Traction battery securing assembly and method

• US 10,005,350 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2017
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Khan, Ahteram, Shen, Jingmei, Grace, Ihab, Wagner, Thomas A., Braeseker, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/440,325
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 180 685
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0466 from above
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/01 Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

An exemplary traction battery securing assembly includes, among other things, a platform to support a battery pack, and a bracket supporting the platform in a position spaced from a vehicle structure. The bracket moves from a less elongated position to a more elongated position in response to a load to permit movement of the platform and the traction battery relative to the vehicle structure. An exemplary traction battery securing method includes, among other things, elongating a bracket in response to a load to permit a traction battery to move relative to a vehicle structure.

Claims

1. A traction battery securing assembly, comprising:

a battery pack;

a platform to support the battery pack in a position that is vertically above the platform, the platform including a flange extending transversely from a portion of the platform that supports the battery pack, the platform further including a plurality of raised ridges disposed between the flange and the battery pack; and

a bracket having at least a portion directly beneath the platform, the bracket supporting the platform in a position vertically spaced from a vehicle structure, the bracket configured to move from a less elongated position to a more elongated position in response to a load to permit movement of the platform and the traction battery relative to the vehicle structure, the load applied to the flange of the platform.

2. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 1, wherein the bracket is disposed vertically beneath both the platform and the battery pack, and vertically between the platform and the vehicle structure, wherein the bracket is secured directly to the platform.

3. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 1, wherein the load is applied in a load direction, and the bracket is elongated in the load direction when moved from the less elongated position to the more elongated position.

4. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 1, wherein the bracket comprises a first rail and a second rail slideably retained by the first rail, the second rail sliding relative to the first rail when the bracket moves from the less elongated position to the more elongated position.

5. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 4, wherein one of the first or the second rails is secured to the platform, and the other of the first of the second rails is secured to the vehicle structure.

6. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 4, wherein the load is applied in a load direction, and the second rail slides relative to the first rail in the load direction when moved from the less elongated position to the more elongated position.

7. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 1, further comprising the vehicle structure, wherein the vehicle structure is a floor of a vehicle trunk compartment that is vertically beneath both the platform and the battery pack.

8. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 1, wherein the battery pack includes a polymer-based enclosure housing a plurality of battery cells, and the platform is formed of a metal or metal alloy.

9. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 8, wherein the platform is configured to extend rearward of the enclosure relative to a general orientation of a vehicle when the platform, the bracket, and the battery pack are installed within the vehicle, wherein the flange is disposed rearward of the portion of the platform that supports the battery pack.

10. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 1, wherein all portions of the platform are separate and distinct from all portions of the battery pack.

11. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 1, wherein the platform extends rearward of a rearmost portion of the battery pack.

12. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 11, wherein the flange is disposed rearward of the portion of the platform supporting the battery pack, and the flange extends upwardly.

13. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of raised ridges extend longitudinally from a position directly adjacent the battery pack to an interface between the flange and the portion of the platform.

14. The traction battery securing assembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of the load is applied to the battery pack through the raised ridges.

15. A traction battery securing method, comprising:

elongating a bracket in response to a load to permit a traction battery to move relative to a vehicle structure, the traction battery secured directly to a platform configured to move with the traction battery relative to the vehicle structure in response to the load, at least a portion of the bracket disposed directly underneath the platform and vertically between the platform and the vehicle structure, the load applied to the battery pack through a flange of the platform and a plurality of raised ridges in the platform, the flange extending transversely from a portion of the platform supporting the battery pack.

16. The traction battery securing method of claim 15, further comprising securing a first section of the bracket to the vehicle structure at a first position and a second section of the bracket to the platform at a second position, the first and second positions both directly underneath all portions of the traction battery.

17. The traction battery securing method of claim 16, further comprising moving the first section and the second section further apart relative to each other during the elongating.

18. The traction battery securing method of claim 16, further comprising pushing the flange of the platform with a portion of an electrified vehicle to cause the elongating such that the load is directed to the platform rather than into an enclosure of the traction battery that houses a plurality of battery cells.

19. The traction battery securing method of claim 15, further comprising sliding a first rail of the bracket relative to a second rail of the bracket during the elongating, the second rail slideably retained by the first rail.

20. The traction battery securing method of claim 19, wherein one of the first or the second rails is secured to a platform that supports the traction battery, and the other of the first of the second rails is secured to the vehicle structure.

21. The traction battery securing method of claim 15, wherein the raised ridges are disposed between the battery pack and the flange.

22. The traction battery securing method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of raised ridges extend longitudinally from a position directly adjacent the battery pack to the flange.