EV Mechatronic Unit Layout for Frontal Auxiliary Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrified vehicles face challenges in protecting high-voltage auxiliaries such as the electric compressor and high-voltage heater during frontal collisions, as they are vulnerable to damage when impacted by external objects.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle design includes an inclined surface configuration for the mechatronic unit and integrated thermal unit, where at least one surface of each unit is inclined to ascend toward the rear, allowing these units to overlap and mitigate damage by reducing the load per unit area and preventing them from getting caught between the units and the colliding object during a frontal collision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the auxiliary is installed in front of the mechatronic unit, then the auxiliary can be positioned in the available space, but the auxiliary is vulnerable to impact damage during frontal collision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensional change by configuring at least one surface of the mechatronic unit and/or auxiliary as an inclined surface that ascends toward the rear side. This transforms the collision interaction from a planar (2D) contact to a three-dimensional (3D) interaction, causing the auxiliary to move upward along the inclined surface during frontal collision rather than being compressed between the mechatronic unit and the colliding object. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining the frontward installation position while eliminating the vulnerability to impact damage through spatial dimension transformation.
2Volume of moving object
If the auxiliary overlaps the mechatronic unit as seen in vehicle front view, then space efficiency is improved, but the auxiliary gets caught between the units during collision
Solution Approach 1:
The overlapping arrangement is maintained in the planar view for space efficiency, but the inclined surface configuration adds a vertical dimension to the collision response. During frontal collision, the auxiliary moves upward along the inclined surface instead of being trapped in the horizontal overlap zone between the mechatronic unit and the colliding object. This dimensional transformation resolves the contradiction by preserving horizontal overlap while eliminating the trapping hazard through vertical motion freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The inclined surface configuration introduces dynamic motion capability to the auxiliary during collision. Instead of being statically trapped between the mechatronic unit and the colliding object, the auxiliary can dynamically move upward along the inclined surface. This dynamic response resolves the contradiction by maintaining the overlapping space-efficient arrangement while providing a escape path during collision through controlled motion.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrified vehicle includes: a battery; a mechatronic unit including a motor that is a motive power source and an electric power control device configured to supply electricity from the battery to the motor; and an auxiliary installed in front of the mechatronic unit in a vehicle front-rear direction. The mechatronic unit and the auxiliary are installed frontward of a vehicle cabin in the vehicle front-rear direction. The auxiliary overlaps the mechatronic unit as seen in a vehicle front view. At least one surface of a surface of the mechatronic unit that faces the auxiliary and a surface of the auxiliary that faces the mechatronic unit is an inclined surface that is inclined so as to ascend toward a rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction.