JP2021115892A - Mounting structure of electrical equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To protect a connector on a rear surface of a power converter mounted on a front compartment from the impact of a collision. A power converter 10 is fixed on a structure in a front compartment. A DC-power connector 15 of a power cable that electrically connects the power converter and the power source of the vehicle is attached to the rear surface of the power converter 10 facing the rear of the vehicle. A brake actuator 51 is located behind the DC power connector 15 in the front compartment. A protector 40 is attached to the rear of the power converter 10 so as to cover the DC power connector 15. A gap SP is secured between the DC power connector 15 and the protector 40. A protrusion 21 is provided on the rear surface of the power converter 10 so as to project rearward and the front end surface thereof abuts on the protector 40, and the protrusion 21 and the brake actuator 51 are arranged on a straight line L extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. .. [Selection diagram] FIG. 5

Description

The techniques disclosed herein relate to the mounting structure of electrical equipment in the front compartment.

Patent Document 1 discloses an electric device (power converter) mounted on a front compartment. A power converter is a device that converts power from a power source into drive power for a traveling motor. The power converter is supported by front and rear brackets on top of the housing that houses the motor. There is a gap between the power converter and the housing. When the vehicle collides with an obstacle in front, the obstacle collides with the power converter from the front, the bracket is deformed or broken, and the power converter retracts. Another device is located behind the power converter and interferes with the retracted power converter. A power cable connector for transmitting electric power to the electric power converter is connected to the rear surface of the electric power converter facing the rear of the vehicle. In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, a pair of protectors that protect the connector in the event of a collision are attached to the rear part of the power converter. A pair of protectors are arranged on both sides of the connector in the vehicle width direction.

JP-A-2018-122825

The techniques disclosed herein provide techniques for better connector protection with respect to improvements in mounting structures with protectors that protect the connectors. The techniques disclosed herein are applicable not only to power converters but also to mounting structures of electrical equipment fixed on structures in front compartments.

This specification discloses a mounting structure of an electric device in a front compartment. The electrical equipment is fixed on top of the structure in the front compartment. A power cable connector that electrically connects the in-vehicle power supply and the electric device is attached to the rear surface of the electric device facing the rear of the vehicle. Another structure is located behind the connector in the front compartment. A protector is attached to the rear of the electrical equipment so as to cover the connector. There is a gap between the connector and the protector. The rear surface of the electrical device is provided with a protrusion that protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle and whose front end surface abuts on the protector. The protrusion and another structure are arranged on a straight line extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

With the above structure, when the vehicle collides forward and the electrical equipment retracts, the protector first comes into contact with another structure behind. Since the protrusion and another structure are arranged on a straight line extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the protrusion (that is, the housing of the electric device) faces the other structure with the protector in between. The impact of a collision with another structure is transmitted to the protrusion (ie, the housing of the electrical device) via the protector and dispersed. Since the impact of the collision is dispersed throughout the housing of the electrical equipment, deformation of the protector is suppressed and the connector is protected.

Details of the techniques disclosed herein and further improvements will be described in the "Modes for Carrying Out the Invention" below.

It is a perspective view which shows the device layout in the front compartment of a hybrid vehicle. It is a block diagram of the electric system of a power converter and its peripheral equipment. It is a side view of the power converter fixed on the motor housing. It is the figure which looked at the power converter diagonally from the rear (protector disassembly). It is the figure which looked at the power converter diagonally from the rear (protector assembly). It is sectional drawing cut by the VI-VI line of FIG.

The mounting structure of the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The mounting structure of the embodiment is applied to a hybrid vehicle 100 equipped with an engine and a motor for traveling. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a device layout in the front compartment 50 of the hybrid vehicle 100. In the coordinate system in the figure, the positive direction of the F axis indicates the front of the vehicle, and the positive direction of the V axis indicates the upper side of the vehicle. The positive direction of the H axis indicates the left side of the vehicle. In FIG. 1, the device mounted on the front compartment 50 is schematically drawn. Further, in FIG. 1, the hood covering the front compartment is not shown.

The front compartment 50 houses an engine 55, a transaxle 30, a power converter 10, an auxiliary battery 5, and a brake actuator 51. Various other devices are housed in the front compartment 50, but their illustration and description are omitted. The power converter 10 corresponds to an electrical device to which the mounting structure of the embodiment is applied.

The hybrid vehicle 100 includes two motors 7a and 7b and an engine 55 for traveling. The two motors 7a and 7b are housed in a housing (motor housing) of the transaxle 30. The transaxle 30 includes two motors 7a and 7b for traveling, as well as a power distribution mechanism and a differential gear. The power distribution mechanism is a gear set that combines / distributes the output torque of the engine 55 and the output torque of the motors 7a and 7b. The power distribution mechanism divides the output torque of the engine 55 and transmits it to the differential gear and one of the motors 7a according to the traveling state. In that case, the hybrid vehicle 100 generates electricity with the motor 7a while traveling with the engine torque.

The engine 55 and the transaxle 30 are connected so as to be adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction. The engine 55 and the transaxle 30 are suspended by two side members 52 that ensure the structural strength of the vehicle. In FIG. 1, one side member is not visible.

A power converter 10 is fixed to the upper surface of the transaxle 30. The power converter 10 is a device that boosts the DC power of a main battery (not shown) and converts the boosted DC power into AC power suitable for driving a motor. Reference numeral 11 indicates a housing of the power converter 10.

FIG. 2 shows an electrical block diagram of equipment inside and around the power converter 10. The power converter 10 includes a converter circuit 12, two inverter circuits 13a and 13b, and a control board 14 for controlling the converter circuit 12 and the inverter circuits 13a and 13b.

The power converter 10 is connected to the main battery 3 via a DC power cable 25. Reference numeral 15 indicates a connector (DC power connector 15) attached to the tip of the DC power cable 25. The output of the main battery 3 is 100 volts or more, and the motors 7a and 7b are driven by the electric power of the main battery 3. The output power of the main battery 3 is input to the converter circuit 12. The converter circuit 12 boosts the output voltage of the main battery 3 and supplies it to the inverter circuits 13a and 13b. The inverter circuits 13a and 13b convert the boosted DC power into AC power suitable for driving the motor. The outputs of the inverter circuits 13a and 13b are supplied to the motors 7a and 7b via the motor connector 17 and the motor power cable 27, respectively.

The converter circuit 12 and the inverter circuits 13a and 13b are controlled by a control circuit mounted on the control board 14. The control circuit of the control board 14 operates by receiving power supply from the auxiliary battery 5. The control circuit of the control board 14 operates in response to a command from an external host controller 6. The auxiliary battery 5 and the upper controller 6 are connected to the control board 14 of the power converter 10 via a communication cable and a communication connector 18.

The auxiliary battery 5 supplies electric power to the control board 14 in the power converter 10 and other devices operating at 12 volts. Among the devices mounted on the hybrid vehicle 100, the devices operating at 12 volts are collectively referred to as auxiliary machines. The auxiliary battery 5 is mounted in the front compartment 50 (see FIG. 1).

The housing 11 of the power converter 10 also serves as a power repeater between the main battery 3 and the air conditioner compressor 4. The electric power of the main battery 3 is supplied from the housing 11 to the air conditioner compressor 4 via the air conditioner cable 26 and the air conditioner connector 16.

Returning to FIG. 1, the description of the device layout in the front compartment 50 will be continued. The power converter 10 is supported above the transaxle 30 via a front bracket 53 and a rear bracket 54. A protector 40 is attached to a surface (rear surface) of the housing 11 of the power converter 10 facing the vehicle rear. Two connectors (DC power connector 15 and air conditioner connector 16) are connected to the rear surface of the housing 11, and the protector 40 covers those connectors. A brake actuator 51 is arranged behind the protector 40 (DC power connector and air conditioner connector).

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the positional relationship between the power converter 10 and the brake actuator 51. Also in FIG. 3, the F-axis positive direction of the coordinate system represents the front of the vehicle, and the V-axis positive direction represents the upward direction. The positive direction of the H axis points to the left side of the vehicle.

As described above, the power converter 10 is supported on the upper surface 30a of the transaxle 30 via the front bracket 53 and the rear bracket 54. The upper surface 30a is inclined downward. Therefore, the power converter 10 fixed to the upper surface 30a is also fixed in a forward-down posture.

A gap SP is secured between the power converter 10 and the transaxle 30. The power converter 10 is not directly fixed to the upper surface 30a of the transaxle 30 in order to block the vibration from the transaxle 30. A vibration isolator bush 63 is sandwiched between the front bracket 53 and the housing 11 of the power converter 10. A vibration-proof bush 64 is also sandwiched between the rear bracket 54 and the housing 11.

The motor connector 17 is connected to the left side surface of the housing 11, and the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16 are connected to the rear surface 11a of the housing 11. In FIG. 3, the air conditioner connector 16 is located behind the DC power connector 15 and cannot be seen. A protector 40 is attached to the rear portion of the housing 11, and the protector 40 covers the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16.

A communication connector 18 is connected to the upper surface of the housing 11. In FIG. 3, the communication cable extending from the communication connector 18 is not shown.

The power converter 10 is supported above the transaxle 30 by two brackets 53 and 54. When the hybrid vehicle 100 collides forward, the brackets 53 and 54 may be deformed or broken, and the power converter 10 may move backward. Two connectors (DC power connector 15 and air conditioner connector 16) are connected to the rear surface 11a of the housing 11 of the power converter 10, and a brake actuator 51 is arranged behind the two connectors (DC power connector 15 and air conditioner connector 16). The brake actuator 51 is fixed to the vehicle body 102.

When the housing 11 is retracted, the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16 attached to the rear surface 11a may come into contact with peripheral parts such as the brake actuator 51 and be damaged. Therefore, in the mounting structure of the embodiment, the protector 40 that protects the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16 is attached to the rear portion of the housing 11.

4 and 5 show views of the power converter 10 as viewed diagonally from the rear. FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the protector 40, and FIG. 5 is a view in which the protector is attached. As will be understood by comparing FIGS. 4 and 5, the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16 are completely covered with the protector 40.

The protector 40 is made up of four parts. The protector 40 is composed of an upper cover 41, a protector main body 42, and two reinforcing plates 43 and 44. The four parts 41-44 are made of iron plates and are joined together by welding.

The protector main body 42 is attached to the rear portion of the housing 11 so as to cover the rear surfaces of the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16. The upper cover 41 is attached to the upper part of the connector main body 42 so as to cover the upper surfaces of the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16. Both ends of the protector main body 42 in the vehicle width direction (H direction in the drawing) are curved toward the side surface of the housing 11 of the power converter 10. In other words, both ends of the protector main body 42 in the vehicle width direction (H direction in the drawing) are curved toward the front of the vehicle. The curved portions will be referred to as a first curved portion 42a and a second curved portion 42b.

The reinforcing plate 43 is arranged inside the first curved portion 42a of the protector main body 42. The reinforcing plate 43 is a component for reinforcing the first curved portion 42a of the protector main body 42 and for bringing the protector 40 into contact with the housing 11 as described later.

The reinforcing plate 44 is arranged inside the second curved portion 42b of the protector main body 42. The reinforcing plate 44 is a component for reinforcing the second curved portion 42b of the protector main body 42 and for bringing the protector 40 into contact with the housing 11.

The rear surface of the housing 11 is provided with protrusions 21 and 22 protruding toward the rear of the vehicle. When the protector 40 is attached to the housing 11, the reinforcing plate 43 comes into contact with the tip surface of the protrusion 21 to reinforce the housing 11. The plate 44 comes into contact with the tip surface of the protrusion 22.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. FIG. 6 is a view cut by a horizontal plane crossing the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16, and is a view of the cross section viewed from above. In FIG. 6, the internal structures of the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16 are not shown, and the cross sections of the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16 are shown only by simple hatching.

As described above, the reinforcing plate 43 is arranged inside the first curved portion 42a of the protector main body 42, and is in contact with the tip surface of the protrusion 21 of the housing 11. A gap SP1 is secured between the protector main body 42 and the reinforcing plate 43 at a position facing the tip surface of the protrusion 21. The reinforcing plate 44 is arranged inside the second curved portion 42b of the protector main body 42, and is in contact with the tip surface of the protrusion 22 of the housing 11. A gap SP2 is secured between the protector main body 42 and the reinforcing plate 44 at a position facing the tip surface of the protrusion 22. Further, the protrusions 21 and 22 are positioned so as to sandwich the two connectors of the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16 from both sides in the arrangement direction thereof. Further, a gap SP3 is secured between the DC power connector 15 (air conditioner connector 16) and the protector 40.

The straight line L in FIG. 6 is a straight line that passes through the protrusion 21 and is parallel to the vehicle front-rear direction (F axis of the coordinate system in the figure). The straight line L passes through the protrusion 21 and the brake actuator 51. In other words, the protrusion 21 and the brake actuator 51 are arranged on a straight line L extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

When a vehicle collides, the front bracket 53 and the rear bracket 54 may be deformed and the power converter 10 may move backward. When the power converter 10 retracts, the power converter 10 may interfere with the brake actuator 51 (see FIGS. 3 and 6) located at the rear of the vehicle. In that case, the protector 40 first interferes with the brake actuator 51. The load applied to the protector 40 is distributed throughout the housing 11 through the protrusions 21 and 22. In particular, since the protrusion 21 is aligned with the brake actuator 51 in the vehicle front-rear direction, most of the initial impact when the brake actuator 51 comes into contact with the protector 40 is transmitted to the protrusion 21. Since most of the impact of the collision is dispersed to the protrusion 21 (housing 11) through the protector 40, the deformation of the protector 40 is suppressed. As a result, the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16 are protected.

Further, a gap SP1 is secured between the protector main body 42 and the reinforcing plate 43 at a position facing the tip surface of the protrusion 21. The impact received by the protector main body 42 is also alleviated by the deformation of the protector main body 42 in the space of the gap SP1.

A gap SP3 is secured between the DC power connector 15 (air conditioner connector 16) and the protector main body 42. Therefore, even if the protector body 42 is slightly deformed at the time of a collision, the damage caused by the protector 40 to the DC power connector 15 (air conditioner connector 16) is small. A gap SP2 is also secured between the protector main body 42 and the reinforcing plate 44 at a position facing the tip surface of the protrusion 22. The gap SP2, like the gap SP1, also contributes to alleviating the impact received by the protector main body 42.

The high voltage of the main battery 3 is applied to the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16. The protector 40 protects the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16 to which a high voltage is applied from the impact at the time of collision.

Further, by providing the reinforcing plates 43 and 44, the strength of the protector 40 is improved. In particular, when the power converter 10 retracts and comes into contact with another structure (for example, the brake actuator 51 described above) at the time of a collision, the protector 40 protects the DC power connector 15 and the air conditioner connector 16 from the impact of the contact. The reinforcing plate 43 that abuts on the protrusion 21 of the housing 11 enhances the load resistance of the protector 40 against the load received from the rear at the time of a collision.

The protrusions 21 and 22 provided on the housing 11 are provided with recesses on their tip surfaces. The protrusions 21 and 22 are also parts for the robot arm to grip the housing 11 when the power converter 10 is conveyed.

The points to be noted regarding the technique described in the examples will be described. A transaxle accommodating motors 7a and 7b is an example of a motor housing. The structure that may interfere when the power converter 10 retracts is not limited to the brake actuator 51. However, the structure such as the brake actuator 51 has higher strength than the DC power connector 15 (air conditioner connector 16) and the like, and if they come into contact with each other, the DC power connector (air conditioner connector 16) may be significantly damaged. The protector 40 of the embodiment protects the connector (DC power connector 15, air conditioner connector 16) from collision with a highly rigid structure (brake actuator 51) located behind the connector (DC power connector 15, air conditioner connector 16). do.

The technique described in the examples may be applied to electrical equipment other than the power converter 10. The mounting structure disclosed in this specification can be applied not only to hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, but also to automobiles having a traveling motor such as fuel cell vehicles.

When the main body of the connector is made of resin, a metal protective plate that protects the main body may be attached to the back surface of the main body in order to mitigate damage to the main body.

Although specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of claims. The techniques described in the claims include various modifications and modifications of the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described herein or in the drawings exhibit their technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the techniques illustrated in the present specification or drawings can achieve a plurality of purposes at the same time, and achieving one of the purposes itself has technical usefulness.

3: Main batteries 7, 7a, 7b: Motor 10: Power converter 11: Housing 11b: Rear surface 15: DC power connector 16: Air conditioner connector 17: Motor connector 18: Communication connector 21, 22: Protrusion 25: DC power cable 26: Air conditioner cable 27: Motor power cable 30: Transformer axle 40: Protector 41: Top cover 42: Protector body 42a, 42b: Curved portion 43, 44: Reinforcing plate 50: Front compartment 51: Brake actuator 53: Front bracket 54: Rear bracket

Claims (1)

It is a mounting structure in the front compartment of electrical equipment.
The electrical equipment is fixed on top of the structure in the front compartment.
A connector of a power cable that electrically connects the electric device and the power source of the vehicle is attached to the rear surface of the electric device facing the rear of the vehicle.
Another structure is located behind the connector in the front compartment.
A protector is attached to the rear of the electrical device so as to cover the connector.
A gap is secured between the connector and the protector.
A protrusion is provided on the rear surface so as to project rearward and the front surface thereof abuts on the protector.
A mounting structure in which the protrusion and the other structure are arranged on a straight line extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

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