EV Lower Structure Harness Routing Around Floor Tunnel Retraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electric vehicles with a vertically arranged engine, the harness connecting the inverter and battery unit is at risk of being trapped between the transmission and transmission support member during a frontal collision, due to its configuration within the floor tunnel.
Innovation Solution
The harness is routed across the floor tunnel from inside to outside at the rear of the transmission support member, with the battery unit's corner cut out to create a free space, allowing the harness to deflect and avoid being trapped during the retraction of the transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the harness is routed through the floor tunnel to connect the inverter and battery unit, then the electrical connection is established, but the harness is trapped between the transmission and transmission support member during frontal collision
Solution Approach 1:
The harness is extracted from the floor tunnel routing and repositioned to extend along the outer side of the floor tunnel. This removes the harness from the dangerous zone where it could be trapped during collision, while maintaining the electrical connection between the inverter and battery unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The side surface of the floor tunnel serves as an intermediary pathway for the harness. By routing the harness along this intermediate surface rather than through the floor tunnel interior, the design provides both connection functionality and collision safety.
2Quantity of substance
If the battery unit is arranged on the outer side of the floor tunnel to increase capacity, then the arrangement space is secured, but the harness may be trapped between the battery unit and transmission support member during collision
Solution Approach 1:
The harness is extracted from the potential trap zone between the battery unit and transmission support member by routing it along the outer side of the floor tunnel. This allows the battery unit to be positioned optimally for capacity while protecting the harness from collision-related trapping.
3Reliability
If the transmission is designed to retract during frontal collision for safety, then the transmission can be separated from the transmission support member, but the harness is trapped during retraction
Solution Approach 1:
The harness is extracted from the retraction path of the transmission by routing it along the outer side of the floor tunnel. This allows the transmission to retract freely during collision without the harness interfering or being trapped, while maintaining electrical connectivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
[Task] To suppress interference of a harness during a frontal collision in an electric vehicle. [Solution] An electric vehicle includes: a floor panel formed with a floor tunnel; a transmission; a transmission support member; an inverter attached to a case of the transmission; a battery unit disposed behind the transmission and on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of the floor tunnel; and a harness disposed such that an intermediate portion between a first end portion connected to the inverter and a second end portion connected to a front end portion of the battery unit extends across the floor tunnel from inside to outside thereof. The battery unit has a substantially rectangular shape in a bottom view, and a corner on the floor tunnel side of a front end portion of the battery unit is cut out to form a free space between the front end portion of the battery unit and a portion of the floor tunnel behind the transmission support member.