Support structure for electrical component

Abstract

To provide a support structure for an electrical component that can suppress vibration of the electrical component arranged above a drive device and protect a cover member of the electrical component in an event of a frontal collision of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A support structure for an inverter 9 includes: a cable connection part where a high-voltage cable 12 that supplies power to a motor generator 6 is connected to an upper wall 9B of the inverter 9; and a cover member 21 for covering the cable connection part. The inverter 9 is fixed to an engine by an upper bracket 22 that is connected to an upper wall 9B of the inverter 9, and the upper bracket 22 covers an upper side of the cover member 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a support structure for an electrical component. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In electric vehicles, there is known a device that protects a power cable in the event of a vehicle collision (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the electric vehicle described in Patent Document 1, an inverter is fixed to an upper part of a drivetrain by a front bracket, a protector is integrally provided with the front bracket, and a power cable extends from a lateral side of the inverter.

[0004] The protector is disposed in front of the power cable and protects the power cable from a device that retracts toward the inverter during a vehicle collision. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-233836 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in conventional electric vehicles, the protector is located below the inverter, and is therefore not suitable for protecting the components disposed above the inverter.

[0007] Some electrical components such as inverters have a cable connection portion on the upper surface thereof for connecting a high voltage cable, and this cable connection portion is covered with a cover member. In such electrical components, it is necessary to protect the cover member from obstacles in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0008] In addition, when the lower part of the electrical component is attached to a drive device such as a drive train by a bracket, there is a risk that the vibration of the upper part of the electrical component increases. Therefore, it is necessary to suppress the vibration of the electrical component arranged above the drive device and protect the cover member in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a support structure for electrical components that can suppress vibration of electrical components arranged above a drive unit and protect the cover members of the electrical components in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention provides a support structure for electrical components that is mounted on a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a drive unit connected to the internal combustion engine, and a motor provided in the drive unit, and is fixed to an upper part of the drive unit by a lower bracket, wherein the upper end of the electrical component is provided with a cable connection portion to which a high-voltage cable that supplies power to the motor is connected, and a cover member that covers the cable connection portion, the electrical component is fixed to the internal combustion engine by an upper bracket connected to the upper end of the electrical component, and the upper bracket covers the upper side of the cover member. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention described above, it is possible to suppress vibration of the electrical components arranged above the drive device, and to protect the cover members for the electrical components in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an engine room of a vehicle having a support structure for electrical components according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the support structure for an electrical component according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is a front view of the support structure for an electrical component according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a support structure for an electrical component according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a support structure for an electrical component according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a top view of the electrical component with an upper bracket removed. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a left side view of the support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a moving state of an obstacle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] A support structure for electrical components in one embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a drive unit connected to the internal combustion engine, and a motor provided in the drive unit, and is a support structure for electrical components fixed to an upper part of the drive unit by a lower bracket, and the upper end of the electrical component is provided with a cable connection portion to which a high-voltage cable that supplies power to the motor is connected, and a cover member that covers the cable connection portion, and the electrical component is fixed to the internal combustion engine by an upper bracket connected to the upper end of the electrical component, and the upper bracket covers the upper side of the cover member.

[0014] As a result, the support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention can suppress vibration of the electrical components arranged above the drive device and can protect the cover members for the electrical components in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle. EXAMPLES

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the support structure for electrical components according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 are diagrams showing a supporting structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] In Figures 1 to 6, the up, down, front, rear, left and right directions are based on the engine and transmission installed in the vehicle, the front to back direction of the vehicle is the front-to-rear direction, the side where the upper member is located is the front, and the side where the dash panel is located is the rear.

[0017] The left-right direction of the vehicle (vehicle width direction) is defined as the left-right direction, with the transmission side defined as the left and the engine side defined as the right. The height direction of the engine and transmission is defined as the up-down direction, with the electrical component side defined as the top and the side opposite the electrical components defined as the bottom.

[0018] First, the configuration will be described. In FIG. 1, an engine room 2 is disposed in the front of a vehicle 1, and the engine room 2 is surrounded by an upper member 3A, a dash panel 3B located rearward of the upper member 3A, a left side member 3C extending rearward from the left end of the upper member 3A, and a right side member 3D extending rearward from the right end of the upper member 3A.

[0019] In the engine room 2, an engine 4 as an internal combustion engine and a transmission 5 as a drive device are arranged, and the transmission 5 is connected to the engine 4.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the engine 4 has a cylinder block 4A, a cylinder head 4B attached to the top of the cylinder block 4A, and a cylinder head cover 4C attached to the top of the cylinder head 4B, and the transmission 5 has a transmission case 5A.

[0021] The transmission case 5A is connected to the cylinder block 4A. The engine 4 and the transmission 5 are arranged side by side in the width direction of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle width direction), and the transmission 5 is arranged below the cylinder head 4B.

[0022] A transmission mechanism consisting of gears for speed change, not shown, a differential device, etc. are installed inside the transmission case 5A, and the transmission 5 changes the speed of the power (rotation) transmitted from the crankshaft, not shown, of the engine 4 using the transmission mechanism, and transmits it to the left and right front wheels, not shown, via the left and right drive shafts, not shown, through the differential device.

[0023] A motor generator 6 serving as a motor is attached to the transmission case 5A (see FIG. 1). The motor generator 6 transmits power to the speed change mechanism of the transmission 5 via a reduction mechanism (not shown), and performs motor running using the motor generator 6 as a drive source and hybrid running using both the engine 4 and the motor generator 6.

[0024] 1, an intake manifold 7 is connected to the rear surface of the cylinder head 4B. The intake manifold 7 guides intake air from intake ports (not shown) formed in the cylinder head 4B to cylinders (not shown) formed in the cylinder block 4A.

[0025] A catalytic converter 8 is connected to the front surface of the cylinder head 4B. Exhaust gas is discharged from the cylinders to the catalytic converter 8 via exhaust ports and an exhaust manifold (not shown) of the cylinder head 4B.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3, an auxiliary device 11 such as a cooling water case is connected to the left side wall 4a of the cylinder head 4B, and the auxiliary device 11 is connected to a radiator (not shown) via cooling water pipes 11A, 11B (see FIG. 1).

[0027] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, an inverter 9 is disposed as an electrical component on the upper part of the transmission case 5A. The inverter 9 converts DC power supplied from a high-voltage battery (not shown) into three-phase AC power and supplies it to the motor generator 6, and also converts the three-phase AC power generated by the motor generator 6 into DC power to charge the high-voltage battery. A low-voltage battery 20 is disposed on the left side of the inverter 9.

[0028] 4, the inverter 9 is disposed directly above the transmission case 5A with its longitudinal direction facing the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1 and its short side facing the vehicle width direction. In other words, the inverter 9 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the front-rear direction and shorter in the vehicle width direction than in the front-rear direction.

[0029] A lower bracket 10 is provided on a lower wall 9A of the inverter 9. The lower bracket 10 has a horizontal bracket portion 10A and a vertical bracket portion 10B.

[0030] The horizontal bracket portion 10A extends in the front-to-rear direction along the lower wall 9A of the inverter 9, and the inverter 9 is fixed to the horizontal bracket portion 10A by fastening a bolt (not shown) to the lower wall 9A from below the horizontal bracket portion 10A.

[0031] The rear end and the left end of the horizontal bracket portion 10A are fastened to the transmission case 5A at the fore-and-aft center by bolts 30A (see Figures 2 and 5), and the front end of the horizontal bracket portion 10A is fastened to the upper end of the vertical bracket portion 10B by bolts 30B.

[0032] 3 and 6, the lower end of the vertical bracket portion 10B is fastened to the transmission case 5A by the bolt 30C. In this manner, the inverter 9 is attached to the transmission case 5A by the lower bracket 10.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 5, the motor generator 6 and the inverter 9 are connected by a high-voltage cable 12. The high-voltage cable 12 includes a deformable protective protector 12A, a protective case 12B connected to the protective protector 12A, and a U-phase cable 12a, a V-phase cable 12b, and a W-phase cable 12c (Fig. 5 shows a portion of the cables 12a, 12b, and 12c) housed in the protective protector 12A and the protective case 12B.

[0034] One ends of U-phase cable 12a, V-phase cable 12b, and W-phase cable 12c are connected to motor generator 6, and the other ends of U-phase cable 12a, V-phase cable 12b, and W-phase cable 12c are connected to cable connection parts 9a, 9b, and 9c provided on an upper wall 9B of inverter 9. Upper wall 9B of inverter 9 constitutes the upper end part of inverter 9.

[0035] A cover member 21 is provided on the upper end of the inverter 9, and the cover member 21 is fastened by bolts 30D to the front and rear ends of the upper end of the inverter 9. As a result, the cable connection parts 9a, 9b, 9c and the connection parts of the U-phase cable 12a, the V-phase cable 12b and the W-phase cable 12c connected to the cable connection parts 9a, 9b, 9c are covered from above by the cover member 21 and are protected by the cover member 21.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an upper bracket 22 is attached to the upper end of the inverter 9, and the upper bracket 22 covers the upper side of the cover member 21.

[0037] The upper bracket 22 includes a bracket main body portion 23 and an engine side mounting portion 24 .

[0038] The bracket main body 23 extends in the front-rear direction along the upper wall 9B of the inverter 9 (see FIG. 6), and the front-rear length of the bracket main body 23 is longer than the front-rear length of the cover member 21.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle width direction dimension at the front end of bracket main body 23 is formed to be larger than the vehicle width direction dimension of cover member 21, and the front and rear ends of bracket main body 23 are fastened to upper wall 9B of inverter 9 by bolts 30E and 30F.

[0040] Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, a pair of bolt fastening portions 9C are provided at a front end portion of the upper wall 9B of the inverter 9, and the bolt fastening portions 9C protrude upward from the upper wall 9B of the inverter 9.

[0041] The front end of the bracket body 23 is fastened to the bolt fastening portion 9C by a bolt 30E.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 5, a bolt fastening portion 9D is provided at the rear end portion of the upper wall 9B of the inverter 9, and the bolt fastening portion 9D protrudes upward from the upper wall 9B of the inverter 9.

[0043] The rear end of the bracket body 23 is fastened to the bolt fastening portion 9D by a bolt 30F.

[0044] Furthermore, since upper bracket 22 is separated upward from upper wall 9B of inverter 9 by bolt fastening portions 9C and 9D, a gap is formed between cover member 21 and upper bracket 22 in the vertical direction.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 2, the engine-side mounting portion 24 protrudes to the right side toward the engine 4 from the right end portion 23a of the bracket main body portion 23, and the right end portion is fastened by a bolt 30G to the upper end portion of the EGR passage portion 4c provided at the left end portion of the cylinder head cover 4C.

[0046] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, an engine side bracket 25 is provided on the upper portion of the EGR passage portion 4c of the cylinder head cover 4C, and the right end portion of the engine side mounting portion 24 is fastened to the upper end portion of the engine side bracket 25 by a bolt 30G.

[0047] In this manner, the upper wall 9B of the inverter 9 is fixed to the engine 4 by the upper bracket 22. The engine side mounting portion 24 of this embodiment constitutes an internal combustion engine side mounting portion, and the bolts 30E, 30F, 30G constitute fasteners.

[0048] As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, an inclined surface 23A is formed at the front end of bracket body 23 of upper bracket 22, and inclined surface 23A is inclined upward from the front end toward the rear.

[0049] 2, an inclined portion 23D is formed in the bracket main body 23. The inclined portion 23D is inclined downward from the right end portion 23a of the bracket main body 23 toward the left inclination end portion 23b, and extends in the front-rear direction.

[0050] In this way, the upper bracket 22 has the inclined portion 23D extending in the front-rear direction, which increases the torsional rigidity of the bracket main body 23 centered on the engine-side mounting portion 24. The right end portion 23a of the bracket main body 23 corresponds to the inclination start portion.

[0051] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, recesses 23B and 23C are formed at the front end of bracket main body 23, and recesses 23B and 23C are configured by recessing inclined surface 23A downward so as to be located below inclined surface 23A.

[0052] The inclined surface 23A includes a left sidewall 23e of the recess 23B and a right sidewall 23f of the recess 23C, and the left sidewall 23e and the right sidewall 23f are inclined parallel to the inclined surface 23A. In other words, the left sidewall 23e and the right sidewall 23f are part of the inclined surface 23A.

[0053] Head 30e of bolt 30E is disposed in recesses 23B and 23C. That is, a threaded portion (not shown) of bolt 30E is fastened to upper wall 9B of inverter 9 by penetrating the bottoms of recesses 23B and 23C.

[0054] As a result, the head 30e of the bolt 30E is disposed in the recesses 23B, 23C, and as a result, the upper end 30u of the head 30e is disposed in the recesses 23B, 23C.

[0055] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the protective case 12B located on the side of the cable connection portions 9a, 9b, and 9c of the high-voltage cable 12 is disposed below the engine-side mounting portion .

[0056] Next, the effect of the support structure for the inverter 9 according to this embodiment will be described. The inverter 9 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle 1 having an engine 4, a transmission 5 connected to the engine 4, and a motor generator 6 provided on the transmission 5, and is fixed to the upper part of the transmission 5 by a lower bracket 10.

[0057] An upper wall 9B of the inverter 9 is provided with cable connection portions 9a, 9b, 9c to which a high voltage cable 12 that supplies power to the motor generator 6 is connected, and a cover member 21 that covers the cable connection portions 9a, 9b, 9c.

[0058] The inverter 9 is fixed to the engine 4 by an upper bracket 22 that is connected to an upper wall 9B of the inverter 9, and the upper bracket 22 covers the upper side of the cover member 21.

[0059] In this way, since the upper wall 9B of the inverter 9 can be fixed to the engine 4 by the upper bracket 22, the upper wall 9B of the inverter 9 can be prevented from vibrating.

[0060] In addition, since the upper bracket 22 is shaped to cover the upper side of the cover member 21, an obstacle 41 that moves from the front of the vehicle 1 toward the cover member 21 during the collision of the vehicle 1 can be moved upward by the upper bracket 22, thereby preventing the obstacle 41 from colliding with the cover member 21 (see Figure 6).

[0061] The upper bracket 22 of this embodiment has an inclined portion 23D extending in the front-rear direction, and therefore has high rigidity in the front-rear direction. This makes it difficult for the upper bracket 22 to deform when an impact is applied to the upper bracket 22 from the front, and effectively prevents the impact from being applied to the cover member 21.

[0062] Furthermore, since upper bracket 22 is separated upward from upper wall 9B of inverter 9 by bolt fastening portions 9C and 9D, a gap can be formed between cover member 21 and upper bracket 22 in the vertical direction.

[0063] As a result, when an impact is applied to the upper bracket 22 from above downward, the gap can act as a buffer material, and the upper bracket 22 can protect the cover member 21.

[0064] Furthermore, according to the support structure for the inverter 9 of this embodiment, the dimension of the front end portion of the upper bracket 22 in the vehicle width direction is formed to be larger than the dimension of the cover member 21 in the vehicle width direction.

[0065] This makes it possible to cover the front of the cover member 21 over a wide range in the vehicle width direction of the front end portion of the upper bracket 22. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent an obstacle 41 that moves from the front of the vehicle 1 toward the cover member 21 when the vehicle 1 collides with the cover member 21.

[0066] Furthermore, according to the support structure for the inverter 9 of this embodiment, the inclined surface 23A is formed at the front end of the upper bracket 22, and the inclined surface 23A is inclined upward from the front end toward the rear.

[0067] As a result, when the vehicle 1 collides, the inclined surface 23A disposed at the front end of the upper bracket 22 causes the obstacle 41 moving from the front of the vehicle 1 toward the cover member 21 to be bounced upward (see FIG. 6 ), and the obstacle 41 can be moved away from the cover member 21. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the obstacle 41 from colliding with the cover member 21.

[0068] Furthermore, according to the support structure for inverter 9 in this embodiment, the front end of upper bracket 22 has recesses 23B, 23C that recess inclined surface 23A downward so as to be positioned below inclined surface 23A, and the front end of upper bracket 22 is fastened to upper wall 9B of inverter 9 by bolt 30E, and upper end 30u of bolt 30E is positioned in recesses 23B, 23C.

[0069] This allows the upper end 30u of the bolt 30E to be positioned below the inclined surface 23A, and allows the obstacle 41 to be guided upward along the inclined surface 23A while preventing the obstacle 41 from colliding with the head 30e of the bolt 30E. As a result, the obstacle 41 can be more reliably prevented from colliding with the cover member 21.

[0070] Furthermore, according to the support structure for the inverter 9 in this embodiment, the upper bracket 22 has a bracket main body portion 23 whose front and rear ends are fastened to the upper wall 9B of the inverter 9 by 30B, 30C, and an engine side mounting portion 24 which protrudes from the bracket main body portion 23 toward the engine 4 and is fastened to the upper end of the EGR passage portion 4c of the cylinder head cover 4C by bolt 30G.

[0071] In addition, the cable connection portions 9 a, 9 b, and 9 c of the high-voltage cable 12 are disposed below the engine-side mounting portion 24 .

[0072] This allows an obstacle 41 to be collided with the engine side mounting portion 24 protruding from the bracket main body portion 23 toward the engine 4 when the vehicle 1 collides, and the high-voltage cable 12 can be protected from collision with the obstacle 41 when the vehicle 1 collides.

[0073] Although an embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications and equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the following claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1...vehicle, 4...engine (internal combustion engine), 5...transmission (drive mechanism), 6...motor generator (motor), 9...inverter (electrical component), 9a, 9b, 9c...cable connection portion, 9B...upper wall (upper end portion of electrical component), 10...lower bracket, 12...high voltage cable, 21...cover member, 22...upper bracket, 23...bracket main body, 23A...inclined surface, 23B, 23C...recess, 24...engine side mounting portion (internal combustion engine side mounting portion), 30E, 30F, 30G...bolt (fastener)

Claims

1. A support structure for electrical components that is mounted on a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a drive device connected to the internal combustion engine, and a motor provided in the drive device, and that is fixed to an upper portion of the drive device by a lower bracket, comprising: a cable connection portion to which a high-voltage cable for supplying power to the motor is connected, and a cover member for covering the cable connection portion are provided at an upper end of the electrical component, the electrical component is fixed to the internal combustion engine by an upper bracket that is connected to an upper end of the electrical component, The support structure for electrical components, wherein the upper bracket covers an upper portion of the cover member.

2. 2. The support structure for electrical components according to claim 1, wherein a dimension of the front end of the upper bracket in the vehicle width direction is larger than a dimension of the cover member in the vehicle width direction.

3. An inclined surface is formed at a front end portion of the upper bracket in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, 3. The support structure for electrical components according to claim 1, wherein the inclined surface is inclined upward from a front end portion in the vehicle's longitudinal direction toward a rear portion in the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

4. the upper bracket has a recess at a front end portion of the upper bracket in the vehicle front-rear direction, the recess being recessed downwardly from the inclined surface so as to be located below the inclined surface, a front end portion of the upper bracket in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is fastened to an upper end portion of the electrical component by a fastener, 4. The support structure for an electrical component according to claim 3, wherein an upper end of the fastener is disposed in the recess.

5. the upper bracket includes a bracket main body having a front end portion and a rear end portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction fastened to an upper end portion of the electrical component by fasteners; an internal combustion engine side mounting portion that protrudes from the bracket main body portion toward the internal combustion engine and is fastened to an upper end portion of the internal combustion engine by a fastener, 3. The support structure for electrical components according to claim 1, wherein the cable connection portion of the high voltage cable is disposed below the mounting portion on the internal combustion engine side.

6. the upper bracket includes a bracket main body having a front end portion and a rear end portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction fastened to an upper end portion of the electrical component by fasteners; an internal combustion engine side mounting portion that protrudes from the bracket main body portion toward the internal combustion engine and is fastened to an upper end portion of the internal combustion engine by a fastener, 4. The support structure for electrical components according to claim 3, wherein the cable connection portion of the high voltage cable is disposed below the mounting portion on the internal combustion engine side.

7. the upper bracket includes a bracket main body having a front end portion and a rear end portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction fastened to an upper end portion of the electrical component by fasteners; an internal combustion engine side mounting portion that protrudes from the bracket main body portion toward the internal combustion engine and is fastened to an upper end portion of the internal combustion engine by a fastener, 5. The support structure for electrical components according to claim 4, wherein the cable connection portion of the high voltage cable is disposed below the mounting portion on the internal combustion engine side.

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