C-Shaped Battery Frame Pole Impact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery frames for electric vehicles face challenges in achieving optimal crash performance and accommodating volume while maintaining structural stability and weight efficiency during a pole impact.
Innovation Solution
The battery frame features two C-shaped longitudinal members with inner crossmembers connected via deformation elements, allowing for additional packaging volume and enhanced crash performance by enabling deformation without damaging battery modules, and utilizing super high-strength steel for rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If closed hollow profiles are used for longitudinal members, then structural strength is improved, but accommodating volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The closed hollow profile is segmented into a C-shaped profile with two legs and a crosspiece, creating an open structure that maintains strength while increasing internal volume for accommodation of battery modules and cooling components
Solution Approach 2:
Super high-strength steel is used to compensate for the reduced structural strength from the open C-shaped profile, allowing the use of thinner walls and thus increasing the internal accommodating volume while maintaining required strength levels
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid connections are used for crossmembers to longitudinal members, then structural stability is improved, but crash performance is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between crossmembers and longitudinal members is changed from rigid to dynamic through the deformation element, allowing the structure to adapt during crash by enabling controlled deformation that absorbs impact energy while maintaining overall structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
The deformation element changes the connection parameter from rigid to semi-rigid, allowing controlled deformation under impact loads. This enables the structure to maintain stability during normal operation while providing crash energy management through controlled deformation
3Reliability
If deformation path is limited to protect battery modules, then battery module protection is improved, but crash energy absorption is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The deformation element acts as an intermediary between the crossmember and longitudinal member, absorbing crash energy through controlled deformation while preventing direct transmission of harmful forces to the battery modules, thus protecting them while enabling energy absorption
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
This design achieves a lighter battery frame with improved crash performance and increased packaging volume, effectively managing impact energy and reducing weight, while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the upper and lower legs of the C profile can bend open. Thus, the C profile can deform as far as the crosspiece connecting the two legs
Implementation Method 2
deformation elements in this region brings about a particularly favorable crash performance of the battery frame
Data Source
AI summary
A battery frame (1) is provided for accommodating battery modules in a motor vehicle that can be driven electrically at times. The battery frame (1) has two outer longitudinal members (2) spaced apart from one another and outer (3) and inner crossmembers (4) connected thereto. Receptacles (5) for the battery modules are formed between the crossmembers (3, 4). Each outer longitudinal member (2) has a C-shaped profile. Ends of the inner crossmembers (4) engage in the C profile of the respective longitudinal member (2) via a deformation element (7). Thus, the battery frame has good crash performance in the event of a pole impact, and a relatively large accommodating volume.