Rear Axle Battery Support Bar for Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with longer high-voltage batteries mounted on rear axle cross members, vertical accelerations during driving cause stress on the battery and its support, leading to potential damage due to the cantilevered design.
Innovation Solution
A removable support bar is fixed to the boot floor with one end attached to the battery, providing additional vertical support and allowing horizontal sliding for easier maintenance, which can be optional for standard vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a longer high-voltage battery is mounted on the rear axle cross member, then the battery capacity and energy storage are improved, but the stress on the battery and support due to vertical accelerations increases, leading to potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into two independent parts: a fixed support attached to the cross member and a removable support bar attached to the boot floor. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the fixed support provides stable mounting while the removable bar provides additional support only when needed for longer batteries, distributing the load and reducing stress on any single component.
Solution Approach 2:
The support bar is designed to be removable rather than fixed, making the support structure dynamic and adaptable. For standard vehicles with shorter batteries, the removable bar is not installed, keeping the system simple. For vehicles with longer batteries, the bar can be added to provide the necessary additional support, allowing the system to adapt to different battery configurations and stress requirements.
2Reliability
If a fixed support structure is used for the battery, then the battery is securely mounted, but the battery cannot be easily removed for maintenance operations
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into a fixed portion (attached to the cross member) and a removable portion (the support bar attached to the boot floor). This segmentation allows the battery to be securely mounted when both parts are present, while enabling easy removal by simply detaching the removable support bar, without requiring complex tools or procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The support bar is designed with dynamic characteristics - it can be easily installed and removed. The bar features a flat section that fits into an oblong hole in the floor, allowing horizontal sliding for easy installation/removal, and indentations that engage with the floor sheet metal to prevent rotation during use, providing both security and ease of maintenance.
3Device complexity
If a standard short battery holder is used, then the vehicle structure remains simple and economical, but longer batteries cannot be properly supported
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed support plate is designed with universality in mind - it can accommodate both short standard batteries and longer high-voltage batteries. The plate extends behind the cross member and provides a mounting surface that works for different battery lengths. When a longer battery is installed, the universal support structure can be supplemented with the optional removable support bar to provide the necessary additional support, making the same base structure suitable for multiple battery configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The support system is dynamic in its configuration - the removable support bar can be added or removed based on the battery length requirement. This dynamic approach allows the vehicle to maintain a simple, economical structure with just the fixed plate for standard applications, while having the capability to add the bar for longer batteries, providing adaptability without permanently increasing complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
Motor vehicle equipped with a battery (14) mounted on a support (10) fixed to the side of a rear axle crossmember (2) located under a rear trunk floor (8) of this vehicle, comprising a removable support bar (20) having an upper end fixed to the trunk floor (8), and a lower end connected to one side of the battery (14).