vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle. The vehicle (100) comprises a body (1), a thermal management assembly (2), and a brake (3). The body (1) includes a front compartment (11) and a cabin (14) arranged sequentially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (100). The thermal management assembly (2) is installed in the front compartment (11) and includes a plurality of thermal management components (21). The plurality of thermal management components (21) are integrated as an integrated module (22) of the thermal management assembly (2). The brake (3) is installed in the front compartment (11) and is used to provide braking force. On a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the orthographic projection of the integrated module (22) and the orthographic projection of the brake (3) do not overlap. Even if the integrated module moves toward the brake along the longitudinal direction when the vehicle is in collision, it will not collide with the brake. This contributes to improving the safety of vehicle operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention claims the priority of a Chinese patent application filed on December 18, 2023, with an application number of 202311751158.8 and an invention title of "Vehicle", and the entire content thereof is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicles.

Background Art

[0003] With the development of new energy technologies, more functions are being demanded for the thermal management system. For this reason, the volume of the thermal management system is becoming larger and larger. To solve this problem, there is a growing trend towards integrating the thermal management system.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a vehicle, which includes a vehicle body including a front compartment and a cabin arranged in sequence along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a thermal management assembly installed in the front compartment and including a plurality of thermal management components, a brake installed in the front compartment and used to provide braking force, and the plurality of thermal management components are integrated as an integrated module of the thermal management assembly, on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the orthographic projection of the integrated module and the orthographic projection of the brake do not overlap.

[0005] In some embodiments, a steering wheel is installed in the cabin, the vehicle body includes a first side and a second side arranged at intervals along the width direction of the vehicle, the width direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the integrated module is installed close to the first side. When the steering wheel is installed close to the first side, the brake is installed close to the first side, and the integrated module is installed between the brake and the first side, or If the steering wheel is installed close to the second side, the brake is installed close to the second side.

[0006] In some embodiments, the distance in the width direction between the integrated module and the first side is 430 mm or more and 485 mm or less.

[0007] In some embodiments, the front compartment includes a rear wall installed adjacent to the cabin, and the distance between the integrated module and the rear wall in the longitudinal direction is 320 mm or more and 350 mm or less.

[0008] In some embodiments, the thermal management assembly includes a cooling module connected to the integrated module, the front compartment includes a front wall installed away from the cabin, the cooling module is installed between the integrated module and the front wall, where the distance between the integrated module and the cooling module in the longitudinal direction is 70 mm or more and 90 mm or less.

[0009] In some embodiments, the vehicle body includes a bonnet for closing or exposing the front compartment, and the distance between the integrated module and the bonnet in the height direction of the vehicle is 80 mm or more and 100 mm or less, and the height direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0010] In some embodiments, the integrated module includes a mounting plate, and the thermal management components are connected to the mounting plate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the fixing plate includes a mounting surface, and a plurality of the thermal management components are each connected to the mounting surface, wherein the mounting surface is perpendicular to the width direction of the vehicle, and the width direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0012] In some embodiments, the material of the fixing plate includes at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, polymethyl methacrylate, and polyoxymethylene.

[0013] In some embodiments, the plurality of thermal management components include at least two of the following: a motor pump, an air conditioner pump, a battery pump, a heat exchanger, and a three-way valve.

[0014] As can be seen from the above embodiment, the vehicle of the present invention, by arranging the integrated module and the brake with their orthographic projections offset from each other, will not collide with the brake even if the integrated module moves toward the brake along its longitudinal direction during a collision. This arrangement method contributes to improving the safety of vehicle operation. At the same time, because the thermal management assembly integrates multiple thermal management components into the integrated module, the thermal management components that were originally scattered throughout the front compartment can be concentrated in one place, thereby freeing up some space in the front compartment. This makes it easier to arrange other functional components to enhance the vehicle's functionality or to arrange storage boxes to expand the vehicle's storage space.

[0015] Please understand that the above general description and subsequent detailed description are for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and do not limit the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] To more clearly explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings necessary for describing the embodiments are briefly described below. The drawings in the following description represent only some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these without any creative effort.

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the vehicle integrated module of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. These examples are shown in the accompanying drawings. Where the following description relates to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise noted, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described below as illustrative do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present invention. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus consistent with some aspects of the present invention detailed in the accompanying claims.

[0019] The terms used in this invention are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this invention have the ordinary meanings understood by those skilled in the art. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used herein and in the claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are used simply to distinguish different components. Similarly, terms such as “one” or “single” do not indicate a limit on quantity, but indicate that there is at least one, and referencing only “one” will be explained separately. “Multiple” or “several” means at least two. Terms such as “front,” “rear,” “bottom,” and / or “top” are used for explanatory convenience unless otherwise specified and are not limited to a single location or spatial direction. Terms such as “include” or “equip” mean that the element or object described before it includes the elements or objects and their equivalents listed thereafter, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as “connect” or “link” include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect, and are not limited to physical or mechanical connections. As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “one kind,” “the said,” and “the said” are intended to include the plural unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms “and / or” should be understood to refer to any possible combination and all combinations of any one or more of the associated enumerated items.

[0020] An integrated thermal management system increases in volume. Therefore, in the event of a vehicle collision, the larger thermal management system could move towards the cabin, potentially impacting passenger safety. Thus, an integrated thermal management system places a higher demand on the overall safety characteristics of the vehicle.

[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 2, the present invention provides a vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 includes a vehicle body 1, a thermal management assembly 2, and a brake 3. The vehicle body 1 includes a front compartment 11 and a cabin 14 that are arranged in sequence along the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle 100. Both the thermal management assembly 2 and the brake 3 are installed in the front compartment 11. The brake 3 is used to provide braking force to control the deceleration and stop of the vehicle 100. As shown in FIG. 4, the thermal management assembly 2 is installed in the front compartment 11 and includes a plurality of thermal management components 21. And the plurality of thermal management components 21 are integrated as an integrated module 22 of the thermal management assembly 2.

[0022] Here, on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle 100, the orthographic projection of the integrated module 22 of the present invention and the orthographic projection of the brake 3 do not overlap.

[0023] Since the integrated module 22 integrates a plurality of thermal management components 21, its volume has increased compared to a single thermal management component 21. If the orthographic projection of the integrated module 22 and the orthographic projection of the brake 3 partially overlap or completely overlap, when the vehicle 100 is involved in a collision, the integrated module 22 is likely to collide with the brake 3 along the longitudinal direction X, thereby causing damage to the brake 3, further leading to brake failure, and potentially threatening the safety of the driver and passengers in the vehicle 100.

[0024] When the vehicle 100 receives a strong impact in the longitudinal direction X, if the orthographic projection of the integrated module 22 and the orthographic projection of the brake 3 overlap, the integrated module 22 may move the brake 3 together along the longitudinal direction X toward the cabin 14 side, thereby invading the cabin 14 and potentially compromising the safety of the passengers in the cabin 14.

[0025] Therefore, in the vehicle 100 of the present invention, by arranging the integrated module 22 and the brake 3 with their orthographic projections offset from each other, even if the integrated module 22 moves towards the brake 3 along the longitudinal direction X when the vehicle 100 collides, it will not collide with the brake 3. This arrangement method contributes to improving the driving safety of the vehicle 100. At the same time, because the thermal management assembly 2 integrates multiple thermal management components 21 into the integrated module 22, the thermal management components 21 that were originally scattered within the front compartment 11 can be concentrated in one place, thereby freeing up some space in the front compartment 11. This makes it easier to enrich the functionality of the vehicle 100 by arranging other functional components in the front compartment 11, for example, by arranging storage boxes to expand the storage space of the vehicle 100.

[0026] A steering wheel 4 is installed inside the cabin 14 of the vehicle 100. The vehicle body 1 includes a first side 12 and a second side 13 that are spaced apart along the width direction Y. In some embodiments, an integrated module 22 is installed close to the first side 12. When the steering wheel 4 is installed close to the first side 12, as shown in Figure 1, the brake 3 is installed close to the first side 12, and the integrated module 22 is installed between the brake 3 and the first side 12. When the steering wheel 4 is installed close to the second side 13, as shown in Figure 2, the brake 3 is installed close to the second side 13.

[0027] The embodiment shown in Figure 1 is actually a right-hand drive vehicle, i.e., a vehicle 100 with the driver's seat on the right side. The embodiment shown in Figure 2 is actually a left-hand drive vehicle, i.e., a vehicle 100 with the driver's seat on the left side. The integrated module 22 of the present invention is installed close to the first side 12 in both left-hand drive and right-hand drive vehicles. In other words, the installation position of the integrated module 22 does not change regardless of whether the vehicle 100 of the present invention is a left-hand drive or right-hand drive vehicle. By installing it in this way, when a manufacturer produces the vehicle 100, they only need to adaptively change systems such as the steering wheel 4 and brake 3 for models produced for different countries, and there is no need to change the position of the integrated module 22, thus improving the production and assembly efficiency of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, by arranging the steering wheel 4 and brake 3 on the same side, the connection between the brake 3 and the brake pedal (not shown) is made easier, simplifying the connection structure of vehicle components and improving the transmission efficiency of braking.

[0028] Furthermore, by installing the integrated module 22 close to the first side 12, it can be positioned as far away from the center of the front compartment 11 as possible, thereby freeing up space in the central part of the front compartment 11. In this way, the vehicle 100 can be equipped with a large-capacity storage box in the front compartment 11, have more functional components added to the front compartment 11 to enhance the functionality of the vehicle 100, or have a larger capacity battery installed to improve the driving range of the vehicle 100.

[0029] Furthermore, the distance D1 in the width direction Y between the integrated module 22 and the first side 12 is 430 mm or more and 485 mm or less. For example, the distance D1 may be 430 mm, 435 mm, 440 mm, 445 mm, 450 mm, 460 mm, 465 mm, 470 mm, 475 mm, 480 mm, or 485 mm. If the distance between the integrated module 22 and the first side 12 increases, the integrated module 22 will move closer to the center of the front compartment 11, reducing the space in the central part of the front compartment 11. On the other hand, since the integrated module 22 needs to be fixed by a certain connection structure, if the integrated module 22 moves too close to the first side 12, it may lead to instability of the connection structure or a decrease in the safety of force transmission. Therefore, a distance D1 within this range ensures the connection safety of the integrated module 22 while allowing the integrated module 22 to be positioned as close as possible to the first side 12 in order to free up space in the front compartment 11.

[0030] The front compartment 11 includes a rear wall 111 installed in close proximity to the cabin 14. To improve the safety performance of the vehicle 100, as shown in Figure 3, the distance D2 between the integrated module 22 and the rear wall 111 in the longitudinal direction X is 320 mm or more and 350 mm or less. The distance D2 may be 320 mm, 325 mm, 330 mm, 335 mm, 340 mm, 345 mm, or 350 mm. By ensuring sufficient safety collapse space between the integrated module 22 and the rear wall 111, it is ensured that the integrated module 22 will not penetrate the cabin 14 and injure the occupants in the event of a high-speed collision. On the other hand, if the distance D2 is too large, the dimensions of the front compartment 11 in the longitudinal direction X will increase, thereby increasing the dimensions of the vehicle 100 in the longitudinal direction X. Therefore, a distance D2 within this range allows for control of the size of the vehicle 100 while balancing the safety performance of the integrated module 22.

[0031] The front compartment 11 includes a front wall 112 that is installed away from the cabin 14. As shown in Figure 3, the thermal management assembly 2 includes a cooling module 23 connected to an integrated module 22. Here, connection means a structural connection such as piping, rather than direct physical contact. In this embodiment, the cooling module 23 is installed between the integrated module 22 and the front wall 112. In the longitudinal direction X, the distance D3 between the integrated module 22 and the cooling module 23 is 70 mm or more and 90 mm or less. The distance D3 may be 70 mm, 75 mm, 80 mm, 85 mm, or 90 mm.

[0032] When vehicle 100 is subjected to an impact from the longitudinal direction X, the relative distance between the cooling module 23 and the integration module 22 decreases. If the distance D3 is too small, the cooling module 23 and the integration module 22 are more likely to collide and be damaged. On the other hand, if the distance D3 is too large, it will increase the dimensions of vehicle 100 in the longitudinal direction X without further improvement in safety performance. Therefore, the range of distance D3 in the present invention can improve the collision safety performance of vehicle 100, reduce subsequent repair costs, and control the dimensions of vehicle 100 in the longitudinal direction X, thus avoiding vehicle 100 being too large.

[0033] As can be seen from the distance D2 between the integrated module 22 and the rear wall 111, and the distance D3 between the integrated module 22 and the cooling module 23, in this embodiment, the integrated module 22 is installed close to the upper right corner of the front compartment 11 (viewpoint in Figure 2). In this way, the integrated module 22 can free up as much space as possible in the front compartment 11, thereby allowing, for example, storage boxes to occupy more space in the width direction Y, or, for example, parts such as water bottles in the vehicle 100 to occupy more space in the longitudinal direction X and width direction Y.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the vehicle body 1 includes a bonnet 15. The bonnet 15 is used to close or expose the front compartment 11. In the height direction Z, the distance D4 between the integrated module 22 and the bonnet 15 is 80 mm or more and 100 mm or less. For example, the distance D4 may be 80 mm, 85 mm, 90 mm, 95 mm, or 100 mm.

[0035] When vehicle 100 collides with a pedestrian, the pedestrian comes into contact with the hood 15. Due to the pedestrian's weight and impact force, the hood 15 will be indented toward the front compartment 11. If the distance D4 between the integrated module 22 and the hood 15 is too small, the pedestrian is more likely to collide with the integrated module 22, potentially resulting in physical injury. On the other hand, if the distance D4 is too large, the integrated module 22 will compress the space for other components in the front compartment 11 in the height direction Z, such as the piping of the thermal management assembly 2. Therefore, the range of the distance D4 between the hood 15 and the integrated module 22 in the present invention allows the pedestrian to avoid being struck by the integrated module 22 when vehicle 100 collides with a pedestrian, while also allowing the integrated module 22 to be placed in a reasonable position to secure space for other components in the front compartment 11.

[0036] Since the structure of the vehicle 100 is usually uneven or curved, the distance referred to in this invention refers to the shortest distance between the integrated module 22 and the component. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the hood 15 is provided in a curved shape. In this case, the distance D4 between the hood 15 and the integrated module 22 refers to the distance between the hood 15 and a position close to the front wall 112 in the longitudinal direction X of the integrated module 22, as shown in Figure 3.

[0037] Furthermore, in each embodiment of this specification, the longitudinal direction X, the width direction Y, and the height direction Z are orthogonal to each other.

[0038] The integrated module 22 may be an integrated module in a broad sense, that is, the thermal management components 21 are concentrated in one place and the area where they are concentrated is called the integrated module 22. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 4, in some embodiments, the integrated module 22 includes a fixing plate 221. The thermal management components 21 are connected to the fixing plate 221. By installing it in this way, when assembling the vehicle 100, the assembly worker can first connect the thermal management components 21 to the fixing plate 221, and then connect the integrated module 22 as a single assembly unit to the vehicle body 1. This reduces the difficulty of assembling the vehicle 100 and also improves the work efficiency when removing or reinstalling the integrated module 22 at a later date.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the fixing plate 221 includes a mounting surface 222. Multiple thermal management components 21 are each connected to the mounting surface 222. In this embodiment, the thermal management components 21 are mounted on only one side of the fixing plate 221. Therefore, the side of the fixing plate 221 opposite to the mounting surface 222 can be used for connection to the vehicle body 1, which is advantageous in reducing the difficulty of assembling and connecting the integrated module 22. In addition, multiple thermal management components 21 are each connected to the mounting surface 222. In other words, the multiple thermal management components 21 are not stacked but are installed "planarly" on the mounting surface 222. In this embodiment, the dimensions of the integrated module 22 in the thickness direction can be minimized.

[0040] When integrated into the vehicle 100, the mounting surface 222 is perpendicular to the width direction Y of the vehicle 100. This installation method allows the orthographic projection area of ​​the integrated module 22 on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X to be reduced as much as possible, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in the installation position of the brake 3 in the width direction Y. Furthermore, the distance between the orthographic projection of the brake 3 and the orthographic projection of the integrated module 22 can be made as large as possible. In this way, when the vehicle 100 is subjected to an impact from the longitudinal direction X, even if the integrated module 22 moves towards the cabin 14, it will not collide with the brake 3 and cause loss of braking function, much less move the brake 3 and enter the cabin 14. This is advantageous in improving the driving safety of the vehicle 100 and the protection performance of occupants in the event of a collision.

[0041] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the material of the fixing plate 221 includes at least one of the following: polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polyoxymethylene (POM). These materials have high strength and can form good support for multiple thermal management components 21. At the same time, when the vehicle 100 is subjected to an impact, the fixing plate 221 made of these materials is easily shattered. Therefore, if the vehicle 100 is subjected to a large impact force, the fixing plate 221 will shatter, causing the enlarged integrated module 22 to break apart, thereby dispersing the multiple thermal management components 21 into multiple smaller parts. This installation method prevents the enlarged integrated module 22 from entering the cabin 14 as a single unit and colliding with occupants, causing injury.

[0042] Furthermore, since the mounting surface 222 is perpendicular to the width direction Y of the vehicle 100, the side surface of the fixing plate 221 faces the longitudinal direction X. When the vehicle 100 is subjected to an impact from a force in the longitudinal direction X, the smaller side surface of the fixing plate 221 lacks sufficient strength to withstand the force, making the fixing plate 221 more prone to shattering and promoting the dispersion of the integrated module 22. Therefore, this embodiment not only reduces the orthographic projection area of ​​the integrated module 22 as much as possible, but also facilitates the dismantling of the integrated module 22 and contributes to improving safety performance.

[0043] In each of the above embodiments, the multiple thermal management components 21 include at least two of the following: a motor pump, an air conditioner pump, a battery pump, a heat exchanger, and a three-way valve. The motor pump and the battery pump are used to pump cooling water through the motor cooling line and the battery cooling line, respectively. The air conditioner pump is used to pump refrigerant through the refrigerant line. The heat exchanger is used to achieve heat exchange between two lines. The three-way valve is used to communicate fluids between three lines.

[0044] The integrated module 22 may contain only two thermal management components 21, in which case the integrated module 22 in this embodiment is used to provide two types of thermal management functions. In some other embodiments, there may be three or four or more thermal management components 21 so that the integrated module 22 can provide more thermal management functions.

[0045] Each embodiment of the present invention can be combined with and complement each other, as long as they do not contradict each other.

[0046] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications, supplements, or similar substitutions to the specific embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope defined in the appended claims.

[0047] Any combination of the technical features of the embodiments described above is possible, and for the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features of the embodiments described above are described. However, as long as these combinations of technical features are inconsistent, they should be considered to fall within the scope of this specification. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 100 vehicles 1. Vehicle body 11 Front compartment 111 Back wall 112 Front wall 12 1st side 13 Second side 14 cabins 15 Hood 2. Thermal Management Assembly 21 Thermal Management Components 22 Integrated Modules 221 Fixed plate 222 Mounting surface 23 Cooling Modules 3. Brake 4 Steering Wheel D1 Distance D2 distance D3 Distance D4 Distance X Longitudinal direction Y width direction Z (height direction)

Claims

1. It is a vehicle, A vehicle body including a front compartment and a cabin arranged sequentially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, A thermal management assembly, which includes multiple thermal management components, is installed in the aforementioned front compartment. The front compartment is equipped with a brake used to provide braking force, Multiple of the aforementioned thermal management components are integrated as an integrated module of the thermal management assembly. On the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the orthographic projection of the integrated module and the orthographic projection of the brake do not overlap. A vehicle characterized by the following features.

2. The cabin is fitted with a steering wheel, the vehicle body includes a first side and a second side spaced apart along the width direction of the vehicle, the width direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the integrated module is fitted close to the first side. When the steering wheel is installed close to the first side, the brake is installed close to the first side, and the integrated module is installed between the brake and the first side, or If the steering wheel is installed close to the second side, the brake is installed close to the second side. The vehicle according to feature 1.

3. The distance in the width direction between the integrated module and the first side is 430 mm or more and 485 mm or less. The vehicle according to feature 2.

4. The front compartment includes a rear wall installed adjacent to the cabin, and the distance between the integrated module and the rear wall in the longitudinal direction is 320 mm or more and 350 mm or less. The vehicle according to feature 1.

5. The thermal management assembly includes a cooling module connected to the integrated module, the front compartment includes a front wall installed away from the cabin, the cooling module is installed between the integrated module and the front wall, where the distance between the integrated module and the cooling module in the longitudinal direction is 70 mm or more and 90 mm or less. The vehicle according to feature 1.

6. The vehicle body includes a bonnet for closing or exposing the front compartment, and in the height direction of the vehicle, the distance between the integrated module and the bonnet is 80 mm or more and 100 mm or less, and the height direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The vehicle according to feature 1.

7. The integrated module includes a fixing plate, and the thermal management components are connected to the fixing plate. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The fixing plate includes a mounting surface, and each of the heat management components is connected to the mounting surface, wherein the mounting surface is perpendicular to the width direction of the vehicle, and the width direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The vehicle according to feature 7.

9. The material of the fixing plate includes at least one of the following: polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, polymethyl methacrylate, and polyoxymethylene. The vehicle according to feature 7.

10. The aforementioned plurality of thermal management components include at least two of the following: a motor pump, an air conditioning pump, a battery pump, a heat exchanger, and a three-way valve. The vehicle according to feature 1.

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