Industrial Truck Battery Assembly Structural Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing design of battery-driven industrial trucks, such as forklifts, requires bulky and heavy lithium battery assemblies, leading to increased complexity and manufacturing costs due to the need for a robust frame structure to support the weight and operational stresses.

Innovation Solution

The industrial truck design incorporates a battery assembly with a housing and two longitudinal members that connect the counterweight and the front frame portion, allowing force transfer during operation and reducing material usage by supporting the battery cells laterally.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If lithium battery assemblies are installed to achieve long reach and power, then the truck's power and reach are improved, but the frame structure becomes more complex and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetruck powerVSAvoidframe structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery assembly housing is merged with the frame structure by integrating longitudinal members that serve dual purposes: containing battery cells and transferring forces between the counterweight and front frame portion. This combination eliminates the need for separate structural support elements, reducing overall frame complexity while maintaining the required power capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The longitudinal members of the battery assembly are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural support, transfer operational forces, and contain battery cells. This multi-functionality allows the same component to address both power requirements and structural complexity, eliminating the need for additional dedicated support structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Length of moving object

If lithium battery assemblies are installed to achieve long reach and power, then the truck's reach is improved, but the frame structure becomes more complex and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetruck reachVSAvoidframe structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery assembly housing is merged with the frame structure by integrating longitudinal members that serve dual purposes: containing battery cells and transferring forces between the counterweight and front frame portion. This combination eliminates the need for separate structural support elements, reducing overall frame complexity while maintaining the required reach capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The longitudinal members of the battery assembly are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural support, transfer operational forces, and contain battery cells. This multi-functionality allows the same component to address both reach requirements and structural complexity, eliminating the need for additional dedicated support structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Strength

If a robust frame structure is designed to support battery weight and operational stresses, then the truck's structural strength is improved, but material usage and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveframe strengthVSAvoidmaterial usage
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The battery assembly housing is merged with the frame structure by integrating longitudinal members that serve dual purposes: containing battery cells and transferring forces between the counterweight and front frame portion. This combination eliminates redundant structural elements, reducing material usage while maintaining the required strength to support battery weight and operational stresses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The longitudinal members of the battery assembly are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural support, transfer operational forces, and contain battery cells. This multi-functionality allows the same material to serve multiple purposes, reducing overall material consumption while maintaining frame strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4234476B1Electrically-powered industrial truck
Publication Date: 2025.04.16 TOYOTA MATERIAL HANDLING MFG ITAL SPA
  • EP4234476B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4234476B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4234476B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electrically-powered industrial truck includes: -a lifting assembly for lifting a load, -a counterweight (11) opposite to the lifting assembly for balancing the weight of the lifting assembly and of a load lifted by the lifting assembly, -a front frame portion (13) configured for supporting the lifting assembly, and -a battery assembly (12), characterized in that the battery assembly (12) includes: -a housing (15) including a recess (16) for receiving one or more battery cells and -two longitudinal members (14) connected to the housing (15) on opposite lateral sides of the recess (16), wherein the longitudinal members (14) connect the counterweight (11) and the front frame portion (13) on opposite lateral sides of the electrically-powered industrial truck and are configured to transfer forces between the counterweight (11) and the front frame portion (13) during operation of the electrically-powered industrial truck.