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

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority to Japanese patent application No.2021-072377, filed to the patent office on 22/4/2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a self-propelled electric vehicle and a motor device.

Background

There is known a self-propelled electric vehicle such as a motorcycle which is driven by a driver sitting on a seat with both feet aligned or sitting astride the seat. In the self-propelled electric vehicle, a cooling device is provided to cool the electric motor. For example, in a self-propelled two-wheeled electric vehicle disclosed in japanese patent application laid-open No. 4-224490, a condenser for cooling an electric motor is provided to a 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 power transmission case. Therefore, the condenser is easily affected by vibration of the vehicle frame while running. At the same time, the condenser and the motor vibrate independently of each other. This causes a problem that it is difficult to ensure the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path connecting the condenser and the motor.

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure addresses the above-mentioned problems. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled electric vehicle and an electric motor device that are less susceptible to vibrations from a frame that supports front and rear wheels, and that are easy to ensure the rigidity and durability of a refrigerant path.

The present disclosure for achieving the above object is characterized by 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, 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, and is directly or indirectly mounted and supported on the frame, and the cooling device is directly or indirectly mounted and supported on the motor.

According to the 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. At the same time, the cooling device is mounted and supported directly or indirectly to the electric motor. Therefore, it is difficult to be affected by the vibration from the frame. At the same time, the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path are easily ensured.

Here, the cooling device directly attached to the motor means a cooling device directly attached to the motor. Examples of the cooling device include a cooling device attached via an attachment portion integrally provided on a housing of the motor, and a cooling device attached in a state of being in contact with the housing. The cooling device indirectly attached to the motor is attached to the motor through a separate member so as not to directly contact the motor. The support of the cooling device by the motor is a form in which the cooling device is supported by a separate support by the motor without depending on an auxiliary support so as to sufficiently exhibit its function. In addition, the self-propelled electric vehicle includes a four-wheel cart or a dolly in addition to a two-wheel or three-wheel motorcycle. In this case, the self-propelled vehicle is preferably a relatively small-sized self-propelled vehicle including an electric motor disposed between a handle and a seat.

In the self-propelled electric vehicle, the cooling device includes a radiator that exchanges heat with cooling water, and a liquid feed pump that circulates the cooling water between the electric motor and the radiator, and the radiator is directly or indirectly attached to and supported by the electric motor.

According to another feature of the present disclosure having such a structure, the cooling device of the self-propelled electric vehicle has a radiator and a liquid-feeding pump. At the same time, the heat sink is mounted and supported directly or indirectly to the motor. Therefore, the heat sink is less susceptible to vibrations from the frame. At the same time, the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path are easily ensured.

In the self-propelled electric vehicle of the present disclosure, the liquid feed pump is directly or indirectly mounted 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 feed 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 feeding pump is less likely to be affected by vibration from the frame. At the same time, the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path are easily ensured.

In addition, the self-propelled electric vehicle according to the present disclosure is characterized in that the self-propelled electric vehicle further includes a coolant tank for storing the coolant, and the coolant tank is directly or indirectly mounted and supported by at least one of the electric motor, the radiator, and the liquid feed pump.

According to another feature of the present disclosure having such a structure, the cooling water tank for storing the cooling water of the self-propelled electric vehicle is directly or indirectly mounted on and supported by at least one of the electric motor, the radiator, and the liquid feed pump. Therefore, the cooling water tank is less susceptible to the influence of vibration from the frame. At the same time, the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path are easily ensured.

In the self-propelled electric vehicle, the cooling device is configured by a blower that blows air, and is directly or indirectly mounted on and supported by at least one of the electric motor, the radiator, and the liquid-sending pump, and the electric motor is disposed so as to face a leeward side or a windward side of the blower.

According to another feature of the present disclosure having such a configuration, the blower for sending out air of the self-propelled electric vehicle is directly or indirectly mounted and supported on at least one of the electric motor, the radiator, and the liquid sending pump so as to face the leeward side or the windward side of the electric motor. Therefore, the cooling effect of the motor can be improved. In addition, the blower of the self-propelled electric vehicle is less susceptible to vibrations from the frame. At the same time, the rigidity and durability of the refrigerant path are easily ensured.

In the self-propelled electric vehicle, the blower is disposed 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 disposed between the electric motor and the radiator. Therefore, the motor and the radiator can be efficiently cooled at the same time.

In addition, the present disclosure is characterized in that the self-propelled electric vehicle further includes a planar step plate, the step plate is disposed between the handlebar and the seat and configured to allow the driver to place the aligned feet, and the radiator is disposed above the step plate so as to face the step plate.

According to another feature of the present disclosure having such a structure, the radiator is provided so as to face the flat step plate so that the driver of the self-propelled electric vehicle can place the aligned feet. Therefore, it is possible to suppress flying objects or muddy water from adhering to the inside of the radiator during traveling.

In addition, the present disclosure is characterized in that the self-propelled electric vehicle further includes an indirect support body that supports the cooling device at a position separated from the electric motor, and the cooling device is indirectly attached to and supported by the electric motor via the indirect support body.

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

In addition, the self-propelled electric vehicle may further include a control device configured to control an operation of the electric motor, and the control device may be disposed at a position adjacent to the electric motor or in a housing shared with the electric motor.

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

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

According to another feature of the present disclosure having such a structure, the motor of the self-propelled electric vehicle is fixedly mounted and supported to the frame. Therefore, compared to the case where the motor is movably attached to the frame, it is not necessary to consider the movable region of the motor and the cooling device attached to the motor. Therefore, the installation space of the electric motor and the entire self-propelled electric vehicle can be compactly configured.

The present disclosure can be applied not only to a self-propelled electric vehicle but also to an electric motor for the self-propelled electric vehicle.

Specifically, the motor device is a motor device for a self-propelled electric vehicle, and is characterized in that the motor device is configured by a motor and a cooling device, the self-propelled electric vehicle is configured by 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 supporting the front wheel and the rear wheel, the handlebar faces the seat, the frame extends between the front wheel and the rear wheel, the motor is configured to rotationally drive at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel, is arranged closer to the seat than the handlebar, and has a mounting portion for direct or indirect mounting to the frame, and the cooling device is configured to cool the motor, and is directly or indirectly mounted to and supported by the motor. According to the motor device configured as described above, the same operational effects as those of the self-propelled electric vehicle can be expected.

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 schematic perspective view of the entire structure of the motor device mounted on the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in fig. 1, as viewed from the left side of the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the entire structure of the motor device mounted on the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in fig. 1, as 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.

Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the overall structure of the indirect support body in the motor device shown in each of fig. 2 and 3.

Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the entire structure of the motor device mounted on the self-propelled electric vehicle according to the modification of the present disclosure, as viewed from the left side of the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the entire structure of the motor device according to another modification of the present disclosure, as viewed from the left side of the self-propelled electric vehicle shown in fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a schematic side view schematically showing the overall configuration of a self-propelled electric vehicle on which the motor device shown in fig. 7 is mounted.

Detailed Description

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 may be evident, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific embodiments. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

A self-propelled electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes 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 both 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, 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 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. Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the entire structure of motor device 120 mounted on self-propelled electric vehicle 100 shown in fig. 1, as viewed from the left side of self-propelled electric vehicle 100 shown in fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the entire structure of motor device 120 mounted on self-propelled electric vehicle 100 shown in fig. 1, as viewed from the right side of self-propelled electric vehicle 100 shown in fig. 1. 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-sized 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)

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

Front tube 102, which is a cylindrical member, supports front wheel 103 of self-propelled electric vehicle 100 via front fork 104. The front fork 104 is formed to extend in a bar shape to both sides of the front wheel 103. Further, the front fork 104 supports the front wheel 103 such that the front wheel 103 can be steered in the left-right direction of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 with respect to the front pipe 102. The front fork 104 includes a suspension mechanism (not shown). A handle bar 105 is provided at an upper end of the front fork 104. The handlebar 105 is a member for steering the traveling direction of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100. The handle bar 105 is formed in a bar shape extending in the width direction of the left and right sides of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100. The handle bar 105 is formed of a pair of left and right sides. At the same time, one of the left and right sides constitutes an accelerator grip 105a for accelerating the self-propelled electric vehicle 100.

Main frame 106 is a central portion of frame 101. The main frame 106 supports the motor device 120 and the secondary battery 115, and determines the strength of the frame 101. Main frame 106 is formed in a curved shape, extends obliquely downward in the rear direction from the front of self-propelled electric vehicle 100, then extends horizontally, and again extends obliquely upward. The main frame 106 supports a foot board 114 and a secondary battery 115 at a horizontally extending portion thereof. At the same time, the main frame 106 supports the swing arm 107 and the motor device 120 in the vicinity of the portion extending obliquely upward. The swing arm 107 supports the rear wheel 108 such that the rear wheel 108 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 can move up and down freely with the pivot shaft 106a as a connection portion with the main frame 106 as a base point.

The seat rail 109 is a portion that mainly supports the seat 110, the shelf 112, and the tail light 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 with both feet aligned. The seat 110 is constituted by a cushioning member. The seat 110 is configured to be openable and closable. A hollow housing space 111 is formed below the seat 110 to house small articles such as helmets.

In this case, the bottom of the housing space 111 is configured to be openable and closable. That is, the bottom portion is configured to be accessible to the motor device 120. The rack 112 is a part for loading goods. The shelf 112 is formed in a frame shape made of a metal rod. The tail lamp 113 is a lighting fixture that is turned on by a brake operation, a turn lamp operation, or a headlight turning operation at night or the like by the driver U.

The footrest 114 is a part for placing both feet aligned with the driver U seated in the seat 110. The footrest 114 is located below the front of the seat 110, and is formed as a flat floor surface above the main frame 106.

Secondary battery 115 is a device that supplies electric power to electric and electronic equipment provided in both motor 121 and self-propelled electric vehicle 100. The secondary battery 115 is formed of a chargeable and dischargeable battery such as a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium ion battery. Secondary battery 115 stores regenerative electric energy generated by electric motor 121 during deceleration of self-propelled electric vehicle 100. The secondary battery 115 is supported by the main frame 106 below the foot pedal 114.

The motor device 120 is constituted by a set of devices. The set constitutes a power source that generates a driving force for rotationally driving the rear wheels 108 described above. 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 fig. 1, motor device 120 is disposed inside self-propelled electric vehicle 100. Therefore, the motor device 120 should be originally depicted with a dotted line. However, for ease of understanding, motor device 120 is purposely shown in solid lines (the same applies to fig. 8).

The electric motor 121 is a prime mover that generates a driving force for rotationally driving the rear wheels 108. In the housing 122, a rotor (not shown) having an output shaft is rotatably supported with respect to a stator (not shown). In the present embodiment, electric motor 121 is an ac motor. Note that, of course, the electric motor 121 may be a dc motor. The motor 121 further includes a controller 127 and a speed reducer in the housing 122.

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

The first housing 123 is a member that houses the motor 121. The first housing 123 is formed in a shape in which both sides of a substantially cylindrical body are closed. The second casing 124 is a component that houses the control device 127. The second housing 124 is formed to extend along a side surface extending in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 123. In addition, the second housing 124 is mounted to the first housing 123. A mounting portion 125 for mounting the motor 121 to the frame 101 is formed in the second housing 124. In the present embodiment, the mounting portion 125 is formed of 4 flat plate bodies, and the 4 flat plate bodies are flush with the bottom surface of the second case 124 forming the bottom portion of the motor device 120 and extend laterally. Through holes through which bolts are inserted are formed in the flat plate body. In both fig. 1 and 2, one of the 4 mounting portions 125 is shown.

In the first housing 123 and the second housing 124, a water passage (not shown) is formed between the outer surface and a housing space portion housing the motor 121 and the control device 127. These water passages are passages for circulating cooling water for cooling the motor 121 and the controller 127. Thus, the water paths are open at the outer surfaces, respectively.

The third housing 126 is a portion that houses the speed reducer. The third housing 126 is disposed at one of 2 end portions in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 123. The third casing 126 is formed to cover the end portion and the end portion of the second casing 124 and to have a water droplet (drop) shape in a side view.

The control device 127 is an electrical electronic apparatus. The motor electronics controls the operation of electric motor 121 and also comprehensively controls the operation of self-propelled electric vehicle 100. More specifically, the control device 127 is configured by a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. In addition, a Power Control Unit (PCU) or the like including an inverter, a boost converter, a DCDC converter, and the like is provided for directly controlling the operation of the electric motor 121.

Here, the inverter converts the dc current output from the secondary battery 115 into an ac current, and outputs the ac current to the motor 121. At the same time, the inverter converts the ac current output from motor 121 into dc current, and outputs the dc current to secondary battery 115. The boost converter boosts the voltage output from the secondary battery 115 and supplies the boosted voltage to the motor 121. The DCDC converter reduces the voltage output from the motor 121 and supplies the reduced voltage 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 respective rotational drives of the electric motor 121, the liquid feed pump 135, and the air blower 139 are controlled by the operation of an operation element such as an accelerator grip 105a or a turn signal provided on the handle bar 105. The controller 127 controls the operations of the meters and the lighting of the lamps. The control device 127 is housed in the second case 124 in a state where the power supply terminals and the electric wires of the control device 127 are exposed on the outer surface of the second case 124 of the case 122.

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

The radiator 130 cools cooling water (not shown) that cools the motor 121 and the control device 127 by heat exchange. The radiator 130 is constituted by, for example, fins and water tubes provided between the upper tank and the lower tank. Of course, any other type of radiator may be used as long as it is configured to cool the cooling water. The radiator 130 is connected to a water passage of the casing 122 via a pipe 131 on an upstream side where the cooling water is introduced. At the same time, the downstream side from which the cooling water is discharged is connected to a liquid feed pump 135 via a pipe 132. Further, a cooling water tank 138 is connected to the radiator 130 via a pipe 133. The heat sink 130 is attached to the housing 122 via an indirect support 134.

Pipe 131 is a member for guiding the cooling water that cools motor 121 and controller 127 to radiator 130. The pipe 131 is formed of a metal pipe. In the present embodiment, the pipe 131 is connected to the water passage of the first housing 123. However, the pipe 131 may be connected to the water passage of the second casing 124. The pipe 132 is a member for guiding the cooling water cooled by the radiator 130 to the liquid-feeding pump 135. The pipe 132 is also formed of a metal pipe similar to the pipe 131.

The pipe 133 is a member for guiding the cooling water stored in the cooling water tank 138 to the radiator 130. The pipe 133 is formed of a metal pipe similar to the pipes 131 and 132. The pipes 131, 132, and 133 may be flexible hoses, other than rigid pipes.

The indirect support 134 is a member for supporting the heat sink 130 and the air blower 139 at a position separated from the motor 121. The indirect support 134 is formed of a bent plate-like body made of metal. 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 mounting portion 134a is a portion for mounting the indirect support 134 to the motor 121. The motor mounting portion 134a is formed of a flat plate body having 2 through holes formed to allow bolts to pass therethrough. The motor mounting portion 134a is mounted to the housing 122 of the motor 121.

The first support portion 134b is a portion to which the blower 139 is attached. The first support portion 134b is formed of a plate-like body extending in a belt shape from the motor mounting portion 134 a. The plate-like body is formed with 2 through holes through which the bolts pass. In this case, the first support portion 134b extends from the motor mounting portion 134a and is formed to support the blower 139 at a position where the blower 139 does not contact the casing 122 of the motor 121.

The second support portion 134c is a portion to which the heat sink 130 is attached. The second support portion 134c is formed of a plate-like body bent 2 times from the first support portion 134b to extend in a band shape. The plate-like body is formed with 2 through holes through which bolts pass. In this case, the second support portion 134c extends from the first support portion 134b and is formed to support the heat sink 130 at a position where the heat sink 130 does not contact the air blower 139. The indirect support 134 is configured to sandwich and support the heat sink 130 and the blower 139 from both sides by a pair of left and right sides. That is, 2 indirect support bodies 134 are formed to be bilaterally symmetrical.

The liquid feed pump 135 is a mechanical device for circulating the cooling water between the casing 122 and the radiator 130. The operation of the liquid feed pump 135 is controlled by the control device 127. The liquid-feeding pump 135 is connected to the radiator 130 via a pipe 132 on the upstream side of the cooling water introduction. At the same time, the downstream side from which the cooling water is discharged is connected to the water passage of the casing 122 via a pipe 136. Further, the liquid feed pump 135 is attached to the heat sink 130 via an indirect support 137.

The pipe 136 is a member for guiding the cooling water discharged from the liquid-feeding pump 135 to the casing 122. The pipe 136 is formed of a metal pipe similar to the pipes 131, 132, and 133. As with the conduits 131, 132, and 133, the conduit 136 may be formed of a flexible hose in addition to a rigid pipe. These tubes 131, 132, 133, and 136 constitute a refrigerant path used in the present embodiment.

Indirect support body 137 is a member for supporting liquid-feeding pump 135 at a position separated from both motor 121 and heat sink 130. The indirect support 137 is formed of 2 metal plates standing on the upper surface of the heat sink 130. The indirect support 137 is coupled to a plate-like body that hangs downward in the drawing in the liquid-sending pump 135 via bolts. Thereby, indirect support 137 fixedly supports liquid-feeding pump 135 at a position separated from both motor 121 and heat sink 130.

The cooling water tank 138 is a container for storing cooling water for cooling both the motor 121 and the controller 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 housing 122 of the motor 121 via bolts. In the present embodiment, the cooling water tank 138 is attached to an upper portion of the motor device 120 on the side opposite to the bottom portion. The radiator 130, the liquid feed pump 135, and the cooling water tank 138 correspond to a cooling device used in the present 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 controller 127. Therefore, the blower 139 includes a propeller fan. The operation of the propeller fan is controlled by the control device 127. The blower 139 is disposed between the motor 121 and the heat sink 130, and is supported from both sides thereof by the first support portion 134b of the indirect support 134. In this case, the blower 139 is disposed in an orientation in which 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 as described above, the mounting portion 125 of 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 such that the housing 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 fixedly attached to the frame 101 via the motor 121 so as not to contact the frame 101.

In the step of assembling motor device 120 to self-propelled electric vehicle 100, first, radiator 130, liquid-feeding pump 135, cooling water tank 138, and blower 139 may be assembled to motor device 120 in motor 121. Thereafter, the motor device 120 can be assembled to the frame 101. Thus, the manufacturer of self-propelled electric vehicle 100 can separate the manufacturing operation of motor device 120 from the manufacturing operation of self-propelled electric vehicle 100. Therefore, the time or place of manufacturing the motor device 120 and the time or place of manufacturing the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 can be separated. As a result, the degree of freedom of the assembly operation can be increased. Further, the work of assembling the components constituting motor device 120 to self-propelled electric vehicle 100 can be simplified.

In addition to the above steps, motor 121, radiator 130, liquid feed pump 135, coolant tank 138, and blower 139 may be sequentially assembled to frame 101 in the step of assembling motor device 120 to self-propelled electric vehicle 100. As a result, the motor device 120 can be assembled to the frame 101.

(operation of self-propelled electric vehicle 100)

Next, the operation of self-propelled electric vehicle 100 configured as described above will be described. In a state where driver U of self-propelled electric vehicle 100 is seated on seat 110 of self-propelled electric vehicle 100, controller 127 is activated through a switch operation. Thereafter, the driver U can run the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 by an accelerator operation based on a turning operation of the accelerator grip 105a.

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

Further, in the motor device 120, the radiator 130, the liquid-feeding pump 135, and the cooling water tank 138 vibrate in a state of being more integrated or closer to being integrated with the motor 121 than in a case where the radiator 130, the liquid-feeding pump 135, and the cooling water tank 138 are attached to the frame 101. This allows motor device 120 to suppress damage, deterioration, or loosening of pipes 131, 132, 133, and 136. These effects can be effectively exhibited when the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 suddenly moves over a large step or a large depression during traveling, or when the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 travels on a road surface such as a concave-convex road where small vibrations are continuously generated.

As can be understood from the above description, 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 feed pump 135, and the cooling water tank 138 are directly or indirectly attached to the motor 121 via the indirect supports 134 and 137, and are supported by the motor 121. Therefore, the influence of vibration from the frame 101 can be mitigated. At the same time, the rigidity and durability of the coolant path for the cooling water can be easily ensured.

The present embodiment is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications can be made to the above embodiment as long as they do not depart from the object of the present embodiment. In each of the modifications described below, the same components as those of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 according to the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. Thus, the description of these components is omitted.

For example, in the above 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. Thus, the mounting portion 140 can fix the motor 121 at a position separated from the frame 101, that is, a position floating with respect to the frame 101, so that the motor 121 does not contact the frame 101.

In this way, motor device 120 can suppress vibration of frame 101 directly transmitted to motor 121. The mounting portions 125 and 140 of the motor device 120 may be mounted to the frame 101 via an elastic body such as a rubber material. This can further suppress the vibration of frame 101 directly transmitted to motor 121.

In the above embodiment, the heat sink 130 and the blower 139 of the motor device 120 are indirectly attached to the motor 121 via the indirect support 134. However, the radiator 130 and the blower 139 of the motor device 120 may be directly attached to the motor 121, as in the cooling water tank 138. The blower 139 of the motor device 120 may be directly or indirectly attached to only one of the radiator 130, the liquid-feeding pump 135, and the cooling water tank 138.

Further, the liquid feeding pump 135 of the motor device 120 is indirectly attached to the heat sink 130 via an indirect support 137. However, the liquid feed pump 135 of the motor device 120 may be directly attached to the motor 121 or the radiator 130. Alternatively, the liquid feed pump 135 may be indirectly attached to the motor 121 via a separate member such as the indirect support members 134 and 137. The cooling water tank 138 of the motor device 120 may be indirectly attached to the motor 121, the radiator 130, or the liquid-feeding pump 135 via a separate member such as the indirect supports 134 and 137.

In the above embodiment, the blower 139 is provided between the motor 121 and the radiator 130. In this case, the blower 139 is disposed in an orientation in which the radiator 130 is located on the windward side thereof and the motor 121 is located on the leeward side thereof. This allows the blower 139 to effectively cool the motor 121 and the radiator 130 at the same time. However, the blower 139 may be arranged in an orientation in which the radiator 130 is located on the leeward side thereof and the motor 121 is located on the windward side thereof.

The cooling device used in the above embodiment is composed of a radiator 130, a liquid feeding pump 135, a cooling water tank 138, and a blower 139. However, the cooling device may have another configuration as long as it can cool the motor 121. Therefore, the cooling device used in the present embodiment may be configured only by the radiator 130 and the liquid-feeding pump 135. Alternatively, the cooling device may be constituted by only the blower 139.

In the above embodiment, the cooling water tank 138 is disposed above the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 and the control device 127 is disposed below the electric motor 121. As described above, the motor device 120 has a vertically long structure in which the vertical dimension is longer than the longitudinal dimension. Thus, motor device 120 can be made compact in overall length of self-propelled electric vehicle 100 by shortening the length of self-propelled electric vehicle 100 in the front-rear direction. Further, coolant tank 138 of self-propelled electric vehicle 100 is disposed at a position directly below storage space 111. This makes it possible to easily perform maintenance work on the coolant tank 138.

However, the mounting positions of the radiator 130, the liquid-feeding pump 135, the cooling water tank 138, and the air blower 139 of the motor device 120 are not limited to the positions described in the above embodiment. The radiator 130, the liquid-feeding pump 135, the cooling water tank 138, or the air-feeding device 139 may be attached to a position other than the positions described in the above 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. Further, control device 127 may be disposed in second case 124, and coolant tank 138 may be disposed on the opposite side of radiator 130 with respect to motor 121 (the rear side of self-propelled electric vehicle 100). As a result, as shown in fig. 8, the motor device 120 has a laterally long structure in which the dimension in the front-rear direction is longer than the dimension in the up-down direction. The motor device 120 configured as described above can be attached to the frame 101 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100.

In this way, motor device 120 can be configured compactly to the entire height of self-propelled electric vehicle 100 by shortening the vertical length of self-propelled electric vehicle 100. At the same time, the capacity of the housing space 111 can be increased. Further, the control device 127 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 is disposed at a position directly below the housing space 111. Thus, maintenance work of the control device 127 can be easily performed. In the motor device 120 shown in each of fig. 7 and 8, the liquid feed pump 135 is indirectly attached to the lower side of the heat sink 130 via an indirect support 137.

In the above embodiment, the radiator 130 of the motor device 120 is disposed in an orientation facing the foot board 114. In this case, the radiator 130 faces the step plate 114 through an opening such as a louver. This can prevent flying objects and muddy water from adhering to the radiator 130 during traveling. However, the radiator 130 does not necessarily need to be disposed in such an orientation as to oppose the foot board 114. Radiator 130 may be disposed to face in a direction other than foot rest 114, for example, a side, a lower side, or a rear side of self-propelled electric vehicle 100.

In the above 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 integrally provided with the controller 127 and the speed reducer. However, the motor 121 does not necessarily need to integrally include the controller 127 and the reducer. Motor device 120 can be formed by motor 121 alone. In this case, the housing 122 of the motor 121 can be configured by only the first housing 123. Therefore, the motor 121 can be configured compactly.

In the above 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 mounted on the pivot shaft 106a in the frame 101 as in the swing arm 107. In this way, the motor device 120 can be movably attached to the frame 101.

In the above embodiment, the indirect support body 134 is configured to include the motor mounting portion 134a, the first support portion 134b, and the second support portion 134c. Thereby, the motor 121 can indirectly support 2 devices, specifically, the blower 139 and the radiator 130. However, the indirect support body 134 may be configured such that the electric motor 121 indirectly supports 1 or 3 or more devices, for example, at least 1 device among the radiator 130, the liquid-feeding pump 135, the cooling water tank 138, and the air-sending device 139.

In the above embodiment, the motor device 120 is mounted on a small motorcycle (so-called scooter). 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, and four-wheel carts. In this case, for example, the motor device 120 can be mounted on a saddle-riding type two-wheeled vehicle, three-wheeled vehicle, or four-wheeled vehicle in which the driver U straddles the seat 110. In addition to the rear wheel drive vehicle, the motor device 120 may be mounted on a front wheel drive vehicle or an all wheel drive vehicle. Further, the motor device 120 can be mounted on a self-propelled electric vehicle that steers the rear wheels, in addition to a self-propelled electric vehicle that steers the front wheels. Further, the secondary battery 115 of the self-propelled electric vehicle 100 may be disposed in a place other than below the step 114, for example, below the seat 110 or inside the dash panel.

The foregoing detailed description has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. 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 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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