EV Inverter Case Layout With Air Cleaner Collision Buffer
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electric vehicles with an inverter device in the motor room, frontal collisions can cause direct contact between high-voltage components and other components, leading to potential damage to the inverter case.
Innovation Solution
The inverter device is housed in an upper portion of the drive device, with a vehicle auxiliary component like an air cleaner protruding beyond the inverter case's front end, and supported by brackets to absorb impact during collisions, preventing direct contact with the radiator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the inverter device is housed in the motor room on the front side of the vehicle, then the space utilization is improved, but the inverter case may be damaged during frontal collision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vehicle auxiliary component (such as an air cleaner) as an intermediary element that protrudes beyond the front end of the inverter case. This intermediary component absorbs collision forces during frontal impacts, preventing direct contact between the radiator and the inverter case, thereby protecting the inverter device while maintaining front-side housing configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent positions the vehicle auxiliary component to protrude beyond the inverter case's front end, creating a cushioning barrier in advance. This pre-positioned protective element ensures that during frontal collision, the impact force is absorbed by the auxiliary component before it can reach the inverter case, preventing damage beforehand
2Stability of the object's composition
If another object directly contacts the inverter case during collision and moves to the rear side, then the inverter case may move, but the case may still be damaged due to large contact load
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle auxiliary component serves as a mediator between the radiator and the inverter case. Instead of allowing direct contact between the radiator and inverter case, the auxiliary component intercepts the collision force, distributing and absorbing the impact load, thereby preventing both displacement and damage to the inverter case
Data Source
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AI summary
An electric vehicle is configured such that a motor room of the vehicle accommodates a drive device including an electric motor and an inverter device electrically connected to the electric motor above the electric motor, a vehicle auxiliary component fixed to the drive device, and a radiator disposed in front of the drive device in the vehicle and configured to allow cooling water to circulate through. The inverter device is accommodated in an inverter case provided on an upper portion of the drive device, and the vehicle auxiliary component is attached to the inverter case from above and disposed in a manner of protruding toward a front side of the vehicle beyond a front end of the inverter case.