Drive Battery Support Structure for Underbody Collision Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive battery housings for electric vehicles lack sufficient power density, stiffness, strength, and collision resistance, particularly when subjected to vertical impacts from below, such as driving over obstacles like bollards.
Innovation Solution
A drive battery design featuring a battery cell layer support structure between the battery cells and the bottom wall, which forms a collision load path in the vertical direction, providing protection by dissipating collision energy through a deformable supporting layer and allowing the battery cells to remain undamaged until a threshold load is reached, thereby increasing power density and collision resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional drive battery housing with longitudinal members and crossmembers is used, then structural strength is provided, but power density and collision resistance from below are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The battery housing is segmented into longitudinal members and transverse members that form a lattice structure. This segmentation allows the structure to distribute collision loads across multiple elements rather than concentrating stress on single components, improving collision resistance while maintaining power density through optimized material placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive battery housing combines aluminum longitudinal members with plastic transverse members to create a composite structure. This composite approach allows each material to contribute its strengths - aluminum provides structural strength and collision resistance, while plastic provides stiffness and weight optimization, achieving both improved collision resistance and maintained power density.
2Quantity of substance
If more battery cells are accommodated in the same installation space, then power density increases, but collision protection becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse members extend in the vertical dimension to form protective arches over the battery cells. This vertical dimension addition creates a protective canopy structure that shields battery cells from downward collision forces while allowing horizontal space optimization for maximum cell density.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic transverse members are designed to deform in a controlled manner during collision, absorbing impact energy before it reaches the battery cells. This beforehand cushioning mechanism protects the battery cells from damage while maintaining compact cell arrangement for high power density.
3Ease of manufacture
If aluminum extruded profiles are used for housing, then manufacturing ease is improved, but stiffness and strength per installation space are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure merges aluminum extruded profiles with injection-molded plastic components into an integrated assembly. The aluminum longitudinal members provide structural strength and are manufactured via extrusion, while plastic transverse members provide stiffness and are molded to precise specifications, together achieving superior strength per installation space while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The aluminum longitudinal members serve multiple functions: they provide structural strength, act as mounting points for transverse members, and form part of the collision protection system. This multi-functionality increases strength per installation space without adding separate components, maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized aluminum extrusion profiles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances power density, stiffness, and collision resistance by ensuring the battery cells are protected from vertical impacts, allowing for more cells in the same space and distributing collision loads effectively, reducing the risk of damage to the battery cells.
Implementation Method 1
providing protection by dissipating collision energy through a deformable supporting layer
Data Source
AI summary
A drive battery for a motor vehicle has a drive battery housing with a cover wall and a base wall. A battery cell layer with a plurality of battery cells and a supporting layer, which is arranged between the battery cell layer and the base wall, are arranged in the drive battery housing. The battery cell layer further has a battery cell position supporting structure which forms a collision load path in the vertical direction of the drive battery.