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 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, where the wall surface 12 has a notch 12A through which the cable 9B is passed in the cable extending direction. The notch 12A has side edge portions 12B and 12C extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle, a lower edge portion 12D extending in a direction which is orthogonal to the side edge portions 12B and 12C, and inclined edge portions 12E and 12F obliquely extending in communication with the side edge portions 12B and 12C and the lower edge portion 12D.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

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 vehicle longitudinal direction, and wall surfaces extending upward from each of the both ends of the bottom surface, 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, the electrical components comprising an inverter placed on the inside of the bottom surface in the vehicle width direction and converting direct current into alternating current, and a battery placed on the outside of the bottom surface in the vehicle width direction and supplying power to the inverter, The tray has a cable connection portion on the front surface, and a notch through which a cable extending forward from the cable connection portion passes is formed in the wall surface at the front end of the tray, and the bottom surface has an inverter mounting bottom surface on which the inverter is mounted, a battery mounting bottom surface on which the battery is mounted, and a step portion that forms a step between the inverter mounting bottom surface and the battery mounting bottom surface, and the inverter mounting bottom surface is disposed higher than the battery mounting bottom surface in the vehicle vertical direction, and the front bracket is connected to a portion of the wall surface at the front end of the tray that is more inward than the notch in the vehicle width direction. 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. [Figure 8] Figure 8(A) is a front view of a vehicle tray equipped with a support structure for electrical components according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 8(B) is a front view of a vehicle tray equipped with a support structure for electrical components according to a comparative example. 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 a vehicle width direction and extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a tray having a bottom surface on which electrical components having cable connection portions are placed, wherein cables connected to the cable connection portions extend from the tray in a cable extension direction, and the tray has a wall surface extending upward from the vehicle at an end of the bottom surface in the cable extension direction, and the wall surface has a notch through which the cables pass in the cable extension direction. 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 8, up, down, front, back, left and right directions refer to those of a vehicle.

[0011] 1 to 8A 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 12 and the vehicle body 2 so that the wall surface 12 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 12 in an area S in the vehicle front-rear direction, where the battery 8 and the wall surface 12 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] 8A, the notch 12A in the wall surface 12 of the tray 10 has side edges 12B and 12C extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, a lower edge 12D extending perpendicular to the side edges 12B and 12C, and inclined edges 12E and 12F extending at an angle to connect the side edges 12B and 12C to the lower edge 12D. Thus, the notch 12A of this embodiment is designed so that the side edges 12B and 12C and the lower edge 12D are connected via the inclined edges 12E and 12F so that no right-angle corners are formed between the side edges 12B and 12C and the lower edge 12D. Cable 9B passes near the inclined edges 12E and 12F.

[0027] 8(B), notch 52A in wall surface 52 of tray 50 has side edges 52B, 52C extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle and a bottom edge 52D extending in a direction perpendicular to side edges 52B, 52C. Notch 52A of this comparative example has corners that intersect at right angles between side edges 52B, 52C and bottom edge 52D.

[0028] As described above, in this embodiment, the cable 9B connected to the cable connection portion 9A extends in the cable extension direction from the tray 10. The tray 10 has a wall surface 12 extending upward from the vehicle at the end of the bottom surface 11 in the cable extension direction, and the wall surface 12 has a notch 12A that allows the cable 9B to pass through in the cable extension direction.

[0029] In this way, by providing the notch 12A in the wall surface 12 of the tray 10 in the cable extension direction, it is possible to prevent the cable 9B from coming into contact with the wall surface 12 of the tray 10 due to vibrations in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle, and to suppress the effect of the vibrations on the inverter 9. As a result, it is possible to protect the electrical components from vehicle vibrations. In addition, in this embodiment, the notch 12A in the wall surface 12 is formed near the connection portion 9A of the inverter 9, which improves the workability when connecting and disconnecting the cable 9B to the cable connection portion 9A of the inverter 9.

[0030] In addition, in this embodiment, the notch 12A has side edge portions 12B, 12C extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, a lower edge portion 12D extending in a direction perpendicular to the side edge portions 12B, 12C, and inclined edge portions 12E, 12F extending at an angle to connect the side edge portions 12B, 12C and the lower edge portion 12D.

[0031] In this way, by having inclined edges 12E and 12F in notch 12A, it is possible to prevent cable 9B from coming into contact with both side edges 12B and 12C and bottom edge 12D, as shown in Fig. 8(A), and to have cable 9B come into contact with only one of inclined edges 12E and 12F (inclined edges 12E and 12F in Fig. 8(A)). This makes it possible to reduce the contact surface of cable 9B with notch 12A, thereby reducing the load acting on cable 9B from notch 12A when tension is applied to cable 9B.

[0032] On the other hand, in the comparative example shown in FIG. 8(B), a corner is formed at a right angle between side edge portions 52B, 52C and bottom edge portion 52D, and cable 59B comes into contact with both side edge portion 52C and bottom edge portion 52D, so that when tension is applied to cable 59B, notch 52A rubs against both side edge portion 52C and bottom edge portion 52D, causing wear.

[0033] In this embodiment, the electrical components include an inverter 9 that is mounted on the inner side of the bottom surface 11 in the vehicle width direction and converts direct current into alternating current, and a battery 8 that is mounted on the outer side of the bottom surface 11 in the vehicle width direction and supplies power to the inverter 9. The bottom surface 11 also 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.

[0034] As a result, the step of the step portion 11C can improve the rigidity of the bottom surface 11, and vibration of the tray 10 due to vibration in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle can be suppressed. This can prevent the cable 9B of the inverter 9 from vibrating due to vibration of the tray 10 and coming into contact with the wall surface 12, resulting in wear. Therefore, it is possible to suppress adverse effects of vibration of the tray 10 on electrical components.

[0035] In addition, in this embodiment, the inverter mounting bottom surface 11A is disposed higher in the vehicle up-down direction than the battery mounting bottom surface 11B.

[0036] This can further prevent the cable 9B from coming into contact with the wall surface 12 of the tray 10, thereby further reducing the load on the cable 9B.

[0037] In addition, this embodiment is provided with a lower bracket 20 that 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, and a gap portion 40 that extends in the cable extension direction is provided between the lower bracket 20 and the step portion 11C.

[0038] This allows the cable 9B to be cooled by the wind passing through the gap 40 in the direction of arrow B (see FIG. 7), and therefore the cable 9B can be protected from heat from the engine and the like.

[0039] While an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of this invention, and it is intended that all such modifications and equivalents be included in the following claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 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 surface, 12...wall surface, 12A...notch, 12B, 12C...side edge, 12D...lower edge, 12E, 12F...inclined edge, 20...lower bracket (bracket), 40...gap

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 each of 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, 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 inverter has a cable connection on its front face; a notch for passing a cable extending forward from the cable connection portion is formed in a wall surface at the front end of the tray; the bottom surface has an inverter mounting bottom surface on which the inverter is mounted, a battery mounting bottom surface on which the battery is mounted, and a step portion forming a step between the inverter mounting bottom surface and the battery mounting bottom surface, 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 portion of the wall surface at the front end of the tray that is located inside the notch in the vehicle width direction.

2. A side member disposed on the outer side of an engine compartment in the front of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction; a tray having a bottom surface on which an electrical component having a cable connection portion is placed, the cable connection portion is provided below the front end of the electrical component, a cable connected to the cable connection portion extends from the tray in a cable extension direction; The cable extends in a forward direction of the vehicle. the tray has a wall surface extending upwardly of the vehicle at an end of the bottom surface in the cable extending direction, the wall surface has a notch through which the cable passes in the cable extending direction, a bracket connected to the bottom surface and the side member so that the bottom surface is supported by the side member; The support structure for an electrical component, wherein a gap extending in the direction of extension of the cable is provided between the bracket and the bottom surface.

3. A support structure for electrical components as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the notch has a side edge portion extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, a lower edge portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the side edge portion, and an inclined edge portion extending at an angle so as to connect the side edge portion and the lower edge portion.

4. The electrical component is an inverter mounted on the inside of the bottom surface in the vehicle width direction and converting direct current into alternating current; and a battery mounted on the outside of the bottom surface in the vehicle width direction and supplying power to the inverter, 3. The support structure for electrical components according to claim 2, wherein the bottom surface has an inverter mounting bottom surface on which the inverter is mounted, a battery mounting bottom surface on which the battery is mounted, and a step portion forming a step between the inverter mounting bottom surface and the battery mounting bottom surface.

5. A support structure for electrical components as described in Claim 4, characterized in that the inverter mounting bottom surface is positioned higher in the vehicle vertical direction than the battery mounting bottom surface.

6. A cable connected to the cable connection portion extends from the tray in a cable extension direction, 2. The support structure for an electrical component according to claim 1, wherein a gap extending in the direction in which the cable extends is provided between the lower bracket and the step portion.

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