JP7331747B2 - vehicle power unit - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle power plant in which a power control device is supported by a transaxle case via a bracket.

Patent Literature 1 describes an example of a vehicle power plant in which a power control device is supported by a transaxle case via a bracket. In this power plant, the power control device is arranged above the transaxle case. Brackets are arranged on the front side of the vehicle and the rear side of the vehicle relative to the power control device. The pair of brackets supports the power control device on the transaxle case with a space interposed between the upper surface of the transaxle case and the power control device.

In the above power plant, the electric circuit is arranged in the space interposed between the upper surface of the transaxle case and the power control device.

JP 2017-87823 A

The transaxle has a drive shaft extending in the vehicle width direction, and wheels are connected to the drive shaft. When the vehicle is running, the rotation of the wheels and drive shaft stirs up foreign matter such as water and mud, and the foreign matter flows into the space between the upper surface of the transaxle case and the power control device and enters the electric circuit. There is a risk of adhesion.

A power unit for a vehicle for solving the above problems includes a transaxle case, a transaxle having a drive shaft projecting from a side surface of the transaxle case in a vehicle width direction, and a drive shaft fixed to the side surface of the transaxle case. and a bracket positioned above the drive shaft in the vehicle, and supported by the transaxle case via the bracket with a space interposed between the transaxle case and the upper surface of the transaxle case. a power control device; and an electric circuit arranged in a housing space between the upper surface of the transaxle case and the power control device, behind the vehicle relative to the rotation axis of the drive shaft. ing. A shielding portion of the bracket, which is a portion positioned between the upper surface of the transaxle case and the power control device in the vehicle vertical direction, overlaps at least a portion of the electric circuit in the vehicle width direction. . Further, the vehicle lower end of the bracket is positioned vehicle rearward of the drive shaft and vehicle lower than the rotation axis of the drive shaft.

When the drive shaft and wheels are rotating to move the vehicle forward, the rotation of the drive shaft and wheels stirs up foreign matter such as water and mud behind the drive shaft.

According to the above configuration, the electric circuit is arranged behind the drive shaft in the accommodation space between the upper surface of the transaxle case and the power control device in the vehicle vertical direction. A shielding portion of the bracket positioned between the upper surface of the transaxle case and the power control device in the vehicle vertical direction overlaps at least a portion of the electric circuit in the vehicle width direction. For this reason, at least a part of the communication portion that connects the accommodation space and the space outside the transaxle case in the vehicle width direction in the vehicle body behind the rotation center of the drive shaft is It can be closed with a bracket. A portion of the bracket located behind the drive shaft in the vehicle extends below the vehicle from the center of rotation of the drive shaft. As a result, it is possible to prevent the above-mentioned foreign matter, which is picked up by the rotation of the wheel and the drive shaft, from entering the gap between the side surface of the transaxle case and the bracket. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the entry of the foreign matter picked up by the rotation of the wheel and the drive shaft into the accommodation space, and thus to suppress the attachment of the foreign matter to the electric circuit in the accommodation space.

Further, according to the above configuration, the shielding portion of the bracket overlaps at least a portion of the electric circuit in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when a vehicle equipped with the above-described power unit is colliding, when a part of the vehicle that is arranged near the power unit is deformed, the bracket can suppress the collision between the part and the electric circuit.

1 is a side view schematically showing a power plant of a vehicle according to an embodiment; FIG. The top view which shows the same power unit typically.

An embodiment of a power plant for a vehicle will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.
A power plant 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is mounted on a vehicle. The power plant 10 includes a transaxle 11 , a power control device 20 and an electric circuit 30 . The transaxle 11 has a transaxle case 12 and a motor provided inside the transaxle case 12 . Power control device 20 drives the motor by controlling electric circuit 30 .

The transaxle case 12 has a vehicle front portion 12F and a vehicle rear portion 12R whose dimensions in the vehicle vertical direction X are different from each other. The vehicle front portion 12F and the vehicle rear portion 12R are arranged in the vehicle front-rear direction Z. As shown in FIG. That is, the vehicle front portion 12F is positioned further forward in the vehicle than the vehicle rear portion 12R. The upper surface 12Fa of the vehicle front portion 12F is positioned higher than the upper surface 12Ra of the vehicle rear portion 12R. As shown in FIG. 2, an electric circuit 30 is attached to the upper surface 12Ra of the vehicle rear portion 12R of the transaxle case 12. As shown in FIG.

A drive shaft 14 protrudes in the vehicle width direction Y from the transaxle case 12 . The drive shaft 14 protrudes in the vehicle width direction Y from the side surface 13 of the transaxle case 12 . Specifically, the drive shaft 14 protrudes from the side surface 13 of the vehicle rear portion 12R. That is, the side surface 13 is a surface substantially orthogonal to the vehicle width direction Y. As shown in FIG.

Wheels are connected to the drive shaft 14 . The direction of rotation indicated by the arrow C1 in FIG. 1 is the direction of rotation of the drive shaft 14 and the wheels when the vehicle moves forward. As shown in FIG. 1 , the drive shaft 14 is arranged below and in front of the vehicle relative to the electric circuit 30 .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the power control device 20 is arranged above the vehicle in the rear portion 12R of the transaxle case 12 . A gap is interposed between the power control device 20 and the vehicle front portion 12</b>F of the transaxle case 12 . That is, the power control device 20 is not in contact with the rear surface 12Fb of the vehicle front portion 12F.

The right side of the electric power control device 20 in FIG. In this case, the first portion 21 is fixed to the upper surface 12Ra of the vehicle rear portion 12R of the transaxle case 12 . On the other hand, a space is interposed between the second portion 22 and the upper surface 12Ra of the vehicle rear portion 12R. The second portion 22 is supported by the vehicle rear portion 12R via a bracket 40. As shown in FIG. Further, when the space interposed between the second portion 22 and the upper surface 12Ra of the vehicle rear portion 12R is assumed to be a housing space SP, the electric circuit 30 is arranged in the housing space SP. A power cable 31 that connects the power control device 20 and the electric circuit 30 is also housed in the housing space SP.

Bracket 40 is made of a metal material. Such a bracket 40 is fixed to the side surface 13 of the transaxle case 12 by a plurality of first fasteners 51, as shown in FIG. Also, the bracket 40 is fixed to the power control device 20 by the second fastening portion 52 .

A portion of the bracket 40 positioned between the upper surface 12Ra of the vehicle rear portion 12R of the transaxle case 12 and the power control device 20 in the vehicle vertical direction X is called a shielding portion 41 . In this case, the shielding portion 41 overlaps a portion of the electric circuit 30 in the vehicle width direction Y. As shown in FIG. That is, the vehicle front end of the electric circuit 30 is arranged between the vehicle front end and the vehicle rear end of the shielding portion 41 . Further, the vehicle rear end of the electric circuit 30 is arranged behind the vehicle rear end of the shielding portion 41 . The vehicle front end of the shielding portion 41 is positioned behind the vehicle from the boundary between the vehicle front portion 12</b>F and the vehicle rear portion 12</b>R in the transaxle case 12 . Therefore, a part of the opening of the accommodation space SP that communicates with the space outside the transaxle case 12 in the vehicle width direction Y inside the vehicle is not blocked by the bracket 40 .

A portion of the bracket 40 that is above the shielding portion 41 with respect to the vehicle is an upper extending portion 42 that extends rearward of the vehicle from the boundary with the shielding portion 41 . This upper extending portion 42 is fixed to the power control device 20 by a second fastening portion 52 .

When the portion of the bracket 40 that is located below the shielding portion 41 with respect to the vehicle is referred to as a lower portion 43, the lower portion 43 is arranged to face the side surface 13 of the transaxle case 12 and has a plurality of first fastening members. It is fixed to the transaxle case 12 by a tool 51 . A vehicle lower end 43 a of the lower portion 43 is arranged behind the drive shaft 14 in the vehicle. Further, the vehicle lower end 43 a is arranged below the vehicle from the rotation axis 14 a of the drive shaft 14 .

A vehicle front end 43 b of the lower portion 43 is located above the drive shaft 14 and ahead of the vehicle relative to the rotation axis 14 a of the drive shaft 14 .
In the lower portion 43, there are a portion behind the vehicle and below the rotation axis 14a of the drive shaft 14, a portion immediately above the drive shaft 14, and a portion behind the drive shaft 14 and above the vehicle. are fixed to the transaxle case 12 by first fasteners 51, respectively.

The action and effect of this embodiment will be described.
When the vehicle moves forward, the drive shaft 14 and the wheels rotate in the direction indicated by arrow C1 in FIG. When the drive shaft 14 and the wheels are rotating in this manner, the rotation of the drive shaft 14 and the wheels stirs up foreign matter such as water and mud behind the drive shaft 14 in the vehicle.

An electric circuit 30 is arranged behind the drive shaft 14 in the accommodation space SP between the upper surface 12Ra of the vehicle rear portion 12R of the transaxle case 12 and the power control device 20 in the vehicle vertical direction X. As shown in FIG. Therefore, if foreign matter caught up by the rotation of the drive shaft 14 and the wheels as described above enters the housing space SP, the foreign matter may adhere to the electric circuit 30 .

In this embodiment, the shielding portion 41 of the bracket 40 overlaps the electric circuit 30 in the vehicle width direction Y. As shown in FIG. Therefore, of the opening that connects the accommodation space SP and the space outside the transaxle case 12 in the vehicle width direction Y in the vehicle body, at least a part of the rear portion of the vehicle relative to the rotation axis 14a of the drive shaft 14 is It can be closed by bracket 40 . A portion of the bracket 40 located behind the drive shaft 14 in the vehicle extends below the vehicle from the rotation axis 14 a of the drive shaft 14 . As a result, it is possible to prevent the above-described foreign matter caught up by the rotation of the drive shaft 14 and the wheels from entering the gap between the side surface 13 of the transaxle case 12 and the bracket 40 . As a result, it is possible to suppress the entry of the foreign matter picked up by the rotation of the drive shaft 14 and the wheels into the accommodation space SP, and thus to suppress the attachment of the foreign matter to the electric circuit 30 in the accommodation space SP.

The bracket 40 extends above the drive shaft 14 in the vehicle and in front of the vehicle relative to the rotation axis 14 a of the drive shaft 14 . As a result, the effect of suppressing the inflow of foreign matter into the housing space SP can be enhanced.

In this embodiment, the following effects can be further obtained.
(1) The shielding portion 41 of the bracket 40 overlaps the electric circuit 30 in the vehicle width direction Y. Therefore, even if a part of the vehicle parts arranged near the power plant 10 is deformed when the vehicle equipped with the power plant 10 collides, the collision between the part and the electric circuit 30 can be suppressed by the bracket 40. - 特許庁A power cable 31 connecting the electric circuit 30 and the power control device 20 is also arranged in the housing space SP. Therefore, when a component in the vicinity of the power plant 10 is deformed in the collision of the vehicle as described above, it is possible to suppress interference between the component and the power cable 31 .

(2) The bracket 40 is made of a metal material, and its shielding portion 41 overlaps the electric circuit 30 in the vehicle width direction Y. As shown in FIG. Thereby, the emission of electrical noise (electromagnetic waves and radio waves) from the electrical circuit 30 to the outside of the power plant 10 can be suppressed. In addition, exposure of the electric circuit 30 to electric noise from outside the power plant 10 can be suppressed. That is, the bracket 40 can function as an electromagnetic shield for the electric circuit 30 .

(3) The bracket 40 does not block a part of the opening of the housing space SP that communicates with the space outside the transaxle case 12 in the vehicle width direction Y inside the vehicle. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the bracket 40 from blocking the flow of air passing through the accommodation space SP. As a result, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the cooling performance of the electric circuit 30, and consequently it is possible to suppress the temperature of the electric circuit 30 from becoming excessively high.

This embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. This embodiment and the following modified examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.
- The shielding portion 41 of the bracket 40 may be shaped so as to overlap the entire electric circuit 30 in the vehicle width direction Y.

If the vehicle front end 43b of the lower portion 43 of the bracket 40 is positioned above the drive shaft 14, the vehicle front end 43b must not be positioned in front of the vehicle relative to the rotation axis 14a of the drive shaft 14. good too.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Power plant 11... Transaxle 12... Transaxle case 12R... Vehicle rear part 12Ra... Upper surface 13... Side surface 14... Drive shaft 14a... Rotational axis line 20... Electric power control apparatus 30... Electric circuit 40... Bracket 41... Shielding part 43a... Vehicle Lower end SP…Accommodation space

Claims (1)

a transaxle having a transaxle case and a drive shaft projecting in the vehicle width direction from a side surface of the transaxle case;
a bracket fixed to the side surface of the transaxle case;
a power control device positioned above the drive shaft in the vehicle and supported by the transaxle case via the bracket with a space interposed between the power control device and the upper surface of the transaxle case;
an electric circuit arranged behind the vehicle relative to the rotation axis of the drive shaft in a housing space that is a space between the upper surface of the transaxle case and the power control device,
A shielding portion of the bracket, which is a portion positioned between the upper surface of the transaxle case and the power control device in the vehicle vertical direction, overlaps at least a portion of the electric circuit in the vehicle width direction. ,
A power unit for a vehicle, wherein a vehicle lower end of the bracket is positioned vehicle rearward of the drive shaft and vehicle lower than the rotation axis of the drive shaft.