Drive apparatus for vehicle

• US 7,942,775 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Taga, Yutaka, Miyazaki, Terufumi, Tabata, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Estremsky; Sherry L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bishop; Erin D
• Application Number:
  US11/576,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20070213161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 475/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/115 with planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/30 Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 : Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 : Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0873 : with switching, e.g. to change ranges
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/952 : Housing details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2186 : Gear casings

Abstract

A vehicle drive apparatus includes a first electric motor, a power distributing mechanism, a second electric motor, and a step-variable power transmission. A power transmitting portion includes a second case, accommodating the second electric motor and the automatic power transmission. One end of an input shaft of the automatic power transmission faces a drive apparatus output shaft, which is supported with a first support wall mounted on the second case, the second electric motor being accommodated in a compartment opposite to the automatic power transmission with respect to the first support wall, and one end of a second rotor supporting shaft of the second electric motor faces the automatic power transmission, which is supported with a second support wall mounted on the second case. The automatic power transmission and second electric motor can be unitized as one power transmitting portion, improving assembling workability of the drive apparatus.

Claims

1. A drive apparatus for vehicle including a first electric motor, a first gear device, a second electric motor and a second gear device comprising:

one power transmitting portion including a single case, and the second electric motor and the second gear device accommodated in the single case;

at least one end of the second gear device being supported with a first support wall detachably fixed on the single case;

the second electric motor being accommodated in a compartment formed in the single case in opposition to the second gear device with respect to the first support wall for accommodating therein the second electric motor; and

the second electric motor includes a rotary shaft being supported with a second support wall fixed to the single case on a side opposite to the first support wall with respect to the second electric motor,

wherein the first electric motor and the first gear device form an other power transmitting portion,

the other power transmitting portion includes a second case that accommodates the first electric motor and the first gear device therein,

the rotary shaft of the second electric motor is further rotatably supported with the first support wall,

an input shaft of the second gear device is rotatably supported by the first support wall, and

the second gear device includes a plurality of planetary gear units.

2. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the one transmitting portion and the other power transmitting portion are connected to each other.

3. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the first electric motor, the first gear device and the second electric motor form an electrically controlled differential portion.

4. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the electrically controlled differential portion and the second gear device form a plurality of gear ratio positions.

5. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the second case includes a wall member that partitions the second case into a first accommodating compartment that accommodates the first electric motor and a second accommodating compartment that accommodates the first gear device; and

the first electric motor and the first gear device are coupled to each other for power transmitting capability with the wall member intervening therebetween.

6. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the first gear device is rotatably supported with the wall member of the second case.

7. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the first support wall includes an outer circumferential surface held in abutting contact with a first inner circumferential surface of the single case.

8. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the second support wall includes an outer circumferential surface held in abutting contact with a second inner circumferential surface of the single case.

9. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second support wall is formed with a concaved portion axially concaved for accommodating a stator coil of the second electric motor, and an outer circumferential margin of the second support wall being connected to an opening margin of the concaved portion.

10. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first support wall is fixed to the single case by bolts.

11. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second support wall is fixed to the single case by bolts.

12. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of planetary gear units are switched to establish a rearward running position.

13. A drive apparatus for vehicle, comprising:

an electric motor;

a rotating device including a rotating shaft; and

a stator of the electric motor that is mounted on a case via a spacer, wherein the rotating shaft of the rotating device is rotatably supported with a support wall that is detachably provided to the case,

the spacer and the support wall are integrally formed with each other, and

the stator is affixed to the case by a bolt that axially extends through the stator and through a through hole of the support wall, such that the support wall is affixed to the case via the bolt.

14. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

the rotating device is a gear device including a gear, and

the rotating shaft is a gear shaft.

15. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the gear device includes a plurality of planetary gear units.

16. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the electric motor also includes a rotor rotatably supported by the support wall.

17. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the gear shaft of the gear device includes a first end supported by the support wall and a second end supported by a rotor support shaft of the electric motor.

18. A drive apparatus for vehicle, comprising:

an electric motor;

a rotating device including a rotating shaft that is rotatably supported by a support wall which is detachably provided to a case, wherein

the support wall is interposed between a stator of the electric motor and the case, and

both the stator and the support wall are integrally fastened to the case by a bolt that axially extends through the stator and through a through hole of the support wall.

19. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 18, wherein

the rotating device is a gear device including a gear, and

the rotating shaft is a gear shaft.

20. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the gear device includes a plurality of planetary gear units.

21. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the electric motor also includes a rotor rotatably supported by the support wall.

22. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the gear shaft of the gear device includes a first end supported by the support wall and a second end supported by a rotor support shaft of the electric motor.