Vehicle drive device

• US 8,622,182 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwase, Mikio, Suzuki, Tomohide, Jinnai, Naoya, Okishima, Tatsuya, Kamiya, Toshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Lorence, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US12/926,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20110240430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 192/3.33
• US Class Current: 192/3.33
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2045/002 comprising a clutch between prime mover and fluid gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2045/021 three chamber system, i.e. comprising a separated, closed chamber specially adapted for actuating a lock-up clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2045/0226 comprising two or more vibration dampers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2045/0284 Multiple disk type lock-up clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 45/02 with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type control of torque converter lock-up clutches F16H61/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A drive device for a vehicle configured between an internal combustion engine and a wheel. The drive device includes a rotary electric machine, and an engagement device connecting the drive device to the engine by a fluid coupling using hydraulic pressure. A case houses at least a portion of the drive device and includes a support wall extending radially, and a cylindrical projecting portion projecting from the support wall toward a side in an axial second direction that is in a direction opposite to the axial first direction. The engagement device includes an operating oil pressure chamber supplied with the hydraulic pressure. A rotor member of the rotary electric machine is radially supported by the cylindrical projecting portion in a rotatable state via a support bearing. The cylindrical projecting portion is formed with an operating oil supply passage supplying oil to the operating oil pressure chamber.

Claims

1. A drive device for a vehicle, comprising:

an input member drivingly connected to an internal combustion engine;

an output member drivingly connected to a wheel;

a rotary electric machine;

a fluid coupling drivingly connected to the rotary electric machine;

an engagement device selectively drivingly connecting the input member with the rotary electric machine and the fluid coupling by hydraulic pressure; and

a case housing at least the rotary electric machine, the engagement device, and the fluid coupling, wherein

the case includes a support wall extending at least radially on a side in an axial first direction that is axially on an internal combustion engine side relative to the engagement device, and a cylindrical projecting portion projecting from the support wall toward a side in an axial second direction that is in a direction opposite to the axial first direction,

the engagement device includes an operating oil pressure chamber supplied with the hydraulic pressure,

a rotor member of the rotary electric machine is radially supported by the cylindrical projecting portion in a rotatable state via a support bearing, and

the cylindrical projecting portion is formed with an operating oil supply passage supplying oil to the operating oil pressure chamber.

2. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the engagement device further includes an engagement input side member connected to the input member and an engagement output side member that is paired with the engagement input side member and is connected to the fluid coupling, and

the engagement output side member and the rotor member are connected so as to rotate as a unit with each other.

3. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the case includes, separately from a first support wall serving as the support wall, a second support wall extending at least radially on the side in the axial second direction relative to the fluid coupling,

the fluid coupling includes a coupling input side member and a coupling output side member paired with the coupling input side member,

the engagement output side member and the coupling input side member are connected so as to rotate as a unit with each other, and

the coupling input side member is radially supported by the second support wall in a rotatable state via a second support bearing provided separately from a first support bearing serving as the support bearing.

4. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the rotor member includes a rotor body and a rotor support member extending radially inward from the rotor body so as to support the rotor body,

the coupling input side member includes a cover portion housing the body portion of the fluid coupling, and a pump drive shaft that is provided to the radially inside of the second support wall and drivingly connected to an oil pump,

the rotor support member, the engagement output side member, and the cover portion are connected so as to rotate as a unit with each other, and

the rotor support member is radially supported by the cylindrical projecting portion via the support bearing, and the pump drive shaft is radially supported by the second support wall via the second support bearing.

5. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the input member is arranged so as to penetrate through the radially inside of the cylindrical projecting portion, and the input member and the engagement input side member are connected so as to rotate as a unit with each other to structure an input transmission member, and

a first seal member is arranged between the rotor support member and the cylindrical projecting portion on the side in the axial first direction relative to the engagement device, and a second seal member is arranged between the cylindrical projecting portion and the input transmission member.

6. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

the engagement output side member is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to cover at least the radially outside of the engagement member provided in the engagement device and the engagement output side member includes an opposed cylindrical portion that is arranged so as to be radially opposed to the cylindrical projecting portion on the radially inside of the engagement member, and

the support bearing is arranged between the first seal member and the opposed cylindrical portion in the axial direction.

7. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

a junction between the rotor support member and the engagement output side member is formed with a fastening portion where both of the members are fastened with each other by a bolt, and a radially fitting portion where both of the members radially contact each other and fit against each other, and

a third seal member is further arranged between the rotor support member and the engagement output side member at the radially fitting portion.

8. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the engagement device further includes an engagement member and a pressing member pressing the engagement member,

the engagement output side member includes an axially extending portion axially extending so as to cover at least the radially outside of the engagement member, and a radially extending portion that is provided as a unit with the axially extending portion and extends radially inward from an end portion on the side in the axial first direction of the axially extending portion,

the operating oil pressure chamber is formed between the radially extending portion and the pressing member, and

the rotor support member is connected to the radially extending portion, and an open end portion on the side in the axial second direction of the axially extending portion is connected to the cover portion.

9. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:

an intermediate output member drivingly connected to the fluid coupling and also drivingly connected to the output member, wherein

the fluid coupling includes a body portion housing chamber housing a body portion of the fluid coupling, and

the intermediate output member is formed with a coupling supply oil passage supplying oil to the body portion housing chamber.

10. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the engagement device further includes an engagement member and a pressing member pressing the engagement member,

the engagement output side member is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to cover at least the radially outside of the engagement member and the engagement output side member includes an opposed cylindrical portion that is arranged so as to be radially opposed to the cylindrical projecting portion on the radially inside of the engagement member,

at least a part of the operating oil pressure chamber is defined by the pressing member slidably arranged relative to the opposed cylindrical portion and by the opposed cylindrical portion, and

the opposed cylindrical portion is formed with an oil hole communicating between the operating oil supply passage and the operating oil pressure chamber.

11. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

the opposed cylindrical portion is arranged on the radially outside of the cylindrical projecting portion, and

the support bearing is radially supported on an outer circumferential face of the cylindrical projecting portion and is arranged between the support wall and the opposed cylindrical portion in the axial direction.

12. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the input member is arranged so as to penetrate through the radially inside of the cylindrical projecting portion and is radially supported on an inner circumferential face of the cylindrical projecting portion in a rotatable state via a third support bearing provided separately from a first support bearing serving as the support bearing.

13. The drive device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical projecting portion is formed with a circulating oil supply passage that supplies oil to an engagement member housing chamber housing the engagement member provided in the engagement device.