Battery frame for a drive battery for a vehicle and production thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a production method (100) for a battery frame (300) for a drive battery (401) for a vehicle (400), wherein the production method comprises: - casting (101) the battery frame (300) as a monolith in an aluminium die casting process, wherein the battery frame (300) is cast in an off-tool manner, and wherein the battery frame (300) is configured to completely laterally frame the drive battery (401).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Battery frame for a drive battery for a vehicle and its manufacture

[0003] The presented invention relates to a manufacturing method for a battery frame for a drive battery for a vehicle, a battery frame for a drive battery for a vehicle and a vehicle according to the appended claims.

[0004] Traction batteries for vehicles are secured using holders, which are mounted, for example, on a vehicle frame. Alternatively, battery housings are known that enclose a traction battery and protect it from environmental influences.

[0005] A battery enclosure typically consists of a battery frame, a base plate, and an optional cover plate. Due to its size, which is typically between 50 cm and 300 cm, the battery frame is assembled from several modular parts.

[0006] Furthermore, CN 205376596 U discloses a holder for holding a battery on a vehicle. This holder is arranged from below on a support structure to secure the battery between the support structure and the holder. The holder is essentially flat and open to the environment. A cooling element for conducting coolant is arranged on the holder.

[0007] Furthermore, CN 113957302 A, CN 116000246 A and CN 113245521 A each disclose aluminum die-casting processes for producing housing components.

[0008] Within the scope of the presented invention, a manufacturing method for a battery frame, a battery frame and a vehicle are presented. Further features and details of the invention emerge from the respective subclaims, the description and the drawings. Features and details described in connection with the manufacturing method according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the battery frame according to the invention or the vehicle according to the invention and vice versa, so that with regard to the disclosure of the individual aspects of the invention, reference is or can always be made to each other. Against this background, it is an object of the presented invention to provide a possibility for the rapid and material-saving production of a robust battery frame for a drive battery of a vehicle.

[0009] Thus, according to a first aspect of the invention presented, a manufacturing method for a battery frame for a drive battery for a vehicle is presented.

[0010] The presented manufacturing method comprises casting the battery frame as a monolith in an aluminum die-casting process, wherein the battery frame is cast in a tool-free manner, and wherein the battery frame is configured to completely frame the drive battery laterally.

[0011] In the context of the invention presented, a battery frame is understood to be a structure that is configured to completely surround the sides of a drive battery, i.e. a battery for supplying a vehicle drive with electrical energy, in particular a high-voltage storage device. Accordingly, the battery frame completely surrounds a drive battery on four sides and at a predetermined height. In particular, a battery frame is suitable for forming a tray with a base plate into which a drive battery can be inserted. In combination with a base plate and a cover plate, a battery frame is suitable for forming a housing for a drive battery that shields the drive battery from its surroundings on all sides or completely encloses it.

[0012] In the context of the present invention, an off-tool casting process is understood to mean a process in which a component, i.e., the battery frame according to the invention, is cast in such a way that, after the casting process, it can be easily removed from a mold or falls out of it without moving slides or the like. In particular, the component for an off-tool design does not comprise an undercut, but merely adjacent structures.

[0013] The manufacturing process presented is based on a so-called “monolithic casting”, i.e., a die-casting process in which aluminum or an aluminum alloy is fed into a mold to form a monolithic component, so that complex subsequent steps for assembling the battery frame can be dispensed with.

[0014] Since a battery frame to be produced using the proposed manufacturing process must be suitable for accommodating or enclosing a drive battery, the battery frame must be manufactured very large, so the fixture for casting the battery frame must also be very large, for example, several meters long. The size of the fixture for casting the battery frame, in turn, requires very high pressures.

[0015] Due to the size of a battery frame suitable for framing a drive battery, monolithic casting of such a battery frame is technically challenging.

[0016] It can be provided that the aluminum die-casting process is carried out with a pressure of at least 3000 tons, in particular at least 4000 tons, preferably at least 8000 tons for casting the battery frame.

[0017] To monolithically cast a large battery frame suitable for enclosing a traction battery, pressures of at least 3,000 tons (30,000 kN) have proven advantageous for pressing the aluminum or aluminum alloy into a specific mold. Depending on the size of the battery frame, pressures of more than 4,000 tons (40,000 kN) or even more than 8,000 tons (80,000 kN) can be advantageous.

[0018] A press can be used to provide pressure to introduce the aluminum or aluminum alloy into a respective mold.

[0019] It can further be provided that the battery frame is cast in a die-casting mold comprising a first plate, a second plate and a third plate, wherein a sprue system for distributing casting material in the die-casting mold is formed between the first plate and the second plate, and a mold for forming the battery frame is formed between the second plate and the third plate.

[0020] A die casting mold with three plates allows the aluminum or aluminum alloy to be fed centrally into each mold, so that the aluminum or aluminum alloy is evenly distributed in several directions in the mold at the same time and does not run in a front from one side to the other.

[0021] By using a die-casting mold with three plates, several spaced-apart gate points can be realized, so that particularly large components can be manufactured monolithically.

[0022] It can also be provided that, during the casting of the battery frame, a basic framework of the battery frame is cast in a first sub-step, and in a second sub-step, additional material is selectively applied to the basic framework at predetermined points. A two-stage casting process can realize particularly high or particularly strong component geometries, for example, by reinforcing a basic structure with additional material.

[0023] It may also be provided that the battery frame is manufactured with a base plate.

[0024] By manufacturing the battery frame with a base plate, it forms a tray into which a drive battery can be inserted.

[0025] It can further be provided that the manufacturing method further comprises connecting the battery frame to at least one additional profile.

[0026] By connecting the battery frame with additional profiles, the monolithic battery frame can be adapted to a respective drive battery by means of the additional profiles, for example by forming a number of compartments for a number of battery bars and / or electronics for controlling the drive battery in the battery frame.

[0027] For this purpose, the additional profile can be welded or glued to the battery frame.

[0028] It may further be provided that the battery frame is cast with a length between 50 cm and 250 cm and / or a width between 30 cm and 200 cm.

[0029] To completely or circumferentially surround a drive battery, the battery frame must be cast in such a way that it is longer and wider than the drive battery. Casting such a battery frame monolithically requires a particularly large and strong die-casting device, the shape of which is correspondingly even larger than the battery frame.

[0030] According to a second aspect, the presented invention relates to a battery frame for a drive battery for a vehicle, wherein the battery frame is a monolithic component.

[0031] The presented battery frame is configured to completely and uninterruptedly surround a drive battery.

[0032] The battery frame presented is a monolithic component and therefore consists of a single piece of metal. It is possible that the battery frame presented is manufactured using a possible embodiment of the proposed manufacturing process.

[0033] The presented manufacturing process enables a particularly fast and material-saving production of the presented battery frame.

[0034] According to a third aspect, the presented invention relates to a vehicle. The presented vehicle includes a possible embodiment of the presented battery frame.

[0035] Due to the battery frame presented, the vehicle presented is particularly robust against mechanical stress.

[0036] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which describes embodiments of the invention in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description may be essential to the invention individually or in any combination. They show:

[0037] Figure 1 shows a possible embodiment of the presented manufacturing process,

[0038] Figure 2 is a detailed view of the manufacturing process according to Figure 1,

[0039] Figure 3 shows a possible design of the presented battery frame,

[0040] Figure 4 shows a possible design of the presented vehicle.

[0041] Figure 1 shows a manufacturing method 100 for a battery frame for a drive battery for a vehicle.

[0042] The manufacturing method 100 includes a casting step 101 in which the battery frame is cast as a monolith using an aluminum die-casting process. The battery frame is cast in a tool-free manner.

[0043] The battery frame is configured to completely surround the drive battery laterally. Accordingly, the battery frame is cast in a closed or uninterrupted frame shape. Figure 2 shows a possible embodiment of the manufacturing method 100 according to Figure 1. A first plate 201, a second plate 203, and a third plate 205 are pressed together.

[0044] A liquid aluminum alloy is pressed between the first plate 201 and the second plate 203 so that the aluminum alloy is distributed over the second plate 203 according to a distribution geometry formed in the first plate 201 and flows into a mold formed between the second plate 203 and the third plate 205.

[0045] A gate point 207 for introducing the aluminum alloy into the first plate 201 is located centrally or in the middle of the first plate 201.

[0046] Furthermore, several gate points 209, 211, and 213 are located in or on the second plate 203, so that a component formed in the mold is formed by several converging sub-regions. Accordingly, the gate points 209, 211, and 213 minimize the running time of the aluminum alloy in the mold, resulting in high process stability due to minimal heat losses.

[0047] Figure 3 shows a battery frame 300. The battery frame 300 is monolithically formed and comprises a plurality of compartments 301 for accommodating a plurality of battery bars of a vehicle's drive battery.

[0048] Figure 4 shows a vehicle 400. The vehicle 400 comprises the battery frame 300 according to Figure 3 and a drive battery 401 arranged therein.

[0049] List of reference symbols

[0050] Manufacturing process

[0051] Casting step first plate second plate third plate

[0052] Gate point

[0053] Gate point

[0054] Gate point

[0055] Gate point battery frame

[0056] Vehicle compartment traction battery

Claims

Claims 1. Manufacturing method (100) for a battery frame (300) for a drive battery (401) for a vehicle (400), the manufacturing method (100) comprising: Casting (101) the battery frame (300) as a monolith in an aluminum die-casting process, wherein the battery frame (300) is cast in a tool-free manner, and wherein the battery frame (300) is configured to completely frame the drive battery (401) laterally.

2. Manufacturing method (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the aluminum die-casting process is carried out with a pressure of at least 3000 tons, in particular at least 4000 tons, preferably at least 8000 tons for casting (101) the battery frame (300).

3. Manufacturing method (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the battery frame (300) is cast in a die-casting mold comprising a first plate (201), a second plate (203) and a third plate (205), wherein a sprue system for distributing casting material in the die-casting mold is formed between the first plate (201) and the second plate (203), and a mold for forming the battery frame (300) is formed between the second plate (203) and the third plate (205).

4. Manufacturing method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during the casting (101) of the battery frame (300), a basic framework of the battery frame (300) is cast in a first sub-step and in a second sub-step additional material is selectively applied to the basic framework at predetermined points.

5. Manufacturing method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the battery frame (300) is manufactured with a base plate.

6. Manufacturing method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manufacturing method (100) further comprises: Connecting the battery frame (300) to at least one additional profile.

7. Manufacturing method (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that the additional profile is welded or glued to the battery frame (300).

8. Manufacturing method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the battery frame (300) is cast with a length between 50 cm and 250 cm and / or a width between 30 cm and 200 cm.

9. Battery frame (300) for a drive battery (401) for a vehicle (400), wherein the battery frame (300) is a monolithic component.

10. Battery frame (300) according to claim 9, characterized in that the battery frame (300) is manufactured by a manufacturing method (100) according to one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A vehicle (400), the vehicle comprising a battery frame (300) according to claim 9 or 10.

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