Pivotable Battery Support Structure for Heavy Vehicle Frame Mounting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge of efficiently and conveniently positioning and assembling large, heavy traction batteries in heavy-duty vehicles is significant due to their substantial weight and size, necessitating improved suspension systems for efficient assembly and disassembly.

Innovation Solution

A battery suspension arrangement with a pivotable connection to the vehicle frame, allowing the second elongated member to pivot and slide below frame members, enabling pre-assembly of the energy storage arrangement before final attachment, and incorporating pivot joints and bushings for stability and support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional rigid fixed connections are used to attach the battery support structure to the vehicle frame, then structural stability is improved, but assembly complexity and time consumption increase due to the need for precise alignment and multiple fastening operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connection structure transitions from a fixed rigid state to a pivotable state during assembly, then to a fixed locked state after positioning. This parameter change allows the connection to be flexible during assembly (reducing complexity) and rigid during operation (ensuring stability).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The connection between the battery support structure and vehicle frame is made dynamic through the pivotable connection, allowing movement from an unattached position to a positioned state, and finally to a locked fixed state. This dynamic capability simplifies assembly while maintaining operational stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If the battery support structure is assembled in place on the vehicle, then positioning accuracy is improved, but assembly time increases due to the need for precise alignment of multiple components during installation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The battery support structure is pre-assembled as a complete unit on the ground with all components properly positioned, then transported to the vehicle as a single integrated assembly. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex in-vehicle alignment operations, significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining positioning accuracy through the pivotable connection mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the battery support structure uses multiple fixed connection points to the vehicle frame, then structural stability is improved, but ease of assembly and disassembly deteriorates due to the need to secure multiple fastening points

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidease of assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The connection system uses a pivotable joint that allows the battery support structure to be easily swung into position and then locked, replacing multiple fixed fastening operations with a single dynamic positioning and locking action. This maintains structural stability while dramatically improving ease of assembly and disassembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4663444A1A battery suspension arrangement with pivotable connection to a vehicle frame
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 VOLVO TRUCK CORP
  • EP4663444A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4663444A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4663444A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a battery suspension arrangement, comprising a first elongated battery support structure comprising a battery support surface, a first elongated member comprising a first end and a second end, and a second elongated member comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the battery suspension system comprises a pivot joint at which the first end of the second elongated member is pivotably connected to the second portion of the first elongated battery support structure.