JP2022095282A - vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicle configured so that connection of electric connectors is prevented from being released at the time of collision.SOLUTION: A vehicle in which a device is mounted in a front compartment comprises: a first electric connector provided at an end part of a first electric cable and mounted on a back surface of the device in a front face view of the vehicle; a second electric connector provided at an end part of a second electric cable and connected to the first electric connector; a regulating member connected to the second electric connector, and regulating a wiring direction of the second electric cable; a cowl arranged behind the regulating member in the front face view of the vehicle; a first protruding member protruding from the first electric connector; and a second protruding member protruding from the cowl, and opposing to the first protruding member, in which the first protruding member come into contact with the second protruding member before the regulating member comes into contact with the cowl, when the device approaches the cowl.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle.

For example, the front compartment of a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV) or electric vehicle is equipped with a power control unit (PCU). The PCU houses the equipment of the vehicle's electrical system, such as inverters and converters.

Regarding the PCU, for example, Patent Document 1 describes that the connector on the upper part of the PCU is in contact with another structure and damaged when the vehicle collides, and the high voltage terminal is prevented from being exposed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-111982

For example, a power cable that supplies power from a battery to an air conditioner is routed through a pair of electrical connectors connected to each other on the back of the PCU in front view of the vehicle in order to streamline the production process of the vehicle. One electrical connector is screwed to the back of the PCU, for example via a bracket, while the other electrical connector is not fixed to the PCU and is connected to a protector that regulates the wiring direction of the cable.

Behind the protector in the front view of the vehicle, a cowl that extends in the width direction of the vehicle is arranged. Therefore, when the PCU moves to the rear of the vehicle due to an impact at the time of a collision of the vehicle, the cowl may come into contact with the protector, so that the connection between the electric connectors may be disconnected and the terminal of the electric cable may be exposed.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle capable of suppressing disconnection between electric connectors in the event of a collision.

The vehicle described herein is a first electrical connector provided at the end of a first electrical cable in a vehicle with the device mounted in a front compartment and attached to the back of the device in front view of the vehicle. A second electric connector provided at the end of the second electric cable and connected to the first electric connector, and a regulating member connected to the second electric connector to regulate the wiring direction of the second electric cable. A cowl arranged behind the restricting member in the front view of the vehicle, a first protruding member protruding from the first electric connector, and a second protruding member facing the first protruding member and protruding from the cowl. The first projecting member has a projecting member, and when the device approaches the cowl, the first projecting member comes into contact with the second projecting member before the restricting member contacts the cowl.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the electric connectors from being disconnected from each other in the event of a vehicle collision.

It is a side view which shows the structure in the front compartment of the vehicle of the comparative example. It is a figure which shows the back of the power control unit in the comparative example. It is a side view which shows the structure in the front compartment when the collision occurs in front of the vehicle of the comparative example. It is a side view which shows the structure in the front compartment of the vehicle of an Example. It is a figure which shows the back surface of the power control unit in an Example. It is a figure which shows the front view of the downward projecting member. It is a side view which shows the structure in the front compartment when the collision occurs in front of the vehicle of an Example.

(Comparative example)
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration in the front compartment 90 of the vehicle 9a of the comparative example. In FIG. 1, reference numeral F indicates the front of the vehicle 9a, reference numeral H indicates the upper direction of the vehicle 9a, and reference numeral W indicates the width direction (left side) of the vehicle. The vehicle 9a is, for example, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, but is not limited to this, and may be another vehicle such as an electric vehicle that drives a motor with electric power to travel.

The front compartment 90 is provided in front of the vehicle 9a. In the front compartment 90, for example, a power control unit (PCU) 10 and a transcycle 13 are provided.

The PCU 10 houses a converter circuit, an inverter circuit, and the like that control the electric system of the vehicle 9a. Power is supplied to the PCU 10 from a lithium ion battery (not shown) or the like. The transcycle 13 accommodates a motor for traveling the vehicle 9a, a differential gear, and the like.

The PCU 10 is fixed to the trans axle 13 by the front bracket 11 and the rear bracket 12. As a result, the PCU 10 is fixed to the trans axle 13 with a gap, so that the influence of vibration by the engine and the motor (not shown) is reduced. Since the PCU 10 is supported by the front bracket 11 and the rear bracket 12, if a collision occurs in front of the vehicle 9a, the PCU 10 may move backward in the front compartment 90 due to the impact of the collision.

The PCU 10 is an example of a device mounted in the front compartment 90. The device is not limited to the PCU 10, and may include an engine that moves to the rear of the vehicle 9a in the event of a collision.

Behind the front compartment 90 is a metal cowl panel 51. The cowl panel 51 is connected to the front compartment 90 and the dash panel 50 that separates the passenger compartment. The cowl panel 51 extends in the width direction of the vehicle 9a and extends from the dash panel 50 toward the back surface of the PCU 10.

The upper part of the cowl panel 51 is covered with the cowl top panel 52. A wiper pivot 54 is arranged on the upper part of the cowl top panel 52. The wiper pivot 54 is supported by the pivot holder 53. The pivot holder 53 is fixed to the cowl panel 51. The wiper pivot 54 penetrates the cowl top panel 52, and a part thereof is exposed.

Further, on the back side of the PCU 10, cable wiring for connecting various electric devices is provided. The configuration on the back side of the PCU 10 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the back surface of the PCU 10 in the comparative example. On the back side of the PCU 10, a lower electric cable 21, an upper electric cable 22, a lower electric connector 31, an upper electric connector 32, a lower protector 41, and an upper protector 42 are provided.

The lower electric cable 21 is an example of the first cable, and is connected to, for example, an auxiliary battery (not shown). A lower electric connector 31 is provided at the end of the lower electric cable 21. The lower electric connector 31 is an example of the first electric connector attached to the back surface of the PCU 10 in the front view of the vehicle 9a.

A pair of brackets 311 are provided on both sides of the lower electric connector 31. The pair of brackets 311 is integrally formed with the lower electric connector 31 and is fixed to the back surface of the PCU 10 by screws 312. As a result, the lower electric connector 31 is attached to the back surface of the PCU 10.

Further, a resin lower protector 41 that regulates the wiring direction of the lower electric cable 21 is connected to the lower electric connector 31. The lower protector 41 is a tubular member through which the lower electric cable 21 is passed, and has a fitting portion 410 that fits into the lower electric connector 31 and a bending portion 411 that bends the lower electric cable 21 in a predetermined direction.

The upper electric cable 22 is an example of a second electric cable, and is connected to, for example, an air conditioner for air conditioning in a vehicle interior (not shown). An upper electric connector 32 is provided at the end of the upper electric cable 22. The upper electric connector 32 is an example of a second electric connector connected to the lower electric connector 31.

The upper electric connector 32 and the lower electric connector 31 have, for example, a hollow rectangular parallelepiped shape, and have terminals 320 and 310 inside the upper electric connector 32 and the lower electric cable 21 which are connected to the conductive portions of the upper electric cable 22 and the lower electric cable 21. The upper electric connector 32 and the lower electric connector 31 are locked to each other at the time of connection by a locking mechanism such as a claw-shaped member provided on the housing.

The terminals 320 and 310 inside the upper electric connector 32 and the lower electric connector 31 are electrically connected to each other when locked. As a result, electric power is supplied from the auxiliary battery to the air conditioner via the upper electric cable 22 and the lower electric cable 21.

Further, a resin upper protector 42 that regulates the wiring direction of the upper electric cable 22 is connected to the upper electric connector 32. The upper protector 42 is a tubular member through which the upper electric cable 22 is passed, and has a fitting portion 420 that fits into the upper electric connector 32 and a bending portion 421 that bends the upper electric cable 22 in a predetermined direction. The upper protector 42 is an example of a regulating member that is connected to the upper electric connector 32 and regulates the wiring direction of the upper electric cable 22.

Further, a power connector 60 and a power cable 61 are further provided on the back surface of the PCU 10. The power connector 60 is connected to the power cable 61. The PCU 10 is powered by a battery via a power cable 61.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cowl panel 51 and the cowl top panel 52 are arranged behind the upper protector 42. Therefore, when a collision occurs in front of the vehicle 9a, the upper protector 42 may come into contact with the cowl panel 51 and the cowl top panel 52 when the PCU 10 moves backward in the front compartment 90 due to the impact of the collision. The cowl panel 51 and the cowl top panel 52 are examples of cowls arranged behind the upper protector 42 in the front view of the vehicle 9a.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the configuration inside the front compartment 90 when a collision occurs in front of the vehicle 9a of the comparative example. The PCU 10 moves backward in the front compartment 90 due to the impact of the collision, as indicated by the arrow Da. Therefore, the front tips of the cowl panel 51 and the cowl top panel 52 come into contact with the upper protector 42 (see reference numeral P).

As a result, a force acts on the upper protector 42 in the diagonally upward direction on the front side from the cowl panel 51 and the cowl top panel 52. Therefore, the same force acts on the lock portion between the upper electric connector 32 and the lower electric connector 31 as shown by the arrow Db, so that, for example, the lock portion is damaged and the connection is disconnected.

If the connection between the upper electric connector 32 and the lower electric connector 31 is disconnected, the internal terminals 320 and 310 may be exposed to the outside. Since a high voltage current flows through the upper electric cable 22 and the lower electric cable 21 to which the terminals 320 and 310 are connected, the connection between the upper electric connector 32 and the lower electric connector 31 is disconnected in the vehicle 9 of the following embodiment. It suppresses and reduces the risk of exposure of terminals 320 and 310.

(Example)
FIG. 4 is a side view showing the configuration of the vehicle 9 of the embodiment in the front compartment 90. In FIG. 4, the same reference numerals are given to the configurations common to those in FIG. 1, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Further, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the back surface of the PCU 10 in the embodiment. In FIG. 5, the same reference numerals are given to the configurations common to those in FIG. 2, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The vehicle 9 has a rear projecting member 7 projecting rearward of the vehicle 9 from the lower electric connector 31. The rear protruding member 7 is integrally formed with the lower electric connector 31. Examples of the material of the lower electric connector 31 and the rear protruding member 7 include polybutylene terephthalate.

The rear protruding member 7 has a base 70, a connecting portion 71, an opposing portion 72, and a plurality of ribs 73 and 74. The base portion 70, the connecting portion 71, and the facing portion 72 are substantially rectangular plate-shaped members. The base 70 is provided on the back surface of the lower electrical connector 31.

The connecting portion 71 connects the base portion 70 and the facing portion 72 to each other. The connecting portion 71 is erected at the upper end of the base 70, and the facing portion 72 is erected at the end of the connecting portion 71. That is, one end of the connecting portion 71 is connected to the upper end of the base 70, and the other end of the connecting portion 71 is connected to the lower end of the facing portion 81. The plate surface of the facing portion 81 faces the rear of the vehicle 9.

The rib 73 is provided between the base 70 and the connecting portion 71, and the rib 74 is provided between the connecting portion 71 and the facing portion 72. As a result, the connecting portion 71 and the facing portion 72 are supported by the ribs 73 and 74 with respect to the base portion 70, respectively. The rear projecting member 7 is an example of a first projecting member projecting from the lower electric connector 31.

Further, the vehicle 9 has a downward projecting member 8 projecting downward from the lower surface of the cowl panel 51. The downward projecting member 8 is welded to the cowl panel 51, for example, and is formed of a metal such as iron like the cowl panel 51.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a front view of the downward projecting member 8. The downward projecting member 8 has a base 80, a facing portion 81, and a plurality of ribs 82. The base portion 80 and the facing portion 81 are substantially rectangular plate-shaped members, and have a substantially L-shape in side view. The base 80 is provided on the lower surface of the cowl panel 51. The facing portion 81 is erected at the front end of the base 80. The plate surface of the facing portion 81 faces the front of the vehicle 9.

Further, a rib 82 is provided between the base portion 80 and the facing portion 81. The facing portion 81 is supported by the rib 82 with respect to the base portion 80. The downward projecting member 8 is an example of a second projecting member projecting from the cowl panel 51.

The plate surface of the facing portion 81 of the downward projecting member 8 faces the plate surface of the facing portion 72 of the rear projecting member 7. The facing portions 81 and 72 are arranged so as to be substantially parallel to each other, and the plate surfaces of the facing portions 81 and 72 overlap each other by a length L (for example, 15 (mm) or more) in the height direction of the vehicle 9. ing. As a result, when the PCU 10 approaches the cowl top panel 52 and the cowl panel 51 at the time of a collision of the vehicle 9, the facing portion 81 of the downward protruding member 8 and the facing portion 72 of the rear protruding member 7 come into contact with each other.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing the configuration inside the front compartment 90 when a collision occurs in front of the vehicle 9 of the embodiment. In FIG. 7, the same reference numerals are given to the configurations common to those in FIG. 6, and the description thereof will be omitted.

When the PCU 10 approaches the cowl top panel 52 and the cowl panel 51, the rear projecting member 7 comes into contact with the rear projecting member 7 before the upper protector 42 contacts the cowl top panel 52 and the cowl panel 51. At this time, the facing portion 81 of the downward protruding member 8 and the facing portion 72 of the rear protruding member 7 come into contact with each other as indicated by reference numeral Q.

As a result, a forward force (load) from the cowl top panel 52 and the cowl panel 51 is applied to the lower electric connector 31 via the downward projecting member 8 and the rear projecting member 7. Since the lower electric connector 31 is attached to the PCU 10 as described above, the load from the cowl top panel 52 and the cowl panel 51 is applied to the PCU 10, but not to the upper protector 42.

Further, even if the cowl top panel 52 and the cowl panel 51 come into contact with the upper protector 42 after the contact between the downward projecting member 8 and the rear projecting member 7, the PCU 10 receives a load before the contact, so that the cowl top panel 52 is added to the upper protector 42. The load is reduced as compared with the comparative example.

Therefore, the vehicle 9 of the embodiment can prevent the upper electric connector 32 and the lower electric connector 31 from being disconnected at the time of a collision.

The embodiments described above are examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

7 Rear protruding member (first protruding member)
8 Downward protruding member (second protruding member)
9,9a Vehicle 10 PCU (device)
21 Lower electric cable (second electric cable)
22 Upper electric cable (first electric cable)
31 Lower electric connector (second electric connector)
32 Upper electric connector (first electric connector)
41 Lower protector 42 Upper protector (regulatory member)
51 Cowl panel (Cowl)
52 Cowl Top Panel (Cowl)
90 front compartment

Claims (1)

In vehicles with equipment in the front compartment
A first electrical connector provided at the end of the first electrical cable and attached to the back of the device in front view of the vehicle.
A second electric connector provided at the end of the second electric cable and connected to the first electric connector, and
A regulatory member that is connected to the second electric connector and regulates the wiring direction of the second electric cable, and
A cowl placed behind the restricting member in the front view of the vehicle,
A first protruding member protruding from the first electric connector,
It has a second protruding member that faces the first protruding member and protrudes from the cowl.
The first protruding member comes into contact with the second protruding member before the restricting member comes into contact with the cowl when the device approaches the cowl.
vehicle.

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