Electrified vehicle

An electrified vehicle includes: a vehicle body including a panel body on which a projection is provided; a high voltage cable disposed at a position facing the projection; a member attached to the panel body and including a protector portion configured to cover the projection; and a resin connector for low voltage, the resin connector being attached to the protector portion and placed between the protector portion and the high voltage cable. As an example, the panel body may be a dash panel, and the projection may be a stud bolt.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-033315 filed on Mar. 4, 2022, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The technology described in the present specification relates to an electrified vehicle. The electrified vehicle as used herein widely indicates a vehicle including a drive motor for driving wheels and includes, for example, a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), and so on.

2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

An electrified vehicle is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-060324 (JP 2016-060324 A). The electrified vehicle includes a drive motor and a power converter. The drive motor and the power converter are placed inside a front compartment of a vehicle body and are connected to each other via a high voltage cable. The high voltage cable is held by a bracket of the power converter and is configured to be protected by the bracket when the electrified vehicle has a collision.

SUMMARY

A stud bolt may be provided on a dash panel of the vehicle body. In this case, in a case where a high voltage cable is disposed at a position facing the stud bolt, when the electrified vehicle has a collision, the high voltage cable might be damaged. Such a problem is not limited to the stud bolt of the dash panel. That is, even in a case where a projection is provided on a panel body constituting the vehicle body and the high voltage cable is disposed at a position facing the projection, the problem may also occur. In view of the above problem, the present specification provides a technology to protect a high voltage cable in an electrified vehicle.

The technology described in the present specification is embodied in the form of an electrified vehicle. The electrified vehicle includes a vehicle body, a high voltage cable, a member, and a resin connector for a low-voltage wiring line. The vehicle body includes a panel body on which a projection is provided. The high voltage cable is disposed at a position facing the projection. The member is attached to the panel body and includes a protector portion configured to cover the projection. The resin connector is attached to the protector portion and placed between the protector portion and the high voltage cable.

In the electrified vehicle, the projection provided on the panel body is covered with the protector portion of the member attached to the panel body. Further, the resin connector for a low-voltage wiring line is attached to the protector portion. With such a configuration, the protector portion and the resin connector are both provided between the projection provided on the panel body and the high voltage cable facing the projection. Hereby, even in a case where the electrified vehicle has a collision, for example, it is possible to restrain the high voltage cable from making contact with the projection.

Here, a high voltage in the present specification indicates a working voltage with direct current over 60 volts or a working voltage with alternating current over 30 volts (effective value), and a low voltage indicates a working voltage that does not correspond to such a high voltage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In one aspect of this technology, at least part of an outer peripheral edge of the resin connector may be placed outwardly from an outer peripheral edge of the protector portion in a direction perpendicular to the projection. With such a configuration, when the high voltage cable makes contact with the resin connector, the resin connector is supported by an outer peripheral wall of the protector portion. This makes it possible to prevent the protector portion from being easily damaged and to effectively restrain the high voltage cable from making contact with the projection.

In one aspect of this technology, the member including the protector portion may be made of resin. In addition to or instead of this, the member including the protector portion may be a bracket configured to hold a low-voltage wire harness.

In one aspect of this technology, the panel body may be a dash panel placed between a front compartment and a cabin of the vehicle body. In this case, the high voltage cable may be placed inside the front compartment. Note that the panel body is not limited to the dash panel and may be other panel bodies constituting the vehicle body.

In one aspect of this technology, the projection may be a stud bolt. The stud bolt has a relatively sharp edge, and if the stud bolt makes contact with the high voltage cable, the stud bolt is highly likely to damage the high voltage cable. The technology described in the present specification can be preferably applied to such a stud bolt. Note that the projection is not limited to the stud bolt and may be other types of projection.

In one aspect of the technology, the electrified vehicle may further include a direct-current power supply, a drive motor, and a power converter electrically provided between the direct-current power supply and the drive motor. In this case, the high voltage cable may be a cable for direct-current power via which the direct-current power supply is electrically connected to the power converter.

With reference to the drawings, an electrified vehicle10of an embodiment will be described. The electrified vehicle10of the present embodiment is not limited particularly. However, the electrified vehicle10is an electrified vehicle configured to travel on a road surface and is a so-called battery electric vehicle (BEV). Note that the electrified vehicle10is not limited to the battery electric vehicle and may be a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV).

Here, a direction FR in the drawings indicates the front side in the front-rear direction of the electrified vehicle10, and a direction RR indicates the rear side in the front-rear direction of the electrified vehicle10. Further, a direction LH indicates the left side in the right-left direction (or the width direction) of the electrified vehicle10, and a direction RH indicates the right side in the right-left direction of the electrified vehicle10. Further, a direction UP indicates the upper side in the up-down direction of the electrified vehicle10, and a direction DW indicates the lower side in the up-down direction of the electrified vehicle10. Note that, in the present specification, the front side FR, the rear side RR, the left side LH, the right side RH, the upper side UP, and the lower side DW in the electrified vehicle10may be just referred to as the front side, the rear side, the left side, the right side, the upper side, and the lower side, respectively.

As illustrated inFIG.1, the electrified vehicle10includes a vehicle body12and a plurality of wheels14f,14r. The vehicle body12is not limited particularly, but the vehicle body12is mainly made of metal. Inside the vehicle body12, a front compartment and a cabin22placed behind the front compartment20are provided. The cabin22is configured such that one or more users can board. The vehicle body12includes a dash panel24and a floor panel26. The dash panel24is a panel body expanding in the up-down direction and the right-left direction, and the dash panel24is placed between the front compartment20and the cabin22. The floor panel26is a panel body expanding in the front-rear direction and the right-left direction, and the floor panel26is placed below the cabin22.

The wheels14f,14rare rotatably supported by the vehicle body12. The wheels14f,14rinclude a pair of front wheels14fand a pair of rear wheels14r. The front wheels14fare placed in a front part of the vehicle body12, and the rear wheels14frare provided in a rear part of the vehicle body12. The front wheels14fare disposed coaxially with each other, and the rear wheels14rare disposed coaxially with each other. The front wheels14fare steering wheels configured such that respective orientations of their rotating shafts are changed by the operation of a user.

The electrified vehicle10further includes a battery30, a motor32, a power converter34, and a high voltage cable36. The battery30is a direct-current power supply configured to supply electric power to the motor32. The battery30is electrically connected to the motor32via the power converter34. The battery30includes a plurality of secondary battery cells and is configured to be chargeable repeatedly by charge power supplied from its outside or regenerative electric power generated by the motor32. Although the battery30is not limited in particular, the battery30is placed below the floor panel26and is connected to the power converter34by use of the high voltage cable36.

The motor32is a drive motor for driving the front wheels14fand is mechanically connected to the front wheels14f. The power converter34includes an inverter and can perform power conversion between direct-current power and alternating-current power. For example, in a case where the motor32drives the front wheels14f, the power converter34converts direct-current power from the battery30into alternating-current power and supplies the alternating-current power to the motor32. In the meantime, in a case where the motor32performs regenerative braking on the front wheels14f, the power converter34converts alternating-current power from the motor32into direct-current power and supplies the direct-current power to the battery30. Note that the power converter34may further include a DC-DC converter in addition to the inverter.

As illustrated inFIGS.1and2, the motor32and the power converter34are placed inside the front compartment20. The high voltage cable36is a cable for direct-current power and electrically connects the battery30and the power converter34to each other. The high voltage cable36extends from the battery30placed below the floor panel26to the power converter34placed inside the front compartment20such that the high voltage cable36is placed between the power converter34and the dash panel24.

Here, the motor32is not limited to driving the front wheels14f, provided that the motor32is configured to drive at least one of the wheels14f,14r. Further, the electrified vehicle10may include other driving motors such as an engine in addition to the motor32. Further, the electrified vehicle10may include other direct-current power supplies such as a fuel cell unit or a solar panel in addition to or instead of the battery30. Further, the electrified vehicle10of the present embodiment is not limited to a vehicle operated by a user and includes a vehicle remotely controlled by an external apparatus or the electrified vehicle that autonomously travels.

As illustrated inFIGS.2to5, the dash panel24includes a plurality of stud bolts25a,25b. The stud bolts25a,25bare fixed to the dash panel24and project from the dash panel24into the front compartment20. In such a configuration, in a case where the electrified vehicle10has a collision, for example, a mounted component inside the front compartment20might make contact with the stud bolts25a,25b. In view of this, a protector is attached to the dash panel24. The protector40includes a plurality of protector portions42a,42bprovided such that the protector portions42a,42bcover the stud bolts25a,25b. Although the protector40is not limited particularly, the protector40in the present embodiment is made of resin. Note that the protector40protects a low-voltage wire harness disposed along the dash panel24as well as the stud bolts25a,25b.

The protector portions42a,42binclude a first protector portion42aand a second protector portion42b. The first protector portion42ais placed to cover a first stud bolt25aout of the stud bolts25a,25b. The second protector portion42bis placed to cover a second stud bolt25bout of the stud bolts25a,25b. Note that, in the present embodiment, two stud bolts25a,25band two protector portions42a,42bare illustrated, but the number of the stud bolts25a,25band the number of the protector portions42a,42bare not limited to two.

As described above, when the stud bolts25a,25bon the dash panel24are covered with the protector portions42a,42bof the protector40, a mounted component inside the front compartment20is restrained from making contact with the stud bolts25a,25b. However, the high voltage cable36is disposed between the power converter34and the dash panel24. In such a configuration, when the electrified vehicle10has a collision, for example, the high voltage cable36might be pressed against the dash panel24by the power converter34. Particularly, the high voltage cable36is disposed at a position facing the first stud bolt25a. Accordingly, in a case where the high voltage cable36is pressed against the dash panel24by the power converter34, even when the first protector portion42ais provided between the high voltage cable36and the first stud bolt25a, there is such a concern that the high voltage cable36makes contact with the first stud bolt25a.

In order to deal with such a concern, in the electrified vehicle10of the present embodiment, a resin connector50is attached to the first protector portion42a. The resin connector50is a resin connector provided for a low-voltage wiring line52. The resin connector50is fixed to a front surface of the first protector portion42aand is placed between the first protector portion42aand the high voltage cable36. With such a configuration, the first protector portion42aand the resin connector50are both provided between the stud bolt25aon the dash panel24and the high voltage cable36facing the stud bolt25a. Hereby, even in a case where the high voltage cable36is pressed against the dash panel24by the power converter34due to the occurrence of a collision in the electrified vehicle10or the like, for example, it is possible to restrain the high voltage cable36from making contact with the stud bolt25a.

The shape or the size of the resin connector50is not limited in particular. Note that, in the electrified vehicle10of the present embodiment, in directions (that is, the right-left direction and the up-down direction) perpendicular to the stud bolt25a, at least part of an outer peripheral edge of the resin connector50is placed outwardly from an outer peripheral edge of the first protector portion42a. With such a configuration, when the high voltage cable36makes contact with the resin connector50, the resin connector50is supported by an outer peripheral wall of the first protector portion42a. This makes it possible to prevent the first protector portion42afrom being easily damaged and to effectively restrain the high voltage cable36from making contact with the stud bolt25a.

The electrified vehicle10of the present embodiment is one embodiment of the technology described in the present specification, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technology described in the present specification. For example, the dash panel24in the present embodiment is an example of a panel body in the technology described in the present specification and does not limit the panel body. Further, the first stud bolt25ain the present embodiment is an example of a projection in the technology described in the present specification and does not limit the projection. Further, the battery in the present embodiment is an example of a direct-current power supply in the technology described in the present specification and does not limit the direct-current power supply.

The embodiment has been described above in detail, but the embodiment is only an example and does not limit the scope of Claims. The technology described in the scope of Claims includes the foregoing concrete examples with various modifications and changes. Each of and various combinations of the technical elements described in the present specification or the drawings achieve a technical usefulness, and the technical elements are not limited to the combinations stated in the claims at the time of filing. Further, the technology described in the present specification or the drawings can achieve a plurality of objects at the same time and has a technical usability by achieving one of those objects.