Body structure for electric vehicle

• US 5,555,950 A
• Filed: 01/20/1995
• Issued: 09/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kanto Jidosha Kogyo KK, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kanto Jidosha Kogyo KK, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Tomoo, Tsuchida, Takuji, Harada, Junichi, Hasegawa, Katsuhisa, Fuse, Tadahiko, Kunikita, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAR, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US08/376,660
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 296/35.2, 296/188, 180/232, 180/65.1, 180/68.5, 280/784, 280/781
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• 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: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• 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: H01M 50/262 with fastening means, e.g. locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A body structure for an electric vehicle, which has a battery carrier for containing a battery disposed on a vehicle body thereof, the body structure comprising: a supporting mechanism, which supports the battery carrier; a movement-restricting member, which restricts movement of the battery carrier; and, an energy transfer-control member, which controls transfer of kinetic energy from the battery carrier to the vehicle body upon movement of the battery carrier due to a collision of the vehicle, the collision releasing restriction of movement of the battery carrier applied by the movement-restricting member. While the battery disposed in the vehicle involves a corresponding increase in kinetic energy which acts on the vehicle body, the present body structure minimizes the transfer of such increased kinetic energy to the vehicle body upon collision of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising:

a main frame;

a sub-frame attached to said main frame;

a motor section attached to said main frame, said motor section being positioned forwardly of said sub-frame and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom;

a battery carrier having flange portions engageable with said main frame, each flange portion having a plurality of elongated holes of predetermined length with parallel sidewalls;

a plurality of fastener bolts fixedly secured to said main frame, each of said plurality of fastener bolts extending through a respective hole for securing said battery carrier to said main frame rearwardly of said sub-frame, and each of said plurality of fastener bolts having a diameter less than a spacing between said parallel sidewalls of respective ones of said plurality of elongated holes, said plurality of elongated holes permitting longitudinal movement of said battery carrier relative to said fastener bolts and said main frame;

said battery carrier being securely maintained by said plurality of fastener bolts to said main frame a predetermined distance from said sub-frame during normal vehicle operation;

said motor section impacting with said sub-frame, and said plurality of fastener bolts and said plurality of elongated holes permitting said battery carrier to move in a forwardly direction relative to said main frame for impact with said sub-frame, in the event of a frontal collision.

2. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a holding mechanism on said motor section for supporting said sub-frame which may be deformed in said frontal collision of said vehicle.

3. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

said sub-frame has a substantially planar surface portion which is held in contact with said battery carrier.