Support structure for electrical components

Abstract

To provide a support structure of an electrical component that can protect the electrical component from vibrations of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A cable 9B connected to a cable connection part 9A extends in a cable extending direction from a tray 10. The tray 10 has a wall surface 12 extending to an upper side of a vehicle, at an end part in the cable extending direction on a bottom surface 11, which further comprises a support member 41 connected to the wall surface 12 and a vehicle body so that the wall surface 12 is supported by the vehicle body. An electrical component is constituted of an inverter 9, placed inside in a vehicle width direction of the bottom surface 11, which inverts direct currents to alternate currents and a battery 8, placed outside in the vehicle width direction of the bottom surface 11, which supplies the inverter 9 with electric power. The support member 41 is connected to the wall surface 12, in an area where the battery 8 overlaps with the wall surface 12 in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a support structure for electrical components. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional support structure for electrical components is known from Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes that a battery and an inverter are provided in an engine compartment (engine room) of a hybrid vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-166653 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the support structure for electrical components described in Patent Document 1, there is a risk that cables connected to electrical components such as inverters may come into contact with other components due to vibrations of the vehicle body and be damaged.

[0005] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has as its object to provide a support structure for electrical components that can protect electrical components from vehicle vibrations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides a vehicle body having a side member disposed on an outer side of an engine compartment in a front portion of the vehicle in a vehicle width direction and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; The device is disposed in the engine compartment and is connected to the side member by a bracket. Tray and Electrical components to be placed on the tray; A support structure for electrical components comprising: The tray has a bottom surface on which the electrical components are placed, both ends of the bottom surface in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and wall surfaces extending from each of the both ends toward the upper side of the vehicle, the bracket has a lower bracket connecting the bottom surface to the side member and a front bracket connecting a wall surface at the front end of the tray to the side member, and the wall surface at the rear end of the tray is connected to the vehicle body by a support member, the electrical components include an inverter placed on the inner side of the bottom surface in the vehicle width direction and converting direct current into alternating current, and a battery placed on the outer side of the bottom surface in the vehicle width direction and supplying power to the inverter, the bottom surface has an inverter mounting bottom surface on which the inverter is placed and a battery mounting bottom surface on which the battery is placed, the inverter mounting bottom surface is positioned higher than the battery mounting bottom surface in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the front bracket is connected to the wall surface at the front end of the tray above the inverter mounting bottom surface It is characterized by: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a support structure for electrical components that can protect the electrical components from vibrations of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the front part of a vehicle equipped with a support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tray and electrical components of a vehicle equipped with a support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a tray and electrical components in a vehicle equipped with a support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention, with the front bracket removed. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view of a tray and electrical components of a vehicle equipped with a support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a rear view of a tray and electrical components of a vehicle equipped with a support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a right side view of a tray for a vehicle equipped with a support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a tray and electrical components of a vehicle equipped with a support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention is a support structure for electrical components that includes a side member disposed on the outer side of an engine compartment in a front portion of a vehicle in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction, a tray having a bottom surface on which an electrical component having a cable connection portion is placed, and a bracket connected to the bottom surface and the side member so that the bottom surface is supported by the side member, wherein a cable connected to the cable connection portion extends from the tray in the cable extension direction, and the tray has a wall surface at an end of the bottom surface facing the rear of the vehicle that extends upward from the vehicle, and includes a support member connected to the wall surface and the vehicle body so that the wall surface is supported by the vehicle body. As a result, the support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention can protect the electrical components from vehicle vibrations. [Example]

[0010] An embodiment of a support structure for electrical components according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. In Figures 1 to 7, up, down, front, back, left and right directions refer to those of a vehicle.

[0011] 1 to 7 are diagrams showing a support structure for an electrical component according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] First, the configuration will be described. In FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 has a vehicle body 2. A side member 3 is provided at the left end in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 2. The side member 3 is located outside an engine compartment 7 in the front of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, and extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. A side member (not shown) is provided at the right end in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 2. The engine compartment 7 is separated from a passenger compartment (not shown) by a dash panel 4 extending in the vehicle width direction at the rear of the engine compartment 7. The engine compartment 7 is separated from the outside of the vehicle 1 by a side wall member 5 extending in the vehicle front-to-rear direction. A suspension tower 6 is provided near the rear end of the side wall member 5, and the suspension tower 6 supports a front wheel suspension device (not shown).

[0013] The engine room 7 is provided with an inverter 9 that converts direct current into alternating current, and a battery 8 that supplies power to the inverter 9. The inverter 9 and the battery 8 constitute electrical components according to the present invention.

[0014] The engine compartment 7 is provided with a tray 10 having a bottom surface 11 on which an inverter 9 and a battery 8 are placed. The inverter 9 is placed on the inner side of the bottom surface 11 in the vehicle width direction, and the battery 8 is placed on the outer side of the bottom surface 11 in the vehicle width direction. The tray 10 is provided with a wall surface 12 extending upward from the front end of the bottom surface 11, a wall surface 13 extending upward from the rear end of the bottom surface 11, a wall surface 14 extending upward from the left end of the bottom surface 11, and a wall surface 15 extending upward from the right end of the bottom surface 11.

[0015] 2 and 3, a cable connection portion 9A is provided below the front end of the inverter 9, and a cable 9B is connected to the cable connection portion 9A. The cable 9B extends forward from the tray 10. The cable extension direction of the cable 9B is forward. Note that a cable connection portion may be provided below the front end of the battery 8, which serves as an electrical component, and a cable may be connected to this cable connection portion so that the cable extends forward from the tray 10.

[0016] A lower bracket 20 is provided below the tray 10. The lower bracket 20 is connected to the bottom surface 11 and the side member 3 so that the bottom surface 11 is supported by the side member 3.

[0017] 2, a front bracket 30 is provided near the front end of the tray 10, and the front bracket 30 is connected to the wall surface 12 and the side member 3 so that the wall surface 12 is supported by the side member 3. The front bracket 30 extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] 2 and 4, the front bracket 30 has a first end 31 connected to an inner end of the wall surface 12 in the vehicle width direction, and a second end 32 connected to a side wall of the side member 3. The first end 31 has a planar first contact surface 31A that comes into surface contact with the wall surface 12. The second end 32 has a planar second contact surface 32A that comes into surface contact with the side wall of the side member 3. In this embodiment, the wall surface 12 extends in the vehicle width direction, and the side member 3 extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, so the first contact surface 31A and the second contact surface 32A are perpendicular to each other.

[0019] 2, 4, and 7, front bracket 30 has an inclined portion 33. Inclined portion 33 is inclined so that first end portion 31 and second end portion 32 are positioned at different positions in the vehicle up-down direction, and connects first end portion 31 and second end portion 32. Inclined portion 33 has an inclined wall portion 35 extending in the vehicle up-down direction, and an inclined surface portion 34 extending from the upper end of inclined wall portion 35 in the same direction as the extension direction of cable 9B.

[0020] The inclined portion 33 is inclined so as to approach the inside in the vehicle width direction as it moves upward on the vehicle. As shown by arrow A in Figures 4 and 7, the inclined portion 33 allows the high-temperature air rising from the transmission or engine below the front bracket 30 to escape upward on the vehicle while moving it away from the cable connection portion 9A toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. The surface area of the inclined surface portion 34 increases as it moves downward on the vehicle. The upper end of the inclined surface portion 34 is located higher on the vehicle than the cable connection portion 9A.

[0021] 4 and 5, the bottom surface 11 of the tray 10 has an inverter mounting bottom surface 11A on which the inverter 9 is mounted, a battery mounting bottom surface 11B on which the battery 8 is mounted, and a step portion 11C that forms a step between the inverter mounting bottom surface 11A and the battery mounting bottom surface 11B. The battery mounting bottom surface 11B is disposed lower in the vehicle up-down direction than the inverter mounting bottom surface 11A. In other words, the inverter mounting bottom surface 11A is disposed higher in the vehicle up-down direction than the battery mounting bottom surface 11B.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 4, in a front view of the vehicle, gaps 40 are provided between the step portion 11C and the lower bracket 20, and between the step portion 11C and the inclined surface portion 34 of the front bracket 30. The gaps 40 extend in the cable extension direction. As shown by arrow B in Fig. 7, air can pass through the gaps 40 from above the inclined surface portion 34 of the front bracket 30.

[0023] A cable connection portion 9C is provided below the rear end of the inverter 9, and a cable 9D is connected to the cable connection portion 9C. The cable 9D extends rearward from the tray 10. The cable extension direction in which the cable 9D extends is rearward.

[0024] 4, 5, and 6, a support member 41 is provided in the engine compartment 7, and this support member 41 is connected to the wall surface 13 and the vehicle body 2 so that the wall surface 13 forming the rear surface of the tray 10 is supported by the vehicle body 2. The support member 41 functions as a stiffener that reinforces the support strength of the tray 10 by the lower bracket 20. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the support member 41 is connected to the wall surface 13 in an area S in the vehicle front-rear direction, where the battery 8 and the wall surface 13 are connected.

[0025] 2 and 4, wall surface 12 has a notch 12A through which cable 9B passes in the cable extension direction. Notch 12A is formed by cutting wall surface 12 from above. This allows cable 9B to approach cable connection portion 9A from above when connecting cable 9B to inverter 9 placed on tray 10.

[0026] As described above, in this embodiment, the cable 9B connected to the cable connection portion 9A extends from the tray 10 in the cable extension direction, and the tray 10 has a wall surface 13 extending upward from the rear end of the vehicle on the bottom surface 11, and is equipped with a support member 41 connected to the wall surface 13 and the vehicle body 2 so that the wall surface 13 is supported by the vehicle body 2.

[0027] As a result, the support members 41 that support the wall surface 13 can prevent the wall surface 13 from vibrating in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle, thereby preventing the cable 9B of the inverter 9 from coming into contact with the wall surface 12 of the tray 10 due to vibration, and suppressing adverse effects on the inverter 9. As a result, the electrical components can be protected from vehicle vibration.

[0028] In addition, in this embodiment, the electrical components consist of an inverter 9 that is placed on the inside of the bottom surface 11 in the vehicle width direction and converts direct current into alternating current, and a battery 8 that is placed on the outside of the bottom surface 11 in the vehicle width direction and supplies power to the inverter 9, and the support member 41 is connected to the wall surface 13 in the area where the battery 8 and the wall surface 13 overlap in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0029] This suppresses vibrations transmitted through the side members 3, thereby reducing the load effect on the cable 9B. That is, in this embodiment, the battery 8, which is heavier than the inverter 9, is installed closer to the outer side in the vehicle width direction (toward the side members 3). In addition, by installing the inverter 9, which is a relatively light, high-voltage component and has cables 9B and 9D extending outward, farther away from the inverter 9 (toward the center of the engine compartment 7), it is possible to suppress transmission of vibrations transmitted to the tray 10 through the side members 3 to the inverter 9.

[0030] In addition, in this embodiment, the bottom surface 11 has an inverter mounting bottom surface 11A on which the inverter 9 is mounted, and a battery mounting bottom surface 11B on which the battery 8 is mounted, and the battery mounting bottom surface 11B is positioned lower in the vehicle vertical direction than the inverter mounting bottom surface 11A.

[0031] As a result, by disposing the battery mounting bottom surface 11B lower than the inverter mounting bottom surface 11A, even if vibrations from the underside of the vehicle are transmitted to the battery mounting bottom surface 11B, the entire tray 10 can be prevented from vibrating by the support member 41. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a load due to vibrations from acting on the cable 9B extending from the inverter 9.

[0032] While an embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention, and it is intended that all such modifications and equivalents be included in the following claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1...vehicle, 3...side member, 7...engine compartment, 8...battery (electrical component), 9...inverter (electrical component), 9A...cable connection part, 9B...cable, 10...tray, 11...bottom, 11A...inverter mounting bottom, 11B...battery mounting bottom, 13...wall, 20...lower bracket (bracket), 41...support member

Claims

1. a side member disposed on an outer side of an engine compartment at a front portion of the vehicle in a vehicle width direction and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; a tray disposed in the engine compartment and connected to the side member by a bracket; an electrical component placed on the tray, the tray has a bottom surface on which the electrical components are placed, both end portions of the bottom surface in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and wall surfaces extending upward from the both end portions of the bottom surface, The bracket includes a lower bracket that connects the bottom surface to the side member, and a front bracket that connects a wall surface at a front end of the tray to the side member, a rear end wall surface of the tray is connected to a vehicle body by a support member; the electrical components include an inverter mounted on the inner side of the bottom surface in the vehicle width direction and converting direct current into alternating current, and a battery mounted on the outer side of the bottom surface in the vehicle width direction and supplying power to the inverter, the bottom surface has an inverter mounting bottom surface on which the inverter is mounted and a battery mounting bottom surface on which the battery is mounted, the inverter mounting bottom surface is disposed above the battery mounting bottom surface in the vehicle vertical direction, The support structure for electrical components, wherein the front bracket is connected to a wall surface at the front end of the tray above the inverter mounting bottom surface.

2. A support structure for electrical components as described in Claim 1, characterized in that the support member is connected to the rear end wall of the tray in an area where the battery and the rear end wall of the tray overlap in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

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