Electric automobile

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric vehicle which adjusts the weight distribution of the vehicle by using a battery mounted on the passenger seat side of the electric vehicle. An electric vehicle in which a driver's seat (40) and a passenger's seat (30) are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction is provided with: a passenger's seat-side battery unit (BY2) mounted in front of the passenger's seat (30) in the vehicle; a motor (M) that receives power from the passenger seat-side battery unit (BY2) and drives the drive wheels; and a battery moving device (90) that enables the passenger seat-side battery unit (BY2) to move in at least one of the vehicle front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric vehicle including a motor for driving a driving wheel and a battery for supplying electric power to the motor. Background Art

[0002] For electric vehicles equipped with motors that drive driving wheels, the amount of batteries that supply power to the motors will greatly affect their cruising range. For example, in the electric vehicle of Patent Document 1, the batteries are mounted in the channel portion formed by the floor, and the batteries are also mounted under the rear seats, thereby increasing the amount of batteries that can be mounted. Since the channel portion of the floor is long in the front-to-back direction, the batteries mounted in the channel portion are slender in the front-to-back direction, and the vertical dimension of the front end of the battery is longer than the vertical dimension of the middle portion of the battery (the middle portion in the front-to-back direction). Since the rear seats are long in the left-right direction, the batteries mounted under the rear seats are long in the left-to-right direction, thereby achieving a large capacity.

[0003] Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, a protrusion is formed on the passenger seat side of the floor, and a battery is disposed in the protrusion.

[0004] [Prior art literature] [Patent Literature] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-1950566; [Patent document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-155828. Summary of the invention

[0005] [Technical problem to be solved by the invention] However, when considering the dynamic performance of a car, it is important to reduce the yaw moment of inertia, and how to reduce the yaw moment of inertia becomes a technical issue. Therefore, when designing a car, efforts are made to reduce the yaw moment of inertia by placing heavy objects.

[0006] Here, although a general car can accommodate several people, there are cases where there are passengers other than the driver and cases where there are no passengers other than the driver. For example, when there is a passenger in the front passenger seat and when there is no passenger in the front passenger seat, there will be a difference in weight for one person on the front passenger seat side of the vehicle. In a car, the difference in weight for one person on the left and right is a large difference, so whether there is a passenger in the front passenger seat will cause a change in the yaw moment of inertia, which may affect the dynamic performance of the car.

[0007] In addition, the weight difference of the driver sitting in the driver's seat, the sitting position in the front and rear directions, etc. will also cause changes in the yaw moment of inertia, as a result, the dynamic performance of the vehicle may be affected.

[0008] Furthermore, when driving a car, especially in sport driving, the front-rear weight distribution and left-right weight distribution settings that affect maneuverability sometimes become important. In addition, in order to achieve maneuverability that suits the driver's preferences or due to different driving road properties, sometimes you want to change the front-rear weight distribution and left-right weight distribution of the vehicle, but loading heavy objects just for this purpose will increase the weight of the vehicle in vain, which may reduce dynamic performance.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to adjust the weight distribution of the vehicle by using a battery mounted on the passenger seat side of an electric vehicle.

[0010]

Technical means to solve technical problems

[0011] That is, the passenger seat side battery supplies power to the motor, so it is a heavy object. The heavy object, i.e., the passenger seat side battery, is moved in the front-to-back direction and the vehicle width direction by the battery moving mechanism, so that the front-to-back weight distribution and the left-to-right weight distribution of the vehicle can be adjusted. By adjusting the front-to-back weight distribution and the left-to-right weight distribution of the vehicle, for example, the weight distribution can be arranged according to the presence or absence of passengers in the passenger seat and the weight of the driver sitting in the driver's seat, and the maneuverability that meets the driver's preferences can also be achieved, and the weight distribution can be arranged according to the properties of the driving road, etc.

[0012] The second side of the present invention may further include: a tunnel portion provided at a center portion of the floor in the vehicle width direction, which bulges upward and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction; and a central battery housed in the tunnel portion and supplying power to the motor.

[0013] This solution increases the driving range by equipping the vehicle with a central battery, while also moving the center of gravity of the vehicle closer to the center of the vehicle when viewed from a top perspective, thereby reducing the yaw moment of inertia.

[0014] The battery moving mechanism involved in the third side of the present invention may include: a load detection sensor, which detects the load applied to the driver's seat by a passenger sitting in the driver's seat; a calculation unit, which calculates the target position of the battery on the passenger seat side based on the load detected by the load detection sensor; and a moving mechanism, which moves the battery on the passenger seat side so that the battery on the passenger seat side is configured at the target position calculated by the calculation unit.

[0015] This solution can automatically calculate the optimal position of the passenger seat battery as the target position based on the weight of the passenger sitting in the driver's seat. In addition, the passenger seat battery will move to the optimal position, thereby reducing the yaw moment of inertia without the need for the passenger to make special adjustments or operations.

[0016] The battery moving mechanism involved in the fourth side of the present invention may include: a position detection sensor, which detects the position of the driver's seat in the front-to-back direction of the vehicle; a calculation unit, which calculates the target position of the passenger seat side battery based on the position of the driver's seat in the front-to-back direction of the vehicle detected by the position detection sensor; and a moving mechanism, which moves the passenger seat side battery so that the passenger seat side battery is configured at the target position calculated by the calculation unit.

[0017] That is to say, the position of the driver's seat can generally be adjusted in the front-to-back direction, so the position of the driver's seat in the front-to-back direction will change the front-to-back weight distribution of the vehicle. This solution automatically calculates the optimal position of the passenger seat side battery as the target position based on the position of the driver's seat in the front-to-back direction. In addition, the passenger seat side battery will move to the optimal position, so only the position of the driver's seat needs to be adjusted, and the yaw moment of inertia can be reduced without the need for passengers to make special adjustments and operations.

[0018] The battery moving mechanism according to the fifth aspect of the present invention may include: a fixed rail fixed to the floor and extending in the front-rear direction or the width direction of the vehicle; and a movable member guided by the fixed rail in a state of being engaged with the fixed rail. In this case, the passenger seat side battery can be mounted on the movable member.

[0019] In this aspect, since the passenger seat side battery is mounted to the floor via the movable member and the fixed rail, the passenger seat side battery is mounted at a low position, thereby lowering the center of gravity height of the vehicle.

[0020] The upper end portion of the passenger seat side battery according to the sixth aspect of the present invention may be located below the upper side surface of the front end portion of the seat cushion portion of the passenger seat.

[0021] In this scheme, the passenger seat side battery is unlikely to come into contact with the back of the thighs of the passenger sitting on the passenger seat, and thus the riding comfort of the passenger on the passenger seat can be improved.

[0022] [Effects of the invention] As described above, since the passenger seat side battery mounted on the front of the vehicle at the passenger seat can be moved in at least one direction of the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction, the weight distribution of the vehicle can be adjusted without loading useless heavy objects, thereby reducing the yaw moment of inertia. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1is a left side view of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a top view of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 It is a top view of the electric vehicle cabin without the roof, doors, interior materials, etc.; Figure 4 It corresponds to Figure 3 The cross-sectional view of the IV-IV line; Figure 5 It corresponds to Figure 3 The cross-sectional view of the V-V line; Figure 6 This is an oblique view showing only the battery unit mounted on the vehicle body; Figure 7 is a block diagram of a battery moving device; Figure 8 is a top view of the mobile mechanism; Fig. 9 The modification example involves Figure 7 Quite a picture. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The following is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention based on the accompanying drawings. In addition, the following description of the preferred embodiments is essentially for illustration only and is not intended to limit the present invention and its application or use.

[0025] Figure 1 and Figure 2 The appearance of an electric vehicle 1 having a vehicle body structure A according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In the description of this embodiment, the front side of the vehicle is simply referred to as "front", the rear side of the vehicle is simply referred to as "rear", the right side of the vehicle is simply referred to as "right", and the left side of the vehicle is simply referred to as "left". The left-right direction of the vehicle is the vehicle width direction. When the electric vehicle 1 is viewed from the left or right side, it is called a side view. In addition, when the electric vehicle 1 is viewed from above, it is called a top view or a bird's-eye view.

[0026] The electric vehicle 1 is a passenger vehicle, which may be any type of vehicle, such as a coupe type, a hatchback type, or a sedan type. The front side of the electric vehicle 1 is provided with an engine hood 2. A front luggage storage space R1 (only in the case of Figure 1 The front luggage storage space R1 can be opened by opening the engine hood 2, so that luggage can be taken in and out.

[0027] A rear cover 3 is provided at the rear side of the electric vehicle 1. A rear luggage storage space R2 (only in Figure 1The rear luggage storage space R2 can be opened by opening the rear cover 3, so that luggage can be taken in and out. In addition, one or both of the front luggage storage space R1 and the rear luggage storage space R2 can be used as a space for arranging auxiliary equipment.

[0028] The left side and right side of the electric vehicle 1 are respectively provided with a left door 4 and a right door 5 that can be opened and closed. The roof 6 can be a fixed roof, a detachable roof, or a foldable roof. When the roof is a detachable roof or a foldable roof, it is a convertible car, and there is no roof above the passengers.

[0029] The vehicle body structure A of the electric vehicle 1 includes front wheels 7 and rear wheels 8 on the left and right sides, and includes a driving motor M (at Figure 4 and Figure 5 The inverter circuit, sensor, driving operation equipment, etc. required to control the motor M can use conventionally well-known equipment.

[0030] In this embodiment, the rear wheel 8 is a driving wheel, but the front wheel 7 may be used as a driving wheel, or both the front wheel 7 and the rear wheel 8 may be used as driving wheels. Which wheel is used as a driving wheel can be selected according to the configuration of the motor M. When the motor M is mounted only on the rear side, only the rear wheel 8 can be used as a driving wheel, when the motor M is mounted only on the front side, only the front wheel 7 can be used as a driving wheel, and when the motor M is mounted on the front and rear sides, both the front wheel 7 and the rear wheel 8 can be used as driving wheels. The following describes the case where the motor M is mounted only on the rear side.

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, a cabin R3 is provided between the front wheel 7 and the rear wheel 8, and the cabin R3 is a seating space for passengers. Figure 4 As shown, the vehicle body structure A of the electric vehicle 1 includes: a floor 10 forming the floor of the cabin R3; a dash panel 20 forming the front wall of the cabin R3. In addition, the vehicle body structure A includes: an inclined panel 16 extending upward from the rear end of the floor 10 and inclining more and more rearward toward the upper side; and a rear panel 17 extending rearward from the upper end of the inclined panel 16.

[0032] A tunnel portion 11 that bulges upward and extends in the front-rear direction is formed in the center portion of the floor 10 in the vehicle width direction. The tunnel portion 11, the floor 10, and the front panel 20 are covered with interior materials (not shown) on the vehicle interior side. Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle body structure A also includes a right side member 12 extending in the front-rear direction along the right edge of the floor panel 10 , and a left side member 13 extending in the front-rear direction along the left edge of the floor panel 10 .

[0033] The front end of the tunnel portion 11 is located at the front end of the floor panel 10, and the rear end of the tunnel portion 11 is located at the rear end of the floor panel 10. Therefore, the tunnel portion 11 has a shape extending continuously from the front end to the rear end of the floor panel 10.

[0034] The electric vehicle 1 is a right-hand-drive vehicle (RHD (Right-hand-drive) vehicles). Therefore, the vehicle body structure A is provided with a passenger seat 30 as a left seat (seat) and a driver's seat 40 as a right seat (seat) on the left and right sides of the tunnel portion 11 of the floor 10. Specifically, a passenger seat 30 is provided on the left side of the tunnel portion 11 of the floor 10, and the passenger seat 30 is arranged between the tunnel portion 11 and the left side beam 13. A driver's seat 40 is provided on the right side of the tunnel portion 11 of the floor 10, and the driver's seat 40 is arranged between the tunnel portion 11 and the right side beam 12. Therefore, the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 are arranged in a row in the vehicle width direction with the tunnel portion 11 sandwiched therebetween. In addition, the electric vehicle 1 can be a left-hand-drive vehicle (LHD (Left-hand-drive) vehicles), in which case the driver's seat 40 can be provided on the left side and the passenger seat 30 can be provided on the right side. In addition, a rear seat can also be provided.

[0035] The driver's seat 40 includes a seat cushion portion 41 that mainly supports the buttocks and thighs of the passenger, and a backrest portion 42 that extends upward from the rear end of the seat cushion portion 41 and mainly supports the waist, back, and shoulders of the passenger. The seat cushion portion 41 forms a seat surface. The seat cushion portion 41 is not a necessary structure, but it is provided via a sliding mechanism 43 (only in Figure 3 4 (shown in FIG. 4 ) is mounted on the floor 10. The sliding mechanism 43 is a mechanism that can move the driver's seat 40 in the front-rear direction to place it in a desired position, and it can fix the driver's seat 40 in the desired position. Such a sliding mechanism 43 has been well known.

[0036] The passenger seat 30 also includes a seat cushion portion 31 and a backrest portion 32 . Figure 3 In the figure, the hip point of the passenger sitting on the driver's seat 40 is indicated by the reference number HP1, and the hip point of the passenger sitting on the passenger seat 30 is indicated by the reference number HP2. It is assumed here that the seated passengers are passengers of standard physique and weight, but even if the physique and weight change slightly, the positions of the hip points HP1 and HP2 will not change significantly. Figure 4 In FIG. 1 , the hip point of the passenger sitting on the front passenger seat 30 is indicated by reference numeral HP2.

[0037] In addition, if the driver's seat 40 is mounted on the floor 10 in a manner that allows sliding in the front-rear direction, the hip point HP1 will move in the front-rear direction according to the sliding position, but the hip point HP1 when the driver's seat 40 is in a position that allows a passenger of a standard physique to maintain a standard driving posture can be used as a reference. The same applies to the hip point HP2 on the passenger seat 30 side. The passenger seat 30 can be designed to be mounted on the floor 10 in a manner that prevents sliding in the front-rear direction.

[0038] The upper end of the tunnel portion 11 is located above the upper side surfaces of the cushion portions 31 and 41. By setting the tunnel portion 11 to have such a height, when the central battery unit BY1 described later is housed in the tunnel portion 11, a wide housing space can be ensured in the height direction.

[0039] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the height of the tunnel portion 11 raised from the floor 10 (the height raised from the portion where the front passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 are installed) becomes higher and higher as it goes to the front side. Therefore, the upper end of the tunnel portion 11 is gradually tilted downward as it goes to the rear side. The side of the rear part of the tunnel portion 11 has the front passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40, and the rear part of the tunnel portion 11 is the portion overlapping with the front passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 in a side view. The portion of the tunnel portion 11 that overlaps with the front passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 in a side view is low, so, for example, a passenger (driver) sitting in the driver's seat 40 can move over the tunnel portion 11 to sit on the side of the front passenger seat 30, and a passenger sitting in the front passenger seat 30 can move over the tunnel portion 11 to sit on the side of the driver's seat 40.

[0040] In addition, if Figure 3 As shown, the width of the tunnel portion 11 (dimension in the vehicle width direction) becomes wider as it goes to the front side. Specifically, the distance between the left side wall and the right side wall of the tunnel portion 11 becomes narrower as it goes to the rear side, and the width of the rear side portion of the tunnel portion 11 is narrower than the width of the front side portion. The width of the portion of the tunnel portion 11 that overlaps with the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 in a side view is narrow, so that the increase in the vehicle width can be suppressed while ensuring that the width of the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 is wide enough.

[0041] In addition, the front part of the tunnel portion 11 is a part that does not overlap with the front passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 in a side view, so even if the width of the front part is wider, there is no problem in ensuring the width of the front passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40. In addition, there are only the feet of the driver and the front passenger seat 30 passengers on both sides of the front part of the tunnel portion 11, so even if the width of the front part of the tunnel portion 11 is wide, it will hardly affect the riding comfort of the front passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40.

[0042] The dash panel 20 extends upward and in the vehicle width direction from the front end of the floor 10, and is a member that separates the cabin R3 from a space further in front of the cabin R3. A raised portion 20a that rises toward the cabin R3 is provided at the center of the dash panel 20 in the vehicle width direction. Figure 5 As shown, the lower end of the raised portion 20 a is connected to the front end of the channel portion 11 .

[0043] like Figure 3 to Figure 6 As shown, the vehicle body structure A includes a central battery unit BY1, a passenger seat side battery unit BY2, a rear right battery unit BY3, and a rear left battery unit BY4. In this embodiment, several battery units BY1 to BY4 are arranged in various parts of the vehicle body, thereby effectively utilizing several spaces formed by various parts of the vehicle body and increasing the amount of batteries carried.

[0044] The central battery unit BY1 is housed in the tunnel 11 and is disposed between the motor and the dash panel. A central battery placement portion (first battery placement portion) 11A is provided in the tunnel 11 in a long manner in the front-rear direction. The central battery placement portion (first battery placement portion) 11A can be placed in the central battery placement portion BY1, and the central battery unit BY1 placed in the central battery placement portion 11A is fixed to the floor 10 or the like in a detachable (replaceable) manner. When fixed to the floor 10 or the like, the front end of the central battery unit BY1 is located behind the dash panel 20. As a result, there is no battery as a heavy object at the front side of the vehicle.

[0045] The central battery unit BY1 includes a plurality of batteries (central batteries) B1 arranged in a row in the front-rear direction, and these batteries B1 are used to supply power to the motor M. The motor M receives power from the central battery unit BY1 to drive the rear wheel 8. Although not shown, the central battery unit BY1 may include a battery box for storing the central battery B1, a sensor for detecting the temperature of the central battery B1, a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the central battery B1, and the like.

[0046] The central battery B1 is composed of a secondary battery (battery cell) that can be charged and discharged. The central battery B1 may be, for example, a lithium-ion battery, an all-solid-state battery, or other secondary batteries. In addition, the central battery B1 may be a so-called battery cell, or a battery pack that accommodates a plurality of battery cells. In the figure, the central battery B1 is represented by a rectangular parallelepiped in a shape similar to the shape of the central battery B1, but the shape of the central battery B1 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped. In addition, all the central batteries B1 are the same.

[0047] Since the motor M is used to drive the rear wheels 8, it is disposed at the rear side of the vehicle body, specifically, at the rear of the central battery unit BY1. The central battery unit BY1 becomes heavier as it moves away from the motor M, that is, as it moves forward. Figure 3 As shown, the central battery unit BY1 is configured such that, in a top view of the vehicle, the width (dimension in the left-right direction) of the central battery unit BY1 becomes wider as it moves away from the motor M. Specifically, five central batteries B1 constituting the central battery unit BY1 are arranged in the front-to-back direction with their longer directions as the front-to-back direction. Three central batteries B1 located at the front are arranged in the vehicle width direction. Two central batteries B1 located second from the front are arranged in the vehicle width direction. The third, fourth, and last central batteries B1 located third from the front are arranged in a row in the front-to-back direction, and therefore are not arranged in the vehicle width direction.

[0048] In addition, the central battery unit BY1 is configured such that the vertical dimension of the central battery unit BY1 becomes longer as it moves away from the motor M. Figure 5 As shown, there are four central batteries B1 located at the front and the second central battery B1 from the front arranged in the vertical direction. There are three central batteries B1 located at the third and fourth central batteries B1 from the front arranged in the vertical direction. There are two central batteries B1 located at the rear in the vertical direction. The number of central batteries B1 arranged in the vertical direction can be called the number of levels or the number of layers.

[0049] That is, the central battery B1 is arranged such that the width of the central battery cell BY1 becomes wider as it is farther from the motor M, and the dimension of the central battery cell BY1 in the vertical direction becomes longer as it is farther from the motor M. Therefore, the front end of the central battery cell BY1 is the heaviest, and the rear end of the central battery cell BY1 is the lightest. The weight of the middle part of the central battery cell BY1 in the front-to-back direction is between the front end and the rear end.

[0050] In the central battery unit BY1, the third, fourth, and last central battery B1 from the front have the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 on their sides. In the central battery unit BY1, the frontmost and second central battery B1 from the front are arranged in front of the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40. That is, in the portion between the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 in the central battery unit BY1, since the central batteries B1 are not arranged in the vehicle width direction, the width is set narrower than the portion in front of the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 in the central battery unit BY1. The width of the central battery unit BY1 becomes narrower toward the rear side corresponding to the width of the tunnel portion 11.

[0051] In addition, the central battery B1 located at the front and the second from the front in the central battery unit BY1 has the largest number of levels, followed by the third from the front and the fourth from the front with fewer levels, and the last central battery B1 has the least level. Therefore, the height of the central battery unit BY1 corresponds to the height of the bulge of the channel portion 11 and becomes higher and higher as it goes to the front side.

[0052] The number of central batteries B1 constituting the central battery unit BY1, the number of arrangement in the front-to-back direction, and the number of stages are not limited to the above contents, and can be set arbitrarily. In other words, the number of arrangement and the number of stages of the central batteries B1 can be set so that the central battery unit BY1 becomes heavier as it moves away from the motor M. For example, the number of arrangement in the front-to-back direction can be any number greater than 2, and the number of stages can be any number greater than 1.

[0053] The passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is arranged at a position further forward than the seat cushion portion 31 of the passenger seat 30 on the floor 10. As a portion for arranging the passenger seat side battery unit BY2, a passenger seat side battery arrangement portion (third battery arrangement portion) 11B in which the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 can be arranged is provided in front of the passenger seat 30. Specifically, the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is arranged at the rear side portion of the passenger seat side of the floor 10, and the front side portion of the passenger seat side of the floor 10 serves as a foot placement portion 10a on which the feet of the passenger sitting on the passenger seat 30 can be placed. Passengers of average body shape are unlikely to place their feet in front of the seat cushion portion 31 of the passenger seat 30, and often slightly extend their feet and place them away from the seat cushion portion 31 to the front. In this embodiment, there is no passenger seat side battery unit BY2 away from the seat cushion portion 31, but a foot rest portion 10a is provided, so that the battery B2 can be installed on the passenger seat 30 side while improving the comfort of the passenger sitting on the passenger seat 30.

[0054] The vehicle body structure A includes a battery moving device (an example of a battery moving mechanism) 90 that can move the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 in at least one of the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction. The details of the battery moving device 90 will be described later.

[0055] The following describes the positional relationship between the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 and the hip point HP1 of the passenger sitting on the driver's seat 40. The passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is moved in at least one of the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction by the battery moving device 90, but the following description is based on the situation that the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is located in the center of the movement range in the front-rear direction and the center of the movement range in the vehicle width direction. The passenger seat side battery unit BY2 located in the center of the movement range is arranged at a position further forward than the hip point HP1 of the passenger sitting on the driver's seat 40. Figure 3The center of gravity of the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is indicated by point P1, and the center of the vehicle (center in the front-rear direction and the width direction) is indicated by point P2. In a top view, the hip point HP1 of the passenger sitting in the driver's seat 40, the center of the vehicle (point P2), and the center of gravity of the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 (point P1) are arranged on the same straight line (imaginary line L). The imaginary line L is inclined to the rear as it moves toward the driver's seat 40 side in a top view.

[0056] The passenger seat side battery unit BY2 includes a plurality of passenger seat side batteries B2a and B2b, which are the same as the central battery B1 constituting the central battery unit BY1. The batteries B2a and B2b are also used to supply power to the motor M. The passenger seat side battery unit BY2 may include a battery box, a sensor for detecting the temperature of the batteries B2a and B2b, a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the batteries B2a and B2b, and the like. The upper end of the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is located below the upper side surface of the front end of the seat cushion portion 31 of the passenger seat 30. In addition, the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is lower toward the front side.

[0057] Specifically, two batteries B2a and B2b are arranged in the front-to-back direction with their longer directions as the vehicle width direction, including a front battery B2a and a rear battery B2b. The front battery B2a is level 1, and the rear battery B2b is level 2. The upper end of the front battery B2a is low in height, so when the passenger sitting in the front passenger seat 30 stretches his legs naturally, it is difficult for the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 to contact the back of his thighs, etc. This can improve the riding comfort of the passenger in the front passenger seat 30.

[0058] In addition, the front battery B2a and the rear battery B2b are surrounded by the battery case 50 (only Figure 4 The battery case 50 may be formed of a soft member such as cloth or synthetic leather, or may be formed of a hard resin material. The battery case 50 may be a member constituting a part of the passenger seat side battery unit BY2.

[0059] The number of batteries B2a and B2b constituting the passenger seat side battery unit BY2, the number of arrangements in the front-to-back direction, and the number of levels are not limited to the above contents and can be set arbitrarily. In other words, the number of arrangements and the number of levels of the batteries B2a and B2b can be set so that the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 becomes lower as it moves toward the front side. For example, the number of arrangements in the front-to-back direction can be any number greater than 2, and the number of levels can also be any number greater than 1. The longer direction of the batteries B2a and B2b can be in the vehicle width direction or in the front-to-back direction. In addition, the number of levels of the front battery B2a and the rear battery B2b can be the same.

[0060] like Figure 3and Figure 5 As shown, the motor M is mounted on a subframe 80 provided at the lower rear portion of the vehicle body, and is provided inside the tunnel portion (outside the cockpit), and is arranged below the inclined panel 16 and the rear panel 17 in the middle portion in the vehicle width direction. The motor M is arranged so that its output shaft M1 points in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the output shaft M1 of the motor M protrudes rearward. The front side of the motor M is arranged in the tunnel portion 11. In this way, the mounting position of the motor M is as forward as possible, so that the motor M is as Figure 4 In the side view shown, it overlaps at least a portion of the backrest portion 32 of the passenger seat 30. It can be arranged so that, in the side view, for example, the lower portion of the backrest portion 32 overlaps the front portion of the motor M. Thus, the motor M can be brought closer to the center of the vehicle.

[0061] The vehicle body structure A includes a left drive shaft 60 and a right drive shaft 61 which are arranged at the rear of the tunnel portion 11 of the floor 10 and transmit the rotational force of the motor M to the rear wheel 8 as the driving wheel. The left drive shaft 60 and the right drive shaft 61 extend in the vehicle width direction. The motor M is arranged between the left drive shaft 60 and the right drive shaft 61 and the tunnel portion 11. Therefore, the motor M is closer to the center of the vehicle in the front-rear direction than the drive shafts 60 and 61. In addition, although not shown in the figure, when the motor is arranged at the front side and is used to drive the front wheel 7, the left drive shaft and the right drive shaft can be arranged in front of the tunnel portion 11.

[0062] In addition, the vehicle body structure A is provided with a transmission 62 and a differential gearbox 63. The transmission 62 and the differential gearbox 63 are mounted on the subframe 80. The transmission 62 and the differential gearbox 63 are arranged behind the motor M and on the driver's seat 40 side of the vehicle body. The rotational force of the output shaft M1 of the motor M is input to the transmission 62 via the gear 64. The rotational force of the output shaft M1 extending in the front-rear direction is converted into a rotational force around an axis extending in the vehicle width direction via the gear 64, and is input to the transmission 62. The transmission 62 is a transmission or a speed reducer. When the transmission 62 is a transmission, it can be a stepped transmission or a continuously variable transmission. The transmission 62 and the differential gearbox 63 can be combined, or one gearbox can be used to accommodate the gears constituting the transmission and the gears constituting the differential mechanism. In addition, the motor M and the transmission 62 can be modularized. In addition, although not shown in the figure, when the motor M is provided on the front side of the vehicle body and is used to drive the front wheels 7, the transmission 62 and the differential gearbox 63 can be provided in front of the tunnel portion 11.

[0063] The rotational force of the motor M output from the transmission 62 is transmitted to the left and right rear wheels 8 via a differential mechanism (not shown) built into the differential gear case 63 and the drive shafts 60 and 61 .

[0064] like Figure 3As shown, the rear right battery unit BY3 is arranged behind the driver's seat 40. There is an inclined panel 16 behind the driver's seat 40, and a rear right battery arrangement portion 11C for arranging the rear right battery unit BY3 is provided behind the inclined panel 16 (outside the cabin R3). The rear right battery unit BY3 is provided with a plurality of rear right batteries B3 similar to the central battery B1 constituting the central battery unit BY1. The rear right battery B3 is also used to supply power to the motor M. The rear right battery unit BY3 may be provided with a battery box, a sensor for detecting the temperature of the rear right battery B3, a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the rear right battery B3, and the like.

[0065] In addition, the rear left battery unit BY4 is provided behind the passenger seat 30. There is an inclined panel 16 behind the passenger seat 30, and a rear left battery arrangement portion 11D is provided behind the inclined panel 16 (outside the cabin R3) where the rear left battery unit BY4 can be arranged. The rear left battery unit BY4 includes a plurality of rear left batteries B4 similar to the central battery B1 constituting the central battery unit BY1. The rear left battery B4 is also used to supply power to the motor M. The rear left battery unit BY4 may include a battery box, a sensor for detecting the temperature of the rear left battery B4, a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the rear left battery B4, and the like.

[0066] When the transmission 62 is used as a reference, the rear right battery configuration part 11C and the rear left battery configuration part 11D are provided in front of the transmission 62. In addition, the rear right battery configuration part 11C and the rear left battery configuration part 11D are provided on both sides of the motor M in the vehicle width direction. That is, the motor M is configured between the rear right battery B3 and the rear left battery B4, and it is configured so that the rear right battery B3 and the rear left battery B4 overlap with the motor M in at least a part when viewed from the side. The rear right battery B3 and the rear left battery B4 are provided on both sides of the motor M in the vehicle width direction, respectively, and therefore can also be called lateral batteries.

[0067] The number of rear right batteries B3 constituting the rear right battery unit BY3, the number of arrangements in the front-to-rear direction, and the number of stages can be set arbitrarily. In addition, the number of rear left batteries B4 constituting the rear left battery unit BY4, the number of arrangements in the front-to-rear direction, and the number of stages can also be set arbitrarily. The longer direction of the rear right battery B3 and the rear left battery B4 can be in the vehicle width direction or in the front-to-rear direction. In addition, the rear right battery unit BY3 and the rear left battery unit BY4 can be installed and removed.

[0068] (Details of battery mobile device) like Figure 7As shown, the battery moving device 90 comprises: a moving mechanism 91 for moving the batteries B2a and B2b of the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 in at least one of the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction; a load detection sensor 92; and a control unit 93. Figure 8 The moving mechanism 91 will be described in detail.

[0069] The moving mechanism 91 includes: a front and rear guide portion 100 for guiding the batteries B2a and B2b in the front and rear direction; a front left and right guide portion 101 for guiding the front battery B2a in the left and right direction; and a rear left and right guide portion 102 for guiding the rear battery B2b in the left and right direction. The front and rear guide portion 100 includes: a fixed rail 100a fixed to the floor 10 and extending in the front and rear direction; and a movable member 100b for being guided in the front and rear direction by the fixed rail 100a in a state of being engaged with the fixed rail 100a. The movable member 100b cannot move in the up and down direction and the left and right direction relative to the fixed rail 100a. The number of the front and rear guide portions 100 may be two or more.

[0070] The front left-right guide section 101 includes: a front guide rail 101a fixed to a movable member 100b of the front-rear guide section 100 and extending in the left-right direction; and a front movable member 101b guided in the left-right direction by the front guide rail 101a in a state of being engaged with the front guide rail 101a. The front movable member 101b cannot move in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction relative to the front guide rail 101a.

[0071] The rear left-right guide section 102 includes: a rear guide rail 102a fixed to the movable member 100b of the front-rear guide section 100 and extending in the left-right direction; and a rear movable member 102b guided in the left-right direction by the rear guide rail 102a in a state of being engaged with the rear guide rail 102a. The rear movable member 102b cannot move in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction relative to the rear guide rail 102a.

[0072] The front battery B2a is installed on the front movable member 101b. In addition, the rear battery B2b is installed on the rear movable member 102b. That is, the front battery B2a and the rear battery B2b are installed on the movable member 100b via the front left and right guides 101 and the rear left and right guides 102, respectively, so that the front battery B2a and the rear battery B2b can be moved in the front-to-back direction by the front and rear guides 100. In the left-to-right direction, the front battery B2a can be moved by the front left and right guides 101, and the rear battery B2b can be moved by the rear left and right guides 102, so the front battery B2a and the rear battery B2b can be moved separately.

[0073] In addition, the front battery B2a and the rear battery B2b may be designed to move together in the left-right direction. In addition, although not shown in the figure, it may be designed to provide only the front and rear guides 100 so that the front battery B2a and the rear battery B2b can only move in the left-right direction. In addition, although not shown in the figure, it may be designed to provide only the left-right guides so that the front battery B2a and the rear battery B2b can only move in the left-right direction. When the front battery B2a and the rear battery B2b are moved only in the left-right direction, the guides include: a fixed rail fixed to the floor 10 and extending in the vehicle width direction; a movable member guided in the vehicle width direction by the fixed rail in a state engaged with the fixed rail, and the movable member is mounted with the front battery B2a and the rear battery B2b.

[0074] like Figure 7 As shown, the moving mechanism 91 includes a front-rear drive unit 91a, a front left-right drive unit 91b, and a rear left-right drive unit 91c. The front-rear drive unit 91a, the front left-right drive unit 91b, and the rear left-right drive unit 91c are respectively composed of linear actuators such as electric screw feed mechanisms. The front-rear drive unit 91a is a part that drives the movable member 100b of the front-rear guide unit 100 in the front-rear direction. The front left-right drive unit 91b is a part that drives the front movable member 101b of the front left-right guide unit 101 in the left-right direction. The rear left-right drive unit 91c is a part that drives the rear movable member 102b of the rear left-right guide unit 102 in the left-right direction.

[0075] The load detection sensor 92 is a sensor for detecting the load applied to the driver's seat 40 by the passenger sitting on the driver's seat 40. Specifically, it can be composed of a pressure detection sensor or the like built into the seat cushion portion 41 of the driver's seat 40. When the passenger sits on the driver's seat 40, a load corresponding to the passenger's weight acts on the load detection sensor 92 as a downward load. The load detection sensor 92 detects the load and can estimate the weight of the passenger sitting on the driver's seat 40.

[0076] The control unit 93 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, etc., and operates according to a pre-stored program. The control unit 93 includes a calculation unit 93a and a drive control unit 93b. The calculation unit 93a is a part that obtains the load detected by the load detection sensor 92 and calculates the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b based on the obtained load. When calculating the target position, it is also necessary to consider, for example, the weight of the batteries B2a and B2b. For example, the greater the load detected by the load detection sensor 92, the further away the target position from the driver's seat 40 in the left-right direction when calculating the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b. On the contrary, the smaller the load detected by the load detection sensor 92, the closer the target position to the driver's seat 40 in the left-right direction when calculating the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b. This ensures a good left-right weight balance of the vehicle body.

[0077] Furthermore, the larger the load detected by the load detection sensor 92, the further the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b is calculated to be away from the driver's seat 40 in the front-rear direction. Conversely, the smaller the load detected by the load detection sensor 92, the closer the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b is calculated to be to the driver's seat 40 in the front-rear direction. This ensures a good front-rear weight balance of the vehicle body.

[0078] The drive control unit 93b is a part that controls the front and rear drive units 91a, the front left and right drive units 91b, and the rear left and right drive units 91c, and moves the batteries B2a and B2b so that the batteries B2a and B2b are arranged at the target positions calculated by the calculation unit 93a. When the batteries B2a and B2b are moved in the front and rear directions, the front and rear drive units 91a can be controlled by the drive control unit 93b to move the batteries B2a and B2b to the target positions in the front and rear directions. When the front battery B2a is moved in the left and right directions, the front left and right drive units 91b can be controlled by the drive control unit 93b to move the front battery B2a to the target position in the left and right directions. When the rear battery B2b is moved in the left and right directions, the rear left and right drive units 91c can be controlled by the drive control unit 93b to move the rear battery B2b to the target position in the left and right directions.

[0079] In addition, the driver can also use the weight of the batteries B2a and B2b to adjust the weight balance of the vehicle body. For example, a position adjustment switch (not shown) is set in advance. When the driver inputs the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b through the position adjustment switch, the target position will be determined as the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b and input to the drive control unit 93b. The drive control unit 93b can configure the batteries B2a and B2b to the position input by the driver by controlling the front and rear drive units 91a, the front left and right drive units 91b, and the rear left and right drive units 91c as described above.

[0080] In addition, it can be designed that the control unit 93 causes the monitor 200 disposed in the cockpit R3 to display the above-mentioned target position as the optimal position of the batteries B2a and B2b. The monitor 200 is, for example, disposed in a console, an instrument panel, etc. The control unit 93 can convert the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b calculated by the calculation unit 93a into display data, and output the display data to the monitor 200, so that the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b is displayed on the monitor 200 to notify the driver, etc. The form style displayed on the monitor 200 is not particularly limited, for example, it can display in which direction the current batteries B2a and B2b need to move and how much to reach the target position, or it can display the difference between the current position of the batteries B2a and B2b and the target position.

[0081] (Variation of the battery moving device) Fig. 9 1 is a block diagram of a battery moving device 90 according to a modified example. The modified example includes a position detection sensor 95 ( Figure 3 The position detection sensor 95 can be provided in, for example, the sliding mechanism 43, and can obtain the front-rear position of the driver's seat 40 by detecting the amount of movement of the sliding mechanism 43. The calculation unit 93a calculates the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b based on the load detected by the position detection sensor 95. The moving mechanism 91 moves the batteries B2a and B2b so that the batteries B2a and B2b are arranged at the target position calculated by the calculation unit 93a.

[0082] For example, the closer the front-to-back position of the driver's seat 40 detected by the position detection sensor 95 is to the rear end (the rear end of the moving range of the driver's seat 40), the further the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b is calculated to be away from the driver's seat 40 in the front-to-back direction. Conversely, the closer the front-to-back position of the driver's seat 40 detected by the position detection sensor 95 is to the front end (the front end of the moving range of the driver's seat 40), the closer the target position of the batteries B2a and B2b is calculated to be close to the driver's seat 40 in the front-to-back direction. This ensures a good front-to-rear weight balance of the vehicle body.

[0083] (Effects of implementation methods) As described above, the vehicle body structure A of the electric vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment includes a passenger seat side battery unit BY2, which is a heavy object because it supplies power to the motor M. The heavy object, namely, the passenger seat side battery unit BY2, is moved in the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction by the battery moving device 90, so that the front-rear weight distribution and the left-right weight distribution of the vehicle can be adjusted. By adjusting the front-rear weight distribution and the left-right weight distribution of the vehicle, the weight distribution can be arranged according to, for example, the presence or absence of a passenger in the passenger seat 30 and the weight of the driver sitting in the driver's seat 40, and the maneuverability that suits the driver's preference can be achieved, and the weight distribution can be arranged according to the properties of the driving road.

[0084] The above-described embodiments are merely examples in all respects and should not be interpreted as limiting. Furthermore, any variation or modification within the scope equivalent to the scope of the claims is within the scope of the present invention. For example, only one of the rear right battery unit BY3 and the rear left battery unit BY4 may be provided. In addition, the motor M may be provided at a position slightly to the left of the vehicle body or slightly to the right. In addition, the output shaft M1 of the motor M may point in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the central battery B1 may be omitted.

[0085] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is automatically moved by the battery moving device 90, but it is not limited to this, and it can also be designed so that the driver or the like can manually move the passenger seat side battery unit BY2. In this case, although not shown in the figure, an operating member such as a manual lever can be provided in advance on the battery moving device 90, so that the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 can be moved in the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction by operating the operating member. After the movement, the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 will be fixed.

[0086] Furthermore, when the passenger seat 30 can slide in the front-rear direction, the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is connected to the passenger seat 30 so that the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 can move in the front-rear direction together with the passenger seat 30. In this case, the battery moving device 90 is composed of the passenger seat 30 that can slide in the front-rear direction.

[0087] [Practicality] As described above, the present invention can be used in an electric vehicle equipped with a driving motor and a battery.

[0088]

Number Description

Claims

1. An electric vehicle, wherein the driver's seat and the co-driver's seat are arranged in parallel in the vehicle width direction, characterized in that include: A passenger seat side battery, mounted in the vehicle front of the passenger seat; a motor receiving power from the passenger seat side battery and driving the drive wheels; The battery moving mechanism enables the passenger seat side battery to move in at least one direction of the vehicle front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: A tunnel portion is provided at a center portion of the floor in the vehicle width direction, bulges upward and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction; A central battery is housed in the channel portion and supplies power to the motor.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery moving mechanism includes: a load detection sensor for detecting the load applied to the driver's seat by a passenger sitting in the driver's seat; a calculation unit for calculating the target position of the battery on the passenger seat side based on the load detected by the load detection sensor; and a moving mechanism for moving the battery on the passenger seat side so that the battery on the passenger seat side is arranged at the target position calculated by the calculation unit.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery moving mechanism includes: a position detection sensor, which detects the position of the driver's seat in the front-to-back direction of the vehicle; a calculation unit, which calculates the target position of the passenger seat side battery based on the position of the driver's seat in the front-to-back direction of the vehicle detected by the position detection sensor; and a moving mechanism, which moves the passenger seat side battery so that the passenger seat side battery is configured at the target position calculated by the calculation unit.

5. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery moving mechanism includes: a fixed rail fixed to the floor and extending in the front-rear direction or the width direction of the vehicle; a movable member guided by the fixed rail in a state of being engaged with the fixed rail; The passenger seat side battery is mounted on the movable member.

6. The electric vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: An upper end portion of the passenger seat-side battery is located below an upper side surface of a front end portion of a seat cushion portion of the passenger seat.

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