Electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9579983-B2
Application number	US-201214654044-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 25, 2012
Priority date	Dec 25, 2012
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

An electric vehicle comprises an electric motor which generates driving power for driving a wheel; a battery case accommodating a battery storing DC power to be supplied to the electric motor, in a battery space in an interior of the battery case; and a plurality of electric components electrically connected to the battery and placed above the battery, wherein the plurality of electric components are placed in a plurality of layers, and arranged vertically to overlap with each other when viewed from above.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electric vehicle comprising:
an electric motor which generates driving power for driving a wheel;
a battery case accommodating a battery storing DC power to be supplied to the electric motor, in a battery space in an interior of the battery case; and
a plurality of electric components electrically connected to the battery and placed above the battery,
wherein the plurality of electric components are placed in a plurality of layers, and arranged vertically to overlap with each other when viewed from above,
wherein the plurality of electric components include an inverter which supplies electric power to the electric motor, and a relay provided on a current supply path connected to the battery to open and close the current supply path,
wherein the inverter is placed above the battery case, forming a gap with an upper surface of the battery case, and
wherein the relay is placed between the battery case and the inverter.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of electric components are placed above the battery case.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of electric components are integrated and fastened to the battery case.

4. An electric vehicle comprising:
an electric motor which generates driving power for driving a wheel;
a battery case accommodating a battery storing DC power to be supplied to the electric motor, in a battery space in an interior of the battery case;
a plurality of electric components electrically connected to the battery and placed above the battery; and
an electric component cover covering the plurality of electric components placed above the battery case, from above,
wherein the plurality of electric components are placed in a plurality of layers, and arranged vertically to overlap with each other when viewed from above.

5. The electric vehicle according to claim 4 , further comprising:
an electromagnetic shield member interposed between a first electric component and a second electric component, of the plurality of electric components, to isolate the first electric component and the second electric component from each other,
wherein at least one of the first electric component and the second electric component includes a switching element.

6. The electric vehicle according to claim 5 ,
wherein the electromagnetic shield member supports at least one of the plurality of electric components.

7. The electric vehicle according to 4 , further comprising:
a service plug accommodated in an electric component space and capable of disconnecting a power supply circuit,
wherein the electric component cover is placed on an upper side of the battery case to form the electric component space accommodating the plurality of electric components,
wherein the electric component cover has a plug opening through which the service plug is exposed,
wherein the electric component cover is detachably fastened to the battery case by a fastening unit,
wherein the service plug is operated to a disconnection position at which the power supply circuit is disconnected, or a connection position at which the power supply circuit is connected,
wherein in a state in which the service plug is operated to the disconnection position, the fastening unit is exposed from the service plug and is detachable, and the electric component cover is detachable, and
wherein in a state in which the service plug is operated to the connection position, the fastening unit is hidden by the service plug and is not detachable, and the electric component cover is not detachable.

8. The electric vehicle according to claim 4 ,
wherein the battery case includes a case body, and an upper case which closes an upper opening of the case body, and
wherein the plurality of electric components are fastened to the upper case.

9. An electric vehicle comprising:
an electric motor which generates driving power for driving a wheel;
a battery case accommodating a battery storing DC power to be supplied to the electric motor, in a battery space in an interior of the battery case; and
a plurality of electric components electrically connected to the battery and placed above the battery,
wherein the plurality of electric components are placed in a plurality of layers, and arranged vertically to overlap with each other when viewed from above,
wherein the plurality of electric components include an electric component in a strong electric system and a plurality of electric components in a weak electric system, and
wherein the electric component in the strong electric system is placed below at least one of the plurality of electric components in the weak electric system.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Inoue Masafumi

Classifications

• H01M50/262

  with fastening means, e.g. locks · CPC title

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title

• H01M50/271

  Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings · CPC title

• B60L50/64

  Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60L11/1818

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic