Hybrid Drive Unit Harness Layout for Compact Engine Compartments
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complex layout in the engine compartment of hybrid vehicles due to the disposition of motors, generators, and inverters reduces the available space, thereby lowering the mountability of the drive unit.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle drive unit design featuring an internal combustion engine with an electromotive unit, an inverter positioned above it, and harnesses that connect to AC terminal blocks on recessed steps in the inverter, allowing the harnesses to extend downward and outward, reducing their width and improving mountability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the three-phase AC harness bends in the vehicle left-right direction to connect the inverter and motors, then the electrical connection is achieved, but the space utilization in the engine compartment deteriorates and mountability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the routing direction of the harness from the vehicle left-right direction to the vehicle front-rear direction. The harness is configured to extend in the front-rear direction from the inverter to the motors, utilizing the longitudinal space of the engine compartment instead of the lateral space, thereby resolving the space utilization issue while maintaining electrical connection reliability
2Area of stationary object
If the inverter is disposed above the electromotive unit to save space, then the vertical space utilization is improved, but the harness width in the vehicle left-right direction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the orientation of the harness from extending in the vehicle left-right direction to extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. This dimensional change allows the harness to connect the vertically-positioned inverter to the motors without increasing its width in the left-right direction, thus maintaining both compact vertical arrangement and narrow harness profile
Data Source
AI summary
A drive unit includes an internal combustion engine (21) disposed in an engine compartment (10), a first electric motor (31) and a second electric motor (33), and an inverter (27) disposed above an electromotive unit (23). The drive unit has: a first harness (41) that connects the inverter and the first electric motor; a second harness (42) that connects the inverter and the second electric motor; a step portion (51) formed so as to be recessed on one side or the other side, in the left-right direction, of the upper end of the inverter; and an AC terminal block (55) disposed in the step portion. The first harness and the second harness respectively extend downward from the DC terminal block while extending outward, and are respectively connected to upper parts of the first electric motor and the second electric motor.