CN113948926A

CN113948926A - Interface box for vehicle

Info

Publication number: CN113948926A
Application number: CN202110716902.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: C·苏尼尔; S·阿南德; M·A·库马尔; M·迪潘詹
Original assignee: TVS Motor Co Ltd
Current assignee: TVS Motor Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-07-16
Filing date: 2021-06-28
Publication date: 2022-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 2041-06-28
Also published as: CN113948926B

Abstract

The present subject matter generally relates to an interface box 109 that can securely house an electronic module 116 and facilitate independent installation or placement of the interface box 109. The frame 001 of the vehicle 100 includes a front frame portion 121 and a rear frame portion 103, and the outlet box 109 is supported on the rear portion (R) and is disposed offset from a longitudinal mid-plane (a-a') of the vehicle 100. The outlet box 109 provides a reliable and optimal mounting location for the outlet box 109 that houses the pre-charge capacitor to minimize lag and loss in the pre-charge capacitor. The location of the outlet box 109 provides ease of installation, serviceability, accessibility, and a suitable and reliable location for the outlet box 109.

Description

Interface box for vehicle

Technical Field

The present subject matter relates generally to electric and hybrid electric vehicles. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present subject matter relates to the location of interface boxes in such electric and hybrid-electric vehicles.

Background

Generally, an electric vehicle drives a vehicle using electric energy obtained from a power source such as a battery as its energy source, and a hybrid electric vehicle runs the vehicle using an internal combustion engine and the power source according to an operation mode of the hybrid vehicle. The motor control unit is used in the above-mentioned vehicle to drive the electric traction motor. The motor control unit contains a large value capacitor, referred to as a "pre-charge capacitor," to provide stable power for charging the control unit that operates the traction motor. Without the pre-charged capacitor, a large inrush current (inrush current) flows from the battery to the motor control unit, which may damage the motor control unit. In this case, the power transmission for the traction wheels will be suddenly stopped, which may cause a serious accident to the user of the vehicle.

Drawings

The details will be described with reference to an embodiment of the saddle-ride type two-wheeled scooter and the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to like features and components.

Fig. 1 exemplarily shows a two-wheeled vehicle.

Fig. 2 exemplarily shows a front perspective view of the two-wheeled vehicle.

Fig. 3 exemplarily shows an enlarged perspective view of the interface box mounted on the vehicle frame.

Fig. 4 exemplarily shows a perspective view of the interface box.

Fig. 5 exemplarily shows an exploded view of the outlet box.

Detailed Description

The location of the pre-charged capacitor is a major concern when packaging electric and hybrid electric vehicles. Typically, the pre-charge capacitor is either placed together with the control unit or inside the battery. The proximity of the pre-charge capacitor to the battery and motor control unit plays an important role in determining the hysteresis and losses of the pre-charge capacitor and its associated units. This causes hysteresis and transmission loss in the case where the precharge capacitor placed in the control unit is placed at a position farther from the battery. Similarly, if the pre-charge capacitor is placed within the battery, further away from the control unit, it again causes hysteresis and losses. Both of these situations are not preferred for the traction efficiency of the vehicle, since the pre-charged capacitor is responsible for operating the vehicle by providing the required power to the control unit. However, most known techniques tend to have a compromised solution due to the conflicting nature of the requirements. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved layout arrangement for an interface box for a compact saddle-type vehicle that overcomes all of the above-mentioned problems and others of the known art.

It is an object of the present subject matter to provide an interface box that can securely house an electronic module and facilitate independent mounting or placement of the interface box.

It is another object of the present subject matter to provide a reliable and robust location for an interface box housing a pre-charge capacitor to minimize hysteresis and loss of the pre-charge capacitor.

In accordance with one aspect of the present subject matter, a vehicle having a frame and an interface box is configured in a compact layout. The frame includes a front frame portion and a rear frame portion, and the outlet box is supported on the rear frame portion and disposed offset from a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter, the outlet box is disposed partially below the seat assembly supported on the rear frame portion. The interface box is covered by a plurality of side panels of the vehicle.

According to another embodiment of the present subject matter, the interface box is supported to the rear frame portion by at least one interface support mechanism. The support mechanism includes a plurality of mounting screws and a bracket.

According to another embodiment of the present subject matter, the outlet box is disposed generally adjacent to the battery and motor control unit, which is supported by the rear frame portion. The interface box is disposed in close proximity to the battery unit and the motor control unit such that the interface box is disposed behind the battery and the motor control unit in a compact manner when viewed from a side view of the vehicle.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter, a vehicle includes a low pressure side and a high pressure side. The low voltage side is a designated area in the vehicle where electronic components consuming low voltage are mounted. The high-voltage side is a designated area in the vehicle where electronic components consuming high voltage are mounted. The interface box is arranged on the low-voltage side of the vehicle.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter, the outlet connector opening is oriented rearwardly such that it faces generally upwardly and rearwardly. This orientation of the pin connector openings enables the connectors to be easily accessed for one or more connections for diagnostic, charging, pre-charge capacitor connection, CAN, and the like purposes. So that the maintainability and the assembly are facilitated.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an interface box is provided with a housing, an electronic module, at least one cover, and at least one sealing member. The electronic module is disposed in the housing. At least one cover is disposed on at least one open side of the housing. At least one sealing member is disposed between the at least one cover and the housing.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter, the housing includes a plurality of walls and at least one open side to accommodate the electronic module. The housing is provided with a plurality of ribs on an outer surface of the housing. The housing includes one or more projections on one side of the housing. The one or more projections are provided with a plurality of mounting arrangements. A portion of the one or more projections is provided with a plurality of fins on both sides of the one or more projections.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter, the housing has a plurality of slots disposed on an inner surface of the plurality of walls to support the electronic module. At least one of the covers includes an opening to receive a pin connector attached to the electronic module. A sealing member is provided on the base of the at least one open side of the housing for sealing the outlet box. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments of a scooter-type two-wheeled electric vehicle and the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the existing embodiments. The subject matter is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the description and drawings merely illustrate the principles of the present subject matter. Various arrangements that incorporate the principles of the present subject matter may be devised, although not explicitly described or shown herein. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and examples of the subject matter, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.

Fig. 1 exemplarily shows a two-wheeled vehicle 100. The two-wheeled vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle) 100 may be an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle. Vehicle 100 includes a frame 001, a handle assembly 106, a plurality of wheels (105, 108), a plurality of suspension units (104, 107), a seat assembly 129, a battery (not shown), a motor control unit (not shown), a motor (not shown), and an interface box 109.

The frame 001 extends rearward from a front portion (F) of the vehicle 100 toward a rear portion (R) of the vehicle 100. The frame (F) includes a head pipe 101, a lower pipe 102, a center frame member 130, and a rear frame portion 103. The head pipe 101, the down tube 102, and the center frame member 130 are disposed at a front portion (F) of the vehicle 100. The rear frame portion 103 is provided at a rear portion (R) of the vehicle 100. The rear frame portion 103 includes a right side rear frame (not shown) and a left side rear frame (not shown), which extend in the rearward direction of the vehicle 100, forming the rear frame portion 103. The handlebar assembly 106 is placed on the upper end of the head pipe 101.

The plurality of wheels includes front wheels 105 and rear wheels 108. The front wheels 105 are disposed at a front portion (F) of the vehicle 100, and the rear wheels 108 are disposed at a rear portion (R) of the vehicle 100. The plurality of suspension units include a front suspension unit 104 and a rear suspension unit 107. The front suspension unit 104 is connected to the head pipe 101 at one end and to the front wheels 104 at the other end. The rear suspension unit 107 is connected at one end to the rear frame portion 103, and the other end of the rear suspension unit 107 is connected to a shaft of the rear wheel 108 through one of a rocker arm (not shown), a crankcase (not shown), and the like. The seat assembly 129 is disposed at a rear portion (R) of the vehicle 100 and is supported on the rear frame portion 103. As a preferred embodiment, the battery 110 is disposed at the rear portion (R) of the vehicle 100, however, in one embodiment, the battery 110 may be supported at the center portion of the frame 001. The motor control unit 111 is provided at a rear portion (R) of the vehicle 100. In a preferred embodiment, the motor control unit 111 is disposed adjacent to the battery 110 and the motor (not shown) to ensure a minimum wire length to reduce the loss.

The interface box 109 is provided at a rear portion (R) of the vehicle 100, and is supported on a rear frame (not shown). The outlet box 109 is thus provided in a safe and secure position where it provides optimal performance. The location of the outlet box 109 according to this compact layout also ensures that the outlet box 109 does not interfere with the working clearances of other components (e.g., the battery 110, the rear suspension unit 107, etc.).

Fig. 2 exemplarily shows a front perspective view of the two-wheeled vehicle 100 with the interface box 109 in a disassembled state, which omits many parts for the sake of brevity. The rear portion (R) of the two-wheeled vehicle 100 includes a rear frame portion 103. The rear frame portion 103 includes a right side rear frame (103(a)) and a left side rear frame (103(b)), and as shown, the right side rear frame (103(a)) and the left side rear frame (103(b)) are formed to support the rear portion (R) of the vehicle 100. The outlet box 109 is disposed laterally offset from a longitudinal mid-plane (a-a') of the vehicle 100. In the present embodiment, the interface box 109 is placed on the right-hand side of the vehicle 100 on the right-side rear frame 103(a), and is adjacent to the battery 110 and the motor control unit 111. This arrangement helps to reduce the length of the wires used to connect the motor control unit 111 and the battery 110 with the outlet box 109, so that the reduction in wire length minimizes hysteresis and loss in the outlet box 109, thereby improving the efficiency of the outlet box 109. The wires for connecting the interface box 109 with the battery 110 and the motor control unit 111 are made of a copper material. As the length of the copper wire decreases, the weight of the wire decreases and the cost of the copper wire decreases. The outlet box 109 is partially placed under the seat assembly (as shown in fig. 1) and on one of the sides of the utility box (not shown) on the right side rear frame 103(a), resulting in ease of accessibility of the outlet box 109. The outlet box 109 is covered by a plurality of side plates (not shown). During serviceability, access to or removal of the interface box 109 is required, which can be easily accomplished by removing one or more side panels (not shown) on the right hand side of the vehicle 100. One or more side panels (not shown) have a convex surface that protects the outlet box 109 in the event of any accident. During an accident, if the vehicle 100 falls on its right side, then the side panels (not shown) carry all the impact, protecting the interface box 109 from any damage. In addition, the location of the outlet box 109 protects it from rain and inhibits water and any foreign objects from entering the outlet box. Further, the interface box 109 is mounted in a raised position on the frame, which prevents water from potholes or roads in rainy seasons from reaching the interface box 109.

The location of the outlet box 109 as shown in FIG. 2 also facilitates easy maintenance by the user. In the vehicle 100, according to further embodiments, all components with high voltage lines are placed on the left hand side of the vehicle 100 and all low voltage lines are placed on the right hand side of the vehicle 100. This is done to distinguish between low-voltage lines and high-voltage lines present in the vehicle 100. The interface box 109 is placed on the low pressure side, which according to this embodiment is the right side of the vehicle 100. A person who repairs the vehicle 100 only needs to open one side of the vehicle 100 and perform his/her work without worrying about identifying the low-voltage lines and the high-voltage lines existing in the vehicle 100. In another embodiment of the present subject matter, the interface box 109 may be disposed on either the right hand side or the left hand side of the frame 001 of the vehicle 100, depending on the configuration of the vehicle 100. In another embodiment, the interface box 109 is provided on a rear cross member 133 mounted on the rear frame portion 103 of the vehicle 100.

Fig. 3 exemplarily shows an enlarged perspective view of the interface box 109 placed on the vehicle frame. The interface box 109 is mounted on the right rear frame 103(a) of the vehicle 100 so that it is easily accessible. The interface box 109 may be accessed by simply removing the seat assembly or by removing one or more side panels at the right side frame 103(a) of the vehicle 100. The interface box 109 is mounted on the right rear frame 103(a) by a bracket 112 and a plurality of attachment means 113 (e.g., screws). This mounting provides rigidity and strength to the outlet box 109 to withstand vibration while the vehicle 100 is in operation or in the event of any accident. The mounting of the outlet box 109 is very simple and does not require any additional brackets. Since the outlet box 109 is typically made of a plastic material, the mounting of the bracket 112 cannot be achieved by welding or the like. Furthermore, the material of the interface box 109 cannot be metal, since it contains an electronic module (not shown in this fig. 3) that is electrically conductive in the presence of metal. If metal is used instead of plastic material to make the outlet box 109, it causes a short circuit, thereby damaging the outlet box 109, and it can be electrically conductive through the vehicle frame 001, which is very dangerous. The bracket 112 may also be attached to the vehicle frame 001 by suitable attachment means, for example using nuts (not shown) and bolts (not shown). Another alternative method of mounting the interface box 109 is by using a retainer plate (not shown) instead of the bracket 112 with a plurality of screws.

Fig. 4 exemplarily shows a perspective view of the interface box 109. The interface box 109 includes a housing 119, at least one cover 118, at least one open side 132 (shown in fig. 5) of the interface box housing 119, at least one sealing member 117 (shown in fig. 5), an electronic module 116 (shown in fig. 5), a plurality of ribs 115, one or more projections 123, a plurality of holes 124, and a plurality of fins 125. The housing 119 securely accommodates an electronics module (not shown in this fig. 5) for operation of the outlet box 109. At least one cover 118 is disposed on at least one open side of the housing 119 (as shown in fig. 5), and at least one sealing member (not shown in this fig. 5) is disposed beneath the at least one cover 118 to restrict water from entering the interior of the outlet box 109. The housing 119 includes a plurality of walls (not shown in this fig. 5) and at least one open side (shown in fig. 5) of the housing 119 to enclose an electronic module (not shown in this fig. 5) within the housing 119. The housing 119 is provided with a plurality of ribs 115 on an outer surface of the housing 119. These ribs 115 are similar to the structure that provides strength and rigidity to the housing 119 when the vehicle 100 is in operation. The housing 119 includes one or more projections 123, the projections 123 projecting outwardly from the housing 119 from a side of the housing 119 that serves as a mounting structure for mounting the outlet box 109. The housing 119 is provided with a plurality of holes 124, the holes 124 being used to mount the outlet box 109 to the frame of the vehicle 100. A portion of the one or more projections 123 of the outlet box 109 is provided with a plurality of fins 125 on both sides of the one or more projections 123. The fins 125 provide strength and rigidity to the mounting structure. When the vehicle is in motion, vibrations are generated by many vehicle components, such as a motor (not shown), and are transmitted to the frame of the vehicle 100. These vibrations are also transmitted to the outlet box 109. These fins 125 allow vibrations generated during vehicle operation to be evenly distributed across the surface of the housing 119 rather than concentrated near the mounting structure. This reduces the risk of breakage or breakage of the mounting structure of the outlet box 109. In addition, since the outlet box 109 requires a very small amount of current to flow for operation, very little heat is dissipated in the outlet box 109. The cooling of the interface box 109 is achieved by the natural air present in the atmosphere under vehicle operating conditions.

Fig. 5 schematically shows an exploded view of the outlet box 109. As shown in fig. 5, the interface box 109 with the electronic module 116 performs various functions, for example, it is used to start the vehicle 100 by pre-charging a capacitor (not shown), for DC fast charging to provide the vehicle 100 with diagnostic capability, illuminating a marker light to display the battery charge state, to sense the side stand state of the vehicle 100, and to provide reliable CAN system protection of vehicle 100 related data. The electronics module 116, which performs all of the above-described functions, is disposed inside the outlet box 109 and is closed with a plurality of mounting screws 113 using a sealing member 117 and at least one cover 118 to seal the open side 132 of the outlet box 109. A sealing member 117 is disposed on the base 131 of the open side 132 of the housing 119 for sealing the outlet box 109. The rubber seal 117 inhibits water and other foreign objects from entering during rainy seasons or during maintenance of the vehicle 100, thereby protecting the interface box 109. The housing 119 has a plurality of slots 126 disposed on an inner surface of the plurality of walls 122 to accommodate the electronic module 116. These slots 126 are vertically disposed relative to the outlet box 109, and the electronic module 116 is slidably mounted within the housing 119 within the outlet box 109. According to one embodiment, the slot may be a dovetail mechanism. This is done to secure the electronic module 116 within the housing 119 in a reliable and rigid manner to avoid unwanted movement of the electronic module 116 due to vibrations generated by the vehicle 100 during operation thereof. Furthermore, such a configuration will reduce rattling sounds due to movement of the electronic module 116 within the housing 119, thereby enabling a robust mounting configuration. The outlet box 109 has a pin connector 114 coupled to the electronics module 116 by a plurality of securing members 127 to connect the pin connector 114 with other associated components for operation of the outlet box 109. The pin connector 114 is a lockable coupling that ensures that the pin connector 114 is assembled with other electronic components without error and restricts rotation of the outlet box 109 to securely hold it in place. The at least one cover 118 has an opening 128 to receive the pin connector 114 and covers an open side 132 of the outlet box 109 with a plurality of fastening devices 120 to secure and package the entire outlet box 109. Many other improvements and modifications may be incorporated herein without departing from the scope of the invention.

List of reference numerals:

100: electric/hybrid electric vehicle

001: 100 of a frame

101: 001 head tube

102: 001 lower tube

103: 001 rear frame part

103 (a): 103 right rear frame

103 (b): 103 left rear frame

104: 100 front suspension unit

105: 100 front wheel

106: 100 handlebar assembly

107: 100 rear suspension unit

108: 100 rear wheel

109: 100 interface box

F: 100 front part

R: 100 rear portion

110: 100 cell

111: 100 motor control unit

112: 109 support

113: a plurality of mounting screws for mounting 112

114: 116 pin connector

115: a plurality of ribs

116: electronic module

117: sealing member

118: 119 cover

119: interface box shell

120: 118 of the fastening device

121: front frame part

122: 119 multiple walls

123: 119 projection

124: 123 plurality of holes

125: 119 multiple fins

126: 119 a plurality of slots

127: 118 of a plurality of fixing members

128: 118 of the first type

129: 100 seat assembly

130: 100 center frame member

131: 128 base portion

132: 119 open side

133: 100 rear cross member.

Claims

1. A saddle-ride type two-or three-wheeled vehicle (100) comprising:

a frame comprising a front frame part (121) and a rear frame part (103);

an interface box (109) disposed laterally offset from a longitudinal mid-plane (A-A') of the vehicle (100), the interface box (109) being supported to the rear frame portion (103) of the vehicle (100) and disposed below the seat (129).

2. The vehicle (100) of claim 1, wherein the interface box (109) is disposed at least partially below a seat assembly (129), the interface box (109) is supported on the rear frame portion (103), and the interface box (109) is covered by one or more side panels (not shown) of the vehicle (100).

3. The vehicle (100) of claim 1, wherein the interface box (109) is supported to the rear frame portion (103) by at least one interface support device comprising a plurality of mounting screws (113) and a bracket (112).

4. The vehicle (100) of claim 1, wherein the interface box (109) is disposed generally adjacent to a battery (110) and a motor control unit (111), wherein the battery (110) and the motor control unit (111) are supported on the rear frame portion (103).

5. The vehicle (100) according to claim 4, wherein the interface box (109) is disposed behind the battery (110) and the motor control unit (111) in a compact manner when viewed from a side view of the vehicle (100).

6. The vehicle (100) of claim 1, wherein the vehicle (100) comprises a low pressure side and a high pressure side, wherein each of the low pressure side and the high pressure side corresponds to one of a left side and a right side of the vehicle as determined by a longitudinal mid-plane a', and the interface box (109) is disposed in the low pressure side of the vehicle (100).

7. The vehicle (100) of claim 1, wherein the interface box (109) has a rearwardly oriented pin connector (114) opening, the pin connector (114) opening facing substantially upwardly rearward.

8. An interface box (109), comprising:

a housing (119);

an electronic module (116) disposed in the housing (119);

at least one cover (118) disposed on at least one open side (132) of the housing (119); and

at least one sealing member (117) disposed between the at least one cover (118) and the housing (119).

9. The outlet box (109) of claim 8, wherein the housing (119) includes a plurality of walls (122) and the at least one open side (132) to accommodate the electronics module (116).

10. The outlet box (109) of claim 9, wherein the housing (119) is provided with a plurality of ribs (115) on an outer surface of the housing (119).

11. The outlet box (109) according to claim 9, wherein the housing (119) comprises a protruding portion (123), the protruding portion (123) protruding from a side of the housing (119), provided with a plurality of mounting arrangements (124).

12. The outlet box (109) according to claim 11, wherein one or more areas of the protruding portion (123) are provided with a plurality of fins (125) on both sides of the protruding portion (123).

13. The interface box (109) of claim 9, wherein the housing (119) includes a plurality of slots (126), the plurality of slots (126) disposed on an inner surface of the plurality of walls (122) to support the electronic module (116).

14. The interface box (109) of claim 8, wherein the sealing member (117) is disposed on a base (131) of the at least one open side (132) of the housing (119) for sealing the interface box (109).

15. The interface box (109) of claim 8, wherein the at least one cover (118) includes an opening (128) to receive a pin connector (114) attached to the electronic module (116).