Battery Protection Frame Mounting for EV Battery Space and Rigidity

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Solution Overview

Problem

In electric vehicles, the installation of batteries is limited by protruding mounting walls, reducing the available space and compromising the rigidity and protection of the battery installation frame, which affects the cruisable distance and safety.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle-body structure with a battery protection frame having a hollow cross-section, coupled with a vehicle-body frame, and fixed internally to the vehicle body using fixation members, enhancing rigidity and eliminating the need for outward protruding mounting walls, while incorporating a partition wall and cover to prevent foreign object entry and maintain aerodynamic performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If mounting upper wall and mounting lower wall are provided to fasten battery installation frame to vehicle body, then mounting reliability is improved, but battery installation space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting reliabilityVSAvoidbattery installation space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the protruding mounting upper wall and mounting lower wall from the battery installation frame, extracting the problematic structural elements that consumed battery space. Instead, the frame is fastened directly to the vehicle body through simplified mounting structures, eliminating the space-consuming protrusions while maintaining mounting reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the mounting approach from using protruding walls extending outward from the frame to a direct fastening method where mounting holes are formed through the frame itself and fasteners extend through to the vehicle body, utilizing the thickness dimension of the frame rather than outward protrusions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Volume of moving object

If mounting upper wall and mounting lower wall are omitted to increase battery installation space, then battery installation space is increased, but mounting rigidity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery installation spaceVSAvoidmounting rigidity
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the mounting upper wall and mounting lower wall structures, eliminating the elements that limited battery space while compensating for rigidity through direct fastening methods that penetrate the frame and secure it to the vehicle body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of adding protruding mounting walls outward from the frame, the patent inverts the approach by forming mounting holes through the frame and using fasteners that extend through the frame to the vehicle body, securing the frame from the inside rather than using outward protrusions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Volume of moving object

If mounting upper wall and mounting lower wall are omitted to increase battery installation space, then battery installation space is increased, but battery protection performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery installation spaceVSAvoidbattery protection performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the protruding mounting walls that limited battery space while maintaining protection performance through the hollow cross-sectional structure of the frame and direct fastening to the vehicle body, which provides structural support and protection without requiring outward protrusions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the hollow cross-sectional structure of the battery installation frame, which provides both structural strength for protection and space efficiency. The hollow structure acts as a composite design that combines structural integrity with space optimization, eliminating the need for additional protruding protective walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP4234304B1Vehicle-body structure
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 MAZDA MOTOR CORP
  • EP4234304B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4234304B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4234304B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Problem] Mounting rigidity of a battery protection frame on a vehicle body is enhanced, and rigidity of the battery protection frame itself is enhanced as well. [Means for Solution] A vehicle-body structure A includes a battery protection frame 33 which has a hollow cross-section, a vehicle-body frame 40 which extends along the battery protection frame 33 and is coupled with the battery protection frame 33, and a fixation member B1 which is inserted through a hole portion 33h of the battery protection frame 33 and is capable of fixing the battery protection frame 33 to a vehicle body component 95 as another component than the vehicle-body frame 40 in an internal portion of the battery protection frame 33.