US 2002/0162696 A1Published application

Battery mounting assembly

AssigneeInternational Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC

InventorsJeremy P. Maus, Richard A. Mink, Nathan L. Schuler, Steven W. Weissner

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Abstract

A battery mounting assembly for mounting batteries to a vehicle. The battery mounting assembly has lower battery tray and an upper battery tray disposed below and above one another respectively. The battery mounting assembly is constructed to move and deform in predetermined ways when it is subjected to relatively large forces such as might occur when the vehicle is involved in a traffic accident. The battery mounting assembly has one or more bumper components intended to protect batteries mounted to the battery mounting assembly from being subjected to a direct impact. Steel components of the battery mounting assembly are coated with an elastomer that has a high electrical resistance.

Claims66

Dependent claims

A first battery mounting assembly for mounting batteries that have horizontal upper surfaces, a positive voltage terminal and a negative voltage terminal and that may be arranged in a first lower row of batteries, a second lower row of batteries, a first upper row of batteries and a second upper row of batteries to a vehicle that has a centroid, structural components, an electrical system, and may also have a second battery mounting assembly that is mounted to the vehicle with second battery assembly hangers that may be mounted to the structural components of the vehicle, said first battery mounting assembly comprising:

(a) one or more main support members engaged to and supported by some of the structural components of the vehicle;
(b) a first lower battery tray, upon which a plurality of the batteries that are to be mounted to the vehicle are supported when the batteries are mounted to the vehicle, engaged to and supported by said one or more main support members;
(c) one or more upper tray support components directly or indirectly engaged to and supported by said one or more main support members and/or said first lower battery tray;
(d) a first upper battery tray, upon which a plurality of the batteries that are to be mounted to the vehicle are supported when the batteries are mounted to the vehicle,
(e) wherein said first upper battery tray is engaged to and supported by said one or more upper tray support components;
and
(f) wherein at least a portion of said first upper battery tray is disposed directly vertically above said first lower battery tray at a distance above said first lower battery tray such that one or more of the batteries that are to be mounted to the vehicle may be supported upon said first lower battery tray below said first upper battery tray and there would be space between any of the batteries, if they were supported on said first lower battery tray, and a lower surface of said first upper battery tray.

4 more elements

A first battery mounting assembly for mounting batteries to a vehicle that has a centroid and structural components and to which vehicle a second battery mounting assembly may be mounted by one or more second battery assembly hangers, comprising:

(a) battery assembly mounting components engaged to the structural components of the vehicle;
(b) breakaway components that are engaged to said battery assembly mounting components;
(c) wherein said breakaway components comprise a first lower battery tray that is engaged directly or indirectly to and supported by said battery assembly mounting components;
(d) wherein said breakaway components further comprise any components of said first battery mounting assembly necessary to secure the batteries that are to be disposed upon said first lower battery tray, to said first lower battery tray;
(e) said breakaway components and said battery assembly mounting components are constructed and engaged to one another and the structural components of the vehicle in a manner such that, when said first battery mounting assembly is subjected to relatively large forces in certain directions, such as would occur when the vehicle is involved in a traffic accident, certain components of said battery assembly mounting components deform and/or fracture in a predetermined manner and/or certain engagements of said breakaway components, said battery assembly mounting components, and the structural components of the vehicle to one another allow relative motion to occur between one another in a predetermined manner such that said breakaway components move in predetermined manners relative to the vehicle and energy is absorbed and dissipated by said first battery mounting assembly as said breakaway components move relative to the vehicle;
(f) said breakaway components are constructed and engaged to one another in a relatively rigid manner such that, if said first battery mounting assembly is subjected to relatively large forces that cause said breakaway components to move in predetermined manners relative to the vehicle, said breakaway components are prevented from moving relative to one another in all but relatively extreme traffic accidents;
and
(g) said breakaway components and said battery assembly mounting components are constructed and engaged to one another and the structural components of the vehicle in a relatively strong manner such that, even when some components of said first battery mounting assembly deform and/or fracture, as a result of said first battery mounting assembly being subjected to relatively large forces and/or accelerations in certain directions, said first battery mounting assembly remains to be supported by the vehicle during and after all but relatively extreme traffic accidents.

5 more elements

(a) one or more first battery assembly hangers engaged to and supported by some of the structural components of the vehicle;
(b) one or more main support members engaged to and supported by said one or more first battery assembly hangers;
(c) a first lower battery tray, upon which a plurality of the batteries that are to be mounted to the vehicle are supported when the batteries are mounted to the vehicle, engaged to and supported by said one or more main support members;
(d) one or more bumper components;
(e) wherein each of said one or more bumper components is engaged to one of said main support members and/or one of said first battery assembly hangers;
(f) wherein each of said bumper components is positioned at a point of said first battery mounting assembly such that, when said first battery mounting assembly is properly mounted to the vehicle and the batteries are mounted to said first battery mounting assembly, each of said one or more bumper components is positioned farther from the centroid of the vehicle than one or more of the batteries that are mounted to said first battery mounting assembly;
(g) wherein each of said bumper components are positioned at a relative height similar to that at which some of the batteries are to be mounted to said first battery mounting assembly;
(j) wherein said one or more bumper components and said one or more main support members and/or first battery assembly hangers that said bumper components are engaged to are of a relatively strong construction such that, when said first battery mounting assembly is properly mounted to the vehicle and the batteries are mounted to said first battery mounting assembly, said bumper components can be subjected to relatively large forces in directions that would tend to drive said bumper components toward the batteries without said bumper components impacting the batteries.

5 more elements

A vehicle, comprising:

(a) structural components, upon which a large percentage of components of said vehicle depend for support in a direct or indirect manner;
(b) wherein said structural components comprise a frame;
(c) a body, within which individuals and/or objects may be disposed and be isolated from undesirable elements of an environment outside said body;
(d) wherein said body is engaged to and supported by said frame;
(e) a suspension system for supporting said vehicle;
(f) wherein said frame is engaged to and supported by said suspension system;
(g) a first battery mounting assembly engaged to said vehicle;
(h) wherein said first battery mounting assembly comprises one or more main support members engaged directly or indirectly to and supported by some of said structural components of said vehicle;
(i) wherein said first battery mounting assembly further comprises a first lower battery tray, upon which a plurality of batteries are supported, engaged directly or indirectly to and supported by said one or more main support members;
(j) wherein said first battery mounting assembly further comprises one or more upper tray support components directly or indirectly engaged to and supported by one or more of said one or more main support members and/or said first lower battery tray;
(k) wherein said first battery mounting assembly further comprises a first upper battery tray, upon which a plurality of batteries are supported, engaged to and supported by said one or more upper tray support components;
and
(l) wherein at least a portion of said first upper battery tray is disposed directly vertically above said first lower battery tray at a distance above said first lower battery tray such that there is space between said one or more batteries that are supported upon said first lower battery tray and a lower surface of said first upper battery tray.

10 more elements

A vehicle, comprising:

(a) structural components, upon which a large percentage of components of said vehicle depend for support in a direct or indirect manner;
(b) wherein said structural components comprise a frame;
(c) a body, within which individuals and/or objects may be disposed and be isolated from undesirable elements of an environment outside said body;
(d) wherein said body is engaged to and supported by said frame;
(e) a suspension system for supporting said vehicle;
(f) wherein said frame is engaged to and supported by said suspension system;
(g) a first battery mounting assembly engaged to said vehicle;
(h) wherein said first battery mounting assembly comprises battery assembly mounting components engaged to said structural components of said vehicle;
(i) wherein said first battery mounting assembly further comprises breakaway components that are engaged to said battery assembly mounting components;
(j) wherein said breakaway components comprise a first lower battery tray that is engaged directly or indirectly to and supported by said battery assembly mounting components;
(k) wherein said breakaway components further comprise any components of said first battery mounting assembly necessary to secure batteries that are disposed upon said first lower battery tray, to said first lower battery tray;
(l) said breakaway components and said battery assembly mounting components are constructed and engaged to one another and said structural components of said vehicle in a manner such that, when said first battery mounting assembly is subjected to relatively large forces in certain directions, such as would occur when said vehicle is involved in a traffic accident, certain components of said battery assembly mounting components deform and/or fracture in a predetermined manner and/or certain engagements of said breakaway components, said battery assembly mounting components, and said structural components of said vehicle to one another allow relative motion to occur between one another in a predetermined manner such that said breakaway components move in predetermined manners relative to said vehicle and energy is absorbed and dissipated by said first battery mounting assembly as said breakaway components move relative to said vehicle;
(m) said breakaway components are constructed and engaged to one another in a relatively rigid manner such that, if said first battery mounting assembly is subjected to relatively large forces that cause said breakaway components to move in predetermined manners relative to said vehicle, said breakaway components are prevented from moving relative to one another in all but relatively extreme traffic accidents;
and
(n) said breakaway components and said battery assembly mounting components are constructed and engaged to one another and said structural components of said vehicle in a relatively strong manner such that, even when some components of said first battery mounting assembly deform and/or fracture, as a result of said first battery mounting assembly being subjected to relatively large forces and/or accelerations in certain directions, said first battery mounting assembly remains to be supported by said vehicle during and after all but relatively extreme traffic accidents.

12 more elements

A vehicle, comprising:

(a) structural components, upon which a large percentage of components of said vehicle depend for support in a direct or indirect manner;
(b) wherein said structural components comprise a frame;
(c) a body, within which individuals and/or objects may be disposed and be isolated from undesirable elements of an environment outside said body;
(d) wherein said body is engaged to and supported by said frame;
(e) a suspension system for supporting said vehicle;
(f) wherein said frame is engaged to and supported by said suspension system;
(g) a first battery mounting assembly engaged to said vehicle;
(h) wherein said first battery mounting assembly comprises one or more first battery assembly hangers engaged to and supported by some of said structural components of said vehicle;
(i) wherein said first battery mounting assembly further comprises one or more main support members engaged to and supported by said one or more first battery assembly hangers;
(j) wherein said first battery mounting assembly further comprises a first lower battery tray, upon which a plurality of batteries are supported, engaged to and supported by said one or more main support members;
(k) wherein said first battery mounting assembly further comprises one or more bumper components;
(l) wherein each of said one or more bumper components is engaged to one of said main support members and/or one of said first battery assembly hangers;
(m) wherein each of said bumper components is positioned at a point farther from a centroid of said vehicle than one or more of said batteries that are mounted to said first battery mounting assembly are;
(n) wherein each of said bumper components are positioned at a relative height similar to that of some of said batteries that are mounted to said first battery mounting assembly;
and
(o) said one or more bumper components and said one or more main support members and/or first battery assembly hangers that said bumper components are engaged to are of a relatively strong construction such that said bumper components can be subjected to relatively large forces in directions that would tend to drive said bumper components toward said batteries without said bumper components impacting said batteries.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.