JP7753859B2 - Vehicle drive unit - Google Patents

Description

The technology disclosed herein relates to a vehicle drive system.

Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle drive unit. This drive unit includes a first electric motor and a second electric motor. The shaft on the first electric motor side and the shaft on the second electric motor side are coaxial and connected to each other via a bushing. The two shafts rotate integrally.

An oil passage through which oil flows is formed inside each of the two shafts. The two oil passages are connected to each other. The bushing acts as an oil seal between the two oil passages. Because the two shafts are connected to each other, the oil supply structure to the first electric motor and the second electric motor is simple.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-175951

The conventional drive unit described in Patent Document 1 is a drive unit for a parallel hybrid vehicle. The shaft on the first electric motor side and the shaft on the second electric motor side are connected to each other. Therefore, the oil passages of the two shafts can be connected by a bushing that functions as an oil seal.

A series hybrid vehicle drive system has a first electric motor (i.e., motor) for vehicle propulsion and a second electric motor (i.e., generator) used only for generating electricity. In a series hybrid vehicle drive system, the motor shaft and the generator shaft are not connected. Therefore, the conventional oil supply structure of a parallel hybrid vehicle drive system cannot be applied to a series hybrid vehicle drive system. A new oil supply structure is required for a series hybrid vehicle drive system. However, if, for example, a path for supplying oil to the motor shaft and a path for supplying oil to the generator shaft were provided independently of each other, the oil supply structure would become complicated.

The technology disclosed herein provides a new oil supply structure for a vehicle drive system equipped with two electric motors.

The technology disclosed herein relates to a vehicle drive device.
a motor for driving a vehicle, the motor having a motor shaft extending in a first direction;
a generator located to the side of the motor in the first direction, having a generator shaft extending in the first direction, and configured to generate electricity to be supplied to the motor;
a housing that accommodates the motor and the generator,
the housing has a partition wall located between the motor and the generator, and a common passage for supplying oil to the motor and the generator is formed in the partition wall;
a first end of the motor shaft and a second end of the generator shaft are adjacent to each other at a position corresponding to the partition wall, and a first shaft passage formed in the motor shaft opens to the first end, and a second shaft passage formed in the generator shaft opens to the second end;
The engine further includes a distributor that is held by the housing and connected to the common passage, does not contact the motor shaft and the generator shaft, and distributes oil supplied from the common passage through an opening to each of the first shaft passage and the second shaft passage.

According to this configuration, the vehicle drive device includes a motor and a generator. The motor and generator are aligned in a first direction within the housing. A partition wall is located between the motor and the generator.

The first end of the motor shaft and the second end of the generator shaft are adjacent to each other at a position corresponding to the partition wall. However, the motor shaft and the generator shaft are not connected. Therefore, the first shaft passage opening at the first end and the second shaft passage opening at the second end are not directly connected.

The vehicle drive unit includes a distributor. The distributor is held in a housing. The distributor does not contact the motor shaft or the generator shaft. The distributor does not connect the motor shaft and the generator shaft so that they rotate as a single unit. The distributor does not adversely affect the rotation of the motor shaft or the generator shaft.

The distributor is connected to a common passage formed in the partition wall. The distributor distributes oil supplied from the common passage to each of the first and second shaft passages. The first shaft passage supplies the supplied oil to the motor. The second shaft passage supplies the supplied oil to the generator. Because the common passage formed in the partition wall is common to both the oil supply to the motor and the oil supply to the generator, the oil supply structure is simple.

the motor shaft and the generator shaft are coaxially positioned;
The first end of the motor shaft and the second end of the generator shaft may face each other at a position corresponding to the partition wall.

In this way, the distributor distributes oil through the opposing first end of the motor shaft and the second end of the generator shaft. This simplifies the distributor's structure. Furthermore, coaxial arrangement of the motor shaft and generator shaft is advantageous for making the vehicle drive unit more compact when the outer diameters of the motor and generator are the same or approximately the same.

At least one of the bearing of the motor shaft and the bearing of the generator shaft is a proximity bearing located close to the distributor,
The distributor has a first insertion portion that is inserted into the first shaft passage from the opening at the first end without contacting the first shaft passage, and a second insertion portion that is inserted into the second shaft passage from the opening at the second end without contacting the second shaft passage,
The distributor further includes a partition wall that separates the first end from the second end, thereby supplying oil leaking from the opening of the first end or the second end to the adjacent bearing .

Because the distributor is not in contact with the motor shaft and generator shaft, some of the oil supplied from the distributor to the motor shaft and generator shaft leaks from the gap between the distributor and the motor shaft and the gap between the distributor and the generator shaft.

The distributor has a partition wall. The partition wall separates the first end from the second end. The partition wall prevents oil leaking from the opening at the first end or the second end from flowing to the opposite side of the partition wall. The leaked oil flows to the adjacent bearing close to the distributor. The oil is supplied to the adjacent bearing. The distributor supplies oil to the motor and generator, as well as to the bearing supporting the motor shaft and/or the bearing supporting the generator shaft, thereby simplifying the oil supply structure in the vehicle drive system.

one of the motor shaft bearing and the generator shaft bearing is a proximity bearing located close to the distributor, and the other is a spaced apart bearing located away from the distributor, and an oil seal is located on the shaft between the spaced apart bearing and the opening;
a communication port that communicates the motor shaft side with the generator shaft side is formed in the partition wall,
the oil seal prevents oil leaking from the opening from flowing toward the spaced bearing;
The leaked oil flows through the communication port toward the adjacent bearing.

The partition is located between the first end of the motor shaft and the second end of the generator shaft. The partition prevents oil leaking from the first end from flowing toward the generator shaft, and prevents oil leaking from the second end from flowing toward the motor shaft.

A communication port formed in the partition connects the motor shaft side and the generator shaft side. Oil can flow from the motor shaft side to the generator shaft side and from the generator shaft side to the motor shaft side through the communication port.

The oil seal is provided on either the motor shaft or the generator shaft, whichever is supported by the spaced bearing. The oil seal is located between the spaced bearing and the opening at the end of the shaft supported by the spaced bearing. The oil seal prevents oil leaking from the opening from flowing toward the spaced bearing. Oil can be supplied to the spaced bearing via a separate route.

Oil whose flow is restricted by the oil seal flows toward the partition wall located on the opposite side of the separated bearing. The oil then flows through the communication port toward the adjacent bearing. The adjacent bearing is supplied with oil that flows through the communication port and oil that leaks from the opening in the shaft supported by the adjacent bearing. This oil supply structure allows for an appropriate supply of oil to the adjacent bearing.

The distributor comprises:
an insertion portion that is inserted through an opening of the shaft passage and that injects oil into the shaft passage;
The shaft passage may have a loose fit portion at an opening thereof that is fitted onto an inner circumferential surface of the shaft passage with a gap therebetween.

The insertion portion can appropriately supply oil into the first and/or second shaft passages. The loose-fitting portion located at the opening of the shaft passage reduces the gap between the insertion portion and the inner circumferential surface of the first and/or second shaft passage, effectively preventing oil leakage from the opening.

As described above, the vehicle drive system can distribute and supply oil to both the motor and the generator with a simple configuration.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a vehicle drive system. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the front of the vehicle as seen from above. FIG. 3 shows a front view of the vehicle drive device. FIG. 4 shows a cross section taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 shows a cross section taken along line VV in FIG. FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the distributor. FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the drive motor, generator, and distributor. FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the distributor as seen from the drive motor side. FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the distributor as seen from the generator side.

Embodiments of a vehicle drive device will be described below with reference to the drawings. The vehicle drive device described here is an example.

(Overall configuration of vehicle drive device)
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle drive system. Fig. 1 only shows a schematic diagram of each element constituting a drive system P mounted on a vehicle 1. The position of each element in Fig. 1 does not limit the actual position of each element.

Vehicle 1 is a series hybrid vehicle. Vehicle 1 is equipped with a drive system P consisting of an electric drive unit 10 for propelling vehicle 1 using electric power and an engine E for generating electricity.

The electric drive unit 10 has a drive motor 11, a reducer 12, and a generator 13. The drive motor 11 is driven by a supply of electric power. The reducer 12 reduces the output of the drive motor 11. The generator 13 generates electricity to be supplied to the drive motor 11.

The engine E is connected to the generator 13. The engine E drives the generator 13 to generate electricity. The power for propelling the vehicle 1 is generated by the drive motor 11. The power generated by the drive motor 11 is changed in speed by the reducer 12 and then transmitted to the drive wheels 92 (here, the front wheels) via the differential device 91.

The vehicle 1 is equipped with a high-voltage battery B1 and a low-voltage battery B2. The high-voltage battery B1 is charged with electricity generated by the generator 13. A power generation inverter 22 is provided between the generator 13 and the high-voltage battery B1. The power generation inverter 22 is electrically connected to the generator 13 and the high-voltage battery B1. Electricity generated from the generator 13 is supplied to the high-voltage battery B1 via the power generation inverter 22. A motor inverter 21 is provided between the drive motor 11 and the high-voltage battery B1. The motor inverter 21 is electrically connected to the drive motor 11 and the high-voltage battery B1. The motor inverter 21 converts electricity from the high-voltage battery B1 into power for driving the drive motor 11 and outputs it to the drive motor 11. A DC-DC converter 23 is provided between the high-voltage battery B1 and the low-voltage battery B2. The DC-DC converter 23 is electrically connected to the high-voltage battery B1 and the low-voltage battery B2. Electricity from the high-voltage battery B1 is supplied to the low-voltage battery B2 via the DC-DC converter 23. Electricity generated by the generator 13 is supplied to the low-voltage battery B2 via a power generation inverter 22 and a DC-DC converter 23. The motor inverter 21, power generation inverter 22, and DC-DC converter 23 form a control unit 20 that controls the electric drive unit 10.

(Drive unit mounting structure on vehicle)
2 shows a plan view of the front of the vehicle 1 as seen from above. In the following description, the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively. When looking from the rear to the front, the left side is referred to as the left, and the right side is referred to as the right. The left and right directions are also the vehicle width directions.

The drive unit P is disposed in a power unit room 2 formed in the front of the vehicle 1. More specifically, the vehicle 1 has a pair of left and right front side frames 31 extending in the longitudinal direction, and the power unit room 2 for disposing the drive unit P is formed between these left and right front side frames 31. The drive unit P is supported by the left and right front side frames 31 via support members 32.

As shown in Figure 3, the electric drive unit 10 and the control unit 20 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. Specifically, the control unit 20 is located above the electric drive unit 10.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the drive motor 11, reducer 12, and generator 13 are housed within the housing 100. The housing 100 is constructed by integrating multiple components. The housing 100 has a first housing 110, a second housing 120, a right end cover 130, and a left end cover 140.

The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 each have a cylindrical shape with both ends open. The right end cover 130 and the left end cover 140 each have a lid shape with one end closed. The second housing 120 is located on the left side of the first housing 110, and the left end cover 140 is located on the left side of the second housing 120. The right end cover 130 is located on the right side of the first housing 110. The right end cover 130, first housing 110, second housing 120, and left end cover 140 are arranged in that order from right to left. The first housing 110, second housing 120, left end cover 140, and right end cover 130 are integrated by bolting together flanges located on the left and right ends.

The first housing 110, second housing 120, left end cover 140, and right end cover 130 are each made of, for example, an aluminum alloy and are formed by casting.

The engine E is disposed to the left of the left end cover 140. In other words, the engine E is located to the left of the electric drive unit 10.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first housing 110 has partition walls 111 for dividing the interior of the housing 100 into multiple compartments. The partition walls 111 extend in a direction intersecting the left-right direction at a central position in the left-right direction of the first housing 110. More specifically, the partition walls 111 extend in both the up-down direction and the front-to-rear direction, which are perpendicular to the left-right direction (see also FIG. 4). The second housing 120 has partition walls 121. The partition walls 121 also extend in a direction intersecting the left-right direction, more specifically, in both the up-down direction and the front-to-rear direction, which are perpendicular to the left-right direction, at a central position in the left-to-right direction of the second housing 120.

The drive motor 11 is housed in a first chamber 101 separated by the right end cover 130 and the partition wall 111 of the first housing 110. The generator 13 is housed in a third chamber 103 separated by the partition wall 121 of the second housing 120 and the left end cover 140. The reducer 12 is housed in a second chamber 102 separated by the partition walls 111 and 121.

(Each element of the electric drive unit)
(Drive motor)
The drive motor 11 includes a rotor 11a, a stator 11b, and a motor shaft 11c. A rotating magnetic field is generated when a three-phase alternating current is supplied to the stator 11b, and the rotor 11a and the motor shaft 11c are rotated by the rotating magnetic field.

The rotor 11a is located in the first chamber 101. The rotor 11a has a magnet and a magnetic material. The rotor 11a is fixed to the motor shaft 11c. The rotor 11a and the motor shaft 11c rotate together.

The motor shaft 11c extends in the left-right direction. The first bearing 11d rotatably supports the right end of the motor shaft 11c. The right end cover 130 holds the first bearing 11d. The left end of the motor shaft 11c extends through the partition wall 111 of the first housing 110 to the second chamber 102. The second bearing 11e rotatably supports the left end of the motor shaft 11c. The first boss 122, which is formed integrally with the partition wall 121, holds the second bearing 11e. The first boss 122 protrudes rightward from the partition wall 121 into the second chamber 102.

The stator 11b surrounds the rotor 11a. The stator 11b has a coil. The stator 11b is held by the first housing 110 and the right end cover 130.

(generator)
The generator 13 includes a rotor 13a, a stator 13b, and a generator shaft 13c. When the generator shaft 13c and the rotor 13a are rotated by the power of the engine E, the stator 13b generates electricity by electromagnetic induction.

The rotor 13a is located in the third chamber 103. The rotor 13a has a magnet and a magnetic material. The rotor 13a is fixed to the generator shaft 13c. The rotor 13a and the generator shaft 13c rotate together.

The generator shaft 13c extends in the left-right direction. In this configuration example, the generator shaft 13c and the motor shaft 11c are positioned coaxially. However, the generator shaft 13c and the motor shaft 11c may be misaligned. The third bearing 13d rotatably supports the right end of the generator shaft 13c. The second boss portion 123, which is formed integrally with the partition wall 121, holds the third bearing 13d. The second boss portion 123 protrudes leftward from the partition wall 121 into the third chamber 103. The right end of the generator shaft 13c and the left end of the motor shaft 11c face each other with a gap between them at positions corresponding to the partition wall 121.

The left end of the generator shaft 13c passes through the left end cover 140 and extends to the left. The left end of the generator shaft 13c is connected to the output shaft of the engine E. The fourth bearing 13e rotatably supports the left end of the generator shaft 13c. The left end cover 140 holds the fourth bearing 13e.

The stator 13b surrounds the rotor 13a. The stator 13b has a coil. The stator 13b is held by the second housing 120 and the left end cover 140.

The outer diameter of the drive motor 11 is the same as the outer diameter of the generator 13. More specifically, the outer diameter of the rotor 11a of the drive motor 11 is the same as the outer diameter of the rotor 13a of the generator 13, and the outer diameter of the stator 11b of the drive motor 11 is the same as the outer diameter of the stator 13b of the generator 13. The motor shaft 11c and the generator shaft 13c are positioned coaxially. The outer periphery of the front side of the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 is an arc-shaped outer periphery of the same size so that drive motors 11 and generators 13 with the same outer diameter can be accommodated (see Figure 4).

(reduction gear)
As described above, the reducer 12 is located between the drive motor 11 and the generator 13. The reducer 12 is located to the left of the drive motor 11 in the left-right direction. The reducer 12 is also located behind the motor shaft 11c in the front-rear direction.

The reducer 12 is connected to the motor shaft 11c. The reducer 12 is a parallel-axis gear reducer. As shown in FIG. 4, the reducer 12 has a first gear 12a, a second gear 12b, and a third gear 12c. The first gear 12a meshes with an output gear 11f fixed to the motor shaft 11c. The output gear 11f is located between the partition wall 111 and the second bearing 11e. The first gear 12a has a larger diameter than the output gear 11f.

The first gear 12a rotates integrally with the first shaft 12d. The first shaft 12d is parallel to the motor shaft 11c. More specifically, the first shaft 12d extends in the left-right direction at a position rearward of the motor shaft 11c. The housing 100 rotatably supports the first shaft 12d.

The second gear 12b is located to the left of the first gear 12a. The second gear 12b rotates integrally with the first shaft 12d and the first gear 12a. The second gear 12b has a smaller diameter than the first gear 12a.

The third gear 12c meshes with the second gear 12b. The third gear 12c has a larger diameter than the second gear 12b. The third gear 12c rotates integrally with the second shaft 12e. The second shaft 12e is parallel to the motor shaft 11c and the first shaft 12d. More specifically, the second shaft 12e extends in the left-right direction at a position behind and below the first shaft 12d. The housing 100 rotatably supports the second shaft 12e.

The second shaft 12e is connected to the drive shaft 93 via the differential device 91. As shown in Figure 2, the drive shaft 93 extends to the left and right at a position rearward of the drive unit P. The reducer 12 reduces the output of the drive motor 11 at a predetermined reduction ratio and outputs the reduced output to the differential device 91.

(Outline of the oil supply system for the drive unit)
The drive device P includes a supply system 5 that supplies lubricating and/or cooling oil to each of the drive motor 11, the reducer 12, and the generator 13. The supply system 5 includes an oil pump 51, an oil cooler 52, an oil passage 6, and an oil pipe 7. The oil pipe 7 is divided into a first oil pipe 71 and a second oil pipe 72.

An oil reservoir 105 is formed at the bottom of the second chamber 102 inside the housing 100. As described below, oil supplied to the drive motor 11, reducer 12, and generator 13 falls due to gravity. The oil that falls flows laterally toward the center of the housing 100 and collects at the bottom of the second chamber 102. The oil circulates within the housing 100.

A strainer 53 is installed in the oil reservoir 105. The strainer 53 separates the oil from foreign matter. An oil temperature sensor 54 is also installed in the oil reservoir 105. The oil temperature sensor 54 measures the temperature of the oil stored in the oil reservoir 105.

The oil pump 51 is mounted on the outside of the housing 100. The oil pump 51 is mounted on the bottom of the housing 100. The oil pump 51 draws oil from the oil reservoir 105 through the strainer 53 and discharges it from the discharge port. The oil pump 51 is electrically driven.

A first oil pipe 71 is connected to the discharge port of the oil pump 51. The first oil pipe 71 is disposed within the second chamber 102. The first oil pipe 71 connects the oil pump 51 and the oil cooler 52.

The oil cooler 52 is a water-cooled heat exchanger that exchanges heat between cooling water and oil. In addition to cooling the oil, the cooling water also cools the electric drive unit 10 and control unit 20 of the drive unit P. The oil cooler 52 has a cooling water inlet 521 and outlet 522.

The oil cooler 52 is disposed downstream of the oil pump 51 in the oil supply system 5. The oil cooler 52 is located at the front of the lower part of the first housing 110. The oil pump 51 and oil cooler 52 are located at approximately the same height in the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 4, this position corresponds to a position below the drive motor 11. The oil cooler 52 is disposed so that it does not protrude forward beyond the front end of the housing 100. This arrangement is advantageous in terms of improving the collision safety of the vehicle 1.

A first through hole 112 and a second through hole 113 are formed in the partition wall 111 of the first housing 110 (see Figure 4). The first through hole 112 and the second through hole 113 each extend approximately radially, providing communication between the inside and outside of the housing 100. These first through hole 112 and second through hole 113 are cast holes formed, for example, during casting. The first through hole 112 is connected to the oil inlet of the oil cooler 52, and the second through hole 113 is connected to the oil outlet.

The first oil pipe 71 is connected to the first through-hole 112. The second oil pipe 72 is connected to the second through-hole 113. The second oil pipe 72 connects the oil cooler 52 and the oil passage 6.

The oil passage 6 consists of a main passage 60, multiple distribution passages 61-67, and a supply passage 68. These passages 60-68 are, for example, cast holes formed during casting.

The main passage 60 is located at the upper end of the housing 100. The main passage 60 extends in the left-right direction. The main passage 60 spans the right end cover 130, the first housing 110, the second housing 120, and the left end cover 140.

The distribution passages 61 to 67 branch off from the main passage 60. The first distribution passage 61 is formed at the right end of the right end cover 130. The first distribution passage 61 mainly supplies oil to the stator 11b and first bearing 11d of the drive motor 11.

The second distribution passage 62 is formed at the left end of the right end cover 130. The second distribution passage 62 mainly supplies oil to the stator 11b of the drive motor 11.

The third distribution passage 63 is formed to the right of the partition wall 111 of the first housing 110. The third distribution passage 63 mainly supplies oil to the stator 11b of the drive motor 11.

The fourth distribution passage 64 is formed in the partition wall 121 of the second housing 120. The fourth distribution passage 64 extends downward from the main passage 60 to near the positions of the motor shaft 11c and generator shaft 13c. The fourth distribution passage 64 supplies oil to the rotor 11a of the drive motor 11, the second bearing 11e, the third bearing 13d, and the rotor 13a of the generator 13 via the motor shaft 11c and the generator shaft 13c.

The fifth distribution passage 65 is formed to the left of the partition wall 121 of the second housing 120. The fifth distribution passage 65 mainly supplies oil to the stator 13b of the generator 13.

The sixth distribution passage 66 is formed midway between the left and right sides of the second housing 120. The sixth distribution passage 66 mainly supplies oil to the stator 13b of the generator 13.

The seventh distribution passage 67 is formed in the left end cover 140. The seventh distribution passage 67 mainly supplies oil to the stator 13b and fourth bearing 13e of the generator 13.

The supply passage 68 is formed in the partition wall 111 of the first housing 110. As shown in FIG. 4, the supply passage 68 is formed directly above the motor shaft 11c. The supply passage 68 supplies oil to the main passage 60. The upper end of the supply passage 68 is connected to the main passage 60. The supply passage 68 also extends downward from the main passage 60. The lower end of the supply passage 68 is located above the motor shaft 11c and near the outer periphery of the rotor 11a of the drive motor 11. The supply passage 68 supplies oil to the rotor 11a of the drive motor 11 and also to the reducer 12.

A communication hole 681 is formed in the middle of the supply passage 68. The communication hole 681 opens leftward on the left surface of the partition wall 111. The second oil pipe 72 is connected to the communication hole 681.

Oil discharged from the oil pump 51 flows through the first oil pipe 71, oil cooler 52, and second oil pipe 72, before entering the supply passage 68. The oil flows from the supply passage 68 to the main passage 60 and is supplied to the drive motor 11, reducer 12, and generator 13 via each of the distribution passages 61-67 or from the supply passage 68.

(Structure of distributor)
As described above, the fourth distribution passage 64 formed in the partition wall 121 of the second housing 10 supplies oil to the rotor 11a of the drive motor 11, the second bearing 11e, the third bearing 13d, and the rotor 13a of the generator 13 via the motor shaft 11c and the generator shaft 13c.

As shown enlarged in Figure 6, the left end of the motor shaft 11c and the right end of the generator shaft 13c face each other at a distance in the left-right direction at the partition wall 121. A distributor 4 is interposed between the left end of the motor shaft 11c and the right end of the generator shaft 13c (see also Figure 7).

The distributor 4 distributes oil from the fourth distribution passage 64 to the motor shaft 11c and the generator shaft 13c. The fourth distribution passage 64 is an example of a common passage. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the distributor 4 has a partition wall 40, a first insertion portion 41, a second insertion portion 42, and a loose-fitting portion 43.

The distributor 4 is held in a recess 124 formed in the partition wall 121. The recess 124 is formed by the partition wall 121 recessing from left to right at the location of the first boss 122 that protrudes to the right from the partition wall 121. The recess 124 opens to the left. The recess 124 is connected to the second boss 123.

The partition wall 40 of the distributor 4 has a disk shape that extends in a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction. A fitting portion 44 that rises from the partition wall 40 to the left is integrally formed on the outer peripheral edge of the partition wall 40. The partition wall 40 is inserted into the opening of the recessed portion 124 from the left, and the fitting portion 44 fits into the recessed portion 124, thereby holding the distributor 4 in the housing 100. The partition wall 40 separates the left end of the motor shaft 11c and the right end of the generator shaft 13c.

The third bearing 13d, held by the second boss portion 123, is located to the left of the distributor 4. The third bearing 13d is close to the distributor 4. The third bearing 13d is an example of a close-in bearing. The second bearing 11e, which supports the motor shaft 11c, is spaced apart from the distributor 4 (see Figures 5 and 7). The second bearing 11e is an example of a spaced-apart bearing.

A connection passage 45 connected to the fourth distribution passage 64 is formed in the partition wall 40. The connection passage 45 extends in the vertical direction when the distributor 4 is attached to the housing 100. The upper end of the connection passage 45 opens into the fitting portion 44. When the distributor 4 is attached to the housing 100, the lower end of the fourth distribution passage 64 and the upper end of the connection passage 45 are connected.

The lower end of the connecting passage 45 extends to the center of the partition wall 40. A first independent passage 46 and a second independent passage 47 are connected to the lower end of the connecting passage 45. The first independent passage 46 extends to the right from the connecting passage 45. The first independent passage 46 and the connecting passage 45 are perpendicular to each other. The second independent passage 47 extends to the left from the connecting passage 45. The second independent passage 47 and the connecting passage 45 are perpendicular to each other.

The first independent passage 46 is formed in the first insertion portion 41. The first insertion portion 41 extends rightward from the center of the partition wall 40. The first independent passage 46 opens at the tip of the first insertion portion 41. The first insertion portion 41 is inserted into the first shaft passage 11g formed in the motor shaft 11c. The first independent passage 46 supplies oil from the fourth distribution passage 64, which is a common passage, to the first shaft passage 11g.

As shown in Figure 5, the first shaft passage 11g extends in the left-right direction over the entire length of the motor shaft 11c, from the right end to the left end. The first shaft passage 11g opens to both the right and left ends of the motor shaft 11c. The opening at the right end of the first shaft passage 11g is closed. The first insertion portion 41 is inserted into the first shaft passage 11g from the opening at the left end of the motor shaft 11c. The first insertion portion 41 extends to the right within the first shaft passage 11g. Oil is discharged from the tip of the first insertion portion 41 into the first shaft passage 11g.

The motor shaft 11c is formed with a first oil passage 11h, a second oil passage 11i, and a third oil passage 11j. The first oil passage 11h, the second oil passage 11i, and the third oil passage 11j are each connected to the first shaft passage 11g and extend radially outward from the first shaft passage 11g. The first oil passage 11h, the second oil passage 11i, and the third oil passage 11j each open onto the outer peripheral surface of the motor shaft 11c. As the motor shaft 11c rotates, the oil flowing through the first shaft passage 11g is sprayed radially outward from the openings of the first oil passage 11h, the second oil passage 11i, and the third oil passage 11j.

The first oil passage 11h is located near the right end of the motor shaft 11c. The first oil passage 11h opens near the right side surface of the rotor 11a. The first oil passage 11h supplies oil to the rotor 11a.

The second oil passage 11i is located near the center of the motor shaft 11c. The second oil passage 11i opens near the left side of the rotor 11a. The second oil passage 11i supplies oil to the rotor 11a.

The third oil passage 11j is located near the left end of the motor shaft 11c. The third oil passage 11j opens near the left side of the second bearing 11e. The third oil passage 11j supplies oil to the second bearing 11e (see also Figure 6).

The second independent passage 47 of the distributor 4 is formed in the second insertion portion 42. The second insertion portion 42 extends leftward from the center of the partition wall 40. The second independent passage 47 opens at the tip of the second insertion portion 42. The second insertion portion 42 is inserted into the second shaft passage 13f formed in the generator shaft 13c. The second independent passage 47 supplies oil from the fourth distribution passage 64, which is a common passage, to the second shaft passage 13f.

As shown in FIG. 5, the second shaft passage 13f extends continuously from the right end of the generator shaft 13c to the middle of the generator shaft 13c. The second shaft passage 13f opens at the right end of the generator shaft 13c. The second insertion portion 42 is inserted into the second shaft passage 13f from the opening at the right end of the generator shaft 13c. The second insertion portion 42 extends leftward within the second shaft passage 13f. Oil is discharged from the tip of the second insertion portion 42 into the second shaft passage 13f.

A fourth oil passage 13g and a fifth oil passage 13h are formed in the generator shaft 13c. The fourth oil passage 13g and the fifth oil passage 13h are each connected to the second shaft passage 13f and extend radially outward from the second shaft passage 13f. The fourth oil passage 13g and the fifth oil passage 13h each open onto the outer peripheral surface of the generator shaft 13c. As the generator shaft 13c rotates, the oil flowing through the second shaft passage 13f is sprayed radially outward from the openings of the fourth oil passage 13g and the fifth oil passage 13h.

The fourth oil passage 13g is located on the right side of the generator shaft 13c. The fourth oil passage 13g opens near the right side of the rotor 13a. The fourth oil passage 13g supplies oil to the rotor 13a.

The fifth oil passage 13h is located on the left side of the generator shaft 13c. The fifth oil passage 13h opens near the left side of the rotor 13a. The fifth oil passage 13h supplies oil to the rotor 13a.

In this configuration example, the diameter of the second independent passage 47 is smaller than the diameter of the first independent passage 46. The ratio of the diameters of the first independent passage 46 and the second independent passage 47 may be set according to the ratio of the amount of oil supplied to the motor shaft 11c side and the amount of oil supplied to the generator shaft 13c side. The amount of oil supplied to the motor shaft 11c side and the amount of oil supplied to the generator shaft 13c side can be set according to the amount of heat generated by the drive motor 11 and the amount of heat generated by the generator 13. The diameter of the second independent passage 47 may be larger than the diameter of the first independent passage 46. The diameters of the first independent passage 46 and the second independent passage 47 may also be the same.

The diameter of the second insertion portion 42 is smaller than the diameter of the first insertion portion 41, corresponding to the diameter of the second independent passage 47 being smaller than the diameter of the first independent passage 46. The gap between the outer peripheral surface of the second insertion portion 42 and the inner peripheral surface of the second shaft passage 13f is relatively large. The gap between the outer peripheral surface of the first insertion portion 41 and the inner peripheral surface of the first shaft passage 11g is relatively small.

The loose fit portion 43 is integrally formed on the left side surface of the partition wall 40. The loose fit portion 43 protrudes leftward from the left side surface of the partition wall 40. The loose fit portion 43 is cylindrical and surrounds the second insertion portion 42. The loose fit portion 43 is located at the opening of the second shaft passage 13f. The loose fit portion 43 fits into the inner circumferential surface of the second shaft passage 13f with a small gap.

The distributor 4 is not in contact with the motor shaft 11c or the generator shaft 13c. The distributor 4 does not affect the rotation of the motor shaft 11c or the generator shaft 13c. Because the distributor 4 is not in contact with the motor shaft 11c, some of the oil supplied to the first shaft passage 11g passes through the gap between the outer circumferential surface of the first insertion portion 41 and the inner circumferential surface of the first shaft passage 11g and leaks out from the opening of the first shaft passage 11g. Similarly, because the distributor 4 is not in contact with the generator shaft 13c, some of the oil supplied to the second shaft passage 13f passes through the gap between the outer circumferential surface of the loose-fit portion 43 and the inner circumferential surface of the second shaft passage 13f and leaks out from the opening of the second shaft passage 13f. The loose-fit portion 43 reduces the area of the gap at the opening of the second shaft passage 13f, thereby regulating the amount of oil leakage.

The partition wall 40 prevents oil leaking out of the opening of the second shaft passage 13f from flowing to the right. The leaked oil is supplied to the third bearing 13d, as shown by the arrow in Figure 6.

An oil seal 48 is located within the recess 124 of the partition wall 121. The oil seal 48 is located between the left end of the motor shaft 11c and the second bearing 11e. More specifically, the oil seal 48 is adjacent to the right side of the partition wall 40 of the distributor 4.

As shown in Figure 8, the oil seal 48 is donut-shaped. The motor shaft 11c and first insertion portion 41 pass through the central opening of the oil seal 48. The peripheral edge of the oil seal 48 abuts against the inner circumferential surface of the recessed portion 124. The oil seal 48 prevents oil from leaking from the area to the left of the oil seal 48 to the area to the right. The left-end opening of the first shaft passage 11g is located in the area to the left of the oil seal 48. The second bearing 11e is located in the area to the right of the oil seal 48. The oil seal 48 prevents oil leaking from the left-end opening of the first shaft passage 11g from flowing toward the second bearing 11e.

As shown in FIG. 6, a second oil seal 49 is attached to the right end of the recess 124. The second oil seal 49 is fitted into a through hole 125 formed in the recess 124. The second oil seal 49 is donut-shaped. The motor shaft 11c passes through the central opening of the second oil seal 49. The second oil seal 49 is located to the left of the third oil passage 11j of the motor shaft 11c. The second oil seal 49 prevents oil supplied from the third oil passage 11j to the second bearing 11e from flowing to the right along the motor shaft 11c. The oil seal 48 and the second oil seal 49 form a space 410 around the right end of the motor shaft 11c that does not allow oil to flow in. This space 410 may accommodate, for example, an earth brush for the drive motor 11.

Communication openings 411 are formed in the partition wall 40. The communication openings 411 penetrate the partition wall 40 in the left-right direction. Two communication openings 411 are formed in the lower part of the partition wall 40. Each communication opening 411 extends in an arc shape.

Oil leaking out from the opening of the first shaft passage 11g is prevented from flowing to the right by the oil seal 48. The leaked oil flows through the communication port 411 to the area to the left of the partition wall 40, as shown by the arrow in Figure 6. The oil that flows to the left area through the communication port 411 is supplied to the third bearing 13d, which is close to the partition wall 40, together with oil that leaks out from the opening of the second shaft passage 13f.

In this way, the distributor 4 can distribute oil supplied from the fourth distribution passage 64 to the drive motor 11 and the generator 13. The fourth distribution passage 64 formed in the partition wall 121 is common to both the oil supply to the motor shaft 11c and the oil supply to the generator shaft 13c. The oil supply structure described above can supply oil to the motor shaft 11c and the generator shaft 13c, which are not connected to each other, with a simple configuration.

In addition to supplying oil to the motor shaft 11c and generator shaft 13c, the distributor 4 can also supply oil to the third bearing 13d that supports the generator shaft 13c. This further simplifies the oil supply structure in the drive unit P.

Here, the combination of the partition wall 40 having the communication port 411 and the oil seal 48 allows both the oil leaking from the first shaft passage 11g and the oil leaking from the second shaft passage 13f to be supplied to the third bearing 13d, so that a sufficient amount of oil is supplied to the third bearing 13d.

Furthermore, because the distributor 4 is equipped with the second insertion portion 42 and the loose-fitting portion 43, it is possible to supply an appropriate amount of oil to the second shaft passage 13f of the generator shaft 13c while preventing a large amount of oil from leaking from the opening of the generator shaft 13c. The necessary amount of oil is supplied to both the rotor 13a of the generator 13 and the third bearing 13d.

In the above configuration example, the motor shaft 11c and the generator shaft 13c are coaxial, but they are not limited to being coaxial. The motor shaft 11c and the generator shaft 13c may be offset. The distributor 4 may have a structure that corresponds to the position of the motor shaft 11c and the position of the generator shaft 13c.

In this configuration example, the outer diameter of the drive motor 11 and the outer diameter of the generator 13 are the same, so the coaxial arrangement of the motor shaft 11c and the generator shaft 13c is advantageous for reducing the size of the drive unit P.

The distributor 4 may also be configured to supply oil leaking from the shaft to the bearings supporting the drive motor 11.

Furthermore, the distributor 4 may have a loose-fitting portion 43 on the first insertion portion 41 side, or may have loose-fitting portions 43 on both the first insertion portion 41 side and the second insertion portion 42 side.

1 Vehicle 11 Drive motor 11c Motor shaft 11e Second bearing 11g First shaft passage 13 Generator 13c Generator shaft 13f Second shaft passage 13d Third bearing 100 Housing 121 Partition wall 4 Distributor 40 Partition wall 41 First insertion portion 42 Second insertion portion 43 Loose fit portion 48 Oil seal 411 Communication port 64 Fourth distribution passage (common passage)
P drive unit

Claims (3)

a motor for driving a vehicle, the motor having a motor shaft extending in a first direction;
a generator located to the side of the motor in the first direction, having a generator shaft extending in the first direction, and configured to generate electricity to be supplied to the motor;
a housing that accommodates the motor and the generator,
the housing has a partition wall located between the motor and the generator, and a common passage for supplying oil to the motor and the generator is formed in the partition wall;
a first end of the motor shaft and a second end of the generator shaft are adjacent to each other at a position corresponding to the partition wall, and a first shaft passage formed in the motor shaft opens to the first end, and a second shaft passage formed in the generator shaft opens to the second end;
a distributor held by the housing and connected to the common passage, not in contact with the motor shaft and the generator shaft, for distributing oil supplied from the common passage through an opening to each of the first shaft passage and the second shaft passage ;
the distributor has a first insertion portion that is inserted without contact from the opening of the first end into the first shaft passage, a second insertion portion that is inserted without contact from the opening of the second end into the second shaft passage, and a partition wall that separates the first end and the second end to supply oil leaking from the opening of the first end or the second end to the adjacent bearing,
one of the motor shaft bearing and the generator shaft bearing is a proximity bearing located close to the distributor, and the other is a spaced apart bearing located away from the distributor, and an oil seal is located on the shaft between the spaced apart bearing and the opening;
a communication port that communicates the motor shaft side with the generator shaft side is formed in the partition wall,
the oil seal prevents oil leaking from the opening from flowing toward the spaced bearing;
The vehicle drive device , wherein the leaked oil flows through the communication port toward the adjacent bearing . a motor for driving a vehicle, the motor having a motor shaft extending in a first direction;
a generator located to the side of the motor in the first direction, having a generator shaft extending in the first direction, and configured to generate electricity to be supplied to the motor;
a housing that accommodates the motor and the generator,
the housing has a partition wall located between the motor and the generator, and a common passage for supplying oil to the motor and the generator is formed in the partition wall;
a first end of the motor shaft and a second end of the generator shaft are adjacent to each other at a position corresponding to the partition wall, and a first shaft passage formed in the motor shaft opens to the first end, and a second shaft passage formed in the generator shaft opens to the second end;
a distributor held by the housing and connected to the common passage, not in contact with the motor shaft and the generator shaft, for distributing oil supplied from the common passage through an opening to each of the first shaft passage and the second shaft passage ;
the motor shaft and the generator shaft are coaxially positioned;
the first end of the motor shaft and the second end of the generator shaft face each other at a position corresponding to the partition wall,
the distributor has a first insertion portion that is inserted without contact from the opening of the first end into the first shaft passage, a second insertion portion that is inserted without contact from the opening of the second end into the second shaft passage, and a partition wall that separates the first end and the second end to supply oil leaking from the opening of the first end or the second end to the adjacent bearing,
one of the motor shaft bearing and the generator shaft bearing is a proximity bearing located close to the distributor, and the other is a spaced apart bearing located away from the distributor, and an oil seal is located on the shaft between the spaced apart bearing and the opening;
a communication port that communicates the motor shaft side with the generator shaft side is formed in the partition wall,
the oil seal prevents oil leaking from the opening from flowing toward the spaced bearing;
The vehicle drive device , wherein the leaked oil flows through the communication port toward the adjacent bearing . 3. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1,
The distributor comprises:
an insertion portion that is inserted through an opening of the shaft passage and that injects oil into the shaft passage;
A vehicle drive device having a loose fit portion at an opening of the shaft passage, the loose fit portion being fitted onto an inner circumferential surface of the shaft passage with a gap therebetween.