Piping structure of duct for vehicle

Abstract

In the present invention, a piping structure of a duct for a vehicle comprises: an exhaust heat duct that extends in the vehicle-length direction from a blower fan provided above a battery pack installed above a floor panel constituting a floor surface of a vehicle interior, between a right seat and a left seat that are arranged next to each other in the vehicle-width direction, to a position set further forward or rearward than the right seat and the left seat in the vehicle interior; an air-conditioning duct that extends in the vehicle-length direction from an air-conditioning device and passes between the right seat and the left seat; and a floor console that extends in the vehicle-length direction between the right seat and the left seat and covers the exhaust heat duct and the air-conditioning duct. The exhaust heat duct and the air-conditioning duct are installed next to one another in the vehicle-height direction so that the air-conditioning duct is positioned above the exhaust heat duct in the floor console.

Description

Vehicle duct piping structure

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a piping structure for a vehicle duct.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an electric vehicle with a drive battery pack installed in the vehicle cabin. In this electric vehicle, an air conditioning duct is arranged in the front-to-rear direction between the right and left seats, and the battery pack is installed on the vehicle floor between the right and left seats. The battery pack has a battery case and a battery module arranged inside the battery case, and the air conditioning duct is arranged along the outer periphery of the battery case. The electric vehicle may also be a plug-in hybrid vehicle that can be externally charged by an external power source or externally powered by the drive battery pack.

[0003] Patent No. 4691999

[0004] Since the battery pack generates heat due to power supply, etc., it is preferable to actively dissipate heat from the viewpoint of protecting the battery module. However, if the heat is dissipated below the seat as in Patent Document 1, the hot air discharged from the battery pack may fill the area around the occupants' feet, causing discomfort to the occupants. Furthermore, to extend the cruising range of an EV, the battery pack needs to be made larger. However, if a blower fan and a heat dissipation duct are placed on the side of the battery pack, the installation space for the battery pack will be reduced accordingly. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the installation locations of the blower fan and heat dissipation duct when the battery pack is installed inside the vehicle cabin.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, at least one embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a piping structure for a vehicle duct that can effectively utilize the space inside the vehicle cabin by consolidating the battery pack's exhaust heat duct and the air conditioning duct of an air conditioner while reducing discomfort caused by the exhaust heat emitted from the battery pack.

[0006] (1) A piping structure of a vehicle duct according to at least one embodiment of the present invention includes: an exhaust heat duct that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle from a blower fan provided above a battery pack that is installed above a floor panel that forms the floor of the vehicle compartment, passing between a right seat and a left seat that are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction, and extending from the right seat and the left seat to a distant position in front or rear of the vehicle compartment; an air conditioning duct that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle from an air conditioning unit, passing between the right seat and the left seat; and a floor console that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle between the right seat and the left seat and covers the exhaust heat duct and the air conditioning duct, and the exhaust heat duct and the air conditioning duct are installed side by side in the vehicle height direction within the floor console so that the air conditioning duct is positioned above the exhaust heat duct.

[0007] According to the above configuration (1), the battery pack's heat exhaust duct and the air conditioning duct of the air conditioner are integrated and installed in the floor console between the right seat (driver's seat) and the left seat (passenger seat), and the heat exhaust duct is extended to a position away from both seats, allowing the battery pack's heat to be discharged away from the seats. Furthermore, since the heat exhaust duct is located below the air conditioning duct in the floor console, the floor console and the air conditioning duct can block the hot air emitted from the heat exhaust duct, preventing the heat from being transmitted to the passenger compartment outside the floor console (particularly above). This allows the exhaust heat duct and the air conditioning duct to be installed in a manner that effectively utilizes the space in the passenger compartment while reducing discomfort to passengers due to the exhaust heat.

[0008] (2) In some embodiments, in the configuration of (1) above, a heat shield plate is provided between the heat exhaust duct and the air conditioning duct.

[0009] According to the above configuration (2), heat transfer from the air flowing through the heat exhaust duct to the air flowing through the air conditioning duct can be suppressed, so that deterioration of the air conditioning performance for the rear seats can be suppressed.

[0010] (3) In some embodiments, in the configuration of (2) above, the heat shield has an upper plate portion located between the air conditioning duct and covering the top of the exhaust heat duct, and side plate portions extending downward from both ends of the upper plate portion in the vehicle width direction and covering the sides of the exhaust heat duct.

[0011] According to the above configuration (3), the exhaust heat duct is surrounded from above and from the sides, thereby more reliably blocking the hot air emitted from the exhaust heat duct, thereby more reliably suppressing heat dissipation into the vehicle interior and heat transfer to the air conditioning duct.

[0012] (4) In some embodiments, in the configuration of (2) above, a console base for mounting the floor console is provided, and the heat shield is provided on the console base.

[0013] According to the above configuration (4), the heat shield plate is provided on the console base, so there is no need to provide a separate member for attaching the heat shield plate.

[0014] (5) In some embodiments, in the configuration of (4) above, the exhaust heat duct and the air conditioning duct are attached to the console base.

[0015] According to the above configuration (5), the air conditioning duct is attached to the console base, so there is no need to provide a separate member for attaching the air conditioning duct.

[0016] (6) In some embodiments, in the configuration of (4) above, the console base has a support plate portion for supporting an onboard component (selector lever) installed on the floor console, the air conditioning duct passes below the support plate portion and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the heat shield plate is located below the support plate portion and extends between the exhaust heat duct and the air conditioning duct, and the exhaust heat duct is attached to the heat shield plate.

[0017] According to the above configuration (6), the air conditioning duct and the heat exhaust duct can be efficiently arranged in the space within the floor console.

[0018] (7) In some embodiments, in any one of the configurations (1) to (6) above, the battery pack is installed below both the right seat and the left seat, the blower fan is provided above the battery pack between the right seat and the left seat and is also located in the floor console, and the air conditioning duct is extended above the exhaust heat duct and the blower fan.

[0019] According to the configuration of (7) above, in an electric vehicle in which battery packs are installed below the right seat (driver's seat) and the left seat (passenger seat), the exhaust heat duct, blower fan, and air conditioning duct can be concentrated within the floor console, making it possible to more effectively utilize the space inside the vehicle cabin while further reducing discomfort to occupants caused by exhaust heat.

[0020] According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to effectively utilize the space within the vehicle cabin to lay out the vehicle duct while reducing discomfort felt by the occupants due to exhaust heat.

[0021] Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the interior of a vehicle cabin in which the piping structure of a vehicle duct according to the embodiment is employed. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a vehicle in which the piping structure of a vehicle duct according to the embodiment is employed. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of the piping structure of the vehicle duct shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of the piping structure of the vehicle duct shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the piping structure of the vehicle duct shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the piping structure of the vehicle duct shown in Fig. 5.

[0022] Several embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of components described in the embodiments or shown in the drawings are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. For example, expressions expressing relative or absolute arrangements, such as "in a certain direction," "along a certain direction," "parallel," "orthogonal," "center," "concentric," or "coaxial," not only strictly express such arrangements, but also express relative displacements with tolerances or angles or distances to the extent that the same function is achieved. Furthermore, expressions expressing shapes such as a rectangular or cylindrical shape not only express shapes such as a rectangular or cylindrical shape in the strict geometric sense, but also express shapes including concave and convex portions, chamfered portions, etc., to the extent that the same effect is achieved. On the other hand, expressions such as "comprise," "comprise," "include," "include," or "have" of one component are not exclusive expressions that exclude the presence of other components.

[0023] [Vehicle Employing Vehicle Duct Piping Structure] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the interior of a vehicle 100 employing a vehicle duct piping structure according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1 , the vehicle 100 employing the vehicle duct piping structure according to an embodiment includes an instrument panel 106 provided in front of a right seat (driver's seat) 102 and a left seat (passenger's seat) 104 arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction, and a floor console 108 provided between the right seat 102 and the left seat 104. A console box 110 is provided behind the floor console 108 in the vehicle length direction. The floor console 108 is a component that combines design and utility functions. Ducts and harnesses are installed inside the floor console 108, and a selector lever 112 and various switches 114 are provided on its upper surface. The console box 110 has an armrest 116 provided on its upper surface and an air-conditioning air outlet 118 on its rear side.

[0024] 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a vehicle 100 employing a vehicle duct piping structure 1 according to an embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the vehicle 100 incorporating the vehicle duct piping structure 1 according to the embodiment is an electric vehicle equipped with a battery pack 120 mounted in the vehicle cabin, and is a hybrid electric vehicle (HV, HEV) in which drive wheels are driven by at least one of a drive motor or an engine. However, the vehicle is not limited to this, and may also be an electric vehicle (EV) in which drive wheels are driven by a drive motor. The hybrid vehicle according to the embodiment is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHV, PHEV) that can be charged (hereinafter referred to as "external charging") from an external device (e.g., a quick charger) while parked, and can supply power (hereinafter referred to as "external power supply") from an external device (e.g., a general household) while parked, but is not limited thereto.

[0025] In the vehicle 100 according to this embodiment, the battery pack 120 is installed above a floor panel 122 that constitutes the floor of the vehicle compartment and below the seats (seat cushions) of the right seat 102 and the left seat 104. The battery pack 120 is box-shaped and is longer in the vehicle width direction than in the vehicle front-to-rear direction, and is installed in the center of the vehicle width direction so that the right seat side and the left seat side are equally divided. Duct openings are provided on both ends of the battery pack 120 in the vehicle width direction, and a blower fan 124 is provided above the battery pack 120. The blower fan 124 actively exhausts heat from within the battery pack 120, and a fan duct 126 is provided between the blower fan 124 and the battery pack 120, but the blower fan 124 and the battery pack 120 may also be directly connected. The blower fan 124 is provided above the battery pack 120 in the center of the vehicle width direction of the battery pack 120 between the right seat 102 and the left seat 104, and is also arranged within the floor console 108, with its outlet 128 opening toward the front of the vehicle.

[0026] In the vehicle 100 according to the embodiment, an air conditioner 130 is installed in the front portion of the passenger compartment. The air conditioner 130 is a device that controls the temperature, humidity, and air quality in the passenger compartment, and is a device known as an HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) device. The air conditioner 130 is disposed in front of and covered by the instrument panel 106.

[0027] [Piping Structure of Vehicle Duct] The piping structure 1 of the vehicle duct according to the embodiment includes the exhaust heat duct 10 that passes from the blower fan 124 described above between the right seat 102 and the left seat 104 and extends to a position in front of or behind the right seat 102 and the left seat 104 and away from the vehicle compartment (for example, a position facing the dashboard 132 that separates the vehicle compartment from the right seat 102), and the air conditioning duct 12 that passes from the air conditioner 130 described above between the right seat 102 and the left seat 104 and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle (for example, behind the right seat 102). The exhaust heat duct 10 and the air conditioning duct 12 are installed side by side in the vehicle height direction within the floor console 108 described above, with the air conditioning duct 12 positioned above the exhaust heat duct 10.

[0028] The heat exhaust duct 10 is a duct with a rectangular cross section, one end of which is connected to the outlet 128 of the blower fan 124 and the other end of which opens in a position facing the dashboard 132, and is manufactured by, for example, but not limited to, blow molding. The heat exhaust duct 10 is provided such that an open end 16 that opens in a position facing the dashboard 132 is lower in the vehicle height direction than a connection end 14 that is connected to the outlet 128 of the blower fan 124. The heat exhaust duct 10 is bent in the vehicle height direction between the connection end 14 and the open end 16, and is inclined so as to gradually rise toward the blower fan 124 just before the connection end 14.

[0029] The exhaust heat duct 10 is installed, for example, on a backbone provided in the center of the floor panel 122 in the vehicle width direction, but if it is installed between the right seat 102 and the left seat 104, it is not necessary to provide a backbone on the floor panel 122.

[0030] The air conditioning duct 12 is a duct with a rectangular cross section, one end of which is connected to the outlet of the air conditioning unit 130 and the other end of which opens rearward of the right seat 102 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and an open end 18 that opens rearward of the right seat 102 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is installed, for example, inside a console box 110. The air conditioning duct 12 is formed, for example, by connecting multiple ducts, but is not limited to this. Each of the multiple ducts is manufactured, for example, by blow molding, but is not limited to this.

[0031] For example, the exhaust heat duct 10 and the air conditioning duct 12 are installed in positions adjacent to the exhaust heat duct 10 in the vehicle height direction. For example, the air conditioning duct 12 is extended above the exhaust heat duct 10 and the blower fan 124. Note that being adjacent to the exhaust heat duct 10 in the vertical direction also includes sandwiching something (for example, a heat shield plate 20, described later) between the exhaust heat duct 10 and the air conditioning duct 12. Furthermore, it is sufficient that at least a portion of the air conditioning duct 12 is located directly above the exhaust heat duct 10, and it is not necessary for the two ducts to completely overlap in the vehicle width direction.

[0032] [Heat Shield Plate] The duct piping structure 1 according to the embodiment includes a heat shield plate 20 between the exhaust heat duct 10 and the air conditioning duct 12. The heat shield plate 20 may be made of synthetic resin or metal, as long as it suppresses heat transfer between the air flowing through the exhaust heat duct 10 (heated air) and the air flowing through the air conditioning duct 12 (cooled air).

[0033] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the piping structure 1 for a vehicle duct shown in FIG. 2 taken along line III-III, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the piping structure 1 for a vehicle duct shown in FIG. 2 taken along line IV-IV. As shown in FIG. 3, the exhaust heat duct 10 is attached to a heat shield plate 20. For example, the exhaust heat duct 10 shown in FIG. 3 has a cylindrical shape with a rectangular cross section and is attached to a gutter-shaped heat shield plate 20 that is provided so as to cover the upper half of the exhaust heat duct 10. For example, the exhaust heat duct 10 is provided with an attachment portion 22 that protrudes outward from the middle in the height direction, while the heat shield plate 20 is provided with an attachment receiving portion 24 that corresponds to the attachment portion 22 of the exhaust heat duct 10. A clip 26 passes through the attachment receiving portion 24 of the heat shield plate 20 and the attachment portion 22 of the exhaust heat duct 10, thereby attaching the exhaust heat duct 10 to the heat shield plate 20.

[0034] 4, the heat shield 20 has an upper plate portion 20a that is positioned between the air conditioning duct 12 and covers the upper side of the exhaust heat duct 10, and side plate portions 20b that extend downward from both ends of the upper plate portion 20a in the vehicle width direction and cover the sides of the exhaust heat duct 10. The side plate portions 20b are formed, for example, in a stepped shape and extend below the lower surface of the exhaust heat duct 10 in the vehicle height direction.

[0035] [Console Base] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the piping structure 1 for a vehicle duct shown in Figure 2, and Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the piping structure 1 for a vehicle duct shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the piping structure 1 for a vehicle duct includes a console base 28 for mounting the floor console 108 described above, and the heat shield 20 is provided on the console base 28. The console base 28 is a structure fixed to the floor panel 122 and is made of synthetic resin or metal. The console base 28 has a main body 30 provided to cover the blower fan 124 described above, and a heat shield 32 extending forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the main body 30.

[0036] The main body 30 is gate-shaped with an open surface facing the floor panel 122 and is fixed to the floor panel 122. The main body 30 has a support plate 34 for supporting an in-vehicle component installed on the floor console 108 and legs 36, 38 extending from the support plate 34 toward the floor panel 122. The in-vehicle component installed on the floor console 108 is, for example, a selector lever 112. The support plate 34 is a rectangular plate when viewed from above, and the legs 36, 38 extend from the four corners of the support plate 34 toward the floor panel 122. Seats 40, 42 are provided at the portions of the legs 36, 38 that contact the floor panel 122 for attaching the console base 28 to the floor panel 122. Through holes 44, 46 are provided in the seats 40, 42, and the console base 28 is fixed to the floor panel 122 by screws that pass through the through holes 44, 46. An arch-shaped side plate portion 48 is provided between the front leg portion 36, 38, which is provided at the front in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction, and the rear leg portion 38, which is provided behind the front leg portion 36.

[0037] The heat shield portion 32 is a part that constitutes the heat shield plate 20 that is provided on the console base 28, and as described above, is formed in the shape of a gutter that covers the upper half of the exhaust heat duct 10, and is provided with an attachment portion 24 that corresponds to the attachment portion 22 of the exhaust heat duct 10.

[0038] The console base 28 has an opening 50 between the main body 30 and the heat shield 32 through which the air conditioning duct 12 can be inserted. By inserting the air conditioning duct 12 through this opening 50, the air conditioning duct 12 passes below the support plate 34 and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. As a result, the air conditioning duct 12 is installed between the support plate 34 and the blower fan 124.

[0039] The heat shield portion 32 is positioned below the support plate portion 34 in the vehicle height direction, and extends between the exhaust heat duct 10 and the air conditioning duct 12, to which the exhaust heat duct 10 is attached.

[0040] Through holes 52, 54 are provided on the side surfaces of the front leg 36 and the rear leg 38, respectively, and clips 56, 58 are passed through these through holes 52, 54 and inserted into through holes 64, 66 formed in mounting portions 60, 62 provided on the air conditioning duct 12, thereby attaching the air conditioning duct 12 to the console base 28.

[0041] [Effects of the Vehicle Duct Piping Structure] According to the vehicle duct piping structure 1 according to the embodiment, the exhaust heat duct 10 for the battery pack 120 and the air conditioning duct 12 for the air conditioner 130 are integrated and routed within the floor console 108 between the right seat (driver's seat) 102 and the left seat (passenger's seat) 104, and the exhaust heat duct 10 is extended to a position away from both seats. This allows the exhaust heat from the battery pack 120 to be discharged away from the seats. Furthermore, since the exhaust heat duct 10 is positioned below the air conditioning duct 12 within the floor console 108, the floor console 108 and the air conditioning duct 12 can block the hot air emitted from the exhaust heat duct 10, thereby preventing the heat from being transmitted to the vehicle interior outside (particularly above) the floor console 108. This allows the exhaust heat duct 10 and the air conditioning duct 12 to be routed by effectively utilizing the space within the vehicle interior while reducing discomfort to occupants due to exhaust heat.

[0042] Furthermore, in an electric vehicle in which the battery pack 120 is installed below the right seat (driver's seat) 102 and the left seat (passenger's seat) 104, the exhaust heat duct 10, blower fan 124, and air conditioning duct 12 can be concentrated within the floor console 108, making it possible to more effectively utilize the space inside the vehicle cabin while further reducing discomfort to occupants caused by exhaust heat.

[0043] Furthermore, the vehicle duct piping structure 1 includes the heat shield plate 20 between the exhaust heat duct 10 and the air conditioning duct 12, which can suppress heat transfer from the air (heated air) flowing through the exhaust heat duct 10 to the air (cooled air) flowing through the air conditioning duct 12. This can suppress deterioration of air conditioning performance for the rear seats.

[0044] In addition, by surrounding the exhaust heat duct 10 from above and from the sides, the hot air emitted from the exhaust heat duct 10 can be more reliably insulated, thereby more reliably suppressing heat dissipation into the vehicle cabin and heat transfer to the air conditioning duct 12.

[0045] Furthermore, since the heat shield 20 is provided on the console base 28, there is no need to provide a separate member for attaching the heat shield 20.

[0046] Furthermore, because the air conditioning duct 12 extends below the support plate portion 34, the air conditioning duct 12 can be installed so as to pass from the air conditioning unit 130 between the right seat 102 and the left seat 104 and extend rearward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle beyond the right seat 102. Furthermore, because the heat shield 32 (heat shield plate 20) is located below the support plate portion 34 and extends between the exhaust heat duct 10 and the air conditioning duct 12, and the exhaust heat duct 10 is attached to it, the air conditioning duct 12 and the exhaust heat duct 10 can be efficiently arranged in the space within the floor console 108.

[0047] Furthermore, since the air conditioning duct 12 is attached to the console base 28, there is no need to provide a separate member for attaching the air conditioning duct 12.

[0048] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Piping structure for vehicle duct 10 Exhaust heat duct 12 Air conditioning duct 14 Connection end 16 Open end 18 Open end 20 Heat shield plate 20a Upper plate portion 20b Side plate portion 22 Mounting portion 24 Mounted portion 26 Clip 28 Console base 30 Main body portion 32 Heat shield portion 34 Support plate portion 36 Front leg portion (leg portion) 38 Rear leg portion (leg portion) 40, 42 Seat 44, 46 Through hole 48 Side plate portion 50 Opening 52, 54 Through hole 56, 58 Clip 60, 62 Mounting portion 64, 66 Hole 100 Vehicle 102 Right seat (driver's seat) 104 Left seat (passenger seat) 106 Instrument panel 108 Floor console 110 Console box 112 selector lever 114 switch 116 armrest 118 air outlet 120 battery pack 122 floor panel 124 blower fan 126 fan duct 128 outlet 130 air conditioning unit 132 dashboard

Claims

1. a battery pack installed above a floor panel that forms the floor surface of the vehicle interior; a blower fan provided above the battery pack for exhausting heat from the battery pack; an exhaust heat duct having one end connected to the outlet of the blower fan, passing between a right seat and a left seat arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction, extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the right seat and the left seat to a distant position in the front or rear of the vehicle compartment, and having the other end open; an air conditioning duct extending from the air conditioning device to between the right seat and the left seat in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; a floor console extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle between the right seat and the left seat and covering the exhaust heat duct and the air conditioning duct; Equipped with A piping structure of a vehicle duct in which the exhaust heat duct and the air conditioning duct are installed side by side in the vehicle height direction within the floor console so that the air conditioning duct is positioned above the exhaust heat duct.

2. The duct piping structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a heat shield plate between the heat exhaust duct and the air conditioning duct.

3. 3. The piping structure of a vehicle duct as described in claim 2, wherein the heat shield plate has an upper plate portion positioned between the air conditioning duct and covering the top of the exhaust heat duct, and side plate portions extending downward from both ends of the upper plate portion in the vehicle width direction and covering the sides of the exhaust heat duct.

4. a console base for mounting the floor console; The duct piping structure for a vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the heat shield plate is provided on the console base.

5. The duct piping structure for a vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the exhaust heat duct and the air conditioning duct are attached to the console base.

6. the console base has a support plate portion for supporting an in-vehicle component installed on the floor console, The air conditioning duct extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, passing below the support plate portion, The heat shield plate is located below the support plate portion, extends between the exhaust heat duct and the air conditioning duct, and has the exhaust heat duct attached thereto. The piping structure of a vehicle duct according to claim 4.

7. the battery pack is installed under both the right seat and the left seat, the blower fan is provided above the battery pack between the right seat and the left seat and is disposed within the floor console, The duct piping structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the air conditioning duct is extended above the heat exhaust duct and the blower fan.