Caravan Chassis Crash Element for Battery Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Leisure vehicles, such as caravans, with traction batteries face challenges in protecting these energy stores during accidents, as standard trailer chassis are not designed to absorb crash forces, leading to potential damage and safety hazards due to the high energy density of batteries, which can cause exothermic reactions and economic losses.

Innovation Solution

Integrating an energy-absorbing crash element into the chassis structure of leisure vehicles, specifically behind the energy storage unit, decouples forces from the energy store, allowing for the use of standard batteries and reducing development costs, with a cross member design that transmits forces to side members for protection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a standard trailer chassis is used without special crash protection, then the vehicle structure remains simple and costs are low, but the energy storage unit is vulnerable to damage in accidents leading to safety hazards and economic losses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of energy storage unitVSAvoidchassis structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chassis structure is segmented into a protective frame with front and rear support elements that specifically surround and protect the energy storage unit. This segmentation allows the battery compartment to have enhanced protection while the rest of the chassis maintains its standard simple design, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Front and rear support elements are positioned beforehand to cushion and absorb impact forces before they can reach the energy storage unit. These support elements create a protective buffer zone that prevents direct transmission of crash forces to the battery, ensuring protection while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Reliability

If a specialized battery case capable of absorbing forces is developed, then the energy storage unit is protected in accidents, but development costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of energy storage unitVSAvoiddevelopment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The crash protection function is extracted from the battery case itself and transferred to the chassis structure. Instead of modifying the battery housing to absorb forces, the chassis is equipped with separate front and rear support elements that provide protection. This allows use of standard off-the-shelf batteries without specialized protective cases, significantly reducing development costs while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Front and rear support elements act as intermediary components between the external environment and the energy storage unit. These intermediaries absorb and distribute impact forces, preventing direct contact between crash forces and the battery. This mediator approach protects the battery using simple, inexpensive components rather than requiring an expensive specialized battery case.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If the energy storage unit is directly mounted on the chassis without protective support elements, then the vehicle structure remains simple, but the battery is exposed to contact loads and point loads during crashes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechassis structure simplicityVSAvoidcontact loads on battery

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Front and rear support elements are preliminarily positioned to intercept and absorb impact forces before they can reach the energy storage unit. This preliminary protective action prevents contact loads and point loads from directly affecting the battery, while the support elements themselves are designed to be simple components that maintain overall structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 solution effectively protects energy stores and reduces repair costs by decoupling forces from the energy storage devices, enabling the use of standard batteries and minimizing damage in crashes, thus avoiding economic losses and ensuring safety.

Implementation Method 1

an energy-absorbing crash element is arranged on the rear support element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnergy absorption through deformation: Deformation

Implementation Method 2

the forces acting on the chassis are decoupled from the energy store in the event of an accident

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce decoupling: Impact Force

Data Source

PatentEP3831631A1Leisure vehicle, in particular caravan

Publication Date: 2021.06.09 ERWIN HYMER GRP SE

Figure 1~2

AI summary

In a recreational vehicle, for example a trailer, in particular a caravan (3), in which a rear support element (9) is provided, wherein an energy storage unit (4), in particular a battery (5) with high energy density is provided in a frame of the recreational vehicle (1), and the rear support element (9) is arranged behind the energy storage unit (4), an energy-absorbing crash element (11) is arranged on the rear support element (9).