Electric vehicle, holding mechanism, and method of manufacturing electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016207386-A1
Application number	US-201614995463-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 14, 2016
Priority date	Jan 16, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electric vehicle includes a suspension member attached to a vehicle body, a motor fixed to the suspension member, a power source, an electronic device to which electric power is supplied from the battery, and a holding mechanism including a holder and a fixing portion. The holder collectively holds the battery and the electronic device in an integrated manner. The fixing portion fixes the holder to the motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electric vehicle comprising:
a suspension member attached to a vehicle body; a motor fixed to the suspension member, the motor moving the electric vehicle; a power source used to drive the motor; an electronic device to which electric power is supplied from the battery; and a holding mechanism including a holder and a fixing portion, the holder collectively holding the battery and the electronic device in an integrated manner, and the fixing portion fixing the holder to the motor.

2 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing portion fixes the holder to a top portion of the motor, the fixing portion being located above a lowermost portion of the holding mechanism, the lowermost portion being located at a lowermost position within the holding mechanism.

3 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein a front end portion of the motor is located forward of the battery and the electronic device in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body.

4 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic device includes:
an auxiliary device driven by electric power from the battery; and
a power control unit configured to convert a direct current from the battery into an alternating current and to supply the alternating current to the auxiliary device,
wherein the battery is disposed adjacent to the power control unit and electrically connected to the power control unit, and the power control unit is disposed adjacent to the auxiliary device and electrically connected to the auxiliary device.

5 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic device includes:
an auxiliary device; and
a power control unit,
wherein the battery overlaps with the motor, the power control unit, and the auxiliary device when viewed from above.

6 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the holding mechanism is disposed such that a longitudinal direction of the holding mechanism coincides with an axial direction of a drive shaft connected to the motor.

7 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is opposed to a lateral side portion of the motor.

8 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the power source is a fuel cell or a secondary battery.

9 . A holding mechanism comprising:
a holder that collectively holds, in an integrated manner, a battery and an electronic device to which electric power is supplied from the battery; and a fixing portion fixed to a motor to be fixed to a suspension member to be attached to a vehicle body of an electric vehicle.

10 . A method of manufacturing an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
fixing a motor to a suspension member; making a holder of a holding mechanism collectively hold, in an integrated manner, a battery and an electronic device to which electric power is supplied from the battery; fixing a fixing portion of the holding mechanism to the motor; and attaching the suspension member to a vehicle body of the electric vehicle, the motor having been fixed to the suspension member and the fixing portion of the holding mechanism having been fixed to the motor.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nagaosa Hideo

Classifications

• B60L3/0015

  Prevention of collisions · CPC title

• B60K2025/005

  driven by electric motors forming part of the propulsion unit · CPC title

• B60L50/71

  Arrangement of fuel cells within vehicles specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60K2001/001

  one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle · 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