CN112042082B

CN112042082B - Motor unit

Info

Publication number: CN112042082B
Application number: CN201980027838.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 石川勇树; 中松修平; 三木孝广; 福永庆介
Original assignee: Nidec Corp
Current assignee: Nidec Corp
Priority date: 2018-04-25
Filing date: 2019-04-11
Publication date: 2023-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2039-04-11
Also published as: CN112005471A; WO2019208245A1; WO2019208244A1; CN112005471B; CN112042082A

Abstract

One embodiment of the motor unit of the present invention includes: a motor having a rotor that rotates around a motor axis and a stator that faces the rotor; a housing accommodating the motor; and an inverter unit, wherein the inverter unit has: an inverter electrically connected to the stator; and an inverter case that accommodates the inverter and is fixed to one side of the housing in a predetermined direction perpendicular to an axial direction, and an entire width of the inverter case is located inside the entire width of the housing in the axial direction.

Description

Motor unit

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a motor unit.

The present application claims priority based on Japanese patent application publication Nos. 2018-84461 at 25 in 2018 and 2018-246437 at 12 in 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Background

In recent years, development of a driving device mounted on an electric vehicle has been actively performed. Patent document 1 describes a motor unit connected to a PDU (power drive unit) having an inverter.

Prior art literature

Patent literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent application laid-open No. 2010-268633

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

It is required to suppress damage to the inverter when an excessive external force is applied to a motor unit having the inverter due to an accident or the like.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motor unit capable of protecting an inverter.

Means for solving the problems

One embodiment of the motor unit of the present invention is a motor unit including: a motor having a rotor that rotates around a motor axis and a stator that faces the rotor; a housing accommodating the motor; and an inverter unit, wherein the inverter unit has: an inverter electrically connected to the stator; and an inverter case that accommodates the inverter and is fixed to one side of the housing in a predetermined direction perpendicular to an axial direction, and an entire width of the inverter case is located inside the entire width of the housing in the axial direction.

Effects of the invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, a motor unit capable of protecting an inverter can be provided.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a motor unit according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 2 is a view of the motor unit of embodiment 1 from above.

Fig. 3 is a view of a part of the motor unit of embodiment 1 from above.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a part of the motor unit of embodiment 1, and is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a part of the motor unit of embodiment 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a motor unit according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 7 is a view of the motor unit of embodiment 1 from above.

Fig. 8 is a view of the motor unit of embodiment 1 as seen from the front side.

Fig. 9 is a right side view of the motor unit of embodiment 1.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a vehicle on which the motor unit according to embodiment 1 is mounted.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a motor unit according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 12 is a view of the motor unit of embodiment 2 from above.

Fig. 13 is a view of the motor unit of embodiment 3 from above.

Detailed Description

In the following description, a vertical direction is defined based on a positional relationship when the motor unit 1 of the present embodiment shown in fig. 1 is mounted on a vehicle on a horizontal road surface. In the drawings, an XYZ coordinate system is appropriately shown as a three-dimensional rectangular coordinate system. In the XYZ coordinate system, the Z-axis direction is a vertical direction with the +z side as the upper side and the-Z side as the lower side. The X-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction, and is a front-rear direction of a vehicle on which the motor unit 1 is mounted. In the present embodiment, the +x side is the front side of the vehicle, and the-X side is the rear side of the vehicle. The Y-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, and is a left-right direction of the vehicle. In the present embodiment, the +y side is the left side of the vehicle, and the-Y side is the right side of the vehicle. In the present embodiment, the right side corresponds to one axial side, and the left side corresponds to the other axial side. In the present embodiment, the front-rear direction corresponds to a predetermined direction.

The positional relationship in the front-rear direction is not limited to the positional relationship in the present embodiment, and the +x side may be the rear side of the vehicle, and the-X side may be the front side of the vehicle. In this case, the +y side is the right side of the vehicle, and the-Y side is the left side of the vehicle.

The motor axis J1 appropriately shown in each figure extends in the Y-axis direction, i.e., the left-right direction of the vehicle. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, a direction parallel to the motor axis J1 is simply referred to as an "axial direction", a radial direction centered on the motor axis J1 is simply referred to as a "radial direction", and a circumferential direction centered on the motor axis J1, that is, a direction around the motor axis J1 is simply referred to as a "circumferential direction". In the present specification, "parallel direction" also includes a substantially parallel direction, and "perpendicular direction" also includes a substantially perpendicular direction.

< embodiment 1 >

As shown in fig. 10, the motor unit 1 is mounted on the front side of a vehicle 100 using a motor as a power source, such as a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHV), and an Electric Vehicle (EV), and is used as the power source. The vehicle 100 is constituted by a vehicle body 105 and a chassis 102. The chassis 102 includes a motor unit 1 that rotates a plurality of wheels 103, a battery 104 that stores electric power to be supplied to the motor unit 1, and a wire harness 7 that electrically connects the battery 104 and the motor unit 1. As shown in fig. 1 to 4, the motor unit 1 has a housing 10, a motor 20, a rotation detecting device 30, and an inverter unit 40. As shown in fig. 9, the motor unit 1 includes a reduction gear 81 and a differential gear 82.

The inverter unit 40 is provided at a position on the rear side of the vehicle 100 than the motor housing 11 of the motor unit 1. Thus, even when the vehicle 100 collides with the front face, the motor housing 11 having higher rigidity than the inverter unit 40 collides with the front face, and damage to the inverter unit 40 can be prevented.

The housing 10 houses the motor 20, the rotation detecting device 30, the speed reducing device 81, and the differential device 82. Although not shown, oil is contained in the housing 10. As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the housing 10 has a motor housing 11, a gear housing 12, a motor cover 13, and a cover portion 14.

The motor housing 11 includes a motor housing main body portion 11a and a coupling portion 11b. As shown in fig. 4, the motor housing main body 11a is a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction so as to surround the motor axis J1. The motor housing main body 11a is opened rightward. The motor housing main body 11a houses the motor 20. As shown in fig. 3, the coupling portion 11b is provided at the left end of the motor case main body portion 11 a. The coupling portion 11b protrudes rearward from the motor case main body portion 11 a.

The gear housing 12 is fixed to the left side of the motor housing 11. More specifically, the right end of the gear housing 12 is fixed to the connecting portion 11b by a screw. Although not shown, the gear housing 12 is opened rightward. The gear housing 12 has a 1 st housing portion 12a and a 2 nd housing portion 12b. The 1 st housing 12a is located on the left side of the motor case main body 11 a. The 1 st housing portion 12a houses the reduction gear 81. The 2 nd housing 12b is connected to the rear side of the 1 st housing 12 a. The 2 nd housing portion 12b is located on the left side of a portion of the coupling portion 11b protruding rearward from the motor case main body portion 11 a. The 2 nd housing portion 12b houses the differential device 82. The 1 st housing 12a protrudes to the left side than the 2 nd housing 12b.

As shown in fig. 6, the gear housing 12 has a plurality of mounting portions 15B. The plurality of mounting portions 15B are cylindrical and protrude from the left-facing surface of the gear housing 12. The mounting portion 15B has an internally threaded hole 15a, and a screw for fixing the housing 10 to the vehicle body is screwed into the internally threaded hole 15a.

Ribs 17 are connected to 4 mounting portions 15B of the plurality of mounting portions 15B, respectively. One end of 3 ribs 17 is connected to each of the mounting portions 15B, and the other end of each rib 17 is provided with another mounting portion 15B. The ribs 17 connecting the 4 mounting portions 15B to each other are provided with 6. Here, the rib 17 connecting two mounting portions 15B located diagonally among the 4 mounting portions 15B is referred to as a cross rib 17A. The intersecting ribs 17A are provided in two, which intersect each other as seen in the axial direction.

According to the present embodiment, on the surface of the gear housing 12 facing the left side (right side of the paper surface of fig. 6), the plurality of attachment portions 15B are connected to each other via the rib 17. This improves the rigidity of the gear housing 12, and suppresses the vibration of the gear housing 12 that accompanies the driving of the reduction gear 81 and the differential gear 82. Further, the plurality of ribs 17 includes a pair of intersecting ribs 17A intersecting each other. Therefore, the rigidity of the gear housing 12 is further improved. In the present embodiment, the pair of intersecting ribs 17A overlap the differential gear 82 as viewed from the axial direction. Therefore, the pair of cross ribs 17A can effectively suppress the vibration of the gear housing 12 caused by the driving of the differential gear 82.

The motor cover 13 is fixed to the right side of the motor housing 11. More specifically, the motor cover 13 is fixed to the right end of the motor housing main body 11a by screws. As shown in fig. 4, the motor cover 13 closes the opening on the right side of the motor case main body 11 a. The motor cover 13 has a receiving recess 16 recessed to the left in a central portion.

The motor cover 13 has a plurality of mounting portions 15. The plurality of mounting portions 15 have a cylindrical shape protruding from the right-facing surface of the motor cover 13 toward the right. The plurality of mounting portions 15 are located radially outward of the accommodating recess 16. The mounting portion 15 has an internally threaded hole 15a, and a screw for fixing the housing 10 to the vehicle body is screwed into the internally threaded hole 15a. The housing 10 is fixed to a vehicle body as an object to be mounted via a mounting portion 15B of the gear housing 12 and a mounting portion 15 of the motor cover 13.

As shown in fig. 1, the plurality of mounting portions 15 of the motor cover 13 are arranged along the circumferential direction. As shown in fig. 2, the right end surface of the mounting portion 15 is the rightmost portion of the motor unit 1. That is, the housing 10 has a mounting portion 15 at the right end. As shown in fig. 4, the cover 14 is fixed to the right surface of the motor cover 13 by screws. The cover 14 is plate-shaped with the plate surface facing in the axial direction. The cover 14 closes the right opening of the storage recess 16.

The motor 20 is housed in the motor housing 11. The motor 20 has a rotor 21 and a stator 22. The rotor 21 rotates about the motor axis J1. The rotor 21 has a shaft 21a and a rotor body 21b. The shaft 21a extends in the axial direction along the motor axis J1. Although not shown, the outer shape of the shaft 21a as viewed in the axial direction is a circular shape centered on the motor axis J1. The shaft 21a is rotatably supported by a bearing 25. The bearing 25 is held on the motor housing 13. The right end of the shaft 21a is inserted into the inside of the housing recess 16. Although not shown, a reduction gear 81 is connected to the left end of the shaft 21a.

In the present embodiment, the shaft 21a is a hollow shaft in which an oil passage 21c is provided. The oil contained in the housing 10 is supplied to the oil passage 21 c. The oil passage 21c penetrates the shaft 21a in the axial direction. The rotor body 21b is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 21a. Although not shown, the rotor body 21b includes a rotor core and a rotor magnet.

The stator 22 is located radially outside the rotor 21. The stator 22 includes a stator core 23, an insulating material, not shown, and a plurality of coils 24. The stator core 23 is fixed inside the motor case main body 11 a. The plurality of coils 24 are mounted on the stator core 23 via an insulating material, not shown.

The rotation of the motor 20 is decelerated by the deceleration device 81 and transmitted to the differential device 82. The differential 82 transmits the torque output from the motor 20 to the axle of the vehicle. The differential device 82 has a function of absorbing a speed difference between the left and right wheels 103 and transmitting the same torque to the axles of the left and right wheels when the vehicle turns. The differential device 82 has a ring gear that rotates about a differential axis J3 parallel to the motor axis J1. The torque output from the motor 20 is transmitted to the ring gear via the reduction gear 81.

Next, a gear unit 80 including a reduction gear 81 and a differential gear 82 will be described with reference to fig. 9.

The gear portion 80 is housed in the gear housing 12. The gear portion 80 is connected to the motor 20 on the left side of the motor 20. The gear portion 80 has a reduction gear 81 and a differential gear 82.

The reduction gear 81 is connected to the shaft 21a on the left side of the motor axis J1. That is, the reduction gear 81 is connected to the motor 20. The torque output from the motor 20 is transmitted to an output shaft 87 via a reduction gear 81 and a differential gear 82. The output shaft 87 is provided with wheels of a vehicle.

The reduction gear 81 has a 1 st gear 83, a 2 nd gear 84, a 3 rd gear 85, and a drive shaft 88. The torque output from the motor 20 is transmitted to the ring gear 86 of the differential 82 via the shaft 21a, the 1 st gear 83, the 2 nd gear 84, the drive shaft 88, and the 3 rd gear 85. The gear ratio of each gear, the number of gears, etc. may be variously changed according to the desired reduction ratio. The reduction gear 81 is a parallel shaft gear type speed reducer in which the axes of the gears are arranged parallel to each other.

The 1 st gear 83 rotates together with the shaft 21a about the motor axis J1. The drive shaft 88 extends along an intermediate axis J2 parallel to the motor axis J1. The drive shaft 88 rotates about the intermediate axis J2. The 2 nd gear 84 and the 3 rd gear 85 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 88. The 2 nd gear 84 and the 3 rd gear 85 are connected by a drive shaft 88. The 2 nd gear 84 and the 3 rd gear 85 rotate centering around the intermediate axis J2. The 2 nd gear 84 is meshed with the 1 st gear 83. The 3 rd gear 85 meshes with the ring gear 86 of the differential gear 82.

The differential device 82 is connected to the reduction device 81. The differential device 82 is a device that transmits torque output from the motor 20 to wheels of a vehicle via an output shaft 87. The differential device 82 has a function of absorbing a speed difference between the left and right wheels and transmitting the same torque to the axles of the left and right wheels when the vehicle turns. The differential device 82 includes a ring gear 86, a gear housing (not shown), a pair of pinion gears (not shown), a pinion shaft (not shown), and a pair of side gears (not shown).

The ring gear 86 rotates about a differential axis J3 parallel to the motor axis J1. The torque output from the motor 20 is transmitted to the ring gear 86 via the reduction gear 81. That is, the ring gear 86 is connected to the motor 20 via other gears. A pair of pinion gears, not shown, are bevel gears facing each other. A pair of pinion gears are supported by a pinion shaft, not shown. The pair of side gears, not shown, are bevel gears that mesh at right angles to the pair of pinion gears. Each of the pair of side gears has an unillustrated fitting portion. The output shafts 87 are fitted to the fitting portions, respectively. The pair of output shafts 87 fitted in mutually different fitting portions rotate about the differential axis J3 with the same torque.

The rotation detection device 30 can detect the rotation of the rotor 21. The rotation detecting device 30 is accommodated in the accommodation recess 16. In the present embodiment, the rotation detection device 30 is, for example, a resolver. The rotation detecting device 30 has a resolver rotor 31 and a resolver stator 32. Resolver rotor 31 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the right end portion of shaft 21 a. Thereby, the rotation detection device 30 can detect the rotation of the rotor 21 at the right end of the rotor 21. Resolver stator 32 is located radially outward of resolver rotor 31. Resolver stator 32 is fixed to the inner surface of accommodation recess 16.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the inverter unit 40 is located at the rear side of the motor housing 11. The inverter unit 40 has an inverter case 41 and an inverter 44. That is, the motor unit 1 has an inverter case 41 and an inverter 44. Although not shown, the inverter 44 is electrically connected to the stator 22 to control the motor 20.

The inverter case 41 houses an inverter 44. The inverter case 41 is fixed to the housing 10. In the present embodiment, the inverter case 41 is fixed to the radially outer side surface of the housing 10. More specifically, the inverter case 41 is fixed to a rear portion of the radially outer side surface of the motor case main body 11 a. That is, the inverter case 41 is fixed to the rear side of the housing 10 in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

As shown in fig. 1, the inverter case 41 has a substantially rectangular box shape extending in the axial direction. The inverter case 41 includes an inverter case main body 42 and an inverter cover 43. The inverter case main body 42 is substantially rectangular box-shaped with an upper opening and a longer axial direction. As shown in fig. 3, a right end portion of the inverter case main body portion 42 is an inclined portion 42a at the case 10 side. The inclined portion 42a is separated from the housing 10 toward the rear side as it goes toward the right side. A gap G is provided between the inclined portion 42a and the radial direction of the housing 10. Thus, the right end of the inverter case 41 and the right end of the case 10 are disposed apart from each other in the radial direction through the gap G. As shown in fig. 5, the gap G extends in the vertical direction.

As shown in fig. 2, the inverter cover 43 closes the upper opening of the inverter case main body 42. The inverter cover 43 has a 1 st cover 43a and a 2 nd cover 43b. The 1 st cover 43a and the 2 nd cover 43b are members separated from each other. The 1 st cover 43a covers the upper side of the inverter 44. The 2 nd cover 43b is located on the left side of the 1 st cover 43 a. The 2 nd cover 43b covers the upper side of a bus bar, not shown, that supplies electric power supplied from the battery 104 to the inverter 44. A connector 45 is provided in front of the 2 nd cover 43b. The connector 45 is constituted by two connectors of the +side and the-side. The connector 45 is a so-called female connector, and is connected to a male connector, not shown, provided at an end of the wire harness 7 connected to the battery 104. That is, the battery 104 can be electrically connected to the inverter unit 40 via the connector 45.

As shown in fig. 2, the 1 st cover 43a is fixed to the inverter case main body 42 at the peripheral edge portion by a plurality of 1 st fixing screws 18A. A plurality of through holes (not shown) penetrating the 1 st cover 43a in the plate thickness direction are provided in the peripheral edge portion of the 1 st cover 43 a. The 1 st fixing screw 18A is inserted into the through hole of the 1 st cover 43a and screwed to the inverter case main body 42. Thereby, the 1 st cover 43a is fixed to the inverter case main body 42.

The 1 st fixing screws 18A are arranged at substantially equal intervals at the peripheral edge portion of the 1 st cover 43 a. Therefore, the surface pressure of the region where the peripheral edge portion of the 1 st cover 43a contacts the inverter case main body portion 42 can be made uniform, and the fixation of the 1 st cover 43a to the inverter case main body portion 42 can be stabilized. Further, the compression ratio of the sealing member (not shown) interposed between the 1 st cover 43a and the inverter case main body 42 can be made nearly uniform, and the sealing performance can be stabilized.

Here, the 1 st set screw 18A is "arranged at equal intervals" means that, as viewed from the insertion direction of the 1 st set screw 18A, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the distance dimensions between adjacent 1 st set screws 18A is within 5% of the distance dimensions. The same applies to the 2 nd fixing screw 18B described later, "equally spaced arrangement".

The 2 nd cover 43B is fixed to the inverter case main body 42 by a plurality of 2 nd fixing screws 18B at the peripheral edge portion, similarly to the 1 st cover 43 a. A plurality of through holes (not shown) penetrating the 2 nd cover 43b in the plate thickness direction are provided in the peripheral edge portion of the 2 nd cover 43 b. The 2 nd fixing screw 18B is inserted into the through hole of the 2 nd cover 43B, and is screwed to the inverter case main body 42. Thereby, the 2 nd cover 50 is fixed to the inverter case main body 42.

The 2 nd fixing screws 18B are disposed at equal intervals on the peripheral edge portion of the 2 nd cover 43B. Therefore, the 2 nd cover 43b is fixed to the inverter case main body 42 stably, and the sealing performance can be stabilized with the sealing member interposed therebetween, similarly to the 1 st cover 43 a.

According to the present embodiment, the 1 st cover 43a and the 2 nd cover 43B are fixed to the inverter case main body 42 by the fixing

screws

18A and 18B arranged at equal intervals. That is, according to the present embodiment, the inverter cover 43 is fixed to the inverter case main body 42 by the fixing screws 18A, 18B arranged at equal intervals.

The distance between the 1 st fixing screws 18A for fixing the 1 st cover 43a and the distance between the 2 nd fixing screws 18B for fixing the 2 nd cover 43B may be different from each other.

As shown in fig. 2, the upper surface of the inverter case main body 42 has an exposed portion 42c which is located between the 1 st cover 43a and the 2 nd cover 43b and is exposed upward when viewed from the upper side. The exposed portion 42c is located below the upper surface of the inverter cover 43. A drain hole 42d penetrating in the vertical direction is opened at the exposed portion 42c.

The exposed portion 42c is located below the inverter cover 43. Therefore, the liquid such as rainwater or dew condensation water dropped on the upper surface of the inverter unit 40 is concentrated on the exposed portion 42c. By opening the drain hole 42d in the exposed portion 42c, the liquid stored in the exposed portion 42c can be discharged to the lower side of the inverter unit 40 through the drain hole 42d.

As shown in fig. 6 and 8, the upper end of the inverter unit 40 is substantially the same as the upper end of the motor housing 11 in height. In addition, the upper end portion of the gear housing 12 provided on the right side of the motor housing 11 is provided on the lower side than the upper end portions of the motor housing 11 and the inverter unit 40.

As shown in fig. 6 and 8, the connector 45 is provided on the upper portion of the gear housing 12 to the left of the right end of the gear housing 12 and to the left of the motor housing 11. The connector 45 is located below the upper end of the motor housing 11. That is, the connector 45 is provided in the projection plane of the upper portion of the gear housing 12 and the Y axis side of the motor housing 11. Therefore, the damage of the connector 45 can be prevented by the motor housing 11 having high rigidity with respect to the side collision from the right side. In addition, with respect to a side collision from the left side, damage to the connector 45 can be prevented by the gear housing 12 having high rigidity.

As shown in fig. 7, the width of the inverter case 41 in the Y-axis direction is slightly smaller than that of the case 10. That is, if the width of the inverter case 41 is W1 and the width of the case 10 is W2, W2 > W1. The left end of the inverter case 41 is located on the right side with respect to the left end of the housing 10, and the right end of the inverter case 41 is located on the left side with respect to the right end of the housing 10. That is, in the Y-axis direction, the inverter case 41 is located inside the housing 10. In other words, the entire width of the inverter case 41 is located inside the entire width of the housing 10 in the axial direction. Therefore, in the case of a side collision, the case 10 having high rigidity collides first, and therefore damage to the inverter unit 40 can be prevented.

As shown in fig. 3, the rear end of the 2 nd housing 12b connected to the rear side of the 1 st housing 12a of the gear housing 12 and the rear end of the inverter unit 40 are located at substantially the same position. This can reduce the size of the entire motor unit 1.

As shown in fig. 9, the upper end of the ring gear 86 is located below the upper end of the motor 20. The inverter unit 40 is located above the ring gear 86 and the drive shaft 88. Further, the inverter unit 40 is located directly above the ring gear 86 and the output shaft 87. By such arrangement, the size of the entire motor unit 1 can be reduced. In addition, the inverter unit 40 can be accessed from the upper side.

The connector 45 connected to the inverter unit 40 is located directly above the ring gear 86, extending in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the connector 45 overlaps with the gear housing 12 when viewed from the up-down direction. According to the present embodiment, the connector 45 can be protected by the gear housing 12.

As shown in fig. 8, the motor unit 1 has an oil cooler 5 and an oil pump 6. An oil passage for supplying oil for cooling the motor 20 and improving lubricity of the reduction gear 81 and the differential gear is provided inside the casing 10. The oil cooler 5 and the oil pump 6 are disposed in the path of the oil passage. The oil cooler 5 cools the oil in the housing 10. The oil pump 6 pumps the oil in the casing 10 to circulate the oil in the oil passage.

The oil cooler 5 and the oil pump 6 are both fixed to the motor housing 11. The oil cooler 5 and the oil pump 6 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the motor axis J1.

The oil cooler 5 and the oil pump 6 are provided below the motor housing 11 and on the right side of the left end of the motor housing 11 and on the right side of the gear housing 12. The lower ends of the oil cooler 5 and the oil pump 6 are located above the lower end of the gear housing 12. That is, the oil cooler 5 and the oil pump 6 are provided in a projection plane of the lower portion of the motor housing 11 and the Y-axis side of the gear housing 12. Therefore, the damage to the oil cooler 5 and the oil pump 6 can be prevented by the gear housing 12 having high rigidity with respect to the side collision from the left side. In addition, with respect to a side collision from the right side, damage to the oil cooler 5 and the oil pump 6 can be prevented by the motor case 11 having high rigidity.

As shown in fig. 5, the motor unit 1 further includes a 1 st connector portion 51, a 2 nd connector portion 52, and a cable 60 connecting the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52. The 1 st connector portion 51 holds a terminal 70 electrically connected to the rotation detecting device 30. The 1 st connector 51 holds, for example, a terminal electrically connected to a temperature sensor, not shown. Although not shown, the 2 nd connector portion 52 holds terminals electrically connected to the inverter 44.

In the present specification, the "terminal electrically connected to each member" may be a terminal directly extending from each member, or may be a conductive member such as a bus bar electrically connected to the terminal of each member.

The 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes from the housing 10 in the 1 st direction D1. As shown in fig. 3, in the present embodiment, the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes from the radial outer side of the housing 10 toward the 1 st direction D1. In the present embodiment, the 1 st direction D1 is a direction inclined toward the axial direction with respect to the radial direction. More specifically, the 1 st direction D1 is a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and inclined to the right from the housing 10 toward the rear side. Thus, the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes from the radially outer side surface of the housing 10 toward the inverter case 41 side in the front-rear direction.

Here, a rotation detecting device that detects rotation of the rotor is often provided at an axial end portion of the shaft as in the present embodiment. Therefore, the connector portion holding the terminal of the rotation detection device often protrudes in the axial direction from the axial end portion of the housing. However, in this case, the connector portion is likely to be an axial end portion of the motor unit. Therefore, when an external force in the axial direction is applied to the motor unit, it is easy to directly apply an external force to the connector portion. Specifically, when an excessive external force is applied to the connector due to a side collision with the vehicle caused by a traffic accident, at least one of the connector portion and the connection member connected to the connector portion may be damaged. As a result, a problem may occur in connection between the connector portion and the connection member.

In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the 1 st connector portion 51 of the holding terminal 70 protrudes from the radially outer side surface of the housing 10 toward the inverter case 41 side in the front-rear direction. Therefore, when an external force in the axial direction is applied to the motor unit 1, it is possible to suppress the direct application of the external force to the 1 st connector portion 51. In addition, in the front-rear direction, the inverter case 41 is located on the side where the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes with respect to the housing 10. Therefore, when an external force in the front-rear direction is applied to the motor unit 1, the direct application of the external force to the 1 st connector portion 51 can be suppressed by the inverter case 41. In addition, even when external force in the vertical direction is applied to the motor unit 1, it is possible to suppress direct application of external force to the 1 st connector portion 51, as compared with the case where the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes in the vertical direction.

Therefore, even when an external force is applied to the motor unit 1, damage to the 1 st connector portion 51 and the cable 60 connected to the 1 st connector portion 51 can be suppressed. Further, since the 1 st connector portion 51 is provided on the radially outer side surface of the housing 10, workability of connection work of the cable 60 to the 1 st connector portion 51 can be ensured. As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress occurrence of a failure in connection between the 1 st connector portion 51 and the cable 60 while ensuring workability in connection of the 1 st connector portion 51 with the cable 60 as a connection member. In addition, for example, compared with the case where the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes in the axial direction from the motor cover 13, the motor unit 1 is easily miniaturized in the axial direction.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the housing 10 has the mounting portion 15 at the right-side end portion. Therefore, for example, if the 1 st connector portion 51 is projected rightward from the motor cover 13, the 1 st connector portion 51 interferes with the vehicle body, and it may be difficult to fix the housing 10 to the vehicle body. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes from the radially outer side surface of the housing 10 toward the inverter case 41 side in the front-rear direction. Therefore, interference between the 1 st connector portion 51 and the vehicle body can be suppressed, and difficulty in fixing the housing 10 to the vehicle body can be suppressed.

In the present embodiment, the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes from the radially outer side surface of the right portion of the housing 10 toward the 1 st direction D1. More specifically, the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes from the radially outer side surface of the right end portion of the motor case main body portion 11a in the 1 st direction D1. The 1 st connector portion 51 is located on the right side as it goes from the housing 10 to the inverter case 41 side, i.e., the rear side. The front end portion of the 1 st connector portion 51 is located on the right side of the inverter case 41. Therefore, the 1 st connector portion 51 is easily exposed and disposed on the right side of the motor unit 1, and workability of the connection work of the cable 60 to the 1 st connector portion 51 can be improved.

Here, in the present embodiment, the 1 st direction D1 is a direction inclined in the axial direction with respect to the radial direction. Therefore, for example, the front end portion of the 1 st connector portion 51 is easily positioned on the right side of the inverter case 41, compared with the case where the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes in the direction parallel to the radial direction.

As shown in fig. 5, the 1 st connector portion 51 is located at the gap portion G. Therefore, the 1 st connector portion 51 can be sandwiched and protected by the case 10 and the inverter case 41. This can suppress damage to the 1 st connector portion 51 and the cable 60. Therefore, occurrence of a trouble in connection between the 1 st connector portion 51 and the cable 60 can be further suppressed. Further, the 1 st connector portion 51 can be arranged by using a gap between the case 10 and the inverter case 41. Thus, even if the 1 st connector portion 51 is provided, the motor unit 1 can be prevented from being enlarged.

In the present embodiment, the 1 st connector portion 51 is a cylindrical shape having a bottom portion on the housing 10 side in the 1 st direction D1 and an opening portion 51a on the side from which the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes in the 1 st direction D1. The 1 st connector portion 51 has a substantially oval shape that is long in the vertical direction when viewed along the 1 st direction D1. The terminals 70 held by the 1 st connector portion 51 are exposed from the bottom of the 1 st connector portion 51 to the inside of the 1 st connector portion 51. One end of the cable 60 is inserted into the 1 st connector portion 51 through the opening 51a, and is electrically connected to the terminal 70.

The front end portion of the 1 st connector portion 51 is exposed when viewed from the side of the 1 st connector portion 51 protruding in the 1 st direction D1. Therefore, the front end portion of the 1 st connector portion 51 is not shielded by the components of the motor unit 1. This can further improve the workability of the connection work of the cable 60 to the 1 st connector portion 51. In addition, the cable 60 can be connected to the 1 st connector portion 51 at any stage of assembling the motor unit 1. Therefore, the motor unit 1 can be easily assembled without limiting the order of assembling the motor unit 1 in order to connect the cable 60 to the 1 st connector portion 51. After the motor unit 1 is assembled, the cable 60 can be detached from the 1 st connector 51. Therefore, replacement of the cable 60 or the like can be easily performed.

Here, as described above, the 1 st direction D1 is a direction inclined toward the axial direction with respect to the radial direction. Therefore, for example, the front end portion of the 1 st connector portion 51 is easily prevented from being covered by the inverter case 41, compared with a case where the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes in a direction parallel to the radial direction. Thus, the front end portion of the 1 st connector portion 51 is easily exposed as viewed from the side of the 1 st connector portion 51 protruding in the 1 st direction D1.

In the present specification, the term "a certain object is exposed when viewed from a certain side" includes that the certain object can be visually confirmed when the motor unit is viewed from a certain side. That is, in the present embodiment, "the front end portion of the 1 st connector portion 51 is exposed when viewed from the side where the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes in the 1 st direction D1" is included in the case where the 1 st connector portion 51 can be visually confirmed when the motor unit 1 is viewed from the side where the 1 st connector portion 51 protrudes in the 1 st direction D1. In the present embodiment, the distal end portion of the 1 st connector portion 51 includes an opening 51a.

The 2 nd connector portion 52 protrudes from the inverter case 41 in the 2 nd direction D2. In the present embodiment, the 2 nd connector portion 52 protrudes from the inverter case 41. The 2 nd direction D2 is a direction intersecting the 1 st direction D1. The 2 nd direction D2 is a direction inclined in the front-rear direction with respect to the left-right direction. More specifically, the 2 nd direction D2 is a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and inclined from the inverter case 41 to the right side and to the front side. In the present embodiment, the 2 nd direction D2 is substantially perpendicular to the 1 st direction D1.

The 2 nd connector portion 52 protrudes from the inclined portion 42a of the inverter case main body portion 42 in the 2 nd direction D2. The 2 nd connector portion 52 is located on the front side as it moves to the right from the inverter case 41. In the present embodiment, the 2 nd connector portion 52 is located at the gap portion G. Therefore, the 2 nd connector portion 52 can be sandwiched and protected by the case 10 and the inverter case 41. This can suppress damage to the 2 nd connector portion 52 and the cable 60. Therefore, occurrence of a trouble in connection between the 2 nd connector portion 52 and the cable 60 can be further suppressed. Further, the 2 nd connector portion 52 can be arranged by using a gap between the case 10 and the inverter case 41. Thus, even if the 2 nd connector portion 52 is provided, the motor unit 1 can be prevented from being enlarged.

As described above, in the present embodiment, both the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 can be disposed in the same gap portion G. Therefore, the motor unit 1 as a whole can be easily further miniaturized while protecting the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52. In addition, the distance between the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 can be reduced, and the length of the cable 60 connecting the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 can be easily shortened.

The 2 nd connector portion 52 is located on the upper side of the 1 st connector portion 51. That is, the position of the 1 st connector portion 51 and the position of the 2 nd connector portion 52 are different from each other in the vertical direction perpendicular to both the 1 st direction D1 and the 2 nd direction D2. Thus, the 1 st connector portion 51 protruding in the 1 st direction D1 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 protruding in the 2 nd direction D2 are arranged at positions twisted to each other. Therefore, stress in different directions is generated in the portion of the cable 60 on the side protruding from the 1 st connector portion 51 and the portion of the cable 60 on the side protruding from the 2 nd connector portion 52, respectively, and the cable 60 is bent twice or more. In addition, stress is generated in the cable 60 connecting the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 in the twisting direction. Due to this stress, a portion of the cable 60 protruding from one connector portion is easily forced to a side toward the other connector portion. This can prevent the cable 60 from greatly flying out of the connector parts, compared with a case where, for example, the 1 st connector part 51 and the 2 nd connector part 52 are arranged in parallel so as to protrude in the same direction. Therefore, the path of the cable 60 can be made difficult to expand between the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52, and the area around which the cable 60 is wound can be reduced. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the entire motor unit 1 including the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 connected by the cable 60 can be miniaturized.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, the cable 60 is less likely to expand from the 1 st connector portion 51 in the 1 st direction D1, and the cable 60 is less likely to expand from the 2 nd connector portion 52 in the 2 nd direction D2. Thus, the length of the portion of the cable 60 protruding from the 1 st connector portion 51 in the 1 st direction D1 and the length of the portion of the cable 60 protruding from the 2 nd connector portion 52 in the 2 nd direction D2 can be shortened at the same time.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the 1 st connector portion 51 is provided on the housing 10, and the 2 nd connector portion 52 is provided on the inverter case 41. That is, the components provided in the connector portions are different from each other. Therefore, for example, the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 can be easily arranged in a twisted position as compared with the case where both connector portions are provided on the same member.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, since the case 10 and the inverter case 41 are fixed to each other, the case 10 and the inverter case 41 can be disposed close to each other. Thereby, the distance between the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 is easily reduced. Therefore, the length of the cable 60 connecting the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 is easily shortened.

The 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 overlap each other in a vertical direction perpendicular to both the 1 st direction D1 and the 2 nd direction D2. Thus, the cable 60 is bent upward immediately after protruding from the 1 st connector portion 51 in the 1 st direction D1. Therefore, the length of the portion of the cable 60 protruding from the 1 st connector portion 51 in the 1 st direction D1 can be further shortened. In addition, similarly, the cable 60 is bent downward immediately after protruding from the 2 nd connector portion 52 in the 2 nd direction D2. Therefore, the length of the portion of the cable 60 protruding from the 2 nd connector portion 52 in the 2 nd direction D2 can be further shortened. Therefore, the area around which the cable 60 is wound can be further reduced, and the entire motor unit 1 can be further miniaturized. Even when both the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 are provided, the motor unit 1 can be prevented from being enlarged in the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

In the present embodiment, the 2 nd connector portion 52 is cylindrical having a bottom portion on the inverter case 41 side in the 2 nd direction D2 and an opening portion 52a on the side from which the 2 nd connector portion 52 protrudes in the 2 nd direction D2. The 2 nd connector portion 52 has a substantially oblong shape that is long in a direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the 2 nd direction D2 when viewed along the 2 nd direction D2. The terminals held by the 2 nd connector portion 52 are exposed from the bottom of the 2 nd connector portion 52 to the inside of the 2 nd connector portion 52.

The other end of the cable 60 is inserted into the inside of the 2 nd connector portion 52 through the opening portion 52a, and is electrically connected to the terminal held by the 2 nd connector portion 52.

The distal end portion of the 2 nd connector portion 52 is exposed when viewed from the side where the 2 nd connector portion 52 protrudes in the 2 nd direction D2. Therefore, the front end portion of the 2 nd connector portion 52 is not shielded by the components of the motor unit 1. This can further improve the workability of the connection work of the cable 60 to the 2 nd connector portion 52. In addition, the cable 60 can be connected to the 2 nd connector portion 52 at any stage of assembling the motor unit 1. Therefore, the motor unit 1 can be easily assembled without limiting the assembly sequence of the motor unit 1 in order to connect the cable 60 to the 2 nd connector portion 52. After the motor unit 1 is assembled, the cable 60 can be detached from the 2 nd connector portion 52. Therefore, replacement or the like of the cable 60 can be performed more easily. In the present embodiment, the distal end portion of the 2 nd connector portion 52 includes an opening 52a.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the distal end portion of the 1 st connector portion 51 and the distal end portion of the 2 nd connector portion 52 are exposed to the side where the connector portions protrude, respectively. Therefore, the cable 60 can be mounted at any stage of assembling the motor unit 1. Specifically, for example, the cable 60 may be attached in the final step of the assembly process of the motor unit 1. In addition, replacement of the cable 60 can be performed more easily.

In the present embodiment, both the front end portion of the 1 st connector portion 51 and the front end portion of the 2 nd connector portion 52 are exposed when viewed from the right side. Therefore, an operator or the like who connects the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 via the cable 60 can connect both the cable 60 to the 1 st connector portion 51 and the cable 60 to the 2 nd connector portion 52 from the right side of the motor unit 1. Therefore, the workability of the connection work of the cable 60 to the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 can be further improved.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 are located on the left side of the right end of the housing 10. Therefore, when an external force in the axial direction is applied to the motor unit 1, the external force can be suppressed from being directly applied to the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52 by the right end portion of the housing 10. This can suppress damage to the 1 st connector 51, the 2 nd connector 52, and the cable 60. Therefore, occurrence of a failure in connection between the 1 st connector portion 51 and the cable 60 and in connection between the 2 nd connector portion 52 and the cable 60 can be further suppressed.

The rotation detection device 30 and the inverter 44 are electrically connected via a cable 60 that connects the 1 st connector portion 51 and the 2 nd connector portion 52. Thus, a signal including the rotation information of the rotor 21 detected by the rotation detecting device 30 is transmitted to the inverter 44 via the cable 60. The inverter 44 supplies electric power to the stator 22 based on the signal from the rotation detection device 30 and the signal from the vehicle.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and other configurations may be adopted. The 1 st connector portion may protrude in any direction as long as it protrudes from the outer side of the housing in the radial direction toward the inverter case side in the predetermined direction. The direction in which the 2 nd connector portion protrudes is not particularly limited. The direction in which the 2 nd connector portion protrudes may be parallel to the direction in which the 1 st connector portion protrudes. The 1 st and 2 nd directions may be directions parallel to the radial direction, directions parallel to the axial direction, or directions parallel to the vertical direction. The 1 st direction and the 2 nd direction may be directions perpendicular to each other.

The 1 st connector portion and the 2 nd connector portion may not overlap when viewed in a direction perpendicular to both the 1 st direction and the 2 nd direction. The 1 st connector portion may be located above the 2 nd connector portion. The distal end portion of the 1 st connector portion and the distal end portion of the 2 nd connector portion may not be exposed to the outside of the motor unit. The terminal held by the 1 st connector portion is not particularly limited. The 1 st connector portion may hold only the terminal electrically connected to the rotation detecting device, or may hold one or more other terminals electrically connected to the temperature sensor and the like in the same manner as in the above embodiment, in addition to the terminal electrically connected to the rotation detecting device. The 1 st connector portion may protrude from the inverter case. The terminal held by the 2 nd connector portion is not particularly limited. The 2 nd connector part may not be provided. The number of the connector portions provided in the gap portion G may be only one or may be 3 or more.

The rotation detecting device is not particularly limited as long as it can detect the rotation of the rotor. The rotation detecting device may have a structure including a magnet fixed to the shaft and a magnetic sensor for detecting a magnetic field of the magnet. The rotation detection means may not be provided.

< embodiment 2 >

The motor unit 101 according to embodiment 2 will be described with reference to fig. 11 and 12. The same reference numerals are given to the same constituent elements as those of the above embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The motor unit 101 of embodiment 2 is different in power consumption from embodiment 1. The power consumption of the motor unit 1 of embodiment 1 is 150kW, and the power consumption of the motor unit 101 of embodiment 2 is 100kW. Therefore, the motor unit 101 of embodiment 2 is smaller than the motor unit 1 of embodiment 1.

In addition, the motor unit 101 of embodiment 2 is different from embodiment 1 in that the inverter unit 140 is disposed in the vertical direction and a part of the motor housing 111 functions as an inverter cover.

The motor unit 101 of the present embodiment includes a housing 110, an inverter unit 140, and a motor, a reduction gear, and a differential device, not shown, which are housed in the housing 110.

The housing 110 has a motor housing 111, a gear housing 112, and a motor cover 113 as in embodiment 1. The inverter unit 140 includes an inverter case 141 and an inverter, not shown, housed in the inverter case 141. That is, the motor unit 101 includes an inverter case 141 and an inverter (not shown). The inverter case 141 of the present embodiment is opened downward. In addition, the opening of the inverter case 141 is covered by the motor housing 111. An inverter (not shown) is fixed to a downward surface of the inverter case 141 inside the inverter case 141.

As shown in fig. 12, the inverter case 141 has a slightly smaller width in the Y-axis direction than the case 110. That is, if the width of the inverter case 141 is W1 and the width of the case 110 is W2, W2 > W1. The left end of the inverter case 141 is located on the right side with respect to the left end of the housing 110, and the right end of the inverter case 141 is located on the left side with respect to the right end of the housing 110. That is, in the Y-axis direction, the inverter case 141 is located inside the housing 110. In other words, the entire width of the inverter case 141 is located inside the entire width of the housing 110 in the axial direction. Therefore, in the case of a side collision, the case 110 having high rigidity collides first, and therefore damage to the inverter unit 140 can be prevented.

< embodiment 3 >

The motor unit 201 of embodiment 3 will be described with reference to fig. 13.

The same reference numerals are given to the same constituent elements as those of the above embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The motor unit 201 of embodiment 3 is different in power consumption from those of embodiment 1 and embodiment 2. The power consumption of the motor unit 201 of embodiment 3 is 70kW. The motor unit 201 of embodiment 3 has substantially the same configuration as the motor unit 101 of embodiment 2, except that the axial dimension of the motor is reduced in order to reduce the output.

The motor unit 201 of the present embodiment includes a motor (not shown), a housing 210 accommodating the motor, and an inverter unit 240. The inverter unit 240 includes an inverter (not shown) and an inverter case 241 accommodating the inverter. That is, the motor unit 201 includes an inverter (not shown) and an inverter case 241.

The inverter case 241 has a slightly smaller width in the Y-axis direction than the case 210. That is, if the width of the inverter case 241 is W1 and the width of the case 210 is W2, W2 > W1. The left end of the inverter case 241 is located on the right side with respect to the left end of the housing 210, and the right end of the inverter case 241 is located on the left side with respect to the right end of the housing 210. That is, in the Y-axis direction, the inverter case 241 is located inside the housing 210. In other words, the entire width of the inverter case 241 is located inside the entire width of the housing 210 in the axial direction. Therefore, the case 210 having high rigidity collides first at the time of a side collision, and therefore damage to the inverter unit 240 can be prevented.

The application of the motor unit according to the above embodiment is not particularly limited, and the motor unit may be mounted on a device other than a vehicle. The structures described in this specification can be appropriately combined within a range not contradicting each other.

Description of the reference numerals

1. 101, 201: a motor unit; 10. 110, 210: a housing; 15. 15B: a mounting part; 20: a motor; 21: a rotor; 22: a stator; 30: a rotation detection device; 41. 141, 241: an inverter case; 44: an inverter; 51: a 1 st connector part; 52: a 2 nd connector part; 60: a cable; 70: a terminal; d1: direction 1; d2: a 2 nd direction; g: a gap portion; j1: a motor axis.

Claims

1. A motor unit, comprising:

a motor having a rotor that rotates around a motor axis and a stator that faces the rotor;

a housing accommodating the motor; and

an inverter unit is provided with a plurality of inverter units,

wherein,,

the inverter unit has:

an inverter electrically connected to the stator;

an inverter case that accommodates the inverter and is fixed to one side of the housing in a predetermined direction perpendicular to an axial direction;

a gear portion connected to the motor at the other axial side of the motor; and

An oil pump fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the housing, for pumping and circulating the oil in the housing,

in the axial direction, the entire width of the inverter case is located inside the entire width of the housing,

the housing has:

a motor housing that houses the motor; and

a gear housing accommodating the gear portion,

the oil pump is located at a lower portion of the motor housing at a position on one side in the axial direction than an end portion on the other side in the axial direction of the motor housing and at one side in the axial direction of the gear housing,

the lower end of the oil pump is located above the lower end of the gear housing.

2. The motor unit according to claim 1, having:

a speed reduction device connected to the motor and having a drive shaft rotating about an intermediate axis parallel to the motor axis; and

a differential device connected to the reduction gear and having a ring gear rotating around a differential axis parallel to the motor axis,

the upper end of the ring gear is located on the lower side than the upper end of the motor,

the inverter unit is located on an upper side of the ring gear and the drive shaft.

3. A motor unit according to claim 1 or 2, having an oil cooler fixed to the housing for cooling oil in the housing,

The oil cooler is positioned at a lower portion of the motor housing and at a position on one side in the axial direction than an end portion on the other side in the axial direction of the motor housing and at one side in the axial direction of the gear housing,

the lower end of the oil cooler is located above the lower end of the gear housing.