Battery fixing structure of a vehicle

• US 6,622,809 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2002
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Takahashi, Daisaku
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanaman, Frank Bennett
• Application Number:
  US10/038,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20020093246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/68.5, 180/68.2
• 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 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• 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 50/264 for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/952 Housing details

Abstract

A battery fixing structure of vehicle which prevents movement of the battery by fixing the battery in the middle of a battery tray with a fixing member. The fixing structure includes a U-shaped bolt which engages with a bead section formed on the battery tray, and both ends of the fixing member and a portion of the fixing member between the batteries are fixed to the battery tray. A portion of the U-shaped bolt engaging with the bead section is disposed within a groove of the bead section.

Claims

1. A battery fixing structure of a vehicle including a battery tray mounted therein with a plurality of batteries disposed on said battery tray, said fixing structure comprising:

an upwardly projecting bead section disposed at the bottom of said battery tray between adjacent ones of said batteries;

a fixing member with a buffer material disposed atop said batteries and having opposite ends fixed to said tray, said fixing member having a pair of sidewardly projecting flanges extending in a transverse direction of said tray between said adjacent batteries, each said flange defining an opening therein; and

a U-shaped bolt having a first portion disposed within a groove of said bead section, and a pair of second portions connected to said first portion and having ends disposed within the respective openings of said flanges to fix said tray to said fixing member in an area thereof disposed between said adjacent batteries.

2. A battery fixing structure of a vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the battery tray defines an air vent portion to cool the batteries.

3. A battery fixing structure of a vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the bead section projects upwardly from said battery tray and said groove opens downwardly on the bottom of said tray, said first portion of said U-shaped bolt being disposed within said groove such that said first portion does not project downwardly beyond the bottom of said battery tray.

4. A battery fixing structure of a vehicle according to claim 3 wherein said second portions are oriented in an upright manner and are connected to one another by said first portion which extends therebetween, and said second portions each project upwardly through respective transversely-spaced holes defined in said bead section.

5. A battery fixing structure of a vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said buffer material is disposed between tops of the batteries and said fixing member.

6. A battery fixing structure of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said flanges extend in a direction which is generally parallel with said bead section.

7. A battery fixing structure for a vehicle having a plurality of batteries, said fixing structure comprising a battery tray on which said batteries are disposed in side-by-side relation with one another, said battery tray defining an upwardly projecting and elongate bead on a bottom of said tray extending between an adjacent pair of said batteries, said bead defining a groove therein which opens downwardly, a fixing member disposed atop said batteries and having a pair of flanges which project sidewardly in opposite directions from one another, said flanges extending between said adjacent pair of batteries in a direction generally parallel to said bead, and a U-shaped bolt having a first lower portion engaged within said groove of said bead and laterally spaced second portions joined to respective opposite ends of said first portion and projecting upwardly therefrom through said tray between said adjacent pair of batteries, said second portions having free ends which are fixed to the respective flanges disposed between said adjacent pair of batteries.

8. The battery fixing structure of claim 7 wherein said fixing member comprises an elongate band which extends across upper portions of said batteries and has opposite ends fixed to opposite end edges of said tray, said flanges projecting sidewardly from opposite sides of said band between said adjacent pair of batteries and being spaced above said bead and oriented in generally parallel relation therewith.

9. The battery fixing structure of claim 8 wherein said tray has an elongated shape defining a longitudinal dimension and said bead extends along said tray in a direction which is transverse to said longitudinal dimension, said band extending along the entire extent of said longitudinal dimension of said tray atop central portions of said batteries and having a pair of legs which project generally downwardly over upright sides of said batteries, said legs respectively terminating at said ends, said ends defining outwardly and sidewardly projecting flanges which are fixed to respective flanges defined at said opposite end edges of said tray.

10. The battery fixing structure of claim 9 wherein said tray is oriented in the vehicle so that said longitudinal dimension thereof extends in a front-to-back direction of the vehicle, and three said batteries are positioned on said tray in side-by-side relation in the front-to-back direction of the vehicle, said tray defining thereon a pair of said beads which extend transversely across said tray between each adjacent pair of said batteries.

11. The battery fixing structure of claim 7 wherein opposite terminal ends of said fixing member are fixed to said tray at opposite sides thereof.

12. The battery fixing structure of claim 7 wherein a buffer material is disposed between upper portions of said batteries and said fixing member.

13. The battery fixing structure of claim 7 wherein said first portion of said U-shaped bolt is disposed entirely within said groove such that said U-shaped bolt does not project downwardly beyond said bottom of said tray.

14. The battery fixing structure of claim 7 wherein said bead defines therein transversely spaced openings through which the respective second portions of said U-shaped bolt project.