Method for manufacturing a crash frame of a battery compartment for battery electric vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a manufacturing method for a crash frame of a battery compartment for electric drive vehicles by using metallic sheets which are arranged on top of one another and fixed together and which form in a following step a space by using an inner active media forming process to create walls of a crash frame whereby the space works as a deformation space to protect the battery modules inside the battery compartment against an impact. The invention further relates to the use of the crash frame for a battery compartment.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a crash frame for a battery compartment for electric drive vehicles, the battery compartment including the crash frame and a battery housing, the battery housing enclosing at least one battery module, the method comprising the steps of: providing at least two metallic sheets and arranging the at least two metallic sheets on top of each other; joining the at least two metallic sheets together essentially at the circumference of at least one sheet to form joined sheets; introducing a medium between at least two sheets of the joined sheets; applying a pressure to the medium, causing a deformation of at least one sheet of the joined sheets; and producing a crash frame including a plurality of wall components, each of the wall components comprising the joined sheets and a deformation space between the at least two sheets, the deformation space produced by the deformation of the at least one sheet; wherein producing the crash frame includes: after forming the deformation space, bending the joined sheets along at least one bend line to form the plurality of wall components joined at the at least one bend line; wherein the crash frame including the plurality of wall components is configured such that in an installed position, the battery housing is inserted into the crash frame.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least two metallic sheets are essentially planar.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the joined sheets being joined by welding or folding.

4. The method according to claim 1, the step of bending the joined sheets further comprising a step of bending the joined sheets along at least two axes to produce the crash frame, the crash frame having at least a bottom wall and side walls.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wall components together form a first wall component including a first deformation space, the method further comprising: forming a second wall component including a second deformation space, arranging the second wall component on top of the first wall component providing the crash frame including independent first and second deformation spaces.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the deformation space is adapted for use for thermal management of a battery compartment inserted into the crash frame.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein indentations for accommodating a sealing compound are provided in a wall of the crash frame.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of filling up the deformation space with an insulating material, the deformation space filled with the insulating material adapted for use as a further crash and thermal protection for a battery compartment inserted into the crash frame.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metallic sheets are stainless steel.

10. The method according to claim 1, the plurality of wall components including a bottom wall and at least one side wall of the crash frame.

11. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising: joining the plurality of wall components to produce the crash frame, the crash frame having at least a bottom wall and side walls.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the joining is being carried out by welding.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least two metallic sheets having different thicknesses.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the sheet having a larger thickness defines an inside surface of the crash frame configured to receive a battery compartment inserted into the crash frame.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wall components together form a first wall component, the method further comprising: forming a second wall component; the crash frame including the first wall component and the second wall component; the first wall component forming a bottom wall and side walls of the crash frame; layering the second wall component on top of the bottom wall and within the side walls such that with the battery housing inserted into the crash frame, the second wall component is intermediate the battery housing and the bottom wall.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the second wall component is adapted for use for thermal management of the battery compartment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention is illustrated in more detail referring to the attached drawings where

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of one wall of a battery compartment having a crash frame manufactured out of two flat metallic sheets by using an inner active media forming process as one embodiment of the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of another wall as another embodiment of the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 shows another schematic top view of a flat metallic sheet-arrangement as another embodiment of the invention for bend-forming,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of an arrangement where a component manufactured from two metallic sheets according to the invention has been bent to form two walls of a crash frame for a battery compartment,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic side view of a battery compartment as a preferred embodiment of the invention,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of another battery compartment having a crash frame according to another preferred embodiment of the invention,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a schematic side view of a battery compartment manufactured in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention,

(9) FIG. 8 shows two detailed drawings of preferred sealing embodiments schematically seen from a side view, and

(10) FIG. 9 shows an option for seaming two metal sheets together in connection with a process according to the invention.

EMBODIMENTS ILLUSTRATING THE INVENTION

(11) FIG. 1 illustrates two flat metallic sheets 1, 2 which are arranged on top of one another, then welded together at locations 3 and which form, by using an inner active media forming process, a defined inner space with the height h.sub.i 4 so that a unitary wall element results which can be used for a battery compartment and is further called component (c).

(12) FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the invention to manufacture a component which can be used for a battery compartment, schematically seen as a view from above to the surface of a sheet 2, whereby limitation elements 5 created by welding are introduced. At these limitation elements 5, the sheets 1, 2 are fixed together. As a result, the limitation elements 5 limit the possible height h.sub.i of the space and determine the resulting geometry.

(13) FIG. 3 illustrates, as a top view, that a component as basically described in FIG. 2 can be manufactured to form a battery compartment with a bottom wall 6 and different side walls 7 by using a bend-forming process at the bending lines 8. The resulting side walls 7 can be welded together at their contact surfaces 9.

(14) FIG. 4 shows in a side detail view how a component manufactured according to the invention, e.g. as shown in FIG. 3, has been bent at a straight angle to form a bottom 6 and a side wall 7, respectively, of a crash frame. Alternatively, separate single components as described in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be welded together at 10 to create a resulting battery compartment crash frame with a bottom wall and side walls.

(15) FIG. 5 illustrates how a component manufactured according to the invention, as shown in e.g. FIG. 3, has been bent to form a crash frame, into which a battery housing 11 is inserted with installed battery modules 12. The system is covered by a closing plate 13.

(16) FIG. 6 illustrates the arrangement of two separate components 14, 15 arranged on top of each other to create at least two independent inner spaces used for different functionalities, preferably the outer one 15 as a crash protection and the inner one 14 for thermal management functions like cooling.

(17) FIG. 7 illustrates as a side view the use of thinner outer sheets 16 in combination with thicker inner sheets 17 so that mainly the outer sheets are deformed during the inner active media forming process. The battery modules 12 in casing 11 can be assembled onto the nearly flat thicker inner sheet 17.

(18) FIG. 8a-b illustrate as detail side views of two sealing embodiments at the side walls, providing a closed battery compartment. Both embodiments comprise a thinner outer sheet 16, a thicker inner sheet 17 and the internally located battery modules 12. Further, indentations 18, 19 are provided in the outer surface of the internal active media-formed side walls to create spaces for a sealing layer 20 so that a removable closing plate 21 can be fixed tightly onto the battery compartment. In FIG. 8a, the indentation 18 is created by impressing the internal active media-formed side wall from the outside of the thinner outer sheet 16. In FIG. 8b, the indentation 19 is created by having a thinner outer sheet 16, the edge of which protrudes outside the thicker inner sheet 17 and is subsequently formed to accommodate the seal material 20.

(19) FIG. 9 illustrates the fixing of at least one area of the circumferential fixing with a non-welding forming procedure, here folding. Two flat metallic sheets 22, 23 arranged on top of one another are bent and folded into each other, creating a sealed seam along their circumference.