fuel cell vehicle

Abstract

To provide a fuel cell vehicle which employs collision avoidance measures even though which is disposed with not only a fuel cell module, but also with a drive unit and an electric motor, in a front space of the vehicle.SOLUTION: A fuel cell vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises in a vehicle front space: a fuel cell; a drive motor configured to be driven with electric power of the fuel cell; and a drive unit configured to transmit drive force from the drive motor. The fuel cell is mounted via a first frame coupled to a body. The drive motor and the drive unit are mounted via a second frame that is coupled to the body and that is different from the first frame.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell.

Background Art

[0002] In modern society, automobiles are indispensable as a means of transportation, and various vehicles are moving on the road every day. In recent years, the development of fuel cell vehicles equipped with fuel cells with relatively low environmental impact has been underway.

[0003] Such fuel cell vehicles are equipped with a hydrogen tank and a fuel cell module that generates electricity by receiving hydrogen from this hydrogen tank. For example, as exemplified in Patent Document 1, when a load is applied in the vehicle length direction, a collision countermeasure capable of avoiding a collision between the fuel cell module and the hydrogen tank has been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Not only the above-mentioned patent documents but also the current technology cannot be said to appropriately meet the market needs, and there are the following problems. That is, in addition to the above-mentioned hydrogen tank and fuel cell module, a fuel cell vehicle is also equipped with a drive device such as an electric motor driven by the power of this fuel cell and a gearbox that transmits the driving force of this electric motor to the wheels.

[0006] The arrangement proposed in Patent Document 1 is based on a rear-wheel drive system where the electric motor is positioned at the rear of the vehicle. However, it does not necessarily propose an optimal arrangement when considering, for example, front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. Thus, in fuel cell vehicles intended for front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, there is still considerable room for improvement regarding the arrangement of the fuel cell module, as well as the electric motor and drive system.

[0007] This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems as an example, and aims to provide a fuel cell vehicle equipped with collision countermeasures for cases where not only the fuel cell module but also the drive unit and electric motor are arranged in the space in front of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, a fuel cell vehicle in one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a fuel cell, a drive motor driven by the power of the fuel cell, and a drive device that transmits the driving force from the drive motor, all located in the front space of the vehicle, wherein the fuel cell is mounted on a first frame connected to the body, and the drive motor and the drive device are mounted on a second frame connected to the body and different from the first frame. The fuel cell, the drive unit, and the drive motor are arranged in this order from the front to the rear of the vehicle, the first frame is arranged so that the rear bracket breaks during a frontal collision and it can be deformed to reduce its size in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the second frame is arranged so that the connection part with the body on the rear side of the vehicle breaks during a frontal collision and it can pivot around the connection part with the body on the front side of the vehicle. ru. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, even when a load is applied in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, damage to the fuel cell module, electric motor, and drive unit, which are located at the front of the vehicle, can be minimized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the front body and retention mechanism in a fuel cell vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing the front body and retention mechanism of the fuel cell vehicle according to the embodiment, viewed from the side. [Figure 3] This is a schematic top view showing the holding mechanism according to the embodiment from above. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram (part 1) showing the state transitions of the retention structure during a forward collision. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram (part 2) showing the state transitions of the retention structure during a forward collision. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram (part 3) showing the state transitions of the retention structure during a forward collision. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Next, preferred embodiments for implementing the present disclosure will be described. For convenience, in the following description, the vehicle height direction of the fuel cell vehicle will be defined as the Z direction, the vehicle length direction as the X direction, and the vehicle width direction, which is perpendicular to the Z and X directions, as the Y direction. However, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited by the above-mentioned directional definitions and does not unduly narrow the scope of the claims. Furthermore, for configurations other than those detailed below, known frame structures, on-board equipment, and elemental technologies relating to fuel cell vehicles, including those in the aforementioned patent documents, may be appropriately supplemented.

[0012] [Fuel cell vehicle 100] The configuration of the fuel cell vehicle 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. As shown in Figure 1, the fuel cell vehicle 100 has a front space FS located within the bonnet (not shown) at the front of the body 10. Within this front space FS, the fuel cell 20, drive motor 30, drive unit 40, high-voltage components 50, and auxiliary equipment 60 are mounted via their respective frame members (described later) connected to the body 10.

[0013] In addition to the above, the fuel cell vehicle 100 is also equipped with various other features, such as a known hydrogen tank (not shown) for supplying fuel gas to the fuel cell 20, and a known on-board battery (not shown) for storing electricity generated by the fuel cell 20 as needed. Hereinafter, a front-wheel drive vehicle in which driving force is transmitted from the drive device 40 to the front wheels is exemplified as the fuel cell vehicle 100 of the present embodiment. However, the fuel cell vehicle 100 is not limited to the above-described front-wheel drive vehicle, and may be a rear-wheel drive vehicle in which driving force is transmitted to the rear wheels, or a four-wheel drive vehicle in which drive devices are provided at the front and rear of the vehicle, respectively.

[0014] The fuel cell 20 may be configured as a known fuel cell module equipped with a fuel cell stack in which a plurality of known PEFC (polymer electrolyte fuel cell) single cells are stacked and its cooling circuit. Such a fuel cell 20 is mounted on a first frame 11 connected to the vehicle body 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As can be understood from the figure, the first frame 11 is configured as a cross member whose ends are connected to both sides of the vehicle body 10 via known fixing means.

[0015] <Details of the first frame 11> As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the fuel cell 20 is supported by a first cross member 11A disposed forward in the vehicle length direction and a second cross member 11B disposed rearward of the first cross member 11A in the first frame 11. More specifically, as can be understood from FIG. 6, the front side of the fuel cell 20 is fixed via a front bracket 11Ab provided on the front mount 11Am of the first cross member 11A, and may also be fixed via a rear bracket 11Bb provided on the rear mount 11Bm of the second cross member 11B.

[0016] Note that the structure and material of the front mount 11Am and the rear mount 11Bm of the present embodiment are not particularly limited as long as the fuel cell 20 can be mounted, and a known mount mechanism as exemplified in the above-mentioned patent documents may be applied.

[0017] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, in the present embodiment, the front bracket 11Ab and the rear bracket 11Bb for fixing the fuel cell 20 may be configured such that the strength for fixing the fuel cell 20 is different from each other. That is, when the first frame 11 receives an impact during a frontal collision or the like, the front bracket 11Ab may fix the fuel cell 20 while the fixing of the fuel cell 20 by the rear bracket 11Bb is preferentially released.

[0018] As an example of realizing such preferential breakage of the rear bracket 11Bb, for example, in the front bracket 11Ab, bolts may be tightened in the vertical direction to fix the fuel cell 20, while in the rear bracket 11Bb, bolts may be tightened along the vehicle length direction so that the bolts come off during the impact. Alternatively, as another example of realizing the preferential breakage, the strength and rigidity of the bolts used in the rear bracket 11Bb may be set lower than those of the front bracket 11Ab. Thereby, when the first frame 11 receives an impact during a frontal collision or the like, the rear bracket 11Bb can break preferentially to the front bracket 11Ab.

[0019] Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the first cross member 11A and the second cross member 11B that extend parallel to each other along the vehicle width direction are connected by a connecting piece 11C interposed therebetween. The connecting piece 11C may be connected to the first cross member 11A and the second cross member 11B by known fixing means such as welding or fastening.

[0020] The first cross member 11A and the second cross member 11B may be made of known steel material. On the other hand, the rigidity of the connecting piece 11C in this embodiment may be set to be lower than the rigidity of the first cross member 11A and the second cross member 11B described above. Alternatively, the connecting piece 11C in this embodiment may have an inflection region that bends so as to intersect with the vehicle length direction. This allows the rear bracket 11Bb to break when the first frame 11 is impacted, such as in a frontal collision, and the first frame 11 as a whole to deform in a reduced size in the vehicle length direction, as will be described later.

[0021] The drive motor 30, which is powered by the fuel cell, and the drive unit 40, which transmits the driving force from the drive motor 30, are positioned in the front space FS behind the fuel cell 20 in the vehicle length direction, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. More specifically, the drive motor 30 and drive unit 40 in this embodiment may be connected to the vehicle body 10 and mounted on a second frame 12 that is different from the first frame 11.

[0022] <Detailed structure of the second frame 12> As can be seen from Figures 1 to 3, the second frame 12 is positioned rearward of the first frame 11 in the vehicle length direction and includes cross members whose ends are connected to both sides of the body 10 via known fastening means.

[0023] More specifically, the second frame 12 may be configured to include a third cross member 12A and a fourth cross member 12B that extend in the vehicle width direction and have their ends connected to both sides of the body 10, and a first side member 12C and a second side member 12D that extend in the vehicle length direction and have their ends connected to the third cross member 12A and the fourth cross member 12B, respectively.

[0024] Of these, the third cross member 12A may be positioned on the front side in the vehicle length direction and above the fourth cross member 12B in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 2. In other words, as can be seen from the same figure, the first side member 12C and the second side member 12D may be positioned at an angle so that their front sides are vertically upward. That is, the area behind the front space FS is separated from the floor (underfloor) of the passenger compartment, but as shown in Figure 2 and other figures, the second frame 12 of this embodiment may be positioned at an angle below the floor tunnel 14 located in the center of the floor.

[0025] The drive motor 30 and drive unit 40 described above are fixed between the first side member 12C and the second side member 12D, respectively. The method for fixing the drive motor 30 and drive unit 40 to the side members is not particularly limited, and fastening means such as bolts, welding, or adhesive fastening means may be used.

[0026] As can be seen from Figure 1 and other figures, in order to realize the collision avoidance operation described later, the fuel cell 20, drive unit 40, and drive motor 30 in this embodiment are arranged in this order from the front to the rear of the vehicle.

[0027] The specific example of the drive motor 30 described above is not particularly limited, and various known electric motors installed in fuel cell vehicles may be used. Furthermore, a specific example of the drive device 40 described above is a known drive force transmission mechanism such as a gearbox that transmits the driving force from the drive motor 30 to the wheels.

[0028] <Detailed structure of the third frame 13> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fuel cell vehicle 100 of this embodiment may further include a third frame 13 fixed to the second frame 12 via fixing means Fx. The third frame 13 mounts a high-voltage component 50 that drives the drive motor 30. In this embodiment, a known inverter can be exemplified as the high-voltage component 50, but other known high-voltage components necessary for a fuel cell vehicle may be used. In this embodiment, since the high-voltage component 50 is an inverter, this third frame 13 can also be called an inverter-dedicated frame.

[0029] Specific examples of the fixing means Fx include known fasteners such as fastening bolts. As for the manner in which the third frame 13 is fixed to the second frame 12, as shown in Figure 3, the first side member 12C and the second side member 12D may be provided with fixing holes FH into which the fastening bolts described above can be inserted, and the bottom surface of the third frame may be fixed to the first side member 12C and the second side member 12D via the fixing means Fx described above.

[0030] Furthermore, the fixing holes FH provided on the upper surfaces of the first side member 12C and the second side member 12D may be elliptical or elongated, with their major axes parallel to the vehicle length. This allows the third frame 13, which is struck by the fuel cell 20 during a collision described later, to slide within the fixing holes FH.

[0031] <Arrangement configuration of auxiliary equipment 60> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the auxiliary equipment 60 necessary for driving the fuel cell 20 may be fixed below the first frame 11 via a known mounting mechanism. Such auxiliary equipment 60 includes electrical auxiliary equipment 60A that requires protection in the event of a collision, such as a converter and an electric pump, and non-electric auxiliary equipment 60B that does not necessarily require protection in the event of a collision, such as an intercooler.

[0032] As can be seen from Figure 4, in the auxiliary equipment 60 of this embodiment, the electrical auxiliary equipment 60A that requires protection in the event of a collision may be arranged on the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction of the first frame 11 so as not to overlap with the drive unit 40 in the vehicle length direction. On the other hand, the non-electrical auxiliary equipment 60B may be arranged on the central side in the vehicle width direction of the first frame 11 so as to overlap with the drive unit 40 in the vehicle length direction.

[0033] In this embodiment of the fuel cell vehicle 100, auxiliary equipment 60 is mounted on the lower side of the first frame 11 where the fuel cell 20 is located. The electrical auxiliary equipment may be positioned so that its installation position in the vehicle width direction does not overlap with the installation position of the drive unit 40 in the vehicle width direction in the vehicle length direction. As a result, for example, in the event of a collision as described later, the auxiliary equipment 60 moves to slide backward via the first frame 11, similar to the fuel cell 20, but the electrical auxiliary equipment 60A and the drive unit 40 do not overlap in the vehicle length direction, thus avoiding a collision.

[0034] <State transitions in fuel cell vehicle 100 when subjected to an impact in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle> Next, referring to Figures 4 to 6, the state transitions when the fuel cell vehicle 100 of this embodiment is subjected to an impact in the longitudinal direction will be described. In the following, "impact in the longitudinal direction" will be explained using a forward collision in which the fuel cell vehicle 100 collides with some obstacle in front of it as an example. However, this embodiment is not limited to this example, and impacts in the longitudinal direction may also include rearward collisions in which the fuel cell vehicle 100 collides with an obstacle at the rear.

[0035] In other words, when the fuel cell vehicle 100 is involved in a frontal collision, the impact is transmitted to the first frame 11 via the body 10, and the inertial force resulting from this impact also acts on the fuel cell 20. As described above, in this embodiment, during an impact, the front bracket 11Ab maintains the fixation of the fuel cell 20, while the fixing of the fuel cell 20 by the rear bracket 11Bb takes precedence and breaks. Furthermore, the rigidity of the connecting piece 11C is set to be lower than the rigidity of the first cross member 11A and the second cross member 11B described above.

[0036] As shown in Figure 6, the rear bracket 11Bb supporting the fuel cell 20 is the first to break, prioritizing the fracture of the bracket. Subsequently, due to the action of the inertial force, the fuel cell 20 moves toward the rear of the vehicle, and a part of the first frame 11 (connecting piece 11C in this example) undergoes contraction in the vehicle length direction. This makes it possible to suppress damage and deformation to the fuel cell 20 during a frontal collision.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4, the electrical auxiliary equipment 60A in this embodiment is arranged on the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction of the first frame 11 so as not to overlap with the drive unit 40 in the vehicle length direction. Also as shown in the same figure, the high-voltage components 50 mounted on the third frame 13 may be arranged above the auxiliary equipment 60 in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to minimize contact between the high-voltage components 50 and the auxiliary equipment 60 during a collision.

[0038] As the fuel cell 20 moves toward the rear of the vehicle in conjunction with an impact in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the fuel cell 20 comes into contact with the third frame 13 on which the high-voltage component 50 is mounted, as shown in Figure 5. Thus, the third frame 13 in this embodiment may be configured to include a front plate 13H interposed between the fuel cell 20 and the high-voltage component 50. This prevents direct contact between the fuel cell 20 and the high-voltage component 50 during a collision, thereby suppressing the induction of excessive damage during the collision.

[0039] When the fuel cell 20 comes into contact with the third frame 13, the fixing means Fx of the third frame 13, which mounts the high-voltage component 50, breaks, causing the third frame 13 to move towards the rear of the vehicle. As shown in the figure, the third frame 13, having moved towards the rear of the vehicle, then comes into contact with the drive motor 30, and the impact caused by this contact of the third frame 13 causes the connection portion 12fxb of the fourth cross member 12B of the second frame 12 to break. As a result, in the event of a frontal collision, the connection portion 12fxb with the rear of the vehicle's body 10 is broken, and the second frame 12 becomes capable of pivoting around the connection portion 12fxa with the front of the vehicle's body 10.

[0040] In this embodiment, the drive motor 30 and the drive unit 40 are arranged in the order of drive unit 40 followed by drive motor 30, from the front in the vehicle length direction. Furthermore, at least a portion of the drive motor 30 and drive unit 40 may be positioned at an angle beneath the vehicle's floor tunnel, located behind the front space FS.

[0041] The fuel cell 20, the drive motor 30, and the drive unit 40 may each be fixed to a dedicated frame (in this example, a first frame 11 and a second frame 12) connected to the body 10 via a mounting mechanism. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a high-voltage component 50 (inverter) fixed to a dedicated third frame 13 may be positioned above the drive unit 40. This third frame 13 may be fixed to the second frame 12 via fixing means Fx in fixing holes FH (such as elongated holes) provided in the vehicle length direction.

[0042] When subjected to an impact in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, such as in a frontal collision, the third frame 13 is pushed out by the fuel cell 20 moving backward, allowing at least a portion of it to move along the inclination of the second frame 12 and into the space beneath the floor tunnel. If the third frame 13 moves backward to the point of contact with the drive unit 40, the collision load is applied from the third frame 13 to the drive unit 40, causing the vehicle to move within the second frame 12. rear The connection point 12fxb with the body 10 is damaged.

[0043] As a result, the drive motor 30 becomes cantilevered with the connection point 12fxa with respect to the body 10 at the front of the vehicle as its pivot point, and the rear side of the vehicle drops downward due to its own weight, starting from this connection point 12fxa (it pivots starting from the connection point 12fxa). This creates a predetermined gap between the drive motor 30 and the floor tunnel 14, allowing the high-voltage component 50 to slip into this gap and avoid collision with the fuel cell 20.

[0044] While preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, this disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is obvious to any person with ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains that further modifications may be attempted to the embodiments described above within the scope of the technical idea set forth in the claims, and these modifications will naturally also fall within the technical scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 10 Body 20 Fuel Cell 30 Drive motor 40 Drive unit 50 High-Voltage Components 60 Auxiliary equipment 100 fuel cell vehicle

Claims

1. Fuel cells and A drive motor powered by the electricity of the aforementioned fuel cell, A drive device that transmits the driving force from the aforementioned drive motor is provided in the front space of the vehicle, The fuel cell is mounted on a first frame connected to the body. The drive motor and the drive device are connected to the body and mounted on a second frame different from the first frame. The fuel cell, the drive unit, and the drive motor are arranged in this order from the front to the rear of the vehicle. The first frame is arranged so that the rear bracket breaks during a frontal collision, allowing it to deform in a reduced size in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The second frame is positioned such that, in the event of a frontal collision, the connection point with the body on the rear side of the vehicle is damaged, and the frame pivots around the connection point with the body on the front side of the vehicle. Fuel cell car.

2. The system further comprises a third frame, which is fixed to the second frame via fixing means and on which high-voltage components for driving the drive motor are mounted. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1.

3. Auxiliary equipment is mounted on the lower side of the first frame where the fuel cell is located. Of the aforementioned auxiliary equipment, the electrical auxiliary equipment is positioned such that its installation position in the vehicle width direction does not overlap with the installation position of the drive unit in the vehicle width direction with respect to the vehicle length direction. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1.

4. The second frame is positioned in an inclined manner below the floor tunnel within the body. A fuel cell vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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