JP2005207241A - Engine intake device of hybrid vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems in the inverter of a hybrid vehicle wherein the inverter is difficult to mount so as to be protected against radiation heat from an engine and impact in collision and so that the visual design of a body is not restricted. <P>SOLUTION: The hybrid vehicle comprises the engine and a generator motor. The inverter 8 applied for controlling the motor generator as well as the engine 3 are mounted in a body engine room 2. The inverter 8 is stored in an air cleaner housing 6 connected to an engine intake passage 4 to protect the inverter by the air cleaner housing and increase the space use efficiency of the engine room. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an engine intake device for a hybrid vehicle.

Since a vehicle equipped with an engine as a prime mover needs to accommodate various auxiliary machines in a limited engine room space, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a dead space around the engine is used to compensate. Devices have been devised to install equipment. In hybrid vehicles, in addition to the engine that is a combustion engine, a rotating electrical machine for driving or power generation, a large battery, and the like are mounted, so that the device layout becomes more difficult.
JP-A-11-294280

  As a major problem in the device mounting layout of a hybrid vehicle, there is a mounting structure of an inverter used for driving / power generation control of the rotating electric machine described above. In other words, the inverter normally needs to be cooled to about 60 ° C during operation, but the ambient temperature in the engine room rises to about 120 ° C due to the heat generated from the engine. The cooling efficiency is greatly reduced. In addition, in a vehicle with an engine placed horizontally, a layout in which an inverter is mounted in front of the engine with a relatively large space can be considered. As a result, the size and weight of the inverter itself increase. In addition, if an inverter is to be installed in an engine room that is originally equipped with many engine accessories, the inverter must be stacked above the engine or its accessories, and the engine hood will increase accordingly. As a result, there is a problem in that the engine design is restricted, and as a countermeasure, the capacity of the air cleaner housing, which occupies a large volume in the engine room, is reduced.

  In the present invention, an intake passage of the engine is premised on a hybrid vehicle that includes an engine that is a combustion engine as a prime mover and a rotating electrical machine, and an inverter that is applied to control the rotating electrical machine together with the engine in a vehicle body engine room The inverter is housed inside an air cleaner housing connected to the.

  According to the present invention, since the air cleaner housing functions as a container for accommodating the inverter together with the air cleaner element, the space utilization efficiency in the engine room is improved. Further, since the air cleaner housing acts as a heat insulating container for the inverter, it is possible to suppress a decrease in cooling efficiency due to radiant heat from the engine. Further, since the air cleaner housing acts as an impact absorbing structure in the event of a vehicle collision, the impact force input to the inverter can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and the following figures, 1 is a vehicle body (front portion), 2 is an engine room, 3 is an engine, 4 is an intake passage, 5 is a transmission, 6 is an air cleaner housing, 7 is an air cleaner element, and 8 is an inverter. An arrow F in the figure indicates the front of the vehicle.

  The engine 3 is an in-line four-cylinder internal combustion engine, and is mounted in the engine room 2 so as to be disposed horizontally with respect to the vehicle body 1. The air cleaner housing 6 is positioned above the transmission 5 coupled to one end side of the engine 1. The air cleaner housing 6 is formed in a shape that substantially compensates for a dead space generated above the transmission 5 in the engine room 2 to ensure a sufficient volume.

  The engine 3 is horizontally mounted on the vehicle body in a layout of rear intake and front exhaust, and an inlet portion of the intake passage 4 located at the rear is connected to a rear end portion of the air cleaner housing 6. The intake port of the air cleaner housing 6 opens to the front side of the vehicle body, and fresh air taken in from the intake port is purified by the air cleaner element 7 and supplied to the intake passage 4.

  As shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, the air cleaner element 7 is located relatively forward of the air cleaner housing 6 and closer to the engine 3, thereby securing the air cleaner element 7 relatively rearward and away from the engine 3. The inverter 8 is housed in the space. When there is room in the internal space of the air cleaner housing 6, a controller 9 for controlling charging / discharging of the rotating electrical machine may be installed as shown in FIG.

  The inverter 8 is an AC-DC converter, and is interposed between a rotating electrical machine that operates for power generation or vehicle driving and a high-power battery in terms of circuit configuration. Since the inverter 8 is heated to a high temperature with the operation, forced cooling is performed using a water cooling type cooling device or the like. In addition, a rotary electric machine, a high electric battery, a cooling device, etc. are not illustrated.

  Based on the above configuration, the air cleaner housing 6 functions as a container for accommodating the inverter 8 together with the air cleaner element 7, so that the space in the engine room 2 can be used efficiently. As a result, there are fewer external design restrictions such as an increase in the hood position of the vehicle body as the inverter is mounted.

  Further, since the internal space of the air cleaner housing 6 provides an air insulation action against the high temperature in the engine room 2, the heat transfer from the high temperature atmosphere in the engine room 2 to the inverter 8 can be suppressed to enhance the cooling effect. it can. In particular, in this embodiment, since the inverter 8 is provided at a position relatively separated from the engine 2, the influence of radiant heat from the engine 3 can also be reduced.

  Further, since the air cleaner housing 6 functions as an impact absorbing structure at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 4, the impact force input to the inverter 8 can be reduced. 4A shows a state before the collision, and FIG. 4B shows a state after the collision. When the impact absorbing structure formed on the front portion of the vehicle body and a part of the air cleaner housing 6 are deformed at the time of the collision, Since this deformation almost stops at the portion of the engine 3, it is possible to prevent the impact force from acting on the inverter 8 housed in the rear portion of the air cleaner housing 6 and reliably protect it.

The schematic structure figure seen from the engine room upper part of a 1st embodiment of the present invention. The schematic block diagram seen from the engine room side of the said 1st Embodiment. The schematic block diagram seen from the engine room side of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. Explanatory drawing which showed the schematic structure seen from the engine compartment side of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention, and the state before and behind a front collision.

Explanation of symbols

1 Car body 2 Engine room 3 Engine (internal combustion engine)
4 Intake passage 5 Transmission 6 Air cleaner housing 7 Air cleaner element 8 Inverter 9 Controller

Claims (5)

In a hybrid vehicle including an engine that is a combustion engine as a prime mover and a rotating electrical machine, and an inverter that is applied to control the rotating electrical machine together with the engine in a vehicle body engine room,
An intake device for a hybrid vehicle, wherein the inverter is housed in an air cleaner housing connected to an intake passage of the engine.   2. The intake device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the engine is mounted laterally with respect to a vehicle body, and the air cleaner housing is disposed in an upper space of a transmission located at one end of the engine.   3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the air cleaner housing includes an air cleaner element at a relatively front position with respect to a traveling direction of the vehicle and is set so that the inverter is positioned at a relatively rear position. Intake device.   3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the air cleaner housing includes an air cleaner element at a position relatively close to the engine, and is set so that the inverter is positioned at a relatively separated position. Intake device.   The air intake apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a controller for the rotating electrical machine is also housed inside the air cleaner housing.

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