Vehicle Underbody Unit with Cooling Ribs for Battery Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The service life of motor vehicle traction batteries is limited due to inadequate load distribution and heat management, which can lead to overheating and damage during operation and crashes.
Innovation Solution
An underbody unit with reinforcing ribs and a solid floor body that integrates battery cell units, provides structural reinforcement, dissipates loads, and functions as a heat exchanger using a refrigerating agent to maintain optimal temperatures, thereby protecting the battery cells and extending their service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a thin cast aluminum wall with cooling ribs is used for the battery housing underbody, then the cooling capability is improved, but the structural strength and load-bearing capacity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the floor body and battery housing into a single integrated component. The floor body itself serves as both the structural load-bearing element and the cooling surface, eliminating the need for a separate thin-walled battery housing. This merging allows the floor body to simultaneously provide structural strength and cooling capability without compromising either function.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor body is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides structural reinforcement for the vehicle body, serves as the battery housing, and acts as the cooling surface for the traction battery. This multi-functionality allows a single component to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate components, resolving the contradiction between structural strength and cooling capability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If reinforcing ribs are added to the floor body to improve structural stability, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing ribs are integrated directly into the floor body as a single molded component rather than being separate attachments. This integration maintains structural stability while reducing device complexity by eliminating the need for additional fastening mechanisms or separate reinforcing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor body is segmented into functional regions through the reinforcing ribs, which create distinct zones for structural support and battery placement. This segmentation provides structural stability while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through integral forming of the ribbed structure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the floor body is designed to dissipate loads effectively, then the protective capability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The load-dissipating features are integrated into the floor body design itself, combining protective functionality with the basic structural form. This integration allows the floor body to be manufactured as a single component with built-in load distribution capabilities, avoiding the need for separate protective elements or complex assembly processes.
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
The underbody unit effectively absorbs and dissipates static and dynamic loads, protects battery cells from damage, and maintains optimal temperatures, resulting in a longer service life for traction batteries by serving as a supporting base, armor plating, and heat exchanger.
Implementation Method 1
The floor body can be cooled with the aid of the refrigerating agent supplied and removed via the connections. Thus, the battery cell units will not be overheated and damaged by heat that is not removed.
Implementation Method 2
The reinforcing ribs also conduct away heat from the battery cell units to the floor body.
Implementation Method 3
The reinforcing ribs and the floor body delimit receiving pockets for receiving at least one battery cell unit of a traction battery for driving the motor vehicle in hybrid form and/or purely electrically.
Implementation Method 4
The underbody unit effectively absorbs and dissipates static and dynamic loads, protects battery cells from damage
Data Source
AI summary
An underbody unit for a motor vehicle body has a floor body (12) connectable to the motor vehicle body for dissipating static and/or dynamic loads. Reinforcing ribs (14) protrude up from the floor body (12). The reinforcing ribs (14) together with the floor body (12) delimit receiving pockets (16) for receiving battery cell units (18) of a traction battery for driving the motor vehicle. First and second connections (34, 36) supply and remove a refrigerating agent for cooling the floor body (12). The battery cell units (18) are above the floor body (12) and can be inserted into the underbody unit (10). Thus, the underbody unit (10), the reinforcing ribs (14) and the connections (34, 36) for the refrigerating agent define a supporting plate that can support the heavy battery cell units (18), form armor plating for protection and a heat exchanger for active and/or passive cooling.