Hybrid Plastic Battery Tray With Local Reinforcement Positioning

The patent applies composite materials by combining an insertion part made of reinforcement material (such as fiber-reinforced plastic or metal) with a molding compound (thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic) to form a hybrid battery shell. This composite structure allows the insertion part to provide enhanced structural-mechanical properties and geometric complexity in critical areas, while the molding compound provides overall shell formation, cost-effectiveness, and weight reduction. The two materials are bonded together through mechanical interlocking via indentations and bonding agents, creating a synergistic composite structure that meets both performance and cost requirements.

The patent applies local quality by strategically placing the insertion part only in specific regions of the battery shell where enhanced structural-mechanical properties are required, rather than making the entire shell from high-strength material. The insertion part is positioned to provide local reinforcement at critical stress points or areas requiring complex geometry, while the remaining portions of the shell are formed from lighter, more cost-effective molding compound. This localized approach minimizes the weight and cost penalty while achieving the necessary strength enhancement.

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the indentations into the molding compound during the molding process itself, before the insertion part is actually inserted and bonded. These indentations are created as integral features of the tooling or mold, allowing the insertion part to be positioned precisely through mechanical interlocking. By preparing these positioning features in advance during mold fabrication, the need for complex post-molding adjustment or assembly operations is eliminated, and positioning precision is achieved through the designed geometry of the indentations rather than through complex manufacturing processes.