Drive battery support device

Abstract

To provide a support member of a driving battery that includes a mounting member for mounting components of an electric vehicle, and can suppress a damage of the driving battery caused by an impact of vehicle collision or the like.SOLUTION: A support device of a driving battery 4 mounted on an electric vehicle comprises: a bracket 7 with a U-shaped cross section which covers a front side or a rear side of the driving battery, and has a recessed surface 13 that becomes a recess toward the driving battery and a projected surface 14a that becomes a projection toward the driving battery 4; and a mounting member 12 which mounts components 11 of the electric vehicle, where the mounting member 12 is mounted on the recessed surface 13, and a tip part 12b protruding from the recessed surface 13 in the mounting member 12 toward the driving battery 4 side is arranged at a position remote toward the recessed surface side from a top face 14a of the projected surface 14 with respect to an external surface of a case 4A of the driving battery 4, or at the same position as the top face 14a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a support device for a drive battery that is suitable for use in large electric vehicles such as trucks. [Background technology]

[0002] From the viewpoint of reducing the burden on the environment, development has been progressing for small vehicles such as passenger cars, such as electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles that run by supplying power from a drive battery to a motor. Furthermore, in recent years, electric vehicles have also been developed in the field of large vehicles such as trucks (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-113063 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The drive battery is mounted on the vehicle by a support member, and parts such as a fuse box for the motor that is located near the drive battery may be attached to this support member.

[0005] Fastening members such as bolts are used for this attachment, but because it is difficult to install these fastening members on the top or bottom of the support member due to the clearance between the drive battery and the support member, they are installed on the side of the support member (including the front and rear).

[0006] However, fastening members such as bolts have heads that protrude from the inside of the support member toward the drive battery, resulting in protrusions. If the impact of a vehicle collision causes the drive battery to move toward the support member, the drive battery may come into pressure contact with this protrusion, causing the impact load to be concentrated at this contact point, potentially damaging the drive battery.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a support member for a driving battery that has mounting members for attaching components of an electric vehicle and can reduce damage to the driving battery due to impacts such as those caused by a vehicle collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve at least part of the above problems, and can be realized as the following aspects or application examples. (1) The support device for a driving battery according to this application example is a support device for a driving battery mounted on an electric vehicle, and includes a bracket with a U-shaped cross section that covers the front or rear side of the driving battery and has a side portion with a concave portion that is concave toward the driving battery and a convex portion that is convex toward the driving battery, as well as an upper surface and a lower surface; and a mounting member for attaching components of the electric vehicle, the mounting member being attached to the concave portion, and the tip of the mounting member that protrudes from the concave portion toward the driving battery being positioned at a position farther away from the top surface of the convex portion toward the concave portion, or at the same position as the top surface, with respect to the outer surface of the case of the driving battery.

[0009] According to this application example, in the event of a vehicle collision (frontal or rear-end collision), either only the top surface of the convex portion will collide with the drive battery case first, or the top surface of the convex portion and the tip of the mounting member will collide with the drive battery case simultaneously, preventing the tip of the mounting member from colliding locally with the drive battery case and reducing damage to the drive battery case, thereby improving safety.

[0010] (2) In this application example, it is preferable that the convex portion is disposed at a position facing a portion of the case that has high strength. By positioning the convex portion opposite the strong part of the case in this way, even if the convex portion collides with the case in the event of a vehicle collision, the case is less likely to be damaged, and damage to the case can be suppressed.

[0011] (3) In this application example, it is preferable that the convex surface portion and the concave surface portion extend linearly, and that a plurality of the convex surface portions are provided with the concave surface portion sandwiched therebetween. This configuration more reliably prevents the tip of the mounting member from locally hitting the driving battery case, thereby reducing damage to the driving battery case.

[0012] (4) In this application example, it is also preferable that the convex portion extends around the concave portion. This configuration more reliably prevents the tip of the mounting member from locally hitting the driving battery case, thereby reducing damage to the driving battery case.

[0013] (5) In this application example, the convex portion may be disposed so that the top surface is in surface contact with the case. This configuration prevents the top surface of the convex portion from hitting the case locally, thereby suppressing damage to the case.

[0014] (6) In this application example, the component may be, for example, a fuse box for a drive motor of the electric vehicle that is disposed near the drive battery. With this configuration, the fuse box can be arranged space-efficiently.

[0015] According to the present invention, damage to the drive battery due to impacts such as those caused by a vehicle collision can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a bracket for explaining the structure of a support device for a driving battery according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view showing a support device for the driving battery shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a perspective view showing the state in which the driving battery shown in FIG. 1 is assembled to the vehicle body. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of arrangement when a driving battery according to an embodiment is mounted on a plurality of vehicle bodies. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a side view showing a schematic example of the arrangement of the driving battery and components when the driving battery according to the embodiment is mounted to a plurality of vehicle bodies. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a bracket provided in the support device for the driving battery according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views of the bracket shown in FIG. 6, where (a) shows a normal state (no collision) and (b) shows a state after a collision. [Figure 8] 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views of comparative examples of the bracket shown in FIG. 6, in which (a) shows a normal state (no collision) and (b) shows a state after a collision. [Figure 9] 10 is a side view showing a modified example of the arrangement of the driving battery and components when the driving battery according to the embodiment is mounted to a plurality of vehicle bodies. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a first modified example of the bracket shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 11] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a second modified example of the bracket shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 12] 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views showing modified examples of the bracket shown in FIG. 6, where (a) shows a third modified example and (b) shows a fourth modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The following embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques not explicitly described in the embodiments. The configurations of the following embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, they can be selected or combined as needed.

[0018] [1. Configuration] [1-1. Overall structure] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a support device 1 for a vehicle battery pack according to this embodiment (also simply referred to as the support device 1) is mounted on an electric truck 3 equipped with a ladder frame 2 that forms the skeleton of the vehicle body. The electric truck 3 is an electric vehicle that runs by supplying power from a drive battery pack (also simply referred to as a "drive battery" or "battery pack") 4 to an electric motor (not shown). Electric vehicles include not only pure electric vehicles that do not have an internal combustion engine, but also hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles that have an internal combustion engine for driving or power generation. The electric truck 3 will also be referred to as an "electric vehicle 3" or a "vehicle 3."

[0019] Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the electric truck 3 is also referred to as the vehicle length direction D1, and the left-right direction of the electric truck 3 is also referred to as the vehicle width direction D2. The vertical direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the left-right direction is also referred to as the vehicle height direction D3. In the drawings, the front is indicated by "FR," the rear by "RR," the left by "LH," the right by "RH," the top by "UP," and the bottom by "DW." Note that FIG. 3 shows the understructure of the electric truck 3, and the upper structure (body) located above the ladder frame 2 is omitted.

[0020] The ladder frame 2 is a member that forms the framework of the electric truck 3 and has high rigidity and strength. The ladder frame 2 includes a pair of side rails 21 extending in the vehicle length direction D1 and a plurality of cross members 22 extending in the vehicle width direction D2 and connecting the side rails 21 to each other. The pair of side rails 21 are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction D2. Each side rail 21 is formed in a channel shape (U-shaped cross section) having a plate-like web portion 21a extending along the vehicle length direction D1 and the vehicle height direction D3, and a pair of plate-like flange portions 21b, 21c extending inward in the vehicle width direction D2 from the upper and lower edges of the web portion 21a. The multiple cross members 22 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the vehicle length direction D1. Here, two cross members 22 are shown as an example, one arranged at a position overlapping the battery pack 4 in the vehicle height direction D3, and the other arranged at a position rearward of the battery pack 4. The battery pack 4 is equipped with required components inside a battery case (case) 4A.

[0021] The battery pack 4 may be, for example, a general-purpose high-voltage battery pack used in passenger cars. In the electric truck 3, the battery pack 4 is mounted below a pair of side rails 21 and protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction D2 beyond each side rail 21. Here, a box-shaped battery pack 4 is shown as an example, whose dimension in the vehicle height direction D3 is smaller (thinner) than each dimension in the vehicle length direction D1 and the vehicle width direction D2. However, the shape of the battery pack 4 is not particularly limited.

[0022] The battery pack 4 has a pair of battery side surfaces 41, 42 that face outward in the vehicle width direction D2. The pair of battery side surfaces 41, 42 are located further outward in the vehicle width direction D2 than the pair of side rails 21. More specifically, the right battery side surface 41 is located to the right of the right side rail 21, and the left battery side surface 42 is located to the left of the left side rail 21.

[0023] As described above, the battery side surfaces 41, 42 of the battery pack 4 are disposed outward in the vehicle width direction D2 relative to the side rails 21, and therefore the dimension of the battery pack 4 in the vehicle width direction D2 is ensured to be greater than the distance between the web portions 21a of the side rails 21. This allows the battery pack 4 to have a large capacity. Furthermore, in order to ensure the cruising range of the electric truck 3, it is preferable that the battery pack 4 be disposed over a wide range between the front and rear wheel axles. In a relatively small electric truck 3 (with a relatively short wheelbase), one battery pack 4 can be disposed over almost the entire wheelbase. In this case, the front wheels are disposed in close proximity to the front of the battery pack 4, and the rear wheels are disposed in close proximity to the rear of the battery pack 4.

[0024] The size of the electric truck 3 and the number of battery packs 4 are not limited to the examples shown in this embodiment. In a relatively large electric truck 3 (with a relatively long wheelbase), multiple battery packs 4 may be arranged side by side in the vehicle length direction D1. In this case, too, by arranging multiple battery packs 4 over a wide range of the wheelbase, the overall capacity of the battery packs 4 can be increased, ensuring a sufficient cruising range.

[0025] The support device 1 connects the battery pack 4 to the side rails 21 and supports the battery pack 4. In other words, the battery pack 4 is supported on the side rails 21 via the support device 1. In this embodiment, a support device 1 that is configured to be symmetrical (plane symmetrical) with a vertical plane that passes through the center of the vehicle width direction D2 and extends in the vehicle length direction D1 as the plane of symmetry is exemplified.

[0026] As shown in Figure 3, the support device 1 includes a battery-side bracket 5 that houses the battery pack 4, and a frame-side bracket (connecting bracket) 6 that connects the battery-side bracket 5 and the side rail 21. The battery-side bracket 5 is an outer wall body that is arranged on the outer periphery of the battery pack 4 and functions to protect the battery pack 4 from impact loads. On the other hand, the frame-side bracket 6 extends outward and downward from the side rail 21 in the vehicle width direction D2 and functions to suspend the battery pack 4 housed in the battery-side bracket 5 from the side rail 21.

[0027] The battery side bracket 5 of this embodiment has a main bracket (front bracket) 7F arranged to cover the front edge portion of the battery pack 4, a main bracket (rear bracket) 7R arranged to cover the rear edge portion of the battery pack 4, an end cross member (right bracket) 8R covering the right edge portion 40RH of the battery pack 4, and an end cross member (left bracket) 8L covering the left edge portion 40LH of the battery pack 4.

[0028] The pair of main brackets 7F, 7R have similar shapes, and when there is no need to distinguish between them, they are also referred to as main bracket 7 or bracket 7. The pair of end cross members 8R, 8L also have similar shapes, and when there is no need to distinguish between them, they are also simply referred to as end cross member 8, side edge bracket 8, or bracket 8.

[0029] The main brackets 7F, 7R are generally symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane that passes through the center of the vehicle width direction D2 and extends in the vehicle length direction D1. The main brackets 7F, 7R are also symmetrical with respect to each other. The pair of end cross members 8R, 8L are also formed symmetrically with respect to each other in the front-rear direction, with a vertical plane that passes through the center of the vehicle length direction D1 and extends in the vehicle width direction D2 as the plane of symmetry. The end cross members 8R, 8L are also formed symmetrically with each other in plane.

[0030] In this embodiment, the main brackets 7F, 7R and end cross members 8R, 8L are all formed of steel plates and are channel-shaped. The battery-side bracket 5 is arranged so that the main brackets 7F, 7R and end cross members 8R, 8L surround the battery pack 4 on all four sides.

[0031] In this embodiment, high-tensile steel is used as the material for each of the main brackets 7F, 7R and the end cross members 8R, 8L (i.e., the battery-side bracket 5). High-tensile steel plate is a steel material defined as having a tensile strength of, for example, 490 MPa or more and less than 1000 MPa. It has the advantages of being thin-walled and corrosion-resistant. By using this material, the battery-side bracket 5, and in turn the support device 1, can be made lighter while increasing its load-bearing strength. The load-bearing strength required of the support device 1 is a strength that prevents deformation sufficient to damage the case of the battery pack 4, even when the support device 1 receives a certain impact load during a side collision, frontal collision, or rear collision of the vehicle.

[0032] However, the material of the battery-side bracket 5 is not limited to this, and other steel materials or materials other than steel may be used. If a steel material with higher tensile strength, such as ultra-high tensile steel defined as having a tensile strength of 1000 MPa or more, is used, further weight reduction can be achieved. However, currently, ultra-high tensile steel is more difficult to process than high tensile steel and also results in increased costs, so high tensile steel is used in this embodiment. Note that the definitions of high-tensile steel and ultra-high-tensile steel may differ depending on the manufacturer, etc. Therefore, the above values ​​of 490 MPa or more and 1000 MPa are given as examples only as numerical guidelines.

[0033] Each main bracket 7F, 7R and each end cross member 8R, 8L is channel-shaped, and the main bracket 7 has a web portion (side portion) 71, an upper flange portion (top surface portion) 72, and a lower flange portion (bottom surface portion) 73, and each end cross member 8 has a web portion (side portion) 81, an upper flange portion (top surface portion) 82, and a lower flange portion (bottom surface portion) 83.

[0034] The main bracket 7F is disposed so as to cover the front edge portion 40FR of the battery pack 4. That is, the main bracket 7F is disposed so that the web portion 71 runs along the front surface 43 of the battery pack 4, the upper flange portion 72 runs along the portion of the upper surface 45 of the battery pack 4 that is closer to the front surface, and the lower flange portion 73 runs along the portion of the lower surface 46 of the battery pack 4 that is closer to the front surface.

[0035] The main bracket 7R is disposed so as to cover the rear edge portion 40RR of the battery pack 4. That is, the main bracket 7R is disposed so that the web portion 71 follows the rear surface 44 of the battery pack 4, the upper flange portion 72 follows the portion of the upper surface 45 of the battery pack 4 closer to the rear, and the lower flange portion 73 follows the portion of the lower surface 46 of the battery pack 4 closer to the rear.

[0036] The right end cross member 8R is disposed so as to cover the right edge portion 40RH of the battery pack 4. That is, the end cross member 8R is disposed such that the web portion 81 runs along the right side surface 41 of the battery pack 4, the upper flange portion 82 runs along the portion of the top surface 45 of the battery pack 4 close to the right side, and the lower flange portion 83 runs along the portion of the bottom surface 46 of the battery pack 4 close to the right side.

[0037] The left end cross member 8L is disposed so as to cover the left edge portion 40LH of the battery pack 4. That is, the end cross member 8L is disposed so that the web portion 81 follows the left side surface 42 of the battery pack 4, the upper flange portion 82 follows the portion of the top surface 45 of the battery pack 4 close to the left side surface, and the lower flange portion 83 follows the portion of the bottom surface 46 of the battery pack 4 close to the left side surface.

[0038] Furthermore, the main bracket 7 is positioned in advance at the front edge 40FR and rear edge 40RR of the battery pack 4, and then the end cross member 8 is positioned at the right edge 40RH and left edge 40LH of the battery pack 4, and the main bracket 7 and end cross member 8 are connected to the battery pack 4. Therefore, the flange portions 72, 73 of the bracket 7 are positioned closer to the battery pack 4 (inside in the vehicle height direction D3) than the flange portions 82, 83 of the end cross member 8.

[0039] As a result, both ends of the flanges 72, 73 of the main bracket 7 overlap with both ends of the corresponding flanges 82, 83 of the end cross member 8. The main bracket 7 and the end cross member 8 are joined to each other at this overlapping portion (overlapped portion) 51 (see FIG. 1). In FIG. 1, one overlapped portion 51 is shown defined by a two-dot chain line. In this embodiment, the main bracket 7 and the end cross member bracket 8 are joined to each other using fasteners such as bolts (not shown) through the multiple fastening holes 90 shown in FIG. 1. Here, the fastening holes 90 are arranged in a triangular pattern in a set of three, but this number is not limited to this. The joining means is also not limited thereto, and any type of fastener or any joining means (welding, adhesive, etc.) may be used for joining.

[0040] Furthermore, the web portion 81 of the end cross member 8 is disposed so as to be spaced (with a gap) from the side surfaces 41, 42 of the battery pack 4, thereby ensuring a deformation allowance (an allowance for absorbing the impact load) during a collision. This deformation allowance is ensured according to the expected amount of deformation, but if no deformation allowance is required, the web portion 81 of the end cross member 8 may be disposed so as to come into contact with the side surfaces 41, 42 of the battery pack 4.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 2, the lower portion of the frame-side bracket 6 is fixed to the upper portion of an overlapping portion 51 where the upper flange portions 72, 82 of the main bracket 7 and the end cross member 8 overlap and are joined together. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the frame-side bracket 6 is fixed to the web portion 21a of the side rail 21. Therefore, two frame-side brackets 6 are provided on each side of the electric truck 3 (outside the vehicle width direction D2 of each side rail 21) (four in total). The portion where the upper flange portion 72 of the main bracket 7, the upper flange portion 82 of the end cross member 8, and the lower portion of the frame-side bracket 6 are connected is called a connecting portion 50 (see FIG. 1). The connecting portion 50 is the abutment surface of the lower portion of the frame-side bracket 6 with the upper flange portion 82 of the end cross member 8, and is the entire lower surface of the frame-side bracket 6 or a key portion of that lower surface, and is an area located within the overlapping portion 51. In FIG. 1, one connecting portion is indicated by a dashed two-dot line.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 1, the main bracket 7 and the end cross member 8 have upper flange portions 72, 82 and lower flange portions 73, 83 that protrude from the web portions 71, 81. However, since the upper flange portions 72, 82 are required to have a greater load-bearing strength than the lower flange portions 73, 83, the protrusion amount P is set to be relatively large.

[0043] Since both ends of the main bracket 7 and the end cross member 8, which have the connecting portion 50 and the overlapping portion 51, require relatively high load-bearing strength, the protrusion amount P at both ends of the upper flange portions 72, 82 is set to be larger than that at the middle portion.

[0044] Furthermore, weight-reducing holes (lightening holes) 84 are formed in region A in the middle of the upper flange portion 82 of the end cross member 8, where the required load-bearing strength is relatively low. In this example, the weight-reducing holes 84 are composed of a large number of small holes 84a. These small holes 84a have the same arrangement and diameter as the vehicle component mounting holes 21d regularly arranged vertically and horizontally in the web portion 21a of the side rail 21, allowing for the mounting of various vehicle components such as on-board devices, tubes, and harnesses.

[0045] Furthermore, an opening 86 for work use and a weight-reducing hole (lightening hole) 89 are formed in the middle of the web portion 81 of the end cross member 8, which requires a relatively small load-bearing strength. A lid 87 is attached to the opening 86. The weight-reducing hole 89 is also composed of a large number of small holes 89a similar to the vehicle part mounting holes 21d, and is capable of mounting vehicle parts 93, 94, etc.

[0046] As described above, by arranging each unit of the multiple battery packs 4 side by side in the vehicle length direction D1, the overall capacity of the battery pack 4 is increased, and the cruising range can be ensured. For example, Fig. 4 shows an example in which three battery packs 4 are arranged side by side in the vehicle length direction D1. In this case, as shown in Fig. 5, main brackets 7 are arranged in front of and behind each battery pack 4.

[0047] In order to mount the battery pack 4 efficiently in a limited space, the gaps (clearances) between the main bracket 7 and the battery case 4A, and between adjacent main brackets 7, must be made as small as possible, and the main brackets 7 are positioned from this perspective.

[0048] [1-2. Specific bracket structure] Vehicle components that are components of the electric vehicle 3 can be attached not only to the web portion 21 a of the side rail 21 and the end cross member 8 but also to the main bracket 7 . In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a fuse box (component) 11 of an electric motor (driving motor) 10 that drives the electric vehicle 3 is attached to a main bracket 7.

[0049] In this example, the electric motor 10 is mounted behind the battery pack 4 (here, behind a group of multiple battery packs 4), so the fuse box 11 is attached to the main bracket 7 closest to the electric motor 10, i.e., the main bracket 7 attached to the rear edge 40RR of the rearmost battery pack 4. Note that, as shown in FIG. 9, if the electric motor 10 is mounted in front of the battery pack 4, the fuse box 11 is attached to the main bracket 7 closest to the electric motor 10. Battery Pack 4 Leading edge 40FR (See Figure 1) Main bracket 7 F It should be attached to.

[0050] As described above, the main bracket 7 has a web portion 71, an upper flange portion 72, and bottom However, since it is difficult to secure installation space above or below the upper flange portion 72 or the lower flange portion 73, the fuse box 11 is attached to the web portion 71. For this attachment, weld bolts 12 (see FIG. 7) are fixed to the web portion 71 as attachment members.

[0051] To fix the weld bolt 12 to the web portion 71, a through hole is formed in the web portion 71, the shaft portion of the weld bolt 12 is inserted from the inside of the web portion 71 (the side closer to the battery pack 4 when installed), and the head portion 12a of the weld bolt 12 is welded to the web portion 71. The web portion 71 of the main bracket 7 is usually a flat plate, as shown in Figure 8(a), and in this case, the head 12a of the weld bolt 12 protrudes from the inner surface of the web portion 71.

[0052] If the vehicle experiences a frontal or rear-end collision, for example, the battery pack 4 and weld bolt 12 may come relatively close to each other, and as shown in Figure 8(b), the head 12a of the weld bolt 12 may penetrate into the battery case 4A, potentially causing damage such as a hole in the battery case 4A. Such damage to the battery case 4A can be dangerous, so it is desirable to avoid such damage to the battery case 4A as much as possible.

[0053] Therefore, in the main bracket 7 of this support device 1, as shown in Figures 6 and 7(a), the web portion 71 is formed with a concave portion 13 that is concave toward the battery pack 4 (battery case 4A) and a convex portion 14 that is convex toward the battery pack 4 (battery case 4A), and an insertion hole 15 is formed in the convex portion 14, and the shaft portion of the weld bolt 12 is inserted from the inside of the web portion 71 (the side closer to the battery pack 4), and the head 12a of the weld bolt 12 is accommodated within the concave portion 13.

[0054] In this embodiment, the convex surface portion 14 and the concave surface portion 13 extend linearly (straight line), and multiple convex surface portions 14 are provided with the concave surface portion 13 sandwiched between them. In this embodiment, three convex surface portions 14 and two concave surface portions 13 extend linearly in the horizontal direction. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, the convex surface portion 114 and the concave surface portion 113 having the insertion hole 115 may extend linearly in the vertical direction. The direction in which these convex surface portions 14, 114 and concave surface portions 13, 113 extend is not particularly limited. Furthermore, when the convex surface portions 14, 114 and the concave surface portions 13, 113 extend linearly, they are not limited to being linear.

[0055] 11, concave surface portions 213 and convex surface portions 214 each having an insertion hole 215 may be configured. In other words, the concave surface portions 213 are scattered like islands around the convex surface portions 214. In this case, it is preferable that the convex surface portions 214 extend so as to surround the periphery of the concave surface portions 213.

[0056] In either case, the tip 12b of the head 12a of the weld bolt 12 housed within the concave portion 13, 113, 213 and protruding from the concave portion 13, 113, 213 toward the battery case 4A is positioned at a position closer to the concave portion 13, 113, 213 than the top surface 14a of the convex portion 14 or the top surface of the convex portion 114, 214 (not shown) relative to the outer surface of the battery case 4A, or at the same position as the top surface.

[0057] In either case, it is preferable that the top surface of the convex portion 14, 114, 214 is a flat surface parallel to the opposing outer surface of the battery case 4A in the event of a collision of the vehicle 3. This allows the top surface of the convex portion 14, 114, 214 to come into surface contact with the battery case 4A if it approaches and collides with the outer surface of the battery case 4A.

[0058] Furthermore, when multiple convex surface portions 14, 114 are provided, it is preferable that the top surfaces of the multiple convex surface portions 14, 114 are the same height. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of distributing the load applied to the battery case 4A during the above-mentioned vehicle collision, it is preferable that the top surfaces of the convex surface portions 14, 114, 214 have as large an area as possible. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of preventing concentrated load from being applied to the battery case 4A during the above-mentioned vehicle collision, it is preferable that the periphery of the convex surface portions 14, 114, 214 (for example, the boundary portion with the concave surface portion 13, 113, 213) does not have sharp edges.

[0059] In this embodiment, the battery case 4A is made of relatively lightweight die-cast aluminum and has a skeletal portion that is stronger and more rigid than other portions, as indicated by the hatched pattern in Fig. 7. In this embodiment, the skeletal portion is provided horizontally at the top and bottom of the battery case 4A and in the intermediate portion between them. Note that this skeletal portion can be configured by equipping it with reinforcing members or structures that increase its rigidity and strength. In this embodiment, the convex surface portions 14, 114, 214 are disposed at positions facing the skeletal portion.

[0060] In this embodiment, the tip 12b of the head 12a of the weld bolt 12 is positioned closer to the concave portions 13, 113, and 213 than the top surfaces of the convex portions 14, 114, and 214, but as shown in Fig. 12(a), the tip 12b of the head 12a of the weld bolt 12 may be positioned in the same position as the top surfaces of the convex portions 14, 114, and 214 with respect to the outer surface of the battery case 4A. In this case, the overall length of the battery case 4A including the fuse box 11 can be made compact.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the top surfaces of the convex portions 14, 114, 214 are positioned at a distance from the outer surface of the battery case 4A, but as shown in Fig. 12(b), the tip portion 12b of the head portion 12a of the weld bolt 12 may be positioned so as to contact the outer surface of the battery case 4A from the beginning. In this case, too, the overall length of the battery case 4A, including the fuse box 11, can be made compact.

[0062] [2. Actions and Effects] The driving battery support device 1 according to this embodiment is configured as described above, and therefore has the following functions and effects.

[0063] (1) When the vehicle 3 collides (frontal or rearward), as shown in Figure 7(b), either only the top surfaces of the convex portions 14, 114, 214 collide with the battery case 4A first, or the top surfaces of the convex portions 14, 114, 214 and the tip portions 12b of the heads 12a of the weld bolts 12 collide with the battery case 4A simultaneously, preventing the heads of the weld bolts 12 from colliding locally with the battery case 4A and minimizing damage to the battery case 4A. This improves safety.

[0064] (2) Since the convex portions 14, 114, 214 are positioned opposite the strong skeletal portion of the battery case 4A, when the vehicle 3 collides, even if the convex portions 14, 114, 214 collide with the battery case 4A, the battery case 4A is less likely to be damaged, and damage to the battery case 4A can be suppressed.

[0065] (3) The convex portion 14 and the concave portion 13 extend linearly, and multiple convex portions 14 are provided on either side of the concave portion 13. Therefore, when the vehicle 3 collides, the head of the weld bolt 12 is more reliably prevented from colliding locally with the battery case 4A, thereby suppressing damage to the battery case 4A.

[0066] (4) Convex part 214 By distributing the concave portions 213 in an island-like pattern and extending the concave portions 213 so as to surround the periphery thereof, it is possible to more reliably prevent the heads of the weld bolts 12 from locally colliding with the battery case 4A in the event of a collision of the vehicle 3, thereby suppressing damage to the battery case 4A. 。

[0067] (5) The top surfaces of the convex portions 14, 114, 214 are arranged as planes parallel to the outer surface of the battery case 4A, and when the convex portions 14, 114, 214 approach and collide with the outer surface of the battery case 4A, the top surfaces of the convex portions 14, 114, 214 are arranged so as to come into surface contact with the outer surface of the battery case 4A. This prevents the top surfaces of the convex portions 14, 114, 214 from colliding locally with the battery case 4A, thereby suppressing damage to the battery case 4A.

[0068] (6) Since the fuse box (component) 11 of the electric motor 10 that drives the electric vehicle 3 is attached to the main bracket 7 that is located closer to the electric motor 10, the fuse box 11 can be arranged space-efficiently.

[0069] [3. Other] The configuration of the above embodiment is merely an example, and can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the drive battery support device is applied to a truck, but the drive battery support device of this invention may also be applied to vehicles other than trucks. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the drive battery support device is connected to the side rail 21 and supported by the side rail 21, but it may also be connected to a structural element of the vehicle other than the side rail 21 and supported thereon.

[0070] The shapes of the concave portions 13, 113, 213 and the convex portions 14, 114, 214 are not limited to those in the above embodiment, and may be set to various shapes. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the fuse box 11 is exemplified as a component of an electric vehicle, but the configuration of the main bracket 7 of the support device 1 can also be applied to the attachment of various other components. In the above embodiment, the weld bolt 12 is used as an example of the mounting member, but the mounting member is not limited to this, and for example, a weld nut or the like may also be used. In addition, in the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the drive battery 4 and drive battery support device 1 are arranged outward in the vehicle width direction from the side rails 21, but the drive battery and drive battery support device of this invention may be contained between the left and right side rails 21. The size and shape of the drive battery, or its mounting on the side rails, etc., can be changed as needed.

[0071] [4. Notes] The following additional notes are provided regarding the above-described embodiments.

[0072] (Appendix 1) A support device for a drive battery mounted on an electric vehicle, a bracket that covers the front or rear side of the driving battery and has a U-shaped cross section, and that includes a side portion having a concave surface that is concave toward the driving battery and a convex surface that is convex toward the driving battery, as well as an upper surface and a lower surface; a mounting member for mounting a component of the electric vehicle; The mounting member is attached to the concave portion, The tip of the mounting member that protrudes from the concave portion toward the driving battery is located at a position that is farther toward the concave portion than the top surface of the convex portion, or at the same position as the top surface, with respect to the outer surface of the driving battery case. A support device for a drive battery, comprising:

[0073] (Appendix 2) The convex portion is disposed at a position facing a portion of the case with high strength. 2. A support device for a driving battery according to claim 1.

[0074] (Appendix 3) the convex surface portion and the concave surface portion extend linearly, The convex surface portion is provided in plurality with the concave surface portion sandwiched therebetween. 3. A support device for a driving battery according to claim 1 or 2.

[0075] (Appendix 4) The convex portion extends around the concave portion. 3. A support device for a driving battery according to claim 1 or 2.

[0076] (Appendix 5) The convex portion is disposed so that the top surface thereof is in surface contact with the case. 5. A driving battery support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

[0077] (Appendix 6) The component is a fuse box for a drive motor of the electric vehicle. 6. A driving battery support device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1. Support device for drive battery (support device) 2 ladder frame 3 Electric trucks (electric vehicles, vehicles) 4 Drive battery pack (drive battery, battery pack) 4A Battery Case 5 Battery side bracket 6 Frame side bracket (connecting bracket) 7F,7 Main bracket (front bracket) 7R,7 Main bracket (rear bracket) 8R,8 End cross member (right bracket) 8L,8 End cross member (left bracket) 10 Electric motor (drive motor) 11 Fuse box (component) 12 Weld bolt (mounting part) 12a Head of weld bolt 12 12b: Tip of the head 12a of the weld bolt 12 13,113,213 Concave part 14,114,214 Convex part 14a Top surface of convex portion 14 15,115,215 Through holes 21 Side rail 21a Web part of side rail 21 21b, 21c Flange portion of side rail 21 21d Vehicle part mounting hole 22 Cross member 40FR Battery pack 4 leading edge 40RR Battery pack 4 rear edge 40RH Right edge of battery pack 4 40LH Left edge of battery pack 4 41 Right side of battery 4 42 Left side of battery 4 43 Front of battery pack 4 44 Rear of battery pack 4 45 Top of battery pack 4 46 Bottom of battery pack 4 50 Connecting part 51 Polymerization section 71 Web portion (side portion) of main bracket 7 72 Upper flange portion (top surface) of main bracket 7 73 Lower flange part (bottom surface) of main bracket 7 81 Web portion (side portion) of end cross member 8 82 Upper flange part (top surface) 83 Lower flange (bottom surface) 84 Lightening holes (thinning holes) 84a Small holes as lightening holes 84 85 Lightening holes (thinning holes) 86 Opening 87 Lid 89 Lightening holes (thinning holes) 89a Small holes as lightening holes 89 90 Fastening hole 91 Insertion hole 92, 93, 94 Vehicle parts D1 Vehicle length direction D2 Vehicle width direction D3 Vehicle height direction L1,L2 boundary line FR front RR rear LH left RH right side UP upward DW downward P: Protrusion amount of flange portions 72, 82, 73, 83 from web portions 71, 81

Claims

1. A support device for a drive battery mounted on an electric vehicle, a bracket that covers the front or rear side of the driving battery and has a U-shaped cross section, and that includes a side portion having a concave surface that is concave toward the driving battery and a convex surface that is convex toward the driving battery, as well as an upper surface and a lower surface; a mounting member for mounting a component of the electric vehicle; The mounting member is attached to the concave portion, a tip end of the mounting member that protrudes from the concave portion toward the driving battery is located at a position that is farther toward the concave portion than the top surface of the convex portion with respect to the outer surface of the driving battery case, or is located at the same position as the top surface; The convex portion is disposed at a position facing a portion of the case with high strength. A support device for a drive battery, comprising:

2. A support device for a drive battery mounted on an electric vehicle, a bracket that covers the front or rear side of the driving battery and has a U-shaped cross section, and that includes a side portion having a concave surface that is concave toward the driving battery and a convex surface that is convex toward the driving battery, as well as an upper surface and a lower surface; a mounting member for mounting a component of the electric vehicle; The mounting member is attached to the concave portion, a tip end of the mounting member that protrudes from the concave portion toward the driving battery is located at a position that is farther toward the concave portion than the top surface of the convex portion with respect to the outer surface of the driving battery case, or is located at the same position as the top surface; The convex portion extends around the concave portion. A support device for a drive battery, comprising:

3. the convex surface portion and the concave surface portion extend linearly, The convex surface portion is provided in plurality with the concave surface portion sandwiched therebetween.

3. The driving battery support device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The convex portion is disposed so that the top surface thereof is in surface contact with the case.

3. The driving battery support device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The component is a fuse box for a drive motor of the electric vehicle.

3. The driving battery support device according to claim 1 or 2.

Images