Vehicle battery tray structure with nodal modularity

2:

• The battery support structure of claim 1, wherein a length of at least one of the side reinforcement member and the end reinforcement member is selected to provide a desired size and shape of the battery containment area.

3:

• The battery support structure of claim 1, wherein the corner node includes a consistent cross-sectional shape extending upward between a lower surface and an upper surface of the corner node.

4:

• The battery support structure of claim 1, wherein the corner node includes an interior wall and an exterior wall that border opposing sides of a hollow interior portion that vertically extends through the corner node.

5:

• The battery support structure of claim 4, wherein the corner node includes interior reinforcements that span between the interior and exterior walls.

6:

• The battery support structure of claim 1, wherein the corner node includes (i) a first end portion engaged within a hollow interior area of the side reinforcement member, (ii) a second end portion engaged within a hollow interior area of the end reinforcement member, and (iii) an intermediate portion between the first and second end portions.

7:

• The battery support structure of claim 6, wherein the intermediate portion of the corner node includes a height that is substantially equal to an exterior height of at least one of the side reinforcement member and the end reinforcement member.

8:

• The battery support structure of claim 7, wherein an upper surface of the corner node is aligned with upper surfaces of the side and end reinforcement members to form a substantially consistent upper surface configured for attaching a cover over the battery containment area.

9:

• The battery support structure of claim 1, wherein a base plate is attached along a lower surface of at least one of the corner node, the side reinforcement member, and the end reinforcement member to form a floor surface of the battery containment area.

10:

• The battery support structure of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of cross members attached at an interior surface of the side reinforcement member and extending laterally across the battery containment area and configured for lateral impact force to be transmitted through load paths along the plurality of cross members to limit disruption to the battery containment area.

12:

• The battery support structure of claim 11, wherein a length of at least two of the side reinforcement members and/or a length of at least two of the end reinforcement members is selected to provide a desired respective length or width of the battery containment area.

13:

• The battery support structure of claim 11, wherein the corner nodes each includes a consistent cross-sectional shape extending upward between a lower surface and an upper surface of the corner node, and wherein the corner nodes each include an open interior portion that extends between the upper and lower surfaces in a direction orthogonal to the length of the respective engaged side reinforcement member.

14:

• The battery support structure of claim 13, wherein the corner node includes an interior wall and an exterior wall that border opposing sides of a hollow interior portion that vertically extends through the corner node, and wherein the corner node includes interior reinforcements that span between the interior and exterior walls.

15:

• The battery support structure of claim 11, wherein the corner node includes an intermediate portion between the first and second end portions that includes a height that is substantially equal to an exterior height of the engaged side reinforcement member and the engaged end reinforcement member.

16:

• The battery support structure of claim 15, wherein an upper surface of the corner node is aligned with upper surfaces of the engaged side and end reinforcement members to form a substantially consistent upper surface.

17:

• The battery support structure of claim 11, wherein a base plate is attached along a lower surface of the corner node and the side and end reinforcement members to form a floor surface of the battery containment area.

18:

• The battery support structure of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of cross members attached at and spanning laterally between two of the side reinforcement members and across the battery containment area, wherein the end reinforcement members include a front wall section and a rear wall section that are substantially parallel with the cross members.

22:

• The battery support structure of claim 19, wherein the module node comprises a first end portion that is engaged within a hollow interior area of the first tray frame member and a second end portion that is engaged within a hollow interior area of the second tray frame member.