electric vehicles

Abstract

To provide a technology that enables easy visual confirmation of a state of wiring or a pipeline connected to a drive device.SOLUTION: An electrified vehicle includes: a vehicle body; and a drive device mounted on the vehicle body. The drive device includes: an electric motor; a first casing that accommodates the electric motor; a power conversion device electrically connected to the electric motor; and a second casing which is located above the first casing, fixed to the first casing, and accommodates the power conversion device. A space which passes through, in a vehicle front-rear direction, a first region in which the first casing and the second casing face each other in a vertical direction is provided between the first casing and the second casing. Wiring or a pipeline is connected to the drive device, and the wiring or the pipeline is situated on one side in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the space, and also is routed so as to be visible via the space from the other side in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to an electric vehicle, and more particularly to an electric vehicle equipped with a drive unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle including a drive motor and a storage battery electrically connected to the drive motor. The drive motor is arranged behind the storage battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-105510 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the vehicle of Patent Document 1, for example, the electrical wiring that electrically connects the drive motor and the storage battery is located between them. Therefore, when attempting to visually check the drive motor and the storage battery from the rear of the vehicle, the electrical wiring that electrically connects them may be hidden by the drive motor located behind the electrical wiring. For this reason, in the past, in order to visually check the connection state of the wiring that electrically connects the drive motor and the storage battery, it was necessary, for example, to remove the drive motor and the storage battery from the vehicle body. In this specification, compared to the past, it is stated that the wiring connected to the drive unit is more easily visible. line Alternatively, a technique is provided that allows the state of piping to be easily visually confirmed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The electric vehicle disclosed in this specification includes a vehicle body, a drive unit mounted on the vehicle body, a pair of left and right wheels that support the vehicle body and are driven by the drive unit, and a battery that supplies power to the drive unit. The drive unit includes an electric motor, a first casing that houses the electric motor, a power conversion unit electrically connected to the electric motor, and a second casing that is located above the first casing, is fixed to the first casing, and houses the power conversion unit. A space is provided between the first casing and the second casing, passing through a first region where the first casing and the second casing face each other in the vertical direction in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and wiring or piping is connected to the drive unit, the wiring or piping being located on one side of the space in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and arranged so as to be visible through the space from the other side of the space in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0006] In the electric vehicle described above, the wiring or piping located on one side of the space that penetrates the first region in the vehicle longitudinal direction can be visually confirmed from the other side of the space in the vehicle longitudinal direction. This makes it possible to visually check the condition of the wiring or piping more easily than in the past. Here, the "condition of the wiring or piping" includes, for example, whether the wiring or piping is properly connected, whether it maintains a proper curvature, and whether any foreign matter is attached.

[0007] Details and further improvements of the technology disclosed in this specification are described in the following "Description of Embodiments of the Invention." [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 shows a block diagram of an electric vehicle 10 according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 3 shows a view taken in the direction of arrow III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 5 shows a view seen in the direction of arrow V in FIG. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In one embodiment of the present technology, the wiring or piping may include electrical wiring that electrically connects the battery and the power conversion device.

[0010] With this configuration, the state of the electrical wiring that electrically connects the battery and the power conversion device can be easily visually confirmed through space.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present technology, the vehicle body may have a floor panel, and in this case, the battery may be disposed below the floor panel on the one side of the drive device in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0012] With this configuration, the state of the electrical wiring extending upward from the battery located below the floor panel toward the power conversion device can be easily visually confirmed through the space.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present technology, at least a portion of the electrical wiring may be located within a second region in which the pair of wheels face each other in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0014] When at least a portion of the electrical wiring is located within the second area, it is difficult to visually check the state of the electrical wiring from the left and right of the vehicle. According to the electric vehicle described above, the state of the electrical wiring can be easily visually checked through space.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present technology, the electrical wiring may have a connector. In this case, the connector may be connected to the second casing within the second region. However, in another embodiment, the connector may be connected to the second casing outside a region where a pair of left and right wheels face each other in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present technology, the connector may be located on one side of the space in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and may be arranged so as to be visible through the space from the other side of the space in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0017] With this configuration, the connector can be easily visually confirmed from the other side through the space.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present technology, the wiring or piping may include a refrigerant piping for circulating a refrigerant to the drive device.

[0019] With this configuration, the state of the refrigerant piping can be easily visually confirmed through the space.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present technology, the refrigerant pipe may connect between the battery and the drive device.

[0021] With this configuration, the condition of the refrigerant piping extending from the battery located below the floor panel to the power converter can be easily visually confirmed through the space.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present technology, the space may have a height in the range of 30 mm to 50 mm in the vehicle vertical direction.

[0023] With this configuration, the wiring or piping can be reliably visually confirmed through the space, and the size of the drive device can be prevented from becoming larger than necessary in the vertical direction.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present technology, the first casing may include a housing extending cylindrically from a first end face to a second end face, a first cover attached to the first end face of the housing, and a second cover attached to the second end face of the housing. In this case, the second casing may be fixed to the first cover and the second cover, and the first region may be a region where the housing of the first casing and the second casing face each other in the up-down direction.

[0025] According to this configuration, a relatively wide storage space can be provided between the cylindrical housing and the second casing, which allows for more reliable visual inspection of the condition of the wiring or piping.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present technology, the one side in the vehicle front-rear direction may be a front side in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the other side in the vehicle front-rear direction may be a rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction. However, in another embodiment, the one side in the vehicle front-rear direction may be a rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the other side in the vehicle front-rear direction may be a front side in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0027] In one embodiment of the present technology, the pair of left and right wheels may be a pair of left and right rear wheels. However, in another embodiment, the pair of left and right wheels may be a pair of left and right front wheels.

[0028] (Example) FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an electric vehicle 10 of a first embodiment as seen from above. In this specification, the front of the electric vehicle 10 (i.e., the upper side of the paper in FIG. 1) may be simply referred to as "front," and the opposite side may be simply referred to as "rear." Furthermore, the left side of the electric vehicle 10 (i.e., the left side of the paper in FIG. 1) may be simply referred to as "left," and the opposite side may be simply referred to as "right." Furthermore, the top of the electric vehicle 10 (i.e., the front side of the paper in FIG. 1) may be simply referred to as "up," and the opposite side may be simply referred to as "down."

[0029] The electric vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body 2, a battery 3, a pair of left and right front wheels 4R, 4L, a pair of left and right rear wheels 5R, 5L, a radiator 6, a front shaft 14, a rear shaft 15, a front drive unit 20F, and a rear drive unit 20R. The electric vehicle 10 travels by using the front drive unit 20F to drive the pair of left and right front wheels 4R, 4L and the rear drive unit 20R to drive the pair of left and right rear wheels 5R, 5L. The electric vehicle 10 is a so-called four-wheel drive vehicle. Note that the term "electric vehicle" in this specification includes, for example, a rechargeable electric vehicle that is charged by an external power source, a fuel cell vehicle powered by a fuel cell, and a hybrid vehicle that also has an engine. Hereinafter, the term "pair of left and right wheels" may be simply referred to as "pair."

[0030] The battery 3 is disposed below the floor panel 22 (see FIG. 2) of the vehicle body 2. The battery 3 includes, for example, a lithium-ion battery cell. In a modified example, the battery 3 may include another secondary battery cell (nickel-metal hydride battery cell, all-solid-state battery cell).

[0031] The pair of front wheels 4R, 4L are located at the left and right ends, respectively, of a front shaft 14. The pair of front wheels 4R, 4L support the body 2 of the electric vehicle 10 via the front shaft 14. The front shaft 14 extends linearly in the left-right direction. Therefore, the pair of front wheels 4R, 4L face each other in an area A1.

[0032] Similarly, the pair of rear wheels 5R, 5L are located at the left and right ends, respectively, of the rear shaft 15. The pair of rear wheels 5R, 5L support the body 2 of the electric vehicle 10 via the rear shaft 15. The rear shaft 15 extends linearly in the left-right direction. Therefore, the pair of rear wheels 5R, 5L face each other in area A2.

[0033] The front drive device 20F includes a motor unit 30, an inverter unit 40, and a transmission mechanism unit 50. The inverter unit 40 is located above the motor unit 30 (i.e., toward the front of the paper in FIG. 1 ) and is electrically connected to the motor unit 30. The inverter unit 40 is electrically connected to the battery 3 by an electrical wiring 13 extending rearward from the rear end of the inverter unit 40. DC power from the battery 3 is supplied to the inverter unit 40 via the electrical wiring 13. The transmission mechanism unit 50 includes a side portion extending in the front-to-rear direction to the right of the motor unit 30 and a rear portion extending in the left-to-right direction behind the motor unit 30. The transmission mechanism unit 50 is mechanically connected to the front shaft 14, details of which will be described later with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 . The front drive device 20F drives the pair of front wheels 4R, 4L via the front shaft 14.

[0034] The rear drive unit 20R basically has the same configuration as the front drive unit 20F. Therefore, the rear drive unit 20R also includes a motor unit 30, an inverter unit 40, and a transmission mechanism unit 50. In the rear drive unit 20R, the inverter unit 40 is electrically connected to the battery 3 by an electrical wiring 18 extending forward from the front end of the inverter unit 40. As a result, DC power from the battery 3 is supplied to the inverter unit 40 via the electrical wiring 18. In the rear drive unit 20R, the transmission mechanism unit 50 is mechanically connected to the rear shaft 15. The rear drive unit 20R drives the pair of rear wheels 5R, 5L via the rear shaft 15.

[0035] The radiator 6 is disposed at the front end of the electric vehicle 10. The radiator 6 is a device that exchanges heat between a refrigerant and outside air. The refrigerant is, for example, a liquid such as antifreeze or water. The radiator 6 cools the refrigerant, for example, by air generated by a cooling fan (not shown). The radiator 6 is connected to the inverter unit 40 of the front drive device 20F by a first refrigerant pipe 7 and a second refrigerant pipe 8. The inverter unit 40 is connected to the battery 3 by a third refrigerant pipe 11 and a fourth refrigerant pipe 12. The battery 3 is connected to the inverter unit 40 of the front drive device 20F by a fifth refrigerant pipe 16 and a sixth refrigerant pipe 17. rear The radiator 6 is connected to the inverter unit 40 of the drive device 20R. A radiator pump (not shown) causes the refrigerant to flow through the first refrigerant pipe 7, the inverter unit 40 of the front drive device 20F, the third refrigerant pipe 11, the battery 3, the fifth refrigerant pipe 16, the inverter unit 40 of the rear drive device 20R, the sixth refrigerant pipe 17, the battery 3, the fourth refrigerant pipe 12, the inverter unit 40, and the second refrigerant pipe 8 in this order, before returning to the radiator 6. In this manner, the refrigerant circulates through the inverter unit 40 of the front drive device 20F, the battery 3, and the inverter unit 40 of the rear drive device 20R, cooling them. In a modified example, the refrigerant may be circulated through the motor unit 30 of the front drive device 20F before or after the inverter unit 40 of the front drive device 20F and then supplied to the battery 3, or may bypass the battery 3 and be supplied directly to the rear drive device 20R.

[0036] Next, the detailed structure of the front drive device 20F will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the front drive device 20F taken along line II-II in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a view of the front drive device 20F as seen in the direction of arrow III in Figure 2.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 2, the front drive device 20F is mounted in the front compartment F1 of the electric vehicle 10. Fig. 3 shows the front drive device 20F as seen from the front inside the front compartment F1 with the front hood (not shown) of the electric vehicle 10 open.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 3, the front drive unit 20F is fixed to the floor panel 22 of the vehicle body 2 by a pair of brackets 9R, 9L. The motor unit 30 of the front drive unit 20F includes an electric motor 31 and a first casing 34. The electric motor 31 includes a rotor 32R having a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction, a stator 32S facing the outer circumferential surface of the rotor 32R from the radially outer side, and a motor shaft 35 extending in the left-right direction through the rotor 32R. The rotor 32R includes a permanent magnet. The electric motor 31 is a radial type motor. In a modified example, the electric motor 31 may be an axial type motor.

[0039] The first casing 34 includes a housing 34H, a first cover 36R, and a second cover 36L. The housing 34H faces the outer peripheral surface of the stator 32S of the electric motor 31 from the radially outer side. A first end face 34R located at the right end of the housing 34H and a second end face 34L located at the left end define openings at the left and right ends of the housing 34H. The housing 34H extends in the left-right direction in a cylindrical shape from the first end face 34R to the second end face 34L.

[0040] A first cover 36R is attached from the right to the first end surface 34R of the housing 34H. The first cover 36R has a flat plate shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the motor shaft 35 of the electric motor 31, and covers the opening in the first end surface 34R of the housing 34H from the right. The first cover 36R is equipped with a first bearing 33R. The first bearing 33R rotatably holds the motor shaft 35.

[0041] Similarly, a second cover 36L is attached from the left to a second end surface 34L of the housing 34H. The second cover 36L has a flat plate shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the motor shaft 35 of the electric motor 31, and covers the opening of the second end surface 34L of the housing 34H. left The second cover 36L is provided with a second bearing 33L. The second bearing 33L holds the motor shaft 35 rotatably.

[0042] The first cover 36R includes a first stay 38R extending upward from the upper end of the first cover 36R toward the inverter unit 40. Similarly, the second cover 36L includes a second stay 38L extending upward from the upper end of the second cover 36L toward the inverter unit 40.

[0043] The inverter unit 40 includes an inverter 42 and a second casing 44. The inverter 42 is a power conversion device that converts DC power from the battery 3 into AC power suitable for the electric motor 31. Furthermore, the inverter 42 may include a converter function that boosts the DC power from the battery 3, for example. The second casing 44 houses the inverter 42.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inverter 42 is electrically connected to the battery 3 disposed below the floor panel 22 via an electrical wiring 13. The electrical wiring 13 extends upward from the front end of the battery 3, passing through the floor panel 22, and to the second casing 44. Therefore, the electrical wiring 13 extends beyond the upper end of the housing 34H behind the motor unit 30 and into the second casing 44. A connector 13C is disposed at the upper end of the electrical wiring 13. The connector 13C is connected to a connection portion 46 located on the lower surface of the rear portion of the second casing 44. The connector 13C is also located between the pair of front wheels 4R, 4L. That is, the connector 13C is connected to the connection portion 46 of the second casing 44 within the area A1 (see FIG. 2).

[0045] Similarly, the inverter 42 is connected to the battery 3 via a third refrigerant pipe 11 and a fourth refrigerant pipe 12. The third refrigerant pipe 11 and the fourth refrigerant pipe 12 each extend upward from the front end of the battery 3, penetrate the floor panel 22, and reach the second casing 44. Therefore, the third refrigerant pipe 11 and the fourth refrigerant pipe 12 extend beyond the upper end of the housing 34H behind the motor unit 30 to the second casing 44. The rear end surface of the second casing 44 is provided with connecting pipes 11C and 12C that bend from the rear end surface and extend downward. The upper end of the third refrigerant pipe 11 is connected to the connecting pipe 11C, and the upper end of the fourth refrigerant pipe 12 is connected to the connecting pipe 12C. The upper ends of the third refrigerant pipe 11 and the fourth refrigerant pipe 12 are both located between the pair of front wheels 4R and 4L. That is, the upper ends of the third refrigerant pipe 11 and the fourth refrigerant pipe 12 are connected to the connection pipes 11C and 12C of the second casing 44 within the area A1, respectively.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 3, a side portion of the transmission mechanism unit 50 is attached to the first cover 36R. The transmission mechanism unit 50 includes multiple gears 52 (see FIG. 2) and 56 and a third casing 54 that houses them. The motor shaft 35 of the electric motor 31 passes through the first cover 36R and extends further to the right (i.e., leftward on the paper surface of FIG. 3) and is rotatably held by a third bearing 53 in the third casing 54. The motor shaft 35 rotates the gear 56 within the third casing 54. The gear 56 is engaged with a gear 52 shown in FIG. 2 via multiple gears (not shown). The gear 52 is fixed to the front shaft 14. When the gear 56 is rotated by the motor shaft 35, the gear 52 rotates, driving the pair of front wheels 4R and 4L via the front shaft 14 (see FIG. 1).

[0047] The first stay 38R and the second stay 38L of the motor unit 30 extend upward toward the second casing 44 of the inverter unit 40. The right end of the second casing 44 of the inverter unit 40 is fixed to the first stay 38R of the motor unit 30 with a bolt B1. Similarly, the left end of the second casing 44 is fixed to the second stay 38L with a bolt B1. This allows the second casing 44 of the inverter unit 40 to be held above the first casing 34 of the motor unit 30. As a result, a space SP1 is provided between the housing 34H of the first casing 34 and the second casing 44. As shown in FIG. 2 , the space SP1 penetrates an area A3 provided between the housing 34H of the first casing 34 and the second casing 44. Here, the area A3 is the area where the housing 34H of the first casing 34 and the second casing 44 face each other in the vertical direction.

[0048] 2, the electrical wiring 13 is connected to the connection portion 46 of the second casing 44 at the rear of the space SP1. Therefore, the electrical wiring 13 is located rearward with respect to the space SP1. Similarly, the third refrigerant pipe 11 and the fourth refrigerant pipe 12 are connected to the connection pipes 11C and 12C of the second casing 44 at the rear of the space SP1. Therefore, the third refrigerant pipe 11 and the fourth refrigerant pipe 12 are also located rearward with respect to the space SP1.

[0049] 2, within the area A3, there are no components that obstruct the view in front of the electrical wiring 13 and the third refrigerant pipe 11. In other words, the front and rear of the space SP1 are open to the outside of the front drive unit 20F. That is, the space SP1 that penetrates the area A3 in the front-rear direction is provided between the housing 34H of the first casing 34 and the second casing 44.

[0050] That is, as shown in FIG. 3, in the front compartment F1, the electrical wiring 13, the third refrigerant pipe 11, and the fourth refrigerant pipe 12, which are located rearward of the space SP1, are routed so as to be visible from the front side of the space SP1. The space SP1 has a vertical height H1. The height H1 is, for example, 30 mm. This ensures visibility of the electrical wiring 13, the third refrigerant pipe 11, and the fourth refrigerant pipe 12 from the front of the space SP1 while preventing the vertical size of the front drive unit 20F from increasing. This allows the storage space of the front compartment F1 to be increased. In a modified example, the height H1 of the space SP1 may be, for example, 40 mm or 50 mm.

[0051] Next, the detailed structure of the rear drive device 20R will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the rear drive device 20R and its surroundings taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1. Figure 5 shows a view of the rear drive device 20R as seen in the direction of arrow V in Figure 4.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 4, the rear drive unit 20R is disposed in a tunnel T1. The tunnel T1 is a space located below the rear of the vehicle body 2. Fig. 5 shows the rear drive unit 20R when, for example, a worker positioned below the electric vehicle 10 views the electric vehicle 10 from behind.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 5, the rear drive unit 20R is mounted on the underside of the vehicle body 2 by a pair of brackets 19R, 19L. As described above, the rear drive unit 20R basically has the same configuration as the front drive unit 20F described above. Therefore, a space SP2 having a height H2 is provided between the housing 34H of the first casing 34 of the rear drive unit 20R and the second casing 44. As shown in FIG. 4, the space SP2 penetrates an area A4 provided between the housing 34H of the first casing 34 of the rear drive unit 20R and the second casing 44. Here, the area A4 is an area where the housing 34H of the first casing 34 and the second casing 44 face each other in the vertical direction. Similar to the space SP1 described above, the height H2 of the space SP2 is, for example, 30 mm. This makes it possible to prevent the size of the rear drive unit 20R in the vertical direction from increasing while ensuring visibility of the electrical wiring 18, the fifth refrigerant pipe 16, and the sixth refrigerant pipe 17 from the rear of the space SP2. This makes it possible to increase the accommodation space of the tunnel T1. In the modified example, the height H of the space SP2 is 2 may be, for example, 40 mm or 50 mm.

[0054] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, in the rear drive system 20R, the inverter 42 is electrically connected to the battery 3 disposed below the floor panel 22 via an electrical wiring 18. The electrical wiring 18 extends upward from the rear end of the battery 3 to the second casing 44 of the rear drive system 20R. Therefore, the electrical wiring 18 extends beyond the upper end of the housing 34H behind the motor unit 30 to the second casing 44. A connector 18C is disposed at the upper end of the electrical wiring 18. The connector 18C is connected to a connection portion 46 disposed on the lower surface of the front portion of the second casing 44. The connector 18C is located between the pair of rear wheels 5R, 5L. That is, as shown in Figure 4, the connector 18 8 C is connected to the connection portion 46 of the second casing 44 in the area A2.

[0055] Similarly, the inverter 42 is connected to the battery 3 via a fifth refrigerant pipe 16 and a sixth refrigerant pipe 17. The fifth refrigerant pipe 16 and the sixth refrigerant pipe 17 each extend upward from the rear end of the battery 3 to the second casing 44. Therefore, the fifth refrigerant pipe 16 and the sixth refrigerant pipe 17 extend beyond the upper end of the housing 34H behind the motor unit 30 to the second casing 44. Connecting pipes 16C and 17C are disposed on the front end surface of the second casing 44, bending and extending downward from the front end surface. The upper end of the fifth refrigerant pipe 16 is connected to the connecting pipe 16C, and the upper end of the sixth refrigerant pipe 17 is connected to the connecting pipe 17C. The upper ends of the fifth refrigerant pipe 16 and the sixth refrigerant pipe 17 are both located between the pair of rear wheels 5R and 5L. The fifth refrigerant pipe 16 and the sixth refrigerant pipe 17 are connected to the connecting pipes 16C and 17C of the second casing 44, respectively, within the region A2.

[0056] 4, the electrical wiring 18 is connected to the connection portion 46 of the second casing 44 in front of the space SP2. Therefore, the electrical wiring 18 is located on the front side of the space SP1. Similarly, the fifth refrigerant pipe 16 and the sixth refrigerant pipe 17 are connected to the connection pipes 16C and 17C of the second casing 44 in front of the space SP2. Therefore, the fifth refrigerant pipe 16 and the sixth refrigerant pipe 17 are also located on the front side of the space SP2.

[0057] Within the area A4, there are no components that obstruct the view behind the electrical wiring 18, the fifth refrigerant pipe 16, and the sixth refrigerant pipe 17. In other words, the front and rear of the space SP2 are open to the outside of the rear drive unit 20R. That is, in the rear drive unit 20R, the space SP2 that penetrates the area A4 in the front-to-rear direction is provided between the housing 34H of the first casing 34 and the second casing 44.

[0058] That is, as shown in Figure 5, within the tunnel T1, the electrical wiring 18, the fifth refrigerant piping 16 and the sixth refrigerant piping 17 located on the front side of the space SP2 are arranged so as to be visible from the rear side of the space SP2.

[0059] (Effects of this embodiment) In the front drive unit 20F, the electrical wiring 13, the third refrigerant pipe 11, and the fourth refrigerant pipe 12, which are located rearward of the space SP1, can be visually confirmed from the front side of the space SP1. Similarly, in the rear drive unit 20R, the electrical wiring 18, the fifth refrigerant pipe 16, and the sixth refrigerant pipe 17, which are located forward of the space SP2, can be visually confirmed from the rear side of the space SP2. As described above, with the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment, the states of the electrical wiring 13, 18, and the refrigerant pipes 11, 12, 16, and 17 can be visually confirmed more easily than with conventional techniques in which the drive units 20F, 20R and the battery 3 are removed from the vehicle body 2 to visually confirm the states of the electrical wiring 13, 18, and the refrigerant pipes 11, 12, 16, and 17. For example, it can be easily visually confirmed whether the electrical wiring 13 is curved within an appropriate range.

[0060] Furthermore, according to the electric vehicle 10, the connector 13C of the electrical wiring 13 is located rearward of the space SP1, so that the state of connection between the connector 13C and the connection portion 46 of the inverter unit 40 can be easily visually confirmed from the front via the space SP1. Furthermore, the upper end of the third refrigerant pipe 11 connected to the connection pipe 11C is located rearward of the space SP1, so that the state of connection between the connection pipe 11C and the third refrigerant pipe 11 can be easily visually confirmed from the front via the space SP1.

[0061] Furthermore, as described above, for example, connector 13C and connection portion 46 are connected within area A1. Therefore, for example, when visually checking the state of connector 13C from the right, it is necessary to remove front wheel 4R. In electric vehicle 10, the state of connector 13C can be easily visually checked from the front through space SP1 without removing front wheel 4R. Similarly, connection pipe 11C and the upper end of third refrigerant pipe 11 are connected within area A1. Therefore, in electric vehicle 10, the state of third refrigerant pipe 11 can be easily visually checked from the front through space SP1 without removing front wheel 4R. Similarly, connector 18C and connection portion 46 are connected within area A2, so the state of connector 18C can be easily visually checked from the rear through space SP2 without removing rear wheel 5R.

[0062] (Correspondence) The front drive unit 20F and the rear drive unit 20R are each an example of a "drive unit." The front wheels 4R, 4L and the rear wheels 5R, 5L are each an example of a "wheel." The inverter 42 is an example of a "power conversion device." Areas A1, A2 are each an example of a "first area." Areas A3, A4 are each an example of a "second area."

[0063] Although specific examples of the technology disclosed in this specification have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples exemplified above. Modifications of the above examples are listed below.

[0064] (Modification 1) The electric vehicle 10 may be provided with only the front drive unit 20F or only the rear drive unit 20R.

[0065] (Variation 2) The front drive device 20F may be located on the rear side of the space SP1 and may include wiring that electrically connects the electric motor 31 and the inverter 42. In this case, the electrical wiring 13 does not need to be located on the rear side of the space SP1.

[0066] (Variation 3) The connector 13C does not have to be located within the area A1. In a further variation, the connector 13C may be connected to a connection portion 46 provided on the rear end surface of the second casing 44. In this variation, the connector 13C does not have to be located behind the space SP1.

[0067] (Modification 4) The height H1 of the space SP1 may be smaller than 30 mm or larger than 50 mm.

[0068] (Variation 5) In the above-described embodiment, the second casing 44 of the inverter unit 40 is fixed to each of the covers 36R, 36L of the motor unit 30. In this variation, the second casing 44 may be fixed to, for example, a bracket provided on the upper surface of the first casing 34 of the motor unit 30.

[0069] (Variation 6) Each of the drive units 20F, 20R does not have to include the transmission mechanism unit 50. In that case, the transmission mechanism unit 50 may be disposed separately from each of the drive units 20F, 20R. In another variation, the third casing 54 of the transmission mechanism unit 50 may be adjacent to the first casing 34 of the motor unit 30 from the rear or from the left and right.

[0070] The technical elements described in this specification or drawings may exhibit technical utility either alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, the technologies illustrated in this specification or drawings may achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving one of those objectives alone is technically useful. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 2: Body, 3: Battery, 4L, 4R: Front wheels, 5L, 5R: Rear wheels, 6: Radiator, 7: First refrigerant pipe, 8: Second refrigerant pipe, 9L, 9R, 19L, 19R: Bracket, 10: Electric vehicle, 11: Third refrigerant pipe, 11C, 12C, 16C, 17C: Connection pipe, 12: Fourth refrigerant pipe, 13, 18: Electric wiring, 13C, 18C: Connector, 14: Front shaft, 15: Rear shaft, 16: Fifth refrigerant pipe, 17: Sixth refrigerant pipe, 20F: Front drive unit, 20R: Rear drive unit, 22: Floor panel, 30: Motor unit, 31: Electric motor, 32R: Rotor, 32S: Stator , 33L: second bearing, 33R: first bearing, 34: first casing, 34H: housing, 34L: second end face, 34R: first end face, 35: motor shaft, 36L: second cover, 36R: first cover, 38L: second stay, 38R: first stay, 40: inverter unit, 42: inverter, 44: second casing, 46: connection part, 50: transmission mechanism unit, 52: gear, 53: third bearing, 54: third casing, 56: gear, A1, A2, A3, A4: area, B1: bolt, F1: front compartment, H1: height, SP1, SP2: space, T1: tunnel

Claims

1. An electric vehicle, The car body and a drive unit mounted on the vehicle body; a pair of left and right wheels that support the vehicle body and are driven by the drive device; a battery that supplies power to the drive device; Equipped with The drive device is An electric motor; a first casing that houses the electric motor; a power conversion device electrically connected to the electric motor; a second casing located above the first casing, fixed to the first casing, and housing the power conversion device; Equipped with a space is provided between the first casing and the second casing, the space passing through a first region in which the first casing and the second casing face each other in the up-down direction in a vehicle longitudinal direction; Wiring or piping is connected to the drive device, the wiring or piping is located on one side of the space in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is arranged so as to be visible through the space from the other side of the space in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the first casing includes a housing facing an outer peripheral surface of a stator of the electric motor from the outside in the radial direction, The first region is a region where the housing of the first casing and the second casing face each other in the up-down direction. Electric car.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the wiring or piping includes electrical wiring that electrically connects the battery and the power conversion device.

3. The vehicle body has a floor panel, The electric vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the battery is disposed below the floor panel on the one side of the drive device in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the electrical wiring is located within a second region where the pair of left and right wheels face each other in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

5. the electrical wiring has a connector; The electric vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the connector is connected to the second casing in the second region.

6. The electric vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein the connector is located on one side of the space in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is arranged so as to be visible through the space from the other side of the space in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

7. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the wiring or piping includes a refrigerant piping for circulating a refrigerant through the drive device.

8. The electric vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the refrigerant pipe connects the battery and the drive unit.

9. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the space has a height in the range of 30 mm to 50 mm in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

10. The housing extends cylindrically from a first end face to a second end face, the first casing includes a first cover attached to the first end surface of the housing and a second cover attached to the second end surface of the housing, the second casing is fixed to the first cover and the second cover; The electric vehicle according to claim 1.

11. the one side in the vehicle longitudinal direction is the front in the vehicle longitudinal direction, The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the other side in the vehicle longitudinal direction is a rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

12. The electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the pair of left and right wheels is a pair of left and right rear wheels.

13. the one side in the vehicle front-rear direction is a rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction, The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the other side in the vehicle longitudinal direction is a front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

14. The electric vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the pair of left and right wheels are a pair of left and right front wheels.

15. An electric vehicle, The car body and a drive unit mounted on the vehicle body; a pair of left and right wheels that support the vehicle body and are driven by the drive device; a battery that supplies power to the drive device; Equipped with The drive device is An electric motor; a first casing that houses the electric motor; a power conversion device electrically connected to the electric motor; a second casing located above the first casing, fixed to the first casing, and housing the power conversion device; Equipped with a space is provided between the first casing and the second casing, the space passing through a first region in which the first casing and the second casing face each other in the up-down direction in a vehicle longitudinal direction; Wiring or piping is connected to the drive device, the wiring or piping is located on one side of the space in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is arranged so as to be visible through the space from the other side of the space in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the first casing includes a housing extending cylindrically from a first end surface to a second end surface, a first cover attached to the first end surface of the housing, and a second cover attached to the second end surface of the housing; the second casing is fixed to the first cover and the second cover, The first region is a region where the housing of the first casing and the second casing face each other in the vertical direction. Electric car.

Images