Battery pack holding apparatus

A battery pack holding apparatus is disclosed that includes a high-voltage battery pack for a vehicle that has a protrusion at the front end, and a battery pack holder that is installed within a vehicle body and has a front end opening into which the high-voltage battery pack slides into. In addition, a fixed rail is disposed at a front end of the battery pack holder and a moving portion which slides in a width direction of the battery pack holder and along the fixed rail and has a contact portion that comes into contact with the protrusion of the high-voltage battery pack when the high-voltage battery pack slides when the high-voltage battery pack is in the battery pack holder. Further, an elastic portion is disposed in the moving portion to press the contact portion toward the protrusion.

CROSS-REFERENCE(S) TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application Number 10-2013-0129293 filed on Oct. 29, 2013, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for holding a high-voltage battery pack, and more particularly to a battery pack holding apparatus that firmly holds a high-voltage battery pack with use of less force than a conventional apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

Due to a global increase in fuel prices and global emission control, improvement in fuel efficiency and development of environment-friendly vehicles have been key issues in the automobile industry. To achieve these objectives, leading automobile companies have developed technologies for reduction of fuel consumption. A representative technology is electric vehicles, which run on electricity. Electric vehicles, such as hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and electric cell vehicles are vehicles which store electricity in rechargeable battery packs and are propelled by an electric motor (or electric motors) powered by the rechargeable battery packs.

Generally such an electric vehicle includes a high-voltage battery to power the vehicle motors, and the high-voltage battery should remain electrically fully-charged to power the motors while the vehicle is being driven. Accordingly, the electric vehicle includes a plug for charging to charge the battery in the electric vehicle using an electrical outlet. However, quick charging may be difficult in electric vehicles when the battery is completely discharged during the use of a vehicle. Therefore, a method of replacing the fully-discharged battery with a fully-charged battery has been developed.

However, in the conventional battery replacement the battery may be difficult to be removed once mounted in an electric vehicle, thus increasing a battery replacement time. Accordingly, there is the demand for a battery holding apparatus which may firmly hold a battery mounted as well as allowing the mounted battery to be easily detached as necessary, for example, for replacement.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present invention provides a battery pack holding apparatus that may include an elastic piece that presses a battery pack from front and back sides and left and right sides to stably hold the battery pack in a housing that encases the battery pack and a sloped portion that comes into contact with the battery pack.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a battery pack holding apparatus may include: a high-voltage battery pack having a protrusion at a front end portion; a battery pack holder installed within a vehicle body and having a front end opening that allows the high-voltage battery pack to slide into the battery pack holder; a fixed rail disposed at a front end of the battery pack holder; a moving module that slides along the fixed rail and in a width direction of the battery pack holder and which may include a contact portion that comes into contact with the protrusion of the high-voltage battery pack when the moving module is forced to slide further when the high-voltage battery pack is within the battery pack holder; and an elastic portion disposed in the moving module to press the contact portion toward the protrusion (e.g., to provide a force that presses the contact portion toward the protrusion).

A pair of upper rails that extend in a longitudinal direction of the battery pack may be disposed under the battery pack, and a pair of lower rails engaged with the upper rails may be disposed within the battery pack holder. A sloped portion having a downward slope from an upper end of the upper rail, may be disposed next to (e.g., adjacent to) an outside wall of the upper rail and extend along a longitudinal direction of the upper rail, in which a lower end of the sloped portion may be bent toward the high-voltage battery pack.

The battery pack holding apparatus may further include a side roller installed in the battery pack holder and may come into contact with the bent lower end of the sloped portion and a side elastic portion which may press the side roller toward the bent lower end of the sloped portion. The fixed rail may be installed at a lower portion among portions of the front end of the battery pack holder. In addition, side panels, each extending along a longitudinal direction of the fixed rail, may be disposed at respective sides of the fixed rail in a width direction of the fixed rail, and each side panel may have an aperture to enable an end portion of the protrusion to become positioned in the fixed rail.

Additionally, a first end of the moving module may be equipped with a moving roller that comes into contact with one side panel disposed at the opposite side of the fixed rail. The contact portion may be disposed at a second end of the moving module and may have a sloped shape to cause the contact portion to gradually approach the protrusion as the moving module slides toward the protrusion. The protrusion may be a roller. A first end of the elastic portion may be supported by the first end of the moving roller and a second end of the elastic portion may come into contact with the second end of the moving module, pressing the contact portion toward the protrusion. Further, driving units may be disposed at respective ends of the fixed rail in the longitudinal direction of the fixed rail and may be connected to respective ends of the moving module in the longitudinal direction of the moving module, to cause the moving module to slide along the fixed rail. The driving unit may be equipped with a piston and a cylinder and may be configured to move the piston with air pressure or oil pressure to move the moving module.

According to the battery pack holding apparatus having the above-described structure, the side elastic portion and the side roller may prevent the battery pack from shaking in the width direction and the moving module may prevent the battery pack from shaking in the longitudinal direction. Accordingly, the battery pack may be more stably and firmly held in the battery pack holder without shaking and displacement. Furthermore, the roller-shaped protrusion and the sloped portion enable the moving module to gradually and more smoothly press the protrusion, and thus may enable the battery pack holding device to firmly hold the battery pack with use of less force than a conventional holding device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinbelow, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinbelow, a battery pack holding apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is an overall exemplary view of a battery pack holding apparatus according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. With reference toFIGS. 1 to 6, the battery pack holding apparatus may include a high-voltage battery pack100for a vehicle having a protrusion110that protrudes from a front end of the battery pack100, a battery pack holder200, a fixed rail300, a moving portion500, and an elastic portion530.

The battery pack holder200may be installed within a vehicle body and may include a front end opening into which the high-voltage battery pack100may be slid into. The fixed rail300may be disposed at a front end portion of the battery pack holder200and disposed in a width direction of the battery pack holder200. The moving portion500may slide along the fixed rail300and in a width direction of the battery pack holder200. The moving portion500may include a contact portion510that comes into contact with the protrusion110of the high-voltage battery pack100when the moving portion500is forced to slide when the battery pack100is within the battery pack holder200. The elastic portion530may be disposed within the moving portion500to press the contact portion510toward the protrusion110. In other words, the elastic portion530may create a force that pushes against the contact portion510toward the protrusion110.

Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 2, the battery pack100may include a pair of upper rails400that extend in a longitudinal direction, on an underside surface of the battery pack100. In addition, the battery pack holder200may include a pair of lower rails410to be engaged with the pair of upper rails400in an inside space of the battery pack holder200. The longitudinal direction may be a direction along which the battery pack100may be inserted into the battery pack holder200.

The upper rails400and the lower rails410may be disposed at respective sides of the battery pack100and the battery pack holder200in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The upper rails400and the lower rails410may be in frictional contact with each other to cause the upper rails400to slide on the lower rails410. However, a rail roller (not shown) fixed to either the upper rail400or the lower rail410may be disposed between the upper rail400and the lower rail410. In particular, the upper rails400may slide on the lower rails410via the rail rollers (not shown). The upper rail400may have a sloped portion401that slopes down from an upper surface of the upper rail400. The sloped portion401may be disposed outside the upper rail400(e.g., on an outside surface of the upper rail400) and extend along the upper rail400. A lower end of the sloped portion401may be bent downward and inward, i.e., toward the battery pack100. The upper rail400may include a side roller420installed within the battery pack holder200and that may come into contact with the slope401, and a side elastic portion430that presses the side roller420toward the sloped portion401.

With reference toFIG. 3, the sloped portion401may obliquely face up and may be disposed extraneous to the battery pack100in a side view, and the sloped portion401may not face the battery pack100. The side roller420may come into contact with the sloped portion401and press (e.g., push) the sloped portion401when the side roller420is pressed by the side elastic portion430. Accordingly, the load may be applied sideways and downwardly to the battery pack100to more stably hold the battery pack100in the battery pack holder210and to fix the battery pack100in the width direction and vertical direction.

For more stable placement of the battery pack100, the side roller420and the side elastic portion430may be fixed to respective side surfaces of the battery pack holder200, and the side roller420and the side elastic portion430each may be plural in number (e.g., the holder may include a plurality of side rollers420and a plurality of side elastic portions430). In addition, side brackets440combined with the side rollers420and the side elastic portions430may be configured to fix the side rollers420and the side elastic portions430to the sides of the battery pack holder200. The side brackets440may be fixed to the sides of the battery pack holder200via bolts or welding.

FIG. 4illustrates an exemplary front end portion of the battery pack holder200. The fixed rail300may be installed at a lower edge of a frame portion at a front end of the battery pack holder200. A protrusion110may protrude from a bottom surface of the battery pack100. The fixed rail300and the moving module500may be disposed at the lower end of the battery pack100to face the protrusion110. Accordingly, the battery pack100having a center of gravity at a lower end thereof may be fixed more stably. A plurality of moving modules500may be installed along the fixed rail300. In particular, the multiple moving modules500that correspond to the multiple protrusions110may press a back end portion of the battery pack100to more stably hold the battery pack100in the battery pack holder200. Since the back end of the battery pack holder200may a closed (e.g., not have an opening) and the moving module500may be installed at the front end of the battery pack100, the battery pack100may be more stably fixed by pushing the battery pack100backward.

With reference toFIG. 5, side panels310may extend along the longitudinal direction of the fixed rail300, at respective sides of the fixed rail300. A plurality of apertures311may be formed in the side panels310in a position that corresponds to the protrusion110in the longitudinal direction to position an end of the protrusion110within the fixed rail300. An opening may be formed in an upper panel320of the fixed rail30and the opening may be connected to the apertures311in the position that corresponds to the protrusion110in the longitudinal direction. The protrusion110formed on the bottom surface of the battery pack100may guide the battery pack100along the side panels310when the battery pack100is inserted into the battery pack holder200through the apertures311. Accordingly, the apertures311and the protrusions110may be equal in number.

When the battery pack100is inserted into the battery pack holder200, the moving portion500should not be located in a position that corresponds to the protrusion110, i.e., a position where the aperture311is formed. Accordingly, when the battery pack100is not inserted into the battery pack holder200, the moving portion may be disposed between the apertures311. In addition, a first end, front end, of the moving portion500may include a moving roller520that comes into contact with one of the side panels310disposed at respective sides of the fixed rail300. The moving roller520may facilitate the sliding of moving module500. The side panel310(e.g., a first side panel) with which the moving roller520comes into contact may be disposed on the front side, and the other side panel310(e.g., a second side panel) may be disposed on the back side. A plurality of moving rollers520may be provided for each moving portion500to guide the moving portion500more stably.

Further. the contact portion510may be formed at a second end, back end, of the moving portion500and may be sloped down to gradually approach the protrusion110as the moving portion500slides toward the protrusion110. Since the contact portion510may be sloped, the contact portion510may gradually press the protrusion as the moving portion500slides. Accordingly, even when the moving portion500is made to slide with force less than the force of pressing the protrusion110from the front side, the protrusion110may be pressed toward the back end portion. The protrusion110may have a roller shape to provide a more smooth movement along the sloped path when the contact portion510moves.

As described above, an elastic portion530may be disposed within the moving portion500to cause the contact portion510to slide along the fixed rail300while the contact portion510remains in contact with the protrusion110. The first and second ends of the moving module500may be bent to cause the entire body of the moving module500to form a “C” shape when viewed as a whole. The first and second ends may be referred to as bent portions540and550and may be arranged to face each other. The bent portions540and550may overlap each other to form a housing that surrounds the elastic portion530. The first end and the second end may be separately formed to move independently, that is, the first end in the front direction and the second end in the back direction, or vice versa.

The elastic portion530may press outward on the first end and may press the second end of the moving portion550from the inside. Since the moving roller520may be supported by the side panel310disposed at the first end of the moving portion500, the elastic force of the elastic portion530may be applied to the second end, pressing the contact portion510disposed at the second end side toward the protrusion110. Since the back end of the battery pack holder200is a closed region, the pressing of the contact portion510toward the back end portion of the battery pack holder200may enable the battery pack100to be more stably supported.

Additionally, driving units330may be installed at respective ends of the fixed rail300in the longitudinal direction. The driving units330may be connected to respective ends of the moving portion500in the longitudinal direction to drive the moving portion500to slide along the fixed rail300. When an operation signal, such as a signal generated by an operator's switching-on operation, is externally input, the driving units330may be configured to drive the moving portion500to slide.

In particular, the driving unit330may be a pneumatic system equipped with a piston and a cylinder. Accordingly, the driving unit330may be configured to move the piston with air pressure to move the moving portion500. Alternatively, the driving unit330may be a hydraulic system which moves the piston with oil pressure. The driving units330may be installed at respective ends of the fixed rail300in the longitudinal direction, respectively. When operating the driving units330, air pressure or oil pressure may be applied to either one of the driving units330and the piston in the driving unit330, to which the air pressure or oil pressure may be applied, to move the piston to cause the moving portion500to be moved. Most of the moving portions500may be connected to each other so that the multiple moving portions500may be moved together by the operation of the driving units330. Lower ends of the moving portions500may be connected by a panel to prevent the moving portions500from blocking the apertures311.

FIG. 6is an exemplary cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ofFIG. 5and illustrates sections of the fixed rail300and the moving module500. As illustrated inFIG. 6, the first end of the moving portion500may include with the moving roller520which comes into contact with the side panel310and the second end of the moving portion500may include the contact portion510which comes into contact with the protrusion110. Furthermore, the elastic portion530may be installed in the moving roller520, and a portion of the protrusion110may be inserted into the fixed rail300through the aperture311. The contact portion510may enter into the protrusion110while in the fixed rail300. The elastic portion530may be configured to press the contact portion510and the contact portion510may be configured to press the protrusion110. Accordingly, the battery pack100may be pushed backward. The fixed rail300may be covered by a fixed rail cover320. The fixed rail cover320may have a plurality of openings that correspond to the apertures of the fixed rail300.

According to the battery pack holding apparatus having the above-described structure, the side elastic portion430and the side roller420may prevent the battery pack100from shaking and displacement in the width direction. Furthermore, the moving portion500may prevent the battery pack100from shaking and displacement in the longitudinal direction. Accordingly, the battery pack100may be more stably and firmly held in the battery pack holder200without shaking and displacement. In addition, the protrusion110having a roller shape and the contact portion510having a sloped shape may enable the moving portion500to gradually and more smoothly press the protrusion110, to firm holding the battery pack100with use of less force than a conventional holder.