Battery pack tray and battery pack equipped with this tray

Abstract

This tray for a battery pack mounted on a vehicle comprises: at least one battery cell; a bottom plate part on which at least one battery cell is placed; a pair of side members fixed to the bottom plate part so as to be spaced apart from each other in a vehicle width direction, the pair of side members being provided so as to extend in a front-rear direction of the vehicle; and at least one cross member provided so as to extend in the vehicle width direction. The at least one cross member overlaps with a position of a center part in a height direction of the at least one battery cell, which is a direction perpendicular to the bottom plate part, and is fixed to each of the pair of side members in a state of being welded to each of the pair of side members.

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tray for a battery pack and a battery pack including this tray.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a battery tray including a pair of side members provided on the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction of a vehicle and fixed to the vehicle, and a cross member extending in the vehicle width direction.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In the battery pack tray of this disclosure, the cross member is fixed by welding to each of the pair of side members, so that even if a collision load is applied to the cross member during a vehicle collision, the cross member is less likely to shift relative to the side members, thereby reducing the risk of unintended deformation of the tray. Furthermore, when an impact load is applied to the tray during a vehicle collision, especially a side collision, the cross member receives the impact load in its longitudinal direction. If the cross member is positioned biased to either the lower or upper part in the height direction, there is a risk that the cross member may bend under the impact load. In contrast, since the cross member is positioned in the height direction to coincide with the central part of the battery module in the height direction, it is less likely to bend when subjected to a collision load, thereby reducing the risk of unintended deformation of the tray. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the configuration in which the case lid has been removed from the case tray, allowing the inside of the case to be seen. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The battery pack tray according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below represent one aspect of this disclosure and are not limiting, and can be modified at will within the scope of the technical idea of ​​this disclosure.

[0010] The battery pack 1 shown in Figure 1, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, is a battery pack mounted on a vehicle. This vehicle is an electric vehicle such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV) powered by a motor, or a hybrid vehicle (HV) or fuel cell vehicle (FCV) powered by an engine and a motor. The hybrid vehicle is, for example, a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV, PHV) that can be charged from an external power source by external charging or can supply external power to external devices, but is not limited to a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The battery pack 1 may be mounted inside the passenger compartment or outside the passenger compartment (for example, under the floor).

[0011] The battery pack 1 comprises a case 2 and a battery module 5 housed within the case 2. The case 2 includes a tray 3 on which the battery module 5 is placed, and a lid 4 that, in combination with the tray 3 on which the battery module 5 is placed, seals the battery module 5 inside the case 2. Figure 1 shows a configuration in which multiple battery modules 5 are housed, but the configuration is not limited to this; it is sufficient to house at least one battery module. Furthermore, what is housed within the case 2 is not limited to a battery module composed of multiple battery cells; it may be a configuration in which at least one battery cell is housed within the case 2.

[0012] The tray 3 comprises a bottom plate portion 11 on which the battery module 5 is placed, a pair of side members 12a and 12b that are fixed to the bottom plate portion 11 at a distance in the vehicle width direction when the battery pack 1 is mounted on the vehicle and extend in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a cross member 13 that extends in the vehicle width direction. The cross member 13 is fixed to each of the side members 12a and 12b by welding to each of them. Figure 1 shows a configuration with two cross members 13, but only one cross member 13 may be provided, or three or more cross members 13 may be provided.

[0013] The side members 12a and 12b may have a plate shape. The tray 3 further has a plate-shaped front member 14a and a rear member 14b that are fixed to the bottom plate portion 11 at intervals in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and extend in the vehicle width direction, with the front member 14a connected to the respective front ends of the side members 12a and 12b, and the rear member 14b connected to the respective rear ends of the side members 12a and 12b. The side members 12a and 12b, along with the front member 14a and the rear member 14b, form a side plate that is provided along the periphery of the bottom plate portion 11 of the tray 3.

[0014] A pair of plate-shaped mounting frames 15a, 15b may be fixed to each of the pair of side members 12a, 12b so as to protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from each of the side members 12a, 12b. Each of the mounting frames 15a, 15b is configured to be able to engage fastening fixtures 16, such as bolts, for fixing the tray 3 to the vehicle body (for example, a pair of floor side members extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle).

[0015] As shown in Figure 2, if the direction perpendicular to the bottom plate portion 11 is defined as the height direction, the cross member 13 is positioned in the height direction at a location that coincides with the central position CP of the battery module 5 in the height direction. Furthermore, it is preferable that the cross member 13 is provided so as to have a gap between its lower surface 13a facing the bottom plate portion 11 and the bottom plate portion 11, that is, so as not to be in contact with the bottom plate portion 11. In addition, it is preferable that the cross member 13 is provided so as to have a gap between its upper surface 13b facing the lid portion 4 and the lid portion 4, that is, so as not to be in contact with the lid portion 4.

[0016] The tray 3 may also be provided with reinforcing frames 17a and 17b fixed to the side members 12a and 12b, respectively, and to the mounting frames 15a and 15b, respectively. Each of the reinforcing frames 17a and 17b includes surfaces 17a1 and 17b1 that form an acute angle with respect to the bottom plate portion 11 and face outward in the vehicle width direction. Each of the reinforcing frames 17a and 17b may take any form as long as it includes such surfaces 17a1 and 17b1. Multiple plate-shaped reinforcing frames 17a and 17b (for example, in the form of ribs) may be provided at intervals along the length direction of the mounting frames 15a and 15b (in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 2), or triangular prism-shaped reinforcing frames 17a and 17b may be provided. Figure 2 shows the former configuration of reinforcing frames 17a and 17b.

[0017] In the tray 3 of the battery pack 1, the cross member 13 is fixed by welding to the side members 12a and 12b, respectively. Therefore, even if a collision load is applied to the cross member 13 during a vehicle collision, the cross member 13 is less likely to shift relative to the side members 12a and 12b, thus reducing the risk of unintended deformation of the tray 3. Furthermore, when an impact load is applied to the tray 3 during a vehicle collision, especially a side collision, the cross member 13 receives the impact load in its longitudinal direction. If the cross member 13 is positioned biased downwards or upwards in the height direction, there is a risk that the cross member 13 may bend under the impact load. However, since the cross member 13 is positioned in the height direction to coincide with the central position CP of the battery module 5 in the height direction, it is less likely to bend when subjected to a collision load, thus reducing the risk of unintended deformation of the tray 3.

[0018] If the tray 3 is equipped with mounting frames 15a, 15b and reinforcing frames 17a, 17b, the reinforcing frames 17a, 17b are connected by surfaces 17a1, 17b1 having the above-described configuration, so that the impact load from a side collision is transmitted in a direction perpendicular to each of the surfaces 17a1, 17b1, that is, to the cross members 13 fixed to each of the side members 12a, 12b, thereby reducing the risk of unintended deformation of the tray 3.

[0019] As the cross member 13, a configuration may be adopted that includes a lower cross member fixed to the bottom plate portion 11 and an upper cross member that extends parallel to the lower cross member above the lower cross member with a gap therebetween, like the tray of the battery pack described in Patent Document 1. However, in the battery pack 1, as described above, if one cross member 13 is provided at a position overlapping the central position CP in the height direction of the battery module 5 with a gap between the lower surface 13a of the cross member 13 and the bottom plate portion 11, the risk of the cross member 13 bending due to the impact load of a side collision can be reduced. Therefore, compared with the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the number of cross members can be reduced, and as a result, the tray 31 can be lightened.

[0020] Also, if the cross member 13 is fixed to the bottom plate portion 11 in a configuration where the reinforcing frames 17a and 17b are provided, the above-described effects by the surfaces 17a1 and 17b1 of the reinforcing frames 17a and 17b will be reduced. However, in the battery pack 1, by providing a gap between the lower surface 13a of the cross member 13 and the bottom plate portion 11, the above-described effects by the surfaces 17a1 and 17b1 can be surely obtained. In addition to this form, further, by providing the cross member 13 such that the lower surface 13a of the cross member 13 is positioned above each of the mounting frames 15a and 15b in the height direction, the collision load of a side collision can be surely transmitted to the cross member 13 by the surfaces 17a1 and 17b1, so the risk of unintended deformation of the tray 3 can be reduced.

[0021] Also, in the battery pack 1, by providing a gap between the upper surface 13b of the cross member 13 and the lid portion 4, the cable connected to the battery module 5 can be passed through the gap between the upper surface 13b and the lid portion 4, so the battery pack 1 can be made more compact.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0022] 1 Battery pack 3 Tray 4 Lid part 5 Battery module (battery cell) 11 Bottom plate part 12a Side member 12b Side member 13 Cross member 13a Bottom surface (of the cross member) 13b Top surface (of the cross member) 15a Mounting frame 15b Mounting frame 16 Fastening jig 17a Reinforcement frame 17a1 (Surface of the reinforcement frame) 17b Reinforcement frame 17b1 (Surface of the reinforcement frame)

Claims

1. A tray for a battery pack installed in a vehicle, At least one battery cell, A base plate portion on which at least one battery cell is placed, A pair of side members fixed to the bottom plate portion so as to be spaced apart in the width direction of the vehicle, the pair of side members provided to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, At least one cross member provided to extend in the vehicle width direction, A pair of plate-shaped mounting frames fixed to each of the pair of side members so as to protrude in the vehicle width direction from the outer surface of each of the pair of side members, the pair of mounting frames to which fastening jigs for fixing the tray to the vehicle can be engaged, Reinforcement frames fixed to each of the pair of side members and each of the pair of mounting frames Equipped with, The at least one cross member is fixed to each of the pair of side members by welding, in the height direction which is perpendicular to the bottom plate, so as to the position of the center of the at least one battery cell in the height direction, The reinforcing frame includes a surface that forms an acute angle with respect to the bottom plate and faces outward in the vehicle width direction, In the cross member, there is a gap between the lower surface facing the bottom plate and the bottom plate. The aforementioned lower surface is a tray located above the mounting frame in the height direction.

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5. The tray according to claim 1, A lid portion positioned above the tray in the aforementioned height direction and A battery pack equipped with the following features.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein there is a gap between the upper surface of the cross member facing the lid and the lid.

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