Die-Cast Battery Case Cross Member for Side Collision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery pack arrangements for electric vehicles face challenges in enhancing side collision resistance without increasing the number of components and weight, often requiring additional reinforcement or impact-absorbing parts.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack structure featuring a die-cast metal case main body with integrally formed cross members and fixing portions, a recessed cover, and raised portions for electrical components, which reduces components and weight while enhancing collision resistance by directing collision loads and maintaining minimum ground clearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a press-formed steel plate battery case with vertical frame is used, then the battery case can be assembled with bolt connections, but the side collision resistance is insufficient and requires additional reinforcing members or impact-absorbing parts, increasing the number of components and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The cross member and second fixing portion are integrated into the battery case main body as a single die-cast aluminum alloy structure, eliminating the need for separate reinforcing members and impact-absorbing parts. This merging of components directly resolves the technical contradiction by providing side collision resistance through the integrated structure without increasing the number of parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery case main body is constructed from die-cast aluminum alloy, combining the benefits of light weight with high strength-to-weight ratio. This composite material approach enables the integrated cross member and fixing portions to achieve sufficient side collision resistance while maintaining component simplicity.
2Strength
If a press-formed steel plate battery case with vertical frame is used, then the battery case can be assembled with bolt connections, but the side collision resistance is insufficient and requires additional reinforcing members or impact-absorbing parts, increasing the weight
Solution Approach 1:
The cross member and second fixing portion are integrated into the battery case main body as a single die-cast aluminum alloy structure, eliminating the need for separate reinforcing members and impact-absorbing parts. This merging of components directly resolves the technical contradiction by providing side collision resistance through the integrated structure without increasing the number of parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery case main body is constructed from die-cast aluminum alloy, combining the benefits of light weight with high strength-to-weight ratio. This composite material approach enables the integrated cross member and fixing portions to achieve sufficient side collision resistance while maintaining component simplicity.
3Length of stationary object
If the battery pack is disposed in the lower part of the vehicle body, then the ground clearance must be maintained, but the battery case may interfere with floor cross members
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed with a recess portion that creates vertical clearance by recessing downward toward the cross member. This dimensional adjustment in the vertical direction allows the battery pack to be positioned lower while maintaining ground clearance and avoiding interference with the floor cross member.
4Strength
If additional reinforcing members or impact-absorbing parts are provided in the battery case, then the side collision resistance is enhanced, but the number of components and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cross member and second fixing portion are integrated into the battery case main body as a single die-cast aluminum alloy structure, eliminating the need for separate reinforcing members and impact-absorbing parts. This merging of components directly resolves the technical contradiction by providing side collision resistance through the integrated structure without increasing the number of parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery case main body is constructed from die-cast aluminum alloy, combining the benefits of light weight with high strength-to-weight ratio. This composite material approach enables the integrated cross member and fixing portions to achieve sufficient side collision resistance while maintaining component simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
In this battery pack arrangement structure, since a case main body of a battery case is made of a metal by die-casting, not only is it possible to reduce the number of components and the weight by forming, integrally with the case main body, a cross member protruding upward from a case bottom wall and extending in the vehicle width direction and a second fixing portion protruding outward in the vehicle width direction from a case side wall, but it is also possible to enhance the side collision resistance by increasing the strength of the case main body including the cross member and the second fixing portion. Moreover, since the second fixing portion protruding outward in the vehicle width direction from the case side wall is fixed to a floor frame, due to the collision load of a side collision being directly transmitted from the floor frame to the cross member of the case main body and supported, it is possible to ensure the side collision resistance even when the strength of the floor frame is decreased so as to lighten the weight.