Vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle. A vehicle is provided with: an electrical device housed between a seat and a floor panel; and a cover having a cavity configured to cover an upper side and a side of the electrical device below the seat and expose a lower side of the electrical device relative to the floor panel, and fixed relative to the floor panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a vehicle, and more specifically, to a vehicle in which an electrical device is mounted below the vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In a vehicle, for example, a battery module as a battery is sometimes mounted below the floor panel under the rear seat. A structure is disclosed in which a charger for charging the battery module with power from an external power source is mounted above the floor panel (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2023-68403). Summary of the Invention

[0003] Generally, a charger is housed in a case together with a cooling device using a liquid refrigerant for suppressing its overheating. The case is composed of a lower case and an upper case, and is sealed to prevent leakage of liquid from the cooling device, etc.

[0004] However, since the charger is housed in the case and mounted in the vehicle, the number of components in the vehicle increases, resulting in an increase in cost, and in some cases, the work efficiency of inspecting the charger, etc. is reduced.

[0005] This specification provides a technology for suppressing the number of components, having a simple structure, and effectively housing an electrical device in a vehicle space.

[0006] The technology disclosed in this specification is embodied in a vehicle. The vehicle includes:

[0007] an electrical device housed between a seat and a floor panel of the vehicle; and

[0008] a cover having a cavity configured to cover the upper and side portions of the electrical device below the seat and expose the lower portion of the electrical device relative to the floor panel, the cover being fixed to the floor panel.

[0009] According to this vehicle, by fixing the above cover to the floor panel, a housing space for the electrical device is defined between the seat and the floor panel by the cover. Since there is no lower case as in the prior art, the number of components can be reduced. In addition, since there is no lower case, the disassembly and assembly operations of the electrical device are simplified. Moreover, the housing space for the electrical device is reduced, so that the electrical device can be effectively housed below the seat. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] Hereinafter, the features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same components, and in the drawings:

[0011] Figure 1This is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the charger is stored between the bottom of the rear seat and the floor panel of the vehicle.

[0012] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view showing a liquid-tight seal between the lower edge of the cover covering the charger and the floor panel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] A vehicle disclosed herein may include a cover having an electrical device and a cavity. The electrical device is housed between a seat and a floor panel of the vehicle. The cover covers the electrical device from above and to the sides below the seat and is secured to the floor panel. The cavity is configured to expose the lower portion of the electrical device relative to the floor panel.

[0014] In one embodiment of the above vehicle, the cover includes a substantially flat top wall portion, and the electrical device is secured relative to the top wall portion and housed within the cavity. Thus, as the cover is directly or indirectly secured to the floor panel, the electrical device is also secured to the floor panel. The term "substantially flat" herein refers to the presence of irregularities, such as reinforcing ribs, that do not interfere with the securing of the electrical device.

[0015] In one embodiment of the above vehicle, a sealing member is provided on the floor panel at a portion corresponding to the lower edge of the cover. The sealing member presses against the lower edge, thereby providing a liquid-tight seal between the lower edge and the floor panel. This facilitates a liquid-tight seal between the cover and the floor panel below. As a result, even if liquid leaks from or near electrical equipment, leakage from the floor panel to the exterior of the cover can be suppressed or prevented.

[0016] In one embodiment of the vehicle, the cover includes a bracket extending obliquely upward from the lower end edge and fixed to a cross member of the vehicle.

[0017] In one embodiment of the above vehicle, the electrical equipment includes a charger, and a secondary battery module is housed beneath the floor panel. This allows the charger to be efficiently housed under the seat near the battery module. Furthermore, this prevents liquid leakage around the charger from reaching the secondary battery module.

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the vehicle disclosed in this specification will be described with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, above, below, front, rear, left, and right respectively refer to above, below, front, rear, left, and right of the vehicle, and in the drawings, they are represented as UP, DW, FR, and RR. In addition, in this specification, the vehicle is a so-called electric vehicle, which includes a secondary battery pack as a driving battery or the like. The vehicle of this specification may include a hybrid electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, and a solar vehicle.

[0019] Figure 1 The state where the charger 40 is housed between the lower part of the rear seat 4 of the vehicle 2 and the floor panel 8 is shown. Figure 2 It is a view showing a liquid-tight sealed state between the lower end edge 35 of the cover 30 for covering the charger 40 and the floor panel 8. In addition, in Figure 1 For the rear seat 4, the battery pack 20, the in-vehicle charger 40, the cooling device 44, the relay box 50, etc., the cross-section is omitted in the description.

[0020] As Figure 1 As shown, in the vehicle 2, the rear seat 4 and the front seat (not shown) are arranged in the interior of the vehicle 2. In addition to the seat part 4a where the occupant sits, the rear seat 4 has, for example, a backrest that supports the back of the occupant and a headrest that supports the head of the occupant (both not shown).

[0021] The seat part 4a is supported from below by the seat frame 6. The seat frame 6 is fixed to the floor cross member 10 and the cross member 12 located behind it. The floor cross member 10 extends along the width direction of the vehicle 2 and is fixed to the floor panel 8 or the like. The cross member 12 also extends along the width direction of the vehicle 2 and is fixed to the floor panel 8 or the like. The seat frame 6 is fixed to the tops 10a, 12a of the floor cross member 10 and the cross member 12 respectively by, for example, screws.

[0022] The battery pack 20 is mounted below the floor panel 8. The battery pack 20 modularizes, for example, a plurality of secondary battery units and houses them in a prescribed case. As the secondary battery, known secondary batteries such as lithium ion batteries and nickel metal hydride batteries can be used. The battery pack 20 supplies power to a motor (not shown) for driving the vehicle 2. The power generated by the motor through the in-vehicle charger 40 or regenerative braking is supplied to the battery pack 20. The battery pack 20 is disposed at least below the floor panel 8 under the rear seat 4. The battery pack 20 may also have a size that reaches an area further expanded below the floor panel 8.

[0023] The battery pack 20 is connected to the relay box 50 described later through a cable 22 passing through the opening 8a of the floor panel 8.

[0024] Between the seat portion 4a of the rear seat 4 and the battery pack 20, and between the floor cross member 10 and the cross member 12, a cover 30 is assembled. The cover 30 houses an in-vehicle charger (hereinafter, simply referred to as the charger) 40. The floor cross member 10 and the cross member 12 are an example of the cross members disclosed in this specification.

[0025] Here, the charger 40 will be described. The charger 40 is housed below the seat portion 4a of the rear seat 4. The charger 40 is not particularly limited. For example, it receives power from an external power supply device and converts it into a current and voltage corresponding to the battery pack 20. The charger 40 may also be configured to be able to supply power to the outside. The charger 40 is disposed above the battery pack 20 with the floor panel 8 sandwiched between the floor cross member 10 and the cross member 12. The charger 40 is an example of the electrical equipment disclosed in this specification.

[0026] The charger 40 includes a housing 42 and a cooling device 44. The housing 42 houses a connector connected to an external power supply device, an AC / DC converter, a boost DC / DC converter (all not shown), etc. The cooling device 44 is intended to be cooled by a liquid medium such as water. The cooling device 44 circulates the liquid medium around the charger 40 or in its vicinity, and performs heat exchange between the liquid medium and the heat from the charger 40. The cooling device 44, for example, includes a plurality of concave flow paths 46 formed above the housing 42 of the charger 40. The flow paths 46 are configured to supply the liquid medium from the cooling system, circulate it, and finally return to the cooling system.

[0027] The cover 30 covers the upper part and the entire outer peripheral side of the charger 40 and has a cavity 32 which is configured to expose the lower part of the charger 40 relative to the floor panel 8. That is, the cover 30 has a shape like an upside-down container that opens downward. The cover 30 is not particularly limited. For example, it is formed of a metal material, a resin material, etc. The cover 30 includes a substantially flat top wall portion 33 and a cylindrical side wall portion 34 surrounding its outer peripheral edge. The lower end edge 35 of the side wall portion 34 has a peripheral shape that surrounds the periphery of the charger 40.

[0028] A sealing member 36 is provided at a position on the floor panel 8 corresponding to the lower end edge 35. The sealing member 36 is installed on the floor panel 8 in a pattern corresponding to the peripheral shape of the lower end edge 35. For example, when the lower end edge 35 has a substantially quadrilateral peripheral shape, the sealing member 36 is also installed on the floor panel 8 in a way that forms a substantially quadrilateral peripheral shape. The sealing member 36 is formed of an elastic material such as various elastic body materials like rubber and thermoplastic elastomer, or a resin material.

[0029] As Figure 2As shown, the sealing member 36 has, for example, a concave shape corresponding to the front end portion or a part thereof of the lower end edge 35. By bringing the lower end edge 35 into contact with the concave shape of the sealing member 36 and pressing it toward the floor panel 8 side, the space between the lower end edge 35 and the floor panel 8 is sealed in a liquid-tight manner.

[0030] As Figure 1 shown, brackets 37 and 38 are provided on a part of the lower end edge 35. The bracket 37 has an extension portion 37a extending toward the floor cross member 10 and a mounting portion 37b that abuts against the top portion 10a of the floor cross member 10. The bracket 38 has an extension portion 38a extending obliquely rearward and a mounting portion 38b extending toward the top portion 12a of the cross member 12.

[0031] The bracket 37 is fixed, for example, to the top portion 10a of the floor cross member 10 by screws or the like at the mounting portion 37b. The bracket 38 has a mounting portion 38b that abuts against the top portion 12a of the cross member 12. The bracket 38 is fixed, for example, to the top portion 12a of the cross member 12 by screws or the like at the mounting portion 38b. An opening for allowing the cable 22 to pass through is appropriately provided in the mounting portion 38b. The brackets 37 and 38 press the lower end edge 35 against the sealing member 36 to fix the cover 30 in a liquid-tight sealing manner.

[0032] The charger 40 is housed in the cavity 32 of the cover 30. The upper part of the charger 40 is fixed to the inner surface (the surface facing the cavity 32) of the top wall portion 33 of the cover 30. Thus, the charger 40 and the cover 30 can be handled as a unit. The housing 42 of the charger 40 can be fixed to the top wall portion 33, but for example, as Figure 1 shown, the cooling device 44 provided above the charger 40 is fixed to the top wall portion 33. The fixing method is not particularly limited.

[0033] In addition, for example, as Figure 1 shown, in order to ensure the cooling effect of the cooling device 44, the charger 40 can also be fixed via a known heat insulating material 45.

[0034] As Figure 1 shown, when the charger 40 is fixed to the inner surface of the top wall portion 33 within the cavity 32, the charger 40 can also be housed in a state where there is a gap at a predetermined distance upward from the surface of the floor panel 8. Thus, the operation of installing the charger 40 and the cover 30 as a unit becomes easy.

[0035] The relay box 50 is mounted on the top wall portion 33 of the cover 30. The charger 40 and the relay box are connected by a cable 48 through an opening appropriately provided in the top wall portion 33.

[0036] Next, the functions of the housing structure of the charger 40 of the vehicle 2 will be described. According to the above structure, in order to house and fix the charger 40, the cover 30 that covers the upper and side portions of the charger 40 is used. Since it is not necessary to use a housing composed of a lower cover and an upper cover as in the past, and it is not necessary to use the joining members of these upper and lower covers, the number of components can be reduced compared to the past structure.

[0037] In addition, since the charger 40 can be fixed to the floor panel 8 only by the cover 30, and furthermore, a liquid-tight seal can be established, the height of the vehicle 2 in the vertical direction required to house the charger 40 can be reduced, etc., and the charger 40 can be effectively housed.

[0038] In addition, when installing the charger 40, it is only necessary to disassemble and assemble the cover 30 pre-installed with the charger 40 with respect to the vehicle 2. Therefore, the installation work of the charger 40 can be facilitated. In addition, operations such as replacement or maintenance of the charger 40 or its peripheral components become easy. By simply removing the cover 30 from the vehicle 2, it is possible to access the charger 40 and its peripheral components. Therefore, operations such as replacement or maintenance of the charger 40 or its peripheral components become easy.

[0039] Furthermore, along with the assembly of the cover 30, by the assembly of the cover 30, the lower end edge 35 is pressed and fixed on the sealing member 36. Therefore, it is possible to easily establish a liquid-tight seal on the floor panel 8. Even if there is a leakage of the liquid medium for cooling the charger 40, it is possible to prevent it from reaching the battery pack 20 arranged below the floor panel 8.

[0040] In the above embodiment, as the fixing structure of the cover 30, the brackets 37 and 38 are installed on the floor cross members 10 and the cross member 12 and fixed to the floor panel 8, but it is not limited thereto. The cover 30 can be indirectly fixed to the floor panel 8 by being installed on the structural elements on the floor panel 8 like this, or can be directly installed and fixed to the floor panel 8. The fixing structure of the cover 30 is appropriately configured according to the peripheral structure of the vehicle 2 on which the cover 30 is installed.

[0041] In addition, the above embodiment shows the charger 40 as an example of an electrical device, but the electrical device can be any electrical device cooled by a liquid medium such as a converter such as a DC / DC converter or a power converter such as an inverter.

[0042] As described above, the embodiments have been described in detail, but these are merely examples and do not limit the claims. The technology described in the claims includes technologies in which various changes and modifications are made to the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical utility through individual or various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations recited in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the technologies illustrated in this specification or the drawings achieve multiple purposes at the same time, and achieving one of these purposes itself has technical utility.

Claims

1. A vehicle, wherein, The vehicle includes: an electrical device housed between a seat and a floor panel of the vehicle; and a cover having a cavity and fixed to the floor panel, the cavity configured to cover an upper portion and a side portion of the electrical device below the seat and expose a lower portion of the electrical device relative to the floor panel.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cover includes a substantially flat top wall portion, and the electrical device is fixed to the top wall portion and housed in the cavity.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein a sealing member is provided at a portion of the floor panel corresponding to a lower end edge of the cover, and by pressing the lower end edge against the sealing member, a liquid-tight seal is formed between the lower end edge and the floor panel.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the cover includes a bracket extending obliquely upward from the lower end edge and fixed to a cross beam of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the electrical device includes a charger, and a secondary battery module is housed below the floor panel.

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