Electric vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle is provided with a vehicle body having a panel body with a protrusion, a high-voltage cable provided at a position facing the protrusion, a member mounted to the panel body and having a protection device portion covering the protrusion, and a resin connector for low voltage mounted to the protection device portion between the protection device portion and the high-voltage cable. As one example, the panel body can be an instrument panel, and the protrusion can be a stud bolt.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to electric vehicles. As used herein, electric vehicles broadly mean vehicles equipped with motors to drive the wheels, including, for example, battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), etc. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-060324 describes an electric vehicle. This electric vehicle includes a driving motor and a power conversion device. The driving motor and the power conversion device are located in the front compartment of the vehicle body and are interconnected via a high-voltage cable. The high-voltage cable is configured to be held in place by a bracket of the power conversion device, which provides protection in the event of a collision involving the electric vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Stud bolts are sometimes present in the dashboard of a vehicle. In this case, if a high-voltage cable is arranged opposite the stud bolt, there is a possibility that the high-voltage cable may be damaged in the event of a collision with the electric vehicle. This problem is not limited to stud bolts in the dashboard. That is, the same problem may occur even if there is a protrusion in the panel constituting the vehicle body and a high-voltage cable is arranged opposite to that protrusion. In view of the above, this specification provides a technique for protecting high-voltage cables in electric vehicles.

[0004] The technology disclosed in this specification is embodied in an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle includes: a vehicle body having a panel with protrusions; a high-voltage cable arranged opposite to the protrusions; a component mounted on the panel having a protective device portion covering the protrusions; and a resin connector for low-voltage wiring mounted on the protective device portion, located between the protective device portion and the high-voltage cable.

[0005] In the aforementioned electric vehicle, the protrusion on the panel is covered by a protective device portion of a component mounted on the panel. Furthermore, a resin connector for low-voltage wiring is installed in this protective device portion. With this structure, both the protective device portion and the resin connector are positioned between the protrusion on the panel and the high-voltage cable facing it. Therefore, even in the event of a collision involving the electric vehicle, contact between the high-voltage cable and the protrusion is prevented.

[0006] In this specification, high voltage means an operating voltage of DC exceeding 60 volts or an operating voltage of AC exceeding 30 volts (effective value), and low voltage means an operating voltage that does not correspond to such high voltage. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same elements, and are attached as follows:

[0008] Figure 1 The overall structure of the electric vehicle 10 of the embodiment is schematically shown.

[0009] Figure 2 The structure of the main parts of the electric vehicle 10 in the embodiment is schematically shown.

[0010] Figure 3 The front surface of the instrument panel 24 with double-ended bolts 25a and 25b is shown, while the protective device 40 and the resin connector 50 are omitted from the illustration.

[0011] Figure 4 The instrument panel 24 with the protective device 40 installed is shown, while the resin connector 50 is omitted from the illustration.

[0012] Figure 5 The instrument panel 24 is shown with the protective device 40 and the resin connector 50 installed. Detailed Implementation

[0013] In one embodiment of this technology, at least a portion of the outer periphery of the resin connector may be located outside the outer periphery of the protective device portion in a direction orthogonal to the protrusion. With this structure, when a high-voltage cable contacts the resin connector, the resin connector is supported by the outer peripheral wall of the protective device portion. Therefore, the protective device portion is less prone to damage, and contact between the high-voltage cable and the protrusion can be effectively prevented.

[0014] In one embodiment of this technology, the component having the protective device may also be made of resin. Alternatively, the component having the protective device may be a support for a wire harness used to maintain low voltage.

[0015] In one embodiment of this technology, the panel may also be an instrument panel located between the front compartment and the passenger compartment of the vehicle body. In this case, the high-voltage cable may also be located within the front compartment. However, the panel is not limited to an instrument panel, but may be other panels constituting the vehicle body.

[0016] In one embodiment of this technology, the protrusion may also be a stud bolt. Stud bolts have relatively sharp edges, and assuming contact with a high-voltage cable, they have a high potential to damage the cable. The technology disclosed in this specification is applicable to such stud bolts. However, the protrusion is not limited to stud bolts and may be other types of protrusions.

[0017] In one embodiment of this technology, the electric vehicle may also include a DC power supply, a driving motor, and a power conversion device electrically connected between the DC power supply and the driving motor. In this case, the high-voltage cable may also be a DC power cable that electrically connects the DC power supply and the power conversion device.

[0018] The electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment is not particularly limited and can be an electric vehicle that travels on a road, or a so-called electric vehicle (BEV). However, the electric vehicle 10 is not limited to an electric vehicle and can also be a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV).

[0019] In this diagram, direction FR indicates the front of the electric vehicle 10 in the front-rear direction, and direction RR indicates the rear of the electric vehicle 10 in the front-rear direction. Additionally, direction LH indicates the left of the electric vehicle 10 in the left-right direction (or width direction), and direction RH indicates the right of the electric vehicle 10 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, direction UP indicates the upper of the electric vehicle 10 in the vertical direction, and direction DW indicates the lower of the electric vehicle 10 in the vertical direction. Moreover, in this specification, the front (FR), rear (RR), left (LH), right (RH), upper (UP), and lower (DW) directions of the electric vehicle 10 are sometimes simply referred to as front, rear, left, right, upper, and lower, respectively.

[0020] like Figure 1As shown, the electric vehicle 10 has a body 12 and multiple wheels 14f and 14r. The body 12 is not particularly limited and is mainly made of metal. Inside the body 12, there is a front compartment 20 and a passenger compartment 22 located behind it. The passenger compartment 22 allows one or more users to ride in the vehicle. The body 12 has an instrument panel 24 and a floor panel 26. The instrument panel 24 is a panel that extends vertically and horizontally, located between the front compartment 20 and the passenger compartment 22. The floor panel 26 is a panel that extends horizontally and vertically, located below the passenger compartment 22.

[0021] Each of the plurality of wheels 14f, 14r is rotatably supported by the vehicle body 12. Among the plurality of wheels 14f, 14r are a pair of front wheels 14f located at the front of the vehicle body 12 and a pair of rear wheels 14r located at the rear of the vehicle body 12. The pair of front wheels 14f are coaxially arranged with each other, and the pair of rear wheels 14r are also coaxially arranged with each other. The pair of front wheels 14f are steering wheels whose rotation axis orientation changes according to user operation.

[0022] The electric vehicle 10 also includes a battery 30, a motor 32, a power conversion device 34, and a high-voltage cable 36. The battery 30 is a DC power source that supplies power to the motor 32 and is electrically connected to the motor 32 via the power conversion device 34. The battery 30 has multiple built-in secondary battery cells, configured to be repeatedly charged by externally supplied charging power and power regenerated by the motor 32. Although not specifically limited, the battery 30 is located below the base plate 26 and is connected to the power conversion device 34 via the high-voltage cable 36.

[0023] Motor 32 is a driving motor that drives a pair of front wheels 14f and is mechanically connected to the pair of front wheels 14f. Power conversion device 34 has a built-in inverter that can convert power between direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). For example, when motor 32 drives the pair of front wheels 14f, power conversion device 34 converts DC power from battery 30 into AC power and supplies it to motor 32. On the other hand, when motor 32 performs regenerative braking on the pair of front wheels 14f, power conversion device 34 converts AC power from motor 32 into DC power and supplies it to battery 30. Furthermore, power conversion device 34 may also include a DC-DC converter in addition to the inverter.

[0024] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, the motor 32 and the power conversion device 34 are disposed within the front compartment 20. A high-voltage cable 36, a DC power cable, electrically connects the battery 30 to the power conversion device 34. The high-voltage cable 36 extends from the battery 30, which is disposed below the floor 26, to the power conversion device 34 disposed within the front compartment 20, and is located between the power conversion device 34 and the instrument panel 24.

[0025] Here, the motor 32 is not limited to driving a pair of front wheels 14f; it can be configured to drive at least one of multiple wheels 14f and 14r. Furthermore, the electric vehicle 10 may also have other prime movers besides the motor 32, such as an engine. Additionally, the electric vehicle 10 may also have other DC power sources besides the battery 30, such as a fuel cell unit or solar panels. Furthermore, the electric vehicle 10 in this embodiment is not limited to a user-driven vehicle, but also includes vehicles remotely operated via external devices and vehicles that drive autonomously.

[0026] like Figures 2-5 As shown, the instrument panel 24 has multiple stud bolts 25a and 25b. The stud bolts 25a and 25b are fixed to the instrument panel 24 and protrude into the front compartment 20 from the instrument panel 24. Due to this structure, for example, in the event of a collision with the electric vehicle 10, there is a possibility that mounted parts inside the front compartment 20 may come into contact with the stud bolts 25a and 25b. Therefore, a protective device 40 is installed on the instrument panel 24. The protective device 40 has multiple protective device portions 42a and 42b to cover the multiple stud bolts 25a and 25b. Although not particularly limited, the protective device 40 in this embodiment is made of resin. Furthermore, the protective device 40 protects not only the multiple stud bolts 25a and 25b but also the low-voltage wiring harness arranged along the instrument panel 24.

[0027] The plurality of protective device parts 42a and 42b include a first protective device part 42a and a second protective device part 42b. The first protective device part 42a is configured to cover the first double-ended bolt 25a among the plurality of double-ended bolts 25a and 25b. The second protective device part 42b is configured to cover the second double-ended bolt 25b among the plurality of double-ended bolts 25a and 25b. Furthermore, in this embodiment, two double-ended bolts 25a and 25b and two protective device parts 42a and 42b are illustrated, but the number of double-ended bolts 25a and 25b and protective device parts 42a and 42b is not limited to two.

[0028] As described above, by covering the double-ended bolts 25a and 25b of the instrument panel 24 with the protective device portions 42a and 42b of the protective device 40, contact between the mounted parts inside the front compartment 20 and the double-ended bolts 25a and 25b is prevented. However, a high-voltage cable 36 is arranged between the power conversion device 34 and the instrument panel 24. With this structure, for example, in the event of a collision involving the electric vehicle 10, there is a possibility that the high-voltage cable 36 may be pressed against the instrument panel 24 by the power conversion device 34. In particular, the high-voltage cable 36 is arranged in a position facing the first double-ended bolt 25a. Therefore, even with the first protective device portion 42a in between, there is still a concern that the high-voltage cable 36 may come into contact with the first double-ended bolt 25a if the high-voltage cable 36 is pressed against the instrument panel 24 by the power conversion device 34.

[0029] To address the aforementioned concerns, in this embodiment of the electric vehicle 10, a resin connector 50 is installed in the first protective device section 42a. The resin connector 50 is a resin connector installed on the low-voltage wiring 52. The resin connector 50 is fixed to the front surface of the first protective device section 42a and located between the first protective device section 42a and the high-voltage cable 36. With this structure, both the first protective device section 42a and the resin connector 50 are located between the double-ended bolt 25a of the instrument panel 24 and the high-voltage cable 36 facing it. Therefore, even if, for example, a collision occurs in the electric vehicle 10 and the high-voltage cable 36 is pressed against the instrument panel 24 by the power conversion device 34, contact between the high-voltage cable 36 and the double-ended bolt 25a is prevented.

[0030] There are no particular limitations on the shape and size of the resin connector 50. However, in the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment, at least a portion of the outer periphery of the resin connector 50 is located outside the outer periphery of the first protective device portion 42a in directions orthogonal to the double-ended bolt 25a (i.e., the left-right direction and the up-down direction). With this structure, when the high-voltage cable 36 contacts the resin connector 50, the resin connector 50 is supported by the outer peripheral wall of the first protective device portion 42a. Therefore, the first protective device portion 42a is less prone to damage, and contact between the high-voltage cable 36 and the double-ended bolt 25a can be effectively prevented.

[0031] The electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment is one embodiment of the technology disclosed in this specification, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technology disclosed in this specification. For example, the instrument panel 24 in this embodiment is an example of a panel body in the technology disclosed in this specification, and is not a limitation of that panel body. In addition, the first double-ended bolt 25a in this embodiment is an example of a protrusion in the technology disclosed in this specification, and is not a limitation of that protrusion. In addition, the battery 30 in this embodiment is an example of a DC power supply in the technology disclosed in this specification, and is not a limitation of that DC power supply.

[0032] The embodiments of this technology have been described in detail above, but these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or drawings exert their technical usefulness individually or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of application. Furthermore, the technology illustrated in this specification or drawings achieves multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving one of these objectives is itself technically useful.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle, comprising: DC power supply; The vehicle body has a panel with protruding sections; A high-voltage cable connected to the DC power supply is positioned opposite the protrusion. A component installed on the panel body, having a protective device portion covering the protrusion; as well as A resin connector for low-voltage wiring is installed in the protection device section, located between the protection device section and the high-voltage cable.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, In a direction orthogonal to the protrusion, at least a portion of the outer periphery of the resin connector is located outside the outer periphery of the protective device portion.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The component having the protective device is made of resin.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The panel is a dashboard located between the front compartment and the passenger compartment of the vehicle body. The high-voltage cable is located inside the forward compartment.

5. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The protrusion is a double-ended bolt.

6. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, It also has: Motors for driving; and A power conversion device is electrically installed between the DC power supply and the driving motor. The high-voltage cable is a DC power cable used to electrically connect the DC power source and the power conversion device.

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