Shear panel with secondary coil for a forward structure of a body of a vehicle, and vehicle

Abstract

A shear panel for a forward structure of a body of a vehicle includes a receiving area having fastening devices for mechanically fastening a secondary coil of an inductive energy transmission system configured to charge an electric energy accumulator of the vehicle. The shear panel may be made of metal.

Claims

1. A shear panel for a a body of a vehicle, the shear panel comprising: a receiving area having fastening devices configured to mechanically fasten a secondary coil of an inductive energy transmission system which is configured to charge an electric energy accumulator of the vehicle, wherein the shear panel is made of metal, the receiving area is situated in a different plane than other areas of the shear panel adjoining the receiving area and surrounding the latter, the plane of the receiving area being arranged at a predefined distance from the plane of the other areas of the shear panel adjoining the receiving area and surrounding the latter, and the plane of the receiving area and the plane of the other areas adjoining the receiving area and surrounding the surrounding areas are connected by way of a diagonally extending transition section, an angle () formed between the plane of a respective surrounding area and the transition section meeting a condition that 20<<55.

2. The shear panel according to claim 1, wherein the receiving area is situated in an identical plane as other areas of the shear panel adjoining the receiving area and surrounding the latter.

3. The shear panel according to claim 1, wherein the predefined distance between the plane of the receiving area and the plane of the surrounding areas corresponds maximally to the height of the secondary coil.

4. The shear panel according to claim 1, wherein the angle () meets the condition that 25<<40.

5. The shear panel according to claim 1, wherein, when the secondary coil is fastened to the receiving area of the shear panel, the shear panel replacing a component of the secondary coil having functional characteristics and assuming said functional characteristics.

6. The shear panel according to claim 5, wherein the receiving area is situated in an identical plane as other areas of the shear panel adjoining the receiving area and surrounding the latter.

7. The shear panel according to claim 5, wherein the receiving area is situated in a different plane than other areas of the shear panel adjoining the receiving area and surrounding the latter, the plane of the receiving area being arranged at a predefined distance from the plane of the other areas of the shear panel adjoining the receiving area and surrounding the latter.

8. The shear panel according to claim 5, wherein the functional characteristics of the component of the secondary coil that is replaced by the shear panel is a field-guiding function to thereby influence the total impedance of the resonant circuit in a desirable manner.

9. The shear panel according to claim 1, wherein the predefined distance between the plane of the receiving area and the plane of the surrounding areas corresponds maximally to the height of the secondary coil.

10. The shear panel according to claim 9, wherein the predefined distance is between 25% and 100% of the height of the secondary coil.

11. The shear panel according to claim 10, wherein the angle () of the transition section is smaller in the direction of a coil axis/axis of vibration than transversely thereto.

12. The shear panel according to claim 11, wherein the shear panel is formed of aluminum.

13. The shear panel according to claim 12, wherein the thickness of the material of the shear panel amounts to at least 1 millimeter at least in the receiving area of the secondary coil.

14. The shear panel according to claim 13, wherein a copper layer is provided on the side of the receiving area on which the secondary coil is fastened.

15. The shear panel according to claim 14, wherein the shear panel projects laterally beyond the boundaries of the secondary coil.

16. The shear panel according to claim 15, wherein the length of the shear panel projecting beyond the boundaries of the secondary coil in a transverse direction amounts to approximately 50% of the dimension of the secondary coil in the transverse direction.

17. A battery-driven vehicle or plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle, comprising: a secondary coil of an inductive energy transmission system configured to charge an electric energy accumulator and a shear panel, which is arranged in the vehicle, wherein the secondary coil is integrated in the shear panel, which is constructed according to claim 16.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the shear panel is situated in the center on a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the secondary coil being centered with respect to the shear panel.

19. The vehicle according to claim 18, wherein a plane of the receiving area is on a different plane than a plane of the surrounding areas.

20. The shear panel according to claim 10, wherein the predefined distance is between 25% and 75% of the height of the secondary coil.

21. The shear panel according to claim 13, wherein the thickness of the material of the shear panel amounts to at least 2 millimeters at least in the receiving area of the secondary coil.

22. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the secondary coil is arranged on the side of the shear panel directed toward the road, relative to the vertical axis of the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shear panel;

(2) FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the shear panel;

(3) FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the shear panel; and

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the shear panel in FIG. 3 along line IV-IV.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(5) FIG. 1 is a perspective representation of a shear panel 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The shear panel 1 is provided for the arrangement on a forward structure, which is not shown, of a body of a vehicle, which is also not shown. The exterior shape of the shear panel 1 essentially follows the constructive design of the forward structure of the vehicle body. In general, the shear panel 1 is a component for stiffening the forward structure. The shear panel 1 therefore has a deformation or shaping over its entire circumference for generating the required stiffness. The shear panel 1 has several fastening clips 5 distributed over the outer edge, so that, in a known manner, the shear panel 1 can be fastened, for example, by means of screws or bolts, to the forward structure of the vehicle body. In this case, the pivot points of the forward structure control arm are connected with a floor assembly of the vehicle body. In a known manner, a more precise response of the steering can thereby be achieved because of the stiffening of the forward structure. In order to be able to achieve the stiffening to the desired extent, the shear panel 1 consists of aluminum of a thickness of between 2 and 3 mm. In this case, the material thickness may be different in different areas of the shear panel. The shear panel 1 may generally be produced of one piece or of several mutually connected parts.

(6) The installation position of the shear panel 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is shown by means of the coordinate system shown in FIG. 1. In this case, x indicates the longitudinal vehicle axis; y indicates the transverse vehicle axis; and z indicates the vertical vehicle axis. In other words, x points in the traveling direction of the vehicle toward the front; y points toward the right and z points upwards.

(7) The shear panel 1, only as an example, has a rectangular receiving area 2, the plane of the receiving area 2 being arranged in an offset manner with respect to the other areas of the shear panel surrounding the receiving area (the so-called surrounding areas). The offsetting is generated, for example, by a deformation of the starting material of the shear panel 1, for example, by shaping. The direction of the deformation of the receiving area 2 corresponds to the direction of the deformation of the deformed edge 4. The surrounding areas 7 may be situated in a common plane, although this is not absolutely necessary.

(8) The size and shape of the receiving area 1 corresponds approximately to the size of a secondary coil 21 of an inductive energy transmission system 20 for charging an electric energy accumulator of the vehicle. In the representation of FIG. 1, the secondary coil 21 is placed from below in the indented receiving area 2 and is fastened at the latter. For this purpose, fastening devices 3 are provided at the receiving area 2. The fastening devices 3 may be boreholes equipped with a thread, so that the secondary coil 21 can be screwed to the shear panel 1 through the boreholes. The fastening devices may also be screw bolts, so that the fastening of the secondary coil 21 takes place by means of nuts.

(9) The receiving area 2 is provided with a recess or opening 8, the coil connections 22 and control connections 23 projecting through the opening 8 for the electric contacting of the secondary coil 21.

(10) As described above, the receiving area 2, which is connected by way of circumferential transition sections or portions 6 with the respectively assigned surrounding area 7, may be a one-piece component of the shear panel 1. Alternatively, the receiving area could also be connected as a separate component in a frictional and/or interlocking and/or bonded manner with the shear panel 1.

(11) FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the shear panel in the y-z plane. It is easily recognizable here that the plate-shaped secondary coil 21 of the energy transmission system not shown in detail as a whole is arranged in the indented receiving area 2.

(12) The depth e (a.k.a. predefined distance) of the receiving area 2 with respect to the plane of the surrounding areas 7 (i.e. the distance between the plane of the receiving area 2 and the surrounding areas 7a, 7b) preferably amounts to 0.5 d to d, wherein d is the height of the secondary coil 21. 7a indicates the surrounding area arranged in FIG. 2 to the left of the receiving area 2; 7b indicates the surrounding area arranged in FIG. 2 to the right of the receiving area 2. The surrounding areas are situated in a common plane (surrounding plane). They may basically also be arranged in different planes. In the most extreme case, i.e., d=e, a main side 24 of the secondary coil, which in the installed condition of the shear panel 1 in the vehicle, faces a ground (road), is situated in the plane of the surrounding areas 7.

(13) In principle, e=0 can be selected; i.e., the plane of the receiving area 2 and the plane of the surrounding areas 7 are situated in a common plane. However, in this case, the field-guiding characteristic of the shear pan or of the indentation in which the secondary coil is arranged, would be dispensed with.

(14) The width of the receiving area 2 corresponds approximately to a width b of the secondary coil 21. As described above, the receiving area 2 is connected by way of a respective transition section or area 6 (the transition section on the left in the figure has the reference number 6a; the transition section on the right in the figure has the reference number 6b) with the assigned surrounding area 7a, 7b. The angle enclosed between the surrounding plane 7 and the respective transition section 6a, 6b determines, in connection with the distance e and a laterally extending transition section f, the impedance of the vehicle-side magnetic field resonator. FIG. 3 shows these characteristic parameters only for the left side of the indentation. The angle may amount to between 10 and 45, particularly 15 and 35. The angle particularly is a function of the length of the lateral transition section f. In principle, it applies that f will be selected to be larger, the steeper the angle . The precise selection of f, e and the angle depends mainly on the installation situation in the vehicle. The course of the B-field 30 can be influenced by the course of the transition section 6, in order to achieve the best-possible coupling to a primary coil (not shown) of the energy transmission system. In particular, the efficiency of the coupling to the primary coil is adjusted here.

(15) FIG. 3 is a view of the shear panel 1 from below. The centrally arranged receiving area 2 within the shear panel 1 is again clearly visible there. Also clearly visible is the opening 8 for the implementation of a coil connection and a control connection of the secondary coil 21.

(16) FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-IV, which again outlines the indented receiving area 2 with respect to the surrounding areas of the shear panel 1.

(17) The energy transmission system not shown in detail is based on magnetic resonance technology. The secondary coil 21 can thereby be provided with relatively small dimensions and a low weight. The secondary coil 21 generally comprises a ferrite core which is surrounded by a winding not shown in detail, as well as a copper plate for the field guidance and shielding of the magnetic field and an aluminum plate situated above the latter for the impedance adaptation and shielding of the magnetic field. At least one of the two layers can be substituted by the integration of the secondary coil 21 in the shear panel 1. If a corresponding copper layer is provided on the side of the receiving area 2 assigned to the secondary coil 21, both layers of the secondary coil 21 can be replaced. This reduces the weight and the thickness of the secondary coil 21.

(18) The width b of the secondary coil 21 in the B-field direction amounts, for example, to 25 cm. The width a of the shear panel 1 in the B-field direction is approximately twice the width of the secondary coil 21, i.e. a=2*b. This means that the secondary coil 21 is approximately centrally integrated in the shear panel 1 in the transverse direction (y-axis) of the vehicle. The height of the secondary coil 21 amounts to approximately 2 cm. This means that the distance e is approximately 10 to 20 mm. The distance between the respective lateral edges of the secondary coil 21 and the transition section 6 is a function of the desired course of the B-field 30. This measurement can be determined by tests or simulated calculations. Likewise, the optimal distance e can be determined by tests or simulated calculations. In practice, the distance between the base of the angle and the assigned lateral edge of the secondary coil 1 should be between 15 and 85 mm.

(19) The integration of the secondary coil 21 for the transmission of electromagnetic field energy into the vehicle utilizes the shear panel 1 as the inductive impedance adaptation and integration component. On the one hand, the shear panel 1 is used as a mounting for the secondary coil 21. Because of the material (aluminum) and the thickness of the shear panel (between 2 and 3 mm), the shear panel, which extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle (Y-axis) in each case approximately 50% over the width b of the secondary coil 21, takes on the electromagnetic shielding for meeting legal and/or medical demands on the field intensities in the vehicle occupant compartment.

(20) Generally, the material thickness, at least in the area of the receiving area 2, but preferably also beyond it in the lateral direction, has to be selected such that it is greater than the penetration depth of the electromagnetic field into the shear panel. In principle, the material thickness depends on the selected frequency of the energy transmission.

(21) As a result of the shape of the receiving area 2 and of the transition section 6, an impedance adaptation of the vehicle-side magnetic field resonator or resonant circuit can take place. This results in a more efficient energy transmission. Because certain components can be absent from secondary coil since their function is provided by the shear panel, the secondary coil can be provided with a lower installation height and a lower weight. The impedance adaptation takes place by the shape of the receiving area 2 and the transition section 6, so that they take on a field-guiding function and thereby influence the total impedance of the resonant circuit in a desirable manner.

(22) Finally, the shear panel 1 consisting of metal increases the thermal capacity of the secondary coil 21 fastened thereto. At sufficiently low ambient temperatures (<80 C.), the shear panel is therefore used as a heat sink. Furthermore, a uniform heat distribution and dissipation is ensured, so that hot spots can be avoided. This applies equally to the removal of heat during the operation of the energy transmission system as well as to the removal of heat of an internal-combustion engine. In the latter case, the heat generated by the internal-combustion engine, particularly after the parking of the vehicle, is removed from the secondary coil, which prevents or at least reduces an additional feeding of heat into electronic components in the secondary coil. The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the embodiments of the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the embodiments of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the embodiments of the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.