Patent Application
20160268659
This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-046312, filed on Mar. 9, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to a cooling duct apparatus for an onboard battery that introduces cooling air into a battery module mounted in a vehicle. More particularly, the exemplary embodiments relate to a cooling duct apparatus for an onboard battery, which is provided with a filter that removes foreign matter.
2. Description of Related Art
Battery modules that store power to be supplied to a motor for running a vehicle are mounted in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles and the like. When the temperature of the battery module become high, the battery module deteriorates, so cooling air is typically sent to cool the battery module. Normally, a filter is provided in the flow path of the cooling air to remove foreign matter that may end up being supplied to the battery module together with the cooling air.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-234486 (JP 2013-234486 A) describes technology for attaching a filter formed in a zigzag shape to construction machinery.
In an apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-72182 (JP 2014-72182 A), a bezel and a filter are arranged on an upstream side of an air intake duct that draws in air for cooling a battery module.
If the filter is not sufficiently fixed and air is drawn in while there is foreign matter accumulated in the filter, problems may occur, e.g., the filter may tend to slip out of place due to the weight of the foreign matter, or foreign matter may get into a blower or the like arranged downstream of the air intake duct.
An exemplary embodiment thus provides a cooling duct apparatus for an onboard battery that draws in air to cool a battery module, in which a filter will not easily slip out of the duct flow path.
One aspect of an exemplary embodiment relates to a cooling duct apparatus for an onboard battery. This cooling duct apparatus includes an air intake duct that leads cooling air for cooling a battery module mounted in a vehicle to the battery module, a bezel provided on an inlet of the air intake duct, a filter provided on a back surface of the bezel, and a supporting member that fixes the filter to the bezel. A protruding portion that restricts surface displacement of the filter by being inserted into a recessed portion provided to an inside of an outer peripheral portion of the filter, is provided on at least one of the bezel and the supporting member.
In the cooling duct apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of protruding and recessed portions may be provided lined up in a predetermined direction on the filter, and the protruding portion may be provided in a position corresponding to the recessed portion provided to the inside of the outer peripheral portion of the filter, on at least one of the bezel and the supporting member.
In the cooling duct apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment, the protruding portion may be disposed in a portion of the recessed portions included in the plurality of protruding and recessed portions.
In the cooling duct apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment, the supporting member may be an interior trim of the vehicle.
According to an exemplary embodiment, a filter is able to be inhibited from slipping out of a duct flow path, in a cooling duct apparatus for an onboard battery that draws in air to cool a battery module.
Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:
An air intake duct 10 includes an inlet 12 for drawing in cooling air. The inlet 12 is exposed to the inside of a vehicle cabin from an interior trim 20 of the vehicle, and air inside the vehicle cabin is drawn into the air intake duct 10 from the inlet 12. The interior trim 20 is a cover provided underneath a seat, for example, and the inlet 12 is provided in this cover. Naturally, the inlet 12 may be provided in another position inside the vehicle cabin.
A blower 30 is connected to the air intake duct 10. Air inside the vehicle cabin is drawn into the air intake duct 10 via the inlet 12 by the blower 30 being driven. The air that has passed through the blower 30 is sent to a battery module, not shown, such that the battery module is cooled.
A cross-sectional area (i.e., the cross-sectional area on the ZX plane) of the flow path inside the air intake duct 10 is largest at the position of the inlet 12, and gradually becomes smaller nearer the blower 30. Employing this structure makes it possible to hydrodynamically reduce ventilation resistance (pressure loss) in the flow path.
A bezel 40 is provided on the inlet 12 of the air intake duct 10. This bezel 40 is formed in a lattice shape, for example. A filter 60 is attached to a back surface of the bezel 40.
The filter 60 has a network structure, and is used to remove foreign matter such as dust that passes through the air intake duct 10. Air that has entered through the inlet 12 passes through the filter 60, while foreign matter that has entered through the inlet 12 adheres to the filter 60. A nonwoven fabric or mesh type filter, for example, may be used as the filter 60. An outer peripheral portion 64 of the filter 60 is sandwiched by the bezel 40 and the interior trim 20.
Here, when the Z direction is the vertical direction of the vehicle, protruding portions 52 are provided in positions on the upper and lower sides of the back surface of the bezel 40. Also, when the X direction is the left-right direction of the vehicle, the protruding portions 52 are provided in positions on the left and right sides on the back surface of the bezel 40. The protruding portions 52 are protrusions for preventing the filter from coming off, and are inserted between mountains of the filter 60, i.e., in valley portions (recessed portions). If the protruding portions 52 were not inserted into the recessed portions of the filter 60, the filter 60 may come out of position in the plane due to vibration or wind or the like, such that force may be applied to the outer peripheral portion 64 of the filter 60, and the filter 60 may tend to slip out of the duct flow path. In this exemplary embodiment, the protruding portions 52 are inserted into recessed portions in the filter 60, so surface displacement of the filter 60 is restricted and the filter 60 will not easily slip out of the duct flow path.
Next, the specific structure of the bezel 40 will be described with reference to
As shown in
Also, as shown in
Also, protruding portions 52 are provided in positions corresponding to recessed portions provided to the inside of the outer peripheral portion 64 of the filter 60, on the back surface of the bezel 40. For example, as shown in
Moreover, protruding portions 52b are provided, one in a position on the upper side of the lattice portion 44 and one in a position on the lower side of the lattice portion 44, on three other lattice members provided between the lattice member 44a and the lattice member 44b. That is, three protruding portions 52b are provided on the upper side of the lattice portion 44 and three protruding portions 52b are provided on the lower side of the lattice portion 44.
As shown in
In the first exemplary embodiment, the filter fixing clips 50a, 50b, and 50c of the bezel 40, and the mounting holes 66a, 66b, and 66c of the filter 60, function as supporting members for fixing the outer peripheral portion 64 of the filter 60 to the bezel 40.
When the filter 60 is attached to the bezel 40, the protruding portions 52 provided on the bezel 40 are inserted into the recessed portions (valley portions) of the filter 60. More specifically, the protruding portions 52a on the lattice member 44a in the first row on the right side of the bezel 40 are inserted into the recessed portion provided to the inside of the outer peripheral portion 64 on the right side of the filter 60. At this time, the protruding portion 52a on the upper side of the lattice member 44a is inserted into the upper side of the recessed portion, and the protruding portion 52a on the lower side is inserted into the lower side of the recessed portion. Similarly, the protruding portion 52a on the lattice member 44b in the first row on the left side is inserted into a recessed portion provided to the inside of the outer peripheral portion 64 on the left side of the filter 60. At this time, the protruding portion 52a on the upper side of the lattice member 44b is inserted into the upper side of the recessed portion, and the protruding portion 52a on the lower side is inserted into the lower side of the recessed portion. Further, the protruding portions 52b on three other lattice members provided between the lattice member 44a and the lattice member 44b are inserted into corresponding recessed portions, respectively. At this time, the protruding portions 52b on the upper side of the lattice members are inserted into the upper side of the recessed portions, and the protruding portions 52b on the lower side are inserted into the lower side of the recessed portions.
With the filter 60 attached to the bezel 40, the bezel 40 is attached to the interior trim 20.
As described above, in the first exemplary embodiment, the outer peripheral portion 64 of the filter 60 is sandwiched by the bezel 40 and the interior trim 20. As a result, the filter 60 is firmly fixed to the duct apparatus. Also, the protruding portions 52 of the bezel 40 are inserted into the recessed portions (valley portions) of the filter 60. As a result, surface displacement of the filter 60 is restricted, so the filter 60 will not easily come off of the duct apparatus. Therefore, the filter 60 is able to be fixed more firmly to the duct apparatus. If the protruding portions 52 were not inserted into the recessed portions of the filter 60, the filter 60 may come out of position in the plane due to vibration, wind, or the like, such that force may be applied to the outer peripheral portion 64 of the filter 60, and the filter 60 may tend to slip out of the duct flow path. In this exemplary embodiment, surface displacement of the filter 60 is restricted by the protruding portions 52, so this problem is able to be avoided. Also, the protruding portions 52 are inserted into some of the recessed portions, of the plurality of protruding and recessed portions. That is, surface displacement of the filter 60 is able to be restricted using the protruding and recessed portions provided to increase the surface area.
Protruding portions 52 may also be provided in yet another position on the lattice portion 44 of the bezel 40. For example, other protruding portions 52 may also be provided on a lattice member in the center of the lattice portion 44.
In this exemplary embodiment, the outer peripheral portion 64 of the filter 60 is sandwiched by the bezel 40 and the interior trim 20 that is an existing part.
Therefore, an increase in cost is able to be suppressed compared to when the outer peripheral portion 64 of the filter 60 is sandwiched using another member.
Also, pressure loss typically decreases as the area of the region of the filter through which air passes increases. As described above, the cross-sectional area of the flow path in the air intake duct 10 is greatest at the inlet 12, so the filter 60 is preferably arranged as close to the inlet 12 as possible, i.e., near the bezel 40. In the first exemplary embodiment, the filter 60 is attached to the bezel 40, so the area of the filter 60 is able to be increased compared to when the filter 60 is arranged in another position inside the air intake duct 10. Also, pressure loss is able to be reduced, so sufficient draw (i.e., suction) is able to be obtained even without using a large blower 30.
Meanwhile, even if the filter 60 is arranged near the inlet 12, when the filter 60 is arranged on the front surface of the bezel 40 that is toward the inside of the cabin, problems may occur, e.g., a user may end up touching the filter 60 and the filter 60 may come off. In the first exemplary embodiment, the filter 60 is arranged on the back surface of the bezel 40, so this kind of problem is able to be avoided.
Also, the filter 60 is attached to the bezel 40 so as to be integrated with the bezel 40, so the filter 60 is able to be easily removed from the duct apparatus by removing the bezel 40 from the interior trim 20. Therefore, replacing and cleaning the filter 60 is easy.
Next, a duct apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment will be described.
The air intake duct 10, the interior trim 20, and the blower 30 have the same structures as in the first exemplary embodiment, so descriptions of these will be omitted.
A lattice-shaped bezel 80, for example, is provided on the inlet 12 of the air intake duct 10. A bezel fixing clip, not shown, for attaching the bezel 80 to the interior trim 20 is provided on the bezel 80. A mounting hole is formed in a position corresponding to the bezel fixing clip, in the interior trim 20. The bezel 80 is fixed to the interior trim 20 by the bezel fixing clip being inserted into and fixed to the mounting hole.
A resin support frame 90 that is a frame-like member and a filter 110 are arranged on the back surface of the bezel 80. The filter 110 is attached and fixed to the front surface of the support frame 90. The filter 110 has a network structure, and is used to remove foreign matter that passes through the air intake duct 10. A non-woven fabric or mesh type filter, for example, may be used as the filter 110, similar to the first exemplary embodiment. The filter 110 is formed as a plurality of protruding and recessed portions in a zigzag shape (mountain and valley shape), for example, in order to increase the surface area. An outer peripheral portion 114 of the filter 110 is sandwiched by the bezel 80 and the support frame 90.
Here, when the Z direction is the vertical direction of the vehicle, protruding portions 100 are provided in positions on the upper and lower sides of the front surface of the support frame 90. Also, when the X direction is the left-right direction of the vehicle, the protruding portions 100 are provided in positions on the left and right sides on the front surface of the support frame 90. The protruding portions 100 are protrusions for preventing the filter from coming off, and are inserted into recessed portions (i.e., valleys portions) of the filter 110. As a result, surface displacement of the filter 110 is restricted so the filter 110 will not easily slip out of the duct flow path, similar to the first exemplary embodiment.
Next, the specific structure of the support frame 90 will be described with reference to
Also, an insertion hole 98a and insertion grooves 98b and 98c for attaching the filter 110 to the support frame 90 are formed in the front surface of the support frame 90. The insertion hole 98a is formed in the right side frame member 92a, and the insertion grooves 98b and 98c are formed in the left side frame member 92b. Protruding portions are provided in positions corresponding to the insertion hole 98a and the insertion grooves 98b and 98c, on the filter 110. The filter 110 is attached and fixed to the support frame 90 by the corresponding protruding portions being inserted into the insertion hole 98a and the insertion grooves 98b and 98c.
Also, protruding portions 100 are provided in positions corresponding to recessed portions provided to the inside of the outer peripheral portion 114 of the filter 110, on the front surface of the support frame 90. For example, a protruding portion 100a is provided in a position to the inside of the right side frame member 92a, on each of an upper side frame member 92c and a lower side frame member 92d. These protruding portions 100a are members corresponding to recessed portions provided to the inside of the outer peripheral portion 114 on the right side of the filter 110. A protruding portion 100a also is provided in a position to the inside of the left side frame member 92b, on each of the upper side frame member 92c and the lower side frame member 92d. These protruding portions 100a are members corresponding to recessed portions provided to the inside of the outer peripheral portion 114 on the left side of the filter 110. Moreover, five protruding portions 100b are provided between the two protruding portions 100a on each of the upper side frame member 92c and the lower side frame member 92d.
In the second exemplary embodiment, the insertion hole 98a and the insertion grooves 98b and 98c of the support frame 90, and the protruding portions of the filter 110, function as supporting members for fixing the outer peripheral portion 114 of the filter 110 to the bezel 80.
When the filter 110 is attached to the support frame 90, the protruding portions 100 provided on the support frame 90 are inserted into the recessed portions (valley portions) of the filter 110. More specifically, the protruding portion 100a provided in a position to the inside of the right side frame member 92a is inserted into the recessed portion provided to the inside of the outer peripheral portion 114 on the right side of the filter 110. Similarly, the protruding portion 100a provided in a position to the inside of the left side frame member 92b is inserted into the recess portion provided to the inside of the outer peripheral portion 114 on the left side of the filter 110. Moreover, the other five protruding portions 100b are inserted into the corresponding recessed portions. At this time, the protruding portions 100a and 100b on the upper side frame member 92c are inserted into the upper side of the recessed portions, and the protruding portions 100a and 100b on the lower side frame member 92d are inserted into the lower side of the recessed portions.
With the filter 110 attached to the support frame 90, the support frame 90 is attached to the bezel 80, and the bezel 80 is attached to the interior trim 20. At this time, the outer peripheral portion 114 of the filter 110 is sandwiched by the bezel 80 and the support frame 90, and the protruding portions 100 of the support frame 90 are inserted into the recessed portions of the filter 110, as shown in
As described above, in the second exemplary embodiment, the outer peripheral portion 114 of the filter 110 is sandwiched by the bezel 80 and the support frame 90. As a result, the filter 110 is firmly fixed to the duct apparatus. Also, the protruding portions 100 of the support frame 90 are inserted into the recessed portions (valley portions) of the filter 110. As a result, surface displacement of the filter 110 is restricted, so the filter 110 will not easily come off of the duct apparatus. Therefore, the filter 110 is able to be more firmly fixed to the duct apparatus.
In the duct apparatus according to the second exemplary embodiment as well, pressure loss is able to be reduced, similar to the first exemplary embodiment. Also, the filter is able to be prevented from coming off as a result of contact by the user or the like. Also, the filter 110 is attached to the support frame 90, and the support frame 90 is attached to the bezel 80. Therefore, the filter 110 is able to be easily removed from the duct apparatus by removing the bezel 80 from the interior trim 20. Thus, replacing and cleaning the filter 110 is easy.
The first and second exemplary embodiments may also be combined. For example, protruding portions may be provided on both the bezel 80 and the support frame 90, and these protruding portions may be inserted into recessed portions on the filter 110. In this case, the protruding portions are inserted into recessed portions on both surfaces of the filter 110. As a result, surface displacement of the filter 110 is even more restricted, which makes it possible to make it even more difficult for the filter 110 to come off of the duct apparatus.
Next, a duct apparatus according to a comparative example will be described with reference to
As described above, the filter 240 is arranged on the inlet 222 of the blower 220. Therefore, in order to replace or clean the filter 240, the blower 220 must be removed. To remove the blower 220, interior trim of the vehicle, a seat frame, a seat cushion, and a seatbelt and the like must first be removed, so the number of man-hours that are required when replacing or cleaning the filter 240 increases, which is problematic. Also, because the cross-sectional area of the inlet 222 is the smallest in the flow path, the size of the filter 240 must be reduced to match it. Therefore, pressure loss at the filter 240 ends up increasing. In contrast, with the duct apparatus according to the first and second exemplary embodiments, these problems are able to be avoided, as described above.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-046312 | Mar 2015 | JP | national |
