IP Library Granted Patent US 9,981,541
Granted Patent B2
US 9,981,541 · App. 14/660,013 · Granted May 29, 2018

Protection structure of battery module mounted in rear of vehicle body

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,981,541
App. No.
14/660,013
Granted
May 29, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A battery module is mounted in the rear of a vehicle body and attached to at least one rear side frame extending rearward in the vehicle body such that the rear side module protrudes rearward beyond the battery module. One or a plurality of slope members is provided at the rear of the battery module. Each of the slope members forms a frontward rising inclined surface that protrudes above the rear side frame at the rear of the battery module.

Claims (60)

1. A protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body comprising:

rear side frames that extend rearward in the vehicle body, and are disposed in a width direction of the vehicle body;

a rear bumper beam that couples rear ends of the rear side frames and extends in the width direction of the vehicle body; and

one or a plurality of slope members including a first slope member disposed at the rear of the battery module, wherein

the battery module is attached to the rear side frames such that the battery module lays across the rear side frames and the rear side frames protrude rearward beyond the battery module,

the first slope member is provided at a position spaced apart from and behind the battery module, on a rear frame that includes the rear side frames and the rear bumper beam at the rear of the battery module, and forms a first inclined surface that extends from an upper side of a rearmost edge of the rear frame so as to rise frontward, and

the first inclined surface protrudes above the rear frame,

wherein a top surface of the battery module extending over a length between the rear side frames is positioned at a height not below upper surfaces of the rear side frames.

2. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 1 , wherein

the one or the plurality of slope members includes a second slope member,

the second slope member is provided on one or more upper surfaces of the rear side frames behind the battery module, and forms a second inclined surface that extends from the one or more upper surfaces of the rear side frames so as to rise frontward, and

the second inclined surface protrudes above the rear frame.

3. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 2 , wherein

the one or the plurality of slope members includes a third slope member,

the third slope member is provided between the rear side frames so as to protrude rearward from the rear of the battery module, and forms a third inclined surface that extends so as to rise frontward, and

the third inclined surface protrudes above the rear frame.

4. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 3 , wherein

the second slope member includes a resin material that is more fragile than at least one of the rear side frames, and the second slope member comprises:

a frame that includes an inclined surface portion in which the second inclined surface is formed; and

a plurality of supports that extend downward or downward and frontward from the inclined surface portion and couple the inclined surface portion of the frame with another portion of the frame, and

the plurality of supports are disposed at one or more internals in the front and rear direction of the vehicle body inside the frame.

5. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 4 , wherein

at least one slope member is formed with a frame that forms a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape, the frame including a load receiving surface that extends along an up and down direction of the vehicle body at a rear end of the frame, the at least one slope member being the first slope member, the second slope member, or the third slope member.

6. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 5 , wherein

the frame includes a fragile portion at a portion other than the inclined surface portion.

7. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 4 , wherein

at least one slope member is formed with a frame that forms a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape, the frame including a fragile portion at a portion other than the inclined surface portion, the at least one slope member being the first slope member, the second slope member, or the third slope member.

8. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 3 , wherein

the battery module protrudes above the upper surfaces of the rear side frames, and

the third inclined surface of the third slope member protrudes above the rear frame at a height corresponding to a rear end upper edge of the battery module.

9. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 8 , wherein

the second slope member includes a resin material that is more fragile than at least one of the rear side frames, and the second slope member comprises:

a frame that includes an inclined surface portion in which the second inclined surface is formed; and

a plurality of supports that extend downward or downward and frontward from the inclined surface portion and couple the inclined surface portion of the frame with another portion of the frame, and

the plurality of supports are disposed at one or more intervals in the front and rear direction of the vehicle body inside the frame.

10. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 9 , wherein

at least one slope member is formed with a frame that forms a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape, the frame including a fragile portion at a portion other than the inclined surface portion, the at least one slope member being the first slope member, the second slope member, or the third slope member.

11. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 9 , wherein

at least one slope member is formed with a frame that forms a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape, the frame including a load receiving surface that extends along an up and down direction of the vehicle body at a rear end of the frame, the at least one slope member being the first slope member, the second slope member, or the third slope member.

12. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 11 , wherein

the frame includes a fragile portion at a portion other than the inclined surface portion.

13. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 3 , wherein, in a front and rear direction of the vehicle body, the third slope member is positioned rearward of the battery module and forward of the first slope member.

14. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 2 , wherein

the battery module protrudes above the upper surfaces of the rear side frames, and

the second inclined surface of the second slope member protrudes above the rear frame at a height corresponding to a rear end upper edge of the battery module.

15. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 2 , wherein

the second slope member includes a resin material that is more fragile than at least one of the rear side frames, and the second slope member comprises:

a frame that includes an inclined surface portion in which the second inclined surface is formed; and

a plurality of supports that extend downward or downward and frontward from the inclined surface portion and couple the inclined surface portion of the frame with another portion of the frame, and

the plurality of supports are disposed at one or more intervals in the front and rear direction of the vehicle body inside the frame.

16. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 2 , wherein, in a front and rear direction of the vehicle body, the second slope member is positioned rearward of the battery module and forward of the first slope member.

17. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 1 , wherein

the first slope member includes a resin material that is more fragile than at least one of the rear side frames, and comprises:

a frame that includes an inclined surface portion in which the first inclined surface is formed; and

a plurality of supports that extend downward or downward and frontward from the inclined surface portion and couple the inclined surface portion of the frame with another portion of the frame, and

the plurality of supports are disposed at one or more intervals in the front and rear direction of the vehicle body inside the frame.

18. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 1 , wherein, in a front and rear direction of the vehicle body, the first slope member is positioned at a location that is closer to the bumper beam than to the battery module.

19. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 1 , wherein the first inclined surface is positioned internally of an outer body panel of the vehicle body.

20. The protection structure of a battery module mounted in the rear of a vehicle body according to claim 1 , wherein

the battery module comprises a first portion that is disposed on an upper surface of a first of the rear side frames and a second portion that is disposed on an upper surface of a second of the rear side frames, the first slope member is positioned behind the first and second portions of the battery module.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 12, 2017
From: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: SUBARU CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042624/0886 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2015
From: ONODERA, YU; OKAMURA, JUNYA; TOKUNAGA, TAKAYUKI; MASHIO, YASUNORI
To: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 035181/0770 →