JP2008089016A - Power transmission device and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power transmission device capable of suppressing the occurrence of a part where oil quantity runs short even when a device inclines. <P>SOLUTION: A rear drive unit 4 is provided with a casing 200 for housing a counter gear 300 and a differential gear 400, oil supplied in the casing 200 and stored in a bottom part of the casing 200, catch tanks 910, 930 for receiving the oil scraped up from an inside of the casing 200, and a catch tank 920 provided so as to face to the catch tanks 910, 930 in a longitudinal direction for receiving the oil scraped up from the inside of the casing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a power transmission device and a vehicle, and more particularly to a power transmission device in which oil is supplied in a casing and a vehicle including the device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a power transmission device in which oil is supplied into a casing is known.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-180477 (Patent Document 1), a vehicle drive device including a catch tank that stores oil that is driven up by a driven gear of a differential gear from an oil reservoir formed at the bottom of a casing body. Is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-179659 (Patent Document 2) discloses an oil passage structure of a gear device including five lubricating oil passages.
JP 2004-180477 A JP 2000-179659 A

  In the structure described in Patent Document 1, when the drive device is tilted, the supply of oil to each part in the casing may be insufficient. As a result, there is a concern that a portion where the amount of oil is insufficient is generated in the drive device. In addition, the gear device described in Patent Document 2 does not store oil at the bottom of the casing, and the premise and configuration are completely different from those of the present invention.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power transmission device in which occurrence of a region where the amount of oil is insufficient is suppressed even when the device is tilted. There is to do.

  A power transmission device according to the present invention includes a casing that houses a power transmission member, oil that is supplied into the casing and stored at the bottom of the casing, a first oil flow path through which oil flows, and a first oil A second oil circulation path that is provided to face the circulation path and through which oil flows.

  According to the said structure, even when a power transmission device inclines, oil can be stably supplied to each part in a casing from either the 1st and 2nd oil distribution path. Therefore, even when the power transmission device is inclined, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a portion where the oil amount is insufficient in the power transmission device.

  In one aspect, in the above-described power transmission device, the power transmission member includes a rotating body that scoops up oil stored in the bottom of the casing, and the first oil circulation path receives the oil that has been scooped up by the rotating body. A second oil distribution path includes a first oil reservoir that supplies the oil into the casing, and the second oil distribution path receives the oil scraped up by the rotating body and then supplies the oil into the casing. Includes reservoir.

  According to the said structure, even when a power transmission device inclines, oil can be stably supplied to each part in a casing from either the 1st and 2nd oil storage part. Therefore, even when the power transmission device is inclined, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a portion where the oil amount is insufficient in the power transmission device.

  In this aspect, as one example, oil supplied from the first and second oil reservoirs into the casing is used for lubricating the power transmission member. In this case, even when the power transmission device is tilted, the shortage of lubricating oil for the power transmission member is suppressed. As another example, the power transmission device further includes a rotating electric machine that supplies power to the power transmission member, and the oil flowing through the first and second oil circulation paths is supplied toward the rotating electric machine. In this case, the oil is used for adjusting the temperature of the rotating electrical machine. Therefore, even when the power transmission device is tilted, the shortage of oil for adjusting the temperature of the rotating electrical machine is suppressed.

  In another aspect, the power transmission device further includes a rotating electric machine that supplies power to the power transmission member, the power transmission member includes a differential gear, and the casing stores the rotating electric machine chamber that houses the rotating electric machine, and the differential gear. One of the first and second oil flow paths includes an oil passage that directly communicates the rotating electrical machine room and the differential gear chamber.

  In this aspect, preferably, the casing further includes a counter gear chamber positioned between the rotating electrical machine chamber and the differential gear chamber, and the other of the first and second oil flow paths includes a counter gear chamber.

  Preferably, at least one of the first and second oil flow paths allows oil to flow from the rotating electrical machine chamber to the counter gear chamber or the differential gear chamber, while rotating from the counter gear chamber or the differential gear chamber to the rotating electrical machine. A check valve that suppresses the flow of oil toward the chamber is provided.

  According to the above configuration, even when the power transmission device is tilted, oil can be flowed stably from the rotating electrical machine chamber to the differential gear chamber. Further, by providing the check valve, it is possible to suppress the backflow of oil from the counter gear chamber or the differential gear chamber to the rotating electrical machine chamber.

  In still another aspect, the power transmission device further includes a rotating electric machine that applies power to the power transmission member, the power transmission member includes a helical gear that scoops up oil stored in the bottom of the casing, and the casing includes the rotating electric machine. The power transmission device further includes an oil storage portion that receives the oil scraped up by the helical gear and then supplies the oil into the casing after receiving the oil scraped up by the helical gear. The twist direction is set to a direction in which oil is picked up during forward rotation and oil is sucked from the rotating electrical machine chamber into the helical gear chamber during reverse rotation.

  As a result, oil can flow from the rotating electrical machine chamber to the helical gear chamber during both forward and reverse rotations. Therefore, the oil level in the rotating electrical machine chamber is reduced, the stirring resistance due to the oil being stirred in the rotating electrical machine room is reduced, and the oil amount in the helical gear chamber and the oil storage amount in the oil storage part are stably secured. can do. As a result, even when the power transmission device is inclined, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a portion where the oil amount is insufficient in the power transmission device.

  In still another aspect, the power transmission device further includes a rotating electric machine that applies power to the power transmission member, the power transmission member includes a differential gear, and the casing includes a rotating electric machine chamber that houses the rotating electric machine, and the differential gear. A differential gear chamber for storing the counter gear chamber and a counter gear chamber positioned between the rotating electrical machine chamber and the differential gear chamber are included. Here, the power transmission device further includes a flow rate adjusting mechanism that adjusts the flow rate of oil between the rotating electrical machine chamber, the differential gear chamber, and the counter gear chamber.

  In the power transmission device, the flow rate adjusting mechanism includes an oil pump or a mechanism that adjusts the diameter of an oil passage that communicates between the rotating electrical machine chamber, the differential gear chamber, and the counter gear chamber.

  According to the above configuration, by adjusting the oil flow rate among the rotating electrical machine chamber, the differential gear chamber, and the counter gear chamber, the oil level height of each chamber can be adjusted as appropriate while being different from each other. As a result, it is possible to reduce the size of the power transmission device.

  A vehicle according to the present invention includes the power transmission device described above. When the power transmission device is provided in the vehicle, the power transmission device may be inclined due to a road surface gradient or the like. According to the vehicle according to the present invention, even in such a case, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a portion where the oil amount is insufficient in the power transmission device.

  According to the present invention, even when the power transmission device is tilted, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a portion where the oil amount is insufficient in the device.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. Note that the same or corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may not be repeated.

  Note that in the embodiments described below, when referring to the number, amount, and the like, the scope of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the number, amount, and the like unless otherwise specified. In the following embodiments, each component is not necessarily essential for the present invention unless otherwise specified. In addition, when there are a plurality of embodiments below, it is planned from the beginning to appropriately combine the features of each embodiment unless otherwise specified.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an electric vehicle including a power transmission device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a hybrid vehicle 1 that is a “vehicle” includes a front wheel FW, a rear wheel RW, a front drive unit 2 for driving front wheels, an engine 3, and a rear drive unit 4 for driving rear wheels. , An ECU (Electrical Control Unit) 5, an accelerator pedal 6, a PCU (Power Control Unit) 7, and a battery 8.

  The engine 3 is used to drive the front wheels FW. The front drive unit 2 incorporates a front drive motor generator (not shown), and drives the front wheels FW by the torque generated by the engine 3 and / or the front drive motor generator. The front drive motor generator can be operated as a generator when rotated by the front wheel FW or the engine 3.

  The rear drive unit 4 includes a motor generator 100 that is a “rotary electric machine” for driving the rear wheels RW, a casing 200 that houses the motor generator 100, a counter gear 300 as a “deceleration mechanism”, and a differential gear 400. Including. Torque generated by motor generator 100 is transmitted to the axle, and rear wheel RW can be driven. Further, when the motor generator 100 is rotated by the rear wheel RW during deceleration or the like, the motor generator 100 operates as a generator. As a modification, it is conceivable to provide a clutch (not shown) between the motor generator 100 and the axle connected to the rear wheel RW. In this case, when the motor generator 100 is not used, the clutch is released by a command from the ECU 5 in order to prevent loss due to stirring.

  The ECU 5 provided as a “control device” is input with information indicating the driving situation / vehicle situation from various sensors including the accelerator depression amount / depression speed detected by the position sensor disposed on the accelerator pedal 6. . In addition to the output of the accelerator position sensor, the information indicating the driving situation includes a wheel speed sensor output, a vehicle body gradient sensor output, and the like. Further, the temperature, current sensor, rotational speed sensor output, etc. of the motor generator 100 indicating the operating conditions of the motor generator 100 are input as the vehicle status. The ECU 5 performs various controls relating to the hybrid vehicle 1 in an integrated manner based on the input information.

  The PCU 7 generally indicates power converters required in the hybrid vehicle 1. That is, the PCU 7 includes an inverter (not shown) that converts DC power into AC power, a DC-DC converter (not shown) that converts the voltage level of the DC voltage, and the like. In particular, this inverter converts the DC power supplied from the battery 8 into AC power for driving the motor, and when the motor generator is driven by the engine 3 or during the regenerative braking operation of the motor generator itself. The generated AC voltage is converted into a DC voltage for charging the battery 8. The DC-DC converter is mainly used for converting a DC voltage to a level suitable for a power supply voltage for an auxiliary machine such as an air conditioner.

  Between the battery 8, the front drive unit 2 and the rear drive unit 4, and the PCU 7, power supply cables 9A, 9B, and 9C are respectively disposed to transmit electric power.

  In the present embodiment, traveling of the hybrid vehicle 1 is basically performed by driving the front wheels FW (FF mode) by the front drive unit 2. However, when a high output is required, for example, when climbing, or when traveling on a low friction coefficient road, four-wheel drive traveling (4WD mode) is performed. Thus, in the hybrid vehicle 1, the rear drive unit 4 is driven intermittently.

  For example, when the above-described clutch is provided, in the 4WD mode, the clutch engagement request flag is turned on in ECU 5, and the clutch is engaged in response to this, whereby the output torque of motor generator 100 is reduced to rear wheel RW. The rear wheel RW is driven in addition to the front wheel FW. Further, also during deceleration / braking, by engaging the clutch, the motor generator 100 can be operated as a generator, and the energy for charging the battery 8 can be recovered.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of the rear drive unit 4 as a “drive device”. 2, rear drive unit 4 includes motor generator 100, casing 200, counter gear 300, and differential gear 400, as well as left and right output shafts 500L and 500R, an oil seal 600, and a drive shaft receiving portion 700. And catch tanks 910, 920, and 930.

  Motor generator 100 includes a rotation shaft 110, a rotor 120, and a stator 130. The rotating shaft 110 is rotatably held with respect to the casing 200 via the left and right bearings 100A. The rotating shaft 110 is spline-fitted with the input gear 150. The rotor 120 is fixed to the rotating shaft 110. The stator 130 includes a stator core 131 and a stator coil 132.

  The input gear 150 is rotatably held with respect to the casing 200 via left and right bearings 150A. The input gear 150 is combined with the counter gear 300. As a result, the power of the input gear 150 is transmitted to the counter gear 300.

  The counter gear 300 is rotatably held with respect to the casing 200 via left and right bearings 300A. Counter gear 300 is combined with differential gear 400. Thereby, the power of the counter gear 300 is transmitted to the differential gear 400.

  Differential gear 400 includes ring gear 410, pinion gear 420, and side gear 430. The differential gear 400 is rotatably held with respect to the casing 200 via a bearing 400A.

  The casing 200 includes a motor generator chamber 210 that houses the motor generator 100, a counter gear chamber 220 that houses a portion 301 that meshes with the input gear 150 of the counter gear 300, and a differential gear chamber 230 that houses the differential gear 400. Has been.

  When the hybrid vehicle 1 moves forward, when the rear drive unit 4 drives the rear wheel RW and when the rear drive unit 4 is driven by the rear wheel RW, the rotary shaft 110 and the input gear 150 of the motor generator 100 are driven. Rotates in the direction of the arrow DR1. Counter gear 300 meshing with input gear 150 rotates in the direction of arrow DR2. Then, ring gear 410 of differential gear 400 that meshes with counter gear 300 rotates in the direction of arrow DR1.

  Output shafts 500L and 500R are connected to the left and right side gears 430 of the differential gear 400, respectively. The output shafts 500L and 500R are provided coaxially with the rotary shaft 110. The rotating shaft 110 is formed with an axial through hole, and the output shaft 500L is inserted into the through hole. The output shaft 500L is rotatably held with respect to the casing 200 via a bearing 500A.

  The output shafts 500L and 500R are connected to the drive shaft receiving portion 700. An oil seal 600 is provided on the casing 200 in which the output shafts 500L and 500R and the drive shaft receiving portion 700 are located. Drive shaft receiving portion 700 is connected to rear wheel RW via drive shaft 800. With the above configuration, the motor generator 100 can drive the rear wheel RW, and the rear wheel RW can drive the motor generator 100.

  Oil is stored at the bottom of the casing 200. When the ring gear 410 or the counter gear 300 of the differential gear 400 rotates, the oil stored in the casing 200 is scraped up. The rear drive unit 4 includes catch tanks 910, 920, and 930. The catch tanks 910 and 930 are located on the vehicle front side, and the catch tank 920 is located on the vehicle rear side. The oil scooped up by the ring gear 410 and the counter gear 300 is stored in catch tanks 910, 920, and 930.

  FIG. 3 is a view for explaining the oil flow and the like in the rear drive unit 4. Referring to FIG. 3, the oil stored at the bottom of counter gear chamber 220 is scraped up by counter gear 300 in the direction of arrow DR 920 and flows into catch tank 920. Further, the oil stored at the bottom of the differential gear chamber 230 is scraped up by the ring gear 410 in the direction of the arrow DR 910 and flows into the catch tank 910.

  As the oil in the counter gear chamber 220 and the differential gear chamber 230 is scraped up, the oil level in the counter gear chamber 220 and the differential gear chamber 230 is lowered. At this time, the oil in the motor generator chamber 210 flows in the directions of the arrows DR220 and DR230 and is supplied to the counter gear chamber 220 and the differential gear chamber 230. As a result, the oil level in the motor generator chamber 210 decreases.

  The oil stored in the catch tank 910 is supplied mainly to the left and right (in FIG. 3) bearings 300A and the right (in FIG. 3) bearings 400A. The oil stored in the catch tank 920 is supplied mainly to the left and right (in FIG. 3) bearing 150A, the left (in FIG. 3) bearing 400A, and the right (in FIG. 3) bearing 100A. The oil stored in the catch tank 910 flows in the direction of the arrow DR 930 and flows into the catch tank 930. The oil stored in the catch tank 930 is supplied mainly toward the bearing 100A and the bearing 500A on the left side (in FIG. 3). The oil supplied from the catch tanks 910, 920, 930 is used for lubrication / cooling of each part in the casing 200 (such as lubrication / cooling of the bearings 100A, 150A, 300A, 400A, 500A and cooling of the motor generator 100). It is done. The catch tanks 910 and 920 communicate with each other via a communication path 915 and share oil.

  Orifices 940A to 940H are provided in the flow paths of the oil supplied from the catch tanks 910, 920, and 930 to each part in the casing 200 and the communication passages of the catch tanks 910 and 920, respectively, to adjust the flow rate. It is. Also, the broken line arrows in FIG. 3 indicate the flow of air in the rear drive unit 4. When the pressure in the casing 200 increases, the air in the casing 200 is discharged to the outside of the casing 200 through the breather 240.

  When the hybrid vehicle 1 is climbing or descending, the rear drive unit 4 is tilted in the front-rear direction. Thus, even when the rear drive unit 4 is tilted, it is important to keep the amount of oil supplied to each part in the casing 200 at a certain level or more.

  As described above, in rear drive unit 4 according to the present embodiment, catch tanks 910 and 930 are provided on the front side of the vehicle with respect to casing 200, and catch tank 920 is provided on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to casing 200. Is provided. In such a rear drive unit 4, when the hybrid vehicle 1 is climbing up, the oil level in the counter gear chamber 220 decreases and the amount of scooping up by the counter gear 300 (301) decreases. Although the amount of oil supplied to the inside slightly decreases, the oil level in the differential gear chamber 230 increases, so that the amount of scraping by the ring gear 410 increases and the oil is supplied from the catch tanks 910 and 930 into the casing 200. The amount increases. On the other hand, when the hybrid vehicle 1 is going downhill, similarly, the amount of oil supplied from the catch tanks 910 and 930 into the casing 200 slightly decreases, but the amount of oil supplied from the catch tank 920 into the casing 200 increases.

  Thus, in the hybrid vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment, even when the rear drive unit 4 is tilted in the front-rear direction, oil is stably supplied from one of the catch tanks 910 to 930 to each part in the casing. can do. Therefore, even when the rear drive unit 4 is tilted in the front-rear direction, it is possible to suppress occurrence of a portion where the amount of lubricating oil for each bearing or the like is insufficient in the casing 200.

  Moreover, according to this Embodiment, the said subject can be solved with simple structure. As shown in FIG. 4, the rear drive unit 4 is provided in the lower part of the floor panel 10 of a vehicle. Since the space below the floor panel 10 is limited, the rear drive unit 4 is required to be downsized. According to the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress the oil amount from being insufficient in each part of the rear drive unit 4 while satisfying the demand for downsizing of the rear drive unit 4.

  The above configuration is summarized as follows. That is, the rear drive unit 4 as the “power transmission device” according to the present embodiment includes the casing 200 that houses the counter gear 300 and the differential gear 400 as the “power transmission member”, and the oil supplied into the casing 200. The catch tanks 910 and 930 as “first oil circulation paths” through which the oil flows, and the “second oil circulation paths” through which the oil flows through the catch tanks 910 and 930 in the front-rear direction. The catch tank 920 is provided.

  More specifically, in the rear drive unit 4, oil is stored at the bottom of the casing 200. The counter gear 300 and the differential gear 400 constitute a “rotating body” that scoops up oil stored in the bottom of the casing 200. The catch tanks 910 and 930 constitute a “first oil reservoir” that receives the oil scraped up by the differential gear 400 and then supplies the oil to each bearing in the casing 200. The catch tank 920 constitutes a “second oil reservoir” that receives the oil scooped up by the counter gear 300 and supplies the oil to each bearing in the casing 200.

  Next, the structure of the casing 200 in the rear drive unit 4 according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. Rear drive unit 4 according to the present embodiment includes a communication path 220A that communicates between motor generator chamber 210 and counter gear chamber 220, and a communication path 230A that communicates between motor generator chamber 210 and differential gear chamber 230. Yes. The oil circulation path from the motor generator chamber 210 to the differential gear chamber 230 has two paths: a path through the counter gear chamber 220 and a path through the communication path 230 </ b> A without the counter gear chamber 220. The communication path 230A is located on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the communication path 220A and the counter gear chamber 220.

  Next, a structure according to a comparative example with respect to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the structure according to this comparative example, the oil circulation path from the motor generator chamber 210 to the differential gear chamber 230 is only the path through the counter gear chamber 220.

  “S0” in FIGS. 5 and 7 indicates the oil level in the casing 200 when the hybrid vehicle 1 is on a horizontal plane, and “S1” in FIGS. 5 and 7 indicates that the hybrid vehicle 1 is on an uphill surface. The oil level in the casing 200 is shown in FIG.

  In the example of FIG. 7, when the hybrid vehicle 1 is on an uphill surface, the communication path 220 </ b> A is higher than the oil level “S <b> 1”, and oil hardly flows from the motor generator chamber 210 into the communication path 220 </ b> A. As a result, when the vehicle is on the uphill surface, there is a concern that sufficient oil is not supplied to the differential gear chamber 230, the motor generator chamber 210 is filled with oil, and the stirring resistance increases.

  On the other hand, in the example of FIG. 5, when the hybrid vehicle 1 is on the uphill surface, the communication path 220A is higher than the oil level “S1”, but the communication path 230A is still lower than the oil level “S1”. Therefore, even when the hybrid vehicle 1 is on the uphill surface, sufficient oil can be supplied to the differential gear chamber 230 via the communication path 230A and the oil in the motor generator chamber 210 can be sucked out.

  As described above, in the rear drive unit 4 according to the present embodiment, the casing 200 includes the motor generator chamber 210 as a “rotating electric machine chamber” in which the motor generator 100 is accommodated, and the differential gear chamber 230 in which the differential gear 400 is accommodated. And a counter gear chamber 220 located between the motor generator chamber 210 and the differential gear chamber 230. Here, the communication path 230A as an “oil path” that directly communicates the motor generator chamber 210 and the differential gear chamber 230 constitutes a “first oil circulation path”, and the counter gear chamber 220 includes a “second oil circulation path”. "Route". Note that the counter gear chamber 220 and the communication path 230 </ b> A are formed to be aligned in the front-rear direction of the hybrid vehicle 1.

(Embodiment 2)
The rear drive unit according to the second embodiment will be described below. Since the rear drive unit according to the present embodiment is a modification of rear drive unit 4 according to the first embodiment, description regarding the basic configuration will not be repeated.

  The counter gear 300 provided in the casing 200 rotates in the forward direction when the vehicle moves forward, and rotates in the reverse direction when the vehicle moves backward. Scooping up oil from the counter gear 300 to the catch tanks 920 and 910 is performed during normal rotation. Therefore, during reverse rotation, oil does not easily flow from the motor generator chamber 210 to the counter gear chamber 220. As a result, there is a concern that the oil level in the motor generator chamber 210 increases and the stirring resistance increases. In this embodiment, an example of a structure that can solve such a problem is shown.

  First, the flow of oil when the counter gear 300 in the forward rotation in the rear drive unit according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 10 shows the state of FIG. 9 as viewed from the direction of the arrow X. 9 and 10, counter gear 300 rotates in the direction of arrow DR2 when the vehicle moves forward. Thereby, the oil in the counter gear chamber 220 is scraped up in the direction of the arrow DR 920 toward the catch tank 920. As a result, the oil level in counter gear chamber 220 is reduced, and oil flows from motor generator chamber 210 toward counter gear chamber 220 (in the direction of arrow DR220). Here, the counter gear 300 is a helical gear. Due to the rotation of the helical gear, an oil flow from the counter gear chamber 220 toward the motor generator chamber 210 is formed, but the oil is scooped up by the counter gear 300 and the oil level in the counter gear chamber 220 is lowered. The oil backflow from the counter gear chamber 220 to the motor generator chamber 210 is suppressed.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the flow of oil at the time of reverse rotation of the counter gear 300 in the rear drive unit according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 12 shows the state of FIG. 11 viewed from the direction of arrow XII. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, counter gear 300 rotates in the direction of arrow DR2 ′ when the vehicle moves backward. In this case, the oil in the counter gear chamber 220 is not scraped up toward the catch tack 920. Therefore, the oil level in the counter gear chamber 220 is not reduced. However, an oil flow from the motor generator chamber 210 toward the counter gear chamber 220 is formed by the screw pump action caused by the rotation of the helical gear. As a result, the oil in motor generator chamber 210 is sucked toward counter gear chamber 220 (in the direction of arrow DR220). At this time, if the clearance between the counter gear 300 and the surrounding wall surface is reduced, the screw pump action can be further increased.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, oil can flow from motor generator chamber 210 to counter gear chamber 220 during both forward and reverse rotations of counter gear 300. Therefore, the oil level in the motor generator chamber 210 is reduced, the stirring resistance due to the oil being stirred in the motor generator chamber 100 is reduced, and the oil amount in the counter gear chamber 220 and the oil in the catch tank 920 are reduced. The amount of storage can be secured stably.

  To summarize the configuration described above, the rear drive unit 4 according to the present embodiment includes a motor generator 100 that supplies power to the counter gear 300. Oil is stored at the bottom of the casing 200. The counter gear 300 includes a “helical gear” that scoops up oil stored in the bottom of the casing 200. Casing 200 includes a motor generator chamber 210 that stores motor generator 100 and a counter gear chamber 220 as a “helical gear chamber” that stores helical gears. The rear drive unit 4 includes a catch tank 920 that receives oil scooped up by the counter gear 300 and supplies the oil into the casing 200. The helical gear teeth are twisted in the counter gear 300 in a direction in which the oil in the counter gear chamber 220 is scooped up during forward rotation and oil is sucked from the motor generator chamber 210 into the counter gear chamber 220 during reverse rotation (in this embodiment). (Right twist direction).

(Embodiment 3)
The rear drive unit according to the third embodiment will be described below. Since the rear drive unit according to the present embodiment is a modification of rear drive unit 4 according to the first embodiment, description regarding the basic configuration will not be repeated.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the flow of oil in the rear drive unit according to the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 13, the rear drive unit according to the present embodiment includes one-way valve 1000 that prevents backflow of oil from counter gear chamber 220 and differential gear chamber 230 to motor generator chamber 210. To do. That is, in the rear drive unit according to the present embodiment, communication passages 220A and 230A that connect motor generator chamber 210 with counter gear chamber 220 and differential gear chamber 230 are connected from motor generator chamber 210 to counter gear chamber 220 and differential gear. One-way valves 1000 </ b> A and 1000 </ b> B are provided as “check valves” that suppress the flow of oil from the counter gear chamber 220 and the differential gear chamber 230 to the motor generator chamber 210 while allowing the flow of oil toward the chamber 230. The one-way valves 1000A and 1000B may be provided only in one of the communication passages 220A and 230A.

  By providing the one-way valve 1000 as described above, it is possible to suppress the backflow of oil from the counter gear chamber 220 and the differential gear chamber 230 to the motor generator chamber 210 due to, for example, centrifugal force when the vehicle turns to the right. it can. As a result, the oil level in the motor generator chamber 210 can be reduced, and the oil stirring resistance can be reduced.

(Embodiment 4)
The rear drive unit according to the fourth embodiment will be described below. Since the rear drive unit according to the present embodiment is a modification of rear drive unit 4 according to the first embodiment, description regarding the basic configuration will not be repeated.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically illustrating the characteristic part of the oil flow in the rear drive unit according to the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 14, the rear drive unit according to the present embodiment includes an oil pump as a “flow rate adjusting mechanism” that adjusts the flow rate of oil flowing between motor generator chamber 210, counter gear chamber 220, and differential gear chamber 230. It has 1100A and 1100B.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the oil scooped up by the rotor 120 flows into the counter gear chamber 220 (arrow DR120). Further, the oil scooped up by the portion 301 accommodated in the counter gear chamber 220 in the counter gear 300 flows into the catch tank 920 as described above. Here, the rear drive unit 4 according to the present embodiment is configured such that a part of the oil from the counter gear chamber 220 toward the catch tank 920 is directed toward the differential gear chamber 230. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 15 (enlarged view of XV portion in FIG. 14), an oil passage 9200 that leads from the counter gear chamber 220 to the catch tank 920 is provided with a hole that leads to the differential gear chamber 230. By doing so, a part of the oil flowing in the direction of the arrow DR 920 from the counter gear chamber 220 toward the catch tank 920 branches in the direction of the arrow DR 921 and flows into the differential gear chamber 230.

  In a typical example, oil pumps 1100 </ b> A and 1100 </ b> B are controlled so as to reduce the oil flow rate from differential gear chamber 230 toward counter gear chamber 220 and motor generator chamber 210 as much as possible.

  As described above, the oil scooped up by the rotor 120 flows into the counter gear chamber 220, the oil scooped up by the counter gear 300 flows into the differential gear chamber 230, and the oil in the differential gear chamber 230 is countered. By making it difficult to return to the gear chamber 220 and the motor generator chamber 210, the oil level height of the differential gear chamber 230 can be relatively increased, and oil can be stored in the differential gear chamber 230.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining the oil level in the casing in the rear drive unit 4 according to the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 16, in rear drive unit 4 according to the present embodiment, oil pumps 1100A and 1100B are provided, so that the height of oil surface S210 of motor generator chamber 210 after the oil is scraped up and the counter gear chamber The height of the oil level S220 of 220 and the height of the oil level S230 of the differential gear chamber 230 can be made different from each other. In FIG. 16, the oil surface height (H) before the oil is scraped up, and the oil level after the oil scoop when the oil level heights of the motor generator chamber 210, the counter gear chamber 220, and the differential gear chamber 230 are constant. The oil level height (L) is also shown. As shown in FIG. 16, by making the oil level heights S210, S220, and S230 of each chamber different, the differential gear chamber 230 and the counter gear chamber 220 are compared with the case where the oil level height of each chamber is constant. The oil level S210 of the motor generator chamber 210 can be lowered while keeping the oil levels S230 and S220 relatively high. Therefore, the capacities of catch tanks 910 and 920 necessary for lowering the oil level of motor generator chamber 210 can be reduced.

  As described above, the oil level heights of the motor generator chamber 210, the counter gear chamber 220, and the differential gear chamber 230 are made different, and the oil level height of the differential gear chamber 230 is lowered while lowering the oil level height of the motor generator chamber 210. As a result, the stirring resistance of the rotor 120 can be reduced while suppressing an increase in the capacity of the catch tank. As a result, it is possible to improve the operation efficiency of the unit while suppressing an increase in size of the rear drive unit 4.

  As another embodiment, when the motor generator 100 is in a high load state, the oil pumps 1100A and 1100B increase the amount of oil that returns from the differential gear chamber 230 to the counter gear chamber 220 and the motor generator chamber 210, and the motor Cooling / lubrication of each part of the generator 100 may be promoted. As still another embodiment, when the hybrid vehicle 1 is on an uphill or downhill, or when the oil in the casing 200 receives the inertial force in the horizontal / vertical direction and the oil level is affected, The oil level of the motor generator chamber 210, the counter gear chamber 220, and the differential gear chamber 230 may be adjusted by the oil pumps 1100A and 1100B.

  Further, in place of the oil pumps 1100A and 1100B, a mechanism for adjusting the diameter of the passage connecting the motor generator chamber 210, the counter gear chamber 220, and the differential gear chamber 230 is provided to adjust the flow rate of oil flowing between the chambers. May be.

  In the above example, the rear drive unit 4 as an example of the “power transmission device” has been described, but the same idea can be applied to, for example, a “manual transmission”.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

It is the figure which showed the electric vehicle containing the power transmission device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the figure which showed the structure of the power transmission device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the flow of the oil in the power transmission device shown by FIG. It is a figure explaining the installation position of the power transmission device in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is FIG. (1) explaining the structure of the casing in the power transmission device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is FIG. (2) explaining the structure of the casing in the power transmission device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is FIG. (1) explaining the structure of the casing in the power transmission device which concerns on the comparative example with respect to Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is FIG. (2) explaining the structure of the casing in the power transmission device which concerns on the comparative example with respect to Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is FIG. (1) explaining the flow of the oil at the time of the normal rotation of the counter gear in the power transmission device which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is FIG. (2) explaining the flow of the oil at the time of the normal rotation of the counter gear in the power transmission device which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is FIG. (1) explaining the flow of the oil at the time of reverse rotation of the counter gear in the power transmission device which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is FIG. (2) explaining the flow of the oil at the time of reverse rotation of the counter gear in the power transmission device which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the flow of the oil in the power transmission device which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which illustrates typically the characteristic part of the flow of oil in the power transmission device concerning Embodiment 4 of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the structure of the XV part in FIG. It is a figure explaining the oil level height in the casing in the power transmission device which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  1 hybrid vehicle, 2 front drive unit, 3 engine, 4 rear drive unit, 5 ECU, 6 accelerator pedal, 7 PCU, 8 battery, 9A, 9B, 9C feeding cable, 10 floor panel, 100 motor generator, 110 rotating shaft, 120 rotor, 130 stator, 131 stator core, 132 stator coil, 150 input gear, 200 casing, 210 motor generator chamber, 220 counter gear chamber, 220A communication path, 230 differential gear chamber, 230A communication path, 240 breather, 300 counter gear, 400 differential gear, 410 ring gear, 420 pinion gear, 430 side gear, 500L, 500R output shaft, 600 oil sea , 700 drive shaft receiving portion 800 drive shaft, 910, 920, 930 catch tank, 915 oil passage 921 oil passage, 940A～940H orifice, 1000A, 1000B one-way valve, 1100A, 1100B oil pump.

Claims (11)

A casing for storing the power transmission member;
Oil supplied into the casing and stored at the bottom of the casing;
A first oil flow path through which the oil flows;
A power transmission device provided with a second oil circulation path that is provided to face the first oil circulation path and through which the oil flows. The power transmission member includes a rotating body that scoops up oil stored in the bottom of the casing,
The first oil circulation path includes a first oil reservoir that receives the oil scooped up by the rotating body and then supplies the oil into the casing.
2. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the second oil circulation path includes a second oil storage portion that receives the oil scooped up by the rotating body and supplies the oil into the casing.   The power transmission device according to claim 2, wherein oil supplied from the first and second oil reservoirs into the casing is used for lubrication of the power transmission member. A rotating electrical machine that applies power to the power transmission member;
The power transmission device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the oil flowing through the first and second oil circulation paths is supplied toward the rotating electrical machine. A rotating electrical machine that applies power to the power transmission member;
The power transmission member includes a differential gear,
The casing includes a rotating electrical machine chamber that houses the rotating electrical machine, and a differential gear chamber that houses the differential gear,
5. The power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second oil circulation paths includes an oil passage that directly communicates the rotating electrical machine chamber and the differential gear chamber. 6. The casing further includes a counter gear chamber located between the rotating electrical machine chamber and the differential gear chamber,
The power transmission device according to claim 5, wherein the other of the first and second oil circulation paths includes the counter gear chamber.   At least one of the first and second oil flow paths allows the oil to flow from the rotating electrical machine chamber to the counter gear chamber or the differential gear chamber, while from the counter gear chamber or the differential gear chamber. The power transmission device according to claim 6, further comprising a check valve that suppresses the flow of the oil toward the rotating electrical machine chamber. A rotating electrical machine that applies power to the power transmission member;
The power transmission member includes a helical gear that scoops up oil stored in the bottom of the casing,
The casing includes a rotating electrical machine chamber that houses the rotating electrical machine and a helical gear chamber that houses the helical gear;
The power transmission device further includes an oil reservoir that supplies oil in the casing after receiving the oil scraped up by the helical gear,
The twisting direction of the teeth of the helical gear is set to a direction in which the oil is picked up during forward rotation and sucked out from the rotating electrical machine chamber into the helical gear chamber during reverse rotation. A power transmission device according to claim 1. A rotating electrical machine that applies power to the power transmission member;
The power transmission member includes a differential gear,
The casing includes a rotating electrical machine chamber that houses the rotating electrical machine, a differential gear chamber that houses the differential gear, and a counter gear chamber located between the rotating electrical machine chamber and the differential gear chamber,
The power transmission device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a flow rate adjusting mechanism that adjusts a flow rate of oil between the rotating electrical machine chamber, the differential gear chamber, and the counter gear chamber.   The power transmission device according to claim 9, wherein the flow rate adjusting mechanism includes an oil pump or a mechanism that adjusts a diameter of an oil passage that communicates between the rotating electrical machine chamber, the differential gear chamber, and the counter gear chamber. .   A vehicle comprising the power transmission device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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