Electric vehicle

Abstract

Provided is an electric vehicle (10) in which a visual inspection of a connector of an electric drive unit can easily be carried out. The electric drive unit (13) receives a supply of electric power to generate a driving force for vehicle travel. A front compartment (11) accommodates the electric drive unit (13). A tire house (23L) accommodates a tire (22L). A separating wall (25) separates the front compartment (11) and the tire house (23L). A portion of the separating wall (25) is a detachable portion (41) configured to be detachable. A connector (18) electrically connects the electric drive unit (13) to the outside. The detachable portion (41) has a region in which a line segment can be drawn. In the region in which a line segment can be drawn, a line segment can be drawn between the connector (18) and the detachable portion (41) without passing through another member.

Description

Electric vehicles

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electric vehicles.

[0002] An electric vehicle is equipped with an electric drive unit. The electric drive unit receives a supply of electric power to generate driving force for running the vehicle. Electric vehicles include battery electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. Battery electric vehicles are equipped with only an electric drive unit as a driving source for running the vehicle. Hybrid electric vehicles are equipped with an electric drive unit and an internal combustion engine as driving sources for running the vehicle. Hybrid electric vehicles include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles have an external charging function.

[0003] The electric drive unit of such an electric vehicle is provided with a connector for electrical connection to the outside. Maintenance of the electric vehicle may include inspecting the connector for deterioration and / or damage. In the electric vehicle described in Patent Document 1, the connector for electrically connecting a high-voltage cable to the electric drive unit is provided in a portion below the vehicle body of the electric drive unit. The electric vehicle further includes a removable cover. The removable cover covers the connector and the periphery of the connector.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-97054

[0005] By removing the cover of the electric vehicle, the connector of the electric drive unit can be accessed from underneath the vehicle. The connector can be visually inspected without removing heavy components such as the electric drive unit from the vehicle. However, to perform a visual inspection of the connector, the entire electric vehicle must be jacked up. The jack-up raises the entire electric vehicle to a height that allows the inspector to enter underneath the vehicle.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle includes an electric drive unit that receives a supply of electric power to generate driving force for vehicle travel. The electric vehicle further includes a compartment that houses the electric drive unit, a tire housing that houses a tire, and a partition wall that separates the compartment from the tire housing. The electric drive unit has a connector for electrical connection to the outside. A portion of the partition wall is a detachable portion that is configured to be detachable. The detachable portion of the partition wall is configured to include a line segment drawable area. The line segment drawable area is an area in which it is possible to draw a line between the detachable portion and the connector without passing through other components.

[0007] The electric vehicle has the advantage of facilitating visual inspection of the connectors of the electric drive unit.

[0008] Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of the front part of the vehicle body of an embodiment of an electric vehicle, as seen from the left side of the vehicle body. Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of the front part of the vehicle body of the electric vehicle of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a side view of an opening and the periphery of the opening provided in a partition wall of a tire house at the left front of the electric vehicle of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a side view of the opening and the periphery of the opening shown in Fig. 3 with a cover removed. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

[0009] An embodiment of an electric vehicle will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Of the arrows shown in each figure, "FR" indicates the front of the vehicle body, "RR" indicates the rear of the vehicle body, "LF" indicates the left side of the vehicle body, "RF" indicates the right side of the vehicle body, "UP" indicates the top of the vehicle body, and "DW" indicates the bottom of the vehicle body.

[0010] <Configuration of electric vehicle 10> The configuration of the drive system of electric vehicle 10 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the front part of the vehicle body of electric vehicle 10 as seen from the left side LF of the vehicle body. Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the front part of the vehicle body of electric vehicle 10.

[0011] A front compartment 11 is provided in a portion of the vehicle body FR forward of a passenger compartment 10A of the electric vehicle 10. The passenger compartment 10A and the front compartment 11 are separated by a dash panel 10B. The electric vehicle 10 is provided with an openable hood 11A. The hood 11A covers the upper portion UP of the vehicle body relative to the front compartment 11.

[0012] The front compartment 11 houses an engine 12, a motor 13, an inverter 14, and the like. The motor 13 is an example of an electric drive unit. The electric drive unit receives a supply of electric power and generates driving force for running the vehicle. Another example of an electric drive unit is a unit that includes a reduction mechanism and an inverter integrated with the motor.

[0013] The engine 12 is disposed longitudinally inside the front compartment 11. The motor 13 is disposed inside the front compartment 11 in a portion of the vehicle rearward (RR) of the engine 12. The motor 13 is disposed in the portion described above while being connected to the engine 12. A transmission 15 connected to the motor 13 is disposed rearward (RR) of the vehicle from the motor 13.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the inverter 14 is installed in the front compartment 11 in a portion of the vehicle body to the left (LF) of the engine 12. Two exhaust pipes 16, one on the left side and one on the right side, are connected to the engine 12. These exhaust pipes 16 pass on the left and right sides of the motor 13, respectively, and extend toward the rear (RR) of the vehicle body.

[0015] The motor 13 is electrically connected to the inverter 14 via a high-voltage cable 17. A high-voltage connector 18 is provided on the upper UP portion of the vehicle body of the motor 13. The high-voltage connector 18 is connected to the high-voltage cable 17. In the case of the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment, the high-voltage connector 18 has a metal cover that covers the terminals of the high-voltage connector 18. A low-voltage connector 20 for connecting a low-voltage cable 19 is provided on the upper UP portion of the vehicle body of the motor 13. The low-voltage cable 19 is a cable that carries a current with a lower voltage than the high-voltage cable 17. An example of the low-voltage cable 19 is a signal cable for outputting a signal from a sensor built into the motor 13.

[0016] Right and left front tire housings 23R, 23L are provided at the front of the vehicle body of the electric vehicle 10. The tire housings 23R, 23L accommodate right and left front tires 22R, 22L, respectively. The tire housings 23R, 23L and the front compartment 11 are separated by a partition wall 25. The partition wall 25 is made up of panel materials and frame materials that form the body of the electric vehicle 10. The partition wall 25 is also made up of a resin cover material or the like that covers the surfaces of the panel materials and frame materials.

[0017] The tires 22R, 22L are each suspended via an independent suspension on the body of the electric vehicle 10. Each suspension has a cylindrical damper 26. The damper 26 is disposed inside the tire housings 23R, 23L and extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle body.

[0018] <Structure for visual inspection of high-voltage connector 18> The upper UP portion of the vehicle body of the motor 13 is relatively unlikely to be splashed with water. The high-voltage connector 18 is installed in the upper UP portion of the vehicle body of the motor 13. However, the high-voltage connector 18 may become wet when the electric vehicle 10 is traveling in flooded conditions or on wet unpaved roads. If the high-voltage connector 18 becomes wet, there is a risk that deterioration of the high-voltage connector 18 will progress due to corrosion or the like. Therefore, it is desirable to perform a visual inspection of the high-voltage connector 18 during periodic inspections of the electric vehicle 10, for example. By visually inspecting the high-voltage connector 18, vehicle failures due to deterioration of the high-voltage connector 18 can be prevented.

[0019] Meanwhile, the front compartment 11 is equipped with many other components in addition to the engine 12, motor 13, and inverter 14 described above. The motor 13 is installed in the front compartment 11 at the rear (RR) and lower (DW) of the vehicle body. Therefore, even if the hood 11A is opened and the front compartment 11 is viewed from the upper (UP) side of the vehicle body, the high-voltage connector 18 of the motor 13 may not be visible due to other components getting in the way. In other words, the high-voltage connector 18 of the motor 13 is located in a position that cannot be seen even when the hood 11A is opened. In contrast, the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment is equipped with a structure that facilitates visual inspection of the high-voltage connector 18.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows the partition wall 25 that separates the left front tire housing 23L from the front compartment 11. The partition wall 25 is provided to surround the tire 22L on the right side RF of the vehicle body and radially outward. A portion of the partition wall 25 is formed by an apron panel 41. That is, the partition wall 25 includes a partition wall main body 25a and the apron panel 41 that is detachable from the partition wall main body 25a. The apron panel 41 is configured to be detachable from the remaining portion of the partition wall 25, i.e., the partition wall main body 25a. That is, the apron panel 41 is a detachable portion that is detachable from the partition wall main body 25a. In other words, the apron panel 41 is detachable from the partition wall main body 25a when attached to the vehicle body. The apron panel 41 is a panel material made of resin. The apron panel 41 is installed on the partition wall 25 at a portion located on the side of the tire 22L and rearward of the damper 26 on the vehicle body RR.

[0021] 3 shows a side view of the apron panel 41 and its surroundings as viewed from the left side (LF) of the vehicle body. The apron panel 41 is fixed to the vehicle body by a plurality of clips 42. Each clip 42 is configured so that the insertion direction is from the wheel well 23L toward the front compartment 11. Once installed, the apron panel 41 can be removed from the vehicle body by removing the clips 42. In this way, the bulkhead 25 of the left front wheel well 23L is configured so that the apron panel 41, which is part of the bulkhead 25, can be detached.

[0022] FIG. 4 shows the vehicle with the apron panel 41 removed. The apron panel 41 constitutes part of the bulkhead 25. When the apron panel 41 is removed from the remaining portion of the bulkhead 25, i.e., from the bulkhead main body 25a, the opening 40 appears. In other words, the apron panel 41 was covering the opening 40 in the bulkhead 25. The opening 40 connects the front compartment 11 to the wheel well 23L. The exhaust pipe 16 of the engine 12 is located in the front compartment 11 between the opening 40 and the high-voltage connector 18 of the motor 13. First and second insulators 43, 44 are installed around the exhaust pipe 16 for heat insulation. A gap exists between the first insulator 43 and the second insulator 44. An operator can view the high-voltage connector 18 of the motor 13 through the opening 40 and the gap between the first insulator 43 and the second insulator 44.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4. In the cross-section shown in FIG. 5, the line-drawable region R is located in a portion of the opening 40 that is located above the vehicle body. In the line-drawable region R, a line connecting the opening 40 to the high-voltage connector 18 can be drawn as follows. That is, the line does not pass through components such as the first and second insulators 43, 44. In other words, the line can extend from the line-drawable region R to the high-voltage connector 18 without passing through components such as the first and second insulators 43, 44. The fact that the opening 40 includes the line-drawable region R means that an operator's line of sight can pass from the opening 40 to the high-voltage connector 18. The line-drawable region R includes a portion that is located above the high-voltage connector 18. Therefore, the high-voltage connector 18 can be viewed by an operator from diagonally above through the opening 40.

[0024] The wheel well 23L is located to the left (LF) and below (DW) of the vehicle relative to the exhaust pipe 16. The dash panel 10B (see FIG. 1) is located to the rear (RR) and above (UP) of the vehicle relative to the exhaust pipe 16. The first and second insulators 43, 44 are provided to block heat dissipation from the exhaust pipe 16 to the wheel well 23L and the dash panel 10B. If a single insulator were to be used to block heat dissipation from the exhaust pipe 16 to surrounding objects, the following risk would arise. That is, the single insulator could block the view from the opening 40 to the high-voltage connector 18. In contrast, in this embodiment, the first insulator 43 and the second insulator 44 are provided. The first insulator 43 covers the left (LF) and below (DW) of the vehicle relative to the exhaust pipe 16. The second insulator 44 covers the rearward (RR) and upward (UP) sides of the vehicle body relative to the exhaust pipe 16. In other words, it can be understood that the single insulator is divided into the first insulator 43 and the second insulator 44. The first insulator 43 is fixed to the exhaust pipe 16. The second insulator 44 is fixed to the partition wall 25 of the wheel well 23L. Therefore, the second insulator 44 is disposed at a position away from the exhaust pipe 16. The first insulator 43 has a notch 43A (see FIG. 4 ). The notch 43A is located in the first insulator 43 between the opening 40 and the high-voltage connector 18. In the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment, the first and second insulators 43, 44 are configured in this manner. Therefore, the high-voltage connector 18 is visible through the opening 40.

[0025] <Operation of the Embodiment> As described above, in the electric vehicle 10, the detachable apron panel 41 is configured as follows. That is, the apron panel 41 constitutes part of the partition wall 25 in the left front tire well 23L of the electric vehicle 10. When the tire 22L and the apron panel 41 are removed from the body of the electric vehicle 10, an opening 40 appears in the partition wall 25. The opening 40 connects the tire well 23L to the front compartment 11. The portion of the partition wall 25 formed by the apron panel 41 includes a line drawing area R. In the line drawing area R, it is possible to draw a line between the high-voltage connector 18 of the motor 13 and the portion of the partition wall 25 formed by the apron panel 41 without passing through any other components. Therefore, an operator can view the high-voltage connector 18 of the motor 13 by looking into the opening 40 from the left side LF of the vehicle body.

[0026] Effects of the Embodiment The electric vehicle 10 of the present embodiment has the following effects. (1) The electric vehicle 10 includes a front compartment 11 that houses the motor 13, a tire well 23L that houses the tire 22L, and a partition wall 25. The partition wall 25 separates the front compartment 11 from the tire well 23L. A portion of the partition wall 25 is formed by an apron panel 41 that is detachable from a partition wall main body 25a. The portion of the partition wall 25 formed by the apron panel 41 is configured to include a line-drawable area R. The line-drawable area R is an area in which a line connecting the high-voltage connector 18 to the portion of the partition wall 25 formed by the apron panel 41 can be drawn without passing through other components. In this electric vehicle 10, the high-voltage connector 18 can be viewed from the outside simply by removing the tire 22L and the apron panel 41. Therefore, visual inspection of the high-voltage connector 18 can be performed without jacking up the entire electric vehicle 10 or removing heavy parts from the electric vehicle 10. Therefore, the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment has the effect of facilitating visual inspection of the high-voltage connector 18 of the motor 13, which is the electric drive unit.

[0027] (2) The high-voltage connector 18 is provided above the motor 13. This prevents water from splashing onto the high-voltage connector 18. This reduces deterioration of the high-voltage connector 18 due to corrosion.

[0028] (3) The line segment depictable region R includes a portion of the vehicle body that is located above the high-voltage connector 18. Therefore, during visual inspection through the opening 40, the high-voltage connector 18, which is located above the motor 13, can be viewed from diagonally above. This allows a wide range of the high-voltage connector 18 to be viewed during inspection.

[0029] (4) If the insertion direction of the clips 42 that secure the apron panel 41 were from the front compartment 11 toward the tire well 23L, the clips 42 would have to be accessed from the front compartment 11 side to attach and detach the clips 42. In this case, it would be difficult to attach and detach the apron panel 41. In contrast, in this embodiment, the insertion direction of the clips 42 that secure the apron panel 41 is from the tire well 23L toward the front compartment 11. The clips 42 having such an insertion direction secure the apron panel 41 to the electric vehicle 10. This makes it easy to attach and detach the apron panel 41.

[0030] (5) If the opening 40 in the partition wall 25 were located so as to overlap the damper 26 of the tire suspension, the damper 26 would interfere with visual inspection of the high-voltage connector 18. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the apron panel 41 is located further rearward (RR) of the vehicle body than the damper 26 of the suspension that suspends the tire 22L. Therefore, the damper 26 does not overlap the opening 40, making it easier to visually inspect the high-voltage connector 18.

[0031] (6) In addition to the high-voltage connector 18, the motor 13 is also provided with a low-voltage connector 20. A high-voltage cable 17 is connected to the high-voltage connector 18. A low-voltage cable 19 is connected to the low-voltage connector 20. Of the high-voltage connector 18 and the low-voltage connector 20, the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment can facilitate visual inspection of the high-voltage connector 18, which requires a higher level of visual inspection.

[0032] (7) It can be said that the partition wall 25 includes a tire inner wall portion 25b and a tire outer wall portion 25c. In the side view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 , the tire inner wall portion 25b is located inward from the dashed-dotted line indicating the outline of the tire 22L. The tire outer wall portion 25c is located outward from the dashed-dotted line of the tire 22L. In other words, when the tire 22L is projected onto the partition wall 25 in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the tire inner wall portion 25b is located inward from the projected view of the tire 22L. When the tire 22L is projected onto the partition wall 25 in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the tire outer wall portion 25c is located outward from the projected view of the tire 22L. In other words, when the partition wall 25 is viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the tire inner wall portion 25b is located radially inward from the outline of the tire 22L. The tire outer wall portion 25c is radially outward from the contour of the tire 22L when the partition wall 25 is viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle. In simple terms, the tire inner wall portion 25b is a portion of the partition wall 25 that is radially inward from the tire 22L when viewed from the tire 22L. The tire outer wall portion 25c is a portion of the partition wall 25 that is radially outward from the tire 22L when viewed from the tire 22L.

[0033] The opening 40 allows an operator to visually inspect the high-voltage connector 18 from outside the vehicle. Depending on the positional relationship between the tire well 23L and the high-voltage connector 18, the opening 40 may be provided only in the tire outer wall portion 25c. In this case, the opening 40 does not overlap the tire 22L in the side view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 . In such a case, an operator must assume an uncomfortable position with their head pushed inside the tire well 23L when visually inspecting the high-voltage connector 18. In contrast, in the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment, the apron panel 41 has a portion located on the tire inner wall portion 25b. In other words, the apron panel 41 overlaps the tire 22L in the side view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 . In other words, when viewing the bulkhead 25 from the tire 22L in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the apron panel 41 is at least partially located in a portion of the bulkhead 25 that is not located radially outward of the tire 22L. Therefore, in this embodiment, the worker can perform a visual inspection of the high-voltage connector 18 without having to take an uncomfortable position with his / her head inside the wheel well 23L.

[0034] (Other Embodiments) The above embodiment can be modified as follows: The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0035] <Regarding the Connectors> The high-voltage connector 18 may be installed in a position other than the upper UP portion of the vehicle body of the motor 13. If visual inspection of the low-voltage connector 20 is required, the low-voltage connector 20 may be arranged on the motor 13 so that the low-voltage connector 20, rather than the high-voltage connector 18, is visible from the opening 40. If visual inspection of both the high-voltage connector 18 and the low-voltage connector 20 is required, the high-voltage connector 18 and the low-voltage connector 20 may be arranged in positions visible from the opening 40.

[0036] The configuration of the connector may be changed as appropriate. For example, the terminals of the connector may be covered with a resin cover, tape, or the like. The terminals of the connector may not be covered with a cover. The connector may have a terminal block fixed to the outer wall of the motor 13.

[0037] The motor 13 may be configured to include only one of the high-voltage connector 18 and the low-voltage connector 20. <Regarding the Electric Drive Unit> The electric vehicle 10 of the above embodiment is configured so that an operator can visually inspect the high-voltage connector 18 of the motor 13 through the opening 40 in the partition wall 25. The connectors subject to visual inspection may be any of the connectors listed below. In other words, any connector that electrically connects the electric drive unit, which receives a supply of electric power to generate driving force for vehicle operation, to an external device may be subject to visual inspection. The electric drive unit may be a unit that integrates a motor with one or both of the power transmission mechanism and the electrical circuit of the electric vehicle. Alternatively, the electric drive unit may be a unit in which a motor is housed with one or both of the power transmission mechanism and the electrical circuit in the same case. Examples of power transmission mechanisms include a reduction mechanism, a differential mechanism, a transmission mechanism, and / or a power distribution mechanism. Examples of power conversion devices include an inverter, a charge control circuit, a voltage conversion circuit, and / or a motor control circuit.

[0038] <Regarding the Apron Panel> The apron panel 41 only needs to be relatively easy to attach and detach for visual inspection. The method of fixing the apron panel 41 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the apron panel 41 may be fixed to the vehicle body by bolting or snap fitting.

[0039] The position of the apron panel 41 in the partition wall 25 may be changed as appropriate depending on the position of the connector to be visually inspected. The position of the apron panel 41 in the partition wall 25 may be changed as appropriate depending on the positional relationship of other components located between the apron panel 41 and the connector. For example, the apron panel 41 may be installed on the tire outer wall portion 25c of the partition wall 25 as viewed from the tire 22L. The apron panel 41 may be installed in a portion of the partition wall 25 that overlaps with the damper 26 or in a portion of the damper 26 further forward (FR) on the vehicle body than the damper 26. Furthermore, as long as the connector to be visually inspected is visible, the apron panel 41 may be configured to be located below the connector DW on the vehicle body.

[0040] The opening 40 and the apron panel 41 may be provided in a wheel well bulkhead 25 other than the left front one. For example, the opening 40 and the apron panel 41 may be provided in accordance with the connector to be inspected or the location of the electric drive unit in which the connector is provided. For example, if the electric drive unit is installed in the rear (RR) portion of the vehicle body of the electric vehicle 10, the opening 40 and the apron panel 41 may be provided in the left rear or right rear wheel well bulkhead. In this case, visual inspection of the connector through the opening 40 is still possible.

[0041] The opening 40 and the apron panel 41 may be provided in the bulkheads of multiple tire housings. The apron panel 41 may be any detachable member that constitutes part of the bulkhead 25. The material, shape, and size of the apron panel 41 may be changed as appropriate. For example, the apron panel 41 may be made of metal. The apron panel 41 may be made of a transparent material. In this case, an operator can visually inspect the connector while the apron panel 41 remains attached to the bulkhead 25.

[0042] <Configuration of electric vehicle 10> The configuration and arrangement of the drive system of the electric vehicle 10 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the engine 12 may be arranged transversely in the front compartment 11. The arrangement of the engine 12, motor 13, and inverter 14 in the front compartment 11 may be different from that shown in Figures 1 and 2. The rear compartment is provided rearward (RR) of the vehicle body from the passenger compartment 10A of the electric vehicle 10. The engine 12, motor 13, inverter 14, etc. may be arranged in the rear compartment.

[0043] The electric vehicle 10 may be configured as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that can be externally charged. The electric vehicle 10 may be configured as a battery-electric vehicle that does not have an engine 12 mounted thereon.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising: an electric drive unit that receives a supply of electric power to generate driving force for running the vehicle; a compartment that houses the electric drive unit; a tire housing that houses a tire; and a partition wall that separates the compartment from the tire housing; the electric drive unit has a connector for electrical connection to the outside; a part of the partition wall is a detachable part that is configured to be detachable; the detachable part has an area where a line can be drawn, and the line can be drawn in this area is an area where a line can be drawn between the detachable part and the connector without passing through any other members.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the connector is provided in an upper portion of the vehicle body of the electric drive unit.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the line segment depictable area includes a portion located above the connector on the vehicle body.

4. An electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the detachable portion is fixed by a clip that is inserted in an insertion direction, and the insertion direction of the clip is a direction from the wheel housing toward the compartment.

5. The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electric vehicle is equipped with a suspension that suspends the tire, and the detachable part is located rearward of the vehicle body relative to a damper of the suspension.

6. The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the electric vehicle is equipped with a high-voltage cable and a low-voltage cable, the high-voltage cable and the low-voltage cable are connected to the electric drive unit, and the high-voltage cable is connected to the connector.

7. An electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the detachable portion is at least partially located in a portion of the partition wall that is not located radially outward from the tire when viewing the partition wall from the tire in the left-right direction of the electric vehicle.

Images