LIGHT ELECTRIC VEHICLE WITH SIDE SHEET METAL PROTECTION PANEL FOR TRACTION BATTERY

Abstract

An electric vehicle comprising a tubular chassis having a lower plane (2), a seat equipped with a tubular frame (28) supporting its seat, and comprising a traction battery (32) disposed in a casing fixed to the lower plane of the chassis (2) under this seat frame (28), having a lateral face facing outwards from the vehicle, this vehicle comprising an energy absorption panel (48) formed by stamped sheet metal, which is fixed to the seat frame (28) and to the battery (32) by covering at least part of its outer face. Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: LIGHT ELECTRIC VEHICLE WITH SIDE-SIDED PROTECTION PANEL FOR TRACTION BATTERY

[0001] The present invention relates to a light electric vehicle comprising a tubular chassis supporting a traction battery equipped with a sheet metal side protection panel which is attached to this battery.

[0002] A known type of light electric vehicle comprising two rear drive wheels and a single front wheel in order to limit its mass and size, intended for urban deliveries, includes a front driver's cab, and a rear loading platform receiving goods directly or supporting a crate for transporting them inside.

[0003] The vehicle chassis comprises a lower tubular section extending under the cab, including side rails, and an upper tubular section supporting the platform, which receives the rear axle and its motor below. The vehicle's traction battery is fixed at the front in the cab under the driver's seat, between the lower tubular section supporting it and a tubular seat frame located in the plane of the platform; these two parts form a rigid protection that encloses the battery above and below.

[0004] On some of these vehicles, the seat is shifted towards the left side of the vehicle, in order to free up space on the other side in the cabin, at the edge of this seat, to accommodate in particular a handbrake lever fixed to the floor.

[0005] Furthermore, it is known to adjust the traction battery under the entire width of the seat according to the transverse direction of the vehicle, in order to benefit from a large volume of energy storage ensuring the autonomy of the vehicle, this battery then has an external lateral face which is close to the edge of the bodywork.

[0006] In the event of a side impact to the side of the vehicle, occurring at an intermediate height between the two rigid planes formed by the lateral member of the lower section and the plane of the seat frame, corresponding, for example, to an impact with a guardrail positioned at this height, the chassis does not offer protection for the battery. A battery power supply cable may also run along its side. In the event of a side impact, if the cable is pinched and the battery is deformed, particularly in the case of lithium-ion batteries, there is a risk of short circuit and fire.

[0007] Furthermore, a known type of lateral protection for a traction battery, presented in particular by document FR-A1-3063458, comprises an absorption panel energy interposed between the side of the battery and an external side member, which receives energy to absorb at least part of it in case of deformation of the side member, before transmitting it to the battery.

[0008] Another known type of lateral protection for a traction battery, described in particular by document FR-A1-3110115, comprises a horizontal flat structure positioned between an outer side member and a battery box, having ribs oriented along the transverse direction of the vehicle. During a significant side impact causing deformation of the side member, in particular an impact against a pole, the transverse ribs of the flat plate, having resistance along their length, absorb energy during their deformation, thereby reducing or eliminating the impact on the battery box.

[0009] However, these two known types of protection intended to be placed between an outer side member and the battery, intervene after the side member has received the shock when it deforms in order to absorb energy, without directly receiving the shock.

[0010] In particular for light and compact vehicles, comprising only tubular chassis elements above and below the battery, it is not possible to add an additional longitudinal member at the level of this battery which would increase the mass of the vehicle and its lateral dimensions.

[0011] The present invention aims in particular to avoid these problems of the prior art.

[0012] To this end, it proposes an electric vehicle comprising a tubular chassis having a lower plane, a seat equipped with a tubular frame supporting its seat, and comprising a traction battery disposed in a box fixed to the lower plane of the chassis under this seat frame, having a lateral face turned towards the outside of the vehicle, this vehicle being remarkable in that it comprises an energy absorption panel formed by stamped sheets, which is fixed to the seat frame and to the battery by covering at least part of its outer face.

[0013] An advantage of this vehicle is that by using the space arranged vertically between the lower plane of the chassis and the tubular seating plane, and the transverse space between the outer side face of the battery and the outer edges of the chassis, the available volumes are used best to receive the stamped sheet metal panel which in the event of an impact will absorb energy by deformation in order to protect the battery box located behind it.

[0014] In particular, available space is used without adding laterally any width exceeding the two tubular planes, which is important for a light and compact vehicle.

[0015] The vehicle according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, which may be combined with each other.

[0016] Advantageously, the energy absorption panel is fixed on overlapping contour edges of a lower half-casing and an upper half-casing of the battery which connect them together.

[0017] Advantageously, the energy absorption panel is fixed to the underside of a tube of the seat frame.

[0018] Advantageously, the energy absorption panel comprises a lower part and an upper part made of sheet metal which are linked together.

[0019] In this case, each sheet metal part may include a horizontal flat part, these two superimposed flat parts being arranged above the battery.

[0020] Advantageously, the two horizontal flat parts are connected to each other by welds.

[0021] Advantageously, the sheets of the energy absorption panel have stiffening ribs.

[0022] In this case, the substantially vertical faces of the sheets may have ribs arranged in vertical planes.

[0023] Advantageously, the energy absorption panel is separated from the outer face of the battery by a minimum distance which is greater than 10mm.

[0024] In particular, the vehicle may have two rear drive wheels and a single front wheel.

[0025] The invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will become more apparent upon reading the following description given by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0026] [Fig. 1] is a side view of a light vehicle according to the prior art presented without the bodywork;

[0027] [Fig.2] shows the side of this vehicle after a side impact at the battery level traction;

[0028] [Fig.3] is a view of the left side of a light vehicle according to the invention comprising a protective panel covering the battery, formed by two sheet metal parts; and

[0029] [Fig.4] is a cross-sectional diagram along a vertical plane of this vehicle at battery level.

[0030] Throughout the document, the upper or top direction is relative to a vehicle placed on a horizontal ground, the transverse direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, with the outer side EXT facing outwards from the vehicle.

[0031] Figure 1 shows a light motor vehicle comprising a tubular chassis having a lower section 2 comprising side rails 16 extending forwards under the cab 4, and behind this cab an upper section 8 receiving above it a loading platform 10. The rear portion of the side rails 14 rises coming under the upper tubular plane 8, to receive below the rear axle comprising the two rear wheels 12 which are driven.

[0032] The cab 4 is framed by two front uprights 20 and two rear uprights 22, which are connected by cross members to ensure rigidity. A body (not shown), including a windshield, covers the tubular shape of the cab 4 to protect the driver.

[0033] A driver's seat 24 comprises a seat 26 resting on a tubular support frame 28 forming a horizontally arranged rectangle, fixed at the rear to the rear cab uprights 22 and at the front by vertical legs 30 supported on the lower chassis plane 2. The seat 24 leaves on its right side a free transverse space which receives a handbrake lever fixed to the floor, its left side arriving near the edge of the tubular chassis, between the front upright 20 and the rear upright 22, slightly set back from a lateral longitudinal member 16 of the lower chassis plane 2 which connects these two uprights.

[0034] A power supply battery for the vehicle's electric traction machine 32, fixed on the lower chassis plane 2, covers the entire underside of the seat 24. A free space above the battery 32, under the seat cushion 26 and its seat support frame 28, receives electronic control units for the motor 34.

[0035] An electrical harness 36 runs from the lower left side member 16, at the front of the seat 24, to go up under the seat frame 28 in order to supply the electronic boxes 34.

[0036] Motor vehicles are subjected to standardized shocks that may occur in the event of an accident, intended to improve their design to ensure safety.

[0037] Figure 2 shows an impact F on the left side of the vehicle at the level of the cab 4, by a safety barrier 40 having a height which is adjusted between the lower side member 16 and the tubular seat support frame 28. The barrier 40 only encounters as a resisting element the base of the rear cab pillar 22, which is dented due to insufficient rigidity to contain the impact developing in this example a maximum force of 17.5kN.

[0038] The base of the rear pillar 22 is depressed sufficiently for the barrier 40 to reach and deform the left side face of the battery 32. Furthermore, the ascending portion of the electrical harness 36 is then pressed against the side face of the battery 32, creating a risk of pinching.

[0039] This results in damage to the battery, which is an expensive component and must be replaced if the vehicle is repairable. Furthermore, pinching the electrical harness 36 creates a risk of short circuit, and deformation of the battery 32 creates a risk of fire, particularly for a lithium-ion battery.

[0040] Figures 3 and 4 show a protective panel made of sheet metal 48 formed by a lower part 50 and an upper part 66 assembled together to form a rigid assembly.

[0041] The lower plate 50 comprises a vertical portion 58 having at its base a horizontal flat rim 52 resting on two superimposed contour edges 54 of two battery halves 32 connecting them, and fixed by screws 56 tightening the assembly. The lower plate 50 extends upwards by a horizontal flat portion 60 extending above the battery 32, which receives by welding 62 a superimposed flat portion 64 of the upper plate 66.

[0042] The upper sheet metal 66 has above its flat part 64 a rising part 68 covering the side of the electronic housings 34, then a horizontal upper flat rim 70 returning inwards, which is fixed to the lower face of a tube of the seat support frame 28 by clamping screws 56.

[0043] The two plates 50, 66 spaced along the transverse direction at a minimum distance E from the sides of the battery 32 and the housings 34, have in their substantially vertical faces vertically arranged ribs 72, which give these plates significant rigidity, in particular in their substantially vertical parts covering the elements to be protected.

[0044] In the event of an impact on the side of the battery 32 between the lower longitudinal member 16 and the seat frame 28, the protective panel 48, fixed at the bottom to the rigid overlapping edges 54 of the battery box and at the top to this seat frame, provides protection that can absorb energy through a deformation equal to the minimum distance E before reaching this battery. Advantageously, the minimum distance E is 10 mm. The ribs 72 stiffening the sheet metal 50, 66 increase their energy absorption capacity.

[0045] Effective protection against lateral impacts occurring at a critical height in front of the battery 32 is obtained by a simple means comprising the addition of the protective panel 48 formed economically by stamped sheets fitted between the existing tubes of the tubular chassis, without modifying this chassis.

Claims

Demands

1. Electric vehicle comprising a tubular chassis having a lower plane (2), a seat (24) equipped with a tubular frame (28) supporting its seat (26), and comprising a traction battery (32) disposed in a box fixed on the lower plane of the chassis (2) under this seat frame (28), having a side face turned outwards from the vehicle, characterized in that it comprises an energy absorption panel (48) formed by stamped sheets, which is fixed to the seat frame (28) and to the battery (32) by covering at least part of its outer face.

2. Electric vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the energy absorption panel (48) is fixed on overlapping contour edges (54) of a lower half-casing and an upper half-casing of battery (32) which connect them together.

3. Electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the energy absorption panel (48) is fixed on an underside face of a tube of the seat frame (28).

4. Electric vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy absorption panel (48) comprises a lower part (50) and an upper part made of sheet metal (66) which are linked together.

5. Electric vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that each sheet metal part (50, 66) comprises a horizontal flat part (60, 64), these two superimposed flat parts (60, 64) being arranged above the battery (32).

6. Electric vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the two horizontal flat parts (60, 64) are connected to each other by welds (62).

7. Electric vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheets of the energy absorption panel (48) have stiffening ribs (72).

8. Electric vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the substantially vertical faces of the sheets have ribs (72) arranged in vertical planes.

9. Electric vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy absorption panel (48) is separated from the outer face of battery (32) by a minimum distance (E) which is greater than 10mm.

10. Electric vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two rear drive wheels (12) and a single front wheel (6).

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