Drive device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12305745-B2
Application number	US-202418442536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2024
Priority date	Jun 14, 2023
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A drive device installed in a vehicle includes a case including an electric motor chamber, a terminal block chamber, and a gear chamber, an electric motor, a terminal block, a speed reducer, and a hypoid gear. A first through hole is provided in a partition wall between the electric motor chamber and the terminal block chamber. A second through hole is provided in a partition wall between the terminal block chamber and the gear chamber. The electric motor includes a rotor shaft extending from the electric motor chamber through the first through hole, the terminal block chamber, and the second through hole, to the gear chamber. A gap between the rotor shaft and the second through hole is sealed by an oil seal. A first lubricating oil is accommodated in the electric motor chamber and the terminal block chamber. A second lubricating oil is accommodated in the gear chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive device that is installed in a vehicle, the drive device comprising:
a case that includes an electric motor chamber, a terminal block chamber, and a gear chamber;
an electric motor that is housed in the electric motor chamber;
a terminal block that is housed in the terminal block chamber and that is electrically connected to the electric motor;
a speed reducer that is disposed in the gear chamber; and
a hypoid gear that is disposed in the gear chamber, wherein
a first through hole is provided in a partition wall between the electric motor chamber and the terminal block chamber,
a second through hole is provided in a partition wall between the terminal block chamber and the gear chamber,
the electric motor includes a rotor shaft extending from the electric motor chamber through the first through hole, the terminal block chamber, and the second through hole, to the gear chamber,
a configuration is made such that rotation of the rotor shaft is transmitted to wheels of the vehicle via the speed reducer and the hypoid gear,
a gap between the rotor shaft and the second through hole is sealed by an oil seal,
a first lubricating oil is accommodated in the electric motor chamber and the terminal block chamber, and
a second lubricating oil is accommodated in the gear chamber.

2. The drive device according to claim 1 , wherein, during operation of the electric motor, the first lubricating oil circulates between the electric motor chamber and the terminal block chamber.

3. The drive device according to claim 1 , wherein a viscosity of the first lubricating oil is lower than a viscosity of the second lubricating oil.

4. The drive device according to claim 1 , wherein the oil seal includes a first seal portion that is in contact with an outer peripheral face of the rotor shaft and an inner peripheral face of the second through hole, and a second seal portion that is in contact with the outer peripheral face of the rotor shaft and the inner peripheral face of the second through hole at a position closer to the gear chamber than the first seal portion.

5. The drive device according to claim 4 , wherein the case is provided with an oil discharge passage opening to the inner peripheral face of the second through hole, at a position between the first seal portion and the second seal portion.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ito Eiji
• Okuda Koichi
• Tabata Atsushi

Classifications

• F16H57/0476 Primary

  Electric machines and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof · CPC title

• F16H57/0424

  Lubricant guiding means in the wall of or integrated with the casing, e.g. grooves, channels, holes · CPC title

• F16H2057/02034

  Gearboxes combined or connected with electric machines · CPC title

• F16H57/0495

  with fixed gear ratio · CPC title

• F16H2057/02052

  Axle units; Transfer casings for four wheel drive · CPC title