Electric vehicle

Abstract

A power unit (100) of an electric vehicle (10) has a motor chamber (132). A motor (200) and a motor peripheral device (210) are accommodated in the motor chamber. A plurality of wires (240) are respectively connected to the motor and the motor peripheral device. A case (110) of the power unit has a case-side insertion hole (260) for leading out some of the plurality of wires to the outside of the motor chamber. A cover member (140) of the power unit has a cover-side insertion hole (270) for leading out the remaining wire(s) among the plurality of wires to the outside of the motor chamber.

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 electrification technologies has been conducted with the aim of improving energy efficiency while reducing CO2 emissions in vehicles. This type of electric vehicle is equipped with a power unit for driving drive wheels. International Publication No. 2022 / 209661 discloses a saddle-ride type electric vehicle. In this electric vehicle, the drive wheels are rear wheels. The power unit also serves as a swing unit that supports the rear wheels.

[0003] The power unit includes a case and a motor housed in the case. The motor is electrically connected to a power line. The power line is drawn out from the case through, for example, an insertion hole formed in the case.

[0004] It is assumed that motor peripheral devices such as a resolver will be housed inside the case. In this case, signal lines and the like are electrically connected to the motor peripheral devices. Therefore, it is necessary to route the power lines and signal lines so that they are drawn out from inside the case. In this configuration, it is required to route multiple wires, including the power lines, while maintaining the strength of the power unit.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is an electric vehicle including a body frame and a power unit supported by the body frame, wherein the power unit has a case having a housing section with an opening facing outward in the vehicle width direction, a cover member closing the opening, and a motor chamber formed by the housing section and the cover member closing the opening and accommodating a motor and motor peripheral devices.

[0007] The electric vehicle includes a plurality of wires electrically connected to the motor and the motor peripheral devices, the case having a case-side insertion hole for leading some of the plurality of wires out of the motor chamber, and the cover member having a cover-side insertion hole for leading the remaining of the plurality of wires out of the motor chamber. In the above configuration, the case-side insertion hole and the cover-side insertion hole are positioned so as not to face each other in the vehicle width direction when the cover member closes the opening.

[0008] Since the insertion holes are prevented from being formed in a concentrated manner on either the case or the cover member, the rigidity of the case and the cover member can be ensured.

[0009] Fig. 1 is a schematic overall side view of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of a main part of the electric vehicle. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a main part of the electric vehicle when viewed from the direction of arrow III in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a cover member. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Fig. 2.

[0010] In the following description, the terms front, rear, left, and right refer to directions based on the front, rear, left, and right directions as seen by a driver seated in the seat 36 of the electric vehicle 10 in Fig. 1. The front-rear direction is synonymous with the vehicle length direction, the left-right direction is synonymous with the vehicle width direction, and the up-down direction is synonymous with the vehicle height direction.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic overall side view of an electric vehicle 10 according to this embodiment. In the illustrated example, the electric vehicle 10 is a saddle-ride type vehicle, and more specifically, a scooter-type two-wheeled vehicle 10A. The scooter-type two-wheeled vehicle 10A, which is one aspect of the electric vehicle 10, will be described in detail below. However, the saddle-ride type vehicle is not limited to the scooter-type two-wheeled vehicle 10A. The saddle-ride type vehicle may be a two-wheeled vehicle other than the scooter-type two-wheeled vehicle 10A. The saddle-ride type vehicle may also be a three-wheeled vehicle or a four-wheeled vehicle such as an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Furthermore, the electric vehicle 10 is not limited to a saddle-ride type vehicle.

[0012] The scooter-type motorcycle 10A includes a body frame 20. The body frame 20 has a head pipe 22, a down frame 24, a pair of left and right lower frames 26, and a pair of left and right rear frames 28. The head pipe 22, the down frame 24, the pair of left and right lower frames 26, and the pair of left and right rear frames 28 are joined together by welding or the like.

[0013] The head pipe 22 constitutes the front end of the body frame 20. A stem 30 is passed through the head pipe 22. The stem 30 connects a handlebar 32 to a pair of left and right front forks 34. The pair of left and right front forks 34 rotatably support a front wheel 50. In this embodiment, the front wheel 50 is a driven wheel.

[0014] The down frame 24 has a shape that starts at the joint with the head pipe 22 and slopes downward as it extends rearward. The pair of left and right lower frames 26 are joined to the lower left and right ends of the down frame 24, respectively, and extend rearward. The pair of left and right rear frames 28 are joined to the rear ends of the pair of left and right lower frames 26, respectively, and slope upward as they extend rearward. The pair of left and right rear frames 28 support a seat 36.

[0015] A pair of left and right link members 40 protruding rearward are provided at the front portions of the pair of left and right rear frames 28. The pair of left and right link members 40 are supported by the pair of left and right rear frames 28 via connecting shafts 42, respectively.

[0016] A bracket (not shown) is provided between the front portions of the pair of left and right rear frames 28 and the pair of left and right link members 40. A power control unit (PCU) 70 serving as a control unit is supported on the bracket.

[0017] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the scooter-type two-wheeled vehicle 10A has a rear wheel 52 as a drive wheel. The rear wheel 52 is supported on the body frame 20 via a swing unit 80 and a rear suspension 60. The front end of the swing unit 80 is connected to the pair of left and right link members 40 via a pivot shaft 62. The swing unit 80 is capable of swinging relative to the pair of left and right link members 40. The lower end of the rear suspension 60 is supported by a tab-shaped portion 111 protruding from the rear end of a case 110. The upper end of the rear suspension 60 is supported by the left rear frame 28 of the pair of left and right rear frames 28.

[0018] In this embodiment, swing unit 80 also serves as a power unit 100 for driving rear wheel 52. As shown in FIG. 2 , power unit 100 has a case 110. Case 110, which also serves as a swing arm, extends rearward from the pair of left and right link members 40. The front end of case 110 is connected to the pair of left and right link members 40 via pivot shafts 62. A housing portion 130 (described below) that constitutes case 110 is located slightly forward of the center of rotation of rear wheel 52.

[0019] The case 110 is a hollow body having a wall-shaped base 114, a peripheral wall 116, and an internal space 118. In a rear view of the scooter-type two-wheeled vehicle 10A viewed from behind the rear wheel 52 (see FIG. 1 ) along the vehicle length direction, the base 114 is located to the right of the case 110 (inward in the vehicle width direction). In the same rear view as above, the peripheral wall 116 is a wall that starts at the peripheral edge of the base 114 and protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction, that is, to the left. The internal space 118 is a space surrounded by the base 114 and the peripheral wall 116. The left-facing end of the case 110 has an opening 120. Thus, the end of the case 110 facing inward in the vehicle width direction is a closed end, and the end facing outward in the vehicle width direction is an open end.

[0020] The case 110 has inside it a partition wall 122 and a partition wall 124 located rearward of the partition wall 122. The partition wall 122 and the partition wall 124 extend outward in the vehicle width direction (to the left in a rear view) from the base 114. The extension lengths of the partition wall 122 and the partition wall 124 in the vehicle width direction are approximately the same as the extension length of the peripheral wall portion 116 in the vehicle width direction. The partition wall 122 and the partition wall 124 are integrally connected to the base 114 and the peripheral wall portion 116.

[0021] The partition wall 122, the partition wall 124, and the peripheral wall portion 116 divide the internal space 118 of the case 110 into an inner chamber 128 and a storage section 130. Specifically, the inner chamber 128 is a space surrounded by the partition wall 122, the intermediate portion of the peripheral wall portion 116 in the vehicle length direction, and the partition wall 124. The storage section 130 is a space surrounded by the partition wall 124 and the rear end portion of the peripheral wall portion 116 in the vehicle length direction. The lower portion of the case 110 is approximately parallel to the vehicle length direction, and the upper portion of the case 110 slopes upward from the front to the rear. Therefore, the capacity of the storage section 130 is larger than the capacity of the inner chamber 128.

[0022] In the initial state described above, the partition wall 122 is inclined downward from the front to the rear. A wiring hole (not shown) is formed at the intersection of the partition wall 122 and the base portion 114.

[0023] The partition wall 124 is a wall located in front of the motor 200 in the internal space 118. The partition wall 124 connects the lower and upper portions of the peripheral wall portion 116 and is inclined from bottom to top as it extends from front to rear. More specifically, the partition wall 124 has a lower connection end 124a connected to the lower portion of the peripheral wall portion 116 and an upper connection end 124b connected to the upper portion of the peripheral wall portion 116. As shown in FIG. 2 , in a side view of the swing unit 80 seen from the left in the vehicle width direction, a first line L1 is drawn connecting the rotation center O of the rotating shaft 202 (described below) to the lower connection end 124a, and a second line L2 is drawn connecting the rotation center O of the rotating shaft 202 to the upper connection end 124b. Because the partition wall 124 is inclined, the lengths of the first line L1 and the second line L2 are different. In the illustrated example, the first line L1 is longer than the second line L2.

[0024] Note that even when the swing unit 80 swings so that the rear end of the case 110 faces downward, the first straight line L1 is longer than the second straight line L2. Therefore, the capacity of the first space SP1 between the outer peripheral surface of the stator 206 constituting the motor 200 and the lower connecting end 124a of the partition wall 124 is larger than the capacity of the second space SP2 between the outer peripheral surface of the stator 206 and the upper connecting end 124b of the partition wall 124.

[0025] Conversely, the second straight line L2 may be longer than the first straight line L1. In this case, the partition wall 124 is inclined from top to bottom as it moves from the front to the rear. Therefore, the volume of the second space SP2 is larger than the volume of the first space SP1.

[0026] 3, a reinforcing member 126 is provided on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 116 at the intersection where the peripheral wall 116 and the partition wall 124 intersect. In the illustrated example, the reinforcing member 126 has a generally dumbbell shape with a narrowed portion in the center in the longitudinal direction (vehicle length direction). The narrowed portion of the reinforcing member 126 is located below the lower connecting end 124a of the partition wall 124.

[0027] The power unit 100 further includes a cover member 140 and an outer shroud 150. The cover member 140 is cup-shaped and includes a disk portion 142 and a side wall portion 144 shown in Figures 4 and 5, and closes the opening 120 of the accommodation portion 130 in the case 110, as can be seen from Figures 1 and 2. A motor chamber 132 is formed when the accommodation portion 130 is closed by the cover member 140. A packing 160 is interposed between the mating surfaces of the case 110 and the cover member 140.

[0028] As shown in Figure 4, the upper part of the disk portion 142 of the cover member 140 protrudes outward (to the left) in the vehicle width direction beyond the lower part of the disk portion 142. As a result, a step is provided between the upper and lower parts of the disk portion 142. The outer shroud 150 is attached to the outer side of the case 110 and the cover member 140 in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the outer shroud 150 closes the openings 120 in the front and middle parts of the case 110, and covers the lower part of the disk portion 142 and part of the side wall portion 144. As a result, the inner chamber 128 shown in Figure 2 is closed.

[0029] The housing 130 houses a motor 200 and motor peripheral equipment 210. The motor 200 has a rotor 204 including a rotating shaft 202, and a stator 206 surrounding the rotor 204. The configuration of the motor 200 is well known, so a detailed description will be omitted. The motor 200 is a three-phase motor.

[0030] In this embodiment, the motor peripheral device 210 includes a resolver 220, a first thermistor 230, and a second thermistor 232. The resolver 220 is a device that detects rotation parameters of the rotating shaft 202. The resolver 220 includes a resolver rotor 222 and a resolver stator 224. As shown in FIG. 2 , the resolver rotor 222 is attached to the left end of the rotating shaft 202 that faces outward in the vehicle width direction. The resolver stator 224 is inserted into the hollow interior of the cover member 140 and held by the inner surface of the disk portion 142. Therefore, when the cover member 140 closes the opening 120 of the accommodation portion 130 of the case 110, the resolver stator 224 surrounds the resolver rotor 222. However, the resolver stator 224 may be held by a member other than the cover member 140.

[0031] The probe of the first thermistor 230 is disposed at the upper front portion of the stator 206. The probe of the second thermistor 232 is disposed near the top of the stator 206. Note that either the first thermistor 230 or the second thermistor 232 may be omitted. Alternatively, the number of thermistors may be three or more.

[0032] Electric vehicle 10 includes a plurality of wirings 240 electrically connected to motor 200 and motor peripheral devices 210. One of the plurality of wirings 240 is a power line 250 connected to motor 200. Because motor 200 is a three-phase motor, power line 250 includes a U-phase power line 250a, a V-phase power line 250b, and a W-phase power line 250c. U-phase power line 250a, V-phase power line 250b, and W-phase power line 250c are bundled together with a cable tie 251 or the like.

[0033] Another one of the plurality of wirings 240 is a resolver signal line 252 connected to the resolver rotor 222. Yet another one of the plurality of wirings 240 is a plurality of thermistor signal lines 254 connected to the first thermistor 230 and the second thermistor 232, respectively. The plurality of thermistor signal lines 254 are bundled together with a cable tie 251 or the like.

[0034] The plurality of wires 240 are drawn out from the motor chamber 132 and routed toward the PCU 70. The configuration for routing the wires will be described below.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 2 and corresponds to a front view of the main components of the power unit 100 as viewed from the front. The case 110 is shown cut along the vehicle width direction. The outer shroud 150 is only shown in outline. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , a case-side insertion hole 260 is formed in the partition wall 124 that forms the case 110. The case-side insertion hole 260 includes a power line insertion hole 262 and a thermistor signal line insertion hole 264. A cover-side insertion hole 270 is formed in the front wall 144a of the side wall portion 144 of the cover member 140. The front wall 144a is a part of the side wall portion 144 that overlaps with the partition wall 124 in the vehicle width direction. The cover-side insertion hole 270 is formed in a position that does not face either the power line insertion hole 262 or the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264 in the vehicle width direction.

[0036] Specifically, the power line insertion hole 262 is located near the lower connection end 124a of the partition wall 124. The thermistor signal line insertion hole 264 is located near the upper connection end 124b of the partition wall 124. In the partition wall 124, the power line insertion hole 262 and the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264 are adjacent case-side insertion holes 260. The cover-side insertion hole 270 formed in the front wall 144a of the cover member 140 is located between adjacent case-side insertion holes 260 in the vehicle height direction. This prevents the power line insertion hole 262 and the cover-side insertion hole 270 from facing each other in the vehicle width direction, thereby preventing the power line insertion hole 262 and the cover-side insertion hole 270 from facing each other to form a large opening. Similarly, this prevents the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264 and the cover-side insertion hole 270 from facing each other to form a large opening.

[0037] When an odd number of insertion holes are formed in the case 110 and the cover member 140, it is preferable that the number of case-side insertion holes 260 is greater than the number of cover-side insertion holes 270. This makes it possible to prevent the rigidity of the cover member 140 from becoming excessively weak.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 , the power line insertion hole 262, the cover-side insertion hole 270, and the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264 are aligned along the inclination direction of the partition wall 124, which intersects with the vehicle width direction at a predetermined angle. The insertion hole located at one end of the alignment direction is the power line insertion hole 262, which is one of the case-side insertion holes 260. The insertion hole located at the other end of the alignment direction is the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264, which is another of the case-side insertion holes 260. In this configuration, a first extension line M1 is drawn, extending from the rotation center O of the rotating shaft 202 in the radial direction of the rotating shaft 202 and passing through the power line insertion hole 262. A second extension line M2 is drawn, extending from the rotation center O of the rotating shaft 202 in the radial direction of the rotating shaft 202 and passing through the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264. The first extension line M1 and the second extension line M2 intersect at an intersection angle θ. The intersection angle θ is 90° or less. That is, the power line insertion hole 262, the cover-side insertion hole 270, and the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264 have a rotation angle within a range of 90°.

[0039] It is more preferable that the rotation angles of the power line insertion hole 262, the cover-side insertion hole 270, and the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264 fall within a range of 60°, and even more preferable that the rotation angles fall within a range of 45°. As described above, the rotation angle is the intersection angle θ of the second extension line M2 with respect to the first extension line M1. In this way, in this embodiment, the case-side insertion hole 260 and the cover-side insertion hole 270 are concentrated in a limited area of ​​the power unit 100.

[0040] Within the motor chamber 132, one end of the U-phase power line 250 a, one end of the V-phase power line 250 b, and one end of the W-phase power line 250 c are connected to different positions in the circumferential direction of the stator 206. The U-phase power line 250 a, one end of the V-phase power line 250 b, and one end of the W-phase power line 250 c are curved toward the power line insertion hole 262.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 2 , the power lines 250 are routed in the first space SP1. The diameters of the U-phase power line 250a, the V-phase power line 250b, and the W-phase power line 250c are larger than the diameters of the resolver signal line 252 and the multiple thermistor signal lines 254. However, because the capacity of the first space SP1 is relatively large, it is easy to route and bundle the U-phase power line 250a, the V-phase power line 250b, and the W-phase power line 250c in the first space SP1. That is, the U-phase power line 250a, the V-phase power line 250b, and the W-phase power line 250c can be easily gathered within the first space SP1.

[0042] In the first space SP1 between the outer peripheral surface of the motor 200 and the partition wall 124, the power line 250 is held down by a fixing device 134. The fixing device 134 is supported by the base 114, for example. The fixing device 134 presses the power line 250 inward in the vehicle width direction. This keeps the power line 250 in a predetermined position in the first space SP1.

[0043] Furthermore, the resolver stator 224 is held by the cover member 140. Therefore, it is easier to pass the resolver signal wire 252 through the cover-side insertion hole 270 than through the case-side insertion hole 260.

[0044] A first seal member 280 is disposed in each of the power line insertion hole 262 and the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264. The first seal member 280 has a flange portion 291 and a tubular portion 292. The tubular portion 292 protrudes forward from the front surface of the flange portion 291. A circumferential groove 293 is formed on the side peripheral surface of the flange portion 291. The packing 160 is inserted into the portion of the circumferential groove 293 that faces the cover member 140. The inner peripheral portions of the power line insertion hole 262 and the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264 are inserted into the remaining portions of the circumferential groove 293.

[0045] A second seal member 282 is disposed in the cover-side insertion hole 270. The second seal member 282 has a flange portion 294 and a tubular portion 295. The tubular portion 295 protrudes forward from the front surface of the flange portion 294. A circumferential groove 296 is formed on the side peripheral surface of the flange portion 294. The packing 160 is inserted into the portion of the circumferential groove 296 that faces the partition wall 124. The inner peripheral portion of the cover-side insertion hole 270 is inserted into the remaining portion of the circumferential groove 296.

[0046] The power line 250 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 292 of the first seal member 280 in the power line insertion hole 262. A plurality of thermistor signal lines 254 are inserted into the cylindrical portion 292 of the first seal member 280 in the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264. Furthermore, the resolver signal line 252 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 295 of the second seal member 282. In this manner, a plurality of wirings 240 are inserted into the first seal member 280 and the second seal member 282, respectively.

[0047] As described above, the case-side insertion holes 260 and the cover-side insertion holes 270 are concentrated in a limited area in the power unit 100. This makes it easy to draw the power lines 250, the resolver signal lines 252, and the multiple thermistor signal lines 254 from the motor chamber 132 to the inner chamber 128.

[0048] The power line 250, the resolver signal line 252, and the plurality of thermistor signal lines 254 are drawn out from the base 114 to the right (inward in the vehicle width direction) through wiring holes formed in the case 110. In other words, the plurality of wires 240 are exposed to the outside of the case 110 through the wiring holes. The other ends of the plurality of wires 240 are electrically connected to the PCU 70.

[0049] The wiring configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Another embodiment is one in which the inclination direction of the partition wall 124 is opposite to that shown in FIG. 2 . In this embodiment, the partition wall 124 inclines from top to bottom as it moves from front to rear. Therefore, in a side view of the swing unit 80 seen from the left in the vehicle width direction, the first line L1 connecting the rotation center O of the rotating shaft 202 and the lower connecting end 124a is shorter than the second line L2 connecting the rotation center O of the rotating shaft 202 and the upper connecting end 124b. In other words, the second line L2 is longer than the first line L1. The same applies when the swing unit 80 swings so that the rear end of the case 110 faces downward.

[0050] Therefore, the capacity of the second space SP2 is larger than the capacity of the first space SP1. In this case, it is preferable to connect the first thermistor 230 and the second thermistor 232 to the lower part of the stator 206. Furthermore, it is preferable to configure the lower case-side insertion hole 260 as the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264 and the upper case-side insertion hole 260 as the power line insertion hole 262. This makes it easy to gather the U-phase power line 250a, the V-phase power line 250b, and the W-phase power line 250c in the second space SP2 and pass them through the power line insertion hole 262, contrary to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 .

[0051] Furthermore, it is not essential that the space with the larger capacity out of the first space SP1 and the second space SP2 faces the power line insertion hole 262. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the upper case-side insertion hole 260 may be used as the power line insertion hole 262, and the power line insertion hole 262 and the second space SP2 with the smaller capacity may face each other.

[0052] Furthermore, it is not essential that the case-side insertion hole 260 be provided in the partition wall 124. For example, the case-side insertion hole 260 may be provided in the partition wall 122.

[0053] When the scooter-type two-wheeled vehicle 10A starts to move, electric power is supplied to the stator 206 via the power line 250. This causes the rotor 204, including the rotating shaft 202, to rotate. The rotational driving force of the rotating shaft 202 is transmitted to the rear wheel 52. When the scooter-type two-wheeled vehicle 10A moves, the swing unit 80 swings in accordance with the road surface conditions. The swing center of the swing unit 80 is the pivot shaft 62.

[0054] When the scooter-type motorcycle 10A is ridden in the rain, it is expected that rainwater will seep in between the cover member 140 and the case 110. As described above, the case-side insertion hole 260 (the power line insertion hole 262 and thermistor signal line insertion hole 264) and the cover-side insertion hole 270 are prevented from facing each other to form a large opening. Therefore, the first seal member 280 provides high sealing performance in the case-side insertion hole 260. For the same reason, the second seal member 282 provides high sealing performance in the cover-side insertion hole 270. Therefore, even if the above-described situation occurs, the first seal member 280 prevents rainwater from seeping into the case-side insertion hole 260. The second seal member 282 prevents rainwater from seeping into the cover-side insertion hole 270.

[0055] This embodiment has the following advantages.

[0056] 2, the power unit 100 of the electric vehicle 10 has a case 110 having a housing section 130 with an opening 120 facing outward in the vehicle width direction, a cover member 140 that closes the opening 120, and a motor chamber 132 that houses a motor 200 and motor peripheral equipment 210. The motor chamber 132 is formed by the housing section 130 and the cover member 140 that closes the opening 120. The electric vehicle 10 has a plurality of wires 240 that are electrically connected to the motor 200 and the motor peripheral equipment 210, respectively.

[0057] 5 , the case 110 has a case-side insertion hole 260 for drawing some of the plurality of wires 240 (the power line 250 and the plurality of thermistor signal lines 254) out of the motor chamber 132. In the above embodiment, the case-side insertion hole 260 includes a power line insertion hole 262 and a thermistor signal line insertion hole 264. Meanwhile, the cover member 140 has a cover-side insertion hole 270 for drawing the remaining of the plurality of wires 240 out of the motor chamber 132. In the above configuration, the case-side insertion hole 260 and the cover-side insertion hole 270 are positioned so as not to face each other in the vehicle width direction when the cover member 140 is in a state in which the opening 120 is closed.

[0058] Insertion holes for passing the multiple wirings 240 are formed as case-side insertion holes 260 and cover-side insertion holes 270 in the case 110 and the cover member 140, respectively. This prevents the insertion holes from being formed in a concentrated manner on either the case 110 or the cover member 140, ensuring the rigidity of the case 110 and the cover member 140.

[0059] Furthermore, when the case-side through-hole 260 and the cover-side through-hole 270 face each other in the vehicle width direction, a large opening is formed by the case-side through-hole 260 and the cover-side through-hole 270. In contrast, the above configuration prevents the formation of a large opening. Therefore, the strength of the area around the case-side through-hole 260 in the case 110 can be maintained, and the strength of the area around the cover-side through-hole 270 in the cover member 140 can be maintained.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 2 , the motor 200 has a rotating shaft 202. A power line insertion hole 262, which is one of the case-side insertion holes 260, a cover-side insertion hole 270, and a thermistor signal line insertion hole 264, which is another of the case-side insertion holes 260, are aligned along the inclination direction of the partition wall 124. The insertion hole located at one end of the alignment direction is the power line insertion hole 262, and the insertion hole located at the other end of the alignment direction is the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264. In this configuration, a first extension wire M1 is drawn from the rotation center O of the rotating shaft 202 along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 202 and passing through the power line insertion hole 262. Furthermore, a second extension wire M2 is drawn from the rotation center O of the rotating shaft 202 along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 202 and passing through the thermistor signal line insertion hole 264. The intersection angle θ between the first extension line M1 and the second extension line M2 is 90° or less.

[0061] That is, the power line insertion holes 262, the cover-side insertion holes 270, and the case-side insertion holes 260 are all within a range where the rotation angle is 90°. In this way, the case-side insertion holes 260 and the cover-side insertion holes 270 are concentrated in a limited area, which facilitates the routing of the multiple wires 240. The intersection angle θ is preferably within 60°, and more preferably within 45°.

[0062] In the above-described embodiment, there are two case-side through-holes 260 and one cover-side through-hole 270, but an embodiment in which there are one or more case-side through-holes 260 and two or more cover-side through-holes 270 is also possible. That is, there may be a plurality of at least one of the case-side through-holes 260 or the cover-side through-holes 270. When there are a plurality of case-side through-holes 260, the cover-side through-holes 270 are located between adjacent case-side through-holes 260 among the plurality of case-side through-holes 260. When there are a plurality of cover-side through-holes 270, the case-side through-holes 260 are located between adjacent cover-side through-holes 270 among the plurality of cover-side through-holes 270.

[0063] This makes it easier to route the multiple wires 240 .

[0064] 5, a first seal member 280 is disposed in the case-side insertion hole 260, and a second seal member 282 is disposed in the cover-side insertion hole 270. The plurality of wirings 240 are inserted into the first seal member 280 and the second seal member 282, respectively.

[0065] As described above, it is possible to prevent the case-side insertion hole 260 and the cover-side insertion hole 270 from facing each other and forming a large opening. In the case-side insertion hole 260, high sealing performance is obtained by the first seal member 280. For the same reason, in the cover-side insertion hole 270, high sealing performance is obtained by the second seal member 282.

[0066] For the reasons described above, it is possible to achieve a liquid-tight seal between the case-side insertion hole 260 and the case 110 and the cover member 140. Similarly, it is possible to achieve a liquid-tight seal between the cover-side insertion hole 270 and the case 110 and the cover member 140.

[0067] 2 , the motor peripheral device 210 has a resolver 220 that detects rotation parameters of the motor 200. The plurality of wirings 240 includes a power line 250 that supplies power to the motor 200 and a resolver signal line 252 that is electrically connected to the resolver 220. In this configuration, the power line 250 is passed through a case-side insertion hole 260, and the resolver signal line 252 is passed through a cover-side insertion hole 270.

[0068] The diameter of the power line 250 is larger than that of the resolver signal line 252. Therefore, the insertion hole through which the power line 250 passes needs to be larger in diameter than the insertion hole through which the resolver signal line 252 passes. Therefore, in the above case, the diameter of the case-side insertion hole 260 is larger than that of the cover-side insertion hole 270.

[0069] Case 110 is generally thicker and more rigid than cover member 140. Therefore, the rigidity of case 110 is maintained even when a large-diameter insertion hole for passing power line 250 is formed in case 110. Furthermore, since there is no need to form a large-diameter insertion hole in cover member 140, a decrease in the rigidity of cover member 140 can be avoided.

[0070] The resolver 220 has a resolver rotor 222 and a resolver stator 224. The resolver signal line 252 is electrically connected to the resolver stator 224. The resolver stator 224 is held by the cover member 140.

[0071] The resolver signal wire 252 from the resolver stator 224 held by the cover member 140 is passed through the cover-side insertion hole 270, so that the routing of the resolver signal wire 252 is easy.

[0072] 2 and 5, the case 110 has a partition wall 124 that divides the internal space 118 of the case 110 into a storage section 130 and an internal chamber 128 other than the storage section 130. The partition wall 124 has a case-side insertion hole 260.

[0073] In this case, it is easy to form the case-side insertion hole 260 in the case 110 .

[0074] The case 110 has a peripheral wall 116 that defines an internal space 118. The partition wall 124 has a lower connection end 124a connected to a lower portion of the peripheral wall 116 in the vehicle height direction, and an upper connection end 124b connected to an upper portion of the peripheral wall 116 in the vehicle height direction. As shown in FIG. 2 , a first line L1 is drawn connecting the rotation center O of the rotating shaft 202 and the lower connection end 124a of the partition wall 124, and a second line L2 is drawn connecting the rotation center O of the rotating shaft 202 and the upper connection end 124b of the partition wall 124. The lengths of the first line L1 and the second line L2 are different from each other.

[0075] That is, in the initial state when the power unit 100 (swing unit 80) is not swinging, the partition wall 124 is inclined. When the first straight line L1 is longer than the second straight line L2, a first space SP1 having a relatively large capacity is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the motor 200 and the lower connection end 124a of the partition wall 124. When the second straight line L2 is longer than the first straight line L1, a second space SP2 having a relatively large capacity is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the motor 200 and the upper connection end 124b of the partition wall 124. The power lines 250 can be arranged in the first space SP1 or the second space SP2. This makes it easy to route the power lines 250.

[0076] A fixing member 134 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the motor 200 and the partition wall 124. The fixing member 134 presses the power line 250 inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0077] The fixing device 134 can be disposed in the space with the larger capacity out of the first space SP1 or the second space SP2. The fixing device 134 prevents the power line 250 from loosening.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 3, a reinforcing member 126 is provided on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 116 of the case 110 at the intersection where the peripheral wall 116 and the partition wall 124 intersect.

[0079] The reinforcing member 126 provides the case 110 with sufficient rigidity.

[0080] 2, the motor peripheral device 210 includes a thermistor. The wirings 240 include a thermistor signal line 254 electrically connected to the thermistor.

[0081] The thermistor can monitor the temperature of the motor 200. One of the case-side insertion hole 260 or the cover-side insertion hole 270 is an insertion hole through which the thermistor signal line 254 is passed. Therefore, even if the motor peripheral device 210 has a thermistor, routing the thermistor signal line 254 is easy.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 1, the electric vehicle 10 is a saddle-ride type vehicle.

[0083] According to the above configuration, in a saddle-ride type vehicle where the location for mounting the motor 200 is limited, it is easy to route the multiple wires 240.

[0084] The following additional notes are further disclosed regarding the above embodiment.

[0085] (Supplementary Note 1) An electric vehicle (10) according to the present disclosure includes a body frame (20) and a power unit (100) supported by the body frame. The power unit includes a case (110) having a housing section (130) with an opening (120) facing outward in the vehicle width direction, a cover member (140) that closes the opening, and a motor chamber (132) that is formed by the housing section and the cover member that closes the opening and that houses a motor (200) and motor peripheral devices (210).

[0086] The electric vehicle includes a plurality of wires (240) electrically connected to the motor and the motor peripheral devices, respectively. The case has a case-side insertion hole (260) for drawing some of the plurality of wires out of the motor chamber. The cover member has a cover-side insertion hole (270) for drawing the remaining of the plurality of wires out of the motor chamber. In the above configuration, the case-side insertion hole and the cover-side insertion hole are positioned so as not to face each other in the vehicle width direction when the cover member closes the opening.

[0087] As described above, in the present disclosure, insertion holes for passing wires are formed as case-side insertion holes and cover-side insertion holes in the case and cover member, respectively, which prevents the insertion holes from being concentrated on either the case or the cover member, thereby ensuring the rigidity of the case and cover member.

[0088] Furthermore, the case-side through-hole and the cover-side through-hole are prevented from facing each other in the vehicle width direction, thereby preventing the formation of a large opening. Therefore, the strength of the periphery of the case-side through-hole can be maintained in the case, and the strength of the periphery of the cover-side through-hole can be maintained in the cover member.

[0089] (Appendix 2) The electric vehicle described in Appendix 1 may have a plurality of the case side insertion holes or a plurality of the cover side insertion holes, and the cover side insertion holes may be located between adjacent case side insertion holes among the plurality of case side insertion holes, or the case side insertion holes may be located between adjacent cover side insertion holes among the plurality of cover side insertion holes.

[0090] This configuration makes it easier to route multiple wires.

[0091] (Appendix 3) In the electric vehicle described in Appendix 1 or 2, a first seal member (280) may be arranged in the case-side insertion hole, and a second seal member (282) may be arranged in the cover-side insertion hole, and a plurality of the wirings may be inserted into the first seal member and the second seal member, respectively.

[0092] Since the case-side through-hole and the cover-side through-hole are prevented from facing each other to form a large opening, the first seal member provides high sealing performance for the case-side through-hole, and for the same reason, the second seal member provides high sealing performance for the cover-side through-hole.

[0093] (Supplementary Note 4) In the electric vehicle described in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3, the motor peripheral device may have a resolver (220) that detects a rotation parameter of the motor, and the plurality of wirings may have power lines (250) that supply power to the motor and resolver signal lines (252) electrically connected to the resolver, and the power lines may be passed through the case-side insertion hole and the resolver signal lines may be passed through the cover-side insertion hole.

[0094] The diameter of the power lines is larger than that of the resolver signal lines. Therefore, the diameter of the insertion holes through which the power lines pass is larger than the diameter of the insertion holes through which the resolver signal lines pass. By forming insertion holes with a larger diameter in the case for passing the power lines, a decrease in the rigidity of the cover member is avoided.

[0095] (Supplementary Note 5) In the electric vehicle described in Supplementary Note 4, the motor may have a rotating shaft (202), the resolver may have a resolver rotor (222) attached to a tip of the rotating shaft facing outward in the vehicle width direction, and a resolver stator (224) surrounding the resolver rotor, the resolver signal line may be electrically connected to the resolver stator, and the resolver stator may be held by the cover member.

[0096] The resolver signal wires from the resolver stator held by the cover member are passed through the cover-side insertion holes, making it easy to route the resolver signal wires.

[0097] (Appendix 6) In the electric vehicle described in any one of Appendices 1 to 5, the case may have a partition wall (124) that divides the internal space (118) of the case into the storage section and an inner chamber (128) other than the storage section, and the partition wall may have the case-side insertion hole.

[0098] In this case, it is easy to form the case-side insertion hole in the case.

[0099] (Supplementary Note 7) In the electric vehicle described in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6, the plurality of wirings may include power lines (250) that supply power to the motor, the case may have a peripheral wall portion (116) that forms the internal space, the partition wall may have a lower connection end (124a) connected to a lower part of the peripheral wall portion in a vehicle height direction and an upper connection end (124b) connected to an upper part of the peripheral wall portion in the vehicle height direction, the motor may have a rotating shaft (202), and when a first straight line (L1) connecting a rotation center (O) of the rotating shaft and the lower connection end of the partition wall and a second straight line (L2) connecting the rotation center of the rotating shaft and the upper connection end of the partition wall are drawn, the lengths of the first straight line and the second straight line may be different from each other.

[0100] When the first straight line is longer than the second straight line, a first space having a relatively large capacity is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the motor and the lower connection end of the partition wall. When the second straight line is longer than the first straight line, a second space having a relatively large capacity is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the motor and the upper connection end of the partition wall. Power lines can be arranged in the first space or the second space.

[0101] (Supplementary Note 8) The electric vehicle described in Supplementary Note 7 may further include a fixing device (134) provided between an outer peripheral surface of the motor and the partition wall, for pressing the power lines inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0102] The fixing device can be disposed in the space with the relatively larger capacity of either the first space or the second space, and the fixing device prevents the power line from slackening.

[0103] (Supplementary Note 9) In the electric vehicle described in Supplementary Note 7 or 8, a reinforcing member (126) may be provided on the outer surface of the peripheral wall at an intersection where the peripheral wall and the partition wall intersect.

[0104] The reinforcing member provides the case with sufficient rigidity.

[0105] (Supplementary Note 10) In the electric vehicle described in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 9, the electric vehicle may be a saddle-ride type vehicle.

[0106] According to the above configuration, it is easy to route a plurality of wires in a saddle-ride type vehicle in which the location where a motor can be mounted is limited.

[0107] The present invention is not limited to the above disclosure, and various configurations can be adopted without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0108] 10...electric vehicle 20...vehicle body frame 80...swing unit 100...power unit 110...case 124...compartment wall 124a...lower connection end 124b...upper connection end 126...reinforcing member 130...accommodation section 132...motor chamber 134...fixing device 140...cover member 200...motor 202...rotating shaft 210...motor peripheral device 220...resolver 230, 232...thermistor 240...wiring 250...power line 252...resolver signal line 254...thermistor signal line 260...case side insertion hole 262...power line insertion hole 264...thermistor signal line insertion hole 270...cover side insertion hole 280...first seal member 282...second seal member

Claims

1. An electric vehicle (10) comprising a body frame (20) and a power unit (100) supported by the body frame, wherein the power unit comprises a case (110) having a housing section (130) formed with an opening (120) facing outward in the vehicle width direction, a cover member (140) closing the opening, and a motor chamber (132) formed by the housing section and the cover member closing the opening and housing a motor (200) and motor peripheral equipment (210), wherein the electric vehicle comprises a plurality of wires (240) electrically connected to the motor and the motor peripheral equipment, respectively, the case having case-side insertion holes (260) for drawing some of the plurality of wires out of the motor chamber, and the cover member having cover-side insertion holes (270) for drawing the remaining of the plurality of wires out of the motor chamber, the case-side insertion hole and the cover-side insertion hole are positioned so as not to face each other in the vehicle width direction when the cover member closes the opening.

2. An electric vehicle as described in claim 1, having a plurality of the case-side insertion holes or a plurality of the cover-side insertion holes, wherein the cover-side insertion holes are located between adjacent case-side insertion holes among the plurality of case-side insertion holes, or the case-side insertion holes are located between adjacent cover-side insertion holes among the plurality of cover-side insertion holes.

3. An electric vehicle as described in claim 1, wherein a first seal member (280) is disposed in the case-side insertion hole, and a second seal member (282) is disposed in the cover-side insertion hole, and a plurality of the wirings are inserted into the first seal member and the second seal member, respectively.

4. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor peripheral device has a resolver (220) that detects rotation parameters of the motor, and the plurality of wirings have power lines (250) that supply power to the motor and resolver signal lines (252) electrically connected to the resolver, the power lines being passed through the case-side insertion holes and the resolver signal lines being passed through the cover-side insertion holes.

5. An electric vehicle as described in claim 4, wherein the motor has a rotating shaft (202), the resolver has a resolver rotor (222) attached to the tip of the rotating shaft facing outward in the vehicle width direction, and a resolver stator (224) surrounding the resolver rotor, the resolver signal line is electrically connected to the resolver stator, and the resolver stator is held by the cover member.

6. An electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the case has a partition wall (124) that divides the internal space (118) of the case into the storage section and an interior space (128) other than the storage section, and the partition wall has the case-side insertion hole.

7. An electric vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of wirings include power lines (250) that supply power to the motor, the case has a peripheral wall portion (116) that defines the internal space, the partition wall has a lower connection end (124a) connected to a lower part of the peripheral wall portion in the vehicle height direction and an upper connection end (124b) connected to an upper part of the peripheral wall portion in the vehicle height direction, the motor has a rotating shaft (202), and when a first line (L1) connecting a rotation center (O) of the rotating shaft and the lower connection end of the partition wall and a second line (L2) connecting the rotation center of the rotating shaft and the upper connection end of the partition wall are drawn, the lengths of the first line and the second line are different from each other.

8. An electric vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising a fixing device (134) provided between the outer peripheral surface of the motor and the partition wall, for pressing the power lines inward in the vehicle width direction.

9. An electric vehicle according to claim 7, wherein a reinforcing member (126) is provided on the outer surface of the peripheral wall at the intersection where the peripheral wall and the partition wall intersect.

10. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is a saddle-ride type vehicle.

Images