Connection structure

Abstract

To deliver and receive power by suppressing an amount of cables connected to a battery.SOLUTION: A connection structure according to the present invention includes: a housing which houses an inverter for controlling a rotating electrical machine; a first connector which is provided in the housing and to which a first cable connected to a battery is connected; a second connector which is provided in the housing and to which a second cable connected to a device for supplying power is connected; a first passage which electrically connects the first connector and the inverter; and a second passage which electrically connects the first passage and the second connector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection structure.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration for branching electric power from a battery provided in an electric vehicle. In this electric vehicle, in a battery case housing the battery, the positive electrode line and the negative electrode line branch into two branches. One of the branched lines is electrically connected to a charging circuit, a rapid charging circuit, and an air compressor via a first cable and a branch unit, and the other branched line is electrically connected to an inverter unit via a power cable.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, when supplying electric power from the battery, two cables, namely, a first cable connecting the battery and the branch unit and a power cable connecting the battery and the inverter unit, are used. Therefore, the amount of cables increases, and the cable laying in the limited space inside the vehicle becomes complicated. Further, the increase in the amount of cables also increases the cost and the weight of the vehicle.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to perform power transfer while suppressing the amount of cables connected to the battery.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The connection structure according to the present invention comprises a housing for housing an inverter that controls a rotating electric machine; a first connector provided in the housing to which a first cable connected to a battery is connected; a second connector provided in the housing to which a second cable connected to a power supply device is connected; a first path that electrically connects the first connector and the inverter; and a second path that electrically connects the first path and the second connector.

[0007] This allows for a reduction in the number of cables connected to the battery, enabling efficient power transfer to and from the inverter, as well as power supply from the equipment to the battery.

[0008] Furthermore, in the above, the second cable may have a third connector connected to the second connector, a supply cable for supplying power to the third connector, and an output cable for outputting power from the third connector, and the third connector may have a third path for electrically connecting the second path and the supply cable, and a fourth path for electrically connecting the third path and the output cable.

[0009] This allows for a reduction in the number of connectors required on the enclosure, while still providing power to power-consuming devices.

[0010] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the housing may be located above the rotating electric machine, and the first connector may be provided on the side of the housing above the rotating electric machine.

[0011] This shortens the path from the rotating electric machine to the inverter and then to the first connector via the first path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The connection structure according to the present invention has the effect of enabling power transmission and reception while reducing the amount of cables connected to the battery. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the connection structure according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the PCU, motor generator, and charger. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are appropriately denoted by the same reference numerals. It should also be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional relationships of each element may differ from those in reality. Even between drawings, there may be parts where the dimensional relationships and ratios differ.

[0015] The connection structure according to the embodiment of the present invention can be suitably used in electric vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), or fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), but the following description will mainly focus on its use in plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs).

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a connection structure 1000 provided in a vehicle according to an embodiment. The vehicle has a PCU (Power Control Unit) 1, a battery 2, a motor generator 3, a charger 4, and an electric compressor 5. The connection structure 1000 is a structure that electrically connects the inverter 1b, the battery 2, the charger 4, and the electric compressor 5.

[0017] Battery 2 is a rechargeable battery mounted in a vehicle. Battery 2 is located, for example, under the vehicle's seat. The first cable 10 is a cable that connects Battery 2 and PCU 1. The first cable 10 comprises a wire 13, a male connector 11 provided at one end of the wire 13, and a connector 12 provided at the other end of the wire 13. By connecting the connector 12 to Battery 2 and the connector 11 to terminals 111 and 112 on PCU 1, the positive terminal of Battery 2 and terminal 111 are electrically connected via the wire 13, and the negative terminal of Battery 2 and terminal 112 are electrically connected via the wire 13.

[0018] PCU1 is a power control unit that controls the power within a vehicle. PCU1 is located, for example, in the engine compartment of a vehicle. PCU1 has a housing 1a, and inside the housing 1a are an inverter 1b, a first positive electrode wire 101a, a first negative electrode wire 102a, a second positive electrode wire 101b, and a second negative electrode wire 102b, and connectors 1c and 1d are located on the side of the housing 1a. Connector 1c, an example of the first connector, is a female connector with conductive terminals 111 and 112, and connector 1d, an example of the second connector, is a female connector with conductive terminals 113 and 114. The conductive first positive electrode wire 101a electrically connects terminal 111 to the inverter 1b, and the conductive first negative electrode wire 102a electrically connects terminal 112 to the inverter 1b. The second positive electrode wire 101b, which is a conductor, electrically connects the first positive electrode wire 101a and terminal 113, and the second negative electrode wire 102b, which is a conductor, electrically connects the first negative electrode wire 102a and terminal 114. The first positive electrode wire 101a and the first negative electrode wire 102a are examples of the first path according to the present invention, and the second positive electrode wire 101b and the second negative electrode wire 102b are examples of the second path according to the present invention. The intersection of the first positive electrode wire 101a and the second positive electrode wire 101b, and the intersection of the first negative electrode wire 102a and the second negative electrode wire 102b are examples of the first branching point according to the present invention.

[0019] Inverter 1b is an inverter capable of mutually converting between DC power and three-phase AC power. Inverter 1b is connected to the motor generator 3, for example, by a three-phase busbar 31. Inverter 1b converts the DC power supplied from the battery 2 via the first cable 10, terminals 111 and 112, the first positive electrode wire 101a, and the first negative electrode wire 102a into three-phase AC power and supplies it to the motor generator 3. In addition, inverter 1b converts the three-phase AC power supplied from the motor generator 3 into DC power and supplies the DC power to the battery 2 via the first cable 10, terminals 111 and 112, the first positive electrode wire 101a, and the first negative electrode wire 102a.

[0020] The motor-generator 3 is a rotating electric machine mounted on the vehicle, for example, located below the PCU 1. When three-phase AC power is supplied to the motor-generator 3 from the inverter 1b, it acts as a motor and generates the driving force to move the vehicle. This generated driving force is transmitted to the drive wheels via the vehicle's power transmission system. The motor-generator 3 also acts as a generator when the vehicle is braked, recovering braking energy and supplying three-phase AC power to the inverter 1b. This three-phase AC power is converted to DC power by the inverter 1b and supplied to the battery 2, thereby charging the battery 2.

[0021] The second cable 20 is a cable that connects the charger 4 and the PCU 1 and connects the electric compressor 5 and the PCU 1. The second cable 20 includes connectors 21, 22, 23 and electric wires 24, 25. One end of the electric wire 24 is connected to the male connector 21, and the other end is connected to the connector 22. One end of the electric wire 25 is connected to the connector 21, and the other end is connected to the connector 23. The electric wire 24 is an example of a supply cable, and the electric wire 25 is an example of an output cable. The connector 21, which is an example of a third connector, has a third positive line 201a, a third negative line 202a, a fourth positive line 201b, and a fourth negative line 202b. The third positive line 201a, which is a conductor, is electrically connected to the terminal 113, and the third negative line 202a, which is a conductor, is electrically connected to the terminal 114. The fourth positive line 201b, which is a conductor, is electrically connected to the third positive line 201a, and the fourth negative line 202b, which is a conductor, is electrically connected to the third negative line 202a. The third positive line 201a and the third negative line 202a are an example of a third path according to the present invention, and the fourth positive line 201b and the fourth negative line 202b are an example of a fourth path according to the present invention. The intersection of the third positive line 201a and the fourth positive line 201b and the intersection of the third negative line 202a and the fourth negative line 202b are an example of a second branch portion according to the present invention.

[0022] The charger 4 is a charger provided in the vehicle to charge the battery 2. By connecting the connector 22 to the charger 4 and connecting the connector 21 to the terminals 113, 114 provided in the PCU 1, the charger 4 is electrically connected to the terminals 113, 114 via the electric wire 24, the third positive line 201a, and the third negative line 202a. Since the terminal 113 is electrically connected to the terminal 111 via the second positive line 101b and the first positive line 101a, and the terminal 114 is electrically connected to the terminal 112 via the second negative line 102b and the first negative line 102a, the charger 4 connected to the PCU 1 by the second cable 20 is electrically connected to the battery 2 via the PCU 1 and the first cable 10 and supplies DC power to the battery 2.

[0023] The electric compressor 5 is a compressor used for air conditioning in a vehicle. By connecting the connector 23 to the electric compressor 5 and connecting the connector 21 to the terminals 113 and 114 provided in the PCU 1, the electric compressor 5 is electrically connected to the terminals 113 and 114 via the electric wire 25, the fourth positive line 201b, the fourth negative line 202b, the third positive line 201a, and the third negative line 202a. The terminal 113 is electrically connected to the terminal 111 via the second positive line 101b and the first positive line 101a, and the terminal 114 is electrically connected to the terminal 112 via the second negative line 102b and the first negative line 102a. Therefore, the electric compressor 5 connected to the PCU 1 by the second cable 20 is electrically connected to the battery 2 via the PCU 1 and the first cable 10, and DC power is supplied from the battery 2.

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an example of the arrangement of the PCU 1, the motor generator 3, and the charger 4 in the engine compartment. In this example, the PCU 1 is arranged above the motor generator 3, and the charger 4 is arranged above the PCU 1. The connector 11 of the first cable 10 and the connector 21 of the second cable 20 are connected to the side surface of the PCU 1.

[0025] In the configuration disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Document 1, the charging circuit requires a cable connecting the charging circuit and the branching unit, and a cable connecting the branching unit and the battery case as cables for charging the battery from the charging circuit, and a cable connecting the inverter unit and the battery case as cables for charging the battery from the inverter unit, resulting in a large number of cables. In contrast, in this embodiment, the power supplied from the inverter 1b and the power supplied from the charger 4 are supplied to the battery 2 by the first cable 10, and since a portion of the two paths for supplying power to the battery 2 are shared, the amount of cables routed in the vehicle can be reduced. Furthermore, in the configuration disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Document 1, the connector connecting the air compressor and the branching unit and the connector connecting the charging circuit and the branching unit are separate, whereas in this embodiment, the electric compressor 5 and the charger 4 are both electrically connected to the PCU 1 by connector 21, and the path to connect to the PCU 1 is shared by connector 21, so the number of connectors used in the vehicle can be reduced. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the charger 4 is positioned on top of the PCU 1 and the connector 21 is connected to the side of the PCU 1, thus shortening the distance between the connector 21 and the charger 4 and allowing the charger 4 and the PCU 1 to be connected in a limited space without complicating the wiring. Also, in this embodiment, the PCU 1 is positioned on top of the motor generator 3 and the connector 11 is positioned on the side of the PCU 1 on top of the motor generator 3, thus shortening the power path between the motor generator 3 and the connector 11.

[0026] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be implemented in various other forms. For example, the present invention may be implemented by modifying the embodiments described above as follows. The embodiments described above and the following modifications may be combined with each other. The present invention is also included in configurations that appropriately combine the components of each embodiment and each modification described above. Furthermore, further effects and modifications can be easily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, broader embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and various modifications are possible.

[0027] In the embodiment described above, the second cable 20 includes a connector 23 and a wire 25, but it may also be configured without a connector 23 and a wire 25.

[0028] In the embodiment described above, the connector 23 is connected to the electric compressor 5, but the connector 23 is not limited to being connected to the electric compressor 5, and may be connected to other power-consuming equipment.

[0029] In the present invention, the second cable 20 has two power paths branched at the connector 21, but it may also be configured to branch into three or more paths. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0030] 1 PCU 1a Enclosure 1b Inverter 2 batteries 3 Motor Generator 4 charger 5 Electric Compressor 10. Cable No. 1 1c, 1d, 11, 12, 21, 22, 23 connectors 20 Second Cable 31 Three-phase busbar 1000 connection structure

Claims

1. A housing for an inverter that controls a rotating electric machine, The housing is provided with a first connector to which a first cable connected to the battery is connected, A second connector is provided in the housing and to which a second cable is connected, which is connected to a first device that supplies power to charge the battery and a second device that is supplied with power from the battery. A first path electrically connects the first connector and the inverter, A second path electrically connects the first path and the second connector, A connection structure comprising the above.

2. The second cable is, A third connector connected to the aforementioned second connector, It comprises a supply cable that supplies power from the first device to the third connector, and an output cable that outputs power from the third connector to the second device, The 3rd connector is, A third path electrically connects the second path and the supply cable, A fourth path electrically connects the third path and the output cable, has The connection structure according to claim 1.

3. The housing is located on top of the rotating electric machine, The first connector is provided on the side of the housing above the rotating electric machine. The connection structure according to claim 1.

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