# US 12,119,509 B2 · Fasteners and assemblies for servicing high voltage components of a battery system

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- Number: US 12,119,509 B2
- Document ID: US12119509B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/360,919
- Filed: 2021-06-28
- Published: 2022-12-29
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2021-06-28
- Assignees: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
- Applicants: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
- Inventors: Ehsan Baseri; Kyle Butterfield; Luke Rayment Morrow; Akshay Kishor Murkute; Jonathan Verghese
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119509B2

## CPC

- H01M 50/262: with fastening means, e.g. locks
- B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
- H01M 50/271: Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
- H01M 50/507: comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules
- H01M 50/517: by fixing means, e.g. screws, rivets or bolts
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- 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
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A battery system for an electric vehicle includes a fixed cover, and a removable cover arranged over battery modules and a high voltage distribution system. The battery system includes a busbar arranged at least partially over a region of the battery modules and under the removable cover. The busbar includes a fixed section and a movable section, or a hinge, such that the busbar can be repositioned out of the way. The support tray includes a link between the fixed and movable sections. Floating fasteners, allowing at least one of radial float and axial float are used to secure the link to the support tray, thereby avoiding safety hazards and reducing the potential for short circuits in high voltage distribution systems or conductors thereof. The floating fasteners include a head, a neck, an engagement section, and a washer, which prevent removal from a component once installed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A floating fastener, comprising:
a head;
a neck adjacent to the head; and
a washer attached to the neck to provide one or more clearances between the floating fastener and a panel component between the head and the washer, wherein:
the panel component comprises a hole, a first side, and a second side opposite to the first side;
the floating fastener is arranged in the hole such that the head is on the first side of the panel component and the washer is on the second side of the panel component; and
an attachment of the washer to the neck prevents removal of the floating fastener from the panel component, which thereby prevents physical contact between the floating fastener and one or more components of a battery system.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The floating fastener of claim 1, wherein:
the neck comprises a step or a taper configured to engage at least radially with the washer;
the washer is affixed to the step or taper;
the one or more clearances comprises an axial clearance between the head and the washer and a radial clearance with the panel component; and
the axial clearance allows the floating fastener to axially float with the panel component.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The floating fastener of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the neck is less than a diameter of the hole in the panel component, wherein the one or more clearances comprises a radial clearance between the neck and the hole which allows the floating fastener to radially float in the hole of the panel component.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The floating fastener of claim 1, wherein an engagement section of the floating fastener comprises a threaded section configured to engage with the panel component.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The floating fastener of claim 1, wherein the floating fastener is constrained by the panel component to exhibit axial clearance and radial clearance, and wherein the panel component comprises a plurality of floating fasteners.

### Claim 6

A busbar support component comprising:
a panel comprising a plurality of holes, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side; and
a plurality of floating fasteners arranged for the plurality of holes, wherein:
each floating fastener of the plurality of floating fasteners comprises a respective head, a respective neck adjacent to the head, and a respective washer attached to each respective neck,
each floating fastener is arranged in a respective hole of the plurality of holes such that each respective head is on the first side of the panel and each respective washer is on the second side of the panel,
each respective attachment of each respective washer to each respective neck prevents removal of each respective floating fastener from the panel, which thereby prevents physical contact between each respective floating fastener and one or more components of a battery system,
one or more of the plurality of floating fasteners comprises one or more clearances with the plurality of holes,
the plurality of floating fasteners is configured to engage with a first support and a second support, and
the panel secures the first support relative to the second support.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The busbar support component of claim 6, wherein the one or more clearances comprises an axial clearance and a radial clearance.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The busbar support component of claim 6, wherein:
the first support comprises a first hole;
the second support comprises a second hole;
a first floating fastener of the plurality of floating fasteners is configured to engage with the first hole; and
a second floating fastener of the plurality of floating fasteners is configured to engage with the second hole.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The busbar support component of claim 8, wherein the first support and the second support are configured to support at least one busbar of a high voltage distribution system.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The busbar support component of claim 6, wherein each floating fastener comprises an engagement section, wherein each respective neck is arranged between each respective head and the engagement section, and wherein the engagement section is configured to engage with the first support and the second support.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The busbar support component of claim 6, wherein each respective washer is rigidly affixed to each respective neck such that each respective washer and each respective head define mechanical tolerances that permit axial float of each respective floating fastener.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The busbar support component of claim 6, wherein each floating fastener is configured to allow both radial float and axial float.

### Claim 13

A method for forming a floating fastener, the method comprising:
providing a fastener comprising a head and a neck adjacent to the head;
inserting the fastener through a hole on a first side of a component such that the head of the fastener is on the first side;
arranging a washer on a second side of the component opposite the first side; and
securing the washer to the neck of the fastener such that the washer provides one or more clearances with the component, wherein an attachment of the washer to the neck prevents removal of the fastener from the component and the attachment prevents physical contact between the fastener and one or more components of a battery system.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising arranging one or more securing components relative to the fastener and the washer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein securing the washer to the fastener comprises pressing the one or more securing components to deform the washer onto the fastener.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein securing the washer to the fastener comprises pressing one or more securing components to cause the fastener to engage with the washer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising removing the one or more securing components after securing the washer to the fastener.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein arranging the washer on the second side comprises sliding the washer over an engagement section such that the washer is arranged at the neck of the fastener.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein arranging the washer on the second side comprises pressing the washer over an engagement section such that the washer is arranged at the neck of the fastener.