Electric Vehicle Battery Housing as Structural Frame Component
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles with hybrid or electric drives require heavy batteries, which necessitate a rigid bodywork or frame design, but existing solutions do not effectively integrate the electrical energy storage as a structural component, leading to inefficiencies in space and weight usage.
Innovation Solution
The electrical energy storage units are housed in a stable accumulator housing that functions as a supporting structural component of the vehicle body or frame, allowing for integration into the vehicle's structure rather than being confined to a compartment, thereby saving space and weight while providing enhanced rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electrical energy store is housed in a separate compartment of the vehicle body, then the battery is protected from damage, but installation space is wasted and the vehicle body requires additional structural reinforcement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the battery housing with the vehicle frame into a single integrated structure. The battery housing serves dual functions as both protective enclosure and structural support element, eliminating the need for separate compartments and reducing overall vehicle weight while maintaining protection capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The battery housing is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it protects the battery units, provides structural support for the vehicle body, and serves as a mounting point for other vehicle components. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the housing an essential structural component rather than a separate protective element
2Reliability
If the electrical energy store is housed in a separate compartment, then the battery is protected from damage, but the vehicle body requires additional structural reinforcement increasing weight
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the battery housing with the vehicle frame, the patent eliminates redundant structural elements. The housing itself becomes the structural component that provides both protection and support, reducing the need for additional reinforcement and thereby decreasing overall vehicle weight
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed as a universal component that simultaneously provides battery protection and structural support functions. This multi-functionality allows the same material mass to serve dual purposes, reducing the total weight compared to separate protective compartment and reinforcement structures
3Volume of moving object
If the accumulator housing is designed as a supporting structural component, then space and weight are saved, but the housing must withstand higher forces and bending moments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that the housing can be made from composite materials or metal alloys with optimized strength-to-weight ratios. This allows the housing to achieve the necessary strength to withstand vehicle operational forces while maintaining the weight and space benefits of the integrated design
Solution Approach 2:
The housing design incorporates optimized geometric parameters and structural configurations that enhance its load-bearing capacity. By carefully designing the housing shape, thickness distribution, and reinforcement locations, the structure can withstand higher forces while maintaining minimal weight and maximum space efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle (1), comprising a front wheel (2), a rear wheel (3), an electric motor, which is provided for driving the rear and/or front wheels, and several electric storage units (6), which are accommodated in a storage housing (7). The storage housing forms a supporting component of a frame or of a body of the vehicle.