# US 2018/0323409 A1 · Offset vehicle crash elements > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0323409 A1 - Document ID: US20180323409A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/034,371 - Filed: 2018-07-13 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-07 - Assignees: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited - Applicants: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited - Inventors: Jens Maier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323409A1 ## CPC - B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles - H01M 50/242: adapted for protecting batteries against vibrations, collision impact or swelling - 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) - B60Y 2200/91: Electric vehicles - 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 - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - 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 - 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 - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A crash elements structure in an electric vehicle for reducing the damage to a vehicle battery caused by a vehicle collision. The crash elements structure may be situated near a corner of the vehicle battery, and may channel energy received by the vehicle away from the vehicle battery. The crash elements structure includes an upper structure positioned above and laterally offset from a lower structure, and a “W” structure that interfaces between the vehicle battery and the upper and lower structures. The upper and lower structures include several shells coupled together to form hexagonal apertures. The specific arrangement of the shells and the upper and lower structures influences the transfer of energy through the crash elements structure in the event of a collision. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric vehicle comprising: a vehicle battery for powering the electric vehicle, the vehicle battery including a battery top surface and a battery side surface, the battery top surface and the battery side surface forming an angle along a battery corner of the vehicle battery; a crash elements structure comprising: an upper structure coupled vertically above the battery top surface; a lower structure coupled laterally to the side of the battery side surface and vertically below the upper structure; and a “W” structure including: a first side being substantially vertical and coupled laterally to the side of the upper structure; a second side being substantially horizontal and coupled vertically below the upper structure and vertically above the battery top surface; a third side being substantially vertical and coupled laterally to the side of the battery side surface and laterally to the side of the lower structure; and a fourth side being substantially horizontal and coupled vertically below the lower structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the upper structure includes a first upper shell coupled vertically above a first lower shell such that a first set of apertures are formed between the first upper shell and the first lower shell; and the lower structure includes a second upper shell coupled vertically above a second lower shell such that a second set of apertures are formed between the second upper shell and the second lower shell. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electric vehicle of claim 2, wherein each of the first set of apertures and each the second set of apertures are hexagonal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The electric vehicle of claim 2, wherein the crash elements structure further comprises a first set of covers coupled laterally to the side of the first set of apertures and a second set of covers coupled laterally to the side of the second set of apertures. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The electric vehicle of claim 2, wherein the upper structure is vertically symmetrical such that the first upper shell and the first lower shell are identical in shape and size, and wherein the lower structure is vertically symmetrical such that the second upper shell and the second lower shell are identical in shape and size. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein: each of the first upper shell, first lower shell, second upper shell, and second lower shell comprise a plurality of planar surfaces coupled in series; at least two of the plurality of planar surfaces of the first upper shell are directly coupled vertically above at least two of the plurality of planar surfaces of the first lower shell; and at least two of the plurality of planar surfaces of the second upper shell are directly coupled vertically above at least two of the plurality of planar surfaces of the second lower shell. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the third side of the “W” structure and the battery side surface are separated by a gap. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electric vehicle of claim 7, wherein the gap is at least 5 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The electric vehicle of claim 7, wherein the gap is an air-filled gap. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the crash elements structure is made of carbon fiber. ### Claim 11 A crash elements structure for an electric vehicle powered by a vehicle battery, the crash elements structure comprising: an upper structure coupled vertically above a battery top surface of the vehicle battery; a lower structure coupled laterally to the side of a battery side surface of the vehicle battery and vertically below the upper structure; and a “W” structure including: a first side being substantially vertical and coupled laterally to the side of the upper structure; a second side being substantially horizontal and coupled vertically below the upper structure and vertically above the battery top surface; a third side being substantially vertical and coupled laterally to the side of the battery side surface and laterally to the side of the lower structure; and a fourth side being substantially horizontal and coupled vertically below the lower structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The crash elements structure of claim 11, wherein: the upper structure includes a first upper shell coupled vertically above a first lower shell such that a first set of apertures are formed between the first upper shell and the first lower shell; and the lower structure includes a second upper shell coupled vertically above a second lower shell such that a second set of apertures are formed between the second upper shell and the second lower shell. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The crash elements structure of claim 12, wherein each of the first set of apertures and each the second set of apertures are hexagonal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The crash elements structure of claim 12, wherein the crash elements structure further comprises a first set of covers coupled laterally to the side of the first set of apertures and a second set of covers coupled laterally to the side of the second set of apertures. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The crash elements structure of claim 12, wherein the upper structure is vertically symmetrical such that the first upper shell and the first lower shell are identical in shape and size, and wherein the lower structure is vertically symmetrical such that the second upper shell and the second lower shell are identical in shape and size. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The crash elements structure of claim 15, wherein: each of the first upper shell, first lower shell, second upper shell, and second lower shell comprise a plurality of planar surfaces coupled in series; at least two of the plurality of planar surfaces of the first upper shell are directly coupled vertically above at least two of the plurality of planar surfaces of the first lower shell; and at least two of the plurality of planar surfaces of the second upper shell are directly coupled vertically above at least two of the plurality of planar surfaces of the second lower shell. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The crash elements structure of claim 11, wherein the third side of the “W” structure and the battery side surface are separated by a gap. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The crash elements structure of claim 17, wherein the gap is at least 5 mm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The crash elements structure of claim 17, wherein the gap is an air-filled gap. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The crash elements structure of claim 11, wherein the crash elements structure is made of carbon fiber.