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 front-side bracket 30 connected to the wall surface 12 and a side member 3 so that the wall surface 12 is supported by the side member 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

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 support structure for electrical components, comprising: a side member disposed on the vehicle widthwise outer side of an engine compartment at the front of the vehicle and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle; a tray having a bottom surface on which electrical components having cable connection portions are placed; and a first 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 a cable extension direction, and the tray has a wall surface extending upwardly of the vehicle at an end of the bottom surface in the cable extension direction, and comprises a second bracket connected to the wall surface and the side member so that the wall surface is supported by the side member. [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 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 first 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 extending upward from the vehicle at an end of the bottom surface in the cable extension direction, and includes a second bracket connected to the wall surface and the side member so that the wall surface is supported by the side member. 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 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] 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 the wall surface 12 extending upward toward the vehicle at the end of the bottom surface 11 in the cable extension direction. The tray 10 also includes a front bracket 30 connected to the wall surface 12 and the side member 3 so that the wall surface 12 is supported by the side member 3.

[0027] This prevents the wall surface 12 in the cable extension direction from vibrating in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, thereby suppressing the adverse effects of vibration on the inverter 9, the battery 8, and the cables 9B extending therefrom. In this embodiment, the cables 9B can be prevented from coming into contact with the wall surface 12 of the tray 10.

[0028] As a result, the electrical components such as the inverter 9 and the cable 9B can be protected from vibrations of the vehicle.

[0029] That is, it is particularly necessary to suppress vibrations in the tray 10 on which electrical components to be placed near the engine, transmission, etc. are placed, and even if the bottom surface 11 of the tray 10 is supported by the lower bracket 20, vibrations from the engine, transmission, etc. can cause the wall surface 12 in the cable extension direction to vibrate in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle, which can have adverse effects such as contact between the wall surface 12 of the tray 10 and the cables 9B. Therefore, in this embodiment, by providing the front bracket 30, it is possible to prevent vibrations of the wall surface 12 in the cable extension direction in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle, thereby suppressing the adverse effects of vibrations on the inverter 9, the battery 8, and the cables 9B extending therefrom.

[0030] In addition, in this embodiment, the front bracket 30 has a first end 31 connected to the inner end of the wall surface 12 in the vehicle width direction, and a second end 32 connected to the side wall of the side member 3.

[0031] This effectively suppresses the overall vibration from the end of the wall surface 12 closer to the center of the vehicle to the end near the side member 3, thereby suppressing contact of the cable 9B with the wall surface 12 regardless of the position from which the cable 9B extends on the wall surface 12 of the tray 10.

[0032] In addition, in this embodiment, the first end portion 31 has a planar first contact surface 31A that is in surface contact with the wall surface 12, and the second end portion 32 has a planar second contact surface 32A that is in surface contact with the side wall of the side member 3, and the first contact surface 31A and the second contact surface 32A are perpendicular to each other.

[0033] This allows vibration of the front bracket 30 to be transmitted to the side wall of the side member 3 in the vehicle width direction, thereby suppressing vertical vibration of the tray 10 on which the battery 8 and inverter 9 are placed.

[0034] In this embodiment, the front bracket 30 is inclined so that the first end 31 and the second end 32 are positioned at different positions in the vehicle vertical direction. The front bracket 30 has an inclined portion 33 connecting the first end 31 and the second end 32, and the inclined portion 33 has an inclined wall portion 35 extending in the vehicle vertical direction and an inclined surface portion 34 extending from the upper end of the inclined wall portion 35 in the same direction as the extension direction of the cable 9B.

[0035] This allows the cable 9B extending from the inverter 9 to the outside of the tray 10 to be supported in a state of surface contact with the inclined surface portion 34, thereby reducing the load acting on the cable 9B.

[0036] In addition, in this embodiment, the inclined portion 33 is inclined so as to approach the inner side in the vehicle width direction as it goes upward on the vehicle, and the upper end of the inclined surface portion 34 is located above the cable connection portion 9A on the vehicle.

[0037] As a result, the inclined surface portion 34, which is inclined so that it approaches the inside in the vehicle width direction as it moves toward the top of the vehicle, can direct the high-temperature air rising from the transmission or engine below the front bracket 30 toward the inside in the vehicle width direction and away from the cable connection portion 9A toward the top of the vehicle, as shown by arrow A in Figures 4 and 7, thereby effectively protecting the cable connection portion 9A from heat.

[0038] In this embodiment, a gap 40 is provided between the inclined surface 34 and the bottom surface 11, extending in the cable extending direction.

[0039] This allows the wind from traveling through the gap 40 to cool the upper surface of the inclined surface portion 34 and the bottom surface 11 of the tray 10, thereby preventing the temperature of the cable connection portion 9A from becoming too high and more effectively protecting the cable connection portion 9A from heat from the engine, etc.

[0040] In this embodiment, the surface area of ​​the inclined surface portion 34 increases toward the bottom of the vehicle.

[0041] This increases the contact area between the running wind passing through the gap 40 and the lower part of the inclined surface 34, allowing the front bracket 30 to be cooled efficiently and the cable connection part 9A to be protected even more effectively from the heat of the engine.

[0042] 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]

[0043] 1...vehicle, 3...side member, 7...engine compartment, 8...battery (electrical component), 9...inverter (electrical component), 9A...cable connection portion, 9B...cable, 10...tray, 11...bottom surface, 12...wall surface, 20...lower bracket (first bracket), 30...front bracket (second bracket), 31...first end, 31A...first contact surface, 32...second end, 32A...second contact surface, 33...inclined portion, 34...inclined surface portion, 35...inclined wall portion, 40...gap portion

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 having a bottom surface on which an electrical component having a cable connection portion is placed; a first bracket connected to the bottom surface and the side member such that the bottom surface is supported by the side member, a cable connected to the cable connection portion extends from the tray in a cable extension direction; the tray has a wall surface extending upwardly of the vehicle at an end of the bottom surface in the cable extending direction, A support structure for electrical components, comprising: a second bracket connected to the wall surface and the side member so that the wall surface is supported by the side member.

2. The second bracket is a first end connected to an inner end of the wall surface in the vehicle width direction; 2. The support structure for electrical components according to claim 1, further comprising: a second end portion connected to a side wall of the side member.

3. the first end portion has a first planar contact surface that is in surface contact with the wall surface, the second end portion has a planar second contact surface that comes into surface contact with a side wall of the side member, 3. The support structure for an electrical component according to claim 2, wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface are perpendicular to each other.

4. the second bracket is inclined such that the first end and the second end are positioned differently in the vehicle up-down direction, and has an inclined portion connecting the first end and the second end, 4. The support structure for electrical components according to claim 2, wherein the inclined portion has an inclined wall portion extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle and an inclined surface portion extending from the upper end of the inclined wall portion in the same direction as the extension direction of the cable.

5. The inclined portion is inclined so as to approach the inside in the vehicle width direction as it goes upward on the vehicle, 5. The support structure for electrical components according to claim 4, wherein an upper end of the inclined surface portion is located higher on the vehicle than the cable connection portion.

6. 6. The support structure for an electrical component according to claim 4, wherein a gap extending in the direction in which the cable extends is provided between the inclined surface portion and the bottom surface.

7. 7. The support structure for electrical components according to claim 4, wherein the surface area of ​​the inclined surface portion increases toward the bottom of the vehicle.

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