Vehicle with supporting structure

Abstract

A motor vehicle that includes a body having a support structure, a high-voltage battery having a battery housing and at least one battery module arranged in the battery housing. The battery housing is arranged on and attached to the support structure to serve as a main floor panel. A battery cover is detachably arranged on the underside of the battery housing to serve as underride protection and facilitate access to the at least one battery module.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising: a body having a support structure having a dip-coating; a high-voltage battery having a battery housing having a dip-coating, the battery housing including a battery housing frame, at least one battery module arranged in the battery housing, the battery housing being arranged on and attached to the support structure, the battery housing having a shape of a cuboid to serve as a main floor panel, and a battery housing cover detachably attached to the battery housing frame on the underside thereof as underride protection and facilitate access to the at least one battery module, wherein the support structure and the battery housing are dip-coated separately from one another.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises at least one seat crossmember, a rear seat crossmember, and a longitudinal tunnel structure.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises at least one seat crossmember, and/or at least one rear seat crossmember, and/or at least one longitudinal tunnel structure.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises at least one seat crossmember.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises at least one rear seat crossmember.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises at least one longitudinal tunnel structure.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery housing is attached to the support structure in a permanent and load-bearing manner via screws, rivets, and an assembly adhesive.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery housing is attached to the support structure in a permanent and load-bearing manner via screws.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery housing is attached to the support structure in a permanent and load-bearing manner via rivets.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery housing is attached to the support structure in a permanent and load-bearing manner via an assembly adhesive.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein: at least one battery module is assembled on the battery housing cover; at least one battery module is attached to the top wall of the battery housing frame; and at least one battery module is attached to a side wall of the battery housing frame.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one battery module is assembled on the battery housing cover.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one battery module is attached to the top wall of the battery housing frame.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one battery module is attached to a side wall of the battery housing frame.

15. A motor vehicle, comprising: a high-voltage battery having at least one battery module; a battery housing, having a dip-coating, to serve as a main floor panel of the motor vehicle, the battery housing including a battery housing frame which is to receive therein the at least one battery module, wherein the battery housing is dip-coated separately from a support structure of the motor vehicle, and a battery housing cover detachably attached to the battery housing frame as underride protection and facilitate access to the at least one battery module, wherein the support structure and the battery housing are dip-coated separately from one another.

16. A battery assembly for a motor vehicle that includes a body having a support structure with a dip-coating, the battery assembly comprising: a high-voltage battery having at least one battery module; a battery housing, having a dip-coating, to serve as a main floor panel of the motor vehicle, the battery housing including a battery housing frame which is to receive therein the at least one battery module, and a battery housing cover detachably attached to the battery housing frame in a gas-tight manner as underride protection and facilitate access to the at least one battery module, wherein the support structure and the battery housing are dip-coated separately from one another.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments will be illustrated by way of example in the drawings and explained in the description below.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a three-dimensional illustration of the body and the high-voltage battery of a motor vehicle, in accordance with embodiments.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a three-dimensional illustration of the high-voltage battery inserted into the body of (as seen from above) and as seen from below in the bottom.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates the body and the high-voltage battery of FIG. 2 in the assembled state.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates the body and the high-voltage battery of FIG. 3 with the battery cover in a detached state.

(6) FIGS. 5A to 5D illustrates an assembled motor vehicle and its battery modules, and also variants of the attachment of the battery modules, in accordance with embodiments.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates the repair of a motor vehicle, in accordance with embodiments.

DESCRIPTION

(8) FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate a motor vehicle comprising a body 1 and a high-voltage battery with a battery housing 3, in accordance with embodiments. The body 1 comprises a support structure 2 having a plurality of longitudinal members and seat crossmembers and rear seat crossmembers, and a longitudinal tunnel structure. The body 1 also comprises panel components which form a roof of the motor vehicle, and pillars which connect the roof panels to the support structure 2. The body itself does not comprise a main floor panel.

(9) The motor vehicle furthermore comprises a high-voltage battery in a battery housing 3 and a plurality of battery modules 4 arranged in the battery housing 3. The high-voltage battery may comprise a shallow accumulator. The battery housing 3 is arranged on and attached to the support structure 2 in such a way that the battery housing 3 acts as a main floor panel. The battery housing 3 therefore forms a floor of the motor vehicle. The battery housing 3 may be attached to the support structure 3 in a permanent and load-bearing manner via screws or rivets and additionally via assembly adhesive.

(10) In accordance with embodiments, the support structure 2 and the high-voltage battery are produced independently of one another in parallel lines. The battery housing 3 may be dip-coated separately from the body 1 of the vehicle.

(11) In accordance with embodiments, a detachable battery cover 5 is arranged on the underside of the battery housing 3 so that the battery modules 4 are accessible by detaching the battery cover 5. The battery cover 5 acts as underride protection and protects the battery modules from damage from underneath, i.e., from the road.

(12) As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the components of FIG. 1, namely, the body 1 and the high-voltage battery in the assembled state are provided, wherein the view from above is illustrated in the top figure and the view from below, or an overturned vehicle, is illustrated in the bottom of the illustration.

(13) As illustrated in FIG. 4, in contrast to FIG. 3, the detachment of the battery cover 5 from the rest of the battery housing 3 is provided. Between the battery cover 5 and the remainder of the walls of the battery housing 3, the battery modules are arranged and attached in a regular distribution in two dimensions, in the longitudinal and transverse direction.

(14) As illustrated in FIGS. 5A to 5D, the battery modules 4 is a assembled in the illustrated motor vehicle. The attachment of the battery modules 4 may be realised, inter alia, in the variants of FIGS. 5B to 5D. In this case, at the time of attaching the battery cover 5 to the remainder of the battery housing 3 and/or to the support structure 2 during vehicle manufacture, the battery modules 4 are not yet assembled on the battery cover 5 (FIG. 5B) or are already pre-assembled on the battery cover 5 (FIG. 5C) or are already pre-assembled on the battery cover 5 which also comprises a frame, i.e., side walls of the battery housing 3. The battery modules 4 may already be pre-assembled in this manner in or on the battery housing 3 (FIG. 5C) or on other walls of the battery housing 3 at the time of attaching the battery cover 5.

(15) The embodiment described with reference to FIG. 5B, in which the battery modules 4 are not yet assembled at the time of attaching the battery cover 5, is then especially advantageous if the attachment of the battery cover 5 to the remainder of the battery housing 3 does not yet include closing the battery cover, but instead constitutes connecting the cover to the battery housing, for example, via hinges or similar mechanisms, so that the battery cover can still be simply folded open and shut or simply opened in some other manner or is even still open after the attaching procedure.

(16) After attaching the battery cover, depending on the variant embodiment, an additional procedure for sealing the battery by closing the battery cover 5, for example, in conjunction with a subsequent locking or screw-connection of the battery cover 5 to the remainder of the battery housing 3 and/or to the support structure 2, may be optionally realised.

(17) As illustrated in FIG. 6, repair or maintenance of a motor vehicle may be realised, namely, by detaching the battery cover 5 so that the battery modules 4 may be removed, and repaired or replaced.

(18) The terms coupled, connected fastened or attached may be used herein to refer to any type of relationship, direct or indirect, between the components in question, and may apply to electrical, mechanical, fluid, optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or other connections. In addition, the terms first, second, etc. are used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological significance unless otherwise indicated.

(19) This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the preferred embodiments, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of embodiments is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. Aspects from the various embodiments described, as well as other known equivalents for each such aspects, may be mixed and matched by one of ordinary skill in the art to construct additional embodiments and techniques in accordance with principles of this application.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(20) 1 Body

(21) 2 Support structure

(22) 3 Battery housing

(23) 4 Battery module

(24) 5 Battery cover