Protective cage assemblies for electrified vehicle battery packs
A protective cage assembly includes a frame, a bracket assembly mounted to a first tubular member of the frame, a gusset of the bracket assembly extending between the bracket assembly and a second tubular member of the frame, and a third tubular member of the frame removably received by the bracket assembly. The protective cage assembly may be mounted within a cargo space of an electrified vehicle for both protecting the battery pack and establishing a load bearing floor of the cargo space.
1. A protective cage assembly, comprising:
a frame including a lower frame portion, an upper frame portion, and an intermediate frame portion;
a bracket assembly mounted to a first tubular member of the frame;
a gusset of the bracket assembly extending between the bracket assembly and a second tubular member of the frame; and
a third tubular member of the frame removably received by the bracket assembly,
wherein the intermediate frame portion covers portions of an outlet duct of a battery thermal management system.
2. The assembly as recited as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first tubular member is a longitudinally extending tubular member, the second tubular member is a vertically extending tubular member, and the third tubular member is a laterally extending tubular member.
3. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a plurality of tubular members that are connected together to form a rectangular shape.
4. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , comprising a load bearing floor secured to the third tubular member.
5. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , comprising a first floor panel of a load bearing floor secured to the upper frame portion and a second floor panel secured to the intermediate frame portion.
6. The assembly as recited in claim 5 , wherein the upper frame portion and the intermediate frame portion establish a stepped upper section of the frame.
7. The assembly as recited in claim 5 , wherein the upper frame portion extends a first height above the lower frame portion, and further wherein the intermediate frame portion extends a second, shorter height above the lower frame portion.
8. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bracket assembly includes a U-shaped bracket, and the third tubular member is slidingly received within the U-shaped bracket.
9. The assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein the gusset extends from the U-shaped bracket to the second tubular member.
10. An electrified vehicle, comprising:
a drive wheel;
a cargo space;
a battery pack positioned within the cargo space and adapted to selectively supply power for propelling the drive wheel; and
a protective cage assembly configured to protect the battery pack and establish a load bearing floor of the cargo space,
wherein the protective cage assembly includes a lower frame portion, an upper frame portion, and an intermediate frame portion,
wherein the upper frame portion covers portions of an inlet duct of a battery thermal management system,
wherein the inlet duct extends between a vent panel and a front portion of the protective cage assembly.
11. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the electrified vehicle is a van.
12. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the battery pack is mounted to an upper surface of a floor pan of the electrified vehicle.
13. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the battery pack houses at least one battery array.
14. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the protective cage assembly surrounds and partially encloses the battery pack.
15. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the protective cage assembly includes a frame constructed of a plurality of longitudinally extending tubular members, a plurality of laterally extending tubular members, and a plurality of vertically extending tubular members.
16. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 15 , wherein at least one of the plurality of laterally extending tubular members are removable from the frame.
17. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the load bearing floor includes a first floor panel secured to the upper frame portion and a second floor panel secured to the intermediate frame portion.
18. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the upper frame portion extends to a first height that is equal to a second height of a folded seat located within a passenger cabin that is connected to the cargo space.
19. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the intermediate frame portion covers portions of an outlet duct of a battery thermal management system.
20. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein a frame of the protective cage assembly is made of metal and the load bearing floor is made of plywood.
21. An electrified vehicle, comprising:
a battery pack; and
a protective cage assembly at least partially surrounding the battery pack, wherein the protective cage assembly includes:
a longitudinally extending metallic tubular member;
a bracket assembly secured to the longitudinally extending metallic tubular member,
wherein the bracket assembly includes a U-shaped bracket and a gusset;
a vertically extending metallic tubular member,
wherein the gusset is triangular shaped and extends from the U-shaped bracket to the vertically extending metallic tubular member;
a laterally extending metallic tubular member movably received within the U-shaped bracket; and
a wooden load bearing floor secured to the laterally extending metallic tubular member,
wherein the protective cage assembly covers portions of an inlet duct or an outlet duct of a battery thermal management system associated with the battery pack.