MOTOR VEHICLE BATTERY SUPPORT

Abstract

A battery support for a motor vehicle comprising a tray for receiving at least one battery, a device for holding the battery or batteries on the tray, the holding device comprising a flange on a threaded rod, and a device for clamping the flange on the battery or batteries, wherein the clamping device comprises a sleeve slidably mounted on the threaded rod and comprising a collar bearing on the flange, a nut mounted on the threaded rod and bearing on the collar of the sleeve, and the contact surfaces between the nut and the collar of the bushing comprises serrations.

Claims

1. A battery support for a motor vehicle comprising: a tray for receiving at least one battery, a holding device for holding the battery or batteries on the tray, the holding device comprising: a flange on a threaded rod, and a device for clamping the flange on the battery or batteries, wherein the clamping device comprises: a sleeve slidably mounted on the threaded rod and comprising a collar bearing on the flange, and a nut mounted on the threaded rod and bearing on the collar of the sleeve, wherein the contact surfaces between the nut and the collar of the bushing comprise serrations.

2. The battery support of claim 1, wherein the contact surfaces between the flange and the flange comprises serrations.

3. The battery support of claim 2, wherein the teeth of the toothing are formed by a flap inclined with respect to the contact surface and a flap substantially perpendicular to the contact surface.

4. The battery support of claim 3, wherein an angle of an inclined plane of the gear teeth is strictly greater than an angle of a thread of the threaded rod.

5. The battery support of claim 1, wherein the threaded rod is mounted substantially perpendicular to a plate.

6. The battery support of claim 1, wherein the flange is substantially parallel to the plate.

7. The battery support of claim 1, wherein the threaded rod comprises a stop for sliding the sleeve.

8. The battery support of claim 1, wherein the tray comprises side walls.

9. The battery support of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the flange is U-shaped.

10. The battery support of claim 1, further comprising two flanges and an anti-theft device ensuring the connection and locking of the two flanges to at least two threaded rods.

11. The battery support of claim 10, wherein the anti-theft device comprises a bar, each end of the bar being mounted on a flange via the clamping device so that the collar of the sleeve comes to rest on the bar.

12. The battery support of claim 11, wherein the anti-theft device comprises: a rod, each end of the rod being mounted on the threaded rods, wherein the rod comprises a portion forming an arch, and the bar comprises a slot arranged to receive the arch-shaped portion of the rod.

13. A motor vehicle including the battery support of claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a more detailed description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples.

[0020] In the drawings:

[0021] FIG. 1 represents an exploded perspective view of the battery support according to the invention,

[0022] FIG. 2 represents a detail view A of FIG. 1, corresponding to a battery clamping device according to the invention

[0023] FIG. 3 represents a longitudinal sectional view of the battery clamping device according to the invention

[0024] FIG. 4 represents a perspective view of the battery support according to the invention equipped with an anti-theft device

[0025] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 represents a detail view of the anti-theft device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0026] With reference to FIG. 1, the battery support 1 according to the invention includes a tray 10 for receiving one or more batteries. The tray 10 is substantially horizontal. The tray 10 comprises, for example, and anti-slip surface 11 to ensure the stability of the battery. According to the embodiment shown, the non-slip surface 11 comprises grooves or embossments.

[0027] The battery support 1 also comprises at least two side walls 12 mounted on two opposite sides of the tray 10. The side walls 12 are substantially perpendicular to the tray 10. The side walls 12 may include means for attaching the battery support to the vehicle chassis.

[0028] The battery or batteries placed on the tray 10 are held on the battery support 1 by a holding device. The holding device comprises a flange 2 and at least one rod 3, a first end 30 of which is threaded. The flange 2 comprises a hole 21 for the passage of the first end 30 of the rod 3. The second end of the rod 3 is mounted on the tray 10 of the battery support 1. The mounting of the rod 3 on the plate 11 is for example done by screwing. The flange 2 is held in place on the upper side of the battery or batteries by means of a clamping device 31, 32 mounted on the thread of the rod 3.

[0029] The clamping device is shown in detail in FIG. 2 and comprises a sleeve 31 and a nut 32. The sleeve 31 comprises a flange 34. During assembly, the sleeve 31 is inserted onto the first end 30 of the rod 3 so that the flange 34 of the sleeve 31 comes to rest on the flange 2. To do this, the dimensions of the hole 21 in the flange are at least slightly larger than the diameter of the sleeve 31 and strictly smaller than the diameter of the flange 34 of the sleeve 31. The nut 32 is then screwed onto the first end 30 of the rod 3 until it comes into contact with the collar 34 of the sleeve 31. According to the invention, the surface of the nut 33 in contact with the flange 34 of the sleeve 31 comprises a toothing. Similarly, the surface of the collar 34 of the bushing 31 in contact with the nut during assembly includes a toothing.

[0030] The teeth of the nut 32 and the flange 34 are shaped to engage each other. According to the embodiment shown, the teeth of the toothing are formed with a flank inclined with respect to the contact surface and a flank substantially perpendicular to the contact surface. Thus, at the end of tightening, of the nut 32, the engagement of the teeth of the nut 32 and the collar 34 during assembly reduces the risk of loosening due to vibrations of the battery support 1. According to one variant, the angle of the inclined surface of the teeth of the teeth is strictly greater than the angle of the thread of the threaded rod 30.

[0031] According to the illustrated embodiment, the contact surface of the collar 34 of the sleeve 31 with the flange 2 also comprises a toothing. This toothing prevents the bushing 31 from sliding on the contact surface of the flange 2 and thus limits overtightening of the nut 32 on the flange 2. In addition, the hole of the bushing 31 may include a groove 38 shaped to slide on grooves 37 formed on the rod 30. The grooves 37 are formed on a portion of the shaft 30 beyond the thread 35. When the bushing 31 is mounted on the rod 30, the spline 38 of the bushing 31 is engaged in the grooves of the rod 30 which prevents rotation of the bushing 31 relative to the rod 30. The rod 30 may also include a shoulder 36 intended to form a stop for the bushing 31 when the bushing 31 is mounted on the rod 30.

[0032] More specifically, FIG. 3 shows the relative position of the flange 2, the rod 30, the nut 31, and the bushing 31 when the flange 2 is mounted on a battery 4 that is placed on the battery support. When the battery 4 is mounted on the rack, the flange 2 is mounted on at least one rod 30 through the hole in the flange 2. The bushing 31 is then mounted on the rod 30. The spline of the bushing 31 slides over the grooves of the rod 30. When present, the shoulder 36 holds the bushing 31 onto the threaded rod 30.

[0033] The nut 32 is then screwed onto the thread 35 of the rod 30 until it comes into contact with the teeth of the flange 34 of the sleeve 31. The engagement of the teeth of the nut 32 with the teeth of the sleeve 31 forms a mechanical stop ensuring optimal tightening of the flange 2 on the battery and reducing the risk of loosening of the nut 32.

[0034] According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the battery support according to the invention also comprises an anti-theft device 50, 51. This anti-theft device is intended to prevent the removal of the flanges 2 holding the battery or batteries 4 on the tray 10 of the battery support.

[0035] The anti-theft device comprises, for example, a bar 50 ensuring the connection between at least two flanges 2. The bar 50 of the anti-theft device is, for example, fixed to the flanges 2 via the nuts 32 of the clamping device. The bar 50 can also be fixed by other means which prevent it from being dismantled with conventional tools. Thus, the nuts 32 of the device can be replaced by nuts having a specific shape incompatible with usual tools and requiring a specific tool for disassembly.

[0036] In order to prevent the removal of the bar 50, the bar 50 includes a slot 52 allowing the passage of an arch (or loop) of a rod 51. When a lock 6 (e.g., a padlock) is attached in the rod 51 it is no longer possible to remove the bar 50 from the anti-theft device. The rod 51 has two ends 53 each of which is mounted on a threaded rod 30 of the battery support 1. For this purpose, each end of the rod 51 may comprise a ring into which the threaded rod 30 is slid.

[0037] When mounting the anti-theft device, the rod 51 is mounted on two adjacent threaded rods 30 before the nuts 32 are placed on the threaded rods 30. The flanges 2 are then inserted onto the threaded rods 30. The bar 50 is then placed on the two adjacent threaded rods 30 to connect two adjacent flanges 2. The arch of the rod 51 is inserted into the slot 52 of the bar 50. The sleeves 31 of the locking device are then mounted on the threaded rods 30 so that the bar 50 is gripped between the flange 2 and a sleeve 31. The nuts 32 are then screwed onto the threaded rods 30. The lock 6 can then be attached to the rod arch 51.

[0038] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.