Inverter Case Projecting Portion for Collision Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hybrid vehicles, the inverter case is prone to damage during a front collision due to the penetration of the refrigerant passage member with a shaft seal structure, which is connected to the front side wall of the inverter case, as vehicle components like the radiator and hood move rearward and collide with the inverter case.
Innovation Solution
The inverter case is designed with a projecting portion on its upper front surface, positioned ahead of the refrigerant passage member, which absorbs the impact during a collision, preventing the refrigerant passage member from penetrating into the case. This design includes a refrigerant passage connection portion with a shaft seal structure and a refrigerant passage member connected to it, with an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the passage pipe, ensuring the member is protected from damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the refrigerant passage member with shaft seal structure is connected to the front side wall of the inverter case, then the refrigerant passage member can be positioned to connect the refrigerant passage, but during front collision the member penetrates into the inverter case causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The projecting portion is provided in advance on the front side surface of the inverter case at a position forward of the refrigerant passage member. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that during front collision, the projecting portion makes contact first and absorbs the impact load, preventing the refrigerant passage member from penetrating into the inverter case and causing damage while maintaining the shaft seal structure's sealing integrity.
2Ease of operation
If the inverter case is positioned to be inclined downward toward the vehicle front side to shorten distance to the motor, then cable arrangement is simplified, but the inverter case becomes more vulnerable to front collision impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The projecting portion is provided in advance on the front side surface of the inverter case at a position forward of the refrigerant passage member. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that during front collision, the projecting portion makes contact first and absorbs the impact load, preventing the refrigerant passage member from penetrating into the inverter case and causing damage while maintaining the shaft seal structure's sealing integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
An inverter case is provided on a transaxle of a vehicle so as to be inclined downward toward a vehicle front side, and the inverter case includes: a refrigerant passage connection portion provided on a front side surface of the inverter case in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the refrigerant passage connection portion having a shaft seal structure; a refrigerant passage member disposed on the front side surface of the inverter case and connected to the refrigerant passage connection portion by the shaft seal structure; and a projecting portion provided on an upper part of the front side surface of the inverter case, the projecting portion being configured such that a front side end of the projecting portion is placed at the vehicle front side relative to a front side end of the refrigerant passage member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.