Saddle-Type Electric Vehicle Charger Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Saddle-type electric vehicles face challenges in efficiently disposing heat-generating components like chargers, which can lead to heat accumulation and reduced cooling performance, especially when these components are not optimally positioned in relation to the power control unit.
Innovation Solution
The charger is strategically disposed below the power control unit within the center tunnel of the vehicle, allowing for improved heat dissipation and protection from disturbances during travel, while also separating it from the contactor to reduce heat interference between components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the charger is disposed above the power control unit, then the charger can be easily accessed from above and usability is improved, but heat accumulation around the power control unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charger is disposed below the power control unit in the vertical dimension, separating it from the heat-generating components above. This spatial arrangement in the vertical direction allows the charger to be easily accessible from below while the power control unit remains protected from heat accumulation, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and thermal management.
2Reliability
If the power control unit is disposed in the center tunnel, then influence of disturbances from below is reduced, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The power control unit is disposed in the center tunnel with its input-output side facing upward, creating a localized heat dissipation path. This arrangement allows heat to be efficiently dissipated upward away from the center tunnel, while the unit remains protected from disturbances from below, resolving the contradiction between protection and heat dissipation.
3Device complexity
If the charger and contactor are disposed close to each other, then device complexity is reduced, but heat interference between components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charger is extracted from the upper region and disposed below the power control unit, separating it from the contactor which remains above. This extraction eliminates heat interference between the charger and contactor while maintaining a compact overall device structure, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and thermal management.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances the cooling performance of the power control unit, reduces the impact of disturbances, and improves the usability and accessibility of the charger, ensuring efficient heat management and component protection.
Implementation Method 1
a charger (325) mounted on the vehicle body and configured to charge the battery (100)
Implementation Method 2
a power control unit (320) which controls the electric motor (30)
Implementation Method 3
heat of the power control unit can be easily released upward and a cooling performance of the power control unit can be improved
Data Source
AI summary
A saddle-type electric vehicle (1, 1A, or 1B) includes an electric motor (30) for vehicle traveling, a battery (100) which supplies electric power to the electric motor (30), a power control unit (320) which controls the electric motor (30), step floors (9) on which a rider places his/her feet, a center tunnel (CT) which extends in a vehicle front-rear direction at a left-right center portion of the step floors (9), and a charger (325) mounted on the vehicle body and configured to charge the battery (100), in which the power control unit (320) is disposed inside the center tunnel (CT), and the charger (325) is disposed to overlap the power control unit (320) in a plan view.