Vehicle Body Battery Shield Structure for Side Collision Loads

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increased size of high-voltage batteries in electric vehicles, located on the underside of the vehicle body, makes them vulnerable to side collisions, which can lead to damage and potential fires during impact.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle body structure with a protective structure comprising panels that cover the peripheral portions of the center and rear floors, distributing collision loads in multiple directions to reduce the impact on the battery, including a front complex, rear complex, and side complexes with reinforcing panels and fasteners, ensuring the battery is securely fastened and protected.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the high-voltage battery size is increased to extend driving range, then the driving range is improved, but the vulnerability to side collision damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriving rangeVSAvoidcollision damage vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The protective structure is divided into multiple segments including side complexes, front complexes, and rear complexes that can independently absorb and distribute collision forces from different directions, preventing concentrated impact on the battery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protective structure extends in multiple spatial dimensions with panels arranged in longitudinal, transverse, and diagonal orientations, creating a three-dimensional protective envelope that deflects collision forces away from the battery through geometric distribution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Use of energy by moving object

If the high-voltage battery is located on the underside of the floor, then the driving range is extended, but the battery becomes vulnerable to side pole collision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriving rangeVSAvoidcollision resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The protective structure is pre-installed around the battery before any collision occurs, with panels and support members positioned to proactively deflect and absorb incoming impact forces, preventing direct contact between collision objects and the battery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The protective structure includes cushioning panels and energy-absorbing members positioned between potential collision sources and the battery, designed to deform and absorb impact energy before it reaches the battery, reducing peak collision forces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If panels are fitted to cover peripheral portions of the center floor, then the battery protection is improved, but the structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery protectionVSAvoidprotective structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective structure panels serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as collision deflectors, structural reinforcement elements, and mounting surfaces for fasteners, reducing the need for separate dedicated components for each function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple protective functions are merged into integrated panel assemblies that combine support members, fastening mechanisms, and collision-absorbing elements into unified structural units, simplifying the overall system architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11845492B2Vehicle body structure

Publication Date: 2023.12.19 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicle body structure for safely protecting a high-voltage, the vehicle body structure including: a battery mounted on bottom portions of a center floor and a rear floor; and a protective structure having a bottom portion on which a peripheral portion of the battery is mounted and including panels fitted to each other into a shape covering a peripheral portion of the center floor.