Electric vehicle

Abstract

This electric vehicle (1) comprises a first contactor (121) and a second contactor (122) that are provided so as to be able to block the power supply between a battery (100) and a motor control unit (30). The first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) each have a fixed contact (126) and a movable contact (125) that is linearly displaced and comes into contact with the fixed contact (126). The movable contact (125) approaches and comes into contact with the fixed contact (126), whereby power is supplied between the battery (100) and the motor control unit (30). A first operation direction when the movable contact (125) of the first contactor (121) approaches the fixed contact (126) and a second operation direction when the movable contact (125) of the second contactor (122) approaches the fixed contact (126) are different.

Description

Electric vehicles

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric vehicle.

[0002] In recent years, efforts to realize a low-carbon or carbon-free society have become more active, and research and development into electric vehicles has been conducted to reduce CO2 emissions and improve energy efficiency. Patent Document 1 discloses an electric vehicle that can run by driving a traction motor with power supplied from a battery pack, and that includes a battery pack containing the battery pack, a motor generator, and a power control unit (motor control unit) including an inverter for driving the motor generator. This vehicle is equipped with system main relays (contactors) connected between the positive terminal of the battery pack and the power control unit, and between the negative terminal of the battery pack and the power control unit. These system main relays generally have movable and fixed contacts that switch between open and closed states. When the movable contact separates from the fixed contact, the relay is opened, thereby cutting off the supply of power from the battery pack to the power control unit.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-057530

[0004] Incidentally, in technology relating to electric vehicles, a reliable cutoff of the power supply is achieved by providing multiple contactors, as in the configuration disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1. However, if an impact is applied to the vehicle, the movable contacts of all of the contactors may be displaced and come into contact with the fixed contacts, causing the power supply from the battery to the motor control unit to unintentionally resume from a cutoff state, which may place an electrical load on the motor control unit.

[0005] The present invention provides an electric vehicle that can prevent unintentional application of an electrical load to a motor control unit, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0006] (1) An electric vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention includes a motor (50) that drives drive wheels (3), a battery (100) that stores power for driving the motor (50), a motor control unit (30) that converts DC power supplied from the battery (100) into AC power and supplies the power to the motor (50), and a first contactor (121) and a second contactor (122) that are provided so as to be able to cut off power supply between the battery (100) and the motor control unit (30), and the first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) Each of the first and second contactors (121) has a fixed contact (126) and a movable contact (125) that is linearly displaced to come into contact with the fixed contact (126), and the movable contact (125) approaches and comes into contact with the fixed contact (126) to supply power between the battery (100) and the motor control unit (30), and a first operating direction when the movable contact (125) of the first contactor (121) approaches the fixed contact (126) is different from a second operating direction when the movable contact (125) of the second contactor (122) approaches the fixed contact (126).

[0007] When an impact is applied to the contactor, if the direction of the impact is opposite to the moving direction of the movable contact, inertia acts on the movable contact, causing the fixed contact to come into contact with the movable contact. According to the present invention, when an external impact is applied to the vehicle, even if the direction of the impact is approximately opposite to the moving direction of the movable contact in one of the first and second contactors in the open state, and the moving contact comes into contact with the fixed contact, the moving contact in the other contactor does not come into contact with the fixed contact because the moving direction of the movable contact does not match the direction opposite to the impact. Therefore, even if an impact is applied to the vehicle while the first and second contactors are in the open state, it is possible to prevent both the first and second contactors from entering the closed state. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an electrical load from being unintentionally applied to the motor control unit when power supply between the battery and the motor control unit is cut off.

[0008] (2) In the electric vehicle of aspect (1) above, the first movement direction and the second movement direction may be opposite to each other.

[0009] With this configuration, even if an impact to the vehicle causes the movable contact of one contactor to approach the fixed contact, the movable contact of the other contactor will move away from the fixed contact, thereby more reliably preventing both the first contactor and the second contactor from being closed even when an impact is applied to the vehicle.

[0010] (3) In the electric vehicle according to the above aspect (1) or (2), the first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) may overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction.

[0011] With the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the area occupied by the first contactor and the second contactor.

[0012] (4) In an electric vehicle according to any one of the above aspects (1) to (3), the electric vehicle may include a fixed plate (111) to which the first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) are fixed, the fixed plate (111) having a first main surface (111a) recessed toward a first side in the vehicle width direction and having a first recess (116) for receiving the first contactor (121), and a second main surface (111b) recessed toward a second side opposite the first side and having a second recess (117) for receiving the second contactor (122), and the bottom surface (116a) of the first recess (116) and the bottom surface (117a) of the second recess (117) may be offset from each other in the vehicle width direction.

[0013] With the above configuration, the first contactor and the second contactor can be arranged compactly by utilizing the front and back surfaces of the fixing plate.

[0014] (5) In the electric vehicle of any of the above aspects (1) to (4), a battery control board (123) may be provided that is arranged to overlap the first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) when viewed from the vehicle width direction and controls the battery (100), and the center (C1) of the contactor set consisting of the first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) in the vehicle width direction may be located on the opposite side of the battery control board (123) with respect to the center (C2) of the battery (100) in the vehicle width direction.

[0015] With the above configuration, most of the first and second contactors and the battery control board are arranged on both sides of the center of the battery in the vehicle width direction, so that when the battery control board is arranged to the side of the first and second contactors, the area occupied by the battery control board, the first contactor, and the second contactor can be prevented from protruding significantly to one side in the vehicle width direction with the center of the battery as the reference.

[0016] According to the above electric vehicle, it is possible to prevent an electrical load from being unintentionally applied to the motor control unit.

[0017] FIG. 10 is a left side view of an electric motorcycle (saddle-ride type electric vehicle) 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 11 is a left side view of a main part of the electric motorcycle. FIG. 12 is a plan view (top view) of a main part of the electric motorcycle. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a battery unit of the electric motorcycle. FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the battery unit. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the interior of a second housing section of the battery unit. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the interior of the second housing section. FIG. 17 is a plan view of the horizontal cross section shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the battery unit. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a contactor of the battery unit. FIG. 19 is a left side view showing the interior of a battery unit according to a modified embodiment.

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that directions such as front, rear, up, down, left, and right in the following description are the same as directions in a vehicle described below. That is, the up and down direction corresponds to the vertical direction, and the left and right direction corresponds to the vehicle width direction. In the vehicle width direction, a direction away from the vehicle width center is referred to as the outward direction in the vehicle width direction, and a direction approaching the vehicle width center is referred to as the inward direction in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, in the drawings used in the following description, the arrow UP indicates upward, the arrow FR indicates forward, and the arrow LH indicates left. In the drawings, the line CL indicates the vehicle width centerline (vehicle width center).

[0019] Figure 1 is a left side view of an electric motorcycle (saddle-ride type electric vehicle) 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment is an off-road saddle-ride type electric vehicle. The electric motorcycle 1 has a large vertical stroke for the wheels, a large ground clearance for the body, a small and lightweight body, and a concentrated mass for the body. The electric motorcycle 1 includes a front wheel 2, a rear wheel 3, a front wheel suspension system 4, a body frame 5, a body cover 6, a rear wheel suspension system 7, a power unit 8, and a battery unit 100.

[0020] The front wheel suspension system 4 includes a pair of left and right front forks 10 that support the front wheel 2 at their lower ends, a top bridge 11 and a bottom bridge 12 that span the upper portions of the pair of front forks 10, and a stem pipe (not shown) that spans between the top bridge 11 and the bottom bridge 12 and is inserted into a head pipe 16. The front wheel 2 is steerably supported on the head pipe 16 of the body frame 5 via the front wheel suspension system 4. A steering handlebar 13 is supported on the top bridge 11. In the embodiment, a telescopic front fork 10 is illustrated as an example of the front suspension of the electric motorcycle 1, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the front suspension may be of another type, such as a link type that uses a swing arm.

[0021] Figure 2 is a left side view of essential parts of the electric motorcycle 1. Figure 3 is a plan view (top view) of essential parts of the electric motorcycle 1. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the body frame 5 includes a head pipe 16, a pair of left and right main frames 17, a pair of left and right pivot frames 18, a single down frame 19, a pair of left and right lower frames 20, a pair of left and right gussets 21, a cross member 22, and a lower cross member 23, which are joined together by welding or the like. Hereinafter, the assembly of these frame members that are inseparably integrated will be referred to as the "frame main body."

[0022] The head pipe 16 is located at the vehicle width center CL and is provided singly at the front end of the body frame 5. The head pipe 16 supports the stem pipe so that the stem pipe is inserted therethrough and is rotatable.

[0023] The pair of main frames 17 branch out to the left and right from the upper part of the head pipe 16 and extend rearward and downward. In this embodiment, the main frames 17 are hollow pipe-shaped. However, the main frames may also be solid. The pair of main frames 17 are joined to each other at their respective front ends. In a plan view seen from above, the front portions of the pair of main frames 17 extend while curving so as to bulge outward in the vehicle width direction behind the head pipe 16. In a plan view seen from above, the rear portions of the pair of main frames 17 extend linearly along the fore-and-aft direction.

[0024] The pair of pivot frames 18 are connected to the rear ends of the main frames 17 on the same left and right sides. In this embodiment, the pivot frames 18 are hollow pipe-shaped members provided separately from the main frames 17. By connecting the pivot frames 18 to the rear ends of the main frames 17, they are inseparably integrated with the main frames 17. However, the pivot frames may be solid. The pair of pivot frames 18 extend rearward and downward from the rear ends of the main frames 17. The pivot frames 18 extend rearward and downward at a steeper inclination than the main frames 17 in the fore-and-aft direction in a side view, with the connection between the main frames 17 and the pivot frames 18 as the boundary. The pair of pivot frames 18 extend in a curved, rearward-convex arc shape in a side view. A pivot shaft 33 extending in the vehicle width direction is installed between the middle portions of the pair of pivot frames 18 near the lower ends in the up-down direction. Note that the term "middle" used in this embodiment refers not only to the center between both ends of an object, but also to the inner range between both ends of an object.

[0025] The down frame 19 extends rearward and downward from a lower portion of the head pipe 16. In a side view, the down frame 19 extends rearward and downward at a steeper incline than the main frame 17. A radiator 91 for cooling the power unit 8 is attached to at least one of the left and right side portions of the down frame 19 (the left side in this embodiment). A first mount bracket 45 is provided on the down frame 19. The first mount bracket 45 is joined to the middle portion of the down frame 19 between the top and bottom. The first mount bracket 45 protrudes rearward from the down frame 19.

[0026] The pair of lower frames 20 branch off to the left and right and extend rearward from the lower end of the down frame 19. The rear end of each of the pair of lower frames 20 is connected to the lower end of the pivot frame 18 on the same side as the left and right. A second mount bracket 47 is provided at the front end of each of the left and right lower frames 20. The second mount bracket 47 extends upward from each lower frame 20. The second mount bracket 47 is formed integrally with the lower frame 20.

[0027] The pair of gussets 21 connect the left and right main frames 17 and the down frames 19 on the same side. The pair of gussets 21 branch off to the left and right from a middle portion of the down frame 19 near the top in the up-down direction and extend rearward. The rear ends of the pair of gussets 21 are connected to middle portions of the left and right main frames 17 on the same side in the front-to-rear direction.

[0028] The cross member 22 extends in the vehicle width direction and connects the rear portions of the pair of main frames 17 (or the upper portions of the pair of pivot frames 18). A cushion support bracket 22a extending rearward and upward is fixed to the cross member 22. The upper end of a rear cushion 32 is connected to the cushion support bracket 22a.

[0029] The lower cross member 23 extends in the vehicle width direction and connects the lower parts of the pair of pivot frames 18 below the pivot shaft 33. A link support bracket 23a extending rearward is fixed to the lower cross member 23. The front end of a link arm 34 is connected to the link support bracket 23a.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the body frame 5 further includes a pair of left and right seat rails 24 and a pair of left and right support rails 25. The front end of each of the left and right seat rails 24 is connected to the upper end of the pivot frame 18 on the same side. Each of the left and right seat rails 24 extends rearward and upward from the front end. A seat 9 is disposed above the left and right seat rails 24. The front and rear intermediate portions of the left and right seat rails 24 are connected to each other via a seat support bracket 28 that supports the load from the seat 9.

[0031] The left and right support rails 25 are located below the left and right seat rails 24. The front end of each of the left and right support rails 25 is connected to the vertical middle portion of the pivot frame 18 on the same side. Each of the left and right support rails 25 extends rearward and upward from the front end. The rear end of each of the left and right support rails 25 is connected from below to the rear portion of the seat rail 24 on the same side.

[0032] The rear portions of the left and right seat rails 24 are connected by a cross rail 26 that extends in the vehicle width direction. The pair of left and right seat rails 24, the pair of left and right support rails 25, and the cross rail 26 are joined together by welding or the like. Hereinafter, the assembly in which these frame members are inseparably integrated will be referred to as a subframe that can be attached to and detached from the frame main body. The subframe corresponds to a seat frame that supports the seat 9 from below.

[0033] The body frame 5 is of a semi-double cradle type. The body frame 5 mounts the power unit 8 including the motor 50 below the rear portions of the left and right main frames 17 behind the head pipe 16 and in front of the left and right pivot frames 18. The body frame 5 surrounds the power unit 8 from the front and below with a single down frame 19 and left and right lower frames 20.

[0034] A power unit 8 for running the vehicle is mounted inside the body frame 5, and a battery unit 100 for storing electricity to be supplied to the power unit 8 is mounted inside the body frame 5. The battery unit 100 can be inserted and removed from above through an opening between the left and right main frames 17. The front portions of the left and right main frames 17 and the left and right gussets 21 have a large curvature outward in the vehicle width direction to ensure clearance with the front portion of the battery unit 100.

[0035] The body cover 6 covers the body frame 5 and the like. The body cover 6 includes a pair of left and right front side cowls 41 and a pair of left and right rear side cowls 42.

[0036] The pair of front side cowls 41 are disposed from positions below the left and right sides of the front of the seat 9 to positions overlapping with the upper parts of the down frames 19 in a side view seen from the vehicle width direction. Each front side cowl 41 extends forward from below the front of the seat 9. Each front side cowl 41 extends so as to straddle the outward side of the main frame 17 on the same left or right side in the vehicle width direction. At least one of the front side cowls 41 functions as an air guide plate (radiator shroud) for the radiator 91 (see FIG. 3 ) supported on the side of the down frame 19.

[0037] The pair of rear side cowls 42 are respectively disposed below the left and right sides of the rear of the seat 9 in a side view. Each rear side cowl 42 is disposed so as to cover the seat rail 24 and the support rail 25 on the same left or right side from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0038] A rear fender 43r extends rearward behind the seat 9. The rear fender 43r is disposed above the rear wheel 3 at a distance. In the drawing, reference numeral 43f denotes a front fender that is disposed above the front wheel 2 at a distance and supported by the bottom bridge 12.

[0039] A top cover 44 is disposed in front of the seat 9. The top cover 44 is disposed between the upper ends of the front and rear middle portions of the pair of front side cowls 41. The top cover 44 covers the second storage portion 113 (see FIG. 4) of the main portion 101 of the battery unit 100 from above.

[0040] The rear wheel suspension system 7 comprises a swing arm 30 which supports the rear wheel 3 at its rear end, a link mechanism 31 which connects the front of the swing arm 30 to the lower cross member 23, and a rear cushion 32 which spans between the link mechanism 31 and the cross member 22.

[0041] The swing arm 30 is disposed below the rear of the vehicle body and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The front end of the swing arm 30 is supported by the pair of pivot frames 18 via pivot shafts 33 so as to be able to swing up and down.

[0042] The link mechanism 31 includes a pair of left and right link arms 34 and a link member 35. The pair of link arms 34 are disposed below the front portion of the swing arm 30 in a side view and extend in the longitudinal direction. The front end of the link arm 34 is rotatably connected to the link support bracket 23a of the lower cross member 23 via a shaft extending along the vehicle width direction. The rear end of the link arm 34 is rotatably connected to the link member 35 via a shaft extending along the vehicle width direction.

[0043] The link member 35 is formed in a roughly triangular shape in a side view. An upper apex of the link member 35 is rotatably connected to a link connecting portion at the front-rear intermediate portion of the swing arm 30 via a shaft extending in the vehicle width direction. A lower apex of the link member 35 is rotatably connected to the rear end of the link arm 34 via a shaft extending in the vehicle width direction. A front apex of the link member 35 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the rear cushion 32 via a shaft extending in the vehicle width direction.

[0044] The rear cushion 32 is provided on the inside of the rear of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction (e.g., on the vehicle width center CL). The rear cushion 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a compression coil spring disposed on the outer periphery of a damper cylinder, and is disposed with its axial direction tilted forward with respect to the vertical direction. An upper end (first end) of the rear cushion 32 is rotatably connected to the cushion support bracket 22a of the cross member 22 via a shaft extending along the vehicle width direction. A lower end (second end) of the rear cushion 32 is rotatably connected to the front top of the link member 35 via a shaft extending along the vehicle width direction.

[0045] The power unit 8 includes a motor 50 for driving the vehicle, a reduction gear (not shown) that reduces the output of the motor 50, an output shaft 70 that outputs the power of the motor 50 reduced by the reduction gear, a PCU (Power Control Unit) 130 that controls the motor 50, and a housing 80 that accommodates the driving parts such as the motor 50 and the reduction gear, as well as the PCU 130.

[0046] The power unit 8 is configured as an integrated unit including the motor 50, the reducer, the output shaft 70, the PCU 130, and the housing 80. The PCU 130 is disposed below the motor 50. The housing 80 forms the outer shape of the power unit 8. The power unit 8 can be cooled by a water-cooling system including a radiator 91.

[0047] The motor 50 is disposed with its rotational axis aligned with the vehicle width direction. The drive section of the motor 50 is housed in a motor case 54 formed in the upper part of the housing 80. The motor case 54 forms the outer shell of the motor 50. The upper rear part of the motor case 54 is fixed to the cross member 22 of the body frame 5. A gear-type reducer is disposed on one of the left and right sides of the motor 50.

[0048] The output shaft 70 is disposed at the rear lower part of the motor case 54. The output shaft 70 extends in the vehicle width direction, with its left end protruding outside the housing 80. The left end of the output shaft 70 and the rear wheel 3 are linked via a chain transmission mechanism 77. This allows the output of the motor 50 to be transmitted to the rear wheel 3.

[0049] The PCU 130 is a control device that includes a PDU (Power Drive Unit) that is a motor driver, an ECU (Electric Control Unit) that controls the PDU, etc. The PDU includes an inverter that converts the current supplied from the battery unit 100 from direct current to alternating current, and then supplies the current to the motor 50. The PCU 130 is housed in a PCU case 81 of the housing 80.

[0050] In addition to the motor case 54, the housing 80 includes a PCU case 81 that houses the PCU 130. The PCU case 81 is disposed below the motor case 54. The PCU case 81 houses the PCU 130 inside. The front portion of the PCU case 81 protrudes forward beyond the front end portion of the motor case 54.

[0051] The power unit 8 (housing 80) is supported on the body frame 5 via multiple fixing portions (including rubber mounts). The power unit 8 is disposed in front of (on the inner periphery of) the pivot frame 18, which is curved in a convex arc shape that protrudes rearward in side view. The power unit 8 is disposed above the lower frames 20. The power unit 8 is disposed below the lower rear ends of the main frames 17 in side view. An upper portion (motor case 54) of the power unit 8 is disposed spaced apart rearward from the down frame 19, and a lower portion (PCU case 81) extends to near the lower ends of the down frame 19. The front end of the PCU case 81 is supported by the front ends of the left and right lower frames 20 via second mount brackets 47. The lower portion of the PCU case 81 is covered by an undercover 27 attached to the lower frames 20.

[0052] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the battery unit 100. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , the battery unit 100 is L-shaped in a side view with a notched lower rear portion. The battery unit 100 overlaps the motor 50 (motor case 54) in the front-to-rear and up-down directions. The battery unit 100 is disposed from the front to the top of the power unit 8. The battery unit 100 has a constant overall left-to-right width and is disposed between the inner surfaces of the left and right main frames 17 in the vehicle width direction in a plan view. The battery unit 100 includes a main portion 101 disposed in a position overlapping the main frames 17, a rearward extension portion 102 extending rearward from the rear end of the main portion 101, and a downward extension portion 103 extending downward from the bottom end of the main portion 101.

[0053] The main portion 101 forms the front portion of the battery unit 100. The main portion 101 includes the portion of the battery unit 100 closest to the head pipe 16. The upper end of the main portion 101 coincides with the upper end of the battery unit 100. The front end of the main portion 101 coincides with the front end of the battery unit 100. The main portion 101 is disposed between the down frame 19 and the cross member 22. The main portion 101 is disposed in front of the cross member 22 so as to overlap the cross member 22 in the fore-and-aft direction. In a side view, the main portion 101 is disposed so that its upper rear portion protrudes above the main frame 17 and its lower front portion protrudes below the main frame 17. The portion of the main portion 101 that protrudes above the main frame 17 is covered from the outside in the vehicle width direction by the rear portion of the front side cowl 41 (see FIG. 1 ). The main frame 17 is disposed to cross the outside of the main portion 101 in the vehicle width direction in a side view.

[0054] At least a portion of the main portion 101 is disposed above the power unit 8 so as to directly face the power unit 8. In this embodiment, the front portion of the main portion 101 is located forward of the power unit 8, and the rear portion of the main portion 101 is placed on the power unit 8 from above. A first mount portion 101a protrudes from the front surface of the main portion 101 (see FIG. 12 ). The first mount portion 101a is supported by a first mount bracket 45 at the vertical middle portion of the down frame 19.

[0055] The main portion 101 includes a first housing portion 112 having a substantially square shape in side view, and a second housing portion 113 that protrudes upward from the first housing portion 112 and contains electrical components such as contactors. The first housing portion 112 includes the rear and lower ends of the main portion 101 and is mounted on the power unit 8 from above. The second housing portion 113 includes the upper end of the main portion 101. The second housing portion 113 protrudes upward beyond the main frame 17 in side view and is covered from above by a top cover 44 (see FIG. 1 ). The rear portion of the second housing portion 113 is located below the front portion of the seat 9, whose seating surface (upper surface) extends forward and upward. The rear surface of the second housing portion 113 is formed in an inclined shape that extends forward as it extends upward in side view, matching the inclination of the front portion of the seat 9. The outer surface of the second housing portion 113 in the vehicle width direction is formed in an inclined shape that extends outward in the vehicle width direction as it extends downward. This reduces the bulkiness of the second accommodating portion 113, and gives the top cover 44 a rounded, compact shape.

[0056] The rearward extending portion 102 extends rearward between the upper end of the rear cushion 32 and the underside of the seat 9 in the vertical direction. The rearward extending portion 102 extends rearward to a position where it overlaps with the front-to-rear middle portion of the seat rail 24 in a side view. The seat support bracket 28 is formed in a U-shape so as to straddle this rearward extending portion 102 from above to the left and right. The rearward extending portion 102 is disposed above the cross member 22 so as to overlap with the cross member 22 in the vertical direction. The rearward extending portion 102 straddles above the cushion support bracket 22a in the front-to-rear direction in a side view.

[0057] The rearward extending portion 102 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The rearward extending portion 102 has a pair of side surfaces facing in the vehicle width direction, an upper surface facing upward, and a lower surface facing downward. Each side surface of the rearward extending portion 102 is formed flush with the side surfaces of the first accommodating portion 112 of the main portion 101 facing in the vehicle width direction. The rearward extending portion 102 is formed so that its longitudinal direction is along the front-rear direction in a side view. More specifically, the rearward extending portion 102 is formed so that its dimension in the front-rear direction is larger than its dimension in the vehicle width direction and its dimension in the up-down direction. The overall dimension in the up-down direction of the rearward extending portion 102 is smaller than the dimension in the up-down direction of the main portion 101.

[0058] A second mount portion 102a protrudes from the lower surface of the rear extension portion 102. The second mount portion 102a is supported by a pair of cushion support brackets 22a.

[0059] A 12V battery 29 for accessories is disposed further rearward of the rear extension 102. The 12V battery 29 is supported on the rear portion of the seat frame. Reference numeral 43i in the drawing denotes a rear inner fender that is supported by the support rail 25 and prevents the rear wheel 3 from being lifted up.

[0060] The downward extension portion 103 extends downward in the front-rear direction between the lower portion of the down frame 19 and the motor case 54 of the power unit 8. The downward extension portion 103 extends to the vicinity of the upper surface of the PCU case 81.

[0061] The downward extension portion 103 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The downward extension portion 103 has a pair of side surfaces facing the vehicle width direction, a front surface facing forward, and a rear surface facing rearward. Each side surface of the downward extension portion 103 is formed flush with the side surfaces of the first housing portion 112 of the main portion 101 facing the vehicle width direction. The downward extension portion 103 is formed so that its longitudinal direction is along the up-down direction in a side view. More specifically, the downward extension portion 103 is formed so that its up-down dimension is greater than its dimension in the vehicle width direction and its dimension in the front-to-rear direction. The overall front-to-rear dimension of the downward extension portion 103 is smaller than the dimension of the main portion 101 in the front-to-rear direction. The rear end of the downward extension portion 103 is located forward of the rear end of the main portion 101. The front end of the downward extension portion 103 is located rearward of the front end of the main portion 101. A third mount portion 103a protrudes from the front surface of the downward extension portion 103. The third mount portion 103a is supported by the front end portions of the left and right lower frames 20 via second mount brackets 47.

[0062] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the battery unit 100. As shown in FIG. 5, the battery unit 100 includes a center plate 105 located on the vehicle width centerline CL, a pair of left and right battery assemblies 106 located on both the left and right sides of the center plate 105, and a pair of left and right battery covers 107 covering the left and right battery assemblies 106. The battery covers 107 are box-shaped and open inward in the vehicle width direction. The opening edges of the pair of battery covers 107 are fastened to each other across the outer periphery of the center plate 105. A space is formed between each battery cover 107 and the center plate 105, in which one battery assembly 106 is disposed. The battery unit 100 is generally arranged symmetrically with respect to the vehicle width centerline CL. By arranging the heavy battery units 100 symmetrically, the impact of the vehicle weight on the left-right balance is reduced.

[0063] Each battery assembly 106 is formed by combining multiple battery modules 108. Each battery module 108 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in one direction, and is arranged with its longitudinal direction aligned along the front-to-rear or up-down direction. Each battery module 108 is formed by integrating multiple battery cells that are aligned vertically and front-to-back. In each battery assembly 106, the battery cells are aligned in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, all of the battery modules 108 in each battery assembly 106 have the same configuration.

[0064] Each battery module 108 has a slender outer shape that is long in one direction, making it easy to arrange even in a small space. The battery unit 100 can be easily shaped to fit the available space in the vehicle body by rearranging the multiple battery modules 108 to change the overall outer shape. Increasing the freedom of shape of the heavy battery unit 100 and increasing the freedom of arrangement in the available space in the vehicle body reduces the impact on the center of gravity of the vehicle.

[0065] The first housing section 112 of the main section 101 is equipped with six battery modules 108. The six battery modules 108 in the main section 101 are arranged in groups of three, with the center plate 105 sandwiched between them. The three battery modules 108 are lined up in the front-to-rear direction so that they overlap each other in the front-to-rear direction. Each battery module 108 is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the up-and-down direction.

[0066] The rearward extending portion 102 is equipped with two battery modules 108. As a result, the number of battery cells included in the rearward extending portion 102 is smaller than the number of battery cells included in the main portion 101. The battery capacity of the rearward extending portion 102 is also smaller than the battery capacity of the main portion 101. The two battery modules 108 included in the rearward extending portion 102 are arranged one on each side of the center plate 105. Each battery module 108 is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is along the front-to-rear direction.

[0067] The downward extension 103 is equipped with two battery modules 108. As a result, the number of battery cells in the downward extension 103 is smaller than the number of battery cells in the main portion 101. The battery capacity of the downward extension 103 is also smaller than the battery capacity of the main portion 101. The two battery modules 108 in the downward extension 103 are arranged separately, one on each side of the center plate 105. Each battery module 108 is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the vertical direction.

[0068] 6 and 7 are perspective views showing the inside of the second housing portion 113. As shown in Fig. 6 and 7, the second housing portion 113 includes a plate extension portion 111 that extends upward from the first housing portion 112 of the main portion 101 of the center plate 105, a first contactor 121, a second contactor 122, and a battery control board 123 that are fixed to the plate extension portion 111.

[0069] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a horizontal cross section of the interior of the second accommodating portion 113. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the horizontal cross section shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the plate extension portion 111 is disposed with its front and back surfaces facing the vehicle width direction. The plate extension portion 111 includes a first main surface 111a facing the right side (first side) in the vehicle width direction and a second main surface 111b facing the left side (second side) in the vehicle width direction. A first recess 116 is formed in the first main surface 111a, recessed to the left and configured to receive the first contactor 121. The first recess 116 is formed to have a rectangular shape in side view, following the shape of the first contactor 121. The second main surface 111b is formed to have a second recess 117, recessed to the right and configured to receive the second contactor 122. The second recess 117 is formed to have a rectangular shape in side view, following the shape of the second contactor 122. The second recess 117 is aligned in the front-to-rear direction in a side view so that its vertical formation range coincides with that of the first recess 116. The bottom surface 116a of the first recess 116 and the bottom surface 117a of the second recess 117 are offset from each other in the vehicle width direction. The plate extension 111 has multiple bosses 118 protruding to the right from the first main surface 111a. A battery control board 123 is fixed to the tip of each boss 118.

[0070] The battery control board 123 controls the battery unit 100. For example, the battery control board 123 monitors the temperature of the battery module 108. The battery control board 123 is arranged with its front and back surfaces facing the vehicle width direction. The battery control board 123 is fastened to the tip of the boss 118. The battery control board 123 is arranged at a distance in the vehicle width direction from the first main surface 111a of the plate extension portion 111. The battery control board 123 is arranged on the right side of the center of the battery unit 100 in the vehicle width direction.

[0071] 10 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the battery unit 100. As shown in FIG. 10 , the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 are provided so as to be able to interrupt the power supply between the battery unit 100 and the PCU 130. The first contactor 121 is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the battery module 108 and the PCU 130. The second contactor 122 is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery module 108 and the PCU 130. However, the connection relationship of the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 to the battery module 108 may be reversed. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122, they will be simply referred to as contactor 120.

[0072] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the contactor 120. As shown in FIG. 11 , the contactor 120 has a movable contact 125 and a fixed contact 126 inside a housing. The movable contact 125 is driven by a coil 127. The movable contact 125 linearly displaces from a position spaced apart from the fixed contact 126 to contact the fixed contact 126. When the movable contact 125 approaches and contacts the fixed contact 126, the contactor 120 enters a closed state in which power is supplied between the battery unit 100 and the PCU 130. When the movable contact 125 moves away from the fixed contact 126, the contactor 120 enters an open state in which power supply between the battery unit 100 and the PCU 130 is interrupted. Hereinafter, the direction of movement when the movable contact 125 of the first contactor 121 approaches the fixed contact 126 will be referred to as the first operating direction, and the direction of movement when the movable contact 125 of the second contactor 122 approaches the fixed contact 126 will be referred to as the second operating direction.

[0073] 8 and 9 , the first contactor 121 is disposed between the plate extension 111 and the battery control board 123. The first contactor 121 is fixed on the first main surface 111a of the plate extension 111. The first contactor 121 is disposed with a portion thereof inserted into the first recess 116 so as to contact the bottom surface 116a of the first recess 116. The first contactor 121 is disposed so that the first operating direction is parallel to the vehicle width direction.

[0074] The second contactor 122 is disposed on the opposite side of the plate extension 111 from the first contactor 121. The second contactor 122 is fixed on the second main surface 111b of the plate extension 111. The second contactor 122 is disposed with a portion inserted into the second recess 117 so as to contact the bottom surface 117a of the second recess 117. The second contactor 122 is disposed such that its second operating direction is different from the first operating direction of the first contactor 121. The second contactor 122 is disposed such that its second operating direction is parallel to the vehicle width direction and opposite to the first operating direction of the first contactor 121.

[0075] The first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 are aligned in the front-to-rear direction in a side view and overlap each other in the front-to-rear direction. Here, a contactor set consisting of the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 is defined. The center C1 of the contactor set in the vehicle width direction is located on the opposite side of the battery control board 123 with respect to the center C2 of the battery unit 100 in the vehicle width direction.

[0076] 5 , the front end of the battery unit 100 is provided with a cable connection portion 114 that protrudes forward from an upper portion of the first housing portion 112 and the second housing portion 113 in the main portion 101. One end of a high-voltage cable (positive cable and negative cable) extending from the PCU 130 is connected to the cable connection portion 114, and one end of a low-voltage cable extending from the 12V battery 29 is also connected to the cable connection portion 114. A driving current is supplied from the battery unit 100 to the PCU 130 via the high-voltage cables, and a driving current is supplied from the 12V battery 29 to electrical components such as contactors via the low-voltage cables.

[0077] As described above, the electric motorcycle 1 of this embodiment includes the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 that are capable of interrupting the power supply between the battery unit 100 and the PCU 130. When an impact is applied to the contactor 120, if the direction of the impact is opposite to the operating direction of the movable contact 125, inertia acts on the movable contact 125, causing the fixed contact 126 to come into contact with the movable contact 125. In this embodiment, a first operating direction when the movable contact 125 of the first contactor 121 approaches the fixed contact 126 is different from a second operating direction when the movable contact 125 of the second contactor 122 approaches the fixed contact 126. According to this configuration, when an external impact is applied to the vehicle, even if the direction of the impact is approximately opposite to the direction of movement of the movable contact 125 in one of the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 that are in the open state, causing the movable contact 125 to contact the fixed contact 126, the direction of movement of the movable contact 125 in the other contactor is not opposite to the direction of the impact, causing the movable contact 125 to not contact the fixed contact 126. Therefore, even if an impact is applied to the vehicle with the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 in the open state, it is possible to prevent both the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 from being closed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an electrical load from being unintentionally applied to the PCU 130 when the power supply between the battery unit 100 and the PCU 130 is cut off.

[0078] The first and second operating directions are opposite to each other. With this configuration, even if an impact is applied to the vehicle and the movable contact 125 of one contactor approaches the fixed contact 126, the movable contact 125 of the other contactor attempts to move away from the fixed contact 126. Therefore, even if an impact is applied to the vehicle, it is possible to more reliably prevent both the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 from being in the closed state.

[0079] The first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, the area occupied by the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 can be reduced.

[0080] The electric motorcycle 1 includes a plate extension 111 to which a first contactor 121 and a second contactor 122 are fixed. The plate extension 111 has a first main surface 111a that is recessed on the left side and has a first recess 116 formed therein for receiving the first contactor 121, and a second main surface 111b that is recessed on the right side and has a second recess 117 formed therein for receiving the second contactor 122. The bottom surface 116a of the first recess 116 and the bottom surface 117a of the second recess 117 are offset from each other in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 can be arranged compactly by utilizing the front and back surfaces of the plate extension 111.

[0081] The electric motorcycle 1 includes a battery control board 123 that is arranged to overlap the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 when viewed in the vehicle width direction and controls the battery unit 100. A center C1 in the vehicle width direction of the contactor set consisting of the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 is located on the opposite side of the battery control board 123 with respect to the center C2 of the battery unit 100 in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, most of the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 and the battery control board 123 are arranged on both sides of the center C2 of the battery unit 100 in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when the battery control board 123 is arranged to the side of the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122, it is possible to prevent the area occupied by the battery control board 123, the first contactor 121, and the second contactor 122 from significantly protruding to one side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the center C2 of the battery unit 100.

[0082] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment described with reference to the drawings, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope. For example, the configuration of this embodiment may be applied to saddle-ride electric vehicles other than motorcycles. The saddle-ride electric vehicles include all vehicles on which a driver straddles the vehicle body, including not only motorcycles (including motorized bicycles and scooter-type vehicles), but also three-wheeled vehicles (including vehicles with one front wheel and two rear wheels, as well as vehicles with two front wheels and one rear wheel) or four-wheeled vehicles (such as four-wheeled buggies). Furthermore, the configuration of this embodiment may be applied to electric vehicles other than saddle-ride vehicles.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 are provided in the battery unit 100, but this configuration is not limiting. At least one of the first contactor and the second contactor may be provided separately from the battery unit.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 are respectively provided on the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side of the battery unit 100, but this configuration is not limiting. For example, the first contactor and the second contactor may be provided on the positive electrode side or the negative electrode side of the battery unit.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the first operating direction of the first contactor 121 and the second operating direction of the second contactor 122 are opposite to each other, but this configuration is not limiting. The above-described effects can be achieved even if the first operating direction and the second operating direction are slightly different. However, it is desirable that the first operating direction and the second operating direction differ by 90° or more.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the first contactor 121 and the second contactor 122 overlap each other in the longitudinal direction, but the above-described effects can be achieved if the first contactor and the second contactor overlap each other in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. For example, as shown in Fig. 12, the first contactor 121A and the second contactor 122A may overlap each other in the vertical direction. However, the first contactor and the second contactor do not have to overlap each other in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the first contactor 121 is disposed in the first recess 116 of the center plate 105, but this configuration is not limiting. The first contactor does not have to be disposed in the recess of the center plate, and does not have to be fixed to the center plate. The same applies to the second contactor.

[0088] In addition, the components in the above-described embodiments can be replaced with well-known components as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0089] According to the above electric vehicle, it is possible to prevent an electrical load from being unintentionally applied to the motor control unit.

[0090] 3 Rear wheels (drive wheels) 30 PCU (motor control unit) 50 Motor 100 Battery unit (battery) 111 Plate extension (fixed plate) 111a First main surface 111b Second main surface 116 First recess 116a Bottom surface 117 Second recess 117a Bottom surface 121, 121A First contactor (contactor) 122, 122A Second contactor (contactor) 123 Battery control board 125 Movable contact 126 Fixed contact C1 Center C2 Center

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: a motor (50) for driving a driving wheel (3); a battery (100) for storing power for driving the motor (50); a motor control unit (30) for converting DC power supplied from the battery (100) into AC power and supplying the power to the motor (50); and a first contactor (121) and a second contactor (122) arranged to be capable of cutting off the power supply between the battery (100) and the motor control unit (30), wherein each of the first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) has a fixed contact (126) and a movable contact (125) which is linearly displaced and comes into contact with the fixed contact (126), and the movable contact (125) approaches and comes into contact with the fixed contact (126) to supply power between the battery (100) and the motor control unit (30); an electric vehicle, wherein a first operating direction when the movable contact (125) of the first contactor (121) approaches the fixed contact (126) is different from a second operating direction when the movable contact (125) of the second contactor (122) approaches the fixed contact (126).

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first movement direction and the second movement direction are opposite to each other.

3. An electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction.

4. An electric vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a fixed plate (111) to which the first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) are fixed, the fixed plate (111) having a first main surface (111a) recessed towards a first side in the vehicle width direction and having a first recess (116) for receiving the first contactor (121), and a second main surface (111b) recessed towards a second side opposite the first side and having a second recess (117) for receiving the second contactor (122), wherein a bottom surface (116a) of the first recess (116) and a bottom surface (117a) of the second recess (117) are offset from each other in the vehicle width direction.

5. An electric vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a battery control board (123) that controls the battery (100) and is arranged to overlap the first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and a center (C1) in the vehicle width direction of a contactor set consisting of the first contactor (121) and the second contactor (122) is located on the opposite side of the battery control board (123) in the vehicle width direction with respect to the center (C2) of the battery (100).

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