Fasteners and assemblies for servicing high voltage components of a battery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12119509-B2
Application number	US-202117360919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2021
Priority date	Jun 28, 2021
Publication date	Oct 15, 2024
Grant date	Oct 15, 2024

Abstract

A battery system for an electric vehicle includes a fixed cover, and a removable cover arranged over battery modules and a high voltage distribution system. The battery system includes a busbar arranged at least partially over a region of the battery modules and under the removable cover. The busbar includes a fixed section and a movable section, or a hinge, such that the busbar can be repositioned out of the way. The support tray includes a link between the fixed and movable sections. Floating fasteners, allowing at least one of radial float and axial float are used to secure the link to the support tray, thereby avoiding safety hazards and reducing the potential for short circuits in high voltage distribution systems or conductors thereof. The floating fasteners include a head, a neck, an engagement section, and a washer, which prevent removal from a component once installed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A floating fastener, comprising:
a head;
a neck adjacent to the head; and
a washer attached to the neck to provide one or more clearances between the floating fastener and a panel component between the head and the washer, wherein:
the panel component comprises a hole, a first side, and a second side opposite to the first side;
the floating fastener is arranged in the hole such that the head is on the first side of the panel component and the washer is on the second side of the panel component; and
an attachment of the washer to the neck prevents removal of the floating fastener from the panel component, which thereby prevents physical contact between the floating fastener and one or more components of a battery system.

2. The floating fastener of claim 1 , wherein:
the neck comprises a step or a taper configured to engage at least radially with the washer;
the washer is affixed to the step or taper;
the one or more clearances comprises an axial clearance between the head and the washer and a radial clearance with the panel component; and
the axial clearance allows the floating fastener to axially float with the panel component.

3. The floating fastener of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the neck is less than a diameter of the hole in the panel component, wherein the one or more clearances comprises a radial clearance between the neck and the hole which allows the floating fastener to radially float in the hole of the panel component.

4. The floating fastener of claim 1 , wherein an engagement section of the floating fastener comprises a threaded section configured to engage with the panel component.

5. The floating fastener of claim 1 , wherein the floating fastener is constrained by the panel component to exhibit axial clearance and radial clearance, and wherein the panel component comprises a plurality of floating fasteners.

6. A busbar support component comprising:
a panel comprising a plurality of holes, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side; and
a plurality of floating fasteners arranged for the plurality of holes, wherein:
each floating fastener of the plurality of floating fasteners comprises a respective head, a respective neck adjacent to the head, and a respective washer attached to each respective neck,
each floating fastener is arranged in a respective hole of the plurality of holes such that each respective head is on the first side of the panel and each respective washer is on the second side of the panel,
each respective attachment of each respective washer to each respective neck prevents removal of each respective floating fastener from the panel, which thereby prevents physical contact between each respective floating fastener and one or more components of a battery system,
one or more of the plurality of floating fasteners comprises one or more clearances with the plurality of holes,
the plurality of floating fasteners is configured to engage with a first support and a second support, and
the panel secures the first support relative to the second support.

7. The busbar support component of claim 6 , wherein the one or more clearances comprises an axial clearance and a radial clearance.

8. The busbar support component of claim 6 , wherein:
the first support comprises a first hole;
the second support comprises a second hole;
a first floating fastener of the plurality of floating fasteners is configured to engage with the first hole; and
a second floating fastener of the plurality of floating fasteners is configured to engage with the second hole.

9. The busbar support component of claim 8 , wherein the first support and the second support are configured to support at least one busbar of a high voltage distribution system.

10. The busbar support component of claim 6 , wherein each floating fastener comprises an engagement section, wherein each respective neck is arranged between each respective head and the engagement section, and wherein the engagement section is configured to engage with the first support and the second support.

11. The busbar support component of claim 6 , wherein each respective washer is rigidly affixed to each respective neck such that each respective washer and each respective head define mechanical tolerances that permit axial float of each respective floating fastener.

12. The busbar support component of claim 6 , wherein each floating fastener is configured to allow both radial float and axial float.

13. A method for forming a floating fastener, the method comprising:
providing a fastener comprising a head and a neck adjacent to the head;
inserting the fastener through a hole on a first side of a component such that the head of the fastener is on the first side;
arranging a washer on a second side of the component opposite the first side; and
securing the washer to the neck of the fastener such that the washer provides one or more clearances with the component, wherein an attachment of the washer to the neck prevents removal of the fastener from the component and the attachment prevents physical contact between the fastener and one or more components of a battery system.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising arranging one or more securing components relative to the fastener and the washer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein securing the washer to the fastener comprises pressing the one or more securing components to deform the washer onto the fastener.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein securing the washer to the fastener comprises pressing one or more securing components to cause the fastener to engage with the washer.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising removing the one or more securing components after securing the washer to the fastener.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein arranging the washer on the second side comprises sliding the washer over an engagement section such that the washer is arranged at the neck of the fastener.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein arranging the washer on the second side comprises pressing the washer over an engagement section such that the washer is arranged at the neck of the fastener.

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Baseri Ehsan
• Butterfield Kyle
• Morrow Luke Rayment
• Murkute Akshay Kishor
• Verghese Jonathan

Classifications

• H01M50/517

  by fixing means, e.g. screws, rivets or bolts · CPC title

• B60K1/04

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• H01M50/271

  Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings · CPC title

• B60L50/64

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

• H01M50/507

  comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules · CPC title