Eco-Friendly Vehicle Battery Body Structure with Reinforced Intermediate Floor

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing body structures of eco-friendly vehicles, such as hybrid and electric vehicles, face challenges in providing adequate support stiffness and watertightness for high-voltage batteries, leading to increased weight and potential corrosion due to excessive reinforcement and closed cross-section designs that hinder sealer application.

Innovation Solution

A body structure with a reinforced intermediate floor panel system, including a rear cross reinforcement panel, extension reinforcement members, and an intermediate floor upper panel, which are strategically positioned to support the battery weight while allowing for open sealer application, thereby enhancing support stiffness and preventing water permeation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If reinforcement panels are extended to cover surrounding areas to support battery weight, then support stiffness is improved, but body weight increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport stiffnessVSAvoidbody weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement panels are designed with varying thicknesses and reinforcement concentrations at different locations. The first and second reinforcement panels have greater thickness at the battery mounting position where maximum support is needed, while gradually thinning toward the edges. This local quality variation provides optimal support stiffness exactly where the battery weight acts, while minimizing unnecessary material and weight in areas requiring less support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If reinforcement panels are connected to form closed cross section, then structural strength is improved, but sealer application becomes impossible causing water permeation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidsealer application

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement structure is segmented into multiple independent panels (first reinforcement panel, second reinforcement panel, third reinforcement panel) that are distributed across the intermediate floor panel. These panels work together to provide structural strength without forming a completely enclosed cross-section. The segmentation allows sealer to be applied to the intermediate floor panel and rear side member in the width direction, preventing water permeation while maintaining structural integrity through the distributed panel configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Strength

If reinforcement panels cover large areas, then support capability is improved, but the actual battery support area becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport capabilityVSAvoidbattery support area

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement panels are designed with varying thicknesses and reinforcement concentrations at different locations. The first and second reinforcement panels have greater thickness at the battery mounting position where maximum support is needed, while gradually thinning toward the edges. This local quality variation provides optimal support stiffness exactly where the battery weight acts, while minimizing unnecessary material and weight in areas requiring less support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The third reinforcement panel is positioned at the rear of the intermediate floor panel in the width direction, extending beyond the battery mounting area. This spatial arrangement in another dimension allows the third panel to work together with the first and second panels to provide overall structural support, while the battery itself is supported primarily by the centrally located first and second panels at the battery mounting position, ensuring adequate support area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11325655B2Body structure of eco-friendly vehicle for supporting battery

Publication Date: 2022.05.10 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure is to provide a body structure of an eco-friendly vehicle for supporting a battery including an intermediate floor panel composed of a first intermediate floor panel connected to a center floor panel and a second intermediate floor panel connected to a rear floor panel; a rear cross reinforcement panel and an extension reinforcement member mounted on a bottom portion in a battery seating area of the intermediate floor panel; and an intermediate floor upper panel mounted on a front portion in the battery seating area of the intermediate floor panel.