Rigid linkages for battery packs
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAbdelmonaam Sassi, Courtney L'Arrivée, Steven Michael Lutowsky, Jr., Shekar Prabhakar Erasala, Heiko Landsmann, Binyamin Qamruzzaman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure details rigid linkages for mounting traction battery packs to portions of a vehicle frame. The rigid linkages are designed to allow the traction battery pack to articulate away from deforming structures of the vehicle frame as part of an energy distribution system. During the articulation, the rigid linkage is capable of conserving its integrity to push the traction battery pack away from the deforming structures, thereby preventing the deforming structures from contacting the traction battery pack.
Claims19
An electrified vehicle, comprising:
- a frame including a cross-member;
- a traction battery pack;
- a rigid linkage secured to the cross-member and the traction battery pack,
- wherein the rigid linkage is configured to articulate the traction battery pack away from a deforming structure of the frame;
- and
- a mounting bracket secured to the traction battery pack and the cross-member,
- wherein the rigid linkage includes a first mount section mounted to the cross-member, a second mount section mounted to the traction battery pack, and a curved bridge section extending between the first mount section and the second mount section.
An electrified vehicle, comprising:
- a frame including a cross-member;
- a traction battery pack;
- a rigid linkage secured to the cross-member and the traction battery pack,
- wherein the rigid linkage is configured to articulate the traction battery pack away from a deforming structure of the frame;
- and
- a mounting bracket secured to the traction battery pack and the cross-member,
- wherein the rigid linkage is generally Z-shaped.
An electrified vehicle, comprising:
- a frame including a rocker, a longitudinal member, a seat cross-member that extends between the rocker and the longitudinal member, and a floor panel;
- a traction battery pack mounted axially between the rocker and the longitudinal member such that a first longitudinal side surface of the traction battery pack faces toward the rocker and a second longitudinal side surface of the traction battery pack faces toward the longitudinal member,
- wherein the seat cross-member is mounted vertically below the floor panel such that the seat cross-member extends over top of the traction battery pack,
- wherein the traction battery pack is mounted vertically below the seat cross-member such that a gap extends between a cover of an enclosure assembly of the traction battery pack and the seat cross-member;
- a first mounting bracket for securing the traction battery pack to the seat cross-member;
- a rigid linkage for securing the traction battery pack to the seat cross-member,
- wherein the rigid linkage is configured to articulate the traction battery pack away from the floor panel such that the traction battery pack pivots about a pivot point established by the first mounting bracket during an energy distribution event;
- and
- a fastener received through the rigid linkage, the seat cross-member, and the floor panel for joining the rigid linkage, the seat cross-member, and the floor panel together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.