Device case

Abstract

To protect an electrical device connected to a secondary battery.SOLUTION: A device case 10 is made of an aluminum die cast and formed into a box shape, and includes a device case body 16 in which an electrical device 14 connected to a secondary battery 12 is stored. The device case 10 also includes a load input part 18 that is formed integrally with the device case body 16 and that is formed in a shape that protrudes from the device case body 16. The load input part 18 is configured such that a plurality of rectangular parts 20 which have a rectangular closed shape when viewed from a protrusion direction are arranged in a horizontal direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an equipment case. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a battery pack with improved load-bearing capacity. The battery pack described in this document includes a secondary battery, a case that houses the secondary battery, and a reinforcing part disposed above the secondary battery. The reinforcing part is formed in a corrugated plate shape and reinforces the case. By providing this reinforcing part, it is possible to improve the load-bearing capacity of the battery pack. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 189590 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, while the configuration described in Patent Document 1 is useful from the viewpoint of improving the load-bearing capacity of the battery pack, there is room for improvement in terms of protecting electrical equipment such as an electrical junction box connected to the secondary battery.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVETION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an equipment box capable of protecting an electric device connected to a secondary battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The equipment case of the first embodiment is made of die-cast aluminum and formed in a box shape, and comprises an equipment case main body in which an electrical device connected to a secondary battery is stored, and a load input section which is formed integrally with the equipment case main body and formed in a shape protruding from the equipment case main body, and which has a plurality of rectangular parts arranged horizontally and which have a rectangular closed shape when viewed from the protruding direction.

[0007] According to the device case of the first aspect, an electric device connected to a secondary battery is stored in the device case body. Here, the device case is provided with a load input part having a shape protruding from the device case body. When the load input part is viewed from the protruding direction, it has a configuration in which a plurality of rectangular parts each having a rectangular closed shape are arranged horizontally. In this configuration, in addition to being able to ensure the second moment of area and cross-sectional area for receiving the load, bending and buckling deformation of the load input part (the plurality of rectangular parts) can be suppressed. Thus, according to the device case of the first aspect, the load input part can receive the load input toward the device case body. This suppresses deformation of the device case body, and the electric device stored in the device case body can be protected. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The device case according to the present invention has the excellent effect of protecting an electrical device connected to a secondary battery. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an equipment case etc. taken along line 2-2 shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 4 is a side view of the device case as viewed from the outer side in the vehicle width direction. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an equipment case 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the arrow UP shown in each drawing indicates the upper side of the vehicle, the arrow FR indicates the front side of the vehicle, and the arrow OUT indicates the outside in the vehicle width direction. In addition, when the front-rear and up-down directions are used in the following description unless otherwise specified, they refer to the front-rear in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and the up-down in the up-down direction of the vehicle.

[0011] 1, the equipment case 10 of this embodiment is made of aluminum die casting and is provided on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of a secondary battery 12 provided under the floor of the vehicle. The equipment case 10 includes an equipment case main body 16 that stores electric equipment 14 connected to the secondary battery 12, and a load input portion 18 that protrudes from the equipment case main body 16 toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

[0012] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the device case body 16 is formed in a box shape with an open upper side and a closed lower side. The device case body 16 includes a bottom wall portion 16A that forms the bottom of the device case body 16. The bottom wall portion 16A is formed in a rectangular plate shape with a thickness direction in the up-down direction. The device case body 16 also includes a front wall portion 16B that extends from the front end of the bottom wall portion 16A and bends upward, and a rear wall portion 16C that extends from the rear end of the bottom wall portion 16A and bends upward. The front wall portion 16B and the rear wall portion 16C are formed in a rectangular plate shape with a thickness direction in the front-rear direction. The device case body 16 also includes an outer wall portion 16D that extends from the outer end of the bottom wall portion 16A in the vehicle width direction and bends upward, and an inner wall portion 16E that extends from the inner end of the bottom wall portion 16A in the vehicle width direction and bends upward. The outer wall portion 16D and the inner wall portion 16E are formed in a rectangular plate shape with the thickness direction being the vehicle width direction. The electric device 14 is stored inside the device case main body 16 from above. Note that the electric device 14 in this embodiment is, as an example, an electric connection box (junction box) connected to the secondary battery 12.

[0013] 1, 2, and 3, the load input portion 18 is formed integrally with the equipment case main body 16. Specifically, the load input portion 18 includes a lower wall portion 18A that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the lower end portion of the equipment case main body 16. This lower wall portion 18A is formed in a rectangular plate shape with the thickness direction being in the up-down direction, and is located on an extension of the bottom wall portion 16A of the equipment case main body 16 in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the lower wall portion 18A has a rectangular shape with the longitudinal direction being the front-rear direction and the short side direction being the vehicle width direction when viewed from the up-down direction.

[0014] The load input portion 18 also includes an upper wall portion 18B that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from a vertical middle portion of the outer wall portion 16D of the device case main body 16. The upper wall portion 18B is formed in a rectangular plate shape with the thickness direction being in the vertical direction. The upper wall portion 18B has a rectangular shape with the longitudinal direction being the front-rear direction and the transverse direction being the vehicle width direction when viewed from the vertical direction.

[0015] The load input portion 18 also includes a front wall portion 18C that protrudes from the front end of the device case main body 16 toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. The front wall portion 18C is formed in a rectangular plate shape with the thickness direction being in the front-rear direction, and is located on an extension of the front wall portion 16B of the device case main body 16 in the vehicle width direction. The front wall portion 18C also has a rectangular shape with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction and the vehicle width direction as the transverse direction when viewed from the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the upper end portion of the front wall portion 18C is connected to the front end portion of the upper wall portion 18B, and the lower end portion of the front wall portion 18C is connected to the front end portion of the lower wall portion 18A.

[0016] The load input portion 18 also includes a rear wall portion 18D that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the rear end portion of the device case main body 16. The rear wall portion 18D is formed in a rectangular plate shape with the thickness direction being in the front-rear direction, and is located on an extension of the rear wall portion 16C of the device case main body 16 in the vehicle width direction. The rear wall portion 18D is also rectangular in shape with the vertical direction as viewed from the front-rear direction as the longitudinal direction and the vehicle width direction as the transverse direction. Furthermore, the upper end portion of the rear wall portion 18D is connected to the rear end portion of the upper wall portion 18B, and the lower end portion of the rear wall portion 18D is connected to the rear end portion of the lower wall portion 18A.

[0017] The load input section 18 includes a plurality of middle wall sections 18E that protrude from a middle section in the front-rear direction of the outer wall section 16D of the device case main body 16 toward the outside in the vehicle width direction and are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction. The load input section 18 of this embodiment includes three middle wall sections 18E. Each of the middle wall sections 18E is formed in a rectangular plate shape with the thickness direction being in the front-rear direction. Each of the middle wall sections 18E is formed in a rectangular shape with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction and the vehicle width direction as the transverse direction when viewed from the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the upper ends of the middle wall sections 18E are each connected to a middle section in the front-rear direction of the upper wall section 18B. The lower ends of the middle wall sections 18E are each connected to a middle section in the front-rear direction of the lower wall section 18A.

[0018] As described above, the load input portion 18 includes the lower wall portion 18A, the upper wall portion 18B, the front wall portion 18C, the rear wall portion 18D, and a plurality of middle wall portions 18E. As a result, the load input portion 18 is configured with a plurality of rectangular portions 20, each of which has a rectangular closed shape when viewed from the protruding direction side (outside in the vehicle width direction), lined up in the horizontal direction (front-rear direction). Here, the load input portion 18 of this embodiment is configured with four rectangular portions 20 lined up in the horizontal direction.

[0019] (Actions and Effects of the Present Embodiment) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0020] In the device case 10 of the present embodiment described above, the electric device 14 connected to the secondary battery 12 is housed inside the device case main body 16.

[0021] Here, the device case 10 of this embodiment includes a load input portion 18 that protrudes from the device case main body 16 to the outside in the vehicle width direction. When the load input portion 18 is viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction, it has a configuration in which a plurality of rectangular portions 20, each having a rectangular closed shape, are arranged in the front-rear direction. In the configuration of the load input portion 18, for example, when a load F accompanying a side collision is input to the load input portion 18, it is possible to ensure a second moment of area and a cross-sectional area for receiving the load F, and also to suppress bending and buckling deformation of the load input portion 18 (the plurality of rectangular portions 20). In this way, according to the device case 10 of this embodiment, the load F input toward the device case main body 16 can be received by the load input portion 18. As a result, deformation of the device case main body 16 is suppressed, and the electric device 14 stored in the device case main body 16 can be protected.

[0022] Furthermore, in the equipment case 10 of this embodiment, multiple rectangular portions 20 are arranged in the fore-and-aft direction, so that even if the input position of the load F due to a side collision varies in the fore-and-aft direction, the load F can be resisted by the rectangular portion 20 corresponding to the input position of the load F.

[0023] In this embodiment, the configuration of the equipment case 10 is assumed to be input with a load F from the outside in the vehicle width direction, such as in a side collision, but the present invention is not limited to this. The configuration of the equipment case 10 of this embodiment can also be applied to an equipment case that is assumed to be input with a load from the front side, such as in a frontal collision, or a load from the rear side, such as in a rear-end collision.

[0024] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above, and it is of course possible to implement the present invention in various other modified forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] 10 Equipment Case 12 Secondary battery 14 Electrical Equipment 16 Equipment case body 18 Load input section 20 Rectangular part

Claims

[Claim 1] an equipment case main body that is made of aluminum die casting and formed in a box shape, and that houses an electrical device connected to the secondary battery; a load input section including a plurality of rectangular portions that are integrally formed with the device case main body, that are formed in a shape protruding from the device case main body, and that are arranged in a horizontal direction and have a rectangular closed shape when viewed from the protruding direction side; An equipment case comprising:

Images