Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates, in general, to the field of a mounting structure for a vehicle battery pack. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a housing of a battery pack, providing protection against the bottom intrusion forces and contaminants from the external environment.

BACKGROUND
[0002] The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.
[0003] In recent years, the development of an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle equipped with a motor driving battery is rapidly progressing. Batteries can be used, for example, as traction batteries for motor vehicles. Such batteries generally have a large number of battery cells, which are arranged in the interior of a battery housing of the battery.
[0004] In a high voltage (HV) battery pack, the bottom protection cover protects the cells and its interface parts against any bottom intrusion force such as stone hitting and seals the pack against water entry into HV regions. Typically, in sheet metal battery housing, the bottom cover is an integral part of the battery pack housing.
[0005] With the increasing need to reduce the battery pack weight, nowadays the battery packs are made of aluminium extrusion frame with steel/aluminium bottom protection cover. Simple aluminium sheets with direct mountings to the housing are not able to withstand the high intrusion forces from the road. Hence the reinforcement members are added to the bottom cover to increase its structural rigidity.
[0006] However, the conventional reinforcement members are open at the ends due to simplicity in manufacturing. The reinforcement members are also not welded through out the length and only welded intermittently. Therefore the water can enter into the high voltage regions of the battery via the bottom cover holes and cover to reinforcement joints.
[0007] Further, in the conventional designs of the battery housing, the bottom cover is bolted to the frame via a bolt in contact with the reinforcement member. Also, the bottom cover and reinforcements are not connected, to each other, at the mounting interface. Due to this, the load from the bottom intrusion is not fully supported by the combination of the bottom cover and reinforcement members.
[0008] Therefore, it is felt a need for a battery pack housing for protecting a battery pack used in vehicles, against the bottom intrusion forces and contaminants from the external environment.

OBJECTS
[0009] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows.
[0010] It is an object of the present disclosure to ameliorate one or more problems of the prior art or to at least provide a useful alternative.
[0011] The main object of the present disclosure is to provide a housing for a battery pack.
[0012] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a housing for a battery pack providing protection against the bottom intrusion forces.
[0013] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a housing for a battery pack providing protection against contaminants from external environment.
[0014] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a housing for a battery pack providing uniform load distribution through out the lower floor of the housing.
[0015] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a housing for a battery pack reducing deflection of the lower floor of the housing.
[0016] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a light weight housing for a battery pack.
[0017] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a housing for a battery pack with improved structural rigidity.
[0018] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a housing for a battery pack having leakproof sealing at the joints.
[0019] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a very cost-effective housing for a battery pack.
[0020] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a housing for a battery pack with minimum maintenance requirements.
[0021] Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures, which are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY
[0022] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to ahousing of a battery pack, providing protection against the bottom intrusion forces and contaminants from the external environment. The concepts are further described below in the following detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter nor is it intended for use in determining or limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0023] The present disclosure envisages a housing of a battery pack, for protecting the bottom intrusion forces and contaminants from external environment. The housing comprises a lower floor, a plurality of reinforcement members, and a plurality of gaskets.
[0024] The lower floor covers the lower portion of the battery pack and the plurality of reinforcement members is joined beneath the lower floor. The plurality of gaskets sandwiched between the lower floor and each of the plurality of the reinforcement members around the mounting provisions to join the lower floor and each of the plurality of gaskets.
[0025] In an aspect, each of the plurality of the reinforcement members has a resting face extending circumferentially.
[0026] In an aspect, each of the plurality of the reinforcement members is connected with the lower floor by way of welding at the resting face.
[0027] In an aspect, a plurality of equidistant through holes is formed on the lower floor and on each of the plurality of the reinforcement members, for the mounting provisions.
[0028] In an aspect, the shape of each of the plurality of gaskets is selected from circular, triangular, or rectangular.
[0029] In an aspect, a bottom side of each of the plurality of the gaskets is landed upon the lower floor and a top side of each of the plurality of the gaskets is landed upon each of the plurality of the reinforcement members.
[0030] In an aspect, each of the top and the bottom side of each of the plurality of gaskets has a protrusion, around a through hole, formed in each of the plurality of gaskets, for the mounting provisions.
[0031] In an aspect, the diameter of the protrusion provided on the bottom side of each of the plurality of gaskets is greater than the diameter of the protrusion provided on the top side of each of the plurality of gaskets.
[0032] In an aspect, each of the plurality of gaskets is joined with the lower floor and each of the plurality of the reinforcement members by way of welding means.
[0033] In an aspect, the welding means to join each of the plurality of gaskets with each of the plurality of the reinforcement members is laser welding.
[0034] In an aspect, the welding means joining each of the plurality of gaskets with the lower floor is fillet welding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
[0035] A housing of a battery pack, providing protection against the bottom intrusion forces and contaminants from the external environment of the present disclosure will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:
[0036] Figure 1 illustrates a bottom cover, in accordance with the disclosure in prior arts;
[0037] Figure 2 illustrates a bottom cover with reinforcement members, in accordance with the disclosure in prior arts;
[0038] Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the bottom cover without reinforcement and with reinforcement members with reference to Figure 2;
[0039] Figure 4 illustrates a comparison between the reinforcement members of prior arts and a reinforcement member in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0040] Figure 5 illustrates a comparison between the bottom cover with reinforcement members in accordance with the disclosure in prior arts and a bottom cover with reinforcement members in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0041] Figure 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a sandwich concept, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0042] Figure 7 illustrates a side view of the housing, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0043] Figure 8 illustrates an isometric view of the housing, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0044] Figure 9 illustrates a side view, a cross-sectional view, a bottom view, and a top view of a gasket, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS USED IN THE DESCRIPTION AND DRAWING:
100 Existing housing
102 Bottom cover of existing housing
104 Reinforcement member
200 Modified housing
202 Bottom cover of modified housing
204 Modified reinforcement member
206 Resting face
900 Housing disclosed in present disclosure
902 Lower floor
904 Reinforcement member
906 Mounting provisions
908 Gasket
908’ Top side of the gasket
908” Bottom side of the gasket
908A Protrusion on top side
908B Protrusion on bottom side
908C Through-hole formed in gasket
910 Laser welding regions
912 Fillet welding regions

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0045] Embodiments, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
[0046] Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth, relating to specific components and methods to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.
[0047] The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms “a”, “an”, and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms, “comprises”, “comprising”, “including” and “having” are open-ended transitional phrases and therefore, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
[0048] When an element is referred to as being “embodied thereon”, “engaged to”, “coupled to” or “communicatively coupled to” another element, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements.
[0049] In the current state of existing designs of a battery housing, the reinforcement members are open at the ends and are also not welded with a bottom cover throughout the length and only welded intermittently. Also, the bottom cover and reinforcement members are not connected, to each other, at the mounting interface. Due to this, the load from the bottom intrusion is not fully supported by the combination of the bottom cover and the reinforcement members.
[0050] To this, the present disclosure envisages a housing of a battery pack, providing protection against the bottom intrusion forces and contaminants from external environment. The existing design of battery housing is described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The comparison between the reinforcement members in accordance with the prior arts and a modified reinforcement member is described herein with reference to Figures 4 to 5. The housing of a battery pack 900 is described with reference to Figures 6 to 9, in accordance with the present disclosure.
[0051] Figures 1 to 3 illustrate a housing 100 with a bottom cover 102 and a reinforcement member 104 in accordance with the disclosure in prior arts.
[0052] In a high voltage (HV) battery pack, the bottom cover 102 protects the cells and its interface part against any bottom intrusion force such as stone hitting and seals the pack against water entry into HV regions. Typically, in sheet metal battery housing 100, the bottom cover 102 is an integral part of the battery pack housing 100.
[0053] With the increasing need to reduce the battery pack weight, nowadays the battery packs are made of aluminium extrusion frame with steel / aluminium bottom protection cover. Simple aluminium sheets with direct mountings to the housing 100 are not able to withstand the high intrusion forces from the road. Hence the reinforcement members 104 are added to the bottom cover 102 to increase its structural rigidity.
[0054] Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a comparison between the reinforcement members 104 in accordance with the prior arts and a reinforcement member 204 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure and also the comparison between the welding type for welding of reinforcement members on the bottom cover in accordance with the prior arts, and in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure respectively.
[0055] The conventional reinforcement members 104 are open at the ends due to simplicity in manufacturing. The reinforcement members 104 are also not welded throughout the length and are only welded intermittently. Therefore the water can enter into the high voltage regions of the battery via the bottom cover 104 holes and cover to reinforcement joints.
[0056] The reinforcement members 204 disclosed in the present disclosure have resting face 206 extending circumferentially on the bottom cover 202. The reinforcement members 204 are also welded all around the resting face 206 to avoid any water entry into the battery pack.
[0057] Figure 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a housing without sandwich concept and a cross-sectional view of a housing with sandwich concept, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0058] In the conventional designs of the battery housing 100, the bottom cover 102 is bolted to the frame via a bolt in contact with the reinforcement member 104. Also, the bottom cover 102 and reinforcements 104 are not connected to each other at the mounting interface. Due to this, the load from the bottom intrusion is not fully supported by the combination of the bottom cover 102 and the reinforcement members 104.
[0059] In the sandwich concept, compressible material is placed between the bottom cover 202 and the reinforcement members 204 to accommodate the tolerance variation. The bottom intrusion force is taken by both the bottom cover and the reinforcement member 204 as a single integrated component.
[0060] In an aspect, the compressible material may be selected from plastic or rubber.
[0061] Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a side view and an isometric view of the housing 900, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0062] The housing 900 comprises a lower floor 902, a plurality of reinforcement members 904, and a plurality of gaskets 908.
[0063] The lower floor 902 covers the lower portion of the battery pack and the plurality of reinforcement members 904 is joined beneath the lower floor 902. The plurality of gaskets 908 is sandwiched between the lower floor 902 and each of the plurality of the reinforcement members 904 around the mounting provisions 906 to join the lower floor 902 and each of the plurality of reinforcement members 904. Each of the plurality of the reinforcement members 904 has a resting face extending circumferentially. Each of the plurality of the reinforcement members 904 is connected with the lower floor 902 by way of welding at the resting face.
[0064] In an aspect, the welding means may be arc welding, MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding, or TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding.
[0065] Further, a plurality of equidistant through-holes is formed on the lower floor 902 and on each of the plurality of the reinforcement members 904, for the mounting provisions 906.
[0066] Figure 9 illustrates a side view, a cross-sectional view, a bottom view, and a top view of a gasket 908, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0067] Each of the plurality of the gaskets 908 has a top side 908’ and a bottom side 908”. The bottom side 908” of each of the plurality of the gaskets 908 is landed upon the lower floor 902 and a top side 908’of each of the plurality of the gaskets 908 is landed upon each of the plurality of the reinforcement members 904. Each of the top side 908’ and the bottom side 908” of each of the plurality of gaskets 908 has protrusions 908A, 908B around a through-hole 908C, formed in each of the plurality of gaskets 908, for the mounting provisions 906. The diameter of the protrusion 908B provided on the bottom side 908” of each of the plurality of gaskets 908 is greater than the diameter of the protrusion 908A provided on the top side 908’of each of the plurality of gaskets 908.
[0068] In an aspect, the shape of each of the plurality of gaskets 908 is selected from circular, triangular, or rectangular.
[0069] Further, each of the plurality of gaskets 908 is joined with the lower floor 902 and each of the plurality of the reinforcement members 904 by way of welding means.
[0070] In an aspect, the welding means to join each of the plurality of gaskets 908 with each of the plurality of the reinforcement members 904 may be laser welding at the laser welding region 910.
[0071] In an aspect, the welding means to join each of the plurality of gaskets 908 with the lower floor 902 may be fillet welding at the fillet welding region 912.
[0072] In the housing 900, the lower floor 902 and the reinforcement members 904 are connected to each other at the mounting joints via a resting face. The resting face helps to integrate the reinforcement members 904 and better distributes the load to the lower floor 902. The resting face is welded all-around and hence the potential leakage joint is also avoided.
[0073] Therefore, the housing 900 disclosed in the present disclosure is capable of withstanding more bottom force than the conventional design. There is compressible material like rubber/plastic gasket 908 placed between the lower floor 902 and the reinforcement members 904 to accommodate the tolerance variation. In this housing 900, the potential leakage joint via the lower floor opening is also avoided.
[0074] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment but, are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE
[0075] The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, housing for a battery pack, which:
• provides the user(s) with a housing of a battery pack, for providing protection against the bottom intrusion forces and contaminants from external environment; and
• is cost-effective, compared to the state-of-the-art equipment used to cover battery pack, the present disclosure gives a drastic reduction in the cost of the housing.
[0076] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0077] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
[0078] The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.
[0079] Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.
[0080] The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.
[0081] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation. , Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A housing (900) of a battery pack, providing protection against bottom intrusion forces and ingress of liquid or solid particles from external environment, said housing (900) comprises:
a lower floor (902), covering the lower portion of the battery pack;
a plurality of reinforcement members (904), joined beneath the lower floor (902); and
a plurality of gaskets (908) sandwiched between the lower floor (902) and each of the plurality of the reinforcement members (904) around mounting provisions (906).
2. The housing (900) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of the reinforcement members (904) has a resting face extending circumferentially.
3. The housing (900) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of the reinforcement members (904) is connected with the lower floor (902) by way of welding at the resting face.
4. The housing (900) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of equidistant through-holes is formed on the lower floor (902) and on each of the plurality of the reinforcement members (904), for the mounting provisions (906).
5. The housing (900) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shape of each of the plurality of gaskets (908) is selected from circular, triangular, or rectangular.
6. The housing (900) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a bottom side (908”) of each of the plurality of the gaskets (908) is landed upon the lower floor (902) and a top side (908’) of the each of the plurality of the gaskets (908) is landed upon the each of the plurality of the reinforcement members(904).
7. The housing (900) as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the top side (908’) and the bottom side (908”) of each of the plurality of gaskets (908) has protrusions (908A, 908B), around a through-hole (908C), formed in the each of the plurality of gaskets (908), for the mounting provisions (906).
8. The housing (900) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the diameter of the protrusion (908B) provided on the bottom side (908”) of each of the plurality of gaskets (908) is greater than the diameter of the protrusion (908A) provided on the top side (908’) of the each of the plurality of gaskets (908).
9. The housing (900) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gaskets (908) is joined with the lower floor (902) and each of the plurality of the reinforcement members (904) by way of welding means.
10. The housing (900) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the welding means to join each of the plurality of gaskets (908) with each of the plurality of the reinforcement members (904) is laser welding.
11. The housing (900) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the welding means to join each of the plurality of gaskets (908) with the lower floor (902) is fillet welding.

Dated this 02nd day of March, 2023

_______________________________
MOHAN RAJKUMAR DEWAN, IN/PA – 25
of R.K.DEWAN & CO.
Authorized Agent of Applicant

TO,
THE CONTROLLER OF PATENTS
THE PATENT OFFICE, AT MUMBAI