Vehicle undercarriage

Abstract

To provide a vehicle understructure that can reduce the thermal impact on the housing of an energy storage device. [Solution] The vehicle understructure 1 comprises a power storage device 20 located at the bottom of the vehicle body, an exhaust pipe 40 for exhausting exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, and an insulator 50 located between the power storage device and the exhaust pipe. The power storage device 20 has a housing that accommodates a plurality of power storage cells and a connector block 24 provided at the front of the housing in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The front end of the insulator 50 is connected to the connector block. The vehicle body, power storage device 20, and insulator 50 define a space S that is open to the rear. The vehicle body, power storage device 20, and insulator 50 shield the airflow from the front of the space S toward the space S and the airflow from the side of the space S toward the space S.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle lower structure.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-34251 discloses a vehicle including a battery pack disposed at a lower portion of a vehicle main body, and an exhaust pipe disposed at a side of the battery pack. A cooling pipe is provided inside the battery pack. A part of the cooling pipe is located between an electronic device and the exhaust pipe.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a vehicle as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-34251, it is desirable to reduce the influence of heat on the housing of the power storage device.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle lower structure capable of reducing the influence of heat on the housing of a power storage device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The vehicle understructure in this disclosure comprises a power storage device located at the bottom of the vehicle body, an exhaust pipe for exhausting exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine, and an insulator located between the power storage device and the exhaust pipe. The power storage device has a housing for housing a plurality of power storage cells and a connector block provided at the front of the housing in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The front end of the insulator is connected to the connector block. The vehicle body, the power storage device, and the insulator define a space that is open to the rear. The vehicle body, the power storage device, and the insulator shield the airflow from the front of the space toward the space and the airflow from the side of the space toward the space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle understructure that can reduce the thermal impact on the housing of an energy storage device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure schematically shows a vehicle understructure in one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic plan view showing the undercarriage of the vehicle. [Figure 3] This is a schematic front view showing the undercarriage of the vehicle. [Figure 4] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV. [Figure 5] This is a schematic plan view showing a modified example of the vehicle's understructure. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI in Figure 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings referred to below, the same or equivalent components are given the same number.

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle understructure in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a schematic plan view showing the vehicle understructure. Figure 3 is a schematic front view showing the vehicle understructure. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 2.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the vehicle understructure 1 comprises the vehicle body 10, a power storage device 20, an exhaust pipe 40, and an insulator 50.

[0012] The energy storage device 20 is connected to the lower part of the vehicle body 10. The energy storage device 20 has a plurality of energy storage cells 21 and a housing 22.

[0013] Multiple energy storage cells 21 consist of lithium-ion batteries or the like. Multiple energy storage cells 21 may be arranged in a line along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle (left-to-right direction in Figure 1), or they may be arranged along the width direction of the vehicle (direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1).

[0014] The housing 22 houses multiple energy storage cells 21. The housing 22 has a lower case 23 and an upper cover 25. The lower case 23 and the upper cover 25 are made of, for example, die-cast aluminum.

[0015] The lower case 23 is open upwards. A connector block 24 is provided at the front of the lower case 23. The connector block 24 is made of, for example, die-cast aluminum. The connector block 24 may be formed integrally with the lower case 23.

[0016] The upper cover 25 has a shape that closes the opening of the lower case 23. The upper cover 25, together with the lower case 23, houses a plurality of energy storage cells 21 in a sealed state. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a sealing material 26 is provided between the flange of the lower case 23 and the flange of the upper cover 25.

[0017] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, a shielding member 28 may be provided between the upper cover 25 and the vehicle body 10. The shielding member 28 is made of a cushioning material or the like. The shielding member 28 is connected to an end portion of the upper surface of the upper cover 25 on the side close to the exhaust pipe 40.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, a panel member 31 is connected to the lower surface of the lower case 23. Examples of the panel member 31 include a so-called share panel and an under cover.

[0019] A suspension member 32 is disposed in front of the power storage device 20. A connector protection member 33 that protects the connector block 24 is connected to the lower portion of the suspension member 32 and the lower portion of the panel member 31. An under cover 34 is disposed below the suspension member 32.

[0020] The exhaust pipe 40 exhausts exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine (not shown). The exhaust pipe 40 is disposed on the side of the power storage device 20.

[0021] The insulator 50 is disposed between the power storage device 20 and the exhaust pipe 40. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a part of the front end portion of the insulator 50 is connected to the connector block 24. Of the front end portion of the insulator 50, portions other than the portion connected to the connector block 24 are connected to the front surface of the housing 22 and the front surface of the shielding member 28. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the upper end portion of the insulator 50 is connected to the lower surface of the vehicle body 10. The lower end portion of the insulator 50 is connected to the lower surface of the lower case 23 or the lower surface of the panel member 31.

[0022] The vehicle body 10, the power storage device 20 and the insulator 50 define a space S that is open rearward. The vehicle body 10, the power storage device 20 and the insulator 50 block the airflow directed toward the space S from the front of the space S and the airflow directed toward the space S from the side of the space S. The sealing member 26 provided between the lower case 23 and the upper cover 25 is in contact with the space S.

[0023] The shielding member 28 shields the space S from the area R above the housing 22. Area R refers to the area between the upper cover 25 and the vehicle body 10 that is opposite to the side where the space S is located, with respect to the shielding member 28. If the space S is substantially blocked from area R by the vehicle body 10 and the upper cover 25, the shielding member 28 may be omitted.

[0024] When a vehicle equipped with the vehicle understructure 1 described above is in motion, as shown by arrow AR1 in Figures 1 and 2, an airflow (hereinafter referred to as "upper airflow") is formed passing through the region R between the vehicle body 10 and the energy storage device 20, moving from the engine compartment towards the rear. Additionally, as shown by arrow AR2 in Figure 1, an airflow (hereinafter referred to as "lower airflow") is formed flowing below the under cover 34 and panel member 31, moving from the front to the rear of the vehicle. The upper airflow is relatively hot, while the lower airflow is relatively cold, similar to the outside air.

[0025] In the vehicle understructure 1 of this embodiment, the airflow from the front of space S toward space S and the airflow from the side of space S toward space S are shielded, so that the relatively hot airflow from the engine compartment toward the rear is suppressed from flowing into space S defined by the vehicle body 10, the energy storage device 20 and the insulator 50. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the thermal impact on the housing 22 of the energy storage device 20.

[0026] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a through-hole 50h may be provided at the bottom of the front part of the insulator 50. In this embodiment, as indicated by arrow AR3 in Figures 5 and 6, when the vehicle is in motion, an airflow (hereinafter referred to as "central airflow") is formed from the rear of the energy storage device 20 through the space S toward the through-hole 50h. This is because, at the rear of the energy storage device 20, the upper airflow (the airflow indicated by arrow AR1 in Figures 1, 2, and 5) and the lower airflow (the airflow indicated by arrow AR2 in Figure 1) merge, and the pressure at the rear of the energy storage device 20 is higher than the pressure of the lower airflow.

[0027] Furthermore, since the upper airflow is cooled by the lower airflow behind the energy storage device 20, the temperature of the central airflow is lower than that of the upper airflow. As a result, the parts of the energy storage device 20 that are in contact with the space S (such as the housing 22 and sealing material 26) are effectively cooled.

[0028] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the shielding member 28 may be formed of a plate member connecting the end of the upper surface of the upper cover 25 on the side where the exhaust pipe 40 is located and the portion of the lower surface of the vehicle body 10 above the exhaust pipe 40. The upper end of the insulator 50 is connected to the lower surface of the shielding member 28. In Figure 5, the shielding member 28 is shown by a dashed line.

[0029] Those skilled in the art will understand that the exemplary embodiments described above are specific examples of the following embodiments.

[0030] [Aspect 1] A power storage device located at the bottom of the vehicle body, An exhaust pipe that discharges exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, The system includes an insulator positioned between the energy storage device and the exhaust pipe, The aforementioned energy storage device is A housing that contains multiple energy storage cells, The vehicle has a connector block provided at the front of the housing in the longitudinal direction, The front end of the insulator is connected to the connector block. The vehicle body, the energy storage device, and the insulator define a space that is open to the rear. The vehicle body, the energy storage device, and the insulator are a vehicle understructure that shields the airflow from the front of the space toward the space and the airflow from the side of the space toward the space.

[0031] In this vehicle understructure, airflow from the front of the space toward the space and airflow from the sides of the space toward the space are shielded, thereby suppressing the inflow of relatively hot airflow from the engine compartment toward the rear into the space defined by the vehicle body, energy storage device, and insulator. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the thermal impact on the housing of the energy storage device.

[0032] [Aspect 2] The vehicle understructure according to embodiment 1, wherein the front end of the insulator is connected to the connector block and the front surface of the housing.

[0033] [Aspect 3] The vehicle understructure according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein a through hole is provided at the bottom of the front part of the insulator.

[0034] In this configuration, when the vehicle is in motion, an airflow is formed from the rear of the energy storage device through the space towards the through-hole. Since the temperature of this airflow is lower than the temperature of the airflow passing over the energy storage device, the parts of the energy storage device that are in contact with the space (such as the housing) are effectively cooled.

[0035] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the claims rather than the description of the embodiments above, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0036] 1 Vehicle understructure, 10 Vehicle body, 20 Energy storage device, 21 Energy storage cell, 22 Housing, 23 Lower case, 24 Connector block, 25 Upper cover, 26 Sealing material, 28 Shielding member, 40 Exhaust pipe, 50 Insulator, 50h Through hole, R Area, S Space.

Claims

1. A power storage device located at the bottom of the vehicle body, An exhaust pipe that discharges exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, The system includes an insulator positioned between the energy storage device and the exhaust pipe, The aforementioned energy storage device is A housing that contains multiple energy storage cells, The vehicle has a connector block provided at the front of the housing in the longitudinal direction, The front end of the insulator is connected to the connector block. The vehicle body, the energy storage device, and the insulator define a space that is open to the rear. The vehicle body, the energy storage device, and the insulator are a vehicle understructure that shields the airflow from the front of the space toward the space and the airflow from the side of the space toward the space.

2. The vehicle understructure according to claim 1, wherein the front end of the insulator is connected to the connector block and the front surface of the housing.

3. The vehicle understructure according to claim 1, wherein a through hole is provided at the bottom of the front part of the insulator.

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