EP-4737155-A1 - BATTERY MOUNTING DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE

EP4737155A1EP 4737155 A1EP4737155 A1EP 4737155A1EP-4737155-A1

Abstract

A battery mounting device for a vehicle includes a front bracket for mounting to a vehicle chassis, the front bracket including a front facing curved barrier portion for guiding air around the battery mounting device. The battery mounting device further includes a rear bracket for mounting to the vehicle chassis comprising a rear facing curved barrier portion for guiding air away from the battery mounting device. The battery mounting device further includes a support plate coupled between the front bracket and the rear bracket for mounting a vehicle battery between the front facing curved portion of the front bracket and the rear facing curved portion of the rear bracket.

Inventors

Singh, Ranjeet
MANDAL, GOUTAM
BISWAS, SANJOY
KUMAR, AMIT

Assignees

Volvo Truck Corporation

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20241031

Claims (15)

A battery mounting device (108) for a vehicle (100) comprising: a front bracket (210) for mounting to a vehicle chassis (104), the front bracket (210) comprising a front facing curved barrier portion (216) for guiding air around the battery mounting device (108); a rear bracket (212) for mounting to the vehicle chassis (104) comprising a rear facing curved barrier portion (220) for guiding air away from the battery mounting device (108); and a support plate (214) coupled between the front bracket (210) and the rear bracket (212) for mounting a vehicle battery (106) between the front facing curved barrier portion (216) of the front bracket (210) and the rear facing curved barrier portion (220) of the rear bracket (212).
The battery mounting device (108) of claim 1, wherein the front facing curved barrier portion (216) comprises a front facing convex protrusion (218).
The battery mounting device (108) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the rear facing curved barrier portion (220) comprises a rear facing convex protrusion (222).
The battery mounting device (108) of any preceding claim, wherein the front facing curved barrier portion (216) and the rear facing curved barrier portion (220) define an airstream path (224) around the vehicle battery (106) when the vehicle battery (106) is mounted to the support plate (214).
The battery mounting device (108) of any preceding claim, wherein the front bracket (210) comprises a first plurality of holes (226) for accommodating a fastener; the rear bracket (212) comprises a second plurality of holes (228) for accommodating a fastener; and the support plate (214) comprises a plurality of slots aligned with the first plurality of holes (226) of the front bracket (210) for accommodating a fastener therethrough and aligned with the second plurality of holes (228) of the rear bracket (212) for accommodating a fastener therethrough.
The battery mounting device (108) of claim 5, wherein the plurality of slots comprises a first longitudinally spaced subset of slots for aligning with the first plurality of holes (226) and a second longitudinally spaced subset of slots for aligning with the second plurality of holes (228).
The battery mounting device (108) of claim 6, wherein the first plurality of holes (226) comprises longitudinally spaced first subsets of holes for aligning with the first longitudinally spaced subset of slots to selectively position the support plate (214) at a plurality of different longitudinal positions with respect to the front bracket (210).
The battery mounting device (108) of claims 6 or 7, wherein the second plurality of holes (228) comprises longitudinally spaced second subsets of holes for aligning with the second longitudinally spaced subset of slots to selectively position the support plate (214) at a plurality of different longitudinal positions with respect to the rear bracket (212).
The battery mounting device (108) of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of spacer brackets (340), each spacer bracket (340) aligned with at least one slot of the support plate (214) and at least one hole (226, 228) of one of the front bracket (210) and the rear bracket (212).
The battery mounting device (108) of claim 9, wherein each spacer bracket (340) comprises at least one protrusion (442) extending into the at least one slot of the support plate (214) to define a circular passage (554) through the at least one slot and the at least one hole (226, 228).
The battery mounting device (108) of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of rivets (548), each rivet (548) extending through one of the circular passages (554) defined by the at least one spacer bracket (340) to fix the spacer bracket (340) and the support plate (214) to the one of the front bracket (210) and the rear bracket (212).
The battery mounting device (108) of any preceding claim, wherein the front bracket (210) further comprises a front fastening plate (650) comprising at least one hole (652) for fixing the battery mounting device (108) to the vehicle chassis (104), and wherein the rear bracket (212) further comprises a rear fastening plate (654) comprising at least one hole (656) for fixing the battery mounting device (108) to the vehicle chassis (104).
The battery mounting device (108) of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of bushings (758) extending through each of the at least one hole (652) of the front fastening plate (650) and the at least one hole (656) of the rear fastening plate (654), each bushing (758) of the plurality of bushings (758) comprising: an elastic bushing portion (760) for accommodating a fastener (761) therethrough for resisting longitudinal displacement of the battery mounting device (108) with respect to the chassis; and a spring disposed around the elastic bushing portion (760) between the battery mounting device (108) and the vehicle chassis (104) for resisting lateral displacement of the battery mounting device (108) with respect to the vehicle chassis (104).
A battery mounting device (108) for a vehicle (100) comprising: a front bracket (210) for mounting to a vehicle chassis (104), the front bracket (210) comprising a first plurality of holes (226) for accommodating a fastener; a rear bracket (212) for mounting to the vehicle chassis (104), the rear bracket (212) comprising a second plurality of holes (228) for accommodating a fastener; and a support plate (214) for a vehicle battery (106) coupled between the front bracket (210) and the rear bracket (212), the support plate (214) comprising a first plurality of slots aligned with the first plurality of holes (226) of the front bracket (210) for accommodating a fastener therethrough and second plurality of slots aligned with the second plurality of holes (228) of the rear bracket (212) for accommodating a fastener therethrough.
A battery mounting device (108) for a vehicle (100) comprising: a support plate (214) for a vehicle battery (106); a bracket (210; 212) coupled to the support plate (214) for mounting to a vehicle chassis (104), the bracket (210; 212) comprising a plurality of holes (226; 228) for accommodating a fastener; and a plurality of bushings (758) disposed in the plurality of holes (226; 228), each bushing (758) comprising: an elastic bushing portion (760) for accommodating a fastener (761) therethrough for resisting longitudinal displacement of the battery mounting device (108) with respect to the vehicle chassis (104); and a spring (768) disposed around the elastic bushing portion (760) between the battery mounting device (108) and the vehicle chassis (104) for resisting lateral displacement of the battery mounting device (108) with respect to the vehicle chassis (104).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to a battery mounting device. In particular aspects, the disclosure relates to a modular, aerodynamic battery mounting device for a vehicle. The disclosure can be applied to heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, among other vehicle types. Although the disclosure may be described with respect to a particular vehicle, the disclosure is not restricted to any particular vehicle. BACKGROUND Many conventional heavy electric vehicles include batteries mounted on external sides of a chassis in a cantilevered arrangement, which may result in the battery protruding into an airflow around the vehicle, which may result in air drag and energy loss. In addition, positioning batteries on the exterior sides of the vehicle may expose the batteries to additional risks from potential side impacts. This arrangement also exposes the batteries and mounting brackets to high structural vibrations from the chassis during operation. There is a need for a battery mounting solution that addresses these and other issues. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a battery mounting device for a vehicle includes a front bracket for mounting to a vehicle chassis, the front bracket including a front facing curved barrier portion for guiding air around the battery mounting device. The battery mounting device further includes a rear bracket for mounting to the vehicle chassis comprising a rear facing curved barrier portion for guiding air away from the battery mounting device. The battery mounting device further includes a support plate coupled between the front bracket and the rear bracket for mounting a vehicle battery between the front facing curved portion of the front bracket and the rear facing curved portion of the rear bracket. The first aspect of the disclosure may seek to reduce aerodynamic drag on the battery. A technical benefit may include improved aerodynamic performance for the vehicle. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the front facing curved barrier portion comprises a front facing convex protrusion. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the rear facing curved barrier portion comprises a rear facing convex protrusion. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the front facing curved barrier portion and the rear facing curved barrier define an airstream path around the vehicle battery when the vehicle battery is mounted to the support plate. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the front bracket comprises a first plurality of holes for accommodating a fastener, the rear bracket comprises a second plurality of holes for accommodating a fastener, and the support plate comprises a plurality of slots aligned with the first plurality of holes of the front bracket for accommodating a fastener therethrough and aligned with the second plurality of holes of the rear bracket for accommodating a fastener therethrough. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the plurality of slots comprises a first longitudinally spaced subset of slots for aligning with the first plurality of holes and a second longitudinally spaced subset of slots for aligning with the second plurality of holes. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the first plurality of holes comprises longitudinally spaced first subsets of holes for aligning with the first longitudinally spaced subset of slots to selectively position the support plate at a plurality of different longitudinal positions with respect to the front bracket. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the second plurality of holes comprises longitudinally spaced second subsets of holes for aligning with the second longitudinally spaced subset of slots to selectively position the support plate at a plurality of different longitudinal positions with respect to the rear bracket. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the battery mounting device further includes a plurality of spacer brackets, each spacer bracket aligned with at least one slot of the support plate and at least one hole of one of the front bracket and the rear bracket. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, each spacer bracket comprises at least one protrusion extending into the at least one slot of the support plate to define a circular passage through the at least one slot and the at least one hole. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the battery mounting bracket further includes a plurality of rivets, each rivet extending through one of the circular passages defined by the at least one spacer bracket to fix the spacer bracket and the support plate to the one of the front bracket and the rear bracket.