Battery Pack Cross-Member Assembly for Crash Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional vehicular battery pack frame assemblies with internal cross members are heavy and difficult to manufacture, while also struggling to efficiently distribute crash loads.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack frame design featuring a front wall, rear wall, and sidewalls with a bottom plate and a plurality of cross members, where each cross member consists of an upper member and a base member coupled using a foam material or fastener, enhancing rigidity and load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional extruded aluminum or cold rolled steel cross members are used, then structural strength and crash load distribution are achieved, but weight increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials by combining aluminum extrusions with foam core inserts. The aluminum profiles provide structural strength and crash load distribution, while the foam material reduces overall density and weight. This composite approach allows the frame to maintain required mechanical properties while significantly reducing weight compared to traditional solid metal construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by using foam material specifically in regions where weight reduction is prioritized, while maintaining solid aluminum structural elements where strength and crash load bearing are critical. The foam is strategically placed within the hollow chambers of the aluminum extrusions, creating a hybrid structure with optimized local properties for different functional requirements.
2Strength
If traditional extruded aluminum or cold rolled steel cross members are used, then structural strength is achieved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cross members into modular aluminum extrusion profiles with integrated foam inserts. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using optimized processes (extrusion for aluminum, foam molding for inserts), then assembled together. This approach simplifies manufacturing compared to creating monolithic complex shapes, enabling easier production and potential assembly variations.
Solution Approach 2:
By using composite construction with pre-fabricated aluminum profiles and foam inserts, the patent simplifies the manufacturing process. Each material can be produced using its optimal manufacturing method, and the modular nature of the composite structure allows for easier assembly and potential customization compared to traditional single-material fabrication.
3Weight of moving object
If foam material is used to couple upper and base members, then weight is reduced and manufacturing ease is improved, but structural integrity must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials where foam is integrated within aluminum extrusion profiles. The foam serves as a lightweight infill that maintains the structural shape and provides insulation, while the aluminum profile walls carry the primary mechanical loads. This composite structure achieves weight reduction while preserving necessary strength through the synergistic combination of materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the foam material within the hollow chambers of the aluminum extrusions, where it provides structural support and weight reduction benefits. The aluminum profile walls remain as the primary load-bearing elements, creating a structure where each material performs its optimal function in its designated location, balancing weight reduction with structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack frame is disclosed. The battery pack frame includes a front wall, a rear wall, and a pair of sidewalls that extend between the front wall and the rear wall. A bottom plate extends beneath the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of sidewalls, and a plurality of cross members extend between the pair of sidewalls. Each of the plurality of cross members further include an upper member and a base member having a channel that defines a cavity for receiving the upper member.