External air suction structure for vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an external air suction structure for a vehicle. The existing electric automobile has the problems that the temperature in a cabin at the front part of an automobile body is easy to rise, and the cabin is difficult to be used as a storage space. In an outside air suction structure (10) for a vehicle according to the present invention, outside air introduced from an outside air suction port (17) at the front part of a vehicle body passes through a first air passage (25) and a second air passage (26) and is supplied to an under-floor space (23) in which an in-vehicle battery (41) is housed. In addition, the cabin (13) is provided with a front box body (14), a first air path (25) and a second air path (26), wherein the first air path (25) and the second air path (26) are arranged above the front box body (14). Through the structure, the front box body (14), the first air path (25) and the second air path (26) can be arranged in the cabin (13) through reasonable layout. As a result, it is possible to prevent an increase in the internal temperature of the front case (14) due to sunlight or the like by means of the outside air or the like. In addition, the load inside the front box body (14) can be prevented from being damaged due to high temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an external air intake structure for a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] As a conventional cooling structure for a battery for an electric vehicle, for example, a structure described in Patent Document 1 is known.

[0003] The electric vehicle has front wheels, rear wheels and a vehicle body. As frame members constituting the vehicle body, there are a pair of side frames, a front cross beam and a rear cross beam connected to the side frames. The side frames are supported in a state where a battery box is suspended between the front wheels and the rear wheels.

[0004] The battery box has a box body for storing a plurality of batteries for driving an electric vehicle. In addition, an intake channel component for sucking cooling air into the box body is formed on the vehicle front side of the box body. The upper end side of the intake channel component is open, and an opening portion for sucking cooling air into the box body is formed. In addition, a hole portion for discharging cooling air is formed on the vehicle rear side of the box body. In addition, a cooling fan is arranged in the hole portion.

[0005] Prior art literature

[0006] Patent Literature

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-193376 Summary of the invention

[0008] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0009] When the battery box cools the batteries stored in the box body, the cooling fan is activated. Then, cooling air is sucked into the box body from the opening of the suction channel member. The sucked cooling air flows in the box body and is discharged to the outside of the box body from the hole.

[0010] On the other hand, in electric vehicles, the power unit is miniaturized by replacing the engine with an electric motor, so that the cabin in the front of the vehicle body can be used as a storage space. However, the cabin is located directly under the front hood, so there is a problem that the cabin temperature rises due to the influence of sunlight, etc., and the load stored in the cabin is damaged. In addition, in order to use part of the cabin as a battery cooling air path for supplying cold air to the above-mentioned battery box, it is necessary to make a reasonable layout in relation to the storage space.

[0011] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and relates to a vehicle external air intake structure that utilizes the interior of a vehicle front compartment as a storage space and a battery cooling air path through a reasonable layout and prevents the storage space from being heated by sunlight or the like.

[0012] Means of solving problems

[0013] An external air intake structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle external air intake structure for supplying external air to a vehicle-mounted battery housed in an underfloor space of a vehicle body, and is characterized in that it includes: an external air intake port, which is arranged at the front of the vehicle body; a front box body, which is arranged in the compartment of the vehicle body; an opening and closing cover portion, which can be opened and closed to seal the upper surface opening of the front box body; a first air passage, which is connected to the external air intake port and is formed between the front hood of the vehicle body and the opening and closing cover portion; and a second air passage, which is connected to the first air passage and the underfloor space, respectively, and is formed at the rear of the front box body. The external air introduced from the external air intake port passes through the first air passage and the second air passage and is sent to the underfloor space.

[0014] Effects of the Invention

[0015] In an external air intake structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, the external air introduced from the external air intake port at the front of the vehicle body passes through the first air path and the second air path as the battery cooling air path, and is supplied to the underfloor space where the vehicle-mounted battery is stored. In addition, the cabin at the front of the vehicle body is used as a storage space, and the first air path and the second air path are arranged above the storage space. According to this structure, the battery cooling air path and the storage space can be arranged in the above-mentioned cabin according to a reasonable layout, and the above-mentioned external air flowing in the battery cooling air path can prevent the temperature of the storage space from rising due to sunlight, etc. In addition, the load of the storage space can be prevented from being damaged due to high temperature. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a vehicle having an external air intake structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 1B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a vehicle having an external air intake structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an external air intake structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3A is a top view illustrating an external air intake structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view illustrating an external air intake structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view for explaining a vehicle having the external air intake structure for a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Explanation of symbols

[0023] 10 External air intake structure for vehicles

[0024] 11 Vehicles

[0025] 12 Car body

[0026] 13Inside the Cabin

[0027] 14 front box

[0028] 14A Main body

[0029] 14B Upper surface opening

[0030] 14C opening and closing cover

[0031] 15Front bumper

[0032] 16Front grille

[0033] 17 External air intake port

[0034] 18 Front hood

[0035] 19 Radiator

[0036] 20 air supply fan

[0037] 21 External air supply air path

[0038] 22 Bottom Plate

[0039] 23Underfloor space

[0040] 24 External air inlet air passage

[0041] 25 First Wind Road

[0042] 26 Second Wind Road

[0043] 33 Wind channel wall

[0044] 34 chimeric part

[0045] 35ESU

[0046] 40 Junction Box

[0047] 41 Car battery

[0048] 42 battery cells

[0049] 43 battery housing

[0050] 46 gap

[0051] 47 Fixed bracket

[0052] 49 bottom cover

[0053] 50 discharge opening. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] The following is a detailed description of an external air intake structure 10 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention based on the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, when describing this embodiment, the same components are in principle numbered with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted. In addition, the front-to-rear direction of the paper represents the overall length direction of the vehicle 11, the left-to-right direction of the paper represents the width direction of the vehicle 11, and the up-down direction of the paper represents the height direction of the vehicle 11.

[0055] Figure 1A and Figure 1B It is a cross-sectional view for explaining a vehicle 11 in which the vehicle outside air intake structure 10 according to the present embodiment is installed. Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view for explaining the vehicle outside air intake structure 10 according to the present embodiment. Figure 3A It is a plan view for explaining the first air passage 25 of the vehicle outside air intake structure 10 according to the present embodiment. Figure 3B 1 is a cross-sectional view of the first air passage 25 of the external air intake structure 10 for a vehicle according to the present embodiment, showing Figure 3A The cross section along line AA is shown. Figure 4 FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an underfloor space 23 of a vehicle 11 in which the vehicle external air intake structure 10 according to the present embodiment is installed. Figures 1A to 2 In the figure, for the convenience of explanation, the structure of the vehicle body 12 is schematically illustrated.

[0056] like Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, the vehicle 11 is, for example, a BEV (Battery Electrical Vehicle), an HEV (Hybrid Electrical Vehicle), or a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicle).

[0057] For example, when the vehicle 11 is a BEV, since no engine parts are required, a front box 14 is provided in the front storage space at the front of the vehicle body 12, that is, in the cabin 13. The front box 14 is mainly a storage space for storing loads. The front box 14 has a main body 14A in which a storage space is formed, and an opening and closing cover 14C that freely opens and closes an upper surface opening 14B of the main body 14A.

[0058] A front bumper 15, a front grille 16, and an outside air intake port 17 are formed at the front portion of the vehicle body 12. The outside air intake port 17 is, for example, an opening for introducing outside air into the cabin 13 when the vehicle 11 is running. The front grille 16 is assembled in a formation region of the outside air intake port 17 of the vehicle body 12 above the front bumper 15.

[0059] A front hood 18 is assembled to the front of the vehicle body 12 so as to openably and closably close the upper surface opening 13A of the vehicle body 12. Figure 1B As shown, the front bonnet 18 and the opening and closing cover portion 14C of the front box 14 are separately assembled to the vehicle body 12. With this structure, the opening and closing action of the opening and closing cover portion 14C can be performed independently of the front bonnet 18 without being linked with the opening and closing action of the front bonnet 18.

[0060] A radiator 19 and a blower fan 20 are provided in the cabin 13 of the vehicle body 12 and behind the external air intake port 17. The external air introduced into the cabin 13 from the external air intake port 17 passes through the radiator 19 and the blower fan 20 and is then sent to the external air introduction air passage 24 described later. It should be noted that, in the case where the external air introduction air passage 24 described later is formed continuously with the external air intake port 17, the radiator 19 and the blower fan 20 may also be provided in the external air introduction air passage 24.

[0061] The blower fan 20 is disposed near the radiator 19 and is activated when the vehicle 11 is stopped or when the vehicle 11 is traveling at a low speed to introduce outside air into the cabin 13 from the outside air intake port 17 .

[0062] Then, if Figure 1A and Figure 2 As shown, in the present embodiment, a vehicle external air intake structure 10 is formed at the front portion of a vehicle body 12. The vehicle external air intake structure 10 mainly includes an external air intake port 17 and an external air supply air passage 21 that communicates with the external air intake port 17 and delivers the external air introduced from the external air intake port 17 to an underfloor space 23. That is, the external air supply air passage 21 is, for example, an air passage for delivering the external air introduced from the external air intake port 17 to an underfloor space 23 below a floor plate 22 of the vehicle body 12.

[0063] The outside air supply duct 21 includes, for example, an outside air introduction duct 24 , a first duct 25 communicating with the outside air introduction duct 24 , and a second duct 26 communicating with the first duct 25 and the underfloor space 23 .

[0064] The external air introduction duct 24 is formed by extrusion molding using, for example, a multi-layered synthetic resin plate. The external air introduction duct 24 is assembled with respect to the vehicle body 12 in front of the front box 14. The external air introduction duct 24 is a duct for sending the external air introduced from the external air intake port 17 into the cabin 13 to the first duct 25.

[0065] It should be noted that the external air in the present embodiment refers to the air existing outside the vehicle 11, for example, the running wind introduced into the cabin 13 from the external air intake port 17 when the vehicle 11 is running, or the wind sucked into the cabin 13 from the external air intake port 17 due to the operation of the air supply fan 20 when the vehicle 11 is stopped or running at a low speed.

[0066] The first air passage 25 is formed, for example, by using the opening and closing cover portion 14C of the front box body 14 and the front bonnet 18, and is formed between the opening and closing cover portion 14C and the front bonnet 18. As will be described in detail later, when the opening and closing cover portion 14C is completely closed relative to the main body portion 14A of the front box body 14, the front bonnet 18 is completely closed relative to the cabin 13 of the vehicle body 12, thereby forming the first air passage 25. On the other hand, when the front bonnet 18 is opened relative to the cabin 13 of the vehicle body 12, the first air passage 25 is opened and temporarily disappears.

[0067] The second air duct 26 is formed by extrusion molding using a multi-layered synthetic resin plate, for example. The second air duct 26 is assembled in the vehicle body 12 behind the front box 14. As shown in the figure, the second air duct 26 is extended in the height direction of the vehicle body 12, so that the first air duct 25 located above the front box 14 is connected to the underfloor space 23 located below the front box 14.

[0068] This structure allows the outside air flowing in the first air passage 25 to flow between the opening and closing cover portion 14C of the front box 14 and the front bonnet 18. After that, the outside air flowing in the first air passage 25 performs heat exchange with the opening and closing cover portion 14C, thereby preventing the interior of the front box 14 from falling into an overheated state. In addition, an air layer is formed between the opening and closing cover portion 14C and the front bonnet 18 through the first air passage 25, so that the heat generated by direct sunlight on the front bonnet 18 is not easily transferred to the front box 14.

[0069] As a result, in the front box 14, the heat conducted from the front bonnet 18 and the heat conducted from the motor and the like disposed around the front box 14 are dissipated by the external air flowing through the first air passage 25. In addition, the temperature of the internal space of the front box 14 can be prevented from rising, thereby preventing the loads stored in the front box 14 from being damaged due to high temperature.

[0070] In addition, the external air sent to the underfloor space 23 is introduced from the external air intake port 17 above the front bumper 15, so that, for example, when driving on rainy days or when driving on flooded roads, water is not easy to penetrate into the cabin 13 and the external air supply air duct 21 from the external air intake port 17. Moreover, the external air sent to the underfloor space 23 is not easy to be mixed with moisture, thereby preventing the vehicle-mounted battery stored in the underfloor space 23 from short circuiting and other faults. It should be noted that the second air duct 26 is provided with a drain hole 26A at the corner portion on the upstream side of the connection portion connected to the underfloor space 23. Moreover, when the external air flowing in the second air duct 26 collides with the corner portion, the moisture contained in the external air is discharged to the outside of the vehicle from the drain hole 26A.

[0071] then, Figure 3A The front bonnet 18 is shown as viewed from the exterior design surface, the dotted line 31 indicates the opening and closing cover 14C of the front box 14, and the single-dot chain line 32 indicates the first air passage 25. As shown in the figure, the air passage width of the first air passage 25 is formed to widen from the external air intake port 17 to the second air passage 26. In addition, although not shown in the figure, the underfloor space 23 is formed across the substantially entire surface below the floor plate 22 of the vehicle compartment.

[0072] This structure allows the external air flowing in the external air supply air passage 21 to be sent to the underfloor space 23 from the second air passage 26 as evenly as possible. Furthermore, the external air is supplied to the vehicle battery 41 stored in the underfloor space 23 as evenly as possible, which can prevent the battery cell 42 of the vehicle battery 41 from being partially overheated and causing the vehicle battery 41 to fail.

[0073] like Figure 3B As shown in FIG. 1 , a pair of air passage wall portions 33 extending in the full length direction of the vehicle 11 are formed on the upper surface of the opening and closing cover portion 14C of the front box body 14. The air passage wall portions 33 are formed integrally with the opening and closing cover portion 14C, for example. Furthermore, the air passage wall portions 33 are formed with a plate thickness having a desired strength because the front bonnet 18 repeatedly collides with the fitting portion 34 of the front bonnet 18 each time the front bonnet 18 is opened and closed.

[0074] On the other hand, a pair of fitting parts 34 extending in the full length direction of the vehicle 11 are formed on the lower surface of the front bonnet 18. As described above, when the opening and closing cover 14C is completely closed relative to the main body 14A of the front box 14, the front bonnet 18 is completely closed relative to the cabin 13 of the vehicle body 12, so that the front end side of the air passage wall 33 is inserted into the fitting part 34, and the two parts are in a fitting state.

[0075] This structure allows the first air duct 25 to be formed in the cabin 13 as a space surrounded by the front bonnet 18, the opening and closing cover 14C, the air duct wall 33 and the fitting part 34. It should be noted that the present embodiment is not limited to the case where the air duct wall 33 is formed in the opening and closing cover 14C and the fitting part 34 is formed in the front bonnet 18. For example, the air duct wall 33 is formed in the front bonnet 18 and the fitting part 34 is formed in the opening and closing cover 14C. In addition, when the opening and closing cover 14C and the front bonnet 18 are completely closed, any design and change can be made as long as the structure in which the first air duct 25 is formed is formed.

[0076] In addition, an ESU (Electricity Supply Unit) 35 (see Figure 1A ). Moreover, the interior of the front box 14 may be heated by the heat generated by the ESU 35. In addition, the interior of the front box 14 may be heated by the heat generated by the direct sunlight on the front hood 18.

[0077] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the opening and closing cover 14C of the front housing 14 contacts and exchanges heat with the external air flowing through the first air passage 25, thereby preventing the interior of the front housing 14 from being overheated.

[0078] like Figure 4 As shown, the underfloor space 23 is below the passenger riding space of the vehicle 11 and is formed below the floor 22 of the vehicle body 12. In addition, a vehicle-mounted battery 41 for supplying power to the electric motor and various electrical components of the vehicle 11 is accommodated in the underfloor space 23. In the vehicle-mounted battery 41, for example, a plurality of battery cells 42 are accommodated in a battery housing 43 by being connected in series. It should be noted that a BCU (Battery Control Unit) and a junction box 40 as electronic devices are also provided in the underfloor space 23, and are electrically connected to the vehicle-mounted battery 41. It should be noted that as the battery cell 42, for example, secondary batteries such as nickel-metal hydride batteries and lithium-ion batteries and all-solid-state batteries are used.

[0079] As shown in the figure, the plurality of battery cells 42 are arranged with gaps 46 at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle-mounted battery 41 through the partition. As shown by arrows 44, the external air sent from the second air passage 26 to the underfloor space 23 flows through the air passage between the fixing bracket 47 of the battery case 43 and the floor plate 22.

[0080] As shown by arrow 45, part of the external air sent to the underfloor space 23 is sent to the inside of the battery case 43 through the introduction opening (not shown) provided on the fixing bracket 47. Thereafter, the external air sent to the inside of the battery case 43 exchanges heat with each battery cell 42 while flowing through the above-mentioned gap 46. Then, as shown by arrow 48, the external air that cools each battery cell 42 is discharged to the outside of the vehicle from the discharge opening 50 formed on the bottom cover 49 of the vehicle body 12.

[0081] It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, the external air supply duct 21 is not limited to the case where it has the external air introduction duct 24. For example, the external air introduction duct 24 may not be provided, but an introduction opening (not shown) may be provided at the front end of the first duct 25. In this case, a portion of the external air introduced from the external air intake port 17 into the cabin 13 is sent from the introduction opening to the first duct 25, thereby obtaining the same effect as the above effect. In addition, various changes may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle external air intake structure for supplying external air to a vehicle-mounted battery housed in an underfloor space of a vehicle body, comprising: an external air intake port, which is arranged at the front part of the vehicle body; A front box body, which is arranged in the cabin of the vehicle body; An opening and closing cover that can be opened and closed to seal the upper surface opening of the front box; A first air passage communicated with the external air intake port and formed between the front hood of the vehicle body and the opening and closing cover; and A second air passage is connected to the first air passage and the underfloor space, and is formed behind the front box. The external air introduced from the external air intake port passes through the first air passage and the second air passage, and is sent to the underfloor space.

2. The external air intake structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The opening and closing cover portion performs an opening and closing action independently of the front hood.

3. The external air intake structure for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: The first air passage is formed by fitting an air passage wall portion formed on the upper surface of the opening and closing cover portion into a fitting portion formed on the lower surface of the front bonnet.

4. The external air intake structure for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein: The first air passage has an air passage width that increases from the outside air intake port toward the second air passage side.

5. The external air intake structure for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: A radiator is disposed behind the external air intake port of the vehicle body, and an air supply fan is disposed behind the radiator. The outside air introduced from the outside air intake port is sent to the underfloor space by the air supply fan, through the first air passage and the second air passage.

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