Electric vehicle

• US 6,598,691 B2
• Filed: 12/18/1998
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamamuro, Shiro, Takahashi, Kazunari, Mita, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/216,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20030066694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/68.5, 180/65.6, 180/65.7, 180/65.8, 180/232, 180/216, 180/297, 180/300, 180/249, 318/139, 318/801, 318/254, 280/784, 296/189, 296/188, 475/149, 475/149.339, 303/152
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 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; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• 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 17/04 characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of gearing electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0007 Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/152 Front or rear frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An electric vehicle in which driving force of a motor driven by batteries is transmitted through a reduction device and a differential to front wheels. The motor and the reduction device are disposed at portions of a vehicle body rearwardly of the differential and hence, a portion of the vehicle body in front of the differential is enlarged and can effectively function as a crushable zone upon a frontal collision of a vehicle. Moreover, the motor and the reduction device which are heavy components are disposed near a central portion of the vehicle body, leading to a mid-ship layout. This conrtibutes to an enhancement in motional property of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle constructed to travel by transmitting a driving force of a motor mounted at a front portion of a vehicle body through a reduction device and a differential to front wheels, wherein said motor and said reduction device are disposed at portions of the vehicle body rearwardly of said differential, said motor, said reduction device and said differential are disposed below a floor panel, and said motor, said reduction device and said differential are formed integrally with each other;

and wherein the electric vehicle further includes batteries on the vehicle body and a current inverter disposed rearwardly of said motor and forwardly of said batteries, said current inverter provided integrally with said motor for operatively connecting the batteries to the motor and converting DC current of said batteries into AC current, and a power line for flowing the AC current to said motor, said power line being accommodated within a casing of said reduction device.

2. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said batteries are mounted at a central portion of the vehicle body.

3. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said motor and said reduction device are disposed rearwardly of rotational axes of said front wheels.

4. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said motor, said reduction device and said differential are disposed forwardly of said floor panel at a level lower than that of the floor panel.

5. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said body has a crushable zone formed at front portion thereof forwardly of axles of said frontwheels, and said motor is located rearwardly of said axles.

6. An electric vehicle according to claim 5, wherein said body has a pair of laterally spaced side frames, and said motor, said differential and said reducing device are disposed at a level below upper surfaces of said side frames.

7. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, further including a control unit disposed forwardly of said batteries, said power line connecting said current inverter to said batteries via said control unit.

8. An electric vehicle comprising:

front driven wheels;

a motor mounted at a front portion of a body of the vehicle;

a reduction device and a differential operatively connecting said motor to said front wheels for driving the wheels;

said motor and said reduction device being disposed rearwardly of the differential;

batteries for supplying power to said motor; and

a current inverter disposed rearwardly of said motor and operatively connecting the batteries to said motor;

wherein

said motor, said reduction device arid said differential are formed integrally with each other,

wherein said current inverter is mounted to a car end of said motor so as to be provided integrally with said motor, and

wherein the electric vehicle further includes a power line for connecting the current inverter to said motor, the power line being accommodated within a casing of said reduction device.

9. An electric vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said motor, said reduction device and said differential are disposed at a level lower than a floor panel of said vehicle body.

10. An electric vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said current inverter is a power drive unit.

11. An electric vehicle according to claim 8, further including a control unit disposed forwardly of said batteries, said power line connecting said current inverter to said batteries via said control unit.

12. An electric vehicle constructed to travel by transmitting a driving force of a motor mounted at a front portion of a vehicle body through a reduction device and a differential to front wheels;

said vehicle comprising;

a floor panel;

a left side frame and a right side frame extending longitudinally beneath the vehicle body; and

affront cross member connecting said left and right side frames; and

a battery box in which a control unit and a current inverter are accommodated;

wherein said motor and said reduction device are disposed rearwardly of said differential;

wherein said motor said reduction device and said differential are disposed below said floor panel, between said left and right side frames, and in front of said cross member; and

further wherein said battery box is disposed rearwadly of said cross member.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein said differential is connected to each of said front wheels via respective drive shafts, and further wherein a portion of said differential overlaps said drive shafts when viewed in a lateral direction of said vehicle body.

14. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a pair of front driven wheels;

a vehicle body;

a left side frame and a right side frame extending longitudinally beneath the vehicle body; and

a front cross member connecting said left and right side frames;

a motor mounted at a front portion of said vehicle body;

a reduction device and a differential operatively connecting said motor to said front wheels for driving the wheels;

a battery box disposed rearwardly of said cross member;

batteries in said battery box for supplying power to said motor;

a control unit in said battery box at a position forwardly of said batteries; and

a current inverter disposed rearwardly of and provided integrally with said motor; and

operatively connecting the batteries to said motor;

wherein said motor and said reduction device are disposed rearwardly of the differential; and

further wherein said motor, said differential, and said reduction device are situated between said left and right side frames, and in font of said cross member.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein said differential is connected to each of said front wheels via respective drive shafts and further wherein a portion of said differential overlaps said drive shafts when viewed in a lateral direction of said vehicle body.