JP2005117790A - Driver and automobile carrying the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a driver of a wheel which improves a cooling performance of a motor. <P>SOLUTION: The driver includes a catch tank 82 which stores cooling oil temporarily to be supplied directly to a motor and which is mounted at an upper part of a housing 81 for storing the cooling oil in a state that a part of the motor is dipped, and a gear mechanism (gears 60a, 60b) which is mechanically connected to a drive shaft and which is dipped partly in the cooling oil of the housing 81 to scrape up the cooling coil stored in the housing 81 to the catch tank 82 while the drive shaft is driven and which is disposed at a position substantially matched to a supply port 84 of the catch tank 82. The driver further includes an oil cooler 85 for cooling the cooling oil stored in the housing 81 to pressure and feed the cooling coil to the catch tank 82. Thus, even when the supply of the cooling oil is sufficiently functioned by the gear mechanism in a state that the drive shaft is rotated at a low speed, the motor can be sufficiently cooled by using the oil cooler 85. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a drive device and a vehicle equipped with the drive device, and more particularly to a drive device that drives a drive shaft and a vehicle equipped with the drive shaft and mechanically connected to the drive shaft.

Conventionally, as this type of drive device, a housing that stores cooling oil in which a stator of a motor is immersed, a reservoir tank that stores cooling oil for cooling the motor, and cooling oil stored in the bottom of the housing are cooled. Then, what is provided with the oil cooler for pumping to a reservoir tank is proposed (for example, refer patent document 1). This apparatus has two oil pumps. First, cooling oil in which a stator of a motor is immersed is cooled by an oil cooler by one oil pump and is pumped to a reservoir tank. The cooling oil stored in the reservoir tank is pumped by the other oil pump so as to be discharged from the side surface of the rotation shaft of the motor rotor, thereby cooling the motor.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-284491 (FIG. 1)

  However, since the drive device described above has a reservoir tank and a plurality of oil pumps, the device becomes large and complicated. By the way, when these drive devices are mounted on a space-limited device such as a car, it is considered that the device itself is downsized and energy efficiency (particularly, cooling efficiency) is improved as a general problem.

  The drive device of the present invention and the automobile on which the drive device is mounted have an object to reduce the size of the drive device. Another object of the drive device of the present invention and the automobile equipped with the drive device is to improve the cooling efficiency of the drive device.

  In order to achieve at least a part of the above-described object, the drive device of the present invention and the vehicle equipped with the drive device employ the following means.

The drive device of the present invention is
A drive device for driving a drive shaft,
A rotating electrical machine capable of outputting power to the drive shaft;
A lower storage part that stores a cooling medium in a state in which a part of the constituent elements of the rotating electrical machine is immersed, and the cooling medium is applied to at least a part of the constituent elements of the rotating electrical machine that is disposed on the upper part of the rotating electrical machine. A cooling means having an upper storage part having an outlet that flows out, and a cooling part that cools the cooling medium stored in the lower storage part and supplies the cooling medium to the upper storage part;
It is a summary to provide.

  In the drive device according to the present invention, since the cooling medium stored in the lower storage section is directly supplied to the upper storage section via the cooling section, the configuration is simpler than that provided with a reservoir tank or a plurality of oil pumps. And the size of the apparatus can be reduced. Moreover, since the cooling medium cooled by the cooling unit is applied to the rotating electrical machine from the upper storage unit, the rotating electrical machine can be sufficiently cooled. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the drive device can be improved as compared with the one having no cooling part.

  In such a drive device of the present invention, the drive device is mechanically connected to the drive shaft and disposed so as to be at least partially immersed in the lower storage portion. A gear mechanism capable of transferring the cooling medium to the upper storage part may be provided. In this aspect of the drive device of the present invention, the cooling medium may be a medium that also functions as a lubricant for the gear mechanism. By so doing, the gear constituting the gear mechanism rotates as the drive shaft is driven, whereby the cooling medium in the lower reservoir can be supplied to the upper reservoir and the gear mechanism can be lubricated.

  Moreover, the drive device of this invention WHEREIN: The said lower storage part shall be what shall submerge this rotary electric machine in the range which the rotor of the said rotary electric machine does not immerse. If it carries out like this, it can prevent that the cooling medium stored by the lower storage part functions as viscous resistance, and consumes the rotational energy of a rotor.

  Furthermore, in the driving apparatus according to the present invention, the upper storage section may be configured to cool the rotating electrical machine by heat exchange with a coil included in the rotating electrical machine. If it carries out like this, a rotary electric machine can be cooled more efficiently by applying a cooling medium from an upper storage part to a coil which generates heat by energization.

  An automobile of the present invention is a drive device of the present invention according to any one of the above-described aspects, that is, a drive device that basically drives a drive shaft, and a rotating electrical machine that can output power to the drive shaft; A lower storage section that stores a cooling medium in a state in which a part of the rotating electrical machine is immersed, and an outlet that is disposed above the rotating electrical machine and flows out so that the cooling medium is applied to at least a part of the rotating electrical machine. A cooling device having an upper storage part and a cooling unit that cools the cooling medium stored in the lower storage part and supplies the cooling medium to the upper storage part is mounted, and an axle is the drive shaft The gist is that it is mechanically connected to.

  According to the automobile of the present invention, since the drive device of the present invention according to any one of the above aspects is provided, the effect exhibited by the drive device of the present invention, that is, the effect of reducing the size of the device and the cooling efficiency can be achieved. The same effects as those that can be improved can be obtained.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described using examples.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an automobile 20 as an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along the plane AA of the automobile 20 in FIG. As shown in the figure, an automobile 20 according to the embodiment includes an engine 22 as an internal combustion engine that outputs power using fuel such as gasoline, and a three-shaft power distribution system connected to a crankshaft 26 of the engine 22 via a damper 28. Cooling of the integration mechanism 30, the motor MG1 connected to the power distribution integration mechanism 30, the motor MG2 connected to the ring gear shaft 32a as a drive shaft connected to the power distribution integration mechanism 30, and the motors MG1 and MG2 is performed. A cooling mechanism 80. Here, the motors MG1 and MG2 are configured as well-known synchronous generator motors including a rotor 51 having a permanent magnet attached to an outer surface and a stator 52 around which a three-phase coil 53 is wound.

  The power distribution and integration mechanism 30 is configured as a planetary gear mechanism. The carrier 34 that holds the plurality of pinion gears 33 so as to rotate and revolve freely, the crankshaft 26 of the engine 22, the sun gear 31, the motor MG 1, and the ring gear 32. A motor MG2 is connected to each. Then, power is input / output to / from the ring gear 32 based on power output from the engine 22 and power input / output from the motor MG1. The ring gear 32 is connected to a ring gear shaft 32a as a drive shaft, and the ring gear shaft 32a is mechanically connected to drive wheels 63a and 63b via a gear mechanism 60 and a differential gear 62. Accordingly, the power input / output to / from the ring gear 32 is output from the ring gear shaft 32a to the drive wheels 63a and 63b via the gear mechanism 60 and the differential gear 62.

  The cooling mechanism 80 functions as a case for the motors MG1, MG2, etc., and stores the cooling oil in a state where a part of the stator 52 of the motors MG1, MG2 is immersed in the cooling oil, and the cooling oil in the motors MG1, MG2. Are provided in the upper part of the housing 81 to temporarily store the cooling oil, and an oil cooler 85 that cools the cooling oil in the housing 81 and supplies it to the catch tank 82. In the housing 81, in addition to the motors MG1 and MG2, some gears 60a and 60b of the gear mechanism 60 are also arranged. Like the motors MG1 and MG2, the gear 60a is arranged in a state where a part of the gear 60a is immersed in cooling oil. The gear 60a meshes with the gear 60a at the upper part of the gear 60a and is formed in the catch tank 82. A gear 60b is disposed so as to substantially align with the oil supply port 84. These gears 60a and 60b rotate along with the rotation of the ring gear shaft 32a as the drive shaft (rotation of the drive wheels 63a and 63b), thereby lubricating the gears 60a and 60b and supplying cooling oil in the housing 81. The catch tank 82 can be scraped up and fed into the catch tank 82 from the supply port 84 of the catch tank 82. In the embodiment, it is designed so that sufficient cooling oil can be supplied to the catch tank 82 by the gears 60a and 60b when the vehicle is traveling at 30 km / h or more. The amount of the cooling oil stored in the housing 81 is adjusted so as not to hinder the rotation of the rotor 51 of the motors MG1, MG2. The catch tank 82 is formed with a plurality of cooling oil outlets 83 whose angles are adjusted so that the cooling oil is directly applied to substantially the entire three-phase coil 53 wound around the stator 52 of the motor MG1 and the motor MG2. ing. Although not shown, the oil cooler 85 includes a heat exchanger that cools the cooling oil by heat exchange with the outside air, and a pump that pumps the cooling oil of the housing 81 to the catch tank 82 via the heat exchanger.

  Next, the operation of the automobile 20 configured as described above, particularly the operation of cooling the motors MG1 and MG2 will be described. When the vehicle is traveling at a relatively low speed (for example, less than 30 km / h), sufficient cooling oil cannot be supplied to the catch tank 82 depending on the gears 60a and 60b as described above. By driving, the cooling oil in the housing 81 is cooled and supplied to the catch tank 82. Thereby, motors MG1 and MG2 can be sufficiently cooled. That is, depending on the gears 60a and 60b, even if the motor MG1 and MG2 cannot be cooled sufficiently due to insufficient cooling oil being supplied to the catch tank 82, the oil cooler 85 can supply the necessary cooling oil to the catch tank. Therefore, the motors MG1 and MG2 can be sufficiently cooled. Therefore, even when the motors MG1 and MG2 such as mountain roads are driven with low rotation and high torque, the cooling oil in the housing 81 is cooled by the oil cooler 85 and supplied to the catch tank 82. Therefore, the motors MG1 and MG2 are sufficiently cooled. Can do. When the vehicle is traveling at a relatively high speed (for example, 30 km / h or more), the cooling oil in the housing 81 can be sufficiently transferred to the catch tank 82 by the gears 60a and 60b. Thereby, motors MG1 and MG2 can be cooled. Therefore, the oil cooler 85 can also be intermittently operated based on the temperature of the cooling oil in the housing 81 detected by a temperature sensor (not shown). In this way, the motors MG1, MG2 can be cooled more efficiently according to the temperature of the cooling oil in the housing 81. Thus, since the cooling oil can be supplied to the catch tank 82 regardless of the speed of the vehicle, the motors MG1, MG2 can be sufficiently cooled regardless of the vehicle speed.

  According to the automobile 20 of the embodiment described above, the cooling oil cooled by the oil cooler 85 is applied to the motors MG1, MG2 from the outlet 83 of the catch tank 82, so that the motors MG1, MG2 can be sufficiently cooled. Therefore, the cooling efficiency can be improved. Further, since the cooling oil stored in the housing 81 is cooled by the oil cooler 85 and directly transferred to the catch tank 82, the configuration can be made simpler than that provided with a reservoir tank or a plurality of oil pumps. At the same time, the cooling mechanism 80 can be downsized. Furthermore, since the cooling oil stored in the housing 81 is supplied to the catch tank 82 by the oil cooler 85, the cooling oil stored in the housing 81 is supplied to the catch tank 82 only by the gears 60a and 60b. Therefore, the cooling oil can be supplied to the catch tank 82 regardless of the vehicle speed. Further, according to the automobile 20 of the embodiment, the oil pan is stored by the rotation of the oil pan for storing oil for lubricating the power split mechanism for splitting the power from the engine and the differential gear connected to the drive shaft. Compared to the case of using a catch tank for storing the oil and supplying the oil stored in the oil pan only to the catch tank (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-245481) for cooling the motor. Thus, the motor MG1 and MG2 can be cooled by the sufficiently cooled cooling oil, and the gear mechanism 60 and the like can be sufficiently lubricated.

  In the automobile 20 of the embodiment, the cooling oil stored in the housing 81 is supplied to the catch tank 82 by the oil cooler 85 and the gears 60a and 60b, but the gear 60a and 60b may not be provided. Although the gears 60a and 60b are provided, the cooling oil stored in the housing 81 by the gears 60a and 60b may not be supplied to the catch tank 82.

  In the embodiment, the description is applied to the automobile 20 including the engine 22, the power distribution and integration mechanism 30, the motors MG1 and MG2, and the cooling mechanism 80, but a motor capable of inputting and outputting power to the drive shaft, Any configuration provided with a cooling mechanism 80 that cools the motor may be applied to vehicles other than automobiles, ships, airplanes, and the like. Further, the present invention may be applied to a stationary device such as a driving device for construction equipment.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course, it can be implemented in the form.

  The present invention is applicable to the machine industry and the automobile industry.

It is a block diagram which shows the outline of a structure of the motor vehicle 20 which is one Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the cross section of the AA plane of the motor vehicle 20 of the Example of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  20 automobiles, 22 engines, 26 crankshafts, 28 dampers, 30 power distribution integration mechanisms, 31 sun gears, 32 ring gears, 32a ring gear shafts, 33 pinion gears, 34 carriers, 60 gear mechanisms, 60a, 60b gears, 62 differential gears, 63a, 63b Drive wheel, 80 cooling mechanism, 81 housing, 82 catch tank, 83 outlet, 84 supply port, 85 oil cooler, MG1, MG2 motor.

Claims (6)

A drive device for driving a drive shaft,
A rotating electrical machine capable of outputting power to the drive shaft;
A lower storage part that stores a cooling medium in a state in which a part of the constituent elements of the rotating electrical machine is immersed, and the cooling medium is applied to at least a part of the constituent elements of the rotating electrical machine that is disposed on the upper part of the rotating electrical machine. A cooling means having an upper storage part having an outlet that flows out, and a cooling part that cools the cooling medium stored in the lower storage part and supplies the cooling medium to the upper storage part;
A drive device comprising:   It is mechanically connected to the drive shaft and disposed so as to be at least partially immersed in the lower reservoir, and the cooling medium of the lower reservoir is transferred to the upper reservoir as the drive shaft is driven. The drive device according to claim 1, further comprising a transferable gear mechanism.   The drive device according to claim 2, wherein the cooling medium is a medium that also functions as a lubricant for the gear mechanism.   The drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lower storage section is configured to immerse the rotating electrical machine in a range where the rotor of the rotating electrical machine is not immersed.   The drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the upper storage section cools the rotating electrical machine by heat exchange with a coil included in the rotating electrical machine.   An automobile comprising the drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an axle is mechanically connected to the drive shaft.

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