Patent ID: 9446643
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: B60G,B60K,B60R,B60Y,B62D

Claim Text:
1. A small overlap impact management system for use in an electric vehicle (EV), said EV comprising a left front wheel assembly and a right front wheel assembly, said small overlap impact management system configured to manage the transfer of an impact load resulting from a small overlap impact, said small overlap impact management system comprising: a battery pack enclosure mounted under said EV, wherein said battery pack enclosure is configured to house a plurality of batteries; a front cross-member integrated into said battery pack enclosure and mechanically coupled to a chassis of said EV; a bumper attached to a front portion of said battery pack enclosure, wherein said bumper has a strength of at least 1000 MPa, wherein a central portion of said bumper extends furthest forward of said front portion of said battery pack enclosure, and wherein a lower edge of said bumper is at least as close to a road surface as a lowermost surface of said battery pack enclosure; a subframe, said left front wheel assembly and said right front wheel assembly attached to said subframe, said subframe comprising a first subframe activation lever arm and a second subframe activation lever arm, said first subframe activation lever arm extending from said subframe and positioned in front of at least a portion of a left front wheel and a left front tire corresponding to said left front wheel assembly, said second subframe activation lever arm extending from said subframe and positioned in front of at least a portion of a right front wheel and a right front tire corresponding to said right front wheel assembly; a hinge-mount, wherein said subframe is coupled to said front cross-member via said hinge-mount, said hinge-mount allowing said subframe to swivel within a plane parallel to a vehicle chassis containing plane; and a plurality of break-away fasteners, wherein said subframe is attached to a pair of vehicle front rails via said plurality of break-away fasteners, wherein said plurality of break-away fasteners prevent said subframe from swiveling within said plane during normal vehicle operation, wherein if said small overlap impact is proximate to said left front wheel assembly then said impact load is transferred through said first subframe activation lever arm to said subframe and causes said plurality of break-away fasteners to release, wherein said impact load forces said subframe to rotate about said hinge-mount in a first direction, wherein rotation of said subframe in said first direction causes said left front wheel assembly to swivel out and away from the vehicle, and wherein if said small overlap impact is proximate to said right front wheel assembly then said impact load is transferred through said second subframe activation lever arm to said subframe and causes said plurality of break-away fasteners to release, wherein said impact load forces said subframe to rotate about said hinge-mount in a second direction, wherein rotation of said subframe in said second direction causes said right front wheel assembly to swivel out and away from the vehicle.