Vehicle Front Layout for High-Voltage Connector Collision Isolation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In vehicle front arrangement structures, high-strength air-conditioner blowers integrated with heat exchangers pose a risk of contact with nearby high-voltage equipment during collisions, compromising electrical insulation protection.

Innovation Solution

The air-conditioner blower and high-voltage equipment are housed in a motor room with the high-voltage connector positioned forward of the blower, offset in both vertical and horizontal directions, ensuring the blower motor is not within the displacement area of the high-voltage equipment during a collision, and the connector overlaps the air passage of the resin structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the air-conditioner blower is arranged in close proximity to high-voltage equipment to save space, then the device complexity is reduced, but the electrical insulation protection deteriorates due to potential contact during collision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvearrangement complexityVSAvoidelectrical insulation protection
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dimensional displacement by arranging the high-voltage connector part to be offset from the air-conditioner blower in both vertical and horizontal directions. This spatial separation in multiple dimensions ensures that even during collision, the blower motor remains outside the displacement area of the high-voltage equipment, maintaining electrical insulation protection while keeping the overall arrangement compact.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The resin structure with air passage serves as an intermediary element between the high-voltage connector part and the air-conditioner blower. The connector is positioned to overlap the air passage of the resin structure, creating a buffer zone that prevents direct contact between high-voltage components and the blower motor during collision, thus ensuring electrical insulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the high-voltage equipment is positioned forward to protect the inverter, then the electrical insulation protection is improved, but the risk of blower motor contact with high-voltage equipment increases during collision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical insulation protectionVSAvoidcollision risk to blower motor
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by introducing multi-dimensional offset arrangement. The high-voltage connector part is displaced from the blower motor in both vertical and horizontal directions, creating a three-dimensional safety zone. This allows the high-voltage equipment to be positioned forward for protection while the connector's offset position ensures the blower motor remains outside the collision displacement area.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by creating a specific safe zone around the blower motor through multi-dimensional displacement of the high-voltage connector part. The connector is positioned to overlap the air passage of the resin structure rather than being directly adjacent to the blower motor, providing localized protection where it is most needed while maintaining overall compactness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3778277B1Vehicle front-arrangement structure and vehicle equipped with vehicle front-arrangement structure
Publication Date: 2024.01.03 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3778277B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3778277B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3778277B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vehicle front arrangement structure includes high-voltage equipment, and air conditioning equipment that includes an air-conditioner blower are arranged in front of a vehicle. A high-voltage connector part is provided at a vehicle rearward end portion of the high-voltage equipment to which a high-voltage wire harness is connected, and the high-voltage connector part is arranged so as to be displaced in at least one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction as viewed from the front of the vehicle.