Support structure for high voltage components for vehicles

Abstract

To provide a support structure of a vehicle high voltage component which can prevent a high voltage component from being sandwiched between seats arranged along a vehicle width direction to receive a large load applied from the seats during a side collision of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A support structure 10 supports a flat inverter 30 between seats 11L, 11R aligned along a vehicle width direction. A bracket 20 supports the inverter 30 in a horizontal state above a floor tunnel 13 of a floor between the seats 11L, 11R in a passenger compartment such that the inverter is spaced apart from the floor tunnel. The bracket 20 has a pair of rear leg portions 21RL, 21RR which are provided and arranged along the vehicle width direction. Middle parts of the pair of rear leg portions 21RL, 21RR are formed so as to be easily bent outward or inward in the vehicle width direction. When a load is applied to the bracket 20 due to movement of the seat 11L during a side collision of a vehicle, the pair of rear leg portions 21RL, 21RR bends and the horizontal state of the inverter 30 is disrupted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a support structure that supports flat high-voltage components between seats arranged along the vehicle width direction. [Background technology]

[0002] An electric vehicle is equipped with a large-capacity battery, and an inverter may be installed inside the vehicle cabin to supply power from the battery to various electrical appliances. In recent years, inverters have become larger in size in response to the demand for electric vehicles to supply power to household electrical appliances during disasters. As an example of the arrangement of a larger inverter, a configuration in which the inverter is arranged between seats lined up along the vehicle width direction is considered (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-001655 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Here, the inverter is a high-voltage component that receives power from a high-voltage battery and must be installed appropriately so as not to be subjected to a large load. In the configuration disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, in which the inverter is disposed between the seats lined up along the vehicle width direction, the inverter may be sandwiched between the seats during a side collision, and a large load from the seats may be applied to the inverter.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a support structure for high-voltage components for a vehicle that can prevent high-voltage components from being pinched by seats lined up along the vehicle width direction during a side collision of the vehicle, thereby preventing a large load from the seats from being applied to the high-voltage components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The support structure for a high-voltage vehicle component of the present invention is a support structure for a flat high-voltage vehicle component between seats lined up along the vehicle width direction, wherein the high-voltage component is supported in a horizontal state and spaced above the floor inside the vehicle compartment between the seats by a bracket, the bracket has a pair of legs arranged side by side along the vehicle width direction, and the pair of legs are formed so as to be easily bent at their intermediate portions toward the outside or inside of the vehicle width direction, and when the vehicle is subjected to a side collision, a load is applied to the bracket due to movement of the seats, causing the pair of legs to bend and the horizontal state of the high-voltage component to be lost.

[0007] With the above-mentioned configuration, in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, the load of the seat causes one of the pair of legs to bend further and the other to deform into a straight line, causing the high-voltage components to lose their horizontal position. This makes it difficult for the high-voltage components to be pinched between the seats while remaining in a horizontal position, and prevents a large load from the seats from being applied to the high-voltage components due to their inclination.

[0008] In the support structure for a high-voltage component for a vehicle according to the present invention, it is preferable that the bracket has a floor portion on which the high-voltage component is placed, and the floor portion has an opening portion through which the bottom surface of the high-voltage component is exposed.

[0009] With the above configuration, the heat dissipation performance of the high voltage components can be improved. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the support structure for high-voltage components for a vehicle of the present invention, in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, it is possible to prevent the high-voltage components from being narrowed by the seats lined up along the vehicle width direction, and to prevent a large load from the seats from being applied to the high-voltage components. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a rear view showing a support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a support structure according to an embodiment, as viewed obliquely from the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction. [Diagram 3] 4 is another perspective view showing the support structure as an example of the embodiment, as viewed obliquely from the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a rear view seen from the rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, showing a state in which the inverter loses balance from a horizontal state during a side collision. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. In the following description, specific shapes, materials, directions, values, etc. are merely examples for the purpose of easily understanding the present invention, and can be appropriately changed according to the application, purpose, specifications, etc.

[0013] A support structure 10 as one example of an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG.

[0014] The support structure 10 supports a flat-plate-shaped inverter 30 as a high-voltage component of a vehicle. As will be described in detail later, the support structure 10 can prevent the inverter 30 from being narrowed by the seats 11L and 11R arranged along the vehicle width direction during a side collision of the vehicle, and prevent a large load from the seats 11L and 11R from being applied to the inverter 30 while the seats are in a horizontal state.

[0015] The vehicle of this embodiment is a plug-in hybrid vehicle, which is a hybrid vehicle in which the battery can be charged directly from an electrical outlet using a plug. However, the vehicle is not limited to a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and may be an electric vehicle or a normal hybrid vehicle.

[0016] The high-voltage component of this embodiment is an inverter 30, which converts DC current into AC current of an arbitrary frequency and controls the current supplied to a drive motor. However, the high-voltage component is not limited to the inverter 30. The inverter 30 is housed in a housing 31. A blower fan (not shown) for cooling the inverter 30 is provided on the bottom surface of the housing 31, and blows cooling air for the inverter 30 downward.

[0017] 1, in the support structure 10, an inverter 30 is supported by a bracket 20 between seats 11L and 11R arranged along the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the seat 11R is a driver's seat and the seat 11L is a passenger seat, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0018] In the support structure 10, the inverter 30 is supported in a horizontal state at a distance above a floor tunnel 13 in the floor of the vehicle body 12. The floor tunnel 13 is a reinforcing member provided along the vehicle front-rear direction in the center of the vehicle width direction of the floor inside the vehicle compartment. The horizontal state of the inverter 30 means that the upper and lower surfaces of the flat plate-shaped inverter 30 are parallel to the floor. In addition, a console box 14 is fixed to the upper part of the support structure 10.

[0019] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bracket 20 has legs 21 that are fixed to the floor tunnel 13, a floor portion 22 on which the inverter 30 is placed, and a top panel portion 23 to which the console box 14 (see Figure 1) is fixed.

[0020] As described above, the legs 21 are fixed to the floor tunnel 13 and support the inverter 30. The legs 21 have a pair of front legs 21FL, 21FR provided along the vehicle width direction at the front end of the bracket 20 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a pair of rear legs 21RL, 21RR provided along the vehicle width direction at the rear end of the bracket 20.

[0021] The pair of rear legs 21RL, 21RR are formed so as to be easily bent toward the outside or inside in the vehicle width direction at their middle parts. In this embodiment, the pair of rear legs 21RL, 21RR are formed so as to be easily bent toward the outside by being bent toward the inside in the vehicle width direction.

[0022] In the bracket 20 of this embodiment, the pair of rear legs 21RL, 21RR are formed to be easily bendable, but this is not limiting. The pair of front legs 21FL, 21FR may be formed to be easily bendable, or both the pair of rear legs 21RL, 21RR and the pair of front legs 21FL, 21FR may be formed to be easily bendable.

[0023] In the present embodiment, the pair of rear legs 21RL, 21RR are bent toward the inside of the vehicle, but are not limited thereto. The pair of rear legs 21RL, 21RR may be bent toward the outside of the vehicle.

[0024] More specifically, the rear leg 21RL has a straight portion 21A extending from the top to the bottom in the vehicle vertical direction, an inclined portion 21B inclined toward the outside in the vehicle width direction with respect to the vehicle vertical direction, and a bent portion 21C which is a connection portion between the straight portion 21A and the inclined portion 21B and is a bent portion of the rear leg 21RL. Similarly, the rear leg 21RR has a straight portion 21A, an inclined portion 21B, and a bent portion 21C.

[0025] The inverter 30 is supported on the intermediate portion of the rear legs 21RL, 21RR. More specifically, the floor portion 22 described below on which the inverter 30 is placed is fixed by fasteners (bolts in this example) at the support portion 21S provided at the intermediate portion of the rear legs 21RL, 21RR. As shown in the illustrated example, the support portion 21S is preferably provided in the vicinity of the bent portion 21C. However, the support portion 21S may be provided on the straight portion 21A or the inclined portion 21B other than the vicinity of the bent portion 21C, as long as it is in the intermediate portion of the rear legs 21RL, 21RR.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 4, with the above configuration, when a load is applied to the inverter 30 and floor portion 22 by the seat 11L during a side collision of the vehicle, for example from the left, the bent portions 21C of the rear legs 21RL, 21RR tend to move in the direction of the collision, causing the rear legs 21RL to deform so as to spread further inward (deforming so as to bend further from their bent state), and the rear legs 21RR to deform so as to return to a straight state from their bent state.

[0027] Due to the deformation of the rear legs 21RL, 21RR, the rear left part of the inverter 30 is pushed downward and the rear right part of the inverter 30 is pushed upward in a state in which the inverter 30 is supported by the bracket 20. In other words, due to the deformation of the rear legs 21RL, 21RR, the rear part of the inverter 30 loses balance and tilts.

[0028] This prevents the inverter 30 from losing balance from the horizontal state supported by the bracket 20 and being pinched in the horizontal state between the seats 11L and 11R during a side collision of the vehicle. As a result, a large load from the seats 11L and 11R is less likely to be applied to the inverter 30.

[0029] In other words, the bracket 20 has a pair of rear legs 21RL, 21RR arranged side by side along the vehicle width direction, and the rear legs 21RL, 21RR are bent toward the inside of the vehicle width direction, and the inverter 30 is supported at the middle portion of the rear legs 21RL, 21RR. Therefore, when a lateral load is applied to the bracket 20, one of the rear legs 21RL, 21RR is deformed so as to bend further, and the other is deformed so as to return to a straight shape, thereby causing the inverter 30 to lose balance in the horizontal state supported by the bracket 20 and become tilted.

[0030] As described above, the floor 22 is a member on which the inverter 30 is placed at the middle portion of the leg 21. The floor 22 has an opening 22H that exposes the bottom surface of the inverter 30 (the lower surface in the vehicle vertical direction). It is preferable that the floor 22 has the opening 22H formed with a predetermined interval between the left floor 22L disposed on the left side in the vehicle width direction and the right floor 22R disposed on the right side as shown in the illustrated example. However, the opening 22H may be formed in the floor 22.

[0031] With the above configuration, since the inverter 30 is configured to blow cooling air downward, the space below the floor portion 22 of the bracket 20 can be used as a ventilation path for the cooling air of the inverter 30. This can improve the heat dissipation performance of the inverter 30.

[0032] The left floor section 22L is elongated along the vehicle front-rear direction and is fixed to the vehicle up-down middle of the front leg section 21FL and the rear leg section 21RL with bolts. The right floor section 22R is elongated along the vehicle front-rear direction and is fixed to the vehicle up-down middle of the front leg section 21FR and the rear leg section 21RR with bolts.

[0033] The top plate portion 23 is a flat member that forms the top plate portion of the bracket 20 and is fixed to the console box 14 as described above. The front legs 21FL and 21FR are connected to the left and right ends in the vehicle width direction of the front end portion of the top plate portion 23 in the vehicle front-rear direction. The rear legs 21RL and 21RR are connected to the left and right ends in the vehicle width direction of the rear end portion of the top plate portion 23 in the vehicle front-rear direction of the rear end portion of the top plate portion 23 in the vehicle front-rear direction. In the bracket 20 of this embodiment, the top plate portion 23, the front legs 21FL and 21FR, and the rear legs 21RL and 21RR are integrally formed and formed by bending.

[0034] The top panel portion 23 is fixed to the bottom surface of the console box 14 by fasteners (bolts in this embodiment).

[0035] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and its modified examples, and various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the matters described in the claims of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 10 support structure, 11L seat, 11R seat, 12 vehicle body, 13 floor tunnel, 14 console box, 20 bracket, 21 leg, 21A straight section, 21B inclined section, 21C bent section, 21FL front leg, 21FR front leg, 21RL rear leg, 21RR rear leg, 21S support, 22 floor, 22H opening, 22L left floor, 22R right floor, 23 top plate, 30 inverter, 31 housing

Claims

1. A support structure for a flat-plate-shaped high-voltage vehicle component between seats arranged along a vehicle width direction, comprising: the high-voltage component is supported horizontally by a bracket and spaced above the floor of the vehicle interior between the seats; The bracket has a pair of legs arranged side by side along a vehicle width direction, the pair of legs are bent toward each other inward in a vehicle width direction at intermediate portions and support the high-voltage components in the vicinity of the bent portions, When the seat moves during a side collision of the vehicle, a load is applied to the bracket, The pair of legs are bent, and the horizontal state of the high-voltage component is lost. Support structure for high voltage vehicle components.

2. 2. The support structure for a high-voltage component for a vehicle according to claim 1, the bracket has a floor portion on which the high-voltage component is placed, the floor portion has an opening exposing a bottom surface of the high voltage component; Support structure for high voltage vehicle components.

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