Vehicle capable of suppressing an impact to battery units at a time of collision

• US 10,245,955 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, James A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Triggs, James J
• Application Number:
  US15/791,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20180111483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0422 Arrangement under the front seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0433 Arrangement under the rear seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0007 Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/01 Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/11 with resilient means for suspension , e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/155 Sub-frames or underguards
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A vehicle includes: a first battery unit including a front module group which has a plurality of battery modules and which is arranged under a front seat of the vehicle, a middle module group which has a plurality of battery modules and which is arranged under a rear seat of the vehicle, and a front casing accommodating the front module group and the middle module; and a second battery unit including a rear module group which has a plurality of battery modules and which is arranged in a rear portion of the vehicle, and a rear casing accommodating the rear module group. The front casing and the rear casing are independently fixed to a skeletal structure of the vehicle, and a space is provided between the front casing and the rear casing.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a first battery unit comprising a front module group which has a plurality of battery modules and which is arranged under a front seat of the vehicle, a middle module group which has a plurality of battery modules and which is arranged under a rear seat of the vehicle, and a front casing accommodating the front module group and the middle module;

a second battery unit comprising a rear module group which has a plurality of battery modules and which is arranged in a rear portion of the vehicle, and a rear casing accommodating the rear module group; and

a rear sub frame arranged in a region surrounding the second battery unit, wherein

the front casing and the rear casing are independently fixed to a skeletal structure of the vehicle,

a space is provided between the front casing and the rear casing,

a front frame of the rear sub frame is arranged in the space, and

the front frame is overlapped with the front casing and the rear casing in a vertical direction.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first battery unit and the second battery unit are arranged under a floor panel, and

the front casing and the rear casing are fixed to the skeletal structure from below the vehicle.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the second battery unit is fixed to the skeletal structure via the rear sub frame.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

a cross member connected across the skeletal structure is arranged above the front frame.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

a high voltage system equipment is arranged together with the front module group and the middle module group in the front casing of the first battery unit, and

a harness extending from the rear module group of the second battery to the high voltage system equipment of the first battery unit is arranged under the front frame.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

the front module group and the middle module group are connected to the high voltage system equipment through a high voltage wiring, and

the high voltage system equipment and the high voltage wiring are arranged at a middle portion of the front casing in a widthwise direction of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

a first maintenance checking plug that interrupts input and output of electricity of the front module group and a second maintenance checking plug that interrupts input and output of electricity of the middle module group are arranged to be adjacent to each other in the first battery unit,

the first casing is provided with a first opening, and

the first maintenance checking plug and the second maintenance checking plug are operable through the first opening.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the first battery unit and the second battery unit are arranged under a floor panel, and

the first maintenance checking plug and the second maintenance checking plug are operable through a first panel opening provided in the floor panel.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

a third maintenance checking plug that interrupts input and output of electricity of the rear module group is arranged in the second battery unit,

the rear casing is provided with a second opening, and

the third maintenance checking plug is operable through the second opening and through a second panel opening provided in the floor panel.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the rear module group is arranged under a luggage compartment.

12. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the rear sub frame surrounds the second battery unit on a front side, a back side, a left side, and a right side of the second battery unit.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a driving unit which is arranged in a front portion of a vehicle and which drives wheels of the vehicle;

a front driving power source which arranged under a front seat of the vehicle and which supplies fuel or electric power to the driving unit;

a middle driving power source which is arranged under a rear seat of the vehicle and which supplies fuel or electric power to the driving unit;

a rear driving power source which is arranged in a rear portion of the vehicle and which supplies fuel or electric power to the driving unit; and

a rear sub frame arranged in a region surrounding the rear driving power source, wherein

the front driving power source and the middle driving power source are accommodated in a front casing,

the rear driving power source is accommodated in a rear casing,

the front casing and the rear casing are independently fixed to a skeletal structure of the vehicle,

a space is provided between the front casing and the rear casing,

a front frame of the rear sub frame is arranged in the space, and

the front frame is overlapped with the front casing and the rear casing in a vertical direction.