Battery pack support assembly for electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11840135-B2
Application number	US-202117393026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2021
Priority date	Aug 3, 2021
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

A battery pack support assembly includes a plurality of isolators disposed between an outer support frame of a battery pack and longitudinal rails of a vehicle frame. Each isolator includes a housing, an elastic body and a fastener. The housing defines a central opening and opposed flanges. The opposed flanges are secured to a respective longitudinal rail. The elastic body is disposed within the central opening of the housing. The fastener extends laterally through the central opening of the housing and secures the elastic body to the outer support frame of the battery pack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery pack support assembly for mounting a battery pack to a vehicle frame, the battery pack having an outer support frame and the vehicle frame having opposed longitudinal rails, the battery pack support assembly comprising:
a plurality of isolators mounted on an inboard wall of each of the longitudinal rails, each isolator comprising:
a unitized housing including a body portion defining a central opening and opposed flanges, the opposed flanges being secured to a respective longitudinal rail;
an elastic body fixed within the central opening of the unitized housing; and
a fastener extending laterally through the central opening of the unitized housing and securing the elastic body to the outer support frame of the battery pack.

2. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of brackets disposed between the plurality of isolators, each bracket being secured to flanges of two adjacent isolators and to a respective longitudinal rail.

3. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of lateral support members extending between the opposed longitudinal rails, each of the lateral support members being secured to a corresponding bracket of the plurality of brackets.

4. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 2 , wherein each bracket comprises a lower flange secured to the flanges of the two adjacent isolators and a return flange secured to the respective longitudinal rail.

5. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of brackets and the plurality of housings of the isolators are combined into a unitized structure.

6. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the central opening defines a cylindrical geometry.

7. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising jounce bumpers disposed proximate and below each corner of the battery pack.

8. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the isolators are evenly spaced along a length of the longitudinal rails.

9. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 1 , where the plurality of isolators are longitudinally aligned with each other.

10. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body comprises an elastomer.

11. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the unitized housing is made of an aluminum.

12. A battery pack support assembly for mounting a battery pack to a vehicle frame, the battery pack having an outer support frame and the vehicle frame having opposed longitudinal rails, the battery pack support assembly comprising:
a plurality of isolators mounted on an inboard wall of each of the longitudinal rails, each isolator comprising:
a unitized housing including a cylindrical portion and opposed flanges, the cylindrical portion defining a central opening, the opposed flanges being secured to a respective longitudinal rail;
an elastic body fixed within the central opening of the unitized housing; and
a fastener extending laterally through the central opening of the unitized housing and securing the elastic body to the outer support frame of the battery pack; and

a plurality of brackets disposed between the plurality of isolators, each bracket being secured to flanges of two adjacent isolators and to a respective longitudinal rail.

13. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 12 , wherein each bracket comprises a lower flange secured to the flanges of the two adjacent isolators and a return flange secured to the respective longitudinal rail.

14. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the isolators are evenly spaced along a length of the longitudinal rails.

15. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the elastic body comprises an elastomer.

16. The battery pack support assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the isolators are longitudinally aligned with each other.

17. An electric vehicle comprising:
a battery pack having an outer support frame;
a vehicle frame supporting the battery pack and having opposed longitudinal rails;
a first set of isolators mounted on an inboard wall of one rail of the opposed longitudinal rails; and
a second set of isolators mounted on an inboard wall of an opposed rail of the opposed longitudinal rails, each of the first and second sets of isolators comprising:
a unitized housing including a body portion defining a central opening and opposed flanges, the opposed flanges being secured to one rail of the opposed longitudinal rails;
an elastic body fixed within the central opening of the unitized housing; and
a fastener extending laterally through the central opening of the unitized housing and securing the elastic body to the outer support frame of the battery pack.

18. The electric vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the first set of isolators are evenly spaced along a length of the longitudinal rails and the second set of isolators are evenly spaced along the length of the longitudinal rails.

19. The electric vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the elastic bodies comprise an elastomer.

20. The electric vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the first set of isolators are longitudinally aligned with each other and the second set of isolators are longitudinally aligned with each other.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Bohmer Jeffrey Ronald
• Arena Alexander Thomas
• Addanki Hari Krishna
• Montgomery Kevin A
• Gupta Ajay Kumar
• Liu Yulie
• Hausler Henry W
• Stanley John Wesley
• Stratten Eric Layton
• Lenius Phil
• Montgomery Carl
• Billimoria Erik

Classifications

• B60K1/04 Primary

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• H01M50/242

  adapted for protecting batteries against vibrations, collision impact or swelling · 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

• H01M50/262

  with fastening means, e.g. locks · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title