Battery box for electric or hybrid vehicle and method for mounting said box on the vehicle

• US 9,033,084 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2011
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA, Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA, Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Joye, Olivier
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US13/695,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20130192913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.5, 903/951, 903/952, 429/100
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• 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: B60K 2001/0455 Removal or replacement of the energy storages
• 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: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Vehicle battery box (1) comprising at least one outer casing (2) delimiting a chamber (3) receiving the battery (9) and comprising a support (4) and a removable cover (5) connected to each other, the box (1) comprising positioning lugs (15, 16) and lugs (17, 18) for fixing said battery box (1) to the vehicle, said positioning lugs (15, 16) and said fixing lugs (17, 18) being mounted on the outer casing (2). Each positioning lug (15, 16) comprises a passage (19c, 20c) receiving a positioning stud (37).

Claims

1. A vehicle battery box comprising at least one outer casing delimiting a chamber receiving the battery and comprising a support and a removable cover connected to each other, the box comprising:

a first positioning lug;

a second positioning lug; and

fixing lugs for fixing said battery box to the vehicle, said first and second positioning lugs and said fixing lugs being mounted on the outer casing,

wherein each of the first and second positioning lugs comprises;

a positioning L-shaped bracket, having a first base comprising a passage receiving a positioning stud having a threaded end adapted to be screwed under a chassis of the vehicle and a conical end adapted to be inserted in said receiving passage and a fixing plate fixed to the outer casing of the battery box, and

a fixing L-shaped bracket connected to the positioning L-shaped bracket and having a second base and a fixing plate fixed to the outer casing of the battery box, said first and second bases of the first positioning lug being disposed at substantially the same level, above the level of the cover, and the first and second bases of the second positioning lug being situated below the level of the bottom of the box.

2. The battery box according to claim 1, comprising a second outer casing delimiting a second battery receiving chamber and comprising a cover placed over the first cover.

3. The battery box according to claim 2, wherein one of said first and second positioning lugs comprises two supplementary brackets connected to two first brackets, said supplementary brackets being mounted on the second outer casing.

4. The battery box according to claim 1, comprising internal partitions delimiting compartments in said receiving chamber, said compartments being adapted to receive energy storage cell units.

5. The battery box according to claim 1, comprising at least one exterior recess for receiving a removable member of an isolator connected to the battery.

6. A method of mounting a battery box on a vehicle, said battery box comprising at least one outer casing delimiting a chamber receiving the battery and comprising a support and a removable cover connected to each other, the box comprising:

a first positioning lug;

a second positioning lung; and

fixing lugs for fixing said battery box to the vehicle, said first and second positioning lugs and said fixing lugs being mounted on the outer casing,

wherein each of the first and second positioning lugs comprises;

a positioning L-shaped bracket, having a first base comprising a passage receiving a positioning stud having a threaded end adapted to be screwed under a chassis of the vehicle and a conical end adapted to be inserted in said receiving passage and a fixing plate fixed to the outer casing of the battery box, and

a fixing L-shaped bracket connected to the positioning L-shaped bracket and having a second base and a fixing plate fixed to the outer casing of the battery box, said first and second bases of the first positioning lug being disposed at substantially the same level, above the level of the cover, and the first and second bases of the second positioning lug being situated below the level of the bottom of the box, wherein the method comprises the steps of;

screwing positioning studs to the vehicle;

placing the battery box on the vehicle so that the positioning studs are inserted in respective ones of the first and second positioning lugs provided on said battery box; and

fixing the battery box to the vehicle with the fixing lugs provided on the battery box.

7. The mounting method according claim 6, wherein two positioning studs are screwed to the vehicle.

8. The mounting method according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle is lowered and/or the battery box is raised to carry out the positioning step.

9. The mounting method according to claim 6, wherein, when positioning the battery box, the positioning lugs are guided by conical ends of the positioning studs.

10. The mounting method according to claim 6, wherein the fixing lugs are fixed to the vehicle with bolts.

11. The mounting method according to claim 6, wherein, before manipulating the battery box, a removable member is separated from an isolator connected to the battery to isolate the battery box from an electronic device for management of said battery box.