Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/6431300
Timestamp: 2019-08-24 15:56:17
Document Index: 131990719

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 13', 'art 14', 'art 13', 'art 14', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 14', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 13', 'art 14', 'art.\n4']

US Patent for Structure for installing an automotive battery Patent (Patent # 6,431,300 issued August 13, 2002) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents Battery Mountings And HoldersUS Patent for Structure for installing an automotive battery Patent (Patent # 6,431,300)
Structure for installing an automotive battery
Sep 22, 2000 - Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Similarly, even in an electric car based on a conventional vehicle with a gasoline engine mounted thereon, it is convenient to dispose the battery as an automotive power source into the rear part of the vehicle, so that the same effect as mentioned above is obtained. Moreover, a large-sized battery for supplying electric power to the electric motor is mounted at a lower part of the vehicle, separately from the battery as an automotive power source.
Furthermore, in a front-engine, front-drive type vehicle, there is an example of similarly disposing the battery in the rear part of the vehicle in order to prevent the weight of the vehicle front part from increasing as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3058/1988.
As mentioned above, if the battery is mounted at the rear part of the vehicle, the larger space is obtained in the engine room, so that the degree of the freedom for arranging the components in the engine room is increased, and also the degree of freedom for designing the whole vehicle is expanded. In addition, a maneuverability of the vehicle can be increased since the weight of the vehicle front part is prevented from increasing. Furthermore, since the battery and components for mounting the same are not disposed at the front part of the vehicle, the rigidity of the vehicle front part is prevented to locally increase. Thereby, when an impact load over a predetermined value is applied from a front direction of the vehicle to the vehicle itself, a proper crash stroke is obtained, so that a safety can be increased.
However, when the impact load over the predetermined value is applied from a rear direction of the vehicle, a deformation of the vehicle rear part may occur, so that there is likelihood that the battery may break or an electrolyte thereof may leak from the broken battery.
(1) In a structure for installing an automotive battery in which the battery is mounted on a battery mounting base provided on a floor in a rear part of a vehicle body, a rear suspension cross member extends along the direction of vehicle width beneath the floor, and the battery mounting base is located within an area of the floor corresponding to the location of the rear suspension cross member in plan view.
(2) In the invention as recited in section (1), the battery mounting base comprises a battery mounting surface on which the battery is mounted, a front surface part extending downward from a front edge of the battery mounting surface with a lower end of the front surface part connected to the floor, and a rear surface part extending downward from a rear edge of the battery mounting surface with a lower end of the rear surface part connected to the floor.
According to the invention of this section (2), the battery mounting base is formed of a simple structure including the battery mounting surface on which the battery is mounted, and the front surface part and the rear surface part extending downward from the front and rear edges of the battery mounting surface, respectively.
(3) In the invention as recited in section (2), the front surface part has a first physically weak portion formed in the front surface part.
According to the invention of this section (3), the first physically weak portion is formed in the front surface part of the battery mounting base. Therefore, when members of the vehicle body, such as a rear skirt, come into contact with the battery due to an impact load exerted from behind the vehicle body, the first physically weak portion formed in the front surface part collapses and deforms, causing the battery to topple toward the front of the vehicle body. As a consequence, the impact is alleviated and breakage of the battery is avoided or significantly reduced.
(4) In the invention as recited in section (3), there is provided a second physically weak portion in an area of the battery mounting surface on the rear of its center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
According to the invention of this section (4), there is provided the second physically weak portion in a rear part of the battery mounting surface in addition to the first physically weak portion of section (3) of the invention. Therefore, when members of the vehicle body, such as the rear skirt, come into contact with the battery, not only the first physically weak portion but also the second physically weak portion deforms so that the rear part of the battery mounting surface is lifted upward and the battery is caused to topple frontward in a more reliable fashion. As a consequence, the impact exerted on the battery is more alleviated and breakage of the battery is prevented or reduced more positively.
(5) In the invention as recited in section (2) or (4), the rear surface part extends obliquely upward toward the front of the vehicle body.
According to the invention of this section (5), when a turning force is exerted on the rear suspension cross member forcing its front portion upward due to an impact load applied from behind the vehicle body, the rear edge of the battery mounting surface is supported by the inclined rear surface part the first physically weak portion collapses and deforms due to the impact. Consequently, the battery mounted on the battery mounting surface is kept from turning over rearward and held in a stable position, so that its breakage is prevented or reduced.
(6) In a structure for installing an automotive battery in which the battery is mounted on a battery mounting base provided on a floor in a rear part of a vehicle body according to a second aspect of the invention, a rear suspension cross member extends along the direction of vehicle width beneath the floor, and the battery mounting base includes a battery mounting surface on which the battery is mounted, a front surface part extending downward from a front edge of the battery mounting surface and connected to the floor in its area corresponding to the location of the rear suspension cross member in plan view, a rear surface part extending downward from a rear edge of the battery mounting surface with a lower end of the rear surface part connected to the floor at the rear of the rear suspension cross member in plan view, and a first physically weak portion formed in the front surface part.
According to the invention of this section (6), when a rear part of the vehicle body deforms due to an impact load applied to the vehicle body from behind, a rear part of the battery mounting surface is forced upward by the rear surface part whose lower end is connected to the floor which deforms and is pushed frontward. At the same time, the first physically weak portion formed in the front surface part deforms and the battery mounting surface inclines, causing the battery to list frontward. As a consequence, the battery is kept from going into contact with members of the vehicle body, such as a rear skirt, or impact force due to their contact is alleviated, so that breakage of the battery is prevented or significantly reduced.
(7) In the invention as recited in sections (1) to (6), the structure comprises a mounting base plate provided on the battery mounting surface for mounting the battery, the mounting base plate provided on the battery mounting surface has a bottom surface whose width is larger than the width of the battery mounting surface measured in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
According to the invention of this section (7), it is possible to install a battery having a larger width than the width of the battery mounting surface measured in the longitudinal direction.
(8) In the invention as recited in sections (1) to (6), the structure comprises a mounting base plate provided on the battery mounting surface, the mounting base plate having a bottom portion on which the battery is mounted and a surrounding wall which extends upward from the periphery of the bottom portion and surrounds the outer periphery of the battery.
According to the invention of this section (8), the battery is protected against an impact load or the like by the mounting base plate, especially by the surrounding wall. Furthermore, even when the battery is broken, dispersion of its fragments and electrolyte is avoided by the surrounding wall and the electrolyte is kept from flowing out by the box-shaped mounting base plate including an electrolyte storage.
(9) In the invention as recited in section (8), the surrounding wall has an electrolyte storage formed by making an outward swelling on the surrounding wall.
According to the invention of this section (9), the electrolyte is kept from flowing out more securely than the above feature (8) since the electrolyte storage is formed by making an outward swelling on the surrounding wall.
The rear suspension cross member 4 is a platelike member having a generally U-shaped cross section with its front marginal portion 4a and rear marginal portion 4b bent downward. It supports the vehicle body via the suspension and has sufficient rigidity to withstand vibrations and shocks during driving.
There is provided a battery mounting base 11 for mounting a battery 10 in an area 1a (the area shown by hatching in FIG. 1) of the floor 1, the area 1a being a zone of width L in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body corresponding to the location of the rear suspension cross member 4 in plan view.
The battery mounting base 11 has a generally hat-shaped cross section of a simple structure extending in the direction of the vehicle width having a generally flat battery mounting surface 12. The battery mounting base 11 further has a front surface part 13 and a rear surface part 14 formed and extended by bending front and rear edges of the battery mounting surface 12 downward, respectively, and a front mounting flange 15 and a rear mounting flange 16 formed by bending lower edges of the front surface part 13 and the rear surface part 14 frontward and rearward, respectively, as shown in the partially sectional exploded perspective view of FIG. 3. This battery mounting base 11 is attached onto the floor 1 by welding the front mounting flange 15 and the rear mounting flange 16 to the floor 1 on the inside of the aforementioned area 1a.
According to this embodiment thus configured, the area of the floor 1 overlapping with the rear suspension cross member 4, or the area 1a, is reinforced by the strong rear suspension cross member 4 and, since the battery mounting base 11 is installed within the area of the floor where its rigidity has been ensured and the battery 10 is mounted on the battery mounting base 11, the area 1a of the floor 1 where the battery 10 is installed becomes an undeformed remaining space whose deformation is prevented or significantly reduced even when a rear part of the vehicle body deforms due to an impact load of a specific value or above applied to the vehicle body from behind. This serves to prevent breakage of the battery mounting base 11 and the battery 10 mounted on the battery mounting base 11 as well as leakage of an electrolyte and ensure safety.
Since the aforementioned area 1a of the floor 1 is reinforced by the existing rear suspension cross member 4, there is no need for additional stiffening members or only a very few stiffening members are required. Therefore, it is possible to avoid weight increase and to use an existing vehicle body, so that an increase in production cost can be avoided coupling possibility to use existing body.
This first physically weak portion 13A is made by forming a bead 13a having a generally U-shaped cross section extending in the direction of the vehicle width in a front surface part 13 of the battery mounting base 11 which has a generally hat-shaped cross section as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example, or by making a slit or a plurality of holes in the front surface part 13.
According to this embodiment thus configured, deformation of the area 1a of the floor 1 where the battery 10 is installed is prevented or significantly reduced by a rear suspension cross member 4 even when a rear part of the vehicle body deforms due to an impact load of a specific value or above applied to the vehicle body from behind as in the case of the foregoing first embodiment. Also, when members of the vehicle body, such as a rear skirt 5 which is raised in an upright position at a rear edge of the floor 1 and separates the vehicle interior from the exterior, are pushed frontward and come into contact with the battery 10, the first physically weak portion 13A made of the bead 13a, the slit or the multiple holes formed in the front surface part 13 of the battery mounting base 11 is caused to collapse and deform, eventually causing the battery 10 to topple frontward. As a consequence, impact force exerted by the rear skirt 5, for instance, is alleviated so that breakage of the battery 10 is avoided or significantly reduced.
Fourth Embodiment A fourth embodiment of the invention is described referring to a cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is the cross-sectional view generally corresponding to FIG. 6 shown above. Portions corresponding to those of FIG. 6 shown above are designated by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. Accordingly, the following discussion deals mainly with different portions.
This mounting base plate 20 can accommodate the battery 10 and its surrounding wall 22 surrounds the outer periphery of the battery 10 installed. The mounting base plate 20 has a box-like structure reaching the proximity of the upper end of the battery 10. There are formed cutouts 22a in left and right sides of its surrounding wall 22, or in lateral directions of the vehicle, for facilitating installation or removal of the battery 10, and the electrolyte storage 23 is formed by making the outward swelling on the surrounding wall 22.
In a case where the electrolyte storage 23 formed on a surface of the surrounding wall 22 facing the rear skirt 5, it is preferable to prevent or reduce interference between the rear skirt 5 and the electrolyte storage 23 which may occur when the rear skirt 5 is pushed toward the vehicle interior due to an impact load from the rear of the vehicle body. This would be achieved by positioning an upper end 23a of the electrolyte storage 23 lower than a so-called rear skirt sectional part 5a which is formed in a closed sectional shape projecting toward the vehicle interior at an upper end of the rear skirt 5, in order to prevent overlapping of the electrolyte storage 23 formed as the outward swelling with the rear skirt sectional part 5a in the direction of its height.
As shown in the perspective view of a battery mouting base 11 in FIG. 9, the first physically weak portion 13A is made by forming a U-shaped bead 13a extending in the direction of the vehicle width in a front surface part 13 of the battery mounting base 11 or by making a slit or a plurality of holes in the front surface part 13 as in the case of the aforementioned third embodiment.
On the other hand, the second physically weak portion 12A is formed of a bead 12a having a generally U-shaped cross section, for instance, extending in the direction of the vehicle width across a battery mounting surface 12 in its area on the rear of its longitudinal center.
Furthermore, as the battery 10 topples frontward as described above, the load Pa acts on the battery mounting surface 12 of the battery mounting base 11 in its longitudinal direction and in a direction of lifting the rear part of the battery mounting surface 12 upward via a mounting base plate 20. As a result, the bead 12a formed in the battery mounting surface 12 is bent, as if collapsing, rise the back portion of battery mounting surface 12 as shown in FIG. 10 and the battery 10 is caused to topple in a more reliable fashion, whereby the impact force exerted on the battery 10 is more alleviated and breakage of the battery 10 is prevented more positively.
There is formed a first physically weak portion 13A in the battery mounting base 11 of this embodiment by making a U-shaped bead 13a extending in the direction of the vehicle width in a front surface part 13 formed by bending the battery mounting base 11 downward from a front edge of the battery mounting surface 12 as shown in FIG. 11, or by making a slit or a plurality of holes in the front surface part 13. A lower end of the battery mounting base 11 is connected to an area of the floor 1 overlapping with the rear suspension cross member 4 by a front mounting flange 15.
On the other hand, a rear surface part 14 formed by bending the battery mounting base 11 at a rear edge of the battery mounting surface 12 extends obliquely downward toward the rear and its lower end is connected to the floor 1 between the rear marginal portion 4b of the rear suspension cross member 4 and a bottom end of a rear skirt 5, or in the vicinity of the bottom end of the rear skirt 5, for example.
This embodiment has a characteristic that it keeps a battery 10 from leaning rearward and holds it in a stable position when an impact load of a specific value or above applied to the vehicle body from behind causes a rear suspension cross member 4 to ascend its side of front marginal portion 4a and descend its rear marginal portion 4b.
A battery mounting base 11 has a first physically weak portion 13A made by forming a bead 13a having a generally U-shaped cross section extending in the direction of the vehicle width in a front surface part 13 which is formed by bending the battery mounting base 11 downward from a front edge of its battery mounting surface 12, or by making a slit or a plurality of holes in the front surface part 13. A front mounting flange 15 formed at a lower end of the front surface part 13 is connected together with the floor 1 or directly to a front part, e.g., the front marginal portion 4a, of the rear suspension cross member 4.
On the other hand, a rear surface part 14 extends obliquely upward toward the front. Specifically, angle &thgr; that the rear surface part 14 makes with the floor 1 at the front of the rear surface part 14 forms an acute angle.
According to this embodiment thus configured, when a rear part of the vehicle body deforms due to an impact load applied from behind, a turning force is exerted on the rear suspension cross member 4 forcing its side of the front marginal portion 4a upward and its side of the rear marginal portion 4b downward as shown by an arrow A since rear wheels are thrust frontward, for instance. When the lower end of the front surface part 13 is forced upward via the front mounting flange 15 as a result of this rotational motion of the rear suspension cross member 4, the bead 13a constituting the first physically weak portion 13A collapses and deforms due to a resultant impact as shown in FIG. 14 and thereby absorbs the impact, with a rear edge of the battery mounting surface 12 supported by the inclined rear surface part 14. Consequently, the battery 10 mounted on the battery mounting surface 12 is kept from turning over rearward and held in a stable position, so that breakage of the battery 10 is prevented.
1. A structure for installing an automotive battery having right and left side members extending along a longitudinal direction of a car for providing a floor secured on said right and left members, and
a rear suspension cross member extending along a width direction of the car as far as said side members to secure a lower surface of said floor, said structure comprising;
a battery mounting base for mounting said battery provided on the floor wherein said battery mounting base is located within an area of the floor corresponding with a location over the rear suspension cross member in plan view so as to rigidly secure said battery mounting base on said floor with said rear suspension cross member said battery also having a location over the rear suspension cross member in plan view.
2. The structure for installing the automotive battery as recited in claim 1, wherein said battery mounting base comprises:
a battery mounting surface which the battery is mounted; a front surface part extending downward from a front edge of said battery mounting surface with a lower end of said front surface part secured to the floor; and
a rear surface part extending downward from a rear edge of said battery mounting surface with a lower end of the rear surface part secured to the floor.
3. The structure for installing the automotive battery as recited in claim 2, wherein the front surface part has a first physically weak portion formed in the front surface part.
4. The structure for installing the automotive battery as recited in claim 3, provided with a second physically weak portion in an area of the battery mounting surface on the rear of its center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
5. The structure for installing the automotive battery as recited in claim 2, wherein the rear surface part extends obliquely upward toward the front of the vehicle body.
6. The structure for installing an automotive battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a mounting base plate provided on a battery mounting surface of the battery mounting base for mounting the battery, and the mounting base plate provided on the battery mounting surface has a bottom surface whose width is larger than the width of the battery mounting surface measured in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
7. The structure for installing the automotive battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a mounting base plate provided on a battery mounting surface of the battery mounting base, and the mounting base plate having a bottom portion on which the battery is mounted and a surrounding wall which extends upward from the periphery of the bottom portion and surrounds the outer periphery of the battery.
8. The structure for installing the automotive battery as recited in claim 7, wherein the surrounding wall has an electrolyte storage formed by making an outward swelling on the surrounding wall.
9. The structure for installing the automotive battery as recited in claim 4, wherein the rear surface part extends obliquely upward toward the front of the vehicle body.
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Patent number: 6431300
Inventor: Tsutomu Iwase (Tokyo)
Application Number: 09/667,276
Current U.S. Class: Battery Mountings And Holders (180/68.5); Support Or Holder Per Se (429/100)