Spacer for battery pack top cover, battery pack assembly, and method for installing battery pack

Abstract

A spacer for limiting movement of a battery pack cap toward a vehicle body is disclosed. The spacer includes a rigid support bracket arranged to be attached to the top cover. An elastomeric member supported by the support bracket has a first portion and a second portion integrally formed. The first portion is primarily elastically deformed 5 by bending and the second portion is primarily deformed by compression, thereby together generating a non-linear repulsive force. A method for mounting a battery pack using such a spacer is also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of automotive battery packs, and more particularly to a spacer for use in mounting an automotive battery pack to a vehicle body, an assembly including such a spacer, and a method of mounting a battery pack to a vehicle body using such a spacer. Background Art

[0002] The increased electrification of the automotive industry presents many challenges, including the design of battery systems and their assembly into electric drive vehicles such as passenger cars, trucks, etc. Battery system design considerations include passenger safety such as crash energy absorption, battery pack protection against shock and vibration, thermal management, cost and weight constraints, assembly space constraints, and production assembly considerations.

[0003] Automotive battery systems (also referred to as battery packs) for electrically driven vehicles can have considerable size and weight. As an example, a battery pack attached to the underside of a passenger car may have a size of 2×2 meters and a weight equivalent to approximately 25% of the total weight of the car. This large mass must be designed in such a way that the battery pack remains structurally and functionally stable during driving conditions and attached to the underside of the car in a manner that allows the battery pack to be efficiently and securely assembled to the underside of the car. The larger size of the battery pack also presents challenges with regard to tolerances. During the vehicle assembly process, the battery pack is attached to the underside of the car for forming the assembled body of the car. In many modern cars, the battery pack includes a structure that is arranged to bear structural loads and absorb collision energy.

[0004] Generally speaking, an automotive battery pack includes a housing and a plurality of components disposed in the housing, including a plurality of rechargeable batteries typically grouped in battery modules, an electronic battery management system, a cooling system, insulation, and structures for housing the individual battery modules.

[0005] The housing of the automotive battery pack is usually made of metal (such as aluminum and / or steel structure). The housing may include a groove-shaped housing portion and a housing top cover, which is attached to the groove-shaped housing portion to close the groove-shaped housing portion. In some designs, the groove-shaped housing portion is provided by a peripheral frame and a bottom cover attached to the peripheral frame. In other designs, the groove-shaped housing portion is provided by a one-piece component (such as a deep-drawn aluminum sheet). The housing may also be provided with an internal compartment or a containing structure for accommodating a battery module. The top cover of the housing (sometimes also referred to as a top cover or upper shell) may typically be made of metal sheets such as aluminum sheets. The top cover may have a shape and profile corresponding to the shape and profile of the underside of the vehicle body. The shape and profile of the underside of the vehicle body may vary significantly between different car brands and models, and accordingly, the top cover of the battery housing may be designed to present a shape and profile corresponding to the shape and profile of the underside of the vehicle body.

[0006] From an assembly point of view, the battery pack cannot usually be attached to the underside of the vehicle body by attaching the top cover to the underside of the vehicle body due to the presence of the battery modules within the housing. To attach the battery pack to the underside of the vehicle body, the housing of the battery pack may therefore typically be provided with external attachment features along the sides of the housing, such as elongated aluminum or steel structures attached to opposite sides of the channel-shaped housing portion and provided with a plurality of screw holes for receiving assembly screws that are screwed into the underside of the vehicle body to attach the battery pack.

[0007] In the prior art, it is known to arrange a plurality of spacer elements made of foamed elastic material in the space between the underbody of the vehicle and the battery pack cover. The foam spacer elements can be rectangular elements and / or more elongated rib-like elements that are typically attached to the upper side of the cover by adhesive. The foam spacers are slightly compressed in response to attaching the battery pack by screws as described above. During driving, the foam spacers prevent direct contact between the underside of the vehicle body and the battery pack cover. Summary of the invention

[0008] In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide an enhanced spacer and assembly solution in the field of battery pack assembly for electric vehicles.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the present inventive concept, there is provided a spacer extending along an axis of the spacer between a top end of the spacer and a bottom end of the spacer, the spacer being arranged to be disposed between a vehicle body and a battery pack top cover for limiting movement of the top cover toward the vehicle body, the spacer comprising:

[0010] a rigid support bracket having a bracket height extending along said axis between a bracket base of the bracket and a bracket top of the bracket, said bracket base being arranged to be attached to the top cover and defining a bottom end of the spacer; and

[0011] an elastomeric member supported by the support bracket and made of a solid elastomeric material, the elastomeric member having an integrally formed first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending to and forming the top end of the spacer and the second portion attached to the support bracket,

[0012] in:

[0013] a first portion of the elastomeric member structured and arranged to elastically deform primarily by flexing the elastomeric material in response to an external force acting on the spacer to generate a first repelling spring force;

[0014] a second portion of the elastomeric member structured and arranged to elastically deform primarily by compressing the elastomeric material in response to said external force acting on the spacer exceeding a predetermined value to generate a second repulsive force higher than the first repulsive force generated by the first portion; and

[0015] The bracket height plus the height of the elastomeric member between the top of the bracket and the top end of the spacer forms the overall height of the spacer.

[0016] From an overall functional perspective, during driving conditions, the spacer of the present invention will act as:

[0017] Movement limiters and buffers for vertical movement of the top cover,

[0018] a vibration and noise absorber between the battery pack and the vehicle body, and

[0019] Thermal filter between the underside of the vehicle body and the battery pack.

[0020] During driving conditions, the elastomeric member of the spacer of the present invention will undergo elastomeric deformation in response to external forces caused by movement of the top cover relative to the underside of the vehicle body. As described above, this movement of the top cover toward the underside of the vehicle body may be due to heat generated in the battery pack. The heat may cause pressure changes within the battery pack and may also cause direct heating of the top cover. Both phenomena may cause expansion or shape changes of the top cover, which, if not addressed, may result in direct contact between the top cover and the underside of the vehicle body, which is not allowed. In some cases, vertical movement of the top cover may also be caused by some movement of the entire battery pack.

[0021] The elastomeric deformation of the elastomeric member generates a repulsive spring force that acts to oppose and limit this upward movement of the top cover. For the initial slight movement of the top cover, the repulsive spring force is generated by the deformation of the first portion of the elastomeric member mainly through bending. The bending of the first portion of the elastomeric member in response to the external force can occur by the first portion moving downward into the space of the spacer through its elastomeric bending. The value of the first repulsive force generated by the first portion of the elastomeric member can increase in response to increased cover movement and increased bending of the first portion.

[0022] If the external force acting on the spacer exceeds a predetermined value and the total height of the spacer has been reduced to a certain extent accordingly, the second part of the elastomeric member acts to assist in limiting the further movement of the top cover. The further upward movement of the top cover will cause the second part of the elastomeric member to be compressed by the elastomer along the axis of the spacer, thereby generating a second repulsive spring force, which is higher than the first repulsive spring force generated by the first part. The result can be expressed as the overall nonlinear repulsive spring force characteristic of the spacer. When the second part works, a significant increase in repulsive spring force can be achieved. As an illustrative non-limiting example, the initial first repulsive force can be selected so that the total reaction force of all spacers of the battery pack does not exceed 100N within the operating range of the first part of the elastomeric member, and the higher second repulsive force generated by the second part of the spacer can be selected so that after the second part has worked, that is, after the top cover movement has exceeded the threshold value (such as 7mm) corresponding to the normal operating range of the spacer, the total reaction force of all spacers of the battery pack together is at least 300N.

[0023] An overall advantage of the inventive concept is that it provides enhanced control and new functionality relative to prior art foaming elements.

[0024] The inventive concept presents advantages over prior art top foam spacers in terms of control of the repulsive spring force or reaction force generated by the spacer on the top cover of the battery pack. These advantages apply both during assembly conditions and driving conditions. Prior art foam spacers do not present any controlled function. They are simply foaming elements.

[0025] The present invention provides enhanced control and design possibilities regarding the dependency between the degree of compression of the spacer and the repulsive spring force generated in response to the spacer compression.

[0026] The present invention enables the design of the spacer to provide the best repelling spring force characteristics for the available space / height of the spacer between the vehicle body and the battery pack.

[0027] Furthermore, a spacer according to the present inventive concept may be designed to handle loads generated during driving conditions over a relatively large travel distance of the spacer (ie, a relatively large operating range of the elastomeric member of the spacer).

[0028] It would be advantageous to be able to better control the repelling spring force of the spacer mounted between the battery pack roof and the underside of the vehicle body for several reasons:

[0029] During the manufacturing and assembly stages, when the battery pack is brought to the bottom side of the vehicle body to be attached, the spacers arranged on the top cover are brought into contact with the bottom side of the vehicle body to prevent direct contact between the top cover and the vehicle body. During the attachment operation, when the battery pack is firmly attached to the vehicle body by screws along the sides of the battery pack, the multiple spacers arranged on the top cover are slightly compressed (pre-biased) in response to the battery pack attachment. If the initial repulsion spring force generated by each individual spacer during this assembly procedure is too high, the total pre-bias repulsion force generated by all the spacers together will make the positioning and attachment of the battery pack difficult. From this assembly perspective, the initial repulsion spring force of the uncompressed spacer should not be too high.

[0030] On the other hand, from the perspective of driving conditions, the repulsive force generated by the spacer in its pre-biased use position should be sufficient to prevent excessive movement of the top cover toward the bottom side of the vehicle body. This movement of the top cover toward the vehicle body may be due to the heat generated in the battery pack. The heat may cause pressure changes within the battery pack and may also cause direct heating of the top cover, both of which lead to undesirable expansion or shape changes of the top cover, which may cause direct contact between the top cover and the vehicle body if not restricted. The degree of movement of the top cover can vary significantly between different car and battery designs, but as a non-limiting example, it can be on the order of 5mm to 10mm. For various reasons, it is important that this vertical movement of the top cover is both opposed and limited. From this perspective, the advantage is that it is possible to control both the value of the repulsive spring force generated by the spacer during this top cover movement and how the repulsive spring force depends on the degree of compression of the spacer, i.e., the distance-force characteristic. It may be particularly advantageous to design the spacer so that the repulsive force has a non-linear characteristic, presenting a small initial repulsive spring force for relatively small movements of the top cover, and presenting a significantly higher repulsive spring force in response to larger movements of the top cover approaching the maximum allowable movement of the top cover.

[0031] The present invention makes it possible to control to a high degree both the general value of the repulsive spring force for the specific needs of the battery pack assembly and the dependence between the degree of compression of the spacer and the repulsive spring force generated in response to the compression of the spacer. In the simple foamed spacers of the prior art for automotive battery pack installation, the repulsive spring force generated by the foam material is essentially proportional to the compression distance of the foamed element and can only be controlled by changing the thickness of the foam material. The present invention contemplates the use of an elastomeric element made of a solid elastomeric material and supported by a rigid support bracket so that the spacer can be designed to generate an optimal repulsive force for different degrees of compression of the spacer, and in particular a controlled non-linear force-distance characteristic.

[0032] Further advantages of the inventive concept result from the arrangement of a rigid support bracket supporting the elastomeric element and forming part of the overall height of the spacer. The rigid support bracket may, for example, be made entirely or partly of a rigid plastic material, such as a reinforced plastic material. The elastomeric member may be molded onto the support bracket or assembled to the support bracket, such as by adhesive and / or mechanical connectors.

[0033] For a given assembly, the support bracket may have a fixed (non-varying) bracket height, while the elastomeric member of the spacer is flexible and may vary in height in response to top cover movement. The non-varying bracket height, along with the variable height of the portion of the elastomeric element that extends beyond (above) the top of the bracket, together define an overall variable height of the spacer that corresponds to the varying distance between the top cover of the battery pack and the underside of the vehicle body. There are a number of advantages gained by using a rigid support bracket as part of the overall height of the spacer:

[0034] One advantage of using a rigid support bracket as part of the total height of the spacer relates to safety. The rigid support bracket will define the absolute minimum possible distance between the top cover and the bottom side of the vehicle body. If for some reason, the upward movement of the top cover is so great that further movement cannot be accommodated by the repulsive force generated by the elastomeric member of the spacer, the rigid support bracket acting as a rigid spacer will effectively prevent unauthorized direct contact between the battery top cover and the bottom side of the vehicle body. From this perspective, as a non-limiting example, the minimum bracket height may be only on the order of 10 mm. Depending on the design of the spacer of the present invention, this absolute minimum possible distance between the top cover and the bottom side of the vehicle body may be equal to the bracket height, or equal to the bracket height plus some compressed portion of the elastomeric member located on the top surface of the support bracket.

[0035] Another advantage of using a rigid support bracket as part of the overall height of the spacer relates to the bracket height, which can be selected to vary the point of variation. The distance between the battery pack cover and the underside of the vehicle body can vary significantly between different vehicle models, between different battery packs, and between different locations on a given cover. Such variations in the space in which the spacer is to be positioned can be accommodated at least in part by varying the bracket height, without having to additionally change the design or height of the elastomeric member. This is an overall advantage from a manufacturing perspective. Moreover, the repulsive spring force characteristics of a group of spacers can remain the same, differing only in bracket height. It may be advantageous if all spacers attached to a given cover that are at different distances from the underside of the vehicle body have the same repulsive spring force characteristics.

[0036] Yet another advantage of using a rigid support bracket as part of the total height of the spacer relates to creating an optimal operating range for the elastomeric member. The advantage of using a rigid support bracket as part of the total height of the spacer is that the bracket height can be changed and selected during the design process to obtain the desired operating range of the flexible elastomeric member. For example, it is advantageous if the spacer can absorb relatively large tolerances in the distance between the vehicle body and the roof. Such tolerances can be on the order of plus / minus a few millimeters. This can be addressed by selecting a bracket height that gives a sufficiently large operating range for the elastomeric member. As a non-limiting illustrative example only, if the total distance between the roof and the vehicle body is approximately 19 mm (15.5 ± 3.5 mm allowed variance) at a certain location on the roof and if the desired flexible operating range (roof movement) is approximately 7 ± 3.5 mm, a bracket height of approximately 10.5 mm can be selected.

[0037] Another advantage of using a rigid support bracket as part of the spacer relates to the handling of the elastomeric member and the possibility of designing different repulsive spring force characteristics for it. The support bracket has a certain bracket height. At least the upper part of this height can be used to accommodate the flexible movement / compression of the elastomeric member. In a preferred embodiment, the support bracket has an internal bracket cavity that is arranged to receive at least a portion of the elastomeric member. The size of this portion can increase as the elastomeric member deforms. In some embodiments, the elastomeric member may be fully received in the bracket cavity for sufficiently large external forces.

[0038] Additional advantages conceived by the present invention result from the use of solid elastomeric materials as compared to foamed materials in the prior art. When using foamed materials, the distance-force characteristics cannot be controlled and the spring force values ​​are also significantly different. The spacers made of foamed materials simply create a reaction force depending on the foamed material and have a linear force-distance characteristic. As described above, the present invention makes it possible to control the repulsive spring force or reaction force at different points in the movement curve. Another advantage of the present invention is that when creating the same reaction force, more foamed material is required in the prior art, which may not always be possible with the limited available space between the battery pack and the underside of the vehicle body.

[0039] In some embodiments, the rigid support stent is structured and arranged to accommodate an increased portion of the elastomeric member within the interior space of the support stent in response to increased deformation of the elastomeric member caused by the external force acting on the spacer. In these embodiments, in the initial non-compressed state of the spacer, the elastomeric member may already be partially received in the stent cavity. In some embodiments, the entire second portion may be located in the stent cavity. In response to the elastomeric member being deformed by the external force, a larger portion or volume of the elastomeric member, in particular the first portion of the elastomeric member, may be received in the stent cavity.

[0040] In some embodiments, hereinafter referred to as "dome designs", the first portion of the elastomeric member includes a dome-shaped wall having a convex outer surface facing away from the support bracket, wherein the vertex of the dome-shaped wall defines the top of the spacer in the non-compressed state of the spacer. The dome-shaped wall can define an interior space within the dome. During operation, the dome-shaped wall is arranged to elastically deform in response to an external force acting on the spacer, mainly by bending from an initial curved shape to a less curved shape, thereby reducing the height of the first portion of the elastomeric member. During this bending deformation, the wall of the dome will bend into the initial interior space of the dome. In some embodiments, the dome-shaped wall can have a circular base or a non-circular base. In some embodiments, the dome-shaped wall can present a non-constant curvature between its vertex and its base. For example, the dome shape can have two different curvatures: a larger curvature closer to the vertex and a smaller curvature closer to the base of the dome. This may be advantageous in cases where the dome-shaped design may otherwise present too weak an initial response.

[0041] In embodiments according to a dome design, the support bracket may present an upwardly open bracket cavity, which is arranged to receive an increased portion of the dome-shaped wall when the dome-shaped wall is deformed. This has the advantage of providing space for receiving elastomeric material under the "dome" when the dome-shaped wall is flattened. In some embodiments, substantially the entire first portion may be received in the bracket cavity in response to a sufficiently high external force. Moreover, in some embodiments, in the uncompressed state of the spacer, the base of the dome-shaped wall may already be located inside the bracket cavity and attached to the support bracket there. In other embodiments, the dome-shaped wall may be attached to the support bracket only via the second portion of the elastomeric member.

[0042] In the embodiment designed according to the dome, the second part of the elastomeric member can be arranged circumferentially or circumferentially around the dome-shaped wall. The second part can be located above the top surface of the top of the support bracket. The second part of the elastomeric member can be located at a certain distance from the top of the spacer along the axis of the spacer, so that there is a certain distance between the top of the second part and the bottom side of the vehicle body in the initial assembly state. In these embodiments, the second part of the elastomeric member is initially inactive because the second part is spaced apart from the bottom side of the vehicle body. In response to a sufficiently large force acting on the top cover, the first part cannot adapt to the top cover movement, and the bottom side of the vehicle body will eventually contact the second part of the elastomeric member, which works. As a result, the further upward movement of the top cover causes the second part to be vertically compressed, thereby generating a second repulsive spring force higher than the repulsive spring force generated by the dome-shaped wall. In a preferred embodiment, the second part is at least partially located above the top surface of the support bracket. Then, the rigid support bracket will act as an efficient rigid support below the second part being compressed, thereby generating a higher repulsive spring force of the target when the second part works. It will be appreciated that the total repulsive spring force of the spacer is the sum of the repulsive spring forces generated by the first and second portions of the elastomeric member.

[0043] In an embodiment according to the dome design, the second portion of the elastomeric member may include a plurality of elastomeric studs, wherein each stud protrudes at the stud height toward the stud end of the back support bracket of the stud. The height of these studs is selected so that the stud end is initially spaced apart from the bottom side of the vehicle body in the initial assembly state. As described above, for sufficiently large top cover movement, the stud will be enabled and a significantly increased total repulsive spring force of the spacer is generated by its compression. One advantage of using multiple studs or "towers" is that the material subjected to compression can be deformed into the space between these studs. Another advantage of using studs to generate the second repulsive spring force is that such studs can include studs with varying stud heights. In these embodiments, the higher studs act first and the lower studs act later. Thus, a smoother or less abrupt spring force characteristic can be designed, but a repulsive spring force significantly increased compared to the force generated by the first part is still generated.

[0044] In some embodiments, hereinafter referred to as "columnar designs", the support bracket includes a peripheral bracket wall extending from the bracket base to the bracket top and defining an internal bracket cavity open toward the top end of the support bracket, wherein the second portion of the elastomeric member is at least partially located inside the bracket cavity and attached to the bracket wall inside the bracket cavity. In this design, the first portion of the elastomeric member can be structured and arranged to elastically deform by bending on itself in response to the external force acting on the spacer. As in the dome design, this bending can occur by the first portion moving downward into the initially open space defined by the elastomeric member during its deformation. However, in the columnar design, the first portion of the elastomeric member can be structured and arranged to undergo bending by increasing the curvature at at least some portions. The first portion of the elastomeric member can be structured and arranged to be fully received in the bracket cavity in response to a sufficiently large external force acting on the spacer, so that the top surface of the bracket wall can eventually contact the bottom side of the vehicle body. In a cylindrical design, the first portion of the elastomeric member may have an extension transverse to the axis of the spacer that is smaller than the transverse extension of the stent top. A cylindrical design may be advantageous when the space available for the spacer is limited.

[0045] According to another aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided a top cover arranged to be attached to a housing of an automotive battery pack, the top cover being provided with a plurality of spacers according to the present invention, wherein each of the plurality of spacers is attached to an upper side of the top cover at its bracket base such that the spacer protrudes from the upper side of the top cover along the total height of the spacer. In some embodiments, the plurality of spacers comprises spacers having mutually different bracket heights and optionally mutually identical elastomeric members.

[0046] According to another aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided a battery pack provided with the top cover as defined above.

[0047] According to another aspect of the present inventive concept, there is provided a component, the component comprising:

[0048] body; and

[0049] a battery pack provided with a top cover as described above, the battery pack being attached to the underside of the vehicle body,

[0050] The distance between the upper side of the roof and the bottom side of the vehicle body is such that the plurality of spacers disposed on the roof are in a biased state in response to the battery pack being attached to the bottom side of the vehicle body.

[0051] According to another aspect of the present inventive concept, there is provided a method for installing an automotive battery pack, the method comprising:

[0052] attaching a plurality of spacers according to the invention to the upper side of a top cover of an automotive battery pack, and

[0053] The battery pack provided with the spacers is attached to the underside of the vehicle body, wherein, in response to the attachment of the battery pack, the first portions of the elastomeric members of the plurality of spacers undergo an initial deformation to create an initial biased state of the spacers.

[0054] the term

[0055] In the present disclosure, the term "solid elastomeric material" should be interpreted as a non-foamed elastomeric material such as solid silicone rubber, etc. However, such an elastomeric member made of such a material may itself optionally have openings.

[0056] In the present disclosure, the term "bending" should be interpreted as a change in shape to a more curved shape and / or a less curved shape. Although such bending of a component made of an elastomeric material may involve some compression, in the present disclosure, "bending" is used to distinguish from deformation caused only by compression.

[0057] The term "dome-shaped" in this disclosure should be interpreted as a shape that is curved in two directions. Optionally, a dome-shaped surface is a surface of revolution generated by rotating a meridian curve around an axis of revolution. The curvature or radius may vary or be constant from the base of the dome to the apex of the dome. The base of the dome may have different geometric shapes (such as circular or non-circular). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] The inventive concept, some non-limiting embodiments, and further advantages of the inventive concept will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0059] Figures 1A to 1E A damper according to a first embodiment is illustrated.

[0060] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2E The operation of the damper according to the first embodiment is illustrated.

[0061] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C A damper according to a second embodiment is illustrated.

[0062] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B The operation of the damper according to the second embodiment is illustrated.

[0063] Figure 5 and Figure 6 The figure shows a battery pack provided with a spacer.

[0064] Figure 7 The figure shows a battery pack top cover provided with a spacer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] First reference Figures 5 to 7 , the general use position of the spacer according to the present invention will be described first. Figures 5 to 7 As shown, a plurality of spacers 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention are structured and arranged to be attached to a top cover 110 of an automotive battery pack 100 for a vehicle 200 (such as an electric-powered passenger vehicle). During assembly, the spacers 10 may be initially attached to the upper side of the top cover 110 in a quantity and pattern suitable for a particular vehicle model and battery design before the top cover 110 is attached, such as Figure 7 Thereafter, the top cover 110 may be attached to the groove-shaped housing 120 of the battery pack 100, as shown. Figure 5 and Figure 6 Finally, the battery pack 100 is attached to the bottom side 210 of the vehicle body, as shown. Figure 5 Alternatively, the spacer 10 may be attached to the top cover 110 after it has been attached to the battery housing 120 .

[0066] As an option during the manufacturing process, the spacer 10 can also be used as a spacer between stacked top covers 110. The spacer 10 can be attached to the top cover 110 at a first location. Then, a plurality of top covers 110, each provided with a spacer 10, can then be stacked on top of each other on a pallet for transportation to another location, where the top cover 110 is then attached to the battery housing 120. During such transportation, the spacer 10 will act as a protective buffer and distance limiter between the stacked top covers 110.

[0067] As described above, a plurality of components (not shown) may be arranged in the housing 120 of the battery pack 100, such as a plurality of rechargeable batteries, typically grouped in battery modules, an electronic battery management system, a cooling system, an insulator, and a structure for accommodating each battery module. The housing 120 may be provided with an external electrical connector 130. In some designs, the trough housing 120 is provided by a peripheral frame and a bottom cover attached to the peripheral frame. In other designs, the trough housing 120 is provided by a one-piece component (such as a deep drawn aluminum sheet). The housing 120 may also be provided with an internal compartment or a containing structure for accommodating the battery module.

[0068] Top cover 110( Figure 7 ) can be generally made of sheet metal such as aluminum sheet. The top cover 110 can have a shape and contour corresponding to the shape and contour of the underside 210 of the vehicle body, such as Figure 5Schematically illustrated. The shape and contour of the underside 210 of the vehicle body may vary significantly between different vehicle models and different battery packs 100, and accordingly, the top cover 110 of the battery pack 100 may be designed to present a shape and contour corresponding to the shape and contour of the underside 210 of the vehicle body. As shown in the figure, only as a non-limiting example, the contour of the top cover 110 may have a raised portion, such as a rectangular raised portion 111, corresponding to a similar contour in the underside 210 of the vehicle body. However, due to the design of the spacer 10 of the present invention, it is also possible to make the top cover 110 present a shape and contour that corresponds to the shape and contour of the underside 210 of the vehicle body to a lesser extent.

[0069] During assembly, the top cover 110 is attached to the housing 120 by extending screws through screw holes 140 arranged around the perimeter of the top cover 110. Typically, the top cover 110 is hermetically sealed to the housing 120. To handle thermal events of the battery pack 100, the top cover 110 should also be properly sealed to the housing 120 to prevent heat and smoke from entering the compartment.

[0070] During assembly, the battery pack 100 is thus provided with a plurality of spacers 10 according to the present invention, which are preferably pre-attached to the top cover 110. As described above, the battery pack 100 cannot usually be attached to the underside 210 of the vehicle body by attaching the top cover 110 directly to the underside 210 of the vehicle body due to the presence of the battery modules within the housing 120. In order to attach the battery pack 100 to the underside 210 of the vehicle body, the housing 120 of the battery pack may thus typically be provided with external attachment features 150 along the sides of the housing 120, such as elongated aluminum or steel structures, which are arranged on opposite sides of the channel-shaped housing 120 and are provided with a plurality of screw holes (not shown) for receiving assembly screws that are screwed into the underside 210 of the vehicle body to attach the battery pack 100.

[0071] As will be described in more detail below, the spacer 10 may preferably (but not necessarily) be designed to have such a height that the first portion of the elastomeric member of the spacer 10 undergoes a certain deformation in response to the battery pack 100 being attached to the underside 210 of the vehicle body during the assembly process, thereby creating an initial pre-biased state of the spacer 10 during battery pack installation. During driving conditions, one function of the spacer 10 is to limit and prevent excessive movement of the top cover 110 toward the underside 210 of the vehicle body.

[0072] First embodiment

[0073] Now refer to Figures 1A to 1E A first embodiment of a spacer 10 according to the present invention will be described and will be referred to FIG. 2A to FIG. 2E Describe its operation.

[0074] The first embodiment of the spacer 10 extends along the axis A between a top end 11 of the spacer 10 and a bottom end 12 of the spacer 10 ( Figure 1C ). The axis A is usually vertical in the use position of the spacer 10, but an inclined arrangement is also possible.

[0075] The spacer 10 comprises an elastomeric member 20 and a rigid support bracket 40 arranged to support the elastomeric member 20. The elastomeric member 20 of the spacer 10 of the present invention may be attached to the support bracket 40 by molding or by assembly (such as by an adhesive). The support bracket 40 may be made of any suitable rigid material, such as a suitable plastic material (optionally reinforced). Figure 1C As indicated, the support bracket 40 has a bracket height B between a bracket base 42 and a bracket top 41 along the axis A. For a given spacer 10, the bracket height B is fixed, but as will be discussed below, one advantage of the present inventive concept is the possibility of varying the bracket height B. Alternatively, a support bracket 40 having an adjustable bracket height B is possible.

[0076] In the illustrated embodiment, the support bracket 40 includes a cylindrical bracket wall 43 extending between the bracket top 41 and the bracket base 42 and defining an internal bracket cavity 44. In the illustrated embodiment, the bracket base 42 includes a plate-shaped member integrally formed with the bracket wall 43 and partially extending to the periphery of the bracket wall 43. In order to attach to the top cover 110 of the battery pack 100, the bottom side of the bracket base 42 can be provided with a double-sided tape. In the illustrated embodiment, the shape of the bracket wall 43 is cylindrical. Other shapes are possible, such as non-circular, rectangular, conical, etc. The main criteria for the support bracket 40 are that the support bracket 40 should be arranged to rigidly support the elastomeric member 20 of the spacer 10 above the top cover 110, and the support bracket should allow the elastomeric member 20 to deform in response to the external force generated by the movement of the top cover 110. In some embodiments, the support bracket 40 may also be arranged to contain a variable portion or volume of the elastomeric member 20 within the internal bracket cavity 44 in response to deformation of the elastomeric member 20. In alternative embodiments, the support bracket 40 may have an at least partially solid internal structure.

[0077] As an illustrative but non-limiting example, the support bracket 40 may have a bracket height B that corresponds to the overall height T of the spacer 10 in its initial, undeformed state. Figure 1C) is approximately 50% (e.g., approximately 65 mm). As a non-limiting example, the diameter of the bracket wall 43 can be approximately 30 mm. From a manufacturing cost perspective, it may be desirable to limit the amount of elastomeric material used for the elastomeric member 20, and accordingly, it may be desirable to design the support bracket 40 so that the bracket height B forms a major portion of the total spacer height T. On the other hand, the bracket height B cannot be too large so as not to affect the desired operating range of the elastomeric member 20. In this numerical example, the elastomeric member 20 can be Figure 1C The unloaded condition of the spacer 10 shown in FIG. 1 extends about 10 mm above the bracket top 41 , resulting in an overall spacer height T of 65 mm in the unloaded state of the spacer 10 .

[0078] The elastomeric member 20 of the spacer 10 of the present invention is made of a non-foamed elastomeric material (referred to as a "solid elastomeric material" in this disclosure). The elastomeric material can exhibit a suitable hardness (soft, medium, hard). As a non-limiting example, the durometer represented by the number of the Shore A scale can be in the range of 40 to 70 (Shore A).

[0079] According to the present invention, the elastomeric member 20 of the spacer 10 comprises at least a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion acts first to generate a first repulsive spring force, and the second portion acts subsequently to generate a higher second repulsive spring force. Figures 1A to 1E In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the first portion of the elastomeric member 20 includes a dome-shaped wall 21 having a convex outer surface facing away from the support bracket 40. The dome-shaped wall 21 defines an interior space into which the dome-shaped wall 21 can deform in response to an external force. Figures 1A to 1C In the unloaded state of the spacer 10, the apex 22 of the dome-shaped wall 21 defines the top end 11 of the spacer. The base 23 of the dome-shaped wall 21 is located below the bracket top 41 and inside the bracket cavity 44. The dome-shaped wall 21 can have a constant curvature or a varying curvature between its base 23 and its apex 22. As described above, in order to avoid the initial reaction force being too weak, a higher curvature near the apex 22 is preferred. The second portion 24 of the elastomeric member 20 is arranged circumferentially around the dome-shaped wall 21 and is at least partially located above the bracket top 20 to be vertically supported from below by the rigid bracket wall 43. In the illustrated embodiment, the second portion 23 includes a lower annular portion attached to the bracket top 41, and a plurality of vertical protrusions 25a to 25c are arranged circumferentially around the first dome-shaped portion 21 and spaced apart from each other. In this embodiment, the vertical height (H) of the plurality of protrusions or studs 25a to 25c is 1 / 4" (H) from the top of the bracket. 2 To H 4) are different from each other and have a vertical spacing from the apex 22 in the unloaded condition of the spacer 10 and also vertical spacing from the underside 210 of the vehicle body in the initial assembled state of the spacer ( Figure 2A ) with the top of the stud facing upward.

[0080] In the illustrated embodiment, these vertical projections include:

[0081] Each has a height H above the support top 41 of the support support 40 2 The first stud 25a at the top ( Figure 2C ).

[0082] Each has a height H slightly lower than the bracket top 41 of the support bracket 40. 3 <H 2 The second stud 25b at the top end ( Figure 2D ).

[0083] Each has a lower height H above the bracket top 41 of the support bracket 40 4 <H 3 The third stud 25c at the top end ( Figure 2E ).

[0084] The studs 25a to 25c are structured and arranged to deform mainly by vertical compression of solid elastomeric material when they act in response to the larger movement of the top cover 110 of the battery pack 110 to generate a second repulsive spring force. During this compression, the rigid support bracket 40 acts as a rigid vertical support below the studs 25a to 25c. The interval 26 between adjacent studs 25a to 25c allows the elastomeric material to expand laterally in the interval 26 during compression. In the illustrated embodiment, the lowest stud 25c is formed as a rib 25a, each of which has an elongated extension in the circumferential direction. In alternative embodiments, studs 25a to 25c can be omitted and replaced with a continuous annular wall forming the top of the second part of the elastomeric member 20. In other alternative embodiments, all studs can have the same height. The advantage of providing studs of different heights is that when the second part of the elastomeric member 20 acts, the increase in the force generated is not so sudden. It will be appreciated that each time an additional set of studs comes into play there will be some significant (non-linear) increase in the second repulsive force.

[0085] Now refer to FIG. 2A to FIG. 2E describe Figures 1A to 1E The operation of the first embodiment of the spacer 10 is shown in FIG.

[0086] Figure 2AA first embodiment of a spacer 10 is disclosed in its unloaded state, spaced apart from the underside 210 of the vehicle body. The overall height T of the spacer 10 is T=B+H 0 , where H 0 is the height of the portion of the elastomeric member 20 extending beyond the bracket top 41 in the unloaded condition of the spacer 10 .

[0087] Figure 2B The spacer 10 is disclosed in its initial assembled state. The battery pack 100 has been attached to the underside 210 of the vehicle body. In response thereto, the spacer 10 attached to the top cover 110 has been slightly compressed by flattening the dome-shaped wall 21. The portion of the dome-shaped wall 21 that extends beyond the bracket top 41 has a height H 1 <H 0 In this initial assembly state, the stud ends of all studs 25 a to 25 c are spaced apart from the vehicle body underside 210 .

[0088] Figure 2C The spacer 10 is disclosed in a state where the first portion of the elastomeric member 20 has reached the normal operating range. The highest stud 25a is in contact with the underside of the vehicle body, and the protrusion height of the elastomeric member 20 above the bracket top 41 is H 2 <H 1 The elastomeric response through the stud 25a is much stiffer than the response from the dome shaped wall 21 and a significant increase (non-linear) in the repelling spring force will be achieved to more effectively resist further movement of the top cover 110.

[0089] Figure 2D The spacer 10 is disclosed in a state in which the top cover 110 has moved further toward the underside 210 of the vehicle body, and now also contacts the second highest stud 25b, thereby generating a further nonlinearly increasing repulsive spring force. The protruding elastic body portion is now reduced to a height H 3 <H 4 .

[0090] Figure 2D The spacer 10 is disclosed in a state in which contact has also been made with the lowest stud 25 c , thereby resulting in a much greater repulsive spring force.

[0091] Second embodiment

[0092] Now refer to FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C A second embodiment of a spacer 10 according to the invention will be described and will be referred to Figure 4A and Figure 4BThe operation thereof is described. The same parts as in the first embodiment have the same reference numerals. The statements made in connection with the first embodiment regarding the materials, optional features and its use, operation and its basic functions of the spacer also apply to the second embodiment where applicable.

[0093] According to the second embodiment, the first portion 50 to 52 of the elastomeric member 20 is located above and integrally formed with the second portion 53 of the elastomeric member 20. The elastomeric member 20 includes a first upper portion 50 to 52 structured and arranged to operate primarily by bending and a second lower portion 53 structured and arranged to operate primarily by compression below the upper portion.

[0094] In the illustrated second embodiment, the second portion of the elastomeric member 20 does not have any free top surface corresponding to the free stud ends of the studs 25a-25c that is initially spaced apart from the underside 210. Instead, the second portion 53 functions because the first portions 50-52 of the elastomeric member 20 have first deformed to the extent that they begin to press downwardly on the second portion 53 to compress it.

[0095] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C The embodiment in shows an example of a spacer 10 in which the bracket height B forms a much larger percentage of the overall height T of the spacer.

[0096] As described above, the elastomeric member 20 of the spacer of the present invention may be connected to the support bracket 40 by molding or by subsequent assembly and attachment. FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C The embodiment in FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the second alternative. Figure 3C As shown, the lower part of the elastomeric member 20 is provided with a circumferential mounting groove 55 defined by an upper part 53a and a lower part 54. The support bracket 40 is provided with an internal attachment flange 45, which has a through opening 46 for receiving the lower part 54 of the elastomeric member 20. The mounting groove 55 is brought into engagement with the attachment flange 45 by deforming the lower part 54 during assembly. This attachment principle can also be optionally used for the first embodiment. If the elastomeric member 20 should be able to be completely received inside the support bracket 40, it is preferably attached inside the support bracket 40.

[0097] 4b, the dimensions of the elastomeric member 20 relative to the dimensions of the bracket wall 43 can be set so that the elastomeric member 20 can be completely received within the bracket cavity 44 in response to a sufficiently large external force. Thus, for a sufficiently large external force, the top surface 41 of the bracket wall 43 is in direct contact with the underside 210 of the vehicle body, whereby the bracket height B defines the minimum spacer height T.

[0098] Now refer to Figure 4A and Figure 4B describe FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C The operation of the second embodiment in FIG. Figure 4A The spacer 10 is illustrated attached to the roof 110 using its bracket base 42 before the battery pack 100 is attached to the vehicle body underside 210 . Figure 4B The spacer 20 is illustrated in a deformed state wherein the first portion 50-52 of the elastomeric member 20 has been bent to a point that initiates compression of the second portion 53 and is substantially fully deformed and wherein a distance still exists between the bracket top 41 and the vehicle body underside 210. In response to further upward movement of the top cover 110, the elastomeric member 20 may be compressed to a point where the elastomeric member is ultimately fully received within the bracket cavity 44, wherein a rigid final movement stop is provided by the bracket top 41.

[0099] As described above, the first portion of the elastomeric member 20 is structured and arranged to operate primarily by bending. To achieve this operation, in the illustrated embodiment, the first portion includes a funnel-shaped upper portion 50, an inwardly curved middle portion 51 with reduced wall thickness, and a lower portion 52. The deformation of the first portion of the elastomeric member 20 is Figure 4B , which is shown in an enlarged view, shows how the first part is bent on itself. In this embodiment, there is free space on the outside around the middle part 51 to allow the bending to occur. Moreover, as shown in FIG. Figure 3C As can be seen, the lower portion 52 has a slightly reduced wall thickness compared to the second portion 53, also facilitating bending movement.

[0100] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the illustrated example of a battery pack 100 includes a cover 110 having a raised or stepped portion 111 at one end. The spacer attached to the raised portion has reference numeral 10b. This illustration is used to demonstrate that for a given top cover 110, a varying bracket height B may be selected. Figure 6 As shown in the enlarged view in FIG. 1 , the support height B of the spacer 10 b on the raised portion 111 is lower than that of the remaining spacers 10 a. Figure 6 As illustrated, the elastomeric member 20 may be identical between the spacers 10a and 10b, thereby giving the same repulsive spring force characteristics to all spacers on the top cover 110.

Claims

1. A spacer extending between a top end and a bottom end of the spacer along an axis of the spacer, the spacer being arranged to be disposed between a vehicle body and a battery pack top cover for limiting movement of the top cover toward the vehicle body, the spacer comprising: a rigid support bracket having a bracket height extending along the axis between a bracket base of the bracket and a bracket top of the bracket, the bracket base being arranged to be attached to the top cover and defining a bottom end of the spacer; as well as an elastomeric member supported by the support bracket and made of a solid elastomeric material, the elastomeric member having an integrally formed first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending to and forming the top end of the spacer and the second portion attached to the support bracket, in: a first portion of the elastomeric member structured and arranged to elastically deform primarily by flexing the elastomeric material in response to an external force acting on the spacer to generate a first repulsive spring force; the second portion of the elastomeric member being structured and arranged to elastically deform primarily by compressing the elastomeric material in response to said external force acting on the spacer exceeding a predetermined value to generate a second repulsive force that is higher than the first repulsive force generated by the first portion; and The bracket height plus the height of the elastomeric member between the top of the bracket and the top end of the spacer forms the overall height of the spacer.

2. The spacer according to claim 1, wherein: The support bracket is structured and arranged to accommodate an increased portion of the elastomeric member within the interior space of the support bracket in response to increased deformation of the elastomeric member caused by the external force acting on the spacer.

3. The spacer according to claim 2, wherein: The support bracket is arranged to accommodate an increased portion of the first portion of the elastomeric member within the interior space of the support bracket in response to increased deformation of the elastomeric member caused by the external force acting on the spacer.

4. A spacer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The first portion of the elastomeric member includes a dome-shaped wall having a convex outer surface facing away from the support bracket, and wherein an apex of the dome-shaped wall defines a top end of the spacer in an unloaded state of the spacer.

5. The spacer according to claim 4, wherein: The dome-shaped wall has a base that is at least partially located within the interior cavity of the support bracket.

6. The spacer according to claim 4 or 5, wherein: The second part of the elastomeric member: circumferentially disposed around the dome-shaped wall, is at least partially located above the top end of the support bracket, and In the unloaded state of the spacer, it is located at a certain distance from the top end of the spacer.

7. The spacer according to claim 6, wherein: The second portion of the elastomeric member comprises a plurality of elastomeric studs arranged circumferentially around the dome-shaped wall, wherein each of the elastomeric studs protrudes in the direction of the axis towards a stud end of the stud facing away from the support bracket.

8. The spacer according to claim 7, wherein: The plurality of elastomeric studs include elastomeric studs having stud heights that differ from one another.

9. The spacer according to any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein: The support bracket includes a bracket wall extending circumferentially about the axis, wherein a bracket diameter is greater than a base diameter of the dome-shaped wall.

10. The spacer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The support bracket includes a peripheral bracket wall extending from the bracket base to the bracket top and defining an internal bracket cavity open toward the top end of the support bracket, and wherein the second portion of the elastomeric member is at least partially located within the bracket cavity and attached to the bracket wall within the bracket cavity.

11. The spacer according to claim 10, wherein: The first portion of the elastomeric member is structured and arranged to elastically deform by bending upon itself in response to the external force acting on the spacer.

12. The spacer according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: The first portion of the elastomeric member is structured and arranged to be fully received within the stent cavity in response to a sufficiently high external force acting on the spacer.

13. A top cover arranged to be attached to and close the housing of a car battery pack and provided with a plurality of spacers according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein Each of the plurality of spacers is attached to the upper side of the top cover at a bracket base thereof such that the spacer protrudes from the upper side of the top cover along the overall height of the spacer.

14. Cover according to the preceding claim, wherein The plurality of spacers include spacers having different bracket heights from each other.

15. A battery pack provided with the top cover according to any one of claims 13 to 15.

16. An assembly comprising a vehicle body and a battery pack according to claim 15, the battery pack being attached to the underside of the vehicle body, wherein: The distance between the upper side of the roof and the bottom side of the vehicle body is such that a plurality of spacers disposed on the roof are in a biased state in response to the battery pack being attached to the bottom side of the vehicle body.

17. A method for installing an automotive battery pack, the method comprising: attaching a plurality of spacers according to any one of claims 1 to 12 to the upper side of a top cover of an automotive battery pack, and A battery pack provided with a top cover having the spacers is attached to an underside of a vehicle body, wherein, in response to the attachment of the battery pack, first portions of the elastomeric members of the plurality of spacers undergo an initial deformation to create an initial biased state of the spacers.

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