Movable Battery Weight Shifting for Adaptive Vehicle Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle systems fail to dynamically adjust the center of mass during operation to enhance driving characteristics, such as acceleration, deceleration, and turning, which can lead to suboptimal handling and performance.
Innovation Solution
A weight shifting system that includes sensors, a processing unit, and a positioning device to move vehicle components, like the battery, by up to 12 inches, changing the vehicle's center of mass and driving characteristics based on sensed conditions like acceleration, deceleration, and user input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the center of mass is kept fixed in traditional vehicle design, then the vehicle structure is simple and stable, but the driving characteristics cannot be optimized for different maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the center of mass movable rather than fixed. The battery pack is mounted on a positioning device that can dynamically adjust its position along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, allowing the center of mass to shift in response to different driving conditions such as acceleration, deceleration, and turning maneuvers, thereby optimizing driving characteristics adaptively
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing a multi-functional positioning device that serves multiple purposes: it positions the battery pack for optimal weight distribution, provides structural support for the battery, and enables dynamic adjustment for various driving scenarios. This single device handles multiple functions that would otherwise require separate systems
2Adaptability or versatility
If a heavy component like a battery is moved dynamically to change center of mass, then driving characteristics are improved, but the positioning device must handle significant weight requiring more force and energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical positioning systems with an electromechanical system. The positioning device uses an electric motor or actuator to move the battery pack, substituting pure mechanical linkages and manual adjustment mechanisms with an electrically controlled system that can precisely control the position and force applied to the heavy battery component
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the position of the battery pack along the longitudinal axis to achieve different center of mass locations. The system adjusts the spatial parameter (position) of the battery to optimize driving characteristics for different maneuvers, changing the physical state of the vehicle's weight distribution dynamically
Data Source
AI summary
A system for dynamically shifting a weight of a component of a vehicle, includes: a sensor configured to sense a condition during operation of the vehicle; a processing unit configured to generate a control signal after the sensor has sensed the condition; and a positioning device configured to move the component of the vehicle based on the control signal received from the processing unit; wherein the positioning device is configured to move the component of the vehicle by a distance that is sufficient to change a center of mass of the vehicle by at least 6 inches.