Motor vehicle floor assembly with recesses for electrical lines and electrical modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11364956-B2
Application number	US-201916710748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2019
Priority date	Dec 11, 2019
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a motor vehicle floor assembly with recesses for electrical lines and electrical modules, and a corresponding method. An example assembly includes a floor with a surface, a channel at a first depth relative to the surface, and a pocket at a second depth relative to the surface. The second depth is greater than the first depth.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a floor including a surface, a channel at a first depth relative to the surface, and a pocket at a second depth relative to the surface, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth.

2. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surface is an uppermost surface, and the first and second depths are beneath the uppermost surface.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrical line in the channel; and
an electrical module in the pocket, wherein the electrical line is electrically connected to the electrical module.

4. The assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein the electrical line is adhered to the channel using adhesive.

5. The assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein:
the electrical line is one of a wire, wire harness, a busbar, and a circuit trace, and
the electrical module is one of a printed circuit board and an electrical connection.

6. The assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the pocket is arranged at a first end of the channel.

7. The assembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein the pocket is a first pocket and the assembly further includes a second pocket arranged at a second end of the channel opposite the first end.

8. The assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first and second pockets are arranged adjacent opposite corners of the floor.

9. The assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein:
the channel is a first channel and the assembly further includes a second channel, and
the assembly further includes a third pocket and a fourth pocket arranged at opposite ends of the second channel.

10. The assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein:
the second channel is arranged at the first depth beneath the uppermost surface,
an electrical line is arranged in the second channel,
the second, third, and fourth pockets are arranged at the second depth beneath the uppermost surface,
an electrical module is arranged in each of the second, third, and fourth pockets.

11. The assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the first and second channels intersect at a center of the floor.

12. The assembly as recited in claim 11 , further comprising:
first and second bypass channels directly connecting the first and second channels and spaced-apart from the center of the floor.

13. The assembly as recited in claim 9 , further comprising:
first and second longitudinal channels extending along respective first and second sides of the floor.

14. The assembly as recited in claim 13 , wherein:
the first longitudinal channel extends between the first pocket and the fourth pocket, and
the second longitudinal channel extends between the second pocket and the third pocket.

15. The assembly as recited in claim 13 , wherein the first and second longitudinal channels are at the first depth beneath the uppermost surface.

16. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the floor also provides an upper cover of an enclosure of a battery assembly,
the motor vehicle is an electrified vehicle.

17. An electrified vehicle, comprising:
an electric machine configured to drive wheels of the electrified vehicle;
a battery assembly including at least one array of battery cells configured to deliver power to the electric machine, wherein the battery assembly further includes a cover comprising a surface, a channel at a first depth relative to the surface, and a pocket at a second depth relative to the surface, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth; and
an electrical line in the channel; and
an electrical module in the pocket, wherein the electrical line is electrically connected to the electrical module.

18. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 17 , wherein the cover also provides a floor of the electrified vehicle.

19. A method, comprising:
electrically connecting a first load to a second load via an electrical line and an electrical module, wherein the electrical line is in a channel of a floor of a motor vehicle and the electrical module is in a pocket of the floor, and wherein the channel is at a first depth relative to a surface of the floor and the pocket is at a second depth greater than the first depth relative to the surface of the floor.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 , wherein the floor is a cover of a battery assembly of the motor vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Berels David Jeffeory
• Engels Jonathan
• Mayberry Scott
• Thomas Galen Keith
• Volpone Matthew V

Classifications

• B60K1/04

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B60L50/64

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

• B60K6/28

  characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors · CPC title

• B62D25/20 Primary

  Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)} · CPC title

• B60L50/66

  Arrangements of batteries · CPC title