Chassis Brace Routing Collision Energy Away From Battery Pack

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle designs fail to effectively route collision energy away from the traction battery during a front impact, risking damage to the battery pack and associated components.

Innovation Solution

A chassis brace system is implemented, featuring a midportion connected to a cross member and ends connected to the siderails and rockers, creating load paths that route collision energy around the battery pack, thereby inhibiting impact between the cross member and the battery pack.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the cross member is positioned longitudinally spaced from the battery pack, then the battery pack is protected from direct impact, but collision energy cannot be effectively routed away from the battery pack

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact protectionVSAvoidenergy routing

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The brace acts as an intermediary structural element between the cross member and the rockers/siderails. It creates dedicated load paths that channel collision energy away from the battery pack through the arms connected to the siderails, solving both the protection and energy routing requirements simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If the brace is attached to the front wall, then structural support is improved, but collision energy is transmitted directly to the battery pack

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidenergy transmission

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The design extracts the brace attachment from the front wall area and repositions it to connect to the rockers and siderails through the arms. This separation removes the direct energy transmission path to the battery pack while maintaining structural support functions through the alternative load paths

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the cross member is positioned close to the battery pack, then structural rigidity is improved, but the battery pack is vulnerable to collision damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural rigidityVSAvoidcollision damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The brace with its arms serves as a mediator structure that allows the cross member to maintain its position for structural rigidity while introducing intermediate connection points to the rockers and siderails. These intermediaries create energy diversion paths that protect the battery pack from collision forces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10559795B1Chassis brace for protecting traction battery

Publication Date: 2020.02.11 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A vehicle includes a battery pack having siderails and includes a front cradle having rearwardly extending arms connected to the siderails and a cross member longitudinally spaced from the battery pack. A brace has a midportion connected to the cross member and ends connected to the arms such that the brace creates load paths between the cross member and the siderails to inhibit impact between the cross member and the battery pack.