Abstract: A vehicle battery tray includes a floor assembly that has elongated tray sections that attach together at lateral edge portions of adjacent tray sections to form a floor structure that supports vehicle batteries contained in the vehicle battery tray. The elongated tray sections each have a substantially consistent cross-sectional shape that extends longitudinally along a length of the respective tray section. A first tray section includes a first attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof and a second tray section includes a second attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof that corresponds with the first attachment feature. The first and second attachment features engage together at a longitudinal seam between the lateral edge portions of the first and second tray sections, such as to align upper surfaces of the first and second tray sections.

Abstract: A vehicle battery tray includes a floor assembly that has elongated tray sections that attach together at lateral edge portions of adjacent tray sections to form a floor structure that supports vehicle batteries contained in the vehicle battery tray. The elongated tray sections each have a substantially consistent cross-sectional shape that extends longitudinally along a length of the respective tray section. A first tray section includes a first attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof and a second tray section includes a second attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof that corresponds with the first attachment feature. The first and second attachment features engage together at a longitudinal seam between the lateral edge portions of the first and second tray sections, such as to align upper surfaces of the first and second tray sections.

Abstract: A vehicle battery tray includes a floor assembly that has elongated tray sections that attach together at lateral edge portions of adjacent tray sections to form a floor structure that supports vehicle batteries contained in the vehicle battery tray. The elongated tray sections each have a substantially consistent cross-sectional shape that extends longitudinally along a length of the respective tray section. A first tray section includes a first attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof and a second tray section includes a second attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof that corresponds with the first attachment feature. The first and second attachment features engage together at a longitudinal seam between the lateral edge portions of the first and second tray sections, such as to align upper surfaces of the first and second tray sections.

Abstract: A method of forming and processing a high strength aluminum alloy for the production of a vehicle component includes providing a metal sheet that was rolled from an aluminum alloy. The sheet is heat treated through a first aging step of a set of aging steps that are necessary to achieve a T6 or a T7 temper state. Prior to achieving the T6 or a T7 temper state, the sheet is formed to a desired shape and welded in the desired shape to produce a desired vehicle component. Once formed, the vehicle component is heat treated through a remaining aging step to achieve a T6 or T7 temper state homogeneously throughout the vehicle component.

Abstract: A battery support tray for an electric vehicle includes a tray floor structure that has an upper surface that is configured to interface with battery modules. The battery support tray also includes a plurality of cooling features that integrally extend along portions of the tray floor structure that are configured to draw heat away from the battery modules supported at the upper surface of the tray floor structure. The tray floor structure may also have a cross-sectional profile that is substantially consistent longitudinally along a length of the tray floor structure or laterally across a width of the tray floor structure, such as formed from extruding a metal, such as an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: A method of forming and processing a high strength aluminum alloy for the production of a vehicle component includes providing a metal sheet that was rolled from an aluminum alloy. The sheet is heat treated through a first aging step of a set of aging steps that are necessary to achieve a T6 or a T7 temper state. Prior to achieving the T6 or a T7 temper state, the sheet is formed to a desired shape and welded in the desired shape to produce a desired vehicle component. Once formed, the vehicle component is heat treated through a remaining aging step to achieve a T6 or T7 temper state homogeneously throughout the vehicle component.

Abstract: A vehicle battery tray includes a floor assembly that has elongated tray sections that attach together at lateral edge portions of adjacent tray sections to form a floor structure that supports vehicle batteries contained in the vehicle battery tray. The elongated tray sections each have a substantially consistent cross-sectional shape that extends longitudinally along a length of the respective tray section. A first tray section includes a first attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof and a second tray section includes a second attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof that corresponds with the first attachment feature. The first and second attachment features engage together at a longitudinal seam between the lateral edge portions of the first and second tray sections, such as to align upper surfaces of the first and second tray sections.

Abstract: A vehicle battery tray includes a floor assembly that has elongated tray sections that attach together at lateral edge portions of adjacent tray sections to form a floor structure that supports vehicle batteries contained in the vehicle battery tray. The elongated tray sections each have a substantially consistent cross-sectional shape that extends longitudinally along a length of the respective tray section. A first tray section includes a first attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof and a second tray section includes a second attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof that corresponds with the first attachment feature. The first and second attachment features engage together at a longitudinal seam between the lateral edge portions of the first and second tray sections, such as to align upper surfaces of the first and second tray sections.

Abstract: A battery support tray for an electric vehicle includes a tray floor structure that has an upper surface that is configured to interface with battery modules. The battery support tray also includes a plurality of cooling features that integrally extend along portions of the tray floor structure that are configured to draw heat away from the battery modules supported at the upper surface of the tray floor structure. The tray floor structure may also have a cross-sectional profile that is substantially consistent longitudinally along a length of the tray floor structure or laterally across a width of the tray floor structure, such as formed from extruding a metal, such as an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: A method for warm forming an aluminum beam, such as an aluminum component for a vehicle, includes providing an extruded aluminum beam with a hollow cross-sectional shape. A portion of a forming die is heated to a desired temperature, so as to heat a portion of the aluminum beam in the die to a temperature below the artificial aging temperature of the aluminum beam. The heated aluminum beam is deformed to a desired shape with the die in a direction transverse to a length of the aluminum beam.

Abstract: A vehicle battery tray includes a floor assembly that has elongated tray sections that attach together at lateral edge portions of adjacent tray sections to form a floor structure that supports vehicle batteries contained in the vehicle battery tray. The elongated tray sections each have a substantially consistent cross-sectional shape that extends longitudinally along a length of the respective tray section. A first tray section includes a first attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof and a second tray section includes a second attachment feature at the lateral edge portion thereof that corresponds with the first attachment feature. The first and second attachment features engage together at a longitudinal seam between the lateral edge portions of the first and second tray sections, such as to align upper surfaces of the first and second tray sections.

Abstract: A vehicle battery tray has a floor assembly with elongated tray sections that attach together at edge portions of adjacent tray sections of the elongated tray sections to form a floor structure that supports vehicle batteries contained in the vehicle battery tray. The elongated tray sections may have substantially consistent cross-sectional shapes that extends along a length of the tray sections. A thickness of the tray sections at a central area of the floor structure may be greater than a thickness of another one of the elongated tray sections at an outboard area of the floor structure, such as to withstand an equal or greater transverse bending moment than the outboard area of the floor structure.

Abstract: A vehicle battery tray has a floor assembly with elongated tray sections that attach together at edge portions of adjacent tray sections of the elongated tray sections to form a floor structure that supports vehicle batteries contained in the vehicle battery tray. The elongated tray sections may have substantially consistent cross-sectional shapes that extends along a length of the tray sections. A thickness of the tray sections at a central area of the floor structure may be greater than a thickness of another one of the elongated tray sections at an outboard area of the floor structure, such as to withstand an equal or greater transverse bending moment than the outboard area of the floor structure.

Abstract: A method of forming and processing a high strength aluminum alloy for the production of a vehicle component includes providing a metal sheet that was rolled from an aluminum alloy. The sheet is heat treated through a first aging step of a set of aging steps that are necessary to achieve a T6 or a T7 temper state. Prior to achieving the T6 or a T7 temper state, the sheet is formed to a desired shape and welded in the desired shape to produce a desired vehicle component. Once formed, the vehicle component is heat treated through a remaining aging step to achieve a T6 or T7 temper state homogeneously throughout the vehicle component.

Abstract: A method for warm forming an aluminum beam, such as an aluminum component for a vehicle, includes providing an extruded aluminum beam with a hollow cross-sectional shape. A portion of a forming die is heated to a desired temperature, so as to heat a portion of the aluminum beam in the die to a temperature below the artificial aging temperature of the aluminum beam. The heated aluminum beam is deformed to a desired shape with the die in a direction transverse to a length of the aluminum beam.