Vehicle Battery Coupling for Two-Wheel and Four-Wheel Drive Configurations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle manufacturers face difficulties in designing and managing stock for multiple transmission chain versions, as they need to provide two types of batteries and complex architectures for two-wheel and four-wheel drive vehicles, leading to logistical and design challenges.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle transmission chain design that uses a single rechargeable battery coupled directly to a charger in two-wheel drive mode and indirectly via an additional electric motor in four-wheel drive mode, allowing the same battery to be used for both configurations, simplifying design and logistics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If two types of battery and two different architectures are provided for two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions, then each drive configuration can have its own optimized battery system, but the design phase becomes more difficult and stock management and logistics problems arise in assembly plants and after-sales services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single battery architecture that can serve multiple drive configurations. The battery system is designed with a universal coupling interface that can connect to either one or two electric drive machines, allowing the same battery to be used in both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions without requiring different battery types or architectures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics through a reconfigurable electrical harness system with switching means. The coupling interface can dynamically change its configuration - in two-wheel drive mode, the battery connects directly to the charger via the first electrical harness, while in four-wheel drive mode, the same battery connects to two electric drive machines through switching means that route power through the second electrical harness. This dynamic reconfiguration allows one battery architecture to adapt to different drive configurations.
2Ease of manufacture
If a single battery architecture is used for both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions, then design and logistics are simplified, but the system must accommodate additional complexity in the coupling interface to support both configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the electrical connection system into modular components: a first electrical harness for direct battery-to-charger connection, a second electrical harness for battery-to-drive-machine connection, and switching means that can selectively activate different pathways. This segmentation allows the coupling interface to support multiple configurations while keeping each individual component relatively simple and standardized.
Solution Approach 2:
The switching means acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the single battery architecture and the different drive configurations. It selectively routes electrical connections to accommodate either one or two electric drive machines, allowing the battery system to adapt to different configurations without requiring physically different battery designs or complex custom wiring for each variant.
3Reliability
If two different battery types are provided for different drive configurations, then each battery can be optimized for its specific application, but stock management and logistics problems occur in assembly plants and after-sales services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for multiple battery types by designing a universal battery architecture with a standardized coupling interface. This single battery type can be installed in both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations, allowing assembly plants to use the same battery components for different vehicle variants and enabling after-sales services to manage simplified inventory with a single battery type for all configurations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle (V) comprises a transmission chain comprising a first electric drive machine (MM1) helping drive a first train (T1), at least one rechargeable battery (BR) supplying electrical energy to at least this first drive machine (MM1) and coupled to a charger (CB), and, optionally, a second electric drive machine (MM2) helping drive a second train (T2). In the absence of this second drive machine (MM2), the rechargeable battery (BR) is coupled directly to the charger (CB) via a first wiring harness (F1), whereas in the presence of this second drive machine (MM2), the rechargeable battery (BR) is coupled indirectly to the charger (CB) via the second drive machine (MM2) and the first (F1) and a second (F2) electric harnesses.