Side impact battery protection device for a vehicle

Abstract

A side impact battery protection device for a vehicle is described. The side impact battery protection device may include a panel comprising a corrugated sheet of alternating ridges. A first channel may be attached to a first surface of the panel and extend along a length of the panel in a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to the alternating ridges. A second channel may be attached to the first surface and extend along the length of the panel, the second channel parallel to and spaced apart from the first channel. A mounting structure may be attached to a second surface of the panel and extend from the panel in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the second surface of the panel opposite that of the first surface in the transverse direction.

Description

Side Impact Battery Protection Device for a VehicleRELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 580,920, filed on September 6, 2023, entitled “Side Impact Battery Protection Device for a Vehicle,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD

[0002] The present description relates generally to a component for protecting an energy storage device of a vehicle during a side impact event.BACKGROUND

[0003] Electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Commercial vehicles, which include cargo vans, trucks, public transportation vehicles (e.g., buses), taxis, and other utility vehicles, benefit from the integration of electric and hybrid technologies to achieve sustainability goals, reduce operating costs, and comply with stringent environmental regulations.

[0004] EVs and HEVs utilize electric motors and rechargeable battery packs for powering the vehicle, thus reducing or eliminating tailpipe emissions associated with conventional ICE vehicles that power the vehicle solely via the internal combustion engine. EVs operate solely via the electric motor, while HEVs combine electric motorswith internal combustion engines to offer extended range capabilities. Moreover, in some HEV architectures, the electric motor assists the internal combustion engine during acceleration, deceleration, and low-speed driving, resulting in increased fuel efficiency and reduced emissions compared with conventional ICE vehicles.

[0005] To power the electric motors, the EV and HEV commercial vehicles may utilize high-voltage battery packs. These battery packs store a substantial amount of electrical energy, and thus it is desirable to reduce or prevent compromised integrity of the battery packs (e.g., in the event of undesired impact). Therefore, various approaches have been developed to safeguard the battery packs from situations where battery pack integrity may be compromised, including reinforced battery enclosures and specialized mounting systems. However, such systems can add undesirable weight and complexity, which can adversely impact energy efficiency of vehicles at least partially propelled via electrical energy.

[0006] One challenge in protecting battery packs in commercial EVs and HEVs is the lack of available space to implement robust protection systems. There is very little space for side impact protection. A minimum clearance (e.g., of 20 millimeters) is typically desired between the battery and any protection device. Additionally, a desire to decrease and / or avoid fairing rattle can further reduce the feasible space (e.g., 8 millimeter) or more. Structural ribs on the fairing present additional challenges for fitting protection devices.

[0007] Accordingly, there exists a need for improved systems capable of ensuring / maintaining battery pack integrity within the small clearance between thebattery packs and the fairing while also reducing the impact of such systems on energy efficiency.SUMMARY

[0008] A side impact battery protection device for a vehicle is described. The side impact battery protection device may include a panel comprising a corrugated sheet of alternating ridges. A first channel may be attached to a first surface of the panel and extend along a length of the panel in a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to the alternating ridges. A second channel may be attached to the first surface and extend along the length of the panel, the second channel parallel to and spaced apart from the first channel. A mounting structure may be attached to a second surface of the panel and extend from the panel in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the second surface of the panel opposite that of the first surface in the transverse direction.

[0009] It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce, in simplified form, a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. Entities represented in the figures are indicative of one or more entities and thus reference is made interchangeably to single or plural forms of the entities in the discussion.

[0011] FIGS. 1A and IB illustrate an example environment depicting a side view of a vehicle.

[0012] FIG. 2 shows one or more energy storage devices and a side impact battery protection device with respect to a frame of the vehicle.

[0013] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a portion of an example implementation of the side impact battery protection device with respect to fairing and the one or more energy storage devices.

[0014] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the side impact battery protection device.

[0015] FIG. 5 shows a back perspective view of the side impact battery protection device.

[0016] FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of the side impact battery protection device.

[0017] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of two opposing side impact battery protection devices attached to the frame of the vehicle.

[0018] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a first example implementation of a corrugated panel that may be included in the side impact battery protection device.

[0019] FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of a second example implementation of a corrugated panel that may be included in the side impact battery protection device.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONOverview

[0020] There is a continued desire to further enhance side impact battery protection in commercial vehicles. For example, some commercial vehicles, such as semi-trucks, include batteiy packs mounted on an underside of the vehicle that extend laterally beyond a frame of the vehicle. However, there is limited space to implement battery protection systems due to, for example, vehicle weight concerns and vehicle width maximums. For example, increasing the vehicle weight decreases the fuel efficiency of an internal combustion engine, when present, and increases battery power consumption by an electric motor. Increasing the vehicle weight also decreases an amount of cargo that can be held by the vehicle due to gross vehicle weight maximums. Moreover, the vehicle width maximums and the limited space between the battery packs and external vehicle fairing present additional manufacturing challenges. By way of example, it is desirable to maintain a minimum clearance to the battery packs (e.g., of at least 20 millimeters), and fairing rattle further reduces the already small available space (e.g., by at least 8 millimeters).

[0021] The inventors herein have recognized the above issues and have engineered a solution to at least partially address them. In one example, a vehicle side impact protection device is provided, comprising a panel comprising a corrugated sheet of alternating ridges, a first channel attached to a first surface of the panel and extending along a length of the panel in a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to the alternating ridges, a second channel attached to the first surface and extending along the length of the panel, the second channel parallel to and spaced apart from the firstchannel, and a mounting structure attached to a second surface of the panel and extending from the panel in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the second surface of the panel opposite that of the first surface in the transverse direction. By including the corrugated sheet with the alternating ridges perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the panel has reduced weight while maintaining strength and stiffness properties.

[0022] For example, the alternating ridges alternate about a central longitudinal axis of the corrugated sheet, forming a repeating pattern of ridges and grooves that are parallel with respect to each other. Due to these alternating ridges, the corrugated sheet has a width in the transverse direction that is greater than a thickness of the sheet itself. Because of this, the corrugated sheet, and thus the panel, has decreased weight compared to a planar sheet of a same material, height, length, and width while approximating stiffness properties of the planar sheet. By decreasing the weight of the panel, a contribution of the vehicle side impact protection device to an overall vehicle weight is reduced. As such, the vehicle side impact protection device may provide an improvement to vehicle fuel efficiency and / or battery power efficiency while also deflecting forces away from a vehicle battery during a side impact event.

[0023] To provide the side impact protection, the panel may form a barrier between the first channel and the second channel. When installed in a vehicle, for instance, the first surface of the panel is configured to face an exterior of a vehicle, and the second surface of the panel is configured to face a vehicle battery, which is positioned further inward with respect to a transverse direction of the vehicle. A vertical position of the panel at least partially overlaps with that of the vehicle battery such that the panel is positionedbetween the vehicle battery and the exterior of the vehicle in the transverse direction. The mounting structure of the vehicle side impact protection device may be configured to attach the panel to a frame of the vehicle and space the panel away from the frame in the transverse direction at a distance that is sized to accommodate the vehicle battery, a fairing panel positioned on the exterior of the vehicle, and a vehicle width maximum. As such, the panel is positioned to have a first clearance between the first, outwardfacing surface and the fairing panel and a second clearance between the second, inwardfacing surface and an outer face of the vehicle battery. The first clearance may be sized to reduce fairing rattle, for example, while the second clearance may be sized to prevent contact with the outer face of the vehicle battery while the vehicle is in motion.[0024J In some examples of the panel, the panel includes the corrugated sheet sandwiched between two planar outer sheets. For example, a first planar sheet may comprise the first surface of the panel, and a second planar sheet may comprise the second surface of the panel. The planar outer sheets are attached to the corrugated sheet at attachment regions that are in face- sharing contact with the alternating ridges of the corrugated sheet. By way of example, with respect to an installation position in the vehicle, the first planar sheet is attached to ridges of the corrugated sheet that extend toward the exterior of the vehicle in the transverse direction, and the second planar sheet is attached to grooves of the corrugated sheet that extend toward the interior of the vehicle in the transverse direction. The planar outer sheets may further increase a strength and stiffness of the panel, while internal voids formed by the corrugated sheet between the planar outer sheets decrease the weight of the panel compared to a solid sheet of the same width. As such, the panel may achieve bending strengths about anaxis in the longitudinal direction that approximate those of the solid sheet while remaining compact and having substantially reduced weight.

[0025] In this way, the vehicle side impact battery protection device is configured to shield and deflect force away from the vehicle battery during a side impact event while overcoming the size and weight issues experienced by existing battery protection systems. By using a panel having a corrugated sheet as a barrier that is external to the vehicle battery in the transverse direction, a weight of the side impact battery protection device is decreased without compromising a strength and stiffness. By decreasing the weight of the vehicle side impact battery protection device, an overall weight of the vehicle may be decreased, which may increase fuel economy and decrease power consumption by an electric motor. Moreover, the vehicle side impact battery protection device described herein maximizes space usage and maintains adequate clearance between both the vehicle battery and the vehicle fairing.

[0026] The following description relates to systems and methods for a side impact battery protection device for a vehicle. An example environment of a vehicle is first described with respect to FIGS. 1 A and IB that includes a side impact battery protection device. Additional details of the side impact battery protection device are then described with respect to FIGS. 2-9, which may be implemented in the example environment as well as other environments. For example, FIG. 2 shows a perspective view that illustrates a relative arrangement of the side impact battery protection device with respect to battery banks of the vehicle and a vehicle frame, while FIG. 3 shows a partial side view of the side impact battery protection device that depicts clearances between a corrugated panel of the side impact battery protection device and othervehicle components in a transverse direction of the vehicle. FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the side impact battery protection device that further distinguishes different components of the side impact battery protection device. FIGS. 5 and 6 depict additional views of the side impact battery protection device in order to further highlight the relative arrangement of the components with respect to each other, while FIG. 7 shows two symmetrically opposed side impact battery protection devices with respect to the vehicle frame (e.g., chassis). FIGS. 8 and 9 show cross-sectional views of example corrugated panels that may be included in the side impact protection device.

[0027] FIGS. 1 A- 9 show example configurations with relative positioning of the various components. If shown directly contacting each other, or directly coupled, then such elements may be referred to as directly contacting or directly coupled, respectively, at least in one implementation. Similarly, elements shown contiguous or adjacent to one another may be contiguous or adjacent to each other, respectively, at least in one implementation. As an example, components laying in face- sharing contact with each other may be referred to as in face-sharing contact. As another example, elements positioned apart from each other with only a space there-between and no other components may be referred to as such, in at least one implementation. As yet another example, elements shown above / below one another, at opposite sides to one another, or to the left / right of one another may be referred to as such, relative to one another. Further, as shown in the figures, a topmost element or point of element may be referred to as a “top” of the component and a bottommost element or point of the element may be referred to as a “bottom” of the component, in at least one implementation. As used herein, top / bottom, upper / lower, above / below, may be relative to a vertical axis (e.g.,z-axis) of the figures and used to describe positioning of elements of the figures relative to one another. As such, elements shown above other elements are positioned vertically above the other elements, in one or more implementations. As yet another example, shapes of the elements depicted within the figures may be referred to as having those shapes (e.g., such as being circular, straight, planar, curved, rounded, chamfered, angled, or the like). Further, elements shown intersecting one another may be referred to as intersecting elements or intersecting one another, in at least one implementation. Further still, an element shown within another element or shown outside of another element may be referred as such, in one implementation. FIGS. 1A-9 are shown approximately to scale, although other relative dimensions may be used. In the figures, the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference numbers.Side Impact Battery Protection Device for a Vehicle

[0028] FIGS. 1A and IB illustrate an example environment 100 depicting a side view of a vehicle 102. In at least one implementation, the vehicle 102 is a commercial vehicle, such as a semi-truck, a box truck, a cargo van, a coach (e.g., bus), or the like. Reference axes 104 are included in FIGS. 1A and IB as well as FIGS. 2-9 in order to compare the views and relative orientations described below. In the reference axes 104, the z-axis extends in a vertical direction of the vehicle 102 that is parallel to the direction of gravity, the x-axis extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle 102, and the y- axis extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle 102. For example, when the vehicle102 travels forward, the vehicle 102 travels in the longitudinal direction. The z-axis, the x-axis, and the y-axis are perpendicular with respect to each other.

[0029] In the example environment 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1A and IB, the vehicle 102 includes a cab 106, a hood 108, and a chassis 110 (e.g., a vehicle frame). The chassis 110 may comprise a set of two frame rails, extending in the longitudinal direction substantially parallel to one another. The vehicle 102 further includes front wheels 112, only one of which is shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, and rear wheels 114. By way of example, the vehicle 102 includes a tandem rear axle. FIG. 1A shows fairing 116 positioned on a lower side portion of the vehicle, below the cab 106 and a portion of the chassis 110, while FIG. IB shows the vehicle 102 with the fairing 116 removed. For example, in its fully manufactured or assembled state, the vehicle 102 includes the fairing 116 as part of an outer (e.g., exterior) surface. The fairing 116 may provide, for example, an aerodynamic surface to guide air around the vehicle 102 when the vehicle 102 is in motion in order to reduce drag.

[0030] At least one of the front wheels 112 and the rear wheels 114 is coupled to a powertrain that generates power to propel the vehicle 102. For instance, to generate power, the powertrain of the vehicle 102 includes an internal combustion engine and / or an electric motor (e.g., an electric machine). The internal combustion engine may consume a liquid fuel (e.g., diesel) to produce an engine output, while the electric motor may consume electrical energy to produce a motor output. In at least one implementation, the vehicle 102 is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that includes both of the internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. Alternatively, the vehicle 102 is an electric vehicle (EV), such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or a fuelcell electric vehicle (FCEV), that includes one or more electric motors and does not include the internal combustion engine. In one or more implementations where the vehicle 102 is a HEV, the vehicle 102 may utilize a variety of different operational modes depending on operating conditions. Some of these modes may enable the internal combustion engine to be maintained in an off state (e.g., set to a deactivated state) where combustion of fuel at the engine is discontinued and the electric motor consumes energy stored at one or more energy storage devices 118 (e.g., vehicle batteries) to propel the vehicle 102, referred to herein as an electric mode. The one or more energy storage devices 118 may be high-voltage components whose electrical voltage (e.g., electrical operating or nominal voltage) may be greater than 50 Volts (V), for example greater than 100 V. By way of example, the electrical voltage of the high- voltage component may be several hundred Volts (e.g., between 300-800 V) to enable the vehicle 102 to be operated in the electric mode.

[0031] Referring to FIG. IB, in one or more implementations, the hood 108 houses the internal combustion engine, when included, while the one or more electric motors and the one or more energy storage devices 118 are located at an underside of the vehicle 102 that is at least partially encased with the fairing 116 (not shown in FIG. IB). A side impact battery protection device 120 is positioned between the one or more energy storage devices 118 and the fairing 116 in the transverse direction such that a vertical position of the one or more energy storage devices is at partially overlapped by the side impact battery protection device 120. The fairing 116 may cover the side impact battery protection device 120, for instance. For example, the side impact battery protection device 120 at least partially surrounds the one or more energy storage devices118 and is positioned closer to an exterior surface of the vehicle 102 in the transverse direction than the one or more energy storage devices 118. The positioning of the energy storage devices 118, the side impact battery protection device 120, and the fairing 116 in the transverse direction will be further described below with respect to FIG. 3.

[0032] In the example shown in FIG. IB, the side impact battery protection device 120 includes a corrugated panel 122, a lower channel 124, and an upper channel 126. In at least one implementation, the corrugated panel 122 forms a barrier between the lower channel 124 and the upper channel 126, which are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction (e.g., the z-dimension of reference axes 104). The corrugated panel 122 comprises a thin, sheet metal panel having corrugation geometry, as will be elaborated herein with respect to, e.g., FIGS. 8 and 9. As a non-limiting example, the corrugated panel 122 comprises a roll-formed corrugated metal sheet. The lower channel 124 and the upper channel 126 may comprise roll-formed metal channels that resist deformation (e.g., bending). Alternatively, other manufacturing processes may be used for generating the corrugated panel 122, the lower channel 124, and / or the upper channel 126, such as extrusion, stamping, cold drawing, and the like. The metal may be steel, an aluminum alloy, titanium, or another type of metal. Alternatively, one or more of the corrugated panel 122, the lower channel 124, and the upper channel 126 may comprise another type of material, such as a composite material (e.g., carbon fiber composites).

[0033] The corrugated panel 122 includes a repetitive pattern of alternating ridges of a pre-determined spacing and height that are configured to increase the strength, rigidity,and stability of the metal panel compared with a planar, non-corrugated panel of a same thickness. For example, the alternating ridges include peaks that extend in the positive y-direction with respect to the reference axes 104, toward an exterior of the vehicle 102 in the transverse direction, and grooves that extend in the negative y-direction with respect to the reference axes 104, toward an interior of the vehicle 102 with respect to the transverse direction. In at least one implementation, such as depicted in FIG. IB, the corrugation geometry of the corrugated panel 122 comprises single direction corrugation. In at least one variation, bi-directional corrugation is used, where the alternating ridges include peaks and grooves that ran in two directions that are perpendicular with respect to each other.[0034J In the example shown in FIG. IB, the peaks and grooves are oriented so that they are parallel to each other and parallel to the z-axis of the reference axes 104. By orienting the peaks and grooves parallel to the vertical axis of the vehicle 102, the corrugated panel 122 resists bending in the transverse direction of the vehicle during a side impact. In one or more variations, however, the peaks and grooves of the corrugated panel 122 are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 102 and the rails of the chassis 110 (e.g., parallel to the x-axis of the reference axes 104).

[0035] Moreover, as will be elaborated herein, the corrugated panel 122 may further include an inner planar sheet and / or an outer planar sheet affixed to the corrugated sheet, which may further increase the rigidity of the side impact battery protection device 120. When included, the inner planar sheet and the outer planar sheet have height (e.g., in the z-direction) and length (e.g., in the x-direction) dimensions that are substantially the same as those of the corrugated sheet, at least in one implementation.

[0036] The corrugated panel 122 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 102 and is positioned between the front wheels 112 and the rear wheels 114. The length of the corrugated panel 122 (e.g., in the x-dimension) may be varied to accommodate different wheelbases and / or different battery configurations. For example, the length of the side impact battery protection device 120 may be smaller when there is a shorter distance between the front wheel 112 and the rear wheel 114 on a given lateral side of the vehicle 102, and the length of the side impact battery protection device 120 may be larger when there is a longer distance between the front wheel 112 and the rear wheel 114. Moreover, a height of the corrugated panel 122, and thus of the side impact battery protection device 120 (e.g., in the z-dimension), may be varied to accommodate different battery configurations, vehicle frame configurations, and underbody clearance specifications. By way of example, the height of the corrugated panel 122 is sized to overlap a vertical position of the one or more energy storage devices 118. A width of the side impact battery protection device 120 (e.g., in the y-dimension) may be dictated by a maximum width of the vehicle 102 as well as clearance specifications between the corrugated panel 122 and the one or more energy storage devices 118 as well as between the corrugated panel 122 and the fairing 116, as will be elaborated herein, e.g., with respect to FIG. 3. In at least one implementation, the length of the corrugated panel 122, and thus of the side impact batteiy protection device 120, is greater than the height of the corrugated panel 122, such as demonstrated by the relative dimensions illustrated in FIG. IB.

[0037] Referring now to FIG. 2, a partial perspective view 200 of the vehicle 102 is shown in order to further illustrate the relative arrangement of the side impact batteryprotection device 120 with respect to the one or more energy storage devices 118 and additional vehicle components. FIG. 2 shows the one or more energy storage devices 118 and the side impact battery protection device 120 with respect to the chassis 110 of the vehicle 102. In particular, the one or more energy storage devices 118, only one of which is labeled for illustrative clarity, and the side impact battery protection device 120 are removably attached to the chassis 110 (e.g., frame) of the vehicle 102 in a region 202 that is longitudinally positioned between the front wheels 112 and the rear wheels 114. The one or more energy storage devices 118 may be removably attached to the chassis 110 via respective housing supports 204, only one of which is labeled in FIG. 2, that are coupled (e.g., bolted) to the chassis 110, for example. In the illustrated example, the one or more energy storage devices 118 include three battery packs that are positioned beside each other along the chassis 110 in the longitudinal direction. The three battery packs extend laterally across the vehicle 102 underneath the chassis 110, from a position that is external to a first rail of the chassis 110 to a position that is external to a second rail of the chassis 110 in the transverse direction.

[0038] As mentioned above, the side impact battery protection device 120 includes the corrugated panel 122 extending between the lower channel 124 and the upper channel 126 in the vertical direction. In one or more implementations, such as depicted in FIG. 2, the lower channel 124 includes a first mounting flange 206 and a second mounting flange 208 that are spaced apart in the vertical (e.g., z-axis) direction. The first mounting flange 206 and the second mounting flange 208 are co-planar, for example, and are positioned closer to a longitudinal midline of the vehicle 102 than aprotrusion of the lower channel 124, thus creating a generally U-shaped cavity within sidewalls of the protrusion and an outer surface of the corrugated panel 122. The upper channel 126 includes a single mounting flange 212, which may be co-planar with the first mounting flange 206 and the second mounting flange 208 and positioned closer to the longitudinal midline of the vehicle 102 than a protrusion of the upper channel 126. As mentioned previously, the corrugated panel 122, the lower channel 124, and the upper channel 126 be roll-formed.

[0039] The side impact battery protection device 120 further includes a plate bracket 216 (e.g., a rear plate bracket) that attaches to the chassis 110 (e.g., a first or proximal rail of the chassis 110) when the side impact battery protection device 120 is installed in the vehicle 102. It is to be appreciated that another plate bracket may be included that is spaced apart from the plate bracket 216 in the negative x-direction, at an opposite longitudinal end of the corrugated panel 122, as will be further illustrated herein. The plate bracket 216 extends from the corrugated panel 122 in the transverse direction, toward the chassis 110, and is positioned adjacent to a rear-most surface of the one or more energy storage devices 118 and adjacent to the rear wheels 114. As such, during a side impact to the vehicle 102, the side impact battery protection device 120 directs force from the side impact away from the one or more energy storage devices 118 and into the chassis 110.

[0040] Thus, in an installation position in the vehicle 102, the side impact battery protection device 120 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 102, parallel to the x-axis of the reference axes 104, and is positioned to absorb impact in the transverse direction (e.g., parallel to the y-axis of the reference axes 104) and shield theone or more energy storage devices 118 during an impact to the side of the vehicle 102. In this way, the side impact battery protection device 120 is configured to deflect side impact forces away from the one or more energy storage devices 118 while remaining compact and lightweight. For example, without the corrugation geometry, a heavier, thicker planar panel may be used to achieve a same amount of side impact force deflection. However, heavier, thicker panels may make it difficult to properly attach the fairing 116 due to space constraints related to a maximum width of the vehicle 102 and also decrease vehicle energy efficiency by increasing the weight of the vehicle 102. For example, even when the vehicle 102 is propelled by the electric motor, increasing the weight of the vehicle 102 increases energy consumption from the one or more energy storage devices 118. Accordingly, the side impact battery protection device 120 enables decreased energy consumption of the vehicle 102 during operation. Increasing the weight of the vehicle 102 also decreases an amount of cargo that can be transported by the vehicle 102. For example, a gross vehicle weight rating is equal to the weight of the vehicle plus that of the cargo, and so decreasing the weight of the vehicle increases the amount of weight that is available for cargo while remaining within a weight maximum for a given vehicle class (e.g., 80,000 pounds for a class 8 vehicle).

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a side view 300 of a portion of an example implementation of the side impact battery protection device 120 with respect to the fairing 116 and the one or more energy storage devices 118. The side impact battery protection device 120 is spaced apart from the one or more energy storage devices 118 such that there is a clearance 302 (e.g., distance) between an inner surface 304 (e.g., a surface that is closest to the longitudinal midline of the vehicle 102) of the corrugated panel 122 of the sideimpact battery protection device 120 and an outer face 306 of the one or more energy storage devices 118. For example, when installed in the vehicle 102, the inner surface 304 faces the one or more energy storage devices 118 in the transverse direction of the vehicle 102. Due to space constraints, the clearance 302 between the one or more energy storage devices 118 and the side impact battery protection device 120 may be relatively small, such as a distance between 10 and 30 millimeters in the y-dimension. During operation of the vehicle 102, the one or more energy storage devices 118 may dynamically move in the y-dimension. Therefore, the clearance 302 may be calibrated to allow for the movement of the one or more energy storage devices 118 without the outer face 306 contacting the inner surface 304.[0042J There is also a clearance 308 between an outer surface 310 (e.g., a surface that is farthest from the longitudinal midline of the vehicle 102) and a structural rib 312 on an inner surface of the fairing 116. When the side impact battery protection device 120 is installed in the vehicle 102, the outer surface 310 faces away from the inner surface 304 (and away from the one or more energy storage devices 118) and toward the fairing 116 and an exterior of the vehicle 102. The clearance 308 is a y-dimension distance between the outer surface 310 and the structural rib 312 that is variable with respect to the z-dimension. A distance of the clearance 308 may be in a range between 5 and 25 millimeters, for example. In one or more implementations, a minimum distance between the side impact battery protection device 120 and the fairing 116 is dictated by a desire to reduce rattle of the fairing 116, as fairing rattle may increase degradation of the fairing 116 and increase noise and vibration associated with operating the vehicle 102. Note that although the clearance 302 is shown as larger thanthe clearance 308 in FIG. 3, the clearance 308 is alternatively greater than the clearance 302 or equal to the clearance 302.

[0043] In the example shown in FIG. 3, the lower channel 124 and the upper channel 126 are attached to the corrugated panel 122 such that the outer surface 310 of the corrugated panel 122 is in face-sharing contact with a surface of at least one flange of the respective channel. The corrugated panel 122 is arranged further in the negative y-direction with respect to reference axes 104 and closer to the longitudinal midline of the vehicle 102 compared to the lower channel 124 and the upper channel 126. In one or more implementations, the lower channel 124 is removably coupled to a lower end of the outer surface 310 (e.g., further in the negative z-direction) via the first mounting flange 206 and the second mounting flange 208 and fasteners 314, and the upper channel 126 is removably coupled to an upper end of the outer surface 310 (e.g., further in the positive z-direction) via the single mounting flange 212 and the fasteners 314. Thus, the lower channel 124 and the upper channel 126 may be positioned on opposite ends of the corrugated panel 122 with respect to a height of the corrugated panel 122. The fasteners 314 may be bolts secured with washers and nuts, for example. Additionally or alternatively, backing strips may be included to further secure the corrugated panel 122 to the lower channel 124 and the upper channel 126, as will be elaborated below.

[0044] The fairing 116 includes a step 316 arranged on an outer, external side of the fairing 116. The vehicle operator may use the step 316 to access the cab 106 (not shown in FIG. 3), for example. In at least one implementation, a portion of the lower channel124 that protrudes in the positive y-direction at least partially overlaps with a recessformed by the step 316, which accommodates the y-dimensional length of the lower channel 124.

[0045] Additional components of the side impact battery protection device 120 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4-6. In particular, FIG. 4 shows an exploded view 400 of the side impact battery protection device 120, FIG. 5 shows a back perspective view 500 of the side impact battery protection device 120, and FIG. 6 shows a bottom view 600 of the side impact battery protection device 120. FIGS. 4-6 will be described collectively, and where applicable, reference will be made to a figure or figures that particularly highlights the described component and / or arrangement.

[0046] The side impact battery protection device 120 further includes a plate bracket 402, e.g., a front plate bracket. That is, the plate bracket 216 is positioned at a first longitudinal end of the side impact battery protection device 120 that is closer to a rear of the vehicle 102 (e.g., further in the positive x-direction with respect to the reference axes 104), and the plate bracket 402 is positioned at a second, opposite longitudinal end of the side impact battery protection device 120 that is closer to a front of the vehicle 102 (e.g., further in the negative x-direction with respect to the reference axes 104). In one or more implementations, the plate bracket 216 is coupled to the corrugated panel 122 via a panel bracket 404, and the plate bracket 402 is coupled to the corrugated panel 122 via a panel bracket 406. In the example shown, the plate bracket 216 and the plate bracket 402 include a generally triangular shape with a rounded triangular opening within a planar surface, although other bracket shapes are also possible. The panel bracket 404 and the panel bracket 406 include an “L” shape in at least one implementation in order to couple the inner surface 304 of the corrugatedpanel 122, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 102 (e.g., in the x- direction with respect to the reference axes 104) with the plate bracket 216 and the plate bracket 402, respectively, which extend in the transverse direction of the vehicle 102, perpendicular to the corrugated panel 122.

[0047] In at least one implementation, the side impact battery protection device 120 further includes at least one backing strip that is coupled to, and in face-sharing contact with, the inner surface 304 of the corrugated panel 122. In the present example, the side impact battery protection device 120 includes a first backing strip 408 that overlaps with a vertical position of the first mounting flange 206 of the lower channel 124, a second backing strip 410 that overlaps with a vertical position of the second mounting flange 208, and a third backing strip 412 that overlaps with a vertical position of the single mounting flange 212. As such, the corrugated panel 122 is sandwiched between the respective mounting flanges of the lower channel 124 and the upper channel 126 and the respective backing strips, with the fasteners 314 extending from an inner surface of the respective backing strip to an outer surface of the respective mounting flange. The backing strips 408, 410, and 412 may be thin, stiff metal (e.g., steel) strips that extend along a length of the corrugated panel 122 and serve as additional support and reinforcement for the corrugated panel 122. For example, the backing strips 408, 410, and 412 may distribute load across the length of the corrugated panel 122 (e.g., in the x-direction) and provide a solid, planar surface for attaching the corrugated panel 122 to the lower channel 124 and the upper channel 126. The backing strips, the mounting flanges, and the corrugated panel 122 include aligned holes (e.g., drilled holes) to enable the fasteners 314 to extend through the components. By way of example, the firstbacking strip 408, the corrugated panel 122, and the first mounting flange 206 include aligned holes to accommodate the fasteners 314.

[0048] The side impact battery protection device 120 further includes a cross brace 414. The cross brace 414 extends laterally across the vehicle 102, in the negative y-direction with respect to the reference axes 104, to provide additional support and stability to two symmetrically opposed side impact battery protection devices 120, as will be further described below with respect to FIG. 7. For example, the cross brace 414 extends in the transverse direction from the plate bracket 402 to a corresponding plate bracket 402 of a second side impact battery protection device 120 that is positioned on an opposite lateral side of the vehicle 102.

[0049] The side impact battery protection device 120 further includes a first frame mounting bracket 416 and a second frame mounting bracket 418. The first frame mounting bracket 416 and the second frame mounting bracket 418 attach the plate bracket 402 and the plate bracket 216, respectively, to the chassis 110. The first frame mounting bracket 416 and the second frame mounting bracket 418 may be cast brackets, for example, and comprised of a metal, such as steel. The first frame mounting bracket 416 and the second frame mounting bracket 418 include a plurality of holes to receive fasteners, such as bolts, to attach to the corresponding plate bracket and the chassis 110.

[0050] In at least one implementation, the first frame mounting bracket 416 and the second frame mounting bracket 418 enable an adjustable mounting position of the side impact battery protection device 120, e.g., with respect to the chassis 110. By way of example, the first frame mounting bracket 416 and the second frame mounting bracket418 may enable vertical adjustments (e.g., in the z-direction of the reference axes 104) and / or in longitudinal direction (e.g., in the x-direction of the reference axes 104). As such, the first frame mounting bracket 416 and the second frame mounting bracket 418 may be used to couple the side impact battery protection device 120 to the frame rails of the chassis 110 at strategically placed mounting locations in order to position the corrugated panel 122 between the one or more energy storage devices 118 and the exterior of the vehicle 102 in order to deflect forces away from the one or more energy storage devices 118 during a side impact event. Moreover, the strategically placed mounting locations may ensure the side impact battery protection device 120 fits within the constrains of the fairing 116.[0051J Together, the plate bracket 216, the plate bracket 402, the panel bracket 404, the panel bracket 406, the first frame mounting bracket 416, and the second frame mounting bracket 418 comprise a mounting structure 420 of the side impact battery protection device 120 that attaches the side impact battery protection device 120 to the chassis 110 (not shown in FIGS. 4-6) in the installation position. By way of example, components of the mounting structure 420 are attached either directly or indirectly to the corrugated panel 122 and / or the chassis 110 in order to attach the corrugated panel 122 to the chassis 110. The mounting structure 420 is configured position the corrugated panel 122 spaced apart from the chassis 110 in the transverse direction of the vehicle 102 so that the one or more energy storage devices 118 fit between the corrugated panel 122 and the chassis 110 in the transverse direction and between the plate bracket 216 and the plate bracket 402 in the longitudinal direction. Moreover, the mounting structure 420 is configured to attach the side impact battery protectiondevice 120 to the chassis 110 and space the corrugated panel 122 apart from the chassis 110 at a distance that is sized to provide the clearance 302 between the inner surface 304 of the corrugated panel 122 and the outer face 306 of the one or more energy storage devices 118 as well as to provide the clearance 308 between the outer surface 310 of the corrugated panel 122 and the fairing 116, such as described above with respect to FIG. 3.

[0052] In one or more implementations, the plate bracket 216 and the plate bracket 402 are non- superimposable mirror images of each other. Similarly, the panel bracket 404 and the panel bracket 406 may be non-superimposable mirror images of each other. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the side impact battery protection device 120 includes a plane of reflection 502 that divides at least a portion of the side impact battery protection device 120 into two mirrored, symmetrical halves. The arrangement of the plate bracket 216, the plate bracket 402, the panel bracket 404 and the panel bracket 406 is reflected about the plane of reflection 502. The plane of reflection 502 is a y-z plane with respect to the reference axes 104.

[0053] With particular reference to FIG. 6, in at least one implementation, the upper channel 126 extends further than the lower channel 124 and beyond the plate bracket 216 in the positive x-direction. In contrast, the upper channel 126 is flush with the lower channel 124 and the plate bracket 402 in the negative x-direction, as highlighted in an inset box 602. Thus, the upper channel 126 may be longer than the corrugated panel 122 and the lower channel 124. Furthermore, the upper channel 126 includes an overhang that extends beyond the lower channel 124 and the corrugated panel 122 in the negative y-direction, at least in one implementation.

[0054] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view 700 of two opposing side impact battery protection devices attached to the chassis 110 of the vehicle 102. Specifically, the perspective view 700 shows the side impact battery protection device 120 positioned on a first side of a longitudinal midline 702 of the vehicle 102 (e.g., in the positive y- direction with respect to the reference axes 104) and a second side impact protection device 704 positioned on a second, opposite side of the longitudinal midline 702 (e.g., in the negative y-direction with respect to the reference axes 104). By way of example, the second side impact protection device 704 includes all of the components of the side impact battery protection device 120, only a portion of which are labeled, and is a non- superimpo sable mirror image of the side impact battery protection device 120. For example, a plane of reflection (e.g., an x-z plane) for the side impact battery protection device 120 and the second side impact protection device 704 may intersect with the longitudinal midline 702. In at least one implementation, the side impact battery protection device 120, the second side impact protection device 704, and the cross brace 414 are included in a kit for an electric vehicle.

[0055] The cross brace 414 extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle 102 and connects the side impact battery protection device 120 to the second side impact protection device 704. In at least one implementation, the cross brace 414 connects the plate bracket 402 of the side impact battery protection device 120 to the plate bracket 402 of the second side impact protection device 704. In the depicted example, the cross brace 414 is attached (e.g., via one or more fasteners, such as bolts) to a bottom portion of the plate brackets 402. In at least one variation, the vehicle 102 additionally or alternatively includes the cross brace 414 extending in the transverse directionbetween the plate bracket 216 of the side impact battery protection device 120 and the plate bracket 216 of the side impact battery protection device 120. As mentioned above, the cross brace 414 may provide additional stability and rigidity to the side impact battery protection device 120 and the second side impact protection device 704. In this way, the side impact battery protection device 120 and the second side impact protection device 704 provide side impact protection for the one or more energy storage devices 118 on both sides of the longitudinal midline 702 of the vehicle 102.

[0056] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a first example implementation 800 of a corrugated panel 802 that may be included in the side impact battery protection device 120. By way of example, the corrugated panel 802 is one implementation of the corrugated panel 122. In the first example implementation 800, the corrugated panel 802 includes a corrugated sheet 804 that is positioned between outer sheets 806. For example, a first one of the outer sheets 806 comprises a first external surface 808 of the corrugated panel 802 (e.g., the inner surface 304 relative to the vehicle 102), and a second one of the outer sheets 806 comprises a second external surface 810 of the corrugated panel 802 (e.g., the outer surface 310 relative to the vehicle 102). The corrugated panel 802 and the outer sheets 806 may be comprised of metal, such as steel, an aluminum alloy, titanium, or another type of metal that resists deformation. Alternatively, the corrugated panel 802 and / or the outer sheets 806 may comprise another type of material, such as a composite material (e.g., carbon fiber composites).

[0057] It is to be appreciated that in variations, the corrugated panel 802 does not include the outer sheets 806. Omitting the outer sheets 806 reduces a weight of the corrugated panel 802 as well as a thickness of the corrugated panel 802 (e.g., in the y-dimension).Unexpectedly, the corrugated panel 802 has substantially similar strength and impact force reduction properties when the outer sheets 806 are omitted compared to when the outer sheets 806 are included in combination with the corrugated sheet 804. As such, including the corrugated sheet 804, and not the outer sheets 806, in the corrugated panel 802 advantageously reduces the overall weight of the side impact battery protection device 120 and is further beneficial for the y-dimensional spatial constraints of the side impact battery protection device 120. For example, reducing the overall thickness of the corrugated panel 802 by not including the outer sheets 806 increases the clearance 302 between the inner surface 304 and the outer face 306 of the one or more energy storage devices 118 and increases the clearance 308 between the outer surface 310 and the fairing 116, such as discussed above with respect to FIG. 3.

[0058] The corrugated sheet 804 includes a corrugation geometry of repeating bends (e.g., alternating ridges) about a central longitudinal axis 812 that is parallel to the x- axis of the reference axes 104. For example, the corrugated sheet 804 bends toward and away from the central longitudinal axis 812, e.g., between a first side of the central longitudinal axis 812 (e.g., in the positive y-direction of the reference axes 104) and a second side of the central longitudinal axis 812 (e.g., in the negative y-direction of the reference axes 104). The corrugated panel 802 has an overall width 814 (e.g., thickness) in the y-dimension that is defined by a thickness 816 of the corrugated sheet 804, a thickness 818 of the outer sheets 806, and a corrugation height 820 of the bends (e.g., peaks and grooves) of the corrugated sheet 804. The overall width 814 extends between the first external surface 808 and the second external surface 810. As non-limiting examples, the overall width 814 is in a range between 8 and 15 millimeters (e.g., 10millimeters), and the thickness 816 and / or the thickness 818 is in a range between 1 millimeter and 4 millimeters (e.g., 3.2 millimeters). In at least one variation, the overall width 814 is less than 8 millimeters or greater than 15 millimeters. By way of example, the overall width 814 may be between 15 and 30 millimeters, between 15 and 25 millimeters, or between 15 and 20 millimeters. Moreover, additionally or alternatively, the thickness 816 and / or the thickness 818 may be less than 1 millimeter or greater than 4 millimeters, such as in range between 4 and 8 millimeters. The thickness 816 may be the same as the thickness 818 or different than (e.g., greater than or less than) the thickness 818.

[0059] The corrugation height 820 refers to a distance (e.g., in the y-dimension) between the central longitudinal axis 812 and an external surface of the corrugated sheet 804 at a farthest point from the central longitudinal axis 812. The corrugation height 820 partially defines the corrugation geometry of the corrugated sheet 804. The corrugation geometry is further defined, at least in pail, by a corrugation width 822 between each ridge. The corrugation width 822 refers a distance between consecutive peaks (or grooves) of the corrugated sheet 804 (e.g., in the x-dimension). As a non-limiting example, the corrugation width 822 may be a distance in a range between 20 and 30 millimeters, such as 25 millimeters. Alternatively, the corrugation width 822 may be greater than 30 millimeters or less than 20 millimeters. By way of example, the corrugation width 822 may be between 30 and 100 millimeters, between 30 and 75 millimeters, between 30 and 50 millimeters, or between 30 and 40 millimeters. In some implementations, the ratio of the corrugation width 822 to the overall width 814 of the corrugated panel 802 may vary. For instance, when the corrugation width 822 is 25millimeters and the overall panel width is 10 millimeters, the ratio would be 2.5:1. Other ratios may be achieved based the specific dimensions chosen for the corrugation width 822 and the overall width 814. For example, the ratio of the corrugation width 822 to the overall width 814 may range from about 1.25:1 to about 12.5:1, such as 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 7.5:1, or 10:1, depending on the specific dimensions of the corrugation width 822 and the overall width 814 of the corrugated panel 802. These ratios may be adjusted based on the intended application and desired structural properties of the corrugated panel 802.

[0060] The corrugated sheet 804 is in face- sharing contact with the outer sheets 806 at attachment regions 824, only a portion of which are labeled for illustrative clarity. That is, the attachment regions 824 include regions where internal walls of the outer sheets 806 (e.g., planar surfaces of the outer sheets 806 that are internal to the corrugated panel 802 and closer to the central longitudinal axis 812) are in face-sharing contact with the corrugated sheet 804. By way of example, the attachment regions 824 have a width 826 where the corrugated sheet 804 is in face-sharing contact with one of the outer sheets 806. The corrugated sheet 804 may be affixed to the outer sheets 806 at the attachment regions 824. For instance, the corrugated sheet 804 may be affixed to the outer sheets 806 via adhesive that extends along a length of the corresponding attachment region 824 (e.g., in the z-dimension with respect to the reference axes 104). Additionally or alternatively, welding (e.g., spot welding) may be used along the length of the attachment regions 824 to attach the corrugated sheet 804 to the outer sheets 806. As yet another example, additionally or alternatively, the corrugated sheet 804 may be attached to the outer sheets 806 via bolts or other fasteners that extend through thecorrugated sheet 804 and the outer sheets 806, e.g., from the first external surface 808 to the second external surface 810.

[0061] The width 826 of the attachment regions 824 further defines the corrugation geometry of the corrugated sheet 804. By way of example, corrugated sheets that have a smaller width 826 may have a more rounded, sinusoidal shape about the central longitudinal axis 812, while corrugated sheets that have a larger width 826 may have a more angular, square wave-like shape about the central longitudinal axis 812. Moreover, the corrugation geometry may be determined, at least in part, by a flexibility of the corrugated sheet 804 and varied to accommodate specifications for the overall width 814 of the corrugated panel 802. By way of example, more gradual bends in the corrugated sheet 804 may be used when the overall width 814 is smaller and / or the corrugated sheet 804 is more rigid, and more angular bends may be used when the overall width 814 is larger and / or the corrugated sheet 804 is more flexible.

[0062] The corrugated panel 802 achieves properties similar to that of a solid planar sheet having the overall width 814 with respect to stiffness and bending strengths about the x-axis direction of the reference axes 104 while being substantially lighter due to the internal voids created between the outer sheets 806 by the corrugated sheet 804. By way of example, the corrugated panel 802 may be approximately 30% of the weight of a solid planar sheet having the overall width 814 as well as a same length and height as the corrugated panel 802.

[0063] FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of a second example implementation 900 of a corrugated panel 902 that may be included in the side impact battery protection device 120. By way of example, the corrugated panel 902 is another implementation ofthe corrugated panel 122. Components of the second example implementation 900 that are numbered similarly to those of the first example implementation 800 function as previously described. For example, the corrugated panel 902 includes a corrugated sheet 904 that is similar to the corrugated sheet 804 and outer sheets 906 that are the same as or similar to the outer sheets 806. It is to be appreciated that in variations, the outer sheets 906 may be omitted, such as when the corrugated panel 902 comprises the corrugated sheet 904 and no outer sheets. The second example implementation 900 further includes a first external surface 908, a second external surface 910, a central longitudinal axis 912, an overall width 914, a thickness 916 of the corrugated sheet 904, a thickness 918 of the outer sheets 906, a corrugation height 920, a corrugation width 922, attachment regions 924 where the corrugated sheet 904 is in face-sharing contact with the outer sheets 906, and a width 926 of the attachment regions 924. Therefore, for brevity, the present discussion will highlight differences between the first example implementation 800 and the second example implementation 900.

[0064] By way of example, the overall width 914 is greater than the overall width 814 of the first example implementation 800 of FIG. 8, which is depicted as a dashed double- ended arrow in FIG. 9. Furthermore, the corrugation height 920 is greater than the corrugation height 820, the corrugation width 922 is greater than the corrugation width 822, and the width 926 is greater than the width 826. The corrugation height 820, the corrugation width 822, and the width 826 are also depicted as dashed double-ended arrows in FIG. 9 for comparison. In at least one implementation, the thickness 916 and the thickness 918 are the same as the thickness 816 and the thickness 818. Alternatively, the thickness 916 and / or the thickness 918 is different than the thickness 816 and / or thethickness 818, respectively. Thus, by comparing the corrugated sheet 904 with the corrugated sheet 804, it may be appreciated that different corrugation geometries affect the overall width 914 of the corrugated panel 902. Accordingly, the corrugation geometry may be selected, at least in part, to accommodate space constraints of the vehicle 102, material rigidity / flexibility, and the like.

[0065] In this way, by using a side impact battery protection device having a corrugated sheet as a barrier to an energy storage device in a transverse direction of a vehicle, a weight of the side impact battery protection device is decreased without compromising a strength and stiffness of the side impact battery protection device. By decreasing the weight of the side impact battery protection device, the vehicle may be able to accommodate additional cargo while remaining within a gross vehicle weight maximum. Moreover, the corrugated sheet is adaptable to accommodate different spatial constraints between external vehicle fairing and the energy storage device in the transverse direction. As such, the vehicle may be equipped with effective side impact battery protection that does not interfere with the external vehicle fairing and has a reduced effect on vehicle fuel economy and battery consumption.

[0066] In one aspect, provided herein is a vehicle side impact protection device, comprising: a panel comprising a corrugated sheet of alternating ridges, a first channel attached to a first surface of the panel and extending along a length of the panel in a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to the alternating ridges, a second channel attached to the first surface and extending along the length of the panel, the second channel parallel to and spaced apart from the first channel, and a mounting structure attached to a second surface of the panel and extending from the panel in a transversedirection that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the second surface of the panel opposite that of the first surface in the transverse direction. In a first example of the side impact battery protection device, the alternating ridges alternate between a first side and a second side of a central longitudinal axis of the corrugated sheet. In a second example of the side impact battery protection device, optionally including the first example, the first surface of the panel is configured to face an exterior of a vehicle when the vehicle side impact protection device is installed in the vehicle, and the second surface of the panel is configured to face a vehicle battery when the vehicle side impact protection device is installed in the vehicle. In a third example of the side impact battery protection device, optionally including one or both of the first and second examples, the alternating ridges are configured to be parallel to a vertical direction of a vehicle and perpendicular to a longitudinal midline of the vehicle when the vehicle side impact protection device is installed in the vehicle. In a fourth example of the side impact battery protection device, optionally including one or more or each of the first through third examples, at least one of the first surface and the second surface comprises a planar sheet that is in face- sharing contact with the corrugated sheet at peaks of the alternating ridges. In a fifth example of the side impact battery protection device, optionally including one or more or each of the first through fourth examples, height and length dimensions of the planar sheet are substantially equal to those of the corrugated sheet. In a sixth example of the side impact battery protection device, optionally including one or more or each of the first through fifth examples, the mounting structure is configured to attach the panel to a chassis of a vehicle and space the panel away from a frame rail of the chassis in the transverse direction at a distance that is sized to accommodate avehicle battery coupled to the chassis. In a seventh example of the side impact battery protection device, optionally including one or more or each of the first through sixth examples, a height of the panel in a vertical direction of the vehicle is sized to overlap a vertical position of the vehicle battery.

[0067] In another aspect, provided herein is a system for a vehicle, comprising: a side impact protection device comprising: a panel comprising a corrugated sheet of alternating ridges that are parallel to a vertical direction of the vehicle, the corrugated sheet extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle that is perpendicular to the vertical direction, and a mounting structure for attaching the panel to a chassis of the vehicle in a position that is spaced apart from the chassis in a transverse direction of the vehicle. In a first example of the system, the panel further comprises: a first planar sheet attached to and in face- sharing contact with the corrugated sheet at the alternating ridges that extend toward a longitudinal midline of the vehicle, and a second planar sheet attached to and in face- sharing contact with the corrugated sheet at the alternating ridges that extend toward an outer surface of the vehicle. In a second example of the system, optionally including the first example, the system further comprises: a lower channel attached to the panel at a bottom portion of an outer surface of the panel and extending in the longitudinal direction, the outer surface facing toward an exterior of the vehicle in the transverse direction, and an upper channel attached to the panel at a top portion of the outer surface and extending in the longitudinal direction. In a third example of the system, optionally including one or both of the first and second examples, the alternating ridges include peaks that extend toward an exterior of the vehicle in the transverse direction and grooves that extend toward a longitudinal midlineof the vehicle in the transverse direction. In a fourth example of the system, optionally including one or more or each of the first through third examples, the mounting structure comprises: a first plate bracket positioned at a first longitudinal end of the panel, and a second plate bracket positioned at a second longitudinal end of the panel. In a fifth example of the system, optionally including one or more or each of the first through fourth examples, an inner surface of the panel faces an outer face of an energy storage device of the vehicle. In a sixth example of the system, optionally including one or more or each of the first through fifth examples, a length and position of the panel in the vertical direction at least partially overlaps with a length and position of the energy storage device in the vertical direction. In a seventh example of the system, optionally including one or more or each of the first through sixth examples, a clearance distance between the inner surface of the panel and the outer face of the energy storage device is in a range between 10 and 30 millimeters. In an eighth example of the system, optionally including one or more or each of the first through seventh examples, the side impact protection device is a first side impact protection device that is attached to the chassis on a first side of the vehicle, and the system further comprises: a second side impact protection device positioned across from the first side impact protection device in the transverse direction, the second side impact protection device attached to the chassis of the vehicle on a second side of the vehicle, opposite the first side, and at least one cross brace extending between the first side impact protection device and the second side impact protection device in the transverse direction.

[0068] In another aspect, provided herein is a system for a vehicle, comprising: a battery positioned at an underside of the vehicle and mounted to a chassis of the vehicle, thebattery extending in a transverse direction of the vehicle, and a side impact protection device comprising: a panel comprising a corrugated sheet of alternating ridges that are parallel to a vertical direction and perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the panel extending in the longitudinal direction and having an outer surface that faces toward an exterior of the vehicle and an inner surface that faces toward the battery in the transverse direction, at least one channel attached to the outer surface of the panel and extending along a length of the panel in the longitudinal direction, and a mounting structure attached to the inner surface of the panel and extending from the inner surface to the chassis of the vehicle in the transverse direction. In a first example of the system, the outer surface of the panel faces a fairing portion of the exterior of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one channel includes a lower channel having a protrusion that extends into a recess of the fairing portion. In a second example of the system, optionally including the first example, the side impact protection device is longitudinally positioned between a front wheel of the vehicle and a back wheel of the vehicle and vertically positioned at least partially below frame rails of the chassis.

[0069] The disclosure also provides support for a kit for an electric vehicle, comprising: a first side impact protection device comprising: a first panel comprising a first corrugated sheet of alternating ridges, the first corrugated sheet configured to extend in a longitudinal direction of the electric vehicle, and a first mounting structure for attaching the first panel to a chassis of the electric vehicle on a first side, and a second side impact protection device comprising: a second panel comprising a second corrugated sheet of alternating ridges, the second corrugated sheet configured to extend in the longitudinal direction of the electric vehicle, and a second mounting structure forattaching the second panel to the chassis of the electric vehicle on a second side, opposite the first side, and at least one cross brace configured to extend between the first side impact protection device and the second side impact protection device laterally across the electric vehicle. In a first example of the kit, the kit further comprises: a first outer fairing configured to cover the first side impact protection device when the first side impact protection device is mounted to the chassis via the first mounting structure, and a second outer fairing configured to cover the second side impact protection device when the second side impact protection device is mounted to the chassis via the second mounting structure. In a second example of the kit, optionally including the first example, the first mounting structure and the second mounting structure are configured to attach to frame rails of the chassis. In a third example of the kit, optionally including one or both of the first and second examples, the first mounting structure and the second mounting structure are adjustable with respect to at least one of a vertical and a lateral position on the frame rails of the chassis. In a fourth example of the kit, optionally including one or more or each of the first through third examples, the alternating ridges of the first corrugated sheet and the second corrugated sheet are wherein the alternating ridges of the first panel and the second panel are configured to be parallel to a vertical direction of the electric vehicle and perpendicular to a longitudinal midline of the electric vehicle when installed. In a fifth example of the kit, optionally including one or more or each of the first through fourth examples, the first side impact protection device and the second side impact protection device each further comprise: an upper channel attached to an outer surface of a corresponding panel and extending along a length of the corresponding panel, and a lower channel attached to the outer surface ofthe corresponding panel and extending along the length of the corresponding panel, the lower channel parallel to and spaced apart from the upper channel. In a sixth example of the kit, optionally including one or more or each of the first through fifth examples, the outer surface faces an exterior of the electric vehicle when installed. In a seventh example of the kit, optionally including one or more or each of the first through sixth examples, the kit further comprises; a first outer fairing configured to cover the first side impact protection device when the first side impact protection device is mounted to the chassis via the first mounting structure, and a second outer fairing configured to cover the second side impact protection device when the second side impact protection device is mounted to the chassis via the second mounting structure, wherein the lower channel of a corresponding side impact protection device is configured to at least partially overlap with a recess of a corresponding fairing. In an eighth example of the kit, optionally including one or more or each of the first through seventh examples, the first mounting structure and the second mounting structure each comprise: a first plate bracket positioned at a first longitudinal end of a respective panel, and a second plate bracket positioned at a second longitudinal end of the respective panel. In a ninth example of the kit, optionally including one or more or each of the first through eighth examples, the first side impact protection device and the second side impact protection device are configured to be longitudinally positioned between a front wheel and a back wheel of the electric vehicle and vertically positioned at least partially below the chassis when installed.

[0070] Although the systems and techniques have been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the systemsand techniques defined in the appended claims are not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claimed subject matter.

[0071] It will be appreciated that the configurations disclosed herein are illustrative in nature, and that these specific implementations are not to be considered in a limiting sense because numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various systems and configurations, and other features, functions, and / or properties disclosed herein.

[0072] The following claims particularly point out certain combinations and subcombinations regarded as novel and non-obvious. These claims may refer to “an” element or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof. Such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements or a particular positional order on their objects. Other combinations and sub-combinations of the disclosed features, functions, elements, and / or properties may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or through presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such claims, whether broader, narrower, equal, or different in scope to the original claims, also are regarded as included within the subject matter of the present disclosure.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A vehicle side impact protection device, comprising: a panel comprising a corrugated sheet of alternating ridges; a first channel attached to a first surface of the panel and extending along a length of the panel in a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to the alternating ridges; a second channel attached to the first surface and extending along the length of the panel, the second channel parallel to and spaced apart from the first channel; and a mounting structure attached to a second surface of the panel and extending from the panel in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the second surface of the panel opposite that of the first surface in the transverse direction.

2. The vehicle side impact protection device of claim 1, wherein the alternating ridges alternate between a first side and a second side of a central longitudinal axis of the corrugated sheet.

3. The vehicle side impact protection device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first surface of the panel is configured to face an exterior of a vehicle when the vehicle side impact protection device is installed in the vehicle, and the second surface of the panel is configured to face a vehicle battery when the vehicle side impact protection device is installed in the vehicle.

4. The vehicle side impact protection device of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the alternating ridges are configured to be parallel to a vertical direction of a vehicle and perpendicular to a longitudinal midline of the vehicle when the vehicle side impact protection device is installed in the vehicle.

5. The vehicle side impact protection device of any one of claims 1-4, wherein at least one of the first surface and the second surface comprises a planar sheet that is in face- sharing contact with the corrugated sheet at peaks of the alternating ridges.

6. The vehicle side impact protection device of claim 5, wherein height and length dimensions of the planar sheet are substantially equal to those of the corrugated sheet.

7. The vehicle side impact protection device of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the mounting structure is configured to attach the panel to a chassis of a vehicle and space the panel away from a frame rail of the chassis in the transverse direction at a distance that is sized to accommodate a vehicle battery coupled to the chassis.

8. The vehicle side impact protection device of claim 7, wherein a height of the panel in a vertical direction of the vehicle is sized to overlap a vertical position of the vehicle battery.

9. A system for a vehicle, comprising; a side impact protection device comprising: a panel comprising a corrugated sheet of alternating ridges that are parallel to a vertical direction of the vehicle, the corrugated sheet extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle that is perpendicular to the vertical direction; and a mounting structure for attaching the panel to a chassis of the vehicle in a position that is spaced apart from the chassis in a transverse direction of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the panel further comprises: a first planar sheet attached to and in face-sharing contact with the corrugated sheet at the alternating ridges that extend toward a longitudinal midline of the vehicle; and a second planar sheet attached to and in face- sharing contact with the corrugated sheet at the alternating ridges that extend toward an outer surface of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9 or claim 10, further comprising; a lower channel attached to the panel at a bottom portion of an outer surface of the panel and extending in the longitudinal direction, the outer surface facing toward an exterior of the vehicle in the transverse direction; and an upper channel attached to the panel at a top portion of the outer surface and extending in the longitudinal direction.

12. The system of any one of claims 9-11, wherein the alternating ridges include peaks that extend toward an exterior of the vehicle in the transverse direction and grooves that extend toward a longitudinal midline of the vehicle in the transverse direction.

13. The system of any one of claims 9-12, wherein the mounting structure comprises: a first plate bracket positioned at a first longitudinal end of the panel; and a second plate bracket positioned at a second longitudinal end of the panel.

14. The system of any one of claims 9-13, wherein an inner surface of the panel faces an outer face of an energy storage device of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a length and position of the panel in the vertical direction at least partially overlaps with a length and position of the energy storage device in the vertical direction.

16. The system of claim 14 or claim 15, wherein a clearance distance between the inner surface of the panel and the outer face of the energy storage device is in a range between 10 and 30 millimeters.

17. The system of any one of claims 9-16, wherein the side impact protection device is a first side impact protection device that is attached to the chassis on a first side of the vehicle, and the system further comprises: a second side impact protection device positioned across from the first side impact protection device in the transverse direction, the second side impact protection device attached to the chassis of the vehicle on a second side of the vehicle, opposite the first side; and at least one cross brace extending between the first side impact protection device and the second side impact protection device in the transverse direction.

18. A system for a vehicle, comprising; a battery positioned at an underside of the vehicle and mounted to a chassis of the vehicle, the battery extending in a transverse direction of the vehicle; and a side impact protection device comprising: a panel comprising a corrugated sheet of alternating ridges that are parallel to a vertical direction and perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the panel extending in the longitudinal direction and having an outer surface that faces toward an exterior of the vehicle and an inner surface that faces toward the battery in the transverse direction; at least one channel attached to the outer surface of the panel and extending along a length of the panel in the longitudinal direction; and a mounting structure attached to the inner surface of the panel and extending from the inner surface to the chassis of the vehicle in the transverse direction.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the outer surface of the panel faces a fairing portion of the exterior of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one channel includes a lower channel having a protrusion that extends into a recess of the fairing portion.

20. The system of claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the side impact protection device is longitudinally positioned between a front wheel of the vehicle and a back wheel of the vehicle and vertically positioned at least partially below frame rails of the chassis.

21. A kit for an electric vehicle, comprising; a first side impact protection device comprising: a first panel comprising a first corrugated sheet of alternating ridges, the first corrugated sheet configured to extend in a longitudinal direction of the electric vehicle; and a first mounting structure for attaching the first panel to a chassis of the electric vehicle on a first side; and a second side impact protection device comprising: a second panel comprising a second corrugated sheet of alternating ridges, the second corrugated sheet configured to extend in the longitudinal direction of the electric vehicle; and a second mounting structure for attaching the second panel to the chassis of the electric vehicle on a second side, opposite the first side; and at least one cross brace configured to extend between the first side impact protection device and the second side impact protection device laterally across the electric vehicle.

22. The kit of claim 21, further comprising: a first outer fairing configured to cover the first side impact protection device when the first side impact protection device is mounted to the chassis via the first mounting structure; and a second outer fairing configured to cover the second side impact protection device when the second side impact protection device is mounted to the chassis via the second mounting structure.

23. The kit of claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the first mounting structure and the second mounting structure are configured to attach to frame rails of the chassis.

24. The kit of claim 23, wherein the first mounting structure and the second mounting structure are adjustable with respect to at least one of a vertical and a lateral position on the frame rails of the chassis.

25. The kit of any one of claims 21-24, wherein the alternating ridges of the first corrugated sheet and the second corrugated sheet are wherein the alternating ridges of the first panel and the second panel are configured to be parallel to a vertical direction of the electric vehicle and perpendicular to a longitudinal midline of the electric vehicle when installed.

26. The kit of any one of claims 21-25, wherein the first side impact protection device and the second side impact protection device each further comprise: an upper channel attached to an outer surface of a corresponding panel and extending along a length of the corresponding panel; and a lower channel attached to the outer surface of the corresponding panel and extending along the length of the corresponding panel, the lower channel par allel to and spaced apart from the upper channel.

27. The kit of claim 26, wherein the outer surface faces an exterior of the electric vehicle when installed.

28. The kit of claim 26 or claim 27, further comprising: a first outer fairing configured to cover the first side impact protection device when the first side impact protection device is mounted to the chassis via the first mounting structure; and a second outer fairing configured to cover the second side impact protection device when the second side impact protection device is mounted to the chassis via the second mounting structure; wherein the lower channel of a corresponding side impact protection device is configured to at least partially overlap with a recess of a corresponding fairing.

29. The kit of any one of claims 21-28, wherein the first mounting structure and the second mounting structure each comprise: a first plate bracket positioned at a first longitudinal end of a respective panel; and a second plate bracket positioned at a second longitudinal end of the respective panel.

30. The kit of any one of claims 21-29, wherein the first side impact protection device and the second side impact protection device are configured to be longitudinally positioned between a front wheel and a back wheel of the electric vehicle and vertically positioned at least partially below the chassis when installed.

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