Vehicle and battery support device
The vehicle's battery modules are displaced to optimize weight distribution and energy use, addressing inefficiencies and enhancing performance through regenerative braking and weight distribution.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SUBARU CORP
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-22
Smart Images
Figure 2026100914000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0006] , , ,
[0005] , ,
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle having a battery mounted under the floor of the vehicle and a battery support device.
Background Art
[0002] An electric vehicle that uses a rechargeable battery as a power source and travels by drive torque output from a drive motor has been put into practical use. In such an electric vehicle, increasing the battery loading amount is effective for extending the cruising range. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle having a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules mounted under the floor of the vehicle.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] However, increasing the battery loading amount increases the mass of the entire vehicle and reduces the power consumption efficiency. The reduction in power consumption rate can be contrary to the purpose of extending the cruising range of the vehicle. Also, although it is known that when the weight load applied to the axle of the rear wheels of the vehicle body is large, the climbing performance and the performance of traveling on rough roads can be improved, when the battery is arranged under the floor of the vehicle, there is a possibility that the mass of the battery cannot contribute to an increase in the weight load applied to the axle of the rear wheels.
[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to suppress a decrease in power consumption efficiency due to the mass of the battery and to utilize the mass of the battery for improving the traveling performance of the vehicle.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided comprising: a plurality of battery modules; a drive motor that outputs a driving torque for the vehicle using the output power of the plurality of battery modules; a potential energy storage mechanism that supports at least a portion of the plurality of battery modules so as to be displaceable between a first position under the floor of the vehicle and a second position located rearward and diagonally upward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the first position; a displacement mechanism that displaces at least a portion of the battery modules from the first position towards the second position; and one or more control devices that control the drive motor and the displacement mechanism, wherein at least a portion of the battery modules are displaced from the second position towards the first position by their own weight, and the one or more control devices regenerate the drive motor by utilizing the change in potential energy when at least a portion of the battery modules are displaced from the second position towards the first position.
[0007] To solve the above problems, according to another aspect of this disclosure, a battery support device is provided comprising: a potential energy storage mechanism that supports at least a portion of a plurality of battery modules mounted on a vehicle so as to be displaceable between a first position under the floor of the vehicle and a second position located rearward and diagonally upward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the first position; and a displacement mechanism that displaces at least a portion of the battery modules from the first position toward the second position, wherein the displacement mechanism has a rotation axis that rotates as the at least a portion of the battery modules are displaced by their own weight from the second position toward the first position. [Effects of the Invention]
[0008] As explained above, this disclosure makes it possible to suppress the decrease in power consumption efficiency due to the mass of the battery and to utilize the mass of the battery to improve the driving performance of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0009] [Figure 1]This is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the drivetrain of a vehicle according to the same embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a battery support device according to the same embodiment. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram showing how the first battery pack is displaced from a first position to a second position in the battery support device according to the same embodiment. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing how the first battery pack is displaced from a first position to a second position by the output of the drive motor in the battery support device according to the same embodiment. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing how the first battery pack is displaced from a first position to a second position due to its own weight in the battery support device according to the same embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control device provided in a vehicle according to the same embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing the battery displacement processing by the control device provided in the vehicle according to the same embodiment. [Figure 9] This is an explanatory diagram showing how the first battery pack is displaced from a first position to a second position by battery displacement processing performed by a control device provided in the vehicle according to the same embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart showing the motor regeneration process performed by a control device provided in a vehicle according to the same embodiment. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram showing how a first battery pack provided in the vehicle according to the same embodiment is displaced from a first position to a second position. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart showing the emergency recovery process by the control device provided in the vehicle according to the same embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the drivetrain of a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14]It is an explanatory drawing schematically showing an example of a battery support device according to the same embodiment. [Figure 15] It is an explanatory drawing showing a state in which the first battery pack is displaced from the first position toward the second position due to the distortion of the vehicle body in the battery support device according to the same embodiment.
Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The specific dimensions, materials, numerical values, etc. shown in the following embodiments are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted. In each figure, the X-axis indicates the vehicle width direction with the right side direction of the vehicle body as the positive direction, the Y-axis indicates the front-rear direction with the rearward direction of the vehicle body as the positive direction, and the Z-axis indicates the height direction with the upward direction of the vehicle body as the positive direction.
[0011] <<1. First Embodiment>> <1-1. Configuration of Vehicle> First, a schematic configuration of a vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.
[0012] FIG. 1 is an explanatory drawing schematically showing the configuration of a vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment. The vehicle 1 includes an electric drive unit 10, a propeller shaft 19, a rear wheel differential device 20, a battery unit 30, and a battery support device 40. The electric drive unit 10 includes a drive motor (not shown) that is driven by the electric power supplied from the battery unit 30 and outputs the drive torque of the vehicle 1.
[0013] The electric drive unit 10 includes a front wheel side differential mechanism and a disconnect mechanism (not shown). The front wheel side differential mechanism distributes the output of the drive motor distributed to the front wheel side to the left and right front wheels. The disconnect mechanism switches the transmission of the output of the drive motor to the front wheel side.
[0014] The propeller shaft 19 transmits the output torque of the drive motor to the rear-wheel differential device 20. The rear-wheel differential device 20 includes a rear-wheel side differential mechanism (not shown) and distributes the output of the drive motor distributed to the rear-wheel side to the left and right rear wheels.
[0015] The battery unit 30 includes a rechargeable secondary battery and is provided under the floor of the vehicle 1. In the present embodiment, the battery unit 30 includes a first battery pack 31 located on the rear side and a second battery pack 33 located on the front side. The first battery pack 31 and the second battery pack 33 each include a plurality of battery modules in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and a battery controller that manages the voltage, output current, remaining capacity, temperature, etc. of the battery module. The battery controller may be provided in both the first battery pack 31 and the second battery pack 33, or may be provided in either one of them.
[0016] The battery support device 40 has a configuration that supports at least a part of the plurality of battery modules included in the battery unit 30. In the present embodiment, the battery support device 40 supports the first battery pack 31, which is a part of the battery unit 30. The battery support device 40 supports the first battery pack 31 so as to be displaceable between a first position (the position shown in the figure) under the floor of the vehicle 1 and a second position located rearward and obliquely upward in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1 with respect to the first position. The battery support device 40 includes a clutch (a third clutch described later) not shown that can disconnect and connect the transmission of the rotation of the propeller shaft 19.
[0017] The control device 100 comprises a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and memory elements such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The processor executes a computer program to control the drive of the electric drive unit 10, the rear wheel differential gear 20, and the battery support device 40. The computer program is a program that causes the processor to execute the operations that the control device 100 should perform, which will be described later. The computer program executed by the processor may be recorded on a recording medium that functions as a storage unit 105, which will be described later, or on another recording medium built into the control device 100 or on any external recording medium that can be attached to the control device 100.
[0018] Recording media for storing computer programs may include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks), and Blu-ray®; magneto-optical media such as floppy disks; memory elements such as RAM and ROM; flash memory such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory and SSDs (Solid State Drives); and other media capable of storing programs.
[0019] Although the illustrated control device 100 is shown as a single block, it may be configured with multiple control devices connected to each other in a manner that allows them to communicate with one another. Furthermore, part or all of the control device 100 may be composed of updatable components such as firmware, or it may be a program module that is executed by commands from a CPU or the like.
[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the drivetrain of vehicle 1 shown in Figure 1. The electric drive unit 10 comprises a drive motor 11, a front wheel differential mechanism 12, right-angle gears 14, and a first clutch (disconnect mechanism) 15. The drive motor 11 is, for example, a known three-phase AC radial motor, and is driven by power supplied from a battery unit 30 via an inverter (not shown).
[0021] The front-wheel differential mechanism 12 includes known differential gears connected to the left and right front wheels 3, and distributes the output of the drive motor 11 distributed to the front wheels to the left and right front wheels 3. The front-wheel differential mechanism 12 has a configuration that allows for differential rotation between the left and right front wheels 3, for example, when turning or driving on rough roads. The front-wheel differential mechanism 12 is connected to the propeller shaft 19 via orthogonal gears 14. The front-wheel differential mechanism 12 has a configuration that allows for differential rotation between the front wheels and the rear wheels according to the ratio of the drive torque transmitted to the rear wheels.
[0022] The first clutch 15 is provided in the power transmission path between the front wheel differential mechanism 12 and the left front wheel 3, and its engagement and disengagement are switched by the control device 100. The first clutch 15 switches whether or not the output of the drive motor 11 is transmitted to the front wheels. That is, when the first clutch 15 is disengaged (disconnected), the transmission of power from the front wheel differential mechanism 12 to the left and right front wheels 3 is cut off. The first clutch 15 may also be provided in the power transmission path between the front wheel differential mechanism 12 and the right front wheel 3. The first clutch 15 is not particularly limited as long as it has a configuration that can switch the transmission of power on or off. The first clutch 15 may be a known clutch such as a dog clutch or a disconnect clutch.
[0023] The rear-wheel differential 20 comprises a rear-wheel differential mechanism 21 and a second clutch 23. The rear-wheel differential mechanism 21 includes known differential gears connected to the left and right rear wheels 5 and distributes the output of the drive motor 11, transmitted via the propeller shaft 19, to the left and right rear wheels 5. The rear-wheel differential mechanism 21 is configured to generate differential rotation between the left and right rear wheels 5, for example, when turning or driving on rough roads.
[0024] The second clutch 23 is provided in the power transmission path between the propeller shaft 19 and the rear wheel differential mechanism 21, and is driven by the control device 100 to continuously change the torque transmission capacity to the rear wheels between zero (open) and 100 (directly connected). The second clutch 23 has the function of absorbing the difference in rotation between the front wheels and the rear wheels, and also adjusting the transmission ratio of drive torque to the rear wheels. The second clutch 23 may be a known transfer clutch, such as a multi-plate clutch.
[0025] The battery support device 40 includes a potential energy storage mechanism 50 and a displacement mechanism 60. The battery support device 40 is connected to the propeller shaft 19 via a gear mechanism 41 and joints 45a and 45b. The gear mechanism 41 has a first gear 42 provided on the propeller shaft 19 and a second gear 43 that meshes with the first gear 42. The rotation axis 44 of the second gear 43 is connected to the rotation axis 61 of the battery support device 40 via joints 45a and 45b. The joints 45a and 45b may be, for example, constant velocity joints that absorb relative motion. In Figure 2, the joints 45a and 45b are shown with their axes offset for illustrative purposes, but the joints 45a and 45b may be provided coaxially.
[0026] <1-2. Battery support device> Next, the battery support device 40 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of the battery support device 40, and shows the battery support device 40 shown in Figure 2 as viewed from the left side of Figure 2 (front side of the vehicle body) along the axial direction of the rotation axis 61.
[0027] The potential energy storage mechanism 50 of the battery support device 40 supports the first battery pack 31 so as to be displaceable between a first position under the floor of the vehicle 1 and a second position located rearward and diagonally upward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1 relative to the first position. The potential energy storage mechanism 50 includes a first pin 51, a second pin 53, a first guide groove 55, and a second guide groove 57. The first guide groove 55 and the second guide groove 57 are provided on two opposing sides of the case 35 of the first battery pack 31.
[0028] The first pin 51 is integrally provided with the rack 65 of the displacement mechanism 60 and engages with the first guide groove 55 so as to be slidable within the first guide groove 55. The first pin 51 moves up and down in accordance with the vertical movement of the rack 65. The second pin 53 is fixed to the vehicle body structure 7, such as a cross member, and engages with the second guide groove 57 so as to be slidable within the second guide groove 57.
[0029] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the potential energy storage mechanism 50. Figure 4 is a view of the case 35 and potential energy storage mechanism 50 of the first battery pack 31 shown in Figure 3, as seen from the direction of arrow A, and the first pin 51, second pin 53, first guide groove 55, and second guide groove 57 located on the two sides of the case 35 are all shown as solid lines.
[0030] The first guide groove 55, into which the first pin 51 engages, extends along the front-rear direction while maintaining a constant height. The second guide groove 57, into which the second pin 53 engages, extends along the front-rear direction, inclined so that its height increases from the front to the rear in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. When the first pin 51 and the second pin 53 are located at the rear ends of the first guide groove 55 and the second guide groove 57, respectively, the first battery pack 31 (case 35) is in the first position.
[0031] When the first pin 51 moves upward from this state, the height position of the first pin 51 approaches the height position of the second pin 53, and the distance between the first pin 51 and the second pin 53 decreases. As a result, the first pin 51 and the second pin 53 slide relative to each other forward within the first guide groove 55 and the second guide groove 57, respectively. This causes the first battery pack 31 (case 35) to move upward and backward at the same time, and the first battery pack 31 (case 35) is displaced from the first position to the second position. When the vehicle 1 is on a horizontal road surface, the second position is higher than the first position, so by displacing the first battery pack 31 from the first position to the second position, potential energy can be accumulated.
[0032] Furthermore, the displacement mechanism 60 of the battery support device 40 displaces the first battery pack 31, which is supported by the potential energy storage mechanism 50, from a first position to a second position. In the first embodiment, the displacement mechanism 60 of the battery support device 40 displaces the first battery pack 31 from a first position to a second position by the drive torque output from the drive motor 11. The displacement mechanism 60 also has a rotating shaft 61 that rotates as a result of the displacement of the first battery pack 31 from a second position to a first position, and the drive motor 11 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shaft 61.
[0033] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the displacement mechanism 60 comprises a rotating shaft 61, a third gear 63, a rack 65, and a locking device 67. The third gear 63 is mounted on the rotating shaft 61. The rotating shaft 61, on which the third gear 63 is mounted, is connected to the rotating shaft 44 of the gear mechanism 41 via a planetary gear mechanism 48 and a third clutch 47. Therefore, the rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 and the propeller shaft 19 are connected in a way that allows them to transmit rotation to each other.
[0034] The third gear 63 meshes with a rack 65 on which the first pin 51 is integrally mounted. The teeth of the rack 65 in the area that meshes with the third gear 63 have a trapezoidal shape and mesh with the involute tooth profile of the third gear 63. Therefore, the displacement mechanism 60 converts the bidirectional rotation of the third gear 63 around its axis into the vertical movement of the rack 65.
[0035] The locking device 67 locks the rack 65 in a predetermined position. That is, the locking device 67 has the function of maintaining the position of the first battery pack 31. The locking device 67 comprises a piston that is constantly biased toward the rack 65 by, for example, a spring, and a solenoid actuator that retracts the piston. The lower surface of the teeth of the rack 65 in the area facing the piston of the locking device 67 has a horizontal planar shape, while the upper surface is inclined downward toward the tips of the teeth.
[0036] The piston is constantly biased toward the rack 65, so that when the rack 65 moves upward, the tip of the piston moves back and forth along the tooth surface of the rack 65, engaging with the teeth of the rack 65 and fixing the position of the rack 65. In other words, the piston of the locking device 67 does not obstruct the upward movement of the rack 65. Furthermore, since the lower surface of the teeth of the rack 65 has a horizontal planar shape, even if the weight of the rack 65 is applied to the piston, the tip of the piston will not detach from the rack 65. In this state, when the control device 100 drives the solenoid actuator to retract the piston, the locking of the rack 65 is released. However, the locking device 67 is not limited to the above example as long as it is driven by the control device 100 to switch between locking and releasing the rack 65.
[0037] Figures 5 and 6 show the operation of the displacement mechanism 60. Figure 5 shows the operation in which the rotation shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 is rotated by the drive torque output from the drive motor 11, and Figure 6 shows the operation in which the propeller shaft 19 is rotated by the displacement of the first battery pack 31.
[0038] When the control device 100 drives the drive motor 11 with the third clutch 47 engaged, the rotation of the drive motor 11 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 via the propeller shaft 19 and the gear mechanism 41. As shown in Figure 5, the rotating shaft 61 and the third gear 63 rotate clockwise as the propeller shaft 19 rotates, and the rack 65 moves upward. At this time, the piston, which is always biased toward the rack 65, moves back and forth along the tooth surface of the rack 65, so the piston of the locking device 67 does not obstruct the upward movement of the rack 65. As a result, the first pin 51 moves upward, and the first battery pack 31 is displaced from the first position toward the second position. Furthermore, since the lower surface of the teeth of the rack 65 has a horizontal planar shape, even if the weight of the rack 65 is applied to the piston, the tip of the piston does not come off the rack 65. In this way, the first battery pack 31 is fixed in an appropriate position by the locking device 67.
[0039] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6, when the control device 100 releases the locking device 67 from fixing the rack 65, the first battery pack 31 is displaced from the second position to the first position due to its own weight. As a result, the rack 65 moves downward, causing the third gear 63 and the rotating shaft 61 to rotate counterclockwise, and the rotation of the rotating shaft 61 is transmitted to the propeller shaft 19 via the gear mechanism 41. The rotation of the propeller shaft 19 is further transmitted as a force to rotate the drive motor 11. In other words, the control device 100 enables regenerative braking of the drive motor 11.
[0040] <1-3. Control Device> Next, the control device 100 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the part of the control device 100 related to the function of regenerating the drive motor 11 by utilizing the change in the potential energy of the first battery pack 31.
[0041] The control device 100 comprises a processing unit 101 and a storage unit 105. The processing unit 101 is composed of one or more processors such as CPUs. The storage unit 105 is composed of one or more storage devices configured to communicate with the processing unit 101. The storage unit 105 stores programs executed by the processing unit 101, parameters used for various calculations, and information on calculation results. A portion of the storage unit 105 is used as the work area of the processing unit 101.
[0042] The control device 100 is connected to the switch 111, tilt sensor 113, vehicle speed sensor 115, and position sensor 117 via a dedicated line or a communication means such as CAN (Controller Area Network) to enable communication. The control device 100 is also connected to the map data 119 and the driver assistance device 121 via a dedicated line or a communication means such as CAN to enable communication. Furthermore, the control device 100 is configured to output drive commands to the drive motor 11, locking device 67, first clutch 15, second clutch 23, and third clutch 47 via a dedicated line or a communication means such as CAN.
[0043] Switch 111 is a physical switch or touch panel that can be operated by an occupant such as a driver. Switch 111 is operated when an occupant wants to improve the vehicle's climbing ability or off-road capability, for example, by displacing the first battery pack 31 from a first position to a second position. Switch 111 outputs a signal to the control device 100 indicating that switch 111 has been operated.
[0044] The tilt sensor 113 is a known sensor for measuring the tilt of the vehicle 1. The tilt sensor 113 measures the tilt of the vehicle 1 in at least the longitudinal direction and outputs a signal to the control device 100 corresponding to the tilt angle.
[0045] The vehicle speed sensor 115 is a well-known sensor for measuring vehicle speed. The vehicle speed sensor 115 outputs a signal to the control device 100 corresponding to the vehicle speed.
[0046] The position sensor 117 is a sensor that measures the position of vehicle 1 on a map. The position sensor 117 acquires satellite signals from a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), such as GPS (Global Positioning System), and outputs the acquired position data to the control device 100. The position data includes, for example, latitude and longitude information.
[0047] Map data 119 is data that records at least road information along with latitude and longitude information. The road information includes information on the uphill or downhill slope of the road at each point.
[0048] The driver assistance device 121 is a control device that assists the driving of vehicle 1 based on detection information from surrounding sensors 123 such as a camera, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), radar sensor, and ultrasonic sensor. The driver assistance device 121 acquires information on the distance and relative speed between vehicle 1 and at least a following vehicle or obstacle behind vehicle 1, and detects a collision from the rear of vehicle 1. When the driver assistance device 121 detects a collision from the rear of vehicle 1, it outputs a signal to the control device 100 indicating a risk of collision.
[0049] The processing unit 101 includes a battery displacement processing unit 102, a motor regeneration processing unit 103, and an emergency recovery processing unit 104. The functions of each of these units are realized by the execution of a computer program by the processor. Note that some of the battery displacement processing unit 102, motor regeneration processing unit 103, and emergency recovery processing unit 104 may be configured using hardware such as analog circuits.
[0050] The battery displacement processing unit 102 performs a process to displace the first battery pack 31 from a first position to a second position. In this embodiment, after detecting that the vehicle 1 is traveling uphill and the vehicle 1 stops, the battery displacement processing unit 102 makes it possible to transmit the drive torque output from the drive motor 11 to the rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60. The battery displacement processing unit 102 then rotates the rotating shaft 61 using the drive torque output from the drive motor 11 to displace the first battery pack 31 from a first position to a second position.
[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the battery displacement processing unit 102 is capable of transmitting the drive torque output from the drive motor 11 to the rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 in accordance with the operation of the switch 111 by the occupant, and the drive torque output from the drive motor 11 displaces the first battery pack 31 from the first position to the second position.
[0052] The motor regeneration processing unit 103 performs a process to regenerate the drive motor 11 by utilizing the change in potential energy when the first battery pack 31 is displaced from the second position to the first position. The motor regeneration processing unit 103 makes it possible to transmit the rotation of the rotation shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 to the drive motor 11, activates the locking device 67 to release the position holding of the first battery pack 31, and displaces the first battery pack 31 from the second position to the first position by its own weight. Then, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 regenerates the drive motor 11 while the drive motor 11 rotates in response to the change in the potential energy of the first battery pack 31.
[0053] For example, when the vehicle 1 stops on a road surface with an uphill incline angle below a predetermined threshold while the first battery pack 31 has been displaced from the first position to the second position, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 displaces the first battery pack 31 by its own weight from the second position to the first position, thereby regenerating power from the drive motor 11.
[0054] The emergency recovery processing unit 104, when the driving support device 121 detects a rearward collision while the first battery pack 31 has been displaced from the first position to the second position, enables the transmission of the drive torque output from the drive motor 11 to the rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60. The emergency recovery processing unit 104 then uses the drive torque output from the drive motor 11 to rotate the rotating shaft 61, returning the first battery pack 31 from the second position to the first position.
[0055] <1-4. Example of Operation> Next, an example of the operation of the vehicle according to this embodiment will be described.
[0056] (1-4-1. Battery displacement processing) Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of battery displacement processing by the battery displacement processing unit 102 of the control device 100. First, the battery displacement processing unit 102 determines whether or not the vehicle 1 is traveling uphill while the vehicle 1 is in motion (step S11). For example, the battery displacement processing unit 102 determines that the vehicle 1 is traveling uphill when it is predicted that the vehicle 1 will travel uphill for a predetermined distance or longer on an uphill slope where the incline angle exceeds a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold for the incline angle may be set to any appropriate value considering the effect of improving the uphill performance by loading the mass of the first battery pack 31 onto the axle of the rear wheel 5 of the vehicle 1. The predetermined distance of the uphill slope may also be set to any appropriate value considering the balance between the regenerated power obtained by displacing the first battery pack 31 and regenerating the drive motor 11 and the power consumed.
[0057] The battery displacement processing unit 102 determines the incline angle for uphill driving based on, for example, the sensor signal from the tilt sensor 113. The battery displacement processing unit 102 may also refer to map data and obtain the incline angle of the vehicle 1's current position, which is determined based on the sensor signal from the position sensor 117, to determine the incline angle for uphill driving. Alternatively, the battery displacement processing unit 102 may refer to map data and obtain information on the incline angle of the road that the vehicle 1 is scheduled to travel on to determine the distance uphill. The battery displacement processing unit 102 may also determine the distance uphill based on measurement information from surrounding sensors 123, such as a camera.
[0058] If the battery displacement processing unit 102 determines that vehicle 1 is traveling uphill (S11 / Yes), it proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if the battery displacement processing unit 102 does not determine that vehicle 1 is traveling uphill (S11 / No), it determines whether the switch 111 has been switched to displace the first battery pack 31 from the first position to the second position (step S12). Step S11 is the process of determining whether it is effective for the control device 100 to displace the first battery pack 31 from the first position to the second position. In contrast, in step S12, the battery displacement processing unit 102 determines whether the occupant operated the switch 111 to improve the vehicle 1's uphill performance or off-road capability.
[0059] If the battery displacement processing unit 102 does not determine that the switch 111 has been switched (S12 / No), it returns to step S11. On the other hand, if the battery displacement processing unit 102 determines that the switch 111 has been switched (S12 / Yes), it proceeds to the process in step S13.
[0060] In step S13, the battery displacement processing unit 102 determines whether the vehicle speed is zero or not (step S13). The battery displacement processing unit 102 determines whether the vehicle speed is zero or not based on, for example, the sensor signal from the vehicle speed sensor 115. If the battery displacement processing unit 102 does not determine that the vehicle speed is zero (S13 / No), it returns to step S11.
[0061] On the other hand, if the battery displacement processing unit 102 determines that the vehicle speed is zero (S13 / Yes), it disengages the first clutch 15 and the second clutch 23 while engaging the third clutch 47 (step S15). For example, the battery displacement processing unit 102 outputs a drive command to the hydraulic control unit that operates the first clutch 15, the second clutch 23, and the third clutch 47, switching the engagement and disengagement of the first clutch 15, the second clutch 23, and the third clutch 47. As a result, the output of the drive motor 11 is not transmitted to the front wheels 3 and the rear wheels 5, but is transmitted to the rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 of the battery support device 40.
[0062] Next, the battery displacement processing unit 102 drives the drive motor 11 to displace the first battery pack 31 from the first position to the second position (step S17). For example, the battery displacement processing unit 102 outputs a drive command to the inverter that controls the power supplied to the drive motor 11, thereby powering the drive motor 11. The position of the first battery pack 31 is held at the second position by the engagement of the piston of the locking device 67 with the teeth of the rack 65 of the displacement mechanism 60, which moves upward in conjunction with the displacement of the first battery pack 31.
[0063] For example, the battery displacement processing unit 102 rotates the drive motor 11 at a preset rotational speed for a predetermined time, and then stops driving the drive motor 11. The battery displacement processing unit 102 may also stop driving the drive motor 11 when it detects that the first battery pack 31 has moved to a second position using a sensor that detects the position of the first battery pack 31. Alternatively, the battery displacement processing unit 102 may stop driving the drive motor 11 when the first battery pack 31 has moved to a second position and the load (rotational resistance) on the drive motor 11 has increased.
[0064] Next, the battery displacement processing unit 102 engages the first clutch 15 and the second clutch 23 while disengaging the third clutch 47 (step S19). For example, the battery displacement processing unit 102 outputs a drive command to the hydraulic control unit that operates the first clutch 15, the second clutch 23, and the third clutch 47, and switches the engagement and disengagement of the first clutch 15, the second clutch 23, and the third clutch 47. In this manner, the battery displacement processing unit 102 completes the battery displacement processing.
[0065] Figure 9 shows how the first battery pack 31 is displaced from a first position P1 to a second position P2 on a road R where the incline angle exceeds a predetermined threshold. As a result, the vertical position of the first battery pack 31 on the vehicle body rises, and potential energy is accumulated. In addition, because the first battery pack 31 moves to the rear of the vehicle body, the weight load on the axle of the rear wheel 5 increases, and the mass of the first battery pack 31 can be utilized to improve the climbing performance of the vehicle 1. On an uphill slope, the vertical height difference between the first position and the second position becomes small, so the first battery pack 31 can be displaced from the first position P1 to the second position P2 at an angle close to horizontal without consuming a large amount of power from the drive motor 11.
[0066] Although not shown in the diagram, even when the first battery pack 31 is displaced from the first position P1 to the second position P2 due to the occupant operating the switch 111, the position of the first battery pack 31 in the height direction of the vehicle body rises, and potential energy is accumulated. In addition, as the first battery pack 31 moves to the rear of the vehicle body, the weight load on the axle of the rear wheel 5 increases, and the mass of the first battery pack 31 can be utilized to improve the off-road capability of the vehicle 1.
[0067] (1-4-2. Motor regeneration process) Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of motor regeneration processing by the motor regeneration processing unit 103 of the control device 100. First, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 determines whether the first battery pack 31 is in the second position while the vehicle 1 is running (step S21). For example, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 determines that the first battery pack 31 is in the second position if there is a history of the battery displacement processing unit 102 displacing the first battery pack 31 to the second position. The motor regeneration processing unit 103 may also detect that the first battery pack 31 is in the second position using a sensor that detects the position of the first battery pack 31.
[0068] If the motor regeneration processing unit 103 does not determine that the first battery pack 31 is in the second position (S21 / No), it repeats the determination in step S21. On the other hand, if the motor regeneration processing unit 103 determines that the first battery pack 31 is in the second position (S21 / Yes), it determines whether the vehicle speed is zero or not (step S23). The motor regeneration processing unit 103 determines whether the vehicle speed is zero or not based, for example, on the sensor signal of the vehicle speed sensor 115.
[0069] If the motor regeneration processing unit 103 does not determine that the vehicle speed is zero (S23 / No), it returns to step S21. On the other hand, if the motor regeneration processing unit 103 determines that the vehicle speed is zero (S23 / Yes), it determines whether the uphill incline angle is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold θ0 (step S25). For example, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 determines that the uphill incline angle is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold θ0 when it is predicted that a road with an uphill incline angle of less than or equal to a predetermined threshold θ0 continues for a predetermined distance or longer. The predetermined threshold for the uphill incline angle may be the same as the threshold used in step S11 described above.
[0070] The motor regeneration processing unit 103 may determine the uphill incline angle based on, for example, the sensor signal from the tilt sensor 113, or it may determine the uphill incline angle by referring to map data. Alternatively, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 may refer to map data to obtain information on the road's incline angle and determine the distance of the road where the uphill incline angle is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold θ0, or it may determine the distance of the road where the uphill incline angle is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold θ0 based on measurement information from surrounding sensors 123 such as a camera.
[0071] If the motor regeneration processing unit 103 does not determine that the uphill incline angle is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold θ0 (S25 / No), it returns to step S21. On the other hand, if the motor regeneration processing unit 103 determines that the uphill incline angle is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold θ0 (S25 / Yes), it releases the first clutch 15 and the second clutch 23 while engaging the third clutch 47 (step S27). For example, the battery displacement processing unit 102 outputs a drive command to the hydraulic control unit that operates the first clutch 15, the second clutch 23, and the third clutch 47, and switches the engagement and disengagement of the first clutch 15, the second clutch 23, and the third clutch 47. As a result, the rotation of the rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 is not transmitted to the front wheels 3 and the rear wheels 5, but is transmitted to the drive motor 11.
[0072] Next, the motor regeneration unit 103 releases the locking device 67 (step S29). For example, the motor regeneration unit 103 retracts the piston of the locking device 67, disengaging the rack 65 from the piston. As a result, the first battery pack 31 is displaced from the second position towards the first position due to its own weight.
[0073] Next, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 regenerates power from the drive motor 11 by utilizing the change in potential energy of the first battery pack 31 (step S31). For example, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 outputs a drive command to the inverter that controls the drive of the drive motor 11, thereby regenerating power from the drive motor 11. The motor regeneration processing unit 103 charges the battery unit 30 with the power generated by regeneration.
[0074] Next, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 engages the first clutch 15 and the second clutch 23 while disengaging the third clutch 47 (step S33). For example, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 outputs a drive command to the hydraulic control unit that operates the first clutch 15, the second clutch 23, and the third clutch 47, and switches the engagement and disengagement of the first clutch 15, the second clutch 23, and the third clutch 47. In this manner, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 completes the motor regeneration process.
[0075] Figure 11 shows how the first battery pack 31 is displaced from the second position P2 to the first position P1 due to its own weight on a road R where the uphill slope angle is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold θ0. As a result, the first battery pack 31 returns to its position under the floor of the vehicle 1, improving the handling stability of the vehicle 1 when traveling on a flat road and enhancing the safety of the battery unit 30 in the event of a rear-end collision. At this time, as the position of the first battery pack 31 in the height direction of the vehicle body decreases, the potential energy of the first battery pack 31 is converted into rotational energy and transmitted to the propeller shaft 19. While the drive motor 11 rotates with this rotational energy, the drive motor 11 regenerates power, and the generated power charges the battery unit 30. This allows the mass of the first battery pack 31 to be utilized to improve power consumption efficiency and, consequently, to improve the driving range of the vehicle 1.
[0076] (1-4-3. Emergency recovery process) Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of emergency recovery processing by the emergency recovery processing unit 104 of the control device 100. First, similar to step S21 described above, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 determines whether the first battery pack 31 is in the second position while the vehicle 1 is in motion (step S41). If the emergency recovery processing unit 104 does not determine that the first battery pack 31 is in the second position (S41 / No), it repeats the determination in step S41.
[0077] On the other hand, if the emergency recovery processing unit 104 determines that the first battery pack 31 is in the second position (S41 / Yes), it determines whether or not a collision from the rear of vehicle 1 has been detected (step S43). For example, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 determines that a collision from the rear of vehicle 1 has been detected when the driver assistance device 121 outputs a signal or message indicating that a collision from the rear of vehicle 1 has been detected. If the control device 100 has a collision detection function, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 may determine whether or not a collision from the rear of vehicle 1 is likely to occur based on the detection results of the surrounding sensor 123.
[0078] If the emergency recovery processing unit 104 does not determine that a collision from the rear of vehicle 1 has been detected (S43 / No), it returns to step S41. On the other hand, if the emergency recovery processing unit 104 determines that a collision from the rear of vehicle 1 has been detected (S43 / Yes), it releases the first clutch 15 and the second clutch 23 while engaging the third clutch 47 (step S45). For example, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 outputs a drive command to the hydraulic control unit that operates the first clutch 15, the second clutch 23, and the third clutch 47, and switches the engagement and disengagement of the first clutch 15, the second clutch 23, and the third clutch 47. As a result, the output of the drive motor 11 is not transmitted to the front wheels 3 and the rear wheels 5, but is transmitted to the rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 of the battery support device 40.
[0079] Next, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 releases the locking device 67, similar to step S47 described above (step S47).
[0080] Next, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 drives the drive motor 11 to return the first battery pack 31 from the second position to the first position (step S49). For example, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 outputs a drive command to the inverter that controls the power supplied to the drive motor 11, and drives the drive motor 11. At this time, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 rotates the drive motor 11 in the opposite direction to when the first battery pack 31 was displaced from the first position to the second position in step S17 described above. As a result, the first battery pack 31 is forcibly and quickly returned from the second position to the first position.
[0081] For example, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 rotates the drive motor 11 at a preset rotational speed for a predetermined time, and then stops driving the drive motor 11. The emergency recovery processing unit 104 may also stop driving the drive motor 11 when it detects that the first battery pack 31 has returned to the first position using a sensor that detects the position of the first battery pack 31. Alternatively, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 may stop driving the drive motor 11 when the first battery pack 31 has returned to the first position and the load (rotational resistance) on the drive motor 11 has increased.
[0082] As described above, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 completes the emergency recovery process. This reduces the risk of damage to the first battery pack 31 from a rear-end collision with the vehicle 1.
[0083] The emergency recovery process is performed to protect the first battery pack 31 when the possibility of a collision from the rear of vehicle 1 is detected, and it is desirable that the execution be completed before a collision occurs. For this reason, the emergency recovery processing unit 104 may be configured to execute the emergency recovery process when the relative speed between vehicle 1 and a following vehicle or obstacle behind vehicle 1 is below an arbitrarily set threshold.
[0084] <1-5. Effects> As described above, the vehicle 1 according to the first embodiment includes a battery unit 30 including a plurality of battery modules, a drive motor 11 that outputs driving torque for the vehicle 1 using the output power of the battery unit 30, a potential energy storage mechanism 50 that supports a first battery pack 31 of the battery unit 30 so as to be displaceable between a first position under the floor of the vehicle 1 and a second position located rearward and diagonally upward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1 relative to the first position, a displacement mechanism 60 that displaces the first battery pack 31 from the first position to the second position, and one or more control devices 100 that control the drive motor 11 and the displacement mechanism 60. The first battery pack 31 is displaceable from the second position to the first position by its own weight, and one or more control devices 100 have a configuration that regenerates the drive motor 11 by utilizing the change in potential energy when the first battery pack 31 is displaced from the second position to the first position.
[0085] As a result, according to the vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the first battery pack 31 is raised to a high position on the rear side of the vehicle 1 and in the height direction of the vehicle body, allowing the mass of the first battery pack 31 to be applied as a weight load to the axle of the rear wheel 5 and to store potential energy. Furthermore, according to the vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the mass of the first battery pack 31 can be utilized to improve power consumption efficiency. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the decrease in power consumption efficiency caused by increasing the load capacity of the battery module to improve the driving range, and this can be utilized to improve the driving range of the vehicle 1. In addition, according to the vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the mass of the first battery pack 31 can be utilized to improve the climbing performance and off-road capability of the vehicle 1.
[0086] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the displacement mechanism 60 has a rotating shaft 61 that rotates due to the displacement of the first battery pack 31 from a second position to a first position, and the drive motor 11 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shaft 61. As a result, the potential energy due to the displacement of the first battery pack 31 is converted into rotational energy, which allows the drive motor 11 to regenerate energy.
[0087] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, one or more control devices 100 rotate the rotation shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 by the drive torque output from the drive motor 11, thereby displacing the first battery pack 31 from the first position to the second position. This makes it possible to easily lift the first battery pack 31 to a higher position on the rear side of the vehicle 1 and in the height direction of the vehicle body.
[0088] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, one or more control devices 100, after detecting that the vehicle 1 is traveling uphill, enable the transmission of the drive torque output from the drive motor 11 to the rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 when the vehicle 1 stops, and rotate the rotating shaft 61 with the drive torque output from the drive motor 11 to displace the first battery pack 31 from the first position to the second position. As a result, when the vehicle 1 is traveling uphill, the mass of the first battery pack 31 can be automatically utilized to improve the uphill performance.
[0089] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the displacement mechanism 60 has a locking device 67 that holds the position of the first battery pack 31 when it has been displaced from a first position to a second position. One or more control devices 100 enable the rotation of the rotation shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 to be transmitted to the drive motor 11, activate the locking device 67 to release the hold on the position of the first battery pack 31, and displace the first battery pack 31 from the second position to the first position by its own weight. As a result, while the vehicle 1 is running, the potential energy of the first battery pack 31 can be accumulated, and the mass of the first battery pack 31 can be maintained as a weight load on the axle of the rear wheel 5. On a flat road, the first battery pack 31 can be displaced from the second position to the first position by its own weight, allowing the drive motor 11 to regenerate energy.
[0090] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, one or more control devices 100 displace the first battery pack 31 from the second position to the first position by its own weight when the vehicle 1 stops on a road surface with an uphill slope angle of less than or equal to a predetermined threshold θ0, while the first battery pack 31 has been displaced from the first position to the second position. This allows the drive motor 11 to be automatically regenerated by utilizing the mass of the first battery pack 31 after the vehicle 1 has completed its uphill journey.
[0091] Furthermore, the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a driver assistance device 121 that detects a rear-end collision. When the driver assistance device 121 detects a rear-end collision while the first battery pack 31 is displaced from a first position to a second position, one or more control devices 100 transmit the drive torque output from the drive motor 11 to the rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60. The drive torque output from the drive motor 11 rotates the rotating shaft 61, returning the first battery pack 31 from the second position to the first position. As a result, when the possibility of a rear-end collision with the vehicle 1 is predicted while the first battery pack 31 has been moved to the rear side of the vehicle 1, the first battery pack 31 automatically moves under the floor of the vehicle 1, reducing the risk of damage to the first battery pack 31.
[0092] <<2. Second Embodiment>> The vehicle according to the second embodiment of this disclosure has a configuration in which the rotation axis of the displacement mechanism of the battery support device of the vehicle according to the first embodiment rotates further due to the distortion of the vehicle body, thereby displacing at least some of the battery modules.
[0093] The following describes the differences between the battery support device 80 according to the second embodiment and the battery support device according to the first embodiment, with reference to Figures 13 to 15. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing the drivetrain of the vehicle according to this embodiment, and Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of the battery support device 80 according to this embodiment. Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the battery support device 80. Figures 13 and 14 correspond to Figures 2 and 3 described in the first embodiment, respectively.
[0094] The battery support device 80 includes a potential energy storage mechanism 50, a displacement mechanism 60, and a vehicle body strain energy recovery mechanism 70. Of these, the potential energy storage mechanism 50 and the displacement mechanism 60 are basically configured in the same way as the battery support device 40 according to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the fourth gear 74 of the vehicle body strain energy recovery mechanism 70 meshes with the third gear 63 of the displacement mechanism 60. In the following description, the rotation axis 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 will be referred to as the first rotation axis 61.
[0095] The vehicle body strain energy recovery mechanism 70 includes a second rotating shaft 71, a third rotating shaft 72, a one-way clutch 73, a fourth gear 74, a fifth gear 75, a vehicle body strain transmission member 76, and a fourth clutch 77. The second rotating shaft 71 and the third rotating shaft 72 are supported and extend parallel to the first rotating shaft 61.
[0096] A fourth gear 74 is provided on the second rotating shaft 71 via a one-way clutch 73. The fourth gear 74 meshes with the third gear 63 of the displacement mechanism 60 and also with the fifth gear 75. The fifth gear 75 is rotatably supported around the third rotating shaft 72. As shown in Figure 15, when the fifth gear 75 rotates upward in the figure, the one-way clutch 73 transmits the rotation of the fifth gear 75 to the fourth gear 74, causing the fourth gear 74 to rotate counterclockwise. On the other hand, when the fifth gear 75 rotates downward in the figure, the one-way clutch 73 does not transmit the rotation of the fifth gear 75 to the fourth gear 74. Therefore, the fourth gear 74 does not rotate.
[0097] A body distortion transmission member 76, with one end connected to a part 9 of the body structure 7, is connected to the third rotating shaft 72. In the example shown in Figure 15, when part 9 of the body structure 7 moves upward due to body distortion, the fifth gear 75 moves downward (shown by a dotted line). On the other hand, when the body distortion is relieved and part 9 of the body structure 7 returns downward, the fifth gear 75 moves upward (shown by a solid line). At this time, the deformation due to body distortion is converted into rotation and transmitted to the third gear 63 and the first rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60.
[0098] The fourth clutch 77 is provided between the fifth gear 75 and the vehicle body distortion transmission member 76. When the fourth clutch 77 is engaged, the distortion of the vehicle body is converted into rotation and transmitted to the displacement mechanism 60. On the other hand, when the fourth clutch 77 is disengaged, the distortion of the vehicle body is not transmitted to the displacement mechanism 60. Note that if the vehicle body distortion is to be constantly transmitted to the displacement mechanism 60, the fourth clutch 77 may not be provided.
[0099] With the fourth clutch 77 engaged, if a part 9 of the vehicle body structure 7 deforms upward due to distortion of the vehicle body, the vehicle body distortion transmission member 76 rotates, and consequently the fifth gear 75 moves downward around the third rotation axis 72. At this time, the one-way clutch 73 does not transmit the rotation of the fifth gear 75 to the fourth gear 74. Therefore, the third gear 63 and the first rotation axis 61 do not rotate, and the position of the first battery pack 31 is maintained without change.
[0100] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 15, when the distortion of the vehicle body is relieved and a part 9 of the vehicle body structure 7 returns downward, the vehicle body distortion transmission member 76 rotates, and consequently the fifth gear 75 moves upward around the third rotation axis 72. As a result, the fourth gear 74, which is provided via the one-way clutch 73, rotates counterclockwise, and the third gear 63 and the first rotation axis 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 rotate clockwise, causing the rack 65 to move upward. At this time, the piston, which is always biased toward the rack 65, moves back and forth along the tooth surface of the rack 65, so the piston of the locking device 67 does not obstruct the upward movement of the rack 65. As a result, the first pin 51 moves upward, and the first battery pack 31 is displaced from the first position toward the second position. Furthermore, since the lower surface of the teeth of the rack 65 has a horizontal planar shape, even if the weight of the rack 65 is applied to the piston, the tip of the piston does not come off the rack 65. In this way, the first battery pack 31 is fixed in an appropriate position by the locking device 67.
[0101] The battery support device 80 according to this embodiment has a configuration that allows the energy that deforms the vehicle body to be converted into potential energy of the first battery pack 31 and stored without electrical control. Therefore, as deformation due to the distortion of the vehicle body is repeated while the vehicle 1 is running, the position of the first battery pack 31 is displaced in steps from the first position to the second position, and potential energy is accumulated sequentially.
[0102] Furthermore, the battery support device 80 shown in Figures 13 to 15 has a configuration that allows the first battery pack 31 to be displaced from a first position to a second position when a part 9 of the vehicle body structure 7 is deformed upward due to distortion of the vehicle body and then returns to its original state. Alternatively, or additionally, the battery support device 80 may have a configuration that allows the first battery pack 31 to be displaced from a first position to a second position when a part 9 of the vehicle body structure 7 is deformed downward and then returns to its original state.
[0103] In this embodiment, according to the flowchart shown in Figure 10, the motor regeneration processing unit 103 of the control device 100 displaces the first battery pack 31 from the second position to the first position by its own weight when the first battery pack 31 is in the second position, thereby regenerating the drive motor 11. Therefore, the drive motor 11 can be regenerated by utilizing the energy generated during the running of the vehicle 1 that distorts the vehicle body, and recovered as electrical energy.
[0104] In addition, in the vehicle according to this embodiment, the control device 100 can perform battery displacement processing and emergency recovery processing, similar to the vehicle 1 in the first embodiment.
[0105] As described above, the vehicle according to this embodiment can obtain the same effects as the vehicle 1 according to the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the vehicle according to this embodiment, the first rotating shaft 61 of the displacement mechanism 60 rotates due to the distortion of the vehicle body, displacing the first battery pack 31 from the first position to the second position. As a result, the energy that distorts the vehicle body is converted into rotation and stored as the potential energy of the first battery pack 31, and further converted into electricity by regeneration by the drive motor 11 and recovered as electrical energy. Therefore, the energy that distorts the vehicle body can be utilized to improve power consumption efficiency, and consequently to improve the driving range of the vehicle 1.
[0106] While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear to any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that various modifications or alterations may be conceived within the scope of the technical idea set forth in the claims, and these will naturally also be understood to fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.
[0107] For example, in the battery support device according to the above embodiment, a first guide groove 55 and a second guide groove 57 are provided in the case 35 of the first battery pack 31, and a first pin 51 and a second pin 53 are slidably engaged in the first guide groove 55 and the second guide groove 57, respectively. However, guide grooves may be provided on the vehicle body structure and rack side, and pins on the case side. Furthermore, the specific configuration of the battery support device can be modified in various ways and is not limited to the configuration example described in the above embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0108] 1: Vehicle 10: Electric drive unit 11: Drive motor 30: Battery Unit 31: First battery pack 33: Second battery pack 35: Case 40: Battery support device 50: Potential energy storage mechanism 60: Displacement mechanism 61: Axis of rotation (first axis of rotation) 67: Locking device 70: Vehicle body distortion energy recovery mechanism 80: Battery support device 100: Control device 121: Driving assistance system
Claims
1. Multiple battery modules, A drive motor that outputs vehicle drive torque using the output power of the plurality of battery modules, A potential energy storage mechanism supports at least a portion of the plurality of battery modules so as to be displaceable between a first position under the floor of the vehicle and a second position located rearward and diagonally upward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the first position, A displacement mechanism for displacing at least some of the battery modules from the first position to the second position, The system comprises one or more control devices for controlling the drive motor and the displacement mechanism, At least some of the battery modules are displaced by their own weight from the second position to the first position. A vehicle in which one or more control devices regenerate the drive motor by utilizing the change in potential energy when at least some of the battery modules are displaced from the second position to the first position.
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the displacement mechanism has a rotating shaft that rotates due to the displacement of at least some of the battery modules from the second position to the first position, and the drive motor rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shaft.
3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein one or more control devices rotate the rotating shaft by the drive torque output from the drive motor to displace at least some of the battery modules.
4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the one or more control devices, after detecting that the vehicle is traveling uphill, enable the transmission of drive torque output from the drive motor to the rotating shaft when the vehicle stops, and rotate the rotating shaft with the drive torque output from the drive motor to displace at least some of the battery modules from the first position to the second position.
5. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the rotating shaft of the displacement mechanism rotates due to the distortion of the vehicle body and displaces at least some of the battery modules.