Rotatable Battery Housing for Easier Vehicle Pack Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery pack mounting structures require significant effort for users to mount and dismount battery packs, as the storage position is often deep within the vehicle, necessitating pushing or pulling the pack into or out of the vehicle.

Innovation Solution

A mobile body with a housing portion that is rotatable around a lateral axis, allowing the battery pack to be stored closer to one side of the vehicle, facilitating easier access by opening on that side, thus reducing the effort required for mounting and dismounting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the battery pack storage position is located deep inside the vehicle, then the vehicle structure is compact and space-efficient, but the user must push or pull the battery pack with significant effort to mount and dismount it

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle space utilizationVSAvoidbattery pack mounting effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the housing portion rotatable around a rotational axis. The housing portion can rotate between a first position (for mounting/dismounting) and a second position (for storage). This dynamic transformation allows the system to switch between two functional states: when in the first position, the opening faces outward for easy battery pack access; when in the second position, the housing portion rotates to face inward toward the vehicle interior, optimizing space utilization. The rotatable mechanism resolves the contradiction by allowing the same structure to serve both purposes at different times.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the housing portion is fixed in position, then the vehicle structure is simple and stable, but the user cannot easily access the battery pack when it is stored deep inside

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery pack accessibilityVSAvoidhousing structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the fixed housing structure into a dynamic, rotatable one. The housing portion is equipped with a rotational mechanism that allows it to pivot around a rotational axis. This adds complexity to the structure but dramatically improves accessibility. When the housing portion rotates to its first position, the opening faces outward, making the battery pack easily accessible to users. The rotational capability is controlled to move between defined positions, balancing the added complexity with significant operational benefit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the opening of the housing portion faces the vehicle interior, then the battery pack is securely stored, but the user must exert significant force to push or pull the battery pack in and out

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery pack storage securityVSAvoiduser effort for mounting/dismounting
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses the dynamics principle to create a rotatable housing portion that can change its orientation. When the housing portion is in its first position, the opening faces outward away from the vehicle interior, allowing users to easily place or remove battery packs with minimal force. When rotated to the second position, the opening faces inward toward the vehicle interior, providing secure storage. The rotational mechanism enables the system to switch between these two states, resolving the contradiction between storage security and ease of mounting/dismounting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3871913B1Mobile object
Publication Date: 2023.09.06 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3871913B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3871913B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3871913B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The effort required to put and take an article into and out of a housing portion of a mobile body in an open position is reduced even when the retained position of the article is inwardly displaced from either outer end of the mobile body in the fore and aft direction. The mobile body (1) is provided with a housing portion (13) configured to store an article (9) in a removable manner. The housing portion is located on one side of the mobile body in a fore and aft direction with respect to a central point of the mobile body so as to be rotatable around a rotational axis (X) extending laterally between a retaining position for retaining the article in a stored position and an open position facing an open side toward the one side of the vehicle body, the housing portion being configured such that an upper part of the housing portion moves toward the one side as the housing portion rotates from the retaining position to the open position. The worker is thus enabled to put and take the article into and out of the housing portion in the open position from the one side of the mobile body in the fore and aft direction.