Electric Motor Controller Layout for Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle designs fail to adequately protect the electric motor controller from impact forces, particularly as the high-voltage circuit section can be damaged when subjected to collisions due to its positioning between other components, and the low-voltage circuit section is not effectively protected.
Innovation Solution
The electric motor controller is positioned on both principal surfaces of a rigid plate-like member along the vehicle's longitudinal direction, with the electric storage device closer to the passenger compartment, connected by electric wires, to absorb and distribute impact forces, preventing damage and reducing noise interference between voltage sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the high-voltage circuit section is disposed between the cooling plate and the water jacket/MG2, then the high-voltage circuit section can be cooled effectively, but the high-voltage circuit section may be stuck and damaged by these components during impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the circuit sections into separate spatial zones: the low-voltage circuit section is disposed on the front side of the cooling plate, while the high-voltage circuit section is disposed on the rear side. This segmentation prevents both sections from being trapped between the cooling plate and other components during impact, resolving the contradiction between cooling efficiency and impact protection.
2Temperature
If the high-voltage circuit section is disposed on the rear cooling surface of the cooling plate, then cooling is provided, but the cooling plate becomes large in size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes both surfaces of the cooling plate in the longitudinal direction: the front cooling surface for the low-voltage circuit section and the rear cooling surface for the high-voltage circuit section. This efficient use of both surfaces reduces the overall size of the cooling plate while still providing adequate cooling for both circuit sections.
Data Source
AI summary
The electric motor control unit of this electric vehicle is disposed at a first primary surface and/or a facing second primary surface of a plate-shaped member disposed along the anterior-posterior direction of the electric vehicle and having a higher rigidity than peripheral components or vehicle-configuring elements. An electricity storage device is connected to the electric motor control unit by means of wiring and is disposed on the vehicle cabin side of the plate-shaped member in the anterior-posterior direction. Furthermore, the electric motor control unit is provided with a low-voltage circuit unit and a high-voltage circuit unit. The high-voltage circuit unit is disposed on the vehicle cabin side in the anterior-posterior direction with respect to the low-voltage circuit unit.