electric vehicles

Abstract

To provide an electric vehicle which can reduce the weight.SOLUTION: An electric vehicle includes a battery pack for storing a battery, a metal cover formed of metal, and a resin cover formed of a synthetic resin, wherein each of the metal cover and the resin cover at least partially covers the upper face of the battery pack.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Electric vehicles equipped with a battery pack that houses a battery are known. The battery pack is installed, for example, under a rear seat. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2016 / 157263 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional electric vehicles, the battery pack is protected from the outside by being covered by a metal frame and trim in the rear seats. The frame covers almost the entire battery pack from above. If the battery pack is placed in a location other than under the rear seats, the weight of the electric vehicle will increase if a metal member such as a frame covers almost the entire battery pack from above.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric vehicle that can be made lighter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the electric vehicle of the present invention comprises a battery pack that houses a battery, a metal cover made of metal, and a resin cover made of synthetic resin, each of the metal cover and the resin cover at least partially covering the top surface of the battery pack.

[0007] This configuration reduces the weight of the electric vehicle compared to when the battery pack is protected only by a metal cover, making it possible to reduce the weight of the electric vehicle in this embodiment.

[0008] In the electric vehicle according to the present invention, at least a portion of the metal cover and at least a portion of the resin cover are adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction.

[0009] With this configuration, the battery pack is covered over a wide area with the metal cover and resin cover, and therefore the battery pack is protected over a wide area from external influences such as water intrusion and shock.

[0010] The electric vehicle according to the present invention further includes a seat that is a driver's seat or a passenger seat, and the metal cover is provided under the seat and covers the battery pack from at least the rear.

[0011] With this configuration, the metal cover, which has higher rigidity than the resin cover, protects the battery pack from impacts, for example, from passengers sitting in the back seat, thereby more reliably protecting the battery pack.

[0012] In addition, in the electric vehicle according to the present invention, the battery pack has a battery management system that controls the battery and a junction box that includes terminals inside the battery pack, and a metal cover that covers at least one of the battery management system and the junction box.

[0013] With this configuration, the parts that require higher protection priority are protected by a cover with higher rigidity. On the other hand, the parts that require lower protection priority may be covered with a metal cover or a resin cover. This allows the metal cover to efficiently cover the battery pack. Therefore, this embodiment enables further weight and cost reduction of the electric vehicle.

[0014] In the electric vehicle according to the present invention, the resin cover at least partially covers the metal cover.

[0015] With this configuration, the battery pack is doubly covered by the metal cover and the resin cover, which more reliably protects the battery pack from external water intrusion, shocks, and the like.

[0016] In the electric vehicle according to the present invention, the battery pack has an intake device that cools the battery, and the metal cover covers the intake device at least from the rear.

[0017] According to this configuration, for example, the intake device is protected by the metal cover from impacts caused by passengers sitting in the rear seats. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the weight of an electric vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a partial configuration of an electric vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of the electric vehicle of this embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a partial configuration of the electric vehicle of this embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the electric vehicle with a part of the resin cover removed according to this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] (Embodiment) An electric vehicle 1 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The configuration of the embodiment described below, as well as the actions and results (effects) brought about by this configuration, are merely examples and are not limited to the following description. Note that in this specification, ordinal numbers are used only to distinguish between parts and components, and do not indicate order or priority.

[0021] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a partial configuration of an electric vehicle 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the electric vehicle 1 includes a seat 2, a vehicle body 3, a battery pack 4, a metal cover 5, and a resin cover 6. The electric vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is an electric vehicle (BEV). However, the electric vehicle 1 is not limited to this and may be, for example, a hybrid vehicle (HEV) or a fuel cell vehicle (FCV).

[0022] For convenience, three mutually orthogonal directions are defined in the following drawings. The X direction is the direction along the depth direction of the electric vehicle 1 and may also be referred to as the front-rear direction. The Y direction is the direction along the width direction of the electric vehicle 1 and may also be referred to as the left-right direction. The Z direction is the direction along the height direction of the electric vehicle 1 and may also be referred to as the up-down direction.

[0023] The seat 2 is, for example, a driver's seat or a passenger seat of the electric vehicle 1. The seat 2 is attached to the vehicle body 3 via a plurality of seat rails 21. The plurality of seat rails 21 extend in the front-rear direction (X direction) and movably support the seat 2. The plurality of seat rails 21 are provided spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction (Y direction).

[0024] In this embodiment, the battery pack 4, metal cover 5, and resin cover 6 are mounted, for example, under two seats 2. Therefore, the battery pack 4, metal cover 5, and resin cover 6 are each at least partially positioned between the seat rails 21 of each seat 2 in the left-right direction (Y direction).

[0025] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle body 3 has a floor panel 31 and two cross members 32. The floor panel 31 forms the bottom surface of the electric vehicle 1. The floor panel 31 extends in a direction (XY plane) perpendicular to the up-down direction (Z direction). The surface of the floor panel 31 has projections and recesses.

[0026] The two cross members 32 are attached to the floor panel 31 so as to protrude upward (in the +Z direction) from the floor panel 31. Each cross member 32 extends in the left-right direction (in the Y direction). The two cross members 32 are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction (in the X direction).

[0027] Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a partial configuration of the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment. Note that the metal cover 5 and the resin cover 6 are omitted in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the battery pack 4 has a battery 41, a container 42, a battery management system (BMS) 43, and a junction box (JB) 44.

[0028] The battery 41 is, for example, a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery. As shown in Fig. 2, the container 42 is formed in a box shape and houses the battery 41. In other words, the battery pack 4 is a unit that houses the battery 41. The bottom surface of the container 42 is provided with legs, such as brackets.

[0029] The battery pack 4 is supported on a waterproof tray by, for example, a bracket, and is mounted on the vehicle body 3 via the waterproof tray. Note that the battery pack 4 may be mounted on the vehicle body 3 without using a waterproof tray, or may be mounted on the vehicle body 3 by another method.

[0030] The battery management system 43 is, for example, a system that controls the battery 41. The junction box 44 has, for example, terminals inside the battery pack 4 and a box that protects the terminals.

[0031] 3, in the left-right direction (Y direction) of the battery pack 4, the battery management system 43 is located near a right end 42a, which is the end on the right side (-Y direction) of the container 42. On the other hand, the junction box 44 is located near a left end 42b, which is the end on the left side (+Y direction) of the container 42. In other words, the battery management system 43 and the junction box 44 are provided spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction.

[0032] The metal cover 5 is a cover made of, for example, metal. As shown in Fig. 2, the metal cover 5 is mounted on the vehicle body 3 and covers the top surface 4a of the battery pack 4. The top surface 4a is the outer surface of the battery pack 4 facing upward (+Z direction). It is sufficient that the metal cover 5 at least partially covers the top surface 4a of the battery pack 4.

[0033] 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the electric vehicle 1 with a portion of the resin cover 6 of this embodiment removed. That is, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a portion of the resin cover 6 is removed from the battery pack 4 shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the metal cover 5 has a first metal cover 51 and a second metal cover 52.

[0034] The first metal cover 51 covers the battery pack 4 from the front-to-rear direction (X direction) and from above (+Z direction). Furthermore, the first metal cover 51 covers the right end 42a of the container 42 in the left-to-right direction (Y direction). In other words, the first metal cover 51 covers the battery management system 43 built into the battery pack 4 from above.

[0035] The second metal cover 52 covers the battery pack 4 from the rear (-X direction) and also covers part of the battery pack 4 from the front (+X direction) and top (+Z direction). Furthermore, the second metal cover 52 covers the left end 42b of the container 42 in the left-right direction (Y direction). The second metal cover 52 covers the junction box 44 built into the battery pack 4 from above.

[0036] In other words, the metal cover 5 covers the battery management system 43 and the junction box 44 built into the battery pack 4, and also covers the battery pack 4 from the rear. However, the metal cover 5 is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that the metal cover 5 covers at least one of the battery management system 43 and the junction box 44, and at least partially covers the battery pack 4 from the rear.

[0037] The resin cover 6 is a cover made of, for example, synthetic resin. As shown in Fig. 2, the resin cover 6 extends in a direction (XY plane) substantially perpendicular to the up-down direction (Z direction) and covers the top surface 4a of the battery pack 4. In this way, the resin cover 6 protects the battery pack 4 from, for example, liquid that may enter from above the vehicle body 3. Note that it is sufficient that the resin cover 6 at least partially covers the top surface 4a of the battery pack 4.

[0038] In this embodiment, the resin cover 6 is provided adjacent to the first metal cover 51 of the metal cover 5 in the left-right direction (Y direction). Note that it is sufficient that at least a portion of the metal cover 5 and the resin cover 6 are adjacent to each other in the left-right direction.

[0039] The resin cover 6 has a first resin cover 61 and a second resin cover 62. As shown in Fig. 2, the first resin cover 61 is attached to the first metal cover 51 of the metal cover 5 with a clip or the like, and covers the battery pack 4 from above.

[0040] The first resin cover 61 covers the vicinity of the center of the container 42 in the left-right direction (Y direction). For example, the first resin cover 61 covers the battery pack 4 between the first metal cover 51 and the second metal cover 52 of the metal cover 5 in the left-right direction (Y direction). In other words, the first resin cover 61 covers parts other than the battery management system 43 and the junction box 44 built into the battery pack 4. Furthermore, the first resin cover 61 is adjacent to each of the first metal cover 51 and the second metal cover 52 in the left-right direction (Y direction).

[0041] The second resin cover 62 is attached to the second metal cover 52 of the metal cover 5 with clips or the like, and covers the upper side of the second metal cover 52 and at least a portion of the second metal cover 52 from the front. Furthermore, the second resin cover 62 covers a portion of the first resin cover 61 from above. In other words, the second resin cover 62 at least partially covers the second metal cover 52 of the metal cover 5 and the first resin cover 61 of the resin cover 6.

[0042] Furthermore, the second resin cover 62 is provided with an opening 621. The opening 621 is a hole that opens to the outer surface of the second resin cover 62. The opening 621 allows the outside and the inside of the second resin cover 62 to communicate with each other.

[0043] 2 and 4, the battery pack 4 further includes an air intake device 45, a filter 46, and a filter case 47. The air intake device 45 is a device that supplies air from inside the vehicle to the battery 41 to cool the battery 41.

[0044] The intake device 45 is covered from above and from the right by the second resin cover 62 of the resin cover 6, and is disposed adjacent to the junction box 44 in the left-right direction (Y direction). Furthermore, the intake device 45 is covered from the rear by the second metal cover 52 of the metal cover 5.

[0045] In other words, the second metal cover 52 of the metal cover 5 covers the rear of the intake device 45 but does not cover the top of the intake device 45. As a result, the intake device 45 is protected by the second metal cover 52 from, for example, an impact from the rear of the vehicle.

[0046] 4, the intake device 45 has a blower 451 and a duct 452. The blower 451, for example, takes in air from inside the vehicle body 3 and supplies the air to the container 42 that houses the battery 41, thereby cooling the battery 41. The duct 452 is a curved pipe that connects the opening 621 of the second resin cover 62 to the blower 451 and guides the air that has passed through the opening 621 to the blower 451. Furthermore, the duct 452 protects the blower 451 from, for example, an impact from the front of the vehicle body 3.

[0047] 2, the filter 46 is provided in the opening 621 and attached to the second resin cover 62 by the filter case 47. The filter case 47 sandwiches the filter 46 between the filter case 47 and the outer surface of the second resin cover 62, and is attached to the second resin cover 62 with screws or the like.

[0048] Generally, when a battery pack is installed under a rear seat of a vehicle, the battery pack is insulated from the outside by being covered with a metal frame or trim. In particular, the upper part of the battery pack is almost entirely covered by a metal frame. On the other hand, the driver's seat or passenger seat of the vehicle can move, for example, in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, it is difficult to cover the battery pack from above with a metal frame. Furthermore, seat rails are provided below the driver's seat or passenger seat of the vehicle. Therefore, when the battery pack is installed under the driver's seat or passenger seat, no trim is provided. In other words, when the battery pack is installed under the driver's seat or passenger seat, it is difficult to protect the battery pack with a metal frame or trim.

[0049] In conventional electric vehicles, when a battery pack is placed under the driver's seat or passenger seat, the battery pack is protected from external impacts by a metal case. However, because a wide area of the battery pack is covered by the metal case, the weight of the electric vehicle increases.

[0050] Meanwhile, in the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the battery pack 4 is covered by a metal cover 5 made of metal and a resin cover 6 made of synthetic resin. First, a first metal cover 51 of the metal cover 5 covers the battery management system 43 from the front-to-rear direction (X direction) and from above (+Z direction). Then, a second metal cover 52 of the metal cover 5 covers the junction box 44 from above and covers the intake device 45 from the rear direction (-X direction).

[0051] The battery management system 43 and the junction box 44 have electrical wiring and electronic components, and therefore have a higher priority in terms of protection than other mounted components. That is, in this embodiment, the parts with a higher priority in terms of protection are protected by the highly rigid metal cover 5.

[0052] On the other hand, the first resin cover 61 of the resin cover 6 covers from above (+Z direction) all parts of the battery pack 4 except for the battery management system 43 and the junction box 44. The second resin cover 62 of the resin cover 6 covers the intake device 45 from above.

[0053] The parts other than the battery management system 43 and the junction box 44, the intake device 45, etc., have a lower priority in terms of protection than the battery management system 43 and the junction box 44. That is, in this embodiment, the parts with a lower priority in protection are protected by the resin cover 6, which is lighter but less rigid than the metal cover 5.

[0054] As described above, in the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the parts that require protection with a high priority are protected by the metal cover 5 with high rigidity, and the parts that require protection with a low priority are protected by the resin cover 6 that is lighter than the metal cover 5. This makes the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment lighter than conventional electric vehicles that are protected over a wide area with a metal case. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the weight of the electric vehicle 1.

[0055] As described above, the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment includes the battery pack 4 that houses the battery 41, the metal cover 5 made of metal, and the resin cover 6 made of synthetic resin. The metal cover 5 and the resin cover 6 each at least partially cover the upper surface 4a of the battery pack 4.

[0056] At least the top surface 4a of the battery pack 4 of this embodiment is covered with the metal cover 5 and the resin cover 6. That is, the top surface 4a of the battery pack 4 is protected by the metal cover 5 and the resin cover 6. Therefore, the weight of the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment is lighter than when the battery pack 4 is protected only by the metal cover 5. As a result, the weight of the electric vehicle 1 can be reduced in this embodiment.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the metal cover 5 covers the battery pack 4 from the front-to-rear direction (X direction) and from above (+Z direction). The resin cover 6 covers the metal cover 5 from the front direction (+X direction) and from above (+Z direction). As a result, the metal cover 5, which is more rigid than the resin cover 6, can protect the battery pack 4 from impacts applied from the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body 3. For example, the metal cover 5 can protect the battery pack 4 from the legs of passengers sitting in the driver's seat, front passenger seat, and rear seats of the electric vehicle 1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the metal cover 5 and the resin cover 6 doubly cover the battery pack 4. As a result, the battery pack 4 is more reliably protected from external water intrusion, impacts, and the like.

[0058] The electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment also includes a seat 2, which may be a driver's seat or a passenger seat. The battery pack 4 is located under the seat 2. The metal cover 5 is provided under the seat 2 and covers the battery pack 4 at least from the rear. As a result, the metal cover 5, which is more rigid than the resin cover 6, protects the battery pack 4 from impacts applied by passengers sitting in the rear seats. For example, the metal cover 5 protects the battery pack 4 from impacts applied by the legs of passengers sitting in the rear seats. This allows the battery pack 4 to be more reliably protected.

[0059] Furthermore, in conventional electric vehicles, the battery pack is placed under the rear seat and is protected by trim. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the battery pack 4 is protected by a metal cover 5. That is, in this embodiment, trim to protect the battery pack 4 is not required. As a result, the electric vehicle 1 of this embodiment can reduce costs compared to conventional electric vehicles.

[0060] In this embodiment, the battery pack 4 also includes a battery management system 43 that controls the battery 41 and a junction box 44 that includes terminals inside the battery pack 4.

[0061] The battery management system 43 and the junction box 44 generally have electrical wiring and electronic components, and therefore have a higher priority in terms of protection than the battery 41. In this embodiment, a metal cover 5, which is more rigid than a resin cover 6, covers at least one of the battery management system 43 and the junction box 44. In other words, the part with a higher priority in terms of protection is protected by the cover with higher rigidity. On the other hand, the part with a lower priority in terms of protection may be covered by either the metal cover 5 or the resin cover 6.

[0062] As a result, the metal cover 5 efficiently covers the battery pack 4. Therefore, in this embodiment, the weight and cost of the electric vehicle 1 can be further reduced.

[0063] In this embodiment, the battery pack 4 also has an air intake device 45 that cools the battery 41. The metal cover 5 covers the air intake device 45 from at least the rear. As a result, the metal cover 5 protects the air intake device 45 from impacts applied by passengers sitting in the rear seats, for example.

[0064] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, combinations, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the specifications of each configuration, shape, and the like (structure, type, direction, format, size, length, width, thickness, height, number, arrangement, position, material, etc.) can be modified as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1 electric car 2 seats 4 Battery pack 4a Top side 41 Batteries 43 Battery Management System 44 Junction Box 45 Intake system 5 Metal cover 6 Resin cover

Claims

1. a battery pack that houses a battery; a metal cover formed of metal; a resin cover formed of synthetic resin and disposed adjacent to the metal cover in the left-right direction so as to overlap at least a portion of the resin cover; a seat that is a driver's seat or a passenger seat; Equipped with the battery pack is located under the seat and includes a battery management system that controls the battery, and a junction box that includes terminals inside the battery pack; each of the metal cover and the resin cover at least partially covers an upper surface of the battery pack; the metal cover covers at least one of the battery management system and the junction box, and a rear of the battery pack; Electric car.

2. the metal cover covers the battery pack from the front, rear, and top directions; The resin cover covers the metal cover from the front and from above. The electric vehicle according to claim 1.

3. The battery pack has an intake device that cools the battery, The metal cover covers the intake device at least from the rear. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The metal cover has a first metal cover and a second metal cover, the resin cover includes a first resin cover and a second resin cover, the first resin cover covers the battery pack between the first metal cover and the second metal cover in the left-right direction; the second resin cover at least partially covers the second metal cover and the first resin cover; The electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

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