Vehicle and manufacturing method for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10259408-B2
Application number	US-201715634083-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2017
Priority date	Jun 29, 2016
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicle body, a tire held by the vehicle body, an electric power control unit including at least one of an inverter and a converter, a case housing the electric power control unit, a first predetermined member connected to the vehicle body in an insulated state, a self-discharge static eliminator configured to reduce the positive potential of the first predetermined member by elimination of static electricity, and a transfer member electrically connecting a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion to each other. Accordingly, static electricity charged to the electric power control unit is transferred to a portion, where static elimination is performed by the self-discharge static eliminator, of the first predetermined member via the case and the transfer member so as to be neutralized and eliminated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a tire having an electric resistance value, the tire held by the vehicle body;
a case and an electric power control unit being mounted on the vehicle body, the case housing the electric power control unit, the electric power control unit including at least one of an inverter and a converter;
a first predetermined member mounted on the vehicle body, wherein there is a second electric resistance between the first predetermined member and the vehicle body, and wherein the first predetermined member is an engine cover or a cylinder head cover;
a self-discharge static eliminator connected to the first predetermined member, the self-discharge static eliminator configured to, be discharged by air ions flowing on a surface of the self-discharge static eliminator; and
a transfer member connecting a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion to each other and having a third electric resistance between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, the first connecting portion being a portion of the first predetermined member within a predetermined range in which elimination of static electricity is performed by the self-discharge static eliminator, the second connecting portion being a portion of the case;
wherein the second electric resistance is greater than the third electric resistance.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the first predetermined member is a member that is easily electrostatically charged compared to a metal material.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the first predetermined member is a member made of a resin material.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a drive power source; and
a cover member covering the drive power source,
wherein the first predetermined member is the cover member.

5. The vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising
an engine, the engine including a cylinder block, a cylinder head, and a head cover, the cylinder block provided with a plurality of cylinder bores, the cylinder head provided on the cylinder block so as to cover the cylinder bores, the head cover provided on the cylinder head so as to cover an outer surface of the cylinder head,
wherein the first predetermined member is the head cover.

6. The vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a drive power source; and
a duct configured such that outside air flows toward the drive power source,
wherein the first predetermined member is the duct.

7. The vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising
a first plate member provided on the case,
wherein the first predetermined member is the first plate member.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein
the first plate member is a sound insulation cover covering at least a part of the case.

9. The vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising
a second plate member provided on a second predetermined member that is different from the case,
wherein the first predetermined member is the second plate member.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a drive power source; and
a duct configured such that outside air flows toward the drive power source,
wherein the second predetermined member is one of the drive power source and the duct.

11. The vehicle according to claim 9 , further comprising
an engine, the engine including a cylinder block, a cylinder head, and a head cover, the cylinder block provided with a plurality of cylinder bores, the cylinder head provided on the cylinder block so as to cover the cylinder bores, the head cover provided on the cylinder head so as to cover an outer surface of the cylinder head,
wherein the second predetermined member is the head cover.

12. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the self-discharge static eliminator includes a main static eliminator and an auxiliary static eliminator, the main static eliminator covers a predetermined area of an outer surface of the first predetermined member, the auxiliary static eliminator covers a surface, that is different from a surface covered by the main static eliminator, of the outer surface of the first predetermined member, the auxiliary static eliminator is configured to perform elimination of static electricity for the first predetermined member in addition to an amount of elimination of static electricity by the main static eliminator.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein
the main static eliminator includes a discharge paint applied to the outer surface of the first predetermined member.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein
the discharge paint includes at least one of a metal paint and a carbon paint.

15. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising
a drive motor configured to output a torque by being supplied with electric power from the electric power control unit,
wherein the self-discharge static eliminator is provided so as to have a surface area that is based on a predetermined criterion including a travel characteristic of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein
the surface area is an effective discharge area in which self-discharge occurs, the effective discharge area being 10625 mm2.

17. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
one end of the transfer member is connected to a portion of the case, a charged positive potential of the portion of the case is higher than a charged positive potential of the other portion of the case.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a predetermined device electrically connected to the electric power control unit; and
a wire harness connecting the predetermined device and the electric power control unit to each other,
wherein the case includes a connection port, one end of the wire harness is connected to the connection port, and the one end of the transfer member is connected to the case within a predetermined range from the connection port.

19. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the first connecting portion is provided in a range within 100 mm from an outer edge of the self-discharge static eliminator.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tanahashi Toshio
• Yamada Koshi

Classifications

• B60L3/0084

  relating to control modules · CPC title

• B60L2210/40

  DC to AC converters · CPC title

• B60L2270/147

  electro magnetic [EMI] · CPC title

• B60L15/007

  Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60R16/06 Primary

  for removing electrostatic charges (carrying-off electrostatic charges in general H05F3/00) · CPC title