EV Inverter Layout With Collision Buffering Near Radiator Fan
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In electric vehicles, collisions can cause damage to the inverter case due to interference between the fan motor of the radiator and the inverter, leading to emergency stops and abnormal ignitions due to short circuits.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a metal refrigerant pipe between the inverter and radiator, a chamfered case corner, and a protector covering the chamfered portion, which allows the fan motor to slide and absorb collision energy, reducing damage to the inverter and fan motor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the fan motor of the radiator is positioned to cool the inverter, then cooling efficiency is improved, but collision damage risk increases due to interference with the inverter case
Solution Approach 1:
A rubber buffer is introduced as an intermediary component between the fan motor and the inverter case. This buffer absorbs collision energy through deformation, preventing direct contact between the fan motor and the inverter case, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining cooling efficiency and reducing collision damage risk
Solution Approach 2:
The rubber buffer is pre-installed between the fan motor and the inverter case to provide cushioning before any collision occurs. This beforehand cushioning measure ensures that when collision happens, the energy is absorbed by the buffer rather than damaging the inverter case, thus maintaining both cooling function and collision protection
2Reliability
If the inverter case is reinforced to prevent collision damage, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of reinforcing the inverter case directly, a rubber buffer is introduced as an intermediary protective element. This approach improves reliability by preventing direct collision damage while avoiding the need to complicate the inverter case structure itself, thus resolving the contradiction between durability and structural simplicity
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the bracket is designed to bend and absorb collision energy, then protection against frontal collision is improved, but protection against fan motor interference is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The protection strategy is differentiated by location: the bracket provides bending protection for frontal collisions, while a rubber buffer provides localized cushioning specifically at the fan motor-inverter case interface. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction by addressing each collision scenario with the most appropriate protective mechanism
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
Prevents emergency stops and abnormal ignitions by minimizing damage to the inverter and fan motor during collisions, ensuring safe operation.
Implementation Method 1
a rubber buffer 15 is disposed between the fan motor 32 and the inverter 12
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An electric vehicle equipped with a rotary electric machine, an inverter, and a radiator is provided. In this electric vehicle, the inverter is disposed above the rotary electric machine, and the radiator is disposed in front of the inverter. Between the inverter and the radiator, a refrigerant pipe made of metal and having a circular cross section extends in the width direction of the vehicle. The inverter' s case has a chamfered portion formed by chamfering a corner located at the front upper side of the electric vehicle. The radiator includes a fan that rotates about a rotation shaft, and this fan is positioned forward of the refrigerant pipe so that its rotation shaft extends in the front-rear direction of the electric vehicle.