Floor structure of electric vehicle

• US 5,501,289 A
• Filed: 01/24/1994
• Issued: 03/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Masusaki, Tatsuo, Nishikawa, Masaharu, Hanyu, Atsushi, Chiba, Kouji
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Application Number:
  US08/185,355
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/68.5, 180/60, 180/311, 280/782, 280/783, 280/785, 280/795, 280/800, 296/37.14
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• 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: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/10 in which the main member is plate-like
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/12 assembled from readily detachable parts
• 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 25/2036 the subunits being side panels, sills or pillars B62D21/157 takes precedence
• 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

A floor structure of an electric vehicle powered by batteries mounted thereon comprises an upper unit and a lower unit which are detachably coupled. The upper unit includes a first panel and a first base structure. The first panel is securely mounted on the first base structure in a manner to define a first given space which faces downward. The lower unit includes a second panel and a second base structure. The second base structure is securely mounted on the second panel in a manner to define a second given space which faces upward. Bolts and nuts are used for detachably coupling the upper and lower units in such a manner that the first and second given spaces are merged to constitute a united space. A grid structure is further employed which divides the united space into a plurality of container spaces. Each container space is sized to contain therein at least one of the batteries.

Claims

1. A floor structure of an electric motor vehicle powered by batteries mounted thereon, comprising:

an upper unit including a first panel and a first base structure, said first panel being a floor panel of said vehicle, said first base structure being mounted on a lower surface of said first panel and including laterally extending front and rear cross members and two longitudinally extending side members by which members a first given space facing downward is defined;

a lower unit including a second panel and a second base structure, said second base structure being mounted on an upper surface of said second panel to define a second given space which faces upward, said first base structure of the upper unit being mounted on said second base structure of the lower unit such that said first and second given spaces face each other and are merged with each other;

partition means for dividing the second given space of said lower unit into a plurality of container spaces, each container space being sized to contain therein at least one of said batteries; and

connecting means for detachably connecting the first base structure of said upper unit with the second base structure of said lower unit thereby to merge said first and second given spaces.

2. A floor structure as claimed in claim 1, in which each of said first and second base structures has a generally rectangular frame which comprises:

said two side members which extend in parallel with each other;

said front cross member which extends between front ends of said two side members; and

said rear cross member which extends between rear ends of said two side members.

3. A floor structure as claimed in claim 2, in which said partition means comprises:

a center member extending between the front and rear cross members of said second base structure; and

a plurality of spaced partition members which extend laterally between each of the side members of said second base structure and said center member.

4. A floor structure as claimed in claim 3, in which said first base structure further comprises:

outriggers respectively connected to the side members; and

side sills respectively connected to said outriggers.

5. A floor structure as claimed in claim 4, in which each of the side members of the first base structure has front and rear portions which are raised by a given degree from a major middle portion of the side member.

6. A floor structure as claimed in claim 5, in which said first panel is formed with a longitudinally extending tunnel and provided with a plurality of laterally extending reinforcing members, each reinforcing member extending perpendicular to said tunnel.

7. A floor structure as claimed in claim 5, in which the front and rear cross members of said first base structure have inclined lower surfaces and in which the front and rear cross members of said second base structure have inclined upper surfaces, said inclined lower surfaces being mated with the inclined upper surfaces respectively.

8. A floor structure as claimed in claim 5, in which said connecting means comprises:

a plurality of bolts, a first group of bolts passing through bolt openings formed in the side members of said first base structure and bolt openings formed in the side members of said second base structure, and a second group of bolts passing through openings formed in the center members of said first base structure and bolt openings formed in the center member of said second base structure; and

a plurality of nuts operatively engaged with said bolts.

9. A floor structure as claimed in claim 6, in which said connection means comprises:

a first connecting structure which detachably connect given portions of the first base structure to given portions of the second base structure; and

a second of connecting structure which detachably connects to corner portions of the first base structure to corner portions of the second base structure.

10. A floor structure as claimed in claim 9, in which each of said first connecting structure comprises:

a retainer securely held by the side member of said first base structure, said retainer being formed with a bolt opening, a slit and a window which is merged with said slit;

a nut plate movably received in said slit;

means defining in the side member of the first base structure a bolt opening which is mated with the bolt opening of said retainer;

means defining a bolt opening in the side member of the second base structure;

a channel piece secured to the side member of the second base structure, said channel piece having a bolt opening which is mated with the bolt opening of the side member of the second base structure;

a steel collar;

a holder member secured to said channel member to connect the steel collar to the channel member, the steel collar having a cylindrical bore concentric with the bolt opening of said channel piece; and

a bolt, said bolt passing through the steel collar, the bolt opening of the channel piece, the bolt opening of the side member of the second base structure, the bolt opening of the first base structure and the bolt opening of the retainer and engaged with the nut plate.

11. A floor structure as claimed in claim 10, in which each said first connecting structure further comprises:

a cover plate having a larger opening, said cover plate being secured to the side member of the second base structure to cover a cut part of the same, said larger opening being concentrically aligned with the cylindrical bore of said steel collar; and

a guide collar secured to said cover plate to be concentric with said larger opening, said guide collar being disposed between said cover member and said holder member.

12. A floor structure as claimed in claim 10, in which each said second connecting structure comprises:

means defining in the side member of said first base structure a bolt opening;

a locating bolt including a head portion, a conical hook portion and a threaded end portion, said bolt being secured to said side member having said conical hook portion and said threaded end projected outward through said bolt opening;

means defining in one wall of the side member of said second base structure an engaging aperture, said engaging aperture including a circular opening and an elongate opening which are connected, the diameter of the circular opening being greater than that of the conical hook portion, the width of said elongate opening being smaller than the diameter of said hook portion;

means defining in another wall of the side member of said second base structure a larger opening; and

a nut engaged with the threaded end portion of said locating bolt.

13. A floor structure as claimed in claim 5, in which the side members and the center members of said first and second base structures are each constructed of a hollow member having a generally rectangular cross section.

14. A floor structure as claimed in claim 13 further comprising:

means for providing a communication between the interior of each side member of the first base structure and the rectangular containers;

means for providing a communication between the interior of each side member of the second base structure and the rectangular containers;

means for providing a communication between the interior of each side member of the first base structure and the interior of the corresponding side member of the second base structure;

means for providing a communication between the interior of the center member of the first base structure and the rectangular containers;

means for providing a communication between the interior of the center member of the second base structure and the rectangular containers;

means for providing a communication between the interiors of the center members of the first and second base structures;

means defining air inlet openings in upstream portions of said side members and the center member of said first base structure, said air inlet openings being adapted to connect with an air conditioner; and

means defining air outlet openings in downstream portions of said side members and the center member of said second base structure.

15. A floor structure as claimed in claim 14, in which said means for providing the communication are openings.

16. A floor structure as claimed in claim 15, in which each of said openings has a tapered air guide wall.