Saddle-type electric vehicle

Abstract

Provided is a saddle-type electric vehicle that can improve the water-submersion resistance of a drive system while facilitating attachment and detachment of an electric motor. [Solution] An electric two-wheeler 1 equipped with an electric motor (electric motor 30), a storage battery (battery 100), and a control device (PCU 320) has a terminal block 50 provided between the control device and the electric motor for detachably connecting a first wiring extending from the control device and a second wiring extending from the electric motor, and the terminal block 50 is positioned between a passenger seat (seat 8) and a footrest (floor step 9a) in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a saddle-type electric vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, some electric two-wheelers equipped with a motor and battery for driving the vehicle and a control device that controls the battery's power and supplies it to the motor have a terminal block between the battery and the control device, allowing the battery side cable to be separated from the control device side cable (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The terminal block in Patent Document 1 is located above the floor, in an arrangement that makes it difficult for water to enter. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-182930 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above conventional configuration, a terminal block is provided between the battery and the control device, which makes it easy to attach and detach the battery, but does not make it easy to attach and detach the motor. For example, if the battery is a mobile battery, the battery can be easily attached and detached regardless of the presence or absence of a terminal block. On the other hand, the motor, which is often placed under the vehicle body to be close to the drive wheels, is easily exposed to water and therefore requires sufficient waterproofing measures. Therefore, there is a demand for a configuration that provides a terminal block between the control device and the motor to make it easy to attach and detach the motor while maintaining good water resistance of the drive system.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE An object of the present invention is to provide a saddle-type electric vehicle that can improve the water-submersion resistance of the drive system while facilitating the attachment and detachment of the electric motor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a means for solving the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention is a saddle-ride type electric vehicle (1) including an electric motor (30) for propelling a vehicle, a storage battery (100) for storing power to be supplied to the electric motor (30), and a control device (320) for controlling the power of the storage battery (100) and supplying the power to the electric motor (30), characterized in that a terminal block (50) for detachably connecting a first wiring (40A) extending from the control device (320) and a second wiring (40B) extending from the electric motor (30) is provided between the control device (320) and the electric motor (30), and the terminal block (50) is disposed between a seating portion (8) for a passenger and a footrest portion (9a) in the vertical direction of the vehicle. According to this configuration, the first wiring and the second wiring extending from the control device and the electric motor are connected to each other at the terminal block. The terminal block is disposed below the seat portion and above the footrest portion. This allows the wiring between the control device and the electric motor to be detachably separated by the terminal block, making it easy to attach and detach the electric motor, while preventing the terminal block from becoming wet and improving the water resistance of the drive system.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention is the above-mentioned first aspect, wherein the electric motor (30) is an in-wheel motor provided integrally with a driving wheel (4) of the vehicle. According to this configuration, it is possible to easily attach and detach the in-wheel motor when changing tires, etc., while preventing the terminal block from becoming wet.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned first or second aspect, an exterior member (25d) is provided between the seating portion (8) and the footrest portion (9a), the exterior member (25d) covers the terminal block (50) from the front in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the terminal block (50) exposes the terminal fastening portions (51, 52, 53) or a cover (55) covering the terminal fastening portions (51, 52, 53) to the front of the vehicle when the exterior member (25d) is removed. According to this configuration, the terminal block is covered from the front by the exterior member that spans between the seating portion and the footrest portion, thereby suppressing disturbances to the terminal block while driving and improving the appearance. When the exterior member is removed, the terminal fastening portion or its cover is exposed to the front of the vehicle, so that the terminal block can be easily accessed from the footrest side by removing the exterior member, improving workability on the terminal block.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in any one of the first to third aspects, the control device (320) is disposed below the footrest (9a). According to this configuration, the control device is disposed below the footrest, thereby lowering the center of gravity of the vehicle body. The control device is made waterproof, but by providing a terminal block separately from the control device, it is not necessary to connect and disconnect the wiring at the control device, and the impact on workability can be reduced.

[0010] A fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the terminal block (50) is supported by a support member (56) attached to a body frame (11), and the support member (56) has a wiring support portion (58) that supports the first wiring (40A) and the second wiring (40B). According to this configuration, since the support member that supports the terminal block has the wiring support portion, the terminal block and the wiring can be efficiently supported by the support member.

[0011] A sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, a bank angle sensor (60) is provided for detecting a bank angle of the vehicle body, and the support member (56) is provided with a sensor support portion (57) for supporting the bank angle sensor (60). According to this configuration, the support member that supports the terminal block supports the bank angle sensor, eliminating the need to provide a separate support member for the bank angle sensor, and enabling the number of parts to be reduced.

[0012] A seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, a battery box (103) for accommodating the storage battery (100) is provided below the seating portion (8), and the support member (56) has a box support portion (56a) for supporting the battery box (103). According to this configuration, the support member that supports the terminal block supports the battery box, so that it is possible to eliminate or reduce the support member for the battery box, thereby enabling the number of parts to be reduced.

[0013] An eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the third aspect, the terminal block (50) is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is along the exterior member (25d). According to this configuration, the terminal block is arranged with its longitudinal direction aligned with the exterior member, so that the space between the terminal block and the exterior member can be minimized. This makes it easier to access the terminal block when the exterior member is removed, thereby improving workability.

[0014] A ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to eighth aspects, the terminal block (50) is arranged rearward of the front end (8b) of the seat portion (8). According to this configuration, the terminal block is disposed rearward of the front end of the seating portion, so that the terminal block and the exterior member covering it do not protrude toward the footrest portion and do not interfere with the legs of the occupant.

[0015] A tenth aspect of the present invention is the electric vehicle according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the electric motor (30) and the terminal block (50) are arranged offset to one side in the left-right direction with respect to a left-right center (CL) of the vehicle body, The terminal block (50) is characterized in that the second wiring (40B) is connected to one side in the left-right direction, and the first wiring (40A) is connected to the other side in the left-right direction. According to this configuration, the electric motor and terminal block are positioned offset to one side in the left-right direction, and the second wiring is connected to the terminal block from one side in the left-right direction, and the first wiring is connected from the other side in the left-right direction, allowing each cable to be routed in the shortest possible manner and without stress. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a saddle-type electric vehicle that can improve the water-submersion resistance of the drive system while facilitating the attachment and detachment of the electric motor. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a left side view of an electric motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a left side view of the vicinity of the terminal block below the seat of the electric motorcycle. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a drive system of the electric motorcycle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the directions of front, rear, left and right are the same as those in the vehicle described below unless otherwise specified. In addition, in the drawings used in the following description, an arrow FR indicating the front of the vehicle, an arrow LH indicating the left side of the vehicle, an arrow UP indicating the top of the vehicle, and a line CL indicating the center of the left and right of the vehicle body are shown at appropriate positions.

[0019] <Entire vehicle> Fig. 1 shows a scooter-type electric two-wheeled vehicle (motorcycle) 1 having a floor section (low floor section) 9 on which a rider (driver) places his / her feet, as an example of a saddle-ride type electric vehicle. The electric two-wheeled vehicle 1 is equipped with a front wheel 3 which is a steering wheel, and a rear wheel 4 which is a drive wheel. The front wheel 3 is supported by a front fork 6 and can be steered by a bar handle (steering handle) 2. In the figure, reference numeral 2a denotes grip sections on both the left and right sides of the bar handle 2, and reference numeral 2b denotes a handle cover 2b which covers the periphery of the bar handle 2 except for the left and right grip sections 2a.

[0020] The rear wheel 4 is supported by a rear end of a swing arm 20 and can be driven by an electric motor 30. A front end of the swing arm 20 is connected to the vehicle body frame 11. The drive unit 30A is provided integrally with the swing arm 20 that supports the rear wheel 4. The drive unit 30A includes an in-wheel motor.

[0021] Steering system components 5 including the handlebar 2, front fork 6, and front wheel 3 are steerably supported at the front end of a body frame 11. A swing arm 20, a drive unit 30A, and a rear wheel 4 are supported at the bottom of the body frame 11 so as to be vertically swingable. The periphery of the body frame 11 is covered by a body cover 25.

[0022] The electric motorcycle 1 includes a floor section 9 that forms a footrest surface on which a rider seated on a seat 8 places his / her feet, a front body FB that is connected to the front of the floor section 9, and a rear body RB that is connected to the rear of the floor section 9. A straddling space K1 is formed above the floor section 9 to make it easier for a rider to straddle the vehicle body.

[0023] A seat 8 on which an occupant sits is supported on the rear body RB. The lower front end of the seat 8 is connected to the vehicle body via a hinge shaft 8a that runs along the vehicle width direction (left-right direction). The seat 8 rotates up and down about the hinge shaft 8a to open and close the upper part of the rear body RB. When the seat 8 is in a closed state (see FIG. 1) with the seat surface approximately horizontal and closing the upper part of the rear body RB, the occupant can sit on the seat 8, and the battery storage section below the seat 8 is closed. In this state, the seat 8 can be locked. When the seat 8 rotates about the hinge shaft 8a to an open state with the seat surface raised upward and the upper part of the rear body RB open, the occupant cannot sit on the seat 8, and the battery storage section below the seat 8 opens, allowing the battery 100 to be attached and detached.

[0024] The vehicle body frame 11 is formed by joining together a plurality of types of steel materials by welding or the like. The vehicle body frame 11 includes a head pipe 12 located at the front end, a down frame 13 extending downward from the head pipe 12, a pair of left and right lower frames 14 branching left and right from the lower portion of the down frame 13 and extending rearward, and a pair of left and right rear frames 15 extending upward and rearward from the rear portions of the left and right lower frames 14. A pair of left and right support frames 14a is provided above the left and right lower frames 14, extending in the vehicle front-rear direction between the lower portion of the down frame 13 and the front lower portions of the left and right rear frames 15. A PCU 320, which will be described later, is disposed in an underfloor space surrounded by the left and right lower frames 14 and the left and right support frames 14a. A center cross frame 16 is provided between the front portions of the left and right rear frames 15.

[0025] The periphery of the body frame 11 is covered by a body cover 25. The body cover 25 includes a front cover 25a that covers the front portion of the body frame 11 from the front, an inner cover 25b that covers the front portion of the body frame 11 from the rear, a floor cover 25c that covers the lower portion of the body frame 11 from above, a rear center cover 25d that covers the rear portion of the body frame 11 from the front, and a pair of left and right rear side covers 25e that cover the rear portion of the body frame 11 from the left and right sides.

[0026] The front cover 25a and the inner cover 25b constitute a front body cover 25f that forms the outer surface of the front body FB. The front body cover 25f also serves as a leg shield that covers the front of the driver's legs. The upper surface of the floor cover 25c constitutes a floor step 9a. The floor step 9a forms a flat upper surface (footrest surface) across the entire width in the vehicle width direction, for example. The floor step 9a may be provided with a center tunnel that protrudes upward on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The rear center cover 25d and the left and right rear side covers 25e constitute a rear body cover 25g that forms the outer surface of the rear body RB. The vehicle body cover 25 is fixedly supported by the vehicle body frame 11 except for the handle cover 2b.

[0027] <Drive unit 30A> The drive unit 30A includes an electric motor 30 that generates drive power for propelling the electric motorcycle 1, and a unit case 35 that houses the electric motor 30 and is provided integrally with the left arm of the swing arm 20. "Provided integrally" is not limited to a configuration in which the swing arm 20 and the unit case 35 are integrated, but also includes a configuration in which they are connected so as to be immovable relative to each other, including relative rotation. The drive unit 30A may include a speed reduction mechanism that reduces the output of the electric motor 30. The electric motor 30 is disposed offset to one side (left side) in the left-right direction with respect to the vehicle body left-right center CL.

[0028] The electric motor 30 is driven by power from the battery 100. The electric motor 30 is arranged with its drive shaft aligned along the vehicle width direction (for example, coaxial with the axle of the rear wheels 4). The electric motor 30 includes a rotor that rotates integrally with the drive shaft, and a stator that surrounds the outer periphery of the rotor and is fixed to a unit case 35 (both not shown). The electric motor 30 is driven at a variable speed, for example, by variable voltage variable frequency (VVVF) control. The electric motor 30 is controlled to change speed as if it had a continuously variable transmission, but this is not limiting. The electric motor 30 may also be controlled to change speed as if it had a stepped transmission.

[0029] The driving force generated by the electric motor 30 is transmitted to a drive wheel (rear wheel 4) supported by the swing arm 20 to move the electric motorcycle 1. For example, a rear fender 27 is supported by the swing arm 20. For example, a lower end of a rear cushion 28 is connected to the rear end of the swing arm 20. A suspension device (rear suspension) that supports the rear wheel 4 is configured by including the swing arm 20 and the rear cushion 28.

[0030] <Battery 100> The battery 100 is mounted below the seat 8. The battery 100 is disposed so as to overlap with the front part of the seat 8 in a plan view. The battery 100 includes, for example, one unit battery 101. The battery 100 may include, for example, a plurality of unit batteries 101.

[0031] The unit battery 101 has, for example, a rectangular cross section (for example, a substantially square shape) and a prismatic column shape (rectangular parallelepiped shape) extending in the longitudinal direction (indicated by arrow L in the figure). The unit batteries 101 are arranged with the front and rear sides of the cross section aligned in the left-right direction. The unit batteries 101 are arranged in an upright position with the longitudinal direction tilted so that the higher they are located, the further rearward they are located. The unit batteries 101 are configured as, for example, lithium-ion batteries as chargeable and dischargeable energy storage.

[0032] 5, battery cables 45 extend from the positive and negative electrodes of the battery 100. Each battery cable 45 is connected to a PDU (Power Driver Unit) 321. A three-phase cable 40 extends from the PDU 321, and the three-phase cable 40 is connected to the electric motor 30.

[0033] The battery 100 is a mobile battery that can be manually attached to and detached from the vehicle body without using tools. The battery 100 can be charged, for example, when removed from the vehicle body, using a charger outside the vehicle. The battery 100 can be used independently, such as as a mobile battery to power an external device.

[0034] <pcu320> 1 and 5, the PCU 320 is disposed inside the floor portion 9. The PCU 320 is disposed between the left and right lower frames 14. The entire PCU 320 is disposed above the lower ends of the left and right lower frames 14. This reduces contact between the PCU 320 and the ground surface. One end of a three-phase cable 40 is connected to the inverter of the PCU 320, and positive and negative battery cables 45 extending from a battery box 103 that houses the battery 100 are also connected to the inverter of the PCU 320.

[0035] <Drive system> As shown in Fig. 5, a PDU (Power Driver Unit) 321 and an ECU (Electric Control Unit) 322 constitute a PCU (Power control unit) 320, which is an integrated control unit. The PDU 321 has an inverter that converts the DC current supplied by the battery 100 into three-phase AC and supplies it to the electric motor 30. The PDU 321 controls the supply of electricity to the stator windings of the electric motor 30. The electric motor 30 performs power running according to the control of the PDU 321, and drives the electric two-wheeled vehicle 1. The electric motor 30 performs regenerative braking when the electric two-wheeled vehicle 1 decelerates, and recovers the kinetic energy of the vehicle body as electric energy to the battery 100.

[0036] The output voltage from the battery 100 is stepped down via a DC-DC converter (down regulator) and used to charge a 12V sub-battery (both not shown). The sub-battery supplies power to general electrical components such as lighting, meters, a smart unit, and control system components such as the ECU 322. By installing the sub-battery, various electromagnetic locks and the like can be operated even when the battery 100 is removed.

[0037] The battery 100 is equipped with a BMU (Battery Managing Unit) 101a that monitors the charge / discharge status, temperature, etc. Information monitored by the BMU 101a is shared with an ECU 322 when the battery 100 is mounted on a vehicle body. Output request information is input to the ECU 322 from an accelerator sensor (not shown). The ECU 322 controls the driving of the electric motor 30 via the PDU 321 based on the input output request information.

[0038] <Terminal block 50> In the embodiment, the three-phase cable 40 extending between the PCU 320 and the electric motor 30 is split midway, and the split cables are connected to each other by a terminal block 50. Hereinafter, the three-phase split cable extending from the PCU 320 may be referred to as a first cable 40A, and the three-phase split cable extending from the electric motor 30 may be referred to as a second cable 40B. The terminal block 50 detachably connects a terminal at an end of the first cable 40A and a terminal at an end of the second cable 40B by fastening bolts B1, B2, B3 for each phase.

[0039] 2 to 4, the terminal block 50 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped appearance. The terminal block 50 has a flat shape with a reduced dimension in the thickness direction. The terminal block 50 is arranged inside (rear side) the rear center cover 25d in such a manner that the thickness direction is aligned with the vehicle front-rear direction and the front-rear width is reduced. The terminal block 50 is arranged so that the vertical and horizontal width directions are aligned with the inner surface of the rear center cover 25d. In particular, the terminal block 50 is arranged so that the longitudinal direction (in the embodiment, the vertical width direction) as viewed in the front-rear direction is aligned with the inner surface of the rear center cover 25d. This allows the terminal block 50 to be arranged in the limited space between the rear center cover 25d and the battery box 103. With this arrangement, the terminal block 50 reduces the impact on the arrangement space of the battery box 103 and the impact on the footrest space due to the bulging of the rear center cover 25d. Furthermore, the terminal block 50 and the rear center cover 25d are located behind the front end 8b of the seat 8 (indicated by the line 8b in FIG. 1), minimizing the impact on the foot space. Although the terminal block 50 in the embodiment has a vertical direction as its longitudinal direction, it may have a horizontal direction as its longitudinal direction or a diagonal direction between the vertical and horizontal directions as its longitudinal direction.

[0040] The terminal block 50 is located close to the inner surface of the rear center cover 25d, improving accessibility when the rear center cover 25d is removed. Between the terminal block 50 and the rear center cover 25d, a component-free space K2 in which no other components are arranged is provided, which also improves accessibility to the terminal block 50. The component-free space K2 does not need to be a space in which the entire terminal block 50 is exposed when the rear center cover 25d is removed. For example, the space may have a shape that does not include the cover 55 of the present application, and exposes the screw members (fastening bolts B1, B2, B3) that fix the cable terminals when the rear center cover 25d is removed, improving workability.

[0041] 4, the terminal block 50 is disposed offset to one left-right side (left side, same side as the electric motor 30) with respect to the vehicle body left-right center CL. The cable 40A on the PCU 320 side is connected to the terminal block 50 from the vehicle width center CL side (right side), and the cable 40B on the electric motor 30 side is connected to the terminal block 50 from the vehicle width outer side (left side). This allows the cables 40A, 40B to be routed in the shortest possible way and without stress. The front side of the terminal block 50 is provided with terminal fastening portions 51, 52, 53 for fastening and fixing the terminals of the cables 40A, 40B.

[0042] Three terminal fastening parts 51, 52, 53 are provided for each of the UVW phases, and are lined up in order from the top. The first cable 40A on the PCU 320 side and the second cable 40B on the electric motor 30 side are fastened together for the same phase to the terminal fastening parts 51, 52, 53 of each phase. A flat cover 55 that covers the multiple terminal fastening parts 51, 52, 53 and the periphery of the terminals of each cable 40A, 40B from the front is detachably attached to the front side of the terminal block 50 by a pair of upper and lower bolts B4.

[0043] A plate-shaped mounting bracket 56 that forms a front surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction is fixed to the center cross frame 16 of the body frame 11. The terminal block 50 is fastened to the front surface of the mounting bracket 56 by a plurality of bolts B5. The portion of the mounting bracket 56 that overlaps with the terminal block 50 is a terminal block mounting portion where the terminal block 50 is mounted.

[0044] The right side of the mounting bracket 56 is provided with a lateral extension 57 that extends to the right side of the center cross frame 16. An angle sensor 60 for detecting the bank angle (roll angle) of the vehicle is attached to the front of the lateral extension 57 by a pair of left and right bolts B6. The lateral extension 57 (the right side of the mounting bracket 56) is a sensor attachment portion for attaching the angle sensor 60. The angle sensor 60 is, for example, a 5-axis or 6-axis IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). The IMU detects the angular velocity of three axes (roll axis, pitch axis, yaw axis) of the vehicle body. Instead of an acceleration sensor such as the IMU, an inclination sensor for detecting the bank angle of the vehicle body may be provided.

[0045] Here, the center cross frame 16 is curved upward and forward. The center cross frame 16 is close to the front lower part of the battery box 103 from the front. The center cross frame 16 is curved upward and forward so as to avoid the front lower part of the battery box 103. Left and right support brackets 17, which are U-shaped and open downward when viewed from the front-rear direction, are fixed to the upper surface sides of the left and right side parts of the center cross frame 16. A step portion 104 facing downward is formed on the lower front side of the battery box 103. The step portion 104 is supported from below by the left and right support brackets 17. The left and right support brackets 17 are fastened to the step portion 104, for example, to fixedly support the front lower part of the battery box 103.

[0046] Step brackets 18 supporting pillion steps 18a for a rear passenger are fixed between the lower surfaces of the left and right side portions of the center cross frame 16 and the left and right rear frames 15. First gussets 19a are fixed between the upper surfaces of the left and right step brackets 18 and the lower surfaces of the left and right side portions of the center cross frame 16. Second gussets 19b are fixed between the upper surfaces of the left and right side portions of the center cross frame 16 and the left and right rear frames 15. In this way, the periphery of the left and right side portions of the center cross frame 16 is constructed to be sturdy and can withstand load input from the terminal block 50 and the battery box 103.

[0047] Cable support parts 58 are fixed to the left and right of the mounting bracket 56. Each of the left and right cable support parts 58 bundles and supports the first cable 40A on the PCU 320 side and the second cable 40B on the electric motor 30 side. The left and right cable support parts 58 are formed, for example, by bending a thin steel material (wire material). The left and right cable support parts 58 include a fixed arm part 58a extending in the vertical direction along the front surface of the mounting bracket 56, and a holding part 58b curved to follow the outer periphery of a cylinder extending in the vertical direction below the fixed arm part 58a. The right holding part 58b holds the three-phase first cable 40A on the PCU 320 side in a bundled state via a cylindrical rubber bush 58c. The left holding part 58b holds the three-phase second cable 40B on the electric motor 30 side in a bundled state via a cylindrical rubber bush 58c.

[0048] In an in-wheel motor type electric two-wheeler 1, when removing the rear wheel 4 for tire replacement or the like, it is necessary to remove the power cable 40 between the electric motor 30 and the PCU 320. Therefore, a terminal block 50 is provided between the electric motor 30 and the PCU 320, and the first cable 40A on the PCU 320 side and the second cable 40B on the electric motor 30 side can be easily disconnected, making it easier to perform the work required to attach and detach the rear wheel 4. Meanwhile, it is preferable that the terminal block 50 is located at a height where it is less likely to become wet.

[0049] In the embodiment, the terminal block 50 is disposed above the footrest surface of the floor step 9a. As a result, the electric motor 30 and the PCU 320 located at the bottom of the vehicle body can be sufficiently waterproofed, while the terminal block 50 that disconnects the electric connection between the electric motor 30 and the PCU 320 can have a simplified waterproof structure. This allows an operator to easily access the terminal block 50 and facilitates the attachment and detachment of the cables 40A, 40B. For example, the terminal block 50 may be detachable only for at least the cable 40B on the electric motor 30 side. When attaching or detaching the rear wheel 4, the rear wheel 4 can be attached or detached together with the electric motor 30 by removing the cable 40B on the electric motor 30 side from the terminal block 50.

[0050] As described above, the saddle-type electric vehicle in the above embodiment is an electric two-wheeler 1 equipped with an electric motor (electric motor 30) integrally provided with a drive wheel (rear wheel 4), a storage battery (battery 100) that stores power to be supplied to the electric motor, and a control device (PCU 320) that controls the power of the storage battery and supplies it to the electric motor, and a terminal block 50 is provided between the control device and the electric motor, for detachably connecting a first wiring (first cable 40A) extending from the control device and a second wiring (second cable 40B) extending from the electric motor, and the terminal block 50 is arranged between the passenger seat (seat 8) and the footrest (floor step 9a) in the vertical direction of the vehicle. According to this configuration, the first wiring and the second wiring extending from the control device and the electric motor are connected to each other at the terminal block 50. The terminal block 50 is disposed below the seating portion and above the footrest portion. This allows the wiring (three-phase cable 40) between the control device and the electric motor to be detachably separated by the terminal block 50, facilitating attachment and detachment of the in-wheel motor during tire replacement or the like, while preventing the terminal block 50 from becoming wet and improving the water resistance of the drive system. The battery 100 is a mobile battery that can be attached and detached to the vehicle, and even if the terminal block between the battery 100 and the PCU 320 is eliminated, the effect on attachment and detachment of the battery 100 is reduced.

[0051] The above-mentioned saddle-ride type electric vehicle is provided with an exterior member (rear center cover 25d) that spans between the seating portion and the footrest portion, and the exterior member covers the terminal block 50 from the front in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and when the exterior member is removed, the terminal block 50 exposes the terminal fastening portions 51, 52, 53, or a cover 55 covering the terminal fastening portions 51, 52, 53, to the front of the vehicle (the footrest side). According to this configuration, the terminal block 50 is covered from the front by the exterior member extending between the seating portion and the footrest portion, thereby suppressing disturbance to the terminal block 50 while driving and improving the appearance. When the exterior member is removed, the terminal fastening portion or its cover is exposed at the front of the vehicle, so that the terminal block 50 can be easily accessed from the footrest side by removing the exterior member, improving the workability of the terminal block 50.

[0052] In the saddle type electric vehicle, the control device is disposed below the footrest. According to this configuration, the control device is disposed below the footrest, thereby lowering the center of gravity of the vehicle body. The control device is made waterproof, but by providing the terminal block 50 separately from the control device, it is not necessary to connect and disconnect the wiring at the control device, and the impact on workability can be reduced.

[0053] In the above-mentioned saddle-type electric vehicle, the terminal block 50 is supported by a support member (mounting bracket 56) attached to the vehicle body frame 11, and the support member has a wiring support portion (cable support portion 58) that supports the first wiring and the second wiring. According to this configuration, the support member that supports the terminal block 50 has the wiring support portion, so that the terminal block 50 and the wiring can be efficiently supported by the support member.

[0054] The saddle type electric vehicle includes a bank angle sensor (angle sensor 60) that detects the bank angle of the vehicle body, and the support member includes a sensor support portion (lateral extension portion 57) that supports the bank angle sensor. According to this configuration, the support member that supports the terminal block 50 also supports the bank angle sensor, making it unnecessary to provide a separate support member for the bank angle sensor, and making it possible to reduce the number of parts.

[0055] In the saddle type electric vehicle, a battery box 103 that houses a storage battery is provided below the seating portion, and the support member includes a box support portion 56a that supports the battery box 103. According to this configuration, the support member that supports the terminal block 50 supports the battery box 103, so that it is possible to eliminate or reduce the support member for the battery box 103, thereby enabling the number of parts to be reduced.

[0056] In the saddle type electric vehicle, the terminal block 50 is disposed so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the exterior member (rear center cover 25d). According to this configuration, the terminal block 50 is arranged with its longitudinal direction aligned with the exterior member, so that the space between the terminal block 50 and the exterior member can be minimized. This makes it easier to access the terminal block 50 when the exterior member is removed, thereby improving workability.

[0057] In the saddle type electric vehicle, the terminal block 50 is disposed rearward of the front end 8b of the seating portion (seat 8). According to this configuration, since the terminal block 50 is disposed rearward of the front end of the seating portion, the terminal block 50 and the exterior member covering it (rear center cover 25d) do not protrude toward the footrest portion and do not interfere with the legs of the occupant.

[0058] In the above-mentioned saddle-type electric vehicle, the electric motor 30 and the terminal block 50 are positioned offset to one left-right side with respect to the vehicle body left-right center CL, and the second cable 40B is connected to the terminal block 50 from one left-right side and the first cable 40A is connected to the terminal block 50 from the other left-right side. According to this configuration, the electric motor 30 and the terminal block 50 are positioned offset to one side in the left-right direction, and the second cable 40B is connected to the terminal block 50 from one side in the left-right direction, and the first cable 40A is connected from the other side in the left-right direction, thereby enabling the cables 40A, 40B to be routed in the shortest possible manner and without stress.

[0059] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the PCU is given as an example of an under-floor electrical component arranged under the floor portion, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the under-floor electrical component may be a battery, or a PDU (a motor driver equipped with at least an inverter) in which a control device (ECU) is separated from the PCU, or may be configured to include at least a PCU and a battery. A configuration may be provided with multiple batteries instead of a single battery. For example, the terminal block does not need to fasten the first and second cables with the same screw member. For example, the battery and motor are not limited to those for driving the vehicle, and may be shared with those for purposes or uses other than driving. The present invention may be applied to saddle-ride type vehicles other than motorcycles. The saddle-ride type vehicles include all vehicles on which a rider straddles the vehicle body, including not only motorcycles (including motorized bicycles), but also three-wheeled vehicles (including vehicles with one front wheel and two rear wheels, as well as vehicles with two front wheels and one rear wheel) or four-wheeled vehicles (such as four-wheeled buggies). Vehicles other than scooter-type vehicles having a floor portion 9 are also included. The configurations in the above-described embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention, such as replacing the components of the embodiments with well-known components. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1 Electric two-wheeler (saddle-type electric vehicle) 4 Rear wheels (drive wheels) 8 Seat (seating area) 8b Front end 9a Floor Step (Footrest) 11 Body frame 16 Center Cross Frame 25d Rear center cover (exterior part) 30 Electric motor 40A First Cable (First Wiring) 40B Second cable (second wiring) 50 terminal block 51, 52, 53 Terminal fastening part 55 Cover 56 Mounting bracket (support member) 56a Box support 57 Lateral extension (sensor support part) 58 Cable support part (wiring support part) 60 Angle sensor (bank angle sensor) 100 Battery (storage battery) 103 Battery box 320 PCU (control unit)

Claims

1. An in-wheel type electric motor (30) that is integrally provided with a drive wheel (4) to drive a vehicle, a storage battery (100) for storing power to be supplied to the electric motor (30); A control device (320) that controls the power of the storage battery (100) and supplies it to the electric motor (30). an exterior member (25d) extending between a seating portion (8) for a passenger and a footrest portion (9a) in the vertical direction of the vehicle; a terminal block (50) is provided between the control device (320) and the electric motor (30) for detachably connecting a first wiring (40A) extending from the control device (320) and a second wiring (40B) extending from the electric motor (30); The terminal block (50) is disposed between the seat portion (8) and the footrest portion (9a) in the vehicle vertical direction, The exterior member (25d) covers the terminal block (50) from the front in the vehicle front-rear direction, The terminal block (50) is arranged such that its longitudinal direction is along the inner surface of the exterior member (25d).

2. The saddle-type electric vehicle as described in Claim 1, characterized in that when the exterior member (25d) is removed, the terminal block (50) exposes the terminal fastening portions (51, 52, 53) or a cover (55) covering the terminal fastening portions (51, 52, 53) to the front of the vehicle.

3. 3. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control device (320) is disposed below a footrest (9a).

4. The terminal block (50) is supported by a support member (56) attached to the vehicle body frame (11), 3. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support member (56) has a wiring support portion (58) that supports the first wiring (40A) and the second wiring (40B).

5. A bank angle sensor (60) is provided for detecting the bank angle of the vehicle body.

3. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support member (56) includes a sensor support portion (57) that supports the bank angle sensor (60).

6. A battery box (103) for storing the storage battery (100) is provided below the seating portion (8), 3. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support member (56) includes a box support portion (56a) that supports the battery box (103).

7. 3. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the terminal block (50) is disposed rearward of a front end (8b) of the seating portion (8).

8. The electric motor (30) and the terminal block (50) are disposed offset to one side in the left-right direction with respect to the left-right center (CL) of the vehicle body, 3. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second wiring (40B) is connected to the terminal block (50) from one side in the left-right direction, and the first wiring (40A) is connected to the terminal block (50) from the other side in the left-right direction.

9. The vehicle body frame includes: A head pipe (12) located at a front end thereof; a down frame (13) extending downward from the head pipe (12); a pair of left and right lower frames (14) branching off to the left and right from a lower portion of the down frame (13) and extending rearward; and a pair of left and right rear frames (15) extending upward and rearward from rear portions of the pair of left and right lower frames (14), A center cross frame (16) extending in the vehicle width direction is provided between front portions of the pair of left and right rear frames (15), 5. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the terminal block (50) is attached to a front surface of the support member (56) fixed to the center cross frame (16).

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