vehicle

Abstract

To provide vehicles that can improve safety. [Solution] A vehicle 10 equipped with an electric axle 20, the electric axle 20 has a cover 22 on the left side in the vehicle width direction that closes the opening of the electric axle 20, the cover 22 is provided with a connector portion 23 that protrudes to the left side in the vehicle width direction, the front part of the connector portion 23 is provided with a projection 24 that protrudes to the front in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and when the vehicle 10 collides with an obstacle B that overlaps with the left side in the vehicle width direction in front of the vehicle 10, the front side member 13 bends inward in the vehicle width direction, and the bent portion of the front side member 13 collides with the obstacle 24.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle equipped with a high-voltage unit.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles may be equipped with a high-voltage unit. For example, a battery electric vehicle (BEV) is equipped with an electric axle as a high-voltage unit. Also, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is equipped with a transaxle as a high-voltage unit (for example, Patent Document 1). In a vehicle equipped with a high-voltage unit, it is necessary to prevent, for example, the safety with respect to voltage and current from being impaired during a collision of the vehicle.

[0003] The transaxle disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a case including a case body having an opening facing the front side member side of the vehicle body and a cover closing the opening of the case body, and houses a rotating electric machine and a power transmission mechanism in the case. On the outer surface of the cover, ribs for preventing contact of the front side member with the outer surface during a collision of the vehicle are provided in a lattice pattern. For example, when the vehicle collides with an obstacle that wraps around one side in the vehicle width direction in front of the vehicle, the front side member bends inward, and the bent portion of the front side member collides with the ribs installed in a lattice pattern, thereby avoiding damage to the cover of the transaxle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the event of a vehicle collision, the front side member may not collide with the ribs arranged in a grid pattern. In this case, for example, the front side member may catch on a connector protruding from the front side member, causing a moment to act on the connector, which may cause the connector to tilt backward and the cover at the base of the connector to break. In this case, safety against voltage and current may be compromised. Therefore, vehicles equipped with high-voltage units require further improvements in safety.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle that can improve safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vehicle according to the present invention is a vehicle equipped with a high-voltage unit, the high-voltage unit having a cover on one side in the vehicle width direction that closes the opening of the high-voltage unit, the cover having a connector portion that protrudes on one side in the vehicle width direction, the front portion of the connector portion having a projection that protrudes forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the front side member bending inward in the vehicle width direction when the vehicle collides with an obstacle overlapping with one side in the vehicle width direction in front of the vehicle, and the bent portion of the front side member colliding with the projection. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the vehicle of the present invention, safety can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle collision according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the collision between a side member and a high-voltage unit during a vehicle collision, which is one example of an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the collision between a side member and a high-voltage unit in a conventional vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. In the following description, specific shapes, materials, directions, numerical values, etc., are examples provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and can be appropriately modified according to the application, purpose, specifications, etc.

[0011] [Vehicle collision] An example of an embodiment, vehicle 10, will be described using Figures 1 and 2.

[0012] Vehicle 10 is, for example, an electric vehicle (BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle)), which runs by rotating a motor using electricity stored in a battery. Vehicle 10 is equipped with, for example, an electric axle 20 as a high-voltage unit. According to the vehicle 10 of this embodiment, although the details will be described later, it is possible to avoid the voltage and current of the electric axle 20 becoming unsafe even in the event of a collision. This improves the safety of vehicle 10.

[0013] Although the vehicle 10 in this embodiment is an electric vehicle, the present invention is not limited to this. The vehicle of the present invention may be a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

[0014] Furthermore, while the high-voltage unit in this embodiment is an electric axle 20, the present invention is not limited thereto. The high-voltage unit of the present invention may be a battery unit, for example, if the vehicle is an electric vehicle. Also, the high-voltage unit of the present invention may be a transaxle, for example, if the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

[0015] In the following explanation, for the sake of clarity, each component may be described according to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, vehicle width direction, and vertical direction, which are mutually orthogonal to each other.

[0016] The vehicle 10 has a body 11. The front part 11A of the body 11 consists of a front cross member 12 provided along the vehicle width direction at the very front, and a pair of front side members 13 that extend long in the front-to-back direction on the left and right sides of the body. An electric axle 20, which serves as a high-voltage unit, is located in the front part 11A of the body.

[0017] The electric axle 20 is a package that combines the main components necessary for the vehicle 10 to run into a single unit. The electric axle 20 consists of gears, a motor, an inverter, etc. The electric axle 20 has a case 21, a cover 22, a connector part 23, and a protrusion 24, which will be described in detail later.

[0018] Case 21 houses gears, motors, inverters, etc. An opening is provided on the left side of case 21 in the vehicle width direction. Cover 22 is provided on the left side of case 21 in the vehicle direction and closes the opening of case 21. Connector section 23 is the part that connects the power lines of the electric axle 20's motor, inverter, and other electrical components to external power lines. Connector section 23 is provided on the left side of cover 22 in the vehicle width direction. Connector section 23 protrudes toward the left side of cover 22 in the vehicle width direction.

[0019] In this embodiment, the opening of the case 21 is provided on the left side in the vehicle width direction of the electric axle 20, the cover 22 is provided on the left side in the vehicle width direction, and the connector portion 23 is provided on the left side in the vehicle width direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The opening of the case 21 may be provided on the right side in the vehicle width direction of the electric axle 20, the cover 22 is provided on the right side in the vehicle width direction, and the connector portion 23 is provided on the right side in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] The protruding portion 24 is provided on the front surface of the connector portion 23. The protruding portion 24 protrudes forward from the connector portion 23. In the present embodiment, two protruding portions 24 are provided at the upper and lower portions of the front surface of the connector portion 23, respectively. The protruding portion 24 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0021] The protruding portion 24 may be composed of the same member as the member constituting the connector portion 23. The protruding portion 24 may be integrally formed with the connector portion 23. Thus, for example, when the cover 22 and the connector portion 23 are integrally formed by molding, the protruding portion 24 can also be integrally formed by molding in the same manner as the cover 22 and the connector portion 23. As a result, there is no need to separately prepare a member as the protruding portion 24.

[0022] In the present embodiment, two protruding portions 24 are provided at the upper and lower portions of the front surface of the connector portion 23, respectively, but the present invention is not limited to this. The protruding portion of the present invention may be only one, or three or more may be provided.

[0023] In the present embodiment, the protruding portion 24 has a rectangular parallelepiped configuration, but the present invention is not limited to this. The protruding portion of the present invention may be columnar, or may have other shapes.

[0024] According to the protruding portion 24, although details will be described later, when the front side member 13 hits the connector portion 23 during a vehicle collision, a moment acts on the connector portion 23, causing the connector portion 23 to fall backward, and it is possible to avoid damage to the cover 22.

[0025] [Collision between Front Side Member and Electric Axle] Using FIGS. 1 to 3, the collision between the front side member 13 and the electric axle 20 during a vehicle collision will be described.

[0026] In the following, a collision of vehicle 10 refers to a situation where, as shown in Figure 1, the opening of the case 21 is provided on the left side in the vehicle width direction of the electric axle 20, the cover 22 is provided on the left side in the vehicle width direction, and the connector portion 23 is provided on the left side in the vehicle width direction, and there is an obstacle B in front of vehicle 10 that overlaps with, for example, the left side in the vehicle width direction, and vehicle 10 collides with obstacle B at a vehicle speed of, for example, 40 miles / h.

[0027] In this embodiment, a collision of the vehicle 10 is defined as the presence of an obstacle B overlapping, for example, the left side in the vehicle width direction in front of the vehicle 10, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, if the opening of the case 21 is provided on the right side in the vehicle width direction of the electric axle 20, the cover 22 is provided on the right side in the vehicle width direction, and the connector portion 23 is provided on the right side in the vehicle width direction, then the present invention may also define a collision of the vehicle 10 with an obstacle B overlapping the right side in the vehicle width direction in front of the vehicle 10 at a vehicle speed of, for example, 40 miles / h.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, when vehicle 10 collides, obstacle B collides with the front and left end of the front part 11A of the vehicle body. At this time, an impact force acts on the front end of the front side member 13, causing the front side member 13 to bend inward in the vehicle width direction. Here, the part of the front side of the bent portion of the front side member 13 in the vehicle width direction is designated as the front part 13A, and the part behind it is designated as the rear part 13B (see Figure 2(A), etc.).

[0029] As shown in Figure 2(A), when the vehicle 10 collides, the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 attempts to collide with the connector portion 23 of the electric axle 20. This includes cases where the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 moves backward and collides with the electric axle 20, and cases where the electric axle 20 moves forward due to inertia and collides with the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13.

[0030] As shown in Figure 2(B), the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 collides with the protrusion 24 provided on the connector portion 23.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2(C), a moment acts on the connector portion 23, causing it to tilt backward. This moment is the product of the length from the base of the connector portion 23 (case 21) to the left end of the projection 24 in the vehicle width direction (L1 in the figure) and the impact force caused by the collision between the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 and the connector portion 23.

[0032] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3(A), in a conventional configuration in which the connector portion 23 does not have a protrusion 24, when the vehicle 10 collides, the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 attempts to collide with the connector portion 23 of the electric axle 20. At this time, as described above, this includes cases in which the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 moves backward and collides with the electric axle 20, and cases in which the electric axle 20 moves forward due to inertia and collides with the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3(B), the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 collides with the connector portion 23.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3(C), a moment acts on the connector portion 23, causing it to tilt backward. This moment is the product of the length from the base of the connector portion 23 (case 21) to the left end of the connector portion 23 in the vehicle width direction (L2 in the figure) and the impact force caused by the collision between the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 and the connector portion 23.

[0035] At this time, a moment would act on the connector portion 23, causing it to tilt backward and potentially damaging the cover 22 at the base of the connector portion 23. In this case, the opening of the electric axle 20 would be exposed, potentially compromising its safety against voltage and current.

[0036] Comparing Figure 2(C) and Figure 3(C), when the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 collides with the connector portion 23, the length from the base portion (case 21) of the connector portion 23 to the left end of the connector portion 23 (L2 in the figure) in the vehicle width direction is shorter than when the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 collides with the connector portion 23, the length from the base portion (case 21) of the connector portion 23 to the left end of the protrusion 24 (L1 in the figure) is shorter when the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 collides with the protrusion 24 provided on the connector portion 23.

[0037] In other words, the moment acting on the connector portion 23 when the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 collides with the connector portion 23 is smaller than the moment acting on the connector portion 23 when the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 collides with the connector portion 23 when the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 collides with the protrusion 24 provided on the connector portion 23.

[0038] In other words, by providing a protrusion 24 on the connector portion 23 of the electric axle 20, the rear portion 13B of the front side member 13 collides with the protrusion 24, reducing the moment acting on the connector portion 23. This prevents the connector portion 23 from tilting backward due to the moment acting on it, and thus prevents damage to the cover 22 at the base of the connector portion 23. As a result, the number of cases in which safety against voltage and current is compromised can be reduced. Ultimately, the safety of the vehicle 10 can be improved.

[0039] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and their modifications described above, and various changes and improvements are possible within the scope of the claims of this application. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] 10 Vehicle, 11 Body, 11A Front of body, 12 Front cross member, 13 Front side member, 13A Front, 13B Rear, 20 Electric axle, 21 Case, 22 Cover, 23 Connector part, 24 Protrusion, B Obstacle

Claims

[Claim 1] A vehicle equipped with a high-voltage unit, The high-voltage unit has a cover on one side in the vehicle width direction that closes the opening of the high-voltage unit. The cover is provided with a connector portion that protrudes from one side in the vehicle width direction. The front surface of the connector portion is provided with a projection that protrudes forward in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The aforementioned protrusion is designed so that when the vehicle collides with an obstacle overlapping with one side in the vehicle width direction in front of the vehicle, the front side member bends inward in the vehicle width direction, and the bent portion of the front side member collides with the obstacle. vehicle.

Images