DE102022130545A1 - Machine housing for a machine arrangement, method for producing a machine arrangement and machine arrangement for a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine housing (10) for a machine arrangement (100) designed to drive a motor vehicle (K), which is designed to accommodate a first electric machine (80) and at least one second electric machine (90) and has a first machine housing segment (20) and at least one second machine housing segment (40). The first machine housing segment (20) comprises a first recess (22) for inserting the first electric machine (80), and the second machine housing segment (40), which is different from the first machine housing segment (20), comprises a second recess (42) for receiving the second electric machine (90).

Description

The invention relates to a machine housing for a machine arrangement designed to drive a motor vehicle. Further aspects of the invention relate to a method for producing a machine arrangement and a motor vehicle with a machine arrangement.

Machine housings for drive machines or an arrangement for several drive machines, in short machine arrangement, serve, among other things, to protect sensitive components from environmental influences and to guide coolants and/or lubricants. For example, WO 2021/099034 A1 a modular electric axle drive for vehicles, a manufacturing method for such a modular axle drive and an assembly method of a modular axle drive in a vehicle are known. A machine housing of an electric machine of the modular axle has a machine coolant channel. A transmission housing of a transmission of the modular axle has at least one transmission coolant channel. An electronics housing of a power electronics of the modular axle has at least one electronics coolant channel. The machine housing is detachably mechanically connected to the transmission housing on its drive side located at the front in the axial direction. The electronics housing is detachably mechanically connected to the transmission housing and the machine housing.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine housing which enables a simplified method for producing a machine arrangement with such a machine housing, as well as a motor vehicle with a corresponding machine arrangement.

This object is achieved by a machine housing with the features of patent claim 1, by a method with the features of patent claim 8, which serves to produce a machine arrangement having such a machine housing, and by a motor vehicle with the features of patent claim 10. Advantageous embodiments with expedient further developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

A first aspect of the invention relates to a machine housing for a machine arrangement designed to drive a motor vehicle, which is designed to accommodate a first electric machine and at least one second electric machine and has a first machine housing segment and at least one second machine housing segment.

According to the invention, it is provided that the first machine housing segment comprises a first recess for inserting the first electric machine and the second machine housing segment, which is different from the first machine housing segment, comprises a second recess for receiving the second electric machine. This is advantageous because the first electric machine and the second electric machine can thus each be inserted independently of one another into the respective machine housing segment, wherein the machine housing segments can in particular be designed as different components of the machine housing. This generally enables simplified manufacture of both the machine housing and the machine arrangement, since the individual machine housing segments can be provided, the respective electric machines can be inserted and the machine housing segments equipped with the respective electric machines can finally be joined together during manufacture of the machine housing and/or the machine arrangement.

Preferably, the first machine housing segment and the second machine housing segment in the machine housing can be separated from one another by at least one gap. The gap can be limited, in particular exclusively, by the first machine housing segment and the second machine housing segment. In the finished machine housing, the gap can be filled with a sealant at least in some areas, which enables targeted, needs-based sealing.

The first machine housing segment and the second machine housing segment can preferably be designed as different cast parts. This makes it possible to manufacture the respective machine housing segments with particularly low effort and with reliably reproducible quality.

The first machine housing segment and the second machine housing segment can be reversibly detachable, in other words non-destructively detachable, components of the machine housing that are connected to one another. This enables one of the machine housing segments to be easily replaced, for example during maintenance work. The first machine housing segment and the second machine housing segment can preferably be screwed together.

The first recess and additionally or alternatively the second recess can be hollow-cylindrical in shape. This allows for particularly reliable, circumferential position securing the respective electric machine in the respective recess.

The invention is based on the knowledge that there are fundamental differences in the assembly procedure for machine housing assemblies, depending on whether the respective machine housing assembly is designed to support just one electric machine or several electric machines. In the case of machine housing assemblies known from the prior art, which are designed to accommodate two electric machines, it is usual to arrange both electric machines in recesses arranged next to one another in a single housing part of the machine housing assembly, for example to insert them into the recesses usually designed as cylindrical bores. In order to ensure that the respective rotor shafts of the respective electric machines are oriented in different directions, one of the electric machines is usually first inserted into the corresponding recess, the housing part is rotated together with this electric machine, and then the second electric machine is inserted into the remaining recess. In order to avoid any undesirable axial offset, the electric machine inserted first must be axially secured during rotation, for example held in place. After the electric motors have been inserted, it is usual to close the two corresponding recesses with another housing part of the machine housing assembly designed as a cover. The cover is usually used to close both recesses.

The proposed invention makes it possible, for example, to dispense with the axial securing of the first-mounted electric machine, which allows for simple assembly overall and thus a simplified method for producing a machine arrangement.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the first machine housing segment and the second machine housing segment overlap in at least two different spatial directions. This is advantageous because the overlapping in at least two different spatial directions enables the machine housing segments to support one another and thus enables the machine housing segments to be precisely aligned relative to one another. The machine housing segments can preferably overlap at least in a direction parallel to the respective central axis of the first recess and/or the second recess, thereby enabling a particularly precise axial alignment of the electric machines to be accommodated or accommodated in the respective recesses.

In a further advantageous development of the invention, the first machine housing segment and the second machine housing segment are reversibly detachably connected to one another. This is advantageous because, for example, one of the machine housing segments can be replaced during repair or maintenance work and the other machine housing segment can continue to be used, thereby saving resources. The expression "reversibly detachably connected" is to be understood here to mean that the machine housing segments can be detachably connected to one another in a non-destructive manner, for example by being screwed together.

In a further advantageous development of the invention, the first machine housing segment and the second machine housing segment are designed as respective cast parts. This advantageously allows the machine housing segments to be manufactured with little effort and with high reproducibility. In addition, cast parts have particularly good damping properties, whereby favorable acoustic properties of the machine arrangement can be achieved.

In a further advantageous development of the invention, each of the machine housing segments has a bearing plate for the electric motor to be mounted in the other machine housing segment. This is advantageous because the respective machine housing segment has increased functionality and fewer individual parts have to be connected to one another during assembly. In other words, the first machine housing segment can have a first bearing plate for the second electric motor to be mounted in the second machine housing segment, whereas the second machine housing segment can have a second bearing plate for the first electric motor to be mounted in the first machine housing segment.

In a further advantageous development of the invention, the first machine housing segment has a first sealing surface area and the second machine housing segment has a second sealing surface area, which together form a circumferential sealing surface when the machine housing segments are connected as intended. This is advantageous because the joint formation of the circumferential sealing surface represents a possibility for flush alignment of the machine housing segments relative to one another. The arrangement of the respective sealing surfaces By arranging the sealing surface areas in a common plane, it can be ensured that the corresponding machine housing segments and thus also, for example, their respective recesses are correctly positioned relative to one another. In the case of machine housing segments that are connected to one another, the first sealing surface area and the second sealing surface area can form two gaps with one another, at which the circumferential sealing contact surface can be interrupted.

In a further advantageous development of the invention, at least one of the machine housing segments has at least one gear housing part for receiving a gear shaft that can be driven by at least one of the electric motors. This is advantageous because it can further improve the functionality of the respective machine housing segments, which means that fewer individual parts have to be connected to one another when assembling the machine housing or the machine arrangement. The gear shaft can be designed as an intermediate gear shaft, for example. The gear housing part can preferably be designed in the shape of a shell. In other words, the gear housing part can be designed as a gear housing shell. The design as such a shell is particularly advantageous because a receiving space for a gear can be created in a simple manner by covering the gear housing shell with another shell element (shell-shaped element).

• - Bereitstellen des ersten Maschinengehäusesegmentes, des zweiten Maschinengehäusesegmentes, der ersten E-Maschine und der zweiten E-Maschine;
• - Einführen der ersten E-Maschine in das erste Maschinengehäusesegment und dadurch Herstellung einer ersten E-Maschinen-Maschinengehäusesegment-Baugruppe;
• - Einführen der zweiten E-Maschine in das zweite Maschinengehäusesegment und dadurch Herstellen einer zweiten E-Maschinen-Maschinengehäusesegment-Baugruppe;
• - Drehung wenigstens einer der E-Maschinen-Maschinengehäusesegment-Baugruppe relativ zur anderen E-Maschinen-Maschinengehäusesegment-Baugruppe; und
• - Fügen der ersten E-Maschinen-Maschinengehäusesegment-Baugruppe und der zweiten E-Maschinen-Maschinengehäusesegment-Baugruppe, wodurch die Maschinenanordnung und das Maschinengehäuse fertiggestellt werden.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a method for producing a machine arrangement with a machine housing according to the first aspect of the invention. The method comprises at least the following steps:

• - Providing the first machine housing segment, the second machine housing segment, the first electric machine and the second electric machine;
• - Inserting the first electric machine into the first machine housing segment and thereby producing a first electric machine-machine housing segment assembly;
• - Inserting the second electric machine into the second machine housing segment and thereby producing a second electric machine-machine housing segment assembly;
• - rotation of at least one of the electric motor housing segment assemblies relative to the other electric motor housing segment assemblies; and
• - Joining the first electric machine-machine housing segment assembly and the second electric machine-machine housing segment assembly, thereby completing the machine assembly and the machine housing.

This method makes it possible, for example, to omit the axial securing of the first-mounted electric machine during the assembly of the subsequently mounted electric machine, which enables overall simple assembly and thus simplified production of the machine arrangement.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the first electric machine is inserted into the first machine housing segment along a first insertion direction and the second electric machine is inserted into the second machine housing segment along a second insertion direction that is oriented at least substantially in the same direction as the first insertion direction. This is advantageous because the respective electric machines can thus be joined to the respective machine housing segments coming from the same direction, so to speak. This eliminates, for example, any pivoting or tilting of at least one of the electric machines before it is mounted on the corresponding machine housing segment. The first insertion direction and the second insertion direction can preferably be oriented parallel to one another. The expression “at least substantially in the same direction” is to be understood in the context of the present disclosure to mean that the first insertion direction and the second insertion direction enclose an angle of less than 45°, preferably less than 15° and particularly preferably less than 5° with one another.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle with a machine arrangement which is manufactured according to a method according to the second aspect of the invention and/or has a machine housing according to the first aspect of the invention. Such a motor vehicle can be manufactured with particularly little effort.

The preferred embodiments and their advantages presented with respect to one of the aspects apply accordingly to the other aspects of the invention and vice versa.

The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respective combination specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the claims, the following description of preferred embodiments and the drawings.

• 1 eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer aus dem Stand der Technik bekannten Maschinengehäusebaugruppe;
• 2 eine schematische Perspektivansicht eines ersten Maschinengehäusesegments eines Maschinengehäuses für eine Variante einer Maschinenanordnung;
• 3 eine schematische Perspektivansicht eines zweiten Maschinengehäusesegments des Maschinengehäuses der Variante der Maschinenanordnung;
• 4 eine schematische Perspektivansicht des Maschinengehäuses;
• 5 eine schematische Draufsicht auf das erste Maschinengehäusesegment und das zweite Maschinengehäusesegment, wobei beide Maschinengehäusesegmente derart zueinander orientiert sind, dass eine erste E-Maschine der Maschinenanordnung entlang einer ersten Einführrichtung in eine erste Ausnehmung des ersten Maschinengehäusesegments und eine zweite E-Maschine der Maschinenanordnung entlang einer parallel zu der ersten Einführrichtung orientierten zweiten Einführrichtung in eine zweite Ausnehmung des zweiten Maschinengehäusesegments eingeführt werden können;
• 6 eine weitere schematische Draufsicht auf die Maschinengehäusesegmente, wobei das zweite Maschinengehäusesegment zusammen mit der in die zweite Ausnehmung eingeführten zweiten E-Maschine bei einem Verfahren zur Herstellung der Maschinenanordnung mit dem Maschinengehäuse relativ zu dem ersten Maschinengehäusesegment und der in die erste Ausnehmung eingeführten, ersten E-Maschine gedreht wird; und
• 7 eine schematische Draufsicht auf die Maschinenanordnung.

The invention is explained once again below using a specific embodiment. This shows:

• 1 a schematic perspective view of a machine housing assembly known from the prior art;
• 2 a schematic perspective view of a first machine housing segment of a machine housing for a variant of a machine arrangement;
• 3 a schematic perspective view of a second machine housing segment of the machine housing of the variant of the machine arrangement;
• 4 a schematic perspective view of the machine housing;
• 5 a schematic plan view of the first machine housing segment and the second machine housing segment, wherein both machine housing segments are oriented to one another such that a first electric machine of the machine arrangement can be inserted along a first insertion direction into a first recess of the first machine housing segment and a second electric machine of the machine arrangement can be inserted along a second insertion direction oriented parallel to the first insertion direction into a second recess of the second machine housing segment;
• 6 a further schematic plan view of the machine housing segments, wherein the second machine housing segment together with the second electric machine introduced into the second recess is rotated relative to the first machine housing segment and the first electric machine introduced into the first recess in a method for producing the machine arrangement with the machine housing; and
• 7 a schematic plan view of the machine arrangement.

1 shows an example of a machine housing assembly 110 known from the prior art, in which two electrical machines (not shown in more detail), abbreviated below as E-machines, are accommodated. Both E-machines are arranged in recesses 114, 116 arranged next to one another in a single first housing part 112 of the machine housing assembly 110. The recesses 114, 116 are designed as cylindrical bores and therefore, as in 1 visibly delimited by correspondingly cylindrical housing walls. In order to ensure that the respective rotor shafts of the respective electric machines are oriented in different directions, one of the electric machines is usually first inserted into the corresponding recess 114, 116, the housing part 112 is rotated together with this electric machine and then the second electric machine is inserted into the remaining one of the recesses 114, 116. In order to avoid any undesirable axial offset, the electric machine inserted first must be axially secured during rotation, for example held in place. After the electric machines have been inserted, it is usual to close the two corresponding recesses 114, 116 with a further, second housing part 118 of the machine housing assembly designed as a cover, as a result of which the recesses 114, 116 are predominantly covered by the second housing part 118.

2 shows a schematic perspective view of a first machine housing segment 20 and 3 a schematic perspective view of a second machine housing segment 40 for a 4 shown machine housing 10. The first machine housing segment 20 and the second machine housing segment 40 are designed as respective, in particular metallic, cast parts.

The first machine housing segment 20 has a first recess 22 for inserting a 5 schematically shown first electric machine 80. The second machine housing segment 40, which is different from the first machine housing segment 20, has a second recess 42 for receiving a 5 schematically shown, second electric machine 90. The two electric machines 80, 90 can also be referred to as electric drive machines. The electric machines 80, 90 serve to drive a 7 highly abstracted depiction of motor vehicle K.

The machine housing 10 comprising the two machine housing segments 20, 40, which in 4 shown in a schematic perspective view is part of a 7 machine arrangement 100 serving as the drive unit of the motor vehicle K. In other words, the machine arrangement 100 comprises at least the machine housing 10 and additionally the electric machines 80, 90 arranged in the respective machine housing segments 20, 40 or in their recesses 32, 42.

A summary of 2 , 3 and 4 illustrates that the first machine housing segment 20 and the second machine housing segment 40 in the 4 shown Machine housing 10 in the present case overlap in at least two different spatial directions x, y, i.e. a first spatial direction x and a second spatial direction y, which together span a plane.

The first machine housing segment 20 and the second machine housing segment 40 are screwed together and thus reversibly detachably connected to one another.

2 , 3 and 5 make it clear that the first machine housing segment 20 has a first bearing plate 24 for the electric machine 90 to be mounted in the second machine housing segment 40. The second machine housing segment 40, on the other hand, has a second bearing plate 44 for the electric machine 80 to be mounted in the first machine housing segment 20. When assembling the machine arrangement 100, the first bearing plate 24 is used to mount a rotor shaft of the second electric machine 90 (not shown in more detail here) and also protects the second electric machine 90 from environmental influences. In contrast, the second bearing plate 44 is used to mount a (second) rotor shaft of the first electric machine 80 (also not shown in more detail here) and accordingly protects the first electric machine 80 from environmental influences.

Also through a summary of 2 , 3 and 4 It can be seen that the first machine housing segment 20 has a first sealing surface region 26 and the second machine housing segment 40 has a second sealing surface region 46, which, when the machine housing segments 20, 40 are connected as intended to the machine housing 10, together form a circumferential sealing surface 12, which are only separated from one another at corresponding separation points of the machine housing segments 20, 40 by a first gap 14 and a second gap 16.

2 , 3 and 5 also show that the first machine housing segment 20 has a first transmission housing part 28 and the second machine housing segment 40 has a (second) transmission housing part 48. The respective transmission housing parts 28, 48 serve to accommodate a transmission shaft that can be driven by the respective electric motors 80, 90, but which is not shown in more detail here.

• Zunächst erfolgt ein Bereitstellen des ersten Maschinengehäusesegmentes 20, des zweiten Maschinengehäusesegmentes 40, der ersten E-Maschine 80 und der zweiten E-Maschine 90.

The machine assembly 100 is manufactured according to a process which is described below with reference to 5 and 6 and includes at least the following steps:

• First, the first machine housing segment 20, the second machine housing segment 40, the first electric machine 80 and the second electric machine 90 are provided.

Subsequently, the first electric machine 80 is inserted into the first machine housing segment 20, thereby producing a first electric machine-machine housing segment assembly 30.

In addition, the second electric machine 90 is inserted into the second machine housing segment 40, thereby producing a second electric machine-machine housing segment assembly 50. The first electric machine 80 is inserted into the first machine housing segment 20 along a first insertion direction E1, and the second electric machine 90 is inserted into the second machine housing segment 40 along a second insertion direction E2 that is oriented in the same direction and thus parallel to the first insertion direction E1.

The first electric machine housing segment assembly 30 and the second electric machine housing segment assembly 50 are shown schematically in 5 shown, wherein the electric machines 80, 90 inserted into the respective recesses 22, 42 can be seen and protrude slightly from the respective recesses 22, 42.

In a further process step, a rotation 60 takes place, which in 5 and 6 is illustrated by a curved arrow. During this rotation 60, one of the electric machine housing segment assemblies 30, 50 is rotated relative to the other electric machine housing segment assembly 50, 30. In the present example, the second electric machine housing segment assembly 50 is rotated relative to the first electric machine housing segment assembly 30.

This is followed by joining the first electric machine-machine housing segment assembly 30 and the second electric machine-machine housing segment assembly 50, whereby the machine arrangement 100 and the machine housing 10 are completed. During this joining, the gaps 14, 16 can be filled with a sealant and thus closed. This allows the circumferential sealing surface 12 to be closed. When installing the machine arrangement 100 in the motor vehicle K, another vehicle component can be brought up to the sealing surface 12 and a sealing element can be arranged and/or clamped between the sealing surface 12 and this vehicle component, for example to prevent dirt from the environment from penetrating or lubricant from leaking out. between the sealing surface 12 and the component.

In summary, the invention makes it possible for the two electric machines 80, 90 to be introduced into the two different machine housing segments 20, 40, which have respective bearing plates 24, 44, instead of being introduced into the respective recesses 114, 116 of the one-piece first housing part 112 known from the prior art. When the machine housing segments 20, 40 are arranged next to one another as intended, the bearing plates 24, 44 lie opposite one another, preferably along a central axis (rotation axis) of a rotor of at least one of the electric machines 80, 90.

The invention makes it possible to overcome at least the following problem known from the prior art, according to which, during assembly of systems known from the art, after the electric motors have been joined into a housing, at least one of the electric motors must always be held in place before such an arrangement is turned over for further assembly work, since at this point in time only one of the electric motors is axially secured.

This problem is overcome in the present invention. In addition, in the machine arrangement, the respective switching rings assigned to the electric machines (not shown here) can be larger in terms of their outer diameter than the respective inner diameters of the recesses 22, 42, which allows for greater design freedom, since the rotation 60 and the joining of the electric machine-machine housing segment assembly 30, 50 in the present invention only takes place after the electric machines 80, 90 have been mounted in their respective recesses 22, 42.

In the systems known from the prior art, there is the restriction that a respective stator diameter must always be at least as large as the switching ring, since both electric machines must be inserted from the same side into the first housing part 112, also referred to as the central housing, and the switching ring inner diameter must always be at least as large as the rotor diameter of the respective electric machines, since in an electric machine the rotor must always be able to be mounted through the switching ring. The present invention can always overcome either this restriction or the problem mentioned above.

List of reference symbols

10

Machine housing

12

circumferential sealing surface

14

first gap

16

second gap

20

first machine housing segment

22

first recess

24

first bearing shield

26

first sealing surface area

28

first gearbox housing part

30

first electric motor machine housing segment assembly

40

second machine housing segment

42

second recess

44

second bearing shield

46

second sealing surface area

48

second gearbox housing part

50

second electric motor machine housing segment assembly

60

rotation

80

first electric machine

90

second electric motor

100

Machine arrangement

110

Machine housing assembly

112

first housing part

114

first recess

116

second recess

118

second housing part

K

Motor vehicle

E1

first insertion direction

E2

second insertion direction

x

first spatial direction

y

second spatial direction

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 2021099034 A1 [0002]

Claims (10)

Machine housing (10) for a machine arrangement (100) designed to drive a motor vehicle (K), which is designed to accommodate a first electric machine (80) and at least one second electric machine (90) and has a first machine housing segment (20) and at least one second machine housing segment (40), characterized in that the first machine housing segment (20) comprises a first recess (22) for inserting the first electric machine (80) and the second machine housing segment (40), which is different from the first machine housing segment (20), comprises a second recess (42) for receiving the second electric machine (90). Machine housing (10) after Claim 1 , characterized in that the first machine housing segment (20) and the second machine housing segment (40) overlap in at least two mutually different spatial directions (x, y). Machine housing (10) after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the first machine housing segment (20) and the second machine housing segment (40) are reversibly detachably connected to one another. Machine housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first machine housing segment (20) and the second machine housing segment (40) are formed as respective cast parts. Machine housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in each case one of the machine housing segments (20, 40) has a bearing plate (24, 44) for the electric machine (80, 90) to be mounted in the respective other machine housing segment (20, 40). Machine housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first machine housing segment (20) has a first sealing surface region (26) and the second machine housing segment (40) has a second sealing surface region (46), which together form a circumferential sealing surface (12) when the machine housing segments (20, 40) are connected as intended. Machine housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the machine housing segments (20, 40) has at least one transmission housing part (28, 48) for receiving a transmission shaft that can be driven by at least one of the electric machines (80, 90). Method for producing a machine arrangement (100) with a machine housing (10) according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 , comprising at least the following steps: - providing the first machine housing segment (20), the second machine housing segment (40), the first electric machine (80) and the second electric machine (90); - inserting the first electric machine (80) into the first machine housing segment (20) and thereby producing a first electric machine-machine housing segment assembly (30); - inserting the second electric machine (90) into the second machine housing segment (40) and thereby producing a second electric machine-machine housing segment assembly (50); - rotating at least one of the electric machine-machine housing segment assemblies (30, 50) relative to the other electric machine-machine housing segment assembly (50, 30); and - joining the first electric machine-machine housing segment assembly (30) and the second electric machine-machine housing segment assembly (50), whereby the machine arrangement (100) and the machine housing (10) are completed. Procedure according to Claim 8 , characterized in that the introduction of the first electric machine (80) into the first machine housing segment (20) takes place along a first introduction direction (E1) and the introduction of the second electric machine (90) into the second machine housing segment (40) takes place along a second introduction direction (E2) oriented at least substantially in the same direction as the first introduction direction (E1). Motor vehicle (K) with a machine arrangement (100) which is produced according to a method according to Claim 8 and/or a machine housing (10) according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 having.

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