Vehicle mounting structure for battery pack

• US 8,936,126 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2013
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Nitawaki, Kunihiro, Horiuchi, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ebner, Katy M
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOLLMAN, BRODIE J
• Application Number:
  US13/895,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20130327583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.5, 180/65.1, 180/89.11, 180/69.1, 180/65.22, 296/487.03, 296/187.05, 296/187.08, 296/187.11, 296/193.07, 296/193.08, 296/203.04, 429/96, 429/99, 429/100
• 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 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0007 Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/087 Luggage compartments
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

A vehicle battery pack mounting structure that suppresses vibrations of a floor panel while making a shock absorbing space between the battery pack and vehicle exterior members large by effectively utilizing a space between coil springs. The battery pack mounting structure includes a pair of left and right side members and a cross member for supporting the battery pack. A pair of left and right coil springs is installed at these side members and function as suspension members. The battery pack is installed inside an opening of a floor panel between the coil springs, and also between the coil springs, a front portion of the battery pack has a tapered outer surface that becomes narrower as it enters deeper into a space between the coil springs. The opening of the floor panel also has a tapered edge shape.

Claims

1. A vehicle having a mounting structure which holds a battery pack in which batteries are vertically stacked, wherein said vehicle comprises:

a left side member and a right side member, extending along a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle and positioned on opposite sides of said battery pack, and wherein the left side member and the right side member are spaced in a left-to-right direction of the vehicle;

a floor panel supported by said left side member and said right side member, said floor panel at least partially defining an opening;

a suspension having arm portions supported to be rotatable at lower portions of said left side member and said right side member, and

a left coil spring and a right coil spring respectively arranged between said left and right side members and said arm portions,

wherein said battery pack is installed inside said opening of said floor panel, and a front portion, with respect to the front-to-rear direction of said vehicle, of said battery pack is located between said coil springs, and

said opening having a width dimension extending in the left-to-right direction of the vehicle, and said battery pack having a width dimension extending in the left-to-right direction of the vehicle, wherein the opening and the battery pack are configured to have a tapered shape such that, in a plan view of said vehicle, the width dimension of the battery pack and the width dimension of the opening decrease toward a front side of the vehicle, and wherein the tapered portion of the opening and the tapered portion of the battery pack are located in a vicinity of rear portions of the coil springs, and

wherein said battery pack includes a lower portion at a lower side of said floor panel and an upper portion at an upper side of said floor panel, wherein the battery pack is configured such that, in a side view of said vehicle, a front end of said lower portion of the battery pack is located closer toward a front side of the vehicle than a front end of said upper portion of the battery pack.

2. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, further comprising a cover panel for covering said opening of said floor panel and attached on an upper surface of said floor panel, wherein said opening of said floor panel is arranged at an offset position near one side of the vehicle in the left-to-right direction of said vehicle, and wherein an opening edge of said opening is sandwiched between an upper end portion of one of said left and right side members and an outer edge portion of said cover panel.

3. The vehicle as recited in claim 2, wherein the battery pack includes an upper casing and a lower casing both located under the cover panel, and wherein a first portion of the upper casing is located under a seat of the vehicle and a second portion of the upper casing is located behind the seat.

4. The vehicle as recited in claim 3, wherein a length of the lower casing, along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, is greater than a length of the second portion of the upper casing, along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle as recited in claim 2, wherein the battery pack includes a casing positioned under said cover panel, and wherein said casing includes at least one edge portion fastened to at least one sub-frame member, and wherein the at least one sub-frame member is attached to one of said left and right side members.