BATTERY HOLDER FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

A battery holder is disclosed having a base plate and a frame that is at least partially encircling in a lateral direction, the base plate and the frame are configured as sheet-metal components, and a lid. The base plate is configured in a trough-shaped manner and is manufactured as a formed sheet-metal component from a multilayered laminated composite steel, wherein an internal exterior layer is configured from an acid-resistant steel alloy and an outboard external layer of the laminated composite steel is configured from a stainless-steel alloy.

Claims

1. A battery holder for a vehicle, comprising: a frame; a base plate; a lid; wherein the base plate is a trough-shaped sheet-metal component having a multilayered laminated composite steel, and wherein an outboard exterior layer of the laminated composite steel is a stainless-steel alloy.

2. The battery holder of claim 1, wherein the base plate and/or the frame are configured from a triple-layer laminated composite steel having an internal exterior layer, a central layer, and an external exterior layer.

3. The battery holder of claim 1, wherein the battery holder is configured and dimensioned to hold a starter battery.

4. The battery holder of claim 1, wherein the batter holder is configured and dimensioned to hold a battery for a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle.

5. The battery holder of claim 1, wherein the base plate and the frame are intercoupled to one another and are of different materials.

6. The battery holder of claim 1, wherein the base plate and the frame are of the same material.

7. The battery holder of claim 2, wherein the base plate and the frame are integrally formed as a single component.

8. The battery holder of claim 1, wherein the battery holder is integrated into an automobile body.

9. The battery holder of claim 2, wherein the base plate and the frame are hardened, wherein a central layer is configured from a hardened steel alloy, and wherein the battery holder is hot-stamped and press-hardened.

10. The battery holder of claim 9, wherein the tensile strength Rm of the base plate and the frame is greater than 1300 Mpa.

11. The battery holder of claim 9, wherein the tensile strength Rm of the base plate and the frame is greater than 1700 MPa.

12. The battery holder of claim 1, wherein the frame and the lid are tightly intercoupled by way of a force-fit and a sealing agent.

13. The battery holder of claim 2, wherein the internal layer and the external exterior layer each in relative terms are thinner than the central layer, and wherein the central layer has a thickness which corresponds to 50% to 95% of the total thickness (GD).

14. The battery holder of claim 2, wherein the internal exterior layer in relation to the external exterior layer is configured so as to be thinner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0041] FIG. 1a is a side sectional view of the battery holder;

[0042] FIG. 1b is an enlarged sectional view of the base plate of the battery holder;

[0043] FIG. 1c is a top view of the battery holder;

[0044] FIG. 1d is an enlarged sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the base plate of the battery holder;

[0045] FIG. 2a is a side sectional view of the battery holder in accordance with an alternative embodiment;

[0046] FIG. 2b is an enlarged sectional view of the base plate of the battery holder shown in FIG. 2a;

[0047] FIG. 2c is the top view of the battery holder shown in FIG. 2a;

[0048] FIG. 3a is a side sectional view of the battery holder in accordance with an alternative embodiment;

[0049] FIG. 3b is the enlarged sectional view of the base plate of the battery holder shown in FIG. 3a; and,

[0050] FIG. 3c is the top view of the battery holder shown in FIG. 3a.

[0051] In the figures, the same reference designations are used for identical or similar components, even if a repeated description is omitted for reasons of simplicity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

[0052] FIGS. 1a and 1c show a side view and a top view, respectively, of a battery holder 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. A base plate 2 that is manufactured so as to be physically integral and materially integral to the externally encircling frame 3 is shown. The base plate 2 and the frame 3 are manufactured as a deep-drawn component, which can be readily seen in the sectional view of FIG. 1a. The base plate 2 together with the frame 3 is configured so as to be trough-shaped, having an externally encircling flange 4. A lid 5 is positioned on the flange 4. The lid 5 and the flange 4 are preferably tightly intercoupled. Tight coupling can be performed by adhesive bonding or welding, or any other suitable means. However, an annular seal is preferably used. A form-fitting coupling in this instance is performed by means of screw bolts. Furthermore, as seen in FIG. 1c, corrugations 6 preferably run in the transverse direction Y to the automobile. This increases the rigidity in the event of a side impact.

[0053] FIG. 1b illustrates the base plate 2 having the frame 3 is manufactured from a triple-layer laminated composite steel 7. An internal exterior layer 8 in terms of the installed situation is disposed so as to be oriented toward an internal side 9. An external exterior layer 10 is disposed on an external side 11. A central layer 12 is enclosed by the internal exterior layer 8 and external layer 11. The internal layer 8 and the external exterior layer 10 are thus exterior layers.

[0054] The laminated composite steel 7 has a total thickness GD which is made up of the thickness D8 of the internal exterior layer 8, the thickness D12 of the central layer 12, and the thickness D10 of the external exterior layer 10. The proportion of the thickness D12 of the central layer 12 herein is preferably between 50% and 95% of the total thickness GD. Furthermore, the external exterior layer 10 in relation to the internal exterior layer 8 is configured so as to be thicker, preferably more than 1.5 times, in particular more than 2 times, the thickness of the internal exterior layer 8. Therefore, a better protection against the impact by road debris is provided. The internal exterior layer 8 is configured so as to be acid-resistant, such that a schematically illustrated battery 13 that is disposed in the interior (I) is safely received. If the battery acid unexpectedly leaks, the leaking battery acid would correspondingly remain stored in the interior (I). The size of the battery is indicated in a schematic manner only. In particular, the battery may almost entirely fills the interior (I).

[0055] FIG. 1d illustrates an alternative embodiment of the double-layer laminated composite steel 7. A main layer, also referred to as the central layer 12, which is smaller than or equal to 90% of the total thickness GD, is now disposed. Furthermore, an external exterior layer 10 in terms of the installed situation is disposed. The external exterior layer 10 thus serves as protection against corrosion and protection against road stone impact.

[0056] FIGS. 2a to 2c an alternative embodiment of the battery holder of FIG. 1. The frame 3 is preferably also manufactured so as to be physically integral and materially integral as a forming component to the base plate 2. However, this embodiment does not have any outboard flanges. Rather, the lid 5 is placed on top in the manner of a hood. The lid 5 is positioned so that its peripheral ends contact the inside of the frame 3. In the manner of a hood can however also be configured in such a manner that the lid 5 engages across the outside of the frame 3. The lid 5 here has a bent edge 14. The bent edge 14 comes to bear on an internal side 15 of the frame 3, and here in particular is tightly coupled to the latter.

[0057] FIGS. 3a to 3c illustrate yet another embodiment of the battery holder shown in FIG. 1. As seen in the sectional view of FIG. 3a, the battery holder 1 has a base plate 2. The base plate 2 is laterally coupled to door sills 16. The door sills 16 are also manufactured as formed sheet-metal components. The door sills 16 have an internal sill part 17. The internal sill part 17 at the same time is configured as the frame 3, and thus at the same time forms the frame 3 for receiving a battery 13. A lid 5 is again placed on top of the door sill 16, such that an interior (I) is provided. The base plate 2 again also has corrugations 6 in order to increase the transverse rigidity. The base plate 2 is configured from the triple-layer laminated composite steel 7, in a manner similar to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and disclosed hereinabove.

[0058] It is also possible for the frame 3 to be formed by a dual-shell deformation element instead of door sills. The external sill part 16 herein is connected to the actual door sill. The deformation element in this case extends at most across the entire length (L) of the battery holder 1. The internal sill part 17 also conforms and configures to the frame 3. In the event of a lateral impact, the door sill is flexurally stressed and is deformed under the energy absorption of the deformation element in such a manner that the external sill part 16 and the internal sill part 17 are deformed and converged.

[0059] The foregoing description of some embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The specifically described embodiments explain the principles and practical applications to enable one ordinarily skilled in the art to utilize various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents. Further, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described by the appended claims.