ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE FEATURING A BATTERY TRAY INCLUDING AN ENERGY ABSORPTION DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a battery tray, said battery tray comprising a plurality of battery modules (1), each battery module (1) having at least one side wall (2) along the second direction (Y) and mounting tabs (3), said battery tray having at least one cross member (4), said cross member (4) being positioned between two battery modules (1) along said second direction (Y), characterized in that the battery tray has at least one energy absorption device (5) positioned between the side wall (2) and the cross member (4). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A BATTERY TRAY INCLUDING AN ENERGY ABSORPTION DEVICE

[0001] The invention relates to battery trays for electric or hybrid motor vehicles.

[0002] Prior art patent application DE102012001596 is known, describing a protection system for vehicle batteries, particularly for electric, hybrid, or fuel cell vehicles, in which one or more protective elements are arranged on the battery casing. The protective elements are filled with an energy-absorbing medium. The medium is in a gaseous, liquid, or solid state, including as a powder. The protective elements act as a barrier between the vehicle body and the battery casing, absorbing the energy of a collision to protect the battery and the body from damage. The protective elements are flexible and resistant to moisture and chemicals. However, some drawbacks remain. The protective elements are positioned around the battery, which comprises a plurality of battery modules.Each module contains multiple cells. If the protective element(s) are unable to fully absorb the energy during a collision, the modules may collide with each other, potentially causing deformation and damage. Furthermore, damage to the battery modules could lead to a fire.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to protect the battery modules in the event of a collision with an obstacle.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a front axle and a rear axle whose points of contact with the ground define a first base plane defined by a first longitudinal direction corresponding to straight-line driving, by a second transverse direction orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction, and a third vertical direction orthogonal to the first and second directions and oriented away from the ground, said vehicle comprising a battery tray, said battery tray comprising a plurality of battery modules, each battery module comprising at least one side wall along a second base plane and mounting tabs, said battery tray comprising at least one cross member, said cross member being positioned between two battery modules along the second basic plan, notable in that the battery tray includes at least one energy absorption device positioned between the side wall and the cross member.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, in the event of a traffic accident, the shock is absorbed by said energy absorption device so that the risk of deformation of the fixing lugs is reduced.

[0006] Advantageously, said energy absorption device comprises molded plastic or foam.

[0007] Plastic, molded or foam, has a high capacity to absorb shocks.

[0008] Advantageously, the fixing tabs are fixed on said side wall, the energy absorption device having openings, said fixing tabs being inserted into said openings.

[0009] Advantageously, the side wall of the battery module and said energy absorption device form a single piece, said fixing tabs being fixed on said piece.

[0010] Preferably, the part formed by the side wall of the battery module and said energy absorption device comprises aluminum.

[0011] Advantageously, the side wall of the battery module, the energy absorption device and the mounting tabs form a single piece.

[0012] Advantageously, said energy absorption device has a honeycomb structure.

[0013] A honeycomb structure promotes the crushing of said energy absorption device in order to improve its shock absorption capacity.

[0014] Preferably, said energy absorption device has a length between 500 and 1000 mm along the second direction, a width between 10 and 20 mm along the first direction and a height between 100 and 200 mm along the third direction.

[0015] 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.l] schematically illustrates a battery tray of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle according to a first embodiment of the invention; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the battery module and the energy absorption device according to a first embodiment; - [Fig.3] schematically illustrates the energy absorption device.

[0016] Figure [1] schematically illustrates a battery tray of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a front axle and a rear axle whose points of contact with the ground define a first The XY base plane is defined by a first longitudinal direction X corresponding to straight-line travel, a second transverse direction Y orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction X, and a third vertical direction Z orthogonal to the first direction X and the second direction Y, oriented away from the ground. The battery tray includes a tray base 7. The tray base 7 is a plate providing support for the battery from below along the third direction Z. Furthermore, the battery tray includes a plurality of battery modules 1 resting on the tray base 7. The battery modules 1 are positioned successively along the first direction X. A cross member 4 is positioned between each battery module 1 along a plane perpendicular to the XY base plane. Each battery module 1 has at least one side wall 2 along a second YZ base plane.Furthermore, each battery module 1 has mounting tabs 3 for connecting the battery modules 1 together. Optionally, each mounting tab 3 has an opening. The mounting tab 3 of a first battery module 1a is positioned on the mounting tab 3 of a second battery module 1b along the third direction Z, so that the openings of each mounting tab 3 are positioned opposite each other. A fixing screw 6 is inserted through these openings and into the bottom of the tray 7 to secure the assembly. It is also possible for the fixing screw 6 to be fixed to the cross member 4. Thus, the cross member 4, the fixing tab 3 of the first battery module 1a, and the fixing tab 3 of the second battery module 1b are assembled. The battery tray includes at least one energy-absorbing device 5 positioned between the side wall 2 and the cross member 4. The battery tray therefore includes a plurality of energy-absorbing devices 5, between the cross member 4 and each side wall, i.e., on either side of each cross member 4, as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. Preferably, the energy-absorbing device 5 is made of molded plastic or foam so that the shock is absorbed by said energy-absorbing device 5 in the event of a traffic accident, for example. This prevents deformation of the battery modules 1 and the fixing tabs 3.

[0017] Figure 2 schematically illustrates the battery module 1 and the energy absorption device 5. Figure 2 depicts the energy absorption device 5 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The mounting tabs 3 are fixed to said side wall 2. The energy absorption device 5 is positioned against the side wall 2 of said battery module 1, for example by gluing. The energy absorption device 5 has openings. The mounting tabs 3 are inserted into said openings of the energy absorption device 5. In a second embodiment, the side wall 2 of the battery module 1 and the energy absorption device 5 form a single piece. The tabs of The mounting tabs 3 are then attached to the part formed by the side wall 2 and the energy absorption device 5. Preferably, the part formed by the side wall 2 and the energy absorption device 5 is made of aluminum. In a third embodiment, the side wall 2 of the battery module 1, the energy absorption device 5, and the mounting tabs 3 are molded as a single piece.

[0018] Figure 3 schematically illustrates a non-limiting example of the energy absorption device 5. Preferably, the energy absorption device 5 has a honeycomb structure to facilitate its crushing, and thus the absorption of any potential shock. Preferably, the energy absorption device 5 has a length of between 500 and 1000 mm along the second Y direction, a width of between 10 and 20 mm along the first X direction, and a height of between 100 and 200 mm along the third Z direction.

Claims

Demands

1. An electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a front axle and a rear axle whose points of contact with the ground define a first base plane (XY) defined by a first longitudinal direction (X) corresponding to straight-line travel, by a second transverse direction (Y) orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction (X) and a third vertical direction (Z) orthogonal to the first direction (X) and to the second direction (Y) and is oriented away from the ground, said vehicle comprising a battery tray, said battery tray comprising a plurality of modules (1), each module (1) comprising at least one side wall (2) along a second base plane (YZ) and mounting tabs (3), said battery tray comprising at least one cross member (4), said cross member (4) being positioned between two modules (1) along the second base plane (YZ),characterized in that the battery tray comprises at least one energy absorption device (5) positioned between the side wall (2) and the cross member (4).

2. Vehicle according to claim 1 characterized in that said energy absorption device (5) comprises molded plastic or foam.

3. Vehicle according to claim 1 characterized in that the fixing tabs (3) are fixed on said side wall (2), the energy absorption device (5) having openings, said fixing tabs (3) being inserted into said openings.

4. Vehicle according to claim 1 characterized in that the side wall (2) of the battery module (1) and said energy absorption device (5) form a single piece, said fixing tabs (3) being fixed to said piece.

5. Vehicle according to claim 4 characterized in that the part formed by the side wall (2) of the battery module (1) and said energy absorption device (5) comprises aluminum.

6. Vehicle according to claim 1 characterized in that the side wall (2) of the battery module (1), the energy absorption device (5) and the mounting tabs (3) form a single piece.

7. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that said energy absorption device (5) has a honeycomb structure.

8. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that said energy absorption device (5) has a length between 500 and 1000 mm along the second direction (Y), a width between 10 and 20 mm along the first direction (X) and a height between 100 and 200 mm along the third direction (Z).

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