Traction battery with removable impact part for cutting an assembly adhesive, method and vehicle based on such a battery

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of passive safety of traction batteries of motor vehicles, in particular with regard to side impacts (also known as "pole impacts").

[0002] Electric vehicles are subject to several obligations in terms of crash resistance, including the obligation not to damage the active elements of the traction battery in the event of a side impact at 30 km / h along the entire length of the vehicle.

[0003] Most often, the vehicle's structure protects the traction battery, but in some cases, the battery itself is affected. It must therefore include internal protective elements.

[0004] For this purpose, a battery is used, including structural T-beams within the battery, and sometimes a PI impactor is necessary to locate and transmit the impact forces onto the structure. This arrangement can be illustrated by the figure 1 where the reference P relates to a post. By "impactor" is understood a shock-absorbing element, in particular through permanent deformation.

[0005] On the other hand, a battery consists of two covers assembled with glue. These are generally an upper cover and a lower cover C2, which can be illustrated by the figure 2 The lower cover C2 includes battery structural elements, including a PI impactor positioned laterally on each side of the battery. During assembly, the PI impactor is positioned to conceal a bond line (C3 adhesive bead) on the battery cover, as illustrated in the diagram. figure 3 .

[0006] To ensure the repair of the internal elements of the battery, it is necessary to be able to separate the covers C1, C2, and therefore cut the assembly glue (glue bead C3).

[0007] During this cutting process, the PI impactor can interfere with the cutting tool, making disassembly impossible.

[0008] Thus, to leave room for the cutting tool (access D1 of the figure 4 ) of the assembly adhesive (C3 adhesive bead), the PI impactor is cut along section D2 of the figure 4 , in the earlier art.

[0009] Unfortunately, the PI impactor thus cut is largely weakened (particularly at section F1 of the figure 4 ), and no longer allows the forces to be transmitted as effectively to the battery's T-shaped cross members. Therefore, there is a risk of damage to the battery's active components.

[0010] Furthermore, the state of the art is known from document DE102019206893A1.

[0011] One objective of the invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, and in particular to offer a battery that can be easily disassembled and reassembled without weakening the structure of the impactor.

[0012] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a motor vehicle traction battery comprising a two-part cover configured to be glued together by means of at least one bead of glue, the battery comprising a side piece for a battery side, configured to fix the battery to a vehicle casing, and an impactor piece configured to protect the battery from side impacts, the impactor piece being configured to be fixed to the side piece to form a battery side such that the impactor piece at least partially conceals said adhesive bead, The impactor piece and the flank piece are separate parts, and are attached to each other in a removable manner.

[0013] Thus, the proposed invention consists of separating the impactor from the side of the battery.

[0014] After assembly of the side and the impactor, the side-impactor assembly has the same function as when it is composed of only one piece.

[0015] The removable impactor can thus retain its full inertia and fulfill its role of transmitting forces to the internal cross members of the battery.

[0016] The impactor can be disassembled in the maintenance workshop for cutting the adhesive used to assemble the battery covers.

[0017] In one variant, the impactor piece and the flank piece are fixed together by screwing. This makes it easier to disassemble these parts from each other.

[0018] In one variant, the side panel is designed to be screwed to the vehicle. This makes it easier to remove the side panel, and therefore the battery, from the body.

[0019] The invention further relates to a method for dismantling a traction battery of a motor vehicle according to the invention, said adhesive cord being detachable, the method being characterized by the following steps: a step of disassembling the impactor part from the side part so as to expose said glue bead, and a step of cutting said glue bead.

[0020] According to one variant, the disassembly step is implemented by unscrewing.

[0021] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a battery according to the invention.

[0022] The invention will be further detailed by describing non-limiting embodiments, and based on the accompanying figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: [ Fig.1 ] schematically illustrates a top view of an earlier art battery structure with a side shock post; [ Fig.2 ] schematically illustrates a view in space of a disassembled upper and lower cover, where the lower cover includes the prior art battery structure; Fig.3 ] schematically illustrates a view in space of the lids of the figure 2 assembled, showing a bead of glue hidden by the impactor piece; Fig.4 ] schematically illustrates a prior art solution in which the impactor part is cut to provide access to a cutting tool D1 for the glue bead D3; [ Fig.5 ] schematically illustrates a three-dimensional view of a side piece according to the invention; [ Fig.6 ] schematically illustrates a three-dimensional view of an impactor component according to the invention; [ Fig.7 ] schematically illustrates a three-dimensional view of the side piece of the figure 5 assembled reversibly to the impactor part of the figure 6 .

[0023] The invention relates to a motor vehicle traction battery comprising a protective cover in two parts configured to be glued together. In this description, a specific C3 adhesive bead is relevant and specifically described.

[0024] In the preferred variant, the two-part cover comprises an upper cover C1 and a lower cover C2, together enclosing the traction battery elements.

[0025] The battery consists of a PI impactor piece and a PF side piece. These two pieces are assembled on each side to form the battery housing. The PF side piece is designed to secure the battery to a vehicle body. Specifically, the battery typically has screw-on mounting points P1 and P2 for attaching it to the vehicle body. These mounting points P1 and P2 are located on the PF side piece. Each mounting point P1 and P2 may have a threaded hole in the corresponding section, designed to accommodate a mounting screw.

[0026] The PI impactor piece is configured to protect the battery from side shocks, specifically via an SI impactor body.

[0027] Furthermore, the PI impactor piece and the PF flank piece cooperate to form a battery flank such that the PI impactor piece at least partially masks the C3 adhesive bead. This masking can be illustrated by the figure 3 in the arrangement of the prior art.

[0028] According to the invention, the impactor piece PI and the flank piece PF are separate parts, and are reversibly fixed to each other, preferably by screwing. Thus, they can be easily disassembled from each other, in particular by unscrewing, to access the adhesive bead C3.

[0029] Instead of producing a single piece having the function of lower cover of battery C2, PF and impactor as in the prior art, two pieces PI, PF are produced and assembled reversibly, for example by screwing.

[0030] As can be seen in the figures, the PF side piece of the lower battery cover C2 (illustrated in figure 5 ), is isolable from the PI impactor part (illustrated in figure 6 These two parts are easily disassembled and reassembled, as illustrated by the figure 7 .

[0031] Once the said parts PI, PF are assembled together (for example by screwing) the function of transmitting forces to the internal cross members T of the battery is ensured.

[0032] Once the PI impactor part is removed, access to the glue contact area (C3 cord) is easy, and allows for battery removal.

Claims

1. Traction battery for a motor vehicle comprising a cover (C1, C2) made of two parts configured to be bonded together by means of at least one bead of adhesive (C3), the battery comprising: - a side part (PF) for a battery side, configured to fasten the battery to a vehicle body, and - an impactor part (PI) configured to protect the battery against lateral impacts, characterized in that the impactor part (PI) is configured to be fastened to the side part (PF) so as to form a battery side such that the impactor part (PI) at least partially masks said bead of adhesive (C3), and in that the impactor part (PI) and the side part (PF) are separate parts and are fastened to one another in a detachable manner.

2. Battery according to claim 1, characterized in that the impactor part (PI) and the side part (PF) are fastened together by screwing.

3. Battery according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the side part (PF) is configured to be fastened to the motor vehicle by screwing.

4. Method for disassembling a traction battery for a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, said bead of adhesive (C3) being separable, the method being characterized by the following steps: - a step of disassembling the impactor part (PI) from the side part (PF) so as to unmask said bead of adhesive (C3), and - a step of cutting said bead of adhesive (C3).

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the disassembly step is carried out by unscrewing.

6. Motor vehicle comprising a traction battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3.