Traction battery retention assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10230083-B2
Application number	US-201615340935-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2016
Priority date	Nov 1, 2016
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

An exemplary traction battery retention assembly includes an attachment feature formed with a portion of an enclosure that houses a battery array. The attachment feature is sized such that a portion of the attachment feature can be received within an attachment feature of the battery array to hold the battery array within the enclosure. Another exemplary traction battery retention assembly includes a projection from an outer wall of a battery array. An attachment feature is formed with a portion of an enclosure that houses the battery array and includes an overhang surface to a surface of the projection to hold the array relative to the enclosure. Yet another traction battery pack assembly includes an enclosure of a battery pack that is formed together with a rib having sides extending to an end face. The rib extends to a structure housed within the enclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A traction battery retention assembly, comprising:
a first attachment feature formed with a portion of an enclosure that houses a battery array disposed along an axis, the first attachment feature disposed within an interior of the enclosure and sized such that a portion of the first attachment feature is received within a second attachment feature of the battery array to hold the battery array within the interior of the enclosure, an axial length of the first attachment feature less than an axial length of the second attachment feature.

2. The traction battery retention assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first attachment feature extends through an aperture in a thermal exchange plate when engaging the second attachment feature.

3. The traction battery retention assembly of claim 2 , wherein the portion of the enclosure is an enclosure floor.

4. The traction battery retention assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first attachment feature is integrally formed with the portion of the enclosure such that the first attachment feature and the portion of the enclosure are a monolithic structure.

5. The traction battery retention assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first attachment feature is a hook and the second attachment feature provides a surface to interface with an overhang surface of the hook.

6. The traction battery retention assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second attachment feature is an aperture in the battery array.

7. The traction battery retention assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is formed of a polymer-based material.

8. A traction battery retention assembly, comprising:
a first attachment feature formed with a portion of an enclosure that houses a battery array disposed along an axis, the first attachment feature sized such that a portion of the first attachment feature is received within a second attachment feature of the battery array to hold the battery array within the enclosure; and
a cantilever extending from a first structure, the cantilever received within an aperture of a second structure and biased against the second structure to restrict movement of the enclosure relative to a vehicle frame.

9. The traction battery retention assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first structure is a portion of the enclosure and the cantilever is formed together with the portion of a battery pack enclosure.

10. The traction battery retention assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second structure is a vehicle frame, and the vehicle frame includes edges providing the aperture, wherein the vehicle frame is a metal or metal alloy and the edges are radiused.

11. The traction battery retention assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second structure includes a primary side of the aperture, the cantilever biased against the primary side in a first direction, wherein the second structure includes at least one other side of the aperture, the at least one other side of the aperture contacting the cantilever to restrict movement of the cantilever in at least one second direction that is transverse to the first direction.

12. The traction battery retention assembly of claim 8 , further comprises a strap secured to the vehicle frame and supporting the battery pack, the strap interfacing with a plurality of ribs along a corner of an enclosure of the battery pack.

13. A traction battery retention assembly, comprising:
a flange of an outer wall of a battery array, the flange folded outward from adjacent areas of the outer wall, a material thickness maintained through the flange and the adjacent areas of the outer wall; and
an attachment feature formed with a portion of an enclosure that houses the battery array, the attachment feature extending from an enclosure surface and including an overhang surface facing the enclosure surface, the overhang surface contacting a surface of the flange to hold the array relative to the enclosure.

14. A traction battery pack assembly, comprising:
an enclosure of a battery pack, the enclosure formed together with at least one rib having sides extending to an end face that contacts a structure housed within the enclosure such that loads transfer from the structure to the enclosure, wherein the at least one rib is received within an aperture of the structure to restrict movement of the enclosure relative to the structure.

15. The traction battery pack assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a foamed polymer molding disposed within an interior of the enclosure, the at least one rib extending to the structure through an aperture in the foamed polymer molding.

16. The traction battery pack assembly of claim 14 , further comprising foamed polymer molding disposed within an interior of the enclosure, the enclosure including retention features that engage corresponding retention features to hold a component of the battery pack between the foamed polymer molding and the enclosure.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Maguire Patrick Daniel
• Baek Hyung Min
• Liptak Stephen
• Lomax Olivia
• Palma Sr Rodolfo
• Zhang Yi

Classifications

• B60K1/04 Primary

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B60L50/64

  Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title

• B60K2001/0438

  Arrangement under the floor · CPC title

• B60Y2410/10

  Housings · CPC title