System for absorbing and distributing side impact energy utilizing an integrated battery pack and side sill assembly

• US 8,702,161 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Charbonneau, Alexi, Burgess, Malcolm, Attaluri, Vivek, Gadhiya, Hitendra Laxmidas, Clarke, Alan Paul, Rawlinson, Peter Dore, Sumpf, Robert David Jr., Edwards, Bruce Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHENEVERT, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US13/707,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20130088044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 296/187.12, 296/193.05, 296/203.03, 296/209, 903/903, 903/907, 903/952
• US Class Current: 296/209
• 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: B62D 21/157 for side impacts
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/025 Side sills thereof
• 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: B62D 27/023 Assembly of structural joints

Abstract

An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for use with a vehicle is provided, the system utilizing a collapsible side sill along with multiple vehicle cross-members to achieve the desired level of vehicle side impact resistance, the combination of these elements absorbing and distributing the impact load throughout the vehicle structure. A battery pack enclosure that includes a plurality of cross-members that transverse the battery pack enclosure also help to absorb and distribute at least a portion of the load received when either the first or second side of the vehicle receives a side impact. In this configuration the battery pack enclosure is positioned between the front and rear vehicle suspension assemblies and mounted between, and mechanically coupled to, the side sill assemblies. In addition to providing rigidity, strength and impact resistance, the battery pack cross-members segregate the batteries contained within the battery pack enclosure into battery groups.

Claims

1. An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for a vehicle, comprising:

a pair of side sill assemblies, said pair of side sill assemblies comprising a left hand side sill assembly and a right hand side sill assembly, wherein each of said side sill assemblies further comprises;

an impact energy absorbing component, wherein said impact energy absorbing component is interposed between an inner side sill wall and an outer side sill wall;

a battery pack enclosure mounted under said vehicle, said battery pack enclosure comprising an enclosure top panel, an enclosure bottom panel, and a plurality of enclosure side members, wherein said battery pack enclosure is configured to hold a plurality of batteries, said battery pack enclosure mounted between and mechanically coupled to said left hand side sill assembly and said right hand side sill assembly, wherein said battery pack enclosure is mounted under a passenger cabin floor panel, wherein said battery pack enclosure further comprises a plurality of battery pack cross-members integrated into said battery pack enclosure, wherein each of said plurality of battery pack cross-members transverses the distance between a first enclosure side member adjacent to said left hand side sill assembly and a second enclosure side member adjacent to said right hand side sill assembly, and wherein said plurality of battery pack cross-members segregate said plurality of batteries into groups of batteries;

a plurality of vehicle cross-members interposed between said inner side sill walls of said left hand side sill assembly and said right hand side sill assembly, wherein each of said plurality of vehicle cross-members is mechanically coupled to said inner side sill walls of said left hand side sill assembly and said right hand side sill assembly; and

wherein said impact energy absorbing component is captured between a substantially horizontal inner side sill wall and a pair of insert guide members, wherein a first insert guide member of said pair of insert guide members extends from an inner surface of said inner side sill wall, and wherein a second insert guide member of said pair of insert guide members extends from an inner surface of said outer side sill wall, and wherein said substantially horizontal inner side sill wall is interposed between and is coupled to said inner surface of said inner side sill wall and said inner surface of said outer side sill wall.

2. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of battery pack cross-members includes at least one cavity extending an entire length of said corresponding battery pack cross-member.

3. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of battery pack cross-members is comprised of an upper member and a lower member, wherein said upper member of each of said plurality of battery pack cross-members is mechanically coupled to said enclosure top panel, and wherein said lower member of each of said plurality of battery pack cross-members is mechanically coupled to said enclosure bottom panel.

4. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 1, said first enclosure side member of said battery pack enclosure further comprising an extended region mechanically coupled to a left hand side sill assembly lower surface, and said second enclosure side member of said battery pack enclosure further comprising an extended region mechanically coupled to a right hand side sill assembly lower surface.

5. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 4, wherein said extended region of said first enclosure side member of said battery pack enclosure is bolted using a first plurality of bolts to said left hand side sill assembly lower surface, and wherein said extended region of said second enclosure side member of said battery pack enclosure is bolted using a second plurality of bolts to said right hand side sill assembly lower surface.

6. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 1, said impact energy absorbing component further comprising a reacting portion and a collapsible portion, wherein said reacting portion is adjacent to said inner side sill wall, wherein said collapsible portion is adjacent to said outer side sill wall.

7. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 1, wherein said impact energy absorbing component is comprised of a sill insert configured to be captured between said inner side sill wall and said outer side sill wall, said sill insert further comprising a reacting portion and a collapsible portion, wherein said reacting portion is adjacent to said inner side sill wall, wherein said collapsible portion is adjacent to said outer side sill wall.

8. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 7, wherein said sill insert is held in place between said inner side sill wall and said outer side sill wall using a plurality of fasteners selected from the group of fasteners consisting of rivets, bolts, spot welds and adhesives.

9. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 7, further comprising:

a pair of rear torque boxes, said pair of rear torque boxes comprising a left hand rear torque box mechanically coupled to said left hand side sill assembly and a right hand rear torque box mechanically coupled to said right hand side sill assembly; and

a pair of front torque boxes, said pair of front torque boxes comprising a left hand front torque box mechanically coupled to said left hand side sill assembly and a right hand front torque box mechanically coupled to said right hand side sill assembly;

wherein each of said sill inserts has a rectangularly-shaped cross section, and wherein each of said sill inserts extends longitudinally within each of said side sill assemblies from a first side sill assembly end portion proximate to one of said pair of front torque boxes to a second side sill assembly end portion proximate to one of said pair of rear torque boxes.

10. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 9, wherein each of said sill inserts further comprises a vertical internal wall interposed between an upper sill insert wall and a lower sill insert wall, said vertical internal wall separating said reacting portion from said collapsible portion.

11. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 10, wherein said reacting portion is substantially square-shaped.

12. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 10, wherein said collapsible portion further comprises a pair of diagonal structural members, wherein said pair of diagonal structural members cross to form an x-shape, and wherein each diagonal structural member of said pair of diagonal structural members extend between said upper sill insert wall and said lower sill insert wall.

13. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 10, wherein said collapsible portion further comprises a first pair of diagonal structural members and a second pair of diagonal structural members, wherein said first pair of diagonal structural members cross to form a first x-shape, wherein said second pair of diagonal structural members cross to form a second x-shape, and wherein each structural member of said first and second pair of diagonal structural members extend between said upper sill insert wall and said lower sill insert wall.

14. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 13, wherein said first pair of diagonal structural members is configured to collapse and deform prior to said second pair of diagonal structural members during a side impact collision, wherein said first pair of diagonal structural members is closer to said outer side sill wall than said second pair of diagonal structural members.

15. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of rear torque boxes, said pair of rear torque boxes comprising a left hand rear torque box mechanically coupled to said left hand side sill assembly and a right hand rear torque box mechanically coupled to said right hand side sill assembly; and

at least one rear torque box cross-member interposed between said left hand rear torque box and said right hand rear torque box, wherein said at least one rear torque box cross-member is mechanically coupled to both said left hand rear torque box and said right hand rear torque box;

wherein said left hand rear torque box is welded to said left hand side sill assembly and said right hand rear torque box is welded to said right hand side sill assembly, and wherein said at least one rear torque box cross-member is welded to both said left hand rear torque box and said right hand rear torque box.

16. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 1, further comprising a pair of front torque boxes, said pair of front torque boxes comprising a left hand front torque box mechanically coupled to said left hand side sill assembly and a right hand front torque box mechanically coupled to said right hand side sill assembly, wherein said left hand front torque box is welded to said left hand side sill assembly and said right hand front torque box is welded to said right hand side sill assembly.

17. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of front torque boxes, said pair of front torque boxes comprising a left hand front torque box mechanically coupled to said left hand side sill assembly and a right hand front torque box mechanically coupled to said right hand side sill assembly; and

a toe board cross-member interposed between said left hand front torque box and said right hand front torque box;

wherein said toe board cross-member is mechanically coupled to both said left hand front torque box and said right hand front torque box.

18. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 1, wherein said left hand side sill assembly and said right hand side sill assembly are each comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum extrusions, aluminum alloy extrusions and steel extrusions.

19. The energy absorbing and distributing side impact system of claim 1, wherein said impact energy absorbing component is fabricated from an aluminum alloy.