Composite Battery Tray With Metal Inserts for Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery enclosures in electric and hybrid vehicles are not adequately designed to provide both lightweight protection and robust mechanical support against impact loads, particularly from collisions, while also ensuring efficient integration and cooling of battery cells.
Innovation Solution
A composite battery tray with embedded metal inserts and a load-bearing frame, manufactured through hot compression molding, which provides tailored mechanical strength, secure fastening, and integrated cooling channels, enhancing the battery's protection and integration into the vehicle structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If steel battery boxes are used to protect batteries against mechanical loads, then protection and strength are improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure combining polymer material for the battery enclosure with integrated metal reinforcement elements. The polymer base provides lightweight protection while the metal inserts (such as steel or aluminum profiles) embedded within specific high-stress regions enhance mechanical strength and impact resistance. This composite approach achieves the required protection level without the full weight penalty of a complete steel enclosure.
2Weight of moving object
If polymeric or composite components are used to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but protection against severe impacts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local reinforcement by integrating metal elements (such as reinforcement ribs, inserts, or profiles) specifically at critical impact zones and high-stress areas of the polymer battery enclosure. The majority of the enclosure remains lightweight polymer material, while localized metal reinforcements provide enhanced impact protection where mechanically necessary. This selective strengthening maintains overall lightweight design while addressing specific vulnerability points.
3Strength
If metal inserts are embedded in side flange to provide robust connection, then connection strength is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the metal reinforcement elements and connection features directly into the battery tray structure during the molding process. The metal inserts are embedded within the polymer material during manufacturing, creating a unified component rather than separate parts requiring assembly. This integration reduces the number of discrete components and assembly steps while maintaining robust connection capabilities through the embedded metal elements that provide both structural reinforcement and mounting points.
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 composite battery tray offers a lightweight, robust, and efficiently integrated solution that withstands mechanical loads, ensures secure fastening to the vehicle frame, and maintains optimal battery temperature through integrated cooling, while reducing material costs and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
the side flange comprises one or more metal inserts embedded in the side flange. The metal inserts are configured to receive one or more fasteners to secure the battery tray to a load bearing structure
Implementation Method 2
The composite battery tray provides a lightweight structure for the battery unit disclosed. Further, the composite material may be chosen to provide tailored mechanical strength
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a battery unit (100) for an electric vehicle. The battery unit (100) comprises a battery tray (1) made of a composite material and defining an interior space configured to receive a battery (2) comprising one or more battery cells. The interior space is delimited by a bottom wall (3) and one or more lateral walls (4). Further, the lateral walls (4) comprise a side flange (5) extending outwardly from the lateral walls (4), and the side flange (5) comprises one or more embedded metal inserts (6). The metal inserts (6) are configured to receive one or more fasteners to secure the battery tray (1) to a load bearing structure of the electric vehicle. The present disclosure further relates to methods (500) for manufacturing a battery unit.