High-voltage cable protection structure

Abstract

To provide a high voltage cable protection structure capable of enhancing the protective performance of a high voltage cable in the event of a vehicle collision while suppressing costs.SOLUTION: A high voltage cable protection structure protects a high voltage cable extending from an electrical device mounted in a front compartment of a vehicle to the rear of the vehicle. In the front compartment, a rear component is arranged behind the electric equipment in the vehicle. The high voltage cable protection structure includes: a first protective member that covers the high-voltage cable; and a second protective member that is more rigid than the first protective member and is arranged outside the first protective member to cover the high-voltage cable in a narrower range than the first protective member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a protection structure for high-voltage cables.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for protecting a connector provided on the rear surface of a power converter mounted in a front compartment of a vehicle and to which a high-voltage cable is connected from an impact during a vehicle collision by a protection member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a protection structure for a high-voltage cable that protects a high-voltage cable extending rearward from an electrical device mounted in a front compartment of a vehicle, there is room for improvement in the protection performance and cost of the high-voltage cable by a protection member.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a protection structure for a high-voltage cable that can enhance the protection performance of the high-voltage cable during a vehicle collision while suppressing costs.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the high-voltage cable protection structure according to the present invention is a high-voltage cable protection structure that protects a high-voltage cable extending from an electrical device mounted in the front compartment of a vehicle to the rear of the vehicle, wherein the front compartment has a rear component positioned behind the electrical device, and is characterized by comprising: a first protective member that covers the high-voltage cable; and a second protective member that has higher rigidity than the first protective member and is positioned outside the first protective member to cover the high-voltage cable in a narrower area than the first protective member.

[0007] As a result, the high-voltage cable protection structure according to the present invention can enhance the protection performance of high-voltage cables during vehicle collisions while suppressing costs, by partially covering the high-voltage cable with a highly rigid second protective member.

[0008] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the second protective member may be positioned between the high-voltage cable and the rear component.

[0009] This makes it possible to reduce the mass and material costs of the second protective member.

[0010] Furthermore, in the above, the first protective member may be made of a resin material, and the second protective member may be made of a metal material.

[0011] This allows the high-voltage cable to be protected under normal conditions by a first protective member made of resin material, and also protected by a second protective member made of metal material not only under normal conditions but also in the event of a vehicle collision. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The high-voltage cable protection structure according to the present invention has the effect of improving the protection performance of high-voltage cables during vehicle collisions while suppressing costs, by providing a highly rigid second protective member that partially covers the high-voltage cable. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a view from above of the device layout in the front compartment of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a view from below of the device layout in the front compartment of the electric vehicle according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The following describes an embodiment of the protective structure for high-voltage cables according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0015] Figure 1 is a view from above of the device layout in the front compartment 1 of the electric vehicle according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a view from below of the device layout in the front compartment 1 of the electric vehicle according to the embodiment. Note that the PCU 2 is not shown in Figure 2.

[0016] The coordinate system in the figure will now be explained. The F axis of the coordinate system indicates the front of the vehicle, the R axis indicates the right direction of the vehicle width, the U axis indicates the upward direction of the vehicle, the L axis indicates the left direction of the vehicle, and the B axis indicates the downward direction of the vehicle. Hereafter, in this specification, "front" means the front of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction, and "rear" means the rear of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction. Front compartment 1 corresponds to the front space of the electric vehicle.

[0017] The front compartment 1 is equipped with a PCU (Power Control Unit) 2, high-voltage cables 3, a resin protector 4, a metal protector 5, a braking device 6, high-voltage connectors 21a and 21b, and a motor (not shown). While the front compartment 1 contains various other components, descriptions of components other than those mentioned above will be omitted here as appropriate.

[0018] The PCU2 is, for example, an electrical device (power control device) fixed above the motor case housing the motor, which controls the power to drive the motor. Two high-voltage connectors 21a and 21b are provided on the rear of the PCU2 housing. The high-voltage connectors 21a and 21b connect high-voltage cables 3a and 3b, which are branches of a high-voltage cable 3 connected to a high-voltage battery (not shown) mounted on the electric vehicle, to the PCU2. The high-voltage cable 3 (high-voltage cables 3a and 3b) extends from the PCU2 mounted in the front compartment 1 to the rear of the vehicle.

[0019] The high-voltage cables 3a and 3b are covered and protected by a first protective member, a resin protector 4, which is made of a resin material. In addition, a second protective member, a metal protector 5, is provided between the PCU 2 and the brake device 6. The metal protector 5 has a smaller coverage area for the high-voltage cables 3a than the resin protector 4, and covers and protects the high-voltage cables 3a outside the resin protector 4 via the resin protector 4. The metal protector 5 is more rigid than the resin protector 4 and is made of a metal material such as steel or aluminum alloy.

[0020] The metal protector 5 is fastened, for example, with bolts as fastening members to a bracket fixed to the PCU 2. In the present embodiment, the fastening position for fastening the metal protector 5 to the bracket with bolts is only one position on the upper surface of the metal protector 5 by the bolt 51 as shown in FIG. 1. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the mass, reduce the material cost, and reduce the assembly cost as compared with the case where there are a plurality of fastening positions for fastening the metal protector 5 to the bracket with bolts.

[0021] In the front compartment 1 according to the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a brake device 6, which is a rear component arranged at the left rear of the vehicle of the PCU 2, is located. The PCU 2 and the brake device 6 are positioned at substantially the same height in the vehicle height direction. Here, when the PCU 2 mounted in the front compartment 1 moves backward to the left rear of the vehicle due to the impact at the time of a right offset collision of the electric vehicle, the high-voltage cable 3a may be sandwiched between the PCU 2 and the brake device 6. In this case, there is a possibility that the high-voltage cable 3a may be damaged, such as the coating covering the conductor of the high-voltage cable 3a being broken due to interference with an edge portion of the brake device 6. On the other hand, in the protection structure of the high-voltage cable according to the embodiment, when the PCU 2 moves backward to the left rear of the vehicle due to the impact of the collision, the direct interference between the high-voltage cable 3a and the brake device 6 can be suppressed by the metal protector 5. Thereby, in the protection structure of the high-voltage cable according to the embodiment, it is possible to suppress the damage of the high-voltage cable 3a at the time of vehicle collision. Therefore, in the protection structure of the high-voltage cable according to the embodiment, the high-voltage cables 3a and 3b can be protected by the resin protector 4 during normal times, and the high-voltage cable 3a can be protected not only during normal times but also at the time of vehicle collision by the metal protector 5.

[0022] In addition, the metal protector 5 is provided so as to cover only the collision impact range where the PCU 2 may be affected by damage or the like to the high-voltage cable 3a when the PCU 2 moves backward to the left rear of the vehicle due to the impact of a right offset collision of the electric vehicle. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the mass and material cost of the metal protector 5 as compared with the case where the entire high-voltage cable 3a is covered by the metal protector 5. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the mass and material cost of the metal protector 5 as compared with the case where not only the high-voltage cable 3a but also the high-voltage cable 3b is covered by the metal protector 5, similar to the resin protector 4.

[0023] In addition, the metal protector 5 is provided so that the user cannot access the high-voltage cable 3a by hand or the like from above the front compartment 1 not only during normal times but also during a vehicle collision. That is, the metal protector 5 is provided so that even if the high-voltage cable 3a is damaged during a right offset collision of the electric vehicle, the damaged part is not exposed to the outside. Thereby, it is possible to protect the high-voltage cable 3a by the metal protector 5 so that the user does not access the damaged part of the high-voltage cable 3a by hand or the like from above the front compartment 1 during a vehicle collision and the user does not contact the damaged part. Thus, the metal protector 5 functions as a contact protection protector that protects the high-voltage cable 3a so that the user does not contact the damaged part of the high-voltage cable 3a from above the front compartment 1.

[0024] In addition, for the purpose of protection measures against access to the high-voltage cable 3a from above the front compartment 1, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower side of the high-voltage cable 3a is not covered by the metal protector 5. Thereby, while suppressing access to the high-voltage cable 3a from above the front compartment 1, it is possible to reduce the mass and material cost of the metal protector 5 as compared with the case where the lower side of the high-voltage cable 3a is also covered by the metal protector 5.

[0025] As described above, the protective structure for high-voltage cables according to the embodiment can enhance the protective performance of the high-voltage cable 3a during a vehicle collision while keeping costs down. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 1 Front compartment 2 PCU 3,3a,3b High-voltage cables 4. Resin protector 5 Metal Protector 6. Brake system 21a, 21b High-voltage connectors 51 volts

Claims

[Claim 1] A high-voltage cable protection structure that protects high-voltage cables extending from electrical equipment mounted in the front compartment of a vehicle to the rear of the vehicle, In the aforementioned front compartment, the rear components are positioned further back than the electrical equipment. A first protective member covering the high-voltage cable, A second protective member is provided, which has higher rigidity than the first protective member and is positioned outside the first protective member to cover the high-voltage cable over a narrower area than the first protective member. Equipped with, The second protective member is fastened to a bracket fixed to the electrical equipment with a fastening member and is positioned between the high-voltage cable and the rear component. The first protective member is made of a resin material, The second protective member is made of a metal material, The lower side of the high-voltage cable in the vehicle height direction is not covered by the second protective member. A protective structure for high-voltage cables characterized by the following features.

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