IP Library Granted Patent US 8,827,023
Granted Patent B2
US 8,827,023 · App. 13/778,641 · Granted Sep 9, 2014

Hybrid vehicle

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,827,023
App. No.
13/778,641
Granted
Sep 9, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle including: a propeller shaft that transmits a driving force in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body; and a battery unit that is disposed below the propeller shaft under the floor of the vehicle body so that the battery unit is detachable from the vehicle body when the propeller shaft is pushed down.

Claims (24)

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

a propeller shaft to transmit a driving force in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body; and

a battery unit disposed below the propeller shaft under a floor of the vehicle body and configured to be detachable from the vehicle body when the propeller shaft is pushed down, wherein

the battery unit includes a housing having a pair of side sections disposed to the left and right of the propeller shaft under the floor of the vehicle body and configured to house a battery, and a central section configured to connect the pair of side sections below the propeller shaft, and

the propeller shaft is housed in a space enclosed by the pair of side sections and the central section of the housing, and the floor of the vehicle body.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the battery unit is detachably mounted to the floor of the vehicle body, so that the battery unit is configured to at least partially detach from the vehicle body by the housing being pushed down by the propeller shaft being pushed down.

3. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

a propeller shaft to transmit a driving force in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body; and

a battery unit disposed below the propeller shaft under a floor of the vehicle body and configured to be detachable from the vehicle body when the propeller shaft is pushed down, wherein

the battery unit includes a housing having a pair of side sections disposed to the left and right of the propeller shaft under the floor of the vehicle body and configured to house a battery, and a central section configured to connect the pair of side sections below the propeller shaft,

the propeller shaft is housed in a space enclosed by the pair of side sections and the central section of the housing, and the floor of the vehicle body,

the battery unit is detachably mounted to the floor of the vehicle body, so that the battery unit is configured to at least partially detach from the vehicle body by the housing being pushed down by the propeller shaft being pushed down, and

the battery unit is mounted to the floor of the vehicle body by a plurality of mounting members arranged at front and rear positions of the vehicle body, and the connection between the battery unit and the vehicle body via at least one front mounting member is configured to release by the housing being pushed down by the propeller shaft being pushed down.

4. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a retaining member configured to connect the housing of the battery unit to the vehicle body,

wherein the retaining member is configured to retain the housing after a detachment of the housing at the front position due to the release of the connection between the battery unit and the vehicle body via the at least one front mounting member.

5. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising

a power cable connecting the battery unit to the vehicle body and configured to electrically separate the battery unit from the vehicle body by a detachable plug and receptacle structure.

6. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein

the detachable plug and receptacle structure is configured to electrically separate the battery unit from the vehicle body after a detachment of the battery unit from the vehicle body.

7. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein

the propeller shaft is connected to an engine disposed at a front position of the vehicle body and has a coupling or a bearing at a location rearward of the front mounting members,

the coupling or bearing is configured such that, when the engine is pushed back, the propeller shaft is bent at the coupling or the bearing, and the housing is pushed down, thereby causing the battery unit to detach at the front location.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 12, 2017
From: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: SUBARU CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042624/0886 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Nov 12, 2014
From: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 034215/0580 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Oct 31, 2014
From: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 034114/0841 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 27, 2013
From: MATSUDA, HIROSHI; NARUKE, TOSHIAKI; IIDA, MINORU
To: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 029887/0262 →