Vehicle with structural battery pack

• US 8,739,907 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna E-Car Systems Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Magna E-Car Systems Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Storc, Robert Gordon, Robertson, James Edward, Mandalia, Bhavin Narshi, Almasi, Zsolt, Kardasz, Grzegorz, Elder, Floyd Thomas, St. Gelais, Jean-Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Restifo, Jeffrey J
• Application Number:
  US13/268,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20120090907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.5, 180/65.29
• 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 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/00 Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted combined frame and vehicle body B62D23/00 ; characterised by the material thereof B62D29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/2009 in connection with other superstructure subunits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

In an aspect, the invention is directed to a vehicle chassis for a vehicle that is at least partly driven by an electric motor, wherein the vehicle chassis incorporates a battery pack that acts as a structural member of the chassis.

Claims

1. A combination of a vehicle chassis and a battery pack for a vehicle that is at least partly driven by an electric motor, the combination comprising:

a vehicle chassis including a floor pan, a first rail and a second rail, wherein the first and second rails extend longitudinally and are spaced apart laterally from each other, wherein each of the rails has a bottom, an inboard side and an outboard side; and

a battery pack, including a plurality of cells supported by a housing, wherein the battery pack is generally rectangular and is mounted to the bottom of each of the first and second rails at a plurality of lower points that are longitudinally spaced apart, wherein the battery pack has a first lateral side and a second lateral side which support the inboard sides of the first and second rails against laterally inwardly directed forces, and wherein the battery pack has a top that is mounted to the floorpan at a plurality of upper points that are longitudinally spaced apart.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a forward cross-member and a rearward cross-member, and the first and second sides of the battery pack support the inboard sides of the first and second rails along substantially the entire length of the first and second rails between the forward and rearward cross-members against laterally inwardly directed forces.

3. A combination as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a forward cross-member and a rearward cross-member, and wherein the plurality of lower points includes a first lower point proximate the forward cross-member and a second lower point proximate rearward cross-member.

4. A combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein the forward and rearward cross-members are in an area of a passenger cell for the vehicle.

5. A combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rearward cross-member is made up of one or more rear axles for the vehicle and support structure therefor.

6. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the each of the first and second rails has a top and the battery pack is mounted to the top of each of the rails at a plurality of upper points that are longitudinally spaced apart.

7. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein at each upper point the floor pan has an aperture therethrough that is at least generally aligned with an associated aperture in the battery pack, and further comprising a fastener having a body that is sized to be adjustably positionable in at least one of the apertures longitudinally and laterally, and is fixable in position to fixedly mount battery pack to the floorpan.

8. A combination of a vehicle chassis and a battery pack for a vehicle that is at least partly driven by an electric motor, the combination comprising:

a vehicle chassis including a first rail and a second rail, wherein the first and second rails extend longitudinally and are spaced apart laterally from each other, wherein each of the rails has a bottom, an inboard side and an outboard side, and wherein the vehicle chassis further includes a floorpan, a forward cross-member and a rearward cross-member; and

a battery pack, including a plurality of cells supported by a housing, wherein the battery pack is mounted to the bottom of each of the first and second rails at a plurality of lower points that are longitudinally spaced apart including a first lower point proximate the forward cross-member and a second lower point proximate rearward cross-member, wherein the battery pack has a first lateral side and a second lateral side which support the inboard sides of the first and second rails against laterally inwardly directed forces along substantially the entire length of the first and second rails between the forward and rearward cross-members, and wherein the battery pack has a top that is mounted to the floorpan.

9. A combination as claimed in claim 8, wherein the each of the first and second rails has a top and the battery pack is mounted to the top of each of the rails at a plurality of upper points that are longitudinally spaced apart.

10. A combination as claimed in claim 9, wherein at each upper point the floor pan has an aperture therethrough that is at least generally aligned with an associated aperture in the battery pack, and further comprising a fastener having a body that is sized to be adjustably positionable in at least one of the apertures longitudinally and laterally, and is fixable in position to fixedly mount battery pack to the floorpan.

11. A combination of a vehicle chassis and a battery pack for a vehicle that is at least partly driven by an electric traction motor, the combination comprising:

a vehicle chassis including a first rail, a second rail, and a floorpan, the first and second rails extending longitudinally and being laterally spaced, each of the first and second rails has an inboard side, an outboard side, a bottom portion and a top portion, wherein the floorpan is secured to the top portion of the first and second rails;

a battery pack including a plurality of cells supported by a housing, the housing configured to include a first lateral side located proximate to the inboard side of the first rail, a second lateral side located proximate to the inboard side of the second rail, a lower housing portion, an upper housing portion, a first lateral extension between the lower housing portion and the first lateral side which extends over the bottom portion of the first rail, and a second lateral extension between the lower housing portion and the second lateral side which extends over the bottom portion of the second rail;

first fasteners for securely attaching each of the first and second lateral extensions of the battery pack housing to corresponding ones of the bottom portion of the first and second rails; and

second fasteners for securely attaching the upper housing portion of the battery pack housing to the floorpan.

12. The combination as claimed in claim 11 wherein the vehicle chassis further includes a first cross-member extending between a forward portion of the first and second rails and a second cross-member extending between a rearward portion of the first and second rails, and wherein the battery pack housing further includes a front housing portion located in proximity to the first cross-member and a rear housing portion located in proximity to the second cross-member.

13. The combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein at least one of the front housing portion and the rear housing portion of the battery pack housing is securely attached to the floorpan.

14. The combination as claimed in claim 11 wherein the second fasteners each include a first bracket attached to the upper portion of the housing and extending through a first aperture in the floorpan, a second bracket rigidly secured to the first bracket and engaging the floorpan, and a bolt extending through a second aperture in the floorpan for securely attaching the second bracket to the floorpan.

15. The combination as claimed in claim 14 wherein the bolt extends through an aperture in the top portion of first rail for securing the second bracket to the floorpan and the first rail.

16. The combination as claimed in claim 11 wherein a first plurality of the second fasteners are provided for securing a first part of the upper housing portion located adjacent to the first lateral side to the floorpan, wherein a second plurality of the second fasteners are provided for securing a second part of the upper housing portion located adjacent to the second lateral side to the floorpan.

17. The combination as claimed in claim 16 wherein the first plurality of second fasteners are arranged to secure the floorpan to the first part of the upper housing portion of the battery pack housing and the top portion of the first rail, and wherein the second plurality of second fasteners are arranged to secure the floorpan to the second part of the upper housing portion of the battery pack housing and the top portion of the second rail.

18. The combination as claimed in claim 17 wherein the first and second pluralities of the second fasteners each include a bracket fixedly secured to the upper housing portion of the battery pack housing and a bolt extending through aligned apertures in bracket, the floorpan, and the top portion of the rail.