Vehicle drive device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9175759-B2
Application number	US-201214241243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2012
Priority date	Nov 4, 2011
Publication date	Nov 3, 2015
Grant date	Nov 3, 2015

Abstract

A vehicle drive device having a case that includes a support wall portion that extends in a radial direction of the rotary electric machine at a location between the rotary electric machine and the fluid coupling in the axial direction. A rotor member and the coupling input member are coupled so as to rotate in conjunction with each other to form a power transfer member. The vehicle drive device further includes a first bearing that supports the power transfer member from a second axial direction side so as to be rotatable with respect to the support wall portion, the second axial direction side being an opposite side from the first axial direction side, and a second bearing that supports the power transfer member from the first axial direction side so as to be rotatable with respect to the support wall portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle drive device comprising:
a rotary electric machine;
a fluid coupling disposed coaxially with the rotary electric machine on a first axial direction side with respect to the rotary electric machine; and
a case that houses the rotary electric machine and the fluid coupling,
the first axial direction side being one side in an axial direction with respect to the rotary electric machine,
the fluid coupling including a coupling input member drivably coupled to a rotor member of the rotary electric machine and a coupling output member drivably coupled to wheels,
the case including a support wall portion that extends in a radial direction of the rotary electric machine at a location between the rotary electric machine and the fluid coupling in the axial direction,
the rotor member and the coupling input member being coupled so as to rotate in conjunction with each other to form a power transfer member, and
the vehicle drive device including a first thrust bearing that axially supports the power transfer member from a second axial direction side so as to be rotatable with respect to the support wall portion, the second axial direction side being an opposite side from the first axial direction, and a second thrust bearing that axially supports the power transfer member from the first axial direction side so as to be rotatable with respect to the support wall portion.

2. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the power transfer member includes an axially extending portion that extends in the axial direction through a location on an inner side in the radial direction with respect to the support wall portion, a first radially extending portion provided on the first axial direction side with respect to the support wall portion to extend outward in the radial direction, and a second radially extending portion provided on the second axial direction side with respect to the support wall portion to extend outward in the radial direction, the first radially extending portion and the second radially extending portion being coupled to each other with relative movement in the axial direction between the first radially extending portion and the second radially extending portion via the axially extending portion restrained; and
the first thrust bearing is disposed at a location at which the support wall portion and the first radially extending portion face each other in the axial direction, and the second thrust bearing is disposed at a location at which the support wall portion and the second radially extending portion face each other in the axial direction.

3. The vehicle drive device according to claim 2 , wherein
the axially extending portion includes a first portion formed integrally with the first radially extending portion, and a second portion formed integrally with the second radially extending portion, the first portion and the second portion being coupled to each other through spline fitting by spline teeth that extend in the axial direction.

4. The vehicle drive device according to claim 3 , wherein
the axially extending portion includes a movement restraining mechanism that restrains relative movement in the axial direction between the first portion and the second portion.

5. The vehicle drive device according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a third bearing that supports the rotor member in the radial direction so as to be rotatable with respect to the support wall portion, wherein
the rotor member and the second radially extending portion are coupled to each other so as to be relatively movable in the axial direction.

6. The vehicle drive device according to claim 5 , wherein:
the support wall portion is a first support wall portion, and the case includes a second support wall portion provided on the second axial direction side with respect to the rotary electric machine to extend in the radial direction;
the vehicle drive device further includes a fourth bearing that supports the power transfer member in the radial direction so as to be rotatable with respect to the second support wall portion; and
a total sum of gaps in the axial direction provided between the first radially extending portion and the first support wall portion is set to be smaller than a total sum of gaps in the axial direction provided between the second radially extending portion and the second support wall portion.

7. The vehicle drive device according to claim 4 , wherein:
the first portion includes a first tubular projecting portion which is a tubular portion that projects to the second axial direction side from the first radially extending portion and on an outer peripheral surface of which first spline teeth are formed;
the second portion includes a second tubular projecting portion which is a tubular portion that projects to the first axial direction side from the second radially extending portion and on an inner peripheral surface of which second spline teeth are formed to engage with the first spline teeth; and
an end surface of the second tubular projecting portion on the first axial direction side abuts against the first radially extending portion, and a surface of a fastening member fastened to the first portion that faces the first axial direction side abuts against a surface of the second tubular projecting portion that faces the second axial direction side, thereby forming the movement restraining mechanism.

8. The vehicle drive device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a third bearing that supports the rotor member in the radial direction so as to be rotatable with respect to the support wall portion, wherein
the rotor member and the second radially extending portion are coupled to each other so as to be relatively movable in the axial direction.

9. The vehicle drive device according to claim 8 , wherein:
the support wall portion is a first support wall portion, and the case includes a second support wall portion provided on the second axial direction side with respect to the rotary electric machine to extend in the radial direction;
the vehicle drive device further includes a fourth bearing that supports the power transfer member in the radial direction so as to be rotatable with respect to the second support wall portion; and
a total sum of gaps in the axial direction provided between the first radially extending portion and the first support wall portion is set to be smaller than a total sum of gaps in the axial direction provided between the second radially extending portion and the second support wall portion.

10. The vehicle drive device according to claim 8 , wherein:
the support wall portion is a first support wall portion, and the case includes a second support wall portion provided on the second axial direction side with respect to the rotary electric machine to extend in the radial direction;
the vehicle drive device further includes a fourth bearing that supports the power transfer member in the radial direction so as to be rotatable with respect to the second support wall portion; and
a total sum of gaps in the axial direction provided between the first radially extending portion and the first support wall portion is set to be smaller than a total sum of gaps in the axial direction provided between the second radially extending portion and the second support wall portion.

11. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the support wall portion is a first support wall portion, and the case includes a second support wall portion provided on the second axial direction side with respect to the rotary electric machine to extend in the radial direction;
the vehicle drive device further includes a fo

Assignees

• Aisin Aw Co
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Iwase Mikio
• Suyama Daiki
• Jinnai Naoya
• Okishima Tatsuya
• Ideshio Yukihiko
• Inoue Yuji

Classifications

• F16H45/00 Primary

  Combinations of fluid gearings for conveying rotary motion with couplings or clutches  (gearing systems consisting of a plurality of hydrokinetic units operating alternatively F16H41/22) · CPC title

• B60K6/26 Primary

  characterised by the motors or the generators · CPC title

• Y02T10/6221

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F16H57/021

  Shaft support structures, e.g. partition walls, bearing eyes, casing walls or covers with bearings · CPC title

• F16H2057/02034

  Gearboxes combined or connected with electric machines · CPC title