Electric vehicle

Abstract

To suppress damage to a connector when an electric vehicle collides and prevent a conductive section from being exposed when the connector is damaged.SOLUTION: An electric vehicle 100 comprises: a water heating heater 20 arranged inside a front compartment 11; a high-voltage cable 40 with a connector provided with a connector 41 mounted thereon and connected to the water heating heater 20; and a cover member 50 that covers the high-voltage cable 40 with the connector. The connector 41 is connected to the water heating heater 20 so as to protrude in a vehicle width direction. The cover member 50 covers front and upper sides of the connector 41.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a structure of an electric vehicle including a high-voltage component and a high-voltage cable with a connector attached to the high-voltage component. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 describes a structure in which, in a vehicle including a wire harness routed on the outer surface of a transmission and a heat insulator arranged between the transmission and a muffler, a clamp is provided on the transmission-side surface of the heat insulator to clamp and secure a protector attached to the wire harness. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-149622 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Recently, hybrid electric vehicles (hereinafter referred to as HEVs), which are powered by an engine and a motor, have come into use. In an HEV, the engine, high-voltage components, and auxiliary equipment such as a radiator are housed in a front compartment at the front of the vehicle. Connectors attached to high-voltage cables are connected to the high-voltage components. When an HEV collides, the engine and other components housed inside the front compartment may move backward and interfere with the connector. If the components housed in the front compartment interfere with the connector and the connector is damaged, the conductive parts of the connector to which high voltage is applied may become exposed.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to suppress damage to the connector when an electric vehicle collides and to suppress exposure of the conductive portion of the connector when the connector is damaged.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The electric vehicle of the present disclosure includes a high-voltage component disposed inside the front compartment of the vehicle, a high-voltage cable with a connector to which the connector is attached to the high-voltage component, and a cover member that covers the high-voltage cable with the connector, and the connector is connected to the high-voltage component so as to protrude in the vehicle width direction from the high-voltage component, and the cover member covers at least the front and upper sides of the connector.

[0007] In this way, since the connector of the high-voltage cable with the connector is covered with the cover member, damage to the connector when the electric vehicle collides can be suppressed. Further, even when the connector is damaged by a collision and the conductive portion of the connector is exposed, the exposed conductive portion is covered with the cover member, so that it is possible to prevent a person from touching the exposed conductive portion.

[0008] In the electric vehicle of the present disclosure, it includes a housing fixed to the rear portion of the front compartment and having the high-voltage component attached inside, and the connector is connected to the high-voltage component so as to protrude in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle-width direction end of the housing, and the cover member may be attached to the housing so as to cover at least the front and upper sides of the connector.

[0009] In this way, since the cover member is attached to the housing, damage to the connector when the electric vehicle collides can be effectively suppressed. Further, since the cover member surely covers the connector when the vehicle collides, even when the conductive portion of the connector is exposed, the exposed conductive portion can be surely covered with the cover member. Thereby, it is possible to effectively prevent a person from touching the exposed conductive portion.

[0010] In the electric vehicle of the present disclosure, the cover member may cover the high-voltage cable with the connector from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0011] Thereby, even when the connector or the conductive part of the high-voltage cable is exposed during a collision, it is possible to prevent a person from touching the exposed conductive part.

[0012] In the electric vehicle of the present disclosure, a connecting member for connecting the connector and the cover member may be provided.

[0013] Thereby, even when the connector is damaged due to a collision, it is possible to prevent the connector from scattering and to prevent the conductive part of the connector from being exposed when the connector is damaged.

[0014] In the electric vehicle of the present disclosure, the housing is made of metal, the cover member is composed of a conductor, and a conductive member for electrically connecting the shield wire of the high-voltage cable with the connector and the cover member may be provided.

[0015] Thereby, the cover member and the body can be made equipotential, and it is possible to prevent a person from getting an electric shock when touching the cover member and the body at the same time.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] The electric vehicle of the present disclosure can suppress damage to the connector when the electric vehicle collides, and can also suppress the exposure of the conductive part of the connector when the connector is damaged.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, the electric vehicle 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the electric vehicle 100 includes a body 10. The body 10 includes a passenger compartment 16 and a front compartment 11. The front compartment 11 is a space in front of the vehicle that houses devices such as the drive device of the electric vehicle 100. The passenger compartment 16 is a space where the driver and passengers board. The passenger compartment 16 and the front compartment 11 are partitioned by a dash panel 18. Note that FR, UP, and RH shown in each figure indicate the front side, upper side, and right side of the electric vehicle 100, respectively. Also, the directions opposite to FR, UP, and RH indicate the rear side, lower side, and left side. Hereinafter, when simply using the directions of front and rear, left and right, and up and down for description, unless otherwise specified, they indicate the front and rear in the front-rear direction of the electric vehicle 100, the left and right in the left-right direction, and the up and down in the up-down direction.

[0019] Inside the front compartment 11 of the electric vehicle 100, an engine 12, a motor 13, a power control unit 14, and a radiator 15 are arranged. The electric vehicle 100 is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that runs with the engine 12 and the motor 13. Also, at the rear of the front compartment 11, a water heater 20, a housing 30, a high-voltage cable 40 with a connector, and a cover member 50 are arranged.

[0020] The water heater 20 is a heating device that heats the water flowing through the heater core for heating the passenger compartment 16. High-voltage drive power is supplied to the water heater 20 from the high-voltage cable 40 with a connector. Here, the high voltage refers to a voltage higher than the low voltage of about 12V for auxiliary drive, for example, a voltage of 100V to 300V. In this way, the water heater 20 is a high-voltage component to which high-voltage power is supplied.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the water heater 20 is made of metal and includes a heater body 21 and a connector socket 22. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the connector socket 22 is a portion having a square cross-sectional shape that protrudes leftward from the left end face of the heater body 21. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, bosses 23 and 24 that extend upward are provided on the upper portions of the heater body 21 and the connector socket 22. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the boss 23 of the heater body 21 and the boss 24 of the connector socket 22 are fixed to the lower surface of the upper plate 31 of the housing 30 by bolts 25. In this way, the water heater 20 is installed inside the housing 30.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the high-voltage cable 40 with a connector includes a connector 41 and a high-voltage cable 46. The connector 41 includes a connector body 42, a connection flange 43, a left end portion 44, and a small-diameter portion 45. The connector body 42 is a resin-made long member with a square cross section. The connection flange 43 is attached to the right end portion of the connector body 42. The outer dimensions of the connection flange 43 are larger than the outer dimensions of the connector body 42 and are substantially the same as the outer dimensions of the connector socket 22. Bolt holes are provided at the four corners of the connection flange 43. The left end of the connector body 42 is connected to a small-diameter portion 45 whose outer shape is smaller than that of the connector body 42. The right end of the small-diameter portion 45 is connected to a left end portion 44 whose outer dimensions are substantially the same as those of the connector body 42. Therefore, the small-diameter portion 45 forms a square annular recess between the connector body 42 and the left end portion 44. A metal fixing ring 55 is fitted into the small-diameter portion 45. A high-voltage cable 46 is attached to the left end portion 44.

[0023] The connection flange 43 is connected to the connector seat 22 by four bolts 49. When the connection flange 43 is fixed to the connector seat 22 with the bolts 49, the conductor inside the high-voltage cable 46 and an electric heater (not shown) disposed inside the water heater 20 are electrically connected. Also, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, when the connection flange 43 is fixed to the connector seat 22 with the bolts 49, the connector 41 projects leftward along the vehicle width direction from the connector seat 22.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 30 is a metal long member having a substantially groove-shaped cross section with an open rear end in the vehicle. The water heater 20 is housed in the internal space of the groove shape. The housing 30 includes an upper plate 31, an upper flange portion 32, a front plate 33, and a lower flange portion 34. The upper plate 31 is a flat plate member extending in the vehicle width direction, and a front flange 31A that curves upward and extends upward is formed at the front edge portion. Also, a bracket portion 31B that projects leftward is formed at the left end portion of the upper plate 31. The bracket portion 31B is a flat plate portion having a quarter-circular shape.

[0025] The upper flange portion 32 is a portion that is connected to the rear end edge of the upper plate 31 and extends in a crank shape upward in the vehicle. The upper end portion of the upper flange portion 32 is an upper flange 32A that extends upward along the front surface of the vehicle of the dash panel 18. The upper flange 32A is fixed to the front surface of the vehicle of the dash panel 18 with bolts 38.

[0026] The front plate 33 includes a vertical plate portion 33A and a horizontal plate portion 33B. The vertical plate portion 33A is a portion that is connected to the front flange 31A of the upper plate 31 with bolts 39A and nuts 39B and extends downward from the front flange 31A. The horizontal plate portion 33B is connected to the lower end portion of the vertical plate portion 33A, curves rearward in the vehicle from the lower end portion of the vertical plate portion 33A, and extends obliquely rearward in the vehicle.

[0027] The lower flange portion 34 is connected to the rear edge of the horizontal plate portion 33B and extends in a crank shape downward toward the vehicle underside. The lower end portion of the lower flange portion 34 forms a lower flange 34A that extends downward along the front surface of the vehicle of the dash panel 18. The lower flange 34A is fixed to the front surface of the vehicle of the dash panel 18 with bolts 38.

[0028] In this way, the housing 30 has the upper flange 32A and the lower flange 34A fixed to the dash panel 18 that constitutes the rear part of the front compartment 11 by bolts 38.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the cover member 50 is composed of a ceiling plate 51, a front side plate 52, and a left end plate 53. The cover member 50 is composed of a conductive member such as metal. The ceiling plate 51 is a flat plate member fastened to the lower surface of the bracket portion 31B of the upper plate 31 with bolts 54A and nuts 54B. The front side plate 52 is a flat plate member extending downward from the front edge of the ceiling plate 51. The left end plate 53 is a flat plate member extending downward from the left end portion of the ceiling plate 51. The front end portion of the left end plate 53 is connected to the left end portion of the front side plate 52.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, the metal fixing ring 55 fitted into the small-diameter portion 45 between the connector body 42 and the left end portion 44 is connected to a metal connecting member 56. The connecting member 56 is connected to the ceiling plate 51 of the cover member 50 by bolts 57A and nuts 57B. Also, the fixing ring 55 and the shield wire of the high-voltage cable 46 are connected by a conductive wire 58. Therefore, the shield wire of the high-voltage cable 46 and the ceiling plate 51 are electrically connected by the conductive wire 58, the metal fixing ring 55, and the metal connecting member 56. The wire 58, the fixing ring 55, and the connecting member 56 constitute a conductive member that electrically connects the shield wire of the high-voltage cable 46 and the cover member 50.

[0031] In the electric vehicle 100 configured as described above, the heater main body 21 is attached inside the housing 30. The upper surface of the heater main body 21 is covered by the upper plate 31, and the front surface and the lower surface of the heater main body 21 are covered by the vertical plate portion 33A and the horizontal plate portion 33B of the front plate 33. Also, the upper surface and the front surface of the right half of the connector receptacle 22 are covered by the upper plate 31 and the front plate 33.

[0032] On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the left half of the connector receptacle 22 protrudes toward the left side beyond the left end surfaces of the upper plate 31 and the front plate 33 of the housing 30. For this reason, the left half of the connector receptacle 22 is not covered by the upper plate 31 and the front plate 33 of the housing 30. Also, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the connector 41 is fixed to the left end surface of the connector receptacle 22 so as to protrude leftward along the vehicle width direction from the connector receptacle 22. That is, the connector 41 is connected to the connector receptacle 22 so as to protrude leftward in the vehicle width direction from the left end, which is the vehicle width direction end of the housing 30. For this reason, the high-voltage cable 40 with a connector also protrudes leftward from the left end of the housing 30 and is not covered by the upper plate 31 and the front plate 33 of the housing 30.

[0033] However, the upper surface and the front surface of the left half of the connector receptacle 22 are covered by the ceiling plate 51 and the front side plate 52 of the cover member 50. Also, the upper side and the front side of the high-voltage cable 40 with a connector are covered by the ceiling plate 51 and the front side plate 52 of the cover member 50. Further, the left end surface of the high-voltage cable 40 with a connector is covered from the left side by the left end plate 53 of the cover member 50. In this way, the left end surface of the high-voltage cable 40 with a connector is covered from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0034] As described above, in the electric vehicle 100 of the embodiment, since the connector 41 of the high-voltage cable 40 with a connector is covered with the cover member 50, damage to the connector 41 when the electric vehicle 100 collides can be suppressed. Further, even when the connector 41 is damaged due to a collision and the conductive portion of the connector 41 is exposed, the exposed conductive portion is covered with the cover member 50, so that it is possible to prevent a person from touching the exposed conductive portion. Furthermore, since the cover member 50 is attached to the housing 30, damage to the connector 41 when the electric vehicle 100 collides can be effectively suppressed. Also, when the electric vehicle 100 collides, the cover member 50 does not scatter and surely covers the connector 41, so that even when the conductive portion of the connector 41 is exposed, the exposed conductive portion can be surely covered with the cover member 50. Thereby, it is possible to effectively prevent a person from touching the exposed conductive portion.

[0035] Also, in the electric vehicle 100 of the embodiment, a fixing ring 55 is attached to the small-diameter portion 45 of the connector 41, and the fixing ring 55 and the ceiling plate 51 of the cover member 50 are connected by a connecting member 56. Thereby, even when the connector 41 is damaged due to a collision, the connector 41 can be prevented from scattering, and when the connector 41 is damaged, the conductive portion of the connector 41 can be prevented from being exposed.

[0036] Also, in the electric vehicle 100 of the embodiment, the shield wire of the high-voltage cable 46 and the cover member 50 are electrically connected by the wire 58, the fixing ring 55, and the connecting member 56. Thereby, the cover member 50 and the body 10 of the electric vehicle 100 can be made equipotential, and it is possible to prevent a person from getting an electric shock when touching the cover member 50 and the body 10 at the same time.

[0037] As described above, the electric vehicle 100 of the embodiment can suppress damage to the connector 41 when the electric vehicle 100 collides, and can suppress the exposure of the conductive portion of the connector 41 when the connector 41 is damaged.

[0038] In the above description, the high-voltage component has been described as the water heater 20, but it is not limited thereto. Any electrical device that is supplied with a voltage higher than the low voltage of about 12V for auxiliary machine drive may be used instead.

[0039] Also, in the electric vehicle 100 of the embodiment, the connector socket 22 of the water heater 20 protrudes toward the left side of the heater body 21, the connector 41 protrudes leftward from the connector socket 22, and the cover member 50 is attached to the bracket portion 31B provided at the left end portion of the upper plate 31 of the housing 30. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the connector socket 22 of the water heater 20 may protrude toward the right side of the heater body 21, the connector 41 may protrude rightward from the connector socket 22, and the cover member 50 may be attached to the bracket portion 31B provided at the right end portion of the upper plate 31 of the housing 30. In this case, the vehicle-width direction end of the housing 30 becomes the right end. Also in this case, damage to the connector 41 when the electric vehicle 100 collides can be suppressed, and exposure of the conductive portion of the connector 41 when the connector 41 is damaged can be suppressed.

Description of Signs

[0040] 10 Body, 11 Front Compartment, 12 Engine, 13 Motor, 14 Power Control Unit, 15 Radiator, 16 Passenger Compartment, 18 Dash Panel, 20 Water Heater, 21 Heater Body, 22 Connector Socket, 23, 24 Boss, 25, 38, 39A, 49, 54A, 57A Bolt, 30 Housing, 31 Upper Plate, 31A Front Flange, 31B Bracket Portion, 32 Upper Flange Portion, 32A Upper Flange, 33 Front Plate, 33A Vertical Plate Portion, 33B Horizontal Plate Portion, 34 Lower Flange Portion, 34A Lower Flange, 40 High-Voltage Cable with Connector, 41 Connector, 42 Connector Body, 43 Connection Flange, 44 Left End Portion, 45 Small-Diameter Portion, 46 High-Voltage Cable, 50 Cover Member, 51 Ceiling Plate, 52 Front Side Plate, 53 Left End Plate, 39B, 54B, 57B Nut, 55 Fixed Ring, 56 Connection Member, 58 Wire, 100 Electric Vehicle.

Claims

1. A high-voltage component disposed inside a front compartment of a vehicle, A high-voltage cable with a connector to which the connector attached to the high-voltage component is connected, A cover member covering the high-voltage cable with the connector, and an electric vehicle comprising: The connector is connected to the high-voltage component so as to protrude in the vehicle width direction from the high-voltage component, The cover member covers at least the front and upper sides of the connector, An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, Including a housing fixed to the rear part of the front compartment and having the high-voltage component attached inside, The connector is connected to the high-voltage component so as to protrude in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle width direction end of the housing, The cover member is attached to the housing so as to cover at least the front and upper sides of the connector, An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 2, The cover member covers the high-voltage cable with the connector from the outside in the vehicle width direction, An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 2 or 3, Comprising a connecting member connecting the connector and the cover member, An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

5. The electric vehicle according to claim 4, The housing is made of metal, The cover member is composed of a conductor, Comprising a conductive member for electrically connecting a shield wire of the high-voltage cable with the connector and the cover member, An electric vehicle characterized by the above.

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