Vehicle Battery Mounting Structure with Closed-Section Side Members
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) with high-voltage batteries face challenges in securely mounting batteries, which compromises safety during lateral collisions and NVH performance due to their flat-floor design.
Innovation Solution
A battery mounting structure that includes a battery case with reinforcing members and side members of closed cross-sections, coupled to the vehicle frame via through-fasteners, and a middle through-fastener extending through a reinforcing member to a vehicle body cross member, enhancing stability and rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flat-floor design is used in PBV, then ease of manufacture and adaptability are improved, but floor strength and NVH performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The floor structure is segmented into multiple components: the flat floor panel, battery case with reinforcing members, side members with closed cross-sections, and through-fasteners. This segmentation allows the flat-floor design to maintain adaptability while the distributed reinforcing elements collectively enhance floor strength to compensate for the inherent weakness of flat-floor design.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure employs composite construction combining the floor panel, battery case, reinforcing members, and fastening system. This composite structure creates a unified load-bearing assembly where the flat floor works in conjunction with the reinforced battery mounting system to achieve both adaptability and sufficient strength.
2Ease of manufacture
If simple battery mounting is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but safety against lateral collision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The battery mounting system is divided into modular components: battery case, reinforcing members, side members, and through-fasteners. This segmentation enables standardized manufacturing of individual parts while the assembled structure provides enhanced safety against lateral collisions through the distributed reinforcement architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The side members are designed with closed cross-sections (circular or oval profiles) that provide superior torsional rigidity and collision resistance compared to open-section alternatives. This curved, closed-profile design maintains ease of manufacture through standard extrusion processes while dramatically improving safety performance.
3Strength
If reinforcing members are added to battery case, then safety and floor strength are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing members are merged with the battery case structure, forming an integrated assembly where the battery case serves dual purposes: containing battery modules and providing structural reinforcement. This merging reduces device complexity by eliminating separate reinforcement components while maintaining improved floor strength and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery case is designed with multi-functionality: it provides battery module containment, structural reinforcement through integrated members, and serves as a mounting interface for the floor system. This universal design reduces overall device complexity by consolidating multiple functions into a single integrated component.
4Reliability
If through-fasteners are used to couple battery case to vehicle body, then reliability and floor strength are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is segmented into multiple through-fasteners distributed at critical locations rather than using a single complex fastening mechanism. This segmentation provides reliable load distribution and collision resistance while maintaining relative simplicity through the use of standard fastener components.
Solution Approach 2:
The side members with closed cross-sections provide a robust interface for the through-fasteners, with the curved profiles distributing fastener loads more effectively. This geometric feature enhances reliability of the connection while the fasteners themselves remain relatively simple components.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle battery mounting structure includes a battery case, which has a reinforcing member disposed between battery modules therein. The mounting structure includes battery side members, which have a plurality of closed cross-sections, are provided on opposite sides of the battery case, respectively, and are coupled to lower sides of frame side members. The mounting structure further includes a middle through-fastener, which extends through the reinforcing member of the battery case and is coupled to a vehicle body cross member.