Patent Publication Number: US-2022219521-A1

Title: Battery protection in an electric vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a slider bar for a battery pack of an electric vehicle. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Battery packs may be mounted on an underside of an electric vehicle underbody positioned near a front axle. The battery pack protrudes towards the ground, which can impact an amount of ground clearance. Uneven roadways may interact with an exterior surface of the battery pack in some configurations and situations. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is directed to a slider bar assembly that separates a battery pack of a vehicle from the ground. The design and placement of the slider bar enables the slider bar to absorb ground impacts and minimizes the effect of the ground impact on the battery pack. The slider bar can be incorporated in electric vehicles having a longer wheelbase, such as trucks, sport utility vehicles, and crossover utility vehicles. The longer wheelbases may result in an exterior-most surface of the battery pack being closer to the ground. To maintain performance, the slider bar is positioned to separate the battery pack from a bulge or obstacle on a road surface or on a steep driveway or ramp. 
     The battery pack is positioned beneath an underbody in between a front axle and a rear axle. The battery pack extends from the underbody towards the ground. The slider bar is coupled to the underbody and extends further than the battery pack towards the ground. The slider bar will absorb ground impacts and keep the battery pack spaced from the ground. 
     The vehicle may include a shield or a battery pack cover that couples with the underbody and covers the battery pack. The shield includes a slot through which the slider bar extends past the battery pack. The slider bar is coupled with the underbody and the shield. 
     The slider bar is coupled to the underbody using a first end and a second end of the slider bar. The first end and the second end are each coupled to the underbody at least 30 cm away from both the front axle and the rear axle. The slider bar further includes an intermediate portion between the first end and the second end. The intermediate portion is a non-linear shape that curves or bends around a side of the battery pack. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a side view of a vehicle with a battery pack and a slider bar, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 1B  is a simplified bottom view of an underbody with the battery pack and the slider bar of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2  is a slider bar adjacent to a battery, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of a slider bar, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is another example of a slider bar, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5A  is a shield or a battery cover covering a battery pack and a slider bar, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5B  is a coupling mechanism (tabs) to couple the slider bar with the shield of  FIG. 5A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures or methods associated with vehicles have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the embodiments. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are views of a vehicle  100  with a slider bar  130  and a battery pack  120 , according to one embodiment.  FIG. 1A  is a side view of the vehicle  100  and  FIG. 1B  is a simplified view of an underside or an underbody  106  of the vehicle  100 . 
     The vehicle  100  may be an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or a battery electric vehicle. The battery pack  120  is positioned between a front axle  102  and a rear axle  104 . A set of rear tires  103   a ,  103   b  are coupled to the rear axle  104  and a set of front tires  115   a ,  115   b  are coupled to the front axle  102 . The battery or the battery pack  120  is affixed to the underside  106  of the body, which may correspond to a position of a passenger compartment  101 . The battery pack  120  includes a front edge  105  and a rear edge  107 . The slider bar  130  includes a first end  132   a  closer to the front axle  102  and a second end  132   b  that is closer to the rear axle  104 . The front edge  105  of the battery pack  120  is closer to the first end  132   a  of the slider bar  130 , and the rear edge  107  is closer to the second end  132   b . The battery pack  120  may be positioned equidistant from the front axle  102  and the rear axle  104  or may be positioned closer to the front axle  102  than the rear axle  104 . 
     The underside or the underbody  106  provides a surface area and mechanical support for housing various components of the vehicle  100  such as electric motors, transmission, and suspension parts and supports an interior floor of the passenger compartment  101 , among other things. The underbody  106  includes a lower surface  110  that faces towards ground or roadway  112 . The battery pack  120  is coupled to the lower surface  110  of the underbody  106  that could include a recess for the battery pack  120  to be coupled within. Fasteners, adhesives, and other coupling techniques attach the battery pack  120  to the lower surface  110  of the underbody  106 . In one example, the underbody  106  includes holes or retaining openings that can receive fasteners to secure the battery pack  120  with flanges or extensions that include corresponding openings, see openings  111 . 
     As the battery pack  120  occupies space and is mounted under the underbody  106 , the battery pack  120  protrudes or otherwise extends below the underbody  106  towards the ground  112  and in a direction away from the underbody  106 . In  FIG. 1A , the battery pack  120  has a height H 1 , which corresponds to a distance between a bottom surface  122  of the battery pack  120  and the lower surface  110  of the underbody  106 . The height H 1  and dimensions of the battery pack  120  may vary depending on the type of batteries used to assemble the battery pack  120 . 
     The battery pack  120  provides power to various devices, including electric motors and other electrical components of the vehicle  100 . The battery pack  120  may include a set of batteries or individual battery cells configured in a series, a parallel or a hybrid combination, to deliver a voltage, capacity, or power density. The number of batteries and the number of individual battery cells used in the battery pack  120  may vary depending upon the type of vehicle  100 . 
     The ground clearance of the vehicle  100  is a distance between the bottom surface  122  of the battery pack  120  and the ground  112 . As a wheelbase of the vehicle  100  is increased, a ramp break over (RBO) angle is decreased. The RBO angle is an arc  114  between the front tires  115   a ,  115   b  and the rear tires  103   a ,  103   b  and lowest surface of components under the vehicle  100 . The RBO is dependent on the wheelbase, suspension height, tire size, and other floor body components of the vehicle  100 . The RBO angle identifies when the vehicle  100  will interact with the ground  112  when over steep driveway ramps, parking structure ramps, irregular and uneven roads, and off-road features, for example. 
     The slider bar  130  is coupled to the underbody  106 , in a proximity of the battery pack  120  to adjust the ground clearance of the vehicle  100 . The first end  132   a  and the second end  132   b  form proximal and distal ends of the slider bar  130 , respectively. The slider bar  130  includes a first portion  132   c  that extends from the first end  132   a  to a first curved portion  132   d . The slider bar  130  further includes a second portion  132   e  that extends from the second end  132   b  to a second curved portion  132   f . An intermediate portion  132   g  extends from the first curved portion  132   d  to the second curved portion  132   f  The first portion  132   c  is at a first angle with respect to a central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  120  that corresponds to a Y-axis. The first angle is, for example, in the range of 35 and 50 degrees. The second portion  132   e  is at a second angle with respect to the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  120 . The second angle is smaller than the first angle. The second angle may be in the range of 20 and 30 degrees. 
     The first end  132   a  is coupled to the underbody  106  at a distance D 1  from the front axle  102 . The second end  132   b  is coupled to the underbody  106  at a distance D 2  from the rear axle  104 . The distances D 1  and D 2  generally vary between 30 to 50 centimeters (cm). The distance D 1  is greater than the distance D 2 . The distances D 1  and D 2  will vary depending on the type of the vehicle  100  (pickup, hatchback, sedan). Further, the slider bar  130  may be coupled to the underbody  106  using bolts, welding, fasteners, or any other suitable techniques. 
     The first end  132   a  is closer to the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  120  than the second end  132   b  of the slider bar  130 . The first end  132   a  is closer to the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  120  than an edge  109  of the battery pack  120 . The edge  109  is closer to a centerline C 1 -C 1  of the vehicle  100  and is opposite to another edge  113  that is along a passenger side S 4  of the vehicle  100 . The second end  132   b  is further from the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  120  than the edge  109 . The intermediate portion  132   g  is the furthest feature of the slider bar  130  from the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  120 . 
     In this embodiment, the battery pack  120  is positioned closer to the passenger side S 4  than a driver&#39;s side S 3 . The slider bar  130  is positioned between the battery pack  120  and the centerline C 1 -C 1  of the vehicle  100 . In some embodiments, the slider bar  130  may have the first and second ends  132   a, b  coupled to the passenger side S 4  of the centerline C 1 -C 1  of the vehicle  100 , while at least part of the intermediate portion  132   g  crosses or overlaps the centerline C 1 -C 1  of the vehicle  100 . 
     The first end  132   a  and the second end  132   b  help in offsetting the slider bar  130  laterally from the battery pack  120  by a distance L 1 . The offset distance is of a few centimeters (5-10 cm, for example). The slider bar  130  is offset away from the battery pack  120  towards a lateral edge  134  of the underbody  106 . As in  FIG. 1B , the slider bar  130  does not overlap the battery pack  120  when looking from a bottom view. 
     The slider bar  130  protrudes and extends outward below the underbody  106  towards the ground  112  and with a bottom surface  136  between the ground  112  and the battery pack  120 . This positioning allows a safe distance from the ground  112  to minimize damage to the battery  120 . The bottom surface  136  of the slider bar  130  is at a distance H 2  from the lower surface  110  of the underbody  106 . In all embodiments of the present disclosure, the distance H 2  is greater than the height H 1 . In an example, the distance H 2  is 5 mm to 10 mm more than the height H 1 , which means, if the height H 1  is 10 millimeters (mm), the distance H 2  is 15 mm to 20 mm. 
     The arrangement of the battery pack  120  and the slider bar  130  positions the slider bar  130  to impact the ground  112  to protect the battery pack  120  in the event the vehicle  100  bottoms out. Accordingly, the slider bar  130  protects the battery pack  120  from, for example, scratches, and impacts with the ground  112 . During the impacts, deflection of the slider bar  130  is controlled by its design (offsetting of the slider bar  130 ) such that the slider bar  130  does not make contact with the battery pack  120 , even during maximum deflection. In order to ensure that the slider bar  130  has sufficient strength and a long service life, the slider bar  130  may be composed of materials such as high-strength steel, titanium, composites, aluminum, and/or combinations thereof. 
     The slider bar  130  is made hollow to reduce weight and be cost-effective, but in some examples, the slider bar  130  may be solid. The cross section of the slider bar  130  may be circular, rectangular, triangular, oval, square, or of any other suitable shape. 
       FIG. 2  is an alternative embodiment of a slider bar  230  arranged on the underside  106  of the vehicle  100  adjacent to the battery pack  120 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The slider bar  230  includes a first end  232   a , a second end  232   b , and an intermediate portion  232   c . The first end  232   a  and the second end  232   b  form proximal and distal ends of the slider bar  230 , respectively. The first end  232   a  is closer to the front edge  105  and the second end  232   b  is closer to the rear edge  107  of the battery pack  120 . The first end  232   a  is coupled to the underbody  106  and positioned between the front axle  102  of the vehicle  100 , illustrated in  FIG. 1B , and the front edge  105  of the battery pack  120 . The second end  232   b  is coupled to the underbody  106  and positioned between the rear axle  104  of the vehicle  100 , illustrated in  FIG. 1B , and the rear edge  107  of the battery pack  120 . 
     The slider bar  230  is an irregularly shaped beam that includes various straight members  240  and angled members  242  specifically selected to conform to a shape of the battery pack  120  and the associated vehicle  100 . The various combinations of the straight members  240  and the angled members  242  are selected based on various factors such as vehicle design, desired strength of the slider bar  230 , and sizing of the battery pack  120 . 
     The first end  232   a  of the slider bar  230  includes a first straight member  240   a  and three angled or angular members, i.e.,  242   a ,  242   b , and  242   c . Similarly, the second end  232   b  of the slider bar  230  includes a second straight member  240   b  and two angled or angular members, i.e.,  242   d  and  242   e.    
     The first angular member  242   a  elevates the first end  232   a  from the underbody  106  to a first angle, with respect to the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  120  and connects with the second angular member  242   b . The first angle, for example, is in the range of 35 and 50 degrees. The second angular member  242   b  connects with a proximal end  244   a  of the first straight member  240   a . The angular member  242   c  connects a distal end  244   b  (opposite to the proximal end  244   a ) of the first straight member  240   a  to a first portion  255   a  of the intermediate portion  232   c . The first straight member  240   a  and the angular member  242   c  extend in a tilted or an angled manner along a straight line to achieve a vertical height up to the first portion  255   a  of the intermediate portion  232   c . The angular member  242   c  is coupled to the first portion  255   a  of the intermediate portion  232   c  and is substantially parallel to the underbody  106 . 
     Similarly, the third angular member  242   d  elevates the second end  232   b  from the underbody  106  to a second angle with respect to the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  120  that may be different from the first angle. The second angle, for example, is in the range of 35 and 50 degrees. In an implementation, the second angle is smaller than the first angle. In another implementation, the first and second angles are equal, that is the first and second ends  232   a  and  232   b  are structurally similar. 
     The angular member  242   d  connects with a proximal end  246   a  of the second straight member  240   b . The angular member  242   e  connects a distal end  246   b  (opposite to the proximal end  246   a ) of the second straight member  240   b  to a second portion  255   b  of the intermediate portion  232   c . The second straight member  240   b  and the angular member  242   e  extends in a tilted or an angled manner along a straight line to achieve the height up to the second portion  255   b  of the intermediate portion  232   c . The angular member  242   e  is coupled to the second portion  255   b  of the intermediate portion  232   c  and is substantially parallel to the underbody  106 . 
     The first and second ends  232   a  and  232   b  integrally join to the intermediate portion  232   c . The intermediate portion  232   c  is a straight solid bar and runs parallel to the underbody  106 . The design and arrangement of the straight members  240  and the angled members  242 , as described in the paragraphs above, help in offsetting the intermediate portion  232   c  laterally from the battery pack  120  by the distance L 1 . 
     The intermediate portion  232   c  is offset laterally by the distance L 1  from the battery pack  120  so that the intermediate portion  232   c  does not make contact with the battery pack  120  or high voltage (HV) wiring even under maximum deflection. 
     The first end  232   a  and the second end  232   b  are continuous structures with a constant cross-sectional area. The slider bar  230  has a substantially circular cross-sectional area. Alternatively, the first end  232   a  and the second end  232   b  may flatten out to flat bar structures  238   a  and  238   b  near the underbody  106 . The flat bar structures  238   a  and  238   b  may improve the overall strength of couplings. The flat bar structure  238   b  may be coupled to the underbody  106  on one side of the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  such that the structure  238   b  is closer to the edge  109  of the battery pack  120  compared to the edge  113 . The flat bar structure  238   a  is coupled on another side of the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  such that the structure  238   a  is closer to the edge  113  compared to the edge  109  of the battery pack  120 . 
     The intermediate portion  232   c  includes a bracket  248  that is coupled to the intermediate portion  232   c  at one end and to the underbody  106  at another end. The slider bar  230  may include multiple brackets to couple with the underbody  106  and support the slider bar  230  to absorb any potential impacts. 
     The intermediate portion  232   c  protects the battery pack  120  and the HV wiring when the vehicle  100  bottoms out. The battery pack  120  is also prevented from being impacted when the vehicle  100  travels on an uneven road surface, thereby, improving service life of the battery pack  120 . 
     The entirety of the slider bar  230  (the first end  232   a , the second end  232   b , and the intermediate portion  232   c ) is manufactured as a single unit via casting, forming, additive manufacturing, or by any other suitable process. Alternatively, the first end  232   a , the second end  232   b , and the intermediate portion  232   c  can be manufactured separately and be coupled using a suitable method like welding, for example. Also, the materials of the slider bar  230  may be composed of high-strength steel, titanium, composites, aluminum, and/or combinations thereof. The slider bar  230  may further include an abrasive coating of rubber or an anti-rust material. This may increase the service life of the slider bar  230  and improves its corrosion resistance. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a slider bar  300  arranged on the underside  106  of the vehicle  100  adjacent to a battery pack  324 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 3  is a simplified perspective view that shows only an outline of the battery pack  324  for the purpose of beverity. The battery pack  324  includes an edge  325  and an edge  326  that is parallel to the edge  325 . The edge  325  is closer to the front axle  102  compared to the rear axle  104  of the vehicle  100 , and the edge  326  is closer to the rear axle  104  compared to the front axle  102  of the vehicle  100 . The battery pack  324  includes an edge  327  and another edge (not shown) that is parallel to the edge  327 . The edge  327  is closer to the slider bar  300  compared to the another edge. 
     The slider bar  300  includes a first end  302   a , a second end  302   b , and an intermediate portion  302   c . The first end  302   a  and the second end  302   b  form proximal and distal ends of the slider bar  300 , respectively. The first end  302   a  is closer to the front edge  325  and the second end  302   b  is closer to the rear edge  326  of the battery pack  324 . The first end  302   a  is coupled to the underbody  106  and positioned between the front axle  102  of the vehicle  100  and the front edge  325  of the battery pack  324 . The second end  302   b  is coupled to the underbody  106  and positioned between the rear axle  104  of the vehicle  100  and the rear edge  326  of the battery pack  324 . The first end  302   a  and the second end  302   b  of the slider bar  300  are coupled on frame elements  328 ,  330 , respectively. 
     The slider bar  300  is irregularly shaped and includes multiple straight members  308  and angled members  310  that allow the slider bar  300  to conform to a shape of the battery pack  324  and the associated vehicle  100 . The combinations of the straight members  308  and the angled members  310  are selected based on various factors such as vehicle design, desired strength of the slider bar  300 , and sizing of the battery pack  324 . 
     The first end  302   a  of the slider bar  300  includes a first straight member  308   a  and three angled or angular members, i.e.,  310   a ,  310   b , and  310   c . Similarly, the second end  302   b  of the slider bar  300  includes a second straight member  308   b  and two angled or angular members, i.e.,  310   d  and  310   e.    
     The angular member  310   a  elevates the first end  302   a  from the underbody  106  to a first angle β 1  that may be in the range of 35 and 50 degrees, for example 45 degrees, with respect to a central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  324  and connects with the angular member  310   b . A proximal end  312   a  of the first straight member  308   a  connects with the angular member  310   b . The angular member  310   c  connects a distal end  312   b  (opposite to the proximal end  312   a ) of the first straight member  308   a  to a first portion  320   a  of the intermediate portion  302   c . The first straight member  308   a  and the angular member  310   c  extend in a tilted or an angled manner along a straight line to achieve a vertical height  322  up to the first portion  320   a  of the intermediate portion  302   c . The angular member  310   c  is coupled to the first portion  320   a  of the intermediate portion  302   c  and is substantially parallel to the underbody  106 . 
     Similarly, the angular member  310   d  elevates the second end  302   b  from the underbody  106  to a second angle β 2  that may be in the range of 35 and 50 degrees, for example 30 degrees, with respect to the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  324 . The angular member  310   d  connects with a proximal end  314   a  of the second straight member  308   b . The angular member  310   e  connects a distal end  314   b  (opposite to the proximal end  314   a ) of the second straight member  308   b  to a second portion  320   b  of the intermediate portion  302   c . The second straight member  308   b  and the angular member  310   e  extend in a tilted or an angled manner along a straight line to achieve the vertical height  322 . The angular member  310   e  is coupled to the second portion  320   b  of the intermediate portion  302   c  and is substantially parallel to the underbody  106 . In one embodiment, the first and the second acute angles β 1  and β 2  are the same, i.e., the first end  302   a  is structurally similar to the second end  302   b.    
     The first and second ends  302   a  and  302   b  integrally join the intermediate portion  302   c , which is a straight solid bar and runs parallel to the underbody  106 . The intermediate portion  302   c  is laterally offset from the battery pack  324  so that the intermediate portion  302   c  does not make contact with the battery pack  324  or HV wiring even under maximum deflection. 
     A first support  304   a , a second support  304   b , and one or more frame elements  306  may be coupled to the underbody  106 . The first end  302   a  of the slider bar  300  is coupled with the first support  304   a  and the second end  302   b  of the slider bar  300  is coupled with the second support  304   b , opposite to the first support  304   a . The first support  304   a  and the second support  304   b  are thin flattened strips that increase the mechanical strength of couplings. The first end  302   a  and the second end  302   b  are coupled to the first support  304   a  and the second support  304   b , respectively. In one example, the first support  304   a  and the second support  304   b  are a part of the frame element  306  of the underbody  106 . In one example, the frame element  306  is a sheet metal. 
     The first end  302   a  and the second end  302   b  of the slider bar  300  may be continuous structures with a constant cross-sectional area. The slider bar  300  has a substantially circular cross-sectional area. The first end  302   a  and the second end  302   b  may be coupled to the frame elements  328 ,  330  of the underbody  106  on only one side of the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  324  such that the first and second ends  302   a,b  are closer to the edge  327  compared to an opposing edge (not shown) of the battery pack  324 . 
     The intermediate portion  302   c  includes a first bracket  316  and a second bracket  318 . The first bracket  316  is coupled to the intermediate portion  302   c  at one end and to the frame element  306  at another end. The first and the second brackets  316 ,  318  are manufactured with the entire slider bar  300  as a single unit. Alternatively, the brackets  316  and  318  may be manufactured as separate components and attached to the slider bar  300  using suitable techniques. The slider bar  300  may include multiple brackets or a single bracket to couple with the underbody  106  and support the slider bar  300  to absorb any potential impacts. 
     The slider bar  300  may include materials and may be manufactured in ways that are similar to as discussed in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is an alternative embodiment of a slider bar  430  adjacent to a battery pack  446  according to the present disclosure. The slider bar  430  is a straight tubular structure having a substantially rectangular cross section. 
     The slider bar  430  includes a first end  432   a , a second end  432   b , and an intermediate portion  432   c  that is between the first and second ends  432   a, b . The first end  432   a  and the second end  432   b  form proximal and distal ends of the slider bar  430 , respectively. The battery pack  446  includes an edge  448  and an edge  450  that is parallel to the edge  448 . The edge  448  is closer to the front axle  102  compared to the rear axle  104  and the edge  450  is closer to the rear axle  104  compared to the front axle  102 . The battery pack  446  includes an edge  452  and an edge  454  that is parallel to the edge  452 . The edge  452  is closer to the slider bar  430  compared to the edge  454 . An edge axis line Y 2 -Y 2  that runs from the front side S 1  to the rear side S 2  of the vehicle  100 , corresponds to the edge  452  of the battery pack  446 . The first end  432   a , the second end  432   b , and the intermediate portion  432   c  of the slider bar  430  are positioned further from a central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  446  than the outermost edge  452  of the battery pack  446  and the edge axis line Y 2 -Y 2 . The first end  432   a  and the second end  432   b  of the slider bar  430  are coupled on frame elements  434 ,  435  that are coupled to the underbody  106  and add to a distance  444  to create sufficient separation from the battery pack  446 . 
     The first end  432   a  and the second end  432   b  of the slider bar  430  are coupled at least 50 cm away from both the front and the rear axles,  102  and  104 , respectively, illustrated in  FIG. 1B . Additionally, the slider bar  430  is coupled such that the intermediate portion  432   c  is located at the distance  444  from the battery pack  446 . The distance  444  is the lateral distance between the battery pack  446  and a battery-facing surface of the intermediate portion  432   c.    
     The first end  432   a  and the second end  432   b  include angular members  436 . The angular members  436  (also called angled members  436 ) can be altered according to design requirements such as desired strength of the slider bar  430  and sizing of battery pack  446 . 
     The angled members  436  include a first angular member  436   a  and a second angular member  436   b  at the first end  432   a . The first angular member  436   a  elevates the first end  432   a  from the underbody  106  to a third acute angle β 3  (e.g., 50-65 degrees) with respect to the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  446 , so that the first end  432   a  achieves a height  442 . The first end  432   a  is flat and coupled to the frame element  434 . The tube is bent at the first angular member  436   a  away from the underbody  106 . The second angular member  436   b  is bent in a different direction than the first angular member  436   a . The second angular member  436   b  is coupled to a first portion  438   a  of the intermediate portion  432   c  and is substantially parallel to the underbody  106 . 
     Similar to the first end  432   a , the angled members  436  include a third angular member  436   c  and a fourth angular member  436   d  that are closer to the second end  432   b . The third angular member  436   c  elevates the second end  432   b  from the underbody  106  to a fourth acute angle β 4  (e.g., 30-45 degrees) with respect to the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  446 , so that the second end  432   b  achieves the height  442 . The second end  432   b  is flat and coupled to the frame member  435 . The first end  432   a  and the second end  432   b , may be at a same distance from the central axis Y 1 -Y 1  of the battery pack  446 . 
     The third angular member  436   c  curves or bends away from the second end  432   b  and away from the underbody  106 . The fourth angular member  436   d  bends in a different direction than the third angular member  436   c . A second portion  438   b  of the intermediate portion  432   c  extends from the fourth angular member  436   d  and is substantially parallel to the underbody  106 . 
     A distance  437  between the first and second angular members  436   a  and  436   b  is less than a distance  439  between the third and fourth angular members  436   c  and  436   d . The third angle β 3  is greater than the fourth angle β 4 . The first and second portions  438   a  and  438   b , as explained above, integrally join to the intermediate portion  432   c . The intermediate portion  432   c  is a straight solid bar and runs substantially parallel to the underbody  106 . The intermediate portion  432   c  is laterally spaced apart from the edge  452  of the battery pack  446  by the distance  444 . The distance  442  between the intermediate portion  432   c  and the battery pack  446  is configured to separate the battery pack  446  from the ground  112 , illustrated in  FIG. 1A , with the intermediate portion  432   c  even if there is deflection of the slider bar  430  upon impact with the ground  112  or an object. 
     The intermediate portion  432   c  is coupled to the underbody  106  with a bracket  440 . The bracket  440  is between the first end  432   a  and the second end  432   b  and is spaced from the edge  452  by the distance  444 . The bracket  440  may be coupled to the frame member  434  with a fastener or other coupling device. 
     The intermediate portion  432   c  of the slider bar  430  is closer to the ground  112  than the battery pack  446 . In an event of the vehicle  100  bottoming out, the impact will be absorbed by the slider bar  430  and the battery pack  446  will be protected. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a slider bar  530  protruding from a shield  500 , according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The slider bar  530  is a non-linear bar that is coupled to the underbody  106  of the vehicle  100  with ends that are covered by the shield  500 . The shield  500  includes an opening or a slot  502  through which the bar  530  can extend by a distance. Only a surface of the bar  530  extends through the opening  502 . The surface of the bar  530  is configured to interact with the ground  112 , illustrated in  FIG. 1A , separating a cover and a battery  532  from interacting with the ground  112 . The battery pack  532  includes an edge  534  and an edge  536  that is parallel to the edge  534 . The edge  534  is closer to the front axle  102  compared to the rear axle  104 , illustrated in  FIG. 1B , and the edge  536  is closer to the rear axle  104  compared to the front axle  102 . The battery pack  532  includes an edge  538  and an edge  540  that is parallel to the edge  538 . The edge  538  is closer to the slider bar  530  compared to the edge  540 . 
     The shield  500  is a cover or other physical structure that encloses the battery pack  532  and other related components to keep road debris and dust away. The shield  500  may be plastic, a plurality of composites, carbon fiber, sheet metals, or other suitable materials. The shield  500  is coupled on the underbody  106  and covers the entire battery pack  532  and high voltage wiring, for example. The shield  500  is coupled on the underbody  106  using one or more fasteners  524 . 
     The dimensions of the shield  500  may be varied to accommodate different sizes of vehicles, battery packs, or the slider bars. For example, if a longitudinal length of the battery pack  532  along the underbody  106  is increased or decreased, then, length of the shield  500  will be increased or decreased proportionally to that of the longitudinal length of the battery pack  532  so that the shield  500  always fully encloses the battery pack  532 . 
     The shield  500  includes a driver side or a first side  514 , a passenger side or a second side  516 , a front-end side or a third side  518 , and a rear-end side or a fourth side  520 . The second side  516  includes one or more curvatures and is not parallel to the first side  514 . Alternatively, the second side  516  can be parallel to the first side  514 . Similarly, the third side  518  or the fourth side  520  may include curvatures and may not be parallel to each other. Alternatively, the third side  518  and the fourth side  520  can be parallel to each other. 
     The shield  500  includes the groove or the slot  502  shaped to accommodate the protruding slider bar  530 . The dimensions of the slot  502  are slightly bigger than the slider bar  530  such that the slider bar  530  can easily extend through the slot  502 . The slider bar  530  extends outwards towards the ground  112  through the slot. 
     The slot  502  includes sections  522   a ,  522   b ,  522   c , and  522   d  that correspond to the shape and contour of the slider bar  530  that shall be positioned inside. An edge axis line Y 3 -Y 3 , that runs from the front side S 1  to the rear side S 2  of the vehicle  100 , corresponds to the edge  538  of the battery  532 . The edge axis line Y 3 -Y 3  intersects the slot  502  to form a first section  526  and a second section  528  of the slot  502 . The first section  526  includes a first end  531   a  of the slider bar  530 , the section  522   d , and a portion of the section  522   c  of the slot  502 . The second section  528  includes a portion of the section  522   c , the sections  522   a ,  522   b  of the slot  502 , and a second end  531   b  of the slider bar  530 . The first section  526  is located ahead of the edge  534  of the battery  532 , towards the front axle  102 . The second section  528  is located beside or adjacent to the edge  538  of the battery  532 . The second section  528  is closer to the centerline C 1 -C 1 , illustrated in  FIG. 1B , compared to the first section  526 . The second section  528  extends between the front axle  102  and the rear axle  104 , illustrated in  FIG. 1B . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5B , the slider bar  530  includes a plurality of tabs  504  installed on the surface to couple with the shield  500 . The tabs  504  are sheet metal pieces and are attached to the slider bar  530  using any suitable technique, for example, welding. Optionally, the tabs  504  may be manufactured along with the slider bar  530  as a single unit. The tabs  504  are positioned perpendicularly on circumference of the slider bar  530  facing towards the battery pack  532 . The tabs  504  are spaced apart on the slider bar  530  at appropriate distances to effectively support the slider bar  530  and shield  500  coupling. The tabs  504  may include secondary structures  505  for gripping the slider bar  530 . 
     The tabs  504  include holes  506  and retainers  508 , such as washers or countersinks, for example. The holes  506  and the retainers  508  align with holes  510  on the surface of the shield  500 , located near the slot  502 . A bolt or a pin  512  is used to traverse through the holes  506 ,  510  and the tabs  504 , respectively. The pin  512  effectively secures the slider bar  530  and the shield  500 . 
     As the shield  500  is coupled onto the battery pack  532 , the ground clearance below the battery pack  532  is further decreased by a few millimeters. The distance between a bottom surface of the shield  500  to the underbody  106  is a first height. A height of the slider bar  530  is greater than the first height, thereby ensuring that the slider bar  530  is present below the shield  500  and the battery pack  532 , with respect to the lower surface  110  of the underbody  106 . In the event the vehicle  100  bottoms out, the slider bar  530  makes contact with the road features (e.g., driveway ramps) instead of the battery pack  532  enclosed within the shield  500 ; thus ensuring the battery pack  532  is protected from scratches or scrapes from the ground and thereby. 
     The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments. 
     These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.