Vehicle and battery

Abstract

To provide a vehicle and a battery that can improve workability of attaching and detaching the battery.SOLUTION: A vehicle includes: a battery 6; a vehicle body frame 11 supporting the battery 6 attachably and detachably; an electric motor 5; a vehicle body side power line 711 arranged outside the battery 6 to be electrically connected to the electric motor 5; a vehicle body side earth cable 721 arranged outside the battery 6 to be electrically connected to a ground part 110 set on the vehicle body frame 11; and a vehicle body side connector 7. The battery 6 includes: a battery cell 611A; a battery case 63; a battery side power line 641 arranged in the battery case 63 to be electrically connected to the battery cell 611A; a battery side earth line 642 electrically connected to a conductive part 633A of the battery case 63; and a battery side connector 65 disposed outside the battery case 63.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to vehicles and batteries. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an electric motorcycle. This electric motorcycle includes a battery that is detachable from the vehicle body, and an electric motor that is an electrical component that is driven by power provided by the battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-203954 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When using a high-voltage battery, an earth connection may be required to ground the conductive part of the battery case. In this case, earth connection and disconnection work must be performed according to the insertion and removal of the battery. Therefore, there is a demand for improving the ease of insertion and removal of the battery.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle and a battery that can improve the ease of attaching and detaching the battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vehicle according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery, a body frame that detachably supports the battery, an electrical component driven by power provided by the battery, a body-side power line routed outside the battery and electrically connected to the electrical component, a body-side earth wire routed outside the battery and electrically connected to a preset grounding portion, and a body-side connector in which terminal portions of the body-side power line and the body-side earth wire are gathered together. The battery includes a battery cell, a battery case that covers the battery cell and is supported by the body frame, a battery-side power line routed within the battery case and electrically connected to the battery cell, a battery-side earth wire electrically connected to a conductive portion of the battery case, and a battery-side connector in which terminal portions of the battery-side power line and the battery-side earth wire are gathered and arranged outside the battery case.

[0007] A vehicle according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a body frame that detachably supports a battery, a body side electric wire that is routed outside the battery and electrically connected to an outside-case electrical component provided outside the battery, a body side earth wire that is routed outside the battery and electrically connected to a predetermined grounding location, and a body side connector that brings together the terminal portions of the vehicle body side electric wire and the vehicle body side earth wire.

[0008] A battery according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery cell, a battery case covering the battery cell and supported by a body frame of a vehicle, battery-side electric wires routed within the battery case and electrically connected to electrical components inside the battery case, a battery-side earth wire electrically connected to a conductive portion of the battery case, and a battery-side connector where terminal portions of the battery-side electric wire and the battery-side earth wire are gathered and arranged outside the battery case. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle and a battery that can improve the ease of attaching and detaching the battery. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of an electric motorcycle, which is one type of vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of a lower central portion of the electric motorcycle. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an electrical connection structure between a battery and an electric motor in an electric motorcycle. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first modified example of a battery. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the battery. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a third modified example of the battery. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a fourth modified example of the battery. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a fifth modified example of the battery. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a sixth modified example of the battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] [Body structure of electric two-wheeler] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle and a battery according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a side view of an electric motorcycle, which is a type of vehicle, as seen from the left side. Fig. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing an enlarged lower central portion of the electric motorcycle. As shown in this figure, the electric motorcycle includes a body 1, a front wheel 2 and a rear wheel 3, an electric motor 5, a battery 6, a seat 8, and a handlebar 9. The electric motorcycle is a two-wheeled automobile that runs by the driving force of the electric motor 5, and is a type of saddle-type vehicle.

[0012] The body 1 constitutes the main body of the electric two-wheeler. The body 1 extends in the front-rear direction, which indicates the forward and backward directions of the electric two-wheeler, and has a predetermined vehicle width in the left-right direction as seen by a rider who drives the electric two-wheeler. In other words, the vehicle width direction of the body 1 coincides with the left-right direction. The front wheel 2 and the rear wheel 3 are a pair of front and rear wheels that support the body 1 movably. The electric motor 5 is a drive source that generates a driving force to rotate the rear wheel 3, in other words, a driving force to run the electric two-wheeler. The electric motor 5 is an electrical component that is constituted, for example, by a three-phase AC synchronous electric motor. The battery 6 is a storage device that stores the power supplied to the electric motor 5. The seat 8 is a seat on which a rider who drives the electric two-wheeler sits. The handlebars 9 are steering handlebars that the rider holds when steering the front wheel 2.

[0013] The vehicle body 1 includes a vehicle body frame 11 and a pivot shaft 13. The vehicle body frame 11 is a frame structure that forms the skeleton of the vehicle body 1, and supports the front wheels 2 and rear wheels 3, the electric motor 5, the battery 6, the seat 8, and the handlebars 9. The pivot shaft 13 is a shaft attached to the rear of the vehicle body frame 11 and extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0014] The body frame 11 has a head pipe 12 at its front end. The head pipe 12 is a cylindrical member that holds a steering shaft extending in the vertical direction so that the steering shaft can rotate about its axis. A handlebar 9 is attached to the upper end of the steering shaft, and a front fork 15 is connected to the lower end of the steering shaft. In other words, the head pipe 12 rotatably holds the steering shaft that connects the handlebar 9 and the front fork 15. The front wheel 2 is journaled at the lower end of the front fork 15.

[0015] The pivot shaft 13 functions as a swing fulcrum for the swing arm 14. The pivot shaft 13 is supported by the body frame 11 between the front wheel 2 and the rear wheel 3 and below the seat 8.

[0016] The swing arm 14 is an arm that rotatably supports the rear wheel 3, and extends in the front-rear direction to connect the pivot shaft 13 and the axle 16 of the rear wheel 3. That is, the front end of the swing arm 14 is journaled on the pivot shaft 13, and the rear wheel 3 is journaled on the rear end of the swing arm 14. The swing arm 14 is provided not only on the left side of the vehicle body 1 shown in FIG. 1, but also on the right side of the vehicle body 1. That is, the electric motorcycle includes a pair of swing arms 14 that connect the left and right ends of the pivot shaft 13 to the left and right ends of the axle of the rear wheel 3, respectively. The pair of swing arms 14 are connected to each other via a cross member 17 that extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] The vehicle body frame 11 supports the electric motor 5. The vehicle body frame 11 also supports a battery 6 at a position above the electric motor 5. The electric motor 5 and the battery 6 are disposed between the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3 and below the seat 8.

[0018] The electric motor 5 is an electrical component driven by power provided from the battery 6, and is a type of external case electrical component provided outside the battery 6. The external case electrical components include an inverter that constitutes a drive circuit for the electric motor 5. The external case electrical components may also include a vehicle control device that is electrically connected to the internal case electrical components, which are electrical components in the battery 6, to exchange information and commands. The electric motor 5 is attached to the vehicle body frame 11 via a pair of left and right support plates 30. The pair of support plates 30 are plate-shaped members having a predetermined thickness in the vehicle width direction, and are respectively connected to the left and right side portions of the electric motor 5. In addition, each support plate 30 connected to the electric motor 5 is connected to each location of the vehicle body frame 11 around the electric motor 5. That is, the electric motor 5 is supported between the pair of support plates 30, and is attached to the vehicle body frame 11 via the respective support plates 30.

[0019] The battery 6 is detachably supported by the vehicle body frame 11. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the battery 6 is detachably supported by a battery tray 40 attached to the vehicle body frame 11. The battery tray 40 is a box-shaped container with an open top. The battery 6 is supported by the battery tray 40 with its lower end housed inside the battery tray 40. The battery tray 40 is attached to the vehicle body frame 11 so as to be disposed above the electric motor 5. Specifically, the battery 6 is placed on the upper surface of the battery tray 40, supporting the battery 6 from below.

[0020] 2, the vehicle body frame 11 is formed with a battery insertion opening 20 for attaching and detaching the battery 6. The battery insertion opening 20 is an opening surrounded by the vehicle body frame 11 and located above the battery tray 40. The battery 6 can be attached to and detached from the battery tray 40 through the battery insertion opening 20 when the seat 8 is in an upwardly opened state.

[0021] [Electrical connection structure between battery and electric motor] The electrical connection structure between the battery 6 and the electric motor 5 in the electric motorcycle will be described with reference to FIG. 3 in addition to FIG.

[0022] The vehicle body 1 has a vehicle body side electric power line 711 for electrically conducting between the electric motor 5 and the battery 6. The vehicle body 1 also has a vehicle body side earth wire 721 for electrically conducting between the grounding portion 110 of the vehicle body frame 11 and the battery 6. In this embodiment, at least a part of the vehicle body side electric power line 711 and the vehicle body side earth wire 721 are bundled together to form a vehicle body side harness 7H. The vehicle body side harness 7H is provided with a detachable connector part at a middle part in the longitudinal direction. The vehicle body side harness 7H may be configured as a part of a main harness by partially bundling electric wires other than the vehicle body side electric power line 711 among the vehicle body side electric wires arranged outside the battery 6. The vehicle body side electric wires other than the vehicle body side electric power line 711 are electric wires electrically connected to external electrical components other than the electric motor 5, and include signal wires for transmitting electric signals. Examples of external electrical components other than the electric motor 5 include a vehicle control device, a transformer, a DC-DC converter, a generator, and a charger.

[0023] In this embodiment, the vehicle body side harness 7H has flexibility. The vehicle body side power line 711 is a power line that is routed outside the battery 6 and connected to the electric motor 5 to provide battery power to the electric motor 5. The vehicle body side earth wire 721 is a ground wire that is routed outside the battery 6 and connected to a grounding portion 110 set on the vehicle body frame 11 to pass the charging current of the battery 6 to the grounding portion 110. In this case, the tip of the vehicle body side power line 711 is connected to the electric motor 5. Also, the tip of the vehicle body side earth wire 721 is connected to the grounding portion 110 of the vehicle body frame 11.

[0024] A relay connector 70 is interposed in the longitudinal intermediate portion of the vehicle body side harness 7H. By using such a relay connector 70, the work of routing the vehicle body side harness 7H to the vehicle body 1 can be facilitated.

[0025] A vehicle body side connector 7 is connected to a base end of the vehicle body side harness 7H on the battery 6 side. The vehicle body side connector 7 is a single connector collectively including a vehicle body side power terminal 71 to which a vehicle body side power line 711 is connected, and a vehicle body side earth terminal 72 to which a vehicle body side earth line 721 is connected. In other words, the vehicle body side connector 7 is a connector in which the vehicle body side power terminal 71 and the vehicle body side earth terminal 72, which are the terminal portions of the vehicle body side power line 711 and the vehicle body side earth line 721, are assembled. The vehicle body side power terminal 71 and the vehicle body side earth terminal 72 are covered by a socket 73.

[0026] The vehicle body side connector 7 is configured to be detachable from the battery side connector 65 described later. By mounting the vehicle body side connector 7 to the battery side connector 65, an electrical connection is established between the battery 6 side and the vehicle body 1 side. In this manner, simply by connecting the connectors 7, 65, it is possible to establish a power connection for supplying power from the battery 6 to the electric motor 5 via the vehicle body side power line 711, and at the same time establish an earth connection between the grounding portion 110 of the vehicle body frame 11 and the battery 6 via the vehicle body side earth wire 721. Conversely, simply by disconnecting the connectors 7, 65, it is possible to disconnect the power connection for supplying power and at the same time disconnect the earth connection.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, a connector holding portion 201 capable of detachably holding the vehicle body side connector 7 is provided around the battery insertion opening 20 in the vehicle body frame 11. The connector holding portion 201 is disposed outside a battery movement area BA in which the battery 6 moves when the battery 6 is attached to or detached from the vehicle body 1 through the battery insertion opening 20. In other words, the connector holding portion 201 is disposed radially outward from the battery insertion opening 20. As shown by the imaginary line (two-dot chain line) in FIG. 2, by holding the vehicle body side connector 7 in the connector holding portion 201, the vehicle body side connector 7 and the vehicle body side harness 7H can be positioned outside the battery movement area BA. By positioning the vehicle body side connector 7 outside the battery movement area BA, it is easy to prevent the vehicle body side connector 7 from interfering with the attachment and detachment of the battery 6 when the battery 6 is attached to or detached from the vehicle body 1.

[0028] The battery 6 is a high-voltage battery having a battery voltage equal to or higher than a predetermined value. The battery voltage of the battery 6 is, for example, 15 volts or higher, more specifically, 25 volts or higher. The battery 6 may be a battery having a battery voltage of 48 volts or higher. As shown in FIG. 3, the battery 6 includes a battery pack 61, a management unit 62, and a battery case 63.

[0029] For example, the battery pack 61 includes at least one battery cell 611 held in a cell holder 611B. The battery cell 611 is an electricity storage portion that stores power to be supplied to the electric motor 5, and is a type of in-case electrical component provided in the battery case 63. Examples of in-case electrical components other than the battery cell 611 include sensors such as a temperature sensor, a current sensor, and a voltage sensor, and a management unit 62. The battery cell 611 is electrically connected to the management unit 62.

[0030] The management unit 62 is a unit that realizes the function of a BMS (Battery Management System). The management unit 62 acquires information on the battery pack 61. The information on the battery pack 61 includes information such as the voltage and current of the battery cells 611. The management unit 62 determines the state of the battery pack 61 based on the acquired information on the battery pack 61. The state of the battery pack 61 includes the state of charge (SOC) of the battery cells 611. In this embodiment, the management unit 62 controls the output power of the battery cells 611 in the battery pack 61 based on the determined state of the battery pack 61.

[0031] The battery case 63 is a housing that covers the battery pack 61 and the management unit 62. The battery case 63 houses the battery pack 61 and the management unit 62 inside. The battery case 63 is formed in a box shape having an upper wall 631, a lower wall 632 located below the upper wall 631, and a side wall 633 that connects the edges of the upper wall 631 and the lower wall 632 to each other.

[0032] The battery case 63 is detachably supported on the battery tray 40 attached to the vehicle body frame 11. When the battery 6 is supported on the vehicle body frame 11, a lower wall 632 of the battery case 63 abuts against the battery tray 40. The attachment / detachment direction D of the battery 6 with respect to the battery tray 40 is along the up-down direction. When attaching the battery 6 to the battery tray 40, the battery 6 is moved downward until the lower wall 632 abuts against the battery tray 40. On the other hand, when removing the battery 6 from the battery tray 40, the battery 6 is moved upward.

[0033] At least a portion of the battery case 63 has a conductive portion 633A made of a conductive material. For example, the battery case 63 is made of a metal material such as an aluminum alloy. By using a metal material for a portion of the battery case 63, the rigidity of the battery case 63 can be increased. For example, a portion of an exposed surface of the battery case 63 that is exposed to the outside is made of a conductive material.

[0034] 3, the upper and lower parts of the battery case 63 are non-conductive parts that do not have conductivity, and the vertical intermediate part between the upper and lower non-conductive parts is the conductive part 633A. Specifically, in the battery case 63, a region including the upper wall 631 and the upper part of the side wall 633 and a region including the lower wall 632 and the lower part of the side wall 633 are each a non-conductive part, and a part of the side wall 633 sandwiched between the upper and lower non-conductive parts is the conductive part 633A. A conductive protrusion 634 protruding inward is provided on the inner surface of the conductive part 633A of the side wall 633.

[0035] The state of formation of the conductive portion 633A in the battery case 63 is not limited to the above example. For example, in the battery case 63, a plurality of conductive portions 633A may be formed apart from each other. In this case, a connector is provided to electrically connect the plurality of conductive portions 633A to each other. A conductive protrusion 634 is provided on the connector or the conductive portion 633A.

[0036] The battery 6 includes a battery-side power line 641 , a battery-side earth line 642 , and a battery-side connector 65 .

[0037] The battery-side power line 641 is a type of battery-side electric line routed inside the battery case 63, and is an electric power line electrically connected to the battery cell 611. In this embodiment, the battery-side electric power line 641 is indirectly connected to the battery cell 611 via the management unit 62. The battery-side electric lines other than the battery-side power line 641 are electric lines electrically connected to the management unit 62 and sensors, which are in-case electrical components other than the battery cell 611, and include signal lines that transmit electric signals between the battery-side power line 641 and the vehicle body control device, which is a type of in-case electrical component.

[0038] The battery side earth wire 642 is an earth wire electrically connected to the conductive portion 633A of the battery case 63. The battery side earth wire 642 is directly or indirectly connected to the conductive portion 633A of the battery case 63. The battery side earth wire 642 may be routed outside the battery case 63 or may be routed inside the battery case 63. When the battery side earth wire 642 is routed outside the battery case 63, it is connected to the conductive portion 633A of the battery case 63 from the outside of the battery case 63. On the other hand, when it is routed inside the battery case 63, the battery side earth wire 642 is connected to the conductive protrusion 634 from the inside of the battery case 63 to the conductive portion 633A of the battery case 63.

[0039] In this embodiment, the battery side earth wire 642 is connected to the conductive protrusion 634 inside the battery case 63 and arranged inside the battery case 63. In this case, the battery side earth wire 642 is arranged inside the battery case 63 so as not to interfere with the battery pack 61 and the management unit 62 housed in the battery case 63. By arranging the battery side earth wire 642 inside the battery case 63, it is easy to prevent the battery side earth wire 642 from interfering with the attachment and detachment work when the battery 6 is attached to and detached from the battery tray 40 attached to the vehicle body frame 11.

[0040] The battery side connector 65 is disposed outside the battery case 63 and is a connector that can be connected to the vehicle body side connector 7. One of the battery side connector 65 and the vehicle body side connector 7 is a male connector, and the other is a female connector. When the vehicle body side connector 7 is a male connector and the battery side connector 65 is a female connector, the battery side connector 65 and the vehicle body side connector 7 are connected by inserting the battery side connector 7 into the battery side connector 65. On the other hand, when the battery side connector 65 is a male connector and the vehicle body side connector 7 is a female connector, the battery side connector 65 and the vehicle body side connector 7 are connected by inserting the battery side connector 65 into the vehicle body side connector 7.

[0041] The battery side connector 65 is a single connector collectively including a battery side power terminal 651 to which the battery side power line 641 is connected and a battery side earth terminal 652 to which the battery side earth line 642 is connected. In other words, the battery side connector 65 is a connector in which the battery side power terminal 651 and the battery side earth terminal 652, which are terminal parts of the battery side power line 641 and the battery side earth line 642, are assembled. The battery side power terminal 651 is connected to an end of the battery side power line 641 opposite to an end connected to the battery cell 611. The battery side earth terminal 652 is connected to an end of the battery side earth line 642 opposite to an end connected to the conductive part 633A of the battery case 63. It is preferable that the battery side earth line 642 is covered with an insulating covering except for each longitudinal end connected to the conductive part 633A of the battery case 63 and the battery side earth terminal 652. In the battery side connector 65 , the battery side power terminal 651 and the battery side earth terminal 652 are covered by a socket 653 .

[0042] By connecting the battery side connector 65 and the vehicle body side connector 7, a power connection for power supply can be made and an earth connection can be made at the same time. In addition, by disconnecting the battery side connector 65 and the vehicle body side connector 7, the power connection can be disconnected and the earth connection can be disconnected at the same time.

[0043] In detail, with the battery 6 supported on the vehicle body frame 11, the vehicle body connector 7 and the battery side connector 65 are connected to electrically connect the vehicle body side power terminal 71 and the battery side power terminal 651, and electrically connect the vehicle body side earth terminal 72 and the battery side earth terminal 652. As a result, the vehicle body side power line 711 and the battery side power line 641 are electrically connected, and at the same time, the vehicle body side earth wire 721 and the battery side earth wire 642 are electrically connected.

[0044] As a comparative example, if separate connectors are provided for power connection and earth connection, the connectors must be connected multiple times when the battery 6 is mounted on the vehicle body 1, resulting in poor workability. In contrast, in this embodiment, power connection and earth connection can be achieved by connecting the vehicle body side connector 7 and the battery side connector 65 once, improving workability.

[0045] In addition, as a comparative example, when separate connectors are provided for power connection and earth connection, it is necessary to perform the operation of disconnecting the connectors multiple times before removing the battery 6 from the vehicle body 1, which is inefficient. In contrast, in this embodiment, it is possible to realize disconnection of the power connection and disconnection of the earth connection by performing a single disconnection operation between the vehicle body side connector 7 and the battery side connector 65.

[0046] When the remaining charge of the battery 6 becomes low, it is charged by a charger arranged outside the vehicle body 1. For this reason, the battery 6 is detachable from the vehicle body frame 11. The battery 6 is attached to and detached from the vehicle body frame 11 every time it is charged. In the attachment and detachment of the battery 6, the operability of the power connection and earth connection is improved, and the operability of the power connection and earth connection is improved, thereby improving the operability of the attachment and detachment of the battery 6. As described above, the present disclosure can be effectively applied to vehicles in which the battery 6 is frequently attached and detached.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, in the battery case 63, an upper wall 631, which is an end wall located at one end in the attachment / detachment direction D of the battery 6 to the battery tray 40 attached to the vehicle body frame 11, has a pair of through holes 630 that penetrate the upper wall 631 in the up-down direction. Each through hole 630 is a through hole through which a battery side power line 641 and a battery side earth line 642 arranged in the battery case 63 penetrate toward a battery side connector 65 arranged outside the battery case 63. The battery side power line 641 extends from the management unit 62 connected to the battery cell 611 in the battery case 63 to a battery side power terminal 651 of the battery side connector 65 outside the battery case 63, passing through the through hole 630. The battery side earth wire 642 extends from the conductive protrusion 634 in the battery case 63 to a battery side earth terminal 652 of the battery side connector 65 outside the battery case 63, passing through the through hole 630.

[0048] The battery side connector 65 is disposed on the outside of an upper wall 631 in which a through hole 630 is formed with respect to the battery case 63. In this case, the upper wall 631 in which the battery side connector 65 is disposed in the battery case 63 is one end in the attachment / detachment direction D of the battery 6, in other words, an end wall that is exposed when the battery 6 is inserted. Therefore, when attaching or detaching the battery 6 to or from the body frame 11, the vehicle body side connector 7 and the battery side connector 65 can be easily connected and disconnected.

[0049] 2, the battery side connector 65 is disposed in a position close to the battery insertion opening 20 of the vehicle body frame 11 when the battery 6 is supported by the vehicle body frame 11. In this case, when the battery 6 is attached or detached through the battery insertion opening 20, the vehicle body side connector 7 and the battery side connector 65 can be connected and disconnected near the battery insertion opening 20.

[0050] In this embodiment, the battery side connector 65 is a direct connector provided directly on the outer surface of the battery case 63. Specifically, the battery side connector 65 is a connector directly fixed to the outer surface of the upper wall 631 of the battery case 63. In this case, in the battery side connector 65, the socket 653 is joined to the outer surface of the upper wall 631 so as to cover the through hole 630 formed in the upper wall 631 from above. Then, a battery side power line 641 and a battery side earth line 642 extending from the inner side of the battery case 63 through the through hole 630 are connected to a battery side power terminal 651 and a battery side earth terminal 652 located on the inner side of the socket 653, respectively.

[0051] By providing the battery side connector 65 directly on the outer surface of the upper wall 631 of the battery case 63, it is easy to prevent the battery side power line 641 and the battery side earth wire 642 from interfering with the attachment and detachment work when attaching or detaching the battery 6 to the vehicle frame 11.

[0052] The battery side connector 65 is preferably disposed on the outer surface of the upper wall 631 so as to be contained within the range of the upper wall 631 when viewed in the attachment / detachment direction D of the battery 6. This makes it easy to prevent the battery side connector 65 from interfering with the attachment / detachment operation of the battery 6 to the body frame 11.

[0053] As described above, the vehicle body side connector 7 is connected to the flexible vehicle body side harness 7H that bundles the vehicle body side power line 711 and the vehicle body side earth wire 721. This makes it easier to move the relative position of the vehicle body side connector 7 with respect to the battery side connector 65 by deformation of the vehicle body side harness 7H. This makes it easier to connect and disconnect the vehicle body side connector 7 and the battery side connector 65 when attaching or detaching the battery 6 to the vehicle body frame 11.

[0054] [Variations] In the above embodiment, the battery side connector 65 is disposed on the outside of the upper wall 631, which is an end wall located at one end of the battery 6 in the mounting / removal direction D, with respect to the battery case 63. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As in the battery 6 according to the first modification shown in FIG. 4, the battery side connector 65 may be disposed on the outside of the lower wall 632 facing the upper wall 631 in the mounting / removal direction D of the battery 6 with respect to the battery case 63. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the battery side connector 65 is a direct connector provided directly on the outer surface of the lower wall 632 of the battery case 63. In this case, in the battery case 63, the lower wall 632 has a pair of through holes 630. In the battery side connector 65, the battery side power terminal 651 and the battery side earth terminal 652 are joined to the outer surface of the lower wall 632 so as to cover the respective through holes 630 from below. A battery side power line 641 and a battery side earth line 642 extending from the inside of the battery case 63 through the through hole 630 are connected to a battery side power terminal 651 and a battery side earth terminal 652 joined to the outer surface of the lower wall 632, respectively.

[0055] When the battery-side connector 65 is disposed outside the bottom wall 632 of the battery case 63, the vehicle-side connector 7 is attached to the battery tray 40 that detachably supports the battery 6. In this case, with the battery 6 supported on the battery tray 40, the vehicle-side connector 7 and the battery-side connector 65 are connected to electrically connect the vehicle-side power terminal 71 and the battery-side power terminal 651, and also electrically connect the vehicle-side earth terminal 72 and the battery-side earth terminal 652. As a result, when the battery 6 is supported on the battery tray 40, a power connection for power supply can be made and an earth connection can be made at the same time.

[0056] Furthermore, when the battery 6 is removed from the battery tray 40, the connection between the vehicle body side connector 7 and the battery side connector 65 is released, the connection between the vehicle body side power terminal 71 and the battery side power terminal 651 is released, and the connection between the vehicle body side earth terminal 72 and the battery side earth terminal 652 is released. As a result, when the battery 6 is removed from the battery tray 40, the power connection can be released and the earth connection can be released at the same time.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the battery side connector 65 is a direct connector provided directly on the outer surface of the upper wall 631 of the battery case 63, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. As in the battery 6 according to the second modified example shown in FIG. 5, the battery side connector 65 may be a connector connected to a flexible battery side harness 64H. The battery side harness 64H is a harness that bundles together the exposed parts of the battery side power line 641 and the battery side earth line 642 that extend from the inside of the battery case 63 to the outside through a through hole 630 formed in the upper wall 631. An end of the exposed part of the battery side power line 641 that is exposed outside the battery case 63 is connected to a battery side power terminal 651 of the battery side connector 65. An end of the exposed part of the battery side earth line 642 that is exposed outside the battery case 63 is connected to a battery side earth terminal 652 of the battery side connector 65. The battery side harness 64H may be covered by a socket 653 of the battery side connector 65.

[0058] In the example shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle body side connector 7 is connected to a flexible vehicle body side harness 7H, and the battery side connector 65 is connected to a flexible battery side harness 64H. That is, both the vehicle body side connector 7 and the battery side connector 65 are connected to flexible harnesses. This makes it easier to move the relative positions of the vehicle body side connector 7 and the battery side connector 65 by deformation of the vehicle body side harness 7H and the battery side harness 64H, respectively. This makes it easier to connect and disconnect the vehicle body side connector 7 and the battery side connector 65 when attaching or detaching the battery 6 to or from the vehicle body frame 11.

[0059] In addition, in the case where the battery side connector 65 is connected to the flexible battery side harness 64H, the battery case 63 may have a positioning portion 63A on the upper wall 631 in which the through hole 630 is formed. The positioning portion 63A is a portion for fixing or positioning the battery side connector 65 that has been released from the connection with the vehicle body side connector 7 on the upper wall 631 of the battery case 63. The positioning portion 63A can fix or position the battery side connector 65 so that the battery side connector 65 fits within the range of the upper wall 631 when viewed in the attachment / detachment direction D of the battery 6. When attaching or detaching the battery 6 to the vehicle body frame 11, the positioning portion 63A can position the battery side connector 65 at a position that fits within the range of the upper wall 631. This makes it easy to prevent the battery side connector 65 from interfering with the attachment / detachment operation of the battery 6.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the battery-side ground wire 642 is routed inside the battery case 63. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As in the battery 6 according to the third modified example shown in FIG. 6, the battery-side ground wire 642 may be partly routed outside the battery case 63 and the remaining part routed inside the battery case 63. In this case, the conductive protrusion 634 to which the battery-side ground wire 642 is connected may be exposed to the outside of the conductive portion 633A in the battery case 63.

[0061] 7, the battery side earth wire 642 may be entirely routed outside the battery case 63. In this case, the battery side earth wire 642 is inserted into the socket 653 of the battery side connector 65 through an insertion hole 6531 formed in the socket 653 and connected to the battery side earth terminal 652. Also, a plurality of battery side earth wires 642 may be provided. In this case, the plurality of battery side earth wires 642 may be joined into one and connected to the battery side earth terminal 652.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the battery side connector 65 is disposed within the range of the upper wall 631 of the battery case 63, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. As in the battery 6 according to the fifth modified example shown in FIG. 8, the battery side connector 65 may be provided apart from the battery case 63. The battery side connector 65 and the battery case 63 are connected by a flexible battery side harness 64H. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the battery side harness 64H is a harness that bundles together the exposed parts of the battery side power line 641 and the battery side earth line 642 that extend from the inside of the battery case 63 through the through hole 630 formed in the upper wall 631 to the outside. In this case, the vehicle body side harness 7H connected to the vehicle body side connector 7 may be configured not to have flexibility. For example, the vehicle body side harness 7H may be fixed to the vehicle body frame 11. It is preferable that a positioning part 63A is provided on the upper wall 631 of the battery case 63. The positioning portion 63A is a portion for fixing or positioning the battery-side connector 65 that has been disconnected from the vehicle-side connector 7 on the upper wall 631 of the battery case 63. This makes it easy to prevent the flexible battery-side harness 64H and the battery-side connector 65 from interfering with the attachment and detachment of the battery 6.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the battery 6 is described as having a structure in which the battery side power line 641 and the battery side earth line 642 are integrated into one battery side connector 65, but the structure is not limited to this. As in the battery 6 according to the sixth modified example shown in FIG. 9, the battery 6 may include a first battery side connector 65A and a second battery side connector 65B that are independent of each other. For example, the first battery side connector 65A is a connector having a battery side power terminal 651 to which the battery side power line 641 is connected. On the other hand, the second battery side connector 65B is a connector in which a battery side signal terminal 651B to which a battery side signal line 641B, which is a battery side electric line other than the battery side power line 641, is connected, and a battery side earth terminal 652 to which a battery side earth line 642 is connected, are assembled. The battery side signal line 641B is a battery side electric line that is connected to the management unit 62 and the sensor 621, which are electric components inside the case other than the battery cell 611, and transmits an electric signal to a vehicle body control device, which is a type of electric component outside the case.

[0064] As described above, the battery side signal line 641B and the battery side earth line 642 may be aggregated in the second battery side connector 65B that is different from the first battery side connector 65A to which the battery side power line 641 is connected. Of course, the battery side power line 641, the battery side signal line 641B, and the battery side earth line 642 may be aggregated in one battery side connector. When there are multiple battery side electric lines, all the battery side electric lines and the battery side earth line 642 may be aggregated in one battery side connector, or at least one electric line of the multiple battery side electric lines and the battery side earth line 642 may be aggregated in one battery side connector.

[0065] In the above embodiment, a pair of through holes 630 through which the battery side power line 641 and the battery side earth line 642 each pass is formed in the battery case 63, but the present invention is not limited to this. A single through hole 630 may be formed in the battery case 63, and a plurality of electric wires and earth wires may pass through the single through hole 630.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the mounting / removal direction D of the battery 6 with respect to the body frame 11 is a direction along the up-down direction, but is not limited to this. The mounting / removal direction D of the battery 6 with respect to the body frame 11 may be a direction along the left-right direction or the front-rear direction other than the up-down direction.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the case external electrical components are the electric motor 5 and the vehicle control device, but are not limited to this. The case external electrical components may be, for example, a transformer, a DC-DC converter, a generator, a charger, etc., other than the electric motor 5 and the vehicle control device.

[0068] In the above embodiment, an example in which the present disclosure is applied to an electric two-wheeled vehicle, which is a type of vehicle, has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the present disclosure may be applied to a saddle-type vehicle that is driven by a driver straddling the vehicle. In addition to electric two-wheeled vehicles, examples of saddle-type vehicles include tricycles, four-wheeled buggies, and jet skis. In the case of a saddle-type vehicle, the driver may tilt the vehicle by pinching the body with his / her legs, which tends to increase the contact area between the vehicle and the driver. By adopting the structure of the present disclosure described above, the current transmitted from the charged part of the battery 6 to the driver can be suppressed. In a saddle-type vehicle, the footrest may be disposed on the left and right sides of the seat 8, or the footrest may be disposed in front of the seat 8 as in a scooter. In addition, the present disclosure can be applied not only to vehicles that move on land, but also to vehicles that move on water or in the air.

[0069] In the above embodiment, an example in which the electric motor 5 is provided as the drive source has been described, but the drive source may be an engine. Also, a hybrid structure in which two or more different types of drive sources are combined, such as a combination of an engine and an electric motor, may be used.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the battery 6 is disposed above the electric motor 5, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the electric motor 5 may be an in-wheel motor, and may be disposed alongside the battery 6 in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the battery 6 is not limited to being disposed below the seat 8. The battery 6 may be configured to be detachable from the body frame 11. For example, the battery 6 may be disposed in front of or behind the seat 8.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the ground portion 110 is set on the body frame 11, but the present invention is not limited to this. The ground portion 110 may be set on a conductive portion electrically connected to the body frame 11. For example, a portion of a metal motor case connected to the body frame 11 may be set as the ground portion 110. Also, a metal bracket connected to the body frame 11 for supporting a vehicle component may be set as the ground portion 110.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the battery 6 is supported on the battery tray 40 attached to the body frame 11, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the battery 6 may be fastened to the body frame 11 via a fastening member. Also, the battery 6 may be guided along a guide provided on the body frame 11.

[0073] In the above embodiment, a vehicle including the battery 6 as a component has been described, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. The vehicle only needs to include the vehicle body frame 11 that detachably supports the battery 6 without the battery 6, the vehicle body side electric lines including the vehicle body side power line 711, the vehicle body side earth line 721, and the vehicle body side connector 7. Even in a vehicle without the battery 6, the battery 6 can be detached from the vehicle body frame 11 to obtain the same effect as the vehicle according to the above embodiment.

[0074] [summary] The above-described embodiment and its modified examples can be summarized as follows.

[0075] A vehicle according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery, a body frame that detachably supports the battery, an electrical component driven by power provided by the battery, a body-side power line routed outside the battery and electrically connected to the electrical component, a body-side earth wire routed outside the battery and electrically connected to a preset grounding portion, and a body-side connector in which terminal portions of the body-side power line and the body-side earth wire are gathered together. The battery includes a battery cell, a battery case that covers the battery cell and is supported by the body frame, a battery-side power line routed within the battery case and electrically connected to the battery cell, a battery-side earth wire electrically connected to a conductive portion of the battery case, and a battery-side connector in which terminal portions of the battery-side power line and the battery-side earth wire are gathered and arranged outside the battery case.

[0076] In this embodiment, when the battery is supported by the vehicle body frame, the vehicle body connector and the battery connector are connected to electrically connect the vehicle body power line and the battery power line, and at the same time, the vehicle body ground wire and the battery ground wire are electrically connected. In other words, the power connection can be performed at the same time as the ground connection. This improves the ease of attaching and detaching the battery to and from the vehicle body frame.

[0077] In the vehicle described above, the battery-side earth wire may be connected to a conductive portion of the battery case from inside the battery case and routed inside the battery case. In this aspect, it is easy to prevent the battery-side earth wire from interfering with installation and removal operations.

[0078] In the above vehicle, the battery case may include an end wall located at one end in a direction in which the battery is attached to and detached from the body frame, and the end wall may have a through hole through which the battery side power line passes toward the battery side connector.

[0079] In this embodiment, the battery side connector is disposed on the outside of an end wall of the battery case that has through holes through which the battery side power line and the battery side earth line pass. In this case, since the end wall of the battery case is located at one end in the attachment / detachment direction of the battery to the vehicle body frame, the vehicle body side connector and the battery side connector can be easily connected and disconnected when the battery is attached to or detached from the vehicle body frame.

[0080] In the vehicle, at least one of the vehicle body side connector and the battery side connector may be connected to a base end on the opposite side to the connector via a flexible harness. In this embodiment, the relative positions of the connectors can be easily moved. Therefore, when attaching or detaching the battery to or from the vehicle body frame, the vehicle body side connector and the battery side connector can be easily connected and disconnected.

[0081] In the vehicle described above, the body frame may be formed with a battery insertion opening for attaching and detaching the battery, and the battery-side connector may be disposed in a position close to the battery insertion opening when the battery is supported by the body frame. In this aspect, when attaching and detaching the battery to and from the body frame through the battery insertion opening, connection and disconnection between the vehicle-side connector and the battery-side connector can be performed near the battery insertion opening.

[0082] In the vehicle described above, the battery-side connector may be a direct connector provided directly on the outer surface of the battery case. In this aspect, it is easy to prevent the battery-side power line and the battery-side earth wire from interfering with the attachment and detachment of the battery to and from the vehicle body frame.

[0083] In the above vehicle, the battery case may include an end wall located at one end in the attachment / detachment direction of the battery relative to the body frame, and may have a positioning portion that positions the battery side connector within the range of the end wall when viewed in the attachment / detachment direction.

[0084] In this aspect, when the battery is attached to or detached from the vehicle body frame, the positioning portion of the battery case can position the battery side connector at a position that fits within the range of the end wall, which makes it easier to prevent the battery side connector from interfering with the attachment and detachment of the battery to or from the vehicle body frame. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1. Vehicle body 11 Body frame 110 Grounding part 5 Electric motor (electrical components) 6 Battery 611 Battery Cell 63 Battery case 630 Through hole 633A Conductive part 641 Battery side power line 642 Battery side earth wire 65 Battery side connector 7 Vehicle body connector 711 Car body power line 721 Vehicle side earth wire

Claims

1. A battery; a vehicle body frame that detachably supports the battery; an electrical component driven by power provided by the battery; a vehicle body side power line that is routed outside the battery and electrically connected to the electrical component; a vehicle body side ground wire that is routed outside the battery and electrically connected to a preset ground portion; a vehicle body side connector in which terminal portions of the vehicle body side power line and the vehicle body side earth wire are assembled, The battery includes: A battery cell; a battery case that covers the battery cells and is supported by the vehicle body frame; a battery side power line arranged in the battery case and electrically connected to the battery cell; a battery side ground wire electrically connected to the conductive portion of the battery case; a battery-side connector to which terminal portions of the battery-side power line and the battery-side earth line are assembled and which is disposed outside the battery case.

2. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, The battery-side earth wire is connected to a conductive portion of the battery case from inside the battery case and routed within the battery case.

3. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, the battery case includes an end wall located at one end in a direction in which the battery is attached to and detached from the vehicle body frame, The end wall has a through hole through which the battery side power line passes toward the battery side connector.

4. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, At least one of the vehicle body side connector and the battery side connector is connected to a base end portion opposite the connector via a flexible harness.

5. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, the vehicle body frame is formed with a battery insertion opening for attaching and detaching the battery, The battery side connector is disposed in a position adjacent to the battery insertion opening with the battery supported by the vehicle body frame.

6. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, The battery-side connector is a direct connector provided directly on an outer surface of the battery case.

7. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, The battery case includes: an end wall located at one end in a direction in which the battery is attached to and detached from the vehicle body frame, The vehicle has a positioning portion that is positioned so that the battery side connector is contained within the range of the end wall when viewed in the attachment / detachment direction.

8. a vehicle body frame that detachably supports the battery; a vehicle body side electric wire that is routed outside the battery and electrically connected to an external case electrical component that is provided outside the battery; a vehicle body side earth wire that is routed outside the battery and electrically connected to a preset grounding portion; a vehicle body connector in which terminal portions of the vehicle body side electric wire and the vehicle body side earth wire are assembled.

9. A battery cell; a battery case that covers the battery cells and is supported by a body frame of the vehicle; a battery-side electric wire arranged in the battery case and electrically connected to an internal electrical component in the battery case; a battery side ground wire electrically connected to the conductive portion of the battery case; a battery-side connector to which terminal portions of the battery-side electric wire and the battery-side earth wire are assembled and which is disposed outside the battery case.

Images