Battery mounting system for automotive vehicle
First Claim
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1. An automotive vehicle having a battery mounting system, comprising:
- a battery tray fastened to a floor within a compartment of the vehicle, with the compartment having a longitudinal axis; and
a motion convertor for repositioning said battery tray as a result of a collision impact upon the compartment and subsequent axial deformation of the compartment floor, with said motion convertor causing said battery tray to rotate from a first position in which the battery tray is generally parallel to the floor, to a second position in which the battery tray is not parallel to the floor, wherein said motion convertor comprises a first inclined plane fastened rigidly to said floor, with said first inclined plane engaging a second inclined plane comprising a portion of said battery tray such that axial deformation of said floor beyond a predetermined extent causes the first inclined plane to slidingly engage said second inclined plane, so as to thereby lift and initiate rotation of said battery tray in a direction away from said floor.
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Abstract
An automotive vehicle has a battery mounting system including battery tray fastened to a floor within a compartment of the vehicle, and a motion convertor for repositioning battery tray as a result of a collision impact upon the compartment by causing the battery tray to rotate from a first position in which the battery tray is generally parallel to the floor to which it is mounted, to a second position which the battery tray is not parallel to the plane of the floor.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An automotive vehicle having a battery mounting system, comprising:
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a battery tray fastened to a floor within a compartment of the vehicle, with the compartment having a longitudinal axis; and
a motion convertor for repositioning said battery tray as a result of a collision impact upon the compartment and subsequent axial deformation of the compartment floor, with said motion convertor causing said battery tray to rotate from a first position in which the battery tray is generally parallel to the floor, to a second position in which the battery tray is not parallel to the floor, wherein said motion convertor comprises a first inclined plane fastened rigidly to said floor, with said first inclined plane engaging a second inclined plane comprising a portion of said battery tray such that axial deformation of said floor beyond a predetermined extent causes the first inclined plane to slidingly engage said second inclined plane, so as to thereby lift and initiate rotation of said battery tray in a direction away from said floor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An automotive vehicle having a battery mounting system, comprising:
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a battery tray fastened to a floor within a compartment of the vehicle, with the compartment having a longitudinal axis, and with the battery tray having a leading end in the normal direction of travel of the automobile, and a trailing end opposite said leading end;
a motion convertor for repositioning said battery tray as a result of a collision driven axial deformation of the floor, with said deformation causing said motion convertor to slidingly wedge said battery tray, thereby lifting the trailing end of the battery tray from said floor and causing the battery tray to rotate about its leading end from a first position in which the battery tray is generally parallel to the floor to a second position in which the battery tray is not parallel to the floor; and
a flexible restraint member extending between said floor and said battery tray such that said restraint member resists rotation of said battery tray beyond a predetermined position. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method for repositioning a battery tray within an automotive vehicle in response to axial deformation of the vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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mounting the battery tray upon a floor of the vehicle, with the floor having an axis extending in the normal direction of travel of the vehicle;
mounting a motion convertor to said floor at a position between said battery tray and an end of the floor subject to axial deformation as a result of a collision;
slidably engaging the battery tray with the motion convertor in response to axial deformation of the floor; and
converting the sliding motion of the motion convertor into rotational motion of the battery tray away from said floor, wherein the sliding motion of the motion convertor is converted to rotational motion of the battery tray by a wedge set comprising a first inclined plane incorporated in the motion convertor and fastened rigidly to said floor, and a second inclined plane comprising a portion of said battery tray such that deformation of said floor having a component along said axis causes the first inclined plane to slidingly engage said second inclined plane, so as to thereby lift and initiate rotation of said battery tray in a direction away from said floor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification