WO2019207879A1 - Electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

An electric vehicle (1) is provided with: a front wheel; a rear wheel (3); a front vehicle body (10) which supports the front wheel; a swing unit (50) which has a motor for driving the rear wheel (3), supports the rear wheel (3), and is provided so as to be capable of pivoting about a pivot axis (P) extending in the vehicle width direction relative to the front vehicle body (10); and a battery (105) which is the power source for the motor and which is supported by the swing unit (50) at a position overlapping the pivot axis (P) when viewed in the vertical direction.

Description

Electric vehicle

The present invention relates to an electric vehicle.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-084561 filed in Japan on April 25, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Some electric vehicles have a motor that drives the rear wheels relative to the front vehicle body that supports the front wheels, and a swing unit that supports the rear wheels is configured to be swingable up and down. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a swing shaft that extends in the front-rear direction through a substantially center of a vehicle body, and includes a swinging vehicle body that supports a seat and a rear vehicle body that supports a pair of left and right rear wheels via a rear wheel support member. An oscillating vehicle is disclosed that is connected so as to be relatively rotatable around the axis thereof. In this oscillating vehicle, a fixed bracket is supported on a pivot provided on the oscillating vehicle body so as to be vertically slidable, and a movable bracket is supported on the fixed bracket via a swing shaft so as to be rotatable left and right. The movable bracket supports a power unit that supports the rear wheel, and a battery support frame on which a battery is mounted is fixed.

Japanese Patent No. 3189777

By the way, in the above-described conventional electric vehicle, since the battery that is a heavy object is supported by the swing unit, a large inertial force acts on a portion that supports the swing unit when the swing unit swings up and down. For this reason, in the electric vehicle of a prior art, there exists a subject of reducing the load concerning the location which supports a swing unit so that rotation is possible.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce a load applied to a portion where the swing unit is rotatably supported in an electric vehicle having a swing unit that is swingable up and down with respect to the front vehicle body.

The electric vehicle according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a front wheel (2), a rear wheel (3), a front vehicle body (10, 310) that supports the front wheel (2), and the rear wheel (3). A pivot axis (P) having a motor (61, 261A, 261B, 461) for driving, supporting the rear wheel (3) and extending along the vehicle width direction with respect to the front vehicle body (10, 310). A swing unit (50, 250, 358, 450) provided to be rotatable around and a power source of the motor (61, 261A, 261B, 461), the pivot axis (P) as viewed from above and below. And a battery (105) supported by the swing unit (50, 250, 358, 450) at a position overlapping with the battery.

The electric vehicle according to a second aspect of the present invention is the electric vehicle according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the battery (105) has a center of gravity (G) of the battery (105) as viewed from above and below. It is arranged so as to be located on the pivot axis (P) or behind the pivot axis (P).

The electric vehicle according to a third aspect of the present invention is the electric vehicle according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the battery (105) is connected to the pivot axis (P) when viewed from the vehicle width direction. They are arranged at overlapping positions.

An electric vehicle according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the electric vehicle according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the power for controlling the motor (61, 261A, 261B, 461). At least one of a control unit (101), a junction box (103) in which wiring extending from the battery (105) is integrated, and a regulator (104) for stepping down the voltage of the current supplied from the battery (105) are vertically It is arrange | positioned in the position which overlaps with the said pivot axis line (P) seeing from a direction.

The electric vehicle according to the invention described in claim 5 is the electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the battery (105) can be taken out from below the seat (12). Is formed.

The electric vehicle according to the invention described in claim 6 is the electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the battery (105) is located below the seat (12), It is arrange | positioned so that a longitudinal direction may follow a horizontal direction.

The electric vehicle according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the electric vehicle according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein a pair of the rear wheels (3) are provided and the swing unit is provided. (50, 250) includes a power unit (51, 251) including the motor (61, 261A, 261B) and supporting the pair of rear wheels (3), and a rolling axis (R) extending in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. ) And a swing mechanism portion (53, 253) for swingably connecting the front vehicle body (10) and the power unit (51, 251) around the swing mechanism portion (53, 253). At least a part of the vehicle overlaps with the rear wheel (3) when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and the battery (105) is connected to the swing unit (50, 250) in front of the swing mechanism (53, 253). Supported Is shall.

An electric vehicle according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the electric vehicle according to the seventh aspect, wherein the front vehicle body (10) and the swing mechanism portion (53, 253) are coupled with a cushion (4 ), And the connecting portions (98, 298) between the swing mechanism (53, 253) and the cushion (4) overlap the rear wheel (3) when viewed from the vehicle width direction. It is.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the center of gravity of the battery can be brought closer to the pivot axis in the horizontal direction as compared with the configuration in which the battery is arranged at a position that does not overlap the pivot axis when viewed from the top and bottom. Thereby, since the moment of gravity which acts on a battery centering on a pivot axis becomes small, the load concerning the location which supports a swing unit so that rotation is possible can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the force in the direction in which the rear wheels are directed upward on the swing unit due to the gravity acting on the battery. For this reason, the road surface followability of the rear wheel supported by the swing unit can be improved.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the center of gravity of the battery can be brought closer to the pivot axis as compared with a configuration in which the battery is not positioned so as to overlap the pivot axis when viewed from the vehicle width direction. This reduces the moment of inertia of the entire member that swings up and down integrally with the swing unit around the pivot axis. Therefore, the road surface followability of the rear wheel supported by the swing unit can be improved.

According to the invention described in claim 4, the center of gravity of at least one of the power control unit, the junction box, and the regulator can be brought close to the pivot axis along with the center of gravity of the battery in the horizontal direction. Thereby, the load concerning the location which supports a swing unit so that rocking | swiveling up and down is possible can be reduced further.

According to the invention described in claim 5, the battery can be easily taken out to a low position in a state where an occupant or the like stands on the side of the vehicle. In addition, when a loading platform is provided behind the seat, the battery can be taken out without taking down articles mounted on the loading platform. Therefore, the usability of the electric vehicle can be improved.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the increase in the vertical dimension of the area where the battery is arranged, and to provide a space between the battery and the seat. As a result, it is possible to provide a storage space or the like for storing articles under the seat, and improve the usability of the electric vehicle.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the space generated in front of the swinging mechanism unit by effectively arranging the swinging mechanism unit so as to overlap the rear wheel when viewed from the vehicle width direction can be effectively used. Can do.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the load of the front vehicle body is applied at a position near the ground contact point of the rear wheel in the swing mechanism portion as compared with the configuration in which the connection portion does not overlap the rear wheel when viewed from the vehicle width direction. Can receive. Therefore, the shared load of the front and rear wheels can be optimized.

It is a left view of the electric vehicle of 1st Embodiment. It is a left view which shows the rear part of the electric vehicle of 1st Embodiment. It is a bottom view which shows the rear part of the electric vehicle of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the power unit of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 3. It is a left view which shows the rear part of the electric vehicle of 2nd Embodiment. It is a bottom view which shows the rear part of the electric vehicle of 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 6. It is a left view of the electric vehicle of 3rd Embodiment. It is a left view of the electric vehicle of 4th Embodiment. It is a top view which shows the periphery of the swing unit of 4th Embodiment. It is a left view of the electric vehicle of the modification of 4th Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the front-back, up-down, left-right directions are the same as the front-back, up-down, left-right directions. That is, the up-down direction matches the vertical direction, and the left-right direction matches the vehicle width direction. In the drawings used for the following description, the arrow UP indicates the upper side, the arrow FR indicates the front side, and the arrow LH indicates the left side. In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to configurations having the same or similar functions. And the description which overlaps those structures may be abbreviate | omitted.

[First Embodiment]
First, the electric vehicle according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In the present embodiment, a saddle riding type electric tricycle having a pair of rear wheels will be described as an example of the electric vehicle.

FIG. 1 is a left side view of the electric vehicle according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the electric vehicle 1 according to the first embodiment includes a single front wheel 2, a pair of left and right rear wheels 3, a front vehicle body 10 that supports the front wheels 2 so as to be steerable, and a front vehicle body 10. Electric power is supplied to the front vehicle body cover 30 to be covered, the swing unit 50 that supports the pair of rear wheels 3 and is swingable up and down with respect to the front vehicle body 10, the motor 61 (see FIG. 4) that is a drive source, and the like. The power supply part 100 to supply and the rear cushion 4 (cushion) interposed between the front vehicle body 10 and the swing unit 50 are mainly provided. The electric vehicle 1 is capable of swinging (rolling motion) in the left-right direction with the front vehicle body 10 on which an occupant is riding in a state where the pair of rear wheels 3 are grounded.

The front vehicle body 10 includes a front wheel steering bar handle 11, an occupant seat 12, a low floor 13, a vehicle body frame 14 that forms the skeleton of the front vehicle body 10, and a front wheel suspension device 15 that suspends the front wheel 2. And comprising. Between the bar handle 11 and the seat 12 is a straddling space 16 in which the occupant's legs are arranged. The low floor 13 is disposed below the straddling space 16.

The vehicle body frame 14 includes a head pipe 20, a single front frame 21, a pair of left and right lower frames 22, a pair of left and right rear frames 23, and a pair of left and right cargo bed frames 24. The head pipe 20 is provided at the front end of the body frame 14. The head pipe 20 is inclined backward with respect to the vertical direction. A front wheel suspension device 15 is supported on the head pipe 20 so as to be steerable. The front wheel suspension device 15 includes a stem pipe 25 that penetrates the head pipe 20. A bar handle 11 is fixed to the upper end portion of the stem pipe 25. The front frame 21 extends obliquely rearward and downward from the rear side of the head pipe 20 and then curves backward. The pair of lower frames 22 branch left and right from both sides of the curved portion of the front frame 21 and extend rearward. The pair of lower frames 22 are connected to the lower cross pipe 27. A rear end portion of the front frame 21 is coupled to an intermediate portion of the lower cross pipe 27. The pair of rear frames 23 extend from the rear end portions of the left and right lower frames 22 in a curved rearward upward direction. The pair of rear frames 23 is provided below the seat 12 and is arranged at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction. The pair of left and right cargo bed frames 24 are curved and extend rearward from the rear end portions of the left and right rear frames 23.

A pivot plate 28 is provided at the rear of each of the left and right lower frames 22. The pair of left and right pivot plates 28 respectively extend rearward from the rear portion of the lower frame 22. A swing unit 50 is connected to the pair of pivot plates 28 so as to be swingable up and down (details will be described later).

The bar handle 11 is provided with a brake lever 45 adjacent to each of the pair of left and right grips. A rear brake cable (not shown) connected to the pair of left and right rear brakes 5 (see FIG. 3) is connected to the left brake lever 45 at the terminal portion. By operating the left brake lever 45, the rear brake cable is pulled and the pair of left and right rear brakes 5 are operated. The right brake lever 45 is connected to a front brake cable (both not shown) connected to the front brake at the end portion. By operating the right brake lever 45, the front brake cable is pulled to operate the front brake. A parking lock lever 46 is disposed near the bar handle 11. A parking lock cable (not shown) is connected to the parking lock lever 46. The end of the parking lock cable is connected to the rear brake 5. By operating the parking lock lever 46, the parking lock cable is pulled and the rear brake 5 is operated.

The front body cover 30 includes a front cover 31, an inner cover 32, a floor board 33, left and right floor side covers 34, left and right rear floors 35, a seat lower cover 36, left and right rear side covers 37, a battery. And a box cover 38. The front cover 31 covers the periphery of the head pipe 20 and the front frame 21 from the front. The inner cover 32 covers the periphery of the head pipe 20 and the front frame 21 from the rear. The floor board 33 continues to the rear of the lower end portion of the inner cover 32. The left and right floor side covers 34 are continuous below the left and right side edges of the floor board 33. The left and right rear floors 35 are connected to the left and right rear sides of the floor board 33. The under-seat cover 36 stands up between the left and right rear floors 35. The left and right rear side covers 37 are connected obliquely upward and rearward at the rear ends of the left and right floor side covers 34. The left and right rear side covers 37 cover the rear frame 23 and the loading frame 24 from the outside in the left-right direction. The battery box cover 38 extends rearward from the portion of the left and right rear side covers 37 that covers the rear frame 23. The battery box cover 38 covers a battery box 102 (see FIG. 2) described later from the outside in the left-right direction.

The front cover 31 and the inner cover 32 constitute a leg shield that covers the occupant's legs from the front. The floor board 33 constitutes the low floor 13 together with the left and right lower frames 22. On the floor board 33, the feet of the occupants sitting on the seat 12 are placed. Between the left and right rear side covers 37, a loading platform 39 on which the article storage box 6 is mounted is provided. From the front end portion of the loading platform 39, a loading platform front wall portion 40 stands. A pair of left and right support columns 41 stands up above the loading platform front wall 40. A wind screen 42 stands from the upper end portion of the front cover 31. A roof 43 is installed between the upper end portion of the wind screen 42 and the upper end portions of the left and right support columns 41.

The lower seat cover 36 is formed so that the battery 105 (see FIG. 2) can be taken out from the battery box 102 disposed below the seat 12. For example, the lower seat cover 36 is formed so as to be able to be flipped up as indicated by a two-dot chain line in the drawing. Accordingly, the front vehicle body cover 30 can open the space below the seat 12 forward by flipping up the lower seat cover 36.

FIG. 2 is a left side view showing a rear portion of the electric vehicle according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing a rear portion of the electric vehicle according to the first embodiment. 2 shows a state in which a part of the front vehicle body cover 30, the left rear wheel 3 and the like are removed.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the swing unit 50 is provided so as to be rotatable about a pivot axis P extending in the left-right direction with respect to the front vehicle body 10, and can swing up and down with respect to the front vehicle body 10. Has been. The swing unit 50 is interposed between a power unit 51 provided between a pair of rear wheels 3, a swing arm 52 supported by a pair of left and right pivot plates 28 of the front vehicle body 10, and the power unit 51 and the swing arm 52. And a swinging mechanism portion 53.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the power unit according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 4, the power unit 51 supports a pair of rear wheels 3. The power unit 51 includes a unit case 60, a motor 61, a speed reduction mechanism 66, a differential mechanism 71, and a pair of left and right axles 78. The power unit 51 transmits the output of the motor 61 to the pair of axles 78 via the speed reduction mechanism 66 and the differential mechanism 71. The pair of axles 78 is the axle of the rear wheel 3. The left axle 78 is coupled to the left rear wheel 3. The right axle 78 is coupled to the right rear wheel 3. The pair of axles 78 are provided coaxially with each other. The pair of axles 78 extends in the left-right direction and is disposed with the shaft ends facing each other.

The unit case 60 accommodates a motor 61, a speed reduction mechanism 66, and a differential mechanism 71. The unit case 60 is provided so as to project the axle 78 to the left and right sides. The unit case 60 supports a pair of axles 78 in a rotatable manner. In the following description, the case where the motor 61 is arranged in the left space inside the unit case 60 and the differential mechanism 71 is arranged in the right space from the motor 61 will be described as an example.

The motor 61 drives the pair of rear wheels 3. The motor 61 is driven at a variable speed by, for example, VVVF (Variable Voltage Variable Frequency) control. The motor 61 is provided coaxially with the axle 78. The motor 61 includes a cylindrical stator 62 fixed to the unit case 60, a cylindrical rotor 63 coaxial with the stator 62 and disposed inside the stator 62, and a cylindrical shaft 64 coupled to the rotor 63. Prepare. The cylindrical shaft 64 is disposed coaxially with the axle 78 and is extrapolated to the left axle 78 so as to be relatively rotatable.

The deceleration mechanism 66 decelerates the drive rotation of the motor 61. The speed reduction mechanism 66 includes a gear 67 formed at the right end of the cylindrical shaft 64, and a large diameter gear 68 and a small diameter gear 69 supported by the unit case 60. The gear 67 and the large diameter gear 68 mesh with each other. The small diameter gear 69 is formed with a smaller diameter than the large diameter gear 68 and rotates integrally with the large diameter gear 68. In the reduction mechanism 66, the rotation of the cylindrical shaft 64 of the motor 61 is reduced by being transmitted to the small diameter gear 69 via the gear 67 and the large diameter gear 68.

The differential mechanism 71 distributes the driving force of the motor 61 output via the speed reduction mechanism 66 to the left and right axles 78. The differential mechanism 71 is provided coaxially with the axle 78. The differential mechanism 71 includes a differential carrier 72, a pair of side gears 73, a shaft 74, and a pair of pinion gears 75. The differential carrier 72 is disposed so as to surround the shaft ends of the pair of axles 78 facing each other. The differential carrier 72 is externally attached to the axle 78 so as to be rotatable around the axis of the axle 78 with respect to the unit case 60. The differential carrier 72 is formed with a gear 76 that meshes with the small-diameter gear 69 of the speed reduction mechanism 66. As a result, the differential carrier 72 rotates in response to the output of the speed reduction mechanism 66.

The pair of side gears 73 are bevel gears. The pair of side gears 73 are accommodated in the differential carrier 72. The pair of side gears 73 are fixed to shaft ends of the pair of axles 78 facing each other. The shaft 74 has an axis orthogonal to the axis of the axle 78. The shaft 74 is disposed between the pair of side gears 73, and both ends are supported by the differential carrier 72. The pair of pinion gears 75 are bevel gears that mesh with the pair of side gears 73, respectively. The pair of pinion gears 75 is sandwiched between the pair of side gears 73 and is rotatably supported by the shaft 74.

In the differential mechanism 71, when the differential carrier 72 rotates in response to the output of the speed reduction mechanism 66, the shaft 74 rotates around the axis of the axle 78. At this time, the pair of pinion gears 75 revolve around the axis of the axle 78. Here, when the resistance applied to the left and right axles 78 is equal, the pair of side gears 73 and the pair of axles 78 rotate at the same speed without the pair of pinion gears 75 revolving together with the shaft 74 rotating. When there is a difference in resistance applied to the left and right axles 78, the pair of pinion gears 75 rotate as appropriate, causing a rotational speed difference between the pair of side gears 73 and the pair of axles 78. As described above, the differential mechanism 71 distributes the driving force of the motor 61 to the pair of rear wheels 3 via the axle 78.

As shown in FIG. 3, a rear brake 5 is disposed between the power unit 51 and each rear wheel 3. For example, the rear brake 5 includes a brake drum formed integrally with the wheel of the rear wheel 3 and a brake shoe supported by the unit case 60 of the power unit 51. The brake shoe is in sliding contact with the brake drum by pulling at least one of a rear brake cable and a parking lock cable (both not shown).

The swing arm 52 is disposed in front of the power unit 51. The swing arm 52 is supported by a pair of left and right pivot plates 28 so as to be rotatable around the pivot axis P. The swing arm 52 includes a pair of left and right side arms 80 and a battery support portion 81 that is installed between the pair of side arms 80. The pair of side arms 80 are respectively supported by the pivot plate 28. The side arm 80 extends from a position in front of the pivot axis P to a position in the rear of the pivot axis P. For example, the side arm 80 extends horizontally from the pivot axis P toward the front, and extends slightly inclined downward from the pivot axis P toward the rear (see FIG. 2). At least the vicinity of the pivot axis P of the side arm 80 extends substantially horizontally. For example, the pair of side arms 80 are bent or curved so that the distance between the side arms 80 is narrowed at the rear end portion. The battery support part 81 has an upper surface that extends horizontally, and supports the power supply part 100 from below. The battery support unit 81 covers at least a part of the power supply unit 100 from below.

The swing mechanism 53 is fixed to the swing arm 52 at the front and is fixed to the power unit 51 at the rear. As a result, the swing mechanism 53, together with the power unit 51 and the swing arm 52, is provided so as to be swingable up and down with respect to the front vehicle body 10 (see FIG. 1). The swing mechanism 53 connects the front vehicle body 10 and the power unit 51 via a swing arm 52 so as to be swingable about a rolling axis R. The rolling axis R extends in a direction orthogonal to the left-right direction at the center of the vehicle body in the left-right direction. For example, the rolling axis R is orthogonal to the pivot axis P. The swing mechanism 53 includes a joint case 90 fixed to the swing arm 52, a joint shaft 91 rotatably supported by the joint case 90 and fixed to the power unit 51, and the relative relationship between the joint case 90 and the joint shaft 91. And a lock mechanism 93 capable of restraining relative rotation of the joint case 90 and the joint shaft 91.

As shown in FIG. 2, at least a part of the swing mechanism 53 overlaps the rear wheel 3 when viewed from the left-right direction. Specifically, at least a part of the portion of the swinging mechanism portion 53 where the joint case 90 and the joint shaft 91 overlap when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the rolling axis R overlaps with the rear wheel 3 when viewed from the left-right direction. Yes.

The joint case 90 constitutes the front part of the swinging mechanism part 53. The front end portion of the joint case 90 is disposed between the rear end portions of the pair of side arms 80 of the swing arm 52, and is fastened to each side arm 80 (see FIG. 3). A cushion connection part 98 (connection part) to which the rear cushion 4 is connected is provided on the upper part of the joint case 90. The cushion connection portion 98 overlaps the rear wheel 3 when viewed from the left-right direction.

The joint shaft 91 is formed in a cylindrical shape having the rolling axis R as the central axis. The front part of the joint shaft 91 is inserted into the joint case 90. The joint shaft 91 is supported by the joint case 90 so as to be rotatable around the rolling axis R through a bearing that is appropriately arranged. The rear end portion of the joint shaft 91 is coupled to the unit case 60 of the power unit 51. Accordingly, the joint shaft 91 is provided so as not to rotate around the rolling axis R with respect to the power unit 51. For example, the rear end portion of the joint shaft 91 is coupled to the lower surface of the unit case 60.

Knighthard 92 is interposed between joint case 90 and the front end of joint shaft 91. The nighthard 92 overlaps with the rear wheel 3 when viewed from the left-right direction.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the knight hart 92 includes a knight hart cam 95 fixed to the joint shaft 91, and a knight hull rubber 96 interposed between the knight hart cam 95 and the inner surface of the joint case 90. A plurality of night hull rubbers 96 are provided and are engaged with the inner surface of the joint case 90, respectively. The knight hull cam 95 has a cam surface 95a facing the knight hull rubber 96 from both sides in the circumferential direction around the rolling axis R. When the knight hull cam 95 tries to rotate around the rolling axis R with respect to the joint case 90, the knight hull rubber 96 presses the knight hull rubber 96 engaged with the inner surface of the joint case 90 to elastically deform the knight hull rubber 96. The knight hull rubber 96 urges the knight hull cam 95 toward the initial position by a restoring force when elastically deforming. As a result, the Knighthard 92 biases the front vehicle body 10 in the upright direction via the swing arm 52 fixed to the joint case 90 with respect to the power unit 51 coupled to the joint shaft 91 (see FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 2, the lock mechanism 93 stops the rotation of the joint shaft 91 relative to the joint case 90 in accordance with the operation of the parking lock lever 46 (see FIG. 1). The lock mechanism 93 is provided in the joint case 90. An intermediate portion of a parking lock cable (not shown) is linked to the lock mechanism 93. Accordingly, the lock mechanism 93 operates together with the rear brake 5 when the parking lock lever 46 is operated. The lock mechanism 93 stops the relative rotation of the joint case 90 and the joint shaft 91, thereby stabilizing the parking posture of the front vehicle body 10 via the swing arm 52 fixed to the joint case 90.

The power supply unit 100 is provided between the front vehicle body 10 and the swing unit 50. The power supply unit 100 is supported by the swing arm 52. The power supply unit 100 includes a PCU (Power Control Unit) 101, a battery box 102, a junction box 103, and a down regulator 104 (regulator).

The PCU 101 is a control unit including a PDU (Power Drive Unit) that is a motor driver, an ECU (Electric Control Unit) that controls the PDU, and the like. The PCU 101 is disposed in front of the swing mechanism unit 53. The PCU 101 is disposed at a position overlapping the pivot axis P when viewed from the top and bottom. The PCU 101 is supported from below by a swing arm 52. The PCU 101 is placed on the battery support portion 81 (see FIG. 3) of the swing arm 52 and is fixed to the battery support portion 81. Thereby, the PCU 101 is covered from below by the battery support portion 81.

The battery box 102 accommodates and holds a battery 105 that is a power source of the motor 61 (see FIG. 4). Further, the battery box 102 includes a BMU (Battery Managing Unit) (not shown) that manages charging / discharging of the battery 105 and the like. A pair of battery boxes 102 are provided and are arranged side by side on the lower side of the seat 12. The pair of battery boxes 102 are disposed between the pair of left and right rear frames 23. The pair of battery boxes 102 is placed on the PCU 101 and is disposed in front of the swinging mechanism unit 53. The pair of battery boxes 102 are supported from below by the swing arm 52 via the PCU 101. The battery box 102 is covered from the front and left and right sides by a lower seat cover 36, a rear side cover 37, and a battery box cover 38 (see FIG. 1).

The battery 105 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. A handle 105 a is provided on a surface of the battery 105 that faces the longitudinal direction of the battery 105. The battery box 102 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape corresponding to the outer shape of the battery 105. The battery box 102 has a battery insertion / removal opening 102a through which the battery 105 can be inserted / removed. The battery insertion / removal opening 102a is opened forward. The battery box 102 accommodates the battery 105 so that the longitudinal direction of the battery 105 is along the front-rear direction and the handle 105a of the battery 105 faces forward. Thereby, the battery box 102 can be pulled out with the battery 105 facing forward. The battery 105 can be taken forward from below the seat 12 by, for example, flipping up the lower seat cover 36.

The junction box 103 collects wiring extending from the battery box 102. A wiring connected to the PCU 101, the down regulator 104, and the like extends from the junction box 103. The junction box 103 is attached to the rear part of the battery box 102.

The down regulator 104 steps down the voltage of the direct current supplied from the battery 105. The down regulator 104 is attached to the rear part of the junction box 103. A plurality of heat dissipating fins are provided at the rear of the down regulator 104.

Here, the battery 105 housed in the battery box 102 will be described. The battery 105 is disposed above the pivot axis P. The battery 105 is disposed at a position overlapping the pivot axis P when viewed from the top and bottom directions. The battery 105 is arranged such that the center of gravity G is located on the pivot axis P when viewed from the top and bottom. In other words, in the present embodiment, the battery 105 is disposed so that the center of gravity G is positioned vertically above the pivot axis P.

The rear cushion 4 connects the front vehicle body 10 and the swing mechanism 53. The rear cushion 4 is integrally provided with a shock absorber having a compression coil spring and a damper. A lower end portion of the rear cushion 4 is coupled to a cushion connection portion 98 of the joint case 90 in the swing mechanism portion 53. The upper end portion of the rear cushion 4 is connected to the loading frame 24 of the front vehicle body 10.

As described in detail above, the electric vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment includes the front vehicle body 10 that supports the front wheels 2 and the motor 61 that drives the rear wheels 3, supports the rear wheels 3, and is attached to the front vehicle body 10. On the other hand, a swing unit 50 provided so as to be rotatable around a pivot axis P extending in the left-right direction, and a battery 105 supported by the swing unit 50 at a position overlapping the pivot axis P when viewed from the top-bottom direction. .

According to this configuration, the center of gravity G of the battery 105 can be brought closer to the pivot axis P in the horizontal direction as compared with the configuration in which the battery is arranged at a position that does not overlap with the pivot axis when viewed in the vertical direction. As a result, the moment of gravity acting on the battery 105 around the pivot axis P is reduced, so that the place where the swing unit 50 is rotatably supported (in this embodiment, the connecting portion between the pivot plate 28 and the swing arm 52). ) Can be reduced.

Further, it is possible to avoid the wiring extending from the battery 105 to the motor 61 straddling the front vehicle body 10 and the swing unit 50 that rotate relative to each other. Thereby, it can suppress that load is applied to wiring and can secure electrical safety. In addition, since the swing unit 50 can be attached to the front vehicle body 10 after the battery box 102 that houses the battery 105 is assembled to the swing unit 50, the assembly of the vehicle can be improved.

Further, in the present embodiment, the battery 105 is arranged so that the center of gravity G of the battery 105 is located on the pivot axis P when viewed from the up-down direction. According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress the force in the direction in which the rear wheel 3 is directed upward from acting on the swing unit 50 due to the gravity acting on the battery 105. For this reason, the road surface followability of the rear wheel 3 supported by the swing unit 50 can be improved.

Further, in this embodiment, the PCU 101 is supported by the swing unit 50 at a position overlapping the pivot axis P when viewed from the vertical direction. According to this configuration, the center of gravity of the PCU 101 can be brought close to the pivot axis P together with the center of gravity G of the battery 105 in the horizontal direction. Thereby, the load concerning the location which supports the swing unit 50 so that rocking | fluctuation up and down is possible can be reduced further.

Further, in the present embodiment, the battery 105 is formed so that it can be taken out from below the seat 12. According to this configuration, the battery 105 can be easily taken out to a low position while an occupant or the like stands on the side of the vehicle. Further, the battery 105 can be taken out without lowering the article storage box 6 mounted on the loading platform 39 from the loading platform 39. Therefore, the usability of the electric vehicle 1 can be improved.

In this embodiment, the battery 105 is arranged below the seat 12 so that the direction is along the horizontal direction. According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a space between the battery 105 and the seat 12 while suppressing an increase in the vertical dimension of the region where the battery 105 is disposed. Thereby, it becomes possible to provide a storage space for storing articles under the seat 12, and the usability of the electric vehicle 1 can be improved.

Further, in this embodiment, the swing unit 50 swings the front vehicle body 10 and the power unit 51 about the power unit 51 that includes the motor 61 and supports the pair of rear wheels 3 and the rolling axis R that extends in the direction orthogonal to the left-right direction. A swing mechanism 53 that is movably connected. At least a part of the swing mechanism 53 overlaps the rear wheel 3 when viewed from the left-right direction, and the battery 105 swings in front of the swing mechanism 53. Supported by the unit 50. According to this configuration, the space generated in front of the swinging mechanism unit 53 due to the swinging mechanism unit 53 being arranged so as to overlap the rear wheel 3 when viewed from the left-right direction can be used effectively.

In this embodiment, the cushion connecting portion 98 in the swing mechanism portion 53 overlaps with the rear wheel 3 when viewed from the left-right direction. According to this configuration, the load of the front vehicle body 10 is received at a position near the ground contact point of the rear wheel 3 in the swing mechanism 53 as compared with a configuration in which the cushion connecting portion does not overlap the rear wheel when viewed from the left-right direction. Can do. Therefore, the shared load of the front and rear wheels can be optimized.

In the first embodiment, the center of gravity G of the battery 105 is positioned vertically above the pivot axis P. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The center of gravity G of the battery 105 may be located behind the pivot axis P. Even in this case, it is possible to suppress the force in the direction in which the rear wheel 3 is directed upward from acting on the swing unit 50 due to the gravity acting on the battery 105. For this reason, the road surface followability of the rear wheel 3 supported by the swing unit 50 can be improved.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, an electric vehicle 201 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, a saddle riding type electric tricycle will be described as an example of an electric vehicle. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the battery 105 accommodated in the battery box 102 is disposed at a position overlapping the pivot axis P when viewed from the left-right direction. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that it includes a pair of motors 261A and 261B that drive the pair of rear wheels 3 separately. The configurations other than those described below are the same as those in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a left side view showing a rear portion of the electric vehicle according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a bottom view showing a rear portion of the electric vehicle according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 shows a state where a part of the front vehicle body cover 30 and the left rear wheel 3 are removed.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the electric vehicle 201 of the second embodiment, the swing unit 250 includes a power unit 251 provided between the pair of rear wheels 3 and a pair of left and right pivot plates 28 of the front vehicle body 10. A swing arm 252 supported by the swing arm 252, and a swing mechanism 253 interposed between the power unit 251 and the swing arm 252.

As shown in FIG. 7, the power unit 251 supports a pair of rear wheels 3. The power unit 251 supports the left rear wheel 3 and drives the left rear wheel 3, a first motor 261A, supports the right rear wheel 3 and drives the right rear wheel 3, and a second motor 261B. Is provided.

The first motor 261A and the second motor 261B are in-wheel type motors provided in the rear wheel 3, respectively. The first motor 261A and the second motor 261B are variable speed driven by, for example, VVVF control. The first motor 261A and the second motor 261B include a motor housing 263, a stator and a rotor (not shown) disposed in the motor housing 263, an output shaft (not shown) coupled to the rotor, and a rear And an axle 267 of the rear wheel 3 that is coupled to the wheel 3 and rotates in response to the rotation of the output shaft. For example, a reduction gear is interposed between the output shaft and the axle 267, and the drive rotation output from the rotor to the output shaft is decelerated and transmitted to the axle 267. Rear brakes 5 are disposed between the first motor 261A and the left rear wheel 3 and between the second motor 261B and the right rear wheel 3, respectively.

8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 8, the swing arm 252 includes a pair of left and right side arms 280 that are spaced apart in the left-right direction, and a battery support portion 281 that is installed between the pair of side arms 280. The pair of side arms 280 is provided so that the pair of battery boxes 102, the junction box 103, the down regulator 104, and the like can be disposed between the pair of side arms 280 (see FIG. 7). The battery support portion 281 includes a bottom portion 282 that supports the power supply portion 100 from below, and a side portion 283 that connects the bottom portion 282 and the side arm 280. The bottom portion 282 is formed in a flat plate shape. The bottom part 282 is formed larger than the PCU 101 placed on the bottom part 282. The bottom portion 282 is provided below the side arm 280. The side portion 283 extends upward from a side edge (for example, both right and left side edges) of the bottom portion 282 and is coupled to the pair of side arms 280. The side portion 283 may be formed in a flat plate shape that covers the PCU 101, or may be a stay that extends in the vertical direction.

6 and 7, the swing mechanism 253 is fixed to the swing arm 252 at the front and is fixed to the power unit 251 at the rear. Thus, the swing mechanism 253 is provided so as to be able to swing up and down with respect to the front vehicle body 10 together with the power unit 251 and the swing arm 252. The swing mechanism 253 connects the front vehicle body 10 and the power unit 251 via the swing arm 252 so as to be swingable about the rolling axis R.

The swing mechanism 253 includes a joint case 290 fixed to the swing arm 252, a joint shaft 291 that is rotatably supported by the joint case 290 and fixed to the power unit 251, and a relative relationship between the joint case 290 and the joint shaft 291. And a lock mechanism 93 capable of restraining relative rotation of the joint case 290 and the joint shaft 291. At least a part of the swing mechanism 253 is disposed between the first motor 261A and the second motor 261B and overlaps the rear wheel 3 when viewed from the left-right direction. Specifically, at least a part of a portion of the swing mechanism 253 where the joint case 290 and the joint shaft 291 overlap when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the rolling axis R is between the first motor 261A and the second motor 261B. It is arrange | positioned between and it overlaps with the rear-wheel 3 seeing from the left-right direction.

The joint case 290 constitutes the front part of the swing mechanism 253. The front end portion of the joint case 290 is disposed between the rear end portions of the pair of side arms 280 of the swing arm 252 and is fastened to the swing arm 252. A cushion connection part 298 (connection part) to which the rear cushion 4 is connected is provided on the upper part of the joint case 290. The cushion connecting portion 298 overlaps the rear wheel 3 vertically above the axle 267 when viewed from the left-right direction.

At the rear part of the joint case 290, there is formed an insertion portion 290a into which a later-described second shaft 291b of the joint shaft 291 is inserted. The insertion portion 290a is formed so as to avoid the second shaft 291b that swings around the rolling axis R.

As shown in FIG. 7, the joint shaft 291 includes a first shaft 291 a formed in a columnar shape having the rolling axis R as a central axis, a second shaft 291 b extending from the middle portion of the first shaft 291 a to the left and right sides, Have The first shaft 291a is supported by the joint case 290 so as to be rotatable about the rolling axis R through a bearing that is appropriately disposed. In the illustrated example, the first shaft 291a is supported by the joint case 290 on both front and rear sides across the connecting portion between the first shaft 291a and the second shaft 291b. A Knighthard 92 is interposed between the front end portion of the first shaft 291a and the joint case 290.

The second shaft 291b protrudes from the joint case 290 to the left and right sides through the insertion portion 290a of the joint case 290. The left end of the second shaft 291b is fixed to the motor housing 263 of the first motor 261A. The right end of the second shaft 291b is fixed to the motor housing 263 of the second motor 261B.

As shown in FIG. 6, the PCU 101 is placed on the bottom 282 (see FIG. 8) of the battery support 281 and fixed to the battery support 281. The PCU 101 is covered from below by the bottom portion 282 of the battery support portion 281.

The pair of battery boxes 102 are mounted on the PCU 101. The pair of battery boxes 102 are supported from below by a swing arm 252 via the PCU 101. The battery box 102 is covered from the front and the outside in the left-right direction by a lower seat cover 36, a rear side cover 37, and a battery box cover 38 (all of which are shown in FIG. 1). The junction box 103 is attached to the rear part of the battery box 102. The down regulator 104 is attached to the rear part of the junction box 103.

Here, the battery 105 housed in the battery box 102 will be described. The battery 105 is disposed so as to overlap the pivot axis P when viewed from the left-right direction. The battery 105 is disposed so as to overlap the pivot axis P when viewed from the top and bottom. The battery 105 is arranged such that the center of gravity G is located on the pivot axis P when viewed from the top and bottom. In the present embodiment, the battery 105 is arranged so that the center of gravity G is positioned vertically above the pivot axis P.

As described in detail above, in this embodiment, the battery 105 is disposed at a position overlapping the pivot axis P when viewed from the left-right direction. According to this configuration, the center of gravity G of the battery 105 can be brought closer to the pivot axis P as compared with the configuration in which the battery is disposed at a position that does not overlap the pivot axis when viewed from the left-right direction. This reduces the moment of inertia of the entire member that swings up and down integrally with the swing unit 250 around the pivot axis P. Therefore, the road surface followability of the rear wheel 3 supported by the swing unit 250 can be improved.

In the second embodiment, the battery 105 is arranged so that the center of gravity G is positioned above the pivot axis P, but the present invention is not limited to this. The battery 105 may be arranged so that the center of gravity G is located at the same height as the pivot axis P, or may be arranged so that the center of gravity G is located below the pivot axis P.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, with reference to FIG. 9, the electric vehicle 301 of 3rd Embodiment is demonstrated. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the rear cushion 304 is interposed between members that swing around the rolling axis R with respect to the front vehicle body 310. The configurations other than those described below are the same as those in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a left side view of the electric vehicle according to the third embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 9, the electric vehicle 301 of the third embodiment supports a front vehicle body 310 that supports the front wheels 2 so as to be steerable, a front vehicle body cover 330 that covers the front vehicle bodies 310, and a pair of rear wheels 3. It mainly includes a rear vehicle body 350, a swing mechanism 353 that connects the front vehicle body 310 and the rear vehicle body 350, and the power supply unit 100. The front vehicle body 310 has a configuration in which the loading frame 24 is omitted from the front vehicle body 10 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment. The front vehicle body cover 330 has a configuration in which a portion that covers the load carrier frame 24 from the front vehicle body cover 30 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment and the battery box cover 38 are omitted.

The rear vehicle body 350 includes a rear vehicle body frame 354 that forms a skeleton of the rear vehicle body 350, a swing unit 358 that is swingably connected to the rear vehicle body frame 354, and a rear vehicle body frame 354 and the swing unit 358. And an intervening rear cushion 304.

The rear vehicle body frame 354 extends in the left-right direction with a front cross member 355 extending in the left-right direction at the front portion of the rear vehicle body 350, a pair of left and right side frames 356 extending rearward from the left and right ends of the front cross member 355. A rear cross member 357 coupled to the rear end portions of the pair of side frames 356. The side frame 356 is provided in front of the rear wheel 3 when viewed from the left and right direction, and is bent upward from the rear end portion of the first portion 356a. The first portion 356a extends rearward from the connecting portion with the front cross member 355. And a third portion 356c that is provided above the rear wheel 3 when viewed from the left-right direction and extends backward from the upper end of the second portion 356b. On the upper part of the third portion 356c of the left and right side frames 356, a loading platform 39 on which articles are mounted is provided.

The swing unit 358 is supported by the rear body frame 354 so as to be swingable up and down. The swing unit 358 includes a power unit 51 and a swing arm 352.

The swing arm 352 is disposed between the first portions 356a of the pair of left and right side frames 356. The swing arm 352 is connected to the rear vehicle body frame 354 at the front portion, and is fixed to the power unit 51 at the rear portion. The swing arm 352 is supported by a pair of left and right side frames 356 so as to be rotatable about a pivot axis P extending in the left-right direction. The swing arm 352 includes a pair of left and right side arms 380 and a battery support portion (not shown) provided between the pair of side arms 380.

The pair of side arms 380 are supported by the pair of side frames 356 of the rear vehicle body frame 354, respectively. The side arm 380 extends from a position ahead of the pivot axis P to a position behind the pivot axis P. At least a portion in the vicinity of the pivot axis P of the side arm 380 extends substantially horizontally. The rear ends of the pair of side arms 380 are fixed to the power unit 51, respectively. For example, the rear ends of the pair of side arms 380 are coupled to the unit case 60 (see FIG. 2) of the power unit 51, respectively. The battery support portion is configured similarly to the battery support portion 81 (see FIG. 3) of the first embodiment. That is, the battery support unit supports the power supply unit 100 from below. The battery support part covers at least a part of the power supply part 100 from below.

The rear cushion 304 connects the rear body frame 354 and the swing unit 358. The lower end portion of the rear cushion 304 is connected to the unit case 60 of the power unit 51. Note that the lower end portion of the rear cushion 304 may be coupled to the swing arm 352. An upper end portion of the rear cushion 4 is connected to a rear cross member 357 of the rear vehicle body frame 354.

The swing mechanism 353 is fixed to the lower part of the front vehicle body 310 at the front part and connected to the front part of the rear vehicle body 350 at the rear part. The swing mechanism 353 includes a joint case 90, a joint shaft 91, a Knighthard 92, and a lock mechanism 93. The joint case 90 is disposed behind the joint shaft 91 and is fixed to the front cross member 355 of the rear vehicle body frame 354. The front end portion of the joint shaft 91 is fixed to the rear end portion of the front frame 21 of the front vehicle body 310. Accordingly, the swing mechanism 353 connects the front vehicle body 310 and the rear vehicle body 350 so as to be swingable about the rolling axis R.

The power supply unit 100 is provided between the front vehicle body 310 and the rear vehicle body 350.
The PCU 101 is supported from below by a swing arm 352. The PCU 101 is placed on the battery support portion of the swing arm 352 and is fixed to the battery support portion. Thereby, PCU101 is covered from the downward direction by the battery support part.

The battery box 102 is disposed below the seat 12. The battery box 102 is placed on the PCU 101. The pair of battery boxes 102 are supported from below by a swing arm 352 via the PCU 101. The battery insertion / removal opening 102a is open toward either the left or right (left in the illustrated example). The battery box 102 accommodates the battery 105 so that the longitudinal direction of the battery 105 is along the left-right direction, and the handle 105a of the battery 105 faces the opening direction of the battery insertion / removal port 102a (leftward in the illustrated example). . Thereby, the battery box 102 can be pulled out with the battery 105 facing leftward.

Here, the battery 105 housed in the battery box 102 will be described. The battery 105 is disposed above the pivot axis P. The battery 105 is disposed so as to overlap the pivot axis P when viewed from the top and bottom. The battery 105 is arranged such that the center of gravity G is positioned behind the pivot axis P when viewed from the top and bottom.

As described in detail above, in the present embodiment, since the electric vehicle 301 includes the battery 105 supported by the swing unit 358, as in the first embodiment, the place (in which the swing unit 358 is rotatably supported ( In the present embodiment, it is possible to reduce the load applied to the connecting portion between the side frame 356 of the rear body frame 354 and the swing arm 352).

In the third embodiment, the battery 105 is arranged such that the center of gravity G is located behind the pivot axis P, but the present invention is not limited to this. The battery 105 may be arranged such that the center of gravity G is positioned on the pivot axis P when viewed from the up-down direction.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, with reference to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the electric vehicle 401 of 4th Embodiment is demonstrated. In the present embodiment, a saddle type motorcycle will be described as an example of an electric vehicle.

FIG. 10 is a left side view of the electric vehicle according to the fourth embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 10, the electric vehicle 401 of 4th Embodiment is a scooter type vehicle. The electric vehicle 401 includes a single front wheel 2, a single rear wheel 3 driven by a motor 461, a vehicle body 410 that supports the front wheel 2 in a steerable manner, a vehicle body cover 430 that covers the vehicle body 410, a rear wheel 3 is interposed between the vehicle body 410 and the swing unit 450, the swing unit 450 that supports the vehicle body 410 and is swingably movable with respect to the vehicle body 410, the power supply unit 100 that supplies power to the motor 461, and the like. The rear cushion 404 is mainly provided.

The vehicle body 410 includes a front wheel steering bar handle 11, a passenger seat 12, a low floor 413, a vehicle body frame 414 that forms a skeleton of the vehicle body 410, a front wheel suspension device 415 that suspends the front wheel 2, Is provided.

The body frame 414 includes a head pipe 420, a down frame 421, a pair of left and right lower frames 422, and a pair of left and right seat frames 423. The head pipe 420 is provided at the front end of the body frame 414. The down frame 421 extends obliquely rearward and downward from the head pipe 420. The pair of lower frames 422 extends rearward from the lower end of the down frame 421. A pivot plate 428 is provided at the rear of each of the left and right lower frames 422. The pair of left and right pivot plates 428 extend rearward from the rear portion of the lower frame 422. A swing unit 450 is connected to the pair of pivot plates 428 so as to be swingable up and down (details will be described later). The pair of seat frames 423 extends obliquely rearward and upward from the rear ends of the left and right lower frames 422.

The vehicle body cover 430 includes a front cover 431, an inner cover 432, a floor board 433, left and right floor side covers 434, a seat lower cover 436, and left and right rear side covers 437. The front cover 431 covers the periphery of the head pipe 420 and the down frame 421 from the front. The inner cover 432 covers the periphery of the head pipe 20 and the down frame 421 from the rear. The floor board 433 continues to the rear of the lower end portion of the inner cover 432. The left and right floor side covers 434 are continuous below the left and right edges of the floor board 433. The under-seat cover 436 continues to the back of the floor board 433. The left and right rear side covers 437 are connected obliquely upward and rearward at the rear ends of the left and right floor side covers 434. The left and right rear side covers 437 cover the seat frame 423 from the outside in the left-right direction.

The front cover 431 and the inner cover 432 constitute a leg shield that covers the occupant's legs from the front. The floor board 433 forms a low floor 413 together with the left and right lower frames 422. On the floor board 433, the feet of the occupant sitting on the seat 12 are placed. The lower seat cover 436 is formed so that the battery 105 can be taken out from the battery box 102 arranged below the seat 12. For example, the under-seat cover 436 is formed so as to be flipped up. Accordingly, the vehicle body cover 430 can open the space below the seat 12 forward by flipping up the lower seat cover 436.

The swing unit 450 is provided so as to be rotatable about a pivot axis P extending in the left-right direction with respect to the vehicle body 410, and can swing up and down with respect to the vehicle body 410. The swing unit 450 includes a power unit 451 provided on the left side of the rear wheel 3 and a swing arm 452 supported by the vehicle body frame 414 so as to be swingable up and down.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the periphery of the swing unit of the fourth embodiment.
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the swing arm 452 is connected to the vehicle body frame 414 at the front portion and is fixed to the power unit 451 at the rear portion. The swing arm 452 is supported by a pair of left and right pivot plates 428 so as to be rotatable around the pivot axis P. The front portion of the swing arm 452 is formed wide so as to straddle the left and right center line of the vehicle body in front of the rear wheel 3. The rear part of the swing arm 452 is formed to be narrower than the front part of the swing arm 452 and is arranged on the left side of the rear wheel 3. The rear part of the swing arm 452 is fixed to the power unit 451. The swing arm 452 covers at least a part of the power supply unit 100 from below.

As shown in FIG. 10, the power unit 451 supports the rear wheel 3. The power unit 451 includes a unit case 460, a motor 461 housed in the unit case 460, a speed reduction mechanism (not shown) housed in the unit case 460 and decelerating the drive rotation of the motor 461, and an axle of the rear wheel 3. And an axle (not shown) that rotates in response to the driving force of the motor 461 output from the speed reduction mechanism. A rear end portion of the swing arm 452 is coupled to the unit case 460.

The power supply unit 100 is provided between the vehicle body 410 and the swing unit 450.
The PCU 101 is supported from below by a swing arm 452. The PCU 101 is placed on the rear part of the swing arm 452 and fixed to the swing arm 452. The PCU 101 is covered from below by a swing arm 452.

A pair of battery boxes 102 are provided and arranged side by side on the lower side of the seat 12. The pair of battery boxes 102 are supported from below by swing arms 452. The pair of battery boxes 102 are placed on the front part of the swing arm 452. The pair of battery boxes 102 are covered with swing arms 452 from below. The pair of battery boxes 102 is covered from the front by a lower seat cover 436. At least a part of the pair of battery boxes 102 is covered from the left and right sides by a rear side cover 437.

The battery insertion / removal port 102a is open toward the front. The battery box 102 accommodates the battery 105 so that the longitudinal direction of the battery 105 is along the front-rear direction and the handle 105a of the battery 105 faces forward. Thereby, the battery box 102 can be pulled out with the battery 105 facing forward. The battery 105 can be taken out from the lower side of the seat 12 forward, for example, by flipping up the lower seat cover 436 under the seat 12.

The junction box 103 is attached to the rear part of the battery box 102.
The down regulator 104 is supported from below by a swing arm 452. The down regulator 104 is placed on the rear part of the swing arm 452 and arranged side by side with the PCU 101 in the left-right direction. The down regulator 104 is fixed to the swing arm 452. The down regulator 104 is covered from below by a swing arm 452.

Here, the battery 105 housed in the battery box 102 will be described. The battery 105 is disposed above the pivot axis P. The battery 105 is disposed so as to overlap the pivot axis P when viewed from the top and bottom. The battery 105 is arranged such that the center of gravity G is located on the pivot axis P when viewed from the top and bottom. In other words, in the present embodiment, the battery 105 is disposed so that the center of gravity G is positioned vertically above the pivot axis P.

As described in detail above, in the present embodiment, since the electric vehicle 401 includes the battery 105 supported by the swing unit 450, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be achieved.

In the fourth embodiment, the battery 105 is disposed above the pivot axis P in a state of being accommodated in the battery box 102, but is not limited thereto. As shown in FIG. 12, the battery 105 may be disposed so as to overlap the pivot axis P when viewed from the left-right direction while being accommodated in the battery box 102. Further, the battery box 102 may be arranged so as to be appropriately inclined with respect to the horizontal direction so that the battery insertion / removal opening 102a faces the rear surface of the lower seat cover 436. In the illustrated example, the battery box 102 is disposed such that the battery insertion / removal port 102a faces obliquely upward. As a result, the battery box 102 can draw the battery 105 obliquely forward and upward.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment described with reference to the drawings, and various modifications can be considered within the technical scope thereof.
For example, in each of the above embodiments, as an example of an electric vehicle, a roofed saddle riding type electric tricycle having a single front wheel 2 and a pair of rear wheels 3 and a motorcycle have been described as examples. It is not limited to. The present invention is also applicable to an electric tricycle without a roof and an electric tricycle having a pair of front wheels and a single rear wheel.

In the first to third embodiments, the battery 105 and the PCU 101 of the power supply unit 100 are arranged at positions where they overlap the pivot axis P when viewed from the vertical direction. May be arranged at a position overlapping with the pivot axis P when viewed from above and below. Even in this case, it is possible to achieve the same operational effects as when the PCU 101 is disposed at a position overlapping the pivot axis P when viewed from the vertical direction.

In the above embodiment, the end of the parking lock cable is connected to the rear brake 5, but the present invention is not limited to this. The terminal end of the parking lock cable may be connected to a mechanism that locks the gear in the power unit to stop the rotation of the rear wheel 3, for example.

In addition, it is possible to appropriately replace the constituent elements in the above-described embodiments with well-known constituent elements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the above-described embodiments and modifications may be appropriately combined. Good.

According to the above-described electric vehicle, the center of gravity of the battery can be brought closer to the pivot axis in the horizontal direction as compared with the configuration in which the battery is arranged at a position that does not overlap the pivot axis when viewed from above and below. Thereby, since the moment of gravity which acts on a battery centering on a pivot axis becomes small, the load concerning the location which supports a swing unit so that rotation is possible can be reduced.

1, 201, 301, 401 Electric vehicle 2 Front wheel 3 Rear wheel 4 Rear cushion (cushion)
10, 310 Front car body 50, 250, 358, 450 Swing unit 51, 251 Power unit 53, 253, 353 Swing mechanism 61, 261A, 261B, 461 Motor 98, 298 Cushion connection (connection)
101 PCU (Power Control Unit)
103 Junction box 104 Down regulator (regulator)
105 Battery P Pivot axis R Rolling axis

Claims (8)

1. Front wheel (2),
   The rear wheel (3),
   A front vehicle body (10, 310) supporting the front wheel (2);
   A motor (61, 261A, 261B, 461) for driving the rear wheel (3) is provided, supports the rear wheel (3), and extends in the vehicle width direction with respect to the front vehicle body (10, 310). Swing units (50, 250, 358, 450) provided so as to be rotatable around a pivot axis (P) extending in the direction;
   The battery (61, 261A, 261B, 461) is a power source for the motor (61, 261A, 261B, 461) supported by the swing unit (50, 250, 358, 450) at a position overlapping the pivot axis (P) when viewed from above and below. 105),
   An electric vehicle comprising:
2. The battery (105) is arranged so that the center of gravity (G) of the battery (105) is located on the pivot axis (P) or rearward of the pivot axis (P) when viewed from above and below. ,
   The electric vehicle according to claim 1.
3. The battery (105) is disposed at a position overlapping the pivot axis (P) when viewed from the vehicle width direction.
   The electric vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2.
4. A power control unit (101) for controlling the motors (61, 261A, 261B, 461), a junction box (103) in which wiring extending from the battery (105) is integrated, and a current supplied from the battery (105) At least one of regulators (104) that step down the voltage is arranged at a position overlapping with the pivot axis (P) when viewed from above and below,
   The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
5. The battery (105) is formed so as to be removable from below the seat (12).
   The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
6. The battery (105) is arranged below the seat (12) so that the longitudinal direction is along the horizontal direction.
   The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
7. A pair of the rear wheels (3) are provided,
   The swing unit (50, 250)
   Power units (51, 251) including the motors (61, 261A, 261B) and supporting the pair of rear wheels (3);
   A swing mechanism (53, 253) for swingably connecting the front vehicle body (10) and the power unit (51, 251) about a rolling axis (R) extending in a direction orthogonal to the vehicle width direction;
   With
   At least a part of the swing mechanism (53, 253) overlaps with the rear wheel (3) when viewed from the vehicle width direction,
   The battery (105) is supported by the swing unit (50, 250) in front of the swing mechanism (53, 253).
   The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
8. A cushion (4) for connecting the front vehicle body (10) and the swing mechanism (53, 253);
   Connection portions (98, 298) between the swing mechanism portion (53, 253) and the cushion (4) overlap the rear wheel (3) when viewed from the vehicle width direction.
   The electric vehicle according to claim 7.

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