Electric vehicles

Abstract

When a plate-shaped reinforcing member is provided above the drive unit, this prevents or suppresses an excessive rise in the temperature of the drive unit. [Solution] The electric vehicle comprises a vehicle body, a plurality of wheels supported by the vehicle body, a drive unit having a motor that drives at least one of the plurality of wheels, and a plate-shaped reinforcing member extending in the vehicle width direction above the drive unit, with both ends connected to the vehicle body. The drive unit is supported by the vehicle body in such a manner that airflow is supplied from the front of the vehicle. The reinforcing member is provided with at least one ventilation opening at a position opposite to the part in which the motor is housed.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The technology disclosed in this specification relates to electric vehicles. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Patent Document 1 describes an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle includes a vehicle body, a plurality of wheels supported by the vehicle body, and a drive unit having a motor that drives at least one of the plurality of wheels. The drive unit is supported by the vehicle body in a manner in which traveling wind is supplied from the front of the vehicle. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0003】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018 - 131043 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0004】 In an electric vehicle as described above, it is conceivable to provide a plate - shaped reinforcing member that extends in the vehicle width direction above the drive unit and is connected to the vehicle body at both ends. In this case, the reinforcing member that covers the upper part of the drive unit may inhibit the flow of the traveling wind passing around the drive unit, and there is a risk that the temperature of the rear drive unit may rise excessively. 【0005】 In view of the above - mentioned situation, this specification provides a technology for avoiding or suppressing the excessive rise in the temperature of the drive unit when a plate - shaped reinforcing member is provided above the drive unit. 【Means for Solving the Problems】 【0006】 The technology disclosed herein is embodied in an electric vehicle. In a first embodiment, the electric vehicle comprises a vehicle body, a plurality of wheels supported by the vehicle body, a drive unit having a motor that drives at least one of the plurality of wheels, and a plate-shaped reinforcing member extending above the drive unit in the vehicle width direction, with each end connected to the vehicle body. The drive unit is supported by the vehicle body in such a manner that airflow is supplied from the front of the vehicle. The reinforcing member is provided with at least one vent at a position opposite to the portion housing the motor. 【0007】 In the electric vehicle described above, a plate-shaped reinforcing member is provided that extends in the vehicle width direction above the drive unit, with both ends connected to the vehicle body. This reinforcing member has at least one vent facing the part where the motor is housed. With this configuration, when airflow is supplied to the drive unit from the front of the vehicle, at least a portion of that airflow passes through the at least one vent provided in the reinforcing member. As a result, the airflow supplied to the drive unit can pass around the drive unit and flow smoothly toward the rear of the vehicle. In this way, by providing a vent in the reinforcing member, obstruction of the airflow supplied to the drive unit by the reinforcing member can be avoided or suppressed. Therefore, an excessive rise in the temperature of the drive unit can be avoided or suppressed. Furthermore, since at least one vent is provided facing the part where the motor is housed, the motor, which is a heat-generating part of the drive unit, can be effectively cooled when the airflow passes through at least one vent. Therefore, an excessive rise in the temperature of the drive unit can be further avoided or suppressed. 【0008】 In a second embodiment, the drive unit may further include an electrical unit that controls the power supplied to the motor. In this case, the electrical unit may be located at the rear of the motor. When the electrical unit is located at the rear of the motor, the airflow supplied to the drive unit from the front of the vehicle is more likely to be obstructed. However, with the above configuration, at least a portion of the airflow supplied to the drive unit from the front of the vehicle can pass through at least one vent provided in the reinforcing member and flow smoothly to the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, even when the electrical unit is located at the rear of the motor, obstruction of the airflow is avoided or suppressed. 【0009】 In a third embodiment, the vehicle body may include Gigacast material in the first or second embodiment. Gigacast material refers to a component in which multiple parts are integrally molded by a relatively large clamping force. Therefore, when the vehicle body includes Gigacast material, the gaps in the vehicle body are reduced compared to a structure composed of multiple parts. This makes it easier for the airflow supplied to the drive unit to be obstructed. However, with the above-described configuration, at least a portion of the airflow supplied to the drive unit from the front of the vehicle can pass through at least one vent provided in the reinforcing member and flow smoothly to the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, even when the vehicle body includes Gigacast material, obstruction of the airflow is avoided or suppressed. 【0010】 In a fourth embodiment, in the third embodiment, the Gigacast material may be integrally molded with a pair of side members extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a cross member extending in the vehicle width direction between the pair of side members, and a pair of fender aprons extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 【0011】 In the fifth embodiment, in any of the first to fourth embodiments, at least one vent may have a circular, elliptical, and / or polygonal shape. In this case, at least one vent may include two or more vents having the same shape, or two or more vents having different shapes. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0012】 [Figure 1] A diagram schematically showing the configuration of the electric vehicle 10 of the embodiment. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating the configuration of the vehicle body 12. [Figure 3] A close-up view of the area where the rear drive unit 30 is located. [Figure 4] A diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the ventilation opening 40 of the reinforcing member 38 and the part of the rear drive unit 30 that houses the motor 32. [Figure 5A] A modified example of the ventilation opening 40 is shown. [Figure 5B] A modified example of the ventilation opening 40 is shown. [Figure 5C] A modified example of the ventilation opening 40 is shown. [Figure 5D] A modified example of the ventilation opening 40 is shown. [Figure 5E] A modified example of the ventilation opening 40 is shown. [Figure 5F] A modified example of the ventilation opening 40 is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0013】 The electric vehicle 10 of the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The electric vehicle 10 is a so-called automobile, a vehicle that travels on the road surface. The electric vehicle 10 is not limited to one that is driven by a user, but may also be remotely controlled by an external device or be autonomous. 【0014】 Here, in the drawing, direction FR indicates the front of the electric vehicle 10 in the longitudinal direction (or front-rear direction), and direction RR indicates the rear of the electric vehicle 10 in the longitudinal direction. Direction LH indicates the left side of the electric vehicle 10 in the vehicle width direction (or left-right direction), and direction RH indicates the right side of the electric vehicle 10 in the vehicle width direction. Direction UP indicates the upward direction of the electric vehicle 10 in the height direction (or up-down direction), and direction DW indicates the downward direction of the electric vehicle 10 in the height direction. 【0015】 As shown in Figure 1, the electric vehicle 10 comprises a body 12 and a plurality of wheels 14f, 14r. The body 12 has a passenger compartment 12c, which is a space for occupants. The body 12 further has a floor panel 12p that forms the floor of the passenger compartment 12c. The floor panel 12p is a plate-shaped member. The plurality of wheels 14f, 14r are supported by the body 12. In this embodiment, the plurality of wheels 14f, 14r are rotatably mounted on the body 12. The plurality of wheels 14f, 14r include a pair of front wheels 14f located at the front of the body 12 and a pair of rear wheels 14r located at the rear of the body 12. The pair of front wheels 14f are arranged coaxially with each other, and the pair of rear wheels 14r are also arranged coaxially with each other. The number of wheels 14f, 14r is not limited to four. Also, although not particularly limited, the body 12 is made of a metal such as steel or aluminum alloy. 【0016】 As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vehicle body 12 includes a front giga cast member 16 and a rear giga cast member 18. The front giga cast member 16 is located forward of the passenger compartment 12c. At least a part of the rear giga cast member 18 is located rearward of the passenger compartment 12c. The rear giga cast member 18 includes a pair of rear side members 20, a rear cross member 22, and a pair of rear fender aprons 24. The pair of rear side members 20 are arranged on both sides in the vehicle width direction at the rear part of the vehicle body 12 and extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The rear cross member 22 extends in the vehicle width direction between the pair of rear side members 20. The pair of rear fender aprons 24 are respectively arranged outside the pair of rear side members 20 in the vehicle width direction and extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The pair of rear fender aprons 24 respectively define the boundary of the rear part (or the luggage compartment) of the passenger compartment 12c with respect to the pair of rear wheels 14r. The pair of rear fender aprons 24 are arranged forward of the vehicle with respect to the rear cross member 22. 【0017】 In the rear giga cast member 18, the pair of rear side members 20, the rear cross member 22, and the pair of rear fender aprons 24 are integrally formed. The rear giga cast member 18 is formed by integrally molding a plurality of parts with a relatively large clamping force. Although not shown, the front giga cast member 16 is also formed integrally with a pair of front side members, a front cross member, and a pair of front fender aprons, similar to the rear giga cast member 18. 【0018】 As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the electric vehicle 10 further includes a battery pack 26, a front drive unit 28, and a rear drive unit 30. The battery pack 26 incorporates, for example, a plurality of secondary battery cells and is configured to be rechargeable repeatedly by external power. The battery pack 26 supplies power to each of the front drive unit 28 and the rear drive unit 30. The battery pack 26 is disposed below the passenger compartment 12c. Each of the front drive unit 28 and the rear drive unit 30 is supported by the vehicle body 12 in a manner such that the traveling wind AF is supplied from the front of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the rear drive unit 30 is disposed below the floor panel 12p at the rear of the vehicle body 12. Thus, when the electric vehicle 10 travels, the traveling wind AF passing between the road surface and the floor panel 12p of the vehicle body 12 is configured to be supplied to the rear drive unit 30 from the front of the vehicle. 【0019】 The front drive unit 28 is disposed at the front of the vehicle body 12 and drives a pair of front wheels 14f. The rear drive unit 30 is disposed at the rear of the vehicle body 12 and drives a pair of rear wheels 14r. Although the front drive unit 28 and the rear drive unit 30 are arranged at different positions with respect to the vehicle body 12 and drive different pairs of wheels 14f, 14r, they have a common structure. Therefore, hereinafter, the components related to the rear drive unit 30 will be described, and the description of the components related to the front drive unit 28 will be omitted. 【0020】 As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rear drive unit 30 comprises a motor 32, a gear mechanism 34, and an electrical unit 36. The motor 32 is a drive motor that drives a pair of rear wheels 14r, and in this embodiment, it is a motor driven by three-phase AC power. The gear mechanism 34 distributes the driving force of the motor 32 to the pair of rear wheels 14r. The motor 32 is connected to the pair of rear wheels 14r via the gear mechanism 34. This allows the motor 32 to drive the pair of rear wheels 14r. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the motor 32 is arranged coaxially with the gear mechanism 34. The electrical unit 36 ​​controls the power supplied to the motor 32. In this embodiment, the electrical unit 36 ​​has a built-in inverter and controls the power transmitted between the battery pack 26 and the motor 32. The electrical unit 36 ​​is located behind the motor 32 and the gear mechanism 34 of the vehicle. The electrical unit 36 ​​may further include a DC-DC converter. 【0021】 Furthermore, the front drive unit 28 and the rear drive unit 30 may be equipped with other drive sources such as an engine in addition to the motor 32. Also, the electric vehicle 10 may be equipped with other power sources such as a fuel cell unit or solar panels in addition to, or instead of, the battery pack 26. Thus, the electric vehicle 10 is not limited to a battery-powered electric vehicle, but may be other types of electric vehicles such as hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, or solar cars. 【0022】 As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the electric vehicle 10 further includes a reinforcing member 38. The reinforcing member 38 is a plate-shaped member. The reinforcing member 38 extends above the rear drive unit 30 in the vehicle width direction. Both ends 38a and 38b of the reinforcing member 38 are connected to the vehicle body 12. In this embodiment, however, both ends 38a and 38b of the reinforcing member 38 are each connected to a pair of rear side members 20. 【0023】 In the electric vehicle 10 described above, the reinforcing member 38 covering the upper part of the rear drive unit 30 obstructs the airflow AF passing around the rear drive unit 30, which may cause the temperature of the rear drive unit 30 to rise excessively. In this regard, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the reinforcing member 38 is provided with a vent 40. In this embodiment, the vent 40 has a rectangular shape. The vent 40 is provided at a position facing a part of the part in which the motor 32 is housed. Note that the vent 40 only needs to be provided at a position facing at least a part of the part in which the motor 32 is housed. In another embodiment, it may be provided at a position facing all of the part in which the motor 32 is housed. 【0024】 With this configuration, when airflow AF is supplied to the rear drive unit 30 from the front of the vehicle, at least a portion of the airflow AF passes through at least one vent 40 provided in the reinforcing member 38. This allows the airflow AF supplied to the rear drive unit 30 to pass around the rear drive unit 30 and flow smoothly toward the rear of the vehicle. In this way, the provision of vent 40 in the reinforcing member 38 prevents or suppresses obstruction of the airflow AF supplied to the rear drive unit 30 by the reinforcing member 38. Therefore, an excessive rise in the temperature of the rear drive unit 30 is prevented or suppressed. Furthermore, since at least one vent 40 is located opposite the part where the motor 32 is housed, the motor 32, which is a heat-generating part of the rear drive unit 30, can be effectively cooled when the airflow AF passes through at least one vent 40. Therefore, an excessive rise in the temperature of the rear drive unit 30 is further prevented or suppressed. 【0025】 In this embodiment, the rear drive unit 30 further includes an electrical unit 36 ​​that controls the power supplied to the motor 32. In this case, the electrical unit 36 ​​is located behind the motor 32. When the electrical unit 36 ​​is located behind the motor 32, the airflow AF supplied to the rear drive unit 30 from the front of the vehicle is easily obstructed. However, with the above configuration, at least a portion of the airflow AF supplied to the rear drive unit 30 from the front of the vehicle can pass through at least one vent 40 provided in the reinforcing member 38 and flow smoothly to the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, even when the electrical unit 36 ​​is located behind the motor 32, obstruction of the airflow AF is avoided or suppressed. 【0026】 In this embodiment, the vehicle body 12 includes a rear gigacast material 18. As mentioned above, the rear gigacast material 18 is formed integrally from multiple parts by a relatively large clamping force. Therefore, when the vehicle body 12 includes the rear gigacast material 18, the gaps in the vehicle body 12 are reduced compared to a structure composed of multiple parts. This makes it easier for the airflow AF supplied to the rear drive unit 30 to be obstructed. However, with the above configuration, at least a portion of the airflow AF supplied to the rear drive unit 30 from the front of the vehicle can pass through at least one vent 40 provided in the reinforcing member 38 and flow smoothly to the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, even when the vehicle body 12 includes the rear gigacast material 18, obstruction of the airflow AF is avoided or suppressed. 【0027】 In this embodiment, the rear gigacast material 18 is integrally molded with a pair of rear side members 20 extending in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, a rear cross member 22 extending in the vehicle's width direction between the pair of rear side members 20, and a pair of rear fender aprons 24 extending in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. In addition to the three components described above, the rear gigacast material 18 may also have other components integrally molded with it. 【0028】 In this embodiment, the ventilation opening 40 of the reinforcing member 38 has a rectangular shape. However, the ventilation opening 40 may have various shapes, as long as it is provided in a position facing at least a part of the portion where the motor 32 is housed. For example, as shown in Figure 5A, the ventilation opening 40 may have a circular shape. As shown in Figure 5B, the ventilation opening 40 may have an elliptical shape. As shown in Figure 5C, the ventilation opening 40 may have a triangular shape. Also, as shown in Figure 5D, the ventilation opening 40 may have a polygonal shape, and at least one of its corners may be rounded. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5E and 5F, the reinforcing member 38 may have two or more ventilation openings 40. In this case, as shown in Figure 5E, the two or more ventilation openings 40 may include two or more ventilation openings of the same shape, or as shown in Figure 5F, the two or more ventilation openings 40 may include two or more ventilation openings of different shapes. Thus, at least one of the vents 40 may have a circular, elliptical, and / or polygonal shape. 【0029】 In this embodiment, the front drive unit 28 and the rear drive unit 30 have a common structure. However, the front drive unit 28 and the rear drive unit 30 do not necessarily have a common structure. That is, in other embodiments, the front drive unit 28 may have a different structure from the rear drive unit 30 insofar as it drives a pair of front wheels 14f. 【0030】 In this embodiment, the electric vehicle 10 includes a front drive unit 28 and a rear drive unit 30. However, the electric vehicle 10 does not necessarily need to include a front drive unit 28. That is, in other embodiments, the electric vehicle 10 may include only a rear drive unit 30. 【0031】 Although several specific examples have been described in detail above, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes to the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or in the drawings exhibit technical usefulness individually or in combination. [Explanation of Symbols] 【0032】 10: Electric vehicle, 12: Body, 12c: Passenger compartment, 14f, 14r: Wheels, 16: Front Gigacast material, 18: Rear Gigacast material, 20: Rear side member, 22: Rear cross member, 24: Rear fender apron, 26: Battery pack, 28: Front drive unit, 30: Rear drive unit, 32: Motor, 34: Gear mechanism, 36: Electrical unit, 38: Reinforcement member, 40: Ventilation opening

Claims

[Claim 1] It is an electric vehicle, The car body and, Multiple wheels supported by the aforementioned vehicle body, A drive unit having a motor that drives at least one of the plurality of wheels, A plate-shaped reinforcing member extends above the drive unit in the vehicle width direction, with both ends connected to the vehicle body, Equipped with, The drive unit is supported by the vehicle body in such a manner that it is supplied with airflow from the front of the vehicle. The reinforcing member is provided with at least one ventilation opening at a position opposite to the portion housing the motor. Electric vehicle. [Claim 2] The drive unit further comprises an electrical unit that controls the power supplied to the motor, The aforementioned electrical unit is located at the rear of the vehicle relative to the motor. The electric vehicle according to claim 1. [Claim 3] The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body includes Gigacast material. [Claim 4] The electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the Gigacast material integrally molds a pair of side members extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a cross member extending between the pair of side members in the vehicle width direction, and a pair of fender aprons extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. [Claim 5] The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the vents has a circular, elliptical, and / or polygonal shape.

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