AUTOMOBILE HAVING ELECTRIC VEHICLE DRIVE MOTOR

• US 20140151138A1
• Filed: 08/06/2012
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitami, Akio, Uechi, Tatsuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,203,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.21
• 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 2028/006 disconnecting the electric power supply, e.g. the vehicle battery
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/20 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/13 using AC generators and AC motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0215 Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/61 Arrangements of controllers for electric machines, e.g. inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/00 Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal non-electric working conditions with or without subsequent reconnection using simulators of the apparatus being protected H02H6/00; specially adapted for specific types of electric machines or apparatus or for sectionalised protection of cable or line systems H02H7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 : Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

An automobile includes: a controller for controlling a motor; a main battery for supplying electric power to the motor via the controller; a normally open relay interposed in an electric power supply path extending from the main battery to the controller; and a sub-battery for supplying the electric power to the relay. The controller is mounted with a terminal cover that covers an output terminal for connection with a power supply cable to the motor. The sub-battery is disposed adjacent to the controller so as to interfere with the removal of the terminal cover by a worker.

Claims

1. An automobile comprising:

a controller configured to control a motor for driving the automobile;

a main battery configured to supply electric power to the motor via the controller;

a relay interposed in an electric power supply path extending from the main battery to the controller, the relay configured to be normally open; and

a sub-battery configured to supply electric power to the relay, the controller is provided with an input terminal that connects with a power supply cable from the main battery or an output terminal that connects with a power supply cable to the motor, the controller mounted with a terminal cover that covers the input terminal or the output terminal, and the sub-battery disposed adjacent to the controller to interfere with a removal of the terminal cover.

2. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein

the sub-battery is disposed so as to overlap with a fastening member that fixes the terminal cover to the controller.

3. The automobile according to claim 1, further comprising

a protector covering the terminal cover,

wherein the sub-battery is disposed adjacent to the controller to interfere with a removal of the protector.

4. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is fixed to a drive train, and

the sub-battery is fixed to a frame of the automobile.

5. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein

the sub-battery is disposed on one side of a drive train and an engine is disposed on the opposite side of the drive train.

6. The automobile according to claim 1, further comprising

an interlock circuit in which the relay is turned off by a removal of the sub-battery,

wherein the interlock circuit is configured to turn off the relay upon detection of an abnormality of a drive power source for the automobile.