Automobile with vehicle drive motor
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKoji Hotta, Kenshi Yamanaka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A technology for mitigating a collision impact applied to a power controller positioned in a front compartment is provided. An automobile has a power controller and device in the front compartment. The power controller and the device are positioned side by side in an automobile lateral direction. A corner or protrusion of the power controller faces a lateral surface of the device. When the automobile collides with an obstacle, the lateral surface of the device comes into contact with the corner of the power controller. Because the lateral surface of the device is weaker than the corner of the power controller, the device breaks first. The device functions as a cushioning material to mitigate damage suffered by the power controller.
Claims14
An automobile comprising:
- a power controller that supplies electric power to a vehicle drive motor and is fixed to a tilted top surface of a drive-train, a front side of the tilted top surface being lower than a rear side;
- and
- a battery configured of a frame having first strength and a plastic case having second strength which is lower than the first strength;
- wherein:
- the power controller and the battery are positioned side by side along an automobile lateral direction in a front compartment;
- and
- the power controller and the battery are positioned such that a corner or protrusion of the power controller faces an approximate center of a lateral surface of the plastic case of the battery.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.