Top-Hanging Battery Pack Layout for Lower EV Truck Center of Gravity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high center of gravity due to the mounting of battery packs on electric trucks affects the stability and space utilization of these vehicles, leading to a poor driving experience and increased costs for battery swapping stations.
Innovation Solution
A top hanging type battery pack design that detachably connects to a longitudinal beam via a lock connecting structure, featuring a mounting bracket and hanging members, which lowers the center of gravity and improves stability, allowing for more space and efficient battery swapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the battery pack is mounted on the longitudinal beam above the vehicle, then the battery pack can be securely installed and easily swapped, but the center of gravity becomes high which affects driving stability and occupies space behind the driver
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of mounting the battery pack above the longitudinal beam as in conventional designs, this patent inverts the mounting position to below the longitudinal beam. The battery pack box is positioned under the beam with its top surface against the bottom surface of the beam, fundamentally changing the spatial relationship to lower the center of gravity and improve stability while maintaining secure installation
2Ease of operation
If the battery pack is mounted above the longitudinal beam, then the battery can be easily accessed for swapping, but it occupies a large space behind the driver reducing cargo capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional battery mounting arrangement by positioning the battery pack below the longitudinal beam instead of above it. This spatial inversion relocates the battery from the cargo area behind the driver to the space underneath the beam, freeing up cargo space while maintaining easy accessibility for battery swapping operations through the same swapping station mechanisms
3Device complexity
If the battery pack is mounted high on the vehicle, then the structure is simplified, but the high center of gravity affects overall vehicle stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spatial inversion by mounting the battery pack below rather than above the longitudinal beam. This inverted positioning naturally lowers the center of gravity to the lowest possible position on the vehicle, maximizing stability. The mounting structure remains relatively simple, utilizing the bottom surface of the beam and standard fastening components
4Productivity
If conventional battery mounting is used above the beam, then battery swapping can be performed, but the swapping station requires large ground area and high construction cost
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the battery mount position to below the longitudinal beam, the patent enables a different battery swapping architecture. The battery swapping station can perform chassis-level swapping operations with the battery positioned lower, allowing for more compact station designs that occupy less ground area and reduce construction costs compared to conventional high-mounted battery swapping facilities
Data Source
AI summary
The present application discloses a top hanging type battery pack and an electric vehicle. The top hanging type battery pack is detachably connected to locking mechanisms on longitudinal beams of an electric vehicle. The top hanging type battery pack comprises a battery pack case and lock connecting structures. When the top hanging type battery pack is installed on an electric vehicle, the center of gravity of the battery pack is low and located below the longitudinal beams, thereby lowering the center of gravity of the whole electric vehicle and improving the driving stability of the electric truck; moreover, the battery pack does not occupy the space behind the driver, and thus, the driving experience can be improved, or the electric vehicle can provide more space to carry more goods.