Reinforcement frame for battery packs of electric or hybrid vehicles, reinforced battery pack, and method for assembling the battery pack.

Abstract

To provide a way to efficiently protect battery cells of the battery pack while optimizing a battery cell arrangement of said pack and contributing to overall improvement of vehicle crash management.SOLUTION: The invention relates to a reinforcement frame 1 for a battery pack 2 of electric or a hybrid vehicle 37, said battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells lying on and secured to a shield element, said reinforcement frame comprising at least: a reinforcement frame fastening portion provided to be secured to both the battery pack and a vehicle body of the vehicle, and a reinforcement frame hollow portion provided to surround at least the battery cells.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to protection and reinforcement elements in the automotive industry, and more particularly to the protection of battery packs in electric or hybrid vehicles.

Background Art

[0002] Electric or hybrid vehicles must carry at least one heavy and bulky battery pack. This battery pack is composed of a plurality of battery cells and needs to be well protected against both physical intrusion that may occur during a vehicle accident and mechanical shock while the battery pack is being moved during assembly of the vehicle in question.

[0003] From US Patent Application No. 13 / 940,735, it is known to design a battery pack comprising a plurality of cells inserted into a tray or tab having a plate bottom and a wall bent upward from the peripheral edge of the bottom. The wall is reinforced with an inner frame and an outer frame for better cell protection. However, the relief angle of the tray forms a lost zone, which poses a problem in the optimization of space when inserting the battery cells into the tray.

[0004] Furthermore, the prior art battery pack structures have not been used to improve the overall performance of the vehicle in terms of crash management. The prior art battery pack structures are designed only to house and protect the battery cells and do not consider bringing further improvements to the vehicle.

[0005] From German Patent Application Publication No. 102016115037(A1), it is known to form an inner and outer frame structure using four different elements that are integrally welded after being formed into three-dimensional parts.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Application Publication No. 102016115037 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The aim of the present invention is to improve upon the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a method for efficiently protecting the battery cells of a battery pack while optimizing the battery cell configuration of the battery pack and contributing to the overall improvement of vehicle collision management.

[0008] As can be seen from the following drawings and description, the present invention offers further advantages in terms of flexibility in product design and flexibility in assembly sequence. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] For this purpose, the first subject of the present invention is a reinforcing frame for a battery pack of an electric or hybrid vehicle, wherein the battery pack comprises a plurality of battery cells positioned and fixed to a shield element, and the reinforcing frame comprises at least: - Reinforcement frame fastening portion provided to be secured to both the battery pack and the vehicle body, - Reinforcement frame hollow portion provided to surround at least the battery cells and It consists of a reinforcing frame equipped with these features.

[0010] The reinforcing frame according to the present invention may also have the following optional features, which may be considered individually or in combination: - The reinforcing frame comprises an inner and outer component, each having fastening sections and reinforcing sections, wherein the fastening sections are fixed to each other to form a fastening portion of the reinforcing frame, and the reinforcing sections define a hollow portion of the reinforcing frame. - Both the inner and outer reinforcing sections are L-shaped and are positioned symmetrically with respect to the Y-axis of the hollow portion of the reinforcing frame, forming a square or rectangular hollow portion of the reinforcing frame. - The reinforcing frame comprises a covering frame extending from a hollow portion of the reinforcing frame, the covering frame being provided to be fixed to the upper cover of the battery cell. - Both the inner and outer components have covering portions extending from the reinforcement section in question, and these covering portions are fixed to each other to form a covering frame. - The inner and outer components are made from press-hardened steel. - The inner and outer components are fabricated from laser-welded blanks. - For any given cross-section of the reinforcing frame, the product of the minimum tensile strengths of the inner components due to their sheet thicknesses is greater than or equal to the product of the minimum tensile strengths of the outer components due to their sheet thicknesses. - The reinforcing frame has a roughly square or rectangular shape and has chamfered corners. - The reinforcing frame is located inside the hollow portion of the reinforcing frame and includes at least a longitudinal reinforcing member fixed to the hollow portion of the reinforcing frame. - The longitudinal reinforcing member has an omega-shaped cross-section.

[0011] A second object of the present invention is a reinforced battery pack for an electric or hybrid vehicle comprising a plurality of battery cells and a reinforced frame, further comprising the following optional features, which are considered individually or in combination: - A lower protective element called a shielding element is provided to prevent ingress into the battery pack. - Cooling means located in the shielding element, provided for cooling the battery cell. - A mesh located in a cooling means and comprising a plurality of housing cross members forming a plurality of housing members, wherein each battery cell is housed in the housing member in question, - The reinforcing frame having a reinforcing frame fastening portion fixed to the shield element and a reinforcing frame hollow portion that surrounds at least the battery cell, and - The upper cover is fixed to the reinforcing frame.

[0012] The reinforced battery pack according to the present invention may also have the following optional features, which may be considered individually or in combination: - The covering member is fixed to the upper cover frame of the reinforcing frame. - The reinforced battery pack includes intrusion-proof cross members at regular intervals, positioned between the shielding element and the cooling means. - The shield elements are made from steel with a tensile strength greater than 1300 MPa.

[0013] A third object of the present invention is a process for assembling a reinforced battery pack according to the present invention and mounting it to the body of an electric or hybrid vehicle, wherein the body comprises a floor, at least one pair of rear members and one pair of front members, the pairs being opposite each other and provided to absorb rearward and frontward impacts, and two opposite side sills fixed to the floor and provided to absorb lateral impacts, wherein the process comprises at least: - Steps to provide battery cells, - Steps of providing inner and outer parts, - Step of arranging internal components around the battery cell, - A step of attaching the fastening sections of the outer parts to a pair of side sills such that the corners of the outer parts facing the front of the vehicle are adjacent to the rear end of the front member, and the corners of the outer parts facing the rear of the vehicle are adjacent to the front end of the rear member, - Steps to attach the fastening sections of the inner components to the fastening sections of the outer components in order to form a reinforcing frame having fastening sections that are attached to the body of a hybrid or electric vehicle and hollow sections that surround the battery cells. comprises a process including

[0014] A fourth object of the present invention is a process for assembling a reinforced battery pack according to the present invention and attaching it to the body of an electric or hybrid vehicle, wherein the body comprises a floor, at least one pair of rear side members and one pair of front side members, the pair being on opposite sides of each other and provided to absorb rearward and forward impacts, and at least one pair of rear side members and one pair of front side members, and two side sills on opposite sides fixed to the floor and provided to absorb lateral impacts, the process comprising at least: - providing battery cells; - providing inner parts and outer parts; - attaching the fastening sections of the inner parts and the outer parts to each other to form a reinforcing frame having fastening portions and hollow portions; - disposing the reinforcing frame around the battery cells; - attaching the fastening portions to the pair of side sills such that the corners of the reinforcing frame located towards the front of the vehicle are adjacent to the rear end portions of the front side members and the corners of the reinforcing frame located towards the rear of the vehicle are adjacent to the front end portions of the rear side members comprises a process including

[0015] Other features and advantages of the present invention are described in more detail in the following description.

[0016] The present invention will be better understood by reading the following description which is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the body of a vehicle provided with a reinforced battery pack according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a part of the reinforced battery pack including the inside of the reinforcing frame. [Figure 3]This is a top view of the reinforcing frame according to the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of Figure 3 following arrow IV. [Figure 5] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the inside of the reinforcing frame. [Figure 6] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the outside of the reinforcing frame. [Figure 7] This is an exploded view of a part of a specific embodiment of the reinforced battery pack of the present invention. [Figure 8] This figure shows the process for assembling a specific embodiment of the reinforced battery pack of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a bottom view of the front of the vehicle's body. [Figure 10] Figure 9 is a bottom view of the rear of the vehicle's body. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] As used herein, the terms “lower,” “upper,” “upper,” “downward,” “lowest,” “highest,” “top,” “bottom,” “left,” and “right” refer to the position and orientation of the reinforcing frame, battery pack, and various parts thereof when the vehicle is positioned perpendicular to the ground. Furthermore, the terms “front,” “forward,” “rear,” “rear,” and “backward” are defined according to the normal direction of travel of the vehicle. The term “substantially perpendicular” defines an angle of 90° ± 15°, and the term “substantially parallel” defines an angle of 0° ± 15°.

[0019] The first objective of the present invention is a reinforcing frame 1, which is described below based on Figures 1 to 6.

[0020] The reinforcing frame 1 is designed to protect the battery cells 29 of the battery pack of a hybrid or electric vehicle 37 from mechanical impact and physical intrusion. Therefore, the reinforcing frame 1 is provided to be fixed to both the battery pack and the vehicle body 30, 31 of the vehicle 37, as shown in Figure 1. In addition to protecting the battery cells 29, the reinforcing frame 1 also provides active collision energy management.

[0021] Battery packs are a well-known component of electric and hybrid vehicles and consist of essentially multiple cells 29.

[0022] In certain embodiments, the battery cell 29 is located in the shield element 15. This shield element 15 is made of, for example, full martensitic steel containing between 0.15% and 0.5% by weight of carbon. This martensitic steel has a tensile strength exceeding 1800 MPa, making the shield element 15 particularly resistant to physical intrusion from the bottom.

[0023] The reinforcing frame 1 of the present invention is made of steel and comprises a reinforcing frame fastening portion 3 provided for fixing the battery pack to the body 30, 31 of the vehicle 37, and a reinforcing frame hollow portion 4 fixed to the reinforcing frame fastening portion 3 and provided to surround at least the battery cells 29.

[0024] According to the present invention, the reinforcing frame 1 is made from two ring-shaped elements 10 and 11 fixed to each other. These two elements are also called the inner part 10 and the outer part 11 of the reinforcing frame 1. The inner part 10 is provided to surround at least the battery cell 29, and the outer part 11 is provided to be in contact with a portion of the vehicle body 30, 31 of the vehicle 37.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the reinforcing frame has a substantially rectangular shape extending along the longitudinal axis X and has two longitudinal sections 33, 34, two transverse sections 31, 32, and four corners 24.

[0026] Each component 10, 11 of the reinforcing frame 1 is manufactured by stamping a steel blank. In certain embodiments, the stamping operation is a hot stamping operation in which the blank is heated in a stamping tool and then rapidly cooled. Thus, the complex shapes required for the parts can be obtained while ensuring very high mechanical properties so that they have excellent resistance to impact.

[0027] In a particular embodiment, each component 10, 11 of the reinforcing frame 1 is manufactured by stamping a tailor-welded blank comprising several subblanks. The subblanks may have different thicknesses and / or different compositions to optimize the mechanical performance and weight of the component. Thicker and / or more resistant steel grades are used in areas where higher mechanical resistance is required to provide adequate protection in the event of impact. On the other hand, in areas where lower mechanical resistance is acceptable, they can be made thinner to reduce the weight of the component. An example of such a tailor-welded blank design is shown in Figures 2, 3, 5, and 6, where the weld line 35 is visible. In this embodiment, both the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 consist of the following six subblanks or components joined together using butt laser welding to form two blanks: one piece for each longitudinal member 33, 34, one piece for two corners 24 and one transverse member 32, and three pieces for the remaining corners 24 and the remaining transverse member 31. The concept of such laser-welded blanks is highly flexible, allowing for multiple variations to meet the safety, regulatory, and optimized weight requirements imposed on battery packs. In this example, we presented a laser-welded blank with six sub-blanks. However, the number of blanks required can be selected, taking into account the engineering and cost constraints of the specific battery pack to be designed.

[0028] In certain embodiments, the laser-welded blanks used to manufacture the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 are thicker in the portions of the reinforcing frame 1 that are parallel to the side of the vehicle 37, and in the portions corresponding to the corners of the reinforcing frame 1. In fact, in the case of a lateral impact to the vehicle 37, such as a pole impact to the side of the vehicle 37, the portions of the reinforcing frame 1 that are parallel to the side of the vehicle 37 will be subjected to very high localized loads and therefore need to be reinforced. Also, in the case of a frontal or rearward collision, the loads generated by the impact will be transmitted to the rest of the reinforcing frame 1 through the corner portions, as detailed below. Therefore, the corner portions also need to be reinforced.

[0029] The inner part 10 and the outer part 11 are assembled as a single unit. Both the inner part 10 and the outer part 11 have fastening sections 5 and 6 that are fastened to each other by fastening means 21 shown in Figure 8 to form the reinforcing frame fastening portion 3 of the reinforcing frame 1. Preferably, the two fastening sections 5 and 6 are in contact. Furthermore, both the inner part 10 and the outer part 11 have reinforcing sections 7 and 8 that form the reinforcing frame hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame 1.

[0030] As a preferred example, the fastening sections 5 and 6 of the inner part 10 and the outer part 11 are bolted together as a single unit.

[0031] Next, an example of the geometric shape of each reinforcing section according to the present invention will be described, as shown in Figure 4.

[0032] The reinforcing sections 7 and 8 of the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 are both substantially L-shaped and are positioned symmetrically with respect to the axis Y of the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame. More specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the reinforcing section 7 of the inner component 10 is L-shaped, and the reinforcing section 8 of the outer component 11 is inverted L-shaped. While the reinforcing sections 7 and 8 extend substantially along an L-shape, it should be noted that some deformation from a perfect L-shape, such as a notch, may be introduced to take into account packaging constraints induced by the surrounding environmental elements of the vehicle 37. It should also be noted that, under the premise that the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 define the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame, the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 may have slightly different shapes and may not be positioned in perfectly symmetrical locations.

[0033] Therefore, the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame has a roughly square or rectangular cross-section. Thus, the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame has the following four main walls: a bottom wall 40 on which the fastening section 5 of the inner component 10 extends, an upper wall 42 on the opposite side, an inner wall 41 facing the battery cell 29, and an outer wall 43 on the opposite side from which the fastening section 6 of the outer component 11 protrudes. Furthermore, the reinforcing frame 1 has a roughly square or rectangular shape.

[0034] Therefore, the bottom wall 40 continues parallel to the fastening section 5 of the inner component 10 extending from the bottom wall 40, and the outer wall 43 is substantially perpendicular to the fastening section 6 of the outer component 11.

[0035] When the vehicle is impacted, the reinforcing frame 1 is designed to absorb a portion of the impact energy through the deformation of the outer components 11, while protecting the battery cells 29 through the intrusion prevention behavior of the inner components 10. As the reinforcing frame 1 is located in the center of the vehicle, it is expected to play an active role in collision management during frontal, rearward, or lateral impacts. The outer components 11 are designed to withstand some amount of deformation during a collision, and the inner components 10 define a "no-go" zone in which the battery cells 29 are completely protected from intrusion during an impact.

[0036] One way to apply these two concepts—energy absorption by the outer component 11 and intrusion prevention by the inner component 10—is to provide a component such that, with respect to any given cross-section, the product of the minimum tensile strength of the inner component 10 and its sheet thickness is greater than or equal to the product of the minimum tensile strength of the outer component 11 and its sheet thickness.

[0037] For example, both the inner frame 10 and the outer frame 11 are made from press-hardened steel having a tensile strength greater than 1300 MPa. The composition of this steel is expressed, for example, in weight percentage as follows:

[0038] [Table 1]

[0039] In this embodiment, the thickness of the inner component is, for example, between 1.2 and 1.6 mm.

[0040] In another embodiment, both the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 can be made from a harder steel having a tensile strength greater than 1800 MPa. The composition of this steel is expressed, for example, in weight percent as follows:

[0041] [Table 2]

[0042] In this embodiment, the thickness of the inner part 10 and the outer part 11 is, for example, between 1 and 1.4 mm, which allows for a lower weight while maintaining the same mechanical resistance as the parts made from lower-strength steel described in the previous embodiment.

[0043] These two examples of steel alloys have high rigidity, and therefore the inner components 10 of the reinforcing frame 1 provide excellent protection against deformation or physical intrusion through the battery cells 29.

[0044] According to the present invention, the outer component 11 is made from a material having greater ductility than or equal to that of the inner component 10. For example, the outer component 11 can be made from steel having a tensile strength of approximately 1000 MPa. The composition of this steel is expressed, for example, in weight percent as follows:

[0045] [Table 3]

[0046] Since the ductility of the outer component 11 is greater than that of the inner component 10, the outer component 11 may deform due to mechanical impact. This deformation results in the absorption of mechanical energy, reducing the remaining energy absorbed by the walls 40 and 41 of the inner component. As a result, the risk of deformation or deterioration of the inner component 10 is significantly reduced.

[0047] Prioritizing this, the corners 24 of the reinforcing frame, more specifically the corners of the outer components 10 of the reinforcing frame 1, are chamfered as shown in Figure 6. This reduces the thinning of the corners 24, improves the strength of the reinforcing frame 1, and improves energy transfer through the longitudinal members 33, 34 and the transverse members 31, 32.

[0048] According to a particular embodiment shown in Figure 4, the reinforcing frame 1 includes a covering portion 9 that protrudes from the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame. This covering portion 9 allows the upper plate 19 (Figure 8), which is provided to seal the top of the battery pack and protect the battery cells 29, to be fixed to the covering portion 9 of the reinforcing frame 1.

[0049] To form the covering portion 9, both the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 have covering sections 12 and 13 extending from the reinforcing sections 7 and 8 of the object. The two covering sections 12 and 13 are fixed to each other to form the covering portion 9. Preferably, the two covering sections 12 and 13 are in contact.

[0050] Finally, to reinforce the reinforcing frame 1, multiple reinforcing members 14 (Figure 7) can be inserted inside the hollow body 4, preferably one reinforcing member 14 for each longitudinal and transverse member 31-34, and also for the corners if necessary. Each reinforcing member 14 preferably has an omega shape to provide both good energy absorption and good fixation. The reinforcing members 14 are preferably fixed to the inner wall 41 of the hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame.

[0051] A second object of the present invention is a reinforced battery pack 2 comprising the above-described reinforcing frame 1 surrounding the battery cell 29.

[0052] Some specific embodiments of the reinforced battery pack 2 are shown as a perspective view in Figure 2 and an exploded view in Figure 7. Note that the battery cell 29 is shown in Figure 2 but not in Figure 7.

[0053] The reinforced battery pack 2 comprises a reinforced frame 1 and battery cells 29, as well as other elements listed below, which can be optionally included in the configuration of the reinforced battery pack 2, either individually or in any possible combination. It should be noted that the following enumeration is not intended to be comprehensive or to limit the scope of the invention, but is given as an example to illustrate possible applications of the invention: • The shield element 15 mentioned above. • Cooling means 16 located in the shield element 15 and provided for cooling the battery cell 29. As an example, the cooling means 26 comprises two heat conduction elements called cladding elements fixed to each other, and a cooling system (not shown) inserted between the two cladding elements 160, 161. - Intrusion prevention cross members 20 fixed to the shield element 15 and positioned between the shield element 15 and the cooling means 16 at regular intervals. • A mesh 17 comprising multiple housing cross members 23 located in the cooling means 16. The housing cross members 23 form multiple regularly arranged housing members 18. Preferably, the lateral housing cross member 23 is aligned with the intrusion prevention cross member 20, so that if intrusion occurs from the bottom of the vehicle 37, the intrusion prevention cross member 20 and the lateral housing cross member 23 work together to provide optimal resistance. • Multiple battery cells 29 (Figures 2, 9, and 10). Each battery cell 29 is housed in the housing member 18 and is in contact with the cooling means 16.

[0054] According to the present invention, a battery pack is reinforced with a reinforcing frame 1 to form a reinforced battery pack 2. The reinforcing frame fastening portion 3 of the reinforcing frame 1 is fixed to, for example, a shielding element 15. The hollow portion 4 of the reinforcing frame surrounds the battery cells 29, a mesh 17, and a cooling means 16. Figures 2 and 7 show only the inner components 10 of the reinforcing frame.

[0055] Finally, the reinforced battery bag 2 optionally includes an upper plate, also called an upper cover 19 (Figure 8), which is fixed to the reinforced frame 1. For example, the upper plate 19 is bolted to the covering frame 9 of the reinforced frame 1. Advantageously, bolting the upper plate 19 to the covering frame 9 allows for the removal of the upper plate 19 when maintenance of the battery cells 29 or other components is required.

[0056] Next, we will describe the process for assembling the reinforced battery pack 2 shown in Figure 8 according to a specific embodiment.

[0057] In the first step, the first assembly is provided by fixing the intrusion prevention cross member 20 to the shield element 15.

[0058] In the second step, the second assembly is provided according to the following substeps: - A substep to assemble the cladding elements 160, 161 and the cooling system to form the cooling means 16. - Substep of fixing the mesh 17 to the cooling means 16, - Substep of providing a battery cell 29 within the housing 18 of the mesh 17, - A substep of arranging the reinforcing frame 1 around the cooling means 16, the mesh 17, and the battery cell 29.

[0059] In the third step, the reinforcing frame fastening portion 3 of the reinforcing frame 1 is bolted to the shield element 15 using the fastening means 21. Preferably, the inner part 10 and outer part 11 of the reinforcing frame 1 and the shield element 15 are bolted together in the same step using the fastening means 21.

[0060] In certain embodiments, the fastening means 21 is a self-pierce and clinch nut, such as a SPAC(R) nut commercially available from RB&W.

[0061] In the fourth and final step, the upper plate 19 is fixed to the reinforcing frame 1. Advantageously, the upper plate 19 is bolted to the covering frame 9 of the reinforcing frame 1.

[0062] Here, the reinforced battery pack 2 is protected from physical shock and physical intrusion, and can be safely moved during the further assembly process of the reinforced battery pack 2.

[0063] According to another method of the present invention, the reinforced battery pack 2 can be assembled into the body 30, 31 of the vehicle 37.

[0064] In the first step, the reinforced battery pack 2 is positioned on the vehicle body 30, 31 of the vehicle 37 such that the longitudinal axis X of the reinforcing frame 1 is parallel to the longitudinal axis X' of the vehicle. Once positioned, the corners 24 of the reinforcing frame 1 come into contact with the ends of the rear member 25 and the front member 26, respectively.

[0065] In the second and final step, the reinforced battery pack 2's reinforcing frame 1 is secured to the side sills 27 of the vehicle body 30, 31 of the vehicle 37.

[0066] In this configuration, the energy of a longitudinal impact on the vehicle 37 is transmitted through the corresponding members 25 and 26, through the corner 24, and through the longitudinal and lateral members 31-34 of the reinforcing frame 1, thereby preventing deformation or deterioration of the reinforced battery pack 2. Similarly, lateral impacts on the side sills 27 of the vehicle body 37 are transmitted through the longitudinal members 33 and 34 of the reinforcing frame 1.

[0067] The reinforcing frame 1 of the present invention is of great interest for protecting the battery pack of any electric or hybrid vehicle.

[0068] The embodiments described above are entirely non-limiting, and modifications can be made to them without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, both the inner and outer components can be manufactured using the same high-tensile steel, such as Usibor(R)1500 or Usibor(R)2000. Finally, the reinforced battery pack 2 may consist only of the inner component 10 of the reinforced frame 1, with the outer component 11 of the reinforced frame 1 being fixed to the vehicle body 30, 31 of the vehicle 37. In this case, the assembly of the reinforced battery pack 2 to the vehicle is carried out by bolting the fastening section 5 of the inner component 10 to the fastening section 6 of the outer component 11.

[0069] A third and fourth object of the present invention is an assembly process for a reinforced battery pack 2 mounted on a vehicle 37.

[0070] The vehicle body, also known as "body in white," represents the body components joined together using one or a combination of various techniques, including: welding, riveting, clinching, bonding, and laser brazing.

[0071] According to Figures 1, 9, and 10, the body 30, 31 of the vehicle 37 extends with respect to the longitudinal axis X' and comprises a floor 28, at least one pair of rear members 25, and one pair of front members 26. The front members 26 are located at the front of the vehicle 37, and the rear members 25 are positioned toward the rear of the vehicle. Thus, the two pairs of members 25, 26 are opposite each other and are provided to absorb impacts from the front and rear. Furthermore, the body 30, 31 of the vehicle 37 comprises two side sills 27 fixed to the floor 28 and positioned opposite each other. These side sills 27 are provided to absorb lateral impacts.

[0072] The reinforcement frame 1 described above can be integrated into the overall vehicle architecture in several different ways, according to the following two main assembly possibilities: - According to the first possibility, the outer components 11 are attached to the vehicle bodies 30, 31, and the inner components 10 are arranged around the battery cells 29. Then, the inner components 10 are attached to the outer components 11 in order to secure the battery pack 2 to the vehicle. - According to the second possibility, first, the inner component 10 and the outer component 11 are fastened together to form a reinforcing frame 1, which is then arranged around the battery cell 29. Then, the battery pack 2 assembled in this way is attached to the body-in-white by attaching the reinforcing frame 1 to the body-in-white. In this second configuration, the entire reinforcing frame 1 can be considered to belong to the battery pack 2.

[0073] Looking at the first possibility, the assembly sequence includes the following steps: - Step of providing the battery cell 29. - Steps to provide the inner part 10 and the outer part 11. - A step of arranging the internal components 10 around the battery cell 29. For example, the battery cell 29 is located on the shield element 15, and the fastening portion 5 of the internal components 10 is fastened to the shield element 15. - The step of attaching the fastening sections 6 of the outer parts 11 to a pair of side sills 27 such that the corners of the outer parts 10 located toward the front of the vehicle 37 are adjacent to the rear end of the front member 26, and the corners of the outer parts 10 located toward the rear of the vehicle are adjacent to the front end of the rear member 25. - A step of attaching fastening sections 5 of inner components 10 to fastening sections 6 of outer components 11 in order to form a reinforcing frame 1 having fastening sections 3 to be attached to the body of a hybrid vehicle or electric vehicle 37 and hollow sections 4 surrounding a battery cell 29.

[0074] Looking at the second possibility, the assembly sequence includes the following steps: - Step of providing the battery cell 29. - Steps to provide the inner part 10 and the outer part 11. - A step of attaching fastening sections 5 and 6 of inner part 10 and outer part 11 to each other in order to form a reinforcing frame 1 having fastening portion 3 and hollow portion 4. - A step of arranging the reinforcing frame 1 around the battery cell 29. For example, the battery cell 29 is located in the shield element 15, and the fastening portion 5 of the inner component 10 is fastened to the shield element 15. - A step of attaching the fastening portion 3 to a pair of side sills 27 such that the corner of the reinforcing frame 1 located toward the front of the vehicle 37 is adjacent to the rear end of the front member 26, and the corner of the reinforcing frame 1 located toward the rear of the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member 25.

[0075] This configuration of the reinforcing frame 1 within the vehicle allows the energy of a frontal or rearward collision with the vehicle 37 to be transmitted through the corresponding members 25, 26, through the corners 24, and through the longitudinal and lateral members 31-34 of the reinforcing frame 1, thereby avoiding deformation of the inner components 10 of the reinforcing frame 1. Furthermore, the reinforcing frame 1 helps deflect and disperse impact energy during a frontal or rearward collision. In fact, due to its high strength and central position, as well as the vehicle architecture, the reinforcing frame 1 is positioned in the path of the load transmitted by the impact, as shown by the arrows 36 in Figures 9 and 10 indicating the path taken by the impact force. During a rearward or frontal collision, the load is first transmitted to the vehicle structure through members 25 or 26, respectively. The load is then received by the rest of the vehicle structure, particularly the reinforcing frame 1. The load is deflected from the central path of the vehicle 37, where the vulnerable battery cells 29 are located, through the reinforcing frame 1 to the sides of the vehicle 37.

Claims

1. A reinforcing frame (1) for a battery pack (2) of an electric or hybrid vehicle (37), which is attached to the vehicle (37), wherein the battery pack (2) comprises a plurality of battery cells (29), and the reinforcing frame (1) comprises at least, A reinforcing frame fastening portion (3) is provided to be fixed to both the battery pack (2) and the vehicle body, A reinforcing frame hollow portion (4) provided to surround at least the battery cell (29), Both are inner and outer parts (10 and 11) having fastening sections (5 and 6) and reinforcing sections (7 and 8), wherein the fastening sections (5 and 6) are fixed to each other to form a reinforcing frame fastening portion (3), and the reinforcing sections (7 and 8) define a reinforcing frame hollow portion (4), comprising the inner part (10) and outer part (11). A reinforcing frame (1) having a substantially square or rectangular shape and chamfered corners, the corners being reinforced by the chamfered corners.

2. The reinforcing frame (1) according to claim 1, wherein both the reinforcing sections (7, 8) of the inner component (10) and the outer component (11) are substantially L-shaped and are positioned point-symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the reinforcing frame hollow portion (4) to form a substantially square or rectangular reinforcing frame hollow portion (4).

3. The reinforcing frame (1) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a covering portion (9) extending from a hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame, wherein the covering portion (9) is provided to be fixed to the upper cover (19) of the battery pack (2).

4. The reinforcing frame (1) according to claim 3, wherein both the inner component (10) and the outer component (11) have covering portions (12, 13) extending from the reinforcing sections (7, 8) in question, and the covering portions (12, 13) are fixed to each other to form a covering portion (9).

5. The reinforcing frame (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, with respect to any given cross-section of the reinforcing frame (1), the product of the minimum tensile strength of the inner component (10) due to the sheet thickness is greater than or equal to the product of the minimum tensile strength of the outer component (11) due to the sheet thickness.

6. The reinforcing frame (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the inner component (10) and the outer component (11) are each made from a laser-welded blank of press-hardened steel, and each laser-welded blank comprises several sub-blanks.

7. A reinforcing frame (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising at least one longitudinal reinforcing member (14) located inside the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame and fixed to the hollow portion (4) of the reinforcing frame.

8. The reinforcing frame (1) according to claim 7, wherein the longitudinal reinforcing member (14) has an omega-shaped cross-section.

9. A reinforced battery pack (2) for an electric or hybrid vehicle (37), comprising a plurality of battery cells (29), further comprising a reinforced frame (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The reinforced battery pack (2) according to claim 9, which is attached to the body of an electric or hybrid vehicle (37) by at least fastening portions (3).

11. The reinforced battery pack (2) according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising at least a shielding element (15) provided to prevent intrusion into the battery pack (2), wherein the shielding element (15) is attached to a fastening portion (3) of the reinforced battery pack (2).

12. The reinforced battery pack (2) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising at least an upper cover (19) which is fixed to the reinforcing frame (1) by being attached to the covering portion (9) of the reinforcing frame (1).

13. A process for assembling a reinforced battery pack (2) according to any one of claims 9 to 12, which is to be mounted on a vehicle body (30, 31) of an electric or hybrid vehicle (37), wherein the vehicle body (30, 31) extends along a longitudinal axis (X) and comprises a floor (28), at least one pair of rear members (25) and a pair of front members (26), the pairs (25, 26) being opposite each other and provided to absorb rearward and frontal impacts, and two opposite side sills (27) fixed to the floor (28) and provided to absorb lateral impacts, wherein the process comprises at least, The step of providing a battery cell (29), The steps of providing an inner part (10) and an outer part (11), Steps include arranging the internal components (10) around the battery cell (29), Steps to attach the fastening sections (6) of the outer parts (11) to a pair of side sills (27) such that the corner of the outer part (10) facing the front of the vehicle (37) is adjacent to the rear end of the front member (26), and the corner of the outer part (10) facing the rear of the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member (25), Steps to form a reinforcing frame (1) having fastening portions (3) to be attached to the body of a hybrid vehicle or electric vehicle (37) and hollow portions (4) surrounding a battery cell (29): attaching fastening sections (5) of inner components (10) to fastening sections (6) of outer components (11). A process that includes this.

14. A process for assembling a reinforced battery pack (2) according to any one of claims 9 to 12, which is to be mounted on a vehicle body (30, 31) of an electric or hybrid vehicle (37), wherein the vehicle body (30, 31) extends along a longitudinal axis (X) and comprises a floor (28), at least one pair of rear members (25) and a pair of front members (26), the pairs (25, 26) being opposite each other and provided to absorb rearward and frontal impacts, and two opposite side sills (27) fixed to the floor (28) and provided to absorb lateral impacts, wherein the process comprises at least, The step of providing a battery cell (29), The steps of providing an inner part (10) and an outer part (11), To form a reinforcing frame (1) having fastening portions (3) and hollow portions (4), the fastening sections (5, 6) of the inner part (10) and the outer part (11) are attached to each other. Steps include: arranging a reinforcing frame (1) around the battery cell (29), Steps to attach the fastening portion (3) to a pair of side sills (27) such that the corner of the reinforcing frame (1) located toward the front of the vehicle (37) is adjacent to the rear end of the front member (26), and the corner of the reinforcing frame (1) located toward the rear of the vehicle is adjacent to the front end of the rear member (25). A process that includes this.

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