Hybrid vehicle

Abstract

To provide a hybrid vehicle capable of suppressing an external load from being input to a battery cell of a battery pack.SOLUTION: There is provided a hybrid vehicle comprising: a battery pack arranged below a floor panel; and an exhaust pipe. The hybrid vehicle further comprises a protection member arranged between a bent portion of the exhaust pipe and a side wall portion of a lower case to protect the lower case from loads inputted from the outside. The protection member has: a first portion jointed to the side wall portion of the lower case; a second portion joined to a bottom portion of the lower case; and a third portion, which is a portion extending from the first portion to the second portion, and which is separated from the side wall portion to form a space, between the side wall portion and the third portion. The third portion has a curved shape swelling toward the exhaust pipe side with respect to the side wall portion, and is formed so that a horizontal distance between the side wall portion and the third portion becomes smaller as proceeding downward in a vertical direction, from the first portion toward the second portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to hybrid vehicles. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses that in a hybrid vehicle in which a battery pack is disposed below the floor panel of the vehicle body, an insulator, a bracket, and a reinforcing member are disposed between the exhaust pipe and the battery pack to suppress heat transfer from the exhaust pipe to the battery pack. In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the rigidity of the battery pack can be reinforced by the reinforcing member attached to the bracket. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-59359 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in hybrid vehicles where the battery pack is located below the floor panel, it may not be possible to place a bracket or reinforcing member between the battery pack and the exhaust pipe due to installation restrictions. In such cases, there is room for improvement in reducing the load input to the battery pack from the outside and thus the load input to the battery cells.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a hybrid vehicle that can suppress input of external load to battery cells of a battery pack. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine arranged in a front portion of a vehicle body, an electric motor arranged in the front portion of the vehicle body, a battery pack arranged below a floor panel of the vehicle body and supplying power to the electric motor, and an exhaust pipe extending from the internal combustion engine to the rear side of the vehicle body and having a bent portion that bends to follow a side surface of the battery pack below the floor panel, the battery pack having a battery stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and an upper cover and a lower case that house the battery stack, the lower case being fixed to the vehicle body via a support member, and a protective member arranged between the bent portions of the exhaust pipes adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction and a side wall portion of the lower case, to protect the lower case from loads input from the outside. The side wall portion is positioned horizontally near the bent portion of the exhaust pipe, is formed to follow the bent portion, and extends outward in the vehicle width direction as it moves toward the rear of the vehicle body when the lower case is viewed from above, and the protective member has a first portion joined to the side wall portion of the lower case, a second portion joined to the bottom of the lower case, and a third portion that extends from the first portion to the second portion and is spaced apart from the side wall portion to create a space between it and the side wall portion, and the third portion has a curved shape that bulges out toward the exhaust pipe more than the side wall portion in the horizontal direction, and is formed so that the horizontal distance from the side wall portion becomes smaller as it moves downward in the vertical direction from the first portion side to the second portion side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention can suppress the input of an external load to the battery cells of the battery pack. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a hybrid vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of an exhaust pipe and a battery pack when the hybrid vehicle is viewed from above. [Figure 3]10 is a diagram illustrating a structure in which a lower case of a battery pack is fixed to a vehicle body via a bracket. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an area where a protective reinforcement is provided. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a protective reinforcement provided between the battery pack and the exhaust pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A hybrid vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below, although the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below.

[0010] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a hybrid vehicle according to an embodiment. The hybrid vehicle 1 is a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) that can be charged with power supplied from an external power source. The hybrid vehicle 1 includes an engine 2, a motor 3, a battery pack 4, and an exhaust pipe 5.

[0011] The engine 2 is an internal combustion engine located at the front of the vehicle body. The engine 2 is mounted in an engine room. The engine room is provided at the front of the body of the hybrid vehicle 1. The power output from the engine 2 is transmitted to the wheels via a power transmission device.

[0012] The motor 3 is a motor generator that is located at the front of the vehicle body and functions as both an electric motor and a generator. The motor 3 is mounted in the engine compartment. The motor 3 is driven by power supplied from a battery pack 4. The power output from the motor 3 is transmitted to the wheels via a power transmission device.

[0013] The battery pack 4 is disposed below a floor panel 6 of the vehicle body. The battery pack 4 is disposed rearward of the motor 3 in the vehicle body and supplies power to the motor 3. The battery pack 4 is electrically connected to the motor 3 via an inverter. The inverter is mounted in the engine compartment.

[0014] The exhaust pipe 5 extends from the engine 2 toward the rear of the vehicle body, and distributes exhaust gas emitted from the engine 2. The exhaust pipe 5 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle below the floor panel 6, adjacent to the battery pack 4.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2 , below the floor panel 6, the exhaust pipe 5 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, bypassing the battery pack 4. The exhaust pipe 5 has a bent portion 51 that bends to fit along the side of the battery pack 4. The bent portion 51 is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and extends outward in the vehicle width direction as it moves from the front to the rear of the vehicle body. The exhaust pipe 5 has an upstream portion 52 located upstream of the bent portion 51, and a downstream portion 53 located downstream of the bent portion 51. The upstream portion 52 is located in front of the battery pack 4 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The downstream portion 53 is located to the side of the battery pack 4 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0016] The hybrid vehicle 1 includes an insulator 7. The insulator 7 is a heat-shielding member. The insulator 7 is provided between the exhaust pipe 5 and the battery pack 4, and prevents heat from the exhaust pipe 5 from being transmitted to the battery pack 4. The insulator 7 is arranged in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle so as to include the area in which the battery pack 4 is arranged.

[0017] The hybrid vehicle 1 includes a bracket 8. The bracket 8 is a support member that fixes the battery pack 4 to the vehicle body. The battery pack 4 is fixed to the vehicle body via the bracket 8. The bracket 8 is provided on the outside of the battery pack 4.

[0018] The battery pack 4 includes a battery stack 9 , an electric device 10 , and a case 11 .

[0019] The battery stack 9 is an assembled battery in which a plurality of battery cells 91 are stacked. A case 11 accommodates the battery stack 9 and an electric device 10. Inside the case 11, the electric device 10 is disposed in front of the battery stack 9. The electric device 10 is electrically connected to the battery stack 9 and also to an inverter.

[0020] The hybrid vehicle 1 includes a connector block provided at the front of the case 11 and a connector protection plate for protecting the front of the battery pack 4 and the connector block. The connector block is a block through which a wire harness passes. The electrical device 10 is electrically connected to the inverter via the wire harness that passes through the connector block. The connector protection plate is a member for protecting the connector connected to the connector block and the wire harness extending from the connector block to the front side of the vehicle body from load input from the road surface. The connector protection plate is attached to the bottom of the case 11 on the front side, and is also attached to a front suspension member. The front suspension member is provided further forward on the vehicle body than the battery pack 4. The front of the case 11 is protected by the connector protection plate on the front side of the electrical device 10.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 3, the case 11 has an upper cover 12 and a lower case 13. The upper cover 12 and the lower case 13 are integrated by bolting. The lower case 13 houses a battery stack 9 and an electric device 10. The battery stack 9 is housed in the rear part of the lower case 13, and the electric device 10 is housed in the front part of the lower case 13. Note that Fig. 3 schematically shows a cross section taken along line AA in Fig. 2.

[0022] The lower case 13 has a bottom 131, side walls 132, and a flange 133. The bottom 131 forms the bottom surface of the lower case 13. The side walls 132 are walls that extend upward in the vertical direction from the bottom 131. The flange 133 extends outward in the horizontal direction from the upper end of the side walls 132.

[0023] The hybrid vehicle 1 includes a shear panel 21, a reinforcing reinforcement 22, an under member 23, a first inner bracket 24, and a second inner bracket 25.

[0024] The shear panel 21 is a reinforcing member that reinforces the underside of the battery pack 4 and is a member that protects the battery stack 9 and the electrical equipment 10 from input from the road surface. The shear panel 21 is arranged below the bottom 131. The shear panel 21 is formed so as to cover the entire bottom 131 and is integrated with the lower case 13. The shear panel 21 is fixed to the lower case 13 via a reinforcing reinforcement 22.

[0025] The reinforcing reinforcement 22 is a reinforcing member for increasing rigidity, and is provided on the outside of the lower case 13. The reinforcing reinforcement 22 is joined to the bottom portion 131 and the side wall portion 132. The shear panel 21 and the bracket 8 are bolted to the reinforcing reinforcement 22. The lower portion of the bracket 8 is bolted to the shear panel 21 and the reinforcing reinforcement 22. The upper portion of the bracket 8 is bolted to an under member 23 of the vehicle body. The under member 23 is provided on the underside of the floor panel 6, and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. The bracket 8 supports the lower case 13 via the reinforcing reinforcement 22. The bracket 8 is an external bracket provided outside the case 11.

[0026] The first inner bracket 24 and the second inner bracket 25 are inner brackets provided inside the case 11. Inside the case 11, the battery stack 9 is supported by the lower case 13 via the first inner bracket 24 and the second inner bracket 25.

[0027] The first inner bracket 24 is bolted to the side of the battery stack 9 and the second inner bracket 25. The second inner bracket 25 is joined to the bottom 131 and the side wall 132. On the bottom 131 side, the second inner bracket 25 and the reinforcing reinforcement 22 are joined to the bottom 131 by a weld 26 formed by spot welding. On the side wall 132 side, the second inner bracket 25 and the reinforcing reinforcement 22 are joined to the side wall 132 by a weld 27 formed by spot welding.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 4 , the side wall portion 132 includes a first wall portion 132A, a second wall portion 132B, a third wall portion 132C, a fourth wall portion 132D, and a fifth wall portion 132E. The first wall portion 132A is a front wall portion of the side wall portion 132 and faces the electric device 10 in the front-rear direction. The second wall portion 132B is a rear wall portion of the side wall portion 132 and faces the battery stack 9 in the front-rear direction. When the lower case 13 is viewed from above, the first wall portion 132A and the second wall portion 132B extend along the vehicle width direction. The third wall portion 132C is a left wall portion of the side wall portion 132 and faces the battery stack 9 in the vehicle width direction. The fourth wall portion 132D is a right wall portion of the side wall portion 132 and faces the battery stack 9 in the vehicle width direction. When the lower case 13 is viewed from above, the third wall portion 132C and the fourth wall portion 132D extend along the vehicle front-rear direction. The fifth wall portion 132E is a wall portion on the front right side of the side wall portion 132, and faces the electric device 10 in the front-rear direction and also faces the electric device 10 in the vehicle width direction. The fifth wall portion 132E is provided outward of the electric device 10 in the vehicle width direction and in front of the electric device 10. When the lower case 13 is viewed from above, the fifth wall portion 132E is a wall portion that is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction and extends outward in the vehicle width direction as it approaches the rear of the vehicle body.

[0029] The first wall portion 132A is protected from objects falling from the front by a connector protection plate. The third wall portion 132C and the fourth wall portion 132D are reinforced by reinforcing reinforcement 22 to increase their rigidity. An area 28 where neither the connector protection plate nor the reinforcing reinforcement 22 is provided exists on the outer periphery of the lower case 13. As shown in FIG. 2 , the area 28 is an area where the bracket 8 is not provided. The reinforcing reinforcement 22 and the bracket 8 are not provided in the area 28. The area 28 is an area where a fifth wall portion 132E of the lower case 13 is disposed near the bent portion 51 of the exhaust pipe 5. The fifth wall portion 132E is a wall portion provided in the area 28 and is formed along the bent portion 51. The hybrid vehicle 1 is configured so that the fifth wall portion 132E is protected by a protective member separate from the connector protection plate and the reinforcing reinforcement 22.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 5, the hybrid vehicle 1 includes a protective reinforcement 30 for protecting the fifth wall portion 132E against an externally applied load. The protective reinforcement 30 is a protective member for protecting the fifth wall portion 132E and the battery stack 9 and the electrical device 10 inside the lower case 13. The protective reinforcement 30 and an insulator 7 are provided between the fifth wall portion 132E and the bent portion 51. Note that Fig. 5 shows a cross section taken along line BB in Fig. 2.

[0031] The protective reinforcement 30 is disposed between adjacent bent portions 51 and the fifth wall portion 132E in the horizontal direction. The insulator 7 is formed to provide insulation between the exhaust pipe 5 and the lower case 13, and is formed in a shape that is inclined in the up-down direction between the bent portion 51 and the fifth wall portion 132E. The fifth wall portion 132E is disposed near the bent portion 51 of the exhaust pipe 5 in the horizontal direction.

[0032] The protective reinforcement 30 is joined to the bottom 131 and the fifth wall portion 132E of the lower case 13. The protective reinforcement 30 is a metal member. The protective reinforcement 30 has a first portion 31, a second portion 32, and a third portion 33.

[0033] The first portion 31 is a portion joined to the fifth wall portion 132E. The first portion 31 is disposed below the flange portion 133 and is formed into a shape that follows the fifth wall portion 132E. The first portion 31 is joined to the fifth wall portion 132E by a welded portion 41 formed by spot welding.

[0034] The second portion 32 is a portion that is joined to the bottom portion 131. The second portion 32 is disposed below the fifth wall portion 132E and is formed into a shape that follows the bottom portion 131. The second portion 32 extends in the horizontal direction. The second portion 32 is joined to the bottom portion 131 by a weld 42 formed by spot welding.

[0035] The third portion 33 is a portion extending from the first portion 31 to the second portion 32. The third portion 33 is disposed below the flange portion 133 and is formed in a shape spaced apart from the fifth wall portion 132E so as to create a space S between the third portion 33 and the fifth wall portion 132E. The third portion 33 has a curved shape that bulges out more toward the exhaust pipe 5 than the fifth wall portion 132E in the horizontal direction. The third portion 33 is formed such that the horizontal distance from the fifth wall portion 132E decreases as the third portion 33 moves downward in the up-down direction from the first portion 31 side to the second portion 32 side. The third portion 33 is disposed closer to the fifth wall portion 132E than the end of the flange portion 133 in the horizontal direction. The third portion 33 includes a parallel portion 33a formed parallel to the insulator 7.

[0036] The insulator 7 is provided between the exhaust pipe 5 and the protective reinforcement 30. The insulator 7 is made of metal. For example, the insulator 7 is a thin metal plate formed by pressing a metal plate. The insulator 7 has an upper portion 71, a lower portion 72, and an inclined portion 73.

[0037] The upper part 71 is a part that covers the upper part of the bent part 51. The upper part 71 extends horizontally above the bent part 51. The lower part 72 is a part that covers the lower part of the fifth wall part 132E of the lower case 13 and also covers the lower part of the protective reinforcement 30. The lower part 72 is joined to the protective reinforcement 30. The lower part 72 is joined to the second part 32 by a welded part 43 created by spot welding.

[0038] The inclined portion 73 is a portion that extends from the upper portion 71 to the lower portion 72. The inclined portion 73 is arranged between the bent portion 51 and the protective reinforcement 30 in the horizontal direction. The inclined portion 73 is formed so as to approach the fifth wall portion 132E as it extends downward in the up-down direction. The inclination angle of the inclined portion 73 relative to the horizontal direction is gentler than the inclination angle of the fifth wall portion 132E. Because the inclination angle of the inclined portion 73 is gentle relative to the horizontal direction, it is possible to perform press processing so that the angle of the connection portion between the upper portion 71 and the inclined portion 73 is an angle that covers the exhaust pipe 5.

[0039] The inclined portion 73 has an inclined surface 73a that is inclined in the up-down direction as a surface that faces the protective reinforcement 30. The inclined surface 73a faces the third portion 33 of the protective reinforcement 30.

[0040] The parallel portion 33a of the third portion 33 is formed parallel to the inclined surface 73a of the inclined portion 73. The entire third portion 33 is not formed parallel to the inclined portion 73. At least a part of the portion of the third portion 33 facing the inclined surface 73a is formed by the parallel portion 33a. The protective reinforcement 30 is formed thicker than the insulator 7.

[0041] When a flying stone or the like comes into contact with the protective reinforcement 30 from the front, the third portion 33 faces diagonally downward relative to the up-down direction, so that the flying stone can be thrown downward after contacting the third portion 33. This makes it possible to prevent the stone from being input to the fifth wall portion 132E from the outside.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 4 , the protective reinforcement 30 is formed along the fifth wall portion 132E, which is gently inclined with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction. The protective reinforcement 30 is provided over the entire fifth wall portion 132E. When the battery pack 4 is viewed from above, the protective reinforcement 30 is gently inclined with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction. Therefore, if an object falling from the front comes into contact with the protective reinforcement 30, the protective reinforcement 30 can guide the object to the area of the fourth wall portion 132D, located to the right and rear in the vehicle width direction, where the reinforcing reinforcement 22 is provided. The area on the outer periphery of the fourth wall portion 132D where the reinforcing reinforcement 22 is provided is highly rigid due to the reinforcing reinforcement 22, and is an area where deformation can be reduced because it is close to the vehicle body mounting point where the bracket 8 is attached to the under member 23. This reduces damage to the lower case 13 and allows the fallen object to be moved rearward.

[0043] As described above, in the embodiment, the protective reinforcement 30 having an angle equivalent to that of the inclined surface 73a of the insulator 7 is provided on the fifth wall portion 132E, which is gently inclined with respect to the front-to-rear direction. By making the parallel portion 33a of the protective reinforcement 30 and the inclined portion 73 of the insulator 7 have the same angle, objects falling from the front and from the vehicle width direction can be guided in a safe direction without affecting the space. This makes it possible to avoid impacts on the lower case 13. Furthermore, because the bent portion 51 of the exhaust pipe 5 is gently inclined with respect to the horizontal direction, an increase in pressure loss in the exhaust pipe 5 can be avoided.

[0044] The reinforcing structure of the lower case 13 is not limited to the shear panel 21, and may be a structure provided with a rear surface reinforcement.

[0045] Furthermore, when the protective reinforcement 30 is made of an extruded material, it may have a structure in which a space is provided in the center while ensuring thickness. When the protective reinforcement 30 is die-cast, the opposing surface side of the parallel portion 33a is formed thick. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1 Hybrid vehicle 2. Engine (internal combustion engine) 3. Motor (electric motor) 4 Battery pack 5 exhaust pipe 6 Floor Panel 7 Insulator (heat shielding material) 8 Bracket (support member) 9 Battery Stack 10 Electrical Equipment 13 Lower case 22 Reinforcement (reinforcement member) 28 areas 30 Protective reinforcement (protective material) 31 Part 1 32 Part 2 33 Part 3 33a Parallel part 73 Slope 73a Slope 131 Bottom 132 Side wall 132E 5th wall (side wall) 133 Flange S space

Claims

1. an internal combustion engine disposed at the front of the vehicle body; an electric motor disposed at the front of the vehicle body; a battery pack disposed below a floor panel of the vehicle body and supplying power to the electric motor; an exhaust pipe extending from the internal combustion engine toward the rear of the vehicle body and having a bent portion that bends below the floor panel so as to follow a side surface of the battery pack; Equipped with the battery pack includes a battery stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, an upper cover and a lower case that house the battery stack, and the lower case is fixed to the vehicle body via a support member. This is a hybrid vehicle, a protective member disposed between the bent portions of the exhaust pipes adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction and a side wall portion of the lower case, the protective member protecting the lower case from a load input from the outside; the side wall portion is disposed near the bent portion of the exhaust pipe in the horizontal direction, is formed to follow the bent portion, and extends outward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear side of the vehicle body when the lower case is viewed from above, The protective member is a first portion joined to the side wall portion of the lower case; a second portion joined to a bottom portion of the lower case; a third portion extending from the first portion to the second portion and spaced apart from the side wall portion to form a space between the third portion and the side wall portion; The third portion has a curved shape that bulges out toward the exhaust pipe more than the side wall portion in the horizontal direction, and is formed such that the horizontal distance from the side wall portion decreases as the third portion moves downward in the vertical direction from the first portion side to the second portion side. A hybrid vehicle characterized by:

2. the lower case has a flange portion extending horizontally outward from an upper end of the side wall portion, the first portion is disposed below the flange portion in the up-down direction, The third portion is disposed closer to the side wall portion than the end of the flange portion in the horizontal direction.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1.

3. a heat insulating member disposed between the exhaust pipe and the lower case, the heat shielding member includes an inclined portion formed such that a portion disposed between the bent portion of the exhaust pipe and the protective member approaches the side wall portion as it extends downward in the up-down direction, The third portion includes a parallel portion formed parallel to the inclined portion of the heat shield.

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2.

4. a reinforcing member joined to the outside of the lower case to increase rigidity; Equipped with the support member is integrated with the lower case via the reinforcing member, The reinforcing member and the supporting member are not provided in a region of the lower case where the bent portion of the exhaust pipe and the side wall portion are disposed adjacent to each other.

4. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 3.

5. the battery pack is housed in a portion of the lower case in front of the battery stack and includes an electric device electrically connected to the battery stack; The side wall portion is provided on the outer side of the electric device in the vehicle width direction and in front of the electric device.

5. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 4.

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