# US 11,444,352 B2 · Traction battery securing assembly and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,444,352 B2 - Document ID: US11444352B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/603,882 - Filed: 2017-05-24 - Published: 2018-11-29 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-24 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Donald P. Iacovoni; Paul L. Heirtzler, Jr.; Hassen Hammoud; Randall Ray Roth; Brent Zapczynski; Michael E. Reibling; Christian Johan Owen Handley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444352B2 ## CPC - B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion - B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles - B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries} - B62D 21/152: {Front or rear frames} - H01M 50/249: specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) - H01M 50/262: with fastening means, e.g. locks - B60K 2001/0416: {Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle} - B60Y 2306/01: Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ## Abstract An exemplary traction battery assembly includes, among other things, a battery pack and a securing assembly. The securing assembly secures the battery pack to a structure of the vehicle. The securing assembly is disposed along a horizontally facing side of the battery pack and is configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to a load to permit movement of the battery pack relative to the vehicle structure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A traction battery assembly, comprising: a battery pack of a vehicle; and a securing assembly that secures the battery pack to a structure of the vehicle, the securing assembly disposed along a horizontally facing side of the battery pack and configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to an impact load to permit movement of the battery pack relative to the structure of the vehicle, the impact load applied to an area of the vehicle that is spaced a distance from all portions of the battery pack, wherein the battery pack is electrically coupled to a powertrain of the vehicle when the securing assembly is in the first position, wherein the first position is different than the second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The traction battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the securing assembly comprises a rail and a groove slideably retained by the rail, wherein the groove slides relative to the rail when the securing assembly moves from the first to the second position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The traction battery assembly of claim 2, wherein the battery pack has a plurality of sides extending vertically from a top of the battery pack to a bottom of the battery pack, wherein one of the rail or the groove is provided by one of the plurality of sides, and the other of the rail or the groove is secured directly to the vehicle structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The traction battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the battery pack is disposed above a trunk floor of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The traction battery assembly of claim 1, further comprising a frame, wherein the rail extends from one of the frame or the horizontally facing side of the battery pack, wherein the groove is provided by the other of the horizontally facing side of the battery pack. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The traction battery assembly of claim 5, further comprising at least one attachment that secures the frame to the battery pack, the at least one attachment configured to fracture to permit movement of the battery pack relative to the vehicle structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The traction battery assembly of claim 6, wherein the at least one attachment is configured to fracture in response to the load exceeding a threshold value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The traction battery assembly of claim 5, further comprising a damper that damps movement of the groove relative to the rail. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The traction battery assembly of claim 8, wherein the damper is a spring having a first end portion secured to the battery pack and an opposite, second portion secured to the frame. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The traction battery assembly of claim 9, wherein the spring is configured to compress in response to the securing assembly moving from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The traction battery assembly of claim 8, wherein the damper is a fluid-based damper. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The traction battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the battery pack slides forward relative to a trunk floor of the vehicle when the securing assembly moves from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 13 A traction battery securing method, comprising: transitioning a securing assembly from a first position to a different second position in response to an impact load to permit movement of a battery pack relative to a vehicle structure of a vehicle, the securing assembly securing a horizontally facing side of the battery pack to the vehicle structure, the impact load applied directly to an area of the vehicle that is spaced a distance from all portions of the battery pack, wherein the battery pack is electrically coupled to a powertrain of the vehicle when the securing assembly is in the first position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The traction battery securing method of claim 13, wherein the securing assembly comprises a rail and a groove slideably retained by the rail, wherein the transitioning comprises sliding the groove relative to the rail when the securing assembly moves from the first to the second position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The traction battery securing method of claim 13, wherein at least one attachment secures a frame of the securing assembly to the battery pack to hold the battery pack in the first position, and further comprising fracturing the at least one attachment to permit movement of the battery pack relative to the vehicle structure from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The traction battery securing method of claim 13, further comprising damping movement of the battery pack from the first position to the second position using a damper. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The traction battery securing method of claim 16, wherein a first end of the damper is directly secured to a frame of the securing assembly and an opposite, second end of the damper is directly secured to the battery pack. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The traction battery securing method of claim 13, wherein, during the transitioning, the battery pack slides forward within the vehicle when the battery pack moves relative to the vehicle structure. ### Claim 19 A traction battery assembly, comprising: a battery pack of a vehicle; a securing assembly that moves from a first position to a different, second position in response to an impact load to permit movement of the battery pack relative to the structure of the vehicle, the securing assembly securing the battery pack to a structure of the vehicle, the battery pack electrically coupled to a powertrain of the vehicle when the securing assembly is in the first position; a rail and a groove of the securing assembly, the groove slideably retained by the rail, the groove sliding relative to the rail when the securing assembly moves from the first to the second position; and a damper that damps movement of the groove relative to the rail. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The traction battery assembly of claim 19, further comprising at least one attachment secures a portion of the securing assembly to the battery pack to hold the battery pack in the first position, the at least one attachment configured to fracture to permit movement of the battery pack relative to the vehicle structure from the first position to the second position.