US-12617471-B2 - Front-end structure for a motor vehicle with electric front-wheel drive

Abstract

A front-end structure for a motor vehicle with electric front-wheel drive. The front-end structure includes at least two longitudinal members, at least one support unit, and at least one electric traction motor. The longitudinal members extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction and arranged at a lateral distance from each other. The support unit is fastened to the longitudinal members. The electric traction motor is fastened to a front-side crossmember that extends in a vehicle transverse direction and is fastened to the longitudinal members. The electric traction motor has at least one rear-side fastening section, which the electric traction motor is fastened to the support unit at the rear. The support unit has at least one section arranged to be offset relative to the rear-side fastening section.

Inventors

• Brian Douglas Ross
• Marius Sawatzki
• Daniel Meckenstock
• Matt Dunker

Assignees

• FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230201

Priority Date

20220208

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A front-end structure for a motor vehicle with electric front-wheel drive, the front-end structure comprising: at least two longitudinal members extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction and arranged at a lateral distance from each other; at least one support unit fastened to the at least two longitudinal members; and at least one electric traction motor which, at the front, is fastened to a front-side crossmember that extends in a vehicle transverse direction and is fastened to the at least two longitudinal members, the at least one electric traction motor having at least one rear-side fastening section, via which the at least one electric traction motor is fastened to the at least one support unit at the rear, the at least one rear-side fastening section secured to a rear end of the support unit, wherein the at least one support unit has at least one catching section arranged to be offset relative to the at least one rear-side fastening section.
2. 2 . The front-end structure according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support unit is formed by a rear-side crossmember.
3. 3 . The front-end structure according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support unit forms a rear-side crossmember and at least one support element which is arranged on the rear-side crossmember and has a supporting surface for supporting at least one electronic component of the front-wheel drive.
4. 4 . The front-end structure according to claim 3 , wherein a width of the at least one catching section provided in the vehicle transverse direction is smaller than a width of the supporting surface provided in the vehicle transverse direction.
5. 5 . The front-end structure according to claim 3 , wherein the rear-side crossmember and the at least one support element are connected monolithically to each other.
6. 6 . The front-end structure according to claim 1 , wherein a lower free end section of the at least one catching section is angled over in a direction of the at least one electric traction motor.
7. 7 . The front-end structure according to claim 1 , wherein at least one vertical reinforcing rib is arranged on an outer side of the at least one catching section, facing away from the at least one electric traction motor.
8. 8 . The front-end structure according to claim 1 , wherein at least one horizontal reinforcing rib is arranged on an outer side of the catching section, facing away from the at least one electric traction motor.
9. 9 . The front-end structure according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electric traction motor has two rear-side fastening sections arranged at a distance from each other in the vehicle transverse direction, and wherein each rear-side fastening section of the two rear-side fastening sections comprises an individual catching section.
10. 10 . A front-end structure for a motor vehicle with electric front-wheel drive, the front-end structure comprising: a pair of longitudinal members extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction and arranged at a lateral distance from each other; a support unit secured to the pair of longitudinal members and having a supporting surface; a front-side crossmember extending in a vehicle transverse direction and secured to the pair of longitudinal members; and an electric traction motor secured to the front-side crossmember, the electric traction motor having a first rear-side fastening section secured to a rear end of the support unit at a fastening point, wherein the support unit has a first catching section offset in a rearward direction relative to the first rear-side fastening section and extending downward past the fastening point.
11. 11 . The front-end structure according to claim 10 , wherein a first vertical distance between the supporting surface and a lower free end of the first catching section is greater than a second vertical distance between the supporting surface and the fastening point.
12. 12 . The front-end structure according to claim 10 , wherein a lower free end of the first catching section is angled over and extends toward the electric traction motor.
13. 13 . The front-end structure according to claim 10 , wherein the first catching section has a first width extending in the vehicle transverse direction and the supporting surface has a second width extending in the vehicle transverse direction, and wherein the first width is smaller than the second width.
14. 14 . The front-end structure according to claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of vertical reinforcing ribs located at an outer side of the first catching section that faces away from the electric traction motor, and wherein the vertical reinforcing ribs are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle transverse direction.
15. 15 . The front-end structure according to claim 14 , wherein the vertical reinforcing ribs are located below the supporting surface.
16. 16 . The front-end structure according to claim 10 , further comprising at least one first vertical reinforcing rib located on an outer side of the first catching section that faces away from the electric traction motor.
17. 17 . The front-end structure according to claim 16 , wherein the electric traction motor has a second rear-side fastening section that is spaced apart from the first rear-side fastening section in the vehicle transverse direction.
18. 18 . The front-end structure according to claim 17 , further comprising a second vertical reinforcing rib located on an outer side of the first catching section that faces away from the electric traction motor.
19. 19 . The front-end structure according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one first vertical reinforcing rib includes a plurality of vertical reinforcing ribs located at an outer side of the first catching section that faces away from the electric traction motor, and wherein a plurality of second vertical reinforcing ribs are located at an outer side of the second catching section that faces away from the electric traction motor.
20. 20 . A front-end structure for a motor vehicle with electric front-wheel drive, the front-end structure comprising: a pair of longitudinal members extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction and arranged at a lateral distance from each other; a support unit secured to the pair of longitudinal members and having a supporting surface; a front-side crossmember extending in a vehicle transverse direction and secured to the pair of longitudinal members; and an electric traction motor secured to the front-side crossmember, the electric traction motor having a rear-side fastening section secured to a rear end of the support unit at a fastening point, wherein the support unit has first and second catching sections offset in a rearward direction relative to the rear-side fastening section and extending downward past the fastening point, the first and second catching sections are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle transverse direction, wherein a plurality of first vertical reinforcing ribs are located at an outer side of the first catching section that faces away from the electric traction motor, wherein a plurality of second vertical reinforcing ribs are located at an outer side of the second catching section that faces away from the electric traction motor, and wherein a first vertical distance between the supporting surface and a lower free end of each of the first and second catching sections is greater than a second vertical distance between the supporting surface and the fastening point.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to and the benefit of German Patent Application No. 102022102840.2, filed on Feb. 8, 2022. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD The present disclosure relates to a front-end structure for a motor vehicle with electric front-wheel drive. BACKGROUND The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. As compared with conventional motor vehicles with an internal combustion engine, electric cars have a new drive architecture. In addition, future electric traction motors will have a different motor geometry from electric traction motors currently used. Such a new motor geometry can in particular permit a displacement of a center of gravity of an electric traction motor, which requires a new motor suspension, which is primarily determined by the center of gravity of the electric traction motor, since it is advantageous to arrange for an imaginary connecting plane between suspension points for the electric traction motor to extend through the center of gravity of the electric traction motor. In particular in an electric traction motor which is able to apply a high torque to the drive axle, for example beginning at 6000 Nm axle torque, it is advantageous to use longer lever arms, which each carry a motor mounting, about a y axis (transverse axis) of the electric traction motor through the motor center of gravity. For example, via the lever arms, the motor mountings can each be arranged at a distance of about 350 millimeters (mm) to 700 millimeters (mm) from the motor center of gravity. The motor torque that can be generated by the electric traction motor does not correspond to the axle torque if the motor torque is transferred to the axle via a transmission. Conventionally, an electric traction motor is fastened to a respective crossmember at the front and rear, wherein the crossmembers are fastened to longitudinal members of a front-end structure. The rear-side motor suspension is located at a height of a lower crossmember for an instrument panel. Here, the rear-side motor suspension additionally defines the largest dimension of the electric traction motor in the vehicle longitudinal direction. A support unit is fastened to the rear-side crossmember or the support unit is integrated in the rear-side crossmember which, in a plan view from above, is predominantly arranged between frame longitudinal members of the front-end structure and carries electronic components of an electric front-wheel drive and/or further vehicle components. In the event of a certain type of frontal impact on such a front-end structure, the upper rear-side crossmember may move in the direction of the instrument panel and, as a result, may cause deformations in the instrument panel, while at the same time the vehicle impulse index (VPI, retardation index) may increase, which may lower occupant protection performance. This goes hand-in-hand with a need for structural shortening of the front section of a motor vehicle because of design intentions and for a displacement of the instrument panel in the direction of the front in order to create more space for the occupants. CN 111746656 A discloses a front-end structure for a motor vehicle which is set up to protect auxiliary components of an engine and to absorb impact energy during certain type of frontal collision. The front-end structure has a subframe which extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction, an engine which is carried by the sub-frame, an auxiliary machine component which is provided on a rear side of the engine, a front-side crossmember, to which a rear end of the subframe is fastened, and an instrument panel. A first deformable part is formed in the subframe between a carrier part and a rear-side end part of the engine. A second deformable part is formed on the instrument panel. A guard which is carried by the auxiliary frame is arranged between the auxiliary machine component and the second deformable part. U.S. Pat. No. 10,562,386 B2 discloses an arrangement for a motor vehicle, having an engine assembly and a first engine catch hook which is coupled to the engine assembly, wherein the first engine catch hook has a hook section which is designed to engage in a subframe of the motor vehicle during a certain type of collision and to transmit a load from the engine assembly to the subframe. In addition, the arrangement has a second engine catch hook which is coupled to the engine assembly, wherein the second engine catch hook has a hook section which is spaced apart vertically from the hook section of the first engine catch hook and is designed to engage in a catch structure during the certain type of collision and to transmit a load from the engine into the catch structure, wherein the catch structure is an upper end of a bulkhead structure between an engine compartment and an int