Fuel cell vehicle and method of mounting power module on fuel cell vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315716-B2
Application number	US-201715454054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A fuel cell vehicle includes a high voltage apparatus for a fuel cell, a compressor for an air conditioner disposed under the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell and constituting a module integrated with the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell, and a power control unit separated from the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell, disposed at a vehicle body over the compressor and configured to control an operation of a motor. The compressor and the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell are connected by a single power wiring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell vehicle driven by a motor using a fuel cell as a power supply, the fuel cell vehicle comprising, in front of or behind a cabin of the fuel cell vehicle:
a high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell;
a compressor for an air conditioner; and
a power control unit, wherein
the compressor is disposed under the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell and constitutes a module integrated with the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell,
the power control unit is connected to the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell by a power wiring, is a member separated from the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell, is disposed at a vehicle body side of the fuel cell vehicle, and controls an operation of the motor, and
the compressor is not connected to the power control unit by the power wiring but connected to the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell by a single power wiring.

2. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell is disposed between the compressor and the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell, and
the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell, the fuel cell and the compressor constitute an integrated module.

3. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a support member having an upper side to which the fuel cell is fixed and a lower side to which the compressor is fixed, and mounted on the vehicle body,
wherein the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell, the fuel cell and the compressor constitute an integrated module due to the support member.

4. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the motor is disposed under the fuel cell, and
the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell, the fuel cell, the motor and the compressor constitute an integrated module.

5. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a support member having an upper side to which the fuel cell is fixed and a lower side to which the compressor and the motor are fixed, and mounted on the vehicle body,
wherein the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell, the fuel cell, the motor and the compressor constitute an integrated module due to the support member.

6. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell and the power control unit are connected by a single power wiring.

7. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electric heater disposed over the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell,
wherein the electric heater is connected to the power control unit by a single power wiring.

8. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a secondary battery,
wherein the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell includes a power junction,
the secondary battery is connected to the power junction by a power wiring, and
the power control unit and the compressor are connected to the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell by the power wiring via the power junction.

9. A method of mounting a power module on a fuel cell vehicle, comprising, in front of or behind a cabin of the fuel cell vehicle
mounting a compressor for an air conditioner under a support member;
mounting a high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell over a support member;
connecting the compressor and the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell by a single power wiring;
mounting the support member on which the compressor and the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell are mounted on a vehicle body as the power module; and
connecting between a power control unit and the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell by a single power wiring, the power control unit being separated from the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell, being disposed at a vehicle body side of the fuel cell vehicle, and being configured to control an operation of a motor.

10. The mounting method according to claim 9 , wherein mounting the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell over the support member includes mounting a fuel cell on the support member and mounting the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell on the fuel cell, and
mounting the support member on the vehicle body as the power module includes mounting the support member on the vehicle body as the power module, the compressor, the fuel cell and the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell being mounted on the support member.

11. The mounting method according to claim 10 , further comprising;
mounting the motor on a position different from a position of the compressor under the support member,
wherein mounting the support member on the vehicle body as the power module includes mounting the support member on the vehicle body as the power module, the motor, the compressor, the fuel cell and the high voltage apparatus for the fuel cell being mounted the support member.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Katano Koji
• Shirakawa Tsutomu

Classifications

• B60K1/04 Primary

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B60K2001/0411

  Arrangement in the front part of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60Y2200/92

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title

• B60K1/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) · CPC title

• B60L50/72

  Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title