. This is a cross-sectional view of the line VI-VI in Figure 4. This is a cross-sectional view of the line VII-VII in Figure 4. This is a magnified perspective view showing the floor panel on the passenger compartment side and its vicinity. This is a close-up cross-sectional view showing the seat rail and its vicinity. This is a plan view showing a magnified view of a portion of the seat rail and its vicinity. This is a magnified perspective view showing the seat rail mounting area and its vicinity. This is a cross-sectional view of the bent portion of the center frame and its vicinity. This is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the front part of the rear frame member that constitutes the center frame. This is a perspective view of the connecting member. This is a perspective view of the connecting member from a different direction. This is a side view of the connecting member. This is a cross-sectional view of an air conditioning unit and its vicinity. This is a perspective view showing the rear body structure when the inclination angle of the center frame is increased. This is a cross-sectional view showing the case where the inclination angle of the center frame is increased. This is a perspective view of the dashboard and its vicinity, seen from the rear of the vehicle. This is a schematic diagram of the cooling path. This is a rear view of the layout of the cooling water supply and discharge piping. This diagram shows the layout of the cooling water supply and discharge piping, viewed from the left side.

The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following description of preferred embodiments is essentially illustrative and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

Figure 1 is a side view from the left of an automobile 1 equipped with a vehicle body structure A according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this description of the embodiment, the vehicle's longitudinal direction is simply referred to as the "longitudinal direction," the front of the vehicle as the "front side," and the rear of the vehicle as the "rear." The vehicle's width direction is the left-right direction, and the left side of the vehicle is simply referred to as the "left side," and the right side of the vehicle as the "right side."

(Overall structure of a car)
Automobile 1 is a passenger car, and an occupant space R1 for passengers is provided in the middle of the automobile in the front-to-rear direction. The occupant space R1 is provided with front seats (front seats) FS which constitute the front seats and rear seats (rear seats) RS which constitute the rear seats. The front seats FS include a driver's seat located on the right (or left) side of the occupant space R1 and a passenger seat located on the left (or right) side of the occupant space R1. The rear seats RS are also located on the right and left sides of the occupant space R1, respectively. Although not shown, a third row of seats may be located behind the rear seats RS. Furthermore, the rear seats RS are not mandatory and may be omitted.

The front door FD and rear door RD are located on the left and right sides of the passenger compartment R1, respectively. In the case of 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 compartment R1 of the automobile 1. The powertrain PT can be installed in this front space R2 as needed. When the powertrain PT is installed in the front space R2, it can also be referred to as, for example, the powertrain storage compartment, motor room, engine room, etc. A bonnet hood BF is provided above the front space R2.

A cargo compartment R3, capable of accommodating luggage, is provided behind the passenger compartment R1 of the vehicle 1. The cargo compartment R3 can be opened and closed by a trunk lid TR. A rear compartment R4 is provided behind the passenger compartment R1 and below the cargo compartment R3. This rear compartment R4 can accommodate the powertrain PT, which generates the power for the vehicle 1, as needed. When the powertrain PT is installed in the rear compartment R4, it can also be referred to as a powertrain storage compartment, motor room, engine room, etc.

The powertrain PT may be installed in both the front space R2 and the rear space R4, or in only one of them. If the powertrain PT is installed only in the front space R2, it becomes a front-wheel-drive vehicle, driving only the front wheels FT. If the powertrain PT is installed only in the rear space R4, it becomes a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, driving only the rear wheels RT. Furthermore, if the powertrain PT is installed in both the front space R2 and the rear space R4, driving both the front wheels FT and the rear wheels RT, it becomes a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

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

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

As shown in Figure 2, the automobile 1 comprises a lower structure 2 and an upper structure 3, with the lower structure 2 and upper structure 3 forming the vehicle body structure A. Figure 2 shows the upper structure 3 with the following components removed: doors FD, RD, bonnet hood BF, fenders, windows, roof, center pillar, rear pillar, bumper, front and rear lighting system, instrument panel, front and rear seats, etc. Figure 2 also shows the lower structure 2 with the front wheels FT, rear wheels RT, suspension system, etc., removed.

The lower structure 2 includes a battery unit Y. The battery unit Y comprises a front battery FB and a rear battery RB, and a frame-type frame 10 surrounding the front battery FB and the rear battery RB. Furthermore, the lower structure 2 includes a front support frame 20 extending forward from the front of the frame-type frame 10, and a rear support frame 30 extending rearward from the rear of the frame-type frame 10.

Although not shown in the diagram, in typical electric vehicles, the battery unit is often detachable from the vehicle body and located under the floor. However, in this embodiment, not only are the batteries FB and RB integrated, but the front support frame 20 and rear support frame 30 are also integrated into the frame-type frame 10 surrounding the batteries FB and RB. The front support frame 20 and rear support frame 30 are also detachable from the upper structure 3 along with the batteries FB and RB.

Specifically, the automobile 1 of this embodiment is configured to be divisible into a lower structure 2 containing batteries FB and RB, and an upper structure 3 forming the passenger compartment R1 and the cargo compartment R3. Divisibility means that the lower structure 2 is integrated with the upper structure 3 using fasteners such as bolts, nuts, and screws, without the use of welding or adhesive. This allows for easy maintenance of the automobile 1, as the lower structure 2 can be separated from the upper structure 3 as needed during maintenance or repairs.

Here, the ladder frame type body structure is known as a vehicle body structure. In the ladder frame type body structure, the ladder frame and the cabin can be separated vertically, but since the ladder frame extends continuously in the front-to-rear direction, it mainly bears the impact load during frontal and rear-end collisions. In side collisions, the ladder frame only bears the impact load secondarily, and the cabin bears the main impact load. Thus, in the ladder frame type body structure, the components that bear the impact load are usually divided between frontal and rear-end collisions and side collisions.

In contrast, in the case of the automobile 1 of this embodiment, the lower structure 2 and upper structure 3, which have a front support frame 20 and a rear support frame 30, are separable. However, in both frontal and rear collisions, as well as side collisions, the collision load is received by the lower structure 2 and upper structure 3, thereby distributing and absorbing the collision load between the two structures 2 and 3. This represents a significant difference in technical concept from conventional ladder frame type vehicle structures. The structures of the lower structure 2 and upper structure 3 will be described in detail below.

(Substructure)
First, let's describe the lower structure 2. In addition to the battery FB, RB, frame-type frame 10, front support frame 20, and rear support frame 30, the lower structure 2 also includes the powertrain PT, front wheels FT, rear wheels RT, and front suspension devices SP1, SP2, and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4, which are shown by dashed lines in Figure 4. The types of the front suspension devices SP1, SP2 and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4 are not particularly limited, and it is also possible to change the vehicle body structure according to the types of the front suspension devices SP1, SP2 and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4.

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

The frame-type frame 10 comprises a left-side member 11, a right-side member 12, a front-side member 13, and a rear-side member 14. The left-side member 11, right-side member 12, front-side member 13, and rear-side member 14 are made of, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy, but may also be made of aluminum alloy sheet metal or press-formed steel sheet metal. In the following description, "extruded material" refers to an extruded aluminum alloy, and "press-formed material" refers to aluminum alloy sheet metal or press-formed steel sheet metal. Furthermore, each component 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-side member 13, and rear-side member 14, in directions perpendicular to their respective longitudinal directions, are all rectangular. Furthermore, the left-side member 11, right-side member 12, front-side member 13, and rear-side member 14 are all positioned at the same height and extend approximately horizontally. When connecting the lower structure 2 to the upper structure 3, the front-side member 13 is fastened and secured to the lower part of the dash panel 50 with fastening members, and the left-side member 11 and right-side member 12 are fastened and secured to the left and right side sills 60, respectively, with fastening members. The rear-side member 14 is fastened and secured to the connecting panel 43, which will be described later, with fastening members.

The left-side member 11 is located at the left end of the lower structure 2 and extends in the front-rear direction. The right-side member 12 is located at the right end of the lower structure 2 and extends in the front-rear direction. The left-side member 11 and the right-side member 12 are positioned on the inside of the left and right side sills 60 in the vehicle width direction, as will be described later. The front-side member 13 is located at the front of the battery unit Y and extends in the left-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-side member 13 is connected to the front end of the left-side member 11, and the right end of the front-side member 13 is connected to the front end of the right-side member 12. The rear-side member 14 is located at the rear of the battery unit Y and extends in the left-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-side member 14 is connected to the rear end of the left-side member 11, and the right end of the rear-side member 14 is connected to the rear end of the right-side member 12.

A cover member 15, which serves as the bottom plate, is attached to the lower part of the frame-type frame 10. The frame-type frame 10 is closed from below by the cover member 15. The cover member 15 extends approximately horizontally and is fixed to the lower surfaces of the left-side member 11, the right-side member 12, the front member 13, and the rear member 14, and is also fixed to the side sill 60 as described later. The upper part of the frame-type frame 10 may be closed with a cover (not shown) or with the occupant-side floor panel 41, as described later. The power from the batteries FB and RB housed within the frame-type 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 vehicle body structure A in the left-right central direction. As shown in Figure 5, the first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are provided inside the frame-type frame 10 as reinforcing members extending in the left-right direction. The heights of the first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are all the same, matching the heights of 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 front-rear dimensions of the frame-type frame 10.

The first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are arranged with a gap between them in the front-to-back direction, with the first battery-side cross member 10A positioned furthest forward and the third battery-side cross member 10C positioned furthest back. The lower parts of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, and 10C are fixed to the upper surface of the cover member 15. Furthermore, the left end of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, and 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, and 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, and 10C are members that connect the left-side member 11 and the right-side member 12.

Inside the frame-type frame 10, a front central member 16 and first to third rear central members 17-19 are provided as reinforcing members extending in the front-rear 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 front-rear direction, and the battery unit Y has a structure that includes a battery frame consisting of the front central member 16, the first to third rear central members 17-19, etc. 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 17-19 are positioned at approximately the same height and are located in the left-right center of the frame-type frame 10. The lower ends of the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 are attached to the upper surface of the cover member 15. The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 extend from the front member 13 to the rear member 14.

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

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

When considering a hypothetical straight line extending in the front-to-back direction in a plan view, the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 are positioned in the left-to-right direction so as to lie on that hypothetical straight line. In other words, the first to third rear central members 17-19 are positioned on the hypothetical rearward extension of the front central member 16. Note that the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17-19 may be composed of a single continuous member in the front-to-back direction. In this case, a single member would extend from the front member 13 to the rear member 14.

As shown in Figure 2, a pair of front support frames 20 are provided, one on each side, extending in a nearly horizontal, linear manner below the upper structure 3. Each front support frame 20 can be constructed from, for example, an extruded material or a press-formed material. In this embodiment, since each front support frame 20 is constructed from an extruded material, the cross-sectional shape in the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction is substantially equal from the front end to the rear end.

The left front support frame 20 is connected to a portion of the front member 13, which constitutes the front part of the frame-type frame 10, slightly to the left of its center in the left-right direction. This connection point is located to the right of the left-side member 11 of the frame-type frame 10. Similarly, the right front support frame 20 is connected to a portion of the front member 13, slightly to the right of its center in the left-right direction. This connection point is located to the left of the right-side member 12 of the frame-type frame 10. The heights of the left and right front support frames 20 are approximately the same.

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 becomes the 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 both the left and right sides, which 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, which constitute part of the front suspension devices SP1 and SP2 shown by dashed lines in Figure 4, are supported so as to be able to swing vertically relative to the left and right front support frames 20. The front support frames 20 may be members that support the suspension arms without supporting the powertrain PT.

As shown in Figure 2, the rear support frames 30 are provided in pairs, similar to the front support frames 20, and extend linearly and almost horizontally toward the rear. 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, which constitutes the rear of the frame-type frame 10, that is slightly to the left of its center in the left-right direction. This connection point is located to the right of the left-side member 11 of the frame-type frame 10. Similarly, the right rear support frame 30 is connected to a portion of the rear member 14 that is slightly to the right of its center in the left-right direction. This connection point is located to the left of the right-side member 12 of the frame-type frame 10.

The rear powertrain PT is attached to the rear support frame 30 via a mounting member (not shown). In this case, the rear support frame 30 becomes a rear motor support frame that supports the drive motor M behind the battery unit Y. The lower structure 2 is provided with drive shafts S2 on both the left and right sides, which transmit the output of the powertrain PT (rotational force of the drive motor M) to the left and right rear wheels RT, respectively.

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

(superstructure)
Next, the superstructure 3 will be described. The superstructure 3 comprises 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 positioned above the frame-type frame 10 and rear support frame 30 of the lower structure 2. This floor component 40 comprises an occupant space side floor panel (first floor panel) 41 that constitutes the floor of the occupant space R1 where the front seat FS and rear seat RS (shown in Figure 1) where occupants sit are provided, a cargo space side floor panel (second floor panel) 42 that constitutes the floor of the cargo space R3, and a connecting panel 43 that connects the rear of the occupant space side floor panel 41 and the front of the cargo space side floor panel 42. The connecting panel 43 constitutes a kick-up section.

The floor component 40 can be made of, for example, a press-formed steel plate. The passenger compartment floor panel 41, the cargo compartment floor panel 42, and the connecting panel 43 may be integrally molded, or they may be molded separately and then connected. Furthermore, although this embodiment describes the passenger compartment floor panel 41, the cargo compartment floor panel 42, and the connecting panel 43 as three separate parts, the floor component 40 including these panels 41-43 may also be referred to as the floor panel. Alternatively, only the passenger compartment floor panel 41 may be referred to as the floor panel.

The passenger compartment floor panel 41 extends from the front to the rear of the passenger compartment R1, and from the left side to the right side of the passenger compartment R1. The passenger compartment floor panel 41 according to this embodiment has a floor tunnel-less structure, meaning it lacks a tunnel section. In other words, conventional automobile floor panels generally have a tunnel section in the center of the vehicle width direction that bulges significantly upward and extends in the front-to-rear direction. This tunnel section is, for example, used to pass an exhaust pipe extending from the engine mounted in the engine compartment at the front of the vehicle towards the rear, or a propeller shaft that transmits the output of the engine mounted in the engine compartment at the front of the vehicle to the rear wheels. The diameter of the exhaust pipe and propeller shaft is often, for example, 10 cm or more, and in order to prevent interference between the exhaust pipe or propeller shaft and the floor panel, it is necessary to provide a gap of at least several centimeters between the exhaust pipe or propeller shaft and the floor panel. Furthermore, an insulator or the like may be provided on the inner surface of the tunnel section. Due to these factors, the bulge height of the tunnel section from the floor panel can be, for example, 15 cm or more, or even 20 cm or more. 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 or the vertical center of the seat cushion. A structure without such a large upward bulge of the tunnel section is called a tunnelless structure.

As described above, the passenger compartment floor panel 41 does not have a tunnel section with a height of 15 cm or more, or 20 cm or more, from the top surface of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. However, it may have a low bulge section with a height of 5 cm or less, or 10 cm or less, from the top surface of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. In the case of such a low bulge section, it is not possible to pass an exhaust pipe or propeller shaft through it, and therefore it does not function as a tunnel section. Thus, even if the passenger compartment floor panel 41 has a low bulge section with a height of 5 cm or less, or 10 cm or less, from the top surface, it is still a tunnelless floor panel. Furthermore, the passenger compartment floor panel 41 may be provided with ribs or the like that protrude upward and extend in the front-rear direction. Since the height of such ribs is only a few centimeters, even if ribs are provided, it is still a tunnelless floor panel.

In this embodiment, since the powertrain PT includes the drive 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 rear wheels RT can also be driven by the powertrain PT, eliminating the need for a propeller shaft. Therefore, the passenger compartment floor panel 41 can have a tunnel-less structure.

As shown in Figure 3, a recessed portion 41a is formed in the middle of the passenger compartment floor panel 41 in the front-rear direction, bulging downwards. The recessed portion 41a has a bottom surface 41b on which the feet of a rear passenger seated in the rear seat RS can be placed. The bottom surface 41b is formed to be approximately horizontal. The front portion of the recessed portion 41a is formed to gradually deepen towards the rear. The recessed portion 41a can be formed continuously from the left side to the right side of the passenger compartment floor panel 41.

The bottom surface 41b of the recessed portion 41a is at approximately the same height as the lower part of the side sill 60, which will be described later. This allows the height of the bottom surface 41b to be sufficiently low. The front-to-back positional relationship between the recessed portion 41a and the seat cushion of the rear seat RS is set so that when a rear-seat passenger sitting on the rear seat RS lowers their feet straight down, their feet naturally rest on the bottom surface 41b. The front position of the recessed portion 41a is set so that when a rear-seat passenger sitting on the rear seat RS moves their feet diagonally forward, their feet rest on the bottom surface 41b. In other words, the position and front-to-back dimensions of the recessed portion 41a are set so that even if the rear-seat passenger moves their feet slightly forward or backward, their feet can still rest on the bottom surface 41b. This increases the legroom for rear-seat passengers and improves comfort. The depth of the recessed portion 41a can be, for example, 5 cm or more, or 10 cm or more.

A floor frame 41c extending in the front-to-back direction is provided at the center of the recessed portion 41a in the left-right direction. 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 compartment side floor panel 41 where the recessed portion 41a is formed can be reinforced.

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

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

Since the cargo area floor panel 42 is positioned higher than the passenger area floor panel 41, the connecting panel 43 extends vertically. The connecting panel 43 may be vertical, or it may be inclined so that it is positioned further back towards the top.

As shown in Figure 7, the dash panel 50 is a component that forms a partition between the front space R2 and the passenger space R1. It extends upward from the front of the passenger space floor panel 41, as well as in the left-right direction, and partitions the front of the passenger space R1.

As shown in Figure 4, the left and right side sills 60 are arranged to extend in the front-rear direction from both the left and right ends of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. The left end of the passenger compartment floor panel 41 is connected to the upper-middle portion of the left side sill 60. The upper portion of the side sill 60 protrudes upward from the connection point of the passenger compartment floor panel 41, while the lower portion of the side sill 60 protrudes downward from the connection point of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. A battery unit Y, including batteries FB and RB, is located below the passenger compartment floor panel 41. Therefore, in a side view of the vehicle, the lower portion of the side sill 60 and the batteries FB and RB overlap. Similarly, the right side sill 60 is connected to the right end of the passenger compartment floor panel 41.

As shown in Figure 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 extends upward from the front end of the left side sill 60. The left and right front doors FD (shown in Figure 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 of the left hinge pillar 70. The right edge of the dash panel 50 is connected to the left side of the right hinge pillar 70. Although not shown, a center pillar and rear pillars are also provided on the upper structure 3.

On the left side of the upper structure 3, in front of the dash panel 50, is a left front wheel suspension support member 51A that supports the left front wheel suspension device (front suspension device) SP1 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 4). On the right side of the upper structure 3, in front of the dash panel 50, is a right front wheel suspension support member 51B that supports the right front wheel suspension device (front suspension device) SP2 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 4). The type of suspension devices SP1 and SP2 is not particularly limited, but for example, they include a suspension arm that supports the front wheel FT so that it can swing vertically, a shock absorber, a spring, etc. The vehicle body end of the suspension arm and the upper end of the shock absorber are attached to the front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B. The front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B can be made of, for example, aluminum die-cast, but are not limited to this, and may be constructed by combining steel plates, etc.

As shown in Figure 6, etc., 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 vertically, and the front portions of the three left-side fixing frames 52A are fixed to the front wheel suspension support member 51A. On the other hand, the rear portions of the uppermost and the middle 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 lowermost left-side fixing frame 52A is fixed to the left side sill 60.

As partially shown in Figure 3, three right-side fixing frames 52B are provided on the right side, forward of the dash panel 50, for securing the right front wheel suspension support member 51B. The three right-side fixing frames 52B are spaced apart vertically, and their front ends are fixed to the front wheel suspension support member 51B. Meanwhile, the rear ends of the uppermost and middle right-side fixing frames 52B are fixed to the right hinge pillar 70 or the right side of the dash panel 50. The rear end of the lowest right-side fixing frame 52B is fixed to the right side sill 60.

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

As shown in Figure 4, the superstructure 3 includes a left front frame 54A and a right front frame 54B. Specifically, in front of the dash panel 50, there is a left front frame 54A connecting the front of the center frame 80 (described later) to the left front wheel suspension support member 51A, and a right front frame 54B connecting the front 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 further to the left as it approaches the front. The right front frame 54B is inclined so that it is positioned further to the right as it approaches the front. By connecting the left and right front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B to the front of the center frame 80, the rigidity of the front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B can be increased, improving the vehicle's handling stability. Furthermore, the rigidity of the front of the vehicle, including the area around the dash panel 50, can also be increased simultaneously.

The superstructure 3 comprises a left rear side frame 112A extending in the longitudinal direction to the left and behind the rear of the passenger compartment floor panel 41, and a right rear side frame 112B extending in the longitudinal direction to the right and behind the rear of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. The front of the left rear side frame 112A is connected to the rear of the left side sill 60. The front of the right rear side frame 112B is connected to the rear of the right side sill 60. Furthermore, the longitudinal middle section of the left rear side frame 112A and the longitudinal middle section of the right rear side frame 112B are connected by a cargo compartment side cross member (connecting member) 105 extending in the lateral direction.

On the left side of the upper structure 3, behind the connecting panel 43, is a left rear suspension support member 110A that supports the left rear wheel suspension device SP3 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 4). The rear suspension support member 110A is fixed to the left rear side frame 112A. Furthermore, on the right side of the upper structure 3, behind the connecting panel 43, is a right rear suspension support member 110B that supports the right rear wheel suspension device SP4 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 4). The rear 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 for example, they may include a suspension arm, shock absorber, spring, etc., that supports the rear wheel RT so that it can swing freely in the vertical direction.

The upper part of the spring and shock absorber of the left suspension device SP3 is connected to the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A. As shown in Figure 3, the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A is the left-side load input section 110a, which receives the load from the spring and shock absorber. The upper part of the spring and shock absorber of the right suspension device SP4 is connected to the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B. The upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B is the right-side load input section 110b, which receives the load from the spring and shock absorber. The left-side load input section 110a and the right-side load input section 110b are also fixed to both the left and right sides of the cargo compartment side floor panel 42. Furthermore, the left-side load input section 110a and the right-side load input section 110b are connected by the cargo compartment side cross member 105. The cargo area-side cross member 105 is joined to the upper surface of the cargo area-side floor panel 42, and the cargo area-side floor panel 42 and the cargo area-side cross member 105 form a closed cross section structure extending in the vehicle width direction.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, a rear cross member 44E is provided below the left-side load input section 110a and the right-side load input section 110b. The rear cross member 44E is joined to the rear of the occupant-side floor panel 41.

The superstructure 3 can be divided into, for example, a front body structure and a rear body structure. As shown in Figure 4, the rear part of the superstructure 3, beyond the passenger compartment floor panel 41, can be designated as the rear body structure. Behind the connecting panel 43 of the superstructure 3, there is a left rear frame 111A connecting the rear of the center frame 80 to the left rear wheel suspension support member 110A, and a right rear frame 111B connecting the rear of the center frame 80 to the right rear wheel suspension support member 110B. By connecting the left and right rear wheel suspension support members 110A and 110B to the rear of the center frame 80, the rigidity of the rear wheel suspension support members 110A and 110B can be increased, improving the vehicle's handling stability. Furthermore, the rigidity of the rear of the vehicle, including the area around the connecting panel 43, can also be increased simultaneously.

The left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B are located below the cargo compartment floor panel 42. As shown in Figure 6, the rear of the left rear frame 111A is fixed to the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A, i.e., the left load input section 110a. In a side view, the left rear frame 111A is inclined so that it is positioned lower towards the front from the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A, and in a plan view, as shown in Figure 4, it is inclined so that it approaches the center in the vehicle width direction towards the front. The rear of the right rear frame 111B is fixed to the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B, i.e., the right load input section 110b. In a side view, the right rear frame 111B is inclined so that it is positioned lower towards the front from the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B, and in a plan view, as shown in Figure 4, it is inclined so that it approaches the center in the vehicle width direction towards the front. Therefore, the left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B are positioned so that they are further outward in the vehicle width direction as they move towards the rear, and the distance between the left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B narrows as they move towards the front.

Furthermore, the rear portion of the left rear frame 111A is also connected to the midpoint of the left rear side frame 112A in the front-rear direction. As a result, the left rear frame 111A extends from the rear of the center frame 80 to the left rear side frame 112A, forming a left-side connecting frame that links the rear 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 section 110a and the rear cross member 44E. That is, the front portion of the left rear frame 111A is fixed to the left load input section 110a, and the rear portion of the left rear frame 111A is fixed to the rear cross member 44E.

Furthermore, the rear portion of the right rear frame 111B is also connected to the midpoint of the right rear side frame 112B in the front-rear direction. As a result, the right rear frame 111B extends from the rear of the center frame 80 to the right rear side frame 112B, forming a right-side connecting frame that links the rear of the center frame 80 to the right rear side frame 112B. The right rear frame 111B is also a right-side connecting frame that connects the right-side load input section 110b and the rear cross member 44E. That is, the front portion of the right rear frame 111B is fixed to the right-side load input section 110b, and the rear portion of the right rear frame 111B is fixed to the rear cross member 44E.

The left rear frame 111A is positioned to tilt upward toward the left load input section 110a. Therefore, the upward load from the rear suspension device SP3 is applied to the left rear frame 111A in a tensile direction. Compared to when a compressive load is applied, this reduces the likelihood of deflection deformation of the left rear frame 111A, thus suppressing vibrations and noise caused by the load input from the rear suspension device SP3. The same applies to the right rear frame 111B.

The left rear frame 111A is positioned 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 as to overlap with a portion of the left rear frame 111A. Specifically, the height of the left rear drive shaft S2 in the lateral direction is approximately the same as the height of the portion between the front and rear of the left rear frame 111A.

Furthermore, the right rear frame 111B is positioned 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 as to overlap with a portion of the right rear frame 111B. Specifically, the height of the middle section of the right rear drive shaft S2 in the left-to-right direction is approximately the same as the height of the section between the front and rear of the right rear frame 111B.

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

The front cross member 44A is positioned at the front of the passenger compartment 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 positioned behind the front cross member 44A and forward of the recessed portion 41a, forming a closed cross section with the passenger compartment floor panel 41. The rear cross member 44E is positioned at the rear of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. The rear cross member 44E is also fixed to the connecting panel 43.

The front cross member 44C of the recessed section is positioned behind the intermediate cross member 44B and extends laterally along the front of the recessed section 41a. The rear cross member 44D of the recessed section is positioned behind the front cross member 44C of the recessed section and extends laterally along the rear of the recessed section 41a. A closed cross section is formed by the front cross member 44C of the recessed section and the occupant space side floor panel 41, and a closed cross section is also formed by the rear cross member 44D of the recessed section and the occupant space side floor panel 41. By providing the front cross member 44C of the recessed section and the rear cross member 44D of the protruding section, the portion in which the recessed section 41a is formed can be reinforced. The front part of the floor frame 41c provided inside the recessed section 41a is connected to the left-right center of the front cross member 44C of the recessed section, and the rear part of the floor frame 41c is connected to the left-right center of the rear cross member 44D of the recessed section.

As shown in Figure 8, the superstructure 3 comprises a pair of left-side seat rails 90 supporting the left front seat FS, and a pair of right-side seat rails 91 supporting the right front seat FS. The left-side seat rails 90 are for adjusting the fore-aft position of the left front seat FS and are located on the left side of the passenger compartment floor panel 41, extending in the fore-aft direction. The right-side seat rails 91 are for adjusting the fore-aft position of the right front seat FS and are located on the right side of the passenger compartment floor panel 41, extending in the fore-aft direction.

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

Similarly, the right-side seat rail 91 extends from the intermediate cross member 44B to the front cross member 44C of the recessed section. The front of the right-side seat rail 91 is attached to the intermediate cross member 44B, and the rear of the right-side seat rail 91 is attached to the front cross member 44C of the recessed section.

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

Furthermore, the front cross member 44C of the recessed section has a rear common bracket 46 to which the rear of the left seat rail 90 and the rear of the right seat rail 91 are attached, separated from each other in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 11, the rear common bracket 46 has a long shape in the left-right direction and is fixed to the upper surface of the front cross member 44C of the recessed section. The left-right center of the rear common bracket 46 is located in the left-right center of the front cross member 44C of the recessed section. The left-right center of the rear common bracket 46 is provided with a central fixing portion 46a (shown only in Figures 10 and 11) into which the lower part of a connecting member, described later, is inserted and fixed. To the left of the central fixing portion 46a of the rear common bracket 46 is a left fixing portion 46b (shown only in Figures 4 and 11) to which the rear 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, there is a right-side fixing portion 46c (shown only in Figures 4 and 11) to which the rear of the right-side seat rail 91 is fixed by a fastening member (not shown).

As shown in Figure 8, the upper structure 3 includes a center frame 80 that extends continuously from the dash panel 50 to the connecting panel 43. This center frame 80 is located in the center in the left-right direction, and the front center member 16 and the first to third rear center members 17-19 of the battery unit Y are also located in the center in the left-right direction. That is, in a plan view, the front center member 16 and the first to third rear center members 17-19 and the center frame 80 are positioned in a positional relationship that overlaps with each other. The arrangement of the front center member 16, the first to third rear center members 17-19, and the center frame 80 is set accordingly.

Furthermore, the center frame 80 is positioned above the passenger compartment floor panel 41 at the left-right center of the passenger compartment R1 and extends in the front-rear direction. The distance between the lower surface of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger compartment floor panel 41 can be set to, for example, 10 cm or more, or 20 cm or more, at its furthest point. The left front seat FS and rear seat RS are positioned on the left side of the center frame 80, while the right front seat FS and rear seat RS are positioned on the right side of the center frame 80.

By positioning the center frame 80 above and away from the passenger compartment floor panel 41, it is possible to place, for example, parts or other items between the lower surface of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. Furthermore, the space between the lower surface of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger compartment floor panel 41 can 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-rear direction. By providing the bent portion 80A to the center frame 80, for example, the rear portion of the center frame 80 can be made lower than the front portion of the center frame 80, thereby improving the comfort of rear-seat passengers. Also, since the front portion of the center frame 80 can be made higher than the rear portion of the center frame 80, it becomes possible to place large parts, items, or multiple parts below the front portion of the center frame 80. The bent portion 80A is formed in a part of the center frame 80 that is closer to the front than the center in the front-rear direction. The formation location of the bent portion 80A is not limited to the position shown in the figure. For example, it may be at the center of the center frame 80 in the front-rear direction, or it may be at a location further rearward than the center of the center frame 80 in the front-rear direction.

In other words, the center frame 80 has a front frame member 81 extending in the front-rear direction, a rear frame member 82 positioned behind the front frame member 81 and extending towards the rear, and a connecting member 83 connecting the rear part of the front frame member 81 and the front part of the rear frame member 82. The front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 are hollow, i.e., cylindrical in shape extending in the front-rear direction, and can be made, for example, from an extruded material. Making the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 hollow results in lightweight and highly rigid members. When the center frame 80 is used as a means of blowing air for air conditioning (described later), the rear part of the rear frame member 82 may be closed to prevent air conditioning from leaking.

The vertical cross-sections of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82, along the vehicle width direction, are 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. However, the cross-sectional shape of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 is not limited to a rectangular shape; it may be a polygon with five or more sides, or it may be circular or elliptical.

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 point between the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 is located forward of the center of the occupant space R1 in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the center frame 80 is not limited to a two-part structure consisting of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82; it may be composed of a single member from front to rear, or it may have a three-part structure.

The front frame member 81 is inclined at a first angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal plane and extends in a straight line. On the other hand, the rear frame member 82 is inclined at a second angle of inclination, smaller than the first angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal plane, and extends in a straight line. In other words, because the rear frame member 82 is inclined at a different angle of inclination than the front frame member 81, a bent portion 80A is formed at the connection point between the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82, bending downwards. In this embodiment, the rear frame member 82 is positioned to slope downwards toward the rear. Note that the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 may have the same angle of inclination. In this case, the bent portion 80A would not be formed.

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

Furthermore, similar to the interior of the rear frame member 82, a first partition wall 81a is provided inside the front frame member 81, extending in both the vehicle width direction and the front-rear direction. 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 it into a left passage on the left side in the vehicle width direction and a right passage on the right side in the vehicle width direction. The first partition wall 81a and the second partition wall 81b form the upper left passage T11, the upper right passage T12, the lower left passage T13, and the lower right passage T14 inside the front frame member 81, similar to the rear frame member 82.

As shown in Figures 14 to 16, the connecting member 83 is cylindrical in shape and connects the rear part of the front frame member 81 and the front part of the rear frame member 82 so that they can communicate with each other. The rear part of the front frame member 81 and the front part of the rear frame member 82 are connected by being 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 top of the left wall portion 83c to the top of the right wall portion 83d, and the lower wall portion 83b extends from the bottom of the left wall portion 83c to the bottom of the right wall portion 83d. The front-rear dimension of the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83 is set to be longer than the front-rear dimension of the upper wall portion 83a. To accommodate the difference in dimensions between the upper wall section 83a and the lower wall section 83b in the front-to-back direction, the dimensions of the left wall section 83c and the right wall section 83d in the front-to-back direction become longer towards the bottom.

The connecting member 83 is provided with a first connecting wall portion 83e extending horizontally from the vertically intermediate portion of the left wall portion 83c to the vertically intermediate portion of the right wall portion 83d, and a second connecting wall portion 83f extending horizontally from the horizontally intermediate portion of the upper wall portion 83a to the horizontally intermediate 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 portion 83f, into which the rear portion of the front frame member 81 is inserted. Similarly, a rear notch 83h is formed on the rear side of the second connecting wall portion 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 omit the connecting member 83 while still providing the bent portion 80A. In this case, the bent portion 80A of the center frame 80 can be formed by bending the center frame 80. For example, bending may be performed simultaneously with the extrusion of the center frame 80, or it may be performed after the extrusion.

As shown in Figure 17, the superstructure 3 is equipped with an air conditioning unit 120 that generates conditioned air for supplying the occupant space R1. This air conditioning unit 120 is positioned in front of the front portion of the front frame member 81 and in front of the center frame 80. Details of the air conditioning unit 120 will be described later.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20, the center frame 80 has a left frame component 84A and a right frame component 84B that constitute the front part of the center frame 80, so that the front part of the center frame 80 is branched in the left-right direction. The left frame component 84A and the right frame component 84B are provided spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The rear part of the left frame component 84A is fixed to the left side of the middle part in the front-rear direction of the front frame member 81. In a plan view, the left frame component 84A is inclined so that it is located further to the left as it moves forward from the part fixed to the front frame member 81. The front part of the left frame component 84A is connected to a part of the dash panel 50 that is located above the passenger space side floor panel 41. The rear part of the left front frame component 84A is connected to the front part of the left front frame component 84A. Specifically, as shown in Figure 20, the rear part of the left front frame 54A has a left connection part 54a. The left-side connecting portion 54a is a component for connecting the left-side front frame 54A to the front of the left-side frame component 84A, and is fixed to the dash panel 50. The front of the left-side front frame 54A extends to the left-side front wheel suspension support member 51A and is fixed to the left-side front wheel suspension support member 51A.

Furthermore, the rear portion of the right-side frame component 84B is fixed to the right side of the front-side frame component 81 at its midpoint in the front-rear direction. In plan view, the right-side frame component 84B is inclined such that it is positioned to the right as it moves forward from the portion fixed to the front-side frame component 81. The front portion of the right-side frame component 84B is connected to the portion of the dash panel 50 that is located above the passenger compartment-side floor panel 41. The rear portion of the right-side front frame 54B (shown in Figure 4) is connected to the front portion of the right-side frame component 84B. Specifically, the rear portion of the right-side front frame 54B has a right-side connection portion 54b, as shown in Figure 20. The right-side connection portion 54b is a component for connecting the right-side front frame 54B to the front portion of the right-side frame component 84B and is fixed to the dash panel 50. The front portion of the right-side front frame 54B extends to the right-side front wheel suspension support member 51B and is fixed to the right-side front wheel suspension support member 51B.

The superstructure 3 comprises a plurality of connecting members 101 to 103. The connecting members 101 to 103 extend upward from the occupant-side floor panel 41, their upper parts fixed to the center frame 80, and are members for connecting the center frame 80 to the occupant-side floor panel 41. The connecting members 101 to 103 include a first connecting member 101, a second connecting member 102, and a third connecting member 103, which are made of, for example, extruded material. The number of connecting members 101 to 103 is not limited to a plurality; there may be one.

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

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the second connecting member 102 is positioned rearward from the first connecting member 101. The lower parts of the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102 are fixed to separate points in the front-rear direction of the occupant compartment floor panel 41. The upper parts of the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102 are fixed to separate points in the front-rear direction of the center frame 80. Therefore, the center frame 80, the first connecting member 101, the occupant compartment floor panel 41, and the second connecting member 102 form a closed cross-sectional structure in side view. The third connecting member 103 is positioned rearward from the second connecting member 102.

As shown in Figure 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 parts of the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B are fixed to the front cross member 44A, but they may also be directly fixed to the main body portion of the occupant-side floor panel 41. The left-side member 101A extends upward from the front cross member 44A, tilting in a front view so that it is positioned to the left as it goes upward. The upper part of the left-side member 101A is fixed to the front of the left-side frame component 84A of the center frame 80. The upper part of the left-side member 101A may also be fixed to the left-side connection portion 54a. In this case, the left-side member 101A connects the left-side connection portion 54a to the occupant-side floor panel 41.

Furthermore, the right-side member 101B extends upward from the front cross member 44A, tilting in a front view so that it is positioned more to the right as it moves upward. The upper part of the right-side member 101B is fixed to the front 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 occupant-side floor panel 41. Also, since the front of the left-side frame component 84A and the front of the right-side frame component 84B are separated in the left-right direction, most of the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B, excluding their lower parts, are separated in the left-right direction, and the distance between the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B in the left-right direction increases as it moves upward.

Although not shown in the diagram, the first connecting member 101 may connect the rear of the left front frame 54A to the passenger compartment floor panel 41. In this case, the upper part of the left 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 member 101A is fixed to the passenger compartment floor panel 41. Alternatively, the first connecting member 101 may connect the rear of the right front frame 54B to the passenger compartment floor panel 41. In this case, the upper part of the right 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 member 101B is fixed to the passenger compartment floor panel 41.

The left-right dimension of the second connecting member 102 is set to be longer than its front-rear dimension, but less than or equal to the left-right dimension of the center frame 80. This prevents both the left and right sides of the second connecting member 102 from protruding from the center frame 80 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the cross-section of the second connecting member 102 is set to be larger than the cross-section of either 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 on the front common bracket 45 of the intermediate cross member 44B. Specifically, the lower part of the second connecting member 102 is fixed in a state where it is inserted into the central fixing portion 45a provided in the left-right 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 member with high strength, and since its dimension in the vehicle width direction is somewhat long, a large fixing range to the main body of the cross member 44B is secured, and the fixing strength is also increased. By fixing the lower part of the second connecting member 102 to the common bracket 45, which has high strength and fixing strength in this way, the connection 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 directly fixed to the main body of the passenger compartment side floor panel 41, or it may be directly fixed 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 occupant space side floor panel 41. Since the front-rear dimension of the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83 is longer than the front-rear dimension of the upper wall portion 83a, a large contact area with the second connecting member 102 can be secured. If the connecting member 83 is omitted, the upper part of the second connecting member 102 can be directly fixed to the center frame 80.

The third connecting member 103 has a cross-section that is elongated in the left-right direction, similar to the second connecting member 102. The lower part of the third connecting member 103 is fixed to the front cross member 44C of the recess. 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 portion of the floor frame 41c.

As shown in Figure 4, the rear of the center frame 80 is connected to the connecting 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 central portion of the rear cross member 44E is fixed to the lower part of this rear connecting member 104. The rear connecting member 104 connects the rear of the center frame 80 to the rear cross member 44E.

The rear side of the rear connecting member 104 is fixed to the connecting panel 43. Therefore, the rear of the center frame 80 is also connected to the connecting 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 compartment side floor panel 41. That is, the dash panel 50 and the connecting panel 43 are connected by the center frame 80. At this time, since the center frame 80 is separated upward from the passenger compartment side floor panel 41, the passenger compartment side floor panel 41, dash panel 50, connecting panel 43, and center frame 80 are integrated to form a closed cross-sectional structure in side view. This allows for a significant improvement in the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body, even while having a floor tunnel-less passenger compartment side floor panel 41.

Furthermore, the front portion of the left rear frame 111A and the front portion of the right rear frame 111B are fixed to the lower part of the rear connecting member 104. This connects the rear portion of the center frame 80 to the left rear wheel suspension support member 110A via the left rear frame 111A, and the rear portion of the center frame 80 to the right rear wheel suspension support member 110B via the right rear frame 111B. Therefore, the rigidity of the rear wheel suspension support members 110A and 110B can be increased, improving the vehicle's handling stability. Simultaneously, the rigidity of the rear of the vehicle, including the connecting panel 43 and its surroundings, can also be increased.

Figures 18 and 19 show the case where the inclination angle of the center frame 80 is large. In this example, the rear of the center frame 80 is connected to the rear of the floor frame 41c. This center frame 80 has a straight shape without bends, but bends may be formed. The rear of the center frame 80 is positioned below the front of the seat cushion of the rear seat RS. This prevents the rear of the center frame 80 from interfering with the rear seat RS occupant, thus avoiding a deterioration in rear passenger comfort. This rear of the center frame 80 is also fixed to the passenger compartment side floor panel 41.

Furthermore, 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 rear cross member 44D is provided at the rear of the recessed portion 41a, so the recessed portion 41a and its vicinity are reinforced by this rear cross member 44D. The recessed portion 41a and its vicinity are also reinforced by the floor frame 41c. Since the center frame 80, which is located above the passenger compartment floor panel 41, is connected to the floor frame 41c, the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body can be significantly improved.

As shown in Figure 5, the drive motor M of the rear powertrain PT is supported by the rear support frame 30 via a mounting member (not shown), and is positioned further rearward than the rear of the center frame 80. The height of the rear drive motor M can be arbitrarily set by the mounting height to the rear support frame 30. In this embodiment, the height of the rear drive motor M is set such that at least a portion of its height from top to bottom 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. With the rear powertrain PT positioned in this way, for example, if an impact load acting from the rear of the vehicle is input to the drive motor M and the drive motor M attempts to move forward, a load acting forward on the rear of the center frame 80 is applied to the rear of the center frame 80. At this time, since the rear of the center frame 80 is connected to the rear cross member 44E and connecting panel 43, etc., and integrated with the passenger compartment floor panel 41, the forward movement of the drive motor M is prevented by the center frame 80. The forward movement of the drive motor M is also prevented by the passenger compartment floor panel 41 and the rear cross member 44E.

Next, the layout of the front powertrain PT will be described based on Figure 17. The front powertrain PT is supported by the front support frame 20 via mounting members (not shown). The height of the front drive motor M can be arbitrarily set by the mounting height to the front support frame 20. The front powertrain PT is positioned in front of the first connecting member 101. At least a portion of the air conditioning unit 120 is positioned between the first connecting member 101 and the powertrain PT.

The air conditioning system 120 comprises a cooler (heat exchanger) 121 through which the 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, it is not limited to this; 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 placed in another section. In this embodiment, the cooler 121 is positioned in front of the dash panel 50. Although not shown, a compressor for compressing the refrigerant and an expansion valve for reducing the refrigerant pressure also constitute part of the air conditioning system 120.

The vertical center of the cooler 121 is positioned above the rotation center of the front drive motor M. That is, for example, if the automobile 1 collides from the front and a rearward impact load is applied to the powertrain PT, depending on the magnitude of the impact load, the powertrain PT may begin to move backward. Because the front powertrain PT is positioned as described above, a center frame 80 extending in the front-rear direction is positioned behind the powertrain PT, connected to the occupant-side floor panel 41 by connecting members 101-103. Therefore, the center frame 80 and connecting members 101-103 suppress the backward movement of the powertrain PT. Furthermore, since the occupant-side floor panel 41 is also located behind the powertrain PT, the occupant-side floor panel 41 may also suppress the backward movement of the powertrain PT.

Next, a specific example of the configuration of the air conditioning system 120 will be described. Inside the air conditioning casing 122 of the air conditioning system 120, in addition to the cooler 121, are a heater (not shown), an air mix damper 122a for generating conditioned air at a desired temperature by changing the mixing ratio of the cold air that has passed through the cooler 121 and the warm air that has passed through the heater, and a blow-direction switching damper 122b for distributing the generated conditioned air at the desired temperature to various parts of the passenger compartment. The operation of the blow-direction switching damper 122b allows the conditioned air to be supplied to the inner surface of the front windshield glass FG (shown in Figure 1), to the upper body of the occupants, or to the vicinity of the occupants' feet. The operation of the blow-direction switching damper 122b is conventionally known.

The front portion of the air conditioning casing 122 houses the cooler 121 and the air mix damper 122a, and is positioned in front 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 positioned in the occupant space R1, passing through the dash panel 50. Therefore, the cooler 121 and air mix damper 122a are closer to the powertrain PT than the air outlet direction switching damper 122b. Alternatively, the front portion of the air conditioning casing 122 may be positioned behind the dash panel 50.

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

Since the center frame 80 extends in the front-to-back direction, the air conditioning can be directed to a desired location in the front-to-back direction within the passenger compartment R1. In this case, the air duct 122d is positioned above the control device 130 and has a predetermined width in the left-to-right direction. Therefore, direct sunlight is also blocked by the air duct 122d, making it even more difficult for the control device 130 to reach it. Furthermore, by utilizing the center frame 80 as an air conditioning duct, a separate air conditioning duct is not required, allowing for a larger passenger compartment R1 compared to a case where a separate air conditioning duct is installed.

As shown in Figure 20, an upper air blower 80b is provided on the upper wall of the center frame 80, located behind the air duct 122d, to blow conditioned air upwards from the upper left passage T11 and the upper right passage T12. The upper air blowers 80b are located on the upper wall of the center frame 80, behind the backrest of the front seat FS, and are provided on both the left and right sides. The left upper air blower (left air blower) 80b is cylindrical and communicates with the upper left passage T11, while the right upper air blower (right air blower) 80b is cylindrical and communicates with the upper right passage T12. The downstream end of each upper air blower 80b is open upwards, facing the occupant seated in the rear seat RS.

As shown in Figure 5, a lower air blower 80c is provided in the lower wall portion of the center frame 80, away from the air guide duct 122d, for blowing conditioned air downwards from the left lower passage T13 and the right lower passage T14. The lower air blowers 80c are located behind the seat cushion portion of the front seat FS and are provided on both the left and right sides of the lower wall portion of the center frame 80. The left lower air blower 80c is cylindrical and communicates with the left lower passage T13, while the right lower air blower 80c is cylindrical and communicates with the right lower passage T14. The lower air blowers 80c are composed of rear footwell ducts extending downward toward the recessed portion 41a, and after extending downward from the center frame 80, they bend outward in the vehicle width direction. The rear footwell ducts can also be called rear heat ducts.

Furthermore, since the center frame 80 has a large cross-section that can improve the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body, even if the volume of air conditioning air circulating inside is increased, the airflow noise can be kept low. In particular, because the center frame 80 extends in a nearly straight shape, the internal passages also have a similar nearly straight shape, which also helps to keep the airflow noise low. Moreover, if no insulation material is provided in the center frame 80, the heat from the air conditioning air circulating inside the center frame 80 is transferred to the walls of the center frame 80 and radiated from the outer surface of the walls into the passenger compartment R1. This enables comfortable air conditioning using radiant heat. Note that insulation material may be provided in the center frame 80.

(Control device layout)
The vehicle body structure A includes a control device 130 (shown in Figures 9, 17, 23, etc.) that controls the control units installed in the automobile 1. Examples of control units include the powertrain PT, brake system, electronically controlled suspension system, lighting system, navigation system, head-up display system, audio system, in-car monitor, television, etc. The control device 130 that controls these control units includes a high-performance CPU, memory, etc., and is therefore large, as well as susceptible to high heat and shock. The control device 130 is also equipped with a water jacket through which cooling water flows as a measure against heat generation. In addition, in-car entertainment functions (video playback function, music playback function), etc. may be installed, in which case the control device 130 will also become larger.

In this embodiment, the control device 130 is positioned below the front of the center frame 80 in the passenger compartment R1. As described above, the height of the front of the center frame 80 is higher than that of the rear of the center frame 80, allowing for the placement of even a large control device 130. As shown by the dashed line in Figure 17, an instrument panel IP, on which instruments are mounted, is positioned above the front of the center frame 80. The instrument panel IP extends horizontally from the left to the right side of the passenger compartment R1. Furthermore, the front of the instrument panel IP reaches the lower part of the front windshield glass FG (shown in Figure 1).

The left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B, which constitute the first connecting member 101, are positioned in front of the control device 130. The second connecting member 102 is positioned behind the control device 130. As a result, the control device 130 is positioned between the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102, and gaps are provided 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 positioned below the center frame 80 within the occupant space R1, direct sunlight from the outside is blocked by the center frame 80, making it difficult for sunlight to reach the control device 130. Therefore, the control device 130 can be positioned in a thermally advantageous location. Furthermore, since the instrument panel IP is positioned above the control device 130, direct sunlight is also blocked by the instrument panel IP, making it even more difficult for sunlight to reach the control device 130. Additionally, because the control device 130 is covered by the instrument panel IP, it becomes less visible from the outside, which is desirable from a security standpoint.

Furthermore, an air duct 122d is positioned above the control device 130. The heat from the conditioned air is transferred to the wall of the air duct 122d and radiated from its outer surface toward the control device 130. At this time, since the air duct 122d contains conditioned air whose temperature is adjusted to ensure comfort in the occupant space R1, the radiant heat from the air duct 122d acts to suppress the temperature rise of the control device 130. Additionally, the air duct 122d can block direct sunlight.

Furthermore, considering the case of an impact load acting from the front, since the center frame 80 extends in the longitudinal direction, at least a portion of the impact load is absorbed by the center frame 80, and deformation of the vehicle body in its vicinity is suppressed. In other words, the control device 130, located below the center frame 80, is protected from impact loads from the front. The same applies to impact loads from the rear. In particular, since the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B allow for a firm connection of at least two points of the center frame 80 to the passenger compartment-side floor panel 41, the protective performance of the control device 130 can be enhanced.

Furthermore, considering the case where an impact load acts from the side of the vehicle, since the control device 130 is positioned to correspond to the center in the vehicle width direction, the impact load from the side is less likely to be directly transmitted to the control device 130, thus protecting the control device 130 from lateral impact loads. In addition, since the control device 130 is positioned between the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102, impact loads in the longitudinal direction are less likely to act on the control device 130, further improving its protective performance.

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

As shown in Figure 17, the cooler 121 is positioned behind the front powertrain PT and closer to the dash panel 50. This allows the cooler 121 to be positioned closer to the control unit 130 than the front powertrain PT. Therefore, the length of the supply piping 131 can be shortened, and the piping route is simplified. This reduces pressure loss when supplying cooling water to the control unit 130, and minimizes heat loss between the cooler 121 and the control unit 130, allowing for efficient cooling of the control unit 130.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 22, the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132 extend through the dash panel 50 and are arranged between the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B. By arranging the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132 between the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B, it becomes less likely for occupants' feet or other body parts to come into contact with the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132, thereby suppressing damage to the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132. The supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132 extend in the front-rear direction below the air conditioning unit 120.

(Effects of the embodiment)
As explained above, according to this embodiment, the control device 130 is positioned below the center frame 80 in the occupant space R1. For example, direct sunlight from the outside is blocked by the center frame 80 and does not easily reach the control device 130. Therefore, the control device 130 can be positioned in a thermally advantageous location.

Furthermore, considering, for example, the case where an impact load acts from the front of the vehicle, since the center frame 80 extends in the longitudinal direction, at least a portion of the impact load is absorbed by the center frame 80, and deformation of the vehicle body in its vicinity is suppressed. In other words, the control device 130, located below the center frame 80, is protected from impact loads from the front. The same applies to impact loads from the rear of the vehicle.

Furthermore, considering the case where an impact load is applied from the side of the vehicle, since the control device 130 is positioned to correspond to the center in the vehicle width direction, the impact load from the side is less likely to be directly transmitted to the control device 130, thus protecting the control device 130 from impact loads from the side.

The embodiments described above are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted restrictively. Furthermore, any modifications or changes falling within the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention.

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

1. Automobile 41. Passenger compartment side floor panel 43. Connecting panel 44A. Front cross member 50. Dash panel 80. Center frame 101. First connecting member 102. Second connecting member 130. Control device A. Body structure R1. Passenger compartment R3. Luggage compartment space.

Claims (1)

In a vehicle body structure provided in an automobile,
A floor panel that constitutes the floor of the passenger compartment where the passengers sit,
A center frame is provided in the center of the passenger compartment in the width direction of the vehicle, positioned above and away from the floor panel, and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
A control device for controlling a control unit mounted on the aforementioned automobile,
An air conditioning unit is provided on the front of the vehicle on the aforementioned center frame,
The air conditioning device comprises an air outlet that connects to the interior of the hollow center frame, and an air guide duct that introduces the conditioned air blown out from the outlet into the interior of the center frame,
The control device is located below the front of the vehicle on the center frame.
The aforementioned air intake duct is a vehicle body structure located above the control device.