Fastening device

• US 8,776,926 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Company KG (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Company KG (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Auer, Thomas, Rodler, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US13/639,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20130020140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 903/907, 180/68.5
• 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 2001/0472 from below
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 Assembly or relative location of components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7007 Bayonet joint

Abstract

A fixing device for releasable fixing an electrical energy accumulator to a carrying structure of a motor vehicle includes at least one insertion bolt and a receiver unit for the insertion bolt which are provided on the carrying structure and on the energy accumulator (or vice versa). The insertion bolt includes a retaining protrusion and the receiver unit includes a cage and a locking element mounted in the cage. The cage includes an insertion opening into which the insertion bolt can be introduced along an insertion direction, and the locking element can be moved between a release position and a locked position. In the release position, the locking element opens the insertion opening for introduction of the insertion bolt and in the locked position engages behind the retaining protrusion of the insertion bolt when the insertion bolt is introduced in the insertion opening of the cage.

Claims

1. A fixing device for releasable fixing a rechargeable battery to a carrying structure of a motor vehicle, the fixing device comprising:

at least one insertion bolt including an insertion bolt body having a retaining protrusion; and

a receiver unit for the rechargeable battery and configured to receive the insertion bolt, the receiver unit including;

a receiver unit body having an insertion opening into which the insertion bolt body is introduced along an insertion direction; and

a locking element mounted in the receiver unit body for movement between a release position in which the locking element opens the insertion opening for introduction of the insertion bolt body, and a locked position in which engages behind the retaining protrusion of the insertion bolt body when the insertion bolt body is introduced into the insertion opening of the receiver unit body.

2. The fixing device of claim 1, wherein:

the insertion bolt body comprises at least one centering surface which is oriented obliquely relative to the insertion direction of the insertion bolt body;

the receiver unit body comprises at least one stop surface which is oriented obliquely relative to the insertion direction of the insertion bolt body; and

the centering surface of the insertion bolt body and the stop surface of the receiver unit body cooperate on introduction of the insertion bolt into the insertion opening such that the insertion bolt body and the receiver unit body are centered relative to each in at least one direction perpendicular to the insertion direction.

3. The fixing device of claim 2, wherein the centering surface of the insertion bolt body has a conical cross-section.

4. The fixing device of claim 2, further comprising an elastically deformable damping element provided on one of the centering surface of the insertion bolt body and on the stop surface of the receiver unit body.

5. The fixing device of claim 2, wherein:

the receiver unit body comprises a pair of stop surfaces which are tilted relative to each other; and

the insertion opening of the receiver unit body comprises a slot which extends parallel to the stop surfaces.

6. The fixing device of claim 1, wherein the locking element defines a passage opening with variable width.

7. The fixing device of claim 1, wherein the locking element is configured for manipulation about a rotation axis between the release position and the locked position.

8. The fixing device of claim 1, wherein the locking element is mounted in the receiver unit body with play such that the locking element is mobile in two dimensions relative to the receiver unit body in a plane running transverse to the insertion direction of the insertion bolt body.

9. The fixing device of claim 1, wherein:

the locking element comprises a blocking surface which engages behind the retaining protrusion of the insertion bolt body when the insertion bolt body is introduced into the insertion opening of the receiver unit body and the locking element is moved into the locked position; and

the blocking surface of the locking element is tilted at least in segments in relation to a plane normal to the insertion direction.

10. The fixing device of claim 1, wherein the receiver unit comprises a securing device configured to secure the locking element in at least one of the release position and the locked position by a respective catch closure.

11. The fixing device of claim 1, wherein a free end of the insertion bolt body comprises an insertion chamfer.

12. A system for releasably fixing a rechargeable battery to a motor vehicle, the device comprising:

a plurality of receiver units for the rechargeable battery, each one of the receiver units including;

a receiver unit body having an insertion opening into which the insertion bolt is introduced along an insertion direction; and

a locking element mounted in the receiver unit body for movement between a release position in which the locking element opens the insertion opening for introduction of the insertion bolt, and a locked position in which engages behind the retaining protrusion of the insertion bolt when the insertion bolt is introduced into the insertion opening of the receiver unit body;

an insertion bolt configured for receipt in a respective one of the receiver units, the insertion bolt including an insertion bolt body having a retaining protrusion.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the receiver unit body of at least one of the receiver units comprises a stop surface which cooperates with a corresponding centering surface of a corresponding insertion bolt body such that the insertion bolt body and the receiver unit body are centered relative to each other in mutually perpendicular directions within a plane normal to the insertion direction;

the receiver unit body of at least one of the receiver units comprises at least one stop surface which is oriented obliquely to the insertion direction of a corresponding insertion bolt body and which cooperates with a centering surface of the insertion bolt body such that the insertion bolt body and the receiver unit body are centered relative to each other in a first direction perpendicular to the insertion direction;

the receiver unit body of at least one of the receiver units comprises at least one stop surface which is oriented obliquely to the insertion direction of a corresponding insertion bolt body and which cooperates with a centering surface of the insertion bolt body such that the insertion bolt and the receiver unit body are centered relative to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the insertion direction; and

the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the receiver unit body of at least one of the receiver units does not have a stop surface which is obliquely oriented to the insertion direction of a corresponding insertion bolt body.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the receiver unit body of at least one of the receiver units does not have a stop surface which is obliquely oriented to the insertion direction of a corresponding insertion bolt body;

the receiver unit body of at least one of the receiver units comprises a stop surface which is obliquely oriented to the insertion direction of a corresponding insertion bolt body and which cooperates with a corresponding centering surface of a corresponding insertion bolt body such that the insertion bolt body and the receiver unit body are centered relative to each other in a first direction perpendicular to the insertion direction.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the receiver unit body of at least one of the receiver units comprises at least one stop surface which is oriented obliquely to the insertion direction of a corresponding insertion bolt body and which cooperates with a centering surface of the insertion bolt body such that the insertion bolt and the receiver unit body are centered relative to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the insertion direction; and

the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

17. A vehicle comprising:

a carrying structure;

a rechargeable battery; and

a device for releasable fixing the rechargeable battery to the carrying structure, the device including;

at least one insertion bolt including an insertion bolt body having a retaining protrusion, wherein the insertion bolt body comprises at least one centering surface which is oriented obliquely relative to the insertion direction of the insertion bolt body; and

a receiver unit for the rechargeable battery and configured to receive the insertion bolt, the receiver unit including a receiver unit body having an insertion opening into which the insertion bolt body is introduced along an insertion direction, and a locking element mounted in the receiver unit body for movement between a release position in which the locking element opens the insertion opening for introduction of the insertion bolt body, and a locked position in which engages behind the retaining protrusion of the insertion bolt body when the insertion bolt body is introduced into the insertion opening of the receiver unit body, wherein the receiver unit body comprises at least one stop surface which is oriented obliquely relative to the insertion direction of the insertion bolt body, and the centering surface of the insertion bolt body and the stop surface of the receiver unit body cooperate on introduction of the insertion bolt into the insertion opening such that the insertion bolt body and the receiver unit body are centered relative to each in at least one direction perpendicular to the insertion direction.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the vehicle comprises a hybrid vehicle.

19. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the vehicle comprises an electric vehicle.