JPWO2019235380A1 - Electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The electric vehicle (10) is provided with a rear wheel house (68) below the side surface of the vehicle body (16) and is provided with a side panel (66) located above the rear wheel house (68). Inside the side panel (66), a battery accommodating portion (200a to 200d) extending along the vehicle width direction is provided. When the vehicle body (16) is viewed in a plan view, at least a part of the battery accommodating portion (200a to 200d) is located above the rear wheel house (68). Further, the open end of the battery accommodating portion (200a to 200d) for inserting or pulling out the removable battery (300) faces the side panel (66).

Description

The present invention relates to an electric vehicle in which a detachable battery is detachably inserted into a bottomed battery accommodating portion to obtain electric power.

An electric vehicle travels by driving an electric drive device such as a motor by supplying electric power from a detachable battery, and rotating the front wheels and the rear wheels accordingly. The vehicle body of this type of electric vehicle is provided with a battery accommodating portion provided with a vehicle body side connector at the bottom. When the detachable battery is housed in the battery housing, the vehicle body side connector and the battery side connector provided on the detachable battery are electrically connected. This makes it possible to supply electric power from the detachable battery to the electric drive device.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-137002 discloses an electric vehicle in which a battery accommodating portion is arranged inward in the vehicle width direction of a center pillar located behind a door opening. The battery accommodating portion in this electric vehicle extends along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, opens in the passenger compartment so as to face the front of the vehicle body, and is inclined downward toward the rear of the vehicle body.

Further, the republished WO 2017/022394 describes an electric vehicle in which a plurality of battery accommodating portions are provided and a plurality of removable batteries can be attached. In this case, the battery accommodating portion is arranged between the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel, and a lid member facing the rear of the vehicle body is provided. When the user opens the lid member from the rear of the vehicle body, the removable battery can be inserted or removed.

In the electric vehicle described in JP-A-2017-137002, when the remaining capacity of the removable battery decreases and replacement is required, after removing the discharged removable battery in the battery housing, the passenger compartment is removed from the outside of the vehicle. It is necessary for the user to stand outside the vehicle or sit in the passenger compartment to insert the charged removable battery brought into the battery into the battery housing. In any case, the user has an unnatural posture and is cramped.

Further, in order to replace the removable battery in the electric vehicle described in the republished WO 2017/022394, the user needs to get off and go around to the rear of the vehicle body. That is, the walking distance (access distance) of the user to the battery accommodating portion becomes long. Moreover, since the battery accommodating portion is moved to the vicinity of the center of the vehicle body, parts such as slide rails are required and the configuration tends to be complicated.

A main object of the present invention is to provide an electric vehicle in which a user can easily insert or remove a removable battery into or out of a battery housing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric vehicle having a short access distance to a battery accommodating portion.

In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, an electric vehicle having an electric drive device driven by electric power supplied from a plurality of detachable batteries attached to the detachable battery.
A rear wheel house is provided below the side surface of the vehicle body, and a side panel located above the rear wheel house is provided.
Inside the side panel, a bottomed battery accommodating portion extending along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body is provided.
When the vehicle body is viewed in a plan view, at least a part of the battery accommodating portion is located above the rear wheel house.
An electric vehicle is provided in which an opening of the battery accommodating portion for inserting or withdrawing the removable battery faces the side panel.

According to the present invention adopting the above configuration, an adult having an average height inserts a removable battery into the battery housing in a natural standing posture with almost no bending of the hips and knees, and at a position lower than the shoulders. Alternatively, it can be taken out from the battery housing. Therefore, the battery replacement work and the like become easy.

Moreover, since the opening of the battery accommodating portion is opened on the side panel, in other words, on the side of the vehicle body, the access distance is shorter than when the battery accommodating portion is provided at the rear of the vehicle body.

It is a schematic right side view of the electric vehicle which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic perspective view of the support frame (supporting means) which is provided in the electric vehicle of FIG. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the state which the support frame of FIG. 2 supported a battery case and a DC-DC converter (lift pressure converter). It is a top view which shows typically the arrangement layout of the battery case in an electric vehicle. It is the schematic perspective view of the battery case when the lock plate is in a closed position. 6A and 6B are a schematic perspective view of the detachable battery from one direction and a schematic perspective view from the other direction. It is a rear view of the concentration box. It is a top view near the concentration box. It is an electric system diagram of a detachable battery, a DC-DC converter, and a concentration box. It is the schematic perspective view from the back of the lid provided in the side panel. It is a schematic side view explaining the state which the lid of FIG. 10 is displaced. It is a schematic plan view which shows the moving direction of a driver at the time of exchanging a detachable battery in a battery case. It is a schematic perspective view of the battery case when the operation lever shown in FIG. 5 is rotated and the lock plate is in the open position. It is a top view which shows typically the electric vehicle which provided the passenger seat in the left rear part of the vehicle body.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the electric vehicle according to the present invention will be given and will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, "front", "rear", "left", "right", "lower" and "upper" in the following are the front, rear, left and right of the user seated on the driver's seat. Represents downward and upward. The left-right direction is the vehicle width direction, and the up-down direction is the height direction of the electric vehicle.

FIG. 1 is a schematic right side view of the electric vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment. The electric vehicle 10 has a vehicle body 16 formed by assembling a vehicle body panel 14 to a vehicle body frame 12, and travels by rotating front wheels 18 and rear wheels 20 suspended on the left and right sides of the vehicle body 16. It is a compact car for passengers. The driver's seat 22 is arranged substantially in the middle of the vehicle body 16 in the front-rear direction and substantially in the center in the vehicle width direction.

First, the vehicle body frame 12 will be roughly described. The vehicle body frame 12 has a pair of left and right front side frames 24 and a rear side frame 26 extending in the front-rear direction. The left and right front side frames 24 are assembled so as to be gently inclined upward toward the rear and to increase the distance from each other. Further, the rear side frame 26 is offset and joined to the upper surface of the rear end of the front side frame 24. Like the front side frame 24, the left and right rear side frames 26 are gently inclined upward toward the rear, while the distance between the left and right rear side frames 26 is substantially constant.

A plurality of cross members 28 extending along the vehicle width direction are bridged between the left and right front side frames 24 and between the left and right rear side frames 26, respectively. A stationary main battery 34 is arranged between the two cross members 28 arranged between the front pillar 30 and the center pillar 32 and the driver's seat 22.

The left and right front pillars 30 are erected in the vicinity of the front end portion of the front side frame 24 via an extension member (not shown) extending outward from the outer surface of the front side frame 24. The front pillar 30 extends vertically upward from the tip of the extension member, and the upper ends of the front pillars 30 are connected to a steering hanger frame 36 extending in the vehicle width direction.

A front pillar extension 38 that is inclined rearward as it goes upward is joined to the left front portion and the right front portion of the steering hanger frame 36, respectively. A front roof cross member 40 extending along the vehicle width direction is bridged between the left and right front pillar extensions 38 where the inclination angle changes. Further, the front end of the roof side rail 42 is joined to the rear end of the front pillar extension 38. The roof side rail 42 is slightly inclined downward toward the rear and extends to the rear end portion of the vehicle body 16.

The lower ends of the center pillar 32 are joined in the vicinity of the joint between the left and right front side frames 24 and the rear side frame 26. A center roof cross member 44 extending along the vehicle width direction is bridged between the upper ends of the left and right center pillars 32. Further, the upper end of the left center pillar 32 is joined to the left roof side rail 42, and the upper end of the right center pillar 32 is joined to the right roof side rail 42.

The lower ends of the left and right rear pillars 48 are joined to the rear ends of the left and right rear side frames 26, respectively. The upper end of the left rear pillar 48 is joined to the left roof side rail 42, and the upper end of the right rear pillar 48 is joined to the right roof side rail 42. Further, a rear roof cross extending along the vehicle width direction from the intersection of the rear pillar 48 on the right and the roof side rail 42 on the right to the intersection of the rear pillar 48 on the left and the roof side rail 42 on the left. Member 50 is bridged.

A connecting member 52 is bridged between a portion substantially intermediate in the extending direction of the center pillar 32 and a portion substantially intermediate in the extending direction of the rear pillar 48. The connecting member 52 is slightly inclined upward so as to be rearward. The rear pillar unit 54 is composed of the center pillar 32, the rear pillar 48, and the connecting member 52.

Of the side surfaces of the vehicle body 16, the space between the front pillar 30 and the center pillar 32 serves as the entrance / exit for the driver. Doors 56 are provided at the left and right entrances and exits, respectively. A window 58 is provided above the door 56.

A door hinge 60 arranged vertically is provided at the front end of the door 56, and the door hinge 60 is swingably locked to the center pillar 32. By this locking, the door 56 is rotatably supported by the center pillar 32. A door handle 62 is provided on the outer surface of the upper rear portion of the door 56, and a latch mechanism (not shown) linked to the door handle 62 is provided on the rear edge of the door 56. Further, a support bracket 64 that supports a striker (not shown) that is engaged and disengaged by a latch mechanism is joined to the center pillar 32 so as to project forward.

A side panel 66 is attached to the rear of the door 56 so as to cover the rear pillar unit 54. A rear wheel house 68 surrounding the upper part of the rear wheel 20 is provided below the side panel 66, that is, below the side surface of the vehicle body 16. In other words, the side panel 66 is located above the rear wheel house 68. Needless to say, the side panel 66 constitutes the vehicle body panel 14.

Above the left and right rear side frames 26, support frames 80 (support means) shown in detail in FIG. 2 are joined. The support frame 80 includes a right prism member 82 and a left prism member 84 extending along the front-rear direction on the left or right side, and a front prism member 86 and a rear prism member 88 extending along the vehicle width direction. Has an outer frame portion connected so as to form a rectangular shape. A first sub-prism member 90 and a second sub-prism member 92 parallel to the right prism member 82 and the left prism member 84 are bridged between the front prism member 86 and the rear prism member 88.

Further, a third sub-prism member 94 is bridged to the right prism member 82, the first sub-prism member 90, and the second sub-prism member 92. Further, behind the third sub-prism member 94, a fourth sub-prism member 96 straddling the left prism member 84 via the right prism member 82, the first sub-prism member 90, and the second sub-prism member 92 is bridged. The third sub-prism member 94 and the fourth sub-prism member 96 are parallel to the front prism member 86 and the rear prism member 88.

Each intersection of the right prism member 82 and the front prism member 86, the third secondary prism member 94, and the fourth secondary prism member 96, and each intersection of the left prism member 84 and the front prism member 86, the fourth secondary prism member 96. A triangular block 100 having a hole 98 to be attached is joined to the portion or the like. The support frame 80 is connected to the rear side frame 26 by passing the mounting bolts passed through the mounting holes 98 through the insertion holes of the rear side frame 26 and further screwing nuts into the body protruding from the insertion holes. Will be done.

Support holes are formed at appropriate positions in each prism member constituting the support frame 80. As shown in FIG. 3, the support plate 102 and the four battery cases (battery accommodating portions) 200a to 200d are attached to the support frame 80 by the support bolts screwed into the support holes. The battery cases 200a to 200d thereof are bottomed hollow bodies having an open end (opening) at one end and a closed end (bottom) at the other end, and are approximated to a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

In the present embodiment, two of the four battery cases 200a to 200d are arranged on the right side of the vehicle body 16, and the remaining two are arranged on the left side. Further, both the two arranged on the right side and the two arranged on the left side are arranged in parallel on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle body 16. Hereinafter, for ease of distinction, the battery cases located on the front right side, the rear right side, the front left side, and the rear left side are designated as the right front battery case 200a, the right rear battery case 200b, the left front battery case 200c, and the left rear battery case 200d. Sometimes. However, when summarizing the four, it is also referred to as "battery case 200a to 200d".

The right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b have an open end on the right, a closed end on the left, and an open end side above the closed end side, with the right front stay 202a, the right middle stay 204a, and the right. It is connected to the support frame 80 via the rear stay 206a. That is, in the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b, the opening end faces the right side panel 66 and the closing end faces inward in the vehicle width direction inside the side panel 66, and the closing end faces the closing end from the opening end. It extends along the width of the vehicle in an inclined posture that points downward toward the vehicle. Then, the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b are positioned and fixed to the vehicle body frame 12 so that a portion (part) near the opening end is located above the rear wheel house 68 on the right side.

The right front stay 202a is attached to the front side surface of the right front battery case 200a via a connecting bolt, and the right rear stay 206a is attached to the rear side surface of the right rear battery case 200b via a connecting bolt. Further, the right middle stay 204a is attached to both the rear side surface of the right front battery case 200a and the front side surface of the right rear battery case 200b via connecting bolts, and is sandwiched between the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b. There is.

On the other hand, the left front battery case 200c and the left rear battery case 200d have an attitude in which the open end faces the left side panel 66, the closed end faces inward in the vehicle width direction, and the open end side faces the closed end side. Then, it is connected to the support frame 80 via the left front stay 202b, the left middle stay 204b, and the left rear stay 206b. After all, the left front battery case 200c and the left rear battery case 200d extend along the vehicle width direction inside the side panel 66 in an inclined posture that points downward from the open end to the closed end. The portion (part) of the left front battery case 200c and the left rear battery case 200d near the opening end is located above the left rear wheel house 68. The layout of the battery cases 200a to 200d in the electric vehicle 10 is shown in FIG. 4 as a schematic plan view.

Similar to the above, the left front stay 202b is the front side surface of the left front battery case 200c, the left middle stay 204b is both the rear side surface of the left front battery case 200c and the front side surface of the left rear battery case 200d, and the left rear stay 206b is the left rear battery case. It is attached to the rear side surface of the 200d via a connecting bolt. The left middle stay 204b is sandwiched between the left front battery case 200c and the left rear battery case 200d.

A vehicle body side connector (not shown) is provided at the closed end of the right front battery case 200a, that is, the bottom wall. The electric power of the detachable battery 300 (see FIGS. 6A and 6B), which will be described later, is taken out through the vehicle body side connector, and information on the temperature, remaining capacity, etc. of the detachable battery 300 is transmitted. The vehicle body side connector is a so-called male connector.

An operating lever 210 is provided at the open end of the right front battery case 200a. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the lever stay 212 covered by the right front stay 202a and the right middle stay 204a is positioned and fixed on the front side surface and the rear side surface of the right front battery case 200a, respectively. The operating lever 210 is connected to the lever stay 212 via a first rotating shaft 214 extending along the vehicle width direction. The first rotation shaft 214 is rotatable with respect to the lever stay 212.

The operating lever 210 has a side portion 216 having a substantially L-shape when viewed from the front or the rear, and a grip portion 218 bridged between the side portions 216 and gripped by the user. A protruding cam portion 220 that bulges away from the grip portion 218 is provided at the bent portion of the side portion 216.

The right end of the lever stay 212 extends to the right of the open end of the right front battery case 200a. A lock plate 224 is rotatably (openable and closable) provided at the right end portion via a hinge mechanism including a second rotation shaft 222. The lock plate 224 is elastically urged to the open side by a winding spring (not shown) through which the second rotation shaft 222 is passed. The open side is the side separated from the removable battery 300, and the closed side is the side close to the removable battery 300. That is, the lock plate 224 rotates (opens and closes) in the direction of approaching or separating from the detachable battery 300, and the rotation angle thereof is approximately 270 °.

A curved cam portion 226 with which the protruding cam portion 220 of the operating lever 210 is in sliding contact is provided at a portion of the lock plate 224 facing the side portion 216 of the operating lever 210. When the operation lever 210 is rotated so that the grip portion 218 is lowered by the user, the first rotation shaft 214 is rotated, and the lock plate 224 whose curved cam portion 226 is pressed by the protruding cam portion 220 is released. It rotates to the closing side.

The remaining right rear battery case 200b, left front battery case 200c, and left rear battery case 200d are configured in the same manner as the right front battery case 200a. Therefore, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Here, the removable battery 300 individually housed in each of the battery cases 200a to 200d will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B. In this case, the detachable battery 300 has a vertically long substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and when the detachable battery 300 is viewed in a plan view, the shape is a substantially square or a substantially rectangular shape.

On the upper surface of the removable battery 300, an arch portion 302 having an arch shape formed by bending both ends in the longitudinal direction and connecting to the upper surface, and a tab-shaped projecting portion 304 having an arc-shaped upper edge portion are mutually formed. It is provided so as to face each other. Further, a bar-shaped grip portion 306 is bridged from the upper end of the arch portion 302 to the upper end of the tab-shaped protruding portion 304. Since both upper ends of the arch portion 302 and the tab-shaped protruding portion 304 project from the upper surface of the removable battery 300, the bar-shaped grip portion 306 is separated from the upper surface of the removable battery 300. Therefore, a gripping clearance 308 is formed between the bar-shaped grip portion 306 and the upper surface of the removable battery 300. The user can insert a hand (finger) into the gripping clearance 308 to grip the bar-shaped grip portion 306.

A battery-side connector 310, which is a female connector, is provided on the bottom surface of the removable battery 300 on the side where the arch portion 302 is provided. By inserting the vehicle body side connector into the battery side connector 310, the detachable battery 300 and the vehicle body side connector are electrically connected.

One removable battery 300 is housed in each of the battery cases 200a to 200d. Therefore, the number of removable batteries 300 that can be mounted on the electric vehicle 10 is four, which is the same as the number of battery cases 200a to 200d.

On one of the support plates 102, DC-DC converters 350a to 350d as a buck-boost converter that appropriately raises or lowers the voltage of the power supplied from the detachable battery 300 are supported via the L-shaped stay 104. .. The number of DC-DC converters 350a to 350d is set to be the same as the number of removable batteries 300, and is four in the present embodiment. That is, the removable battery 300 in the right front battery case 200a is electrically connected to the right front DC-DC converter 350a, and the removable battery 300 in the right rear battery case 200b is electrically connected to the right rear DC-DC converter 350b. Will be done. Similarly, the removable batteries 300 in the left front battery case 200c and the left rear battery case 200d are individually electrically connected to the left front DC-DC converter 350c and the left rear DC-DC converter 350d.

The four DC-DC converters 350a to 350d have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and are positioned and fixed to the support plate 102 so that their long sides extend along the vertical direction. That is, the DC-DC converters 350a to 350d are in an upright posture.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a concentration box 352 supported by the rear pillar unit 54 is arranged near the rear end edge of the support plate 102. The concentration box 352 serves to integrate the electric power supplied from the four removable batteries 300 via the DC-DC converters 350a to 350d into one system to obtain integrated electric power. That is, the four DC-DC converters 350a to 350d are electrically connected to the concentration box 352 via two individual power harnesses 354 (cable bundles) having different polarities from each other.

From the concentration box 352, the + polar power harness 356a and the-polar power harness 356b depart. The + polar power harness 356a and the-polar power harness 356b are electrically connected to the motor 360, which is an electric drive device, via the power drive unit (PDU) 358. The + polar power harness 356a and the-polar power harness 356b have a larger diameter than the individual power harness 354.

FIG. 9 shows the electric system of the detachable battery 300, the DC-DC converters 350a to 350d, and the concentration box 352. The power harness is represented by a single solid line in order to simplify the drawing and facilitate understanding. Further, the thin line in FIG. 9 indicates a communication system (signal system), and “B” represents the removable battery 300. The removable battery 300 and the DC-DC converters 350a to 350d are controlled under the action of the MG-ECU 364 electrically connected via the signal harness 362. The signal harness 362 is omitted in FIGS. 7 and 8.

As shown in FIG. 8 in which the battery cases 200a to 200d are omitted, the PDU 358 is arranged on the lower right side of the front end side of the support frame 80. Further, the motor 360 is arranged on the left side of the PDU 358, that is, on the lower left side on the front end side of the support frame 80. After all, the motor 360 is located in front of the concentration box 352 and below the battery cases 200a-200d, and thus the removable battery 300.

As described above, the open ends of the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b face the right side panel 66, and the open ends of the left front battery case 200c and the left rear battery case 200d face the left side panel 66. .. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 10, each of the left and right side panels 66 is provided with a lid 400 as a lid member for shielding the opening end so as to be openable and closable. The lid 400 is arranged so as to be surrounded by the center pillar 32, the rear pillar 48, the support frame 80, and the connecting member 52.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the lid 400 on the right side is provided with two arms 402 having a substantially L-shape in the front-rear view. The front arm 402 is attached to the lever stay 212 on the front side of the right front battery case 200a, and the rear arm 402 is attached to the lever stay 212 on the rear side of the right rear battery case 200b. Further, the lid 400 is rotatably connected to the arm 402 via the link members 404a and 404b.

More specifically, the first through hole 406 and the second through hole 408 are formed so as to be up and down in one set of arms 402, and the first rotation support shaft 410 rotates between the first through holes 406. It is passed through as possible. The lower end of the link member 404a is connected to the first rotation support shaft 410. On the other hand, the lower end of the link member 404b is connected to the arm 402 via an intervening bolt passed through the second through hole 408.

Brackets 412 are provided on the back surface of the lid 400 in the vicinity of the front end edge portion and the vicinity of the rear end edge portion. The bracket 412 has a contact main surface 414 that abuts on the back surface of the lid 400, a vast first side surface 416a that rises inward in the vehicle width direction from the contact main surface 414, and a first side surface 416a. It has a narrow second side surface 416b. An elongated hole 418 is formed below the first side surface 416a, and a second rotation support shaft 420 is rotatably passed through the elongated hole 418. The upper end of the link member 404a is connected to the second rotation support shaft 420.

Further, shaft holes are formed above the first side surface 416a and the second side surface 416b so as to face each other. A third rotation support shaft 424, which is shorter than the first rotation support shaft 410 and the second rotation support shaft 420, is rotatably passed through the shaft hole. The upper end of the link member 404b is connected to the third rotation support shaft 424.

A hook 430 is provided on the back surface of the lid 400. The hook 430 is inserted into a hook hole (not shown) and is locked or unlocked by a lock mechanism (not shown) like a lid that opens and closes a fuel filler port of a gasoline vehicle. In order to release the hook 430 from the lock mechanism, a lid opener provided in the vicinity of the driver's seat 22 may be operated. Such locking mechanisms and lid openers are well known in gasoline vehicles, and therefore illustration and detailed description are omitted.

Further, it is preferable to provide a seal member (not shown) that circulates along the outer edge on the back surface of the lid 400.

The electric vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment is basically configured as described above, and the effects thereof will be described next.

The electric vehicle 10 runs by urging the motor 360 by the electric power supplied from the removable batteries 300 housed in the battery cases 200a to 200d. That is, the electric power supplied from the detachable battery 300 is individually converted into an appropriate voltage by the DC-DC converters 350a to 350d. The electric power supplied via the DC-DC converters 350a to 350d is sent to the concentration box 352 via the individual power harness 354 and integrated into one system.

By integrating the electric power in the concentration box 352 in this way, the power harness connected to the device located on the downstream side of the concentration box 352 is 2 of the + polar power harness 356a and the-polar power harness 356b. It becomes a book. Therefore, the number of power harnesses and the like is reduced as compared with the case where power is supplied from the DC-DC converters 350a to 350d to the motor 360 via the PDU 358. Therefore, the configuration including the signal harness 362 is simplified, and the arrangement is easy.

The electric power is further sent from the concentration box 352 to the motor 360 via the + polar power harness 356a and the-polar power harness 356b, and passes through the PDU 358 on the way.

Here, the concentration box 352 is arranged behind the DC-DC converters 350a to 350d, and the motor 360 is arranged in front of the concentration box 352. Moreover, the motor 360 is at a lower position than the battery cases 200a to 200d (that is, the removable battery 300). Therefore, the lengths of the + polar power harness 356a and the-polar power harness 356b from the DC-DC converters 350a to 350d to the motor 360 can be reduced as much as possible.

For the above reasons, it is possible to avoid a situation in which a large number or long power harnesses are accommodated in the inner chamber above the rear wheel house 68. By this amount, a sufficient space is formed in the inner chamber above the rear wheel house 68, so that the inner chamber can be effectively used as, for example, a luggage compartment. As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to avoid a dead space above the rear wheel house 68 in which the battery cases 200a to 200d and the DC-DC converters 350a to 350d are arranged. Room utilization efficiency is improved.

The urged motor 360 rotates the axle. Along with this, the front wheels 18 to the rear wheels 20 rotate, so that the electric vehicle 10 travels. While the electric vehicle 10 is being operated in this way, electric power is supplied from the removable battery 300 to the motor 360 and the electrical system, so that the capacity of the removable battery 300 decreases. The decrease in the capacity of the removable battery 300 is recognized by the user, for example, by turning on the warning light provided on the instrument panel.

In this case, the user (driver, mechanic, etc.) replaces the detachable battery 300 having a reduced capacity with the charged removable battery 300. That is, the driver stops the electric vehicle 10 at a predetermined parking lot and operates the lid opener in the passenger compartment. As a result, the hook 430 provided on the back surface of the lid 400 is released from the locking mechanism. One lid opener that releases the left and right lids 400 from the lock mechanism at the same time may be provided, or a left lid opener that releases only the hook 430 of the left lid 400 from the lock mechanism and the right side. A right lid opener that releases only the hook 430 of the lid 400 of the above from the locking mechanism may be provided.

When the hook 430 is released from the lock mechanism, the link members 404a and 404b rotate about the first rotation support shaft 410 so as to descend due to the weight of the hook 430, as shown in FIG. At the same time, the second rotation support shaft 420 is displaced outward in the vehicle width direction along the elongated hole 418. As a result, the lid 400 is lowered (displaced), and the second rotation support shaft 420 is displaced outward in the vehicle width direction by the amount of displacement. As a result, the lid 400 is opened, and the openings of the battery cases 200a to 200d, the removable battery 300, and the operation lever 210 become visible. In other words, the openings of the battery cases 200a to 200d, the removable battery 300, and the operating lever 210 are exposed.

Hereinafter, a case where the driver replaces the removable battery 300 will be described as an example. After getting off the driver, the driver grips the charged removable battery 300. At this time, the driver may insert a hand (finger) into the gripping clearance 308 to grip the bar-shaped grip portion 306.

In this case, FIG. 12 shows the moving direction until the driver moves to the battery cases 200a to 200d after getting off. As can be seen from FIG. 12, in the electric vehicle 10, the driver disembarks from the driver's seat 22 to the right or left, and then moves to the rear wheel house 68 to the right or left to move the right front battery. The case 200a, the right rear battery case 200b or the left front battery case 200c, and the left rear battery case 200d can be brought into close contact with each other.

Since the lid 400 is already open, the driver grasps, for example, the operating lever 210 of the right front battery case 200a and pulls it upward. The operating lever 210 rotates about the first rotation shaft 214 as the first rotation shaft 214 rotates. During this rotation, the protruding cam portion 220 (see FIG. 5) provided on the operating lever 210 slides in contact with the curved cam portion 226 provided on the lock plate 224 in a direction away from the curved cam portion 226. As a result, the lock plate 224 rotates about the second rotation shaft 222 under the elastic urging of the winding spring. When the curved cam portion 226 is released from the pressing of the protruding cam portion 220, the lock plate 224 is in a position rotated by about 270 ° as shown in FIG. 13, in other words, an open position.

As a result, the separation distance between the lock plates 224 becomes larger than the width of the removable battery 300. Therefore, the driver can grip the bar-shaped grip portion 306 of the removable battery 300 in the right front battery case 200a, and in this state, the discharged removable battery 300 can be pulled out outward in the vehicle width direction. Is. After taking out the discharged removable battery 300 and emptying the right front battery case 200a in this way, the driver inserts the charged removable battery 300 into the right front battery case 200a and puts it on the closed end (bottom) side. Push it in. Since the right front battery case 200a is inclined downward toward the closed end side, gravity acts on the removable battery 300 traveling in the right front battery case 200a. Therefore, it is easy to advance the removable battery 300 in the right front battery case 200a. For example, when the bottom surface of the removable battery 300 comes into close contact with the closed end of the right front battery case 200a, the vehicle body side connector is inserted into the battery side connector 310.

The driver then grips the operating lever 210 of the right front battery case 200a and pulls it downward. As a result, the operating lever 210 rotates around the rotating first rotation shaft 214. At the time of this rotation, the protruding cam portion 220 presses the curved cam portion 226. Since the curved cam portion 226 is provided so as to be twisted, the lock plate 224 rotates about 270 ° about the second rotation shaft 222 against the elastic force of the winding spring, and is shown in FIG. It becomes the closing position shown. The vehicle body side connector may be raised and lowered with respect to the closed end side of the right front battery case 200a as the operating lever 210 is pulled down and pulled up.

When the lock plate 224 is in the closed position, the separation distance between the lock plates 224 is smaller than the width of the removable battery 300. That is, the lock plate 224 puts the removable battery 300 in a so-called locked state. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the removable battery 300 housed in the right front battery case 200a from being detached from the right front battery case 200a.

The driver then replaces the removable battery 300 in the right rear battery case 200b in the same manner as described above. After that, the driver pulls up the right lid 400 so that the lid 400 rotates upward, and locks the hook 430 provided on the back surface to the lock mechanism. By this locking, the lid 400 is fixed in the closed position. In other words, the lid 400 is locked in the closed state. Further, the lid 400 in the closed state shields the open ends of the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b and the two removable batteries 300.

As can be understood from the above, the right lid 400 is held by the vehicle body 16 even when the open ends of the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b are exposed. That is, the driver does not need to remove the lid 400 or secure a place to store the removed lid 400. Therefore, the removable battery 300 can be easily replaced, and the replacement space (parking lot) can be narrowed.

Further, the driver replaces the removable battery 300 in the left front battery case 200c and the left rear battery case 200d in the same manner as described above, and then sets the left lid 400 as the closing position. With the above, the replacement of the four removable batteries 300 is completed.

Here, as described above, the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b are arranged above the right rear wheel house 68, and the left front battery case 200c and the left rear battery case 200d are the left rear wheel house 68. It is arranged above the. If you are an adult with an average height, you can take out the removable battery 300 from the battery cases 200a to 200d at such a position, or insert the removable battery 300 into the battery cases 200a to 200d. It is possible to perform in a natural standing posture with almost no bending, and at a position lower than the shoulders. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the driver and other users who replace the removable battery 300 from being forced into an unreasonable posture.

In addition, each open end of the battery cases 200a to 200d faces the side surface (left and right side panels 66) of the electric vehicle 10. Then, by rotating the lid 400 to the open position as described above, the removable battery 300 can be taken out or inserted (attached). Therefore, there is no need for anything other than the lid 400 and the parts that make the lid 400 rotatable. By this amount, the configuration around the battery cases 200a to 200d can be simplified and the number of parts can be reduced.

Moreover, the battery cases 200a to 200d are evenly assigned to two on the right side and two on the left side of the vehicle body 16. Therefore, first, it is avoided that the weight distribution in the electric vehicle 10 is significantly different between the right side and the left side. Further, after replacing the removable battery 300 in the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b, the driver can move to the left side of the vehicle body 16 through the passenger compartment of the vehicle body 16, so that the driver can move to the left side of the vehicle body 16. When replacing the detachable battery 300 on the other side, it can be moved from the right side to the left side in a short distance.

Further, the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b are arranged in parallel along the front-rear direction. Therefore, the heights of the open ends of the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b from the ground are substantially the same. Therefore, the driver can replace the removable batteries 300 in the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b while maintaining the natural standing posture. Of course, the same applies when the removable batteries 300 in the left front battery case 200c and the left rear battery case 200d are replaced.

On the other hand, in an electric vehicle in which a battery accommodating portion is arranged behind the vehicle body 16, when replacing the removable battery 300, the vehicle must wrap around behind the vehicle body 16. Therefore, the access distance to the battery accommodating portion becomes long. Further, when moving the battery accommodating portion from the rear of the vehicle body 16 to the vicinity of the central portion, it is necessary to provide a slide rail or the like.

Further, in an electric vehicle in which the battery accommodating portion is open behind the passenger compartment, the user holds the detachable battery 300 outside the vehicle, for example, and accommodates the detachable battery 300 while bending forward and twisting the upper body downward. Must be inserted into the part. For this reason, he has no choice but to take an unreasonable posture and is cramped.

According to this embodiment, the above problems are solved. That is, the removable battery 300 can be easily inserted or removed from the battery cases 200a to 200d, and the access distance to the removable battery 300 is shortened. Further, since the battery cases 200a to 200d are not moved, it is not necessary to provide a slide rail or the like, and the configuration is simplified accordingly.

The new removable battery 300 inserted in the battery cases 200a to 200d has a sufficient capacity. Therefore, the motor 360 is urged to provide a predetermined output in the same manner as before the replacement of the removable battery 300. In addition, the electrical system functions as before the replacement.

The urged motor 360 rotates the front wheels 18 and the rear wheels 20 via the axles, so that the electric vehicle 10 travels. At this time, since the left and right lids 400 shield the open ends of the battery cases 200a to 200d, the removable battery 300 is protected from foreign matter such as dust and rainwater. It is more preferable to provide a sealing member on the back surface of the lid 400 because dust, rainwater, and the like can be prevented from entering through the gap between the lid 400 and the side panel 66.

The present invention is not particularly limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, as shown in FIG. 14, instead of providing the left front battery case 200c and the left rear battery case 200d, a passenger seat 500 (an occupant seat other than the driver's seat 22) is provided at the left rear of the vehicle body 16. The electric vehicle 10A may be configured. That is, in this case, only the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b are provided. Of course, instead of providing the right front battery case 200a and the right rear battery case 200b, the passenger seat 500 may be provided at the right rear of the vehicle body 16. In either case, it is possible to change to a two-seater without changing the specifications of the electric system.

Further, two or more removable batteries 300 may be detachably housed in parallel in one battery case 200a to 200d. In this case, it is preferable that the vehicle body side connectors are provided at the closed ends of the battery cases 200a to 200d in a number corresponding to the number of removable batteries 300, and a partition plate portion or the like is provided inside the battery cases 200a to 200d. This is because the detachable battery 300 can be in a posture of extending in parallel along the extending direction of the battery cases 200a to 200d by the partition plate portion or the like.

Further, the lid 400 may be maintained in a closed state by a so-called push lock. In this case, in order to release the lid 400 from the lock so as to be in the open position, the user may slightly push the lid 400 inward in the vehicle width direction.

Furthermore, the user is not limited to the driver, and may be a passenger, a mechanic, or a person other than the occupant.

10, 10A ... Electric vehicle 12 ... Body frame 14 ... Body panel 16 ... Body 22 ... Driver's seat 56 ... Door 66 ... Side panel 68 ... Rear wheel house 80 ... Support frame (support means) 102 ... Support board 200a-200d … Battery case (battery housing)
210 ... Operation lever 212 ... Lever stay 214 ... 1st rotation shaft 218 ... Grip part 220 ... Protruding cam part 222 ... Second rotation shaft 224 ... Lock plate 226 ... Curved cam part 300 ... Detachable battery 306 ... Bar Shape gripping part 308 ... Gripping clearance 310 ... Battery side connector 350a to 350d ... DC-DC converter (lifting and lowering pressure converter)
352 ... Concentration box 354, 356a, 356b ... Power harness 358 ... Power drive unit 360 ... Motor (electric drive device)
400 ... lid 402 ... arms 404a, 404b ... link member 410 ... first rotation support shaft 412 ... bracket 418 ... slot 420 ... second rotation support shaft 424 ... third rotation support shaft 430 ... hook 500 ... passenger seat

Claims (5)

An electric vehicle (10) having an electric drive device (360) driven by electric power supplied from a plurality of detachable batteries (300) attached detachably.
A rear wheel house (68) is provided below the side surface of the vehicle body (16), and a side panel (66) located above the rear wheel house is provided.
Inside the side panel, a bottomed battery accommodating portion (200a to 200d) extending along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body is provided.
When the vehicle body is viewed in a plan view, at least a part of the battery accommodating portion is located above the rear wheel house.
An electric vehicle in which an opening of the battery accommodating portion for inserting or withdrawing the detachable battery faces the side panel. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle has two or more battery accommodating portions, at least one of which is arranged on the right side of the vehicle body, and the remainder is arranged on the left side side. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electric vehicle has three or more battery accommodating portions, and at least two of them are arranged in parallel on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle body. The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the battery accommodating portion is inclined so as to be directed downward from the opening toward the bottom. The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vehicle body is provided with a lid (400) that shields the opening and displaces the opening to expose the opening.

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