Vehicle drive unit

Abstract

The vehicle comprises: an internal combustion engine (21), an electric unit (23) having a first electric motor (31) and a second electric motor (33), an inverter (27) arranged above the electric unit, a first wiring harness (41) electrically connecting the inverter to a first terminal block (61) of the first electric motor, and a second wiring harness (42) electrically connecting the inverter to a second terminal block (62) of the second electric motor, wherein the first electric motor and the second electric motor are arranged along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle, and the first electric motor and the second electric motor arranged at the rear side in the front-to-back direction are arranged to be biased toward the upper side in the up-down direction relative to the electric motor arranged at the front side in the front-to-back direction, the electric unit comprises a prescribed space (A) formed by an area above one electric motor and rearward compared to the front end and an area in front of the other electric motor and below the upper end, and the first terminal block and the second terminal block are located in the prescribed space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving unit of a vehicle, and more particularly to a technology for improving the protection performance of a wire harness. Background Art

[0002] Recently, so-called hybrid vehicles that use an engine to generate electricity and can travel using a driving force from an electric motor have become widespread.

[0003] In the engine room of such a hybrid vehicle, a plurality of devices are arranged, including a motor, an engine, a generator for converting driving force generated by the operation of the engine into electric energy, and an inverter for converting AC to DC.

[0004] As described above, the layout of the engine room of a hybrid vehicle is extremely complicated compared to the engine room of a conventional vehicle using an engine as a driving source, and therefore how to arrange each device and what kind of components to use have become issues.

[0005] In order to solve such a layout problem, it is conceivable to connect a high-voltage cable to a terminal block provided on the side surface of the motor in the vehicle left-right direction (Patent Document 1).

[0006] Prior art literature

[0007] Patent Literature

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-97727

[0009] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0010] However, in the technology disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document 1, for example, when a vehicle collides from the front and causes the motor to move to the rear of the vehicle, there is a concern that the various devices complexly arranged in the engine room may come into contact with the terminal seat of the motor, thereby causing damage to the terminal seat, and there is still room for further improvement. Summary of the invention

[0011] The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle drive unit capable of suppressing damage to terminal blocks (first terminal block and second terminal block) of a motor and an inverter during a vehicle collision.

[0012] Technical means to solve problems

[0013] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the drive unit of the vehicle of the present invention comprises: an internal combustion engine, which is arranged in the engine room of the vehicle; an electric unit, which has a first electric motor and a second electric motor, and is arranged on one side of the internal combustion engine in the left and right direction of the vehicle, the first electric motor generates electricity by driving the internal combustion engine, and the second electric motor is driven by the power supplied from the driving battery of the vehicle; an inverter, which is arranged above the electric unit; a first wiring harness, which electrically connects the inverter to a first terminal seat of the first electric motor; and a second wiring harness, which connects the inverter to the second electric motor The second terminal seat of the machine is electrically connected, the first motor and the second motor are arranged along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle, and relative to the motor of one of the first motor and the second motor arranged at the front side in the front-to-back direction, the motor of the other of the first motor and the second motor arranged at the rear side in the front-to-back direction is arranged to be biased towards the upper side in the up-down direction, the electric unit has a specified space, the specified space is formed by an area above the one motor and rearward compared to the front end and an area in front of the other motor and below the upper end, and the first terminal seat and the second terminal seat are located in the specified space.

[0014] Effects of the Invention

[0015] According to the vehicle drive unit of the present invention, the second motor is located at the rear side of the first motor in the vehicle front-rear direction and at the upper side in the up-down direction to form a predetermined space, and the first terminal seat and the second terminal seat are located in the space, so that the first terminal seat and the second terminal seat can be arranged on the inner side compared with the outer edge of the electric unit when viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle. Thus, the first terminal seat and the second terminal seat of the motor and the inverter can be prevented from being damaged when the vehicle collides. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a top view of the engine compartment.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a top view of the engine compartment.

[0019] Figure 4 This is the front view of the engine compartment.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional view of the drive axle, reducer and inverter viewed from the upper right front.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional view of the drive axle and reducer viewed from the upper left front.

[0022] Figure 7 This is the left side view of the drive axle, reducer and inverter.

[0023] Figure 8 This is the front view of the drive axle and reducer.

[0024] Fig. 9 This is a three-dimensional view of the drive axle, reducer and inverter when viewed from the upper right front and after the drive axle and reducer are moved to the rear.

[0025] Fig.10 This is an explanatory diagram for explaining the arrangement of each device before a frontal collision between a vehicle and an obstacle occurs.

[0026] Fig.11 This is an explanatory diagram for explaining the arrangement of each device after a frontal collision between a vehicle and an obstacle occurs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

[0028] Reference Figure 1 , a schematic three-dimensional view of the vehicle 1 is shown.

[0029] The vehicle 1 is a so-called hybrid vehicle including drive wheels 3, a battery pack (driving battery) 5, and a drive unit 7. The vehicle is configured to drive the drive wheels 3 for travel by generating a driving force by the drive unit 7, and the drive unit 7 is supplied with power from the battery pack 5 disposed at the lower center of the vehicle body 2 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0030] The vehicle 1 is configured to perform so-called regenerative braking in which the drive unit 7 generates electricity while decelerating and supplies and stores electricity in the battery pack 5. The drive unit 7 is provided with an engine 21 described later, and the vehicle 1 is configured to generate electricity by operating the engine 21 and supply and store electricity in the battery pack 5.

[0031] In addition, for the convenience of explanation, the front and rear of the vehicle front and rear directions are simply referred to as front or rear, the left and right of the vehicle left and right directions are simply referred to as left or right, and the top and bottom of the vehicle up and down directions are simply referred to as top or bottom.

[0032] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 , showing a top view of the engine room 10, referring to Figure 4 , a front view of the engine room 10 is shown.

[0033] The engine room 10 is a space formed by covering the frame members on the front side of the vehicle body 2, such as the upper rod portion 11, the upper side portion 13, and the floor 15. The drive unit 7 is arranged in the engine room 10.

[0034] The drive unit 7 includes an engine (internal combustion engine) 21, a drive axle (electric unit) 23, a speed reducer (transmission) 24, a drive shaft 25, an inverter 27, and an electric booster (brake force auxiliary device) 29. In the drive unit 7, the engine 21 and the drive axle 23 are swingably mounted to the vehicle body 2 via, for example, a first fixing member 7a provided on the right side of the upper end of the engine 21, a second fixing member 7b provided on the left side of the upper end of the drive axle 23, and a third fixing member 7c provided on the rear side of the lower end of the engine 21. The engine 21 is an internal combustion engine that operates by burning fuel stored in a fuel tank (not shown). The engine 21 can drive the output shaft 21a (see below) by operating. Figure 5 The transaxle 23 is an electric unit fixed to a joint surface (joint portion) 23 a on the left side of the engine 21 , and includes a generator (first electric motor) 31 and a motor (second electric motor) 33 .

[0035] An air cleaner 20 is arranged above the engine 21 (see Figure 3 ). The air cleaner 20 is a device for removing dirt and dust from the air sucked into the engine 21, and the air cleaner 20 is arranged in the middle of the intake passage 22 of the engine 21. Hereinafter, the intake passage 22 on the downstream side (the outlet side of the intake passage 22, the engine side) of the air cleaner 20 is referred to as the downstream intake passage 22a, and the intake passage 22 on the upstream side (the inlet side of the intake passage 22) of the air cleaner 20 is referred to as the upstream intake passage 22b.

[0036] The downstream air intake passage 22a extends downward from the front surface of the air cleaner 20. On the other hand, the upstream air intake passage 22b is formed in a shape that extends from the left side of the vehicle in the left-right direction compared with the downstream air intake passage 22a in the front surface of the air cleaner 20 toward the left oblique front, and bends toward the right side of the vehicle after passing over the drive axle 23.

[0037] Reference Figure 5 , showing a perspective view of the drive axle 23, the speed reducer 24 and the inverter 27 viewed from the upper right front. Figure 6 , showing a perspective view of the drive axle 23 and the reducer 24 viewed from the upper left front. The generator 31 is a generator that converts the driving force of the output shaft 21a driven by the engine 21 into electric energy. The motor 33 is an electric motor driven by being supplied with electric power from the battery pack 5 via the inverter 27. In addition, the motor 33 can generate electricity while decelerating the drive wheel 3 by utilizing the rotation of the drive wheel 3 generated by the running of the vehicle 1. The motor 33 is located on the rear side and upper side of the generator 31.

[0038] The speed reducer 24 is a gear unit located between the engine 21, the generator 31, and the motor 33. The speed reducer 24 can reduce the rotation speed of the motor 33 and increase the torque, thereby transmitting the driving force to the drive shaft 25. The drive shaft 25 is a shaft component that is connected to the speed reducer 24 at one end so as to transmit the driving force, and is connected to the drive wheel 3 at the other end so as to transmit the driving force.

[0039] The inverter 27 is a conversion device that can convert direct current into three-phase alternating current, change three-phase alternating current into direct current, and change voltage. The inverter 27 is also called a power drive unit (PDU), and has an inverter circuit and an electronic control device built in. The inverter circuit includes switching elements such as IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) and MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor). In addition, the electronic control device has the function of controlling the operating state of the switching element (the timing of switching on and off, the driving frequency).

[0040] In addition, the inverter 27 is fixed to the upper rod portion 11 at the front end and fixed to the upper side portion 13 at the left end (see Figure 2 In addition, the inverter 27 is arranged at an angle θ (for example, 10 degrees) in a manner that the front side is tilted downward (see the following description). Figure 7 ).

[0041] Specifically, a flat front end support portion 27a is provided at the front end portion of the inverter 27. The front end support portion 27a is fixed to the upper rod portion 11 in a state where its lower surface is in surface contact with the top surface of the upper rod portion 11. In addition, a bracket 27b is provided at the rear end portion of the inverter 27 (see the following description). Figure 7 ).

[0042] Bracket 27b is formed into a shape that connects inverter 27 to a frame member such as a longitudinal beam (not shown) in the longitudinal direction. The lower end surface of bracket 27b is fixed to the top surface of the longitudinal beam, and the upper end surface of bracket 27b is fixed to the bottom surface of inverter 27.

[0043] The inverter 27 is electrically connected to the generator 31 via the first harness 41, electrically connected to the motor 33 via the second harness 42, and electrically connected to the battery pack 5 via the third harness 43. The connection structure of the inverter 27, the generator 31, the motor 33, the first harness 41, the second harness 42, and the third harness 43, and the shapes of the first harness 41, the second harness 42, and the third harness 43 will be described in detail later. In addition, the first harness 41, the second harness 42, and the third harness 43 are also collectively referred to as the harness group 40.

[0044] Thus, the drive unit 7 can convert the power stored in the battery pack 5 into a three-phase AC current through the inverter 27 and supply it to the motor 33 to drive the motor 33, and drive the drive wheel 3 through the speed reducer 24 and the drive shaft 25 to travel. In addition, the drive unit 7 can generate electricity through the drive axle 23 when decelerating the drive wheel 3, and can generate electricity through the generator 31 by operating the engine 21. In addition, the drive unit 7 can convert the power generated by the generator 31 and the motor 33 into a DC current using the inverter 27 and store it in the battery pack 5.

[0045] Here, the battery pack 5 is a storage battery capable of supplying a high voltage direct current of several hundred volts, such as a lithium ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. The battery pack 5 is arranged on the lower surface of the vehicle 1 (under the vehicle floor), the rear of the vehicle, inside the vehicle, in the luggage room, etc., and is electrically connected to the motor and the generator 31 via the inverter 27.

[0046] The battery pack 5 can supply electric power to the motor 33. The battery pack 5 can be charged by the regenerative electric power of the motor 33 and the electric power generated by the generator 31, and can also be charged by receiving electric power from outside the vehicle (external charging).

[0047] The electric booster 29 is an electric booster that assists the force required when the driver of the vehicle 1 depresses the brake pedal to operate the brake device 3a provided on each wheel (drive wheel 3). The center C of the electric booster 29 is located behind the drive axle 23 and the inverter 27 and below the rear lower end P of the inverter 27.

[0048] according to Figure 5 The inverter 27 is provided with a step portion 51, a DC circuit 53, an AC terminal block 55, and a DC terminal block 57. In addition, the inverter 27 is connected to a refrigerant pipe 71 through which EV cooling water, which is a refrigerant for cooling the inverter circuit, flows.

[0049] The step portion 51 is a step that is recessed toward the left from the front side of the upper right side of the inverter 27 relative to the substantially center in the front-rear direction.

[0050] The DC circuit 53 is a circuit provided inside the upper portion of the inverter 27 on the rear side of the step portion 51 .

[0051] The AC terminal block 55 is disposed on the left side of the step portion 51 on the upper right side of the inverter 27. The first end 41a of the first harness 41 and the second end 42a of the second harness 42 are connected to the AC terminal block 55 so as to extend rightward from the AC terminal block 55.

[0052] The DC terminal block 57 is disposed on the right side of the DC circuit 53 in the upper right side of the inverter 27. The end 43a of the third harness 43 and the end 44a of the fourth harness 44 are connected to the DC terminal block 57 so as to extend rightward from the DC terminal block 57.

[0053] Reference Figure 7 , showing a left side view of the drive axle 23, the reducer 24 and the inverter 27. Figure 8 , showing a front view of the drive axle 23 and the reducer 24. A first terminal block 61 is provided at the upper end 31a of the generator 31, and a second terminal block 62 is provided at the front end 33a of the motor 33. The first terminal block 61 is a terminal block electrically connected to the other end 41b of the first wiring harness 41, and is configured to enable power to be supplied between the generator 31 and the inverter 27 via the first wiring harness 41. The second terminal block 62 is a terminal block electrically connected to the other end 42b of the second wiring harness 42, and is configured to enable power to be supplied between the motor 33 and the inverter 27 via the second wiring harness 42.

[0054] As described above, the motor 33 is located at the rear side and the upper side of the generator 31, in other words, it is arranged to be biased to the upper side in the vertical direction. Due to such a positional relationship between the generator 31 and the motor 33, a space A defined by the upper end 31a of the generator 31 and the front end 33a of the motor 33 is formed in the drive axle 23. That is, the first terminal seat 61 and the second terminal seat 62 are located in the defined space A.

[0055] according to Figure 1 , a third terminal seat 63 electrically connected to the other end 43b of the third harness 43 is provided at the front end of the battery pack 5. In addition, an electric air compressor 64 is provided at the front right end of the engine 21. The electric air compressor 64 is used for the air conditioning device 9 for adjusting the temperature of the air in the cabin of the vehicle 1 and is electrically connected to the other end 44b of the fourth harness 44. Here, the electric air compressor 64 consumes less power than the generator 31 and the motor 33. Therefore, the fourth harness 44 is a thinner wiring than the first harness 41, the second harness 42, and the third harness 43.

[0056] according to Figure 4The first wire harness 41 extends from the AC terminal block 55 of the inverter 27 to the right, and extends downward and leftward from the right side compared to the left end 21b which is the left side compared to the joint surface 23a of the engine 21 to connect to the first terminal block 61 of the generator 31. Figure 5 The first harness 41 extends in a manner bent rearward in the vertical direction. The second harness 42 extends in the same manner as the first harness 41 , in other words, extends along the rear of the first harness 41 and is connected to the second terminal block 62 of the motor 33 .

[0057] according to Figure 1 The third wire harness 43 extends from the DC terminal block 57 of the inverter 27 to the right, extends downward along the rear of the engine 21, and then extends rearward to be connected to the third terminal block 63 of the battery pack 5. In addition, the third wire harness 43 is wired along the surface of the vehicle front side of the floor 15. In this way, by wiring the third wire harness 43 connected to the battery pack 5 at the rear of the vehicle compared with the first wire harness 41 and the second wire harness 42, deformation and damage of the third wire harness 43 when the vehicle 1 is subjected to a frontal collision is suppressed.

[0058] In addition, the fourth harness 44 extends rightward from the front of the end 43a of the third harness 43 in the DC terminal block 57 of the inverter 27, and is formed in the passage (space) S ( Figures 2 to 5 ) extends and extends along the front side of the engine 21 and is connected to the electric air compressor 64. In addition, each wire harness can be formed to maintain the above-mentioned posture, and the above-mentioned posture can also be maintained using a clip or the like.

[0059] Here, the upstream air intake passage 22b is arranged on the vehicle front side relative to the harness group 40. The upstream air intake passage 22b is arranged to be pushed forward from the right side of the harness group 40 in a plan view, and plays a function of protecting the harness group 40 from external forces from the vehicle front.

[0060] As a result, the front of the harness 40 is protected by the upstream air intake passage 22b, and external force during a frontal collision of the vehicle is unlikely to directly act on the harness 40. Therefore, deformation and melting of the harness 40 due to external force can be suppressed, and the protection of the harness 40 against external force can be improved.

[0061] according to Figure 5 , 7, the refrigerant piping 71 connects the front end and the rear end of the inverter 27 in a manner that allows EV cooling water to flow. EV cooling water flows in from the front end side of the inverter 27 and flows out from the rear end side. As a result, the refrigerant piping 71 can prevent interference with the wiring harness group 40 and achieve a simple layout. In addition, the length of the refrigerant piping 71 can be shortened, and the pressure loss associated with the circulation of EV cooling water can be reduced. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the inverter 27 can be improved. In addition, compared with a structure in which, for example, the refrigerant piping 71 is connected only to the front end of the inverter 27, the piping length can be shortened, and efficient piping wiring can be achieved.

[0062] A coolant tank 73 (container) storing EV cooling water is arranged on the vehicle rear side of the inverter 27. The coolant tank 73 is a device for separating bubbles in the EV cooling water. The circulation path of the EV cooling water for cooling the inverter 27 is set separately from the circulation path of the engine cooling water for cooling the engine 21.

[0063] In this way, by arranging a container-shaped member that may be deformed by an external force behind the inverter 27, the coolant tank 73 can act as a buffer, and the inverter 27 can be prevented from being damaged by contact with the floor 15. Therefore, the protection of the inverter 27 can be improved. In addition, since the wiring harness group 40 is not wired behind the inverter 27, the empty space in the engine room can be effectively utilized, and the vehicle 1 can be made smaller and lighter.

[0064] The EV cooling water flowing into the inverter 27 is stored in a cooling water tank (not shown) and introduced into the inverter 27 via a pump and an EV radiator (not shown). In addition, the EV cooling water after passing through the inverter 27 cools other components (such as the rear motor, the on-board charger, etc.) and then flows back to the cooling water tank.

[0065] Reference Fig. 9 , showing a perspective view of the drive axle 23 and the reducer 24 when moving backward, as viewed from the upper right front. Fig.10 and Fig.11 , which shows an explanatory diagram for explaining the configuration of each device before and after the vehicle 1 collides with the obstacle 100. Figures 9-11 , the function and effect of the driving unit 7 of the present invention are explained.

[0066] As described above, the inverter 27 is fixed to the upper rod portion 11 at its front end and fixed to the upper side portion 13 at its left end. On the other hand, the engine 21 and the drive axle 23 are swingably mounted to the vehicle body 2 via the first fixing member 7a, the second fixing member 7b, and the third fixing member 7c. Therefore, the inverter 27 may not be linked to the drive axle 23 when the drive axle 23 swings, and may perform a different operation relative to the drive axle 23.

[0067] Here, according to Fig.10 In front of the drive unit 7, a reinforcing plate 2a and a radiator 21c are provided. The upper end 21d of the radiator 21c is located in front of the inverter 27. In addition, the lower end 21e of the radiator 21c is fixed to the suspension beam 17 which is the skeleton member of the vehicle 1. Fig.11 When the vehicle 1 collides head-on with the obstacle 100 , the engine 21 and the transaxle 23 may move rearward relative to the inverter 27 via the reinforcing plate 2 a and the radiator 21 c located forward of the drive unit 7 .

[0068] Thus, even when the engine 21 and the drive axle 23 move backward relative to the inverter 27, since the first harness 41 and the second harness 42 extend rightward from the one end 41a, 42a, the other end 41b, 42b rotates backward with the one end 41a, 42a as the axis, and the first harness 41 and the second harness 42 are prevented from being stretched. In addition, by forming a step portion 51 in the inverter 27 and arranging an AC terminal seat 55 on the step portion 51, even if the first harness 41 and the second harness 42 are formed to extend rightward from the one end 41a, 42a, the first harness 41 and the second harness 42 can be prevented from interfering with the engine 21.

[0069] In addition, compared with the engine 21 that works by burning fuel, the heat generated by the drive axle 23 is smaller, and the space above the drive axle 23 is lower in temperature than the space above the engine 21. In view of this, the above-mentioned wire harness group 40 is not wired in the space above the engine 21, but is wired in the space above the drive axle 23 arranged adjacent to the engine 21. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the deformation and melting of the wire harness group 40 due to the heat generated by the engine 21, and the protection of the wire harness group 40 against heat can be improved. In addition, the high-voltage circuit around the battery pack 5 becomes difficult to be exposed when the vehicle collides, so that the safety of rescue operations can be improved and the occupant protection performance can be improved.

[0070] In addition, the layout in which the wire harness group 40 is pulled out from the end face of the inverter 27 in the vehicle width direction can improve the operability related to the maintenance of the engine room compared to the layout in which the wire harness group 40 is pulled out from the back side (the rear side of the vehicle) of the inverter 27. Specifically, when the operator looks into the engine room from the front of the vehicle 1, the wire harness group 40 is wired at a position closer to the operator (in front). As a result, for example, when removing the wire harness group 40 from the inverter 27, there is no need to reach inside with the hand, and the operation can be easily performed. In addition, the connection part between the wire harness group 40 and the inverter can be directly confirmed by visual inspection, and the status of the wire harness group 40 and the inverter 27 can be correctly grasped.

[0071] In addition, the first wiring harness 41 and the second wiring harness 42 extend in a manner that is bent rearward in the center in the vertical direction. Therefore, even if the vehicle 1 collides with the obstacle 100 from the front and the inverter 27 moves upward away from the engine 21 and the drive axle 23, the tensile force acting on the first wiring harness 41 and the second wiring harness 42 can be suppressed.

[0072] The third wire harness 43 and the fourth wire harness 44 are wire harnesses to which direct current is connected. Therefore, it is necessary to convert the alternating current generated by the generator 31 and the motor 33 into direct current and then supply it to the third wire harness 43 and the fourth wire harness 44. Therefore, by arranging the direct current circuit 53 on the rear side of the direct current terminal block 57 in the inverter 27 to form the step portion 51, the inverter 27, each wire harness, etc. can be fully miniaturized, and the deformation and damage of the third wire harness 43 during a vehicle collision can be suppressed, which can improve the vehicle protection.

[0073] The fourth wire harness 44 extends to the right from the front side of the DC terminal block 57 of the inverter 27 compared with the one end 43a of the third wire harness 43. In other words, the one end 44a of the fourth wire harness 44 is located between the one end 42a of the second wire harness 42 and the one end 43a of the third wire harness 43. Therefore, by arranging the front and rear of the one end 44a of the fourth wire harness 44, which is a wiring thinner than the second wire harness 42 and the third wire harness 43, to be sandwiched between the one end 42a of the second wire harness 42 and the one end 43a of the third wire harness 43, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the fourth wire harness 44 caused by so-called debris such as small stones rolled up by the drive wheels when the vehicle 1 is running.

[0074] In addition, the fourth wire harness 44 extends between the first wire harness 41 and the second wire harness 42 and the inverter 27. Therefore, even when the engine 21 and the drive axle 23 move forward and backward relative to the inverter 27 as described above, the swing of the first wire harness 41 and the second wire harness 42 can be suppressed to cause the fourth wire harness 44 to be stretched.

[0075] In addition, the inverter 27 is arranged in a forward-leaning posture with an angle θ in a manner that the front side is tilted downward, and the rear lower end P is located above the center C of the electric booster 29. Therefore, in the case where the vehicle 1 collides with the obstacle 100 from the front, the rear lower end P of the inverter 27 can move upward as it moves backward. In addition, even if the rear lower end P moves upward so that the inverter 27 contacts the electric booster 29, since the rear lower end P is located above the center C of the electric booster 29, the damage to the inverter 27 and the electric booster 29 caused by the contact can be reduced.

[0076] Furthermore, the first terminal block 61 of the generator 31 and the second terminal block 62 of the motor 33 are located in a predetermined space A formed by the motor 33 being located at the rear side and the upper side of the generator 31. Thus, even in the case of a front collision between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle 100, it is possible to suppress the first terminal block 61 and the second terminal block 62 from being damaged due to the collision between the inverter 27 and the first terminal block 61 and the second terminal block 62. In addition, since the radiator 21c is located in front of the drive unit 7, when the vehicle 1 collides with the obstacle 100 from the front, the radiator 21c covers the front of the predetermined space A, and it is possible to suppress the first terminal block 61 and the second terminal block 62 and the other end 41b of the first wire harness 41 and the other end 42b of the second wire harness 42 from being damaged due to scattered objects and the like.

[0077] Furthermore, the lower end 21e of the radiator 21c is fixed to the front end of the suspension beam 17, i.e., is supported. Therefore, when the vehicle 1 collides head-on with the obstacle 100, the rearward movement of the radiator 21c is reduced, thereby preventing the radiator 21c from contacting the drive axle 23. Even when the radiator 21c contacts the drive axle 23, the impact applied to the drive axle 23 can be reduced.

[0078] As described above, in the drive unit 7 of the vehicle 1 of the present invention, there is: an engine 21 arranged in the engine room 10 of the vehicle 1, a generator 31 that generates electricity by driving the engine 21, and a motor 33 driven by electricity supplied from the battery pack 5 of the vehicle 1, and will have: a drive axle 23 arranged on one side of the engine 21 in the left and right directions of the vehicle, an inverter 27 arranged above the drive axle 23, a first wiring harness 41 that electrically connects the inverter 27 to the first terminal seat 61 of the generator 31, and a second wiring harness 42 that electrically connects the inverter 27 to the second terminal seat 62 of the motor 33.

[0079] In addition, the generator 31 and the motor 33 are arranged along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle 1, and the motor 33, which is the motor of the generator 31 and the motor 33 and is arranged at the front side in the front-to-rear direction, is arranged to be biased toward the upper side in the up-down direction, relative to the generator 31, which is the electric motor of the generator 31 and the motor 33 and is arranged at the rear side in the front-to-rear direction. The drive axle 23 has a prescribed space A formed by an area above the generator 31 and rearward compared to the front end and an area in front of the motor 33 and below compared to the upper end, and the first terminal seat 61 and the second terminal seat 62 are located in the prescribed space A.

[0080] Therefore, the motor 33 is located at the rear side of the generator 31 in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle 1 and at the upper side in the up-down direction, and a space A is formed on the generator 31 defined by an area above the generator 31 and rearward compared to the front end and an area in front of the motor 33 and below compared to the upper end, and the first terminal seat 61 and the second terminal seat 62 are located in the specified space A, so that the first terminal seat 61 and the second terminal seat 62 can be set on the inner side compared to the outer edge of the drive axle 23 when viewed from the left-right direction of the vehicle 1.

[0081] Furthermore, the first and second harnesses 41 and 42 are formed to be bent rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction, so that when the transaxle 23 and the inverter 27 move relative to each other, the tensile force applied to the first and second harnesses 41 and 42 can be further reduced.

[0082] In addition, there is a reducer 24 arranged between the engine 21 and the drive axle 23, a first wiring harness 41 extends from the inverter 27 toward the engine 21 side in the left-right direction of the vehicle and extends downward to be connected to the first terminal seat 61 of the generator 31, and a second wiring harness 42 extends from the inverter 27 toward the engine 21 side in the left-right direction of the vehicle and extends downward to be connected to the second terminal seat 62 of the motor 33. When viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the first wiring harness 41 and the second wiring harness 42 are located on the drive axle 23 side compared to the joint surface 23a between the reducer 24 and the engine 21.

[0083] Therefore, when viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the first wire harness 41 and the second wire harness 42 are housed on the drive axle 23 side compared to the joint surface 23a between the reducer 24 and the engine 21, thereby reducing the swing range of the first wire harness 41 and the second wire harness 42 in the left-right direction of the vehicle 1.

[0084] In addition, the vehicle 1 is provided with a braking device 3a for braking and an electric booster 29 for applying the force required for the braking device 3a to work. The electric booster 29 is located on the rear side of the drive axle 23 in the vehicle front-to-rear direction and on the upper side in the up-down direction. When viewed in the vehicle front-to-rear direction, the inverter 27 is tilted forward in such a manner that the lower part of the rear end in the up-down direction is located on the upper side and on the front side in the front-to-rear direction compared to the center of the electric booster 29 in the vehicle up-down direction. This can prevent the inverter 27 from contacting the electric booster 29 when the vehicle 1 has a front collision, or even if the inverter 27 and the electric booster 29 are in contact, the impact applied to the electric booster 29 can be reduced.

[0085] Furthermore, a radiator 21c is provided in front of the drive axle 23. When the vehicle 1 moves rearward due to a frontal collision, for example, the radiator 21c covers the front of a predetermined space A, thereby protecting the first terminal seat 61 and the second terminal seat 62 in the predetermined space A from flying objects.

[0086] In particular, the upper end 21d of the radiator 21c is located in front of the inverter 27, and the lower end 21e is fixed to the front end of the left and right pair of suspension beams 17. Therefore, when, for example, a front collision of the vehicle 1 causes the radiator 21c to move rearward, the upper end 21d of the radiator 21c is supported by the inverter 27, and the lower end 21e is supported by the left and right pair of suspension beams 17, thereby effectively preventing the radiator 21c from entering the specified space A.

[0087] Furthermore, the motor 33 is arranged at the rear side in the front-to-rear direction of the generator 31, and is arranged relatively upward in the up-down direction relative to the generator 31. The first wire harness 41 and the second wire harness 42 are bent toward the rear in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. The first wire harness 41 extends toward the rear from the first terminal seat 61 of the generator 31, and the second wire harness 42 extends toward the front from the second terminal seat 62 of the motor 33. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the first wire harness 41 from being clamped by surrounding components when the vehicle 1 has a front collision. Since the second wire harness 42 is extended toward the front from the second terminal seat 62 of the motor 33 located on the rear side of the generator 31, in other words, from the second terminal seat 62 located on the rear side within the specified space A, the wiring of the wire harness within the specified space A can be made compact in the front-to-rear direction.

[0088] The above is the end of the description of the vehicle drive unit of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified within the scope of the gist of the invention.

[0089] For example, in the present embodiment, the motor 33 is located behind and above the generator 31 , but the positions of the generator 31 and the motor 33 may be reversed, in other words, the generator 31 may be located behind and above the motor 33 .

[0090] In addition, in the present embodiment, the speed reducer 24 is used, but a transmission capable of adjusting the degree of speed reduction may be used.

[0091] In the present embodiment, the first wire harness 41 and the second wire harness 42 are bent rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction, but they may be bent forward, or may be changed appropriately according to the positional relationship of each device and the like.

[0092] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the structure in which the coolant tank 73 is arranged behind the inverter 27 is illustrated, but a water storage tank (a tank for absorbing the volume change of EV cooling water) or a washer liquid tank (a tank for storing windshield washer liquid) may be arranged instead of the coolant tank 73. At least by arranging the container for storing liquid behind the inverter 27, the same effect as the above-mentioned embodiment can be achieved.

[0093] The drive unit of a vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises: an internal combustion engine, which is arranged in an engine room of the vehicle; an electric unit, which has a first electric motor and a second electric motor and is arranged on one side of the internal combustion engine in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the first electric motor generates electricity by driving the internal combustion engine, and the second electric motor is driven by the power supplied from the driving battery of the vehicle; an inverter, which is arranged above the electric unit; a first wire harness, which electrically connects the inverter to a first terminal block of the first electric motor; and a second wire harness, which connects the inverter to the second electric motor The second terminal seat is electrically connected to the first motor and the second motor, and the first motor and the second motor are arranged along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle, and relative to the motor of one of the first motor and the second motor arranged at the front side in the front-to-back direction, the other motor of the first motor and the second motor arranged at the rear side in the front-to-back direction is arranged to be biased towards the upper side in the up-down direction, and the electric unit has a specified space, which is formed by an area above the one motor and rearward compared to the front end and an area in front of the other motor and below the upper end, and the first terminal seat and the second terminal seat are located in the specified space.

[0094] In a first embodiment of the present invention, in an electric unit, a space is formed by forming a region above and rearward of a front end of an electric motor on one side and a region in front of and below an upper end of an electric motor on the other side, and the first terminal seat and the second terminal seat are located in the specified space, thereby enabling the first terminal seat and the second terminal seat to be arranged on the inner side compared to the outer edge of the electric unit when viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0095] In the vehicle drive unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the first wire harness and the second wire harness may be bent forward or backward in a vehicle front-rear direction.

[0096] In the second embodiment of the present invention, by bending the first and second harnesses forward or backward, it is possible to reduce the tensile force applied to the first and second harnesses when the electric unit and the inverter move relative to each other.

[0097] In the drive unit of the vehicle of the third embodiment of the present invention, it may be that it also has a transmission, which is arranged between the above-mentioned internal combustion engine and the above-mentioned electric unit, the above-mentioned first wiring harness extends from the above-mentioned inverter toward the above-mentioned internal combustion engine side in the left-right direction of the vehicle and extends downward to be connected to the above-mentioned first terminal seat of the above-mentioned first electric motor, and the above-mentioned second wiring harness extends from the above-mentioned inverter toward the above-mentioned internal combustion engine side in the left-right direction of the vehicle and extends downward to be connected to the above-mentioned second terminal seat of the above-mentioned second electric motor. When viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the above-mentioned first wiring harness and the above-mentioned second wiring harness are located on the above-mentioned electric unit side compared with the joint between the above-mentioned transmission and the above-mentioned internal combustion engine.

[0098] In the third embodiment of the present invention, when viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the first and second wire harnesses are housed on the electric unit side compared to the joint between the transmission and the internal combustion engine, thereby shortening the swing range of the first and second wire harnesses in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0099] The drive unit of the vehicle of the fourth embodiment of the present invention may be provided with: a braking device, which brakes the above-mentioned vehicle; and a braking force assisting device, which applies the force required for the operation of the above-mentioned braking device, the above-mentioned braking force assisting device is located on the rear side in the vehicle front-to-rear direction and on the upper side in the up-down direction of the above-mentioned electric unit, and when viewed in the vehicle front-to-rear direction, the above-mentioned inverter is tilted forward in such a manner that the lower part of the rear end in the up-down direction is located on the upper side and on the front-to-rear direction front side compared to the center of the above-mentioned braking force assisting device in the vehicle up-down direction.

[0100] In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the inverter is arranged to be tilted forward in such a manner that the lower portion of the rear end of the inverter is located on the upper and front side compared to the center in the up-down direction of the brake assist device, thereby preventing the inverter from contacting the brake assist device when a frontal collision occurs in the vehicle, or even if the inverter and the brake assist device come into contact, the impact applied to the brake assist device can be reduced.

[0101] The vehicle drive unit according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention may include a radiator located in front of the electric unit, wherein the radiator covers the front of the predetermined space when the radiator moves rearward.

[0102] In the fifth embodiment of the present invention, when the radiator moves rearward in a frontal collision of the vehicle, for example, the front of the predetermined space is covered, so that the first and second terminal blocks located in the predetermined space can be protected from flying objects.

[0103] In the vehicle drive unit according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, the radiator may have an upper end located in front of the inverter and a lower end fixed to front ends of a pair of left and right suspension cross members.

[0104] In the sixth embodiment of the present invention, the upper end of the radiator is located in front of the inverter, and the lower end is fixed to the front end of a pair of left and right suspension beams. Thus, for example, when a frontal collision occurs in the vehicle and causes the radiator to move rearward, the upper end of the radiator is supported by the inverter and the lower end is supported by the pair of left and right suspension beams, thereby effectively preventing the radiator from entering the specified space.

[0105] In the drive unit of the vehicle of the seventh embodiment of the present invention, the second motor may be arranged at the rear side in the front-rear direction of the first motor, and arranged to be biased towards the upper side in the up-down direction relative to the first motor, the first wiring harness and the second wiring harness are bent toward the rear in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the first wiring harness extends from the first terminal seat of the first motor toward the rear, and the second wiring harness extends from the second terminal seat of the second motor toward the front.

[0106] In the seventh embodiment of the present invention, a first wire harness extending from a first terminal seat of a first motor located on the front side of a second motor, in other words, from a first terminal seat located on the front side within a prescribed space, is extended toward the rear. Thus, for example, when a frontal collision occurs in the vehicle, the first wire harness can be prevented from being clamped by surrounding components. A second wire harness extending from a second terminal seat of a second motor located on the rear side of the first motor, in other words, from a second terminal seat located on the rear side within a prescribed space, is extended toward the front. Thus, compactness of the wiring of the wire harness in the prescribed space in the front-to-rear direction can be achieved.

[0107] The vehicle drive unit according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention may include a coolant pipe connected to the front end portion and the rear end portion of the inverter, respectively, through which a coolant for cooling the inverter flows.

[0108] In the eighth embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerant pipes through which the refrigerant for cooling the inverter flows are connected to the front end and the rear end of the inverter, respectively, thereby preventing the refrigerant pipes from interfering with the first and second wire harnesses.

[0109] The vehicle drive unit according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention may include a container for storing liquid, the container being arranged side by side with the inverter in a vehicle length direction and on the vehicle rear side of the inverter.

[0110] In the ninth embodiment of the present invention, a container storing liquid is disposed behind the inverter 27, whereby the container functions as a buffer, thereby preventing damage to the inverter.

[0111] Explanation of symbols

[0112] 1 Vehicle

[0113] 3a Braking device

[0114] 5. Battery pack (travel battery)

[0115] 9 Air conditioning unit

[0116] 10 Engine room

[0117] 17 Suspension beam

[0118] 21 Engine (internal combustion engine)

[0119] 21c Radiator

[0120] 21d Upper

[0121] 21e Lower end

[0122] 23 Drive axle (electric unit)

[0123] 23a Joint surface (joint portion)

[0124] 24 Speed ​​reducer (transmission)

[0125] 27 Inverter

[0126] 29 Electric booster (brake assist device)

[0127] 31 Generator (first motor)

[0128] 33 Motor (second motor)

[0129] 41 First wiring harness

[0130] 42 Second wiring harness

[0131] 61 First terminal block

[0132] 62 Second terminal block

[0133] 64 Electric air compressor

[0134] 71 Refrigerant piping

[0135] 73 Coolant tank (container)

[0136] A Specified space

Claims

1. A vehicle drive unit, characterized in that: have: An internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine being arranged in an engine compartment of the vehicle; an electric unit having a first electric motor and a second electric motor, and arranged on one side of the internal combustion engine in the vehicle left-right direction, the first electric motor generating electricity by driving the internal combustion engine, and the second electric motor being driven by electric power supplied from a battery for driving the vehicle; An inverter is disposed above the electric unit; a first wiring harness electrically connecting the inverter to a first terminal block of the first motor; as well as a second wiring harness electrically connecting the inverter to a second terminal block of the second electric motor, The first motor and the second motor are arranged along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the other motor of the first motor and the second motor arranged at the rear side in the front-rear direction is arranged to be biased toward the upper side in the up-down direction relative to the motor of the first motor and the second motor arranged at the front side in the front-rear direction. The electric unit has a predetermined space formed by a region above and behind the front end of the one electric motor and a region in front of and below the upper end of the other electric motor. The first terminal seat and the second terminal seat are located in the prescribed space.

2. The vehicle drive unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first wire harness and the second wire harness are bent forward or backward in a vehicle front-rear direction.

3. The vehicle drive unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A transmission is provided between the internal combustion engine and the electric unit, The first harness extends from the inverter toward the internal combustion engine side in the left-right direction of the vehicle and extends downward to be connected to the first terminal block of the first motor. The second harness extends from the inverter toward the internal combustion engine side in the left-right direction of the vehicle and extends downward to be connected to the second terminal block of the second electric motor. The first and second harnesses are located on the electric unit side relative to a joint portion between the transmission and the internal combustion engine as viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle drive unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: have: a brake device that brakes the vehicle; and a brake assist device which applies the force necessary for the operation of the brake device, The brake force assist device is located at the rear side of the electric unit in the vehicle front-rear direction and at the upper side in the up-down direction. The inverter is tilted forward so that a lower portion of a rear end thereof is located above a center of the brake assist device in the vehicle vertical direction and forward in the vertical direction when viewed in the vehicle vertical direction.

5. The vehicle drive unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: A radiator is provided, the radiator being located in front of the electric unit, The radiator covers the front of the predetermined space when moving rearward.

6. The vehicle drive unit according to claim 5, characterized in that: The upper end of the radiator is located in front of the inverter, and the lower end is fixed to the front end of a pair of left and right suspension beams.

7. The vehicle drive unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The second motor is disposed at the rear side of the first motor in the front-rear direction and is disposed to be biased toward the upper side in the up-down direction relative to the first motor. The first wire harness and the second wire harness are bent rearward in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, The first harness is extended from the first terminal block of the first motor toward the rear. The second harness is extended forward from the second terminal block of the second motor.

8. The vehicle drive unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: A refrigerant pipe is provided, the refrigerant pipe being connected to the front end portion and the rear end portion of the inverter, respectively, and allowing a refrigerant for cooling the inverter to flow.

9. The vehicle drive unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: A container for storing liquid is provided, and the container is arranged on the vehicle rear side of the inverter so as to be aligned with the inverter in the vehicle length direction.

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