Reinforcing frame for battery pack of electric or hybrid vehicle, reinforced battery pack and method for assembling said battery pack

Abstract

The invention relates to a reinforcement frame (1) for a battery pack (2) of an electric or hybrid vehicle (37), said battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells located on and fixed to a protective element, said reinforcement frame comprising at least:-a reinforcement frame fastening portion (3) arranged to be fixed to both the battery pack and the body of the vehicle; and-a reinforcing frame hollow portion (4) arranged to enclose at least the battery cells (29).

Description

[0001] This invention patent application is a divisional application of the invention patent application filed on December 8, 2020, with application number 202080081810.8 and invention title "Reinforcing frame for battery pack for electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle, reinforcing battery pack and method for assembling said battery pack". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to protective and reinforcing elements in the automotive industry, and more specifically to the protection of battery packs in electric or hybrid vehicles. Background Technology

[0003] Electric or hybrid vehicles must incorporate at least one heavy and bulky battery pack. This battery pack, made up of multiple battery cells, must be well protected against both physical intrusion that may occur during a traffic accident and mechanical impacts when the battery pack is moved during assembly into the vehicle involved.

[0004] According to U.S. Patent Application 13 / 940,735, designs include battery packs comprising multiple cells inserted into a tray or bucket, said tray or bucket comprising a plate-like bottom and walls curving upward from the outer perimeter of the bottom. Inner and outer frames are used to reinforce the walls for better protection of the cells. However, the corners of the tray create loss zones, which pose a problem for optimizing space when inserting battery cells into the tray.

[0005] Furthermore, the existing battery pack structure is not designed to improve the vehicle's overall performance in terms of collision management. The structure is merely designed to house and protect the battery cells, rather than to provide further improvements to the vehicle.

[0006] According to DE102016115037A1, four different elements that are welded together after being formed into three-dimensional parts are used to form the inner frame structure and the outer frame structure. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a method for effectively protecting the battery cells of the battery pack while optimizing the battery cell arrangement of the battery pack, and by contributing to the overall improvement of vehicle collision management.

[0008] As will be seen from the following figures and description, the present invention offers further advantages in terms of product design flexibility and also in terms of assembly sequence flexibility.

[0009] For this purpose, a first aspect of the invention includes a reinforcing frame for a battery pack in an electric or hybrid vehicle, the battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells located on and fixed to a protective element, the reinforcing frame comprising at least:

[0010] - Reinforced frame fastenings, which are configured to secure both the battery pack and the vehicle body; and

[0011] - The hollow portion of the reinforced frame is configured to enclose at least the battery cells.

[0012] The reinforcing frame according to the invention may also have the following optional features, considered individually or in combination:

[0013] - The reinforcing frame includes internal and external components, both of which have fastening sections and reinforcing sections, wherein the fastening sections are fixed to each other to form a fastening portion of the reinforcing frame, and wherein the reinforcing sections define a hollow portion of the reinforcing frame.

[0014] - Both the internal and external reinforcing sections are L-shaped and arranged symmetrically with respect to the Y-axis of the hollow portion of the reinforcing frame, thus forming a square or rectangular hollow portion of the reinforcing frame.

[0015] - The reinforcing frame includes a cover frame extending from a hollow portion of the reinforcing frame, the cover frame being configured to be fixed to the top cover of the battery cell.

[0016] Both the internal and external components have covering portions extending from the reinforcing sections involved, the covering portions being fixed to each other to form a covering frame.

[0017] - Internal and external components are made of pressed hardenable steel.

[0018] - Internal and external components are made from laser-welded blanks.

[0019] - For any given cross section of the reinforced frame, the product of the minimum tensile strength and the plate thickness of the internal components is equal to or greater than the product of the minimum tensile strength and the plate thickness of the external components.

[0020] - The reinforcing frame has a generally square or rectangular shape and has corners that are beveled.

[0021] - The reinforcing frame includes at least a longitudinal reinforcing member, which is positioned inside the hollow portion of the reinforcing frame and fixed to the hollow portion of the reinforcing frame.

[0022] - The longitudinal stiffener has an Ω-shaped cross section.

[0023] A second object of the invention includes a reinforced battery pack for electric or hybrid vehicles, the reinforced battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells and a reinforcing frame, and further comprising the following optional features, considered individually or in combination:

[0024] - The lower protective element, known as the protective element, is designed to prevent intrusion into the battery pack.

[0025] - A cooling device located on the protective element, which is configured to cool the battery cell.

[0026] - A mesh structure located on a cooling device and comprising multiple receiving beams forming multiple receiving members, each battery cell being received within the receiving member in question.

[0027] - The aforementioned reinforcing frame has a reinforcing frame fastening portion fixed to the protective element and a reinforcing frame hollow portion surrounding at least the battery cell, and

[0028] - Top cover, which is fixed to the reinforcing frame.

[0029] The reinforced battery pack according to the invention may also have the following optional features, considered individually or in combination:

[0030] - The cover component is fixed to the top cover frame of the reinforcing frame.

[0031] - The reinforced battery pack includes an intrusion-proof crossbeam positioned between the protective elements and the cooling device at uniform intervals.

[0032] - The protective element is made of steel with a tensile strength greater than 1300 MPa.

[0033] A third object of the present invention includes a method for assembling and attaching a reinforced battery pack according to the invention to the body of an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, the body comprising: a base plate; at least one pair of rear members and a pair of front members, said pairs being opposite each other and configured to absorb rear and front impacts; and two side beams opposite each other, said two side beams being fixed to the base plate and configured to absorb lateral impacts, the method comprising at least the following steps:

[0034] - Provide battery units

[0035] - Provide internal and external components

[0036] - Positioning internal components around the battery cell

[0037] - The fastening section of the external component is attached to a pair of side beams in such a way that the corner of the external component positioned towards the front of the vehicle is adjacent to the rear end of the front member, and the corner of the external component positioned towards the rear of the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member.

[0038] - Attach the fastening sections of the internal components to the fastening sections of the external components to form a reinforced frame having fastening sections attached to the body of the hybrid vehicle or electric vehicle and a hollow portion surrounding the battery cell.

[0039] A fourth object of the present invention includes a method for assembling and attaching a reinforced battery pack according to the invention to the body of an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, the body comprising: a base plate; at least one pair of rear members and a pair of front members, said pairs being opposite each other and configured to absorb rear and front impacts; and two side beams opposite each other, said two side beams being fixed to the base plate and configured to absorb lateral impacts, the method comprising at least the following steps:

[0040] - Provide battery units

[0041] - Provide internal and external components

[0042] - The fastening sections of the internal and external components are attached to each other to form a reinforced frame with fastening sections and hollow sections.

[0043] - Will strengthen the framework around the battery cell positioning

[0044] - The fastening portion is attached to a pair of side beams in such a way that the corner of the reinforcing frame positioned towards the front of the vehicle is adjacent to the rear end of the front member, and the corner of the reinforcing frame positioned towards the rear of the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member. Attached Figure Description

[0045] Other features and advantages of the invention will be described in more detail in the following description.

[0046] The invention will be better understood by referring to the following figures and by reading the following description, which is provided for illustrative purposes only and is in no way intended to be limiting:

[0047] - Figure 1 It is a perspective view of the vehicle body including the reinforced battery pack according to the present invention;

[0048] - Figure 2 It is a perspective view of a portion of the reinforced battery pack, including the internal components of the reinforcing frame;

[0049] - Figure 3 This is a top view of the reinforcing frame according to the present invention;

[0050] - Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Cross-sectional view along arrow IV;

[0051] - Figure 5 yes Figure 3 Perspective view of the reinforced frame components;

[0052] - Figure 6 yes Figure 3 Perspective view of the reinforced frame exterior;

[0053] - Figure 7 This is an exploded view of a specific embodiment of the enhanced battery pack of the present invention;

[0054] - Figure 8 The process of assembling the reinforced battery pack of the present invention is described in detail.

[0055] - Figure 9 This is a bottom view of the front of the vehicle body;

[0056] - Figure 10 yes Figure 9 Bottom view of the rear of the vehicle body. Detailed Implementation

[0057] It should be noted that, as used in this application, the terms “lower,” “upper,” “above,” “below,” “lowest,” “highest,” “top,” “bottom,” “left,” and “right” refer to the position and orientation of the reinforcing frame, battery pack, and different parts of the vehicle when vertically positioned on the ground. Furthermore, the terms “front,” “forward,” “rear,” “rear,” and “rearward” are defined according to the normal driving direction of the vehicle. The term “generally perpendicular” defines an angle of 90° + / - 15°, and the term “generally parallel” defines an angle of 0° + / - 15°.

[0058] The first objective of this invention is to strengthen frame 1, and now will be Figures 1 to 6 It is described with the support of [the relevant authority / organization].

[0059] The reinforcing frame 1 is designed to protect the battery cells 29 of the battery pack in an electric or hybrid vehicle 37 from mechanical impacts and physical intrusion. Figure 1 As shown, the reinforcing frame 1 is therefore configured to be fixed to both the battery pack and the body 30 of the electric or hybrid vehicle 37. While protecting the battery cell 29, the reinforcing frame 1 also provides active collision energy management.

[0060] Battery packs are a well-known component of electric and hybrid vehicles and essentially consist of multiple battery cells 29.

[0061] In a particular embodiment, the battery cell 29 is located on the protective element 15. The protective element 15 is, for example, made of fully martensitic steel containing between 0.15% and 0.5% carbon by weight. The martensitic steel has a tensile strength greater than 1800 MPa, making the protective element 15 particularly resistant to physical intrusion from the bottom.

[0062] The reinforcing frame 1 of the present invention is made of steel and includes: a reinforcing frame fastening portion 3 configured to fix the battery pack to the body 30 of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37, and a reinforcing frame hollow portion 4 fixed to the reinforcing frame fastening portion 3 and configured to surround at least the battery cell 29.

[0063] According to the invention, the reinforcing frame 1 is made of two annular elements fixed to each other. These two elements are also referred to as the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 of the reinforcing frame 1. The inner component 10 is configured to surround at least the battery cell 29, while the outer component 11 is configured to contact a portion of the body 30 of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37.

[0064] like Figure 3 As shown, the reinforcing frame has a generally rectangular shape extending along the longitudinal axis X, and has two longitudinal portions 33, 34, two transverse portions 31, 32 and four corner portions 24.

[0065] Each internal component 10 and each external component 11 of the reinforcing frame 1 is manufactured by stamping steel billets. In a particular embodiment, the stamping operation is a hot stamping operation, in which the billet is heated and subsequently quenched in a stamping tool. This allows for the acquisition of the required complex shapes of the parts while ensuring very high mechanical properties for excellent resistance to impact.

[0066] In a particular embodiment, each internal component 10 and each external component 11 of the reinforcing frame 1 is manufactured by stamping a custom-made welded blank comprising several sub-blanks. These sub-blanks may have different thicknesses and / or different compositions to optimize the mechanical properties and weight of the components. In areas requiring higher mechanical resistance to provide sufficient protection under impact, higher thicknesses and / or more resistive steel grades will be used. Conversely, in areas where mechanical resistance can be lower, lower thicknesses can be used to reduce the weight of the portion. Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6An example of such a custom-designed welded blank is depicted, where weld line 35 is clearly visible. In this embodiment, both the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 are made from six sub-blanks or workpieces joined together using laser butt welding to form two blanks: each of the first longitudinal member 33 and the second longitudinal member 34 corresponds to one workpiece, the two corners 24 and the second transverse member 32 / first transverse member 31 correspond to one workpiece, and the remaining corners 24 and the remaining first transverse members 31 / second transverse members 32 correspond to three workpieces. Such a laser-welded blank concept is very flexible and allows for a variety of variations to meet the safety, regulatory, and weight optimization requirements imposed on the battery pack. In this example, a laser-welded blank with six sub-blanks is presented. However, considering the engineering and cost constraints of the specific battery pack to be designed, as few or as many blanks as needed can be selected.

[0067] In a particular embodiment, the laser-welded blanks used to manufacture the internal component 10 and the external component 11 have a greater thickness on the portion of the reinforcing frame 1 positioned parallel to the side of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37 and on the portion corresponding to the corner of the reinforcing frame 1. In practice, in the event of a lateral impact to the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37, such as a rod impact to the side of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37, the portion of the reinforcing frame 1 positioned parallel to the side of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37 will be subjected to very high local loads and therefore needs to be reinforced. Furthermore, as described below, in the event of a frontal or rear-end collision, the load from the impact will be transferred to the rest of the reinforcing frame 1 through the corners. Therefore, the corners also need to be reinforced.

[0068] The internal component 10 and the external component 11 are assembled together. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the internal component 10 has a first fastening section 5, and the external component 11 has a second fastening section 6. The first fastening section 5 and the second fastening section 6 are fastened to each other by a fastening device 21 to form a reinforcing frame fastening portion 3 of the reinforcing frame 1. Preferably, the two fastening sections 5 and 6 are in contact. Furthermore, both the internal component 10 and the external component 11 have reinforcing sections 7 and 8 that form the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame 1.

[0069] As a preferred example, the first fastening section 5 of the inner component 10 and the second fastening section 6 of the outer component 11 are bolted together.

[0070] like Figure 4 As shown and according to the present invention, examples of the geometry of each reinforcing segment will now be described.

[0071] The first reinforcing section 7 of the internal component 10 and the second reinforcing section 8 of the external component 11 are both generally L-shaped and positioned symmetrically with respect to the Y-axis of the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame. More specifically, when looking at... Figure 4 At this time, the first reinforcing section 7 of the inner component 10 has an L-shape, while the second reinforcing section 8 of the outer component 11 has an inverted L-shape. It should be noted that although the first reinforcing section 7 and the second reinforcing section 8 extend generally along an L-shape, some modifications, such as notches or others, can be introduced compared to a perfect L-shape to account for packaging constraints, for example, due to environmental factors caused by electric or hybrid vehicles 37. It should also be noted that, given that the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 define the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame, the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 can have slightly different shapes, and therefore they are not perfectly symmetrically positioned.

[0072] The hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame therefore has a generally square or rectangular cross-section. The hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame thus has four main walls: a bottom wall 40 extending from the first fastening section 5 of the internal component 10 and its opposite upper wall 42, an inner wall 41 facing the battery cell 29, and an opposite outer wall 43 protruding from the second fastening section 6 of the external component 11. Furthermore, the reinforcing frame 1 has a generally square or rectangular shape.

[0073] Therefore, the bottom wall 40 continues the first fastening section 5 of the inner component 10 that extends in parallel from the bottom wall 40, and the outer wall 43 is substantially perpendicular to the second fastening section 6 of the outer component 11.

[0074] In the event of a vehicle impact, the reinforcing frame 1 is designed to absorb a portion of the impact energy through the deformation of its outer component 11, while simultaneously protecting the battery cell 29 due to the anti-intrusion behavior of the inner component 10. Since the reinforcing frame 1 is located in the center of the vehicle, it is expected to play an active role in collision management in the event of a frontal, rear, or lateral impact. The outer component 11 is designed to withstand a certain amount of deformation in the event of a collision, while the inner component 10 defines an "no-pass" zone in which the battery cell 29 is completely protected from intrusion in the event of an impact.

[0075] One way to apply the dual concept of energy absorption through the external component 11 and intrusion resistance through the internal component 10 is to provide a portion in which, for any given cross section, the product of the minimum tensile strength and the plate thickness of the internal component 10 is equal to or greater than the product of the minimum tensile strength and the plate thickness of the external component 11.

[0076] As an example, both the internal component 10 and the external component 11 are made of press-hardened steel with a tensile strength greater than 1300 MPa. The composition of this steel, for example, by weight percentage, is:

[0077]

[0078] In this embodiment, the thickness of the internal components is, for example, between 1.2 mm and 1.6 mm.

[0079] In another embodiment, both the internal component 10 and the external component 11 can be made of a harder steel with a tensile strength greater than 1800 MPa. The composition of this steel, for example, by weight percentage, is:

[0080]

[0081] In this embodiment, the thickness of the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 includes, for example, between 1 mm and 1.4 mm, and the components can have a lower weight while maintaining the same mechanical resistance as components made of lower strength steel as described in the previous embodiments.

[0082] These two examples of steel alloys have high rigidity, which makes the internal components 10 of the reinforcing frame 1 well protected against any deformation or any physical intrusion into the battery cell 29.

[0083] According to the invention, the outer component 11 is made of a material having the same or greater ductility as the material of the inner component 10. As an example, the outer component 11 may be made of steel with a tensile strength of approximately 1000 MPa. The composition of this steel, for example, by weight percentage, is:

[0084]

[0085] Because the external component 11 is more ductile than the internal component 10, the external component 11 can deform due to any mechanical impact. This deformation results in the absorption of mechanical energy, reducing the residual energy absorbed by the bottom wall 40 and inner wall 41 of the internal component. Therefore, the risk of deformation or deterioration of the internal component 10 is significantly reduced.

[0086] Preferably, the corner 24 of the reinforcing frame, and more specifically the corner of the outer component 11 of the reinforcing frame 1, is reinforced. Figure 6 The corners are chamfered as shown. This reduces the thinning of the material in the corners 24, resulting in better resistance to the reinforced frame 1 and better energy transfer through the first longitudinal member 33, the second longitudinal member 34, the first transverse member 31, and the second transverse member 32.

[0087] According to such Figure 4In the particular embodiment depicted, the reinforcing frame 1 includes a cover portion 9 protruding from the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame. Due to this cover portion 9, the top plate 19 of the battery pack, which is configured to seal the top of the battery pack and protect the battery cell 29, is... Figure 8 It can be fixed to the covering part 9 of the reinforcing frame 1.

[0088] To form the covering portion 9, the inner component 10 has a first covering portion 12 extending from the involved first reinforcing portion 7, and the outer component 11 has a second covering portion 13 extending from the involved second reinforcing portion 8. The first covering portion 12 and the second covering portion 13 are fixed to each other to form the covering portion 9. Preferably, the first covering portion 12 and the second covering portion 13 are in contact.

[0089] Finally, to strengthen the reinforcing frame 1, several reinforcing members 14 can be inserted into the hollow part 4. Figure 7 Preferably, each longitudinal and transverse member corresponds to a reinforcing member 14, and reinforcing members 14 may also be inserted at the corners if necessary. Each reinforcing member 14 preferably has an Ω shape to provide both good energy absorption and good fixation. The reinforcing member 14 is preferably fixed to the inner wall 41 of the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame.

[0090] A second objective of the present invention is to strengthen the battery pack 2, which includes the reinforcing frame 1 that surrounds the battery cell 29 as described above.

[0091] Part of the specific implementation of the enhanced battery pack 2 Figure 2 Depicted and depicted in the perspective view of the middle as Figure 7 The exploded diagram in the image. It should also be noted that... Figure 2 The image depicts battery cell 29, but... Figure 7 Battery cell 29 is not depicted in the text.

[0092] The reinforced battery pack 2 includes a reinforcing frame 1 and battery cells 29, as well as other elements listed below, which may optionally be included individually or in any possible combination of each other in the configuration of the reinforced battery pack 2. It should be noted that the following list is by no means intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the scope of the invention, but is given as an example device to illustrate possible applications of the invention:

[0093] • The aforementioned protective element 15;

[0094] • A cooling device 16, located on the protective element 15 and configured to cool the battery cell 29. As an example, the cooling device 16 includes two heat-conducting elements, referred to as coating elements, fixed to each other, and a cooling system (not shown) inserted between the two coating elements 160, 161.

[0095] • Evenly spaced anti-intrusion beams 20, which are fixed to the protective element 15 and positioned between the protective element 15 and the cooling device 16;

[0096] • Mesh 17, which includes a plurality of receiving beams 23 located on the cooling device 16. The receiving beams 23 form a plurality of evenly distributed receiving members 18.

[0097] Preferably, the lateral receiving beam 23 is aligned with the intrusion prevention beam 20, such that in the event of intrusion from the bottom of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37, the intrusion prevention beam 20 and the lateral receiving beam 23 work together to provide optimal resistance.

[0098] • Multiple battery cells 29 ( Figure 2 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 Each battery cell 29 is housed in the housing member 18 and is in contact with the cooling device 16.

[0099] According to the present invention, the battery pack is reinforced using the reinforcing frame 1 of the present invention to form a reinforced battery pack 2. The reinforcing frame fastening portion 3 of the reinforcing frame 1 is fixed to the protective element 15, for example. The hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame surrounds the battery cell 29, the mesh 17, and the cooling device 16. Figure 2 and Figure 7 Only the internal component 10 of the reinforcing frame is depicted.

[0100] Finally, the reinforced battery pack 2 may optionally include a top plate, also known as top cover 19 ( Figure 8 It is fixed to the reinforcing frame 1. For example, the top plate 19 is bolted to the cover portion 9 of the reinforcing frame 1. Advantageously, by bolting the top plate 19 to the cover portion 9, the top plate 19 can be removed when maintenance of the battery cell 29 or other components is required.

[0101] According to a particular embodiment, the assembly will now be described. Figure 8 The process of strengthening battery pack 2 is described in the text.

[0102] In the first step, the first assembly is provided by securing the anti-intrusion beam 20 to the protective element 15.

[0103] In the second step, the second component is provided through the following sub-steps:

[0104] - Assemble the cladding elements 160, 161 and the cooling system to form the cooling device 16;

[0105] - Secure the mesh 17 to the cooling device 16;

[0106] - The battery cell 29 is disposed within the receiving member 18 of the mesh 17;

[0107] - Position the reinforcing frame 1 around the cooling device 16, the mesh 17, and the battery cell 29.

[0108] In the third step, the reinforcing frame fastening part 3 of the reinforcing frame 1 is bolted to the protective element 15 using the fixing device 21. Preferably, the fixing device 21 is used in the same step to bolt together the internal component 10 and the external component 11 of the reinforcing frame 1 and the protective element 15.

[0109] In a particular embodiment, the fastening device 21 is a self-piercing rivet nut, such as the SPAC® nut commercialized by RB&W.

[0110] In the fourth and final step, the top plate 19 is secured to the reinforcing frame 1. Advantageously, the top plate 19 is bolted to the cover portion 9 of the reinforcing frame 1.

[0111] Then, the reinforced battery pack 2 is protected from any physical impact and from any physical intrusion, and the reinforced battery pack 2 can be safely moved during any other assembly process of the reinforced battery pack 2.

[0112] According to another process of the present invention, the reinforced battery pack 2 can be assembled into the body 30 of an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle 37.

[0113] In the first step, the reinforced battery pack 2 is positioned within the body 30 of the electric or hybrid vehicle 37 such that the longitudinal axis X of the reinforcing frame 1 is parallel to the longitudinal axis X' of the vehicle. Once positioned, the corners 24 of the reinforcing frame 1 contact the ends of the rear member 25 and the front member 26, respectively.

[0114] In the second and final step, the reinforcing frame 1 of the reinforcing battery pack 2 is fixed to the side beam 27 of the body of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37.

[0115] Due to this configuration, the energy of any longitudinal impact on the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37 will be transferred through the corresponding rear member 25 and front member 26, and this energy will be transferred via the corner 24 through the longitudinal and lateral members of the reinforcing frame 1, preventing any deformation or deterioration of the reinforcing battery pack 2. Similarly, any lateral impact on the side beam 27 of the body of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37 will be transferred through the first longitudinal member 33 and the second longitudinal member 34 of the reinforcing frame 1.

[0116] The reinforcing frame 1 of this invention is crucial for protecting the battery pack of any electric or hybrid vehicle.

[0117] The embodiments described above are entirely non-limiting and can be modified without departing from the scope of the invention. As an example, both the internal and external components can be made of the same high-tensile-strength steel, such as Usibor. ® 1500 or Usibor ® Manufactured in 2000. Finally, the reinforced battery pack 2 may consist only of the internal components 10 of the reinforced frame 1, while the external components 11 of the reinforced frame 1 are fixed to the body of the electric or hybrid vehicle 37. In this case, the assembly of the reinforced battery pack 2 to the vehicle is achieved by bolting the first fastening section 5 of the internal component 10 to the second fastening section 6 of the external component 11.

[0118] The third and fourth objectives of the present invention are to improve the assembly process of attaching the battery pack 2 to the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37.

[0119] The body of an electric or hybrid vehicle 37—also known as the “body body”—refers to the components of the vehicle body that are combined using one or a combination of different techniques such as welding, riveting, splicing, bonding, and laser brazing.

[0120] according to Figure 1 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 The body of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37 extends about a longitudinal axis X' and includes a floor plate 28, at least one pair of rear members 25, and a pair of front members 26. The front members 26 are located at the front of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37, while the rear members 25 are positioned towards the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, the pair of rear members 25 and front members 26 are opposite each other and configured to absorb impacts from the front and rear. Furthermore, the body 30 of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37 includes two side beams 27 fixed to the floor plate 28 and positioned opposite each other. These side beams 27 are configured to absorb lateral impacts.

[0121] - The aforementioned reinforcing frame 1 can be integrated into the entire vehicle structure in several different ways, following two main assembly possibilities:

[0122] - According to the first possibility, the external component 11 is attached to the body 30, while the internal component 10 is positioned around the battery cell 29. The internal component 10 is then attached to the external component 11 to secure the battery pack 2 to the vehicle.

[0123] - According to the second possibility, the internal component 10 and the external component 11 are first fastened together to form a reinforcing frame 1, and then positioned around the battery cell 29. The battery pack 2 thus assembled is then attached to the vehicle body by attaching the reinforcing frame 1 to the vehicle body. In this second configuration, the entire reinforcing frame 1 can be considered as belonging to the battery pack 2.

[0124] Moving to the first possibility, the assembly sequence includes the following steps:

[0125] - Provides 29 battery cells

[0126] - Provides internal component 10 and external component 11

[0127] - Position the internal component 10 around the battery cell 29. For example, place the battery cell 29 on the protective element 15 and fasten the first fastening section 5 of the internal component 10 to the protective element 15.

[0128] - The second fastening section 6 of the outer component 11 is attached to a pair of side beams 27 in such a way that the corner of the outer component 11 positioned towards the front of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37 is adjacent to the rear end of the front member 26, and the corner of the outer component 11 positioned towards the rear of the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member 25.

[0129] - The first fastening section 5 of the internal component 10 is attached to the second fastening section 6 of the external component 11 to form a reinforcing frame fastening section 3 having a body attached to the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37 and a reinforcing frame 1 having a hollow section 4 surrounding the battery cell 29.

[0130] Moving to the second possibility, the assembly sequence includes the following steps:

[0131] - Provides 29 battery cells

[0132] - Provides internal component 10 and external component 11

[0133] - The first fastening section 5 of the inner component 10 and the second fastening section 6 of the outer component 11 are attached to each other to form a reinforced frame 1 having a reinforcing frame fastening section 3 and a hollow section 4.

[0134] - Position the reinforcing frame 1 around the battery cell 29. For example, place the battery cell 29 on the protective element 15 and fasten the first fastening section 5 of the internal component 10 to the protective element 15.

[0135] - The reinforcing frame fastening portion 3 is attached to a pair of side beams 27 in such a way that the corner of the reinforcing frame 1 facing the front of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37 is adjacent to the rear end of the front member 26, and the corner of the reinforcing frame 1 facing the rear of the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member 25.

[0136] Due to this configuration of the internal reinforcing frame 1, the energy from a frontal or rear-end impact on an electric or hybrid vehicle 37 is transferred through the corresponding rear member 25 and front member 26, and this energy is transferred via the corners 24 through the longitudinal and transverse members 31 to 34 of the reinforcing frame 1, preventing any deformation of the internal components 10 of the reinforcing frame 1. Furthermore, the reinforcing frame 1 is used to deflect and distribute impact energy in the event of a frontal or rear-end impact. In fact, due to its high strength and central location within the vehicle structure, the reinforcing frame 1 is positioned along the path of the impact load, as if by… Figure 9 and Figure 10 Arrow 36 specifically illustrates the path through which the impact force will occur. In the event of a rear-end collision or a front-end collision, the load will first be transferred to the vehicle structure via the rear member 25 or the front member 26, respectively. The load will then be received by the rest of the vehicle structure, and specifically by the reinforcing frame 1. The load will be diverted from the center of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37, where the sensitive battery cell 29 is located, through the reinforcing frame 1 to the side of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 37.

[0137] According to embodiments of the present invention, the following notes are also disclosed:

[0138] Appendix 1. A reinforcing frame (1) for a battery pack (2) mounted on an electric or hybrid vehicle (37), the battery pack (2) comprising a plurality of battery cells (29), the reinforcing frame (1) comprising at least:

[0139] - A reinforced frame fastening portion (3) is configured to be fixed to both the battery pack (2) and the vehicle body, and

[0140] - The hollow portion (4) of the reinforced frame is configured to enclose at least the battery cell (29).

[0141] - An internal component (10) and an external component (11), both having fastening sections (5, 6) and reinforcing sections (7, 8), wherein the fastening sections (5, 6) are fastened to each other to form the reinforcing frame fastening portion (3), and wherein the reinforcing sections (7, 8) define the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame.

[0142] The internal component (10) and the external component (11) are both made of pressed hardenable steel laser welding blanks, and each laser welding blank includes several sub-blanks.

[0143] Note 2. According to Note 1, the reinforcing frame (1) wherein the reinforcing segments (7, 8) of the inner component (10) and the outer component (11) are both generally L-shaped and arranged in a symmetrical position relative to the Y-axis of the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame, thereby forming a generally square or rectangular hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame.

[0144] Note 3. The reinforcing frame (1) according to any one of the preceding notes includes a covering portion (9) extending from the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame, the covering portion (9) being configured to be fixed to the top cover (19) of the battery pack (2).

[0145] Note 4. The reinforcing frame (1) according to the previous note, wherein both the inner component (10) and the outer component (11) have covering portions (12, 13) extending from the reinforcing segments (7, 8) involved, the covering portions (12, 13) being fixed to each other to form the covering portion (9).

[0146] Note 5. The reinforcing frame (1) according to any one of the preceding notes, wherein, for any given cross section of the reinforcing frame (1), the product of the minimum tensile strength and the plate thickness of the inner component (10) is equal to or greater than the product of the minimum tensile strength and the plate thickness of the outer component (11).

[0147] Note 6. The reinforcing frame (1) according to any one of the preceding notes has a generally square or rectangular shape and has chamfered corners.

[0148] Note 7. The reinforcing frame (1) according to any one of the preceding notes includes at least one longitudinal reinforcing member (14) located inside the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame and fixed to the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame.

[0149] Note 8. The reinforcing frame (1) according to the preceding note, wherein the longitudinal reinforcing member (14) has an Ω-shaped cross section.

[0150] Note 9. A reinforced battery pack (2) for an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle (37), the reinforced battery pack (2) comprising a plurality of battery cells (29) and further comprising a reinforcing frame (1) according to any one of the preceding notes.

[0151] Note 10. The reinforced battery pack (2) according to the preceding note, wherein the reinforced battery pack (2) is attached to the body of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle (37) at least by the fastening portion (3).

[0152] Note 11. The reinforced battery pack (2) according to Note 9 or 10 further includes at least a protective element (15) configured to prevent intrusion into the battery pack (2), wherein the protective element (15) is attached to the fastening portion (3) of the reinforced battery pack (2).

[0153] Note 12. The reinforced battery pack (2) according to any one of Notes 9 to 11 further includes at least one top cover (19) which is secured to the reinforced frame (1) by attaching the at least one top cover (19) to the covering portion (9) of the reinforced frame (1).

[0154] Appendix 13. A method for assembling a reinforced battery pack (2) according to any one of Appendices 9 to 12 for attaching to a body (30, 31) to an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle (37), the body (30, 31) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and comprising: a base plate (28); at least one pair of rear members (25) and a pair of front members (26), the pair (25, 26) being opposite each other and configured to absorb rear and front impacts; and two side beams (27) being opposite each other, the two side beams being fixed to the base plate (28) and configured to absorb lateral impacts, the method comprising at least the following steps:

[0155] - Provide battery cells (29)

[0156] - Provides internal components (10) and external components (11).

[0157] - Position the internal component (10) around the battery cell (29)

[0158] - The fastening section (6) of the external component (11) is attached to a pair of side beams (27) in such a way that the front-facing corner of the external component (10) facing the vehicle (37) is adjacent to the rear end of the front member (26), and the rear-facing corner of the external component (10) facing the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member (25).

[0159] - The fastening section (5) of the internal component (10) is attached to the fastening section (6) of the external component (11) to form a reinforced frame (1) having a fastening portion (3) attached to the body of the hybrid vehicle or electric vehicle (37) and a hollow portion (4) surrounding the battery cell (29).

[0160] Appendix 14. A method for assembling a reinforced battery pack (2) according to any one of Appendices 9 to 12 for attaching to a body (30, 31) to an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle (37), the body (30, 31) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and comprising: a base plate (28); at least one pair of rear members (25) and a pair of front members (26), the pair (25, 26) being opposite each other and configured to absorb rear and front impacts; and two side beams (27) opposite each other, the two side beams being fixed to the base plate (28) and configured to absorb lateral impacts, the method comprising at least the following steps:

[0161] - Provide battery cells (29)

[0162] - Provides internal components (10) and external components (11).

[0163] - The fastening sections (5, 6) of the inner component (10) and the outer component (11) are attached to each other to form a reinforced frame (1) having a fastening portion (3) and a hollow portion (4).

[0164] - Position the reinforcing frame (1) around the battery cell (29)

[0165] - The fastening portion (3) is attached to a pair of side beams (27) in such a way that the corner of the reinforcing frame (1) facing the front of the vehicle (37) is adjacent to the rear end of the front member (26), and the corner of the reinforcing frame (1) facing the rear of the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member (25).

Claims

1. A reinforcing frame (1) for a battery pack (2) mounted on an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle (37), the battery pack (2) comprising a plurality of battery cells (29), the reinforcing frame (1) comprising at least: - A reinforced frame fastening portion (3) is configured to be fixed to both the battery pack (2) and the vehicle body, and - The hollow portion (4) of the reinforced frame is configured to enclose at least the battery cell (29). - An internal component (10) and an external component (11), wherein the internal component (10) has a first fastening section (5) and a first reinforcing section (7), and the external component (11) has a second fastening section (6) and a second reinforcing section (8), wherein, The first fastening section (5) and the second fastening section (6) are fixed to each other to form the fastening portion (3) of the reinforcing frame, wherein the first reinforcing section (7) and the second reinforcing section (8) define the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame. The internal component (10) and the external component (11) are both made of pressed hardenable steel laser welding blanks, and each laser welding blank includes several sub-blanks; Wherein, for any given cross section of the reinforcing frame (1), the product of the minimum tensile strength and the plate thickness of the inner component (10) is equal to or higher than the product of the minimum tensile strength and the plate thickness of the outer component (11).

2. The reinforcing frame (1) according to claim 1, wherein, Both the first reinforcing section (7) of the inner component (10) and the second reinforcing section (8) of the outer component (11) are L-shaped and arranged in a symmetrical position relative to the Y-axis of the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame, thereby forming a square or rectangular hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame.

3. The reinforcing frame (1) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a covering portion (9) extending from the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame, the covering portion (9) being configured to be fixed to the top cover (19) of the battery pack (2).

4. The reinforcing frame (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The internal component (10) has a first covering portion (12) extending from the first reinforcing segment (7) involved, and the external component (11) has a second covering portion (13) extending from the second reinforcing segment (8) involved, the first covering portion (12) and the second covering portion (13) being fixed to each other to form the covering portion (9).

5. The reinforcing frame (1) according to claim 1 or 2 has a square or rectangular shape and has chamfered corners.

6. The reinforcing frame (1) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising at least one longitudinal reinforcing member (14) located inside the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame and fixed to the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame.

7. The reinforcing frame (1) according to claim 6, wherein, The longitudinal reinforcing member (14) has an Ω-shaped cross section.

8. A reinforced battery pack (2) for an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle (37), the reinforced battery pack (2) comprising a plurality of battery cells (29) and further comprising a reinforced frame (1) according to any one of claims 1-7.

9. The reinforced battery pack (2) according to claim 8, wherein, The reinforced battery pack (2) is attached to the body of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle (37) at least by the fastening portion (3).

10. The reinforced battery pack (2) according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising at least a protective element (15) configured to prevent intrusion into the battery pack (2), wherein, The protective element (15) is attached to the fastening portion (3) of the reinforced battery pack (2).

11. The reinforced battery pack (2) according to any one of claims 8 or 9, further comprising at least one top cover (19) secured to the reinforced frame (1) by attaching the at least one top cover (19) to a cover portion (9) of the reinforced frame (1).

12. A method for assembling a reinforced battery pack (2) according to any one of claims 8 to 11 for attaching a body (30, 31) to an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle (37), said body (30) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and comprising: A base plate (28); at least one pair of rear members (25) and one pair of front members (26), the pair of rear members (25) being opposite each other and the pair of front members (26) being opposite each other and configured to absorb rear and front impacts; and two side beams (27) opposite each other, the two side beams being fixed to the base plate (28) and configured to absorb lateral impacts, the method comprising at least the following steps: - Provide battery cells (29) - Provides internal components (10) and external components (11). - Position the internal component (10) around the battery cell (29) - The second fastening section (6) of the external component (11) is attached to a pair of side beams (27) in such a way that the corner of the external component (11) positioned towards the front of the electric or hybrid vehicle (37) is adjacent to the rear end of the front member (26), and the corner of the external component (11) positioned towards the rear of the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member (25). - The first fastening section (5) of the internal component (10) is attached to the fastening section (6) of the external component (11) to form a reinforced frame (1) having a fastening portion (3) attached to the body of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle (37) and a hollow portion (4) surrounding the battery cell (29).

13. A method for assembling a reinforced battery pack (2) according to any one of claims 8 to 11 for attaching a body (30, 31) to an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle (37), said body (30) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and comprising: A base plate (28); at least one pair of rear members (25) and one pair of front members (26), the pair of rear members (25) being opposite each other and the pair of front members (26) being opposite each other and configured to absorb rear and front impacts; and two side beams (27) opposite each other, the two side beams being fixed to the base plate (28) and configured to absorb lateral impacts, the method comprising at least the following steps: - Provide battery cells (29) - Provides internal components (10) and external components (11). - The first fastening section (5) of the inner component (10) and the second fastening section (6) of the outer component (11) are attached to each other to form a reinforced frame (1) having a fastening portion (3) and a hollow portion (4). - Position the reinforcing frame (1) around the battery cell (29) - The fastening portion (3) is attached to a pair of side beams (27) in such a way that the corner of the reinforcing frame (1) positioned toward the front of the electric or hybrid vehicle (37) is adjacent to the rear end of the front member (26), and the corner of the reinforcing frame (1) positioned toward the rear of the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member (25).

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