Automotive structure of electronic equipment

Abstract

To avoid or reduce the impact of electronic devices on the human body in the event of damage due to collisions, or when handling spare tires. [Solution] A vehicle-mounted electronic device structure is provided in which a storage compartment 2 is provided at the rear of the vehicle body to house a spare tire 7 and to be closed by a deck board 14, and an electronic device 5 is fixedly arranged below the spare tire 7 in the storage compartment 2, and a cover 11 is provided between the spare tire 7 and the electronic device 5, the electronic device 5 has at least an upper surface portion facing upward and a rear side portion facing the rear of the vehicle body, the cover 11 has a top plate portion 11a that covers the entire upper surface portion from above and a skirt portion 11b that covers the entire rear side portion from the rear of the vehicle body, and the cover 11 is made of metal and fixed to the vehicle body 4.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a structure for mounting electronic devices such as chargers and DC-DC converters on a vehicle, and particularly to a structure for mounting an electronic device together with a spare tire in a storage portion such as a luggage space at the rear of the vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] An example of this type of structure is disclosed in Patent Document 1. Briefly explaining the structure, in the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, a floor plate constituting the bottom surface of a luggage compartment (luggage space) provided on the rear side of the vehicle is recessed downward to secure a space for accommodating a charger. Rear side members are provided on both the left and right sides of the vehicle. Two brackets in the vehicle width direction are provided in a state of being bridged over these side members. The central portion of these brackets is slightly bent downward, and a charger is attached in a suspended state to the portion bent downward. The charger has a case with an open upper surface, and the case is fixed to the bracket with bolts. The spare tire is accommodated above the bracket, and by tilting the spare tire so that the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction is lowered, a luggage compartment space above the spare tire is secured. And a deck board is arranged above the spare tire, and the spare tire and the charger are covered by the deck board.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs, PHEVs), which are equipped with motors as a power source, electronic devices such as batteries, chargers, inverters, and converters are becoming higher voltage and higher capacity. If these types of electronic devices were to be mounted in a vehicle using the structure described in Patent Document 1, further modifications would be necessary. Specifically, in the structure described in Patent Document 1, the charger case has an opening at the top, and the bracket is not configured to close the case, so there is a high possibility that the charger will be exposed to the outside if the rear of the vehicle is damaged in a collision or the like. Therefore, measures against electric leakage or electric shock are necessary, taking into account damage to the cargo area, etc.

[0005] In the structure described in Patent Document 1, the charger is covered by a deck board along with the spare tire. However, when changing a tire, the deck board is removed and the worker lifts the spare tire, exposing the charger to the worker. As a result, the worker is exposed to electromagnetic waves emitted from the charger and other electronic devices. Furthermore, in the structure described in Patent Document 1, the charger occupies the space below the spare tire, necessitating a new mechanism to secure the spare tire. Thus, conventional structures such as the one described in Patent Document 1 are not necessarily sufficient to handle the increasing voltage of electronic devices, and there is a need for a new structure for mounting electronic devices such as chargers in vehicles.

[0006] This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned technical problems, and its purpose is to provide an in-vehicle structure that can avoid or reduce the impact of electronic devices on the human body in the event of damage due to collisions or when handling spare tires. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, this invention provides an on-board electronic device structure in which a storage compartment for a spare tire is provided at the rear of the vehicle body and is closed by a deck board, and electronic devices are fixedly arranged below the spare tire in the storage compartment, the structure comprising a cover disposed between the spare tire and the electronic devices, the electronic devices having at least an upper surface portion facing upward and a rear side portion facing the rear of the vehicle body, the cover having a top plate portion that covers the entire upper surface portion from above and a skirt portion that covers the entire rear side portion from the rear of the vehicle body, and the cover being made of a metal material and fixed to the vehicle body.

[0008] In this invention, the fastening portion for securing the spare tire may be provided on the top plate.

[0009] In this invention, the vehicle body is further provided with two parallel support rails arranged in the width direction of the vehicle body at the locations flanking the electronic device in the front-rear direction, and the electronic device and the cover may be fixed to the support rails.

[0010] In this invention, of the two support rail sections, the height of the rear support rail section may be lower than the height of the support rail section located on the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to this invention, electronic equipment located in a compartment at the rear of the vehicle body is not only concealed by the spare tire located above it, but is also covered by a metal cover fixed to the vehicle body. Therefore, even if the rear of the vehicle body is damaged or deformed due to a collision or the like, the electronic equipment remains covered by the cover. As a result, electrical leakage and electric shock can be prevented or suppressed. Furthermore, since the cover is positioned between the spare tire and the electronic equipment and covers the top and rear sides of the electronic equipment, even when the spare tire is removed, the emission of electrical noise directed upwards or backwards from the electronic equipment is prevented, thus avoiding or suppressing electrical effects on the human body of workers handling the spare tire, etc.

[0012] Furthermore, in this invention, if the cover fixed to the vehicle body has fastening parts for securing the spare tire, the cover not only covers the electronic equipment but also serves as a fixing member for the spare tire, thus reducing the number of necessary parts and enabling efficient use of space.

[0013] Furthermore, in this invention, by providing a support rail and fixing the electronic device and the cover to the support rail, the state in which the electronic device is covered by the cover can be maintained more reliably.

[0014] Furthermore, in this invention, since the height of the support rail located on the rear side of the vehicle body is lower than that of the two support rail sections, there are fewer obstacles when installing or removing electronic equipment between these support rail sections, improving work efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the vehicle with electronic equipment and a spare tire housed in the rear compartment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the electronic equipment and cover secured to the support rail. [Figure 3]This is a perspective view showing the electronic equipment and cover separated from the support rails. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Next, embodiments of this invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are merely examples of how to implement this invention and do not limit it.

[0017] Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of this invention. Figure 1 shows a storage compartment 2 located at the rear of vehicle 1, which is a luggage space in a conventional vehicle. Vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV, PHEV) equipped with a motor (not shown) as a driving force source. A rear bumper 3 is located outside the storage compartment 2 and on the rear side of vehicle 1. Although not specifically shown, a trunk lid is provided for opening and closing the storage compartment 2.

[0018] The floor panel 4, which constitutes the storage area 2, is lower at the rear of the vehicle 1, and the electronic equipment 5 is housed in this lower, recessed area. The electronic equipment 5 is a device that supplies power to the motor, which serves as the driving force source, and also controls the motor. For example, it is a unit that houses a charger and a DC-DC converter in a single case.

[0019] The electronic device 5 is fixed to the floor panel 4. On the upper surface of the floor panel 4, two support rails 6a and 6b oriented in the width direction of the vehicle 1 (the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 1) are arranged in parallel with each other. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the support rails 6a and 6b are formed by processing a steel plate into a hat-shaped cross-section, and the height of the support rail 6a provided on the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1 is higher, while the height of the other support rail 6b located on the rear side is lower. Also, the contour shape of the electronic device 5 is substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and the length of each support rail 6a and 6b is approximately the same as or slightly longer than the long side of the electronic device 5. The electronic device 5 is arranged between the support rails 6a and 6b with its long side parallel to the support rails 6a and 6b.

[0020] Brackets 8 are attached to the left and right end sides of the side surface of the electronic device 5 facing the front of the vehicle, and brackets 9 are attached to the left and right end sides of the side surface of the electronic device 5 facing the rear of the vehicle. The electronic device 5 is connected and fixed to the support rails 6a and 6b by these brackets 8 and 9. As shown in FIG. 1, the bracket 8 on the front side of the vehicle has a fixing piece along the side surface of the electronic device 5 and a fixing piece along the upper surface of the higher support rail 6a, and is a member having a cross-sectional shape in which the "L" shape is inverted vertically. This bracket 8 is fixed to the electronic device 5 and the support rail 6a by appropriate means. The fixing means may be, for example, bolts. Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the other support rail 6b on the rear side of the vehicle has a fixing piece along the side surface of the electronic device 5 and a fixing piece along the upper surface of the lower support rail 6b, and is a member having a cross-sectional shape following the "L" shape. This bracket 9 is fixed to the electronic device 5 and the support rail 6b by appropriate means. The fixing means may be, for example, bolts.

[0021] A connector 10 is provided in a protruding state on one end face side in the longitudinal direction of the electronic device 5. The entire electronic device 5 including this connector 10 is covered by a cover 11. The cover 11 is for protecting the electronic device 5 from external forces and preventing the dissipation of noise such as electromagnetic waves, and is composed of a metal material such as a steel plate.

[0022] Specifically describing the structure, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover 11 is composed of a top plate portion 11a that covers the upper surface portion of the electronic device 5 and a skirt portion 11b that covers the side surface portion on the rear side of the electronic device 5. In the central portion in the width direction of the top plate portion 11a, a flange portion 11c that extends toward the high support rail 6a is provided. By fixing this flange portion 11c to the upper surface of the front support rail 6a, the cover 11 is fixed to the support rail 6a. The means for the fixing may be bolts. Also, in the central portion in the width direction of the skirt portion 11b, a flange portion 11d that extends toward the low support rail 6b is provided. By fixing this flange portion 11d to the upper surface of the rear support rail 6b, the cover 11 is fixed to the support rail 6b. The means for the fixing may be bolts.

[0023] Ultimately, the cover 11 covers the upper side and the rear side of the electronic device 5, but does not contact the electronic device 5, and is fixed to the floor panel 4 or the vehicle body via the support rails 6a and 6b. And at a predetermined position of the top plate portion 11a, bolt holes 12 are formed. A nut 13 is fixed at a position corresponding to the bolt holes 12 on the back surface (lower surface) of the top plate portion 11a. These bolt holes 12 and nuts 13 correspond to the fastening portions in the embodiment of this invention.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, a spare tire 7 is arranged above the electronic device 5 that is fixed to the support rails 6a and 6b by brackets 8 and 9 and covered by the cover 11. The spare tire 7 is horizontally placed, for example, on an appropriate block material (not shown) arranged outside the support rails 6a and 6b. In this state, a fixing screw 15 is inserted into a through hole provided at a predetermined position in the spare tire 7, and the tip portion thereof is screwed into the nut 13 provided on the top plate portion 11a described above, so that the spare tire 7 is fixed inside the accommodating portion 2. In FIG. 1, the reference numeral "14" indicates a deck board, and the deck board 14 forms a floor surface for covering the spare tire 7 and placing appropriate luggage.

[0025] In the embodiment of this invention described above, if the storage section 2 is deformed due to a rear-end collision of the vehicle 1, the deformation load first affects the spare tire 7. As described above, the spare tire 7 is connected to the floor panel 4 or the vehicle body via the cover 11 and support rails 6a, 6b, so the deformation load via the spare tire 7 is received by the floor panel 4 or the vehicle body and does not affect the electronic equipment 5, which is protected by the cover 11.

[0026] Furthermore, if the storage compartment 2 becomes damaged, such as when the deck board 14 or spare tire 7 comes off, or when the spare tire 7 is removed from the storage compartment 2, the electronic equipment 5 is covered by the cover 11 and is not directly exposed to the outside, thereby preventing or avoiding electric leakage or electric shock. In addition, electromagnetic waves or noise emitted by the electronic equipment 5 are shielded by the cover 11, so any impact on the human body or on other nearby electrical products can be avoided or suppressed.

[0027] Furthermore, since the cover 11 is fixed to the floor panel 4 or the vehicle body via support rails 6a and 6b, the spare tire 7 is ultimately fixed to the floor panel 4 or the vehicle body. Therefore, since the cover 11 not only covers the electronic equipment 5 but also functions as a component for fixing the spare tire 7, there is no need to provide a separate component or part for fixing the spare tire 7, and as a result, space can be used effectively and the number of necessary parts can be reduced.

[0028] When installing the electronic device 5 described above into the housing 2, the brackets 8 and 9 described above are attached to the front and rear sides of the electronic device 5, and the electronic device 5 is then placed between the support rails 6a and 6b. Since the brackets 8 and 9 rest on the corresponding support rails 6a and 6b, the brackets 8 and 9 are fixed to the support rails 6a and 6b with bolts. Next, the cover 11 is placed over the electronic device 5. Since the flange portions 11c and 11d rest on the support rails 6a and 6b in their corresponding positions, the flange portions 11c and 11d are fixed to the support rails 6a and 6b with bolts. This installation work is performed by a worker from the rear of the vehicle 1. In this case, since the height of the rear support rail 6b is low, work such as carrying in and installing the electronic device 5 and cover 11 becomes easier.

[0029] It should be noted that this invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as needed. For example, the cover only needs to have at least a top plate portion and a skirt portion, and may further include a portion that covers the side of the end of the electronic device in the longitudinal direction. Also, the support rail portion in this invention may be provided by bending a floor panel. Furthermore, in this invention, the two support rail portions may be of the same height. Therefore, the bracket for connecting the electronic device to the support rail may be shaped according to the shape of the support rail portion. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0030] 1 vehicle 2. Storage area 3. Rear bumper 4 Floor Panels 5 Electronic equipment 6a, 6b Support rails 7 Spare tire 8,9 Bracket 10 connectors 11 Cover 11a Top panel 11b Skirt section 11c, 11d flange section 12 bolt holes 13 nuts 14 Deck Boards 15 Fixing screws

Claims

1. An electronic device on-board structure is provided in which a storage compartment for a spare tire is provided at the rear of the vehicle body and is closed by a deck board, and electronic devices are fixed and arranged below the spare tire in the storage compartment, The set includes a cover positioned between the spare tire and the electronic equipment, The electronic device has at least an upward-facing upper surface and a rear side surface facing the rear of the vehicle body. The cover has a top plate portion that covers the entire upper surface portion from above, and a skirt portion that covers the entire rear side portion from the rear of the vehicle body, The cover is made of a metal material and is fixed to the vehicle body. An in-vehicle structure for electronic equipment characterized by the following features.

2. An in-vehicle structure for an electronic device according to claim 1, A fastening part for securing the spare tire is provided on the top plate. An in-vehicle structure for electronic equipment characterized by the following features.

3. An in-vehicle structure for an electronic device according to claim 1 or 2, The vehicle body is further provided with two parallel support rails positioned in the width direction of the vehicle body, at the location flanking the electronic equipment in the front-rear direction, The electronic device and the cover are fixed to the support rail portion. An in-vehicle structure for electronic equipment characterized by the following features.

4. An in-vehicle structure for an electronic device according to claim 3, Of the two support rail sections, the height of the rear support rail section is lower than the height of the front support rail section in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. An in-vehicle structure for electronic equipment characterized by the following features.

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