JP2010115067A - On-vehicle electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an on-vehicle electronic apparatus instantly discharging a charge stored in a storage element such as a capacitor or the like in case of vehicle crash. <P>SOLUTION: In the on-vehicle electronic apparatus 11 having the storage element, a container 23 accumulating a conductive liquid L is disposed inside of the on-vehicle electronic apparatus 11 and close to the storage element 20. The container 23 is broken in case of the vehicle crash, causing the conductive liquid L to soak electrodes 20B, 20C of the storage element 20. The conductive liquid L soaking the electrodes 20B, 20C short-circuits both electrodes, resulting in discharging the charge in the storage element 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle electronic device mounted on a vehicle.

As a conventional vehicle-mounted electronic device, for example, there is a vehicle control device disclosed in Patent Document 1.
In this vehicle control device, the DC power of the battery is converted into AC power by an inverter, and power is supplied to the three-phase AC motor.
An electric circuit for power conversion is provided with a smoothing capacitor for reducing noise.
During the operation of the vehicle, high voltage power is stored in this capacitor.
For this reason, when the vehicle collides, there is a risk of electric shock due to the electric power stored in the capacitor after the collision.
Therefore, in the control apparatus for the vehicle, the HV _ ECU (Electronic Control Unit) , detects whether or not the vehicle has collided, issues a command signal to the automatic transmission to the parking lock state when it is detected The smoothing capacitor is discharged by the motor zero torque process.
JP 2006-141158 A

However, in the prior art, since the HV_ECU detects the vehicle collision and then performs the discharge process, there is a possibility that the discharge is not performed immediately after the collision.
Further, if the HV_ECU that performs the discharge process is damaged due to a collision, the discharge process of the smoothing capacitor based on the command of the HV_ECU becomes impossible.

  An object of the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and provides an in-vehicle electronic device that can reliably and quickly discharge electric charge stored in a power storage element such as a capacitor at the time of a vehicle collision. It is in.

  To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an in-vehicle electronic device having an electricity storage element, wherein a container storing a conductive liquid is inside the in-vehicle electronic device and in the vicinity of the electricity storage element. It is arranged.

According to the present invention, when the vehicle collides, the container is destroyed based on the impact caused by the collision.
When the container is destroyed, the conductive liquid flows out of the container, and the electrode of the power storage element located in the vicinity of the container is immersed in the conductive liquid.
As a result, the electrodes of the power storage element are short-circuited, and the charge stored in the power storage element is discharged.
Since the electrodes of the power storage element are short-circuited by the conductive liquid, the discharge of the power storage element can be completed more reliably and more quickly than before.

In the present invention, in the above-described on-vehicle electronic device, container destruction means for breaking the container may be provided in the vicinity of the container.
In this case, when the vehicle collides, the container destruction means that receives the impact of the collision actively destroys the container.
Since the container is actively destroyed at the time of collision, the conductive liquid surely flows out from the container, and the electrode of the power storage element is surely immersed in the conductive liquid, so that the power storage element can be discharged more reliably. .

In the present invention, in the above-described on-vehicle electronic device, the container breaking means may have a protrusion that faces the container.
In this case, when the vehicle collides, the impact of the collision acts intensively on the container via the protrusion.
Since the impact on the container acts intensively, the container can be more easily destroyed at the time of collision.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the vehicle-mounted electronic device which can discharge reliably and rapidly the electric charge stored in electrical storage elements, such as a capacitor | condenser, at the time of a vehicle collision can be provided.

Hereinafter, an in-vehicle electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing an outline of an in-vehicle electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a main-portion cross-sectional view showing a plane of the in-vehicle electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

The vehicle-mounted electronic device in this embodiment is an inverter mounted on a vehicle (not shown) such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle.
The inverter converts DC power of a battery mounted on the vehicle into three-phase AC power.
The AC power converted by the inverter drives an AC motor mounted on the vehicle.

The inverter 11 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a case 12 that includes a base 13 and a cover 14.
A substrate 16 is installed on the base 13 in the case 12 via an insulator 15.
On the substrate 16, a switching element unit 17 and a smoothing capacitor 20 are arranged as electronic components that form the circuit of the inverter 11.
The switching element unit 17 is fixed on the substrate 16 with bolts 18.
The switching element unit 17 includes a plurality of switching elements (not shown), a positive terminal (not shown) on the input side of DC power, a negative terminal (not shown), a radiator (not shown), and the like. It has.
The switching element unit 17 includes a phase terminal (not shown) for each of the U phase, the V phase, and the W phase on the output side of the three-phase AC power.

The smoothing capacitor 20 is located on the substrate 16 away from the switching element unit 17 and close to the cover 14.
The smoothing capacitor 20 is a smoothing capacitor (capacitor) for reducing voltage fluctuations that occur during power conversion.
The smoothing capacitor 20 corresponds to a power storage element that can store electric charge.
The smoothing capacitor 20 of this embodiment is an electrolytic capacitor having polarity.
The smoothing capacitor 20 includes a columnar capacitor body 20A and a pair of electrodes 20B and 20C composed of a positive electrode and a negative electrode.
Since the electrodes 20 </ b> B and 20 </ b> C are fixed on the substrate 16, the smoothing capacitor 20 is supported by the substrate 16.
In this embodiment, four smoothing capacitors 20 are arranged in a row on the substrate 16.

A wall member 21 is installed between the switching element unit 17 and the smoothing capacitor 20 on the substrate 16.
The wall member 21 includes a base portion 21A that abuts on the substrate 16 and a wall portion 21B that extends upward from the base portion 21A. The wall portion 21B includes a plurality of vertical arc surfaces and approaches the smoothing capacitor 20. ing.
A potting material 22 made of a thermosetting resin material is filled between the capacitor body 20A and the wall 21B.
The potting material 22 is fixed in intimate contact with the smoothing capacitor 20, and the close contact between the potting material 22 and the smoothing capacitor 20 prevents the smoothing capacitor 20 from being tilted due to vibration during traveling of the vehicle.

A container 23 surrounding the plurality of smoothing capacitors 20 is arranged on the substrate 16.
The container 23 is made of a thin resin material.
A conductive liquid (hereinafter referred to as “conductive liquid”) L such as an electrolytic solution is stored inside the container 23 (see FIG. 3).
A plurality of legs 23E are provided on the lower surface of the container 23, and the legs 23E are fixed to the substrate 16 with an adhesive (not shown).
It can be said that the container 23 exists inside the in-vehicle electronic device.
A through hole 24 is formed in the center of the container 23, and the smoothing capacitor 20 is positioned in the through hole 24 in a state where the container 23 is fixed to the substrate 16.
Since the leg portion 23 </ b> E is interposed between the container 23 and the substrate 16, a gap is provided between the container 23 and the substrate 16.
By providing this gap, the conductive liquid can easily flow toward the smoothing capacitor 20 when the container 23 is broken.
As shown in FIG. 2, of the side surfaces of the container 23, the side surfaces facing the cover 14 are first to third side surfaces 23 </ b> A to 23 </ b> C, and the side surfaces facing the wall member 21 are fourth surface 23 </ b> D.
The first side surface 23A is the front side of the vehicle, and the fourth side surface 23D is the rear side of the vehicle.
The second side surface 23B is on the left side of the vehicle, and the third side surface 23C is on the right side of the vehicle.

By the way, the inner wall of the cover 14 is formed with a plurality of cones 25 protruding toward the first side surface 23A to the third side surface 23C of the container.
In this embodiment, the number of cones 25 protruding toward the first side surface 23A is four, and the number of cones 25 protruding toward the second side surface 23B and the third side surface 23C is one.
The cone 25 corresponds to a container breaking means that hits the container 23 and breaks the container 23 when the vehicle collides.
The cone 25 is made of a metal material and is formed integrally with the cover 14.
The cone 25 of this embodiment has a sharp tip so that the container 23 can be easily broken.
In this embodiment, the tip of the cone 25 or the entire cone 25 corresponds to the protrusion of the present invention.
The gap between the tip of the cone 25 and the container 23 is set based on various conditions at the time of a vehicle collision in which the smoothing capacitor 20 needs to be discharged.
The conditions of the cone 25 and the container 23 are set so that the cone 25 does not damage the container 23 except at the time of collision.
In order to distinguish the cones 25, the cones facing the first side surface 23A are the first cones 25A, the cones facing the second side surface 23B are the second cones 25B, and the cones facing the third side surface 23C are the first. Let it be a three-pyramid 25C.

Next, the effect | action of the inverter 11 as a vehicle-mounted electronic device which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated.
When the vehicle is traveling, the DC power of the battery is converted into three-phase AC power by the inverter 11.
Electric charges are stored in the smoothing capacitor 20 of the inverter 11 during power conversion.
The converted three-phase AC power drives the motor.
When a traveling vehicle collides with another vehicle or a ground object, the vehicle is damaged by receiving an impact generated at the time of the collision.
The impact at the time of collision also affects the inverter 11, and the inverter 11 is also damaged when subjected to a predetermined impact or more.

For example, when the vehicle collides with a ground object ahead and an impact of a predetermined level or more acts in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the component member C constituting a part of the vehicle collides with the cover 14 as shown in FIG. The cover 14 is deformed (in FIG. 3, the state of the cover 14 before deformation is indicated by a solid line, and the state of the cover 14 after deformation due to collision is indicated by a two-dot chain line).
Due to the deformation of the cover 14, the first cone 25 </ b> A hits the first side surface 23 </ b> A of the container 23.
Since the tip of the first cone 25A causes the impact of the collision to concentrate on the container 23, the tip pierces the container 23 and destroys the container 23.
That is, when the vehicle collides, the first cone 25A actively destroys the container 23 using the impact at the time of the collision.
When the first cone 25A breaks the container 23, the conductive liquid L flows out of the container.
The conductive liquid flows on the substrate 16 and immerses the electrodes 20B and 20C of the smoothing capacitor 20 located in the vicinity of the container 23.
When the electrodes 20B and 20C of the smoothing capacitor 20 are immersed in the conductive liquid L, the conductive liquid L is electrically short-circuited between the electrodes 20B and 20C.
The electric charge stored in the smoothing capacitor 20 is quickly discharged by a short circuit between the electrodes 20B and 20C.

In the case where the other vehicle collides from the left and right directions of the vehicle, the impact in the left and right direction deforms the cover, and the second cone 25B or the third cone 25C destroys the container 23.
When the second cone 25B or the third cone 25C breaks the container 23, the conductive liquid L flows out of the container 23 and immerses the electrodes 20B and 20C of the smoothing capacitor 20.
The electrodes 20B and 20C are short-circuited by the conductive liquid L, and the electric charge of the smoothing capacitor 20 is discharged.

This embodiment has the following effects.
(1) When the vehicle collides, the container 23 is destroyed due to the impact, so that the conductive liquid L flows out of the container 23, and the electrodes 20B and 20C of the smoothing capacitor 20 located in the vicinity of the container 23 are the conductive liquid. Soaked in L. As a result, the electrodes 20B and 20C of the smoothing capacitor 20 are electrically short-circuited, and the electric charge stored in the smoothing capacitor 20 can be discharged quickly.
(2) When the vehicle collides, at least one of the first cone 25A to the third cone 25C (container destruction means) actively destroys the container 23 using the impact of the collision. Since at least one of the first cone 25A to the third cone 25C actively destroys the container 23 at the time of a collision, the conductive liquid L surely flows out from the container 23, and the conductive liquid L flows from the smoothing capacitor 20. The electrodes 20B and 20C can be reliably immersed.
(3) When the vehicle collides, the impact of the collision acts intensively on the container 23 via at least one of the first cone 25A to the third cone 25C (projection). Since the impact on the container 23 acts intensively, the destruction of the container 23 at the time of collision is further ensured. Specifically, when the cover 14 is deformed, at least one of the distal end portions of the first cone 25A to the third cone 25C can be pierced into the container 23 to break the container 23.
(4) Since the container is destroyed by using the impact at the time of collision, there is no need for control on the circuit side, and even if the control means for controlling the circuit is damaged and does not function at the time of collision, the smoothing capacitor 20 Discharging can be performed reliably and promptly.

(Another example)
Next, an in-vehicle electronic device according to another example will be described with reference to FIGS.
The vehicle-mounted electronic device which concerns on another example is an inverter for electric compressors mounted in a vehicle.
This inverter is an inverter for obtaining three-phase AC power for driving an electric motor included in the electric compressor from DC power.
As shown in FIG. 4, the inverter 31 is provided integrally with the electric compressor, and includes a housing 33 and a cover 34 that are integrated with the electric compressor.
The housing 33 and the cover 34 form a case portion 32 of the inverter 31.
A base member 35 is fixed on the housing 33 in the case portion 32.
The base member 35 includes a leg portion 35A that contacts the housing 33 and a wall portion 35B having a plurality of vertical arc surfaces.
A substrate 36 is disposed above the base member 35.
The substrate 36 and the base member 35 are connected by fastening bolts 38 and 39.

On the lower surface of the substrate 36, a switching element unit 37 and a smoothing capacitor 40 constituting a circuit of the inverter 31 are installed downward.
The switching element unit 37 and the smoothing capacitor 40 have the same configuration as in the above embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 5, the four smoothing capacitors 40 are arranged in a row near the end of the substrate 36.
A pair of electrodes 40 </ b> B and 40 </ b> C of the smoothing capacitor 40 are fixed to the substrate 16.
The capacitor body 40A of the smoothing capacitor 40 is positioned along the wall portion 35B of the base member 35.
A potting material 42 for preventing the smoothing capacitor 40 from tilting is filled between the capacitor main body 40A and the wall 35B.

On the substrate 36, a container 43 for storing the conductive liquid L is installed.
The container 43 is located above the smoothing capacitor 40 and is fixed to the substrate 16 with bolts (not shown), and it can be said that the container 43 exists inside the in-vehicle electronic device.
The container 43 is formed of a resin material and has four side surfaces.
As shown in FIG. 5, of the side surfaces of the container 43, the side surfaces facing the cover 34 are first to fourth side surfaces 43 </ b> A to 43 </ b> C, and the side surfaces facing the bolts 39 are fourth side surfaces 43 </ b> D.
The first side surface 43A is the front side of the vehicle, the fourth side surface 43D is the rear side, the second side surface 43B is the left side of the vehicle, and the third side surface 43C is the right side of the vehicle.

In this alternative example, the container breaking means includes three cones 45 provided on the cover 34 and a cone 45 provided integrally with a washer 44 inserted through the bolt 39.
There are three cones 45 provided on the cover 34, and for the sake of distinction, they are referred to as the first cone 45A to the third cone 45C in correspondence with the first side surface 43A to the third side surface 43C of the container 43.
The first cone 45A to the third cone 45C protrude toward the corresponding first side surface 43A to the third side surface 43C, respectively.
The tip portions of the first cone 45A to the third cone 45C face the corresponding first side surface 43A to the third side surface 43C.
The first cone 45A to the third cone 45C destroy the container 43 when the vehicle collides.

The cone 45 provided on the washer 44 protrudes laterally from the outer peripheral surface of the washer 44.
The cone 45 of the washer 44 is referred to as a fourth cone 45D for distinction.
When the washer 44 is fixed on the substrate 36, the position of the washer 44 is adjusted so that the tip of the fourth cone 45D faces the fourth side surface 43D.

In the inverter 31 according to this example, the inverter 31 is also damaged when subjected to a predetermined impact or more generated at the time of collision.
For example, when the cover 34 of the inverter 31 is deformed by the impact of a collision in the front-rear direction, the first cone 45A hits the first side surface 43A of the container 43 due to the deformation of the cover 34.
Since the first cone 45A concentrates the impact of the collision on the container 43, the tip of the first cone 45A pierces the container 43 and destroys the container 43.
By destroying the container 43, the conductive liquid L flows out of the container 43.
The conductive liquid L flows on the substrate 36, and the conductive liquid L wraps around the lower surface of the substrate 36 through holes and edges provided in the substrate 36.
The conductive liquid L immerses the electrodes 40B and 40C of the smoothing capacitor 40 located in the vicinity of the container 43.
When the electrodes 40B and 40C of the smoothing capacitor 40 are immersed in the conductive liquid L, the electrodes 40B and 40C are electrically short-circuited.
The electric charge stored in the smoothing capacitor 40 is immediately discharged by a short circuit between the electrodes 40B and 40C.

In addition, the impact by the collision in the front-rear direction may cause the fourth cone 45D to pierce the fourth side surface 43D and destroy the container 43.
Further, when the other vehicle collides from the left and right directions of the vehicle, the second cone 45B or the third cone 45C destroys the container 43 due to the impact in the left and right direction.
In this case, since the conductive liquid flowing out from the container 43 immerses the electrodes 40B and 40C to short-circuit the electrodes 40B and 40C, the charge of the smoothing capacitor is discharged.

Even if the smoothing capacitor 40 is installed on the lower surface of the substrate 36, this example has the same effects as the effects (1) to (3) of the above embodiment.
In addition, since the washer 44 is provided with the fourth cone 45D, the cone 45 can be arranged on all sides of the container, and the container 43 is reliably destroyed by the cone 45 against the impact from the four sides of the inverter 31. can do.

Note that the in-vehicle electronic device according to the above-described embodiment shows an embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the gist of the invention is as follows. Various modifications within the range are possible.
In the above embodiment including another example, the in-vehicle electronic device is an inverter, but the in-vehicle electronic device is not limited to the inverter. The on-vehicle electronic device may be a DC-DC converter, for example.
In the above embodiment including another example, the container destruction means is provided in the vicinity of the container. However, the container destruction means is not necessarily provided. For example, the container may be destroyed when subjected to the impact of a collision. Specifically, a container having a structure that autonomously breaks when a certain inertia force acts in a state where the conductive liquid is stored. It is good. In this case, there is no need to install container destruction means in the vicinity of the container. Moreover, the material which forms a container is not limited to resin, and can be suitably selected as the material of the container as long as it is a material that is easily broken.
In the above embodiment including another example, the container breaking means is a cone, but the container breaking means is not limited to a cone, and has a configuration capable of breaking the container using at least an impact at the time of collision. If you do.
In the above embodiment including another example, the electrolytic solution is used as the conductive liquid. However, the conductive liquid is not particularly limited as long as it is a liquid that can be energized. Further, the storage amount of the conductive liquid may be appropriately set according to the number of storage elements and arrangement conditions.
In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which a specific cone among a plurality of cones destroys the container alone, but a plurality of cones may destroy the container depending on the condition of the collision.
○ The container may be a bag of flexible vinyl other than the plastic that specifies the shape.

It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the outline | summary of the vehicle-mounted electronic device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the plane of the vehicle-mounted electronic device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. It is a side view which shows the outline | summary of the vehicle-mounted electronic device which concerns on another example. It is a top view which shows the principal part of the vehicle-mounted electronic device which concerns on another example.

Explanation of symbols

11, 31 Inverter (vehicle electronics)
12 Case 13 Base 14, 34 Cover 16, 36 Substrate 17, 37 Switching element unit 20, 40 Smoothing capacitor (electric storage element)
20A, 40A Capacitor body 20B, 20C, 40B, 40C Electrode 21 Wall member 21B Wall 23, 43 Container 25, 45 Cone (container destruction means)
32 Case part 35 Base member 44 Washer L Conductive liquid

Claims (3)

In an in-vehicle electronic device having a storage element,
A vehicle-mounted electronic device, wherein a container storing a conductive liquid is disposed inside the vehicle-mounted electronic device and in the vicinity of the power storage element.   The in-vehicle electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a container breaking means for breaking the container is provided in the vicinity of the container.   The in-vehicle electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the container breaking means has a protruding portion facing the container.