Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to power supply module. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a power supply module for a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Generally, vehicles such as two-wheeled vehicles include a power supply unit adapted to supply power and facilitate the charging of various electronic devices such as mobile phones and music players. The power supply unit is affixed inside a storage box positioned under a seat of the vehicle and defines a hollow compartment for accommodating the power supply unit and goods. In some cases, the power supply unit is positioned either on a headlight region, on a leg shield, or a front cover of the two-wheeled vehicles.

[0003] Currently, the storage box, the headlight region, the leg shield, and the front cover define separate mounting portions with different geometrical characteristics. Thus, the same power supply unit cannot be installed on different mounting portions without altering the design of such power supply unit based on the geometrical characteristics of the mounting portion on which the power supply unit is to be installed. Different sets of tools are required to design a specific power supply unit based on the geometrical characteristics of the mounting portion, which increases the overall manufacturing cost. This also increases the manufacturing steps which consumes more time in manufacturing such power supply units. Further, the alterations in the design of existing power supply units also increase the installation cost of the existing power supply units.

[0004] Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned problems, it is desirable to provide a power supply unit for a vehicle that can eliminate one or more above-mentioned problems associated with existing art.

SUMMARY

[0005] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that is further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.
[0006] The present disclosure provides a power supply module for a vehicle. The power supply module may include a body having a front portion and a rear portion. The front portion may include at least one slot adapted to accommodate an electrical socket. A rear portion may be formed opposite to the front portion. The rear portion may include an engaging structure adapted to be mated with a mounting platform of the vehicle. The engaging structure may include a plurality of locking legs and a plurality of protruded members. The plurality of protruded members may be formed on a peripheral surface of the engaging structure, such that a gap is defined between the plurality of protruded members and the plurality of locking legs. The engaging structure is mated with the mounting platform by pushing the body towards the mounting platform to engage the plurality of legs with the mounting platform. Alternatively, the engaging structure is mated with the mounting platform by sliding the body with respect to the mounting platform, such that a portion of the mounting platform is received within the gap.

[0007] To further clarify the advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
[0009] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0010] Figure 2 illustrates an isometric view of an under-seat storage container of the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0011] Figure 3 illustrates a side-sectional view of the under-seat storage container of the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0012] Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of a power supply module having a plurality of locking legs with a slanted surface, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0013] Figure 5 illustrates a top view of the power supply module of the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0014] Figure 6 illustrates an enlarged view of a portion ‘A’ as shown in Figure 5, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0015] Figure 7 illustrates a rear view of the power supply module of the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0016] Figures 8, 9, and 10 illustrate different perspective views of the power supply module having a plurality of locking legs with a curved surface, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0017] Figure 11 illustrates a side view of the power supply module of the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0018] Figure 12 illustrates a top view of the power supply module having the plurality of locking legs with the curved surface, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0019] Figure 13 illustrates a bottom view of the power supply module having the plurality of locking legs with the curved surface, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0020] Figure 14 illustrates a rear view of the power supply module of the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0021] Figures 15 and 16 illustrate different perspective views of the power supply module snap-fitted on a mounting platform of the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0022] Figure 17 illustrates a perspective view of the power supply module mounted on the mounting platform of the vehicle by sliding the power supply module, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0023] Figure 18 illustrates a top view of the power supply module mounted on the mounting platform of the vehicle by sliding the power supply module, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0024] Figure 19 illustrates an enlarged view of a portion ‘B’ as shown in Figure 18, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0025] Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0026] For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the various embodiments and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the present disclosure is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the present disclosure as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the present disclosure relates.

[0027] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory of the present disclosure and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.

[0028] Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do not preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language including, but not limited to, “there needs to be one or more…” or “one or more elements is required.”

[0029] Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements of the present disclosure. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of explaining one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the proposed disclosure fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility, and non-obviousness.

[0030] Use of the phrases and/or terms including, but not limited to, “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or other variants thereof do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or in the context of more than one embodiment, or in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.

[0031] Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should not necessarily be taken as limiting factors to the proposed disclosure.

[0032] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components proceeded by “comprises... a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices or other sub-systems or other elements or other structures or other components or additional devices or additional sub-systems or additional elements or additional structures or additional components.

[0033] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a vehicle 100 having an under-seat storage container 103, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle 100 may be an electric vehicle 100, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In the subsequent paragraphs, the vehicle 100 may be interchangeably referred to as the electric vehicle (EV) 100, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The vehicle 100 may include, but is not limited to, a power supply module 101, the under-seat storage container 103, a mounting platform 105, a battery 107, an on-board charger 109, an electric motor 111, a transmission system 113, a charging infrastructure 115, and a dashboard 119.

[0035] The Electric Vehicle (EV) 100 or a battery powered vehicle including, but not limited to two-wheelers such as scooters, mopeds, motorbikes/motorcycles, three-wheelers such as auto-rickshaws, four-wheelers such as cars and other Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) and Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCVs) primarily work on the principle of driving an electric motor using the power from the batteries provided in the EV 100. Furthermore, the electric vehicle 100 may have at least one wheel which is electrically powered to traverse such a vehicle. The term ‘wheel’ may be referred to any ground-engaging member which allows traversal of the electric vehicle 100 over a path. The types of EVs100 include a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV),a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV), and a Range Extended Electric Vehicle. However, the subsequent paragraphs pertain to the different elements of a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV).

[0036] In construction, the EV 100 typically comprises the battery or the battery pack 107 enclosed within a battery casing and includes a Battery Management System (BMS), the on-board charger 109, a Motor Controller Unit (MCU), the electric motor 111 and an electric transmission system 113. The primary function of the above-mentioned elements is detailed in the subsequent paragraphs: The battery of an EV 100 (also known as Electric Vehicle Battery (EVB) or traction battery) is re-chargeable in nature and is the primary source of energy required for the operation of the EV 100, wherein the battery 107 is typically charged using the electric current taken from the grid through a charging infrastructure 115. The battery 107 may be charged using Aan lternating Current (AC) or a Direct Current (DC). In case of the AC input, the on-board charger 109 converts the AC signal to the DC signal after which the DC signal is transmitted to the battery 107 via the BMS. However, in the case of the DC charging, the on-board charger 109 is bypassed, and the current is transmitted directly to the battery 107 via the BMS.

[0037] The battery 107 is made up of a plurality of cells which are grouped into a plurality of modules in a manner in which the temperature difference between the cells does not exceed 5 degrees Celsius. The terms “battery”, “cell”, and “battery cell” may be used interchangeably and may refer to any of a variety of different rechargeable cell compositions and configurations including, but not limited to, lithium-ion (e.g., lithium iron phosphate, lithium cobalt oxide, other lithium metal oxides, etc.), lithium-ion polymer, nickel metal hydride, nickel cadmium, nickel hydrogen, nickel-zinc, silver zinc, or other battery type/configuration. The term “battery pack” as used herein may be referred to multiple individual batteries enclosed within a single structure or multi-piece structure. The individual batteries may be electrically interconnected to achieve the desired voltage and capacity for a desired application. The Battery Management System (BMS) is an electronic system whose primary function is to ensure that the battery 107 is operating safely and efficiently. The BMS continuously monitors different parameters of the battery 107 such as temperature, voltage, current and so on, and communicates these parameters to the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and the Motor Controller Unit (MCU) in the EV 100 using a plurality of protocols including and not limited to Controller Area Network (CAN) bus protocol which facilitates the communication between the ECU/MCU and other peripheral elements of the EV 100 without the requirement of a host computer.

[0038] The MCU primarily controls/regulates the operation of the electric motor based on the signal transmitted from the vehicle battery 107, wherein the primary functions of the MCU include starting the electric motor 111, stopping the electric motor 111, controlling the speed of the electric motor 111, enabling the vehicle 100 to move in the reverse direction and protect the electric motor 111 from premature wearing out. The primary function of the electric motor 111 is to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. The converted mechanical energy is subsequently transferred to the transmission system of the EV 100 to facilitate the movement of the EV 100. Additionally, the electric motor 111 also acts as a generator during regenerative braking (i.e., kinetic energy generated during vehicle braking/deceleration is converted into potential energy and stored in the battery 107 of the EV). The types of motors generally employed in the EVs 100 include, but are not limited to a DC series motor, a Brushless DC motor (also known as BLDC motors), a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM), a Three Phase AC Induction Motors and a Switched Reluctance Motors (SRM).

[0039] The transmission system 113 of the EV 100 facilitates the transfer of the generated mechanical energy by the electric motor 111 to the wheels 121a, 121b of the EV 100. Generally, the transmission systems 113 used in the EVs 100 include a single speed transmission system and a multi-speed (i.e., two-speed) transmission system. The single speed transmission system comprises a single gear pair whereby the EV 100 is maintained at a constant speed. However, the multi-speed/two-speed transmission system comprises a compound planetary gear system with a double pinion planetary gear set and a single pinion planetary gear set thereby resulting in two different gear ratios which facilitate higher torque and vehicle speed.

[0040] In one embodiment, all data pertaining to the EV 100 and/or charging infrastructure 115 are collected and processed using a remote server (known as cloud) 117. The processed data is indicated to the rider/driver of the EV 100 through a display unit present in the dashboard 119 of the EV 100. In an embodiment, the display unit may be an interactive display unit. In another embodiment, the display unit may be a non-interactive display unit.

[0041] Figure 2 illustrates an isometric view of the under-seat storage container 103 of the vehicle 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure while Figure 3 illustrates a side sectional view of the under-seat storage container 103 of the vehicle 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the power supply module 101 may be mounted on the mounting platform 105 defined within the under-seat storage container 103 of the vehicle 100.

[0042] Herein, the mounting platform 105 may be embodied as a wall 105 of the under-seat storage container 103, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the power supply module 101 may be mounted on any portion such as, but not limited to, a headlight area, a leg shield, and a front cover of the vehicle 100. In another embodiment, the mounting platform 105 may be any flat surface with a cut-out portion to which a power supply module is to be attached.

[0043] The power supply module 101 may be affixed with the mounting platform 105. The power supply module 101 may be electrically connected with the battery 107 of the vehicle 100 to receive the power. Further, the power supply module 101 may be adapted to supply power and charge one or more electronic devices such as, but not limited to, a mobile phone, a media player, a wireless earphone, a navigation device, and an enhanced general packet radio service (EGPRS) mobile phone. In case the power supply module 101 is positioned within the under-seat storage container 103, one or more electronic devices may be placed in the under-seat storage container 103 while receiving power from the power supply module 101.

[0044] Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of a power supply module 101 having a plurality of locking legs 112 with a slanted surface 124, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 illustrates a top view of the power supply module 101 of the vehicle 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the power supply module 101 may include a body 102 having a front portion 104 and a rear portion 108. The body 102 may be embodied as a standalone component. In an embodiment, the body 102 may be formed of a polymeric material, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In another embodiment, the body 102 may be formed of an elastomeric material, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0045] The front portion 104 may include at least one slot adapted to accommodate an electrical socket 106. The electrical socket 106 may include a plurality of terminals adapted to be electrically connected with the one or more electronic devices and the battery 107. Herein, the power supply module 101 receives the power from a power source such as the battery 107 and supplies the power to the one or more electronic devices. In an embodiment, the front portion 104 may include a plurality of slots adapted to accommodate the plurality of electrical sockets 106.

[0046] The rear portion 108 is formed opposite to the front portion 104. The rear portion 108 may include an engaging structure 110 extending from the rear portion 108. The engaging structure 110 may be adapted to be mated with the mounting platform 105 of the vehicle 100. The engaging structure 110 may include a plurality of locking legs 112 and a plurality of protruded members 114. The plurality of protruded members 114 may be formed on a peripheral surface 140 of the engaging structure 110, such that a gap 116 may be defined between the plurality of protruded members 114 and the plurality of locking legs 112.

[0047] The engaging structure 110 may be mated with the mounting platform 105 by pushing the body 102 towards the mounting platform 105 to engage the plurality of legs 112 with the mounting platform 105. Alternatively, the engaging structure 110 may be mated with the mounting platform 105 by sliding the body 102 with respect to the mounting platform 105, such that a portion of the mounting platform 105 may be received within the gap 116. Therefore, the same power supply module 101 may be mated with the mounting platform 105 by pushing the body 102 towards the mounting platform 105 or by sliding the body 102 with respect to the mounting platform 105.

[0048] In one implementation, the mounting platform 105 includes a cavity partially opened from at least one peripheral side of such cavity. In such implementation, the engaging structure 110 mates with the mounting platform 105 by sliding the body 102 with respect to the mounting platform 105. Herein, the portion of the mounting platform 105 receives within the gap 116 to mount the power supply module 101 on the mounting platform 105.

[0049] In another implementation, the mounting platform 105 includes a closed cavity, the engaging structure 110 mates with the mounting platform 105 by pushing the body 102 towards the mounting platform 105 to mount the power supply module 101 on the mounting platform 105. The power supply module 101 may be mounted on different types of the mounting platform 105 without altering the design or dimensions of the power supply module 101 in accordance with the type of the respective mounting platform 105.

[0050] The plurality of locking legs 112 may be embodied as a plurality of snap locks adapted to snap fit the power supply module 101 in the mounting platform 105. The plurality of locking legs 112 may be engaged with the portion of the mounting platform 105 when the mounting platform 105 includes the closed cavity.

[0051] Figure 6 illustrates an enlarged view of a portion ‘A’ as shown in Figure 5, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure while Figure 7 illustrates a rear view of the power supply module 101 of the vehicle 100, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment as illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, each of the plurality of locking legs 112 may include an extended member 118 and a mating member 120. The extended member 118 protrudes from the peripheral surface 140 of the engaging structure 110. The mating member 120 extends from the extended member 118 in an orthogonal orientation and is adapted to flexibly move with respect to the body 102. In en embodiment, the mating member 120 is adapted to flexibly move with respect to the extended member 118. The mating member 120 flexibly moves to facilitate an engagement of the mounting platform 105 when the body 102 may be pushed in the direction towards the mounting platform 105. The engaging structure 110 may include at least one cut-out portion 130’’ formed on the extended member 118. The at least one cut-out portion 130’’ is adapted to facilitate a bending of the plurality of locking legs 112 to engage the plurality of locking legs 112 with the portion of the mounting platform 105.

[0052] The mating member 120 may include a first butting surface 122, a second butting surface 126, a third butting surface 128, and the slanted surface 124, as shown in Figure 6. The first butting surface 122 may be adapted to restrict a movement of the power supply module 101 in a Y-direction when the power supply module 101 is mounted on the mounting platform 105. The slanted surface 124 may be adjacent to the first butting surface 122. The slanted surface 124 may be adapted to slide on the portion of the mounting platform 105 upon pushing the body 102 towards the mounting platform 105, such that the first butting surface 122 abuts the portion of the mounting platform 105.

[0053] The second butting surface 126 may be formed at a bottom side and a top side of each locking leg 112 adjacent to the slanted surface 124, to restrict the movement of the power supply module 101 in a Z-direction when the power supply module 101 is mounted on the mounting platform 105. Further, the third butting surface 128 may be formed on a side of the slanted face to restrict the movement of the power supply module 101 in an X-direction when the power supply module 101 is mounted on the mounting platform 105. Herein, the first butting surface 122, the second butting surface 126, and the third butting surface 128 may restrict the movement of the power supply module 101 in the Y-direction, the Z-direction, and the X-direction, respectively, such that the power supply module 101 remains fixed once mounted on the mounting platform 105.

[0054] In an embodiment as shown in Figure 6, the mating member 120 of each of the locking leg 112 may be adapted to flexibly move with respect to the body 102 due to the at least one cut-out portion 130’’, to facilitate the engagement of the mounting platform 105 when the body 102 may be pushed in the direction towards the mounting platform 105.

[0055] In another embodiment, referring specifically to Figure 7, the engaging structure 110 may include at least one cut-out portion 130 adapted to facilitate a bending of one of the plurality of locking legs 112 and the engaging structure 110 to engage the plurality of locking legs 112 with the portion of the mounting platform 105. In an embodiment, the at least one cut-out portion 130 may be formed at a centre of the engaging structure 110, such that the bending of one of the plurality of locking legs 112 and the engaging structure 110 may be allowed without any distortion in the engaging structure 110. The engaging structure 110 may be bent when the body 102 is pushing towards the mounting platform 105 to engage the plurality of locking legs 112 with the portion of the mounting platform 105.

[0056] Figures 8, 9, and 10 illustrate a perspective view of the power supply module 101 having the plurality of locking legs 112 with a curved surface, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 11 illustrates a side view of the power supply module 101 of the vehicle 100, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In another embodiment, as shown in Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11, the plurality of locking legs 112 may be extended from the engaging structure 110. Each of the plurality of locking legs 112 may include a mating member 120’ adapted to be engaged with the portion of the mounting platform 105 when the body 102 may be pushed in the direction towards the mounting platform 105.

[0057] The mating member 120’ may include a curved surface 124’ adapted to be slid on the portion of the mounting platform 105 upon pushing the body 102 towards the mounting platform 105. The engaging structure 110 may include at least one cut-out portion 130’ adapted to facilitate the bending of the engaging structure 110 to engage the plurality of locking legs 112 with the portion of the mounting platform 105. In an embodiment, the at least one cut-out portion 130’ may be formed at the centre of the engaging structure 110, such that the bending of the engaging structure 110 may be allowed without any distortion in the engaging structure 110.

[0058] The mating member 120’ of each locking leg 112 defines a first butting surface 122’, a second butting surface 126’, and a third butting surface 128’, as shown in Figure 8. The first butting surface 122’ may be adapted to restrict the movement of the power supply module 101 in the Y-direction. The second butting surface 126’ may be formed at the bottom side and the top side of each locking leg 112 adjacent to the curved surface 124’, to restrict the movement of the power supply module 101 in a Z-direction. Further, the third butting surface 128’ may be adjacent to the curved surface 124’ to restrict the movement of the power supply module 101 in the X-direction.

[0059] The first butting surface 122’, the second butting surface 126’, and the third butting surface 128’ may restrict the movement of the power supply module 101 in the Y-direction, the Z-direction, and the X-direction, respectively, such that the power supply module 101 works as a fixed component once mounted on the mounting platform 105. The engaging structure 110 may include a plurality of ribs 138 formed on each of the plurality of locking legs 112, as shown in Figure 10. The plurality of ribs 138 may be adapted to stiffen the plurality of locking legs 112, such that the bending of the plurality of locking legs 112 may be prevented.

[0060] The plurality of ribs 138 strengthens the plurality of locking legs 112 and prevents bending thereof when the engaging structure 110 is bending to engage the plurality of locking legs 112 with the portion of the mounting platform 105. As shown in Figure 11, the front portion 104 may include at least one protrusion 136 protruding from the bottom surface of the front portion 104 towards the engaging structure 110. The at least one protrusion 136 may be adapted to distribute a load of the power supply module 101.

[0061] Figure 12 illustrates a top view of the power supply module 101 having the plurality of locking legs 112 with the curved surface 124’, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 13 illustrates a bottom view of the power supply module 101 having the plurality of locking legs 112 with the curved surface 124’, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 14 illustrates a rear view of the power supply module 101 of the vehicle 100, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 15 and 16 illustrate a perspective view of the power supply module 101 snap-fitted on the mounting platform 105 of the vehicle 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0062] Figure 17 illustrates a perspective view of the power supply module mounted on the mounting platform 105 of the vehicle 100 by sliding the power supply module 101, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 18 illustrates a top view of the power supply module 101 mounted on the mounting platform 105 of the vehicle 100 by sliding the power supply module 101, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 19 illustrates an enlarged view of a portion ‘B’ as shown in Figure 19, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figures 17, 18 and 19, the gap 116 may be defined between each protruded member 114 and the extended member 118, and the gap 116 may be adapted to slidably receive the portion of the mounting platform 105 upon sliding the body 102 with respect to the mounting platform 105 to mount the power supply module 101 thereon.
[0063] In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of protruded members 114 may include a first pair of protruded members 114 and a second pair of protruded members 114. The first pair of protruded members 114 may be distant apart from each other. The first pair of protruded members 114 may be formed on opposite sides of the peripheral surface 140. The second pair of protruded members 114 may be distant apart from each other. The second pair of protruded members 114 may be formed on the opposite sides of the peripheral surface 140. The second pair of protruded members 114 may be positioned below the first pair of protruded members 114.
[0064] In another embodiment, the engaging structure 110 may include at least one protruded member 114 formed on opposite sides of the peripheral surface 140 of the engaging structure 110. Herein, the at least one protruded member 114 extends from the peripheral surface 140 to form a flange.
[0065] Each of the plurality of protruded members 114 defines a fourth butting surface 132 formed on a surface engaging with the portion of the mounting platform 105, as shown in Figure 18. The fourth butting surface 132 may be adapted to restrict the movement of the power supply module 101 in the X-direction. The engaging structure 110 defines a fifth butting face 134 in an orthogonal orientation with respect to the respective protruded member 114, within the gap 116, as shown in Figure 19. The fifth butting face 134 may be adapted to restrict the movement of the power supply module 101 in the Y-direction.

[0066] The power supply module 101 of the present disclosure, may be mounted on the mounting platform 105 of the vehicle 100 either by sliding the body 102 with respect to the mounting platform 105 or by pushing the body 102 towards the mounting platform 105. Thus, the same power supply module 101 may be installed on different mounting portions 105 without altering the design of the power supply module 101 based on the geometrical characteristics of the mounting portion 105 on which the power supply module 101 is to be installed. This eliminates the usage of the special set of tools required to manufacture specific power supply module according to the mounting portion 105, which reduces the manufacturing cost of the power supply module 101.

[0067] Further, the implementation of the power supply module 101 consumes less time and reduces the manual effort required for mounting the power supply module 101. Moreover, the power supply module 101 may be mounted on the different types of the mounting platforms 105 including platforms 105 with or without a provision for the sliding of the engaging structure 110, without any alterations in the design. This reduces the overall installation cost of the power supply module 101.

[0068] Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosed devices and the systems may be readily implemented, fully or partially, in software using, for example, object or object-oriented software development environments that provide portable source code that can be used on a variety of computer platforms. Alternatively, embodiments of the disclosed methods, processes, modules, devices, systems, and computer program product can be implemented partially or fully in hardware using, for example, standard logic circuits or a very-large-scale integration (VLSI) design. Other hardware or software can be used to implement embodiments depending on the speed and/or efficiency requirements of the systems, the particular function, and/or particular software or hardware system, microprocessor, or microcomputer being utilized.

[0069] In this application, unless specifically stated otherwise, the use of the singular includes the plural and the use of “or” means “and/or.” Furthermore, use of the terms “including” or “having” is not limiting. Any range described herein will be understood to include the endpoints and all values between the endpoints. Features of the disclosed embodiments may be combined, rearranged, omitted, etc., within the scope of the invention to produce additional embodiments. Furthermore, certain features may sometimes be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.
, Claims:1. A power supply module (101) for a vehicle (100), comprising:
a body (102) comprising:
a front portion (104) having at least one slot adapted to accommodate an electrical socket (106); and
a rear portion (108) formed opposite to the front portion (104), and comprising:
an engaging structure (110) adapted to be mated with a mounting platform (105) of the vehicle (100), and comprising:
a plurality of locking legs (112); and
a plurality of protruded members (114) formed on a peripheral surface (140) of the engaging structure (110), such that a gap (116) is defined between the plurality of protruded members (114) and the plurality of locking legs (112),
wherein the engaging structure (110) is mated with the mounting platform (105) by one of:
pushing the body (102) towards the mounting platform (105) to engage the plurality of legs (112) with the mounting platform (105); and
sliding the body (102) with respect to the mounting platform (105), such that a portion of the mounting platform (105) is received within the gap (116).

2. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of locking legs (112) is embodied as a plurality of snap locks adapted to snap fit the power supply module (101) in the mounting platform (105).

3. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of locking legs (112) comprises:
an extended member (118) protruding from the peripheral surface (140) of the engaging structure (110); and
a mating member (120) extending from the extended member (118) in an orthogonal orientation and adapted to flexibly move with respect to the body (102), wherein the mating member (120) flexibly moves to facilitate an engagement of the mounting platform (105) when the body (102) is pushed in the direction towards the mounting platform (105).

4. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mating member (120) comprises:
a first butting surface (122) adapted to restrict a movement of the power supply module (101) in a Y-direction; and
a slanted surface (124) adjacent to the first butting surface (122) and adapted to be slid on the portion of the mounting platform (105) upon pushing of the body (102) towards the mounting platform (105), such that the first butting surface (122) abuts with the portion of the mounting platform (105).

5. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mating member (120) of each locking leg (112) defines a second butting surface (126) at a bottom and a top side of each locking leg (112) adjacent to the slanted surface (124), to restrict the movement of the power supply module (101) in a Z-direction.

6. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mating member (120) of each locking leg (112) defines a third butting surface (128) on a side of the slanted face to restrict the movement of the power supply module (101) in an X-direction.

7. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the engaging structure (110) comprises at least one cut-out portion (130) adapted to facilitate a bending of one of the plurality of locking legs (112) and the engaging structure (110) to engage the plurality of locking legs (112) with the portion of the mounting platform (105).

8. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the engaging structure (110) comprises at least one cut-out portion (130’’) formed on the extended member (118) and adapted to facilitate a bending of the plurality of locking legs (112) to engage the plurality of locking legs (112) with the portion of the mounting platform (105).

9. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of locking legs (112) is extended from the engaging structure (110), and each of the plurality of locking legs (112) comprises a mating member (120’) adapted to be engaged with the portion of the mounting platform (105) when the body (102) is pushed in the direction towards the mounting platform (105).

10. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mating member (120’) comprises a curved surface (124’) adapted to be slid on the portion of the mounting platform (105) upon pushing of the body (102) towards the mounting platform (105).

11. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the engaging structure (110) comprises at least one cut-out portion (130’) adapted to facilitate a bending of the engaging structure (110) to engage the plurality of locking legs (112) with the portion of the mounting platform (105).

12. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mating member (120’) of each locking leg (112) defines a first butting surface (122’) adapted to restrict a movement of the power supply module (101) in a Y-direction.

13. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mating member (120’) of each locking leg (112) defines a second butting surface (126’) at a bottom and a top side of each locking leg (112) adjacent to the curved surface (124), to restrict the movement of the power supply module (101) in a Z-direction.

14. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mating member (120’) of each locking leg (112) defines a third butting surface (128’) adjacent to the curved surface to restrict the movement of the power supply module (101) in a X-direction.

15. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the engaging structure (110) comprises a plurality of ribs (138) formed on the plurality of locking legs (112) and adapted to stiff the plurality of locking legs (112), such that the bending of the plurality of locking legs (112) is prevented.

16. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the gap (116) is defined between each protruded member (114) and the extended member (118), and the gap (116) is adapted to slidably receive the portion of the mounting platform (105) upon sliding the body (102) with respect to the mounting platform (105) to mount the power supply module (101) thereon.

17. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of protruded members (114) comprises:
a first pair of protruded members (114) distant apart from each other and formed on opposite sides of the peripheral surface (140); and
a second pair of protruded members (114) distant apart from each other and formed on the opposite sides of the peripheral surface (140), wherein the second pair of protruded members (114) is positioned below the first pair of protruded members (114).

18. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engaging structure (110) comprises at least one protruded member (114) formed on opposite sides of the peripheral surface (140) of the engaging structure (110).

19. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of protruded members (114) defines a fourth butting surface (132) formed on a surface engaging with the portion of the mounting platform (105) adapted to restrict a movement of the power supply module (101) in an X-direction.

20. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engaging structure (110) defines a fifth butting face (134) in an orthogonal orientation with respect to the respective protruded member (114), within the gap (116) and adapted to restrict a movement of the power supply module (101) in a Y-direction.

21. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front portion (104) comprises at least one protrusion (136) protruded from the bottom surface of the front portion (104) towards the engaging structure (110) and adapted to distribute a load of the power supply module (101).

22. The power supply module (101) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting platform (105) is embodied as a wall (105) of an under-seat storage container (103) of the vehicle (100).