Battery Cover Structure to Prevent Terminal Submersion in Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
When a battery pack is installed between the underfloor part and the front seat of a vehicle, the limited vertical space poses a risk that the battery pack's terminal parts may be submerged during submersion, leading to potential damage and lack of protection.
Innovation Solution
A protective structure featuring a cover member on the floor panel with a bulging side wall that aligns with the terminal parts, creating an air space to prevent submersion and protect the electric components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the battery pack is installed in the limited vertical space between the underfloor part and the front seat, then the battery pack can be installed in the vehicle, but the terminal part may be submerged when the vehicle is submerged, compromising protection
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall of the cover member is designed with a bulging part that protrudes in the lateral direction (width direction of vehicle) rather than only in the vertical direction. This dimensional change allows the air space to extend laterally, providing enhanced protection for the terminal part while maintaining compatibility with the limited vertical installation space between the underfloor part and front seat.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member is pre-installed on the underfloor part with the bulging part positioned to align with the terminal part of the battery pack before submersion occurs. This preliminary positioning creates an air space that prevents water from reaching the terminal part, ensuring protection is already in place when the vehicle is submerged.
2Volume of moving object
If the battery pack is installed in a lower region due to space constraints, then installation is possible, but the terminal part becomes vulnerable to submersion and short-circuiting
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending the protection vertically upward, the bulging part of the side wall extends laterally in the width direction of the vehicle. This creates an air space that reaches the terminal part even when the battery pack is installed in a lower region, effectively blocking water ingress paths without requiring additional vertical space.
Solution Approach 2:
The side wall of the cover member is designed with non-uniform thickness or protrusion, creating a localized bulging part that specifically targets the region where the terminal part is located. This local quality enhancement provides focused protection exactly where needed (at the terminal part) without adding unnecessary structure elsewhere, optimizing the use of limited installation space.
3Reliability
If a protective structure is added to prevent terminal submersion, then protection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective function is merged into the cover member itself by incorporating the bulging part directly into its side wall structure. Rather than adding a separate protective device or component, the cover member is designed to perform both its primary function (covering the battery pack) and the protective function (creating air space to prevent terminal submersion) through its integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides coverage for the battery pack and creates a protective air space for the terminal part through its bulging side wall. This universal design allows a single component to fulfill multiple protective roles, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive protection.
Data Source
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AI summary
[Problem to be Solved] To provide a protective structure for an electric component capable of preventing, when a vehicle is submerged, a terminal part of an electric component installed on a floor panel from submerging, protecting the electric component. [Solution] A protective structure for a battery (12) includes a cover member (15) provided on a floor panel (2) and configured to cover the battery (12), the cover member including a front wall (15B) facing a front surface (12a) of the battery (12). The front wall (15B) includes a bulging part (16) bulging from a wall surface (15a) of the front wall (15B) so as to be away from the front surface (12a) of the battery (12), the bulging part being located above a bottom end portion (15u) of the front wall (15B). In addition to this, terminal parts (13A, 13B) are located at the same height position as the bulging part (16).