EV Floor Panel Structure Using Battery Case Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The rigidity of the high-level portion of the floor panel in electric automotive vehicles is not efficiently improved by existing reinforcing members, which often increase vehicle size and weight without providing adequate support.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-body structure that utilizes a battery case to reinforce the high-level portion of the floor panel by connecting it with a connecting member, which is reinforced by cross members, dispersing load input during vehicle travel to the battery case, thereby improving rigidity without additional heavy components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a reinforcing member is attached to the vehicle body to improve rigidity, then the vehicle-body rigidity is improved, but the size and weight of the vehicle body increase
Solution Approach 1:
The battery case is designed to serve dual functions: storing the battery and acting as a reinforcing member for the floor panel. The high-level portion of the floor panel is connected to the battery case, allowing the battery case to provide structural support and improve floor panel rigidity without requiring additional dedicated reinforcing members, thus avoiding increased weight and size
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the battery storage function with the structural reinforcement function by integrating the battery case with the floor panel structure. The battery case and floor panel are connected through connecting members, creating a combined structure where the battery case simultaneously performs its storage role and provides rigidity support to the high-level portion of the floor panel
2Strength
If a reinforcing member is attached to the vehicle body to improve rigidity, then the vehicle-body rigidity is improved, but the size of the vehicle body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery case serves multiple purposes including battery storage and structural reinforcement. By connecting the high-level portion of the floor panel to the battery case, the structure provides rigidity support without requiring additional space-consuming reinforcing members, thus improving rigidity without increasing vehicle body size
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting members are positioned within the spatial envelope of the battery case structure, with the first cross member extending in the vehicle width direction below the high-level portion and the second cross member inside the battery case. This nested arrangement allows the reinforcing structure to be integrated within the existing battery case footprint rather than adding external protrusions
3Strength
If the floor panel is made larger to improve rigidity, then the rigidity is improved, but the weight and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the horizontal size of the floor panel to improve rigidity, the invention utilizes the vertical dimension by connecting the high-level portion of the floor panel to the battery case below. This vertical connection through connecting members provides rigidity support without requiring the floor panel to extend further in the horizontal plane, thus avoiding increased weight and size
Data Source
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AI summary
A floor panel comprises a first floor portion and a second floor portion which is located at a higher level than the first floor portion. In a vehicle-body structure, a connecting member which extends from a battery case to the second floor portion and connects the battery case and the second floor portion is provided.