vehicle

Abstract

This invention relates to a vehicle. The vehicle body disclosed in this specification includes: an electrical component disposed at the rear of the vehicle body; a base bracket covering the underside of the electrical component; and a cover mounted on the base bracket and covering the top of the electrical component. The cover has: an upper cover wall located above the electrical component; and a pair of cover side walls extending from the upper cover wall toward the base bracket on both sides of the electrical component in a left-right direction, and the cover has a shape that opens to the rear of the electrical component. The base bracket has an upwardly extending protective wall behind the electrical component. The height of the protective wall relative to the base bracket is smaller than the height of the upper cover wall relative to the base bracket.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to vehicles having a body and electrical components located at the rear of the body. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-179693 discloses a vehicle in which electronic components, such as a charge / discharge control device for controlling the charging and discharging of a battery, are disposed at the rear of the vehicle body. The vehicle is equipped with a cover that covers the electronic components from the rear. When cargo in a luggage compartment located at the rear of the vehicle body moves forward and the cargo exerts a load on the electronic components from the rear, the cover protects the rear surface of the electronic components. Summary of the Invention

[0003] For example, in the event of a rear-end collision, a large load is applied to the vehicle from the rear. This load is transferred to the electronic components via the vehicle body. The cover plate in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-179693 covers the entire rear surface of the electronic components and portions of their upper and lower surfaces. Therefore, in the event of a large rear-end load on the vehicle described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-179693, this load is applied to the electronic components via the cover plate, potentially causing damage. To protect the electronic components, a structure could be considered that covers the entire surface of the electronic components. However, in such a structure, the mass of the cover plate would increase. This specification provides a technique that can securely protect the electronic components while suppressing the increase in the mass of the cover plate protecting them.

[0004] The vehicle body disclosed in this specification has the following features:

[0005] Electrical components, the electrical components being disposed at the rear of the vehicle body;

[0006] A base bracket that covers the lower part of the electrical component; and a cover that is mounted on the base bracket and covers the upper part of the electrical component.

[0007] The cover has:

[0008] A cover wall, the cover wall being located above the electrical component; and

[0009] A pair of cover sidewalls, the pair of cover sidewalls extending from the upper wall of the cover toward the base bracket on both sides of the electrical component in the left-right direction, and,

[0010] The cover has a shape that opens the rear of the electrical component.

[0011] The base bracket has a protective wall extending above the electrical component in the rearward direction.

[0012] The height of the protective wall, based on the base bracket, is smaller than the height of the cover wall, based on the base bracket.

[0013] According to the above structure, the cover and base bracket cover the electrical component from above, below, and on both sides. This protects at least a portion of the upper surface, lower surface, and left and right sides of the electrical component. Furthermore, the cover and base bracket covering the upper, lower, and left and right sides of the electrical component extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Therefore, the cover and base bracket are less prone to deformation relative to rearward loads. As a result, in the event of a rear-end collision, the electrical component is protected by the cover and base bracket. Moreover, the cover has a shape that opens to the rear of the electrical component. Behind the open electrical component, a protective wall extending upward from the base bracket protects the electrical component from the rear. Furthermore, the height of the protective wall relative to the base bracket is smaller than the height of the upper wall of the cover. Therefore, compared to a structure where the protective wall reaches the upper wall of the cover, the mass of the cover is reduced. Thus, the vehicle disclosed in this specification can reduce the mass of the cover protecting the electrical component and can securely protect the electrical component.

[0014] Furthermore, cables sometimes connect to electrical components from the rear. If a structure is used where the protective wall extends to the height of the cover wall, the protective wall will still block access to the cables even after the cover is removed, degrading workability. With the above structure, since the height of the protective wall based on the base bracket is less than the height of the cover wall, the degradation of workability behind the electrical components can be suppressed. In the aforementioned vehicle, because the height of the protective wall of the base bracket is insufficient for the height of the cover wall, there is a concern that electrical components near the cover wall may not be protected. However, near the cover wall, the electrical components are securely protected by the cover wall and a pair of cover side walls.

[0015] The detailed description of the technology disclosed in this specification and further improvements are explained in the following "Detailed Description". Attached Figure Description

[0016] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial importance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts, and in the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 A side view of the rear of the vehicle 100 of an embodiment is shown.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the housing 20 provided by the vehicle 100 according to an embodiment.

[0019] Figure 3This is a perspective view of the converter module 10 provided in the vehicle 100 of the embodiment.

[0020] Figure 4 It shows along Figure 2 A sectional view of line IV-IV.

[0021] Figure 5 It shows along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of line VV. Detailed Implementation

[0022] In one embodiment of this technology, the cover may also have a shape that opens the front of the electrical component. With this structure, the weight of the cover can be further reduced compared to a cover where the front of the electrical component is closed.

[0023] In one embodiment of this technology, the upper wall of the cover may also face the lower rear portion of the vehicle body or a panel extending downward from the lower rear portion in the height direction. With this configuration, in the event of a rear-end collision and the lower rear portion or the panel extending downward from the lower rear portion moving forward, these structures contact the upper wall of the cover from the rear. As a result, the load applied to the upper wall of the cover is transferred to a pair of cover sidewalls, and then via the pair of cover sidewalls to the base bracket. Consequently, the load applied to the electrical components is reduced. Thus, the upper wall of the cover can securely protect the electrical components.

[0024] In one embodiment of this technology, a heat sink for dissipating heat from the electrical component may be disposed on the upper surface of the electrical component. In this case, the height of the protective wall may be greater than the height of the upper surface of the electrical component and less than the height of the upper end of the heat sink. Thus, the protective wall covers the entire rear surface of the electrical component, and at least a portion of the rear surface of the heat sink is open. Compared to a structure where the height of the protective wall is greater than the height of the upper end of the heat sink, the height of the protective wall is reduced. With such a structure, the height of the protective wall can be appropriately set relative to the electrical component to be protected, and the mass of the base bracket can be reduced.

[0025] In one embodiment of this technology, the protective wall of the base bracket may extend beyond the pair of cover sidewalls of the cover and extend in a left-right direction. With this structure, in the event of a rear-end collision, the load applied to the protective wall from the rear is transferred to the pair of cover sidewalls of the cover. This provides robust protection for electrical components.

[0026] In one embodiment of this technology, the protective wall of the base bracket may have: a first lower end extending laterally from the center of the protective wall in the lateral direction; a second lower end located laterally outside the first lower end and positioned above it; and a third lower end connecting the first lower end and the second lower end. In this case, the protective wall of the base bracket may also extend beyond the third lower end in the lateral direction. With this structure, the lower end of the protective wall of the base bracket is supported not only by the first lower end extending laterally but also by the third lower end extending in a direction intersecting the lateral direction. As a result, the rigidity of the protective wall relative to loads from the rear is increased, providing more robust protection for electrical components.

[0027] Example

[0028] Figure 1 A side view of the rear of the vehicle 100 according to an embodiment is shown. In particular, Figure 1 This is a side view of the perimeter of the luggage compartment 2 of vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Alternatively, in a variant, vehicle 100 may also be a battery electric vehicle (BEV). Hereinafter, the rear of vehicle 100 (in the direction of arrow RR in the figure) will be defined as "rear," and its opposite side as "front." Similarly, the top of vehicle 100 (in the direction of arrow UP in the figure) will be defined as "up," and its opposite side as "down." Likewise, the right side of vehicle 100 (in the direction of arrow RH in the figure) will be defined as "right," and its opposite side as "left."

[0029] Vehicle 100 includes a body 4, a drive motor 3, a luggage rack 6, a toolbox 8, and a converter module 10. The body 4 includes a lower back section 4b, a lower back panel 4p, and a floor plate 4f. The lower back section 4b extends along the lower end of the rear opening of vehicle 100 in the left-right direction (i.e.,...). Figure 1 The frame components extend from the inner side of the paper and in the forward direction. The lower rear panel 4p is a panel that extends downward from the lower rear panel 4b. The floor panel 4f is a panel that extends forward from the lower rear panel 4p, forming the floor of the vehicle 100.

[0030] The drive motor 3 is located below the floor 4f. The drive motor 3 drives the wheels 5 of the vehicle 100. The converter module 10 includes multiple electrical components, including a first converter 30 and a second converter 32. The detailed structure of the converter module 10 will be described later. A toolbox 8 and a luggage panel 6 are arranged above the converter module 10. The luggage panel 6 is an interior trim component that forms the floor of the luggage compartment 2. By arranging the converter module 10 below the luggage compartment 2, the space of the passenger compartment in the vehicle 100 can be expanded. Specifically, compared to a structure in which the converter module 10 is arranged, for example, below the seat where the passenger sits, the position of the seat can be lowered. Therefore, the space above the seat can be expanded without increasing the overall size of the vehicle 100.

[0031] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The detailed structure of the converter module 10 will be described below. The converter module 10 includes a housing 20, a first converter 30, a second converter 32, a conduit 36, and a bracket 38. The housing 20 houses and protects the first converter 30, the second converter 32, the conduit 36, and the bracket 38.

[0032] Figure 2 A perspective view of the housing 20 is shown. The housing 20 includes a cover 21 and a base bracket 11. The cover 21 has a door-shaped cross-section extending in the front-rear direction. That is, the front and rear ends of the cover 21 are open. The cover 21 includes an upper cover wall 22, a right cover side wall 24R, a left cover side wall 24L, two right cover fixing portions 26R, and two left cover fixing portions 26L. The cover 21 is typically a sheet metal component formed by stamping. When viewed from above, the upper cover wall 22 has a rectangular shape extending in the front-rear direction. A pair of cover side walls 24R, 24L are walls extending downward from the ends of the upper cover wall 22 in the left-right direction. Each cover fixing portion 26R, 26L is a support surface located at the end of each side wall 24R, 24L in the front-rear direction and extending from each side wall 24R, 24L in the left-right direction.

[0033] The base bracket 11 is a tray-type metal plate component. The base bracket 11 includes a protective wall 12, a bottom wall 18, two right-side base fixing parts 14R, two left-side base fixing parts 14L, a right-side rim 16R, and a left-side rim 16L. Similar to the cover 21, the base bracket 11 is also a metal plate component formed by stamping. The bottom wall 18 is located at the center of the base bracket 11 in the left-right direction and has a planar shape facing the cover upper wall 22 of the cover 21. Each base fixing part 14R, 14L is located at the end of the bottom wall 18 in the vehicle body length direction. Each base fixing part 14R, 14L is located above the bottom wall 18. Each base fixing part 14R, 14L is fastened from above by bolts 28 while abutting against the corresponding cover fixing parts 26R, 26L of the cover 21. A right-side rim 16R is formed spanning two right-side base fixing portions 14R, and a left-side rim 16L is formed spanning two left-side base fixing portions 14L. Each rim 16R and 16L is a wall extending upward from each base fixing portion 14R and 14L. Each rim 16R and 16L can improve the rigidity of each base fixing portion 14R and 14L. In particular, each rim 16R and 16L can improve the rigidity of each base fixing portion 14R and 14L relative to loads from above.

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, the lower end of the protective wall 12 of the base bracket 11 varies in the vertical direction. Specifically, the base bracket 11 has: a first lower end E1, which extends along the bottom wall 18 at its central portion in the horizontal direction; a second lower end E2, which extends along each base fixing portion 14R, 14L outside the first lower end E1; and a third lower end E3, which connects each lower end E1, E2. As previously described, each base fixing portion 14R, 14L of the base bracket 11 is located above the bottom wall 18. Therefore, the third lower end E3 bends in the vertical direction and connects each lower end E1, E2. The two ends of the protective wall 12 in the horizontal direction intersect with the second lower end E2. That is, the protective wall 12 extends beyond the third lower end E3 and in the horizontal direction.

[0035] As previously described, the base bracket 11 is formed by stamping. The upwardly extending protective wall 12 is formed by bending the bottom wall 18, which extends in the front-rear direction, upward. That is, the protective wall 12 is formed by a simple bending process relative to the bottom wall 18. However, the third lower end E3 varies in the vertical direction. Therefore, at the third lower end E3, the boundary between the protective wall 12 and the bottom wall 18 is formed by a deep drawing process. As a result, the protective wall 12 is supported not only by the bottom wall 18, which extends in the left-right direction, but also by the wall, which varies in the vertical direction. As a result, compared to a structure formed only by a simple bending process relative to the bottom wall 18, the protective wall 12 is less likely to deform forward of the vehicle. In other words, according to such a structure, the rigidity of the protective wall 12 relative to loads from the rear can be improved.

[0036] Furthermore, the protective wall 12 of the base bracket 11 extends beyond the pair of side walls 24R, 24L of the cover 21 and extends in the left-right direction. Therefore, when a load is applied to the protective wall 12 from the rear, the load is transferred to the pair of side walls 24R, 24L via the protective wall 12. Thus, even if a large load is applied to the protective wall 12 from the rear, the protective wall 12 is less likely to deform forward of the vehicle. That is, by extending the protective wall 12 beyond the pair of side walls 24R, 24L in the left-right direction, the rigidity of the protective wall 12 relative to loads from the rear can be improved.

[0037] Reference Figure 3 The internal structure of the converter module 10 will be described below. Within the housing 20 of the converter module 10, a first converter 30, a conduit 36, and a second converter 32 are arranged sequentially from bottom to top. The first converter 30 is a so-called DC / DC converter, an electrical component that steps down the DC power supplied from the power source of the vehicle 100 (e.g., a battery pack, figures omitted) and supplies power to the auxiliary loads and auxiliary batteries (both figures omitted) of the vehicle 100. The first converter 30 is an example of an "electrical component" in the technology disclosed in this specification. A heat sink 34 is provided on the upper surface of the first converter 30. The heat sink 34 is located within the conduit 36 ​​and dissipates heat from the first converter 30. Cooling air A1 is supplied into the conduit 36 ​​from a fan (figure omitted). The specific shape of the heat sink 34 is not particularly limited. As an example, the heat sink 34 in this embodiment has multiple upwardly extending fins.

[0038] The second converter 32 is fixed above the conduit 36 ​​by four brackets 38. The second converter 32 is a so-called DC / DC converter. The second converter 32 steps down the DC power supplied from the power source of the vehicle 100 (not shown) and supplies power to the auxiliary loads and auxiliary batteries of the vehicle 100. Each bracket 38 extends from one of the four corners of the bottom surface of the second converter 32 toward the bottom wall 18 of the base bracket 11. The lower end of each bracket 38 is fixed to the bottom wall 18 of the base bracket 11 by bolts 39. Thus, the second converter 32 is held above the conduit 36. Additionally, a cable connector 33 is mounted on the rear surface of the second converter 32. The cable connector 33 connects the second converter 32 to the auxiliary loads (or auxiliary batteries) within the vehicle 100.

[0039] As previously described, vehicle 100 houses electrical components such as the first converter 30 and the second converter 32 in the space below the luggage compartment 2. Therefore, in the event of a rear-end collision with vehicle 100, the converters 30 and 32 may be damaged. In particular, each converter 30 and 32 is a high-voltage component that operates under high voltage conditions. Hereinafter, high voltage refers to an operating voltage exceeding 60 volts DC or 30 volts AC (RMS). Referring to... Figure 4 , Figure 5 The structure of the vehicle 100 in this embodiment that protects each converter 30, 32 in the event of a rear-end collision will be described.

[0040] Reference Figure 4 The positional relationship between the converter module 10 and the vehicle body 4 is explained. Figure 4 It is along Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV, specifically a cross-sectional view at the center of the converter module 10 in the left-right direction. First, the manufacturer of the vehicle 100 positions the first converter 30 and the base bracket 11, which has the pipe 36 fixed to it, from above relative to the body bracket 40 fixed to the base plate 4f of the vehicle body 4. Next, the manufacturer positions the second converter 32 above the pipe 36 and secures it to the bottom wall 18 of the base bracket 11 via four brackets 38. Then, the manufacturer positions a cover 21 from above the second converter 32, as shown... Figure 5 As shown, the cover 21 and the base bracket 11 are fastened to the vehicle body bracket 40 using bolts 28. This secures the converter module 10 to the vehicle body 4. As previously described, the cover 21 has a shape that opens each converter 30, 32 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, compared to a structure where the cover 21 covers the front and rear of each converter 30, 32, the mass of the cover 21 is reduced. As a result, the workability of the manufacturer configuring the cover 21 is improved.

[0041] The lower rear portion 4b of the vehicle body 4 has a closed cross-section and high rigidity. Furthermore, the lower rear portion 4b extends in the left-right direction. Therefore, for example, in the event of a rear-end collision with another vehicle from behind the vehicle 100, that other vehicle will be propelled forward (i.e.,...) Figure 4 A large load F1 is applied to the lower rear section 4b (on the left side of the paper). As a result, the lower rear section 4b moves forward of the vehicle. Figure 4 As shown, the upper wall 22 of the cover 21 of the housing 20 faces the lower rear portion 4b in the height direction. Therefore, the lower rear portion 4b, which moves to the front of the vehicle, transmits the load F1 relative to the upper wall 22 of the cover 21.

[0042] like Figure 5 As shown, the two ends of the cover wall 22 in the left and right directions are supported by a pair of cover side walls 24R and 24L. Moreover, the pair of cover side walls 24R and 24L are fastened to the vehicle body bracket 40 together with the base bracket 11 via cover fixing parts 26R and 26L.

[0043] Therefore, the load F1 transmitted to the upper wall 22 of the cover 21 is distributed to the pair of cover side walls 24R, 24L extending in the front-rear direction and the bottom wall 18 of the base bracket 11. The walls 22, 24R, 24L, 18 extending in the front-rear direction are difficult to deform in this direction. Therefore, the converter module 10 housed within the housing 20 is protected from the load F1.

[0044] Furthermore, when the height of the impact object colliding with the vehicle 100 from behind is relatively low, a large load F2 may sometimes be applied forward to the lower rear panel 4p located below the lower rear section 4b. In this case, the lower rear panel 4p moves forward. As a result, the lower rear panel 4p transmits the load F2 relative to the protective wall 12 of the base bracket 11.

[0045] like Figure 5 As shown, the protective wall 12 extends beyond the pair of cover sidewalls 24R and 24L in the left-right direction. Therefore, as previously described, the load F2 applied to the protective wall 12 of the base bracket 11 is transmitted to the pair of cover sidewalls 24R and 24L in addition to the bottom wall 18 of the base bracket 11. Thus, the protective wall 12 protects the first converter 30 from the effects of loads F1 and F2.

[0046] Moreover, as referenced Figure 2 As explained, the protective wall 12 of the base bracket 11 is formed by deep drawing the boundary between the protective wall 12 and the bottom wall 18 at the third lower end E3. Therefore, the protective wall 12 has high rigidity relative to the load F2. Thus, the protective wall 12 firmly protects the first converter 30 and shields it from the effects of the loads F1 and F2.

[0047] Here, with the upper surface of the bottom wall 18 of the base bracket 11 as the reference, the height H4 of the protective wall 12 is greater than the height H3 of the upper surface of the first converter 30, and less than the height H2 of the upper end of the heat sink 34. In other words, while the protective wall 12 covers the entire rear surface of the first converter 30, it does not cover the rear surface of the heat sink 34. Therefore, compared to the heat sink 34, the protective wall 12 is particularly capable of firmly protecting the first converter 30, which is an electrical component, from the effects of loads F1 and F2. As a result, since the height of the protective wall 12 can be appropriately set, the mass of the base bracket 11 can be reduced.

[0048] Furthermore, with the upper surface of the bottom wall 18 of the base bracket 11 as a reference, the height H4 of the protective wall 12 is smaller than the height H1 of the upper cover wall 22 of the cover 21. As a result, a gap is provided between the upper end of the protective wall 12 and the lower end of the upper cover wall 22. Therefore, compared to a structure where the protective wall 12 extends to the lower end of the upper cover wall 22, the mass of the base bracket 11 can be reduced. Moreover, compared to a structure where the protective wall 12 extends to the lower end of the upper cover wall 22, it is easier to approach the cable connector 33 when removing the cover 21, thus improving workability.

[0049] The above provides a detailed description of specific examples of the technology disclosed in this specification. However, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes structures obtained by various modifications and alterations to the specific examples described above. The following are examples of modifications to the above embodiments.

[0050] Variation Example 1

[0051] Alternatively, converter module 10 may not have a second converter 32.

[0052] Variation Example 2

[0053] Alternatively, cover 21 may not have a shape that opens the front of each converter 30, 32.

[0054] Variation Example 3

[0055] Alternatively, the upper wall 22 of the cover 21 may be located below the lower rear part 4b of the vehicle body 4. In this case, the upper wall 22 may also face the lower rear panel 4p in the longitudinal direction.

[0056] Variation Example 4

[0057] Alternatively, the height H4 of the protective wall 12 may be greater than the height H2 of the upper end of the radiator 34.

[0058] Modified Example 5

[0059] Alternatively, the vehicle 100 may have a battery located at the rear of the vehicle body 4 instead of the converter module 10. In this case, the battery may also be housed in a housing 20 having the aforementioned base bracket 11 and cover 21. In this variation, the battery is an example of an "electrical component".

[0060] Variation Example 6

[0061] The two ends of the protective wall 12 of the base bracket 11 in the left and right directions can also be located on the inner side of the pair of cover side walls 24R and 24L of the cover 21.

[0062] Modification Example 7

[0063] The lower end of the base bracket 11 can also extend in a straight line in the left and right direction.

[0064] The technical elements illustrated in this specification or drawings may be technically useful individually or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations recited in the claims at the time of application. Furthermore, the technologies illustrated in this specification or drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving one of these objectives is itself technically useful.

Claims

1. A vehicle, the vehicle comprising: Body; Electrical components, the electrical components being disposed at the rear of the vehicle body; A base bracket that covers the area below the electrical component; as well as A cover, which is mounted on the base bracket and covers the electrical components. in, The cover has: A cover wall is provided, which is located above the electrical component; as well as A pair of cover sidewalls, the pair of cover sidewalls extending from the upper wall of the cover toward the base bracket on both sides of the electrical component in the left-right direction, and, The cover has a shape that opens the rear of the electrical component. The base bracket has a protective wall extending above the electrical component in the rearward direction. The height of the protective wall, based on the base bracket, is smaller than the height of the cover wall, based on the base bracket. The protective wall of the base bracket extends beyond the pair of cover sidewalls and extends in the left-right direction.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The cover has a shape that opens the front of the electrical component.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The upper wall of the cover faces the lower rear portion of the vehicle body or a panel extending downward from the lower rear portion in the front-rear direction.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, A heat sink for dissipating heat from the electrical component is disposed on the upper surface of the electrical component. The height of the protective wall is greater than the height of the upper surface of the electrical component, but less than the height of the upper end of the heat sink.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The base bracket has: The first lower end extends in the left-right direction from the center of the protective wall in the left-right direction; The second lower end is located outside the first lower end in the left-right direction and extends in the left-right direction above the first lower end; and The third lower end connects the first lower end and the second lower end. The protective wall of the base bracket extends beyond the third lower end and extends in the left-right direction.

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