Battery boxes and vehicles including same

• US 20090004554A1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Holoweiko, Ryan J., Reed, Camas
• Granted Patent: US 7,836,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/97
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Vehicles, such as all terrain vehicles, can be provided with a battery box. The battery box comprises a bottom wall, a top wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall which together define a battery retention chamber having a front opening configured for passage of a battery. Vehicles having a battery box are also provided.

Claims

1. A battery box comprising:

a bottom wall;

a top wall generally parallel with the bottom wall and spaced from the bottom wall;

a first side wall extending from the bottom wall to the top wall;

a second side wall generally parallel with the first side wall, spaced from the first side wall, and extending from the bottom wall to the top wall;

a rear wall extending from the bottom wall to the top wall and extending from the first side wall to the second side wall, wherein the bottom wall, the top wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, and the rear wall together define a battery retention chamber having a front opening configured for passage of a battery; and

a first prong and a second prong each extending generally perpendicularly from the first side wall opposite the battery retention chamber, wherein the first prong is spaced from the second prong in a generally parallel and corresponding relationship, and wherein the first prong and the second prong are together configured to slidably receive a solenoid.

2. The battery box of claim 1 wherein each of the bottom wall, the top wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, the rear wall, the first prong, and the second prong comprises plastic.

3. The battery box of claim 1 wherein the first prong and the second prong extend from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end is adjacent to the first side wall, and at least one of the first prong and the second prong comprises a lateral projection adjacent to the distal end.

4. The battery box of claim 1 further comprising a retention member configured for selective attachment to at least one of the bottom wall, the top wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, and the rear wall to facilitate selective securement of a battery within the battery retention chamber.

5. The battery box of claim 1 further comprising a cover configured for selective attachment to the first side wall for covering the first prong, the second prong, and a solenoid attached to the first prong and the second prong.

6. The battery box of claim 5 wherein the cover comprises rigid plastic and is substantially cup-shaped.

7. The battery box of claim 5 wherein the cover comprises tabs and the first side wall comprises slots configured to receive the tabs to facilitate attachment of the cover to the first side wall.

8. The battery box of claim 5 wherein at least one drain hole is provided in at least one of the first side wall, the second side wall, the bottom wall, and the cover.

9. A battery box comprising:

a bottom wall;

a top wall spaced from the bottom wall;

a first side wall extending from the bottom wall to the top wall;

a second side wall spaced from the first side wall and extending from the bottom wall to the top wall, wherein the bottom wall, the top wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall together define a battery retention chamber having a front opening configured for passage of a battery; and

a first prong and a second prong each extending laterally from the first side wall, wherein the first prong is spaced from the second prong, and wherein the first prong and the second prong are together configured to slidably receive an electrical actuator.

10. The battery box of claim 9 wherein the top wall is generally parallel with the bottom wall, and the first side wall is generally parallel with the second side wall.

11. The battery box of claim 9 further comprising a rear wall extending from the bottom wall to the top wall and extending from the first side wall to the second side wall.

12. The battery box of claim 9 wherein each of the bottom wall, the top wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, the first prong, and the second prong comprises plastic.

13. The battery box of claim 9 wherein each of the first prong and the second prong are generally parallel and correspond with one another and extend generally perpendicularly from the first side wall opposite the battery retention chamber.

14. The battery box of claim 9 wherein the first prong and the second prong extend from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end is adjacent to the first side wall, and at least one of the first prong and the second prong comprises a lateral projection adjacent to the distal end.

15. The battery box of claim 9 further comprising a retention member configured for selective attachment to at least one of the bottom wall, the top wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall to facilitate selective securement of a battery within the battery retention chamber.

16. The battery box of claim 9 further comprising a cover configured for selective attachment to the first side wall for covering the first prong, the second prong, and an electrical actuator attached to the first prong and the second prong.

17. The battery box of claim 16 wherein the cover comprises rigid plastic and is substantially cup-shaped.

18. The battery box of claim 16 wherein the cover comprises tabs and the first side wall comprises slots configured to receive the tabs to facilitate attachment of the cover to the first side wall.

19. The battery box of claim 16 wherein at least one drain hole is provided in at least one of the first side wall, the second side wall, the bottom wall, and the cover.

20. A vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a battery;

an electrical actuator having a first mounting provision and a second mounting provision; and

a battery box attached to the frame and comprising;

a bottom wall;

a top wall spaced from the bottom wall;

a first side wall extending from the bottom wall to the top wall;

a second side wall spaced from the first side wall and extending from the bottom wall to the top wall, wherein the bottom wall, the top wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall together define a battery retention chamber having a front opening configured for passage of the battery;

a first prong and a second prong each extending laterally from the first side wall opposite the battery retention chamber, wherein the first prong is spaced from the second prong, and wherein the first prong and the second prong respectively interface the first mounting provision and the second mounting provision of the electrical actuator to facilitate attachment of the electrical actuator to the battery box; and

a retention member configured to facilitate selective securement of the battery within the battery retention chamber.

21. The vehicle of claim 20 further comprising a fender attached to the frame and extending adjacent to the top wall of the battery box.

22. The vehicle of claim 20 comprising an all terrain vehicle.

23. The vehicle of claim 20 further comprising a cover configured for selective attachment to the first side wall for covering the first prong, the second prong, and the electrical actuator.

24. The vehicle of claim 23 wherein the electrical actuator comprises a solenoid.

25. The vehicle of claim 23 wherein the cover comprises rigid plastic and is substantially cup-shaped.