Front trunk for an electrically powered motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a front trunk for an electrically powered motor vehicle. The front trunk has a housing (10), which delimits a trunk volume (V) by housing walls (12), a cavity (18) for a liquid (20) being formed at least in a portion of the housing walls (12).

Description

[0001] Front trunk for an electrically powered vehicle

[0002] The invention relates to a front trunk for an electrically driven motor vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0003] Such front trunks, which are usually referred to as "frunks" (English combination of "front" (front side) and "trunk" (trunk)), are usually used in electrically powered vehicles in the area of ​​a front engine compartment, since there is now sufficient space in this area for storing cargo due to the elimination of the combustion engine.

[0004] Such a front trunk compartment is already known, for example, from DE 102020 134 081 A1 and comprises a housing that defines a trunk volume with a housing wall. The housing is divided into a trunk and a technical compartment, within which, for example, other components or the like are housed.

[0005] As autonomous driving advances, the requirements for cleaning the sensors located in or on the vehicle, such as corresponding cameras, lidars, or similar sensors, are becoming increasingly stringent. To ensure optimal functioning of these sensors, a significant amount of cleaning fluid is required, depending on weather conditions such as driving in rain, dust, or similar conditions. This fluid can be used to clean the respective cameras, lidars, or similar sensor elements from time to time to ensure optimal functioning.

[0006] In addition to the need for cleaning fluid for the windshield, for example, a significantly larger volume of cleaning fluid, approximately twice or three times the previous amount, must be provided without forcing the driver to refill this fluid excessively often. However, accommodating a corresponding container with a capacity of approximately 15 to 20 liters within the vehicle poses considerable problems, without this resulting in any significant restrictions on the arrangement of the remaining components (package).

[0007] The object of the present invention is therefore to create a front trunk of the type mentioned at the beginning, which has a further function in addition to accommodating cargo.

[0008] This object is achieved according to the invention by a front trunk having the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0009] In order to create a front trunk that fulfills another function in addition to accommodating cargo, the invention provides for a cavity for a liquid, in particular washer fluid, to be formed at least within a partial region of the housing wall of the front trunk housing. This utilizes the basic idea that the housing of the front trunk is usually relatively large and therefore even a small loss in cargo volume can result in a significant gain in cavity volume, for example if the corresponding housing wall of the front trunk housing is at least partially double-walled and thus designed as a cavity.Since the dimensions of the front trunk are very large compared to other installation spaces, a correspondingly double-walled design of the respective housing wall or trunk shell can generate a relatively large volume. This is accompanied by only a slight reduction in the trunk volume for cargo.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the invention, it has proven advantageous if the housing wall, at least in the corresponding partial area, has an inner wall and an outer wall which delimit the cavity. By designing the housing wall with a corresponding double wall, at least in the partial area, the desired cavity for holding the liquid can thus be created in a simple manner. It has also proven advantageous if a cavity for a liquid is formed at least substantially within the entire housing wall. For this purpose, at least approximately the entire housing wall is preferably double-walled with an inner wall and an outer wall. In this way, a cavity with a large volume can be created overall, in order to be able to hold, for example, a volume of 15 to 20 liters of washing liquid.

[0011] It is also advantageous if the housing has a recessed base area relative to an adjacent base area, in which area the housing wall provides a connection for the washer fluid. This allows the washer fluid to easily collect in the recessed base area when it runs low, even if the vehicle is parked at a slight angle, for example. This ensures that fluid is available for withdrawal at the corresponding connection until the housing or cavity is almost empty.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the invention, it has proven advantageous for the housing to be made of a plastic. Such a plastic part can be designed, in particular, as a blow-molded part or the like. This allows for a simple, double-walled plastic component.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the invention, a filling opening for the liquid is arranged within the housing. This allows for particularly easy filling of the washing liquid.

[0014] In this context, it has proven further advantageous if the inner wall of the housing wall is bulged in a corner area of ​​the housing and has an at least substantially horizontal upper wall area in which the filling opening is located. This provides an easy way to fill the liquid, and in particular, the fill level can be checked particularly conveniently—if necessary by installing a fill indicator.

[0015] Finally, it has proven advantageous if the housing wall has a circumferential edge at the upper end which is designed without cavities. This means that, for example, a seal can be attached to the upper end of the housing, by means of which the front trunk compartment can be sealed, for example, against a separate lid or a front flap of the motor vehicle. Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0016] Showing:

[0017] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a front trunk of an electrically driven motor vehicle with a housing which delimits a trunk volume with a housing wall downwards or on the outer circumference;

[0018] Fig. 2 is a perspective sectional view through the housing of the front trunk, wherein it can be seen that the housing wall is double-walled with an inner wall and an outer wall and that a cavity for a liquid is formed at least substantially within the entire housing wall; and

[0019] Fig. 3 is a side sectional view through the housing according to Figs. 1 and 2, again illustrating that at least substantially the entire housing wall is double-walled and forms a cavity for the liquid.

[0020] In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0021] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a front trunk for an electrically powered motor vehicle (BEV, PHEV). This front trunk comprises a housing 10, which in this case is located in a front engine compartment of the motor vehicle (not shown further), below a front hood. Due to the absence of a large internal combustion engine, a correspondingly large installation space is usually available in a central area of ​​the front engine compartment for arranging the front trunk or its housing 10.

[0022] According to Figs. 2 and 3, which show a perspective sectional view and a side sectional view of the housing 10, a trunk volume V is defined by a housing wall 12. In the present case, this housing wall 12 essentially comprises a base region 14 and a side wall region 16 extending around the outer periphery. Overall, the housing 10 is designed in a trough-like manner with a substantially prismatic basic shape.

[0023] In order to be able to hold a liquid, in particular washer fluid for a windscreen wiper system as well as for a large number of sensors such as cameras, lidars or the like, a cavity 18 for this liquid 20 is formed at least within a partial area of ​​the housing wall 12.

[0024] In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the cavity 18 for the liquid is formed at least substantially within the entire housing wall 12, i.e., both in the base region 14 and in the side wall region 16. The cavity 18 is formed in that the housing wall 12 has a respective inner wall 22 and a respective outer wall 24 in the base region 14 and in the side wall region 16, which delimit the cavity 18. In other words, the housing wall 12 is at least substantially completely double-walled in both the base region 14 and the side wall region 16, so that at least substantially the entire trunk volume V can be surrounded by liquid. As a result, a large cavity 18 is created with a relatively small loss of trunk volume V, so that, for example, approximately 15 to 20 liters of washer fluid or the like can be accommodated by the housing 10.As already mentioned above, it is also conceivable that only a partial area of ​​the housing wall 12 is used to form the said cavity 18.

[0025] 1 and 2 in particular, it can also be seen that a filler opening 28 for the liquid, closed for example by a lid 26, is arranged within the housing 10 in the region of the trunk volume V. In the present exemplary embodiment, the inner wall 22 of the side wall region 16 of the housing wall 12 is widened or bulged inwards in a corner region 30 of the housing 10 and comprises an at least substantially horizontal upper wall region 32 in which the filler opening 28 is arranged. In this corner region 30, for example, a display window or similar display device can be provided, by means of which the fill level of the liquid within the housing 10 can be determined.

[0026] In a lower front end area, a connection 34 can be seen through which the liquid can be withdrawn. This connection 34 is provided in a recessed bottom area 36 adjacent to the remaining bottom area 14 and allows the liquid to be withdrawn down to approximately the lowest point of the cavity 18 within the housing 10, even if the FZ is, for example, slightly tilted. The connection 34 penetrates the outer wall 24 to establish a connection to the cavity 18.

[0027] In particular, it can also be seen from Fig. 3 that the housing wall 12 has a circumferential edge 38 at its upper end, which is designed without cavities. Accordingly, a seal 40 can be easily arranged circumferentially on the outer circumference of this edge, for example, to seal the housing 10 against a cover by means of which the front trunk can be closed. This cover can be designed separately, or the front flap of the engine compartment can be used, so that its underside interacts with the seal 40 and closes the trunk.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Front trunk for an electrically driven motor vehicle, with a housing (10) which delimits a trunk volume (V) with a housing wall (12), characterized in that a cavity (18) for a liquid (20) is formed at least within a partial region of the housing wall (12).

2. Front trunk according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing wall (12) has an inner wall at least in the corresponding partial area (22) and an outer wall (24) which delimit the cavity (18).

3. Front trunk according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a cavity (18) for a liquid (20) is formed at least substantially within the entire housing wall (12).

4. Front trunk according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10) has a bottom region (36) which is recessed relative to an adjacent bottom region (14), in the region of which the housing wall (12) has a connection (34) for the liquid (20).

5. Front trunk according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10) is made of a plastic.

6. Front trunk according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a filling opening (28) for the liquid (20) is arranged within the housing (10).

7. Front trunk according to claim 5, characterized in that the inner wall (22) of the housing wall (12) is bulged in a corner region (30) of the housing (10) and has an at least substantially horizontal upper wall region (32) in which the filling opening (28) is arranged.

8. Front trunk according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing wall (12) has a circumferential edge (38) at the upper end, which is designed to be free of cavities.

Images