Structural enhancements of an electric vehicle

• US 10,112,470 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2017
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Hamilton, David P., Nayak, Raviraj U., Kumar, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): Ebner, Katy M
• Application Number:
  US15/403,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20180194212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• 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 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/015 Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2304/05 Reducing production costs, e.g. by redesign
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2304/07 Facilitating assembling or mounting
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/02 comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/20 Floors or bottom sub-units sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/065 using screwthread connection of crossbeam to A- pillars B62D25/147; mounting load bearing surfaces B62D21/09; securing mudguards B62D25/163; connections for synthetic parts B62D29/048

Abstract

An electric vehicle includes a chassis frame and a battery pack disposed below and engaged to the chassis frame. The chassis frame includes a first cross member, and the battery pack includes a support structure having a first cross component. The first cross component co-extends with, and is engaged to, the first cross member.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising:

a chassis frame including a first cross member, a second cross member spaced forward of the first cross member, and a third cross member spaced forward from the second cross member; and

a battery pack engaged to and disposed beneath the chassis frame, the battery pack including a support structure having a first tubular cross component co-extending with and engaged to the first cross member, a second tubular cross component spaced forward of the first tubular cross component and co-extending with and engaged to the second cross member, and a third tubular cross component spaced forward from the second tubular cross component and co-extending with and engaged to the third cross member.

2. The electric vehicle set forth in claim 1, wherein the first tubular cross component is spaced from the second tubular cross component by a first distance, and the second cross component is spaced from the third tubular cross component by a second distance that is substantially equivalent to the first distance.

3. The electric vehicle set forth in claim 2, wherein the battery pack includes a plurality of modules configured to store electric energy and being of equivalent size, and with at least one module of the plurality of modules disposed between the first and second tubular cross components, and with at least one module of the plurality of modules disposed between the second and third cross members.

4. A compound cross beam comprising:

a chassis cross member includes a top wall and opposite side walls projecting downward from the top wall;

a battery pack cross component co-extending with and engaged to the chassis cross member, the battery pack cross component includes a top wall and opposite side walls projecting downward from the top wall of the battery pack cross component;

a floor pan disposed between and in contact with the chassis cross member and the battery pack cross component; and

a plurality of threaded, double shear, fasteners constructed and arranged to connect the chassis cross member to the battery pack cross component, each threaded double shear fastener including a bolt having an enlarged head that bears in a first vertical direction upon one of the top walls, and a threaded sleeve threaded to the bolt and bearing upon the other of the top walls and in a second vertical direction opposite the first vertical direction.