Battery tray for protecting the vehicle battery of a hybrid motor

Abstract

An assembly provides impact protection for a vehicle battery of a hybrid motor vehicle, in particular a mild hybrid motor vehicle. The hybrid motor vehicle can have at least a first vehicle seat, a second vehicle seat arranged adjacent to the first vehicle seat, a center console arranged therebetween, and a center tunnel arranged below the center console and a vehicle battery. The assembly can include a battery tray having an upwardly directed opening for receiving the vehicle battery which is arranged, or can be arranged, in the region of the center console between the first vehicle seat and the second vehicle seat.

Claims

1. An assembly that provides impact protection for a vehicle battery of a hybrid motor vehicle, comprising: at least a first vehicle seat; a second vehicle seat arranged adjacent to the first vehicle seat; a center console arranged between the first vehicle seat and the second vehicle seat; a center tunnel arranged below the center console and a vehicle battery; and a battery tray having an upwardly directed opening for receiving the vehicle battery, the battery tray arranged in a region of the center console between the first vehicle seat and the second vehicle seat; and at least one crossbar disposed in a transverse vehicle direction, and a load distribution device disposed between the at least one crossbar and the battery tray.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one crossbar is within the first vehicle seat, the second vehicle seat or both the first vehicle seat and the second vehicle seat.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the crossbar is disposed along a rotational axis of a seat back.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the load distribution device includes a cover arranged at an end portion of the crossbar facing the center console.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the cover has an abutment surface that is oriented perpendicularly to the crossbar.

6. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the cover has a rib structure for reinforcing the cover.

7. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the load distribution device of the assembly has a plate and the plate is suitable for transmitting a load from the crossbar to the cover, the battery tray, or both the cover and the battery tray.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the plate has a rib structure for reinforcing the plate.

9. A method of providing impact protection for a vehicle battery of a hybrid motor vehicle, comprising: fastening a battery tray to a center tunnel of a hybrid motor vehicle using a flexible fastening device such that the battery tray is moveable relative to the center tunnel by means of the flexible fastening device, wherein the battery tray is arranged in a region of a center console of the hybrid motor vehicle between a first vehicle seat and a second vehicle seat of the hybrid motor vehicle; and positioning a load distribution device between at least one crossbar of the first vehicle seat and the battery tray, the at least one crossbar disposed in a transverse vehicle direction.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a vehicle battery through an upwardly directed opening of the battery tray.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the battery tray is disposed above a center tunnel of the hybrid motor vehicle.

12. An assembly that provides impact protection for a vehicle battery of a hybrid motor vehicle, comprising: at least a first vehicle seat; a second vehicle seat arranged adjacent to the first vehicle seat; a center console arranged between the first vehicle seat and the second vehicle seat; a center tunnel arranged below the center console and a vehicle battery; and a battery tray having an upwardly directed opening for receiving the vehicle battery, the battery tray arranged in a region of the center console between the first vehicle seat and the second vehicle seat; and a load distribution device positioned between the first vehicle seat and the battery tray.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the vehicle battery is a vehicle battery of a mild hybrid motor vehicle.

14. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising a flexible fastening device that fastens the battery tray to the hybrid motor vehicle such that the battery tray is moveable relative to the center tunnel by means of the flexible fastening device.

15. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the battery tray is arranged above the center tunnel.

16. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the flexible fastening device of the assembly includes at least one connecting element configured to fasten an underside of the battery tray to a center tunnel upper side of the center tunnel.

17. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the battery tray of the assembly has a stiffening cover for closing the upwardly directed opening.

18. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising a cover that removably attaches to the battery tray to close the upwardly directed opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The various features and advantages of the disclosed examples will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description. The figures that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic front view of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

(3) FIG. 2a illustrates a front view of a load distribution device according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

(4) FIG. 2b illustrates a perspective view of the load distribution device of FIG. 2a.

(5) FIG. 3 an exemplary mode of operation of the disclosure in connection with a side view of the load distribution device of FIG. 2a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) This disclosure relates generally to assemblies that can change how an impact load influences a vehicle battery.

(7) Referring to the schematic front view in FIG. 1, an exemplary assembly 100 is in the region of a center console 240, in other words between a first or left vehicle seat 210 and a second or right vehicle seat 220. The vehicle seats 210, 220 are each depicted in idealized form by a crossbar 211 which can perform a movement in a movement direction 300 along the z-axis represented by a double arrow and is portrayed for each vehicle seat 210, 220 by way of example in two different positions on the z-axis. A vehicle battery 230 of the hybrid motor vehicle is arranged in the region of the center console 240 and above the center tunnel 241 running below the center console.

(8) For purposes of this disclosure, identical parts are provided with the same reference numbers in the different figures, which is why they are also usually described only once. In particular, the figures should be understood to mean that different components are depicted in a hidden or simplified form to provide greater clarity. Even if the vehicle battery is depicted in simplified form as a cuboid, it, or the housing or battery cage/protective cage surrounding it, may exhibit any suitable external shape and size. Insofar as a vehicle or hybrid vehicle is referred to below, a mild hybrid vehicle is also included.

(9) With reference to FIG. 2a and continuing reference to FIG. 1, the vehicle battery 230 is mounted in a battery tray 150 that can protect the vehicle battery 230 during a lateral impact involving the hybrid motor vehicle. The battery tray 150 can have the stiffness or stability sufficient to protect the vehicle battery 230 from unacceptable loading/deformation, which can be caused by an effect measuring up to 10 kN caused by a crossbar 211 of one of the adjacent vehicle seats 210, 220 during a lateral impact on the hybrid motor vehicle and the resulting deformation of the vehicle.

(10) The battery tray 150 has an upwardly oriented opening 151 which allows simple insertion and removal of the vehicle battery 230. The geometric dimensions of the battery tray 150 or the vehicle battery 230 arranged therein are prescribed by the geometric dimensions of the center console 240, in particular by the distance between the adjacent vehicle seats 210, 220, and can be varied accordingly. Hence, the dimension of the battery tray 150 or the vehicle battery 230 arranged therein may be 140 mm, for example, in the y-direction.

(11) The battery tray 150, in the exemplary embodiment, is fastened to the hybrid motor vehicle, in particular to the center tunnel 241, by means of a flexible fastening device 156. The flexibility of the fastening device 156 means that the battery tray 150 is movable relative to the center tunnel 241. In the event of a lateral impact, the battery tray 150 does not therefore form a rigid abutment for the crossbars 211 of the vehicle seats 210, 220 moving in the y-direction. Instead, the battery tray 150 follows the movement and thereby prevents a force effect on the vehicle battery 230 arranged in the inside 155 of the battery tray 150.

(12) The fastening device 156 of the assembly 100 can comprise two connecting elements 157, for example, which connect a lower side 154 of the battery tray 150 to a center tunnel upper side 244 of the center tunnel 241 in each case, for fastening purposes. In addition, the battery tray 150 of the assembly 100 has a reinforcing cover 152 for closing the upwardly directed opening 151. The multi-part design of the battery tray 150 means that additional options exist for improving the stability of the battery tray 150 and reducing its weight.

(13) A rigid crossbar 211 which extends over the entire width of the vehicle seat 210, 220 in the y-direction can represent the rotational axis of the seat back 215, for example, on which said seat back 215 can be pivoted for ergonomic adjustment to the vehicle passengers. In the event of an impact load, this crossbar 211 of the rotational axis may substantially exert a point force on the side walls 153 of the battery tray 150. The assembly 100 therefore has a load distribution device 110 which is arranged between the crossbar 211 and the battery tray 150. The load distribution device 110 distributes the point load of the crossbar 211 over a large area and is moved with the crossbar 211 during a manual or automatic adjustment of the vehicle seat 210, 220 in the x-direction and/or in the z-direction.

(14) The front view in FIG. 2a shows the battery tray 150 which is arranged in, or in the region of, the center console 240. The battery tray 150 is upwardly surrounded by a cover 243 (which can also be referred to as an armrest) of the center console 240 and laterally by side walls 242 of the center console 240. The center tunnel upper side 244 of the center tunnel 240 is preferably arranged therebelow (see FIG. 1).

(15) In the exemplary embodiment, a dimension of the battery tray 150 in the y-direction measures 140 mm, for example, and therefore corresponds virtually completely to the dimension of the center console 240 in the y-direction. The vehicle seat 210, 220 with the crossbar 211 is arranged to the left and right in the y-direction alongside the center console 240. At an end region 211a of the crossbar 211 facing the center console 240, a load distribution device 110 (see FIG. 1) is provided.

(16) In the exemplary embodiment, the load distribution device 110 has a cover 111 which forms an abutment surface 111a for the striking of the crossbar 211 against the side walls 242 of the center console 240 or the battery tray 150 in the event of an impact load passing through the hybrid motor vehicle. The load distribution device 110 may, in addition, comprise a plate 112 between the cover 111 and the crossbar 211, which plate improves the process of the load distribution from the crossbar 211 to the cover 111 and increases the stability of the load distribution device 110. For this purpose, the plate 112 is coupled in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting manner to the seat back rotational device 214, the crossbar 211, and/or the cover 111. The plate 112 may also be configured with ribs, in particular reinforcing ribs, for this purpose. The plate 112 may therefore form a kind of bypass for the load from the crossbar 211 to the cover 111 when the hybrid motor vehicle is involved in a lateral impact and reduce the load peaks from 10 kN, for example, to load peaks of 5-6 kN, for example.

(17) With reference to FIG. 2b, the original component of the protective cover may also be reused as the cover 111 for the load distribution device 110. The seat back rotational device 214 allows a rotation or pivoting of the seat back 215 relative to the seat surface 216 of the vehicle seats 210, 220.

(18) In the exemplary embodiments, the vehicle seats 210, 220 include a substructure 217 and are therefore height-adjustable in the z-direction and displaceable along the seat rail 218 in the x-direction for adjustment to the ergonomic needs of the vehicle passengers.

(19) According to FIG. 3, the plurality of possible movements 300 (FIG. 1) in the x-direction and/or in the z-direction gives rise to a movement field 301 in which the crossbar 211 can remain during the running of the hybrid motor vehicle and, in the event of a lateral impact, can cause damage to the battery tray 150 in the region of the center console 240 and in an overlapping region 302 between the crossbar 211 and the battery tray 150.

(20) A local or concentrated reinforcement is not therefore sufficient, since an impact of the crossbar 211 on the vehicle battery 230 can take place at various locations. In the present disclosure, the impact protection in the event of a lateral impact is therefore configured independently of the current position of the rotational axis of the seat back 215. By means of the battery tray 150, particularly in conjunction with the flexible mounting above the center tunnel 241, the vehicle battery 230 (FIG. 1) can be protected in its entire overlapping region 302 with the crossbar 211 in the event of an impact.

(21) The load distribution device 110 can also move with the movement 300 of the crossbars 211 in the entire movement field 301, and therefore in the overlapping region 302 of the battery tray 150 or of the vehicle battery 230. The load distribution device 110 is therefore available to protect the vehicle battery 230, irrespective of the position of the crossbar 211, in the event of an impact. In this way, the vehicle battery 230 and also the vehicle passengers can be protected in the event of a lateral impact load being applied to the vehicle.

(22) The teachings of this disclosure can also be used in a vehicle without a center tunnel where the vehicle battery is arranged between the two seats.

(23) The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this disclosure. Thus, the scope of legal protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the following claims.