Vehicle battery security

Abstract

An anti-theft security assembly, for an electric vehicle having a battery housing (1, fig 1) suspended from chassis members (45, fig 20) by suspension assemblies (4, fig 20) using fasteners, includes

Description

Technical field

[0001] ,

[0002] , CXI CXI

[0003] , The present invention concerns securing a battery housing on a battery electric or hybrid vehicle against unauthorised tampering, in particular theft. Prior art With reference to prior art figures 1 and 2 conventionally battery electric vehicles have a battery housing 1 containing the vehicle battery. For numerous technical reasons including: access for maintenance, and to keep the centre of gravity low, the battery housing is located substantially under the vehicle. Especially in the case of commercial vehicles which are built on a chassis, the battery is suspended by means of suspension assemblies 4 attached to members of the chassis 45. The prior art view of Figure 1 (prior art) is a SE isometric view which illustrates three typical battery housing assemblies. Each including a battery housing 1. Figure 2 is an enlarged detail from Figure 1. Each housing comprises an underlying tray and a cover which are secured together at a joint by means of screws to enclose a battery in order to prevent the ingress of water and fouling and prevent damage to the battery from flying stones or the like launched off the road. Each housing has a positive terminal formation 2 and a similar mirror image negative terminal formation (not shown) on the opposite side. The terminal formations allow conductors to connect between the battery and the power systems of the vehicle, commonly an inverter and a motor (not shown) and the vehicle charging system so that the battery can deliver current to the power system and receive current from the charging system during charging. In this example each housing has four suspension points principally comprising a stud 3 projecting from a formation 3.1 bolted to the tray. A suspension assembly 4 is sleeved onto the stud 3 by means of a tubular rubber suspension mounting and secured by means of stud screw 5. The suspension assembly 4 thereby provides for a degree of suspended movement between the suspension assembly and the battery housing 1. The suspension assembly 4 extends up from the stud to a triangular arrangement of three chassis bolts 6 which cooperate with a bracket 6.1 whereby the suspension assembly is attached to mounting points on a vehicle chassis member 6.2 (shown diagrammatically in figure 20 as an L section. The suspension assembly 4 is assembled from at least a lower bracket part 7 and an upper bracket part 8 secured together at complementary flanges by a pair of machine screws 8.1 secured into complementary through holes formed in the lower bracket part 7 and upper bracket part 8. The machine screws 8.1 are secured into nuts 8.2 welded to a horizontal flange of the upper bracket part.

[0004] , Each battery pack assembly is worth in the thousands of pounds, in the case of the assembly shown intended for use in a five or six axle HGV tractor unit in the tens of thousands each. This makes such battery packs a target for theft. Removal of the battery pack is not very time consuming if the vehicle is stolen and requires only that lifting equipment is positioned under the pack to take the considerable weight and the chassis bolts are undone or the flange bolts or the stud bolt. It is the object of the present invention to provide a battery security mechanism to deter unauthorised removal of the battery pack.

[0005] , The battery security mechanism must be attachable to the vehicle without modification of the suspension assembly by way of welding or drilling. It must not hinder the movement of the battery pack in relation to the suspension assembly. It must be highly resistant to attack by tools such as angle grinders, drills and crowbars. It must also be readily adapted for installation and removal by authorised service personnel in to provide for vehicle maintenance. Summary of the Invention First Aspect

[0006] , According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an electric vehicle battery anti-theft security assembly for a vehicle having a battery housing suspended by one or more suspension assemblies from the vehicle underbody or chassis said suspension assembly secured to the chassis and, or secured to the battery housing by fasteners comprising; an adaptor assembly capable of securely mounting to the suspension assembly without modifying the suspension assembly whereby one or more locks can be mounted to the adapter assembly, and a cover assembly separably securable to the lock whereby when the cover is secured to the lock the adapter and cover cooperate to obstruct access to the fasteners. 13 1224

[0007] , The detailed construction of the adapter assembly and the cover may vary to work with different designs of suspension assembly and to accommodate the conductors conveying current between the battery housing and the vehicle systems. The adapter assembly may be a security assembly of parts which is assembled around the bracket during installation. The adapter assembly may engage directly with the cover, for instance by means of tongues formed on a part of the adapter assembly which are engeable in a groove or slot formed in the cover. The term tongue, usually refers to a long wide flat element, but should be understood to encompass other projections such as a pin and accommodating hole to serve a similar purpose.

[0008] , The suspension assembly may include at least one fastening which is a machine screw. The machine screw may have a thread which when installed exposes a portion of the thread remote from the battery housing. Conveniently the adapter assembly may be secured by securing the adapter assembly to the exposed thread of the machine screw.

[0009] , The adapter assembly may include features to mount at least one lock to cooperate with and secure the cover assembly to the adapter assembly [ooio]. Preferably the edges of the cover will closely fit to the battery pack to prevent levers being used to crowbar the cover off of the suspension assembly. Preferably the cover protects an interior chamber from ingress of water or other fouling. The battery pack will preferably be fabricated from a relatively hard material such as steel and formed with relatively rounded edges to deter attacks from chisels, hammers or angle grinders. Attacks from plasma cutters or oxy-acetylene cutting torches are deterred because of the risk of damaging and igniting the battery pack. [ooii]. The interior surfaces of the chamber may be reinforced with anti-abrasion strips of a very abrasion resistant material such as is supplied by Tenmat® Ltd under the brand name FERROSAFE ® the formulation of which is reported in British patent application GB2207205.2 filed 29 June 2022. FERROSAFE is highly resistant to drilling or angle grinder tools and may conveniently be welded at locations inside the cover where efforts to attack the cover are most likely to be directed, such as any corners or edges. The anti-abrasion strips are also protected against corrosion within the cover and adapter.

[0012] , The adapter assembly may have cooperable features which cooperate with corresponding cooperable features of the cover assembly so that the cover assembly can only be secured to the adapter assembly by locating the cover assembly above the cover assembly and lowering the cover assembly to engage the cooperable features of the cover assembly with the corresponding features of the adapter assembly the adapter assembly, and the cover assembly can only be removed by the reverse operation.

[0013] , The cooperable features preferably include at least one of: a vertically extending channel formed on one of the adapter assembly or the cover assembly to receive a tongue formed on the other of the adapter assembly or cover assembly; an upright member formed on one of the adapter assembly or the cover assembly to cooperate with a slot formed in the other of the adapter assembly or the cover assembly.

[0014] , The cover assembly may be formed from two or more separable parts which are assembled to the adapter assembly during installation. The cover assembly may not fully cover all the fasteners but will prevent access to any critical fasteners when installed. Prevent access for these purposes means prevent tools reaching and engaging a fastening in a way which allows the fastening to be removed. A critical fastening is one which must be removed in order to separate the intact battery housing from the vehicle.

[0015] , Preferably an aperture in the cover assembly is located to be somewhat obstructed by the vehicle body or chassis so that a key can be introduced to the locking mechanism but it is at least extremely difficult to access with drilling tools. This will usually be on an upper surface of the cover opposite the chassis, this makes drilling the lock cylinder difficult and picking the lock more challenging. The lock cylinder can be of a type very resistant to picking. A mechanical lock is preferred but electromechanical locks using wireless keys may be used. Second Aspect

[0016] , According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a battery electric vehicle having a chassis, the vehicle battery disposed in a housing, said housing being suspended under the body of the vehicle by suspension assemblies fastened to the vehicle chassis by machine screws, and fastened to the battery housing by machine screws, comprising the steps of: securing an adapter assembly to one or more of the machine screws without undoing the machine screw so that an adapter cover part of the adapter assembly obstructs access to at least some of the fasteners, removal of which is essential to separate the battery housing from the vehicle chassis; installing a cover assembly by lowering the cover assembly onto the adapter assembly such that cooperable features of the cover assembly engage with corresponding cooperable features of the adapter assembly so that the cover assembly obstructs access to one or more machine screws, removal of which is essential to separation of the battery housing from the vehicle chassis; actuating a lock to engage between the adapter assembly and cover assembly to prevent vertical movement between the cover assembly and the adapter assembly.

[0017] , The method may include the step of applying a sleeve nut to the threaded fastener to secure the adapter assembly. The method according may comprise installing the security assembly so that removal of any exposed fasteners does not enable separation of the battery housing from the vehicle chassis. Brief description of figures

[0018] , An embodiment of a battery security assembly, and method of installation, for improving the anti-theft security of a battery housing of a vehicle will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures; wherein Figure 1 is a SW isometric view of a prior art battery pack assembly for a heavy goods vehicle; Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the prior art of figure 1; Figure 3 is a SW isometric view of a single suspension assembly with the battery pack not shown; Figure 4 is a SW isometric view of the suspension assembly of figure 3 with an adapter attached; Figure 5 is a SW isometric view of the suspension assembly figure 3 with additiona adapter parts; Figure 6 is a SW isometric view of the suspension assembly of figure 4 with a top and adapter cover attached; Figure 7 is a front sectional view of figure 5; Figure 8 is a SE isometric view of the isolated top cover shown installed in figure 5; Figure 9 is right side view of the interior of the isolated top cover; Figure 10 is a SE isometric view of the adapter cover of figure 5; Figure 11 is a NW isometric view of a suspension assembly with sleeve nuts; Figure 12 is a NW isometric view showing hidden detail of a second embodiment of the adapter assembly; Figure 13 is an isometric SW view showing hidden detail of the second embodiment adapter assembly; Figure 14 is an isometric NW view of the second embodiment adapter assembly mounted on a suspension assembly; Figure 15 is a front view of the second embodiment of the adapter assembly and suspension assembly; Figure 16 is an isometric NW view of the second embodiment of the adapter assembly with locks installed; Figure 17 is an isometric NW view of the second embodiment of the adapter assembly and cover mounted onto the suspension assembly; Figure 18 is a plan view of the second embodiment of the adapter assembly and cover mounted onto the suspension assembly; Figure 19 is a sectional elevation on the section line l-l line of figure 18; Figure 20 is an isometric NW diagrammatic view of a battery housing with suspension assemblies and security assemblies. Detailed description of figures

[0019] , A battery security assembly is required for at least one of the security brackets for each of the battery pack assemblies. For maximum security a security assembly is applied to each bracket suspending each battery pack. The installation of a security assembly is similar for each bracket so for the sake of brevity the installation for only one bracket will be described.

[0020] , Initially a pair of elongate sleeve nuts 9 are threaded over the ends of the machine screws securing the lower part of the bracket 7 to the upper part 8. An adapter element 10 forms a part of an adapter assembly including an adapter cover 22 described in more detail below. The adapter element 10 is an elongate channel section having a horizontal lower web 10.1, a riser web 10.2 is upstanding from the front of the lower web, and a horizontal top web 10.3 overlies the lower web. Screw holes 11 are formed in the lower web 10.1 to cooperate with the sleeve nuts 9, whereby machine screws 9.1 will thread, one each, into each sleeve nut 9, whereby an adapter is secured to the bracket 7. It will be noted that the adapter presents a slot 12 in the riser web 10.2 to facilitate installation of the machine screws 9.1. A pair of upright members 14 extend up from the rear edge of the top web 10.3. The upright membersl4 include apertures 15 to accommodate bracket suspension assembly machine screws and nuts 16. A tongue 14.1 is provided on the top of each upright member. The left and right ends of the adapter element are provided with upstanding panels 10.3, formed by folding the lower web 10.1 and including slots 10.4. The adapter element 10 also includes one or more lock cylinder apertures 10.5 formed in the top web.

[0021] , As shown in figure 5 secondary adapter parts 17 are added to the assembly. The parts 17 are secured in place by slotting tongues on the base of each part into slots 18 formed in the first adapter element 10. Upright portions 19 of the second adapters support tabs 20 which cooperate with similar tab features 21.

[0022] , An adapter adapter cover 22 is formed from steel plate to be resistant to drilling or angle grinding attack and comprises a generally rectangular horizontal bottom panel 23 which has a rear edge which proximate the battery housing tray. A tongue 23.1 is folded up from the rear edge of the adapter cover and when installed cooperates with the stud 3. From the front edge of the bottom panel an upright left panel 24 rises to an upper edge where a right-angle bracket 25 is secured. Right side panel 26 is upstanding from the right edge of the bottom panel 23 and has a rear edge shaped to conform to the battery housing tray. The top of the right panel forms a tongue 26.1 which supports a horizontal threaded stud 26.2 welded to the inside facing surface of the right panel. A left panel 27 is a mirror image of the right panel. The threaded studs 26.2 engage in slots 10.4 where they are secured by nuts to secure the adapter element 10 to the adapter adapter cover 22 prior to installation.

[0023] , Mirror image brackets 28 are provided one each respectively on each of the right panel 26 and the left panel 27 to form vertically extending channels.

[0024] , One or more laterally extending brackets 26.2 may be provided to secure the adapter cover to the battery housing by a machine screw.

[0025] , The adapter cover has an interior surface to which reinforcing panels or strips 33 are welded. The strips are preferably of a material such as FERROSAFE® which is extremely resistant to abrasion and therefore to drilling or cutting via angle grinder.

[0026] , The top cover 30 is fabricated from sheet steel or a similarly robust material resistant to attack. The top cover 30 has a generally rectangular top panel 30.1 from the front edge of which depends a rectangular front panel 30.2 and right 30.3 and left 30.4 side panels. A tongue 30.5 and 30.6 respectively depends from the lower edge of each side panel. A bottom panel 30.7extends horizontally rearwardly from the bottom edge of the front panel 30.2 and terminates in a vertically descending lip 30.8.

[0027] , The top cover 30 includes a lock cylinder mounting bracket 34. The lock cylinder mounting bracket 34 supports one or more latch members 35 mounted to be reciprocally displaced in the right left direction by the operation of a coupled lock cylinder 36. With the adapter assembly installed the top cover is mounted by lowering it vertically down onto the adapter assembly so that the lip 30.8 locates inside the front panel 26, the upright member tongues 14.1 locate one each in slots 40, and tongues 30.5 and 30.6 locate in the brackets 28 so the cover can only be removed by vertical upward movement.

[0028] , When the top cover is mounted onto the lock cylinder can be accessed with a key conventional key lowered through a keyhole 37 formed into the top panel 30.1. Rotation of the lock cylinder 36 by means of an acceptable key causes a cam 39 to rotate and displaces the hook member 35 to engage the slot 12 preventing upward motion of the cover. The reverse actions frees the cover to be lifted from the adapter assembly allowing the adapter assembly to be removed. To protect the lock cylinder from fouling a cap is located in the keyhole.

[0029] , The security assembly is in practice located close to the underside of the vehicle such that access to the lock cylinder with power tools such as a drill is hindered whereby drilling the lock is prevented.

[0030] , The top cover and adapter cover extend such that their rear edges closely conform to the battery housing to obscure the critical machine screws removal of which is essential to separate the battery housing from the vehicle chassis. This prevents crowbarring the assembly. Although the chassis screw 6 is not enveloped by the cover assembly, the cover assembly in cooperation with the vehicle body makes access to the chassis screw 6 challenging and withdrawal of chassis screw 6 is not sufficient to remove the battery housing.

[0031] , CXI CXI

[0032] , Figures 11 to 20 illustrate a second preferred embodiment of the security apparatus wherein similar integers indicate similar structures so that only notable differences from the first embodiment will be described. Figure 11 illustrates the application of sleeve bolts to the suspension assembly. Figure 12 is a view of the adapter assembly including an adapter cover 22 which differs from the design of the first embodiment in that the bottom panel 23 is not a single flat rectangular panel but has a small rectangular panel 22.1 with adjacent sloping panels 22.2 rising to meet the side panels 26, 27 which are relatively shorter. The front panel 28 is correspondingly shaped to more closely fit around the bottom part of the suspension assembly. Two inclined fins 41 project inwardly from the side walls. Located so that when the adapter assembly is installed they sit, one each above the heads of the mounting bolts 42. A pair of lock cylinder mounting apertures 43 are provided in the top web substantially immediately above the sleeve nuts 9. This facilitates installation of adapter securing screws 9.1 which hold the adapter element against the sleeve nuts 9 as shown in figure 15. A single upright member 14.3 is formed by cutting and folding a medial portion of the top web 10.3. This forms a space to accommodate a reinforcement web of the suspension assembly. As shown in figure 16 the locking cylinders 36 are fastened into the lock cylinder mounting apertures 43 using threaded fasteners 36.1 accessed through access slots 12. The top cover 30 includes a lock engagement frame 44 suspended from the inside of the top panel of the top cover 30.1 so that the top of each lock cylinder 36 can engage in a corresponding aperture formed in the lock engagement frame 44 when the key is turned in the lock cylinder preventing upward vertical movement of the top case. The engagement frame 44 also includes a slot (not shown) into which the upright member 14.3 locates. This facilitates locating the top cover 30 and obviates the slots 40. Slots 40 provide a route for unwanted water and other fouling to enter the upper casing. This may also reduce the material required for fabrication of the adapter element 10, which otherwise requires a top web 10.3 of sufficient depth to allow formation of the upright members 14. This arrangement facilitates a less complex and more compact security assembly and obviates the cam and hook member of the first embodiment. Also, the bottom panel 30.7 and lip 30.8 are obviated making fabrication less complex.

[0033] , Figure 20 illustrates a somewhat diagrammatic assembly of chassis members 45, suspension assemblies 4 and security assemblies 46. CXI CXI i— CO 13 1224

Claims

1.An electric vehicle battery anti-theft security assembly for a vehicle having a battery housing (1) suspended by one or more suspension assemblies (4) from the vehicle underbody or chassis (45) said suspension assembly secured to the chassis and, or secured to the battery housing by fasteners comprising;an adaptor assembly capable of securely mounting to the suspension assembly without modifying the suspension assembly whereby one or more locks can be mounted to the adapter assembly, anda cover assembly separably securable to the lock (36) whereby when the cover is secured to the lock the adapter and cover cooperate to obstruct access to the fasteners.2.A security assembly according to claim 1 wherein the adapter assembly comprises an adapter element (10) and an adapter cover (22).3.A security assembly according to claim 1 wherein the suspension assembly includes at least one fastening which is a machine screw (8.1) having a thread installed to expose a portion of the thread remote from the battery housing, and the adapter assembly is secured by securing the adapter element (10) to the exposed thread of the machine screw (8.1).4.A security assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the adapter assembly includes features (10) to mount at least one lock (36) to cooperate with and secure the cover assembly (30) to the adapter assembly.5.A security assembly according to claim 4 wherein each lock (36) is key operable and disposed to be enveloped by the cover assembly (30) facing up towards the13 1224vehicle body, to be accessed by a key through an overlying keyhole (37) formed in the cover assembly.6.A security assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the adapter assembly provides an adapter cover (22) arranged to cover some fasteners of the suspension assembly when installed.7.A security assembly according to claim 6 wherein the adapter cover (22) includes features (23.1) which wrap around parts of the suspension assembly when installed to resist removal of the adapter assembly.8.A security assembly according to claim 5 wherein the cover assembly has a frame member (44) secured inside a top cover (30) having features cooperable with each lock (36) whereby the cover assembly can be separably secured to the adapter assembly, said top cover having panels arranged to obstruct access to each lock and any fastening forming part of the suspension assembly which must be removed to dismount the battery housing.9.A security assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein the adapter assembly comprises cooperable features which cooperate with corresponding cooperable features of the cover assembly so that the cover assembly can only be secured to the adapter assembly by locating the cover assembly above the cover assembly and lowering the cover assembly to engage the cooperable features of the cover assembly with the corresponding features of the adapter assembly the adapter assembly, and the cover assembly can only be removed by the reverse operation.10.A security assembly according to claim 9 wherein said cooperable features include at least one of:13 1224a vertically extending channel formed on one of the adapter assembly or the cover assembly to receive a tongue (26.1) formed on the other of the adapter assembly or cover assembly;an upright member (14) formed on one of the adapter element (10) or the cover assembly to cooperate with a slot (40) formed in the other of the adapter element (10) or the cover assembly.11.A security assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 10 wherein the adapter cover (22) and the top cover (30) are formed from panels and said reinforcing panels or strips are secured to the panels at locations to resist attack by drilling or cutting tools.12.A security assembly according to any one of claims 11 in combination with a battery electric vehicle having a chassis, the vehicle battery disposed in a housing, said housing being suspended under the body of the vehicle by suspension assemblies fastened to the vehicle chassis by fasteners, and fastened to the battery housing by fasteners, wherein edges of the panels forming the assembly either closely conform to surfaces of the suspension assembly or wrap around the edges of parts of the suspension assembly to prevent crowbarring tools beings inserted between the panels of the security assembly.13.A method of installing a security assembly to a suspension assembly of a battery electric vehicle having a chassis, the vehicle battery disposed in a housing, said housing being suspended under the body of the vehicle by suspension assemblies fastened to the vehicle chassis by machine screws, and fastened to the battery housing by machine screws, comprising the steps of: securing an adapter assembly to one or more of the machine screws without undoing the machine screw so that an adapter cover part of the adapter assembly obstructs access to at least some of the fasteners, removal of which is essential to separate the battery housing from the vehicle chassis;installing a cover assembly by lowering the cover assembly onto the adapter assembly such that cooperable features of the cover assembly engage with corresponding cooperable features of the adapter assembly so that the cover assembly obstructs access to one or more machine screws, removal of which is essential to separation of the battery housing from the vehicle chassis;actuating a lock to engage between the adapter assembly and cover assembly to prevent vertical movement between the cover assembly and the adapter assembly.14.A method according to claim 14 comprising the step of applying a sleeve nut to the threaded fastener to secure the adapter assembly.CXICXI15.A method according to claim 13 or 14 comprising installing the security assembly so that removal of any exposed fastener does not enable separation of the battery housing from the vehicle chassis.

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