CN115320774A - Self-propelled electric vehicle and electric motor device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a self-propelled electric vehicle including a seat on which a driver sits, a handlebar for steering at least one of a front wheel and a rear wheel, a motor for rotationally driving at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel, a cooling device for cooling the motor, and a frame for supporting the front wheel and the rear wheel, wherein the handlebar faces the seat, the frame extends between the front wheel and the rear wheel, the motor is disposed on the seat side of the handlebar, is directly or indirectly attached to and supported by the frame, and the cooling device is directly or indirectly attached to and supported by the motor.

Description

Self-propelled electric vehicles and electric motors

Cross References to Related Applications

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-072377 filed with the Japan Patent Office on April 22, 2021, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

technical field

The present disclosure relates to self-propelled electric vehicles and electric motor arrangements.

Background technique

Known are self-propelled electric vehicles such as motorcycles in which a driver sits on a seat with both feet aligned or straddles the seat. In this self-propelled electric vehicle, a cooling device is provided for cooling the electric motor. For example, in the self-propelled two-wheeled electric vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-224490, a condenser for cooling the motor is provided on the vehicle body frame directly or via a transmission case extending from the vehicle body frame.

However, in the self-propelled two-wheeled electric vehicle described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-224490, the condenser is attached to the vehicle frame directly or via a bracket provided in the hollow transmission case. Therefore, the condenser is easily affected by the vibration of the frame of the vehicle while running. At the same time, the condenser and the motor vibrate independently of each other. Therefore, it is difficult to ensure the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path connecting the condenser and the motor.

Contents of the invention

The present disclosure addresses the above-mentioned problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled electric vehicle and an electric motor device that are less affected by vibrations from a frame supporting front and rear wheels and that can easily ensure rigidity and durability of a refrigerant path.

The present disclosure for achieving the above object is characterized in that a seat for a driver to sit on, a handlebar for steering at least one of the front wheels and rear wheels, and a handle for rotationally driving the front wheels. A motor for at least one of the wheels and the rear wheels, a cooling device for cooling the motor, and a frame supporting the front wheels and the rear wheels, the handlebars are opposite to the seat, and the frame is placed on the Extending between the front wheel and the rear wheel, the electric motor is disposed closer to the seat than the handlebar, and is directly or indirectly attached to and supported by the frame, and the cooling device is directly or indirectly attached to and supported by the electric motor.

According to a feature of the present disclosure having such a structure, the motor of the self-propelled electric vehicle is directly or indirectly mounted and supported to the frame. Meanwhile, the cooling device is directly or indirectly installed and supported on the electric motor. Therefore, it is difficult to be affected by vibration from the frame. At the same time, it is easy to secure the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path.

Here, the cooling device directly attached to the motor refers to the cooling device directly attached to the electric motor. For example, an aspect including a cooling device mounted via a mounting portion provided integrally with the housing of the motor, or a cooling device mounted in a state of being in contact with the housing may be mentioned. In addition, the cooling device indirectly attached to the motor refers to a form in which the cooling device is attached via a separate member so as not to directly contact the motor. In addition, the support of the cooling device by the electric motor means that the cooling device is not supported by auxiliary support, but is supported by a single support by the electric motor so that its function can be fully performed. In addition, self-propelled electric vehicles include four-wheeled carts or carts in addition to two- or three-wheeled motorcycles. In this case, the self-propelled vehicle is preferably a relatively small self-propelled vehicle including an electric motor disposed between the handlebar and the seat.

In addition, another feature of the present disclosure is that, in the above-mentioned self-propelled electric vehicle, the cooling device includes a radiator for exchanging heat with cooling water, and a liquid feeder for circulating the cooling water between the electric motor and the radiator. The pump is configured, and the radiator is directly or indirectly attached to and supported by the motor.

According to another feature of the disclosure having such a structure, a cooling device for a self-propelled electric vehicle has a radiator and a liquid delivery pump. Meanwhile, the radiator is directly or indirectly mounted and supported to the motor. Therefore, the heat sink is hardly affected by vibrations from the frame. At the same time, it is easy to secure the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path.

In addition, another feature of the present disclosure is that, in the self-propelled electric vehicle, the liquid feeding pump is directly or indirectly attached to and supported by at least one of the electric motor and the radiator.

According to another feature of the present disclosure having such a structure, the liquid delivery pump of the self-propelled electric vehicle is directly or indirectly mounted and supported on at least one of the electric motor and the radiator. Therefore, the liquid delivery pump is less likely to be affected by vibrations from the frame. At the same time, it is easy to secure the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path.

In addition, another feature of the present disclosure is that the self-propelled electric vehicle is further composed of a cooling water tank storing the cooling water, and the cooling water tank is directly or indirectly installed and supported by the electric motor, the radiator, and the liquid delivery pump. at least one of the .

According to another feature of the present disclosure having such a structure, the cooling water tank for storing cooling water of the self-propelled electric vehicle is directly or indirectly installed and supported by at least one of the electric motor, the radiator, and the liquid delivery pump. Therefore, the cooling water tank is hardly affected by vibration from the frame. At the same time, it is easy to secure the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path.

In addition, another feature of the present disclosure is that, in the above-mentioned self-propelled electric vehicle, the cooling device is composed of a blower blowing air, and is directly or indirectly attached to and supported by the three of the electric motor, the radiator, and the liquid-feeding pump. In at least one of them, the motor is arranged to face the leeward side or the windward side of the blower.

According to another feature of the present disclosure having such a structure, the air blower of the self-propelled electric vehicle is directly or indirectly installed and supported on the electric motor, the radiator, and the liquid delivery pump in a manner facing the leeward side or the windward side of the electric motor. at least one of the three. Therefore, the cooling effect of the electric motor can be improved. In addition, the air blower of the self-propelled electric vehicle is hardly affected by the vibration from the frame. At the same time, it is easy to secure the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path.

In addition, another feature of the present disclosure is that, in the self-propelled electric vehicle, the air blower is arranged between the electric motor and the radiator.

According to another feature of the present disclosure having such a structure, the blower of the self-propelled electric vehicle is arranged between the electric motor and the radiator. Therefore, the motor and the radiator can be effectively cooled at the same time.

In addition, another feature of the present disclosure is that the self-propelled electric vehicle is further composed of a planar footrest, the footrest is arranged between the handlebar and the seat, and is configured to be carried by the driver. Aligned feet are placed, and the above-mentioned radiator is at a position above the above-mentioned pedals, facing the above-mentioned pedals.

According to another characteristic of the present disclosure having such a structure, the radiator is provided facing the planar footboard so that the driver of the self-propelled vehicle can place both feet aligned. Therefore, it is possible to suppress flying objects and muddy water from adhering to the inside of the radiator during running.

In addition, another feature of the present disclosure is that the self-propelled electric vehicle further includes an indirect support that supports the cooling device at a position separated from the electric motor, and the cooling device is indirectly attached to and supported on the above-mentioned cooling device via the indirect support. electric motor.

According to another feature of the disclosure having such a structure, the cooling device of the self-propelled electric vehicle is indirectly mounted and supported to the electric motor via an indirect support body. Therefore, the degree of freedom in attaching the cooling device to the motor can be increased.

In addition, another feature of the present disclosure is that the self-propelled electric vehicle further includes a control device configured to control the operation of the electric motor, and the control device is disposed adjacent to the electric motor or in a common casing with the electric motor.

According to another feature of the present disclosure having such a structure, the control device for controlling the operation of the electric motor of the self-propelled electric vehicle is disposed adjacent to the electric motor or in a housing shared with the electric motor. Therefore, the cooling device can efficiently cool the control device together with the motor.

In addition, another feature of the present disclosure is that, in the self-propelled electric vehicle, the electric motor is fixedly attached to and supported by the frame.

According to another feature of the disclosure having such a structure, the electric motor of the self-propelled electric vehicle is fixedly mounted and supported to the frame. Therefore, compared with the case where the motor is movably attached to the frame, there is no need to consider the movable area of the electric motor and the cooling device attached to the electric motor. Therefore, the installation space of the electric motor and the entire self-propelled electric vehicle can be configured compactly.

In addition, the present disclosure is applicable not only to self-propelled electric vehicles but also to electric motors for the self-propelled electric vehicles.

Specifically, the electric motor device is an electric motor device for a self-propelled electric vehicle, and is characterized in that the above-mentioned electric motor device is composed of an electric motor and a cooling device, and the above-mentioned self-propelled electric vehicle is composed of a seat for the driver, a seat for the front A handlebar for steering at least one of the two wheels and the rear wheel, and a frame for supporting the front wheel and the rear wheel. The handlebar is opposed to the seat. The above-mentioned electric mechanism is used to rotate and drive at least one of the above-mentioned front wheel and the above-mentioned rear wheel, and is arranged on the side of the above-mentioned seat than the above-mentioned handlebar, and has a device for being directly or indirectly installed on the above-mentioned frame. In the mounting part, the cooling device is configured to cool the electric motor, and is directly or indirectly mounted and supported on the electric motor. According to the electric motor device configured in this way, the same operational effect as that of the above-mentioned self-propelled electric vehicle can be expected.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing the overall structure of a self-propelled electric vehicle according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of a motor device mounted on the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in FIG. 1 viewed from the left side of the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in FIG. 1 .

3 is a schematic perspective view of the overall structure of a motor device mounted on the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in FIG. 1 viewed from the right side of the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in FIG. 1 .

Fig. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in Fig. 1 .

5 is a perspective view schematically showing the overall structure of an indirect support in the motor device shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 .

6 is a schematic perspective view of an overall configuration of a motor device mounted on a self-propelled electric vehicle according to a modified example of the present disclosure viewed from the left side of the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in FIG. 1 .

7 is a schematic perspective view of the overall structure of a motor device according to another modified example of the present disclosure viewed from the left side of the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in FIG. 8 .

8 is a schematic side view schematically showing the overall structure of a self-propelled electric vehicle equipped with the motor device shown in FIG. 7 .

Detailed ways

In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments can be practiced without these specific embodiments. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown schematically in order to simplify the drawings.

The self-propelled electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a seat for the driver to sit on, a handlebar for steering at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheels, and rotationally driving the front wheels and the rear wheels. An electric motor for at least one of the two rear wheels, a cooling device for cooling the electric motor, and a frame supporting both the front wheel and the rear wheel are constituted. The handlebar is opposed to the seat. Extending between the front wheel and the rear wheel, the electric motor is disposed closer to the seat than the handlebar, and is directly or indirectly attached to and supported by the frame, and the cooling device is directly or indirectly attached to and supported by the electric motor.

Hereinafter, a self-propelled electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view schematically showing the overall configuration of a self-propelled electric vehicle 100 according to the present embodiment. In addition, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the overall structure of the motor device 120 mounted on the self-propelled vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1 viewed from the left side of the self-propelled vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the overall structure of a motor device 120 mounted on the self-propelled vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1 viewed from the right side of the self-propelled vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1 . In addition, FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1 . The self-propelled electric vehicle 100 is a small motorcycle (so-called scooter). The driver U sits on the seat 110 with both feet aligned, and drives the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 .

(Structure of self-propelled electric vehicle 100)

The self-propelled electric vehicle 100 includes a frame 101 . The frame 101 is a member that constitutes a skeleton that maintains the shape of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 . The frame 101 is formed by combining a plurality of iron pipes or iron plates. The frame 101 mainly includes a head pipe 102 , a main frame 106 , and a seat rail 109 .

A front pipe 102 that is a cylindrical member supports a front wheel 103 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 via a front fork 104 . The front fork 104 is formed to extend in a bar shape on both sides of the front wheel 103 . In addition, the front fork 104 supports the front wheel 103 so that the front wheel 103 can steer in the left-right direction of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 with respect to the front pipe 102 . The front fork 104 is provided with a suspension mechanism (not shown). A handlebar 105 is provided at an upper end portion of the front fork 104 . The handlebar 105 is a member for steering the direction of travel of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 . The handlebar 105 is formed in a rod shape extending in the width direction on the left and right sides of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 . The handlebar 105 consists of a pair of left and right sides. Meanwhile, one of these left and right sides constitutes an accelerator grip 105 a for accelerating the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 .

The main frame 106 is the central part of the frame 101 . The main frame 106 supports the motor unit 120 and the secondary battery 115 and determines the strength of the frame 101 . The main frame 106 is formed in a curved shape, extends obliquely downward from the front toward the rear of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 , extends horizontally, and then extends obliquely upward again. The main frame 106 supports a footboard 114 and a secondary battery 115 at its horizontally extending portion. At the same time, the main frame 106 supports the swing arm 107 and the motor unit 120 near the portion extending obliquely upward. The swing arm 107 supports the rear wheel 108 so that the rear wheel 108 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 can freely move up and down based on a pivot 106 a which is a connecting portion with the main frame 106 .

The seat rail 109 is mainly a portion that supports the seat 110 , the shelf 112 , and the tail lamp 113 . The seat rail 109 is formed to extend obliquely upward toward the rear of the main frame 106 . The seat 110 is a member for the driver U of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 to sit on while aligning his feet. Seat 110 is composed of a cushioning member. The seat 110 is configured to be freely openable and closable. Furthermore, a hollow storage space 111 capable of storing small items such as a helmet is formed below the seat 110 .

In this case, the bottom of the storage space 111 is configured to be freely openable and closable. That is, the bottom thereof is configured so that the motor unit 120 can be accessed. The shelf 112 is a portion for loading goods. The shelf 112 is formed in a frame shape made of metal rods. The tail lamp 113 is a lighting device that is turned on by the driver U's brake operation, turn signal operation, or headlight lighting operation at night or the like.

The footrest 114 is a portion for placing the aligned feet of the driver U seated on the seat 110 . The footboard 114 is located below the front of the seat 110 and is formed as a flat floor surface above the main frame 106 .

The secondary battery 115 is a device that supplies electric power to both the electric motor 121 and the electrical and electronic equipment included in the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 . The secondary battery 115 is composed of a chargeable and dischargeable battery such as a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium ion battery. In addition, the secondary battery 115 stores regenerative electric energy generated by the electric motor 121 when the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 decelerates. The secondary battery 115 is supported by the main frame 106 below the footboard 114 .

The motor device 120 is composed of a group of devices. This group of devices constitutes a power source that generates a driving force for rotationally driving the aforementioned rear wheel 108 . Specifically, the motor device 120 mainly includes a motor 121 , a radiator 130 , a liquid feeding pump 135 , a cooling water tank 138 , and a blower 139 . In addition, in FIG. 1 , the motor device 120 is arranged inside the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 . Therefore, the motor arrangement 120 would have been drawn with dashed lines. However, the motor device 120 is intentionally shown by a solid line for easy understanding (the same applies to FIG. 8 ).

The electric motor 121 is a prime mover that generates a driving force for rotationally driving the rear wheel 108 . In its housing 122, a rotor (not shown) having an output shaft is supported rotatably relative to a stator (not shown). In the present embodiment, the electric motor 121 is constituted by an AC motor. In addition, the electric motor 121 may of course also be comprised by a DC motor. The electric motor 121 further includes a control device 127 and a speed reducer in the casing 122 .

The case 122 is a component constituting the housing. This casing accommodates the control device 127 and the speed reducer together with the motor 121 . The casing 122 is made of metal materials such as steel or non-ferrous metal materials such as aluminum. The housing 122 includes a first housing 123 , a second housing 124 , and a third housing 126 .

The first case 123 houses the motor 121 . The first housing 123 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with both sides closed. The second housing 124 houses the control device 127 . The second case 124 is formed to extend along a side surface extending in the long-side direction of the first case 123 . In addition, the second housing 124 is mounted on the first housing 123 . A mounting portion 125 for mounting the motor 121 to the frame 101 is formed on the second housing 124 . In the present embodiment, the mounting portion 125 is composed of four flat bodies that are flush with the bottom surface of the second housing 124 constituting the bottom of the motor device 120 and protrude laterally. Through-holes through which the bolts pass are formed in the flat bodies, respectively. In addition, one of the four mounting parts 125 is shown in either of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 .

In addition, in the first housing 123 and the second housing 124 , water passages (not shown) are formed between the outer surfaces and the accommodation space where the motor 121 and the control device 127 are accommodated. Each of these water paths is a flow path for circulating cooling water for cooling the motor 121 and the control device 127 . Therefore, the water channels are respectively opened on the outer surfaces.

The third case 126 is a part that accommodates the speed reducer. The third case 126 is arranged at one of two end portions in the longitudinal direction of the first case 123 . Furthermore, the third housing 126 is formed to cover the end and the end of the second housing 124 and has a water droplet (drip) shape when viewed from the side.

The control device 127 is an electrical and electronic device. The electromechanical device controls the operation of the electric motor 121 and also controls the operation of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 comprehensively. More specifically, the control device 127 is constituted by a microcomputer composed of a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like. At the same time, a power control unit (PCU) composed of an inverter, a step-up converter, a DCDC converter, and the like for directly controlling the operation of the electric motor 121 is provided.

Here, the inverter converts the DC current output from the secondary battery 115 into AC current, and outputs it to the motor 121 . At the same time, the inverter converts the AC current output from the motor 121 into DC current, and outputs it to the secondary battery 115 . In addition, the boost converter boosts the voltage output from the secondary battery 115 and supplies it to the electric motor 121 . In addition, the DCDC converter steps down the voltage output from the motor 121 and supplies it to the secondary battery 115 .

The control device 127 executes a control program stored in a storage device such as a ROM. In this way, the rotational drives of the electric motor 121 , the liquid feeding pump 135 , and the blower 139 are controlled in accordance with the operation of the accelerator grip 105 a provided on the handlebar 105 and the operation of the turn signal. In addition, the control device 127 controls the operation of instruments and the lighting of lamps. The control device 127 is accommodated in the second case 124 with the power supply terminals and electrical wiring of the control device 127 exposed on the outer surface of the second case 124 of the case 122 .

The reducer is a mechanical device for reducing the rotation of the output shaft of the electric motor 121 . The decelerated rotation is transmitted to the rear wheels 108 by the speed reducer. The speed reducer includes a plurality of gear trains connected to the output shaft of the electric motor 121 . The speed reducer is accommodated in the third housing 126 together with the output shaft 128 penetrating outside the third housing 126 . The output shaft 128 is connected to the rear wheel 108 via a chain.

The radiator 130 is a device for cooling cooling water (not shown) for cooling the motor 121 and the control device 127 by heat exchange. The radiator 130 is composed of, for example, fins and water pipes provided between the upper case and the lower case. Of course, other types of radiators may be used as long as they are configured to cool cooling water. The radiator 130 is connected to the water channel of the casing 122 via a pipe line 131 on the upstream side where the cooling water is introduced. At the same time, the downstream side of the discharged cooling water is connected to a liquid-feeding pump 135 via a pipe line 132 . In addition, a cooling water tank 138 is connected to the radiator 130 via a pipe line 133 . The heat sink 130 is mounted on the housing 122 through an indirect support body 134 .

The pipe line 131 is a member for guiding the cooling water that has cooled the motor 121 and the control device 127 to the radiator 130 . The pipe line 131 is formed of a metal pipe. In this embodiment, the pipeline 131 is connected to the water channel of the first casing 123 . However, the pipeline 131 may also be connected to the water channel of the second casing 124 . The pipe line 132 is for guiding the cooling water cooled by the radiator 130 to the liquid feeding pump 135 . The pipeline 132 is also made of the same metal pipe as the pipeline 131 .

The pipe line 133 is a member for guiding the cooling water stored in the cooling water tank 138 to the radiator 130 . The pipeline 133 is made of the same metal pipe as the pipelines 131 and 132 . In addition, the pipes 131 , 132 , and 133 can also be composed of flexible hoses instead of rigid pipes.

The indirect support body 134 is a member for supporting the radiator 130 and the blower 139 at positions separated from the motor 121 . The indirect support 134 is formed of a bent metal plate-shaped body. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 , the indirect support body 134 includes a motor mounting portion 134a, a first support portion 134b, and a second support portion 134c. The motor attachment portion 134 a is a portion for attaching the indirect support 134 to the motor 121 . The motor mounting portion 134a is formed of a flat plate body having two through holes formed so as to pass through the bolts. The motor attachment portion 134 a is attached to the housing 122 of the motor 121 .

The first support portion 134b is a portion where the air blower 139 is attached. The first support portion 134b is formed of a plate-shaped body extending in a strip shape from the motor mounting portion 134a. Two through holes through which the bolts pass are formed in the plate-shaped body. In this case, the first support portion 134 b extends from the motor mounting portion 134 a and is formed to support the blower 139 at a position where the blower 139 does not contact the housing 122 of the motor 121 .

The second support portion 134c is a portion where the heat sink 130 is mounted. The second support portion 134c is formed of a plate-shaped body that is bent twice from the first support portion 134b and extends in a belt shape. Two through holes through which the bolts pass are formed in the plate-shaped body. In this case, the second support portion 134c extends from the first support portion 134b and is formed to support the radiator 130 at a position where the radiator 130 does not contact the blower 139 . The indirect support body 134 is constituted by a pair of left and right sides so as to sandwich and support the radiator 130 and the blower 139 from both sides. That is, the two indirect supports 134 are formed bilaterally symmetrically.

Liquid delivery pump 135 is a mechanism for circulating cooling water between casing 122 and radiator 130 . The operation of the liquid delivery pump 135 is controlled by the control device 127 . The liquid feeding pump 135 is connected to the radiator 130 through the pipe line 132 on the upstream side where the cooling water is introduced. At the same time, the downstream side of the discharged cooling water is connected to the water channel of the casing 122 via the pipe line 136 . In addition, the liquid delivery pump 135 is attached to the radiator 130 via an indirect support body 137 .

The pipe line 136 is a member for guiding the cooling water discharged from the liquid-feeding pump 135 to the housing 122 . The pipeline 136 is made of the same metal pipe as the pipelines 131 , 132 , and 133 . In addition, the pipe line 136 can also be configured by a flexible hose in addition to a rigid pipe, similarly to the pipe lines 131 , 132 , and 133 . These pipe lines 131, 132, 133, and 136 constitute a refrigerant path used in this embodiment.

The indirect support body 137 is a member for supporting the liquid feeding pump 135 at a position separated from both the motor 121 and the radiator 130 . The indirect support body 137 is formed of two metal plate-shaped bodies standing upright on the upper surface of the heat sink 130 . The indirect support body 137 is connected to a plate-shaped body hanging downward in the drawing in the liquid-feeding pump 135 via bolts. Thus, the indirect support body 137 fixedly supports the liquid feeding pump 135 at a position separated from both the motor 121 and the radiator 130 .

The cooling water tank 138 is a container for storing cooling water for cooling both the motor 121 and the control device 127 . The cooling water tank 138 is made of a resin material or a metal material. That is, the cooling water tank 138 is a water storage tank. The cooling water tank 138 is directly attached to the casing 122 of the motor 121 via bolts. In the present embodiment, the cooling water tank 138 is attached to the upper portion on the opposite side to the bottom of the motor unit 120 . In addition, the radiator 130, the liquid-feeding pump 135, and the cooling water tank 138 correspond to the cooling device used in this embodiment.

The blower 139 is a mechanical device for air-cooling the motor 121 and the control device 127 . That is, the blower 139 generates a flow of air toward the motor 121 and the control device 127 . Therefore, blower 139 includes a propeller fan. The action of the propeller fan is controlled by the control device 127 . The air blower 139 is arranged between the motor 121 and the radiator 130 and is supported from both sides by the first support portion 134 b of the indirect support body 134 . In this case, the air blower 139 is arranged so that the radiator 130 is located on the windward side thereof and the motor 121 is located on the leeward side thereof.

In the motor device 120 configured in this way, the mounting portion 125 in the housing 122 is fixedly mounted to the frame 101 via bolts. That is, the motor device 120 is directly attached to the frame 101 so that the casing 122 of the motor 121 is in close contact with the frame 101 . In this case, the radiator 130 , the liquid feeding pump 135 , the cooling water tank 138 , and the blower 139 constituting the motor device 120 are all fixedly attached to the frame 101 via the motor 121 without contacting the frame 101 .

In the process of assembling the motor device 120 to the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 , first, the motor device 120 can be assembled by assembling the radiator 130 , the liquid pump 135 , the cooling water tank 138 , and the blower 139 on the motor 121 . Thereafter, the motor device 120 can be assembled to the frame 101 . Thus, the manufacturer of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 can separate the manufacturing operation of the electric motor device 120 from the manufacturing operation of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 . Therefore, it is also possible to separate the time or place for manufacturing the electric motor device 120 from the time or place for manufacturing the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 . As a result, the degree of freedom of the assembly work can be expanded. In addition, the assembly operation itself of the components constituting the motor device 120 to the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 can also be facilitated.

In addition to the above steps, as an assembly process of the motor device 120 to the self-propelled electric vehicle 100, the motor 121, the radiator 130, the liquid feeding pump 135, the cooling water tank 138, and the blower 139 may be sequentially assembled on the frame 101. As a result, the motor device 120 can be assembled to the frame 101 .

(Work on self-propelled electric vehicles 100)

Next, the operation of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 configured in this way will be described. The driver U of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 activates the control device 127 by operating a switch while sitting on the seat 110 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 . Thereafter, the driver U can drive the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 by operating the accelerator based on the turning operation of the accelerator grip 105a.

In this case, depending on the running environment of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 , large and small vibrations are transmitted to the motor device 120 via the frame 101 . However, in the motor device 120 , the radiator 130 , the liquid feeding pump 135 , and the cooling water tank 138 are directly or indirectly attached to the motor 121 as a heavy object via the indirect supports 134 and 137 . Therefore, it is possible to suppress the vibration transmitted from the frame 101 from being directly transmitted. Thereby, transmitted vibration can be attenuated.

In addition, for the motor device 120, the radiator 130, the liquid pump 135, the cooling water tank 138, and the motor 121 are more integrated or Vibrate in a state closer to oneness. Accordingly, the motor device 120 can suppress damage, deterioration, or loosening of the pipe lines 131 , 132 , 133 , and 136 . These effects can be effectively exhibited when the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 suddenly climbs over a large step or depression while running, or when the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 travels on a road surface such as a rough road that continuously generates small vibrations.

As can be understood from the above description of operation, according to the above embodiment, the electric motor 121 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 is directly attached to and supported by the frame 101 . At the same time, the radiator 130 , the liquid delivery pump 135 , and the cooling water tank 138 are attached to the motor 121 directly or indirectly via the indirect supports 134 and 137 , and are supported by the motor 121 . Therefore, the influence of the vibration from the frame 101 can be alleviated. At the same time, the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path of the cooling water can be easily ensured.

In addition, this embodiment is not limited to the embodiment described above. Various changes can be made to the above-mentioned embodiment as long as the purpose of this embodiment is not deviated. In addition, in each modification shown below, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected to the same component as the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 in the said embodiment. Therefore, descriptions of these components are omitted.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the motor device 120 is configured such that the motor 121 is directly attached to the frame 101 via the attachment portion 125 . However, the motor 121 of the motor device 120 may be indirectly attached to the frame 101 via the attachment portion 140 . In this case, the mounting portion 140 is formed to extend in an L shape when viewed from the side. Thereby, the mounting part 140 can fix the motor 121 at a position separated from the frame 101 , that is, at a position floating with respect to the frame 101 , so that the motor 121 does not come into contact with the frame 101 .

According to this, the motor device 120 can suppress the vibration of the frame 101 directly transmitted to the motor 121 . In addition, the attachment parts 125 and 140 of the motor device 120 may be attached to the frame 101 via an elastic body such as a rubber material. In this way, the vibration of the frame 101 directly transmitted to the motor 121 can be further suppressed.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the radiator 130 and the air blower 139 of the motor device 120 are indirectly attached to the motor 121 via the indirect support body 134 . However, the radiator 130 and the blower 139 of the motor device 120 may be directly attached to the motor 121 like the cooling water tank 138 . In addition, the air blower 139 of the motor device 120 may be directly or indirectly attached to any one of the radiator 130 , the liquid feeding pump 135 , and the cooling water tank 138 .

In addition, the liquid feeding pump 135 of the motor device 120 is indirectly attached to the radiator 130 via an indirect support body 137 . However, the liquid feeding pump 135 of the motor device 120 may be directly attached to the motor 121 or the radiator 130 . Alternatively, the liquid feeding pump 135 may be indirectly attached to the motor 121 via separate components such as the indirect supports 134 and 137 . In addition, the cooling water tank 138 of the motor device 120 may be indirectly attached to the motor 121 , the radiator 130 or the liquid delivery pump 135 via separate components such as the indirect supports 134 and 137 .

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the air blower 139 is provided between the motor 121 and the radiator 130 . In this case, the air blower 139 is arranged such that the radiator 130 is located on the windward side thereof and the motor 121 is located on the leeward side thereof. Thus, the air blower 139 can effectively cool the motor 121 and the radiator 130 at the same time. However, the air blower 139 may be arranged such that the radiator 130 is located on the leeward side thereof and the motor 121 is located on the upwind side thereof.

In addition, the cooling device used in the above-described embodiment is constituted by a radiator 130 , a liquid feeding pump 135 , a cooling water tank 138 , and a blower 139 . However, this cooling device may have other configurations as long as it can cool the electric motor 121 . Therefore, the cooling device used in this embodiment may be constituted only by the radiator 130 and the liquid-feeding pump 135 . Alternatively, the cooling device may be constituted only by the air blower 139 .

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the cooling water tank 138 is disposed above the motor 121 on the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 , and the control device 127 is disposed below the cooling water tank 138 . In this way, the motor device 120 has a vertically long structure in which the dimension in the vertical direction is longer than the dimension in the front-rear direction as a whole. Thus, the motor device 120 can compactly configure the entire length of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 by shortening the length in the front-rear direction of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 . In addition, the cooling water tank 138 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 is disposed directly below the storage space 111 . In this way, maintenance work on the cooling water tank 138 can be easily performed.

However, the mounting positions of the radiator 130, the liquid feeding pump 135, the cooling water tank 138, and the blower 139 of the motor device 120 are not limited to the positions described in the above-mentioned embodiment. The radiator 130 , the liquid feeding pump 135 , the cooling water tank 138 , or the blower 139 can also be attached to positions other than those described in the above-mentioned embodiments. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 7 , the second casing 124 may be formed on the upper side of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 with respect to the electric motor 121 of the electric motor device 120 . Furthermore, the control device 127 may be arranged in the second housing 124 , and the cooling water tank 138 may be arranged on the opposite side of the radiator 130 (the rear side of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 ) with respect to the electric motor 121 . Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 8 , the motor device 120 has a horizontally long structure in which the dimension in the front-rear direction is longer than the dimension in the up-down direction as a whole. The motor device 120 configured in this way can be attached to the frame 101 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 .

In this way, the motor device 120 can make the entire height of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 compact by shortening the vertical length of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 . At the same time, the capacity of the storage space 111 can be increased. In addition, the control device 127 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 is disposed directly below the storage space 111 . In this way, the maintenance work of the control device 127 can be easily performed. In addition, in the motor device 120 shown in each of FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 , the liquid feeding pump 135 is indirectly attached to the lower side of the radiator 130 via the indirect support body 137 .

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the radiator 130 of the electric motor device 120 is arranged in a direction facing the footboard 114 . In this case, the radiator 130 faces the footboard 114 via an opening such as a louver. This can prevent flying objects and muddy water from adhering to radiator 130 during running. However, the radiator 130 does not necessarily have to be arranged in such a direction as to face the footboard 114 . The radiator 130 may also be configured to face a direction other than the footboard 114 , such as the side, bottom or rear of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 .

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the housing 122 of the motor 121 includes the second housing 124 and the third housing 126 . In this way, the motor 121 is configured to integrally include the control device 127 and the speed reducer. However, the electric motor 121 does not necessarily have to include the control device 127 and the speed reducer integrally. The motor device 120 can be constituted by a single motor 121 . In this case, the housing 122 of the motor 121 can be constituted by only the first housing 123 . Therefore, the motor 121 can be configured compactly.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the motor device 120 is fixedly attached to the frame 101 . However, the motor device 120 may be movably attached to the frame 101 . Specifically, the motor device 120 may be attached to the pivot shaft 106 a in the frame 101 in the same manner as the swing arm 107 . In this way, the motor device 120 can be movably attached to the frame 101 .

Moreover, in the said embodiment, the indirect support body 134 was comprised including the motor attachment part 134a, the 1st support part 134b, and the 2nd support part 134c. Thereby, the motor 121 can indirectly support two devices, specifically, the air blower 139 and the radiator 130 . However, the indirect support body 134 may also be configured such that the motor 121 indirectly supports one or more than three devices, for example, at least one device among the radiator 130 , the liquid delivery pump 135 , the cooling water tank 138 and the blower 139 .

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the electric motor device 120 is mounted on a small motorcycle (so-called scooter). Then, the driver U sits on the seat 110 with both feet aligned, and drives the motorcycle. However, the motor device 120 can be mounted on a wide range of vehicles including self-propelled electric vehicles such as motorcycles, motorcycles, and carts. In this case, for example, the motor device 120 can be mounted on a saddle-riding two-wheeled vehicle, a tricycle, or a four-wheeled vehicle in which the driver U straddles the seat 110 . In addition, the electric motor device 120 can also be mounted on a front-wheel drive vehicle or an all-wheel drive vehicle in addition to a rear-wheel drive vehicle. In addition to the self-propelled electric vehicle that steers the front wheels, the electric motor device 120 can also be mounted on a self-propelled electric vehicle that steers the rear wheels. In addition, the secondary battery 115 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 can also be arranged in a place other than under the footboard 114 , for example, under the seat 110 or inside the dash panel.

The foregoing detailed description has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Various modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the subject matter described herein to the precise form disclosed. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. A self-propelled electric vehicle is characterized in that,

comprising a seat on which a driver sits, a handlebar for steering at least one of a front wheel and a rear wheel, a motor for rotationally driving at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel, a cooling device for cooling the motor, and a frame for supporting the front wheel and the rear wheel,

the handlebar is opposite the seat,

the frame extends between the front wheel and the rear wheel,

the motor is disposed on the seat side of the handlebar, and is directly or indirectly mounted to and supported by the frame,

the cooling device is mounted directly or indirectly to and supported by the motor.

2. The self-propelled electric vehicle according to claim 1,

the cooling device includes a radiator that exchanges heat with cooling water, and a liquid feed pump that circulates the cooling water between the motor and the radiator,

the heat sink is mounted directly or indirectly to and supported by the motor.

3. A self-propelled electric vehicle according to claim 2,

the liquid feed pump is directly or indirectly mounted on and supported by at least one of the motor and the radiator.

4. A self-propelled electric vehicle according to claim 2 or 3,

the self-propelled electric vehicle is further constituted by a cooling water tank that stores the cooling water,

the cooling water tank is directly or indirectly mounted and supported by at least one of the motor, the radiator, and the liquid-sending pump.

5. A self-propelled electric vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 4,

the cooling device is composed of a blower for blowing air,

the blower is directly or indirectly mounted and supported by at least one of the motor, the radiator, and the liquid-feeding pump,

the motor is disposed to face a leeward side or a windward side of the blower.

6. A self-propelled electric vehicle according to claim 5,

the blower is disposed between the motor and the radiator.

7. The self-propelled electric vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 6,

the self-propelled electric vehicle is further constituted by a planar step plate,

the footrest is disposed between the handlebar and the seat and configured to allow the rider to carry aligned feet,

the radiator is located above the step plate and faces the step plate.

8. A self-propelled electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

the self-propelled electric vehicle is further configured by an indirect support body that supports the cooling device at a position separated from the electric motor,

the cooling device is indirectly attached to and supported by the motor via the indirect support body.

9. A self-propelled electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

the self-propelled electric vehicle is further configured by a control device configured to control operation of the electric motor,

the control device is disposed at a position adjacent to the motor or within a housing common to the motor.

10. A self-propelled electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9,

the motor is fixedly mounted and supported to the frame.

11. A motor device for a self-propelled electric vehicle,

is composed of a motor and a cooling device,

the self-propelled electric vehicle includes a seat on which a driver sits, a handlebar for steering at least one of a front wheel and a rear wheel, and a frame for supporting the front wheel and the rear wheel,

the handlebar is opposite the seat,

the frame extends between the front wheel and the rear wheel,

the electric motor is configured to rotationally drive at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel, is disposed closer to the seat side than the handlebar, and has a mounting portion for directly or indirectly mounting to the frame,

the cooling device is configured to cool the motor, and is directly or indirectly mounted to and supported by the motor.

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