High voltage battery enclosure for vehicle
A modular battery pack for a vehicle includes a scalable enclosure structure that includes a front enclosure rail, a rear enclosure rail, and a pair of rocker attachment rails extending between the front and rear enclosure rails along opposing sides of the enclosure structure. Each of the rocker attachment rails includes a length that is scalable to adjust a length of the battery pack. A bottom cover panel is coupled to respective first sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each of the rocker attachment rails. A top cover panel is coupled to respective second sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each of the rocker attachment rails. A battery module is supported on the scalable enclosure structure between the bottom cover panel and the top cover panel.
1 . A modular battery pack for a vehicle, the modular battery pack comprising:
a scalable enclosure structure, the enclosure structure comprising:
a front enclosure rail;
a rear enclosure rail; and
a pair of rocker attachment rails extending between the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail along opposing sides of the enclosure structure, wherein each rail in the pair of rocker attachment rails comprises a length that is scalable to adjust a length of the modular battery pack;
a bottom cover panel coupled to respective first sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails;
a top cover panel coupled to respective second sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails, wherein the respective second sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails are opposite the respective first sides; and
a battery module supported on the scalable enclosure structure between the bottom cover panel and the top cover panel.
2 . The modular battery pack of claim 1 , wherein:
each rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails comprises an extruded rail; and
the extruded rail is trimmed to one of:
a first length to adjust the length of the modular battery pack to a first length; or
a second length that is less than the first length to adjust the length of the modular battery pack to a second length that is less than the first length of the modular battery pack.
3 . The modular battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the length of the pair of rocker attachment rails is scaled to adjust the length of the modular battery pack based on a length of a battery receiving portion of a frame structure of the vehicle.
4 . The modular battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail are scalable to adjust a width of the modular battery pack.
5 . The modular battery pack of claim 4 , wherein each of the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail respectively comprises:
a first corner rail coupled to a first rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails;
a second corner rail coupled to a second rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails; and
a cross-member extending between the first corner rail and the second corner rail, wherein a length of the cross-member is scalable to adjust the width of the modular battery pack.
6 . The modular battery pack of claim 5 , wherein:
the cross-member comprises an extruded rail; and
the extruded rail is trimmed to one of:
a first length to adjust the width of the modular battery pack to a first width; or
a second length that is less than the first length to adjust the width of the modular battery pack to a second width that is less than the first width.
7 . The modular battery pack of claim 5 , wherein:
each of the first corner rail and the second corner rail of the front enclosure rail comprises an extruded front corner rail formed from a common die; and
each of the first corner rail and the second corner rail of the rear enclosure rail comprises an extruded rear corner rail formed from a common die.
8 . The modular battery pack of claim 7 , wherein each of the first corner rail and the second corner rail of the front enclosure rail and the first corner rail and the second corner rail of the rear enclosure rail comprises an extruded corner rail formed from a common die.
9 . The modular battery pack of claim 4 , wherein a length of the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail is scaled to adjust the width of the modular battery pack based on a width of a battery receiving portion of a frame structure of the vehicle.
10 . The modular battery pack of claim 1 , wherein:
the scalable enclosure structure comprises a cross-member that extends between the pair of rocker attachment rails at a position along the pair of rocker attachment rails that is between the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail; and
the battery module is supported on the cross-member.
11 . The modular battery pack of claim 1 , wherein:
the scalable enclosure structure comprises a plurality of cross-members that respectively extend between the pair of rocker attachment rails at discrete positions along the pair of rocker attachment rails between the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail; and
the battery module is supported between adjacent cross-members of the plurality of cross-members.
12 . The modular battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the pair of rocker attachment rails, when the modular battery pack is supported on a frame structure of a vehicle, respectively mount to corresponding rocker rails extending along opposing sides of the frame structure of the vehicle.
13 . The modular battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the battery module, when the modular battery pack is equipped at the vehicle, is operable to electrically power a drivetrain of the vehicle.
14 . A vehicle comprising:
a frame structure comprising a pair of rocker rails extending along opposing sides of the frame structure; and
a modular battery pack supported on the frame structure and that is operable to electrically power a drivetrain of the vehicle, the modular battery pack comprising:
a scalable enclosure structure, the enclosure structure comprising:
a front enclosure rail;
a rear enclosure rail; and
a pair of rocker attachment rails extending between the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail along opposing sides of the enclosure structure, wherein each rail in the pair of rocker attachment rails comprises a length that is scalable to adjust a length of the modular battery pack;
a bottom cover panel coupled to respective first sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails;
a top cover panel coupled to respective second sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails, wherein the respective second sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails are opposite the respective first sides; and
a battery module supported on the scalable enclosure structure between the bottom cover panel and the top cover panel.
15 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein:
each rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails comprises an extruded rail; and
the extruded rail is trimmed to one of:
a first length to adjust the length of the modular battery pack to a first length; or
a second length that is less than the first length to adjust the length of the modular battery pack to a second length that is less than the first length of the modular battery pack.
16 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the length of the pair of rocker attachment rails is scaled to adjust the length of the modular battery pack based on a length of a battery receiving portion of the frame structure of the vehicle.
17 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail are scalable to adjust a width of the modular battery pack.
18 . The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein each of the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail respectively comprises:
a first corner rail coupled to a first rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails;
a second corner rail coupled to a second rail of the pair of rocker attachment rails; and
a cross-member extending between the first corner rail and the second corner rail, wherein a length of the cross-member is scalable to adjust the width of the modular battery pack.
19 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein:
the cross-member comprises an extruded rail; and
the extruded rail is trimmed to one of:
a first length to adjust the width of the modular battery pack to a first width; or
a second length that is less than the first length to adjust the width of the modular battery pack to a second width that is less than the first width.
20 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein:
each of the first corner rail and the second corner rail of the front enclosure rail comprises an extruded front corner rail formed from a common die; and
each of the first corner rail and the second corner rail of the rear enclosure rail comprises an extruded rear corner rail formed from a common die.
21 . The vehicle of claim 20 , wherein each of the first corner rail and the second corner rail of the front enclosure rail and the first corner rail and the second corner rail of the rear enclosure rail comprises an extruded corner rail formed from a common die.
22 . The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein a length of the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail is scaled to adjust the width of the modular battery pack based on a width of a battery receiving portion of the frame structure of the vehicle.
23 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein:
the scalable enclosure structure comprises a cross-member that extends between the pair of rocker attachment rails at a position along the pair of rocker attachment rails that is between the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail; and
the battery module is supported on the cross-member.
24 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein:
the scalable enclosure structure comprises a plurality of cross-members that respectively extend between the pair of rocker attachment rails at discrete positions along the pair of rocker attachment rails between the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail; and
the battery module is supported between adjacent cross-members of the plurality of cross-members.
25 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the pair of rocker attachment rails respectively mount to corresponding rocker rails extending along opposing sides of the frame structure of the vehicle.
26 . A method for manufacturing a modular battery pack for a vehicle, the method comprising:
assembling a scalable enclosure structure, wherein assembling the scalable enclosure structure comprises:
mounting a front enclosure rail at respective first ends of a pair of extruded rails;
mounting a rear enclosure rail at respective second ends of the pair of extruded rails, the respective second ends opposite the respective first ends;
before mounting the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail at the pair of extruded rails, trimming the pair of extruded rails to one of:
a first length to provide a first length of the modular battery pack; or
a second length that is less than the first length to provide a second length of the modular battery pack that is less than the first length of the modular battery pack;
mounting a bottom cover panel to respective first sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each rail of the pair of extruded rails; and
mounting a top cover panel to respective second sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each rail of the pair of extruded rails, wherein the respective second sides of the front enclosure rail, the rear enclosure rail, and each rail of the pair of extruded rail are opposite the respective first sides; and
supporting a battery module on the scalable enclosure structure between the bottom cover panel and the top cover panel.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the pair of extruded rails are trimmed to one of the first length or the second length based on a length of a battery receiving portion of a frame structure of the vehicle.
28 . The method of claim 26 , wherein:
each of the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail respectively comprises:
a first corner rail that mounts to a first rail of the pair of extruded rails;
a second corner rail that mounts to a second rail of the pair of extruded rails; and
an extruded cross-member extending between the first corner rail and the second corner rail; and
the method comprises, before mounting the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail at the pair of extruded rails, trimming the extruded cross-members of the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail to one of:
a first length to adjust a width of the modular battery pack to a first width; or
a second length that is less than the first length to adjust the width of the modular battery pack to a second width that is less than the first width.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the extruded cross-members are trimmed to one of the first length or the second length based on a width of a battery receiving portion of a frame structure of the vehicle.
30 . The method of claim 26 , wherein:
assembling the scalable frame structure comprises:
mounting an extruded cross-member between the pair of extruded rails at a position along the pair of extruded rails that is between the front enclosure rail and the rear enclosure rail; and
before mounting the extruded cross-member between the pair of extruded rails, trimming the extruded cross-member to one of:
a first length based on a first width of the modular battery pack; or
a second length that is less than the first length based on a second width of the modular battery pack that is less than the first width.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the battery module is supported on the extruded cross-member.