High-voltage device mounting structure for vehicles

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle high-voltage device mounting structure that can properly protect a high-voltage device or its housing in the event of a vehicle collision with a relatively simple structure. A first inclined portion (41) and a second inclined portion (11) are respectively provided on the outer side (40c) of the cover member (40) covering the opening (34) of the housing (30) in the vehicle width direction and on the inner side (10d) of the side frame (10) in the vehicle width direction, which are inclined inwards towards the rear of the vehicle. At least a portion of the first inclined portion (41) and the second inclined portion (11) are positioned facing each other, and the inclination of the first inclined portion (41) is greater than that of the second inclined portion (11). The rear end (40b) of the first inclined portion (41) in the cover member (40) extends to a position behind the mating surface (35) of the cover member (40) in the housing (30).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle, including a high-voltage device such as an electric motor or its control device mounted on the vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, an electric motor serving as a drive unit for a vehicle and a housing housing the electric motor are installed in the engine compartment of a hybrid vehicle or electric vehicle. This electric motor is a high-voltage device driven by high voltage; therefore, in the event of a vehicle collision or similar incident, if the housing is significantly damaged, there is a risk that high-voltage current could flow from the electric motor to the vehicle frame. Therefore, a structure is sought that can minimize damage to the housing even in the event of an impact such as a collision.

[0003] [Existing technical documents]

[0004] [Patent Literature]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-160523 Summary of the Invention

[0006] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Especially in the event of a frontal collision, the motor housing will be subjected to a load that moves toward the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, there is a need for a structure that can suppress excessive displacement of the housing in response to the load, a structure that can properly release the load by intentionally displacing the housing to a certain extent, or a structure that can prevent the housing from colliding with other highly rigid components such as the vehicle frame.

[0008] This invention was made in view of the aforementioned problems, and its object is to provide a high-voltage device mounting structure for vehicles that can properly protect high-voltage devices or their housings with a relatively simple structure in the event of a vehicle collision. Furthermore, the object of this invention is to improve vehicle safety. And, further, to improve traffic safety, thereby contributing to the development of sustainable transportation systems.

[0009] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0010] To address the aforementioned issues, the high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle according to the present invention includes: a housing 30 housing high-voltage devices G and M, which are installed in the engine compartment 3 of the vehicle and driven by high voltage; a cover member 40 covering the opening 34 of the housing 30; and a side frame 10 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the side of the engine compartment 3. The cover member 40 has a first inclined portion 41 on its outer surface 40c facing the vehicle width direction, which inclines inward toward the rear of the vehicle. The side frame 10 has a second inclined portion 11 on its inner surface 10d facing the vehicle width direction, which inclines inward toward the rear of the vehicle. At least a portion of the first inclined portion 41 and the second inclined portion 11 face each other, and the inclination of the first inclined portion 41 is greater than that of the second inclined portion 11. The rear end portion 40b of the first inclined portion 41 in the cover member 40 extends to a position behind the mating surface 35 of the cover member 40 in the housing 30. Here, the high-voltage device housed in the housing 30 can be, for example, an electric motor G or M.

[0011] According to the high-voltage device mounting structure of the vehicle of the present invention, since at least a portion of the first inclined portion of the cover member and the second inclined portion of the side frame face each other, in the event of a vehicle collision, when the high-voltage device (housing and cover member) in the engine compartment is displaced rearward due to the impact load input from the front of the vehicle, the rearwardly displaced first inclined portion of the cover member contacts (collides) the second inclined portion of the side frame. At this time, both the first and second inclined portions are inclined surfaces that are inclined inward in the vehicle width direction towards the rear of the vehicle, thereby allowing these first and second inclined portions to slide obliquely relative to each other through the contact of the inclined surfaces, thus effectively reducing the impact or load of the contact (collision). In particular, the inclination degree of the first inclined portion is greater than that of the second inclined portion, thereby more effectively reducing the impact or load of the contact (collision).

[0012] In this invention, by extending the rear end of the first inclined portion of the cover member to a position behind the mating surface of the cover member in the housing, the length of the first inclined portion of the cover member can be further extended accordingly. Therefore, the impact or load from the contact (collision) between the first and second inclined portions can be further effectively reduced. Furthermore, after the first inclined portion of the cover member contacts (collides) with the second inclined portion of the side frame, even if the cover member and housing come into contact with other components located behind the engine compartment, the rear end of the cover member will contact these other components before the housing, thus reducing the impact on the housing. Therefore, damage to the housing can be prevented, and effective protection of high-voltage devices can be achieved.

[0013] Furthermore, in the high-voltage device mounting structure of the vehicle of the present invention, at least a portion of the first inclined portion 41 of the cover member 40 may extend to a position in the side frame 10 that is further inward than the innermost position in the vehicle width direction.

[0014] According to the structure, at least a portion of the first inclined portion of the cover member extends to a position in the side frame that is further inward than the innermost position in the vehicle width direction, thereby enabling the inclined portions of the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion to contact each other more reliably, and enabling the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion to slide relative to each other in an oblique direction.

[0015] Furthermore, in the high-voltage device mounting structure of the vehicle of the present invention, a position limiting member 50 for the cover member 40 may be provided on the joint surfaces 35, 45 of the housing 30 and the cover member 40, and a plurality of position limiting members 50 may be provided on the joint surfaces 35, 45.

[0016] According to the structure, by interposing a plurality of position-restricting members at the mating surface with the cover member in the housing, easy and reliable positioning of the cover member relative to the housing can be achieved.

[0017] Furthermore, in the high-voltage device mounting structure of the vehicle of the present invention, the position limiting member 50 can be positioned to coincide with the second inclined portion 11 of the side frame 10 when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0018] According to the structure, by positioning the position limiting member to coincide with the second inclined portion of the side frame when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the concern of misalignment or damage to the cover member can be reduced when the first inclined portion of the cover member contacts (collides) with the second inclined portion of the side frame, thus effectively protecting the housing and high-voltage devices.

[0019] Furthermore, in the high-voltage device mounting structure of the vehicle of the present invention, a partition member 5a may be included, which is disposed at the rear of the engine compartment 3 to separate the engine compartment 3 from the vehicle compartment 6. The rear end 10b of the side frame 10 is connected to the partition member 5a, and a reinforcing member 15 is installed at the connection portion 13 that connects the side frame 10 and the partition member 5a to enhance the connection portion 13.

[0020] Moreover, in the case described, it is ideal that the second inclined portion 11 of the side frame 10 and the reinforcing member 15 are arranged at the same position in the vehicle width direction along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0021] According to the structure described, by installing a reinforcing member to strengthen the connection between the side frame and the partition member, when the first inclined portion of the cover member, which is displaced rearward during a vehicle collision, contacts (collides with) the second inclined portion of the side frame and further displaces rearward, the cover member is blocked by the reinforcing member, thus suppressing the displacement of the cover member to a small amount. Therefore, by reducing the displacement of the housing and the high-voltage device, the high-voltage device or the cables connected to the high-voltage device can be effectively protected.

[0022] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, it is a high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle, comprising: a housing 130 for housing a high-voltage device disposed in the vehicle and driven by high voltage; a cover member 140 for covering the opening 134 of the housing 130; and a side frame 110 extending on the side of the cover member 140 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein a first inclined portion 141 inclined inward in the vehicle width direction is provided on the outer surface 140c of the cover member 140 facing the vehicle width direction, and a second inclined portion 111 inclined inward in the vehicle width direction is provided on the inner surface 110d of the side frame 110 facing the vehicle width direction, and at least a portion of the first inclined portion 141 and the second inclined portion 111 face each other, and the inclination degree of the first inclined portion 141 is greater than that of the second inclined portion 111. The front end portion 140b of the first inclined portion 141 in the cover member 140 extends to a position in front of the mating surface 135 of the cover member 140 in the housing 130.

[0023] According to the structure, since at least a portion of the first inclined portion of the cover member and at least a portion of the second inclined portion of the side frame face each other, in the event of a vehicle collision, if the high-voltage device (housing and cover member) located in the rear of the vehicle is displaced forward due to the impact load input from the front of the vehicle, the first inclined portion of the cover member, which is displaced forward, will contact (collide) the second inclined portion of the side frame. At this time, both the first and second inclined portions are inclined surfaces that are inclined inward in the vehicle width direction towards the front of the vehicle. Therefore, the contact between the inclined surfaces allows these first and second inclined portions to slide obliquely relative to each other, thus effectively reducing the impact or load of the contact (collision). Therefore, the high-voltage device can be protected from the impact of a collision from the rear of the vehicle.

[0024] Moreover, in this case, at least a portion of the first inclined portion 141 of the cover member 140 may extend to a position in the side frame 110 that is further inward than the innermost position in the vehicle width direction.

[0025] Furthermore, in the aforementioned case, a position limiting member 150 for the cover member 140 may be provided at the mating surfaces 135, 145 of the housing 130 and the cover member 140, and a plurality of position limiting members 150 may be provided at the mating surfaces 135, 145.

[0026] Moreover, in this case, the position limiting member 150 is positioned to coincide with the second inclined portion 111 of the side frame 110 when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0027] Furthermore, the symbols within the parentheses indicate the reference numbers of the structural elements corresponding to the embodiments described below for reference.

[0028] [The effects of the invention]

[0029] According to the high-voltage device mounting structure of the vehicle of the present invention, the high-voltage device or its housing can be properly protected by a relatively simple structure in the event of a vehicle collision. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic side view of the front of a vehicle body including the high-voltage device mounting structure of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2A and Figure 2B This diagram shows the configuration of the motor housing and side frame within the engine compartment. Figure 2A This is a floor plan. Figure 2B (This is a side view) Figure 2A (X-arrow view).

[0032] Figure 3 yes Figure 2A A magnified view of the Y-section.

[0033] Figures 4A and 4B are side views of the housing. Figure 4A shows the housing with the side cover removed, and Figure 4B shows the housing with the side cover installed.

[0034] Figure 5 It is a perspective view showing the mating surfaces of the housing and the side cover, and a diagram showing the insertion hole for inserting the locating pin.

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic plan view of the rear of a vehicle body including the high-voltage device mounting structure of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 2: Vehicle body

[0038] 3: Engine Room

[0039] 5: Dashboard

[0040] 5a: Lower part of the dashboard (separator)

[0041] 5b: Upper part of the dashboard

[0042] 6: Car Room

[0043] 8: Hood

[0044] 10: Side frame

[0045] 10b: Rear end

[0046] 11: Second inclined surface (second inclined section)

[0047] 13: Connecting part

[0048] 15: Reinforcing Components

[0049] 20: Drive unit

[0050] 30: Shell

[0051] 31: Generator Housing Section

[0052] 32: Motor Housing Department

[0053] 33: Differential gear mechanism housing section

[0054] 34: Opening

[0055] 35: Joint surface

[0056] 35b: Rear end

[0057] 36: Insertion hole

[0058] 40: Side cover (cover component)

[0059] 40c: Outer surface

[0060] 41: First inclined surface

[0061] 40b: Rear end

[0062] 45: Joint surface

[0063] 46: Insertion hole

[0064] 47: Bolts (joints)

[0065] 50: Locating pin (position limiting component)

[0066] G: Generator (electric motor, high-voltage device)

[0067] M: Motor (electric motor, high-voltage device)

[0068] D: Differential gear mechanism

[0069] S1, S2, S3: Rotation axis Detailed Implementation

[0070] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the following description, "front" and "rear" refer to the directions (or orientations) that are the forward direction of the vehicle body (vehicle) and the rear direction of the reverse direction, respectively. Moreover, "up," "down," "left," and "right" refer to "up," "down," "left," and "right" respectively when facing the forward direction (front) of the vehicle body (vehicle).

[0071] [First Implementation]

[0072] Figure 1 This is a schematic side view of the front of a vehicle body including the high-voltage device mounting structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. An engine compartment (front space) 3 is formed in the front of the vehicle body 2 shown in the same figure to house a drive unit 20, including a motor M or a generator G (the high-voltage device of the present invention), as described below. The engine compartment 3 is located in front of the passenger compartment 6, across the dashboard 5.

[0073] The instrument panel 5 extends along the entire length of the vehicle body 2 in the left-right direction. The instrument panel 5 includes a lower instrument panel 5a extending in the vertical direction and an upper instrument panel 5b extending forward from the upper end of the lower instrument panel 5a. The lower end of the lower instrument panel 5a is connected to a floor plate (not shown). The lower instrument panel 5a is located at the rear of the engine compartment 3 and serves as a partition separating the engine compartment 3 from the passenger compartment 6.

[0074] A pair of side frames 10 extend along the longitudinal direction to both sides of the engine compartment 3 in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction). Furthermore, only the left side frame 10 (near the front of the figure) is shown in the figure; the right side frame is omitted from the illustration. The rear end 10b of the side frame 10 is attached to the lower part 5a of the instrument panel. In this embodiment, the side frames 10 form the lower frame of the left and right sides of the engine compartment 3.

[0075] Furthermore, the upper opening of the engine compartment 3 is covered from above by the hood 8. The rear end of the hood 8 is supported by the vehicle body 2 in a rotatable manner. Thus, the engine compartment 3 is configured to be openable and unclamped.

[0076] Figure 2A and Figure 2B It is a diagram showing the configuration of the drive unit inside the engine compartment. Figure 2A This is a floor plan. Figure 2B Side view ( Figure 2A (The X-arrow view). Furthermore... Figure 3 yes Figure 2AAn enlarged view of the Y-section. The drive unit 20, which serves as the vehicle's drive source, is housed within the engine compartment 3. The drive unit 20 is positioned within the engine compartment 3, adjacent to the left-side side frame 10 in the vehicle width direction. The drive unit 20 is supported by a frame-like subframe (not shown) located below the side frame 10 within the engine compartment 3 via vibration damping members and the like. Furthermore, the subframe is connected to the aforementioned side frame 10, etc.

[0077] Figures 4A and 4B are side views of the drive unit housing. Figure 4A shows the state with the side cover removed, and Figure 4B shows the state with the side cover installed. The housing 30 of the drive unit 20 includes a generator housing 31 that mainly houses a generator G, which serves as an electric motor for generating electricity; a motor housing 32 that mainly houses a motor M, which serves as a drive source for the vehicle; and a differential gear mechanism housing 33 that houses a differential gear mechanism D. An opening 34 is formed on the left side. A side cover (cover member) 40 covers the opening 34 of the housing 30. The side cover 40 blocks the opening 34 by covering it. In this state, it is fixed to the engagement surface 35 around the opening 34 by bolts (joints) 47 (see Figure 4B). The generator G and motor M and the differential gear mechanism D inside the housing 30 are arranged such that the axial directions of the rotation shafts S1, S2, and S3 of these components are oriented towards the left and right directions of the vehicle. Furthermore, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the generator G and motor M are connected to the battery via cables to enable power supply from the battery and energy regeneration towards the battery.

[0078] like Figure 2A , Figure 2B and Figure 3 As shown, the outer surface 40c of the rear end 40b of the side cover 40, facing outward in the vehicle width direction, is provided with a first inclined surface (first inclined portion) 41 that slopes inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves toward the rear of the vehicle. The first inclined surface 41 is formed by cutting the outer surface 40c of the rear end 40b of the side cover 40 into an inclined surface shape when viewed from above. The outer surface 40c of the side cover 40 slopes inward from the outer side in the vehicle width direction in such a way that the thickness of the side cover 40 gradually decreases as it moves toward the rear.

[0079] On the other hand, a second inclined surface (second inclined portion) 11 is provided on the inner surface 10d of the side frame 10 facing the vehicle width direction, which is inclined inward in the vehicle width direction as it faces the rear of the vehicle. The first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 and the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 are arranged facing each other (opposite to each other), and are arranged at a position where at least a portion of them overlap when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and at a position where at least a portion of them also overlap when viewed from the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0080] Furthermore, the inclination degree of the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 is greater than that of the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10. That is, as Figure 3 As shown, the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 is inclined at an angle α toward the inside of the vehicle width direction, which is greater than the angle β (α > β) of the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10.

[0081] Furthermore, the rear end of the first inclined surface 41 in the side cover 40 (the rear end 40b of the side cover 40) extends to a position in the housing 30 behind the rear end 35b of the mating surface 35 of the side cover 40. That is, the rear end 40b of the side cover 40 protrudes behind the mating surface 35 of the housing 30.

[0082] Moreover, such as Figure 3 As shown, a portion of the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 extends to a position in the side frame 10 that is further inward than the innermost position 10d in the vehicle width direction. That is, the innermost position 40d of the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 in the vehicle width direction is located in the side frame 10 at a position further inward by a dimension L in the vehicle width direction than the innermost position 10d in the vehicle width direction.

[0083] Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing the mating surfaces of the housing and the side cover. At the mating surface 35 of the housing 30, corresponding to the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40, there is an insertion hole 36 for inserting a positioning pin (position limiting member) 50 to position the side cover 40. Multiple insertion holes 36 are provided; in the illustration, two insertion holes 36 are arranged vertically (at the same position in the front-rear direction). Furthermore, as... Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, the two insertion holes 36 are positioned to coincide with the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 when viewed from the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, an insertion hole 46 for inserting a positioning pin 50 is also provided in the mating surface 45 on the inner surface of the side cover 40, facing the insertion holes 36. The side cover 40 is positioned relative to the opening 34 of the housing 30 by inserting the positioning pin 50 into both the insertion holes 36 and 46. In this embodiment, two (or more) positioning pins 50 are placed between the mating surfaces 35 and 45 of the housing 30 and the side cover 40 by inserting the positioning pins 50 into the two sets of insertion holes 36 and 46 respectively. Moreover, these two positioning pins 50 are positioned to coincide with the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 and the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0084] like Figure 2A and Figure 2BAs shown, the rear end 10b of the side frame 10 is connected to the lower part 5a of the dashboard, which separates the engine compartment 3 from the passenger compartment 6. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 13 that connects the side frame 10 and the lower part 5a of the dashboard is joined by welding, and a reinforcing member 15 is installed to reinforce the connecting portion 13. The reinforcing member 15 covers the metal sheet installed on the connecting portion 13 in a manner that extends across both sides from the upper surface of the connecting portion 13, and the reinforcing member 15 is also installed on the connecting portion 13 by welding. Furthermore, the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 and the reinforcing member 15 are arranged at the same position in the vehicle width direction along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0085] In this embodiment, the system includes a housing 30 housing a generator G and a motor M housed within the engine compartment 3 of a vehicle, a side cover (cover member) 40 covering an opening 34 of the housing 30, and a side frame 10 extending from the side of the engine compartment 3 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, the side cover 40 has a first inclined surface (first inclined portion) 41 on its outer surface facing the vehicle width direction, which inclines inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves toward the rear of the vehicle. The side frame 10 has a second inclined surface (second inclined portion) 11 on its inner surface facing the vehicle width direction, which inclines inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves toward the rear of the vehicle. The first inclined surface 41 and the second inclined surface 11 are arranged facing each other (in a relative state), and at least a portion of the first inclined surface 41 and the second inclined surface 11 are positioned overlapping each other in both the vehicle width direction and the longitudinal direction, with the inclination of the first inclined surface 41 being greater than that of the second inclined surface 11. Furthermore, the rear end 40b of the first inclined surface 41 in the side cover 40 extends to a position behind the rear end 35b of the mating surface 35 of the side cover 40 in the housing 30.

[0086] According to this embodiment, since the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 and the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 face each other, during a vehicle collision, when the drive unit 20 (housing 30 and side cover 40) in the engine compartment 3 is displaced rearward due to the impact load input from the front of the vehicle, the first inclined surface 41 of the rearward-displaced side cover 40 comes into contact (collides) with the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10. At this time, both the first inclined surface 41 and the second inclined surface 11 are inclined surfaces that are inclined inward in the vehicle width direction towards the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, the first inclined surface 41 and the second inclined surface 11 can slide obliquely relative to each other through the contact between the inclined surfaces, thus effectively reducing or dispersing the impact or load of the contact (collision) on the drive unit 20. In particular, since the inclination degree of the first inclined surface 41 is greater than that of the second inclined surface 11, the impact or load of the contact (collision) can be reduced more effectively.

[0087] In this embodiment, the length of the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 is further extended by extending the rear end 40b of the first inclined surface 41 in the side cover 40 to a position behind the rear end 35b of the mating surface 35 of the side cover 40 in the housing 30. This allows for a more effective reduction in the impact or load of the contact (collision) between the first inclined surface 41 and the second inclined surface 11. Furthermore, even if the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 contacts (collides) with the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10, and the side cover 40 and housing 30 then contact other components such as the lower part 5a of the instrument panel located behind the engine compartment 3, the rear end 40b of the side cover 40 will contact these other components before the housing 30, thus reducing the impact of the collision on the housing 30. Therefore, damage to the housing 30 can be prevented, effectively protecting the generator G and the motor M.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, at least a portion of the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 extends to a position in the side frame 10 that is further inward than the innermost position in the vehicle width direction.

[0089] According to the structure, by extending at least a portion of the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 to a position in the side frame 10 that is further inward than the innermost position in the vehicle width direction, the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 and the inclined surface of the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 can be made to contact each other more securely, and the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 and the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 can be made to slide relative to each other in an oblique direction.

[0090] Furthermore, in the high-voltage device mounting structure of the vehicle in this embodiment, a positioning pin (position limiting member) 50 for positioning the side cover 40 is provided on the joint surface 35 and joint surface 45 between the housing 30 and the side cover 40, and a plurality of positioning pins 50 are provided on the joint surface 35 and joint surface 45.

[0091] According to the structure, by interposing a plurality of locating pins 50 at the mating surfaces 35 and 45 of the housing 30 and the side cover 40, it is possible to easily and reliably position the side cover 40 relative to the housing 30.

[0092] Furthermore, multiple positioning pins 50 are positioned to coincide with the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0093] According to the structure, by means of multiple positioning pins 50 arranged at positions that coincide with the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the concern of misalignment or damage to the side cover 40 can be reduced when the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 contacts (collides) with the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10. Therefore, the housing 30 and the generator G or motor M inside the housing 30 can be effectively protected.

[0094] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the instrument panel lower part 5a, which is disposed at the rear of the engine compartment 3 and serves as a partition member separating the engine compartment 3 from the vehicle compartment 6, is connected to the instrument panel lower part 5a at the rear end 10b of the side bracket 10. A reinforcing member 15 is installed at the connection portion 13 connecting the side bracket 10 and the instrument panel lower part 5a to enhance the connection portion 13. Additionally, the second inclined surface 11 of the side bracket 10 and the reinforcing member 15 are arranged at the same position in the vehicle width direction along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0095] According to the structure described above, by installing a reinforcing member 15 on the connecting portion 13 that connects the side frame 10 to the lower part 5a of the dashboard, when the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40, which is displaced rearward during a vehicle collision, comes into contact (collides) with the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 and further displaces rearward, the side cover 40 is blocked by the reinforcing member 15, thus suppressing the displacement of the side cover 40 to a small amount. Therefore, by reducing the displacement of the housing 30 of the drive unit 20 and the generator G or motor M housed within the housing 30, cables and the like connected to the generator G or motor M can be effectively protected.

[0096] [Second Implementation]

[0097] Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Furthermore, in the description of the second embodiment and the corresponding drawings, structural parts that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment are labeled with the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions of these parts are omitted below. Moreover, matters other than those described below and those not shown in the drawings are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0098] Figure 6 This is a schematic plan view of the rear of a vehicle body including the high-voltage device mounting structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention. A housing portion 103 is formed in the rear of the vehicle body 2 shown in the same figure to house a housing 130 for a high-voltage device 120, such as a power control unit (PCU) or a battery-driven device, which is driven by a high voltage. Although detailed drawings are omitted, the housing portion 103 can be a storage space located in the lower part of a luggage compartment or similar space at the rear of the vehicle body 2.

[0099] A pair of side frames 110 extend along the front-to-back direction to both sides of the housing 103 in the left-to-right direction (vehicle width direction). Furthermore, only the right side frame 110 is shown in the figure; the left side frame is omitted. In this embodiment, the side frames 110 form the lower frame of the left and right sides of the housing 103.

[0100] An opening 134 is formed on the right side of the housing 130 of the high-voltage device. A side cover (cover member) 140 is included to cover the opening 134 of the housing 130. The side cover 140 blocks the opening 134 by covering it, and in this state, it is fixed to the engagement surface 135 around the opening 134 by bolts (not shown) or the like.

[0101] Furthermore, the outer surface 140c of the front end portion 140b of the side cover 140, facing outward in the vehicle width direction, is provided with a first inclined surface (first inclined portion) 141 that slopes inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves towards the front of the vehicle. The first inclined surface 141 is formed by cutting the outer surface 140c of the front end portion 140b of the side cover 140 into an inclined surface shape when viewed from above. The outer surface 140c of the side cover 140 slopes inward from the outer side in the vehicle width direction in such a way that the thickness of the side cover 140 gradually decreases as it moves forward.

[0102] On the other hand, a second inclined surface (second inclined portion) 111 is provided on the inner surface of the side frame 110 facing the vehicle width direction. The first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 and the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110 are arranged facing each other (opposite to each other), and are arranged at least partially overlapping each other when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and at least partially overlapping each other when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0103] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inclination degree of the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 is also greater than that of the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110.

[0104] Furthermore, the front end of the first inclined surface 141 in the side cover 140 (the front end 140b of the side cover 140) extends to a position in the housing 130 in front of the front end 135b of the mating surface 135 of the side cover 140. That is, the front end 140b of the side cover 140 protrudes in front of the mating surface 135 of the housing 130.

[0105] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a portion of the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 also extends to a position in the side frame 110 that is further inward than the innermost position 110d in the vehicle width direction.

[0106] An insertion hole 136 is provided on the mating surface 135 of the housing 130 at a position corresponding to the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140, for inserting a positioning pin (position limiting member) 150 to position the side cover 140. Although not shown in the figure, in this embodiment, a plurality of insertion holes 136 are also provided, for example, two insertion holes 136 are arranged vertically (at the same position in the front-rear direction). Moreover, these two insertion holes 136 are arranged at a position that coincides with the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110 when viewed from the vehicle width direction. In addition, an insertion hole 146 for inserting the positioning pin 150 is also provided on the mating surface 145 of the inner surface of the side cover 140 at a position facing the insertion hole 136. The side cover 140 is positioned relative to the opening 134 of the housing 130 by inserting the positioning pin 150 into the two insertion holes 136 and the insertion hole 146.

[0107] According to this embodiment, since the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 and the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110 face each other, during a vehicle collision, if the high-voltage device (housing 130 and side cover 140) inside the housing 103 is displaced forward due to the impact load input from the rear of the vehicle, the first inclined surface 141 of the forward-displaced side cover 140 will come into contact (collide) with the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110. At this time, both the first inclined surface 141 and the second inclined surface 111 are inclined surfaces that are inclined inward in the vehicle width direction towards the front of the vehicle. Therefore, the first inclined surface 141 and the second inclined surface 111 can slide obliquely relative to each other through the contact between the inclined surfaces, thus effectively reducing or dispersing the impact or load of the contact (collision) on the high-voltage device. In particular, since the inclination degree of the first inclined surface 141 is greater than that of the second inclined surface 111, the impact or load of the contact (collision) can be reduced more effectively.

[0108] In this embodiment, the length of the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 is further extended by extending the front end portion 140b of the first inclined surface 141 in the side cover 140 to a position in front of the front end portion 135b of the mating surface 135 of the side cover 140 in the housing 130. This allows for a more effective reduction in the impact or load from the contact (collision) between the first inclined surface 141 and the second inclined surface 111. Furthermore, even if the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 contacts (collides) with the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110, and the side cover 140 and housing 130 then contact other components located in front of the receiving portion 103, the front end portion 140b of the side cover 140 will contact these other components before the housing 130, thus reducing the impact of the collision on the housing 130. Therefore, damage to the housing 130 can be prevented, effectively protecting the high-voltage device.

[0109] Furthermore, in this embodiment, at least a portion of the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 also extends to a position in the side frame 110 that is further inward than the innermost position 110d in the vehicle width direction.

[0110] According to the structure, by extending at least a portion of the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 to a position in the side frame 110 that is further inward than the innermost position 110d in the vehicle width direction, the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 and the inclined surface of the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110 can be made to contact each other more securely, and the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 and the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110 can be made to slide relative to each other in an oblique direction.

[0111] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a positioning pin (position limiting member) 150 for positioning the side cover 140 is also provided on the mating surface 135 and the mating surface 145 of the housing 130 and the side cover 140, and a plurality of positioning pins 150 are provided on the mating surface 135 and the mating surface 145.

[0112] According to the structure, by interposing a plurality of locating pins 150 at the mating surfaces 135 and 145 of the housing 130 and the side cover 140, it is possible to easily and reliably position the side cover 140 relative to the housing 130.

[0113] Furthermore, multiple locating pins 150 are positioned to coincide with the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110 when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0114] According to the structure, by arranging the multiple positioning pins 150 at positions that coincide with the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110 when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the concern of misalignment or damage to the side cover 140 can be reduced when the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 contacts (collides) with the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110. Therefore, effective protection of the housing 130 and the high-voltage devices inside the housing 130 can be achieved.

[0115] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments. Various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims and the technical concept described in the specification and drawings. For example, in the first embodiment, the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 is the surface facing the left in the vehicle width direction, and the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 facing the first inclined surface 41 is the surface facing the right in the vehicle width direction. Otherwise, although the illustrations and detailed descriptions are omitted, the first inclined surface 41 of the side cover 40 can also be set to the surface facing the right in the vehicle width direction, and the second inclined surface 11 of the side frame 10 facing the first inclined surface 41 can be set to the surface facing the left in the vehicle width direction. Similarly, in the second embodiment, the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 is the surface facing to the right in the vehicle width direction, and the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110 facing the first inclined surface 141 is the surface facing to the left in the vehicle width direction. Otherwise, although the illustrations and detailed descriptions are omitted, the first inclined surface 141 of the side cover 140 can also be set to the surface facing to the left in the vehicle width direction, and the second inclined surface 111 of the side frame 110 facing the first inclined surface 141 can be set to the surface facing to the right in the vehicle width direction.

[0116] Furthermore, the first inclined surface 41 (141) and the second inclined surface 11 (111) are not limited to being entirely opposite to each other; they may also be only partially opposite to each other. Moreover, the first inclined surface 41 (141) and the second inclined surface 11 (111) may coincide with each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (at least a portion of these inclined surfaces are in the same position when viewed from the longitudinal direction), but they may not coincide with each other in the width direction of the vehicle (at least a portion of these inclined surfaces are in the same position when viewed from the width direction). The longitudinal and rear positions may be configured in different positions.

[0117] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the high-voltage device of the present invention was described as a motor (electric motor) M and a generator (electric motor) G housed in the housing 30. However, the high-voltage device driven by high voltage of the present invention is not limited to these motors M or generators G. For example, it may be other devices such as a PCU (Power Control Unit) as shown in the second embodiment. Although the PCU is omitted from the illustrations and detailed descriptions here, it may be a structure that includes electrical components such as an inverter for driving the motor, a boost converter for controlling the voltage, and a DC-DC (DCDC) converter for reducing the high voltage, and these electrical components are housed in the housing. Moreover, as the high-voltage device of the present invention, in addition to a PCU, it may also be a high-voltage battery or various control devices for controlling the battery.

Claims

1. A high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle, comprising: Housing, housing a high-voltage device located in the engine compartment of a vehicle and driven by high voltage; A cover component that covers the opening of the housing; and Side frames, extending from the side of the engine compartment in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, The high-voltage device mounting structure of the vehicle is characterized by: The outer surface of the cover member facing the vehicle width direction is provided with a first inclined portion that slopes inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves toward the rear of the vehicle. The side frame has a second inclined portion that slopes inward in the vehicle width direction on its inner surface facing the rear of the vehicle. At least a portion of the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion face each other, and the inclination of the first inclined portion is greater than that of the second inclined portion. The rear end of the first inclined portion in the cover member extends to a position behind the mating surface of the cover member in the housing.

2. The high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-voltage device housed within the housing is an electric motor.

3. The high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: At least a portion of the first inclined portion of the cover member extends to a position in the side frame that is further inward than the innermost position in the vehicle width direction.

4. The high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A position limiting member for the cover member is provided at the mating surface between the housing and the cover member. A plurality of the position limiting members are provided on the mating surface.

5. The high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that: The position limiting member is positioned to coincide with the second inclined portion of the side frame when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

6. The high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that... include: A partition member, located at the rear of the engine compartment, separates the engine compartment from the vehicle compartment. The rear end of the side frame is connected to the partition member. A reinforcing member is installed at the connection point that connects the side frame to the partition member to enhance the connection point.

7. The high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second inclined portion of the side frame and the reinforcing member are arranged at the same position in the vehicle width direction along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

8. A high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle, comprising: Housing that houses a high-voltage device installed in a vehicle and driven by a high voltage. A cover component that covers the opening of the housing; and Side brackets, extending from the side of the cover member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The high-voltage device mounting structure of the vehicle is characterized by: The outer surface of the cover member facing the vehicle width direction is provided with a first inclined portion that slopes inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves toward the front of the vehicle. The side frame has a second inclined portion that slopes inward in the vehicle width direction on its inner surface facing the front of the vehicle. At least a portion of the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion face each other, and the inclination of the first inclined portion is greater than that of the second inclined portion. The front end of the first inclined portion in the cover member extends to a position in front of the mating surface of the cover member in the housing.

9. The high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that: At least a portion of the first inclined portion of the cover member extends to a position in the side frame that is further inward than the innermost position in the vehicle width direction.

10. The high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: A position limiting member for the cover member is provided at the mating surface between the housing and the cover member. A plurality of the position limiting members are provided on the mating surface.

11. The high-voltage device mounting structure for a vehicle according to claim 10, characterized in that: The position limiting member is positioned to coincide with the second inclined portion of the side frame when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

Images