JP7480673B2 - vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle, and in particular to a vehicle equipped with a motor as a power source for running the vehicle.

In recent years, electric vehicles (PEVs) equipped with motors as a driving source for vehicle operation and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) equipped with engines and motors have become popular with the aim of reducing the environmental impact. Motors used as a driving source for vehicle operation are usually driven by a supply of three-phase AC power. For this reason, it is necessary to insert an inverter that converts DC power to AC power in the power transmission path between the battery and the motor.

Patent Document 1 discloses a hybrid vehicle that is equipped with a motor in addition to an engine as a drive source for running the vehicle. The hybrid vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a drive source in which the engine, motor, and transmission are connected in that order. In the hybrid vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, the inverter is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the transmission case. Therefore, in the hybrid vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, the motor and inverter are arranged in close proximity to each other, and can be electrically connected to each other by short wiring.

JP 2001-322439 A

However, the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 does not specifically disclose whether a wire harness or a bus bar should be used as the wiring for electrically connecting the motor and the inverter. In general, bus bars made of metal plate material are less expensive than wire harnesses. For this reason, it is advantageous from a cost perspective to use a bus bar for electrically connecting the motor and inverter that are arranged close to each other.

However, because bus bars are less flexible than wire harnesses, there is concern that stress will act on the bus bars when they are connected to the motor and inverter. Specifically, the motor case of the motor and the transmission case of the transmission are separate components and are fixed to each other using bolts or the like. This can lead to manufacturing errors in the motor case and the transmission case, as well as assembly errors between the motor case and the transmission case. As a result, there is concern that stress will remain in the bus bars that are routed between the motor case and the transmission case when they are assembled with these errors.

In addition, if the vehicle is used for a long period of time with large residual stress in the busbar, the busbar may become deformed or otherwise damaged.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a vehicle that can suppress residual stress in the busbars that are provided for electrically connecting the inverter attached to the adjacent case adjacent to the motor case and the motor.

A vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention includes a motor having a rotor and a stator, a motor case that houses the rotor and the stator, and capable of generating driving force for running the vehicle, an adjacent case that houses a mechanical part having a function different from that of the motor and is adjacently connected to the motor case, an inverter that is attached to the outer periphery of the adjacent case and converts input DC power into AC power and outputs it to the motor, and a bus bar that electrically connects the inverter and the motor.

The outer diameter of the adjacent case is smaller than the outer diameter of the motor case.

The busbar has a first connection portion (a portion that provides electrical and mechanical connections) that is a connection portion with the motor, a second connection portion (a portion that provides electrical and mechanical connections) that is a connection portion with the inverter, and a first bent portion and a second bent portion that are bent in the thickness direction of the busbar between the first connection portion and the second connection portion and are each deformable. When the busbar is viewed from the side from one side in the width direction of the busbar, the busbar has a crank shape.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the bus bar that electrically connects the inverter and the motor is provided with a first bend portion and a second bend portion that can be deformed. Therefore, in the vehicle according to the above aspect, even if there is a manufacturing error in each of the motor case and the adjacent case, or an assembly error between the motor case and the adjacent case, the error is absorbed by deformation (change in the bend angle) of the first bend portion and the second bend portion of the bus bar arranged between them. Therefore, in the vehicle according to the above aspect, residual stress in the bus bar can be alleviated, and damage to the bus bar can be suppressed.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the busbar may further have a deformable curved portion in a region between the first connection portion and the second connection portion, where a portion of the region is curved in an arc shape in the thickness direction of the busbar.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the busbar also has a deformable curved portion, so that even if there is a manufacturing error in the motor case and the adjacent case, or an assembly error between the motor case and the adjacent case, the error can be absorbed by the deformation of the curved portion in addition to the deformation of the first bent portion and the second bent portion. Therefore, the vehicle according to the above aspect has an advantage in further suppressing residual stress in the busbar.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, in the longitudinal direction of the busbar, the first bent portion may be provided closer to the first connection portion than the second bent portion, and the curved portion may be provided between the first connection portion and the second bent portion, or between the second connection portion and the first bent portion.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the busbar has a curved portion between the first connection portion and the second bend portion, or between the second connection portion and the first bend portion. The choice of whether to provide the curved portion between the first connection portion and the second bend portion, or between the second connection portion and the first bend portion, is related to the order in which the busbar is attached to the inverter and the motor. Specifically, when the busbar is attached to the inverter first and then to the motor, providing a curved portion between the first connection portion and the second bend portion is effective in keeping residual stress in the busbar low.

On the other hand, if the busbar is attached to the motor first and then to the inverter, providing a curved section between the second connection section and the first bent section is effective in reducing residual stress in the busbar. In other words, by providing the curved section in the busbar on the side where the busbar is to be attached later rather than on the side where the busbar is to be attached first, the stress acting on the busbar can be reduced.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the curved portion may overlap the first bent portion in the longitudinal direction of the bus bar.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the curved portion is provided as the first bend in the busbar. By forming the first bend and the curved portion in the same location in this way, it becomes easier to manufacture the busbar and it becomes possible to reduce the cost of the parts.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, when the curved portion is a first curved portion, the busbar may further have a deformable second curved portion in a region between the first connection portion and the second connection portion different from the location where the first curved portion is provided, where a part of the region is curved in an arc shape in the thickness direction of the busbar.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the busbar further has a deformable second curved portion. Therefore, in the vehicle according to the above aspect, even if there is a manufacturing error in each of the motor case and the adjacent case, or an assembly error between the motor case and the adjacent case, the error can be absorbed by the deformation of the second curved portion in addition to the deformation of the first bent portion, the second bent portion, and the first curved portion. Therefore, the vehicle according to the above aspect has an advantage in further suppressing the residual stress in the busbar.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the second curved portion may overlap the second bent portion in the longitudinal direction of the bus bar.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the second curved portion of the busbar is provided so as to overlap with the second bent portion. By forming the second bent portion and the second curved portion in the same location in this manner, it becomes easier to manufacture the busbar and it becomes possible to reduce the cost of the parts.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, when the busbar is viewed from the side in one width direction of the busbar, the region between the first bend portion and the second bend portion may be formed to be longer than a straight line connecting the first bend portion and the second bend portion.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the region between the first and second bends in the busbar is longer than a straight line connecting the first and second bends. Therefore, in the vehicle according to the above aspect, the above error can be absorbed by deformation of the region between the first and second bends in the busbar.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the busbar may further have a third bend, a fourth bend, and a fifth bend, each of which is bent in the thickness direction of the busbar between the first bend and the second bend, and each of which is deformable. By providing the third bend, the fourth bend, and the fifth bend, the length of the region between the first bend and the second bend may be set to be longer than a straight line connecting the first bend and the second bend.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the busbar further has a third bend, a fourth bend, and a fifth bend, each of which is deformable, in the region between the first bend and the second bend, so that the above error can also be absorbed by deformation of these bends (the third bend, the fourth bend, and the fifth bend).

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the intermediate portion between the first bent portion and the second bent portion in the longitudinal direction of the busbar may be biased toward the first connection portion with respect to the midpoint position between the first connection portion and the second connection portion.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the middle part of the busbar is biased toward the first connection part with respect to the midpoint position. When attaching the busbar to the inverter and the motor, if the busbar is attached to the inverter first and then to the motor, a relatively large stress acts on the side of the busbar that is attached later (the side of the first connection part). In this case, by biasing the middle part as described above, it is possible to effectively reduce the stress.

The vehicle according to the above aspect may further include a longitudinally mounted engine having a plurality of cylinders arranged in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the motor may be disposed rearward of the longitudinally mounted engine, and the adjacent case may be a transmission case disposed adjacent to and rearward of the motor case in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The vehicle according to the above embodiment is a so-called hybrid vehicle, which is equipped with not only a motor but also an engine as a drive source for running the vehicle. By attaching the inverter to the outer peripheral surface of the transmission case, it is possible to effectively use the space in the vehicle while suppressing deformation and damage of the busbar caused by stress.

When the bus bar in the vehicle according to the above aspect is the first bus bar, the vehicle may further include a second bus bar and a third bus bar that electrically connect the inverter and the motor, and the first bus bar, the second bus bar, and the third bus bar may be provided with a plurality of bar fixing members at a plurality of positions in the longitudinal direction to prevent contact between the first bus bar, the second bus bar, and the third bus bar.

In the vehicle according to the above aspect, the first bus bar, the second bus bar, and the third bus bar are prevented from contacting each other by a plurality of bar fixing members. As a result, even if vibrations are applied to the bus bars (first bus bar, second bus bar, third bus bar) while the vehicle is running, contact between the bus bars is reliably suppressed and short circuits are prevented. Here, it is necessary that each bar fixing member is made of an insulating material, or that at least the parts that come into contact with the bus bars are made of a material that has been subjected to an insulating treatment.

It is possible to cover the first bus bar, second bus bar, and third bus bar entirely with a single resin mold, but from the standpoint of keeping stress low when assembling the bus bars to the inverter and motor, it is preferable to attach multiple bar fixing members spaced apart from each other to the bus bars.

In the vehicles according to each of the above aspects, residual stress can be kept low in the busbars that are provided for electrical connection between the inverter mounted on the adjacent case adjacent to the motor case and the motor.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a perspective view of a motor, a transmission, and their surrounding structure in a vehicle, as viewed obliquely from above. 1 is a perspective view of a motor and a transmission in a vehicle, and their surrounding structure, as viewed obliquely from below. 2 is a plan view of a motor and a transmission in a vehicle, and their surrounding structure, as viewed from above. FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the size relationship between a motor case and a transmission case. 4 is a plan view showing a portion extending from an upper portion of the motor case to an upper portion of the transmission case with the wiring cover removed. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6. 2 is a side view of the bus bar as viewed from one side in the width direction of the bus bar. FIG. 11 is a side view of a bus bar provided on a vehicle according to a first modified example, viewed from one side in a width direction of the bus bar. FIG. 11 is a side view of a bus bar provided on a vehicle according to a second modified example, viewed from one side in a width direction of the bus bar. FIG. 13 is a side view of a bus bar provided on a vehicle according to a third modified example, viewed from one side in the width direction of the bus bar. FIG. 13 is a side view of a bus bar provided on a vehicle according to a fourth modified example, viewed from one side in the width direction of the bus bar. FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below except for its essential configuration.

In the diagrams used in the following explanation, "FR" indicates the front of the vehicle, "RE" indicates the rear of the vehicle, "UP" indicates the top of the vehicle, "LO" indicates the bottom of the vehicle, "RI" indicates the right side of the vehicle, and "LE" indicates the left side of the vehicle.

1. General Configuration of Vehicle 1 A general configuration of a vehicle 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 includes an engine 10 and a motor 12 as drive sources for running the vehicle. The engine 10 and the motor 12 are mounted in an engine room 1a provided at the front of the vehicle 1. The engine 10 has multiple cylinders 10a, and is arranged vertically so that the multiple cylinders 10a are aligned in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 1. That is, the engine 10 in this embodiment is a vertically mounted engine.

In addition, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, it is possible to use either a gasoline engine or a diesel engine as the engine 10.

The motor 12 is disposed rearward of the engine 10 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1. The rotating shaft of the motor 12 is connected to the output shaft of the engine 10 via a damper 11. Depending on the driving conditions of the vehicle 1, one or both of the engine 10 and the motor 12 generate driving force for driving the vehicle. The damper 11 provided between the engine 10 and the motor 12 is a device for reducing impact torque between the engine 10 and the motor 12.

The vehicle 1 also includes a transmission 13, a transfer 14, propeller shafts 15, 16, differential gears 17, 21, drive shafts 18, 22, and wheels 19, 20, 23, 24. The transmission 13 is connected to the motor 12. In addition to the driving force from the motor 12, the transmission 13 also receives the driving force from the engine 10 through the motor 12. The transmission 13 shifts to a ratio according to the driving conditions and outputs the gear to the transfer 14.

In addition, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, either a manual transmission or an automatic transmission can be used as the transmission 13.

The transfer 14 is a power split device that splits the driving force output from the transmission 13 into driving force for the front wheels 23, 24 and driving force for the rear wheels 19, 20. The transfer 14 is connected to the rear (R) propeller shaft 15 and the front (F) propeller shaft 16.

The ratio of the drive force distribution by the transfer 14 may be changed sequentially depending on the road surface μ, etc.

The R propeller shaft 15 is arranged to extend from the transfer 14 toward the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1. The rear end of the R propeller shaft 15 is connected to a rear (R) differential gear 17. From the R differential gear 17, rear (R) drive shafts 18 extend toward both sides in the vehicle width direction. Rear wheels 19, 20 are attached to both ends of the R drive shaft 18.

The F propeller shaft 16 passes to the side of the transmission 13, motor 12, and damper 11 in the vehicle width direction, and extends forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1. The front end of the F propeller shaft 16 is connected to a front (F) differential gear 21. Front (F) drive shafts 22 extend from the F differential gear 21 to both sides in the vehicle width direction. Front wheels 23, 24 are attached to both ends of the F drive shaft 22.

The vehicle 1 further includes a battery 25 and a power conversion unit 26. The battery 25 is a battery module made up of a plurality of batteries, each of which is a lithium-ion battery. The power conversion unit 26 is electrically connected to the battery 25.

The power conversion unit 26 has an inverter 27 and a DC-DC converter 28. The inverter 27 is a device that converts DC power input from the battery 25 into AC power and outputs it to the motor 12. The DC-DC converter 28 is a device that converts (steps up and down) the voltage of the DC power input from the battery 25 and outputs it to various loads of the vehicle 1.

2. Motor 12, Transmission 13, and Their Peripheral Structure The motor 12, transmission 13, and their peripheral structure in the vehicle 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the motor 12 has a motor case 12a, and the transmission 13 has a transmission case 13a. The motor case 12a is a cylindrical shell member and houses a rotor and a stator (not shown) therein. The transmission case 13a is a cylindrical shell member that is long in the fore-aft direction of the vehicle 1 and houses a speed change mechanism (not shown) therein. Note that the transmission case 13a in this embodiment corresponds to an adjacent case that is adjacent to the motor case 12a rearward in the fore-aft direction of the vehicle and connected to the motor case 12a.

An inverter 27 is attached to the top of the transmission case 13a. As shown in FIG. 3, an oil pan 13c is attached to the bottom of the transmission case 13a. The oil pan 13c is a container for storing hydraulic oil in the transmission case 13a of the transmission 13.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, a wiring cover 29 is provided in the area extending from the top of the transmission case 13a to the top of the motor case 12a. The wiring cover 29 is a member that covers the bus bars and connection terminals that electrically connect the inverter 27 and the motor 12.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the DC-DC converter 28 is spaced apart from the transmission case 13a on one side (left) in the vehicle width direction and is located lower in the vertical direction of the vehicle 1 than the lower part of the transmission case 13a.

The F propeller shaft 16 is disposed to the left of the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a in the vehicle width direction. The F propeller shaft 16 is disposed in an area closer to the transmission case 13a and the like than the DC-DC converter 28.

An exhaust pipe 30 is disposed to the right of the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a in the vehicle width direction. Although not shown in detail, the exhaust pipe 30 is connected to the exhaust manifold of the engine 10 and extends rearward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1.

3. Radial Size of the Motor Case 12a and the Transmission Case 13a The radial size of the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, in vehicle 1, the engine room 1a (see FIG. 1) and the passenger compartment are separated by dash panel 1b. A floor panel 1c that is continuous with dash panel 1b is provided at the bottom of the passenger compartment. The floor panel 1c is provided with a floor tunnel 1d in the central area in the vehicle width direction, which bulges upward in the vehicle vertical direction (toward the inside of the passenger compartment) and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction.

The transmission case 13a is disposed adjacent to the motor case 12a at the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1 below the floor tunnel 1d and is fixed by bolts (not shown). The outer diameter D13 of the portion of the transmission case 13a that is fixed to the motor case 12a is smaller than the outer diameter D12 of the motor case 12a.

The inverter 27 is attached to the upper part 13b of the transmission case 13a, which has a smaller diameter than the motor case 12a. Although not shown in detail, the upper part 12b of the motor case 12a is provided with a wiring connection part for connecting a bus bar for electrical connection with the inverter 27. The bus bar and the wiring connection part will be described later.

Due to the difference in outer diameters D12, D13 between the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a as described above, a step G is formed between the upper portion 12b on the outer peripheral surface of the motor case 12a and the upper portion 13b on the outer peripheral surface of the transmission case 13a. Here, the size of the step G may vary slightly due to manufacturing errors of the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a, as well as assembly errors between the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a.

4. Connection Between Motor 12 and Inverter 27 The connection between the motor 12 and the inverter 27 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

As shown in FIG. 6, an inverter 27 is attached to the upper part 13b of the transmission case 13a, which is disposed below the floor tunnel 1d (see FIG. 5). The wiring connection part 27c (see FIG. 7) of the inverter 27 is electrically connected to the wiring connection part 12c of the motor 12, which is disposed below the floor tunnel 1d on the upper part 12b of the motor case 12a, by three bus bars 31, 32, and 33. Each of the three bus bars 31, 32, and 33 is made of a metal plate, and the plate thickness in the vertical direction of the vehicle 1 is formed to be thinner than the width in the vehicle width direction and the length in the front-rear direction.

The three bus bars 31, 32, 33 are attached to multiple locations in the longitudinal direction (two locations in this embodiment as an example) so as to bundle the three bus bars 31, 32, 33 with a gap between them in the width direction. The bar fixing members 40, 41 are each formed from an insulating material such as a resin material. The attachment of the bar fixing members 40, 41 prevents the three bus bars 31, 32, 33 from contacting each other or surrounding members (especially conductive members).

A wiring connection portion 12c is provided on the upper portion 12b of the motor case 12a for connection to the bus bars 31, 32, and 33. As shown in FIG. 7, one end of the wiring 12d inside the motor case 12a is disposed on the wiring connection portion 12c.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the bus bars 31, 32, and 33 are connected (electrically and mechanically) to the wiring connection portion 12c by fastening bolts 34, 35, and 36 to nuts 45.

As shown in FIG. 7, the inverter 27 has an inverter case 27a that houses an electric circuit. The inverter case 27a is provided with a wiring connection portion 27b for connection to the bus bars 31, 32, and 33 on the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1 and on the lower side in the vertical direction. One end of the wiring 27c inside the inverter case 27a is disposed in the wiring connection portion 27b.

6 and 7, the bus bars 31, 32, and 33 are connected (electrically and mechanically) to the wiring connection portion 27b by fastening the bolts 37, 38, and 39 with the nuts 48. In the manufacture of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a are joined in the process of connecting the motor 12 and the inverter 27.

Next, the bus bars 31, 32, and 33 are connected to the wiring connection portion 27b of the inverter case 27a. Then, the inverter case 27a to which the bus bars 31, 32, and 33 are connected is placed on the upper portion 13b of the transmission case 13a, and the bus bars 31, 32, and 33 are connected to the wiring connection portion 12c of the motor case 12a.

In addition, from the viewpoint of improving the handling properties of the bus bars 31, 32, 33, it is preferable to attach the bar fixing members 40, 41 to the bus bars 31, 32, 33 before connecting the bus bars 31, 32, 33 to the wiring connection portion 27b of the inverter case 27a.

Finally, attach the wiring cover 29. Note that the wiring cover 29 is formed to be slightly larger in size so that the inner surface 29a of the wiring cover 29 does not come into contact with the bus bars 31, 32, 33 or the bar fixing members 40, 41 due to manufacturing errors in the bus bars 31, 32, 33.

Here, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, of the three bus bars 31, 32, and 33, bus bar 32 corresponds to the first bus bar, bus bar 31 corresponds to the second bus bar, and bus bar 33 corresponds to the third bus bar. However, in this embodiment, all three bus bars 31, 32, and 33 have the same configuration, and are also connected to the motor 12 and the inverter 27 in the same manner, so it is arbitrary which of the bus bars 31, 32, and 33 is the first bus bar and which is the second bus bar and which is the third bus bar.

5. Structure of busbars 31, 32, 33 The structure of busbars 31, 32, 33 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Note that, of the three busbars 31, 32, 33, busbar 32, which corresponds to the first busbar, is representatively illustrated in Fig. 8, but busbars 31 and 33 also have the same structure.

As shown in FIG. 8, the bus bar 32 according to this embodiment has a through hole 32b provided in the front portion 32a and a through hole 32d provided in the rear portion 32c. The through hole 32b is a hole through which the shaft portion of the bolt 32 is inserted when connecting to the wiring connection portion 12c of the motor 12, and corresponds to the first connection portion. The through hole 32d is a hole through which the shaft portion of the bolt 38 is inserted when connecting to the wiring connection portion 27b of the inverter 27, and corresponds to the second connection portion.

The busbar 32 also has bent portions 32f and 32g that are bent in the plate thickness direction. In the busbar 32, bent portion 32f is provided closer to the through hole 32b than bent portion 32g, and corresponds to the first bent portion. The bent portion 32g corresponds to the second bent portion. In this way, the busbar 32 has two bent portions 32f and 32g between the through hole 32b and the through hole 32d, and thus has an overall crank shape in the side view shown in FIG. 8.

The intermediate portion 32e between the bent portions 32f and 32g in the busbar 32 is formed to have an inclination that slopes upward from the bent portion 32g to the bent portion 32f. The height of the intermediate portion 32e (the dimension between the bent portions 32f and 32g in the vertical direction) is set based on the step G (see FIG. 5) between the upper portion 12b of the motor case 12a and the upper portion 13b of the transmission case 13a.

As shown in FIG. 8, the middle portion 32e is biased toward the through hole 32b side (forward) with respect to the midpoint position LC32 between the through holes 32b and 32d in the front-rear direction, as indicated by arrow B.

The busbar 32 according to this embodiment has two bent portions 32f, 32g between the through holes 32b, 32d in the front-rear direction (the longitudinal direction of the busbar 32), and is therefore capable of bending in the up-down direction as indicated by the arrows A1, A2. In other words, the busbar 32 is capable of displacing the relative positions in the up-down direction between the front portion 32a (where the through holes 32b are provided) and the rear portion 32c (where the through holes 32d are provided) by deformation (change in the bending angle) of the bent portions 32f, 32g.

6. Effects In the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the bus bars 31, 32, 33 that electrically connect the inverter 27 and the motor 12 are each provided with a deformable bent portion 32f, 32g. Therefore, even if a manufacturing error occurs in each of the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a, or an assembly error occurs between the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a, the error is absorbed by deformation (change in bending angle) of the bent portions 32f, 32g of the bus bars 31, 32, 33 arranged between the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a. Therefore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, residual stress in the bus bars 31, 32, 33 can be alleviated, and damage to the bus bars 31, 32, 33 can be suppressed.

In addition, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the intermediate portion 32e of the busbars 31, 32, 33 is biased toward the side where the through hole 32b is provided with respect to the midpoint (midpoint position LC32) between the through hole 32b and the through hole 32d in the front-rear direction. When attaching the busbars 31, 32, 33 to the inverter 27 and the motor 12, as described above, if the busbars 31, 32, 33 are attached to the inverter 27 first and then attached to the motor 12, a large stress acts on the side of the busbars 31, 32, 33 that is attached later (the front portion 32a where the through hole 32b is provided). In this case, by biasing the intermediate portion 32e toward the front side where the through hole 32b is provided as in this embodiment, it is possible to effectively reduce the stress.

The vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is a so-called hybrid vehicle that includes not only the motor 12 but also the engine 10 as a drive source for running the vehicle. By attaching the inverter 27 to the upper part 13b of the outer circumferential surface of the transmission case 13a, it is possible to effectively utilize the space in the vehicle 1 while suppressing deformation and damage of the bus bars 31, 32, and 33 caused by stress.

In addition, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the three bus bars 31, 32, 33 are prevented from contacting each other by the two bar fixing members 40, 41. As a result, even if vibrations are applied to the bus bars 31, 32, 33 while the vehicle is running, contact between the bus bars 31, 32, 33 and between the bus bars 31, 32, 33 and surrounding components is reliably suppressed, and short circuits and deformation of the bus bars 31, 32, 33 are prevented.

Although it is possible to cover the entire periphery of the three bus bars 31, 32, and 33 with one resin mold, from the viewpoint of keeping stress low when assembling the inverter 27 and the motor 12, it is preferable to attach multiple (two or more) bar fixing members 40, 41 spaced apart from each other to the bus bars.

As described above, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, residual stress can be kept low in the bus bars 31, 32, and 33 that are provided for electrical connection between the inverter 27 attached to the upper portion 13b of the transmission case 13a adjacent to the motor case 12a and the motor 12.

[Modification 1]
A vehicle according to Modification 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Note that the vehicle according to this modification has the same configuration as the above embodiment except for the shape of the bus bar 42 in a side view, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted below.

As shown in FIG. 9, the busbar 42 according to this modification also has a through hole 42b in the front portion 42a and a through hole 42d in the rear portion 42c. The busbar 42 also has a bent portion 42f in the front portion 42a closer to the rear portion 42c than the through hole 42b, and a bent portion 42g in the rear portion 42c closer to the front portion 42a than the through hole 42d.

The busbar 42 according to this embodiment also has five bent portions 42f, 42g, 42h, 42i, and 42j in total between the through holes 42b and 42d in the front-rear direction (the longitudinal direction of the busbar 42), and can bend in the up-down direction as shown by the arrows C1 and C2. As a result, the busbar 42 can also change the relative position in the up-down direction between the front portion 42a (where the through holes 42b are provided) and the rear portion 42c (where the through holes 42d are provided) by deformation (change in bending angle) of the bent portions 42f, 42g, 42h, 42i, and 42j.

The busbar 42 according to this modified example differs from the busbar 32 according to the above embodiment in that it has three bent portions 42h, 42i, and 42j in the intermediate portion 42e between the bent portion 42f and the bent portion 42g in the front-rear direction of the busbar 42.

In the busbar 42, the three bends 42h, 42i, and 42j are provided in the middle portion 42e, so that the length is longer than when the bends 42f are connected by a straight line (imaginary line L32e). In this modification, three bends 42h, 42i, and 42j are provided in the middle portion 42e, but two or less bends, or four or more bends may be provided.

In addition, in the busbar 42 according to this modified example, the middle portion 42e is also biased toward the through hole 42b side (forward) with respect to the midpoint position LC42 between the through holes 42b and 42d in the front-rear direction, as shown by the arrow D.

A vehicle equipped with a busbar 42 having the above-described configuration can achieve the same effects as the vehicle 1 according to the above embodiment. In addition, the busbar 42 according to this modification has three bends 42h, 42i, and 42j in the middle portion 42e, so that the length between bends 42f is longer than the imaginary line L32e. This is advantageous in that the deformation of bends 42h to 42j, in addition to the deformation of bends 42f and 42g, reduces stress during assembly to the inverter 27 and motor 12.

In this modified example, all of the bent portions 42f-42j in the busbar 42 are biased toward the through-hole 42b side (forward) from the midpoint position LC42, but it is not necessary to bias all of the bent portions 42f-42j toward the through-hole 42b side (forward) from the midpoint position LC42. In other words, it is also possible to arrange the intermediate portions 42e in front of and behind the midpoint position LC42.

[Modification 2]
A vehicle according to Modification 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Note that the vehicle according to this modification has the same configuration as the above embodiment except for the shape of bus bar 52 in a side view, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted below.

As shown in FIG. 10, the busbar 52 according to this modification also has a through hole 52b in the front portion 52a and a through hole 52d in the rear portion 52c. The busbar 52 also has a bent portion 52f in the front portion 52a closer to the rear portion 52c than the through hole 52b, and a bent portion 52g in the rear portion 52c closer to the front portion 52a than the through hole 52d.

The busbar 52 according to this embodiment also has two bent portions 52f, 52g between the through holes 52b, 52d in the front-rear direction (the longitudinal direction of the busbar 52), and is therefore capable of bending in the up-down direction as shown by the arrows E1, E2. As a result, the busbar 52 can also change the relative positions in the up-down direction between the front portion 52a (where the through holes 52b are provided) and the rear portion 52c (where the through holes 52d are provided) by deformation (change in the bending angle) of the bent portions 52f, 52g.

The busbar 52 according to this modification differs from the busbar 32 according to the above embodiment in that the front portion 52a further includes a curved portion 52h that is partially curved in an arc shape.

The busbar 52 has a curved portion 52h in the front portion 52a, which is located rearward of the through hole 52b, and is therefore longer than the imaginary line L32a indicating the front portion 32a of the busbar 32 according to the above embodiment. Note that in this modified example, only one curved portion 52h is provided in the front portion 52a, but two or less curved portions may be provided.

In the busbar 52 according to this modified example, the middle portion 52e is also biased toward the through hole 52b side (forward) with respect to the midpoint position LC52 between the through holes 52b and 52d in the front-rear direction, as shown by the arrow F.

A vehicle equipped with a bus bar 52 having the above-described configuration can achieve the same effects as the vehicle 1 according to the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, the bus bar 52 according to this modified example has a curved portion 52h in addition to the bent portions 52f, 52g. Therefore, even if a manufacturing error in the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a or an assembly error between the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a occurs, the error can be absorbed by deformation of the bent portions 52f, 52g and the curved portion 52h.

Furthermore, in the busbar 52 according to this modified example, a curved portion 52h is provided between the through hole 52b and the bent portion 52f. The busbar 52 having the curved portion 52h provided in the front portion 52a in this manner is effective in keeping the stress acting on the busbar 52 low when the busbar 52 is attached to the inverter 27 using the through hole 52d and then attached to the motor 12 using the through hole 52b.

In this modified example, as in the above embodiment, the two bent portions 52f, 52g of the busbar 52 are biased toward the through hole 52b side (forward) from the midpoint position LC52, but it is not necessary to bias all of the bent portions 52f, 52g toward the through hole 52b side (forward) from the midpoint position LC52. In other words, in this modified example, it is also possible to arrange the intermediate portions 52e in front of and behind the midpoint position LC52.

[Modification 3]
A vehicle according to Modification 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Note that the vehicle according to this modification has the same configuration as the above embodiment except for the shape of the bus bar 62 in a side view, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted below.

As shown in FIG. 11, the busbar 62 according to this modification also has a through hole 62b in the front portion 62a and a through hole 62d in the rear portion 62c. The busbar 62 also has a bent portion 62f in the front portion 62a closer to the rear portion 62c than the through hole 62b, and a bent portion 62g in the rear portion 62c closer to the front portion 62a than the through hole 62d.

The busbar 62 according to this embodiment also has two bent portions 62f, 62g between the through holes 62b, 62d in the front-rear direction (the longitudinal direction of the busbar 62), and is therefore capable of bending in the up-down direction as shown by the arrows G1, G2. As a result, the busbar 62 can also change the relative positions in the up-down direction between the front portion 62a (where the through hole 62b is provided) and the rear portion 62c (where the through hole 62d is provided) by deformation (change in the bending angle) of the bent portions 62f, 62g.

The busbar 62 according to this modification is different from the busbar 32 according to the above embodiment in that the busbar 62 according to this modification further has a curved portion 62h at the rear portion 62c, where a portion of the busbar 62h is curved in an arc shape. The busbar 62 according to this modification is also different from the busbar 52 according to the above modification 2, which has a curved portion 62h at the rear portion 62c and a curved portion 52h at the front portion 52a.

The busbar 62 has a curved portion 62h in the rear portion 62c in front of the through hole 62d, so that the busbar 62 is longer than the imaginary line L32c indicating the rear portion 32c of the busbar 32 according to the above embodiment. Note that in this modified example, only one curved portion 62h is provided in the rear portion 62c, but two or less curved portions may be provided.

In the busbar 62 according to this modified example, the middle portion 62e is also biased toward the through hole 62b side (forward) with respect to the midpoint position LC62 between the through holes 62b and 62d in the front-rear direction, as shown by the arrow H.

A vehicle equipped with a bus bar 62 having the above-described configuration can achieve the same effects as the vehicle 1 according to the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, the bus bar 62 according to this modified example has a curved portion 62h in addition to the bent portions 62f, 62g. Therefore, even if a manufacturing error in the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a or an assembly error between the motor case 12a and the transmission case 13a occurs, the error can be absorbed by deformation of the bent portions 62f, 62g and the curved portion 62h.

Furthermore, in the busbar 62 according to this modified example, a curved portion 62h is provided between the through hole 62d and the bent portion 62g. The busbar 62 having the curved portion 62h provided at the rear portion 62c in this manner is effective in keeping the residual stress of the busbar 62 low when the busbar 62 is attached to the motor 12 using the through hole 62b and then attached to the inverter 27 using the through hole 62d.

In this modified example, as in the above embodiment, the two bent portions 62f, 62g of the busbar 62 are arranged biased toward the through hole 62b side (forward) from the midpoint position LC62, but it is not necessary to arrange the bent portions 62f, 62g biased toward the through hole 62b side (forward) from the midpoint position LC62. In other words, in this modified example, it is also possible to arrange the intermediate portion 62e in front of and behind the midpoint position LC62.

[Modification 4]
A vehicle according to Modification 4 will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Note that the vehicle according to this modification has the same configuration as the above embodiment except for the shape of bus bar 72 in a side view, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted below.

As shown in FIG. 12, the busbar 72 according to this modification also has a through hole 72b in the front portion 72a and a through hole 72d in the rear portion 72c. The busbar 72 according to this modification has a bent portion 72f that is bent and curved in the plate thickness direction at a location closer to the rear portion 72c than the through hole 72b (at the rear end portion of the front portion 72a). The bent portion 72f bulges upward as shown by the arrow M from the imaginary point P32f that indicates the bent portion 32f of the busbar 32 according to the above embodiment.

The busbar 72 according to this modification has a bent portion 72g that is bent and curved in the plate thickness direction at a location closer to the front portion 72a than the through hole 72d (at the front end portion of the rear portion 72c). The bent portion 72g bulges downward as shown by the arrow N from the imaginary point P32g that indicates the bent portion 32g of the busbar 32 according to the above embodiment.

The busbar 72 according to this embodiment also has two bent curved portions 72f, 72g between the through holes 72b, 72d in the front-rear direction (the longitudinal direction of the busbar 72), and can bend in the up-down direction as shown by the arrows I1, I2. This allows the busbar 72 to change the relative positions in the up-down direction between the front portion 72a (where the through hole 72b is provided) and the rear portion 72c (where the through hole 72d is provided) by deformation (change in the bending angle) of the bent portions 72f, 72g.

In the busbar 72 according to this modification, the portion of the front portion 72a that is rearward of the through hole 72b is recessed in the direction indicated by the arrow K from the imaginary line L32a that indicates the front portion 32a of the busbar 32 according to the above embodiment. Similarly, in the busbar 72, the portion of the middle portion 72e that is closer to the bent portion 72f is recessed in the direction indicated by the arrow L from the imaginary line L32e that indicates the middle portion 32e of the busbar 32 according to the above embodiment.

In the busbar 72 according to this modified example, the middle portion 72e is also biased toward the through hole 72b side (forward) with respect to the midpoint position LC72 between the through holes 72b and 72d in the front-rear direction, as shown by the arrow J.

A vehicle equipped with a bus bar 72 having the above-described configuration can achieve the same effects as the vehicle 1 according to the above embodiment.

Furthermore, the busbar 72 according to this modified example has bent curved portions 72f, 72g in which the curved portion and the bent portion overlap. By providing the curved portion so that it overlaps the bent portion in this way, the manufacture of the busbar 72 becomes easier and the material costs can be reduced.

[Other Modifications]
In the above embodiment and modified examples 1 to 4, a four-cylinder engine is used as the engine 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to use an engine with five or more cylinders, a V-type multi-cylinder engine, or even a W-type multi-cylinder engine.

The present invention can also be used with an engine-less electric vehicle (PEV) as the driving source for vehicle operation. In this case, the case of a reducer for reducing the rotational driving force output from the motor can be used as the adjacent case.

In addition, in the above embodiment and modified examples 1 to 4, a four-wheel drive vehicle in which the driving force generated by the engine 10 and motor 12 is also transmitted to the front wheels 23, 24 is used as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it can also be applied to FR vehicles (front engine, rear drive).

In addition, various dampers used in hybrid vehicles can be used as the damper 11 in the above embodiment and modified examples 1 to 4. For example, a damper with a limiter that has a function of slipping when a predetermined torque is exceeded can be used.

In addition, in the above embodiment and modified examples 1, 2, and 4, the bent portions 32f, 32g, 42f-42j, 52f, 52g, the curved portion 52h, and the bent portions 72f, 72g of the busbars 32, 42, 52, and 72 are provided in the portions forward of the respective midpoint positions LC32, LC42, LC52, and LC72, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the bent portions, curved portions, and portions of the bent portions may be provided in the portions rearward of the midpoint positions.

Here, the busbar that electrically connects the inverter and motor of the vehicle must be formed taking into consideration vibrations that occur when the vehicle is traveling. Specifically, from the viewpoint of keeping the stress of the busbar low when attached to the inverter and motor, it is desirable to increase the degree of deformation of the busbar in the plate thickness direction, but from the viewpoint of avoiding contact with surrounding components due to vibrations when the vehicle is traveling, it is desirable to reduce the degree of deformation of the busbar in the plate thickness direction. In the present invention, it is necessary to adjust the degree of deformation of the busbar so as to satisfy both the reduction of the stress of the busbar during attachment and the prevention of the busbar from contacting surrounding components when vibrations are applied. For this reason, structures such as those of busbars 32, 42, 52, 62, and 72 in the above embodiment and modified examples 1 to 4 are desirable.

In the above modification 1, three bends 42h to 42j are provided in the middle portion 42e of the busbar 42, but the present invention is not limited to this as long as the length can be made longer than when bends 42f and 42g are connected by a straight line. For example, it is also possible to provide four or more bends in the middle portion, or to provide a curved portion or a bent curved portion in the middle portion.

In the above-mentioned modified examples 2 and 3, the curved portions 52h, 62h are formed by bulging a portion of the busbar 52, 62 upward, but the present invention is not limited to this. The curved portions may be formed by bulging downward as long as they do not come into contact with surrounding members.

In addition, in the above embodiment and modified examples 1 to 4, the inverter 27 is attached to the upper part 13b of the transmission case 13a, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the inverter can be attached to the side or bottom of the transmission case (adjacent case). When changing the installation location of the inverter, it is desirable to change the location of the wiring connection part of the motor in conjunction with the viewpoint of shortening the wiring length of the bus bar.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vehicle 12 motor 12a motor case 12b upper part 12c wiring connection part 13 transmission 13a transmission case (adjacent case)
13b Upper portion 27 Inverter 29 Wiring cover 31 to 33, 42, 52, 62, 72 Bus bars 32b, 42b, 52b, 62b, 72b Through holes (first connection portion)
32d, 42d, 52d, 62d, 72d Through holes (second connection portion)
32f, 32g, 42f, 42g, 42h, 42i, 42j, 52f, 52g, 62f, 62g: bent portion 52h, 62h: curved portion 72f, 72g: bent portion

Claims (11)

a motor having a rotor, a stator, and a motor case that houses the rotor and the stator, and capable of generating a driving force for running a vehicle;
an adjacent case that houses a mechanism having a function different from that of the motor and is adjacent to and connected to the motor case;
an inverter attached to an outer periphery of the adjacent case, converting input DC power into AC power and outputting the AC power to the motor;
A bus bar electrically connecting the inverter and the motor;
Equipped with
an outer diameter of the adjacent case is smaller than an outer diameter of the motor case;
The bus bar is
A first connection portion which is a connection portion with the motor;
A second connection portion which is a connection portion with the inverter;
a first bent portion and a second bent portion bent in a thickness direction of the bus bar between the first connection portion and the second connection portion, the first bent portion and the second bent portion being deformable;
having
When the bus bar is viewed from a side surface of the bus bar in a width direction, the bus bar has a crank shape.
vehicle. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1,
the bus bar further includes a deformable curved portion in a region between the first connection portion and the second connection portion, the curved portion being partly curved in an arc shape in a thickness direction of the bus bar.
vehicle. 3. The vehicle according to claim 2,
the first bent portion is provided closer to the first connection portion than the second bent portion is in a longitudinal direction of the bus bar,
The curved portion is provided between the first connection portion and the second bent portion, or between the second connection portion and the first bent portion.
vehicle. 4. The vehicle according to claim 3,
In a longitudinal direction of the bus bar, the curved portion is provided to overlap the first bent portion.
vehicle. In the vehicle according to claim 3 or 4,
When the curved portion is a first curved portion,
the bus bar further includes a deformable second curved portion, a part of which is curved in an arc shape in a thickness direction of the bus bar in a region between the first connection portion and the second connection portion, different from a portion where the first curved portion is provided.
vehicle. 6. The vehicle according to claim 5,
In a longitudinal direction of the bus bar, the second curved portion is provided so as to overlap the second bent portion.
vehicle. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
when the bus bar is viewed from a side in a width direction of the bus bar, a region between the first bent portion and the second bent portion is formed to have a length longer than a straight line connecting the first bent portion and the second bent portion.
vehicle. 8. The vehicle according to claim 7,
the bus bar further includes a third bent portion, a fourth bent portion, and a fifth bent portion that are bent in a thickness direction of the bus bar between the first bent portion and the second bent portion, and each of the third bent portion, a fourth bent portion, and a fifth bent portion that are deformable;
By providing the third bent portion, the fourth bent portion, and the fifth bent portion, the length of the region between the first bent portion and the second bent portion is set to be longer than a straight line connecting the first bent portion and the second bent portion.
vehicle. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
an intermediate portion between the first bent portion and the second bent portion in a longitudinal direction of the bus bar is biased toward the first connection portion with respect to a midpoint position between the first connection portion and the second connection portion;
vehicle. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The vehicle further includes a longitudinally mounted engine having a plurality of cylinders arranged in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
the motor is disposed rearward of the longitudinally mounted engine in a vehicle front-rear direction;
The adjacent case is a transmission case of a transmission and is disposed adjacent to the motor case rearward in a vehicle front-rear direction.
vehicle. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
When the bus bar is a first bus bar, the inverter further includes a second bus bar and a third bus bar that electrically connect the inverter and the motor,
a plurality of bar fixing members are attached to the first bus bar, the second bus bar, and the third bus bar at a plurality of positions in a longitudinal direction thereof to prevent the first bus bar, the second bus bar, and the third bus bar from contacting each other;
vehicle.

Images