Harness heat radiation structure

Abstract

To provide a harness heat radiation structure which can efficiently radiate heat generated in electric wires of a wire harness.SOLUTION: A harness heat radiation structure 1 includes: a wire harness 3 arranged in a body panel 115 of a vehicle 100; and a pressing member 5 which presses the wire harness 3 against the body panel 115. The wire harness 3 includes: electric wires 10 each having a conductive conductor core wire 11; and a coating insulation body 13 which coats the conductor core wire 11. The electric wire 10 has a flat part 15 having a flat cross-sectional shape as seen in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the wire harness 3. The body panel 115 has, in a portion where the pressing member 5 is attached and the flat part 15 of each electric wire 10 in the wire harness 3 is pressed by the pressing member 5, a thick part 117 formed thicker than surrounding portions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a harness heat dissipation structure.

Background Art

[0002] A wire harness used in vehicles such as electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles includes electric wires that electrically connect a high-voltage battery and electrical devices such as an inverter (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The wire harness described in Patent Document 1 has a plurality of electric wires, a pair of connectors attached to both ends of the electric wires, a plurality of exterior members through which the plurality of electric wires are inserted one by one, and a plurality of clamps. Each exterior member protects the electric wires from flying objects or water droplets, for example. The plurality of exterior members are fixed to the vehicle body or the like of the vehicle by clamps. According to this configuration, the heat generated in the electric wires can be transmitted to the vehicle body having a large surface area through the exterior members and the clamps.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In vehicles, a larger current flows through the wire harness with the electrification of the vehicle. Along with this increase in current, measures against Joule heat generated particularly in the electric wires of the wire harness are required. When the wire harness is fixed to the vehicle body for the purpose of heat dissipation as in Patent Document 1, the vehicle body is generally composed of an iron plate or a steel plate and has a relatively small heat capacity, so heat dissipation by heat conduction from the electric wires of the wire harness to the vehicle body may not be sufficient.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the problems of such prior art. The object of the present invention is to provide a harness heat dissipation structure capable of efficiently dissipating heat generated in the electric wires of a wire harness.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The harness heat dissipation structure according to an aspect of the present invention includes a wire harness routed in a vehicle body, and a pressing member that presses the wire harness against the vehicle body. The wire harness includes an electric wire having a conductive conductor core wire and a covering insulator that covers the conductor core wire. The electric wire has a flat portion whose cross-sectional shape in a direction orthogonal to the routing direction of the wire harness is a flat shape. The vehicle body has a thick portion formed thicker than the peripheral portion at a location where the pressing member is attached and the flat portion of the electric wire in the wire harness is pressed by the pressing member.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a harness heat dissipation structure capable of efficiently dissipating heat generated in the electric wires of a wire harness.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, the harness heat dissipation structure according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for the convenience of explanation and may be different from the actual ratios.

[0010] The harness heat dissipation structure 1 according to this embodiment can be applied to high-voltage wiring and the like of an electric vehicle as shown in FIG. 1.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, in the vehicle 100, for example, an inverter 101 and a motor 103 as load parts are arranged on the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction. The inverter 101 is electrically connected to the high-voltage battery 107 via the front high-voltage wiring 105, and converts the DC power supplied from the high-voltage battery 107 via the front high-voltage wiring 105 into AC power. Further, the inverter 101 supplies the converted AC power to the motor 103. The motor 103 is driven by the power supplied from the inverter 101, and rotates the front wheels 109 via the drive shaft and the like of the vehicle 100.

[0012] Also, in the vehicle 100, for example, a charging port 111 is arranged on the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction. The charging port 111 has a charging inlet to which an external charging device (not shown) as a charger is connected. This charging port 111 is electrically connected to the high-voltage battery 107 via the rear high-voltage wiring 113, and supplies the power supplied from the external charging device to the high-voltage battery 107 via the rear high-voltage wiring 113.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the harness heat dissipation structure 1 according to this embodiment includes a wire harness 3 and a pressing member 5.

[0014] The wire harness 3 is routed on a body panel 115 (see FIG. 1) that forms part of the vehicle body of the vehicle 100. The wire harness 3 includes an electric wire 10 having a conductive conductor core 11 and a covering insulator 13 that covers the conductor core 11. The conductor core 11 of this electric wire 10 is made of a metallic material such as copper or aluminum, for example. The wire harness 3 has a plurality (two in this embodiment) of electric wires 10, but is not limited thereto, and the wire harness 3 may have a single (one) electric wire 10.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the electric wire 10 has a flat portion 15 whose cross-sectional shape in a direction orthogonal to the routing direction of the wire harness 3 is flat. In this embodiment, the portions of the electric wire 10 other than the flat portion 15 are formed as circular portions 17 whose cross-sectional shape in a direction orthogonal to the routing direction of the wire harness 3 is circular. That is, in this embodiment, the portion of the wire harness 3 that is pressed against the thick portion 117 of the body panel 115 described later is flattened to partially form the flat portion 15. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the flat portion 15 may be formed entirely on the wire harness 3, such as a flat cable.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in this embodiment, the electric wire 10 is arranged such that its upper and lower surfaces are substantially parallel to the upper surface of the body panel 115. For this reason, the upper surface of the electric wire 10 faces the upper surface portion 21 of the pressing member 5 described later, and the lower surface of the electric wire 10 faces the thick portion 117 of the body panel 115.

[0017] The pressing member 5 is used to press the wire harness 3 against the body panel 115. This pressing member 5 may be made of a synthetic resin material or a metal material. In the present embodiment, the pressing member 5 has an upper surface portion 21 extending along a direction intersecting the laying direction of the wire harness 3, and a pair of side surface portions 23, 23 extending from both end portions in the extending direction of the upper surface portion 21 toward the thick portion 117 of the body panel 115. Further, the pressing member 5 further has a pair of flange portions 25, 25 extending in a direction away from each other from the lower end portions of the side surface portions 23 and being coupled to the thick portion 117 using a coupling member such as a bolt 7, and is formed in a hat-shaped cross section.

[0018] The flat portion 15 of the electric wire 10 pressed against the body panel 115 is disposed in a space surrounded by the upper surface portion 21 of the pressing member 5, the pair of side surface portions 23, 23, and the thick portion 117 of the body panel 115.

[0019] Further, on the outer periphery of the flat portion 15 of the electric wire 10, a heat conductive member 40 having heat conductivity is disposed in order to fill the periphery of the flat portion 15 and efficiently transfer the heat generated in the flat portion 15 to the thick portion 117 of the body panel 115. This heat conductive member 40 is formed of, for example, a thermal paste or a heat conductive resin.

[0020] Also, a metal plate 41 is disposed on the pressing member 5 to house and hold the flat portion 15 of the electric wire 10 covered by the heat conductive member 40 in the aforementioned space in the pressing member 5.

[0021] Furthermore, a heat dissipation sheet 30 as a heat conductive heat dissipation member is disposed between the flat portion 15 of the electric wire 10 and the thick portion 117 of the body panel 115 in order to efficiently transfer the heat generated in the flat portion 15 of the electric wire 10 to the thick portion 117 of the body panel 115. This heat dissipation sheet 30 is also referred to as a heat conductive sheet and is disposed in close contact with the metal plate 41 and the thick portion 117 of the body panel 115.

[0022] These wire harnesses 3 and pressing members 5 are arranged on the vehicle interior side (floor side) of the body panel 115.

[0023] The body panel 115 has a thick portion 117 formed thicker than the surrounding portions at a location where the pressing member 5 is attached and the flat portion 15 of the electric wire 10 in the wire harness 3 is pressed by the pressing member 5. A general portion 119 that is thinner than the thick portion 117 is formed around the thick portion 117 in the body panel 115. The thick portion 117 is formed so as to protrude toward the vehicle interior side in the body panel 115. A metal plate constituting a part of the thick portion 117 may be attached to the body panel 115 made of an iron plate or a steel plate by welding or the like. When the body panel 115 is created by casting, the thick portion 117 may be integrally formed with the body panel 115 during casting. That is, the thick portion 117 may be integrally formed with the body panel 115, or may be formed separately from the body panel 115 and attached to the body panel 115.

[0024] As described above, the harness heat dissipation structure 1 according to the aspect of the present embodiment includes a wire harness 3 routed on the vehicle body (body panel 115) of the vehicle 100 and a pressing member 5 that presses the wire harness 3 against the vehicle body (body panel 115). The wire harness 3 includes an electric wire 10 having a conductive conductor core wire 11 and a covering insulator 13 that covers the conductor core wire 11, and the electric wire 10 has a flat portion 15 whose cross-sectional shape in a direction orthogonal to the routing direction of the wire harness 3 is a flat shape. The vehicle body (body panel 115) has a thick portion 117 formed thicker than the surrounding portions at a location where the pressing member 5 is attached and the flat portion 15 of the electric wire 10 in the wire harness 3 is pressed by the pressing member 5.

[0025] By pressing the electric wire 10 against the body panel 115 using the pressing member 5, the Joule heat generated in the electric wire 10 can be transferred to the body panel 115 for heat dissipation, and the temperature rise of the wire harness 3 can be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to avoid increasing the size of the components (especially the conductor core wire 11) that make up the wire harness 3 in order to suppress heat generation in the wire harness 3, and it becomes possible to reduce the weight and manufacturing cost of the wire harness 3.

[0026] The electric wire 10 has a flat portion 15, and by pressing this flat portion 15 against the body panel 115 using the pressing member 5, the surface area in contact with the body panel 115 can be increased compared to the case of a general electric wire with a circular cross-sectional shape. And by pressing the flat portion 15 against the body panel 115 using the pressing member 5, the heat generated in the electric wire 10 can be sufficiently transferred to the body panel 115, and the temperature rise of the wire harness 3 can be suppressed.

[0027] Furthermore, by forming a thick portion 117 at the location on the body panel 115 where the electric wire 10 is pressed by the pressing member 5, the heat capacity of the body panel 115 can be increased, suppressing the temperature rise of the wire harness 3 or delaying the temperature rise time. Therefore, it is possible to avoid increasing the size of the components (especially the conductor core wire 11) that make up the wire harness 3 in order to suppress heat generation in the wire harness 3, and it becomes possible to reduce the weight and manufacturing cost of the wire harness 3.

[0028] As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a harness heat dissipation structure 1 that can efficiently dissipate the heat generated in the electric wire 10 of the wire harness 3.

[0029] In the harness heat dissipation structure 1, a heat conductive heat dissipation member (heat dissipation sheet 30) may be disposed between the flat portion 15 of the electric wire 10 and the thick portion 117 of the vehicle body (body panel 115).

[0030] By disposing the heat dissipation sheet 30 at a portion of the wire 10 facing the body panel 115, the gap between the wire 10 and the body panel 115 can be filled, and heat can be efficiently transferred from the wire 10 to the body panel 115.

[0031] In the harness heat dissipation structure 1, a heat conductive member 40 having heat conductivity may be disposed on the outer periphery of the flat portion 15 of the wire 10.

[0032] By filling the periphery of the flat portion 15 of the wire 10 with the heat conductive member 40, heat can be efficiently transferred from the wire 10 to the body panel 115.

[0033] In the harness heat dissipation structure 1, the pressing member 5 may have an upper surface portion 21 extending along a direction intersecting the wiring direction of the wire harness 3, and a pair of side surface portions 23, 23 extending from both end portions in the extending direction of the upper surface portion 21 toward the thick portion 117 side of the vehicle body (body panel 115). The pressing member 5 may further have a pair of flange portions 25, 25 extending in a direction away from each other from the lower end portions of the side surface portions 23 and coupled to the thick portion 117, and may be formed in a hat-shaped cross section. The flat portion 15 of the wire 10 pressed against the vehicle body (body panel 115) may be disposed in a space surrounded by the upper surface portion 21 of the pressing member 5, the pair of side surface portions 23, 23, and the thick portion 117 of the vehicle body (body panel 115).

[0034] By pressing the wire 10 against the body panel 115 using the pressing member 5 formed in a hat-shaped cross section, heat generated in the wire 10 can be sufficiently transferred to the body panel 115, and the heat dissipation performance of the harness heat dissipation structure 1 can be improved.

[0035] [Other Embodiments] Hereinafter, the harness heat dissipation structure 1A according to another embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. Note that components substantially the same as those of the above-described harness heat dissipation structure 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 7, in the harness heat dissipation structure 1A, a plurality of heat dissipation fins 121 are formed on the outside of the vehicle body (under the floor side) at the location where the thick portion 117 is formed in the body panel 115. The mounting direction and shape of the heat dissipation fins 121 can be appropriately set so that the air heated by heat conduction from the electric wire 10 does not stay between the plurality of heat dissipation fins 121. The metal material constituting the heat dissipation fins 121 may be attached to the body panel 115 made of an iron plate or a steel plate by welding or the like. When the body panel 115 is manufactured by casting, the heat dissipation fins 121 may be integrally formed on the body panel 115 during casting. That is, the heat dissipation fins 121 may be integrally formed with the body panel 115, or may be formed separately from the body panel 115 and attached to the body panel 115.

[0037] Thus, in the harness heat dissipation structure 1A, the wire harness 3 and the pressing member 5 may be arranged on the inside of the vehicle body (above the floor side) of the vehicle body (body panel 115). Heat dissipation fins 121 may be formed on the outside of the vehicle body (under the floor side) at the location where the thick portion 117 is formed in the vehicle body (body panel 115).

[0038] By forming the heat dissipation fins 121 on the back surface of the mounting surface of the electric wire 10 in the body panel 115 and increasing the portion (surface area) of the body panel 115 that comes into contact with the outside air, it becomes possible to further improve the heat dissipation performance of the harness heat dissipation structure 1.

[0039] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present embodiment is not limited to these, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present embodiment.

Explanation of Signs

[0040] 1 Harness heat dissipation structure 3 Wire harness 5 Pressing member 10 Electric wire 11 Conductor core wire 13 Coating insulator 15 Flat portion 21 Upper surface portion 23 Side face 25 Flange part 30 Heat dissipation sheet 40 Heat conduction member 100 Vehicle 115 Body panel 117 Thick part 121 Heat dissipation fin

Claims

1. A wire harness routed along the vehicle body of a vehicle, and a pressing member that presses the wire harness against the vehicle body, wherein the wire harness includes an electric wire having a conductive conductor core wire and a covering insulator that covers the conductor core wire, the electric wire has a flat portion whose cross-sectional shape in a direction orthogonal to the routing direction of the wire harness is a flat shape, the vehicle body has a thick portion formed thicker than peripheral portions at a location where the pressing member is attached and the flat portion of the electric wire in the wire harness is pressed by the pressing member, a harness heat dissipation structure.

2. The harness heat dissipation structure according to claim 1, wherein a heat dissipation member having thermal conductivity is disposed between the flat portion of the electric wire and the thick portion of the vehicle body.

3. The wire harness and the pressing member are disposed inside the vehicle compartment of the vehicle body, and heat dissipation fins are formed on the outside of the vehicle body at a location where the thick portion of the vehicle body is formed. The harness heat dissipation structure according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The harness heat dissipation structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a heat conduction member having thermal conductivity is disposed on the outer periphery of the flat portion of the electric wire.

5. The pressing member has an upper surface portion extending along a direction intersecting the routing direction of the wire harness, a pair of side surface portions extending from both end portions in the extending direction of the upper surface portion toward the thick portion of the vehicle body, and a pair of flange portions extending in a direction away from each other from the lower end portions of the side surface portions and coupled to the thick portion, and is formed in a hat-shaped cross section, the flat portion of the electric wire pressed against the vehicle body is disposed in a space surrounded by the upper surface portion of the pressing member, the pair of side surface portions, and the thick portion of the vehicle body. The harness heat dissipation structure according to claim 1 or 2.

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