Driving unit and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12155277-B2
Application number	US-202017624130-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2020
Priority date	Jul 2, 2019
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

Abstract

A driving unit includes a rotary electric machine which has a rotation axis extending in a horizontal direction, a rotary electric machine case, and an electric power conversion device. The electric power conversion device is disposed on one side of the rotary electric machine in an orthogonal direction. A first coolant is stored in a rotary electric machine accommodating portion of the rotary electric machine case. The driving unit has a first connecting portion electrically connecting the rotary electric machine and the electric power conversion device and a second connecting portion electrically connecting a sensor provided to the rotary electric machine and the electric power conversion device. The first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are disposed between the rotary electric machine and the electric power conversion device in the orthogonal direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A driving unit comprising:
a rotary electric machine which has a rotation axis extending in a horizontal direction;
a rotary electric machine case which has a rotary electric machine accommodating portion accommodating the rotary electric machine; and
an electric power conversion device which is electrically connected to the rotary electric machine and converts electric power supplied to the rotary electric machine and electric power supplied from the rotary electric machine, wherein:
the electric power conversion device is disposed on one side of the rotary electric machine in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to both a rotation axis direction and an up-down direction;
a first coolant is stored in the rotary electric machine accommodating portion of the rotary electric machine case;
a coolant introduction pipe introducing a second coolant into the driving unit and a coolant discharge pipe discharging the second coolant from the driving unit are connected to the driving unit;
a first connecting portion electrically connecting the rotary electric machine and the electric power conversion device is disposed below the rotation axis on a first end portion side in the rotation axis direction, at least a part of the first connecting portion being immersed in the first coolant,
a coolant introduction pipe connecting portion where the coolant introduction pipe is connected and a coolant discharge pipe connecting portion where the coolant discharge pipe is connected are disposed below the rotation axis on a second end portion side in the rotation axis direction; and
the first connecting portion, the coolant introduction pipe connecting portion, and the coolant discharge pipe connecting portion are disposed between the rotary electric machine and the electric power conversion device in the orthogonal direction when viewed from the rotation axis direction.

2. A driving unit comprising:
a rotary electric machine which has a rotation axis extending in a horizontal direction;
a rotary electric machine case which has a rotary electric machine accommodating portion accommodating the rotary electric machine; and
an electric power conversion device which is electrically connected to the rotary electric machine and converts electric power supplied to the rotary electric machine and electric power supplied from the rotary electric machine, wherein:
the electric power conversion device is disposed on one side of the rotary electric machine in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to both a rotation axis direction and an up-down direction;
a first connecting portion electrically connecting the rotary electric machine and the electric power conversion device is disposed below the rotation axis when viewed from the rotation axis direction;
a second connecting portion electrically connecting a sensor provided to the rotary electric machine and the electric power conversion device is disposed above the rotation axis;
the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are disposed between the rotary electric machine and the electric power conversion device in the orthogonal direction when viewed from the rotation axis direction;
the first connecting portion is disposed closer to a first end portion side in the rotation axis direction than a middle of the electric power conversion device;
a coolant introduction pipe introducing a second coolant into the driving unit and a coolant discharge pipe discharging the second coolant from the driving unit are connected to the driving unit; and
a coolant introduction pipe connecting portion where the coolant introduction pipe is connected and a coolant discharge pipe connecting portion where the coolant discharge pipe is connected are disposed on a second end portion side in the rotation axis direction and between the rotary electric machine and the electric power conversion device in the orthogonal direction.

3. The driving unit according to claim 2 , wherein:
the electric power conversion device has a first connector where a first electric power line, where electric power supplied to the rotary electric machine and electric power supplied from the rotary electric machine flow, is connected; and
the first connector is provided on the first end portion side in the rotation axis direction.

4. The driving unit according to claim 3 , wherein
the first connector is positioned above the rotation axis and below an upper surface of the electric power conversion device.

5. The driving unit according to claim 3 , wherein
the first connector is disposed closer to the rotary electric machine side in the orthogonal direction than an end portion of the electric power conversion device on a side opposite to the rotary electric machine case.

6. The driving unit according to claim 3 , wherein
when viewed from the orthogonal direction:
a lower side surface, an upper side surface, and a step surface are provided on the first end portion side of the electric power conversion device, the upper side surface being positioned closer to the second end portion side than the lower side surface in the rotation axis direction, the step surface connecting an upper end portion of the lower side surface and a lower end portion of the upper side surface in the rotation axis direction; and
the first connector is disposed on the upper side surface and positioned closer to the second end portion side than the lower side surface in the rotation axis direction.

7. The driving unit according to claim 6 , wherein
the first connector is disposed to be inclined at a predetermined angle in a direction away from the rotary electric machine in the orthogonal direction and protrude from the electric power conversion device toward a direction away from the upper side surface in the rotation axis direction when viewed from above.

8. The driving unit according to claim 6 , wherein:
the electric power conversion device has a second connector where a second electric power line supplying electric power to the electric power conversion device is connected; and
the second connector is disposed on the lower side surface.

9. The driving unit according to claim 8 , wherein
the second connector is disposed to protrude in the rotation axis direction from the electric power conversion device when viewed from above.

10. A vehicle equipped with the driving unit according to claim 2 , wherein:
the driving unit is disposed in front of or behind a passenger compartment such that the rotation axis extends in a vehicle width direction; and
the electric power conversion device is positioned between the rotary electric machine and the passenger compartment.

11. The driving unit according to claim 2 , wherein:
a first coolant is stored in the rotary electric machine accommodating portion of the rotary electric machine case; and
at least a part of the first connecting portion is immersed in the first coolant.

12. The driving unit according to claim 2 , wherein:
the second connecting portion is disposed on the second end portion side in the rotation axis direction; and
the coolant introduction pipe connecting portion and the coolant discharge pipe connecting portion are disposed below the rotation axis.

13. The driving unit according to claim 2 , wherein:
the coolant introduction pipe connecting portion and the coolant discharge pipe connecting portion are provided above a lower end portion of the rotary electric machine case such that the coolant introduction pipe and the coolant discharge pipe are connected from the rotation axis direction.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd
• Hitachi Astemo Ltd

Inventors

• Kobayashi Heisuke
• Hoshinoya Takeshi
• Kashiwabara Keiichiro
• Yasuda Norifumi
• Yazaki Manabu
• Suzuki Tomoyuki
• Fujiwara Akira
• Noto Hideaki
• Isogai Shunsuke
• Asakura Yu

Classifications

• H02K9/19

  for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil · CPC title

• H02K5/225

  Terminal boxes or connection arrangements (specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132) · CPC title

• H02K5/203

  specially adapted for liquids, e.g. cooling jackets · CPC title

• B60K1/00

  Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) · CPC title

• B60K2001/001

  one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle · CPC title