FR2945019A1 - BATTERY SUPPORT FOR HYBRID OR ELECTRIC VEHICLES, IMPLANTABLE IN THE BODIES - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for storing vehicle batteries which comprises at least one storage space (2) for batteries, arrangement means defining an access (6) to said space for said batteries (3). The device (1) is remarkable in that said arrangement means are shaped to deform elastically during the introduction of said batteries (3) via said access (6) inside said space and to maintain said batteries (3 ) in place in said space once introduced. The invention also relates to a compartment (13) for batteries to be attached to a chassis of a vehicle in the so-called "underbody" area and containing at least one device (1) according to the invention. The invention finally relates to a vehicle equipped with such a compartment (13).

Description

BATTERY SUPPORT FOR HYBRID OR ELECTRIC VEHICLES, IMPLANTABLE IN THE BODIES.

The present invention relates to a vehicle battery storage device, to a compartment comprising such a storage device and to a vehicle equipped with such a compartment. Hybrid or electric vehicles require the installation of many batteries, which occupy an imposing volume to ensure sufficient autonomy to the vehicle. Traditionally, these batteries are positioned inside the passenger compartment, for example under the seats, between the seats, in the center console, at the floor level or in the trunk; habitability is thus significantly reduced by the implantation of the batteries. It is known to dispose the batteries in cavities of the bodywork provided for this purpose. However, the arrangement of the batteries does not allow their maintenance and / or their replacement easily. In addition, the known solutions do not allow to have a large number of batteries. The present invention aims to remedy all or part of the various disadvantages mentioned above. In particular, the present invention aims to facilitate the maintenance and replacement of batteries installed on a vehicle while increasing their number. For this purpose, the present invention relates to a battery storage device for a vehicle, said device comprising at least one battery storage space, means of arrangement defining an access to said space for said batteries, said device being remarkable in that said arrangement means, on the one hand, comprise an elastically deformable portion shaped to allow the introduction into the storage space or the extraction of the battery storage space via said access, and on the other hand, are shaped to participate in maintaining said batteries in place in said space once introduced. Thus, a battery storage device according to the present invention allows the easy replacement of one or more batteries stored in said device since the introduction and the extraction thereof can take place thanks to an elastic deformation of the means. arrangement. The device according to the present invention therefore does not require specific tools for maintenance operations on the batteries equipping a hybrid or electric vehicle. With the device according to the invention, the change of a single battery does not require the deposit of all the batteries installed on the vehicle.

In one embodiment of the invention, the arrangement means are shaped in the form of at least one section comprising a bottom and two side walls delimiting said access to the storage space, at least a portion of said side walls. being constitutive of said deformable portion of the arrangement means.

In one embodiment of the invention, at least one side wall has a plurality of fins, each fin having an end secured to the bottom and an opposite end defining at least a portion of said access. Thus, the use of fins makes it easier to access each battery independently of other batteries. The introduction and extraction of each battery stored in the device according to the invention is facilitated by the fins, allowing the user of the device to enter each battery individually. In one embodiment of the invention, said opposite ends of each fin delimiting at least a portion of said access are integral with each other. In one embodiment of the invention, said device has a cross section of substantially triangular shape. The triangular shape of the cross-section of said device makes it possible to increase the number of batteries stored therein. In one embodiment of the invention, the arrangement means are shaped such that, when the storage space is occupied by a plurality of batteries, a plurality of batteries are arranged in at least one array of batteries, the arrangement means further comprising at least one separating member disposed in the storage space, such as a longitudinal bar, adapted to ensure the spatial separation of each alignment and to participate in maintaining said batteries in position. In one embodiment of the invention, said device further comprises means for fixing said device on a bodywork element. Thus, a device according to the present invention is interchangeable with another device according to the invention. All batteries stored in a device according to the present invention can be changed easily. A maintenance operation can be performed on the batteries fitted to a vehicle, such as a battery charging operation, without requiring the immobilization of a vehicle equipped with a device according to the invention.

In one embodiment of the invention, each battery alignment forms a series electrical assembly extending parallel to the longitudinal bar which is connected to transverse walls. Advantageously then, each transverse wall comprises an electrical conduction means.

The present invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a chassis defining in the so-called underbody area a battery compartment, in which is fixed at least one device according to the invention. The so-called underbody area provides a support according to the invention comprising a large number of batteries, given the space available in this area of the body. In one embodiment of the invention, the vehicle is remarkable in that it comprises an access cover to said battery storage device. Such access cover facilitates access to the device according to the invention. Access to the batteries of the vehicle is facilitated by said compartment.

The invention will be better understood from the detailed description which is given below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a battery compartment in the so-called underbody area of a vehicle according to the present invention, enclosing the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the device of Figure 1 prior to introduction of a battery into the storage space; Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 with a battery being inserted at the access; Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, with a battery being inserted into the storage space; Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, with a battery set up and held in the storage space; Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, with three batteries set up and maintained in the storage space. In the following description, the longitudinal and transverse terms refer to the XYZ reference frame of FIG. 1. In particular, a transverse direction is a direction oriented along the Y axis and a longitudinal direction is a direction oriented along the X axis. 1 battery storage device, shown in Figure 1, comprises a storage space 2 for receiving batteries 3 shown in Figures 2 to 7.

In the following description, the device is described with cylindrical batteries. However, it is understood that all forms of batteries are suitable, the device according to the invention can then be adapted to the shape of the batteries. Similarly, the dimensions of the device according to the invention can be adapted to the dimensions of said batteries intended to be stored in said device. The device 1 comprises a bottom 4 extended by two lateral walls 5 delimiting an access 6 to said storage space 2. The side walls 5 are at least partly elastically deformable to allow the contour of the access 6 to be enlarged and to introduce or extract batteries 3, as detailed in Figures 3 to 7 described below. The side walls 5 and the bottom 4 are, for example, shaped as a profile and may have a plurality of fins 7. The cross section of the device 1 is preferably substantially triangular. Each fin 7 has an end 8 integral with the bottom 4 and an opposite end 9 delimiting the access 6. Advantageously, said opposite ends 9 are integral with each other, as shown in FIG. 1. The battery storage device 1 can further include a separating member consisting of, for example, a longitudinal bar 10 attached to transverse walls 11 of the device 1. Each of these transverse walls 11 may be designed to include an electrical conduction means, not shown on FIGS, for supplying a vehicle equipped with the device 1 according to the invention with an electric current produced by batteries 3 contained in the storage space 2. The device 1 according to the invention may further comprise fixing members 12 ( 2 to 7) or fastener passage holes (not shown in the Figures) disposed on the bottom 4 to allow the attachment of the device 1 on a bodywork element. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the battery storage device 1 can be integrated into a compartment 13, which can itself be delimited in the so-called underbody area of a chassis of a vehicle according to the invention and arranged on a spar 14 for example. Advantageously, such a compartment 13 comprises an access cover 15 which facilitates access to the device 1. Depending on the type of fasteners selected, such a device 1 according to the invention can also be made interchangeable with another device 1 according to the invention. the invention to facilitate the maintenance and recharging operations of the batteries 3 of a hybrid vehicle. When batteries 3 are introduced into the storage space 2, the side walls 5 help hold said batteries 3 in place. Thus, the side walls 5 constitute the deformable portion of the arrangement of the device 1.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the storage space 2 delimited by the bottom 4 and the side walls 5 has, for example, a cross section adapted to receive at least three batteries 3, as represented in FIG. The bottom 4, the side walls 5 and the longitudinal bar 10 participate in the holding in place of the batteries 3 stored in the storage space 2 of the device 1. The shape of the side walls 5 is adapted for this purpose so that the storage space 2 has, in cross-section, three cylindrical lobes 16. Two lobes 17, of the three cylindrical lobes 16, are contiguous to the bottom 4, and are delimited by the bottom 4, the lateral walls 5 and the longitudinal bar 10 The lobes 17 form the parts of the storage space 2 located between the bottom 4 and the longitudinal bar 10. A lobe 18 forms part of the storage space 2 delimited by the longitudinal bar 10, the side walls 5 and is located between the longitudinal bar 10 and the access 6. The cylindrical lobes 16 allow the arrangement of the batteries 3 stored in alignment forming an electrical assembly in series. The longitudinal bar 10 then makes it possible to ensure the spatial separation of each alignment. Figures 3 to 7 illustrate the different steps of the introduction of batteries 3 in the storage space 2 of the battery storage device 1.

A first battery 3, shown in Figure 3, is brought to the access 6 of the storage space 2. This access 6 has a width less than the diameter of the battery 3, so that the battery 3 can not be introduced without a deformation of this access 6. The user of the device 1 who wants to introduce the battery 3 into the storage space 2, must exert a force symbolized by the arrow F1 on the battery 3, which is transmitted at the opposite ends 9 of several fins 7. These, under the printed force, undergo elastic deformations so that the opposite ends 9 of the fins concerned deviate sufficiently to allow the passage of the battery 3, as shown in FIG. 4. By maintaining a force symbolized by the arrow F2 in Figure 4, the user introduces the battery 3 into the lobe 18 of the storage space 2. The side walls 5 comprise a recess between the lobes 1 7 and 18 so that the storage space 2 has, in its cross section, narrowing of section 19 between said side walls 5 and the longitudinal bar 10. These narrowing section 19 ensure the separation of the different cylindrical lobes 16 In order to position the battery 3 in one of the lobes 17, the user must maintain a force F3 on the battery 3, shown in FIG. 5. The force F3 must be sufficient for the battery 3 to elastically deform one of the walls. side 5 to pass one of the narrowing section 19.

Once the battery 3 has passed one of the narrowing section 19, it is then found in one of the lobes 17. The side walls 5, return to their original shape after the elastic deformation generated by the passage of the battery 3, and participate in the maintenance of the battery 3 in one of the lobes 17 of the storage space 2.

In the same way, a plurality of batteries 3 can be introduced into the different lobes 17, 18 in order to complete the storage space 2. FIG. 7 illustrates a device 1 according to the invention comprising three rows of batteries 3. These alignments are held in place thanks to the longitudinal bar 10, the side walls 5 and the bottom 4.

In order to extract one or more batteries 3 from the storage space, the user must apply forces on the battery 3 in the opposite direction to the forces F1, F2 and F3. The fins 7 are particularly useful for allowing the extraction of batteries 3, since they allow the user to individually enter one of the batteries that the user wishes to extract.

Thus, the battery storage device 1, described above, allows the easy replacement of one or more batteries 3 stored in said device 1, since the introduction and the extraction thereof are carried out thanks to an elastic deformation of the fins 7. The device 1 does not require special tools for maintenance operations on the batteries 3 equipping a hybrid or electric vehicle.

With the device 1 according to the invention, the change of a single battery 3 does not require the deposit of all the batteries 3 installed on the vehicle, since the fins 7 allow access to each battery 3 independently of other batteries 3. Finally, all the batteries 3 stored in the storage space 2 of the device 1 can be changed easily, without requiring the immobilization of a vehicle equipped with the device 1. Of course, the examples of embodiments mentioned above. There is no limitation in this regard and further details and improvements may be made to the battery storage device according to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention where other forms of battery storage device may to be realized.

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. Device (1) for storing vehicle batteries, CLAIMS1. Device (1) for storing vehicle batteries, said device (1) comprising at least one storage space (2) for batteries (3), means for arranging an access (6) to said space for said batteries (3) ), characterized in that said arrangement means, on the one hand, comprise an elastically deformable portion shaped to allow introduction into the storage space (2) or the extraction of the storage space (2) batteries via said access (6), and secondly, are shaped to participate in maintaining said batteries (3) in place in said space once introduced. 2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement means are shaped in the form of at least one profile comprising a bottom (4) and two side walls (5) defining said access (6) to the storage space (2), at least a portion of said side walls (5) constituting said deformable portion of the arrangement means. 3 .Dispositif (1) according to claim 2, wherein at least one side wall (5) has a plurality of fins (7), each fin (7) having an end (8) integral with the bottom (4) and a opposite end (9) delimiting at least a portion of said access (6). 4. Device (1) according to claim 3, wherein said opposite ends (9) of each fin (7) defining at least a portion of said access (6) are integral with each other. 5. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, having a cross section of substantially triangular shape. 6. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the arrangement means are shaped so that when the storage space (2) is occupied by a plurality of batteries (3) , several batteries (3) are arranged in at least one array of batteries, the arrangement means further comprising at least one separation member disposed in the storage space, such as a longitudinal bar (10), adapted to provide spatial separation of each alignment and participate in maintaining said batteries (3) in position. 7. Device (1) according to one of claims 6, wherein each battery alignment forms a series of electrical assembly extending parallel to the longitudinal bar (10) which is connected to transverse walls (11). 8. Device (1) according to claim 7, wherein each transverse wall (11) comprises an electrical conduction means. 9.Vehicle comprising a frame delimiting in the so-called underbody area, a compartment (13) for batteries, in which is fixed at least one device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8. 10. Vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a cover (15) for access to said device (1) for storing batteries.