IP Library Granted Patent US 11,124,076
Granted Patent B1
US 11,124,076 · App. 17/321,724 · Granted Sep 21, 2021

Electric vehicle battery frame assembly

Inventors: Cory Borghi (Phoenix, AZ); Saeid Emami (Phoenix, AZ)
Assignee: Nikola Corporation
B60L50/66
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,124,076
App. No.
17/321,724
Filed
May 17, 2021
Granted
Sep 21, 2021
Kind
B1
Art Unit
3618
USPC
180/68.5
Abstract

The present disclosure provides an electric vehicle comprising a chassis, a front axle and a rear axle spaced apart and coupled to the chassis, and a battery frame assembly coupled to the chassis between the front axle and the rear axle. The battery frame assembly comprises a plurality of transversely extending members and a plurality of longitudinally extending members, wherein the plurality of transversely extending members and the plurality of longitudinally extending members define a matrix of battery pack receptacles configured to receive at least one battery pack. The battery frame assembly is configured to deflect torsionally in response to torsional deflection of the front axle relative to the rear axle.

Claims (35)

1. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a chassis;

a front axle and a rear axle spaced apart and coupled to the chassis; and

a battery frame assembly coupled to the chassis between the front axle and the rear axle, the battery frame assembly comprising a plurality of transversely extending members and a plurality of longitudinally extending members, wherein the plurality of transversely extending members and the plurality of longitudinally extending members define a matrix of battery pack receptacles configured to receive at least one battery pack, and

wherein the battery frame assembly is configured to deflect torsionally in response to torsional deflection of the front axle relative to the rear axle.

2. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the battery frame assembly comprises a 3×3 matrix comprising a first column of three battery pack receptacles outboard of the first side member, a second column of three battery pack receptacles between the first side member and the second side member, and a third column of three battery pack receptacles outboard of the second side member.

3. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the battery frame assembly comprises a first front bracket assembly coupled to the first side member and a second front bracket assembly coupled to the second side member.

4. The electric vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the battery frame assembly further comprises a first intermediate bracket assembly positioned rearward of the first front bracket assembly and the second front bracket assembly and a second intermediate bracket assembly positioned rearward of the first intermediate bracket assembly.

5. The electric vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the first intermediate bracket assembly and the second intermediate bracket assembly are each coupled to the first side member and the second side member.

6. The electric vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the battery frame assembly further comprises a first rear bracket assembly positioned rearward of the second intermediate bracket assembly and coupled to the first side member and a second rear bracket assembly positioned rearward of the second intermediate bracket assembly and coupled to the second side member.

7. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a chassis comprising a first side member and a second side member;

a battery frame assembly coupled to the chassis, the battery frame assembly comprising:

a first intermediate bracket assembly coupled to the first side member and the second side member; and

a second intermediate bracket assembly coupled to the first side member and the second side member,

wherein the first side member, the second side member, the first intermediate bracket assembly, and the second intermediate bracket assembly define a first column of battery pack receptacles configured to receive at least one battery pack.

8. The electric vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the first column of battery pack receptacles is positioned between the first side member and the second side member.

9. The electric vehicle of claim 7 , wherein a majority of the at least one battery pack is positioned below the first side member and the second side member when the at least one battery pack is coupled to the battery frame assembly.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the battery frame assembly further comprises a second column of battery pack receptacles outboard of the first side member.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the battery frame assembly further comprises a third row of battery pack receptacles outboard of the second side member.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the first column of battery pack receptacles, the second column of battery pack receptacles, and the third column of battery pack receptacles each contain at least three battery pack receptacles.

13. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a chassis comprising a first side member and a second side member;

a battery frame assembly coupled to the chassis, the battery frame assembly comprising:

a first front bracket assembly;

a second front bracket assembly opposite the first front bracket assembly; and

a first intermediate bracket assembly spaced apart and rearward of the first front bracket assembly and the second front bracket assembly,

wherein the first front bracket assembly, the second front bracket assembly, and the first intermediate bracket assembly define a row of battery pack receptacles configured to receive at least one battery pack.

14. The electric vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the row of battery pack receptacles is further defined by the first side member and the second side member.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the row of battery pack receptacles comprises three battery pack receptacles.

16. The electric vehicle of claim 13 , wherein a first battery pack receptacle of the row of battery pack receptacles is outboard of the first side member.

17. The electric vehicle of claim 16 , wherein a second battery pack receptacle of the row of battery pack receptacles is outboard of the second side member.

18. The electric vehicle of claim 17 , wherein a third battery pack receptacle of the row of battery pack receptacles is between the first side member and the second side member.

19. The electric vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the battery frame assembly is coupled to the chassis such that a majority of the battery frame assembly is positioned below the first side member and the second side member.

20. The electric vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first front bracket assembly is coupled to the first side member, the second front bracket assembly is coupled to the second side member, and the first intermediate bracket assembly is coupled to the first side member and the second side member.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 25, 2025
From: NIKOLA CORPORATION
To: HYROAD NETWORKS LLC
Reel/Frame 073706/0118 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2021
From: BORGHI, CORY; EMAMI, SAEID
To: NIKOLA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056362/0365 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63119070 · Nov 30, 2020
Cited By (15)
US 12,199,300 US 12,233,703 US 12,291,112 US 12,325,269 US 12,337,821 US 12,358,567 US 12,381,274 US 12,394,997 US 12,403,757 US 12,502,942 US 12,522,063 US 12,533,937 US 12,643,386 US 12,668,135 US 12,691,742