Underbody Battery Layout With Central Driveshaft Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicular battery mounting configurations face challenges in optimizing space utilization, particularly in electric vehicles, where high-voltage battery units mounted under the center floor compromise space for components like spare tires and driveshafts, limiting power enhancement and all-wheel drive capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular battery unit design featuring a lower case with lateral battery-receiving sections, a convex connecting section, cooling blocks, and a cooling water hose coupler unit that allows for efficient cooling and power transmission, enabling the driveshaft to be positioned between battery modules, thus optimizing space and power delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the high-voltage battery unit is mounted in the trunk compartment or luggage compartment, then the battery can be installed, but the amount of space in the trunk compartment or luggage compartment is reduced, making it difficult to mount components such as a spare tire
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates the battery unit from the horizontal trunk compartment space to the vertical underbody space beneath the center floor. This dimensional transition from 2D floor plane to 3D underbody volume allows the battery to be accommodated without encroaching on the luggage compartment, effectively resolving the space conflict by utilizing an previously underutilized spatial dimension.
2Area of stationary object
If the high-voltage battery unit is mounted to the lower portion of the center floor of a vehicle, then space utilization in the trunk compartment or luggage compartment is optimized, but it becomes difficult to ensure space for a driveshaft configured to transmit power from a powertrain to rear wheels
Solution Approach 1:
The underbody space is segmented into distinct functional zones: the battery-receiving sections are positioned laterally at two sides of the vehicle, while the convex connecting section creates a dedicated central mounting space for the driveshaft. This segmentation allows both the battery and driveshaft to coexist in the underbody area without spatial conflict, with each component having its own optimized mounting location.
3Area of stationary object
If the high-voltage battery unit is externally mounted to the lower portion of the center floor of a vehicle, then space in the trunk compartment or luggage compartment is optimized, but a rear-wheel-drive motor must be additionally mounted on the vehicle to realize all-wheel drive, and the limited size of the space for accommodating the rear-wheel-drive motor prevents power enhancement
Solution Approach 1:
The battery unit is designed with dual functionality: it serves as both the high-voltage power source for the electric vehicle and as a structural mounting platform for the rear-wheel-drive motor. The convex connecting section of the battery unit provides a integrated mounting space for the motor, eliminating the need for separate motor mounting structures and enabling all-wheel drive capability within the constrained underbody space.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design maximizes space utilization, allows for efficient cooling of battery modules, and enables power transmission to rear wheels without additional motors, reducing manufacturing costs and improving fuel efficiency while enhancing vehicle rigidity and handling performance.
Implementation Method 1
cooling blocks, which are disposed under the battery modules and which receive and discharge cooling water to cool the battery modules
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular battery unit includes a lower case including a pair of battery-receiving sections disposed at two lateral sides of a vehicle, and a connecting section, which is disposed between the pair of battery-receiving sections and is bent so as to be convex upwards, battery modules respectively mounted in the pair of battery-receiving sections, cooling blocks, which are disposed under the battery modules and which receive and discharge cooling water to cool the battery modules, at least one cooling water hose configured to exchange cooling water with the cooling blocks, and an upper case, which is disposed on the lower case and includes a cooling water hose coupler unit configured to connect the cooling water hose to the cooling blocks.