JP4029651B2 - Cooling structure for vehicle battery - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cooling structure for a vehicle battery mounted on an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles are equipped with a battery for driving a motor. Since this battery has a relatively large capacity and often requires a cooling structure for cooling the battery, a relatively large space is required for mounting the battery.
[0003]
Various locations have been proposed for the installation location of the battery, such as under the underbody, in the luggage compartment or under the seat, but when installed on the underbody, the function of the battery is impaired by foreign matter such as muddy water from the outside of the vehicle. There is little possibility of being damaged. In addition, as air for cooling the battery, it is considered that the air outside the vehicle is taken in or the air inside the vehicle is used. However, when the air inside the vehicle is used, the temperature of the cooling air is relatively constant. There is an advantage of being. As a vehicle having a cooling structure in which a battery is installed in a vehicle interior and the battery is cooled using air in the vehicle interior, for example, there is a vehicle described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-233648. In this publication, a space is provided between the front seat and the floor panel, and a battery is disposed in the space. In the above publication, a blower for introducing cooling air is provided on the compartment side of the dash panel that partitions the compartment and the engine compartment, and the air in the compartment introduced from the blower is provided in the body member. It is sent to the battery under the front seat through the duct.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, as described in the above publication, when cooling air is introduced into the battery under the seat from the dash panel via the inside of the body member, the air introduction path becomes longer, so the flow resistance of the cooling air is large. Therefore, there is a problem that the cooling efficiency is not good.
[0005]
There has also been proposed a battery cooling structure in which a battery is disposed under the rear seat and an air intake is provided on the upper surface of the battery case facing the lower surface of the rear seat. For example, what is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-233064 is that. Thus, providing an air intake port directly above the battery is advantageous from the viewpoint of improving the cooling efficiency because the air introduction path can be shortened. However, when the battery is arranged in the vehicle interior and the air intake port is provided immediately above the battery, the air intake port is close to the occupant, so that the intake noise generated at the air intake port is felt loud. Further, when the battery is disposed in the vehicle interior, noise generated at the air exhaust port becomes a problem even when an air exhaust port for exhausting air that has cooled the battery to the vehicle interior is provided directly above the battery.
[0006]
The present invention has been made against the background of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery cooling structure with low noise and good cooling efficiency.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
And has as subject matter of the present invention for achieving the above object, a battery disposed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, an air inlet and an air outlet which opens into the passenger compartment, said battery from said air inlet A vehicle interior airflow passage that circulates air in the vehicle interior through a path that passes through the air exhaust port, and the air intake port and the air exhaust port are provided on a floor surface in the vehicle interior. in that it is provided on the side surface of the side steps formed.
[0008]
【The invention's effect】
According to this invention, the air intake port and the air discharge port are provided on the side surface of the side step formed on the floor surface in the vehicle interior, and the air in the vehicle interior is sucked from the air intake port provided in the side step. After being caused to flow through the battery in the battery case, it is discharged from the air discharge port to the indoor side step. For this reason, compared with the case where the air circulation port is provided above the battery, since the air circulation port is separated from the occupant, the air circulation sound generated at the air circulation port is less likely to be heard by the occupant, so that it can be felt quietly. In addition, since the air flow passage is shortened as compared with the case where air is circulated in the duct provided in the body member, the flow resistance of the cooling air is reduced, so that the cooling efficiency is improved.
[0009]
Other aspects of the invention
Here, preferably, the air circulation port is opened in a door direction of the vehicle. In this way, since the air circulation port is not opened toward the occupant, it is more difficult for the occupant to hear the air circulation sound generated at the air circulation port.
[0010]
Preferably, the air circulation port is provided on a side surface of the side step. If an air intake (that is, an air circulation port) is provided on the upper surface of the battery case facing the lower surface of the rear seat as in the battery cooling structure described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-233064, in addition to the problem of noise. However, it is easy for dust and foreign objects to enter from the air intake, the air intake is likely to be clogged, and the air intake is likely to be blocked by luggage when the seat is folded and the rear seat is used as a luggage compartment. However, if an air circulation port is provided on the side of the side step, dust and foreign matter are less likely to enter from the air circulation port and the air circulation port is less likely to be clogged. There will be no peeling.
[0011]
Further, the battery is preferably arranged under the seat in the vehicle interior, particularly under the front seat. However, the rear seat, the second row under the seat, and the third row of the vehicle provided with three rows of seats are provided. It may be arranged under the eyes, under the floor between the front seat and the second row seat, and under the floor between the second row seat and the third row seat.
[0012]
The air circulation port includes an air intake port that takes in air from the passenger compartment and an air exhaust port that exhausts air that has cooled the battery to the passenger compartment. The air flow passage includes an air introduction path for introducing air taken in from the air intake opening into the battery and an air discharge path for introducing air cooled by the battery into the air discharge opening.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle compartment 12 for showing the arrangement position of a battery cooling structure 10 to which the present invention is applied. The vehicle compartment 12 is a space inside the body shell and covered with air in the passenger boarding space.
[0014]
A vehicle compartment 12 in FIG. 1 is a vehicle compartment for a one-box type vehicle. The vehicle compartment 12 is provided with a driver's seat 14, a front seat 18 including a passenger seat 16, a second row seat 20, and a third row seat (not shown). It has been.
[0015]
On the floor 22 of the passenger compartment 12, a front seat side step 24 and a rear seat side step 26 are formed on a side portion far from the driver's seat 14 in the vehicle width direction. That is, the front seat side step 24 and the rear seat side step 26 constitute a part of the floor 22 of the passenger compartment 12.
[0016]
The front seat side step 24 is located beside the front door (not shown), that is, closer to the front door than the front seat 18, and the rear seat side step 26 is located beside the rear door, not shown, ie, closer to the rear door than the second row seat 20. ing. The front seat side step 24 is in contact with a substantially horizontal bottom surface 24a, a front-rear side surface 24b that is substantially vertical and substantially parallel to the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and a front side of the front-rear direction side surface 24b. It has a front side surface 24c that approaches and a rear side surface 24d that contacts one side of the vehicle rear side of the front-rear direction side surface 24b and approaches the front door toward the vehicle rear side. Further, the rear seat side step 26 is also in contact with a substantially horizontal bottom surface 26a, a front-rear side surface 26b that is substantially vertical and substantially parallel to the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and a side of the front side of the front-rear direction side surface 26b. A front side surface 26c that approaches the rear side, and a rear side surface 26d that is in contact with one side of the vehicle rear side of the front-rear direction side surface 26b and approaches the rear door toward the vehicle rear side.
[0017]
A battery case 30, a cooling fan 32, and an air introduction duct 34 are disposed under the floor of the front seat 18. A lattice window-like air intake 36 is formed from the front side surface 26b side of the front side surface 26c of the rear seat side step 26 to the front side surface 26c side of the front side surface 26b. Since the front side surface 26c and the front / rear direction side surface 26b of the rear seat side step 26 are provided so as to face the rear door, the air intake port 36 provided on the front side surface 26c and the front / rear direction side surface 26b is provided in the rear door direction. Is open.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a diagram for illustrating the arrangement position of the battery 38, and is a plan view of the vehicle compartment 12 in a state in which a portion excluding the side steps 24 and 26 of the floor 22 is removed.
[0019]
The battery case 30 installed on the underbody (that is, the bottom of the body shell) 40 is substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction, one end in the vehicle width direction is located below the driver's seat 14, and the other end is an assistant. It is located under the seat 16. A battery 38 is accommodated in the battery case 30.
[0020]
A cooling fan 32 is connected to an end of the battery case 30 on the passenger seat side in the vehicle width direction, and one end of an air introduction duct 34 that constitutes an air introduction path is connected to the cooling fan 32. The end of the air introduction duct 34 opposite to the side connected to the cooling fan 32 is connected to an air intake 36 formed in the rear seat side step 26.
[0021]
When the cooling fan 32 is activated, the air in the passenger compartment 12 is sucked from the air intake 36. The sucked air is introduced into the battery 38 in the battery case 30 via the air introduction duct 34 and the cooling fan 32, and the battery 38 is cooled by the introduced air.
[0022]
The air that has cooled the battery 38 passes through the inside of an air discharge duct (air discharge path) 42 connected to the side of the battery case 30 opposite to the side to which the cooling fan 32 is connected. The air is exhausted from the air discharge port 44 provided in the rear seat side step 26 opposite to the side where the port 36 is formed into the vehicle interior.
[0023]
In the battery cooling structure 10 shown in the above-described embodiment, the air intake 36 is formed on the side surfaces 26 b and 26 c of the rear seat side step 26. Therefore, compared with the case where the air intake 36 is provided under the seat (that is, above the battery 38), the air intake 36 is separated from the occupant, so that the intake sound generated at the air intake 36 is less likely to be heard by the occupant. Therefore, it can be felt quietly, and the air introduction path is shortened compared with the case where air is introduced from the dash panel through the duct in the body member. improves.
[0024]
Further, in the battery cooling structure 10 shown in the above-described embodiment, since the air intake 36 opens in the rear door direction, noise generated at the air intake 36 becomes more difficult for the passenger to hear.
[0025]
Further, in the battery cooling structure 10 shown in the above-described embodiment, the air intake 36 is formed on the substantially vertical side surfaces 26b and 26c of the rear seat side step 26. Or the air intake 36 is less likely to be clogged, and the air intake 36 is not blocked by the load. In addition, when the air intake is provided under the seat as in the prior art, there is a problem that the temperature of the air taken in from the air intake increases because the air intake is close to the air outlet of the heater. In the battery cooling structure 10, since the air intake port 36 is provided in the rear seat side step 26, the distance between the air intake port 36 and the heater blow-out port is increased. The impact is also reduced.
[0026]
In addition, when the air intake is provided under the seat as in the conventional case, an air flow is generated under the occupant's feet, and it may be felt that the air flow is uncomfortable depending on the occupant. As an example, when the air intake 36 is formed on the side surfaces 26b and 26c of the rear seat side step 26, the air flow in the passenger compartment 12 caused by the introduction of cooling air is away from the passenger. As a result, the passenger is less likely to feel the air flow.
[0027]
Further, since the air intake 36 is formed on the side step 26 for the rear seat opposite to the driver's seat 14 where the person always sits during driving, that is, the side step 26 for the passenger seat 16 side, Compared with the case where the air intake port 36 is formed in the step, the air intake port 36 is farther from the driver's seat 14, so that it is more difficult for the driver to hear the intake sound generated at the air intake port 36.
[0028]
Further, in the battery cooling structure 10 of the above-described embodiment, since the air intake port 36 and the cooling fan 32 are connected by the air introduction duct 34, the air introduction duct 34 has a sound absorbing structure, so that the air The sound produced by the introduction can be further reduced.
[0029]
In the battery cooling structure 10 described above, the air discharge duct 42 is disposed on the side of the battery case 30 opposite to the side on which the air introduction duct 34 is disposed. Therefore, compared to the case where the air discharge duct 42 and the air introduction duct 34 are arranged on the same side, the flow resistance (pressure loss) is reduced because the direction change of the air flow is small.
[0030]
As mentioned above, although one Example of this invention was described based on drawing, this invention is applied also in another aspect.
[0031]
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the air intake 36 is formed on the side surfaces 26b and 26c of the rear seat side step 26, but may be formed on the side surface of the front seat side step 24, or the side step 24. , 26 may be provided on the floor 22 other than the bottom surfaces 24a, 26a and the side steps 24, 26. An air intake may be provided in the side step on the driver's seat 14 side.
[0032]
As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was described in detail based on drawing, this is an embodiment to the last, and this invention implements in the aspect which added various change and improvement based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Can do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a passenger compartment for showing an arrangement position of a battery cooling structure to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for illustrating battery arrangement positions.
[Explanation of symbols]
10: Battery cooling structure 12: Vehicle compartment 18: Front seat (seat)
22: Floor 26: Rear seat side step 34: Air introduction duct (air flow passage)
36: Air intake (air distribution port)
38: Battery 42: Air exhaust duct (air flow passage)
44: Air outlet (air circulation port)

Claims (3)

Let circulate a battery disposed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, an air inlet and an air outlet which opens into the passenger compartment, the air in the passenger compartment in path via said battery from said air inlet to said air outlet a passenger compartment air flow passage, a battery cooling structure with,
A battery cooling structure in which the air intake port and the air discharge port are provided on a side surface of a side step formed on a floor surface in the vehicle interior . One or more side steps are formed at both edges in the vehicle width direction in the vehicle interior,
The battery cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the air intake port is provided in a side step on one edge side, and the air discharge port is provided in a side step on the other edge side . The battery is disposed under a front seat of the vehicle;
The battery cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the air intake port and the air discharge port are provided in a side step for a rear seat .

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