Battery Frame Layout for Front-Mounted Rear Suspension Packaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automobile battery mounting architectures face challenges in increasing battery capacity without compromising storage space, particularly when mounting batteries in front of the rear suspension, as it interferes with the rear suspension members.

Innovation Solution

Attaching right and left front-side and rear-side attachment parts of the rear suspension member assembly to rear floor side members and a first attachment part closer to the vehicle front to a battery frame, allowing the battery frame to be expanded rearward and mounted in front of the rear suspension without interfering with the suspension members.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the battery is mounted in front of the rear suspension to increase storage space, then the battery capacity can be increased, but the battery interferes with the attachment positions of the rear suspension members

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidattachment of rear suspension members
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment structure is divided into multiple independent attachment parts: right and left front-side attachment parts, right and left rear-side attachment parts, and a first attachment part closer to the vehicle front. This segmentation allows the battery to be positioned in front of the rear suspension while maintaining proper attachment points for the suspension members, resolving the interference issue while preserving battery capacity expansion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment structure extends in the vehicle front-rear direction by positioning the first attachment part closer to the vehicle front than the front-side attachment parts. This dimensional arrangement creates spatial separation between the battery and rear suspension members, allowing the battery to occupy the space in front of the rear suspension without interfering with suspension attachment positions

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

2Stability of the object's composition

If the battery frame is expanded rearward to support the rear suspension, then the steering stability is maintained, but the battery cannot be mounted in front of the rear suspension

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesteering stabilityVSAvoidbattery capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The battery frame serves multiple functions: it supports the battery, provides attachment points for the rear suspension members through the first attachment part, and contributes to steering stability. By making the battery frame multi-functional, the design maintains steering stability while enabling the battery to be positioned in front of the rear suspension, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and battery capacity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4043256B1automobile
Publication Date: 2023.12.06 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP4043256B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4043256B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4043256B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There are provided a battery frame (3) that is attached to a structural member on a floor back of an automobile body (2) and accommodates a battery (4), and a rear suspension member assembly (61) that is attached to rear floor side members (26) and supports a rear suspension (6). The rear suspension member assembly is attached to the rear floor side members (26) at least at right and left front-side attachment parts (621, 631) and right and left rear-side attachment parts (622, 632). The rear suspension member assembly is attached to the battery frame (3) at a first attachment part (66) that is closer to a vehicle front than the right and left front-side attachment parts (621, 631).