Electric vehicle with air conditioning

Abstract

Electric vehicle (10), exhibiting: a main battery (106) which is provided under a floor of a central section of a passenger compartment; a front-facing receiving compartment (94f) positioned in a lower front section of the electric vehicle (10), and a rear-facing receiving compartment (94r) positioned in a lower rear section of the electric vehicle (10); and an air conditioning system (50) for air conditioning in the passenger compartment, wherein the air conditioning system (50) includes: an evaporator (54) which effects a heat exchange between air inside the passenger compartment and a refrigerant; a blower fan (56) that generates an airflow from inside the passenger compartment, the airflow passing through the evaporator (54) and returning to the interior of the passenger compartment; a compressor (60) provided in the front receiving compartment (94f) which compresses the refrigerant, and a compressor (60) provided in the rear receiving compartment (94r) which compresses the refrigerant; a condenser (62) provided in the front receiving compartment (94f) which effects a heat exchange between the refrigerant and an outside air, and a condenser (62) provided in the rear receiving compartment (94r) which effects a heat exchange between the refrigerant and the outside air; and a refrigerant pipe (74) which causes the refrigerant to circulate through the evaporator (54), the compressors (60) and the condensers (62), wherein the evaporator (54) and the blower fan (56) are provided in a front receiving compartment (94f) and rear receiving compartment (94r) or in a roof section of the passenger compartment.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present document discloses a vehicle air conditioning system installed in a vehicle and a vehicle equipped with the vehicle air conditioning system. BACKGROUND

[0002] Vehicles with air conditioning are well known in the art. Naturally, the vehicle air conditioning system is powered by energy from a battery installed in the vehicle. Given the limited energy available in the vehicle battery, there is a need in the art to reduce the energy consumption of the vehicle air conditioning system.

[0003] In light of this, some proposed air conditioning systems use the following configuration to reduce energy consumed during cooling. Specifically, (water) mist is injected into a section near a compressor that performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and outside air. The latent heat of vaporization of the mist improves the cooling efficiency of both the refrigerant and the air conditioner.

[0004] For example, JP H09-207542 A discloses an integrated air conditioner for a vehicle including a spray nozzle that sprays condensate generated by an evaporator onto a condenser. In JP H09-207542 A, a compressor, a condenser, a throttle valve, the evaporator, the spray nozzle, and the like are all housed in the same housing and thus integrated. The integrated air conditioner is mounted on the exterior roof portion of the vehicle. By spraying mist onto the compressor as in JP H09-207542 A, a further improvement in cooling efficiency can be achieved.

[0005] In JP H09-207 542 A, almost all air conditioning components are housed in a single housing, and the resulting unit is located in the roof section of the vehicle. Generally, the roof section is not a very good airflow path, and interference from sunlight is likely. During cooling, the condenser dissipates the heat of the refrigerant to the outside air. Unfortunately, this condenser cannot adequately dissipate the heat of the refrigerant when located in the roof section. This can lead to impaired cooling efficiency. A larger condenser can be used to improve heat dissipation efficiency and thus refrigerant efficiency. However, a larger condenser directly leads to an increase in weight and cost.Furthermore, in many cases, attempts to increase the size of the capacitor are hampered by the difficulty of ensuring space in the vehicle to accommodate such a large capacitor.

[0006] The roof-mounted air conditioning system, as described in JP H09-207542 A, effectively lowers the passenger compartment floor beneath which the battery is located. However, the roof becomes large when an air conditioning system with a condenser is mounted on the roof. As a result, the design freedom of the roof portion of the vehicle is extremely limited. Furthermore, the compressor is a heavy object, so arranging the compressor on the roof results in a higher center of gravity of the vehicle, which compromises the vehicle's stability. In the case of driver-assisted vehicles and autonomous vehicles, in which dynamic driving tasks are performed either entirely or partially by the vehicle, a peripheral information sensor is provided on the roof and the like of the vehicle to detect information about the vehicle's periphery.In this case, if the roof section of the vehicle partially rises upwards due to the air conditioning system, the mounting position of the peripheral information sensor is limited.

[0007] In view of the above, the present document discloses a vehicle air conditioner that can ensure sufficient cooling efficiency without increasing the size of the condenser, and a vehicle equipped with the vehicle air conditioner.

[0008] Furthermore, DE 10 2013 110 562 A1 discloses a heating / cooling system for motor vehicles for air conditioning a vehicle interior. The system comprises a supply air duct through which a supply air flow into the vehicle interior flows, an exhaust air duct through which an exhaust air flow from the vehicle interior flows, a supply air / exhaust air heat exchanger connectable to the supply air duct and the exhaust air duct, and a condensate duct through which a condensate flow flows. The condensate duct can be connected to a supply device, via which the condensate can be introduced into the exhaust air flow upstream of the supply air / exhaust air heat exchanger.

[0009] DE 60 2004 002 862 T2 discloses a vehicle air conditioning system comprising: an electric generator driven by an engine; a stand-alone air conditioning module comprising: a condenser, an expansion device; an evaporator; a condenser fan with an electrically driven motor; an evaporator fan with an electrically driven motor; an electric heater arranged in airflow relationship with the evaporator and the evaporator fan;and a power controller for receiving AC electrical power from the generator and supplying AC electrical power to each of the condenser fan motor, the evaporator fan motor, and the electric heater, the power controller comprising a rectifier for converting the AC power to DC power and an inverter for inverting the DC power to inverter output AC power, the inverter output AC power being supplied to the condenser fan motor, the evaporator fan motor, and the electric heater;

[0010] DE 10 2019 107 425 A1 provides a method and system for water collection and use on board a vehicle. Methods and systems are provided for optimizing the collection, use, and treatment of water on board a vehicle. Water is collected from various sources within the vehicle, including engine operation, surface condensation, and dehumidification. Water is treated differently depending on the source of the water and its intended use.

[0011] Furthermore, JP 2008-273261 A discloses an air conditioning system for a vehicle, wherein an evaporator unit comprising at least an evaporator, a drain pan, and an evaporator fan is installed on the ceiling of the vehicle. A drain hose connected to the drain pan is arranged to direct drain water to the devices requiring cooling, i.e., the vehicle-mounted devices, and the supply of drain water from the evaporator unit is adjusted by rotating / controlling the evaporator fan. SUMMARY

[0012] The above problems and the resulting object are solved by the subject matter of claim 1. An advantageous development of the invention is the subject matter of the subsequent dependent claim.

[0013] A vehicle air conditioner according to an illustrative aspect disclosed in this document and installed in a vehicle includes a condenser that performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and outside air, and a spray nozzle that sprays water onto the outside air flowing into the condenser, which are provided in each of a front-side accommodation space positioned in a lower front portion of the vehicle and a rear-side accommodation space positioned in a lower rear portion of the vehicle.

[0014] In the configuration described above, the condensers are located in a lower section of the vehicle, which is less likely to be affected by sunlight, and are positioned at the front or rear of the vehicle. Thus, sufficient cooling capacity of the refrigerant can be achieved without using a large condenser. This ensures sufficient cooling efficiency without increasing the condenser size.

[0015] In this case, the vehicle air conditioning system may further include a front air conditioning unit for air conditioning a front side of a passenger compartment and a rear air conditioning unit, which is controlled independently of the front air conditioning unit and serves for air conditioning a rear side of the passenger compartment. Each of the air conditioning units may include an evaporator provided in a roof portion of the vehicle, as well as the condenser and the spray nozzle.

[0016] With the two independent air conditioning units provided, even if one of the air conditioning units fails, air conditioning can be performed by the other air conditioning unit, thus achieving improved reliability.

[0017] The vehicle may include: a front grille provided at a front end of the vehicle and allowing entry of outside air flowing toward the condenser in the front-side accommodation space; and a rear grille through which outside air, which has passed through the condenser in the rear-side accommodation space, is discharged to the exterior of the vehicle, the rear grille being provided at a rear end of the vehicle.

[0018] With this configuration, the airflow can be used to cool the refrigerant, further improving its cooling capacity. While the lower rear section of the vehicle may not be a good airflow path, the rear grille provided at the rear of the vehicle facilitates airflow in the lower rear section of the vehicle, which can also improve the cooling efficiency of the rear condenser.

[0019] An electric vehicle disclosed in this document according to another illustrative aspect includes: a main battery provided under a floor of a central portion of a vehicle compartment; a front-side accommodation space positioned in a lower front portion of the vehicle, and a rear-side accommodation space positioned in a lower rear portion of the vehicle; and an air conditioner for air-conditioning a vehicle compartment.The air conditioning system includes: an evaporator that causes heat exchange between air in an interior of the passenger compartment and a refrigerant; a blower fan that generates an airflow from the interior of the passenger compartment, the airflow passing through the evaporator and returning to the interior of the passenger compartment; a compressor that compresses the refrigerant; a condenser that causes heat exchange between the refrigerant and outside air; and a refrigerant pipe that causes the refrigerant to circulate through the evaporator, the compressor, and the condenser; wherein the condenser and the compressor are provided in each of the front accommodation space and the rear accommodation space, and the evaporator and the blower fan are provided in one of the front accommodation space and the rear accommodation space or in a roof portion of the passenger compartment.

[0020] By locating the condenser and compressor at the front and rear of the vehicle, respectively, and locating the evaporator and blower fan in the lower section or roof section of the vehicle, as described above, the design freedom of the vehicle's roof section can be further improved. In particular, the upward protrusion of the roof section can be prevented.

[0021] In this case, the vehicle may further include a peripheral information sensor provided on an outer surface of the vehicle roof and detecting information about a periphery of the vehicle. The electric vehicle may have at least one autonomous driving function or a driver assistance function that controls the vehicle's travel based on the information detected by the peripheral information sensor.

[0022] In the above-mentioned electric vehicle, the formation of a protrusion likely to interfere with the detection of the peripheral information sensor is suppressed, so that the peripheral information can be efficiently detected by mounting the peripheral information sensor on the outer surface of the roof.

[0023] The vehicle air conditioner and the vehicle disclosed in this document are capable of ensuring sufficient cooling efficiency without increasing the size of the condenser. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Embodiment(s) of the present disclosure are described based on the following figures, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle as viewed from the outside; Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the interior of a passenger compartment as viewed in a direction from the center of the vehicle toward the front of the vehicle; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the interior of the passenger compartment as viewed in a direction from a front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle; Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of a main frame of the vehicle; Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective side view of the main frame of the vehicle; Fig. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an air conditioner; Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an air conditioning unit; Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an arrangement of main components of the air conditioner; Fig. Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a section around a roof assembly; Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement of a lower part accommodated in a front-side accommodation space; Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a portion around a condenser of a front air conditioning unit; Fig. 12 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an arrangement of a compressor of the front air conditioning unit; Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement of a lower part accommodated in a rear air conditioning unit; Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a portion around a condenser of the rear air conditioning unit; Fig. 15 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a section around a central part; Fig. 16 is a schematic view illustrating a periphery of a water supply port as viewed from the front; and Fig. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of an arrangement of the air conditioner. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0025] A configuration of a vehicle 10 equipped with an air conditioner 50 will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings referred to in the following description, "Fr," "Up," and "L" indicate a vehicle front side, a vehicle upside side, and a left side in a vehicle width direction, respectively. <gesamtkonfiguration>

[0026] First, an overall configuration of the vehicle 10 is described with reference to the Fig. 1 to 5 briefly described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle 10 when viewed from the outside. Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the interior of a passenger compartment as viewed in a direction from the center of the vehicle toward the front of the vehicle. Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the interior of the passenger compartment as viewed in a direction from a front portion of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle. Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are perspective views illustrating a main frame 12 of the vehicle 10.

[0027] The vehicle 10 is used as a bus for transporting passengers while traveling autonomously along a predetermined route in a given environment. Thus, the vehicle 10 repeatedly stops, starts, and opens and closes a door 22 relatively frequently to allow passengers to board and disembark. The vehicle 10 travels at a relatively low speed (for example, no faster than 30 km / h).

[0028] However, a use of the vehicle 10 disclosed in this document can be changed if necessary. For example, the vehicle 10 can be used as a mobile business space. For example, the vehicle 10 can be used as a business, such as a retail store that displays and sells various products, or as a food truck that prepares and provides food and beverages. As another use, the vehicle 10 can be used as an office for office work, meetings with customers, and the like. Furthermore, the vehicle 10 can be used as a taxi, a bus, or a transport vehicle for transporting customers and luggage. Furthermore, the use environment of the vehicle 10 is not limited to business. For example, the vehicle 10 can be used as a private means of transportation. Furthermore, the driving pattern and driving speed of the vehicle 10 can be changed if necessary.

[0029] The vehicle 10 is an electric vehicle with a drive motor serving as a primary drive. The vehicle 10 is connected to a main battery 106 (see Fig. 15) for supplying electrical power to the drive motor. The air conditioner 50, described later, is powered by the electrical power from the main battery 106. The main battery 106 is a rechargeable / dischargeable secondary battery and is periodically charged with electrical power. It should be noted that the vehicle 10 is not limited to an electric vehicle and may be any other type of vehicle as long as it has a battery that supplies electrical power to the air conditioner 50. For example, the vehicle 10 may be a motor vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine as a prime mover, or a hybrid vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine and a drive motor as prime movers. Further, the vehicle 10 may be a fuel cell vehicle that drives a drive motor with electrical power generated by fuel cells.

[0030] Furthermore, the vehicle 10 can move through autonomous driving, as described above. The term "autonomous driving" as used herein means that the vehicle 10 performs almost all dynamic driving tasks and, for example, corresponds to one of the Levels 3 to 5 defined by the U.S. Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Level 3 is a driving mode in which all dynamic driving tasks are automated at a specific location, such as a highway, but driver operation is required in emergency situations. Level 4 is a driving mode in which all dynamic driving tasks are automated only at specific locations, and emergency response is processed automatically. Level 5 is a driving mode known as full automation, which means that driving can be automated under any conditions, without any location restrictions or the like.It should be noted that instead of autonomous driving, vehicle 10 may have a driving assistance function that is responsible for some of the dynamic driving tasks. For example, "driving assistance" corresponds to SAE-defined Level 1 or Level 2. Level 1 means that vehicle 10 supports a steering operation or acceleration / deceleration. Level 2 means that vehicle 10 supports driving, controlling both the steering operation and acceleration / deceleration.

[0031] Such autonomous driving or driver assistance is enabled with one or more peripheral information sensors 130 provided on the vehicle 10. The peripheral information sensor 130 acquires information about the periphery of the vehicle 10. The peripheral information sensor 130 is not subject to any particular restrictions as long as it is a sensor that can acquire peripheral information. Thus, the peripheral information sensor 130 can be, for example, a camera (a visible light camera, an infrared camera, or the like) that captures a peripheral image. Furthermore, the peripheral information sensor 130 can be a laser sensor (e.g., a millimeter-wave radar) that detects an object using radio waves. Furthermore, the peripheral information sensor 130 can be an optical sensor (e.g., an infrared sensor or a LiDAR) that detects an object using light.In this example, at least one of the peripheral information sensors 130 is mounted on the outer surface of the roof of the vehicle 10.

[0032] As in Fig. 1, the vehicle 10 has neither a hood nor a trunk and has a substantially box-like (cuboid-shaped) exterior shape with a front end surface and a rear end surface that are substantially vertical. A pair of front wheels 18 and a pair of rear wheels 20 are provided near the front end and the rear end of the vehicle 10, respectively. Large windows 13 are provided on side surfaces of the vehicle 10. Further, in the center of the left side surface of the vehicle 10, a double-leaf sliding door 22 is provided, which opens and closes by sliding in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. In other words, the door 22 in this example is formed on one of two side surfaces and not on the other side surface in the vehicle width direction.

[0033] The front end surface of the vehicle 10 is provided with a window 13 functioning as a windshield and a lamp arrangement portion 14 arranged below the window 13. Signal lamps 15 for informing a person outside the vehicle of the presence and behavior of the vehicle by means of light are arranged in the lamp arrangement portion 14. At the lower end of the lamp arrangement portion 14, a front grille 24f is provided for guiding outside air into the vehicle. The rear end surface of the vehicle 10 has substantially the same configuration as the front end surface of the vehicle. Specifically, a window 13 and a lamp arrangement portion 14 are arranged vertically, and a rear grille 24r (in Fig. 1) is provided at the lower end of the lamp assembly portion 14. Accordingly, the vehicle 10 in this example has a substantially symmetrical appearance in the front-rear direction.

[0034] As in Fig. 2, control panels 26 for receiving an instruction from an operator are provided in a front passenger compartment portion of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, a floor panel 100 near the front end has a raised portion for forming a seat 28 on which passengers can sit facing the rear of the vehicle. Analogously, as in Fig. As illustrated in Figure 3, the floor panel 100 has a raised portion near the rear end for forming a seat 28 on which passengers can sit facing the front of the vehicle. In the passenger compartment, no large interior part, such as a seat, is fixedly arranged around the door 22, so a relatively wide space can be ensured.

[0035] The vehicle 10 in this example has a mounted body in which a box-shaped body 16 is mounted on the ladder-shaped main frame 12. As in Fig. 4 and Fig. As illustrated in Figure 5, the main frame 12 is roughly divided into a front part Pf located between the pair of front wheels 18, a rear part Pr located between the pair of rear wheels 20, and a middle part Pc positioned between the front part Pf and the rear part Pr. The front part Pf is provided with a pair of front side members 30 extending in the vehicle's front-rearward direction and with cross members 36a, 36b, and 36c connecting the pair of front side members 30. The cross member 36c connects the rear ends of the two front side members 30 to each other. Strut mounts 40 for attaching an air spring (not illustrated) rise from the upper surfaces of the front side members 30.

[0036] The rear part Pr is similar to the front part Pf in that it is also provided with a pair of rear side members 34 extending in the vehicle's fore-aft direction and with cross members 36i, 36j, and 36k connecting the pair of rear side members 34. The cross member 36i connects the front ends of the two rear side members 34 to each other. Strut mounts 40 for attaching an air spring (not illustrated) rise from the upper surfaces of the rear side members 34.

[0037] The center part Pc is provided with a pair of center side members 32 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and with cross members 36d, 36e, 36f, 36g, and 36h that connect the pair of center side members 32 together. The cross member 36d connects the front ends of the pair of center side members 32 together, and the cross member 36h connects the rear ends of the pair of center side members 32 together. The cross member 36e is provided adjacent to the rear side of the cross member 36d, and the cross member 36g is provided adjacent to the front side of the cross member 36h.

[0038] In other words, two cross members 36 extending in the vehicle width direction are arranged in a row in the front-rear direction at the front end and the rear end of the center part Pc. This more effectively prevents deformation of the center part Pc.

[0039] As in Fig. 4 and Fig. As can be clearly seen in Figure 5, the central part Pc is located at a lower level than the front part Pf and the rear part Pr. Therefore, the boundary between the central part Pc and the front part Pf is provided with a vertically extending stop element 38, which connects the cross element 36c and the cross element 36d. Similarly, the boundary between the central part Pc and the rear part Pr is provided with a vertically extending stop element 38, which connects the cross element 36i and the cross element 36h.

[0040] A prime mover, a power transmission device, a braking device, a traveling device, a suspension device, a steering device, an electrical device, and the like are assembled with the main frame 12 as described above, thereby forming a chassis. At this time, as described above, a front portion (corresponding to the front part Pf) and a rear portion (corresponding to the rear part Pr) of the floor panel 100 are displaced upward. Most of the prime mover and various devices described above are arranged in a space below the raised portion of the floor panel 100. Hereinafter, the space below the front raised portion of the floor panel 100 (a portion at the lower front edge of the vehicle 10 and between the pair of front wheels 18) is referred to as a "front accommodation space 94f."Similarly, the space below the rear raised portion of the floor panel 100 (a portion at the lower rear edge of the vehicle 10 and between the pair of rear wheels 20) is referred to as a "rear accommodation space 94r." The spaces are referred to simply as a "accommodation space 94" with the symbols f and r omitted when no distinction is made as the front or rear space, respectively.

[0041] The box-shaped body 16 is mounted on the main frame 12. As in Fig. 1, the body 16 includes, for example, pillars 42 and 44 extending in the up-down direction of the vehicle, beams 46 extending in the front-back direction at the boundaries between the side surfaces and the upper surface of the vehicle 10, and a rocker 48 extending in the front-back direction (which in Fig. 1 is covered by an unlabeled sill strip 110 and thus in Fig. 1 is not visible; see Fig. 16) to support end portions of the floor panel 100 from below in the vehicle width direction. Hereinafter, a pillar provided at the boundary between the side surface of the vehicle 10 and the front or rear surface is referred to as a "first pillar 42," and a pillar provided in a central side surface portion of the vehicle 10 and positioned closer to the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle than the first pillar 42 is referred to as a "second pillar 44." <Gesamtkonfiguration der Klimaanlage 50>

[0042] Next, the overall configuration of the air conditioner 50 installed in the vehicle 10 will be described. Fig. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the air conditioner 50. As shown in Fig. As illustrated in Figure 6, the air conditioning system 50 in this example includes a front air conditioning unit 52f for air conditioning the front of the passenger compartment, a rear air conditioning unit 52r for air conditioning the rear of the passenger compartment, and a control unit 51 that controls the drive of these two units. The two air conditioning units 52f and 52r have substantially the same configuration. The units are referred to as "air conditioning unit 52" without the suffixes f and r when no distinction is made between them.

[0043] The control unit 51 may be, for example, a computer including a processor and a memory, or an electronic control unit (ECU) including a microcomputer, an analog circuit, a power transistor, and the like, mounted on a circuit board. The control unit 51 receives a detection result from a sensor mounted on each air conditioning unit 52, an instruction from an operator input via the control panels 26, and the like. Based on these input signals, the control unit 51 calculates a required control amount and outputs a drive signal to devices constituting the air conditioning unit 52 so that the control amount is obtained.

[0044] The two air conditioning units 52 can be controlled independently of each other. With the two independent air conditioning units 52 provided in this way, air conditioning can be performed by the other air conditioning unit 52 even if one of the air conditioning units 52 fails. This allows the air conditioning system 50 to offer improved reliability.

[0045] Next, the configuration of each air conditioning unit 52 will be described. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an air conditioning unit 52. The air conditioning unit 52 includes a refrigerant pipe 74 through which a refrigerant circulates, and a compressor 60, a condenser 62, an expansion valve 58, and an evaporator 54 provided at intermediate portions of the refrigerant pipe 74. The compressor 60 compresses a gaseous refrigerant to obtain a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The condenser 62 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the outside air. An electric fan 64 that supplies the outside air to the condenser 62 is provided behind the condenser 62. Further, the expansion valve 58 rapidly expands the refrigerant and supplies it to the evaporator 54 or the condenser 62. The evaporator 54 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the air in the passenger compartment.A blower fan 56 is provided behind the evaporator 54 and guides the air in the passenger compartment to the evaporator 54 and blows the air out into the passenger compartment after heat exchange.

[0046] In a refrigeration cycle, a high-temperature, high-pressure semi-liquid refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 60 to the condenser 62. The condenser 62 cools the refrigerant using outside air to convert it into liquid refrigerant. The expansion valve 58 injects the liquid refrigerant supplied from the condenser 62 through fine nozzle holes into the evaporator 54.

[0047] As a result, the liquid refrigerant is immediately evaporated. With the evaporated refrigerant, the heat is removed from around the evaporator 54, thereby cooling the evaporator 54. The air from the blower fan 56 passes through the evaporator 54 to be led into the passenger compartment as cool air. The refrigerant discharged from the evaporator 54 returns to the compressor 60 to be recompressed. Fig. In Fig. 7, a light-shaded portion in the refrigerant pipe 74 indicates a region where the refrigerant is in a gaseous state during cooling, and a dark-shaded portion indicates a region where the refrigerant is in a liquid or semi-liquid state during cooling. In a heating cycle, the flow of the refrigerant is opposite to that in the cooling cycle.

[0048] Here, this example assumes vehicle 10 traveling at a low speed, frequently stopping, and opening and closing door 22, as described above. In such a vehicle, airflow is limited, meaning that the cooling efficiency of the refrigerant in compressor 60 is likely to be low. Furthermore, the frequent opening and closing of door 22 facilitates the outflow of cool air from the passenger compartment, and thus the cooling efficiency is likely to be low. Consequently, vehicle 10 assumed in this example has the problem that a large amount of electrical energy is required for cooling.

[0049] Therefore, in this example, to reduce energy consumption during cooling, spray nozzles 66 for spraying water mist are provided in front of the compressor 60. The water mist is sprayed onto the side of the compressor 60 opposite the electric fan 64; that is, into an intermediate portion of the flow path of the outside air passing through the compressor 60, which is positioned further upstream than the compressor 60. The sprayed water mist is atomized just before the compressor 60 to remove heat around it. As a result, cooler air is blown into the compressor 60 compared to a case where no spray nozzle 66 is provided. As a result, the refrigerant can be cooled more efficiently, thereby improving cooling efficiency. As a result, energy consumption can be significantly reduced.This allows extremely advantageous effects to be achieved in an electric vehicle that uses the electrical energy stored in the main battery 106 as a power source for driving. Specifically, a longer continuous driving time, i.e., a longer charging interval, can be achieved.

[0050] The air conditioner 50 also includes a water tank 68 for storing water to be supplied to the spray nozzles 66. The water tank 68 and the spray nozzles 66 are connected to each other by an outlet hose 76a, and a water pump 69 for pumping the stored water to the spray nozzles 66 is provided in an intermediate portion of the outlet hose 76a. Furthermore, a drain hose 76b and a water supply hose 76d are also connected to the water tank 68. The drain hose 76b is a hose that supplies condensate generated by the evaporator 54 during cooling to the water tank 68. As described above, by using the condensate generated during cooling for mist spraying instead of disposing of it, the frequency of water supply to the water tank 68 can be reduced. Thus, the cost of maintaining the air conditioner can be reduced.

[0051] A rainwater hose 76c connects to an intermediate portion of the drain hose 76b. The rainwater hose 76c is a hose connected to a rainwater collection port 78. The rainwater collection port 78 is provided on the top of the vehicle 10 and is an opening through which rainwater is supplied to the rainwater hose 76c. In this way, by collecting and storing rainwater in addition to the condensate water, the frequency of supplying water to the water tank 68 can be further reduced, and the maintenance workload of the air conditioner 50 can be reduced.

[0052] The water supply hose 76d is a hose that further connects the water tank 68 and a water supply port 72. The water supply port 72 is provided at a lower portion of the vehicle 10 and can be connected to an external water hose, as described in detail later. When sufficient water cannot be ensured with condensate and rainwater alone, water is supplied to the water tank 68 from the water supply port 72 through the water supply hose 76d. The water tank 68 is provided with a sensor for detecting the storage amount. Examples of the sensor include a level sensor 70 for detecting the liquid level, a weight sensor for detecting the weight of the stored water, and the like. The control unit 51 issues an alarm to the operator based on the detection result of the sensor, indicating that the storage amount is less than or equal to a certain value.In conjunction with driving the air conditioner 50, the control unit 51 further drives the water pump 69 to spray water mist onto a portion near the compressor 60. Thus, by not only storing condensate and rainwater but also supplying water from the outside, it is possible to spray water for a longer period of time, so that improved cooling efficiency of the air conditioner 50 can be achieved for a longer period of time. <Overview of arrangement in the air conditioning system>

[0053] Next, the arrangement of elements constituting the air conditioning unit 52 will be described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 described. Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a layout of major components of the air conditioning system 50. As described above, the air conditioning system 50 in this example is roughly divided into the front air conditioning unit 52f and the rear air conditioning unit 52r. Each air conditioning unit 52 can be further roughly divided into a roof part Pt, a bottom part Pb, and a water supply part Pw based on the layout.

[0054] The roof part Pt is arranged on the roof portion of the vehicle and includes the evaporator 54, the blower fan 56, the expansion valve 58, the rainwater collection port 78, and the like. Of these, the evaporator 54, the blower fan 56, and the expansion valve 58 are housed in a casing to form an integral component. Hereinafter, this integral component is referred to as a "roof assembly 79."

[0055] The roof section of the vehicle 10 is provided with an outer roof panel 84 and an inner roof panel 86 (in Fig. 8 not shown; see Fig. 9), with a roof space 88 provided between them. In this example, the roof assembly 79 is arranged in the roof space 88. As in Fig. As can be clearly seen in Fig. 8, the roof assembly 79 of the front air conditioning unit 52f is arranged near the front end of the roof space 88, and the roof assembly 79 of the rear air conditioning unit 52r is arranged near the rear end of the roof space 88. The opening functioning as the rainwater collection port 78 is provided substantially in the center of the roof portion of the vehicle 10.

[0056] The compressor 60, the condenser 62, and the spray nozzles 66, which form the lower part Pb, are arranged in the front-side accommodation space 94f or the rear-side accommodation space 94r. Specifically, in the front-side accommodation space 94f, the spray nozzles 66, the condenser 62, and the compressor 60 of the front-side air-conditioning unit 52f are arranged in this order from the front. In the rear-side accommodation space 94r, the compressor 60, the spray nozzles 66, and the condenser 62 of the rear-side air-conditioning unit 52r are arranged in this order from the front. Note that a radiator 80 used for cooling an engine unit 112 is arranged above the condenser 62 of the rear-side air-conditioning unit 52r.

[0057] The water tank 68 constituting the water supply part Pw is arranged under the floor of the vehicle 10. In this example, the water tank 68 of the front air-conditioning unit 52f is provided at a location under the vehicle floor, adjacent to the front accommodation space 94f, and the water tank 68 of the rear air-conditioning unit 52r is provided at a location under the vehicle floor, adjacent to the rear accommodation space 94r. Furthermore, the water supply port 72 is provided at a lower end of the side surface of the vehicle 10 (under the sill 48). The water supply port 72 is connected to the two water tanks 68 by the water supply hoses 76d. Therefore, in this example, the front air-conditioning unit 52f and the rear air-conditioning unit 52r share a single water supply port 72.

[0058] A portion of the refrigerant pipe 74 connecting the roof assembly 79 and the lower part Pb is provided through the interior of the first pillar 42. Specifically, the first pillar 42 is formed by joining an inner panel and an outer panel (both not shown) while providing a space between them. In this example, the refrigerant pipe 74 is provided through this space.

[0059] Furthermore, the drain hoses 76b connecting the roof assembly 79 and the water tanks 68 are provided through the interior of the second pillars 44. In this example, the drain hoses 76b extend from both ends of the roof assembly 79 in the vehicle width direction and are provided through the second pillars 44 provided on respective sides of the vehicle. As a result, four drain hoses 76b are provided through the four second pillars 44 in the entire vehicle.

[0060] Specifically, in this example, both the vertically extending refrigerant pipe 74 and the drain hoses 76b are provided through the pillars 42 and 44. With this configuration, there is no need to additionally provide a member specifically designed to conceal the refrigerant pipe 74 and the drain hoses 76b, thereby further simplifying the configuration of the vehicle. The compressor 60 is disposed in a front or rear portion of the vehicle 10. The water tank 68 is located closer to the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle than the compressor 60. By providing the refrigerant pipe 74 connected to the compressor 60 through the first pillar 42 and providing the drain hose 76b connected to the compressor 60 through the second pillar 44, which is located closer to the center than the first pillar 42, the lengths of the refrigerant pipe 74 and the drain hoses 76b can be reduced.As a result, material costs can be reduced. The reduced length of the refrigerant pipe 74 also results in lower heat loss of the refrigerant, which can further improve air conditioning efficiency.

[0061] The rainwater hose 76c opens into the drain hose 76b near the roof of the vehicle 10. The water supply hose 76d connected to the water supply port 72 runs in the front-rear direction on the side of the sill 48 and is connected to the two water tanks 68. <dachbaugruppe>

[0062] Next, the configuration of roof assembly 79 is described. Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion around the roof assembly 79. The roof assembly 79 is disposed in the roof space 88 formed between the roof outer panel 84 and the roof inner panel 86, as described above. A ventilation port 90 communicating with the passenger compartment and the roof space 88 is formed in a portion of the roof inner panel 86 opposite the roof assembly 79. Further, a duct 82 guiding the airflow is provided between the ventilation port 90 and the roof assembly 79. The air in the passenger compartment is guided to the roof assembly 79 via the ventilation port 90 and the duct 82, and the tempered air discharged from the roof assembly 79 is discharged into the passenger compartment. Therefore, the conditioned air is blown out from the upper surface of the passenger compartment.

[0063] In some prior art vehicles, an upper surface of the passenger compartment is provided with an air conditioning outlet. However, in such conventional vehicles, a compressor and a condenser are provided in the roof space of the vehicle in addition to the evaporator, blower fan, and expansion valve. Thus, the roof space must have a large thickness to accommodate all these components. The thickness of the roof space may increase if the roof outer panel protrudes outward (upward) in a portion where the air conditioning unit is arranged. However, this results in reduced design freedom of the vehicle and increased vehicle weight. Alternatively, the roof inner panel may protrude inward (downward) instead of the roof outer panel, so that the thickness of the roof space can be ensured while preventing the increase in vehicle height.However, this results in a low roof of the passenger compartment, which immediately leads to the impression of openness in a vehicle's passenger compartment suffering.

[0064] In this example, only the roof assembly 79 (the evaporator 54, the blower fan 56, and the expansion valve 58) is arranged in the roof space 88, thereby preventing the roof space 88 from becoming too thick. As a result, the passenger compartment can have a high roof without increasing the vehicle height. Furthermore, the roof space 88 can be narrow, thereby improving the vehicle's design freedom.

[0065] Here, in this example, as described above, at least one peripheral information sensor 130 is mounted on the outer surface of the roof of the vehicle 10. The peripheral information sensor 130 transmits and receives light or radio waves to detect the peripheral information. Therefore, if a protruding portion that blocks light or radio waves is located near the peripheral information sensor 130, the peripheral information cannot be sufficiently detected. Therefore, a protrusion or the like on the outer surface of the roof of the vehicle 10 will restrict the mounting position of the peripheral information sensor 130. In this example, as described above, only the roof assembly 79 is arranged on the roof, and thus there is no large protrusion on the outer surface of the roof of the vehicle 10. As a result, the degree of freedom regarding the mounting position of the peripheral information sensor 130 is improved.

[0066] The roof of the vehicle 10 is likely to be exposed to direct sunlight, and the temperature of the roof space 88 is likely to rise in summer. Thus, if the evaporator 54 and the like are disposed in the roof space 88, the cooling efficiency may be impaired. Therefore, in this example, a heat-insulating plate 92 is attached to the rear surface of the roof outer panel 84 (the surface opposite the roof inner panel 86). The material of the heat-insulating plate 92 is not particularly limited as long as it has suitable heat-insulating properties. For example, the heat-insulating plate 92 may be formed of a heat-insulating fiber material such as glass wool or rock wool, or may be formed of a heat-insulating foam material such as urethane foam or phenolic foam.In any case, with the heat insulating plate 92 attached to the back surface of the roof outer panel 84, the rise in temperature of the roof space 88 can be suppressed, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the air conditioner 50. <Unterer Teil der frontseitigen Klimatisierungseinheit>

[0067] Next, the lower part Pb of the front air conditioning unit 52f will be described. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement of the lower part Pb accommodated in the front side accommodation space 94f. Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a portion around the condenser 62 of the front air conditioning unit 52f. Fig. 12 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an arrangement of the compressor 60 of the front air conditioning unit 52f.

[0068] As in Fig. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the spray nozzles 66, the condenser 62, the electric fan 64, and the compressor 60 are arranged in this order from the front in the front-side accommodation space 94f. Furthermore, the front grille 24f, through which the front-side accommodation space 94f communicates with the outside, is arranged in front of the condenser 62. The front grille 24f is provided at the lower end of the front end surface of the vehicle 10.

[0069] The front grille 24f is arranged at the lower end of the front end face so that a large area for the lamp arrangement section 14 can be ensured. As shown in Fig. As illustrated in Figure 10, the upper end of the front grille 24f arranged at the lower end of the front end surface is located below the center of the condenser 62 in the height direction. Thus, the front grille 24f is offset downward with respect to the condenser 62. Therefore, outside air, as shown in Fig. 10, indicated by a two-dot chain line, from the front grille 24f into the front accommodation space 94f and is then forced upward by the electric fan 64. Then, after passing through the condenser 62 and the electric fan 64, the outside air flows downward and then outward from the bottom of the front accommodation space 94f.

[0070] Thus, in this example, the outside air flowing into the condenser 62 flows along a mountain-like route, the highest point of which is positioned around the condenser 62. A duct 83 is provided between the front grille 24f and the condenser 62 to guide the flow of outside air. The front-side accommodation space 94f accommodates not only the components constituting the air conditioning unit 52, but also a braking device, a steering device, an air suspension pump, an air tank, and the like. The outside air that has passed through the condenser 62 and the electric fan 64 is discharged to the outside through spaces between the braking device, the steering device, and the like.

[0071] As in Fig. As illustrated in Figure 11, the condenser 62 of the front-mounted air conditioning unit 52f has a flat, rectangular, parallelepiped shape and, viewed from the front, a horizontally elongated rectangular shape. The condenser 62 is supported by a support frame 99. The support frame 99 has a rear portion connected to a fan shroud (not shown) that supports the electric fan 64. As a result, the electric fan 64 is located immediately behind the condenser 62.

[0072] A plurality of spray nozzles 66 are arranged in front of the condenser 62. In this example, four spray nozzles 66 are provided, with two nozzles provided near each of both ends of the condenser 62 in the vehicle width direction. Further, the spray nozzles 66 are aligned so that the spray axis direction is parallel to the surface of the condenser 62. Specifically, the spray nozzles 66 are arranged so that the spray axis is parallel to the vehicle width direction. With such a configuration, the mist is less likely to hit the condenser 62 and is more likely to disperse in the space in front of the condenser 62. As a result, the mist can be sprayed more evenly. Each spray nozzle 66 is supported by a nozzle bracket 120, and the nozzle bracket 120 is fixed to the support frame 99.The mist sprayed from the spray nozzles 66 is released at a position immediately before the condenser 62, and thus the temperature of the outside air flowing into the condenser 62 can be reduced. This can improve the cooling efficiency of the refrigerant in the condenser 62 and consequently the cooling efficiency of the air conditioner 50.

[0073] As in Fig. As can be clearly seen in Figure 10, each of the spray nozzles 66 is arranged above the water tank 68. With this configuration, water is discharged from the spray nozzles 66 only when pressurized by the water pump 69. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a valve or the like for preventing water leakage at an intermediate portion of the outlet hose 76a, thereby simplifying the configuration.

[0074] The compressor 60 of the front air conditioning unit 52f is arranged behind the electric fan 64. For such an arrangement of the compressor 60, in this example, a support plate 108 is arranged in a bridge-like manner between the pair of cross elements 36a and 36b provided in the front part Pf (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 12). The support plate 108 is a substantially flat metal plate and has one end welded to the cross member 36a and the other end welded to the cross member 36b. The compressor 60 is fixed to the support plate 108.

[0075] As in Fig. As can be clearly seen in Fig. 12, both cross members 36a and 36b have a shape whose both ends in the vehicle width direction are raised toward the front side member 30. Therefore, the central portions of the cross members 36a and 36b in the vehicle width direction are located at a lower level than the front side members 30. Thus, the compressor 60 can be arranged at a low height, whereby the space efficiency of the front side accommodation space 94f can be improved.

[0076] Again, as described above, in the front air conditioning unit 52f, the condenser 62, the compressor 60, and the spray nozzles 66 are arranged in the front accommodation space 94f. This arrangement serves to downsize the roof assembly 79 to increase the design freedom around the roof of the vehicle 10, as described above. In addition, the compressor 60, which is a relatively heavy component in the front air conditioning unit 52f, is arranged in a lower portion of the vehicle 10, thereby improving the stability of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, compared to a case where the condenser 62 is arranged on the roof, the condenser 62 arranged behind the front grille 24f is more likely to receive the running wind, thereby improving the cooling efficiency.

[0077] In this example, the front grille 24f is arranged offset downward relative to the condenser 62, so that the design freedom of the front of the vehicle 10 can be increased. The duct 83 is provided behind the front grille 24f in this example, so that the airflow can easily reach the condenser 62 in such a configuration. Furthermore, the rotation speed of the electric fan 64 is controlled such that a sufficient amount of outside air flows to the condenser 62. <Unterer Teil der heckseitigen Klimatisierungseinheit>

[0078] Next, the lower part Pb of the rear air conditioning unit 52r will be described. Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement of the lower part Pb accommodated in the rear air conditioning unit 52r. Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a portion around the condenser 62 of the rear air conditioning unit 52r. As shown in Fig. As illustrated in FIG. 13, the compressor 60, the spray nozzles 66, the condenser 62, and the electric fan 64 are arranged in this order from the front in the rear-side accommodation space 94r. Furthermore, the rear grille 24r, through which the rear-side accommodation space 94r communicates with the outside, is arranged behind the electric fan 64. The rear grille 24r is provided at the lower end of the rear end of the vehicle 10, as in the case of the front grille 24f. As a result, a large area for the lamp arrangement portion 14 can be secured on the rear side.

[0079] Therefore, in the rear air conditioning unit 52r, the upper end of the rear grille 24r is located below the center of the condenser 62 in the height direction, and the rear grille 24r is offset downward with respect to the condenser 62. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 13, as indicated by a two-dot chain line, outside air enters the rear accommodation space 94r from the lower side and is then sucked by the electric fan 64 to flow upward. Then, after passing through the condenser 62 and the electric fan 64, the outside air flows downward and then out through the rear grille 24r. Thus, in this example, the outside air also flows along a mountain-like route whose top point is positioned around the condenser 62. In order to prevent the backflow of the outside air (exhaust air) discharged from the electric fan 64, the duct 83 is provided between the electric fan 64 and the rear grille 24r to guide the flow of the exhaust air in this example.

[0080] The rear-side accommodation space 94r contains, in addition to the components of the air conditioning unit 52, a drive unit 114 as a combination of a drive motor and a transmission mechanism, a power control unit (PCU) 116 for controlling the drive of the drive unit 114, and the like. The condenser 62 is mounted on a side portion of a housing of the drive unit 114.

[0081] As in Fig. As illustrated in Figure 14, the condenser 62 of the rear air conditioning unit 52r has a flat, rectangular, parallelepiped shape and, when viewed from the front, a horizontally elongated rectangular shape. The radiator 80, having a flat, rectangular, parallelepiped shape, is disposed above the condenser 62 of the rear air conditioning unit 52r. The radiator 80 serves to cool a refrigerant for cooling the power plant 114. The support frame 99 supports the radiator 80 and the condenser 62, which are arranged vertically. The support frame 99 has a rear portion connected to a fan shroud (not shown) that supports the electric fan 64, and the electric fan 64 is located immediately behind the condenser 62 and the radiator 80.

[0082] A plurality (four in the illustrated example) of spray nozzles 66 are arranged in front of the condenser 62. Each of the plurality of spray nozzles 66 is oriented so that the spray axis direction is parallel to the surface of the condenser 62. In the rear air conditioning unit 52r, the plurality of spray nozzles 66 are arranged more randomly than in the front air conditioning unit 52f. Such an arrangement serves to avoid interference between the spray nozzles 66 and various elements of the rear air conditioning unit 52r arranged around the condenser 62. In other words, in addition to the pipe through which the refrigerant and water used for air conditioning flow, the pipe through which the refrigerant for cooling the power plant 114 flows is also provided around the condenser 62 of the rear air conditioning unit 52r.Thus, the space available around the condenser 62 is limited compared to that available in the front air conditioning unit 52f. Consequently, the plurality of spray nozzles 66 are arranged more randomly in the rear air conditioning unit 52r than in the front air conditioning unit 52f.

[0083] As described above, in the rear air conditioning unit 52r, the compressor 60 and the spray nozzles 66 are also arranged in the lower portion of the vehicle 10, so that the design freedom around the roof of the vehicle 10 is increased, and the stability of the vehicle 10 can be improved, just as in the case of the front air conditioning unit 52f.

[0084] Incidentally, as apparent from the above description, in this example, the two lower parts Pb are manufactured, each including the condenser 62 and the spray nozzles 66, and these two lower parts Pb are arranged in the front and rear portions of the vehicle 10, respectively. With this configuration, the condensers 62 can be arranged in a well-balanced manner without having a large size. Specifically, the condensers 62 preferably have an enlarged surface area to increase their heat exchange efficiency. However, it is difficult to ensure a large accommodation space 94 in the vehicle 10. This is especially true for the box-shaped vehicle 10 without a hood or trunk as in this example. Thus, it is difficult to install a condenser 62 with a large surface area. In this case, the two condensers 62 that can be accommodated in the accommodation space 94 are manufactured and arranged in the front and rear portions, respectively.Thus, sufficient cooling performance can be achieved with a limited size of the capacitors 62. <wasserzufuhrteil>

[0085] Next, the configuration of the water supply part Pw is described. Fig. 15 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a portion around the center part Pc. The water supply part Pw includes the water tank 68 for storing water mist. This water tank 68 is arranged under the floor of the passenger compartment. More specifically, the water tank 68 of the front air-conditioning unit 52f is arranged in a corner portion where the center side member 32 and the cross member 36e intersect. In the corner portion, a triangular bracket 104 is provided, which has a substantially triangular shape with one side welded to the bottom surface of the center side member 32 and the other side welded to the bottom surface of the cross member 36e. The water tank 68 of the front air-conditioning unit 52f is placed and fixed on the triangular bracket 104.Similarly, the water tank 68 of the rear air conditioning unit 52r is arranged in a corner section where the center side member 32 and the cross member 36g intersect. A triangular bracket 104 is also provided in this corner section, and the water tank 68 is placed and fixed on the triangular bracket 104.

[0086] The main battery 106, which supplies power to the power plant 114, is also arranged under the floor of the vehicle. The main battery 106 has a flat shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The thickness (height dimension) of the main battery 106 is substantially equal to the height dimension of the center side member 32. The main battery 106 is arranged separately from the cross member 36e and the cross member 36g, with a suitable gap therebetween. The water tank 68 is arranged in the space between the main battery 106 and the cross members 36e and 36g. That is, in this example, the water tank 68 is arranged using a dead space created in front of and behind the main battery 106. To enable such an arrangement, the thickness (height dimension) of the water tank 68 is set to be substantially equal to the thickness (height dimension) of the main battery 106.

[0087] As in Fig. 15, the two water tanks 68 are both arranged on one side in the vehicle width direction (the right side in this example). In this example, the water supply port 72 is also arranged on one side in the vehicle width direction (the right side in this example), just like the two water tanks 68. With this configuration, the path of the water supply hose 76d connecting the one water supply port 72 to the two water tanks 68 can be designed substantially linearly (see Fig. 8), so that the water supply hose 76d can be easily routed. Furthermore, in this example, the two water tanks 68 are provided on the right side, so that they are located on the side opposite the door 22 of the vehicle 10, which is provided on the left side. In other words, with the relatively heavy water tanks 68 arranged on the side opposite the door 22, it is possible to effectively reduce the vibration of the vehicle caused by passengers getting on and off. Furthermore, the arrangement of the heavy water tanks 68 under the floor lowers the center of gravity of the vehicle 10, which leads to further improved stability of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, by disposing the water supply port 72 on the side opposite the door 22, it is possible to more effectively prevent passengers getting on and off from touching the water supply port 72 with their feet, etc.

[0088] Next, an arrangement of the water supply port 72 will be described with reference to Fig. 16 described. Fig. 16 is a schematic view illustrating a periphery of the water supply port 72 as viewed from the front. The sill 48 is provided at the lower end of the side surface of the vehicle 10 and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction to support both ends of the floor panel 100 in the vehicle width direction from below. The water supply hose 76d, which connects the water supply port 72 and the water tank 68, passes through a space immediately outside the sill 48. The water supply port 72 is formed, for example, from a substantially cylindrical fluid coupling and is arranged to protrude obliquely downward from the sill 48.

[0089] The sill strip 110, which is a resin member for concealing the sill 48 for improved appearance, is provided further outward in the vehicle width direction than the sill 48. As shown in Fig. As illustrated in Figure 16, the sill molding 110 is a panel member with a substantially L-shaped cross-section that extends outward and then downward in the horizontal direction. The water supply port 72 has a lower end positioned at the same level as or slightly higher than the lower end of the sill molding 110. Thus, the water supply port 72 is hidden behind the sill molding 110, so that it is not visible from the exterior of the vehicle 10. Meanwhile, a space large enough to allow the passage of an external water hose is provided under the sill molding 110. Thus, this water hose can be easily connected to the water supply port 72. <Andere Konfigurationen>

[0090] As is clear from the above description, in the air conditioner 50 disclosed in this document, water is sprayed onto a portion immediately before the compressor 60, so that cooling efficiency can be further improved. Furthermore, the condensers 62 are arranged in a lower portion of the vehicle where interference from sunlight is less likely, and are provided at a front or rear side of the vehicle. Thus, sufficient cooling performance of the refrigerant can be achieved without using a large condenser 62. Thus, sufficient cooling efficiency can be ensured without increasing the size of the condenser 62.It should be noted that the configuration described above is merely an example, and other configurations can be appropriately modified as long as the condensers 62 are each provided in a corresponding one of the front-side accommodation space 94f and the rear-side accommodation space 94r. For example, in this example, a substantially box-shaped autonomous vehicle traveling at a low speed is described as an example, but the air conditioner 50 disclosed in this example can be installed in other types of vehicles. Furthermore, the arrangement of other components can be appropriately modified as long as the condensers 62 and the spray nozzles 66 are provided at the front and rear of the vehicle. For example, the compressor 60 can be provided in the roof space 88 instead of in the accommodation space 94 in the lower portion of the vehicle.Similarly, the expansion valve 58 may be disposed in the receiving space 94 or the first pillar 42 instead of the roof space 88. Furthermore, the air conditioning units 52 need not be provided on the upper and lower sides, respectively, and the evaporator 54 and the blower fan 56 may be disposed in the receiving space 94 in the lower portion of the vehicle.

[0091] The evaporator 54 and the blower fan 56, which in the above description are provided in the roof space 88 of the passenger compartment, can be provided in at least one of the front-side accommodation space 94f and the rear-side accommodation space 94r. Thus, for example, as in Fig. As illustrated in Figure 17, the front-side accommodation space 94f accommodates the compressor 60, the condenser 62, the electric fan 64, the blower fan 56, and the evaporator 54, and similarly, the rear-side accommodation space 94r can accommodate the compressor 60, the condenser 62, the electric fan 64, the blower fan 56, and the evaporator 54. With such a configuration, no or fewer air conditioning elements are provided in the roof of the vehicle 10. Thus, the design freedom of the roof of the vehicle 10 is further increased. Furthermore, with such a configuration, the refrigerant pipe 74 can have a shorter length. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 10 vehicles 12 main frames 13 windows 14 Lighting arrangement section 15 Signal light 16 Body 18 front wheel 20 rear wheel 22 Door 24f front grille 24r rear grille 26 Control panel 28 seats 30 front side element 32 middle page element 34 rear side element 36a to 36k cross element 38 stop element 40 strut mounts 42 first pillar 44 second pillar 46 Holm 48 sills 50 air conditioning 51 Control unit 52f front air conditioning unit 52r rear air conditioning unit 54 evaporators 56 blower fans 58 Expansion valve 60 compressors 62 Capacitor 64 electric fan 66 Spray nozzle 68 water tank 69 Water pump 70 level sensor 72 Water supply connection 74 Refrigerant pipe 76a Outlet hose 76b drain hose 76c rainwater hose 76d water supply hose 78 Rainwater collection connection 79 Roof assembly 80 coolers 82, 83 Conduit duct 84 Exterior roof panel 86 inner roof panel 88 attic space 90 ventilation connection 92 thermal insulation board 94f front recording room 94r rear recording space 99 supporting frames 100 floor panels 104 triangular bracket 106 Main Battery 108 carrier plate 110 sill strip 112 Motor unit 114 Drive unit 116 Power Control Unit (PCU) 120 nozzle holder 130 Peripheral information sensor Pb lower part PC middle part Pf front part Pr rear part Pt roof part Pw water supply part< / wasserzufuhrteil> < / dachbaugruppe> < / gesamtkonfiguration>

Claims

[1] Electric vehicle (10), comprising: a main battery (106) provided under a floor of a central portion of a passenger compartment; a front-side receiving space (94f) positioned in a lower front portion of the electric vehicle (10), and a rear-side receiving space (94r) positioned in a lower rear portion of the electric vehicle (10); and an air conditioning system (50) for air conditioning in the passenger compartment, the air conditioning system (50) comprising: an evaporator (54) which effects a heat exchange between air in an interior of the passenger compartment and a refrigerant; a blower fan (56) that generates an air flow from the interior of the passenger compartment, the air flow passing through the evaporator (54) and returning to the interior of the passenger compartment; a compressor (60) provided in the front-side receiving space (94f) which compresses the refrigerant, and a compressor (60) provided in the rear-side receiving space (94r) which compresses the refrigerant; a condenser (62) provided in the front-side receiving space (94f) which effects heat exchange between the refrigerant and outside air, and a condenser (62) provided in the rear-side receiving space (94r) which effects heat exchange between the refrigerant and the outside air; and a refrigerant pipe (74) which causes the refrigerant to circulate through the evaporator (54), the compressors (60) and the condensers (62), wherein the evaporator (54) and the blower fan (56) are provided in one of the front-side receiving space (94f) and the rear-side receiving space (94r) or in a roof section of the passenger compartment. [2] Electric vehicle (10) according to claim 1, further comprising: a peripheral information sensor (130) provided on an outer surface of the roof of the electric vehicle (10) and detecting information about a periphery of the electric vehicle (10), wherein the electric vehicle (10) has at least one autonomous driving function or a driver assistance function with which a journey of the electric vehicle (10) is controlled based on the information detected by the peripheral information sensor (130).

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