Central Connector for Vehicles Having a High-Voltage Accumulator

Abstract

Please replace the original Abstract with the following new Abstract: A vehicle has a body and a high-voltage accumulator, which is attached to the body via fastening elements, and at least one central connector, which is different from the fastening elements and which is designed to support the body on the high-voltage accumulator. The central connector has a rubber mount with a threaded sleeve, which has a cylindrical wall with an internal thread and an external thread. The external thread is engaged with a compensation bushing. A screw element for connecting the body and rubber mount is screwed into the internal thread, and the rubber mount extends between the body and the high-voltage accumulator.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A vehicle, comprising: a body; a high-voltage accumulator which is attached to the body by way of fastening elements; and at least one central connector, which differs from said fastening elements and which, for supporting the body, is configured on the high-voltage accumulator, wherein the central connector has a rubber mount with a threaded sleeve which has a cylindrically shaped wall with an internal thread and an external thread, wherein the external thread engages with a compensation bushing, wherein a screw element for connecting the body and the rubber mount is screwed into the internal thread, and wherein the rubber mount extends between the body and the high-voltage accumulator.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the screw element engages through an opening of the compensation bushing, and the opening has a circlip which bears on the screw element.

13. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the internal thread and the external thread have opposite threaded directions.

14. The vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising: a base plate, wherein the rubber mount is fixedly connected to the high-voltage accumulator by way of the base plate, and the threaded sleeve is connected to the base plate by way of a rubber element.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein an external ring is fastened to the base plate, and at least one external rubber element, which at least partially encloses the compensation bushing, is disposed between the external ring and the compensation bushing.

16. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the base plate is fixedly connected to an external wall of the high-voltage accumulator, or is part of the external wall of the high-voltage accumulator.

17. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the central connector is disposed so as to be centric on a largest external face of the high-voltage accumulator.

18. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein a dimension of the rubber mount along a vertical axis of the vehicle is at most 50.0 millimeters.

19. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein a dimension of the rubber mount along a vertical axis of the vehicle is at most 27.5 millimeters.

20. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein a dimension of the rubber mount along a vertical axis of the vehicle is at most 20.5 millimeters.

21. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein, by screwing the compensation bushing in and out relative to the external thread, a dimension of the rubber mount along a vertical axis of the vehicle is variable by at most 10 mm.

22. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein, by screwing the compensation bushing in and out relative to the external thread, a dimension of the rubber mount along a vertical axis of the vehicle is variable by at most 7 mm.

23. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein a dimension of the rubber mount in a plane perpendicular to a vertical axis of the vehicle is at most 120 millimeters.

24. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein a dimension of the rubber mount in a plane perpendicular to a vertical axis of the vehicle is at most 50 millimeters.

25. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein a dimension of the rubber mount in a plane perpendicular to a vertical axis of the vehicle is at most 38 millimeters.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the design of the central connector of the vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of linking the high-voltage accumulator to the body of the vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 schematically shows a vehicle 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 1 is in particular an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid. The vehicle 1 is thus configured for providing electric energy.

[0024] The vehicle 1 comprises a body 2 and a high-voltage accumulator 3. The high-voltage accumulator 3 in the peripheral region is fastened to the body 2 by way of fastening elements 4 and is thus fixedly connected to the body 2. The body 2 herein has a cutout in which the high-voltage accumulator 3 is attached. The body is potentially weakened by such a cutout such that support by way of a central connector 5 is advantageous.

[0025] The high-voltage accumulator 3 is substantially cuboid. It is provided herein that the largest external faces 6 of the high-voltage accumulator 3 are oriented so as to be perpendicular to a central axis of the vehicle 1. A largest external face 6 is in particular present on an upper side of the high-voltage accumulator 3. The central connector 5 connects the body 2 to this external face 6 of the high-voltage accumulator 3 and thus permits the body 2 to be supported on the high-voltage accumulator 3. The central connector 5 is in particular disposed so as to be centric on the external face 6.

[0026] FIG. 2 schematically shows the central connector 5 configured as a rubber mount 7. FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the central connector 5 in the installed state between the high-voltage accumulator 3 and the body 2. FIGS. 2 and 3 are therefore conjointly described hereunder.

[0027] The rubber mount 7 has a threaded sleeve 8. The threaded sleeve 8 in turn comprises a cylindrical wall 9, wherein an internal thread 10 as well as an external thread 11 are attached to the wall 9. Two different elements can thus be fastened to the threaded sleeve in a mutually independent manner by way of screw-fitting, wherein both elements are disposed so as to be concentric.

[0028] The internal thread 10 serves for fastening the rubber mount 7 to the body 2 by means of a screw element 13. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the screw element 13 is a flat-head screw. The threaded sleeve 8 is advantageously made from a metal or a plastics material. A compensation of tolerances is to be preferably provided in order for the rubber mount 7 to be linked to the body 2. A spacing between the high-voltage accumulator 3 and the body 2 herein is in particular to be compensated for. To this end, the rubber mount 7 has a compensation bushing 12 which is screwed onto the external thread 11.

[0029] When the compensation bushing 12 is screw-fitted to the external thread, an entire dimension of the rubber mount 7 is thus varied. On account thereof, the rubber mount 7 can be adapted to a spacing between the body 2 and the high-voltage accumulator 3.

[0030] The compensation bushing 12 has an opening 14 through which the screw element 13 is guided. The screw element 13 serves for connecting the body 2 to the internal thread 10 of the threaded sleeve 8 of the rubber mount 7. In order to guarantee simple handling of the rubber mount 7 during assembling, it is provided that the compensation bushing 12 is also able to be activated by way of the screw element 13.

[0031] In order for this simple handling capability to be achieved, the compensation bushing 12 in the opening 14 has a circlip 15, in particular a spring element, so that the compensation bushing 12 and the screw element 13 are connected in a force-fitting manner. The external thread 11 and the internal thread 10 furthermore have threads with different rotating directions. For example, the internal thread 10 has a right-hand thread, and the external thread 11 has a left-hand thread. When the body 2 is to be connected to the rubber mount 7 by way of the screw element 13, the following assembly steps are thus provided.

[0032] First, the screw element 13 is guided through an opening of the body 2 and through the opening 14 of the compensation bushing 12. The screw element 13 is then connected in a force-fitting manner to the compensation bushing 12. When the screw element 13 is rotated in the screwing-in direction thereof, the compensation bushing 12 is thus initially unscrewed from the external thread 11. This takes place until the compensation bushing 12 bears on the body 2, which means that a compensation of tolerances has been carried out. The compensation bushing 12 can subsequently not to be moved any further so that the screw element 13 rotates in relation to the compensation bushing 12 until the screw element 13 is fixedly connected to the internal thread 10. On account thereof, the body 2 is linked to the rubber mount 7.

[0033] The screw element 13 has thus only to be rotated in the screwing-in direction so as to carry out a compensation of tolerances as well as establish a connection between the body 2 and the high-voltage accumulator 3. The handling of the rubber mount 7 is thus simplified.

[0034] The rubber mount 7 has a base plate 16, as well as a rubber element 17 and an external rubber element 18, the latter two being configured for receiving and absorbing relative movements between the body 2 and the base plate 16. The rubber element 17, like the external rubber element 18, can be produced from a natural or synthetic rubber. It is provided that the rubber element 17 is fixedly connected to the base plate 16. The rubber element 17 is in particular adhesively bonded to the base plate 16. The external rubber element 18 advantageously extends at least partially about the threaded sleeve 8. The external rubber element 18 is in particular situated between an external ring 19 connected to the base plate and the compensation bushing 12. The rubber element 17 and the external rubber element 18 can thus reliably dampen relative movements between the high-voltage accumulator and the body.

[0035] The rubber mount 7 is linked to the high-voltage accumulator 3 by way of the base plate 16. The base plate 16 is attached to an external wall 21 of the high-voltage accumulator 3 that forms the external face 6. For example, the base plate 16 can be screwed, riveted or adhesively bonded to the external wall 21. Alternatively, the external wall 21 can be configured so as to be integral to the base plate 16 such that the rubber element 17 is fastened directly to the high-voltage accumulator 3.

[0036] If a relative movement arises between the body 2 and the high-voltage accumulator 3, the rubber element 17 and/or the external rubber element 18 are thus deformed on account of which the relative movement is damped. Since there is a connection between the high-voltage accumulator 3 and the body 2 by way of the rubber element 17 and/or the external rubber element 18, supporting the body 2 on the high-voltage accumulator 3 by way of the rubber mount 3 is made possible.

[0037] The rubber mount 7 moreover has a seal 20 by way of which a gap between the compensation bushing 12 and the external ring 19 is sealed independently of a position of the compensation bushing 12. The rubber mount 7 can thus be sealed in relation to the body 2 and in relation to the high-voltage accumulator 3. In particular, the rubber element 17 and the external rubber element 18 are protected in relation to external influences by the external ring 19 and the base plate 16. A secure and reliable damping function is thus provided.

[0038] A dimension of the rubber mount 7 along a vertical axis of the vehicle 1 is preferably at most 50.0 millimeters or at most 27.5 millimeters or at most 20.5 millimeters. A compensation of tolerances of at most 10 mm, in particular at most 7 mm, along the vertical axis is particularly advantageously enabled by means of the compensation bushing 12. This is achieved in particular in that the compensation bushing 12, proceeding from a central position on the external thread 11, is able to be moved at least 5 mm, in particular at least 3.5 mm, in each screwing direction. Moreover, a dimension of the rubber mount 7 in a plane perpendicular to the vertical axis of the vehicle 1 is at most 120 millimeters or at most 50 millimeters or at most 38 millimeters. The rubber mount 7 can thus be attached in a manner that saves installation space. At the same time, secure and reliable damping of relative movements between the high-voltage accumulator 3 and the body 2 is made possible so as to achieve a reliable support of the body 2 on the high-voltage accumulator 3 with minor forces.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS:

[0039] 1 Vehicle [0040] 2 Body [0041] 3 High-voltage accumulator [0042] 4 Fastening element [0043] 5 Central connector [0044] 6 External face [0045] 7 Rubber mount [0046] 8 Threaded sleeve [0047] 9 Wall [0048] 10 Internal thread [0049] 11 External thread [0050] 12 Compensation bushing [0051] 13 Screw element [0052] 14 Opening [0053] 15 Circlip [0054] 16 Base plate [0055] 17 Rubber element [0056] 18 External rubber element [0057] 19 External ring [0058] 20 Seal [0059] 21 External wall