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US-12617262-B2 - Vehicle provided with a power storage system

US12617262B2US 12617262 B2US12617262 B2US 12617262B2US-12617262-B2

Abstract

A vehicle having: a frame having a lower wall; and a power storage system having: a container, which is arranged under the frame, is fixed to the lower wall of the frame and is provided with a lower wall; a plurality of battery modules, which are housed inside the container; and a plurality of locking pins, which are fixed to the lower wall of the container, perpendicularly project from the lower wall of the container and engage the battery modules. Each locking pin extends up to the lower wall of the frame and has, at the top, a first hole, which is threaded. The lower wall of the frame has a plurality of second holes, each being a through hole and being aligned with a corresponding first hole. A plurality of mounting screws is provided, each inserted through a second hole of the lower wall of the frame and screwed into the first hole of a corresponding locking pin.

Inventors

  • Luca Poggio
  • Elena Ligabue
  • Enrico VENTURI

Assignees

  • FERRARI S.P.A.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20231025

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A vehicle ( 1 ) comprising: a frame ( 7 ) having a lower wall ( 21 ), which constitutes the vertically lowest part of the frame ( 7 ); and a power storage system ( 6 ) comprising: a container ( 8 ), which is arranged under the frame ( 7 ), is fixed to the lower wall ( 21 ) of the frame ( 7 ) and is provided with a lower wall ( 9 ), which constitutes the vertically lowest part of the container ( 8 ); a plurality of battery modules ( 12 ), which are housed inside the container ( 8 ); and a plurality of locking pins ( 19 ), which are fixed to the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ), perpendicularly project from the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ) and engage the battery modules ( 12 ); wherein each locking pin ( 19 ) extends up to the lower wall ( 21 ) of the frame ( 7 ) and has, at the top, a first hole ( 23 ), which is threaded; wherein the lower wall ( 21 ) of the frame ( 7 ) has a plurality of second holes ( 22 ), each being a through hole and being aligned with a corresponding first hole ( 23 ); wherein a plurality of mounting screws ( 24 ) is provided, each inserted through a second hole ( 22 ) of the lower wall ( 21 ) of the frame ( 7 ) and screwed into the first hole ( 23 ) of a corresponding locking pin ( 19 ); and wherein a plurality of longitudinal tolerance compensation elements ( 25 ) is provided, each interposed between the lower wall ( 21 ) of the frame ( 7 ) and a locking pin ( 19 ) and crossed by a mounting screw ( 24 ).
  2. 2 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each locking pin ( 19 ) has, in the area of an upper wall of its, a third hole ( 27 ), which is a threaded through hole, is arranged above the first hole ( 23 ), has a greater diameter than a diameter of the first hole ( 23 ) and is engaged by a compensation element ( 25 ), which is crossed, from side to side, by the corresponding mounting screw ( 24 ).
  3. 3 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein each compensation element ( 25 ) is screwed into the third hole ( 27 ) and has, at the centre, a fourth hole ( 26 ), which is a threaded through hole and is engaged by the corresponding mounting screw ( 24 ), which is screwed into the fourth hole ( 26 ).
  4. 4 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the container ( 8 ) comprises an upper wall ( 10 ), which constitutes the vertically highest part of the container ( 8 ) and has a plurality of fifth holes ( 28 ), each being a through a hole and being crossed by a locking pin ( 19 ).
  5. 5 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein each locking pin ( 19 ) has a bracket ( 29 ), on which the upper wall ( 10 ) of the container ( 8 ) rests.
  6. 6 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 5 , wherein a plurality of annular gaskets ( 30 ) is provided, each being interposed between the upper wall ( 10 ) of the container ( 8 ) and the bracket ( 29 ) of the corresponding locking pin ( 19 ).
  7. 7 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the bracket ( 29 ) of each locking pin ( 19 ) has a seat, which accommodates the corresponding annular gasket ( 30 ).
  8. 8 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 5 , wherein: each locking pin ( 19 ) has a threaded outer portion ( 31 ), which is arranged above the bracket ( 29 ); and a plurality of nuts ( 32 ) is provided, each screwed onto the threaded outer portion ( 31 ) of the corresponding locking pin ( 19 ) and pressing the upper wall ( 10 ) of the container ( 8 ) against the bracket ( 29 ) of the corresponding locking pin ( 19 ).
  9. 9 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of support blocks ( 35 ) are provided, each being firmly fixed to the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ) and having, at the centre, a sixth hole ( 36 ), which is threaded and is engaged by a terminal end of a corresponding locking pin ( 19 ), which is screwed into the sixth hole ( 36 ).
  10. 10 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 9 , wherein each support block ( 35 ) has a support surface ( 37 ), on which a corresponding battery module ( 12 ) rests so that the battery module ( 12 ) is lifted from the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ).
  11. 11 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the battery modules ( 12 ) are lifted from the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ) in order to define a first empty space ( 38 ) comprised between the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ) and the battery modules ( 12 ).
  12. 12 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein between an upper wall ( 10 ) of the container ( 8 ) and the lower wall ( 21 ) of the frame ( 7 ) there is a second empty space ( 39 ).
  13. 13 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ) constitutes a bottom wall of the vehicle ( 1 ), which directly faces the road surface.
  14. 14 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein: each battery module ( 12 ) comprises a group of electrochemical cells ( 13 ) and two containing walls ( 14 ), which are perpendicular to the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ) and are arranged parallel to one another on opposite sides of the group of electrochemical cells ( 13 ) so as to clamp the group of electrochemical cells ( 13 ) between them; and each containing wall ( 14 ) has at least one tubular connection body ( 18 ) engaged by a locking pin ( 19 ).
  15. 15 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 14 , wherein at least two adjacent battery modules ( 12 ) have two corresponding connection bodies ( 18 ), which are aligned with and overlap one another and are both engaged by a same locking pin ( 19 ).
  16. 16 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 15 , wherein a same locking pin ( 19 ) engages a connection body ( 18 ) of a battery module ( 12 ) and also a connection body ( 18 ) of another adjacent battery module ( 12 ) and, as a consequence, two connection bodies ( 18 ) engaged by a same locking pin ( 19 ) are arranged in different positions along the locking pin ( 19 ), namely are vertically staggered so that they can be coaxial to one another.
  17. 17 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 14 , wherein each locking pin ( 19 ) comprises a lower portion ( 33 ) with a smaller diameter, which is arranged inside at least one corresponding tubular connection body ( 18 ), and an upper portion ( 34 ) with a larger diameter, which presses on a corresponding tubular connection body ( 18 ) in order to push the corresponding tubular connection body ( 18 ) towards the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ).
  18. 18 . A vehicle ( 1 ) comprising: a frame ( 7 ) having a lower wall ( 21 ), which constitutes the vertically lowest part of the frame ( 7 ); and a power storage system ( 6 ) comprising: a container ( 8 ), which is arranged under the frame ( 7 ), is fixed to the lower wall ( 21 ) of the frame ( 7 ) and is provided with a lower wall ( 9 ), which constitutes the vertically lowest part of the container ( 8 ); a plurality of battery modules ( 12 ), which are housed inside the container ( 8 ); and a plurality of locking pins ( 19 ), which are fixed to the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ), perpendicularly project from the lower wall ( 9 ) of the container ( 8 ) and engage the battery modules ( 12 ); wherein each locking pin ( 19 ) extends up to the lower wall ( 21 ) of the frame ( 7 ) and has, at the top, a first hole ( 23 ), which is threaded; wherein the lower wall ( 21 ) of the frame ( 7 ) has a plurality of second holes ( 22 ), each being a through hole and being aligned with a corresponding first hole ( 23 ); wherein a plurality of mounting screws ( 24 ) is provided, each inserted through a second hole ( 22 ) of the lower wall ( 21 ) of the frame ( 7 ) and screwed into the first hole ( 23 ) of a corresponding locking pin ( 19 ); wherein the container ( 8 ) comprises an upper wall ( 10 ), which constitutes the vertically highest part of the container ( 8 ) and has a plurality of fifth holes ( 28 ), each being a through a hole and being crossed by a locking pin ( 19 ).
  19. 19 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 18 , wherein each locking pin ( 19 ) has a bracket ( 29 ), on which the upper wall ( 10 ) of the container ( 8 ) rests.
  20. 20 . The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 19 , wherein a plurality of annular gaskets ( 30 ) is provided, each being interposed between the upper wall ( 10 ) of the container ( 8 ) and the bracket ( 29 ) of the corresponding locking pin ( 19 ).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102022000022350 filed on Oct. 31, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a vehicle provided with a power storage system. PRIOR ART A vehicle can be provided with one single electric motor or with several electric motors (in which case, the drive is a full electric drive) or it can be provided with one or more electric motors combined with a combustion engine (in which case, the drive can be a full electric drive, a combustion drive or a hybrid drive). The electric motor (or each electric motor) is mechanically connected to the drive wheels and is electrically connected to a power storage system through the interposition of an electronic power converter. The power storage system consists of two groups of electrochemical cells (usually with a “pouch” structure or with a prismatic structure) connected to one another in series (in order to increase the total electrical voltage). The power storage system can have large dimensions and great weights (especially in case of a full electric drive in which the power storage system can weigh more than 500 kg). In modern vehicles, the power storage system has a flat and (relatively) thin conformation so that it can be integrated in the floorboard of the vehicle. In this arrangement, the power storage system comprises a container having a lower wall (which constitutes the bottom of the vehicle facing the road surface), an upper wall and a side wall, which is perpendicular to the lower and upper walls and connects the lower and upper walls to one another. Inside the container there are the different groups of electrochemical cells, each forming a corresponding module. With this arrangement, the power storage system becomes an integral part of the floorboard of the vehicle and, hence, is designed to help provide the floorboard with resistance and stiffness. Patent application US2018114961A1 discloses a power storage system for a vehicle comprising a plurality of battery modules, which are adjacent to one another and are mounted on a base plate; in order to couple the battery modules to the base plate, each battery module is provided with tubular and hollow connection bodies, into which respective screws are inserted, which are screwed into threaded holes made in the base plate. Patent application EP21206804A1 discloses a power storage system for a vehicle comprising: a container provided with a lower wall; and a plurality of battery modules, which are housed inside the container and directly rest on the lower wall. Each battery module has a group of electrochemical cells and two containing walls, which are oriented perpendicularly to the lower wall of the container and are arranged parallel to one another on opposite sides of the group of electrochemical cells so as to clamp the group of electrochemical cells between them; each containing wall has at least one tubular connection body and there are a plurality of locking pins, which are fixed to the lower wall, perpendicularly project from the lower wall and engage the connection bodies. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle provided with a power storage system, said vehicle having a small weight and, at the same time, being easy and economic to be manufactured. According to the invention, there is provided a vehicle provided with a power storage system as claimed in the appended claims. The appended claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention and form an integral part of the description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings showing a non-limiting embodiment thereof, wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a road vehicle according to the invention, which is an electric vehicle and is provided with a power storage system; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of the power storage system of the vehicle of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the battery module of the power storage system of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of the battery module of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a cross section view of the power storage system of FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a locking pin of the power storage system of FIG. 2; FIG. 7 is a side view of the locking pin of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section view along section line VIII-VIII of the locking pin of FIG. 6; and FIG. 9 is a cross section view of a variant of the power storage system of FIG. 2. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In FIG. 1, number 1 indicates, as a whole, an electric road vehicle (in particular, an electric car) provided with four drive wheels 2 (two front drive wheels 2 and two rear drive wheels 2). The road vehicle 1 is obviously designed so