Power supply

Abstract

To provide a power supply device which achieves comfort and easiness of assembly work and maintenance work.SOLUTION: A power supply device IPU includes: a battery 20; an electric device 50; a case 30; and a cover 40. The electric device 50 is connected with a DC cable 91 connected to another electric device at the outside of the case 30. The cover 40 is provided with a first exhaust port 41a and a second exhaust port 41b. A first exhaust duct 71 is connected to the first exhaust port 41a and a second exhaust duct 72 is connected to the second exhaust port 41b. The first exhaust port 41a is provided so as to overlap with at least a part of the electric device 50 when viewed in an opening direction and has an opening area larger than that of the second exhaust port 41b. A minimum sectional area S1 of the first exhaust passage 711 formed at the first exhaust duct 71 is smaller than a minimum sectional area S2 of the second exhaust passage 721 formed at the second exhaust duct 72.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a power supply device that exhausts air introduced to cool the battery from an exhaust duct into the vehicle interior. The power supply device in Patent Document 1 has exhaust ducts arranged on the left and right, and each is connected to air exhaust ports formed in two places on the left and right of the battery cover. Furthermore, the left and right exhaust ducts exhaust the air introduced to cool the battery to the left and right sides of the vehicle interior, respectively.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a power supply device in which a battery and a DC / DC converter are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction and housed in a case. The power supply device of Patent Document 2 can modularize the battery and electric devices such as the DC / DC converter. However, since the DC / DC converter is housed in the case, it is necessary to insert a cable connected to another electric device arranged outside the case into the case with the cover attached to the case and connect it to the DC / DC converter. Therefore, in the case of the power supply device of Patent Document 2, it is necessary to provide an opening in the case or cover for inserting the cable into the case and connecting it to the DC / DC converter.

[0004] In this case, it is conceivable to adopt the technology of Patent Document 1 in the power supply device of Patent Document 2, and use one of the two air exhaust ports formed on the left and right sides of the battery cover as an opening for inserting a cable into the case and connecting it to a DC / DC converter. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-165302 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-199106 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the power supply device of Patent Document 2, if only one of the air exhaust ports formed at two locations on the left and right of the battery cover is made large enough to be used as an opening for inserting a cable into the case and connecting it to a DC / DC converter, and the opening areas of the air exhaust ports formed at two locations on the left and right of the battery cover are different, the amount of heat of the air exhausted from the air exhaust ports formed at two locations on the left and right of the battery cover will be different. As a result, the amount of heat of the air exhausted from the left and right exhaust ducts to the left and right sides of the vehicle cabin will be different, and the temperature in the space (for example, the vehicle cabin in Patent Document 1) into which the air exhausted from the air exhaust ports formed at two locations on the left and right of the battery cover is exhausted will be uneven, and the comfort of the space into which the air exhausted from the air exhaust ports formed at two locations on the left and right of the battery cover is exhausted will be reduced.

[0007] On the other hand, if the opening areas of the air exhaust ports formed at the two left and right locations of the battery cover were made substantially the same and both were made large enough to be used as openings for inserting a cable into the case and connecting it to a DC / DC converter, the proportion of the opening area in the entire cover would increase, reducing the strength of the cover. Therefore, it is necessary to make the opening areas of the air exhaust ports formed at the two left and right locations of the battery cover substantially the same while ensuring the strength of the cover, but in this case, it becomes difficult to insert a cable into the case and connect it to the DC / DC converter, and to remove the cable connected to the DC / DC converter from the DC / DC converter, reducing the ease of assembly and maintenance work.

[0008] As described above, with conventional technology, it has been difficult to achieve both comfort and ease of assembly and maintenance in a power supply device.

[0009] The present invention provides a power supply device that is both comfortable and easy to assemble and maintain. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention relates to A battery; an electric device disposed alongside the battery; a case housing the battery and the electric device and having a case opening; a cover that covers the case opening, a cable connected to another electrical device disposed outside the case is connected to the electrical device; The cover is provided with a first exhaust port and a second exhaust port spaced apart from each other, a first exhaust member is connected to the first exhaust port, the first exhaust member having a first exhaust passage through which air discharged from the first exhaust port flows; a second exhaust member having a second exhaust passage through which the air discharged from the second exhaust port flows is connected to the second exhaust port; the first exhaust port is provided so as to overlap at least a portion of the electric device when viewed from an opening direction of the first exhaust port, and has a larger opening area than the second exhaust port; The minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the first exhaust passage is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the second exhaust passage. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, the first exhaust port is provided so as to overlap at least a part of the electric device when viewed from the opening direction of the first exhaust port, and has a larger opening area than the second exhaust port, so that the cable can be easily connected to the electric device and the cable can be easily disconnected from the electric device without removing the cover. Furthermore, the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the first exhaust passage is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the second exhaust passage, so that the difference between the heat amount of the air discharged from the first exhaust port and the heat amount of the air discharged from the second exhaust port can be reduced. Therefore, comfort and ease of assembly and maintenance can be achieved at the same time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of the rear seat area of ​​a vehicle equipped with a power supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from above and in the front; [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of a second exhaust duct of the power supply device of FIG. 1, as viewed from the left side. [Diagram 3] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a power supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the power supply device shown in FIG. 2 along the line XX. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a top view of the power supply device of FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a top view of the power supply device of FIG. 1 with the first exhaust duct and the second exhaust duct removed. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the periphery of the cover and the first exhaust duct of FIG. 3; [Figure 8] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 5, showing a portion of the first exhaust path with a minimum cross-sectional area. [Figure 9] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5, showing a portion of the second exhaust path with a minimum cross-sectional area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the power supply device of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the power supply device is mounted on a vehicle. The drawings are to be viewed in the direction of the reference symbols. In this specification and the like, in order to simplify and clarify the description, the front / rear, left / right, and up / down directions are described according to the direction as seen by the driver of the vehicle, and in the drawings, the front of the vehicle is indicated as Fr, the rear as Rr, the left as L, the right as R, the top as U, and the bottom as D.

[0014] <Vehicle> 1 and 2, a vehicle V of this embodiment is, for example, a hybrid vehicle, and is equipped with a power supply unit IPU that accommodates a battery 20. The power supply unit IPU is disposed in an accommodating recess 140 recessed in a floor panel F, and is fastened to the floor panel F.

[0015] The floor panel F has a front floor panel 12 that constitutes the floor of the passenger compartment 11, and a rear floor panel 14 that constitutes the floor of the luggage compartment 13. The front floor panel 12 and the rear floor panel 14 are connected below a rear seat 15. Both ends of the floor panel F in the vehicle width direction are connected to a pair of left and right frame members 16 that extend along the front-rear direction, whereby the floor panel F is fixed to the frame members 16.

[0016] The rear end of the front floor panel 12 is formed with a kick-up portion 12a that rises upward. A center tunnel 12b is formed along the front-rear direction in the center of the front floor panel 12 in the vehicle width direction. The center tunnel 12b is bent so that the front floor panel 12 is convex upward, and a trapezoidal tunnel space ST is formed below. An exhaust pipe 17 (see FIG. 4) that exhausts exhaust from an internal combustion engine (not shown) to the rear of the vehicle V and the like are arranged in the tunnel space ST.

[0017] An accommodating recess 140 is formed in the front side of the rear floor panel 14. The power supply unit IPU is accommodated in the accommodating recess 140. The accommodating recess 140 is a space surrounded by a rectangular bottom portion 141 that is elongated in the vehicle width direction, and peripheral wall portions 142 that extend upward from the front, rear, left and right peripheral edges of the bottom portion 141.

[0018] A front cross member R1 and a rear cross member R2 are provided in front and behind the storage recess 140, straddling the left and right frame members 16. The front cross member R1 refers to the region between the upper end of the kick-up portion 12a of the front floor panel 12 and the front end portion 14a of the rear floor panel 14, which are overlapped, and the lower end of the front connecting member 18, which extends from the front side surface 142a of the peripheral wall portion 142 of the storage recess 140 to the height direction intermediate portion of the kick-up portion 12a. The front cross member R1 forms a closed cross section by the upper portion of the kick-up portion 12a, the front end portion 14a of the rear floor panel 14, the upper portion of the front side surface 142a of the peripheral wall portion 142 of the storage recess 140, and the front connecting member 18. In addition, the rear cross member R2 forms a closed cross section with an upper portion of the rear side surface 142b of the peripheral wall portion 142 of the accommodating recess 140, a rear floor portion 14b extending rearward from the upper end of the rear side surface 142b, and a rear connecting member 19 connecting the rear floor portion 14b spaced apart from the rear side surface 142b and the heightwise middle portion of the rear side surface 142b.

[0019] <Power supply> 2 to 4, the power supply unit IPU includes a battery 20, an electric device 50 arranged alongside the battery 20, a case 30 that houses the battery 20 and the electric device 50 and has a case opening 317, and a cover 40 that covers the case opening 317 of the case 30. A cooling unit 60 is further housed in the case 30. When the power supply unit IPU is manufactured, the battery 20, the electric device 50 and the cooling unit 60 are housed in the case 30 through the case opening 317.

[0020] The case 30 is a resin component having a roughly rectangular shape that is elongated in the vehicle width direction and is open at the top, and has a case main body 31 that is open at the top, and an annular flange portion 32 extending outward from the upper end of the case main body 31.

[0021] The case body 31 has a rectangular bottom 311 elongated in the vehicle width direction, a front wall 312 extending upward from the front edge of the bottom 311, a rear wall 313 extending upward from the rear edge of the bottom 311, a left wall 314 extending upward from the left edge of the bottom 311, and a right wall 315 extending upward from the right edge of the bottom 311. The periphery of the bottom 311 is surrounded by the front wall 312, the rear wall 313, the left wall 314, and the right wall 315, which extend upward from the respective peripheries on the front, rear, left and right sides. The case body 31 has a case opening 317 surrounded by the upper ends of the front wall 312, the rear wall 313, the left wall 314, and the right wall 315. The flange portion 32 extends outward from the peripheral edge of a case opening 317 of the case body 31. The case body 31 is formed with a storage portion 316 surrounded by a bottom portion 311, a front wall portion 312, a rear wall portion 313, a left side wall portion 314, and a right side wall portion 315.

[0022] In the storage section 316 of the case body 31, the battery 20 is disposed offset to the left from the center of the storage section 316 in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction), and the electric device 50 is disposed next to the right of the battery 20. The right end of the battery 20 is located to the right of the center of the storage section 316 in the vehicle width direction.

[0023] The bottom 311 of the case body 31 has a left bottom 311L extending in the front-rear and left-right directions, a right bottom 311R extending in the front-rear and left-right directions to the right and above the left bottom 311L, and an inclined portion 311a connecting the left bottom 311L and the right bottom 311R and inclining upward toward the right side. In this embodiment, the left bottom 311L, the right bottom 311R, and the inclined portion 311a all extend in the front-rear direction from the front wall 312 to the rear wall 313. Furthermore, when viewed from the front, the left side bottom 311L extends from the lower end of the left side wall portion 314 toward the right side, from the center of the bottom 311 in the vehicle width direction to the right side, and the right side bottom 311R extends from the lower end of the right side wall portion 315 toward the left side, with the left side bottom 311L, the right side bottom 311R and the inclined portion 311a forming a continuous surface, and the bottom 311 is composed of the left side bottom 311L, the right side bottom 311R, and the inclined portion 311a.

[0024] An exhaust pipe 17 extending in the front-rear direction is disposed below the bottom 311 of the case body 31. The exhaust pipe 17 is located below the right side bottom 311R and at a position facing the inclined portion 311a. The exhaust pipe 17 is disposed close to the right side bottom 311R, and the upper end of the exhaust pipe 17 is located above the left side bottom 311L.

[0025] The cover 40 is a member that covers the case opening 317 of the case body 31 to close the case opening 317. The cover 40 includes a ceiling portion 41 formed in substantially the same shape as the shape of the opening of the case body 31 in a top view, an annular peripheral wall 42 extending downward from the outer periphery of the ceiling portion 41, and a flange portion 43 extending outward all around from the lower end of the peripheral wall 42. The peripheral wall 42 has a front wall portion 421 extending downward from the front edge of the ceiling portion 41, a rear wall portion 422 extending downward from the rear edge of the ceiling portion 41, a left side wall portion 423 extending downward from the left edge of the ceiling portion 41, and a right side wall portion 424 extending downward from the right edge of the ceiling portion 41.

[0026] An air intake port 42a is formed in a front wall portion 421 of the peripheral wall 42 of the cover 40, for taking air from the vehicle compartment 11 into the inside of the case 30. The air intake port 42a is formed in an approximate center portion of the cover 40 in the vehicle width direction.

[0027] A first exhaust port 41a and a second exhaust port 41b are provided at two positions on the left and right sides of the ceiling portion 41 of the cover 40, separated from each other, through which air circulated inside the case 30 is exhausted. The first exhaust port 41a is formed on the right side of the intake port 42a in the vehicle width direction, and the second exhaust port 41b is formed on the left side of the intake port 42a in the vehicle width direction. The first exhaust port 41a is provided at a position corresponding to the electric device 50. Specifically, the first exhaust port 41a is provided so as to overlap at least a part of the electric device 50 when viewed from the opening direction of the first exhaust port 41a (from above in this embodiment). The second exhaust port 41b is provided at a position corresponding to the battery 20. Specifically, the second exhaust port 41b is provided so as to overlap at least a part of the battery 20 when viewed from the opening direction of the second exhaust port 41b (from above in this embodiment).

[0028] The flange portion 43 is overlapped with the flange portion 32 of the case 30 over the entire circumference when viewed from above. An annular seal member (not shown) is interposed between the flange portion 32 of the case 30 and the flange portion 43 of the cover 40 where they overlap. The flange portion 32 of the case 30 and the flange portion 43 of the cover 40 are screwed into nuts N pre-welded to the underside of the floor panel F by a plurality of bolts B that pass through the flange portions 32, 43 from above, via collar members 59 that are interposed between the flange portions 32, 43 and the floor panel F.

[0029] In this way, the storage section 316 of the case 30 is a space surrounded by the bottom 311, front wall 312, rear wall 313, left side wall 314, and right side wall 315 of the case body 31, and the cover 40.

[0030] The battery 20 includes a plurality of battery modules 21. Each battery module 21 is configured by stacking a plurality of battery cells 211 in the vehicle width direction. Each battery module 21 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long horizontally in the vehicle width direction. The plurality of battery modules 21 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle V so as to overlap one another when viewed from the front of the vehicle V.

[0031] Each battery cell 211 includes a positive terminal 211a and a negative terminal 211b. The positive terminal 211a is connected to the negative terminal 211b of one adjacent battery cell 211, and the negative terminal 211b is connected to the positive terminal 211a of the other adjacent battery cell 211, thereby connecting the multiple battery cells 211 in series.

[0032] The positive terminal 211a and the negative terminal 211b of the battery cell 211 are provided on the front surface of the battery cell 211, and are provided at a position overlapping the front cross member R1 described above in a front view. This reduces the influence of external input on the positive terminal 211a and the negative terminal 211b, improving the durability of the battery 20. For example, if the positive terminal 211a and the negative terminal 211b of the battery cell 211 are provided at a position not overlapping the front cross member R1 in a front view, it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the case 30 in the front-rear direction in preparation for receiving a load from the front. In this embodiment, since the positive terminal 211a and the negative terminal 211b are provided at a position overlapping the front cross member R1 of the vehicle V, the durability of the battery 20 can be increased without increasing the rigidity of the case 30.

[0033] The electric device 50 is a device that charges and discharges the battery 20. In this embodiment, the electric device 50 includes a junction board 51 on which wiring components through which charging and discharging power of the battery 20 flows are mounted, and a battery ECU 52 that controls charging and discharging of the battery 20.

[0034] The cooling unit 60 is a unit that takes in air from the vehicle interior 11 through the air intake 42a of the cover 40 into the accommodation section 316 of the case 30, cools the battery 20 and the electric device 50 with the taken-in air, and discharges the cooled air to the outside of the case 30. The cooling unit 60 includes an upper surface covering material 61, a lower surface covering material 62, and a fan 63.

[0035] The upper surface covering material 61 is a resin member disposed in the housing portion 316 of the case 30 and covering the upper surface of the battery 20. A space through which air can flow is formed between the upper surface covering material 61 and the upper surface of the battery 20. Furthermore, a space through which air can flow is formed between the upper surface covering material 61 and the ceiling portion 41 of the cover 40. The upper surface covering material 61 is provided with an intake portion 61a that takes in air from the intake port 42a of the cover 40 to the upper surface of the battery 20. The intake portion 61a opens forward and takes in air from the vehicle interior 11 through the intake port 42a of the cover 40. The left end portion of the upper surface covering material 61 is approximately at the same position as the left end portion of the battery 20 in the vehicle width direction and has a shape that hangs down downward. The right end portion of the upper surface covering material 61 is approximately at the same position as the right end portion of the battery 20 in the vehicle width direction and has a shape that hangs down downward. This prevents the air taken in through the air intake 42a of the cover 40 from flowing out from the right end of the upper covering material 61 to the outside of the space formed between the upper covering material 61 and the upper surface of the battery 20.

[0036] The lower surface covering material 62 is a resin member that is disposed in the housing portion 316 of the case 30 and covers the lower surface of the battery 20. Therefore, the battery 20 is disposed above the lower surface covering material 62. A space through which air can flow is formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the lower surface of the battery 20. Furthermore, a space through which air can flow is formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the bottom portion 311 of the case body 31. The lower surface covering material 62 is provided with an exhaust portion 62a that opens downward. The exhaust portion 62a exhausts the air above the lower surface covering material 62 that has been taken in through the intake port 42a of the cover 40 and cooled the battery 20 to the lower side of the lower surface covering material 62, which is the side of the lower surface covering material 62 on which the battery 20 is not disposed, specifically, to the space formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the bottom portion 311 of the case body 31.

[0037] The fan 63 is attached to the lower surface covering material 62 so as to cover the exhaust portion 62a, and takes in air above the lower surface covering material 62, which has been taken in through the intake port 42a of the cover 40 and cooled the battery 20, from the exhaust portion 62a of the lower surface covering material 62, and discharges the air to the lower side of the lower surface covering material 62, which is the side of the lower surface covering material 62 where the battery 20 is not arranged, specifically, to the space formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the bottom portion 311 of the case body 31. In this embodiment, the fan 63 is a sirocco fan and is attached to the lower surface of the lower surface covering material 62. The intake port 63a is formed in the upper surface of the fan 63, and the exhaust port 63b is formed in the outer periphery of the fan 63. The exhaust port 63b is formed on the right side of the outer periphery, in other words, on the side where the electric device 50 is arranged. The fan 63 takes in the air above the underside covering material 62, which has cooled the battery 20, from the exhaust section 62a to the intake port 63a, and expels it from the exhaust port 63b to the right, in other words, in the direction in which the electrical device 50 is located, into the space formed between the underside covering material 62 and the bottom 311 of the case 30.

[0038] Therefore, by driving the fan 63, air outside the case 30 is forcibly taken in through the intake section 61a of the upper surface covering material 61, so that the low-temperature air outside the case 30 taken in through the intake section 61a is supplied to the battery 20. On the other hand, the air that has cooled the battery 20 and increased in temperature is forcibly discharged by the exhaust section 62a and the fan 63 into the space formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the bottom section 311 of the case main body 31, so that the air that has cooled the battery 20 and increased in temperature is not directly supplied to the battery 20. As a result, the battery 20 is cooled by the low-temperature air taken in from outside the case 30. As a result, the battery 20 can be appropriately cooled without providing a heat exchanger.

[0039] The intake section 61a is disposed on one end side of the battery 20 in the vehicle width direction, and the exhaust section 62a and the fan 63 are disposed on the other end side of the battery 20 in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the intake section 61a is disposed on the right end side of the battery 20, and the exhaust section 62a and the fan 63 are disposed on the left end side of the battery 20.

[0040] In this way, the air taken in from the intake section 61a flows from the intake section 61a to the exhaust section 62a and the fan 63 by the fan 63, so that the air flows from the upper end to the lower end of the battery 20 and also flows from the right end to the left end in the vehicle width direction of the battery 20. This allows the low-temperature air outside the case 30 taken in from the intake section 61a to flow over the entire battery 20, so that the entire battery 20 can be uniformly cooled.

[0041] Furthermore, the fan 63 takes in the air above the lower covering material 62, which has cooled the battery 20, from the exhaust section 62a to the intake port 63a, and discharges it from the exhaust port 63b in a rightward direction, in other words, in the direction in which the electric device 50 is disposed, so that the air which has cooled the battery 20 can be supplied to the electric device 50. As a result, both the battery 20 and the electric device 50 can be cooled by the air taken in from the intake section 61a.

[0042] In general, the electric devices 50, such as the junction board 51 and the battery ECU 52, require a lower cooling capacity than the battery 20, so the electric devices 50 can be sufficiently cooled by cooling them with the air that has cooled the battery 20. Therefore, both the battery 20 and the electric devices 50 can be efficiently and sufficiently cooled by the air taken in from the intake section 61a.

[0043] Furthermore, since the electric device 50 is arranged next to the right side of the battery 20 and the fan 63 is arranged on the left end side of the battery 20, the air discharged from the exhaust port 63b of the fan 63 flows in the vehicle width direction from the left end to the right end of the space formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the bottom 311 of the case 30, and is supplied to the electric device 50 from the right end of the space. Therefore, the air that cools and warms the battery 20 and is discharged from the fan 63 is cooled while flowing in the vehicle width direction from the left end to the right end through the space formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the bottom 311 of the case 30. This allows the cooled air to be supplied to the electric device 50, so that the electric device 50 can be cooled more effectively.

[0044] In addition, the bottom 311 of the case 30 has the aforementioned inclined portion 311a, which inclines upward in the vehicle width direction from the left side where the fan 63 is arranged to the right side where the electric device 50 is arranged, so that the air discharged from the fan 63 to the space formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the bottom 311 of the case 30 is guided upward and to the right along the inclined portion 311a. This allows the air that has cooled the battery 20 and been discharged from the fan 63 to be supplied to the electric device 50 more efficiently.

[0045] Moreover, high-temperature exhaust gas flows from the internal combustion engine through the exhaust pipe 17, which is located below the right-side bottom 311R of the case body 31 and disposed at a position facing the inclined portion 311a of the case body 31. In this embodiment, air discharged from the fan 63 flows through the space between the left-side bottom 311L and the inclined portion 311a of the case body 31 and the underside covering material 62, so that it is possible to prevent the battery 20 from receiving heat from the high-temperature exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust pipe 17.

[0046] The air supplied to the electric device 50 from the left end of the space formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the bottom 311 of the case 30 cools the electric device 50, and then is discharged to the outside of the storage section 316 of the case 30 from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40. At this time, the right end of the upper surface covering material 61 has a shape that hangs down downward, so that the air that has cooled the electric device 50 is prevented from flowing into the space formed between the upper surface covering material 61 and the upper surface of the battery 20.

[0047] After cooling the electric device 50, a part of the air supplied to the electric device 50 passes through a space formed between the upper surface covering material 61 and the ceiling portion 41 of the cover 40, and is discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40 to the outside of the storage portion 316 of the case 30. In addition, a part of the air discharged from the exhaust port 63b of the fan 63 flows into a space formed between the upper surface covering material 61 and the ceiling portion 41 of the cover 40 via a space formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the bottom portion 311 of the case 30, a space formed between the left end portion of the battery 20 and the left side wall portion 314 of the case body 31, a space formed between the front end portion of the battery 20 and the front wall portion 312 of the case body 31, a space formed between the rear end portion of the battery 20 and the rear wall portion 313 of the case body 31, a space formed between adjacent batteries 20, and the like, and is discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40 to the outside of the storage portion 316 of the case 30. At this time, the left end of the upper surface covering material 61 is approximately at the same position as the left end of the battery 20 in the vehicle width direction and has a downward hanging shape, so that the air that has cooled the battery 20 is prevented from flowing into the space formed between the upper surface covering material 61 and the upper surface of the battery 20.

[0048] In this way, the air discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 mainly cools both the battery 20 and the electric device 50, and also receives heat from the high-temperature exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust pipe 17. On the other hand, the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40 mainly cools the battery 20, and then flows into the space formed between the upper surface covering material 61 and the ceiling portion 41 of the cover 40 via the space formed between the lower surface covering material 62 and the bottom portion 311 of the case 30, the space formed between the left end portion of the battery 20 and the left side wall portion 314 of the case body 31, the space formed between the front end portion of the battery 20 and the front wall portion 312 of the case body 31, the space formed between the rear end portion of the battery 20 and the rear wall portion 313 of the case body 31, the space formed between the adjacent batteries 20, and the like. Therefore, the air discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 is hotter than the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40.

[0049] The first exhaust port 41a is formed on the right side of the intake port 42a in the vehicle width direction, and the second exhaust port 41b is formed on the left side of the intake port 42a in the vehicle width direction. That is, in the longitudinal direction of the case 30, the first exhaust port 41a is formed on one side of the intake port 42a, and the second exhaust port 41b is formed on the other side of the intake port 42a. When both the first exhaust port 41a and the second exhaust port 41b are formed on either one side or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the case 30, the air on the side where the first exhaust port 41a and the second exhaust port 41b are not provided in the longitudinal direction of the case 30 tends to remain without being discharged to the outside of the case 30, and the cooling efficiency of the battery 20 and the electric device 50 is reduced. In this embodiment, in the longitudinal direction of the case 30, the first exhaust port 41a is formed on one side of the intake port 42a, and the second exhaust port 41b is formed on the other side of the intake port 42a, so that the air stagnating in the storage section 316 of the case 30 can be reduced, and the battery 20 and the electric device 50 can be cooled more efficiently.

[0050] <Exhaust structure> 1 to 5, a first exhaust duct 71 is connected to the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40. The first exhaust duct 71 is formed with a first exhaust passage 711 through which the air discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 flows.

[0051] The first exhaust duct 71 comprises a cover portion 71a that covers the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 from above, a forward extension portion 71b that extends forward from the front end of the cover portion 71a toward the front wall portion 421 of the cover 40, and a rightward extension portion 71c that extends from the front end of the forward extension portion 71b along the front wall portion 421 of the cover 40 toward the right side in the vehicle width direction.

[0052] The first exhaust passage 711 is formed by a space surrounded by the cover portion 71a and the ceiling portion 41 of the cover 40, and has an intake portion 711a that takes in air exhausted from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40, a forward extension path 711b formed in the forward extension portion 71b of the first exhaust duct 71 and extending in the front-rear direction with its rear end communicating with the front end side of the intake portion 711a, and a rightward extension path 711c formed in the rightward extension portion 71c of the first exhaust duct 71 and extending in the vehicle width direction with its left end communicating with the front end of the forward extension path 711b. The right end of the rightward extension path 711c opens to the right side in the vehicle width direction.

[0053] A first extension duct 81 is connected to the first exhaust duct 71. The first extension duct 81 has a first extension passage 811 whose one end side communicates with the open right end of the rightward extension path 711c of the first exhaust passage 711 and whose other end side serves as an opening 812 that opens toward the vehicle interior 11. The opening 812 of the first extension duct 81 is provided at the lower right end of the vehicle interior 11 in the vehicle width direction.

[0054] As a result, the air discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 is taken in by the intake section 711a of the first exhaust passage 711, flows from the front end of the intake section 711a through the forward extension path 711b and the rightward extension path 711c, in that order, and is discharged from the right end of the rightward extension path 711c through the first extension passage 811 of the first extension duct 81, and through the opening 812 to the lower right end of the vehicle interior 11.

[0055] A second exhaust duct 72 is connected to the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40. The second exhaust duct 72 is formed with a second exhaust passage 721 through which the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40 flows.

[0056] The second exhaust duct 72 comprises a cover portion 72a that covers the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40 from above, a forward extension portion 72b that extends forward from the front end of the cover portion 72a toward the front wall portion 421 of the cover 40, and a leftward extension portion 72c that extends from the front end of the forward extension portion 72b along the front wall portion 421 of the cover 40 toward the left side in the vehicle width direction.

[0057] The second exhaust passage 721 is formed by a space surrounded by the cover portion 72a and the ceiling portion 41 of the cover 40, and has an intake portion 721a that takes in air exhausted from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40, a forward extension path 721b formed in the forward extension portion 72b of the second exhaust duct 72 and extending in the front-rear direction with its rear end communicating with the front end side of the intake portion 721a, and a leftward extension path 721c formed in the leftward extension portion 72c of the second exhaust duct 72 and extending in the vehicle width direction with its right end communicating with the front end of the forward extension path 711b. The left end of the leftward extension path 721c opens to the left side in the vehicle width direction.

[0058] A second extension duct 82 is connected to the second exhaust duct 72. The second extension duct 82 has a second extension passage 821, one end of which communicates with the open left end of the leftward extension path 721c of the second exhaust passage 721 and the other end of which serves as an opening 822 that opens toward the vehicle interior 11. The opening 822 of the second extension duct 82 is provided at the lower left end of the vehicle interior 11 in the vehicle width direction.

[0059] As a result, the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40 is taken in by the intake section 721a of the second exhaust passage 721, flows from the front end of the intake section 721a through the forward extension path 721b and the left extension path 721c, in that order, and is discharged from the right end of the left extension path 721c through the second extension passage 821 of the second extension duct 82, and through the opening 822 to the lower left end of the vehicle compartment 11.

[0060] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the electric device 50 is connected to an electric device through which high-voltage power flows and is arranged outside the case 30, such as a DC cable 91 connected to an electric junction box, and an electric device through which low-voltage power flows and arranged outside the case 30, such as a harness cable 92 connected to an MG-ECU that controls the drive of the vehicle V.

[0061] A first recess 712a and a second recess 712b recessed upward are formed side by side in the front-rear direction at the lower end of the right side surface of the cover portion 71a of the first exhaust duct 71. In this embodiment, the first recess 712a and the second recess 712b are formed side by side in the front-rear direction on the right side surface of the cover portion 71a such that the first recess 712a is in the front and the second recess 712b is in the rear. The first recess 712a and the second recess 712b communicate between the outside of the first exhaust duct 71 and the intake portion 711a inside the cover portion 71a of the first exhaust duct 71.

[0062] The DC cable 91 is inserted into the housing portion 316 of the case 30 from the right side of the first exhaust duct 71 outside the case 30, through the first recess 712a, the intake portion 711a inside the cover portion 71a, and the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40, and is connected to the electric device 50. The harness cable 92 is inserted into the housing portion 316 of the case 30 from the right side of the first exhaust duct 71 outside the case 30, through the second recess 712b, the intake portion 711a inside the cover portion 71a, and the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40, and is connected to the electric device 50. In this embodiment, the DC cable 91 is connected to the junction board 51, and the harness cable 92 is connected to the battery ECU 52.

[0063] This eliminates the need to provide separate openings in the case 30 or the cover 40 for inserting the DC cable 91 and the harness cable 92 into the storage section 316 of the case 30 from outside the case 30, thereby simplifying the structure of the case 30 and the cover 40 of the power supply unit IPU.

[0064] Furthermore, the DC cable 91 and the harness cable 92 are inserted from the right side of the first exhaust duct 71 outside the case 30, through the intake portion 711a inside the cover portion 71a and the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40, into the accommodation portion 316 of the case 30, and connected to the electric device 50, so that the DC cable 91 and the harness cable 92 can be arranged so as to be inserted into the accommodation portion 316 of the case 30 from the right side surface of the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40. This makes it possible to prevent the DC cable 91 and the harness cable 92 from interfering with the flow of air from the front end of the intake portion 711a of the first exhaust passage 711 to the forward extension path 711b.

[0065] The first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 is arranged to overlap at least a portion of the electric device 50 when viewed from the opening direction of the first exhaust port 41a (from above in this embodiment), and has a larger opening area than the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40.

[0066] This allows easy access to the electric device 50 from the first exhaust port 41a without removing the cover 40, making it easy to connect the DC cable 91 and the harness cable 92 to the electric device 50 and to disconnect the DC cable 91 and the harness cable 92 from the electric device 50 without removing the cover 40.

[0067] A high-voltage direct current flows through the DC cable 91. The DC cable 91 has a positive power line 91a and a negative power line 91b. A positive terminal portion 911a is provided at the end of the positive power line 91a. A negative terminal portion 911b is provided at the end of the negative power line 91b. The junction board 51 is provided with a first fastening portion 51a to which the positive terminal portion 911a of the positive power line 91a is fastened, and a second fastening portion 51b to which the negative terminal portion 911b of the negative power line 91b is fastened. A positive terminal portion 911a of the positive power line 91a is fastened to a first fastening portion 51a of the junction board 51, and a negative terminal portion 911b of the negative power line 91b is fastened to a second fastening portion 51b of the junction board 51, whereby the junction board 51 is electrically connected, via a DC cable 91, to an electric device through which high-voltage power flows and which is arranged outside the case 30. The first fastening portion 51a and the second fastening portion 51b of the junction board 51 are provided at positions that are inside the first exhaust port 41a when viewed from the opening direction of the first exhaust port 41a (from above in this embodiment).

[0068] This allows easy access to the first fastening portion 51a and the second fastening portion 51b of the junction board 51 from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40, making it easier to connect the DC cable 91 to the electrical device 50 and to disconnect the DC cable 91 from the electrical device 50 without removing the cover 40.

[0069] As shown in Figures 5, 8 and 9, the minimum cross-sectional area S1 of the first exhaust passage 711 formed in the first exhaust duct 71 is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area S2 of the second exhaust passage 721 formed in the second exhaust duct 72.

[0070] Therefore, the flow rate of air passing through the first exhaust passage 711 is smaller than the flow rate of air passing through the second exhaust passage 721. That is, the flow rate of air discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 is smaller than the flow rate of air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40.

[0071] At this time, as described above, the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40 mainly cools both the battery 20 and the electric device 50, and is also air that has absorbed the heat of the high-temperature exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust pipe 17, and is therefore hotter than the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40.

[0072] In this embodiment, the flow rate of air passing through the first exhaust passage 711 is smaller than the flow rate of air passing through the second exhaust passage 721, so that both the battery 20 and the electric device 50 are cooled, and an increased amount of high-temperature air that has received heat from the high-temperature exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust pipe 17 is discharged from the second exhaust port 41b without being discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40. This reduces the difference in temperature between the air discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 and the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40.

[0073] Furthermore, the air discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 has a higher temperature and a smaller flow rate than the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40. Therefore, the difference in heat between the air discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 and the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40 becomes smaller.

[0074] Therefore, in this embodiment, the difference in temperature between the air discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 and the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40 is reduced, and further, the difference in heat between the air discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 and discharged from the opening 812 of the first extension duct 81 to the lower right end of the vehicle interior 11 and the air discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40 and discharged from the opening 822 of the second extension duct 82 to the lower left end of the vehicle interior 11 is reduced, so that the interior temperature of the vehicle interior 11 can be prevented from becoming uneven. This reduces discomfort to the occupants of the vehicle V and improves comfort.

[0075] In this way, the power supply unit IPU of the present embodiment makes it easy to connect the DC cable 91 and the harness cable 92 to the electric device 50 and to disconnect the DC cable 91 and the harness cable 92 from the electric device 50 without removing the cover 40, and can reduce the difference between the amount of heat discharged from the first exhaust port 41a of the cover 40 and the amount of heat discharged from the second exhaust port 41b of the cover 40, thereby preventing the interior temperature of the vehicle compartment 11 from becoming uneven. Therefore, the power supply unit IPU of the present invention can achieve both comfort and ease of assembly and maintenance work.

[0076] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modified or revised examples within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, the components in the above embodiment may be arbitrarily combined within the scope of the invention.

[0077] This specification describes at least the following items. In parentheses, components corresponding to the above-described embodiment are shown as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0078] (1) a battery (battery 20); an electric device (electric device 50) arranged alongside the battery; a case (case 30) that houses the battery and the electric device and has a case opening (case opening 317); A power supply unit (power supply unit IPU) including a cover (cover 40) that covers the case opening, A cable (DC cable 91) connected to another electric device disposed outside the case is connected to the electric device, The cover is provided with a first exhaust port (first exhaust port 41a) and a second exhaust port (second exhaust port 41b) spaced apart from each other, A first exhaust member (first exhaust duct 71) is connected to the first exhaust port, and the first exhaust member (first exhaust duct 71) has a first exhaust passage (first exhaust passage 711) through which the air discharged from the first exhaust port flows. A second exhaust member (second exhaust duct 72) is connected to the second exhaust port, and the second exhaust member (second exhaust duct 72) has a second exhaust passage (second exhaust passage 721) through which the air discharged from the second exhaust port flows. the first exhaust port is provided so as to overlap at least a portion of the electric device when viewed from an opening direction of the first exhaust port, and has a larger opening area than the second exhaust port; A power supply device, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area (minimum cross-sectional area S1) of the first exhaust passage is smaller than a minimum cross-sectional area (minimum cross-sectional area S2) of the second exhaust passage.

[0079] According to (1), the first exhaust port is provided so as to overlap at least a part of the electric device when viewed from the opening direction of the first exhaust port, and has a larger opening area than the second exhaust port, so that the cable can be easily connected to the electric device and the cable can be easily disconnected from the electric device without removing the cover. Furthermore, the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the first exhaust passage is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the second exhaust passage, so that the difference in temperature between the air discharged from the first exhaust port and the air discharged from the second exhaust port can be reduced, and further, the difference in the amount of heat discharged from the first exhaust port and the heat discharged from the second exhaust port can be reduced. Therefore, comfort and ease of assembly and maintenance can be achieved at the same time.

[0080] (2) The power supply device according to (1), The cable is inserted into the case through the first exhaust port and connected to the electrical device.

[0081] According to (2), since the cable is inserted into the case through the first exhaust port and connected to the electric device, there is no need to provide a separate opening in the case or cover for inserting the cable from the outside of the case to the inside of the case, which simplifies the structure of the case and cover of the power supply device.

[0082] (3) The power supply device according to (1) or (2), the electric device has fastening portions (first fastening portion 51a, second fastening portion 51b) to which terminal portions (positive terminal portion 911a, negative terminal portion 911b) of the cable are fastened, The fastening portion is provided at a position inside the first exhaust port when viewed from the opening direction of the first exhaust port.

[0083] According to (3), the fastening portion of the electric device is provided at a position inside the first exhaust port when viewed from the opening direction of the first exhaust port, so that the fastening portion of the electric device can be easily accessed from the first exhaust port. This makes it easier to connect a cable to the electric device and to disconnect the cable from the electric device without removing the cover.

[0084] (4) The power supply device according to any one of (1) to (3), The cover is formed with an intake port (intake port 42a) for taking air into the inside of the case, A power supply device, wherein in the longitudinal direction (vehicle width direction) of the case, the first exhaust port is formed on one side (right side) of the intake port, and the second exhaust port is formed on the other side (left side) of the intake port.

[0085] According to (4), in the longitudinal direction of the case, the first exhaust port is formed on one side of the intake port, and the second exhaust port is formed on the other side of the intake port, so that the air stagnating inside the case can be reduced, and the battery and electrical devices can be cooled more efficiently.

[0086] (5) The power supply device according to (4), an intake side covering portion (upper surface covering material 61) disposed inside the case and covering a surface of the battery on the intake port side; an exhaust side covering portion (lower surface covering material 62) disposed inside the case and covering the side opposite to the intake side covering portion across the battery; a fan (fan 63) connected to the exhaust side covering part inside the case, drawing in air that has been taken in through the intake port to cool the battery, and discharging the air to a side (lower side) of the exhaust side covering part where the battery is not disposed, A power supply apparatus, wherein the electrical device is arranged next to one side (right side) of the battery in the longitudinal direction, and the fan is arranged at the end of the other side (left side) of the battery.

[0087] According to (5), the electric device is arranged next to one side of the battery, and the fan is arranged at the end of the other side of the battery, so that the battery is cooled and heated, and the air discharged from the fan is cooled while flowing in the vehicle width direction on the side of the exhaust side covering part where the battery is not arranged. This allows the cooled air to be supplied to the electric device, so that the electric device can be cooled more effectively.

[0088] (6) The power supply device according to (5), the intake side covering portion has an intake portion (intake portion 61a) that takes in air from the intake port into the battery, The power supply device, in the longitudinal direction, the intake section is disposed on one end side (right end side) of the battery, and the fan is disposed on the other end side (left end side) of the battery.

[0089] According to (6), since the intake section is disposed on one end side of the battery in the longitudinal direction and the fan is disposed on the other end side of the battery, the air taken in from the intake section flows from the intake section to the fan, and therefore flows from the intake side covering section toward the exhaust side covering section, and also flows from one end side of the battery toward the other end side in the longitudinal direction. This allows the air taken in from the intake section to flow throughout the battery, thereby allowing the entire battery to be uniformly cooled. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 20 Battery 30 cases 317 Case Opening 40 Cover 41a First exhaust port 41b Second exhaust port 42a Air intake 50 Electrical Devices 51a 1st fastening part (fastening part) 51b Second fastening part (fastening part) 61 Upper surface coating material (intake side coating part) 61a Intake section 62 Underside covering material (exhaust side covering part) 63 Fans 71 First exhaust duct (first exhaust member) 711 First exhaust passage 72 Second exhaust duct (second exhaust part) 721 Second exhaust passage 91 DC cable (cable) 911a Positive terminal (terminal) 911b Negative terminal (terminal) IPU power supply S1, S2 minimum cross-sectional area

Claims

1. A battery; an electric device disposed alongside the battery; a case housing the battery and the electric device and having a case opening; a cover that covers the case opening, a cable connected to another electrical device disposed outside the case is connected to the electrical device; The cover is provided with a first exhaust port and a second exhaust port spaced apart from each other, a first exhaust member is connected to the first exhaust port, the first exhaust member having a first exhaust passage through which air discharged from the first exhaust port flows; a second exhaust member having a second exhaust passage formed therein through which air discharged from the second exhaust port flows is connected to the second exhaust port; the first exhaust port is provided so as to overlap at least a portion of the electric device when viewed from an opening direction of the first exhaust port, The cable is inserted into the case through the first exhaust port and connected to the electrical device.

2. 2. The power supply device according to claim 1, the first exhaust passage has an intake portion that takes in air exhausted from the first exhaust port, and an extension passage that extends in a predetermined direction from the intake portion, A power supply unit, wherein the cable is inserted into the intake portion from a direction perpendicular to the specified direction in which the extension passage extends, inserted into the case through the first exhaust port, and connected to the electrical device.

3. 3. The power supply device according to claim 1, the electrical device has a fastening portion to which a terminal portion of the cable is fastened, The fastening portion is provided at a position inside the first exhaust port when viewed from the opening direction of the first exhaust port.

4. 4. The power supply device according to claim 1, The first exhaust port has a larger opening area than the second exhaust port. power supply.

5. A battery; an electric device disposed alongside the battery; a case housing the battery and the electric device and having a case opening; a cover that covers the case opening, a cable connected to another electrical device disposed outside the case is connected to the electrical device; The cover is provided with a first exhaust port and a second exhaust port spaced apart from each other, a first exhaust member is connected to the first exhaust port, the first exhaust member having a first exhaust passage through which air discharged from the first exhaust port flows; a second exhaust member having a second exhaust passage formed therein through which air discharged from the second exhaust port flows is connected to the second exhaust port; The cover is formed with an air intake port for taking air into the inside of the case, A power supply device, wherein in a longitudinal direction of the case, the first exhaust port is formed on one side of the intake port, and the second exhaust port is formed on the other side of the intake port.

6. 6. The power supply device according to claim 5, an intake side covering portion disposed inside the case and covering a surface of the battery on the intake port side; an exhaust side covering part that is disposed inside the case and covers the side opposite to the intake side covering part across the battery; a fan connected to the exhaust side covering part inside the case, drawing in air that has been taken in through the intake port to cool the battery, and discharging the air to a side of the exhaust side covering part where the battery is not disposed, A power supply apparatus, wherein the electrical device is arranged next to one side of the battery in the longitudinal direction, and the fan is arranged at the end of the other side of the battery.

7. 7. The power supply device according to claim 6, the intake side covering portion has an intake portion that takes in air from the intake port to the battery, A power supply device, wherein in the longitudinal direction, the intake section is disposed on one end side of the battery, and the fan is disposed on the other end side of the battery.

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