Vehicle Chassis Battery Pack Connection for Side-Impact Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle chassis designs do not adequately protect battery packs from severe deformation and displacement during a side collision, as the batteries are often exposed and susceptible to impact forces.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle chassis design featuring a connection arrangement with energy absorbing members between the battery packs, allowing for relative movement and energy absorption in the event of a side collision, thereby limiting battery pack deformation and displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If battery packs are suspended from frame rails to provide structural support and power distribution, then the batteries are exposed to the environment and susceptible to side collision impacts, but providing robust protection structures would increase vehicle weight and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating energy-absorbing members (crushable columns) in the connection arrangement between battery packs and frame rails. These members are designed to deform plastically during side collisions to absorb impact energy, protecting the battery packs from severe deformation and displacement before the collision forces can directly damage them.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary connection arrangement comprising energy-absorbing members between the battery packs and the frame rails. This intermediary structure acts as a mediator that controlledly deforms during side collisions, absorbing energy and reducing the transmission of collision forces to the battery packs, thereby protecting them without requiring direct rigid attachment.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid connection structures are used to secure battery packs to frame rails, then battery pack stability is improved, but the battery packs suffer severe deformation and displacement during side collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The energy-absorbing members are pre-installed in the connection arrangement to provide beforehand cushioning against side collision impacts. These crushable columns are designed to deform plastically under impact loads, absorbing collision energy and protecting the battery packs from severe deformation and displacement while maintaining their stability during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful side collision impact into a beneficial energy absorption process. The energy-absorbing members are designed to deform plastically during collisions, transforming the harmful kinetic energy of the impact into deformation energy of the crushable columns, thereby protecting the battery packs from the harmful effects of the collision.
3Reliability
If energy absorbing members are added to the connection arrangement to protect battery packs during side collisions, then battery pack protection is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The energy-absorbing members are designed as disposable, sacrificial components that are replaced after deployment. These crushable columns are relatively simple in structure and can be manufactured cost-effectively, accepting that they will be damaged in a side collision and need replacement, rather than designing expensive, complex protective structures that can be reused.
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 energy absorbing members effectively absorb energy from side collisions, reducing the risk of battery pack deformation and displacement, thus enhancing the protection and integrity of the battery systems within the vehicle chassis.
Implementation Method 1
each energy absorbing member in the set of energy absorbing members is adapted to plastically deform to thereby allow a relative movement between the first battery pack lower portion and the second battery pack lower portion
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle chassis comprising a first chassis frame rail and a second chassis frame rail. The vehicle chassis comprises a first battery pack connected to a first connection portion of a first chassis frame rail whereby a first battery pack lower portion of the first battery pack is located beneath the first connection portion in a vehicle chassis vertical direction. The vehicle chassis comprises a second battery pack connected to a second connection portion of a second chassis frame rail whereby a second battery pack lower portion of the second battery pack is located beneath the second connection portion in the vehicle chassis vertical direction. The vehicle chassis comprises a connection arrangement wherein the first battery pack lower portion and the second battery pack lower portion are connected via the connection arrangement.