BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a battery mounting device, and in particular relates to a mounting device of a battery mounted on a vehicle.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2018-16143 discloses a battery cooling device. In this battery cooling device, a battery mounted on a vehicle is provided above a floor panel of the vehicle and below a passenger seat and a console box, and cooling air is supplied to the battery by a blower which is provided below the passenger seat so as to cool the battery.

Herein, it is unavoidable that the battery mounted on the vehicle becomes large sized to a certain degree. Therefore, in a case where the battery is stored below the seat of the vehicle like the battery cooling device disclosed in the above-described patent document, there is a problem that a space formed above the seat becomes so narrow that the distance between a head portion of a passenger and a ceiling surface of a cabin may become improperly short, thereby giving the passenger a feeling of oppression. This problem may be remarkable especially for a sports-type vehicle which has a relatively-short vehicle height as a whole. Further, while there exists a vehicle in which the battery is disposed in back of a rear seat, there is a problem that a trunk space for loading baggage becomes so narrow that the usability of the vehicle may be worsened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery mounting device which can mount the battery on the vehicle, without giving the passenger the feeling of oppression or making the trunk space improperly narrow.

The present invention is a battery mounting device, comprising a battery mounted in a cabin of a vehicle, a plate-shaped toe board provided in front of a passenger seat (assistant driver's seat) at a position located at a lower level than the passenger seat so as to cover the battery, wherein the battery is provided between the toe board and a floor panel of the vehicle.

According to the present invention, since the toe board is provided in front of the passenger seat at the position located at the lower level than the passenger seat and the battery is provided between the toe board and the floor panel of the vehicle, a sufficiently-large battery storage space can be secured, minimizing the feeling of oppression given to the passenger. In general, a space near a toe of the passenger seated in the passenger seat becomes a perfect dead space when no passenger is seated in the passenger seat, and even if the battery occupies this space, no inconvenience is given to the passenger. Further, even in a case where the passenger is seated in the passenger seat, the passenger may not feel any inconvenience depending on a body size of the passenger. Meanwhile, in a case where the large-sized passenger is seated in the passenger seat, it is likely that the battery stored near the toe of the passenger becomes an obstacle improperly. Even in this case, however, a sufficient space for the passenger is possibly secured by sliding the passenger seat rearwardly. Therefore, according to the battery mounting device of the present invention, a situation where the stored battery may cause the passenger to feel some inconvenience is limited to a case where the passenger has the large body size and the passenger seat is unable to be slid rearwardly. Thus, according to the battery mounting device, the sufficiently-large battery storage space can be secured, properly suppressing any bad influence caused by the battery occupying some space in the cabin.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the toe board arranged above the floor panel is provided to be inclined such that a forward side thereof is located at a higher level than a rearward side thereof.

According to this embodiment, since the toe board is provided near the toe of the passenger to be inclined such that its forward side is located relatively at the higher level, the passenger can utilize the toe board a footrest, so that the feeling of oppression given to the passenger can be minimized, securing the sufficiently-large space for the battery. Further, since the battery is covered with the toe board, it can be properly prevented that even in a case where the battery receives an excessively-large force from a foot of the passenger during deceleration of the vehicle or the like, the battery gets damage because of this excessively-large force acting on the battery.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the battery arranged above the floor panel and below the toe board is provided to be inclined such that a forward side thereof is located at a higher level than a rearward side thereof.

According to this embodiment, since the battery is inclined such that its forward side is located relatively at the higher level s well as the toe board, it is unlikely that there occurs a dead space below the toe board, thereby utilizing the space effectively.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the toe board is provided with a fragile portion at an inward part, in a vehicle width direction, of the toe board such that the fragile portion of the toe board is deformed preferentially in a vehicle side collision.

According to this embodiment, the fragile portion is provided at the inward part, in the vehicle width direction, of the toe board. Thereby, this fragile portion is deformed in the vehicle side collision or the like, so that the battery is allowed to move and thereby it can be properly suppressed that the battery itself gets some damage.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a cooling duct where battery-cooling air flows is provided below the fragile portion of the toe board.

According to this embodiment, since the cooling duct is provided below the fragile portion of the toe board, this cooling duct is deformed in the vehicle side collision or the like as well as the fragile portion of the toe board, so that it can be properly suppressed that the battery itself gets some damage.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the battery mounting device further comprises a wire harness electrically coupled to the battery, wherein the toe board is made of metal and provided so as to cover the wire harness.

In general, large current flows through the wire harness coupled to the battery, and therefore electromagnetic waves are radiated from the wire harness. Accordingly, there is a concern that if a communication device and the like are positioned neat the wire harness, these devises may malfunction. According to this embodiment, however, since the wire harness is covered with the metal-made toe board, the electromagnetic waves radiated from the wire harness can be shielded, so that the communication device and the like can be prevented from malfunctioning.

Other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings.

