Patent Application
20120018237
The present disclosure generally relates to a battery mounting assembly for a battery in a vehicle.
Vehicle batteries are conventionally mounted within the engine compartments of vehicles. This type of mounting arrangement is particularly prevalent on conventional passenger automobiles. There are, however, several drawbacks to mounting a vehicle's battery within the engine compartment. These drawbacks include the battery occupying space of the engine compartment that could otherwise be used for the engine and/or its associated components (e.g., radiator, water pump, air conditioner, etc.). Other drawbacks include adverse impacts to overall vehicle dynamics and safety as well as adverse environment for batteries (i.e., heat and vibration).
According to one aspect, a battery mounting assembly for a vehicle includes a battery tray configured to carry an associated vehicle battery and a battery tray support structure mounted to an underside of the vehicle. The battery tray is slidably mounted to the battery tray support structure for movement between a first operational position and a second maintenance position. The second maintenance position is laterally spaced apart from and below the first operational position.
According to another aspect, a battery mounting assembly is provided for a vehicle battery. More particularly, in accordance with this aspect, the battery mounting assembly includes a support structure for carrying the vehicle battery and a battery tray slidably mounted to the support structure such that the battery tray is movable between a first position and a second position. The second position is laterally spaced apart from and below first position.
According to still another aspect, a vehicle battery mounting assembly includes a support structure mounted to an underside of a vehicle and a battery tray movably secured to the support structure. The battery tray is movable from a first position wherein the battery tray is positioned adjacent the underside of the vehicle and a second position wherein the battery tray is positioned laterally away from the first position and below the underside.
Referring now the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating one or more exemplary embodiments and not for purposes of limiting same, a battery mounting assembly 10 is illustrated in
To facilitate movement of the battery tray 14 with the battery 16 thereon between the first position and a second position, at least one track can be disposed on the support structure 18 and at least one guide element can be disposed on the battery tray 14, wherein the at least one guide element is movable along the at least one track for guiding movement of the battery tray 14 as the battery tray 14 is moved between the first operative position and the second maintenance position. In the illustrated embodiment, the at least one track of the support structure 18 includes at least one slot (e.g., slots 22 and 24) defined in the support structure 18 and the at least one guide element includes at least one guide pin (e.g., guide pins 26, 28, 38, 40) received in the at least one slot.
More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, the at least one slot includes a first slot 22 defined in a first sidewall 30 of the support structure 18 and a second slot 24 defined in a second, opposite sidewall of the support structure 18. Also in the illustrated embodiment, the at least one guide pin includes a first guide pin 26 disposed on a first sidewall 34 of the battery tray 14 and received in the first slot 22 and a second guide pin 28 disposed on a second, opposite sidewall 36 of the battery tray 14 and received in the second slot 24. Additionally, the at least one guide pin of the illustrated battery tray 14 additionally includes an auxiliary guide pin 38 disposed on the first sidewall 34 of the battery tray 14 adjacent, but slightly spaced apart from, the guide pin 26. Like the guide pin 26, the guide pin 38 is received in the first slot 22 of the first sidewall 30 of the support structure 18. Similarly, the at least one guide pin also includes another auxiliary guide pin 40 disposed on the second, opposite sidewall 36 of the battery tray 14 adjacent, but slightly spaced apart from, the guide pin 28. Like the guide pin 28, the guide pin 40 is received in the second slot 24 defined in the sidewall 32 of the support structure 18. By this arrangement, the first sidewall 34 of the battery tray 14 includes a pair of spaced apart guide pins 26, 38 received in the slot 22 and the second, opposite sidewall 36 of the battery tray 14 includes a pair of spaced apart guide pins 28, 40 received in the second slot 24 of the sidewall 32 of the support structure 18.
The slots 22, 24 and the pins respectively received therein (e.g., pins 26 and 38 in slot 22 and pins 28 and 40 in slot 24) can be mirror images of one another. Accordingly, only slot 22 and its pins 26, 38 will be described in particular detail herein, but it is to be appreciated that the details concerning slot 22 are applicable to the slot 24 and details concerning pins 26, 38 are applicable to pins 28, 40. Turning to
For mounting the battery assembly, the support structure 18 includes the mounting flanges 44. These flanges 44 are defined along an upper portion of the support structure 18 for mounting the support structure 18 to the underside 20 of the vehicle 12. In one example, the flanged edges 44 provided at the upper ends of the walls 30, 32, 42 of the support structure 18 are welded to an underside component of the vehicle 12, such as floor board member 48, which forms the underside 20 of the vehicle 12. In particular, the battery mounting assembly 10 can be mounted laterally under the vehicle 12 slightly spaced apart from the vehicle's side sill member 50. Alternatively, other mounting arrangements can be used (e.g., threaded fasteners, such as bolts, rivets, etc.).
The sidewalls 34, 36 of the battery tray 14 can function to limit side-to-side movement of the battery 16 relative to the battery tray 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the sidewalls 34, 36 respectively include indented portions 34a, 36a that are spaced closely adjacent longitudinal sides 16a, 16b of the battery 16 (see
A battery hold-down assembly 56 can also be employed to secure the battery 16 to the battery tray 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the hold-down assembly 56 includes a cross-bar 58 extending across a top side 16c of the battery 16. The cross-bar 58 includes apertures 60 (
In addition to the walls 34, 36, 52 of the battery tray 14 limiting movement of the battery 16, the rear wall 42 of the support structure 18 limits rearward movement of the battery 16 relative to the battery tray 14 when the battery tray 14 is in the first operative position (see
The battery mounting assembly 10 can further include a locking structure for locking the battery tray 14 in the first operational position of
In the illustrated embodiment, the locking device 82 is provided on both sides of the battery mounting assembly 10 (i.e., first and second pairs of locking structures are provided) such that flange portions 72 extend from both sidewalls 34, 36 of the battery tray defining apertures 74 therein and flange portions 76 extend from both sidewalls 30, 32 of the support structure 18 for receipt of respective threaded locking members 80. In the illustrated embodiment, the apertures 78 of the support structure flange portions 76 can be threaded for threaded engagement with the threaded locking members 80, though other arrangements could be used (e.g., a bayonet-style fastener).
In operation, with the support structure 18 mounted to the underside 20 of the vehicle 12 and the battery tray 14 movably secured to the support structure 18, the battery tray 14 is movable from the first operational position wherein the battery tray 14 is positioned adjacent the underside 20 of the vehicle 12 to a second maintenance position wherein the battery tray 14 is positioned laterally away and below the underside 20 relative to the first position. In particular, to move the battery tray 14 from the first operational position to the second maintenance position, the threaded locking members 80 are unthreaded from the flanges 76 of the support structure 18. This allows the battery tray 14 to be slidably moved relative to the support structure 18.
In particular, with the threaded locking members 80 unthreaded from the flanges 76, the guide pins 26, 38 and 28, 40 can be slid along their respective slots 22, 24 to guide the battery tray 14 from the first operational position of
When maintenance on the battery 16 is complete (i.e., testing of the battery is finished or replacement of the battery occurs), the battery tray 14 can be moved slidably along the support structure 18 from the second maintenance position to the first operational position. Again, the guide pins 26, 28 and 38, 40 can slide along the respective slots 22, 24 for guiding slidable movement of the battery tray 14 relative to the support structure 18. As the guide pins 26, 28 and 38, 40 move from the sloped sections (e.g., section 22b of slot 22) to the relatively flat sections of the slots 22, 24 (e.g., slot section 22a), the battery tray 14 is guided into position such that the lower wall 46 and the battery 16 carried thereon are again positioned approximately parallel to ground and to the underside 20 of the vehicle 12. In the first position, the apertures 74, 78 are again aligned such that the threaded members 80 can be received therethrough to lock the battery tray 14 in the first position.
It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives or varieties thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
