Hybrid Vehicle Engine Room Layout for Wiring and Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hybrid working vehicles face increased manufacturing costs due to the need for a new design that shortens the wiring between storage and generator-motor while effectively cooling storage devices, as conventional frame structures are not suitable for hybrid systems, leading to inefficiencies in power transmission and cooling.

Innovation Solution

The hybrid working vehicle design includes a power unit with the engine, generator-motor, and main hydraulic pump arranged linearly or in parallel, with storage placed between a partition and a counterweight, utilizing a dedicated cooling system to reduce wiring length and enhance cooling efficiency by positioning storage near airflow from the cooling fan.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If storage is positioned away from generator-motor in conventional arrangements, then ease of manufacture is improved, but wiring length increases causing electric power loss

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectric power lossVSAvoidarrangement structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The storage is positioned in the vertical direction below the generator-motor rather than horizontally adjacent, utilizing the vertical space within the engine room. This dimensional change allows the storage to be close to the generator-motor for short wiring while maintaining ease of manufacture by using the lower portion of the engine room space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Temperature

If dedicated cooling system is added for storage, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage cooling efficiencyVSAvoidcooling system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling fan serves dual functions: cooling the radiator and cooling the storage simultaneously. The cooling system is designed so that the fan positioned for radiator cooling also generates airflow that reaches the storage, making the cooling system multi-functional and avoiding additional cooling devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Length of stationary object

If storage is positioned in lower portion of engine room, then wiring length is reduced, but cooling efficiency may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewiring lengthVSAvoidstorage cooling
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling fan acts as an intermediary that transfers cooling airflow from the radiator area to the storage. The fan creates a directed airflow path that carries cooled air from the radiator cooling zone to the storage location, enabling effective cooling without direct thermal contact or additional cooling infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This configuration reduces electric power loss in wiring, improves working efficiency, and effectively cools storage devices without compromising radiator efficiency, while allowing for integration with conventional vehicle arrangements to minimize manufacturing costs.

Implementation Method 1

positioning storage near airflow from the cooling fan

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

a radiator for cooling the cooling liquid for the storage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat Exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP2053167B1Hybrid working vehicle
Publication Date: 2018.10.31 KOMATSU LTD
  • EP2053167B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2053167B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2053167B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An engine room (35) is divided into a left room and a right room by a cooling unit (18). An intake chamber (36) is disposed at a left side and an engine and the like are disposed at a right side. A cooling heat sink (24) is provided on a side of the intake chamber (36), and a storage (26) and a controller (25) for controlling hybrid electronic devices are formed in this order in a cooling heat sink (24). Further, a cooling pump (27) for supplying cooling liquid to the cooling heat sink (24) is provided in the intake chamber (36). A radiator (31) for cooling the cooling liquid is provided in front of the cooling unit (18).