Protective structure of electrical equipment

Abstract

This invention provides a protective structure for electrical equipment that can protect connectors mounted on the housing of electrical equipment. [Solution] In the high-voltage power supply unit 10, the housing casing 16 (ESU 12) is positioned opposite the radiator support 104 in the engine compartment 102. In the housing casing 16, the connector 36 is attached to the side wall 26R and covered by a protective cover 50. In addition, a rib portion 64 is projected from the front wall 26F of the housing casing 16 toward the front of the vehicle. The rib portion 64 is integrally formed with the housing body 20 and is provided on the extension line of the side wall 26R toward the front of the vehicle. Furthermore, the protective cover 50 has a fixing portion 62 of the front wall portion 56 attached to the rib portion 64. As a result, even if the radiator support 104 is deformed by an impact load from the front of the vehicle, the rib portion 64 can suppress contact between the radiator support 104 and the connector 36.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a protection structure for electrical equipment. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a motor connector protection structure in which a protection member is provided between a connector that is exposed and mounted on a motor case and a side member of a vehicle. In this connector protection structure, a fixing portion of the protection member is bolted to the rear surface of the motor case where the connector is screwed. Further, in the protection member, a stud erected on the side surface of the motor case facing the side member penetrates a support portion bent from the fixing portion toward the vehicle front side, and a protection portion protruding from the fixing portion toward the vehicle rear side covers the side of the connector on the side member side. PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0003] PATENT DOCUMENT 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-140059 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0004] Generally, in a vehicle provided with an electric motor as a drive source for traveling, an ESU in which an inverter, a converter and the like are housed in a metal casing is provided. The ESU is arranged in the engine room of the vehicle together with the electric motor and the like, converts battery power into power of a required voltage for the vehicle, and supplies the power to the electric motor. Further, in the vehicle, a radiator is arranged at the vehicle front portion of the engine room. In the vehicle, a radiator support for mounting the radiator is arranged in the vehicle width direction at the front portion of the engine room, and the radiator is mounted on the lower side.

[0005] Incidentally, the radiator support and radiator are susceptible to impact loads from the front of the vehicle during a vehicle emergency. For this reason, when the ESU (Electrical Unit Suspension) housing, which contains electrical equipment, is positioned adjacent to the rear of the radiator support, a high-voltage connector is mounted on one side in the vehicle width direction. This prevents the connector from receiving impact loads from the radiator during a vehicle emergency.

[0006] However, in vehicles, the radiator support may deform due to impact loads during vehicle emergencies. In vehicles, there is a concern that the deformed radiator support may impart impact loads to the connectors mounted on the side of the ESU housing, and there is room for improvement in protecting the connectors mounted on the housing in the ESU.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above facts, and aims to provide a protective structure for electrical equipment that enables effective protection of connectors mounted on a housing containing electrical equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A protective structure for electrical equipment according to a first embodiment for achieving the above objective includes: a housing that houses electrical functional components and is located in the front part of the vehicle in the engine compartment, with the front wall on the front side of the vehicle facing the rear side of the radiator support; a mounting portion located on one side wall of the housing housing in the vehicle width direction, on the outer side of the side wall in the vehicle width direction, on which a connector for connecting the electrical functional components and an electrical load is attached; a protective cover located on the outer side of the one side wall of the housing housing in the vehicle width direction, covering the outer side of the connector attached to the mounting portion in the vehicle width direction and the front side of the vehicle; and a rib portion located on the extension of the one side wall toward the front of the vehicle, projecting toward the front of the vehicle from the front wall of the housing housing and integrally formed with the housing housing, with its tip located toward the front of the vehicle than the protective cover.

[0009] In the first embodiment of the electrical equipment protection structure, a housing containing electrical functional components is positioned in the front of the vehicle within the engine compartment, with the front wall facing the rear of the radiator support. The housing also has a mounting section on one side wall in the vehicle width direction, and a connector for connecting the electrical functional components and an electrical load is attached to the mounting section on the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0010] Here, the protective cover is positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of one side wall of the storage housing, covering the outer side in the vehicle width direction and the front side of the connector mounted on the mounting part. The storage housing also has a rib portion that protrudes from the front wall toward the front of the vehicle. The rib portion protrudes toward the front of the vehicle on the extension line of the side wall toward the front of the vehicle, and its tip is located in front of the protective cover.

[0011] Therefore, the housing may be subjected to impact loads from the radiator or radiator support in the event of a vehicle emergency, but the housing receives this impact load through the rib section. This prevents protective covers and other components located further back in the vehicle than the rib section from receiving the impact load, thereby preventing damage to the connectors caused by the impact load.

[0012] The protective structure for electrical equipment according to the second embodiment includes, in the first embodiment, that the rib portion extends vertically in the front wall.

[0013] In the electrical equipment protection structure according to the second embodiment, the rib portion extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle. This effectively suppresses the protective cover from receiving impact loads from the radiator or radiator support.

[0014] A protective structure for electrical equipment according to a third embodiment, in the first or second embodiment, the protective cover comprises a cover portion that covers the outside of the connector in the vehicle width direction, an upper wall portion that covers the upper side of the vehicle, a front wall portion that covers the front side of the connector, and a rear wall portion that covers the rear side of the vehicle, wherein when each of the upper wall portion, the front wall portion, and the rear wall portion is attached to the housing, the front wall portion is attached to the rib portion and then attached to the housing.

[0015] In the third embodiment of the protective structure for electrical equipment, the protective cover has a cover portion that covers the outside of the connector in the vehicle width direction, an upper wall portion that covers the upper side of the vehicle, a front wall portion that covers the front side of the connector, and a rear wall portion that covers the rear side of the vehicle. Furthermore, when the upper wall portion, front wall portion, and rear wall portion of the protective cover are attached to the housing, the front wall portion is attached to the rib portion and then attached to the housing. As a result, the protective cover can surround almost the entire circumference of the connector and protect the connector.

[0016] The protection structure for electrical equipment according to the fourth embodiment includes, in any one of the first to third embodiments, a mounting bracket is provided in the housing, which is stretched across the front and rear sides of the housing at the top of the housing, and the upper part of the protective cover is lockable to the mounting bracket.

[0017] In the fourth embodiment of the electrical equipment protection structure, a mounting bracket is positioned at the top of the housing, spanning between the front and rear sides of the housing. The protective cover is designed so that its upper part can be secured to the mounting bracket. This facilitates the attachment and removal of the protective cover that protects the connector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, since a rib portion is integrally formed to protrude from the front wall of the storage housing on the mounting side, it is possible to suppress the protective cover from being subjected to impact loads in the event of a vehicle emergency, and thus suppress damage to the connector caused by impact loads. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the main part of the high-voltage power supply device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the high-voltage power supply device as viewed from a direction different from that in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a schematic perspective view of the main part at the front section of the vehicle. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the main part of the storage housing. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the main part of the housing body. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the main part of the housing body as viewed from a direction different from that in Figure 5. [Figure 7] This is a plan view schematically showing the radiator support and the rib portion of the housing body. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In Figure 1, the schematic configuration of the main part of the high-voltage power supply device 10 according to the present embodiment is shown in a perspective view taken from the front-right diagonally upper side of the vehicle. In addition, in Figure 2, the main part of the high-voltage power supply device 10 is shown in an exploded perspective view taken from the rear-right diagonally upper side of the vehicle, and in Figure 3, the outline of the main part at the front section of the vehicle is shown in a perspective view taken from the front-right diagonally upper side of the vehicle. In the drawings, the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction is indicated by arrow FR, the right side in the vehicle width direction is indicated by arrow HR, and the upper side in the up-down direction (vehicle up-down direction) is indicated by arrow UP.

[0021] The high-voltage power supply unit 10 according to this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle (not shown). The vehicle on which the high-voltage power supply unit 10 is mounted is equipped with an electric motor as a drive source for propulsion. Such vehicles include battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles. In addition, the vehicle may be equipped with an engine (not shown) in addition to the electric motor as a drive source for propulsion, and the vehicle may be a hybrid electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the vehicle has an engine compartment 100 at the front, and a radiator 102 and a radiator support 104 are located at the front of the engine compartment 100. The radiator support 104 is fixed to the vehicle body (not shown) on both sides in the vehicle width direction, and the radiator 102 is attached to the lower side.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the high-voltage power supply unit 10 is equipped with an ESU (Electricity Supply Unit) 12 as an electrical device. The ESU 12 is configured by housing functional equipment such as a DC-DC converter and an inverter within a housing (case) 16. The ESU 12 converts the power stored in a storage battery (high-voltage battery) (not shown) into the required high voltage voltage in the vehicle and supplies it to high-voltage loads such as electric motors. In the following description, the housing 16 in which the ESU 12 is housed will be collectively referred to as ESU 12.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the ESU 12 has a housing 16 located in the front of the vehicle within the engine compartment 100, and a radiator 102 and a radiator support 104 are located on the front side of the housing 16 (ESU 12).

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the high-voltage power supply unit 10 includes a water heating unit 14 as a unit device, and in the high-voltage power supply unit 10, the water heating unit 14 is mounted on a housing casing 16. One side of the water heating unit 14 is connected to the radiator 102 and the other side is connected to the ESU 12, forming a circulation path for LLC (Long Life Coolant). In the high-voltage power supply unit 10, the temperature-controlled coolant is circulated between the radiator 102, the water heating unit 14, and the ESU 12, thereby controlling the temperature of the ESU 12 to be within a preset temperature range.

[0026] The storage enclosure 16 comprises a housing body 20 which is roughly rectangular in shape with one side (top) open (not shown), and a roughly flat cover body 22 which is positioned above the housing body 20 and closes the opening of the housing body 20. The housing body 20 and the cover body 22 of the storage enclosure 16 are made of cast aluminum.

[0027] The main body of the enclosure 20 has peripheral walls 24 erected around its entire circumference from the periphery of a bottom plate (not shown). The peripheral walls 24 are formed in a rectangular frame shape, with the lower part connected by the bottom plate by a front wall 26F on the front side of the vehicle, a rear wall 26B on the rear side of the vehicle, a side wall 26L on the left side of the vehicle width, and a side wall 26R on the right side of the vehicle width, each having a required thickness (plate thickness).

[0028] The housing body 20 has multiple fixed legs 30 integrally formed at its lower part, with multiple fixed legs 30 (two legs each) protruding outward from the housing body 20 on both the right and left sides in the vehicle width direction (some details omitted from the illustration). The storage housing 16 has its front wall 26F facing the front of the vehicle and is fastened to the vehicle body by bolts (not shown) inserted into through holes 30A formed through each of the fixed legs 30 of the housing body 20.

[0029] The main body of the enclosure 20 has connection points 106 and 108 for the coolant located on the front wall 26F, with one connection point 106 and 108 being the coolant inlet side and the other being the coolant outlet side. In the housing enclosure 16, an efficient coolant circulation path can be configured by the water heating unit 14 mounted on top and the radiator 102 located on the front side of the vehicle.

[0030] The housing body 20 has multiple bolt holes (not shown) formed on the upper end surface of the peripheral wall 24, each with internal threads. The upper opening of the housing body 20 is closed by the cover body 22 when mounting bolts 34B, inserted into through holes (not shown) corresponding to each bolt hole in the cover body 22, are screwed into the bolt holes. In the housing 16, a sealant is applied between the upper end surface of the peripheral wall 24 of the housing body 20 and the cover body 22, creating a tight seal and making the interior airtight.

[0031] On the other hand, the water heating unit 14 has an outer shape that is roughly rectangular and is attached to a metal plate 70 that is roughly flat and serves as a support member. The plate 70 has fixing parts 72 on the front and rear sides of the vehicle at the left end in the vehicle width direction, and fixing parts 74 on the front and rear sides of the vehicle at the right end in the vehicle width direction. Each fixing part 72 is formed into a roughly L shape by bending the tip that extends downward from the left end of the plate 70 in the vehicle width direction outward (to the left in the vehicle width direction), and a through hole 72A is formed through the tip of the fixing part 72 in the vertical direction. Each fixing part 74 also has a through hole 74A formed through it in the vertical direction.

[0032] Mounting portions 82 and 84 are formed on the housing body 20, protruding outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the side wall 26L, corresponding to the fixing portions 72 of the plate 70. Furthermore, a through hole 82A is formed vertically through the mounting portion 82, and a through hole 84A is formed vertically through the mounting portion 84 at the rear end of the vehicle.

[0033] Each of the fastening bolts 90 inserted into the through-holes 72A of the fixing portion 72 of the plate 70 is inserted into the through-holes 82A of the mounting portion 82 and the through-holes 84A of the mounting portion 84 and screwed into nuts (not shown). As a result, the plate 70 and the water heating unit 14 attached to the plate 70 are fastened and fixed to the housing body 20 on the left side in the vehicle width direction and attached to the housing 16.

[0034] Meanwhile, a bridging bracket 76 is positioned on the right side of the water heating unit 14 in the vehicle width direction within the storage enclosure 16. The bridging bracket 76 is made of a roughly strip-shaped metal plate (for example, a steel plate), and its cross-section is formed into a roughly U-shape by bending both ends in the width direction downwards. The longitudinal direction of the bridging bracket 76 is oriented in the vehicle front-rear direction, so one side plate portion 76A is on the right side in the vehicle width direction, and the longitudinal middle portion of the upper plate portion 76B faces the fixing portion 74 of the plate 70. In addition, the longitudinal dimension of the bridging bracket 76 is larger (longer) than the vehicle front-rear dimension of the cover body 22, so when the bridging bracket 76 is positioned above the cover body 22, both ends in the longitudinal direction are positioned outside the cover body 22 (outside in the vehicle front-rear direction).

[0035] The bridging bracket 76 has through holes 78A formed vertically at each position in the upper plate portion 76B opposite to the mounting portion 84 (through hole 84A) of the plate 70, and fastening holes 78B formed vertically at both ends in the longitudinal direction.

[0036] The housing body 20 has boss portions 88 formed on each of the following rib portions 64 on the front side of the vehicle and the following fin portions 66 (66A) on the rear side of the vehicle. Each boss portion 88 is roughly cylindrical and protrudes upward from the rib portion 64 and the fin portion 66A, and each boss portion 88 has a bolt hole 88A with internally threaded holes.

[0037] The bridging bracket 76 is fastened and fixed to the housing casing 16 (casing body 20) by fastening bolts 90 inserted into each of the fastening holes 78B, which are screwed into the bolt holes 88A of the boss portions 88 of the rib portion 64 and the fin portion 66, respectively, thus spanning across the rib portion 64 and the fin portion 66A. The plate 70 is fastened and fixed to the bridging bracket 76 on the right side in the vehicle width direction by connecting bolts 80A inserted into each of the through holes 74A of the fixing portion 74, which are then inserted into the through holes 78A of the bridging bracket 76 and screwed into nuts 80B. As a result, the water heating unit 14 is attached to the housing casing 16 via the bridging bracket 76.

[0038] The bridging bracket 76 has two through holes 92 and 94 formed in the side plate portion 76A, corresponding to the upper part of the protective cover 50 described below, and multiple through holes 98 formed in the upper plate portion 76B, corresponding to each of the mounting portions 40 described below.

[0039] The through-holes 92 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal center of the bridging bracket 76, are round holes, and penetrate through in the vehicle width direction. The through-holes 94 are elongated holes that are long in the longitudinal direction of the bridging bracket 76 (vehicle front-rear direction) on the outside of each of the through-holes 92 (outside in the longitudinal direction of the bridging bracket 76), and penetrate through in the vehicle width direction in the side plate portion 76A. In addition, the bridging bracket 76 has locking projections 96 that constitute a locking part formed inside the through-holes 94, and the locking projections 96 protrude upward from the bottom inside the through-holes 94, with the protruding tip positioned in the center of the opening of the through-hole 94.

[0040] Each through-hole 98 is formed vertically through the upper plate portion 76B of the bridging bracket 76. The through-holes 98 are composed of two through-holes 98A located at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the bridging bracket 76, and two through-holes 98B located between the through-holes 98A. Each through-hole 98A is a round hole, while the through-holes 98B are elongated holes that are long in the longitudinal direction of the bridging bracket 76. In the bridging bracket 76, the peripheral edges of the openings of each through-hole 98 (98A, 98B) are folded downward to form folded portions 99, thereby suppressing the reduction in rigidity caused by the formation of the through-holes 98.

[0041] On the other hand, Figure 4 shows the main part of the storage housing 16 in a perspective view looking diagonally upward to the right from the rear of the vehicle, Figure 5 shows the storage housing 16 in a perspective view looking diagonally upward to the right from the front of the vehicle, and Figure 6 shows the main part of the housing body 20 in a perspective view looking diagonally upward to the left from the front of the vehicle.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the high-voltage power supply unit 10 has multiple (in this embodiment, three as an example) connectors 36 for high voltage attached to the ESU 12 (housing 16). In addition, the ESU 12 is fitted with a protective cover 50 to protect each of the connectors 36 as a single unit.

[0043] Each connector 36 is attached to the end of a three-core high-voltage cable 38 (for example, a three-phase cable, see Figure 5), and the other end of each cable 38 is connected to an individual electrical load. In the high-voltage power supply unit 10, the ESU 12 and the electrical load are electrically connected when the connector 36 is attached to the housing 16, enabling the supply of high-voltage power.

[0044] The storage housing 16 has three mounting sections 40 on the side wall 26R, which is one side surface in the vehicle width direction, to which the connector 36 is attached. The mounting sections 40 are arranged in the vehicle front-rear direction on the side wall 26R.

[0045] As shown in Figure 4, each mounting portion 40 is substantially cylindrical and protrudes outward (to the right in the vehicle width direction) from the side wall 26R, and a socket hole 40A is located at the axial center of each mounting portion 40. Each socket hole 40A is formed to penetrate through the side wall 26R in the vehicle width direction. In the ESU 12 (storage housing 16), a socket (not shown) is inserted from the inside into the socket hole 40A. In addition, a connector retaining portion 44 is formed at the top of the mounting portion 40, and the connector retaining portions 44 are formed in pairs, straddling the axial center (center line) of the socket hole 40A of the mounting portion 40. Each connector retaining portion 44 has a bottomed bolt hole 44A, and the inner circumferential surface of the bolt hole 44A is threaded.

[0046] The connector 36 has a protruding insertion portion (not shown), and a visor portion 36B (see Figure 6) protruding from its upper end, with two locking holes (not shown) extending vertically through the visor portion 36B. The connector 36 electrically connects the cable 38 to the ESU 12 when the insertion portion is inserted into the socket hole 40A of the mounting portion 40 and fitted into the socket. The connector 36 is also attached to the mounting portion 40 when the locking bolts 46 inserted into each of the locking holes in the visor portion 36B are screwed into the bolt holes 44A.

[0047] In the housing 16, each of the bolt holes 44A of the connector fastening portion 44 in the mounting portion 40 corresponds to a through hole 98 (98A, 98B) of the bridging bracket 76. Specifically, the through hole 98A corresponds to the bolt hole 44A on the rear side of the mounting portion 40 on the rear side of the vehicle, and the bolt hole 44A on the front side of the mounting portion 40 on the front side of the vehicle. The through hole 98B has two adjacent bolt holes 44A on one side in the mounting portion 40 on the rear side of the vehicle and the mounting portion 40 adjacent to it (the central mounting portion 40), and the other side corresponds to two adjacent bolt holes 44A on the mounting portion 40 on the front side of the vehicle and the mounting portion 40 adjacent to it (the central mounting portion 40).

[0048] The through holes 98A and 98B of the bridging bracket 76 have an inner diameter that allows for the insertion of the lock bolt 46 and the tool for turning the lock bolt 46 (the box at the end of a box wrench), respectively. As a result, the connector 36 can be attached to and detached from the housing 16 even when the bridging bracket 76 is installed.

[0049] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the protective cover 50 is made of metal and is roughly plate-shaped. The protective cover 50 has a roughly rectangular flat cover portion 52, and an upper wall portion 54, a front wall portion 56, and a rear wall portion 58 are formed by bending from the upper side of the cover portion 52, the front side of the vehicle, and the rear side of the vehicle toward the housing body 20, respectively. As a result, the protective cover 50 has a roughly box shape with the housing body 20 side and the bottom open.

[0050] The protective cover 50 has two locking portions 60 positioned on its upper wall portion 54, and two fixing portions 62 formed between the locking portions 60. Each locking portion 60 extends from the upper wall portion 54 to the left side in the vehicle width direction (towards the housing body 20), and a locking hole 60A is formed vertically through the tip of each locking portion 60. Each fixing portion 62 is formed by bending upward from the tip of the upper wall portion 54, and a through hole 62A is formed vertically through the tip of each fixing portion 62 in the vehicle width direction.

[0051] Furthermore, the fixing portion 62 is also positioned on the front wall portion 56 and the rear wall portion 58 of the protective cover 50. The fixing portion 62 is bent outward from each of the front wall portion 56 and the rear wall portion 58 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and extends toward the opposite side from the cover portion 52 (the front side of the vehicle and the rear side of the vehicle). In addition, each of the fixing portion 62 has a through hole 62A formed through its tip in the vehicle width direction.

[0052] When the protective cover 50 is attached to the housing body 20, each of the locking portions 60 on the upper wall portion 54 is inserted into the through-hole 94 of the bridging bracket 76, and the locking projection 96 is inserted into the locking hole 60A of the locking portion 60, thereby enabling it to be suspended from the bridging bracket 76. By being suspended from the bridging bracket 76, the protective cover 50 is roughly positioned relative to both the housing body 20 and the bridging bracket 76, and is placed on the side wall 26R of the housing body 20.

[0053] The protective cover 50 is fastened and secured to the bridging bracket 76 by fastening bolts 68B inserted into through holes 62A of the bridging bracket 76, which are then inserted into through holes 92 of the bridging bracket 76 and fastened with nuts (not shown). The protective cover 50 is positioned on the side wall 26R of the housing body 20, covering the right side, top, front, and rear of the connector 36 in the vehicle width direction.

[0054] By the way, in the storage enclosure 16, rib portions 64 are formed on the enclosure body 20. Also, in the storage enclosure 16, fin portions 66 are formed on the enclosure body 20.

[0055] The rib portion 64 is a long, block-like shape in the vertical direction, and is integrally formed with the housing body 20 on the upper part of the side wall 26R side of the front wall 26F. The rib portion 64 also protrudes toward the front of the vehicle along the side wall 26R of the housing body 20. The rib portion 64 is projected from the front wall 26F so that the upper part of the side wall 26R extends toward the front of the vehicle, and is positioned opposite the radiator support 104 (and radiator 102) located on the front of the vehicle side of the housing 16. As a result, in the housing 16, when the rib portion 64 receives an impact load from the radiator 102 or radiator support 104 in the event of a vehicle emergency, the load is transmitted (input) to the side wall 26R located in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on the housing body 20.

[0056] A boss portion 86 is positioned at the upper end of the rib portion 64. The boss portion 86 is roughly cylindrical, with its upper part protruding above the housing body 20 from the upper end of the rib portion 64. A bottomed bolt hole 86A is formed in the axial center of the boss portion 86, and the bolt hole 86A has internal threads on its inner surface. In the boss portion 86, a fastening bolt 90 inserted into a fastening hole 78B formed on the vehicle front side of the bridging bracket 76 is screwed into the bolt hole 86A, thereby fastening and fixing the vehicle front side of the bridging bracket 76 to the housing body 20.

[0057] Furthermore, the boss portion 68 of the rib portion 64 is substantially cylindrical in shape and protrudes to the right in the vehicle width direction from the lower end of the rib portion 64, and the boss portion 68 has a bolt hole 68A formed in it, which is bottomed and has female threads machined on its inner circumferential surface.

[0058] The boss portion 68 of the rib portion 64 corresponds to the fixing portion 62 of the front wall portion 56 of the protective cover 50. The protective cover 50 is fixed to the lower end of the rib portion 64 on the front of the vehicle by fastening bolts 68B inserted into the through holes 62A of the fixing portion 62 and screwed into the bolt holes 68A of the boss portion 68, and is attached to the housing body 20 (storage housing 16) via the rib portion 64. At this time, the tip of the rib portion 64 is positioned on the front of the vehicle side than the front portion of the protective cover 50 on the vehicle side.

[0059] The housing body 20 has multiple fin portions 66 formed on the rear wall 26B, and each of the fin portions 66 is block-shaped and substantially flat, protruding from the rear wall 26B and integrally formed with the housing body 20. The boss portion 68 on the rear side of the vehicle is located on the fin portion 66A that protrudes from the upper part of the side wall 26R side of the rear wall 26B toward the rear of the vehicle and extends vertically.

[0060] The boss portion 68 of the fin portion 66A is substantially cylindrical in shape and protrudes to the right in the vehicle width direction from the fin portion 66A. A bolt hole 68A is formed in the axial center of the boss portion 68, which is bottomed and has a female thread on its inner surface. The boss portion 68 of the fin portion 66A corresponds to the fixing portion 62 of the rear wall portion 58 of the protective cover 50. The protective cover 50 is attached to the housing body 20 (storage housing 16) via the fin portion 66A by fastening bolts 68B inserted into through holes 62A of the fixing portion 62 on the rear wall portion 58 side and screwed into the bolt holes 68A of the fin portion 66A.

[0061] In the high-voltage power supply unit 10 configured in this way, the ESU 12 is housed inside a housing casing 16. The housing casing 16 is fitted with multiple connectors 36, and the ESU 12 is connected to the electrical load via cables 38 connected to the connectors 36.

[0062] As a result, when the ESU 12 is activated, it performs a conversion process to convert the high voltage supplied from the battery (high-voltage DC power in the vehicle) into a predetermined high-voltage power (e.g., AC power), and supplies it to the electrical load via the connector 36 and cable 38. In addition, the ESU 12 is fitted with a water heating unit 14, and the ESU 12 is temperature-controlled by the coolant circulated through the water heating unit 14 and the radiator 102, thereby suppressing the temperature rise caused by its operation.

[0063] Incidentally, the radiator 102 and radiator support 104 are located in the engine compartment 100. The radiator 102 and radiator support 104 may be subjected to impact loads in the event of a vehicle emergency, and the radiator 102 and radiator support 104 may be deformed by the impact load. Since the housing 16 is located on the rear side of the vehicle, the deformed radiator support 104 and other components are more likely to come into contact with the housing 16, and the housing 16 is more likely to be subjected to impact loads from the radiator support 104 and other components.

[0064] In the storage enclosure 16, the connector 36 is attached to the right side wall 26R of the main enclosure 20 in the vehicle width direction, and the connector 36 is covered by a protective cover 50. As a result, even if deformation occurs in the radiator support 104, etc. on the front side of the vehicle, the storage enclosure 16 prevents the deformed radiator support 104, etc. from coming into contact with the connector 36.

[0065] Figure 7 also shows a schematic plan view of the radiator support 104 and the rib portion 64 of the housing body 20. As shown in Figure 7, the housing 16 has a rib portion 64 formed on the housing body 20, and the rib portion 64 protrudes from the front wall of the housing body 20 toward the front of the vehicle. In addition, the front end (tip) of the rib portion 64 is positioned in front of the protective cover 50.

[0066] As a result, even if deformation occurs in the radiator support 104, etc. (shown by dashed lines in Figure 7) in the housing 16, the deformed radiator support 104, etc. will first come into contact with the rib portion 64. Therefore, in the ESU 12, the rib portion 64 can prevent the radiator support 104, etc. from coming into contact with the housing body 20 or the connector 36. Moreover, in the housing 16, since the rib portion 64 is elongated in the vertical direction, when deformation occurs in the radiator support 104, etc., the rib portion 64 can reliably come into contact with the radiator support 104 and the radiator 102, etc. attached to the radiator support 104.

[0067] Furthermore, in the storage enclosure 16, the rib portion 64 protrudes toward the front of the vehicle in line with the extension of the side wall 26R of the enclosure body 20. That is, when viewed from the front of the vehicle, the rib portion 64 overlaps with the side wall 26R. Therefore, in the storage enclosure 16, the side wall 26R of the enclosure body 20, which is positioned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, can receive the impact load directed toward the rear of the vehicle that is input to the rib portion 64. As a result, deformation of the rib portion 64 or the front wall 26F due to impact loads input from the radiator support 104, etc., is suppressed in the storage enclosure 16, and thus the impact load that would otherwise be input to the connector 36, etc., by the rib portion 64 can be effectively suppressed.

[0068] Furthermore, the housing casing 16 is provided with a protective cover 50, which surrounds the connector 36. This prevents the radiator support 104 and other components from coming into contact with the connector 36.

[0069] Furthermore, the protective cover 50 is attached to the rib portion 64 on the front side of the vehicle. As a result, even if the radiator support 104 or the like comes into contact with the protective cover 50, the rib portion 64 can suppress deformation of the protective cover 50 toward the connector 36, so the protective cover 50 can effectively prevent the radiator support 104 or the like from coming into contact with the connector 36.

[0070] Therefore, the storage enclosure 16 (ESU12) can prevent the connector 36, which houses the charging unit, from being damaged by impact loads during a vehicle emergency, thereby preventing malfunctions caused by damage to the connector 36.

[0071] Meanwhile, a bridging bracket 76 is attached to the storage enclosure 16. The bridging bracket 76 has a through hole 94 formed in the side plate portion 76A, and a locking projection 96 is formed inside the through hole 94. Correspondingly, the protective cover 50 has a locking hole 60A formed in the locking portion 60.

[0072] As a result, the protective cover 50 is suspended from the bridging bracket 76 by inserting the locking portion 60 into the through hole 94 of the bridging bracket 76 and inserting the locking projection 96 into the locking hole 60A of the locking portion 60. Furthermore, by being suspended from the bridging bracket 76, the protective cover 50 is positioned on the housing body 20 and the bridging bracket 76. Therefore, in the housing 16, the attachment and detachment of the protective cover 50 for protecting the connector 36 is made easy.

[0073] Furthermore, the bridging bracket 76 has through holes 98 (98A, 98B) formed in the upper plate portion 76B, and the through holes 98 correspond to the bolt holes 44A in the connector fastening portion 44 of the mounting portion 40 of the connector 36. Therefore, even if the bridging bracket 76 on which the protective cover 50 is suspended is positioned above the mounting portion 40 in the housing 16, the lock bolt 46 can be turned without removing the bridging bracket 76, etc., and the workability of the connector 36 is not reduced.

[0074] Furthermore, the bridging bracket 76 has a roughly U-shaped cross-section, which improves its rigidity (strength against load). As a result, the bridging bracket 76 can effectively support the protective cover 50 and prevent deformation of the protective cover 50.

[0075] Furthermore, the protective cover 50 is surrounded by an upper wall portion 54, a front wall portion 56, and a rear wall portion 58 around the cover portion 52, and each of the upper wall portion 54, front wall portion 56, and rear wall portion 58 is attached to the housing body 20. As a result, deformation of the cover portion 52 is suppressed in the protective cover 50, so that the connector 36 can be protected even if a load is applied from the right side in the vehicle width direction, and damage to the connector 36 can be suppressed.

[0076] In the embodiment described above, a bridging bracket 76 was used. However, the upper part of the protective cover 50 may be attached to the right side wall of the housing body in the vehicle width direction without providing a bridging bracket.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a rib portion 64 is formed on the side wall 26R of the front wall 26F. However, the housing body may have rib portions formed on both ends (both wall sides) in the vehicle width direction on the front wall on the front side of the vehicle. This prevents damage to the housing from occurring even if deformation occurs to the radiator support, etc., in the event of a vehicle emergency, as the deformed radiator support, etc., may come into contact with the front wall of the housing. In addition, by preventing damage to the housing, leakage of coolant, etc., used to cool electrical equipment inside the housing can be suppressed. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0078] 10. High-voltage power supply 12 ESU 16 Storage enclosure 20 Main unit 22 Cover body 26F front wall 26R side wall 36 connectors 40 Mounting part 50 protective covers 52 Cover section 54 Upper wall 56 Front wall 64 Rib section 76. Bridging bracket (erecting bracket) 96 Locking part 100 Engine Room 102 Radiator 104 Radiator Support

Claims

1. An electrical functional component is housed inside, positioned at the front of the vehicle within the engine compartment, with the front wall of the vehicle facing the rear side of the radiator support, A mounting portion is provided on one side wall of the storage enclosure in the vehicle width direction, and on the outer side of the side wall in the vehicle width direction, a connector for connecting the electrical functional components and the electrical load is attached therein. A protective cover is provided which is positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of one side wall of the storage housing and covers the outer side in the vehicle width direction and the front side of the connector mounted on the mounting portion, On the extension of the one side wall toward the front of the vehicle, a rib portion is provided that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle from the front wall of the storage housing and is integrally formed with the storage housing, with its tip positioned further forward than the protective cover. Protective structures for electrical equipment, including those mentioned above.

2. The protective structure for electrical equipment according to claim 1, wherein the rib portion extends vertically in the front wall.

3. The protective cover comprises a cover portion that covers the outside of the connector in the vehicle width direction, an upper wall portion that covers the upper side of the vehicle, a front wall portion that covers the front side of the connector, and a rear wall portion that covers the rear side of the vehicle. The protective structure for electrical equipment according to claim 1, wherein when the upper wall portion, the front wall portion, and the rear wall portion are each attached to the housing, the front wall portion is attached to the rib portion and then attached to the housing.

4. The aforementioned storage enclosure has a mounting bracket positioned on its upper part, which spans between the front and rear sides of the storage enclosure. The protective structure for electrical equipment according to claim 1, wherein the upper part of the protective cover is lockable to the mounting bracket.

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