U.S. patent application number 14/309175 was filed with the patent office on 2014-10-09 for cooling structure for vehicle high-voltage electric parts.
This patent application is currently assigned to HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Nobukazu Kikuchi, Asami Kitaguchi.
Application Number | 20140302763 14/309175 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43544186 |
Filed Date | 2014-10-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140302763 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kitaguchi; Asami ; et
al. |
October 9, 2014 |
COOLING STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLE HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC PARTS
Abstract
A cooling structure for vehicle high-voltage electric parts
includes an air inlet passage having an air inlet port which is
disposed higher than a seat cushion of a rear seat so as to supply
air from a passenger compartment to a battery unit, an inverter
unit and a DC-DC converter unit and a cooling fan which causes
cooling air to flow into the air inlet passage. An opening portion
from which air is taken into the air inlet passage is formed inside
a side seatback which is placed transversely outward of a main
seatback of the rear seat.
Inventors: |
Kitaguchi; Asami; (Saitama,
JP) ; Kikuchi; Nobukazu; (Saitama, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD. |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
43544186 |
Appl. No.: |
14/309175 |
Filed: |
June 19, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13388905 |
Feb 3, 2012 |
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PCT/JP2010/059480 |
Jun 3, 2010 |
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14309175 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
454/120 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02E 60/10 20130101;
Y02T 10/72 20130101; H01M 10/6556 20150401; H01M 10/6563 20150401;
B60L 58/26 20190201; B60L 2210/10 20130101; B60N 2/58 20130101;
B60K 2001/005 20130101; Y02T 10/70 20130101; H01M 10/625 20150401;
B60K 2001/0416 20130101; H01M 10/613 20150401; B60L 50/66 20190201;
B60L 2200/26 20130101; B60K 1/04 20130101; B60N 2/5621 20130101;
B60N 2/986 20180201; H01M 10/663 20150401; B60K 11/06 20130101;
B60K 11/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
454/120 |
International
Class: |
B60N 2/56 20060101
B60N002/56 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 3, 2009 |
JP |
2009-180967 |
Claims
1. A cooling structure for vehicle high-voltage electric parts
which are disposed behind a rear seat, comprising: an air inlet
passage having an air inlet port which is disposed higher than a
seat cushion of the rear seat and communicating with the
high-voltage electric parts so as to supply an air inside a
passenger compartment to the high-voltage electric parts to cool
the high-voltage electric parts; and a cooling fan which causes the
air inside the passenger compartment to flow, wherein an opening
portion for taking in the air inside the passenger compartment into
the air inlet passage is formed in a side seatback which is
disposed transversely outward of a main seatback of the rear seat,
wherein the opening portion opens toward a front of a vehicle and
is disposed transversely outwards than a transversely central
position of the side seatback, and wherein the opening portion is
disposed so that at least part thereof is concealed by an armrest
which is provided on a door lining when viewed from the front of
the vehicle.
2. The structure of claim 1, wherein a seatbelt in an unfastened
state is disposed transversely inwards than the transversely
central position of the side seatback
3. The structure of claim 1, wherein a portion of the side seatback
transversely inwards than the transversely central position thereof
is gradually curved toward the front of the vehicle as it goes away
from the main seatback, and wherein another portion of the side
seatback transversely outwards than the transversely central
position thereof substantially straightly extends.
4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the opening portion is covered
by a skin of the side seatback which has an air-permeability.
5. The structure of claim 1, wherein the opening portion is covered
by an air inlet grille having multiple air inlet holes.
6. The structure of claim 1, wherein the side seatback has a
cushion material, so that air inlet noise of the air which is taken
in from the opening portion is absorbed by the cushion
material.
7. The structure of claim 1, wherein a space portion is provided
between the opening portion and the air inlet port of the air inlet
passage.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 13/388,905, filed on Feb. 3, 2012, and wherein U.S. application
Ser. No. 13/388,905 is a national stage application filed under 35
USC .sctn.371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2010/059480
filed on Jun. 3, 2010, which is based upon and claims the benefit
of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No.
2009-180967, filed on August 3, 2009, the entire contents of which
are incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a cooling structure for
vehicle high-voltage electric parts which is effective in taking in
cooling air for cooling high-voltage electric parts used in an
electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] For example, in a hybrid vehicle, high-voltage electric
parts are installed behind a seatback of a rear seat, within a
luggage compartment or underneath the luggage compartment. The
high-voltage electric parts include a battery as a driving energy
source. Since the battery is a heat generating part which generates
heat when charged or discharged, the battery needs to be cooled to
maintain its performance. The battery is desirably cooled
efficiently by supplying cooling air taken in to the battery with
small air passage resistance. Conventionally, for example, air
inside a passenger compartment of a hybrid vehicle is taken in from
a position near a rear seat and adjacent to a battery by a cooling
fan, and is supplied to the battery as cooling air (e.g., Patent
Literature 1).
[0004] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an air inlet port of a
battery cooling system in Patent Literature 1. In this structure,
an air inlet side passage and an air outlet passage are provided,
respectively, at an upstream side and a downstream side of a
cooling air passage for a battery pack installed in a luggage space
behind a rear seat 101 so as to supply air inside a passenger
compartment to the battery pack as cooling air. A cooling fan is
provided at an intermediate portion along the length of the inlet
side passage. The air inlet port 13 of the air inlet side passage
is opened in an upper portion of a seat side garnish 104 disposed
to a side of a seat back 102 of the rear seat 101, so that air
inside the passenger compartment is taken in from the air inlet
port 103.
RELATED ART LITERATURE
Patent Literature
[0005] Patent Literature 1: JP-4114478-B
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problem that the Invention is to Solve
[0006] In the battery cooling structure in Patent Literature 1, the
air inlet port 103 is disposed in the seat side garnish 104 which
is provided at the side of the rear seat 101. Therefore, the width
of the rear seat 101 may be reduced by the seat side garnish 104.
Further, in a vehicle like a small-sized vehicle having no seat
side garnish, air inlet port 103 could not be disposed, and hence,
it could be further improved.
[0007] The invention has been made in view of above, and an object
thereof is to provide a cooling structure for vehicle high-voltage
electric parts which enables an opening portion from which air
inside a passenger compartment is taken into an air inlet passage
to be disposed in a rear seat so as not only to ensure a sufficient
amount of inlet air but also to avoid a contact with a passenger
who gets in and out of the rear seat even in a type of vehicle
having no seat side garnish.
Means for Solving the Problem
[0008] Claim 1 provides a cooling structure for vehicle
high-voltage electric parts (e.g., a battery unit 21, an inverter
unit 22 and a DC-DC converter unit 23 in an embodiment) which are
disposed behind a rear seat (e.g., a rear seat 7 in the
embodiment), including: [0009] an air inlet passage (e.g., an air
inlet passage 26 in the embodiment) having an air inlet port (e.g.,
an air inlet port 32 in the embodiment) which is disposed higher
than a seat cushion (e.g., a seat cushion 6 in the embodiment) of
the rear seat and communicating with the high-voltage electric
parts so as to supply air inside a passenger compartment (e.g., a
passenger compartment 9 in the embodiment) to the high-voltage
electric parts as cooling air; and [0010] a cooling fan (e.g., a
cooling fan 30 in the embodiment) which causes the cooling air to
flow through the air inlet passage, [0011] wherein an opening
portion (e.g., an opening portion 35 in the embodiment) for taking
in air inside the passenger compartment into the air inlet passage
is formed in a side seatback (e.g., a side seatback 4 in the
embodiment) which is disposed transversely outward of a main
seatback (e.g., a main seatback 5 in the embodiment) of the rear
seat.
[0012] Claim 2, based on claim 1, provides the structure, [0013]
wherein the opening portion is disposed further transversely
outwards than a transversely central position of the side
seatback.
[0014] Claim 3, based on claim 1 or 2, provides the structure,
[0015] wherein a lower end portion (e.g., a lower end portion 35a
in the embodiment) of the opening portion is positioned 30 mm or
more higher than an armrest (e.g., an armrest 41 in the embodiment)
which is provided on a door lining (e.g., a door lining 40).
[0016] Claim 4, based on claim 1 or 2, provides the structure,
[0017] wherein the opening portion is disposed so that at least
part thereof is concealed by the armrest when viewed from the front
thereof
[0018] Claim 5, based on any of claims 1 to 4, provides the
structure, [0019] wherein the opening portion is covered by a skin
(e.g., a skin 34 in the embodiment) of the side seatback which has
an air-permeability.
[0020] Claim 6, based on any of claims 1 to 4, provides the
structure, [0021] wherein the opening portion is covered by an air
inlet grille (e.g., an air inlet grille 37 in the embodiment)
having multiple air inlet holes (e.g., air inlet holes 39 in the
embodiment).
[0022] Claim 7, based on any of claims 1 to 6, provides the
structure, [0023] wherein the side seatback has a cushion material
(e.g., a cushion material 52 in the embodiment), so that air inlet
noise of the air which is taken in from the opening portion is
absorbed by the cushion material.
[0024] Claim 8, based on any of claims 1 to 7, provides the
structure, [0025] wherein a space portion (e.g., a space portion 53
in the embodiment) is provided between the air inlet passage and
the air inlet port.
Advantage of the Invention
[0026] According to claim 1, the opening portion which introduces
air inside the passenger compartment into the air inlet passage can
be provided in the side seatback of the rear seat which lies
adjacent to the battery, and no seat side garnish has to be
provided. Thus, the width of the rear seat can be increased, and
air inside the passenger compartment can be taken in sufficiently
while obtaining a comfortable space within the passenger
compartment which gives a superior ride quality. This configuration
is effective particularly for a small-sized vehicle in which it is
difficult to ensure a space to provide a seat side garnish. In
addition, the contact of the passenger with the opening portion
when he or she gets in and out of the vehicle can be avoided by
providing the opening portion in the side seatback.
[0027] According to claim 2, the opening portion is not closed by
the arm or shoulder of the passenger or the unfastened seatbelt,
which ensures that air inside the passenger compartment can be
taken in to cool the high-voltage electric parts.
[0028] According to claim 3, neither the elbow of the passenger is
brought into abutment with the opening portion, nor the opening
portion is closed by the elbow of the passenger. Thus, air inside
the passenger compartment can be surely taken in.
[0029] According to claim 4, not only the ingress of dust from the
opening portion can be prevented, but also the opening portion can
be made inconspicuous by the armrest even when the area of the
opening portion is increased so as to reduce the air inlet noise,
thereby enhancing the design quality inside the passenger
compartment.
[0030] According to claim 5, the side seatback is covered by the
same skin in whole, by which the sensation of integration can be
provided. Thus, the product quality is enhanced. In addition, the
air inlet noise can be reduced by the air-permeable skin, thereby
obtaining quietness inside the passenger compartment.
[0031] According to claim 6, the ingress of dust from the opening
portion can be prevented.
[0032] According to claim 7, the air inlet noise can be reduced by
the cushion material of the side seatback, thereby obtaining
quietness inside the passenger compartment.
[0033] According to claim 8, droplets of water condensed inside the
air inlet passage can be discharged into the space portion so as to
prevent the adhesion of water to the high-voltage electric parts,
thereby preventing the high-voltage electric parts to be badly
affected by the water. By applying the space portion to a portion
where it is difficult to provide an air inlet passage capable of
introducing a sufficient amount of air, an air inlet line can be
provided within the passenger compartment which is compact in
size.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a hybrid vehicle to which
a first embodiment of the invention is applied.
[0035] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a rear part
of the hybrid vehicle shown in FIG. 1.
[0036] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a cooling structure for
high-voltage electric parts shown in FIG. 2.
[0037] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a side seatback in which an
opening portion is disposed further upwards than a seat cushion of
a rear seat.
[0038] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing a positional
relation between a passenger seated in the rear seat and an air
inlet passage.
[0039] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of an air inlet grille which
is mounted at the opening portion, and FIG. 6B is a sectional view
taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 6A.
[0040] FIG. 7 is a front view of the rear seat in which the opening
portion is disposed further upwards than an armrest.
[0041] FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a side seatback in which an
air inlet grille is mounted from a rear side of a rear seat, and
FIG. 8B is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIG.
8A.
[0042] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a side seatback according to
a third embodiment of the invention in which an opening portion is
covered by an air-permeable skin.
[0043] FIG. 10 is a front view of a fourth embodiment of the
invention as seen from the front in which an opening portion is
disposed so as to overlap an armrest.
[0044] FIG. 11 is a schematic side view of a hybrid vehicle
according to a modified example of the invention.
[0045] FIG. 12 is a partly perspective view of a rear seat of a
motor vehicle according to a conventional example which is seen
from a passenger compartment.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0046] Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described
in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings
are seen in a direction in which reference numerals given therein
look normal.
First Embodiment
[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 of this embodiment is a
hybrid vehicle which includes a power unit 2 including an engine
and a motor/generator which are provided in series. The driving of
the engine is assisted by the motor/generator, and when the vehicle
is decelerated, electric power obtained from the motor/generator is
recovered. The motor/generator is a three-phase alternating current
motor. Driving force of the engine and the motor/generator is
transmitted to front wheels 3 which are drive wheels.
[0048] In the vehicle 1, a rear seat 7 includes side seatbacks 4, a
main seatback 5 and a seat cushion 6, and an electric parts box 20
is disposed behind the main seatback 5. Electric parts in the
electric parts box 20 are connected to the power unit 2 via an
electric cable 8.
[0049] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the electric parts box 20
accommodates therein a battery unit 21, an inverter unit 22 and a
DC-DC converter unit 23, as high-voltage electric parts. When the
motor/generator is fed by the battery unit 21 which is a direct
current power supply, a direct current is converted into an
alternating current by the inverter unit 22.
[0050] When the output of the engine or the kinetic energy of the
vehicle 1 is converted into electric energy to be stored in the
battery unit 21 at the time of deceleration of the vehicle, the
motor/generator functions as a generator to generate a so-called
regenerative braking force. Then, an alternating current is
converted into a direct current by the inverter unit 22 to be
stored into the battery unit 21. Since the voltage of the direct
current which is converted by the inverter unit 22 is high, a part
thereof is decreased by the DC-DC converter unit 23.
[0051] An air inlet passage 26 communicates with the electric parts
box 20 which accommodates the battery unit 21, the inverter unit 22
and the DC-DC converter unit 23, so that an interior of the
electric parts box 20 is cooled by cooling air which is taken in
from a passenger compartment 9 of the vehicle 1.
[0052] The electric parts box 20 is an accommodation case 24 having
a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box shape which has an
open side, and the battery unit 21, the inverter unit 22 and the
DC-DC converter unit 23 are accommodated in the accommodation case
24. The electric parts box 20 is disposed behind the main seatback
5 of the rear seat 7 in a state where a cover 25 is screwed to the
accommodation case 24 to close the open side thereof.
[0053] The air inlet passage 26 is provided integrally at a
left-hand side portion (a right-hand side portion in FIG. 2) of the
cover 25. An air outlet passage 27 is formed in a right-hand side
wall 28 of the accommodation case 24 so as to communicate with an
interior of the accommodation case 24. A cooling fan 30 for forcing
air out of the accommodation case 24 is mounted in an air outlet
port 29 which constitutes an end portion of the air outlet passage
27. Namely, the air inlet passage 26 communicates with an upstream
side of a cooling air passage of the electric parts box 20, and the
air outlet passage 27 communicates with a downstream side of the
cooling air passage of the electric parts box 20.
[0054] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the air inlet passage 26 is a
hollow member having a substantially rectangular section formed of,
for example, a synthetic resin, and is bent into a substantially
S-shape. The air inlet passage 26 is placed inside the side
seatback 4.
[0055] The side seatbacks 4 are vertically elongated cushion
portions which are placed on both transversely outer sides of the
main seatback 5. When the side seatback 4 is seen from thereabove,
a portion of the side seatback 4 which lies further inwards than a
transversely intermediate position M thereof is curved so as to
gradually project to the front of the vehicle 1 as it goes away
from the main seatback 5, while a portion which lies further
outwards than the transversely intermediate position M is formed
substantially linearly. As shown in FIG. 6B, the side seatback 4 is
made up of, for example, a side seatback main body 33 which is
formed of a resin and, for example, a skin 34 which is made of a
piece of fabric (having air permeability) or leather.
[0056] An open end portion 31 of the air inlet passage 26 is
disposed further upwards than the seat cushion 6 and extends as
upwards as an opening portion 35 provided in the side seatback main
body 33. An air inlet port 32 which opens to the open end portion
31 is disposed so as to face the opening portion 35. The opening
portion 35 is formed in the substantially linear portion of the
side seatback 4 which lies further outwards than the transversely
intermediate position M thereof so as not to be closed by the arm
or shoulder 46 of a rear seat passenger 45 when he or she leans
against the side seatback 4 or by an unfastened seatbelt 47 which
is suspended on the side seatback 4. A lower end portion 35a of the
opening portion 35 is positioned 30 mm or more higher than an
armrest 41 provided on a door lining 40 (refer to FIG. 7) and is
gradually inclined upwards as it extends transversely inwards.
[0057] The opening portion 35 of the side seatback main body 33 is
covered by an air inlet grille 37 having multiple air inlet holes
39 for taking in air from the passenger compartment 9. As shown in
FIG. 6A, plural mounting holes 36 are formed in a circumferential
edge portion of the opening portion 35 of the side seatback main
body 33, while plural mounting legs 38 having substantially
L-shaped locking portions 38a are formed on the air inlet grille
37. The air inlet grille 37 is fixed to the side seatback main body
33 by inserting the mounting legs 38 into the mounting holes 36 in
the side seatback main body 33 so that the locking portions 38a are
brought into engagement with the mounting holes 36.
[0058] In the above-described cooling structure, when the cooling
fan 30 is caused to rotate, cooling air is taken in from the
passenger compartment 9 through the air inlet grille 37 and is then
sent from the opening portion 35 in the side seatback 4 to the
electric parts box 20 through the air inlet passage 26. Then, the
cooling air so taken in cools the battery unit 21, the inverter
unit 22 and the DC-DC converter unit 23 and is thereafter
discharged through the air outlet passage 27.
[0059] According to this embodiment, the opening portion 35 which
takes air from the passenger compartment 9 into the air inlet
passage 26 is formed in the side seatback 4 which is placed on the
transversely outer side of the main seatback 5 of the rear seat 7.
Thus, no seat side garnish needs to be provided, and hence, the
width of the rear seat 7 can be increased. Thus, air can be
sufficiently taken in from the passenger compartment while
obtaining a space within the passenger compartment which can
provide a superior ride quality. This configuration is effective
particularly for a small-sized vehicle in which it is difficult to
ensure a space for a seat side garnish. In addition, the contact of
the rear seat passenger with the opening portion 35 is prevented
when he or she gets in an out of the vehicle 1 by providing the
opening portion 35 in the side seatback 4, whereby the rear seat
passenger can get in an out of the vehicle 1 comfortably.
[0060] The opening portion 35 is disposed transversely outwards
than the transversely intermediate position of the side seatback 4,
so as not to be closed by the arm or shoulder of the passenger 45
or the unfastened seatbelt 47. Thus, air can be surely taken in
from the passenger compartment 9 to be supplied to the electric
parts box 20 as cooling air so as to cool the battery unit 21, the
inverter unit 22 and the DC-DC converter unit 23.
[0061] The lower end portion 35a of the opening portion 35 is
positioned 30 mm or more higher than the armrest 41 provided on the
door lining 40. Therefore, the elbow of the passenger 45 is not
brought into abutment with the opening portion 35, whereby the
comfortable space inside the passenger compartment is not
deteriorated. Since, the opening portion 35 is not closed by the
elbow, air can be surely taken in from the passenger compartment
9.
[0062] Since the opening portion 35 is covered by the air inlet
grille 37 having many air inlet holes 39, the ingress of foreign
matters such as dust from the opening portion 35 can be
prevented.
Second Embodiment
[0063] FIGS. 8A and 8B show a cooling structure for vehicle
high-voltage electric parts according to a second embodiment of the
invention. As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, an air inlet grille 37 of
this embodiment is mounted from a rear side of a side seatback 4.
Namely, a cushion material 52 such as a formed urethane resin is
filled inside the side seatback 4, and a bracket 51 is fixed to
wires 50 which are disposed in the cushion material 52. An opening
portion 35 is formed in the bracket 51, and plural mounting holes
36 are formed in a circumferential edge portion of the opening
portion 35. The air inlet grille 37 is fixed to the bracket 51 by
inserting mounting legs 38 into the mounting holes 36 in the
bracket 51 from the rear side of the side seatback 4 through a
through hole 52a formed in the cushion material 52 which is
provided at least behind the bracket 51 so that locking portions
38a are brought into engagement with the mounting holes 36.
[0064] An air inlet port 32 of an air inlet passage 26 are spaced
away from the opening portion 35, and a space portion 53 is
provided therebetween.
[0065] According to this embodiment, the side seatback 4 has the
cushion material 52 thereinside which absorbs air inlet noise
produced by air taken in from the opening portion 35. Therefore,
the air inlet noise can be reduced so as to produce quietness in an
interior of a passenger compartment 9.
[0066] Since the space portion 53 is provided between the opening
portion 35 and the air inlet port 32 of the air inlet passage 26,
droplets of water condensed within the air inlet passage 26 is
discharged into the space portion 53 so as to prevent the adhesion
of water to the battery unit 21, the inverter unit 22 and the DC-DC
converter unit 23 which are accommodated in the electric parts box
20, whereby these units 21, 22, 23 can be prevented from being
badly affected by the water. By applying the space portion 53 to a
portion where it is difficult to provide an air inlet passage 26
capable of introducing a sufficient amount of air, an air inlet
line ensuring a required amount of inlet air can be provided within
the vehicle 1 when it is compact in size.
[0067] In this embodiment, the air inlet port 32 may be disposed
close to the opening portion 35 as with the first embodiment
without providing the space portion 53 between the air inlet port
32 and the opening portion 35. Thus, the configuration can be
altered as required depending on the space where the constituent
members can be disposed.
Third Embodiment
[0068] FIG. 9 shows a cooling structure for vehicle high-voltage
electric parts according to a third embodiment. In this embodiment,
a side seatback 4 includes no air inlet grille. A whole surface of
the side seatback 4 which includes an opening portion 35 is covered
uniformly by an air-permeable skin 34 such as a fabric. Thus, the
whole of the side seatback 4 is covered by the same skin 34,
thereby giving a look of an integral side seatback 4 and enhancing
the product quality thereof In addition, the air inlet noise can be
reduced by the air-permeable skin 34, whereby a quiet passenger
compartment is obtained.
[0069] The opening portion 35 may have a grid-like configuration so
that the skin 34 is not depressed largely when a rear seat
passenger 45 contacts the opening portion 35 via the skin 34. Thus,
an air inlet grille 37 may be mounted inside the skin 34.
Fourth Embodiment
[0070] FIG. 10 shows a cooling structure for vehicle high-voltage
electric parts according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.
As shown in FIG. 10, an opening portion 35 (an air inlet grille 37)
of this embodiment is disposed so that at least part thereof is
concealed by an armrest 41 provided on a door lining 40 when viewed
from the front thereof Thus, the ingress of foreign matters such as
dust from the opening portion 35 can be prevented. Since the
opening portion 35 is made inconspicuous by the armrest 41, the
interior design quality can be enhanced. Since the opening portion
35 will not be closed by a rear seat passenger 45, a sufficient
amount of inlet air can be ensured so as to cool the high-voltage
electric parts effectively.
[0071] The invention is not limited to the above-described
embodiments but can be altered, modified or improved as required.
The embodiments can be combined as required without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. While the hybrid vehicle is
exemplified in the embodiments, the invention is not limited
thereto. For example, the invention may be applied to an electric
vehicle which employs a motor or motors as a drive source.
[0072] In the embodiments, while the electric parts box 20 is
described as being disposed behind the main seatback 5 of the rear
seat 7, as shown in FIG. 11, the electric parts box 20 may be
disposed underneath a floor of a luggage space 10 provided behind
the rear seat 7. In this case, the air inlet passage 26 may be
caused to extend downwards so as to communicate with the
high-voltage electric parts (the electric parts box 20).
[0073] The invention is based on Japanese Patent Application (No.
2009-180967) filed on Aug. 3, 2009, the contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0074] 1 vehicle; 4 side seatback; 5 main seatback; 6 seat cushion;
7 rear seat; 9 passenger compartment; 20 electric parts box; 21
battery unit (high-voltage electric part); 22 inverter unit
(high-voltage electric part); 23 DC-DC converter unit (high-voltage
electric part); 26 air inlet passage; 30 cooling fan; 32 air inlet
port; 34 skin; 35 opening portion; 35a lower end portion; 37 air
inlet grille; 39 air inlet hole; 40 door lining; 41 armrest; 52
cushion material; 53 space portion.
* * * * *