Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Amar Marpu

Patrick Daniel Maguire

Saravanan Paramasivam

Rajaram Subramanian

Hyung Min Baek

Abdelmonaam Sassi

Kimberley King

Kanchana Perumalla

Peyman Aghssa

Anil Reddy Pullalarevu

Nathan Kristofor Tardif

Suriyaprakash Ayyangar Janarthanam

George Albert Garfinkel

Daniel Miller

Ihab Grace

Hari Krishna Addanki

Dave Moschet

Jingmei Shen

John Jardine

Ahteram Khan

Thomas Alan Wagner

Mladen Marjanovic

Adam Denlinger

Jason Luke Sielaff

David Moschet

Eric Yoo

Nicholas Braeseker

Afzal Mohammed

Michael M Magoulick

Protection and load distribution strategies are disclosed for electrified vehicle traction battery packs. Exemplary battery protection structures may include a corrugated portion and at least one flat sheet portion that are joined together. The battery protection structure may be integrated as part of an outer enclosure assembly of the traction battery pack or could embody a skid plate design that is a separate structure from the outer enclosure assembly. The battery protection structures may be configured for absorbing and transferring energy during vehicle loading events, thereby minimizing the transfer of loads inside the battery pack where relatively sensitive battery internal components are housed.

Traction battery pack protection and load distribution strategies

A traction battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a thermal exchange plate having a plurality of coolant channels distributed within the thermal exchange plate according to a first pattern, and a thermal interface material disposed on a surface of the thermal exchange plate according to a second pattern. The first pattern mimics the second pattern.

Thermal interface material positioning within a traction battery pack

This disclosure details exemplary battery pack designs for use in electrified vehicles. An exemplary battery pack assembly process may include supporting one or more components, such as a heat exchanger plate, of the battery pack against deflection during the assembly process. Supporting the heat exchanger plate to keep the plate relatively flat during the battery pack assembly process improves the flow distribution of a thermal interface material (TIM), thereby achieving improved TIM coverage and improved heat transfer between battery cells and the heat exchanger plate of the battery pack.

Electrified vehicle battery packs with improved thermal interface material distribution

A battery assembly includes a battery array and a foam shell that surrounds the battery array. The battery array may be housed within a foam shell, and a barrier can be secured to the foam shell to establish a battery assembly. The battery assembly may then be secured to a vehicle body.

Battery assembly including structural foamed materials

This disclosure details exemplary battery pack designs for use in electrified vehicles. Exemplary battery packs may include an enclosure assembly, one or more battery internal components (e.g., battery arrays, battery electronic components, or both) inside the enclosure assembly, and a structural brace outside of the enclosure assembly. The battery internal component may be mechanically coupled to the structural brace while also being mechanically decoupled from the enclosure assembly.

Mounting solutions for electrified vehicle battery packs

A battery pack includes an enclosure assembly, a sensitive battery component housed inside the enclosure assembly, and a sacrificial battery component packaged outside of the enclosure assembly. The sacrificial battery component includes a pre-defined failure area configured to minimize the transfer of impact loads into the enclosure assembly. The sacrificial battery component may plastically deform and break at the pre-defined failure area in response to an impact loading event that exceeds a pre-defined load threshold of the pre-defined failure area.

Electrified vehicle battery packs designed with sacrificial components

An exemplary support assembly includes, among other things, a hoop bracket coupling a battery pack to a vehicle body structure, and a tuned bracket within an open area of the hoop bracket. The tuned bracket is configured to control a collapse of the hoop bracket in response to a load above a threshold level to reduce a transfer of the load to the battery pack. An exemplary supporting method includes coupling a battery pack to a vehicle body structure using a hoop bracket disposed alongside the battery pack. The hoop bracket includes an open area that receives a tuned bracket. The tuned bracket is configured to control a deformation of the hoop bracket in response to a load above a threshold level to reduce a transfer of the load to the battery pack.

Collapsible battery pack support assembly and supporting method

A battery pack according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a tray, a cover mounted to the tray and a beam system including a first beam attached to the tray and a second beam attached to the cover.

Beam system for electrified vehicle battery packs

A battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery array and a foam shell that surrounds the battery array.

A vehicle underbody includes a tray structure, a battery pack having a plurality of footers and a bracket; and an enclosure surrounding the battery pack. The bracket has a wall attached to the enclosure, a ledge attached to the footers, and a stepped deformation region between the wall and ledge. The stepped deformation region deforms in response to impact to absorb energy associated with the impact.

Bracket attachment structure with fault folds

An exemplary electrified vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a lower wall of a battery enclosure and an upper wall of the battery enclosure. The upper wall includes an upper wall deformation area that is configured to deform in response to a load applied to the battery enclosure prior to other areas of the upper wall.

Deformable battery pack enclosure

A vehicle includes a body structure and a traction battery for providing power to a powertrain. The vehicle also includes a bracket connecting the traction battery to the body structure. The bracket defines a frangible element configured to substantially restrict movement of the traction battery and sever in response to force upon the battery greater than a first threshold. The bracket also defines an extensible portion adapted to unfurl after the frangible element is severed allowing tethered displacement of the traction battery.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Amar Marpu