Leaning Vehicle Battery Case Segmentation for Load Bearing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Leaning vehicle batteries face challenges in maintaining load-bearing capability while achieving weight reduction, as the storage cell assembly case is prone to deformation due to the large movements of the leaning vehicle, which affects the durability and rigidity of the battery.

Innovation Solution

The battery design involves a storage cell assembly case with a separable upper and lower member structure, where the lower member has increased rigidity and a plate-shaped bottom section, and the upper member is larger in the up-down direction, allowing for enhanced load-bearing capacity without significant weight increase.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the wall thickness of the storage cell assembly case is reduced to reduce weight, then the weight of the battery is reduced, but the rigidity and load bearing capability of the storage cell assembly case deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of batteryVSAvoidload bearing capability of storage cell assembly case
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The storage cell assembly case is divided into two separate members: a lower member that includes the bottom section and an upper member. This segmentation allows the lower member to be specifically optimized for load-bearing functions while the upper member can be optimized for other functions, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and strength maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lower member is given different local qualities in different regions: the bottom section has increased rigidity and load-bearing structure, while other portions can be thinner and lighter. This localized optimization maintains overall strength while reducing total weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If the storage cell assembly case is designed to bear large loads from storage cell assembly during vehicle movements, then the load bearing capability is improved, but the weight of the battery increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload bearing capability of storage cell assembly caseVSAvoidweight of battery
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the case into lower and upper members, the load-bearing function is concentrated in the lower member, allowing the upper member to be minimized in weight. This resolves the contradiction by assigning different weight budgets to different functional requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lower member incorporates local quality enhancements specifically where load-bearing is needed (bottom section with increased rigidity), while other areas maintain minimal necessary weight, thus improving load bearing capability without proportionally increasing overall weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Power

If a storage cell assembly with a large number of storage cells is used to output large voltage, then the voltage output is improved, but the weight of the battery increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoltage output of batteryVSAvoidweight of battery
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The case structure is segmented to accommodate and support a large number of storage cells arranged in series for high voltage output. The lower member provides structural support for this increased cell count and weight, while the upper member can be optimized for other functions, allowing high power output without proportionally increasing overall battery weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3537502B1Leaning vehicle battery and leaning vehicle
Publication Date: 2020.10.28 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3537502B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3537502B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3537502B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

There is provided a leaning vehicle battery, in which the leaning vehicle battery can output a large voltage, and even after weight reduction is achieved in the leaning vehicle battery, load bearing capability of a storage cell assembly case can be maintained. The storage cell assembly case includes: a storage-cell-assembly-case lower member including a bottom section having a plate shape, the bottom section including: a first main surface that receives a load from the storage cell assembly in the downward direction; and a second main surface, which is the bottom surface of the leaning vehicle battery; and a storage-cell-assembly-case upper member fixed to the storage-cell-assembly-case lower member, the storage-cell-assembly-case upper member having a structure that is separable into two or more storage-cell-assembly-case upper-sub-members. The size of at least one storage-cell-assembly-case upper-sub-member of two or more storage-cell-assembly-case upper-sub-members in the up-down direction is larger than the size of the storage-cell-assembly-case lower member in the up-down direction.