Vehicle drive device

• US 8,536,743 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2011
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kasuya, Satoru, Kitou, Masashi, Seki, Yuichi, Takahashi, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh, Rohit
• Application Number:
  US13/187,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20120032538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 310/52, 310/54, 310/57, 310/58, 310/60.R, 310/60.A, 310/61
• US Class Current: 310/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4825 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/50 Structural details of electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0476 Electric machines and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/006 Structural association of a motor or generator with the drive train of a motor vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/19 for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A rotating electrical machine configured with a rotor and stator. The rotor is rotatably supported radially inside of a stator that has coil end portions on both sides in an axial direction, and which is structured so that oil is supplied from an axial first direction side to the coil end portions on the both sides in the axial direction. A communication oil passage provided in at least one of the rotor and the rotor support member, is configured to communicate with a first opening and a second opening from an oil collecting portion. The first opening opens radially inside the coil end portion on the axial first direction side, and the second opening opens radially inside the coil end portion on an axial second direction side, which is the other side in the axial direction of the rotor.

Claims

1. A vehicle drive device, comprising:

a rotor rotatably supported, via a rotor support member, radially inside a stator that has coil end portions on both sides in an axial direction, and which is structured so that oil is supplied from an axial first direction side, which is one side in the axial direction of the rotor, to the coil end portions on the both sides in the axial direction;

the rotor support member is configured with a radially extending portion that extends in a radially inward direction from the rotor and is disposed radially inward from the rotor;

an oil collecting portion provided at an end of the rotor support member located on the axial first direction side, the oil collecting portion configured to collect oil scattered from the radially inward direction of the rotor support member; and

a communication oil passage provided in at least one of the rotor and the rotor support member, and communicating with a first opening and a second opening from the oil collecting portion, wherein

the first opening opens radially inside the coil end portion on the axial first direction side, and

the second opening opens radially inside the coil end portion on an axial second direction side, which is the other side in the axial direction of the rotor.

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

the rotor support member has a cylindrical axially protruding portion that protrudes to the axial first direction side,

a recess is formed so as to be recessed to the axial second direction side with respect to one side end face of the axially protruding portion located on the axial first direction side and open on an inner side in a radial direction, and a cover portion is provided so as to contact and be fixed to the one side end face and cover the recess on the axial first direction side, and

the oil collecting portion is formed as a pocket-shaped space defined by the recess and the cover member.

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

the communicating oil passage has a common oil passage extending from the oil collecting portion, an oil passage branching from the common oil passage and communicating with the first opening, and an oil passage branching from the common oil passage and communicating with the second opening.

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

the rotor support member has a cylindrical inner support portion that supports the rotor from radially inside, and an annular one-side support portion that extends radially outward from the inner support portion and supports the rotor from the axial first direction side,

a first oil passage is formed to extend inside the one-side support portion in the axial direction from the oil collecting portion toward the axial second direction side,

a second oil passage is formed to branch from the first oil passage and extend radially outward inside the one-side support portion, and to communicate with the first opening that opens in an outer peripheral surface of the one-side support portion, and

a third oil passage is formed to extend from the first oil passage further to the axial second direction side, and communicate with the second opening that opens in an end face of the rotor or the rotor support member located on the axial second direction side.

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

the third oil passage is formed along a joint surface between an inner peripheral surface of the rotor and an outer peripheral surface of the inner support portion.

6. The vehicle drive device according to claim 5, further comprising:

an annular rotor holding member that is placed so as to contact the rotor from the axial second direction side, and holds the rotor from the axial second direction side; and

a crimped portion that presses the rotor holding member, which is inserted with the inner support portion, from the axial second direction side, wherein

the crimped portion serves as a guide portion that guides the oil, which is supplied from the third oil passage, to the coil end portion.

7. The vehicle drive device according to claim 6, wherein

the communication oil passage independently has an oil passage communicating with the first opening from the oil collecting portion, and the oil passage communicating with the second opening from the oil collecting portion.

8. A vehicle drive device, comprising:

the rotating electrical machine according to claim 7;

a friction engagement device; and

a case accommodating at least the rotating electrical machine and the friction engagement device, wherein

the case has a support wall that rotatably supports the rotor support member on the axial first direction side of the rotor,

a housing that surrounds the friction engagement device is formed by using at least a part of the rotor support member, and the friction engagement device is placed in a fluid-tight state inside the housing at a position radially inside the rotor,

the housing is filled with oil at a predetermined pressure or more, and

the support wall is provided with an oil flowing portion through which the oil that is to be supplied to the coil end portions on the both sides in the axial direction flows.

9. The vehicle drive device machine according to claim 1, wherein

the communicating oil passage has a common oil passage extending from the oil collecting portion, an oil passage branching from the common oil passage and communicating with the first opening, and an oil passage branching from the common oil passage and communicating with the second opening.

10. The vehicle drive device according to claim 9, wherein

the rotor support member has a cylindrical inner support portion that supports the rotor from radially inside, and an annular one-side support portion that extends radially outward from the inner support portion and supports the rotor from the axial first direction side,

a first oil passage is formed to extend inside the one-side support portion in the axial direction from the oil collecting portion toward the axial second direction side,

a second oil passage is formed to branch from the first oil passage and extend radially outward inside the one-side support portion, and to communicate with the first opening that opens in an outer peripheral surface of the one-side support portion, and

a third oil passage is formed to extend from the first oil passage further to the axial second direction side, and communicate with the second opening that opens in an end face of the rotor or the rotor support member located on the axial second direction side.

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

the third oil passage is formed along a joint surface between an inner peripheral surface of the rotor and an outer peripheral surface of the inner support portion.

12. The vehicle drive device according to claim 11, further comprising:

an annular rotor holding member that is placed so as to contact the rotor from the axial second direction side, and holds the rotor from the axial second direction side; and

a crimped portion that presses the rotor holding member, which is inserted with the inner support portion, from the axial second direction side, wherein

the crimped portion serves as a guide portion that guides the oil, which is supplied from the third oil passage, to the coil end portion.

13. The vehicle drive device according to claim 12, wherein

the communication oil passage independently has an oil passage communicating with the first opening from the oil collecting portion, and the oil passage communicating with the second opening from the oil collecting portion.

14. A vehicle drive device, comprising:

the rotating electrical machine according to claim 13;

a friction engagement device; and

a case accommodating at least the rotating electrical machine and the friction engagement device, wherein

the case has a support wall that rotatably supports the rotor support member on the axial first direction side of the rotor,

a housing that surrounds the friction engagement device is formed by using at least a part of the rotor support member, and the friction engagement device is placed in a fluid-tight state inside the housing at a position radially inside the rotor,

the housing is filled with oil at a predetermined pressure or more, and

the support wall is provided with an oil flowing portion through which the oil that is to be supplied to the coil end portions on the both sides in the axial direction flows.

15. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, wherein

the communication oil passage independently has an oil passage communicating with the first opening from the oil collecting portion, and the oil passage communicating with the second opening from the oil collecting portion.

16. A vehicle drive device, comprising:

the rotating electrical machine according to claim 1;

a friction engagement device; and

a case accommodating at least the rotating electrical machine and the friction engagement device, wherein

the case has a support wall that rotatably supports the rotor support member on the axial first direction side of the rotor,

a housing that surrounds the friction engagement device is formed by using at least a part of the rotor support member, and the friction engagement device is placed in a fluid-tight state inside the housing at a position radially inside the rotor,

the housing is filled with oil at a predetermined pressure or more, and

the support wall is provided with an oil flowing portion through which the oil that is to be supplied to the coil end portions on the both sides in the axial direction flows.

17. The vehicle drive device according to claim 2, wherein

the communication oil passage independently has an oil passage communicating with the first opening from the oil collecting portion, and the oil passage communicating with the second opening from the oil collecting portion.

18. A vehicle drive device, comprising:

the vehicle drive device according to claim 17;

a friction engagement device; and

a case accommodating at least the rotating electrical machine and the friction engagement device, wherein

the case has a support wall that rotatably supports the rotor support member on the axial first direction side of the rotor,

a housing that surrounds the friction engagement device is formed by using at least a part of the rotor support member, and the friction engagement device is placed in a fluid-tight state inside the housing at a position radially inside the rotor,

the housing is filled with oil at a predetermined pressure or more, and

the support wall is provided with an oil flowing portion through which the oil that is to be supplied to the coil end portions on the both sides in the axial direction flows.

20. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, wherein the communication oil passage further comprises:

a first oil passage portion extending in an axial direction from the oil collecting portion to the first opening;

a second oil passage portion extending in a radial direction from the oil collecting portion to the second opening,

wherein the first oil passage portion and second oil passage portions are located at different circumferential positions from each other about the rotor support member.

19. A vehicle drive device for an internal combustion engine, the vehicle drive device comprising:

a rotating electrical machine comprising;

a rotor rotatably supported, via a rotor support member, radially inside a stator that has coil end portions on both sides in an axial direction, and which is structured so that oil is supplied from an axial first direction side, which is one side in the axial direction of the rotor, to the coil end portions on the both sides in the axial direction;

an oil collecting portion provided at an end of the rotor support member located on the axial first direction side, the oil collecting portion configured to collect oil scattered from the radially inward direction of the rotor support member; and

a communication oil passage provided in at least one of the rotor and the rotor support member, and communicating with a first opening and a second opening from the oil collecting portion, wherein

the first opening opens radially inside the coil end portion on the axial first direction side, and

the second opening opens radially inside the coil end portion on an axial second direction side, which is the other side in the axial direction of the rotor; and

a clutch configured to separate coupled states between the combustion engine and the rotating electrical machine, the clutch disposed radially inward of the rotating electrical machine.