Structure for cooling high-voltage built-in units in hybrid vehicle

• US 20030226653A1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Takedomi, Harumi, Hasegawa, Osamu
• Application Number:
  US10/456,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20030226653A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/02 concerning intake
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/006 the electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 1/06 Arrangements for cooling other engine or machine parts
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/24 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/30 Circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/00 Cooling circuits using auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/02 Intercooler
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/0203 by using clamps, catches, locks or the like, e.g. for disposable plug-in filter cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/04 specially arranged with respect to engine , to intake system or specially adapted to vehicle; Mounting thereon ; Combinations with other devices combined with silencers F02M35/14
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20918 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A structure for cooling one or more units built in a hybrid vehicle, where the structure is simple and can be inexpensively realized, and has a high cooling efficiency. The hybrid vehicle has an internal combustion engine and high-voltage units which include a motor which assists driving power of the engine and also functions as a power generator, a high-voltage storage battery for storing generated power, and a high-voltage controller provided between the motor and the storage battery. At least one of the high-voltage units is provided in an air intake passage for the engine, through which an air passes while cooling said at least one of the high-voltage units.

Claims

1. A structure for cooling high-voltage units built in a hybrid vehicle, wherein:

the hybrid vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine and high-voltage units which include a motor which assists driving power of the engine and also functions as a power generator, a high-voltage storage battery for storing generated power, and a high-voltage controller provided between the motor and the storage battery; and

at least one of the high-voltage units is provided in an air intake passage for the engine, through which an air passes while cooling said at least one of the high-voltage units.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two of the high-voltage units are arranged in the air intake passage, which starts from an air intake inlet and reaches the engine, in order of a control temperature from the lowest to the highest, where the control temperature is an optimal temperature determined for each unit, which is maintained by control.

3. A structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the storage battery, the high-voltage controller, and the motor are arranged in this order in the air intake passage which starts from the air intake inlet and reaches the engine.

4. A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the high-voltage controller includes at least one of an inverter, a DC-DC converter, and an electronic control unit for the motor.

5. A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

an air cleaner unit for cleaning the air is provided in the air intake passage; and

a case of the air cleaner unit has an opening to which the high-voltage controller is attached in a sealed state so as to close the opening.

6. A structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the air cleaner unit has cooling fins for assisting the flow of the air, which protrude towards an inner space of the air cleaner unit.