Battery box

Abstract

This invention relates to a battery box that can effectively handle side impacts, such as those in electric vehicles, and thereby minimize battery deformation. The battery box includes: a box body for housing battery cells; and a cover attached to the box body. The box body includes: a base plate; side frames connected to the base plate to surround the battery cells, and the side frames including inner and outer walls; a mounting frame attached to the outer wall of the side frames; and at least one reinforcing material disposed on the base plate, with two ends of the at least one reinforcing material inserted into the side frames in the longitudinal direction. The ends of the reinforcing material can pass through the inner and outer walls of the side frames and contact the mounting frame.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a battery box, for example, a battery box that minimizes the amount of deformation of the battery in the event of a side collision in an electric vehicle or the like. Background Technology

[0002] Battery packs installed in electric vehicles and other similar vehicles may catch fire and explode during a vehicle collision, posing a serious risk to the driver and passengers in the vehicle.

[0003] In particular, compared to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the battery pack has less space to absorb collision energy in the lateral direction of the vehicle. Therefore, it is important to prepare a structure that can respond to side impacts to protect the battery cells within it in the event of a side impact.

[0004] Typically, although aluminum extrusion is used to construct the sidewalls of the battery box, a potential drawback of aluminum extrusion is that it results in poor price competitiveness due to increased material costs.

[0005] (Patent Document 1) JP 2019-18732A Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a battery box, for example, a battery box that minimizes the amount of battery deformation by effectively responding to a side impact of an electric vehicle or the like.

[0008] Technical solution

[0009] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the battery box includes: a box body that houses a battery cell; and a cover that is connected to the box body, wherein the box body includes a base plate; a side frame that is connected to the base plate to surround the battery cell, and the side frame includes an inner side wall and an outer side wall; a mounting frame that is connected to the outer side wall of the side frame and has a space; and at least one reinforcing material disposed on the base plate and having two end portions that pass through at least two inner side walls of the side frame in the longitudinal direction, wherein the side frame is formed to have at least three closed sections, the space of the mounting frame is positioned to correspond to one of the closed sections of the side frame, and the end portions of the reinforcing material are inserted into one of the closed sections of the side frame.

[0010] Beneficial effects

[0011] As described above, according to this disclosure, the effect is that matching the height of the lateral members of the side frame with the height of the lateral portion of the mounting frame can effectively respond to side impacts, and connecting the reinforcing material to the side frame or mounting frame can protect the battery cells therein, which is the most important function of the battery box, and minimize the amount of internal intrusion in a side impact. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery box according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 2 It is intercepted along line I-I' Figure 1 The view.

[0014] Figure 3 It's a diagram. Figure 2 A perspective view of a portion of the side frame shown.

[0015] Figure 4 It's a diagram. Figure 2 A perspective view of a portion of the reinforcing material shown.

[0016] Figure 5 It is a three-dimensional diagram illustrating the connection between the reinforcement material and the side frame.

[0017] Figure 6 This is an exploded perspective view of a battery box according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 7 It is intercepted along line II-II'. Figure 6 The view.

[0019] Figure 8 It's a diagram. Figure 6 A perspective view of a portion of the mounting frame shown.

[0020] Figure 9 It's a diagram. Figure 6 A perspective view of a portion of the reinforcing material shown.

[0021] Figure 10 The graph illustrates the deformation by analyzing the battery box according to the prior art and the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present disclosure will be explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. When adding reference numerals to components in each of the drawings, it should be noted that identical components should, as far as possible, have the same reference numerals, even if these components are shown in different drawings.

[0023] Figure 1This illustration shows an exploded perspective view of a battery box according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the battery box may include a box body 1 and a cover 2.

[0024] The battery box can be fixedly mounted on the bottom panel (not shown) that constitutes the vehicle body. For example, the battery box can have a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, and multiple battery cells (not shown) can be housed in the battery box.

[0025] The box body 1 and the cover 2 can be connected to each other to form a space therein.

[0026] For example, the box body 1 and the cover 2 may have flange portions 3 formed along their respective edges, and these flange portions may overlap each other and be assembled by fasteners such as bolts, nuts, screws, etc.

[0027] Alternatively, the flange portion 3 formed along the edge of the cover 2 and the side frame 20 of the box body 1, which will be described later, can overlap each other and can be connected by using fasteners such as bolts, nuts, screws, etc.

[0028] Cover 2 can be formed from high-strength plastic, which ensures sufficient strength while reducing weight and cost, or cover 2 can be formed from a lightweight metal such as aluminum. When the material of the cover is plastic, the cover can be formed by injection molding, compression molding, etc., and when the material is metal, the cover can be formed into a predetermined shape by pressing, etc.

[0029] Since the casing 1 may be directly exposed to the outside and may be at high risk of breakage and damage due to foreign objects, the casing 1 may be made of metal to more effectively protect the battery cell.

[0030] In this case, the box body 1 can be prepared by the following process: machining the materials, such as steel with appropriate strength, for example, ultra-high strength steel with a tensile strength of about 980 MPa or greater for light weight, to prepare the components, and then assembling and combining the components.

[0031] For convenience, the battery box will be described primarily using the box body 1 in the following text.

[0032] Figure 2 It is intercepted along line I-I' Figure 1 The view, and Figure 3 It's a diagram. Figure 2 A perspective view of a portion of the side frame shown, and Figure 3It has a portion (a) and a portion (b), with portion (a) being a view viewed from the outer surface of the box body 1 and portion (b) being a view viewed from the inner surface of the box body 1.

[0033] In the battery box according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the box body 1 may include a base plate 10, a side frame 20, a mounting frame 40 and at least one reinforcing material 30.

[0034] The base plate 10 can be a flat plate made of, for example, metal such as steel. This flat plate can be prepared by cutting it to a predetermined width and length. The base plate can be used as a component to support battery cells, etc.

[0035] The height of the side frame 20 can vary depending on the size of the battery cell embedded in the housing 1. Additionally, multiple fastening holes 21 for connection with the cover 2 (see...) Figure 1 It can be formed in the upper surface of the side frame.

[0036] At least four side frames 20 can be provided around the battery cell. For example, the side frames can be provided along the edge of the base plate 10. The two end portions of each side frame can be cut at a predetermined angle (e.g., about 45 degrees) to contact the corresponding other side frame in the two end portions of each side frame, and can then be joined by welding such as arc welding, laser welding, etc. Thus, the side frames can form the sidewalls of the housing body 1.

[0037] like Figure 3 As shown, in the two side walls of the side frame arranged along the width direction (e.g., the Y direction in the figure), a through slit 22 can be formed at a predetermined position in the inner side wall 23 of the side frame 20, which at least constitutes the inner surface of the box body 1.

[0038] Alternatively, the through slit 22 may be formed in the outer wall 24 that constitutes the outer surface of the box body 1.

[0039] in this case, Figure 3 The shapes of the inner wall 23 and the outer wall 24 shown are not limited to the example illustrated, and the inner and outer walls may have opposite shapes.

[0040] The through slit 22 can be formed to have a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing material 30, which will be described later, and thus, when the end portions of the reinforcing material are fitted into the through slit, they can fit into each other's shapes.

[0041] For example, the side frame 20 can be generally made of metal such as steel, aluminum, etc., and formed with a rectangular closed cross section.

[0042] More specifically, the side frame 20 may be formed of plate material, such as 1470 martensitic (MART) steel with a thickness of about 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm produced by the applicant.

[0043] In this case, 1470MART steel can have a tensile strength of 1470MPa or higher and a yield strength of 1050MPa or higher to improve collision safety.

[0044] For example, in steel, the side frame 20 can be formed to have at least three closed cross sections by bending a single plate material having a predetermined width and length multiple times, and then welding the adjacent end portions of the single plate material. As a machining process, bending, roll forming, etc., can be used.

[0045] For example, a plate member can extend a first height from one end along the longitudinal direction Z to form a first longitudinal member V1, and then can extend along the first direction ( Figure 2 The plate member is bent once in a counter-clockwise direction. Afterward, the plate member can be extended a predetermined length in the transverse direction Y to form a first transverse member H1, and then bent once in the same direction. Subsequently, the plate member can be lowered a second height in the longitudinal direction to form a second longitudinal member V2, and then bent once in the same direction. Afterward, the plate member can be extended a predetermined length in the transverse direction to form a second transverse member H2, and then bent once in the same first direction. Subsequently, the plate member can be extended a third height in the longitudinal direction to form a third longitudinal member V3, and then bent again in the same direction.

[0046] The third height of the third longitudinal member V3 can be shorter than the second height of the second longitudinal member V2, such that the space separated by the first longitudinal member V1, the first transverse member H1, the second longitudinal member V2, the second transverse member H2, and the third longitudinal member V3 can be divided into two closed cross-sectional regions. In this case, the closed cross-section on one side can be referred to as the first closed cross-section C1. For example, the first closed cross-section can have a rectangular cross-section.

[0047] Then, the plate member can be extended a predetermined length in the transverse direction Y to form a third transverse member H3, and then bend once in the same first direction. Subsequently, the plate member can be lowered a fourth height in the longitudinal direction Z to form a fourth longitudinal member V4, and then bend again in the same direction.

[0048] The fourth height of the fourth longitudinal member V4 can be shorter than the third height of the third longitudinal member V3, such that the space separated by a portion of the second longitudinal member V2 – the second transverse member H2 – the third longitudinal member V3 – the third transverse member H3 can be divided into two closed cross-sectional regions. In this case, the closed cross-section adjacent to the first closed cross-section C1 can be referred to as the second closed cross-section C2, and the remaining closed cross-sections can be referred to as the third closed cross-section C3. For example, the second or third closed cross-section can have a rectangular cross-section.

[0049] Subsequently, the plate member can be extended a predetermined length in the transverse direction Y to form a fourth transverse member H4.

[0050] In this way, the plate member can be extended to a predetermined length and then repeatedly bent to form multiple closed sections with a desired number of longitudinal members and a desired number of transverse members, and then the plate material can be terminated at the other end.

[0051] In the battery box according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the side frame 10 may be formed having at least three closed sections C1, C2 and C3, and thus may provide four or more transverse members H1, H2, H3 and H4.

[0052] Finally, the two ends of the plate material can be bent clockwise or counterclockwise respectively to form flanges. For example, one end of the plate member can be bent in a second direction (clockwise) opposite to the first direction to form a first flange F1, and the other end of the plate member can also be bent in the second direction to form a second flange F2.

[0053] The first flange F1 can be welded to the third transverse member H3 by arc welding, laser welding, etc., to form a welded part W. The second flange F2 can be welded to the third longitudinal member V3 by arc welding, laser welding, etc., to form a welded part.

[0054] In addition, the fourth longitudinal member V4 can be welded to one side of the second longitudinal member V2 by means of arc welding, laser welding, etc., to form a welded part W.

[0055] In this way, the second longitudinal member V2 and the fourth longitudinal member V4 can overlap each other, such that the inner wall 23 or the outer wall 24 of the side frame 20 can be partially thick, and thus the side walls of the side frame can be reinforced to minimize the amount of intrusion into the battery pack in a side collision.

[0056] For example, the overlapping portion of the second longitudinal member V2 and the fourth longitudinal member V4 may be located on the inner wall 23 of the side frame 20, but is not necessarily limited to this.

[0057] The shape of the closed section can be adjusted according to design conditions, and the through slit 22 can be formed by pre-stamping during the blanking process of the sheet material. For example, the through slit can be pre-formed in the sheet material in a portion corresponding to the second longitudinal member V2, a portion corresponding to the third longitudinal member V3, or a portion corresponding to the fourth longitudinal member V4.

[0058] The base plate 10 and the side frame 20 can be connected to each other by welding, such as arc welding. The base plate can be welded to the bottom surface of the side frame, such as the outer surface of the second transverse member H2, to form a welded portion W. Therefore, the box body 1 can have a space 4 (see [reference]) by the side frame forming a closed section around the base plate. Figure 1 ).

[0059] The mounting frame 40 can be attached to the outer wall 24 of the outer surface of the side frame 20 that constitutes the battery box. For example, a flange can be formed on the mounting frame, and the flange of the mounting frame can be welded to the outer surface of the side frame by arc welding or the like.

[0060] The mounting frame 40 can be fixed to, for example, a side portion of the vehicle body using bolts or similar means. Therefore, the battery box can be fixed to the vehicle body.

[0061] Additionally, the mounting frame 40 can be used as a component that is the first to respond to a collision in the battery box.

[0062] The mounting frame 40 can be formed by machining individual metal parts, such as steel.

[0063] More specifically, the mounting frame 40 may be formed of plate material, such as 1470MART steel with a thickness of about 1.2 mm to 1.6 mm produced by the applicant.

[0064] In this way, since the mounting frame 40 can be thicker than the side frame 20, the effect of increasing the repulsive force against the impact of the battery box can be achieved.

[0065] The mounting frame 40 can be formed into a tortuous cross-sectional shape by repeatedly bending a single sheet material with a predetermined width and length. Therefore, the cross-section of the mounting frame can be formed into a W-shaped shape with laterally flattened surfaces. As a machining process, bending, roll forming, forming, etc., can be used.

[0066] For example, the sheet material can be extended from one end along the transverse direction Y for a predetermined length to form a first transverse portion HM1, and can be extended along the second direction ( Figure 2 The first longitudinal portion VM1 can be lowered by a first height in the longitudinal direction Z to form the first longitudinal portion VM1, and then it can be bent once in the same direction.

[0067] Subsequently, the plate material can be extended a predetermined length in the transverse direction Y to form a second transverse portion HM2, which can be in a first direction opposite to the initial bending direction ( Figure 2 It can be bent once in the counterclockwise direction, and can be lowered to a second height in the longitudinal direction Z to form the second longitudinal part VM2, and can then be bent once in the same first direction.

[0068] Next, the plate material can be extended a predetermined length in the transverse direction Y to form a third transverse portion HM3, can be bent once in a second direction which can be the first bending direction, can be lowered a third height in the longitudinal direction Z to form a third longitudinal portion VM3, and can then be bent again in the same second direction.

[0069] Subsequently, the plate material can be extended a predetermined length in the transverse direction Y to form the fourth transverse portion HM4.

[0070] In this way, the plate material can be extended to a predetermined length, and then repeatedly bent to form a desired number of longitudinal members and a desired number of transverse members, and then the plate material can be terminated at the other end.

[0071] In the battery box according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the mounting frame 40 may have at least two lateral portions (a first lateral portion HM1 and a fourth lateral portion HM4).

[0072] Finally, the two ends of the plate material can be bent clockwise or counterclockwise respectively to form flanges. For example, one end of the plate member can be bent in a second direction to form a first connecting flange FM1, and the other end of the plate member can be bent in a first direction to form a second connecting flange FM2.

[0073] The first connecting flange FM1 can be welded to the outer surface of the outer wall of the side frame 20, such as the first longitudinal member V1, by means of arc welding, to form a welded portion W. The second connecting flange FM2 can be welded to the outer surface of the side frame, such as the third longitudinal member V3, by means of arc welding, to form a welded portion.

[0074] The mounting frame 40 may have an open space SM between the first transverse portion HM1 and the fourth transverse portion HM4 due to the curved shape of the mounting frame 40.

[0075] For example, the space SM of the mounting frame 40 can be positioned to correspond to the second closed section C2 among the multiple closed sections of the side frame 20.

[0076] As described above, since the connecting flanges FM1 and FM2 of the mounting frame 40 can be connected to the outer side wall 24 of the side frame 20 by means of arc welding, the space SM of the mounting frame can be set as a closed section.

[0077] Furthermore, in the battery box according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the transverse members (e.g., the third transverse member H3 and the fourth transverse member H4) of the side frame that divide one of the multiple closed sections (e.g., C2) of the side frame 20 and the transverse portions (first transverse portion HM1 and fourth transverse portion HM4) of the mounting frame that divide the space SM of the mounting frame 40 can be positioned at the same height in the longitudinal direction Z.

[0078] For example, such as Figure 2 As shown, the third transverse member H3 and the fourth transverse member H4 of the side frame 20 can be positioned at the same height as the first transverse portion HM1 and the fourth transverse portion HM4 of the mounting frame 40, respectively.

[0079] Therefore, the battery box according to the first embodiment of this disclosure can be formed with a structure equipped with a transverse member or transverse portion equivalent to an extruded material with a complex cross-section formed of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and even steel, which is cheaper than aluminum or aluminum alloy, can be used in this structure.

[0080] The lateral members and lateral portions can be aligned to match each other in height, so that the lateral members and lateral portions can serve as reinforcements in the battery box, thereby enabling the battery box to effectively resist externally applied side impacts.

[0081] In addition, the impact performance of the battery box can be ensured by adjusting the strength or thickness of the plate material constituting the side frame 20 and the plate material constituting the mounting frame 40.

[0082] Furthermore, the materials of the plates constituting the side frame 20 and the plates constituting the mounting frame 40 can be different, or ultra-high strength steel of 980 MPa or greater can be used to achieve the best combination for the lightweight battery box.

[0083] The cross-sectional shape of the mounting frame 40 can be adjusted according to design conditions, and the through slit 42 can be pre-formed during the punching process of the sheet material.

[0084] Figure 4 The diagram shows Figure 2 A perspective view of a portion of the reinforcing material shown, and Figure 5 It is a perspective view illustrating the connection state of the reinforcing material and the side frame, and has its parts (a) and (b), with part (a) being a view viewed from the inner surface of the box body 1 and part (b) being a view viewed from the outer surface of the box body 1.

[0085] The reinforcing material 30 can be fixedly installed on the inner surface of the housing 1 containing the battery cells, for example, on the base plate 10. The reinforcing material can be fixed to the base plate by welding or the like, but the fixing method is not necessarily limited to this.

[0086] Furthermore, the reinforcing material 30 can be integrally formed by machining a single metal plate, such as steel. The reinforcing material can be formed by bending, rolling, forming, etc.

[0087] For example, when the reinforcing material 30 is manufactured by roll forming, a uniform ultra-high strength steel material with a tensile strength of approximately 980 MPa or greater can be easily formed. Furthermore, compared to compression forming, springback can be easily compensated in roll forming, and it has the advantage of being able to reduce the corner radius of the reinforcing material.

[0088] More specifically, the reinforcing material 30 may be formed of plate material, such as 1470MART steel with a thickness of about 1.0 mm to 1.2 mm produced by the applicant.

[0089] In this case, the thickness of the plate material of the reinforcing material 30 can be greater than the thickness of the plate material of the side frame 20.

[0090] The reinforcing material 30 can be formed by repeatedly bending a single plate material having a predetermined width and length and molding it into a generally cap-shaped cross-section. Therefore, the reinforcing material can include a body 31 and a support portion 33. The body 31 has a hollow portion 32 formed into a generally downward U-shaped form, and the support portion 33 extends laterally along the width direction X of the body at the open end portion of the hollow portion extending along the longitudinal direction Y of the body. For example, the support portion can be formed to extend from the end portion of the body along the width direction of the body.

[0091] In this case, the support portion 33 can be formed to have a closed cross-section by welding the end portion of the support portion to the body after bending in a direction opposite to the bending direction of the body 31.

[0092] Furthermore, in some regions of the two end portions of the reinforcing material 30 constituting the body 31 in the longitudinal direction, the support portion can be omitted, and the two end portions of the reinforcing material from which the support portion can be omitted in this way can be formed by incorporating these two end portions into the sheet material during the punching process. Therefore, the length of the support portion in the longitudinal direction X can be formed to be shorter than the length of the body.

[0093] The supporting portion 33 of the reinforcing material 30 and the base plate 10 can be joined together by welding, such as arc welding or laser welding. For example, since the supporting portion can be welded to the base plate along its entire length in the longitudinal direction Y, the watertightness between the supporting portion of the reinforcing material and the base plate can be ensured. Therefore, a welded portion can be formed between the supporting portion of the reinforcing material and the base plate.

[0094] In this case, the hollow portion 32 of the body 31 constituting the reinforcing material 30 can be connected to the base plate 10 to form a closed section.

[0095] In addition to fixing the reinforcing material 30 to the base plate 10, the support part 33 can also support any part installed in the box body 1, such as the cooling plate.

[0096] The two end portions of the reinforcing material 30 in the longitudinal direction Y can contact the side frame 20 and can be inserted into the side frame for connection. For example... Figure 3 As shown and as described above, the through slit 22 can be formed at least in the inner sidewall 23 of the side frame that contacts the end portion of the reinforcing material, such that the end portion of the reinforcing material can be fitted into the through slit for a form fit.

[0097] More specifically, the body 31 of the reinforcing material 30 can be inserted into the side frame 20 through the through slit 22, such that the end portion of the reinforcing material can be positioned in one of a plurality of closed sections (e.g., C2) in the side frame.

[0098] Optionally, the through slit 22 can be formed in the outer wall 24 that constitutes the outer surface of the box body 1, such that the two end portions of the reinforcing material 30 in the longitudinal direction Y can pass through the side frame 20 in the width direction Y, and can then protrude outward from the side frame.

[0099] In this case, the end portion of the reinforcing material 30, such as the end portion of the body 31, can pass through the through slits 22 on the two side walls of the side frame 20 and can protrude outward from the side frame to perform welding to ensure the water tightness of the battery box.

[0100] The length of the end portion of the reinforcing material 30 that passes through the side frame 20 and protrudes from the side frame in the longitudinal direction Y of the reinforcing material can be approximately 5 to 10 mm. When the length of the protrusion is less than 5 mm, it may be difficult to weld, and when the length exceeds 10 mm, it may interfere with adjacent components, making it difficult to install the battery box.

[0101] like Figure 5As shown in part (b), the connection between the protruding end portion of the reinforcing material 30 and the through slit 22 of the side frame 20 can be joined to each other by welding, such as arc welding or laser welding, and a welded part W can be formed to ensure the watertightness between the end portion of the reinforcing material and the side frame.

[0102] The supporting portion 33 of the reinforcing material 30 can contact the inner sidewall 23 of the inner surface of the box body 1 of the side frame 20. For example, the supporting portion may not pass through the inner sidewall.

[0103] The end portion of the reinforcing material 30, such as the end portion of the body 31, can be inserted into the through slot 22 of the side frame 20 and conform to the shape of the through slot 22 to completely close the through slot. This ensures water tightness between the end portion of the reinforcing material and the side frame.

[0104] The matching line formed by inserting the end portion of the reinforcing material 30 into the through slot 22 and conforming to the shape of the through slot 22 can be welded, for example, by arc welding, laser welding, etc., to form a welded portion W between the end portion of the reinforcing material and the side frame 20, such as... Figure 5 Part (a) is shown.

[0105] Therefore, while ensuring a secure connection between the end portion of the reinforcing material 30 and the side frame 20, water tightness can be further guaranteed.

[0106] To ensure water tightness, a coating of plastic materials such as acrylic resin, epoxy resin, or silicone resin can be applied to the joints of the components that make up the box body 1, for example, to the welded parts W.

[0107] The reinforcing material 30 can be configured as at least one reinforcing material. The number of reinforcing materials can be determined based on the magnitude of the externally applied impact.

[0108] As described above, in the battery case according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, a reinforcing material 30 having a curved cap-shaped cross-section can be disposed on the bottom of the case body 1, and the reinforcing material can extend along the bottom of the case body to contact the side frame 20 and be inserted into the side frame 20. For example, the reinforcing material can extend to the side frame and can be connected to the side frame by insertion, and the end portion of the reinforcing material can even be inserted into and pass through one of the closed sections (e.g., C2) of the closed section of the side frame.

[0109] For example, in a side collision involving an electric vehicle, in the battery box according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, when the collision energy is transmitted to the side frame 20 of the box body 1 and causes deformation, the reinforcing material 30 can resist the collision and deformation.

[0110] Therefore, according to this disclosure, it is possible to achieve the effect of protecting the battery cells therein and minimizing the amount of internal intrusion in a side collision.

[0111] Figure 6 The illustration shows an exploded perspective view of a battery box according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 7 It is intercepted along line II-II'. Figure 6 The view.

[0112] In the battery box according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, the box body 1 may include a base plate 10, a side frame 20, a mounting frame 40 and at least one reinforcing material 30.

[0113] In this case, apart from the reinforcing material 30 of the box body 1 penetrating the side frame 20 and contacting the mounting frame 40, since the components of the battery box according to the second embodiment of this disclosure can be constructed and used in the same manner as described in the first embodiment of this disclosure, a detailed description of the configuration and operation of the remaining components will be omitted.

[0114] As described above, the mounting frame 40 can be connected to the outer wall 24 of the outer surface of the battery compartment in the side frame 20. For example, connecting flanges FM1 and FM2 can be formed on the mounting frame, and the connecting flanges of the mounting frame can be welded to the outer wall of the side frame by arc welding or the like.

[0115] The mounting frame 40 can be fixed to, for example, a side portion of the vehicle body using bolts or similar means. Therefore, the battery box can be fixed to the vehicle body.

[0116] Additionally, the mounting frame 40 can be used as a component that is the first to respond to a collision in the battery box.

[0117] Figure 8 yes Figure 6 A perspective view of a portion of the mounting frame shown, and as Figure 8 As shown, the mounting frame 40 may optionally have a through slit 42 formed at a predetermined location.

[0118] The through slit 42 can be formed in a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing material 30, which will be described later, and thus, when the end portions of the reinforcing material are inserted into the through slit, they can fit together in shape.

[0119] The mounting frame 40 can be formed by machining a single metal part, such as steel.

[0120] More specifically, the mounting frame 40 may be formed of plate material, such as 1470MART steel with a thickness of about 1.2 mm to 1.6 mm produced by the applicant.

[0121] The mounting frame 40 can be formed into a tortuous cross-sectional shape by repeatedly bending a single sheet material with a predetermined width and length. Therefore, the cross-section of the mounting frame can be formed into a W-shaped shape with laterally flattened surfaces. As a machining process, bending, roll forming, forming, etc., can be used.

[0122] The cross-sectional shape of the mounting frame 40 can be adjusted according to design conditions, and the through slit 42 can be pre-formed during the punching process of the sheet material.

[0123] Figure 9 yes Figure 6 A perspective view of a portion of the reinforcing material shown.

[0124] The reinforcing material 30 can be fixedly installed on the inner surface of the housing 1 containing the battery cells, for example, on the base plate 10. The reinforcing material can be fixed to the base plate by welding or the like, but the fixing method is not necessarily limited to this.

[0125] Furthermore, the reinforcing material 30 can be integrally formed by machining a single metal plate, such as steel. The reinforcing material can be formed by bending, rolling, forming, etc.

[0126] For example, when the reinforcing material 30 is manufactured by roll forming, a uniform ultra-high strength steel material with a tensile strength of approximately 980 MPa or greater can be easily formed. Furthermore, compared to compression forming, springback can be easily compensated in roll forming, and it has the advantage of being able to reduce the corner radius of the reinforcing material.

[0127] More specifically, the reinforcing material 30 may be formed of plate material, such as 1470MART steel with a thickness of about 1.0 mm to 1.2 mm produced by the applicant.

[0128] In this case, the thickness of the plate material of the reinforcing material 30 can be thicker than the thickness of the plate material of the side frame 20, and thinner than the thickness of the plate material of the mounting frame 40.

[0129] The reinforcing material 30 can be formed by repeatedly bending a single plate material having a predetermined width and length and molding it into a generally cap-shaped cross-section. Therefore, the reinforcing material can include a body 31 and a support portion 33. The body 31 has a hollow portion 32 formed into a generally downward U-shaped form, and the support portion 33 extends laterally along the width direction X of the body at the open end portion of the hollow portion extending along the longitudinal direction Y of the body. For example, the support portion can be formed to extend from the end portion of the body along the width direction of the body.

[0130] In this case, the support portion 33 can be formed to have a closed cross-section by welding the end portion of the support portion to the body after bending in a direction opposite to the bending direction of the body 31.

[0131] In addition, in some areas of the two end portions of the reinforcing material 30 in the longitudinal direction of the body 31, the support portion can be omitted, and the two end portions of the reinforcing material from which the support portion can be omitted in this way can be formed by incorporating the two end portions into the sheet material during the punching process.

[0132] The supporting portion 33 of the reinforcing material 30 and the base plate 10 can be watertightly joined to each other by welding, such as arc welding or laser welding. For example, since the supporting portion can be welded to the base plate along its entire length in the longitudinal direction Y, the watertightness between the supporting portion of the reinforcing material and the base plate can be ensured. Therefore, a welded portion can be formed between the supporting portion of the reinforcing material and the base plate.

[0133] In this case, the hollow portion 32 of the body 31 constituting the reinforcing material 30 can be connected to the base plate 10 to form a closed section.

[0134] In addition to fixing the reinforcing material 30 to the base plate 10, the support part 33 can also support any part installed in the box body 1, such as the cooling plate.

[0135] The two end portions of the reinforcing material 30 in the longitudinal direction Y can be connected to form a contact side frame 20 and pass through the side frame. For example... Figure 7 As shown and as described above, the through slit 22 can be formed in the two inner sidewalls of the side frame that contact the end portions of the reinforcing material, such that the end portions of the reinforcing material are inserted into the through slit and fit the shape of the through slit, pass through one of the multiple closed sections of the side frame, such as the second closed section C2, and continue to extend along the width direction Y of the side frame.

[0136] The end portion of the reinforcing material 30 can be inserted into the through slot 22 of the side frame 20 and fit the shape of the through slot 22 to completely close the through slot. This ensures the watertightness between the end portion of the reinforcing material and the side frame.

[0137] At least in the inner sidewall 23 of the sidewall of the side frame 20 that contacts the end portion of the reinforcing material 30, which forms the inner surface of the box body 1, a matching line formed by inserting the end portion of the reinforcing material 30 into the through slit 22 and conforming to the shape of the through slit 22 can be welded by, for example, arc welding, laser welding, etc., to form a welded portion W between the end portion of the reinforcing material and the side frame 20.

[0138] Therefore, while ensuring a secure connection between the end portion of the reinforcing material 30 and the side frame 20, water tightness can be further guaranteed.

[0139] The end portion of the reinforcing material 30, such as the end portion of the body 31, can pass through the side frame 20 in the width direction Y of the side frame, can protrude from the side frame, and can then contact the inner surface of the mounting frame 40.

[0140] Optionally, a recessed groove (not shown) may be formed on the inner surface of the mounting frame 40, such that the end portion of the reinforcing material 30 extending from the side frame, such as the end portion of the body 31, sits in the recessed groove.

[0141] Optionally, the through slit 42 can be formed in the mounting frame 40 such that the end portion of the reinforcing material can be inserted into the through slit and fit the shape of the through slit, can pass through the mounting frame, and can then protrude outward from the mounting frame.

[0142] In this case, the end portion of the reinforcing material 30, such as the end portion of the body 31, can pass through the side frame 20 along the width direction Y of the side frame, can protrude from the side frame, and can then protrude outward from the side frame to perform welding to ensure the water tightness of the battery box.

[0143] The length of the end portion of the reinforcing material 30 that passes through the side frame 20 and protrudes from the side frame in the longitudinal direction Y of the reinforcing material can be approximately 5 to 10 mm. When the length of the protrusion is less than 5 mm, it may be difficult to weld, and when the length exceeds 10 mm, it may interfere with adjacent components, making it difficult to install the battery box.

[0144] In this way, the connection between the protruding end portion of the reinforcing material 30 and the through slit 22 of the side frame 20 can be joined to each other by welding, such as arc welding or laser welding, and a welded portion W can be formed to ensure the watertightness between the end portion of the reinforcing material and the mounting frame.

[0145] To ensure water tightness, a coating of plastic materials such as acrylic resin, epoxy resin, or silicone resin can be applied to the joints of the components that make up the box body 1, for example, to the welded parts W.

[0146] The support portion 33 of the reinforcing material 30 can contact the inner wall 23 of the inner surface of the box body 1 of the side frame 20; however, the support portion may, for example, not pass through the inner wall and the side frame.

[0147] The reinforcing material 30 can be configured as at least one reinforcing material. The number of reinforcing materials can be determined based on the magnitude of the externally applied impact.

[0148] As described above, in the battery case according to the second embodiment of this disclosure, a reinforcing material 30 having a curved cap-shaped cross-section can be disposed on the bottom of the case body 1, and the reinforcing material can extend along the bottom of the case body to contact the side frame 20. The reinforcing material can pass through the side frame and one of the closed sections (e.g., C2), and can protrude from the side frame to contact the inner surface of the mounting frame 40 or pass through the mounting frame. For example, the reinforcing material can extend and connect to the side frame and the mounting frame.

[0149] For example, in a side collision of an electric vehicle, the mounting frame 40, which first receives the collision energy within the battery box, deforms.

[0150] In this case, in the battery box according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcing material 30 can resist impacts from the moment the mounting frame 40 begins to deform due to a side impact. Furthermore, even when the side frame 20 has deformed, the reinforcing material can still resist impacts and deformation.

[0151] Therefore, according to this disclosure, the effect of protecting the internal battery cells and minimizing internal penetration in a side impact can be achieved.

[0152] Figure 10 The graph illustrates the deformation by analyzing the battery box according to the prior art and the present disclosure.

[0153] Figure 10The diagram illustrates the cross-sectional support load (or repulsive force) according to displacement between the following: battery box P according to the prior art, battery box I1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, and battery box I2 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. In battery box P according to the prior art, the end portion of the reinforcing material is joined to the inner sidewall of the side frame formed of steel material, but is not inserted into the inner sidewall. In battery box I1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcing material 30 passes through and is connected to the side frame 20. In battery box I2 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcing material passes through and is connected to the side frame 20 and the mounting frame 40.

[0154] Reference Figure 10 In the battery box I2 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the reinforcing material 30 passes through the side frame 20 and the mounting frame 40, it can be seen that the load or repulsive force received vertically in the cross-section is the greatest.

[0155] While the prior art battery box P has a cross-sectional load of 60 kN at a displacement of approximately 50 mm, the battery boxes I1 and I2 according to this disclosure have a cross-sectional load of close to or reaching a maximum of 90 kN at the same displacement.

[0156] Compared to existing technologies, the battery box according to this disclosure increases the load-bearing capacity or repulsive force by approximately 50% and absorbs greater impact energy within the same displacement. Therefore, a clear advantage in energy absorption capacity is demonstrated.

[0157] As described above, according to this disclosure, the height of the transverse members of the side frame and the height of the transverse portion of the mounting frame can be matched to adequately absorb the impact energy transmitted from the mounting frame along the central direction.

[0158] In addition, according to this disclosure, some of the longitudinal members of the side frame can overlap each other, so that the inner wall of the side frame is partially thickened, and the reinforcing material and the side frame or mounting frame can be connected to each other to achieve the effect of protecting the battery cells therein and minimizing the amount of internal intrusion in a side collision.

[0159] The above description may only be an example of the technical concept of this disclosure, and various modifications and variations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the basic features of this disclosure.

[0160] For example, in this specification and the accompanying drawings, an example of the reinforcing material 30 extending along the width direction Y of the box body 1, which is parallel to the left-right direction of the vehicle, can be illustrated, but it is not limited to this. The reinforcing material can also extend along the longitudinal direction X of the box body, which is parallel to the front-back direction of the box body, in order to respond to a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0161] Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in this specification and accompanying drawings are not intended to limit the technical spirit of this disclosure, but rather to be illustrative, and the scope of the technical spirit of this disclosure is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of this disclosure should be interpreted in accordance with the following claims, and all technical concepts within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as including within the scope of this disclosure.

[0162] Figure Labels

[0163] 1: Box body 2: Cover piece

[0164] 3: Flange portion; 4, SM: Space

[0165] 10: Base plate; 20: Side frame

[0166] 21: Fastening hole; 22, 42: Through slit

[0167] 23: Inner wall 24: Outer wall

[0168] 30: Reinforcing material; 31: Body.

[0169] 32: Hollow section 33: Supporting section

[0170] 40: Installation Frame

Claims

1. A battery box, comprising: A housing body that contains battery cells; as well as Cover, the cover being connected to the box body, The box body includes: Base plate; A side frame, which is connected to the base plate to surround the battery cell, and the side frame includes an inner side wall and an outer side wall; A mounting frame, the mounting frame being connected to the outer side wall of the side frame and having a space; and At least one reinforcing material is disposed on the base plate and has two end portions that pass through at least two end walls of the side frame in the longitudinal direction of the at least one reinforcing material. The side frame is formed to have at least three closed sections. The space of the mounting frame is positioned to correspond to one of the closed sections of the side frame. The end portion of the reinforcing material is inserted into one of the closed sections of the side frame. The reinforcing material includes: The body, which passes through the inner sidewall of the side frame, Wherein, a through slit is formed in the inner wall or the outer wall of the side frame, and The end portion of the body is inserted into the through slot of the side frame and mates with the shape of the through slot. The through slit is formed in the mounting frame. The end portion of the body passes through the mounting frame and protrudes from the mounting frame.

2. The battery box according to claim 1, wherein, The reinforcing material also includes: A support portion that extends from an end portion of the body along the width direction of the body and contacts the inner sidewall of the side frame.

3. The battery box according to claim 1, wherein, A welded portion is formed at the connection point between the reinforcing material and the through slit of the side frame.

4. The battery box according to claim 1, wherein, A welded portion is formed at the connection point between the body and the through slit of the mounting frame.

5. The battery box according to claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the reinforcing material is greater than the thickness of the side frame and less than the thickness of the mounting frame.

6. The battery box according to claim 1, wherein, In the side frame, four or more transverse members are integrally formed with at least three closed sections by bending individual plate materials, and The mounting frame is formed to have the space by bending a single plate material.

7. The battery box according to claim 6, wherein, The side frame defines the transverse member of one of the at least three closed sections, and the mounting frame defines the transverse portion of the space of the mounting frame, which has the same height as each other in the longitudinal direction of the side frame.

8. The battery box according to claim 7, wherein, The longitudinal member of one of the at least three closed sections of the side frame overlaps with the longitudinal member of the inner or outer side wall constituting the side frame.

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