Vehicle with sound-deadening element between floor and electric battery

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle (10) comprising a floor and an electric battery (4) placed below said floor, further comprising a layer (17) of sound-deadening foam inserted between the floor (2) and said battery (4), whereby said layer (7, 17) has an upper surface (18) in contact with the floor and a lower surface in contact with said battery (4). According to the invention, at least one (18) of said two surfaces forms at least one seal (20, 30) configured to enhance the sound-deadening of the foam (7) inserted between the floor and the battery (4).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle having a sound-deadening element between the floor and the electric battery.

[0002] For purposes of appreciation of the placement of various components relative to a vehicle according to the present invention, the present description is made with reference to a positive orthonormal coordinate system XYZ for the vehicle, where X is the longitudinal axis, extending from front to rear of the vehicle, pointing rearward, Y is the lateral axis, pointing rightward of the vehicle, and Z is the vertical axis, pointing upward.

[0003] In some types of vehicles with an electric battery, a foam layer is inserted between the floor of the vehicle and the battery located below the floor, which acts as a sound-deadening element to suppress noise generated by vibrations of the electric battery when the vehicle is moving.

[0004] Patent application DE102019002599A1 describes a battery casing arrangement on a vehicle chassis. This arrangement, which allows the battery casing to be removed without damage, includes a foam sound-deadening element disposed between the floor and the battery cover. A sealing element in the form of a seal is disposed on the battery casing. However, one drawback of this type of arrangement is the large number of components required, which results in longer assembly times, more opportunities for failure, and therefore significant additional costs.

[0005] The vehicle according to the invention has a configuration with a sound-deadening element inserted between the floor and the electric battery located below said floor, which avoids the drawbacks found in the prior art.

[0006] The present invention relates to a vehicle comprising a floor and an electric battery located below the floor, further comprising a layer of sound-deadening foam inserted between the floor and the battery, whereby the layer has an upper surface in contact with the floor and a lower surface in contact with the battery.

[0007] According to the invention, at least one of the two surfaces forms at least one seal adapted to enhance the sound-deadening properties of the foam inserted between the floor and the battery. Such a seal is an integral part of the sound-deadening foam and serves to enhance the sound-deadening properties of the foam while simultaneously providing a good seal between the foam and the floor and / or between the foam and the electric battery. The seal is used to improve the contact between the foam and the floor and / or the battery. This seal can have any shape, for example, constituted by a rib protruding from the surface on which the seal is placed, or by a groove cut into the surface. It should be noted that at least one of the two surfaces of the foam may form a single seal or several independent seals. Advantageously, the foam extends over the entire surface of the floor. Preferably, the floor and the foam are rectangular.

[0008] According to a possible feature of the invention, each of the two surfaces forms a seal. Thus, the presence of a seal on each of the two surfaces of the foam contributes to the foam being in intimate contact with both the floor and the battery. This significantly enhances the sound deadening provided by the foam compared to a foam without a seal or a foam with a seal formed on only one of the two surfaces. Advantageously, the shape of the seal is the same on both surfaces of the foam. Preferably, each seal on one of the two surfaces is vertically aligned with the seal on the other surface.

[0009] According to a possible feature of the invention, the seals are constituted by ribs that create beads protruding from the surface, thereby increasing the size of the foam, so that when the foam is inserted between the floor and the battery, one seal is compressed against the surface of said floor and the other seal is compressed against the surface of the battery.

[0010] According to a possible feature of the invention, the cross section of the seal is rectangular, the long side L of which is the width of the seal and the short side 1 of which corresponds to the height of the seal relative to the surface of the foam from which said seal protrudes. This cross-sectional shape is particularly adapted to enhance the sound deadening of the foam of the vehicle according to the invention, but is in no way limited to this application.

[0011] According to a possible feature of the invention, the seal is achieved by a slot that creates a groove in the surface of the foam, the slot being hollowed out from the surface of the foam. Intimate contact between the foam and the floor and the battery is achieved by negative pressure created in the groove between the foam and the floor and the battery. In this configuration, the foam becomes lighter in response to the removal of material.

[0012] According to a possible feature of the invention, the groove forming the seal has a rectangular cross section, which cross-sectional shape is particularly adapted to enhance the sound deadening of the vehicle foam according to the invention, but is in no way limited to this application.

[0013] According to one possible feature of the invention, the seal extends around the entire periphery of the surface of the foam. In this type of configuration, the seal is particularly effective in passing over, for example, a jamb, to enhance the sound deadening of the foam. The periphery corresponds to the space between the outer edge defining the foam and an imaginary inner edge of the same shape as the outer edge but smaller in size, the width of the space being less than 10 cm.

[0014] According to one possible feature of the invention, the seal forms a closed loop on the surface of the foam, which loop may have any shape, for example a square, a rectangle, a circle, etc.

[0015] According to a possible feature of the invention, the loop is rectangular. In particular, since foam is often rectangular, it is desirable for the seal to form a rectangular loop to follow the contours of the foam.

[0016] According to a possible feature of the invention, the foam is made from polyurethane and has a polyethylene membrane. This foam example is particularly suited to the vehicle according to the invention, but is in no way limited to this application.

[0017] A vehicle according to the present invention benefits from having a foam that is highly effective at deadening sound between the floor and the electric battery by appropriately adding a seal to the foam, without the need to modify the foam or add any cumbersome additional components. Furthermore, a vehicle according to the present invention benefits from having a foam interposed between the floor and the electric battery that performs the dual function of reliably improving sound deadening and providing a good seal with respect to the floor and / or electric battery.

[0018] A detailed description of preferred embodiments of a vehicle according to the present invention will now be given with reference to the following drawings: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view in the XZ plane of an area of ​​a vehicle according to the prior art, including a floor, sound-deadening foam, and an electric battery. [Figure 2] 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the area of ​​FIG. 1 showing a foam according to a first embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention; [Figure 3] 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the area of ​​FIG. 1 showing a foam according to a second embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle foam according to the present invention, showing the seal on the top surface of the foam. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art vehicle 1 comprises a floor 2 that extends substantially in a horizontal plane XY when the vehicle is on level ground, and an electric battery 3 housed in a casing 4. When the battery 3 is installed in the vehicle, the casing 4 is located below the floor 2 and has a flat upper surface 5 that extends in the horizontal plane XY when the vehicle 1 is on level ground. Between the floor 2 and the upper surface 5 of the casing 4 there is a cavity 6 filled with a layer of foam 7, preferably made from polyurethane with a polyethylene membrane. The upper surface 5 of the casing 4 and the floor 2 have substantially the same size in the horizontal plane XY, and the foam 7 fits between the floor 2 and said upper surface 5 over substantially the entire horizontal surface of these two elements 2, 5. It is advantageous to assume that the floor 2, the upper surface 5 of the casing 4, and the foam 7 have the same size and are rectangular. This foam 7 is compressed between the floor 2 and the upper surface 5 of the casing 4 and serves to muffle all sounds and noises emitted between said casing 4 and said floor 2 when the vehicle is in motion. However, such a foam layer 7 does in fact present some minor deficiencies in terms of sound deadening.

[0021] 2, 3 and 4, the foam 17 of the vehicle 10 according to the present invention incorporates at least one seal 20, 30 adapted to be compressed against both the floor 2 and the upper surface 5 of the casing 4, thereby improving sound deadening properties. The foam 17 has an upper surface 18 adapted to be in contact with the floor 2 and a lower surface 19 adapted to be in contact with the upper surface 5 of the casing 4, the two surfaces 18, 19 being parallel and extending horizontally when the vehicle 10 is on level ground.

[0022] 2, according to a first embodiment of a vehicle 10 according to the invention, the upper and lower surfaces 18, 19 of the foam 17 each have seals 20 in the form of ribs projecting from said surfaces 18, 19. The seals 20 on one surface 18, 19 and the seals 20 on the other surface 18, 19 project in two opposite directions along the vertical axis Z, creating thickened sections in the direction of increasing the width of the foam layer 17. The seals 20 on both surfaces 18, 19 are identical and have a rectangular cross section, the long side L of which embodies the width of the seal 20 and the short side 1 of which corresponds to the height of the seal 20, 30 relative to the surface 18, 19 of the foam 17 on which it is located.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 4, the seal 20 extends over the entire upper or lower surface 18 or 19, forming a rectangular closed loop. The size of this rectangular loop is smaller than the size of the two surfaces 18, 19 of the foam 17 from which the seal 20 protrudes. In this way, the seal 20 extends along the contours of the surfaces 18, 19 from which it protrudes, and therefore extends around the periphery of said surfaces 18, 19. The distance between the contours of the surfaces 18, 19 and the seal 20 is less than 10 cm, preferably less than 5 cm. In this first embodiment, the seal 20 is made from the same material as the foam 17, and advantageously, the foam 17 and the seal 20 form a single part made by molding. According to a variant embodiment, the seal 20 is a mounting part fixed to the foam 17.

[0024] In this first embodiment, when the foam 17 is inserted between the floor 2 and the top surface 5 of the casing 4, it is compressed between these two elements, with the seal 20 on the top surface 18 being compressed against the floor 2 and the seal 20 on the bottom surface 19 being compressed against the top surface 5 of the housing 4. The seals 20 thereby improve the sound-deadening properties of the foam 17 and help to ensure a good seal between the foam 17 and the two elements consisting of the floor 2 and the top surface 5 of the casing 4.

[0025] 3, in accordance with a second embodiment of a vehicle 10 according to the present invention, the upper and lower surfaces 18, 19 of the foam 17 each have a seal 30 in the form of a slot cut into the surface 18, 19. The slot forming the seal 30 in each surface 18, 19 is defined by a base 31 and two parallel side walls 32, 33, which are perpendicular to the base 31. The slot 30 in one surface 18, 19 and the slot 30 in the other surface 18, 19 are cut along a vertical axis Z, so that the distance between the bases 31 of the two slots 30 is the smallest distance between the two slots 30. The slots 30 in the two surfaces 18, 19 are identical and each have a rectangular cross section.

[0026] 4, the seal 30 extends over the entire upper or lower surface 18 or 19, forming a rectangular closed loop. The size of this rectangular loop is smaller than the size of the two surfaces 18, 19 of the foam 17 from which the seal 30 is cut. In this way, the seal 30 extends along the contours of the surfaces 18, 19 from which the seal is cut, and therefore extends around the periphery of said surfaces 18, 19. The distance between the contours of the surfaces 18, 19 and the seal 30 is less than 10 cm, preferably less than 5 cm.

[0027] In this second embodiment, when the foam 17 is inserted between the floor 2 and the top surface 5 of the casing 4, it is compressed between these two elements 2, 5, creating a negative pressure in the two slots that establish the seals 30. This negative pressure created in the seals 30 serves to improve the contact between the foam 17 and the floor 2 and between the foam 17 and the top surface 5 of the casing 4. These seals 30 thereby improve the sound-deadening properties of the foam 17 and help to ensure a good seal between the foam 17 and the two elements consisting of the floor 2 and the top surface 5 of the casing 4.

Claims

1. A vehicle (10) comprising a floor (2) and an electric battery (3) disposed beneath the floor (2), further comprising a sound-deadening foam (17) inserted between the floor (2) and the electric battery (3), whereby the sound-deadening foam (17) has an upper surface (18) in contact with the floor (2) and a lower surface (19) in contact with the electric battery (3), At least one of the upper surface (18) and the lower surface (19) forms at least one seal (20, 30) at a position spaced from an outer peripheral edge of the upper surface (18) or the lower surface (19), the seal (20, 30) being configured to enhance the sound-deadening effect of the sound-deadening foam (17) inserted between the floor (2) and the electric battery (3).

2. 2. A vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that said upper surface (18) and said lower surface (19) each form said seal (20, 30).

3. 3. A vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the seal (20) is constituted by a rib producing a bead projecting from the upper face (18) or the lower face (19).

4. 4. A vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the seal (20) has a rectangular cross section, the long side L of which corresponds to the width of the seal (20) and the short side 1 of which corresponds to the height of the seal (20) relative to the upper surface (18) or the lower surface (19) of the sound-deadening foam (17) from which the seal protrudes.

5. 3. A vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the seal (30) is constituted by a slot that creates a groove in the upper surface (18) or the lower surface (19) of the sound-deadening foam (17), the slot being hollowed out from the upper surface (18) or the lower surface (19) of the sound-deadening foam (17).

6. 6. A vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the groove forming the seal (30) has a rectangular cross section.

7. 7. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the seal (20, 30) extends around the entire periphery of the upper surface (18) or the lower surface (19) of the sound-deadening foam (17).

8. 8. A vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the seal (20, 30) forms a closed loop on the upper surface (18) or the lower surface (19) of the sound-deadening foam (17).

9. 9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the closed loop is rectangular.

10. 10. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the sound-deadening foam (17) is made from polyurethane and has a membrane of polyethylene.

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