Rotating electric machine and drive device

Abstract

To provide a rotary electric machine and a driving device having a structure capable of achieving downsizing. The rotary electric machine includes a rotor, a stator, a housing, an inverter device, a bus bar, and a hollow pipe member housed inside the housing. A first region is provided inside the housing and is located between an outer surface of the stator core and an inner surface of the housing when viewed in the axial direction. A second region is provided inside the housing and is located between the outer surface of the stator core and the inner surface of the housing when viewed in the axial direction and is disposed to be spaced apart in the circumferential direction with respect to the first region. The second region is wider than the first region. The pipe member overlaps the first region when viewed in the axial direction. The bus bar overlaps the second region when viewed in the axial direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to rotary electric motors and drive devices. Background Technology

[0002] Rotary motors with cooling pipes are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a rotary motor having a cooling pipe disposed at the vertically uppermost position above the outer periphery of the stator yoke.

[0003] [Existing technical documents]

[0004] [Patent Literature]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-35882 Summary of the Invention

[0006] In the aforementioned rotating electric motors, the installation of cooling pipes leads to a larger motor size. Furthermore, in such rotating electric motors, an inverter device is sometimes included. In this case, the installation of the inverter device further increases the size of the rotating electric motor. Thus, rotating electric motors with cooling pipes and inverter devices tend to be larger in size.

[0007] In view of the above, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a rotary motor and a drive device having a structure that enables miniaturization.

[0008] One embodiment of the rotary electric motor of the present invention comprises: a rotor capable of rotating about a central axis; a stator having a stator core opposed to the rotor with a gap; a housing housing the rotor and the stator therein; an inverter device electrically connected to the stator; a busbar electrically connecting the stator to the inverter device; and a hollow tubular component housed within the housing. Inside the housing are a first region and a second region. The first region, viewed axially, is located between the outer surface of the stator core and the inner surface of the housing. The second region, viewed axially, is located between the outer surface of the stator core and the inner surface of the housing, and is circumferentially spaced apart from the first region. The second region is wider than the first region. When viewed axially, the tubular component overlaps with the first region. The busbar, viewed axially, overlaps with the second region.

[0009] One embodiment of the drive device of the present invention is a drive device mounted on a vehicle, comprising: the aforementioned rotary motor; and a transmission device connected to the rotary motor to transmit the rotation of the rotary motor to the axle of the vehicle.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, the rotary electric motor and the drive device can be miniaturized. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of the drive device according to the first embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing the drive device of the first embodiment. Figure 1 Sectional view II-II in the middle.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a perspective view showing the stator core and tube components of the first embodiment.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rotary motor according to the second embodiment.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rotary motor according to the third embodiment.

[0016] (Symbol Explanation)

[0017] 10, 210, 310… Rotary electric motor; 20, 220, 320… Motor housing (casing); 21i… First recess; 24a, 224a, 324a… First region; 24b, 224b, 324b… Second region; 30… Rotor; 40, 240, 340… Stator; 41, 241, 341… Stator core; 43… Stator core body; 43c… Outer peripheral surface; 44a… First side surface (inclined surface) ; 45… Second protrusion (protrusion); 49… Protrusion; 50, 250, 350… Pipe components; 51… Intervention part; 60… Transmission device; 64… Axle; 80… Inverter device; 82… Power element; 83… Capacitor; 84a, 284a, 384a… Busbar; 100… Drive device; 341a… Second recess; 341b… Third recess; IL… Imaginary line; J… Central axis; P2a… Boundary part. Detailed Implementation

[0018] In the following description, the vertical direction is defined based on the positional relationship when the drive unit of the embodiment is mounted on a vehicle located on a level road surface. That is, the relative positional relationships related to the vertical direction described in the following embodiments are only required to be satisfied when the drive unit is mounted on a vehicle located on a level road surface.

[0019] In the accompanying drawings, the XYZ coordinate system is appropriately shown as a three-dimensional rectangular coordinate system. In the XYZ coordinate system, the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction. The side to which the Z-axis arrow points (+Z side) is the upper vertical direction, and the opposite side (-Z side) is the lower vertical direction. In the following description, the upper vertical direction is simply referred to as the "upper side," and the lower vertical direction is simply referred to as the "lower side." The X-axis direction is orthogonal to the Z-axis direction and represents the front-rear direction of the vehicle carrying the drive unit. In the following embodiments, the side to which the X-axis arrow points (+X side) is the front side of the vehicle, and the opposite side (-X side) is the rear side of the vehicle. The Y-axis direction is orthogonal to both the X-axis and Z-axis directions and represents the left-right direction of the vehicle, i.e., the vehicle width direction. In the following embodiments, the side to which the Y-axis arrow points (+Y side) is the left side of the vehicle, and the opposite side (-Y side) is the right side of the vehicle. The front-back and left-right directions are horizontal directions orthogonal to the vertical direction.

[0020] Furthermore, the positional relationship in the front-rear direction is not limited to the positional relationship in the following embodiments. The side in which the arrow on the X-axis points (+X side) can also be the rear side of the vehicle, and the opposite side (-X side) can be the front side of the vehicle. In this case, the side in which the arrow on the Y-axis points (+Y side) is the right side of the vehicle, and the opposite side (-Y side) is the left side of the vehicle. Additionally, in this specification, "parallel direction" also includes substantially parallel directions, and "orthogonal direction" also includes substantially orthogonal directions.

[0021] The central axis J, as illustrated in the diagram, is an imaginary axis extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction. More specifically, the central axis J extends along the Y-axis direction, which is orthogonal to the vertical direction, i.e., the left-right direction of the vehicle. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction parallel to the central axis J is simply referred to as the "axial direction," the radial direction centered on the central axis J is simply referred to as the "radial direction," and the circumferential direction centered on the central axis J, i.e., the axis around the central axis J, is simply referred to as the "circumferential direction." In the following embodiments, the right side (-Y side) is referred to as the "axial side," and the left side (+Y side) is referred to as the "axial side."

[0022] The arrow θ in the appropriate illustration indicates the circumferential direction. In the following explanation, the side of the circumferential direction that moves clockwise around the central axis J when viewed from the right, i.e., the side in which the arrow θ points (+θ side), is called the "circumferential side," and the opposite side of the circumferential direction that moves counterclockwise around the central axis J when viewed from the right, i.e., the side in which the arrow θ points (-θ side), is called the "circumferential side."

[0023] In the following implementation, the direction of the Z-axis extension, i.e., the vertical direction, corresponds to the "first direction," and the direction of the X-axis extension, i.e., the front-back direction, corresponds to the "second direction." The upper side corresponds to "one side of the first direction," and the lower side corresponds to "the other side of the first direction."

[0024] <First Implementation>

[0025] Figure 1 The drive unit 100 shown in this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle and is a drive unit that rotates the axle 64. Vehicles equipped with the drive unit 100 are hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHVs), electric vehicles (EVs), and other vehicles that use an electric motor as a power source. Figure 1 As shown, the drive unit 100 includes a rotary motor 10 and a transmission device 60. The transmission device 60 is connected to the rotary motor 10 and transmits the rotation of the rotary motor 10, i.e., the rotation of the rotor 30 described later, to the axle 64 of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the transmission device 60 includes a gear housing 61, a reduction gear 62 connected to the rotary motor 10, and a differential gear 63 connected to the reduction gear 62.

[0026] The gear housing 61 internally houses the reduction gear 62, the differential gear 63, and oil O. Oil O is stored in the lower region of the gear housing 61. Oil O circulates within the refrigerant flow path 90, described later. Oil O is used as a refrigerant to cool the rotary motor 10. Additionally, oil O serves as a lubricant for the reduction gear 62 and the differential gear 63. As for oil O, to perform its functions as both a refrigerant and a lubricant, it is preferable to use an oil with a low viscosity, similar to automatic transmission fluid (ATF).

[0027] The differential 63 has a gear ring 63a. The torque output from the rotary motor 10 is transmitted to the gear ring 63a via the reduction gear 62. The lower end of the gear ring 63a is immersed in oil O accumulated in the gear housing 61. As the gear ring 63a rotates, the oil O is agitated. The agitated oil O is supplied to the reduction gear 62 and the differential 63, for example, as lubricating oil.

[0028] The rotary motor 10 is part of the drive unit 100. The rotary motor 10 is located, for example, on the axial side (-Y side) of the transmission device 60. In this embodiment, the rotary motor 10 is a motor. The rotary motor 10 includes a motor housing 20, a rotor 30 having a shaft 31, bearings 34 and 35 supporting the rotor 30 for rotation, a stator 40, a separator 72, a nozzle assembly 70, and an electrostatic discharge device 71. The bearings 34 and 35 are, for example, ball bearings.

[0029] The motor housing 20 is a housing that internally houses the rotor 30 and the stator 40. The motor housing 20 is connected to the gear housing 61 on one axial side (-Y side). The motor housing 20 has a main body 21, a partition wall 22, and a cover 23. The main body 21 and the partition wall 22 are, for example, part of the same single component. The cover 23 is, for example, separate from the main body 21 and the partition wall 22.

[0030] The main body 21 is a cylindrical shape that surrounds the central axis J and opens on one axial side (-Y side). For example... Figure 2 As shown, the main body 21 has a first cylindrical portion 21a, a flange portion 21b, and a second cylindrical portion 21c. The first cylindrical portion 21a is a cylindrical portion that internally houses the stator 40. The inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 21a follows the shape of the outer circumferential surface of the stator core 41, which will be described later. Figure 2 In the figure, the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 21a faces the outer circumferential surface of the stator core 41 with a gap between them. In addition, although the figure is omitted, a support portion is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 21a that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the stator core 41.

[0031] A first recess 21i is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 21a, recessed toward the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 21a. That is, a first recess 21i recessed toward the outer surface of the motor housing 20 is provided on the inner surface of the motor housing 20. In this embodiment, the first recess 21i is provided on the rear side (-X side) of the upper portion of the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 21a. In this embodiment, the first recess 21i is recessed upward. The inner surface of the first recess 21i is, for example, an arc shape that is recessed upward when viewed axially. The first recess 21i extends axially. The first recess 21i is located above the boundary portion P2a, which will be described later.

[0032] The flange portion 21b extends radially outward from the end of the first cylindrical portion 21a on one axial side (-Y side). The flange portion 21b is annular, surrounding the central axis J. Viewed axially, the flange portion 21b has a rounded quadrilateral shape. The upper edge of the flange portion 21b is inclined vertically relative to the front-rear direction. The upper edge of the flange portion 21b extends linearly in a direction that is upward towards the front (+X side). A through hole 21d is provided on the flange portion 21b, extending axially through the flange portion 21b. The through hole 21d is located at the front (+X side) end of the upper portion of the flange portion 21b. In this embodiment, the through hole 21d is a circular hole. The through hole 21d connects the interior of the motor housing 20 to the interior of the inverter housing 81, described later.

[0033] The second cylindrical portion 21c is connected to the first cylindrical portion 21a on one axial side (-Y side) via a flange portion 21b. The second cylindrical portion 21c protrudes axially from the radial outer edge of the flange portion 21b. The inner diameter of the second cylindrical portion 21c is larger than the inner diameter of the first cylindrical portion 21a. In this embodiment, the second cylindrical portion 21c is a rounded quadrangular cylindrical shape. The second cylindrical portion 21c has four sidewall portions 21e, 21f, 21g, and 21h. Sidewall portion 21e is the lower side wall portion constituting the second cylindrical portion 21c. Sidewall portion 21f is the front side (+X side) wall portion constituting the second cylindrical portion 21c. Sidewall portion 21g is the rear side (-X side) wall portion constituting the second cylindrical portion 21c. Sidewall portion 21h is the upper side wall portion constituting the second cylindrical portion 21c. Side wall portion 21e is arranged along the front-to-back direction. Side wall portions 21f and 21g are arranged along the vertical direction. Side wall portion 21h is arranged at an angle relative to the front-to-back direction. Side wall portion 21h is located on the upper side as it faces forward.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the partition wall 22 is connected to the end of the main body 21 on the other axial side (+Y side). The partition wall 22 axially separates the interior of the motor housing 20 from the interior of the gear housing 61. The partition wall 22 has a partition wall opening 22a that connects the interior of the motor housing 20 and the interior of the gear housing 61. A bearing 34 is held on the partition wall 22.

[0035] The cover portion 23 is fixed to the end of the main body portion 21 on one axial side (-Y side). The cover portion 23 blocks the opening on one axial side of the main body portion 21. The cover portion 23 has a hole portion 23f recessed from the other axial side (+Y side) facing the axial side. The hole portion 23f is a hole with a bottom on one axial side and an opening on the other axial side. In this embodiment, the hole portion 23f is a circular hole centered on the central axis J. The bearing 35, the electrostatic eliminator 71, and the nozzle component 70 are held in the hole portion 23f.

[0036] The current-eliminating device 71 is in electrical contact with the shaft 31 and the motor housing 20. Therefore, the current generated in the shaft 31 can flow through the motor housing 20. This suppresses the flow of current from the shaft 31 to the bearings 34 and 35 that rotatably support the shaft 31. Therefore, electrolytic corrosion in the bearings 34 and 35 can be suppressed. The nozzle component 70 is used to supply oil O as a fluid into the interior of the shaft 31. A portion of the nozzle component 70 is inserted into the interior of the shaft 31 from one axial side (-Y side). A separator 72 is held on the surface of the cover 23 on the other axial side (+Y side). The separator 72 can detect the rotation of the rotor 30. The separator 72 has a separator rotor 72a fixed to the shaft 31 and a separator stator 72b surrounding the separator rotor 72a.

[0037] The rotor 30 is capable of rotating about its central axis J. The rotor 30 has a shaft 31 and a rotor body 32. Although not shown in the figure, the rotor body 32 has a rotor core and rotor magnets fixed to the rotor core. The torque of the rotor 30 is transmitted to the transmission device 60.

[0038] Shaft 31 is rotatable about its central axis J. Shaft 31 is rotatably supported by bearings 34 and 35. Shaft 31 is hollow. Shaft 31 is cylindrical, extending axially about its central axis J. A bore 33 is provided on shaft 31 to connect the interior and exterior of shaft 31. Shaft 31 extends between the interior of motor housing 20 and gear housing 61. The end of shaft 31 on the other axial side (+Y side) protrudes into the interior of gear housing 61. A reduction gear 62 is connected to the end of shaft 31 on the other axial side. Shaft 31 has openings on both axial sides.

[0039] The stator 40 is radially opposed to the rotor 30 with a gap. More specifically, the stator 40 is located radially outside the rotor 30. The stator 40 is fixed inside the motor housing 20. The stator 40 has a stator core 41 and a coil assembly 42.

[0040] The stator core 41 is annular, surrounding the central axis J of the rotating electric motor 10. The stator core 41 is located radially outside the rotor 30. The stator core 41 surrounds the rotor 30. The stator core 41 is constructed, for example, by stacking multiple plate components such as electromagnetic steel plates axially. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the stator core 41 has a shape that is 4-fold symmetrical about the central axis J.

[0041] The stator core 41 has a stator core body 43 and a protrusion 49. The stator core body 43 is annular and surrounds the rotor 30. More specifically, the stator core body 43 is cylindrical and opens axially to both sides with the central axis J as the center. The stator core body 43 has a cylindrical outer peripheral surface 43c surrounding the rotor 30. In this embodiment, the outer peripheral surface 43c is cylindrical with the central axis J as the center. The outer peripheral surface 43c constitutes a part of the outer peripheral surface of the stator core 41. In this embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the stator core 41 is formed by the outer peripheral surface 43c and the radially outer surface of the protrusion 49. Although not shown in the figure, the outer peripheral surface 43c is supported radially outward by a support provided on the inner peripheral surface of the motor housing 20. The outer peripheral surface 43c is radially opposed to the portion of the inner peripheral surface of the motor housing 20 where the support is not provided, separated by a gap.

[0042] The stator core body 43 has an axially extending cylindrical core back 43a and a plurality of teeth 43b extending radially inward from the core back 43a. The outer peripheral surface of the core back 43a is the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. The plurality of teeth 43b are arranged at equal intervals around the circumference.

[0043] The protrusion 49 protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. The protrusion 49 is a fixing part that is fixed to the motor housing 20. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the protrusion 49 extends axially. For example, the protrusion 49 extends from one end of the stator core body 43 along the axial direction to the other end of the stator core body 43 along the axial direction. Multiple protrusions 49 are spaced apart circumferentially. For example, four protrusions 49 are provided.

[0044] Each protrusion 49 has a through hole 49a extending axially through it. The through hole 49a is, for example, a circular hole. Although not shown in the figure, an axially extending bolt passes through the through hole 49a. Although not shown in the figure, the bolt passes through the through hole 49a from, for example, the axial side (-Y side) and is screwed into a female threaded hole provided in the motor housing 20. Thus, the protrusion 49 is fixed to the motor housing 20 by bolts.

[0045] The protrusion 49 includes a first protrusion 44, a second protrusion 45, a third protrusion 46, and a fourth protrusion 47. The first protrusion 44, second protrusion 45, third protrusion 46, and fourth protrusion 47 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the first protrusion 44 and second protrusion 45 are located above the central axis J. In this embodiment, the third protrusion 46 and fourth protrusion 47 are located below the central axis J. The first protrusion 44, second protrusion 45, third protrusion 46, and fourth protrusion 47 are arranged at equal intervals, for example, throughout the circumference. The first protrusion 44, second protrusion 45, third protrusion 46, and fourth protrusion 47 are, for example, identical in shape. Therefore, in the following description, the shape of the protrusions 49 other than the first protrusion 44 is sometimes omitted. In this embodiment, each protrusion 49 has an asymmetrical shape in the circumferential direction.

[0046] A first protrusion 44 is located at the upper end of the front portion of the stator core body 43. The first protrusion 44 protrudes obliquely forward and upward from the stator core body 43. A second protrusion 45 is located at the upper end of the rear portion of the stator core body 43. The second protrusion 45 protrudes obliquely backward and upward from the stator core body 43. A third protrusion 46 is located at the lower end of the rear portion of the stator core body 43. The third protrusion 46 protrudes obliquely backward and downward from the stator core body 43. A fourth protrusion 47 is located at the lower end of the front portion of the stator core body 43. The fourth protrusion 47 protrudes obliquely forward and downward from the stator core body 43.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, the first protrusion 44 is located on the circumferential side (+θ side) of the tube component 50. In this embodiment, the first protrusion 44 is located on the circumferential side closer to the vertex VP on the upper side of the stator core body 43. The vertex VP is the uppermost portion of the outer circumferential surface 43c of the stator core body 43 when viewed axially, intersecting with an imaginary line IL extending vertically through the central axis J. In this embodiment, the radially outer end of the first protrusion 44 is located below the vertex VP.

[0048] The first protrusion 44 is disposed separately from the inner circumferential surface of the motor housing 20. The circumferential dimension of the first protrusion 44 decreases as it moves radially outward. The outermost radial end of the first protrusion 44 is an arc shape that bulges radially outward when viewed axially. The first side surface 44a of the first protrusion 44 facing the other circumferential side (-θ side) is an inclined surface located on the circumferential side (+θ side) as it moves radially outward from the outer circumferential surface 43c of the stator core body 43. In this embodiment, the first side surface 44a faces upward and slightly forward.

[0049] The radially inner end of the first side surface 44a is connected to the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. Viewed axially from the central axis J, the first side surface 44a extends along a tangent to the boundary portion P1a, which is the portion of the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43 that connects to the radially inner end of the first side surface 44a. In this embodiment, the boundary portion P1a is located in front of and below the vertex VP. Although not shown in the figure, the tangent to the boundary portion P1a is inclined relative to the front-back direction (X-axis direction) when viewed axially. The tangent to the boundary portion P1a is located below as it moves towards the front.

[0050] The first side surface 44a is smoothly connected to the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. The first side surface 44a extends in a straight line when viewed axially, for example. The first side surface 44a extends obliquely downward from the boundary portion P1a when viewed axially. In this embodiment, the first side surface 44a is located on the lower side as it moves away from the first supply port 54 (described later) in the circumferential direction. The first side surface 44a is located on the lower side as it faces the front of the vehicle on which the drive unit 100 is mounted. That is, in this embodiment, when viewed axially, the first side surface 44a extends downward in a front-rear direction orthogonal to the vertical direction as it moves away from the tube member 50.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first side surface 44a corresponds to an inclined surface facing the first direction. That is, in this embodiment, the stator core 41 has a first side surface 44a that is an inclined surface facing the first direction.

[0052] The second side surface 44b of the first protrusion 44, facing one circumferential side (+θ side), is an inclined surface located on the other circumferential side (-θ side) as it moves radially outward from the outer circumferential surface 43c of the stator core body 43. In this embodiment, the second side surface 44b faces obliquely downward towards the front side.

[0053] The radially inner end of the second side surface 44b is connected to the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. Viewed axially from the central axis J, the second side surface 44b extends in a direction more radially outward than the tangent to the boundary portion P1b, which is the portion of the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43 connected to the radially inner end of the second side surface 44b. In this embodiment, the boundary portion P1b is located further forward and lower than the boundary portion P1a. Although not shown in the figure, the tangent to the boundary portion P1b is inclined relative to the front-rear direction when viewed axially. The tangent to the boundary portion P1b is located lower as it moves forward. The inclination of the tangent to the boundary portion P1b relative to the front-rear direction is greater than the inclination of the tangent to the boundary portion P1a relative to the front-rear direction.

[0054] The second side surface 44b is smoothly connected to the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. The second side surface 44b extends in a straight line when viewed axially, for example. In the axial direction, the second side surface 44b extends obliquely forward and upward from the boundary portion P1b.

[0055] The second protrusion 45 is located on the other circumferential side (-θ side) of the tube component 50. In this embodiment, the second protrusion 45 is located on the other circumferential side than the upper vertex VP of the stator core body 43. In this embodiment, the radially outer end of the second protrusion 45 is located above the radially outer end of the first protrusion 44. The upper end of the second protrusion 45 is, for example, located below the vertex VP.

[0056] The third side surface 45a of the second protrusion 45, facing one side (+θ side) in the circumferential direction, is an inclined surface located on the other side (-θ side) in the circumferential direction as it moves radially outward from the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. In this embodiment, the third side surface 45a faces upward and slightly forward.

[0057] The radially inner end of the third side surface 45a is connected to the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. Viewed axially from the central axis J, the third side surface 45a extends in a direction more radially outward than the tangent to the boundary portion P2a, which is the portion of the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43 connected to the radially inner end of the third side surface 45a. In this embodiment, the boundary portion P2a is located behind and below the vertex VP. Although not shown in the figure, the tangent to the boundary portion P2a is inclined relative to the front-rear direction when viewed axially. The tangent to the boundary portion P2a is located on the upper side as it moves towards the front.

[0058] The third side surface 45a is smoothly connected to the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. The third side surface 45a extends in a straight line when viewed axially, for example. When viewed axially, the third side surface 45a extends obliquely upward and rearward from the boundary portion P2a.

[0059] The fourth side surface 45b of the second protrusion 45, facing the other side (-θ side) in the circumferential direction, is an inclined surface located on one side (+θ side) in the circumferential direction as it moves radially outward from the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. In this embodiment, the fourth side surface 45b faces obliquely upward to the rear side.

[0060] The radially inner end of the fourth side surface 45b is connected to the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. Viewed axially from the central axis J, the fourth side surface 45b extends along a tangent to the boundary portion P2b, which is the portion of the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43 that connects to the radially inner end of the fourth side surface 45b. In this embodiment, the boundary portion P2b is located behind and below the boundary portion P2a. Although not shown in the figure, the tangent to the boundary portion P2b is inclined relative to the front-rear direction when viewed axially. The tangent to the boundary portion P2b is located on the upper side as it faces forward. The inclination of the tangent to the boundary portion P2b relative to the front-rear direction is greater than the inclination of the tangent to the boundary portion P2a relative to the front-rear direction.

[0061] The fourth side surface 45b is smoothly connected to the outer peripheral surface 43c of the stator core body 43. The fourth side surface 45b extends in a straight line when viewed axially, for example. Axially, the fourth side surface 45b extends obliquely forward and upward from the boundary portion P2b.

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, the coil assembly 42 has a plurality of coils 42c mounted circumferentially on the stator core 41. The plurality of coils 42c are respectively mounted on each tooth of the stator core 41 via an insulator (not shown). The coil assembly 42 has coil ends 42a, 42b protruding axially from the stator core 41.

[0063] The rotary motor 10 includes a hollow tube component 50 housed inside the motor housing 20. In this embodiment, the tube component 50 is tubular, extending axially. Both axial ends of the tube component 50 are supported on the motor housing 20. The end of the tube component 50 on the other axial side (+Y side) is supported, for example, by a partition wall 22. The end of the tube component 50 on one axial side (-Y side) is supported, for example, by a cover portion 23. The tube component 50 is located radially outward of the stator 40. In this embodiment, the tube component 50 is located above the stator 40.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, the tube component 50 is located circumferentially between the first protrusion 44 and the second protrusion 45. In this embodiment, the tube component 50 is positioned circumferentially closer to the second protrusion 45 than the first protrusion 44. The tube component 50 is, for example, located above the boundary P2a between the second protrusion 45 and the stator core body 43. Viewed vertically, the tube component 50 overlaps with the end of the third side surface 45a of the second protrusion 45 on one circumferential side (+θ side) and the outer circumferential surface 43c of the stator core body 43. The tube component 50 is located inside the first cylindrical portion 21a. More specifically, the tube component 50 is inserted between the upper portion of the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 21a and the upper surface of the stator core 41. Figure 3 As shown, the tube component 50 has an insertion portion 51, a first end portion 52, and a second end portion 53.

[0065] like Figure 2 As shown, the intervention portion 51 is located between the outer surface of the stator core 41 and the inner surface of the motor housing 20. In this embodiment, the intervention portion 51 is located between the upper surface of the stator core 41 and the upper portion of the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 21a. The upper portion of the intervention portion 51 is located inside the first recess 21i. In this embodiment, the entire tube component 50 except for the first end 52 and the second end 53 constitutes the intervention portion 51. In this embodiment, the intervention portion 51 is the main body of the tube component 50. The arrangement of the intervention portion 51 relative to the stator core 41 is the same as the arrangement of the tube component 50 relative to the stator core 41 described above. The intervention portion 51 is located radially outward of the stator 40. In this embodiment, the intervention portion 51 is located on the upper side of the stator 40.

[0066] like Figure 3As shown, the axial dimension of the intervention portion 51 is larger than the axial dimension of the stator core 41. The intervention portion 51 protrudes further axially than the stator core 41. The intervention portion 51 is arranged across the upper side of the stator core 41 and the upper side of the coil ends 42a, 42b. Figure 2 As shown, when viewed axially, the size of the intervention portion 51 in the clamping direction between the outer surface of the stator core 41 and the inner surface of the motor housing 20 is smaller than the size of the intervention portion 51 in the direction orthogonal to this clamping direction. In this embodiment, the clamping direction between the outer surface of the stator core 41 and the inner surface of the motor housing 20 is the vertical direction. That is, the vertical dimension of the intervention portion 51 is smaller than the front-rear dimension of the intervention portion 51. The intervention portion 51 is, for example, a cylindrical shape that is flattened along the vertical direction, i.e., a roughly elliptical cylindrical shape with a flat cross-section orthogonal to the axial direction.

[0067] like Figure 3 As shown, the first end 52 is connected to the end of the intervention portion 51 on one axial side (-Y side). The first end 52 is cylindrical and open on one axial side. The first end 52 is the end of the tube component 50 on one axial side. The first end 52 is, for example, embedded in a hole (not shown) provided on the cover portion 23 and supported by the cover portion 23. Oil O flows into the interior of the tube component 50 from the first end 52.

[0068] The second end 53 is connected to the end of the intervention portion 51 on the other axial side (+Y side). The second end 53 is cylindrical and open on the other axial side. The second end 53 is the end of the pipe component 50 on the other axial side. The second end 53 is, for example, embedded in a hole (not shown) provided in the partition wall 22 and supported by the partition wall 22. In this embodiment, the flow direction of oil O in the pipe component 50 is from one axial side (-Y side) to the other axial side (+Y side). That is, in the flow direction of oil O in the pipe component 50, the axial side is the upstream side and the other axial side is the downstream side.

[0069] The pipe component 50 has a supply port 50a for supplying oil O as a refrigerant to the stator 40. In this embodiment, the supply port 50a is an injection port that sprays a portion of the oil O flowing into the pipe component 50 to the outside of the pipe component 50. Multiple supply ports 50a are provided. In this embodiment, all supply ports 50a are provided on the intervention portion 51. The supply ports 50a are, for example, circular. In this embodiment, the supply ports 50a provided on the intervention portion 51 include multiple first supply ports 54 facing one circumferential side (+θ side) and multiple second supply ports 55 facing the other circumferential side (-θ side).

[0070] like Figure 2As shown, the tube component 50 overlaps with a first region 24a disposed inside the motor housing 20 when viewed axially. The first region 24a is located between the outer surface of the stator core 41 and the inner surface of the motor housing 20 when viewed axially. In this embodiment, when viewed axially, the first region 24a is located between the upper surface of the stator core 41 and the lower surface of the sidewall portion 21h of the second cylindrical portion 21c. The first region 24a is located on the upper side of the stator core 41. When viewed axially, the first region 24a is located behind (-X side) the imaginary line IL.

[0071] In this embodiment, the first region 24a includes a configuration region 24c. Viewed axially, the configuration region 24c overlaps with the tube component 50. In this embodiment, viewed axially, the configuration region 24c is the region located between the portion of the outer surface of the stator core 41 containing the boundary portion P2a of the stator core body 43 and the second protrusion 45, and the portion of the inner surface of the motor housing 20 containing the first recess 21i. In this embodiment, the configuration region 24c is the lower portion of the first region 24a.

[0072] The rotating electric motor 10 includes an inverter device 80 electrically connected to the stator 40. The inverter device 80 includes a power element 82, a capacitor 83, and an inverter housing 81 that internally houses the power element 82 and the capacitor 83. In this embodiment, the inverter housing 81 is located above the motor housing 20. More specifically, the front portion of the inverter housing 81 is located above the main body 21. The rear portion of the inverter housing 81 protrudes further rearward (to the -X side) than the motor housing 20. The vertical dimension of the rear portion of the inverter housing 81 is larger than the vertical dimension of the front portion of the inverter housing 81. The rear portion of the inverter housing 81 protrudes downward than the front portion of the inverter housing 81. The rear portion of the inverter housing 81 is connected to the rear (to the -X side) of the upper portion of the first cylindrical portion 21a. The inverter housing 81 includes a housing main body 81a and a cover 81b.

[0073] The housing body 81a is box-shaped with an upward opening. The housing body 81a is connected to the upper side of the main body 21 of the motor housing 20. More specifically, the housing body 81a is connected to the upper side of the first cylindrical portion 21a. In this embodiment, the housing body 81a and the main body 21 are part of the same single component. A portion of the wall portion 81c, located on one axial side (-Y side), constituting the housing body 81a, forms the upper portion of the flange portion 21b. The portion of the wall portion 81c that forms the flange portion 21b is provided with the aforementioned through hole 21d. In this embodiment, the through hole 21d axially penetrates the wall portion 81c. A cover 81b is fixed to the upper side of the housing body 81a. The cover 81b blocks the opening on the upper side of the housing body 81a.

[0074] The power element 82 is, for example, a transistor such as an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). Although not shown in the figure, multiple power elements 82 are provided. The multiple power elements 82 constitute an inverter circuit electrically connected to the stator 40. In this embodiment, the power elements 82 are located inside the front portion of the inverter housing 81. The power elements 82 are located on top of the stator core 41. Viewed vertically, at least a portion of the power element 82 overlaps with the stator core 41. In this embodiment, the entire power element 82 overlaps with the stator core 41 when viewed vertically.

[0075] Capacitor 83 is, for example, an electrolytic capacitor. In this embodiment, capacitor 83 is located inside the rear portion of the inverter housing 81. Viewed vertically, capacitor 83 is located outside the stator core 41. In other words, viewed vertically, capacitor 83 does not overlap with stator core 41. The vertical dimension of capacitor 83 is larger than the vertical dimension of power element 82. Capacitor 83 is electrically connected to power element 82. Viewed from the front-rear direction, at least a portion of capacitor 83 overlaps with stator core 41. In this embodiment, viewed from the front-rear direction, the lower portion of capacitor 83 overlaps with stator core 41.

[0076] The rotary electric motor 10 has a busbar unit 84. Although not shown in the figure, the busbar unit 84 extends axially. The busbar unit 84 passes axially through a through hole 21d. The busbar unit 84 is configured to span the interior of the motor housing 20 and the interior of the inverter housing 81. The busbar unit 84 has a busbar 84a that electrically connects the stator 40 to the inverter device 80 and a busbar retainer 84b that holds the busbar 84a. That is, the rotary electric motor 10 includes a busbar 84a and a busbar retainer 84b.

[0077] In this embodiment, the busbar 84a extends axially and passes through the through hole 21d axially. The busbar 84a electrically connects the coil 42c and the power element 82. Multiple busbars 84a are provided. For example, three busbars 84a are provided. The portion of the busbar 84a passing through the through hole 21d is plate-shaped with its surface facing vertically. Within the through hole 21d, the multiple busbars 84a are arranged side-by-side with gaps in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, viewed axially, the busbar 84a is located above the first side surface 44a.

[0078] In this embodiment, the busbar retainer 84b is made of an insulating resin. A portion of the busbar 84a is embedded in and held in the busbar retainer 84b. The busbar retainer 84b is made, for example, by inserting an insertion member as an embedded part of the busbar 84a. The busbar retainer 84b is, for example, a quadrangular prism extending axially.

[0079] When viewed axially, the busbar 84a and busbar retainer 84b overlap with a second region 24b disposed inside the motor housing 20. Viewed axially, the second region 24b is the area located between the outer surface of the stator core 41 and the inner surface of the motor housing 20. In this embodiment, the second region 24b is the area located between the upper surface of the stator core 41 and the lower surface of the sidewall portion 21h of the second cylindrical portion 21c, viewed axially. The second region 24b is arranged circumferentially spaced from the first region 24a. The second region 24b is located on one circumferential side (+θ side) of the first region 24a. The second region 24b is located at a position away from the front side (+X side) of the first region 24a.

[0080] The second region 24b is located on the upper side of the stator core 41. When viewed axially, the second region 24b is located in front of the imaginary line IL (+X side). In this embodiment, the first region 24a and the second region 24b are arranged to sandwich the imaginary line IL in the front-back direction when viewed axially. Therefore, the tube component 50 overlapping with the first region 24a and the busbar 84a overlapping with the second region 24b are respectively arranged on both sides sandwiching the imaginary line IL that passes through the central axis J and extends in the vertical direction when viewed axially. In this embodiment, when viewed axially, the entire busbar unit 84 and the through hole 21d overlap with the second region 24b.

[0081] The second region 24b is wider than the first region 24a. In this specification, "the second region is wider than the first region" simply means that the size of the second region is larger than the size of the first region in at least one direction. In this embodiment, the vertical dimension of the second region 24b is larger than the vertical dimension of the first region 24a. The front-rear dimension of the second region 24b is larger than the front-rear dimension of the first region 24a. The radial dimension of the second region 24b is larger than the radial dimension of the first region 24a. The area of ​​the second region 24b is larger than the area of ​​the first region 24a.

[0082] like Figure 1As shown, in this embodiment, a refrigerant flow path 90 for circulating oil O, which is the refrigerant, is provided in the drive device 100. The refrigerant flow path 90 spans the interior of the motor housing 20 and the interior of the gear housing 61. The refrigerant flow path 90 is the path through which oil O stored in the gear housing 61 is supplied to the rotary motor 10 and then returned to the gear housing 61. A pump 96, a cooler 97, and a pipe assembly 50 are provided in the refrigerant flow path 90. In the following description, the upstream side in the flow direction of oil O in the refrigerant flow path 90 is simply referred to as the "upstream side," and the downstream side in the flow direction of oil O in the refrigerant flow path 90 is simply referred to as the "downstream side." The refrigerant flow path 90 has a gear-side flow path 91, a connecting flow path 92, and a rotary motor-side flow path 93.

[0083] The gear-side flow path 91 has a first portion 91a and a second portion 91b. The first portion 91a and the second portion 91b are provided, for example, on the wall of the gear housing 61. The first portion 91a connects the part inside the gear housing 61 where oil O is stored and the pump 96. The second portion 91b connects the pump 96 and the cooler 97.

[0084] The connecting flow path 92 is provided across the wall of the gear housing 61 and the wall of the motor housing 20. The connecting flow path 92 connects the gear-side flow path 91 and the rotary motor-side flow path 93. More specifically, the connecting flow path 92 connects the cooler 97 and the third flow path 93c, which will be described later.

[0085] A flow path 93 on the rotary motor side is provided on the rotary motor 10. The rotary motor side flow path 93 has a first flow path 93a, a second flow path 93b, and a third flow path 93c. That is, the rotary motor 10 includes a first flow path 93a, a second flow path 93b, and a third flow path 93c. The first flow path 93a and the third flow path 93c are provided on the wall of the motor housing 20. The second flow path 93b has a housing flow path 93d and a pipe component 50 provided on the wall of the motor housing 20. In this embodiment, the first flow path 93a, the third flow path 93c, and the housing flow path 93d are provided on the cover 23. The first flow path 93a and the second flow path 93b are connected to the third flow path 93c. In this embodiment, the first flow path 93a and the second flow path 93b branch off from the third flow path 93c.

[0086] The first flow path 93a is a flow path that supplies oil O as a fluid to the interior of the bore 23f. The upstream end of the first flow path 93a is connected to the downstream end of the third flow path 93c. The downstream end of the first flow path 93a opens inside the bore 23f. Although not shown in the figure, the downstream end of the first flow path 93a opens, for example, at the end on the axial side (-Y side) of the inner circumferential surface of the bore 23f.

[0087] The second flow path 93b is a flow path that supplies oil O as a fluid to the stator 40. The upstream end of the housing flow path 93d in the second flow path 93b is connected to the downstream end of the third flow path 93c. The downstream end of the housing flow path 93d is connected to the upstream end of the pipe component 50.

[0088] When the pump 96 is driven, the oil O accumulated in the gear housing 61 is drawn up through the first part 91a and flows into the cooler 97 through the second part 91b. After being cooled in the cooler 97, the oil O flows into the rotary motor side flow path 93 through the connecting flow path 92 and from the third flow path 93c into the rotary motor side flow path 93. The oil O flowing into the third flow path 93c branches into the first flow path 93a and the second flow path 93b. The oil O flowing into the first flow path 93a flows into the interior of the orifice 23f.

[0089] A portion of the oil O flowing into the orifice 23f flows into the interior of the shaft 31 through the nozzle component 70. The oil O flowing into the shaft 31 from the nozzle component 70 passes through the orifice 33 and into the rotor body 32, dispersing towards the stator 40. Another portion of the oil O flowing into the orifice 23f is supplied to the bearing 35.

[0090] Oil O flowing into the second flow path 93b flows into the interior of the pipe component 50 through the housing flow path 93d. Oil O flowing into the pipe component 50 is sprayed from the supply port 50a and supplied to the stator 40. In this way, by providing the first flow path 93a and the second flow path 93b branching from the third flow path 93c, oil O transported from the gear housing 61 can be supplied appropriately and easily to the shaft 31 through the hole 23f, and can also be supplied from the pipe component 50 to the stator 40.

[0091] In this embodiment, a portion of the oil O stirred up by the gear ring 63a enters the reservoir 98 provided within the gear housing 61. The oil O entering the reservoir 98 flows into the shaft 31 from the end on the other axial side (+Y side). The oil O flowing from the reservoir 98 into the shaft 31 passes through the bore 33 through the interior of the rotor body 32 and disperses towards the stator 40.

[0092] Oil O supplied from the supply port 50a to the stator 40 and from the shaft 31 to the stator 40 carries away heat from the stator 40. The oil O that has cooled the stator 40 falls downwards and accumulates in the lower region of the motor housing 20. The oil O accumulated in the lower region of the motor housing 20 returns to the gear housing 61 through the partition wall opening 22a provided in the partition wall 22. As described above, the refrigerant flow path 90 supplies the oil O accumulated in the gear housing 61 to the rotor 30 and the stator 40.

[0093] According to this embodiment, inside the motor housing 20, when viewed axially, a first region 24a and a second region 24b, which is wider than the first region 24a, are provided. The pipe member 50 overlaps with the first region 24a when viewed axially. When viewed axially, the busbar 84a overlaps with the second region 24b. Here, the busbar 84a tends to be larger than the pipe member 50. Therefore, by positioning the busbar 84a at a position where it overlaps with the wider second region 24b (the first region 24a and the second region 24b) when viewed axially, the busbar 84a can be easily positioned inside the motor housing 20. On the other hand, by positioning the pipe member 50, which tends to be smaller than the busbar 84a, at a position where it overlaps with the narrower first region 24a (the first region 24a and the second region 24b) when viewed axially, unnecessarily increasing the internal space of the motor housing 20 can be prevented. In this way, by providing two regions of different widths within the motor housing 20, and by arranging the pipe component 50 and the busbar 84a in positions that overlap axially with each region, corresponding to the size of each component, the pipe component 50 and the busbar 84a can be efficiently arranged within the internal space of the motor housing 20. This facilitates miniaturization of the motor housing 20. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the rotary electric motor 10, which includes the pipe component 50 and the inverter device 80, can be miniaturized. Furthermore, the drive device 100, which includes the rotary electric motor 10, can be miniaturized. In this embodiment, the motor housing 20 can be easily miniaturized in the vertical direction, and the rotary electric motor 10 and the drive device 100 can be miniaturized in the vertical direction.

[0094] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the first region 24a includes a configuration region 24c, which, when viewed axially, is located between the portion of the outer surface of the stator core 41 containing the boundary portion P2a of the stator core body 43 and the second protrusion 45 and the inner surface of the motor housing 20. Therefore, by configuring the tube component 50 at a position overlapping the configuration region 24c when viewed axially, the tube component 50 and the second protrusion 45 can be arranged side-by-side circumferentially. This makes it easier to reduce the internal space of the motor housing 20 compared to a case where the space for configuring the tube component 50 is separately located at a different position than the second protrusion 45. Therefore, it is easier to further miniaturize the motor housing 20 and the rotary motor 10.

[0095] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the first region 24a includes a configuration region 24c, which, when viewed axially, is located between the outer surface of the stator core 41 and a portion of the inner surface of the motor housing 20, including the first recess 21i. Therefore, it is easy to bring the inner surface of the motor housing 20 close to the outer surface of the stator core 41, and to ensure the configuration region 24c. Thus, by configuring the tube component 50 at a position overlapping the configuration region 24c when viewed axially, the tube component 50 can be appropriately configured inside the motor housing 20, and the motor housing 20 can be further miniaturized. Therefore, the rotary motor 10 can be further miniaturized.

[0096] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the tube component 50 has an insertion portion 51 located between the outer surface of the stator core 41 and the inner surface of the motor housing 20. Viewed axially, the size of the insertion portion 51 in the clamping direction between the outer surface of the stator core 41 and the inner surface of the motor housing 20 is smaller than the size of the insertion portion 51 in the direction orthogonal to this clamping direction. Therefore, it is easier to make the size of the insertion portion 51 in the clamping direction relatively small. As a result, the insertion portion 51 can be disposed between the outer surface of the stator core 41 and the inner surface of the motor housing 20, and the outer surface of the stator core 41 and the inner surface of the motor housing 20 can be disposed closer together. Therefore, it is easier to further miniaturize the motor housing 20 and the rotary motor 10.

[0097] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, at least a portion of the power element 82 overlaps with the stator core 41 when viewed in the vertical direction. Viewed in the vertical direction, the capacitor 83 is located outside the stator core 41. The capacitor 83 is more likely to be larger than the power element 82. By arranging the relatively large capacitor 83 outside the stator core 41 when viewed in the vertical direction, at least a portion of the capacitor 83 can be arranged side-by-side with the stator core 41 in a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. Therefore, compared to the case where the capacitor 83 overlaps with the stator core 41 when viewed in the vertical direction, the vertical protrusion of the inverter device 80 relative to the motor housing 20 can be suppressed. This makes it easier to miniaturize the rotating electric machine 10 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, even if the relatively small power element 82 is arranged to overlap with the stator core 41 when viewed in the vertical direction, it is difficult to increase the size of the rotating electric machine 10 in the vertical direction. On the other hand, a portion of the inverter device 80 can be arranged to overlap with the motor housing 20 in the vertical direction. Therefore, compared to the case where the inverter device 80 as a whole does not overlap with the stator core 41 when viewed from the vertical direction, the protrusion of the inverter device 80 relative to the motor housing 20 in a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction can be suppressed. This makes it easier to miniaturize the rotating electric motor 10 in the direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. Thus, it is possible to miniaturize the rotating electric motor 10 in both the vertical direction and the direction orthogonal to the vertical direction while simultaneously installing the inverter device 80.

[0098] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the stator core 41 has a first side surface 44a that is an inclined surface facing upwards. When viewed axially, the first side surface 44a extends downwards in a front-back direction orthogonal to the vertical direction as it moves away from the tube member 50. When viewed axially, the busbar 84a is located above the first side surface 44a, which is the inclined surface. Thus, by making the first side surface 44a inclined downwards as it moves away from the tube member 50, the second region 24b, located on the opposite side of the first region 24a across the imaginary line IL, can be made larger in the vertical direction, and the upward protrusion of the motor housing 20 where the second region 24b is provided can be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to ensure that the second region 24b overlapping the busbar 84a is relatively large when viewed axially, and to suppress the enlargement of the motor housing 20 in the vertical direction. Therefore, the rotary motor 10 can be further miniaturized in the vertical direction.

[0099] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the tube component 50 and the busbar 84a are located above the stator core 41 when viewed axially. Thus, by arranging the tube component 50 and the busbar 84a on the same side in the vertical direction relative to the stator core 41, compared to arranging them on opposite sides in the vertical direction, it is possible to suppress the increase in the vertical size of the motor housing 20. Therefore, the rotary motor 10 can be further miniaturized in the vertical direction.

[0100] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the first direction in which the imaginary line IL extends is the vertical direction. Therefore, as described above, the rotary motor 10 and the drive unit 100 can be miniaturized in the vertical direction. As a result, the drive unit 100 can be easily mounted in a vehicle.

[0101] <Second Implementation>

[0102] like Figure 4 As shown, in the rotary motor 210 of this embodiment, the motor housing 220 has a rectangular cylindrical main body 221. In this embodiment, the main body 221 has an axially elongated rectangular shape. Figure 4 In the diagram, a center line CL is hypothetically shown, passing through the center of the main body 221 in the front-rear direction and extending vertically when viewed axially. Axially, the center line CL passes through the center of the motor housing 220 in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the center line CL is configured to be offset forward (+X side) from the hypothetical line IL.

[0103] In this embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the stator core 241 of the stator 240 is cylindrical with the central axis J as its center. The tube component 250 differs from the tube component 50 of the first embodiment; its cross-section orthogonal to the axial direction is not flat but cylindrical. Viewed axially, the tube component 250 overlaps with a first region 224a located behind (-X side) of an imaginary line IL extending vertically through the central axis J. Viewed axially, the busbar unit 284 overlaps with a second region 224b located forward (+X side) of the imaginary line IL. That is, the busbar 284a and the busbar holder 284b overlap with the second region 224b when viewed axially. Viewed axially, the first region 224a and the second region 224b are located between the outer surface of the stator core 241 and the inner surface of the main body 221.

[0104] In this embodiment, as described above, the center line CL is configured to be offset forward (+X side) from the imaginary line IL. That is, viewed axially, the center of the motor housing 220 in the longitudinal direction orthogonal to the vertical direction is configured to be offset relative to the imaginary line IL towards the side where the busbar 284a is located. Therefore, the distance between the front wall portion of the motor housing 220 and the stator core 241 in the longitudinal direction can be greater than the distance between the rear wall portion of the motor housing 220 and the stator core 241 in the longitudinal direction. Thus, for example, even if an inclined surface such as the first side surface 44a is not provided on the stator core 241, it is easy to provide a second region 224b that is wider than the first region 224a within the motor housing 220. Other structures of the rotary motor 210 can be the same as other structures of the rotary motor 10. In addition, the tube member 250, like the tube member 50 of the first embodiment, can also have a flat shape in the cross section orthogonal to the axial direction. In this configuration, when viewed axially, the stator core 241 can be positioned vertically (+Z side) close to the inner surface of the motor housing 220. Therefore, the vertical dimension of the motor housing 220 can be reduced, enabling miniaturization of the motor housing 220.

[0105] <Third Implementation>

[0106] like Figure 5As shown, in the rotary motor 310 of this embodiment, the motor housing 320 has a rectangular cylindrical main body 321. In this embodiment, the main body 321 has a square shape when viewed axially. In this embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the stator core 341 of the stator 340 is cylindrical with the central axis J as its center. When viewed axially, a second recess 341a and a third recess 341b are provided on the outer surface of the stator core 341, recessed toward the central axis J. The second recess 341a and the third recess 341b are recessed radially inward from the outer peripheral surface of the stator core 341. In this embodiment, the inner surfaces of the second recess 341a and the third recess 341b are approximately arc-shaped when viewed axially. The second recess 341a and the third recess 341b are located above the central axis J. The second recess 341a is located behind (-X side) of the imaginary line IL. The third recess 341b is located in front (+X side) of the imaginary line IL. The second recess 341a is recessed towards the front and inclined downwards. The third recess 341b is recessed towards the rear and inclined downwards. The radial dimension of the third recess 341b is larger than the radial dimension of the second recess 341a.

[0107] In this embodiment, when viewed axially, the first region 324a includes the area between the portion of the inner surface of the stator core 341 containing the second recess 341a located on the outer surface of the stator core 341 and the inner surface of the motor housing 320. Therefore, the first region 324a between the outer surface of the stator core 341 and the inner surface of the motor housing 320 can be increased without increasing the size of the motor housing 320. This helps to suppress the enlargement of the rotary motor 310 and makes it easier for the tube component 350 to overlap with the first region 324a when viewed axially. In this embodiment, the tube component 350 is cylindrical, similar to the tube component 250 in the second embodiment. A portion of the tube component 350 is located inside the second recess 341a. Furthermore, the tube component 350, like the tube component 50 in the first embodiment, can also be a flattened cylindrical shape with a cross-section orthogonal to the axial direction. In this case, the stator core 341 can be brought closer to the inner surface of the motor housing 320 in the vertical direction (+Z side). Therefore, the size of the motor housing 320 in the vertical direction can be reduced, and the motor housing 320 can be miniaturized.

[0108] In this embodiment, when viewed axially, the second region 324b includes the area between the portion of the inner surface of the stator core 341 containing the third recess 341b located on the outer surface of the stator core 341 and the inner surface of the motor housing 320. Therefore, the second region 324b between the outer surface of the stator core 341 and the inner surface of the motor housing 320 can be increased without increasing the size of the motor housing 320. This allows the busbar unit 384, having the busbar 384a and busbar holder 384b, to easily overlap with the second region 324b when viewed axially, while suppressing the enlargement of the rotary motor 310. Furthermore, as described above, since the radial dimension of the third recess 341b is larger than the radial dimension of the second recess 341a, the second region 324b can easily be wider than the first region 324a. In this embodiment, a portion of the busbar 384a and a portion of the busbar holder 384b are located inside the third recess 341b. Other structures of the rotary motor 310 can be the same as other structures of the rotary motor 10.

[0109] This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Other structures and methods can also be employed within the scope of the technical concept of this invention. The shapes of the first and second regions are not particularly limited. The first and second regions can be located anywhere inside the housing, as long as they are circumferentially spaced when viewed axially. The power elements and capacitors in the inverter device can be arbitrarily configured. Viewed from the first direction, both the power elements and capacitors can either overlap with the stator core or be located outside the stator core. The first direction, extending through an imaginary line along the central axis when viewed axially, is not particularly limited and can extend in directions other than the vertical direction. The shape of the stator core is not particularly limited.

[0110] The rotary electric motor using this invention is not limited to a motor, but can also be a generator. The application of the rotary electric motor is not particularly limited. For example, the rotary electric motor can be mounted on a vehicle for purposes other than rotating an axle, or it can be mounted on equipment other than a vehicle. The posture when using the rotary electric motor is not particularly limited. The central axis of the rotary electric motor can also extend in a vertical direction. The structures and methods described in this specification can be suitably combined without contradiction.

Claims

1. A rotary electric motor, characterized in that, include: A rotor that can rotate about a central axis; A stator having a stator core opposite the rotor with a gap; A housing that houses the rotor and the stator inside; An inverter device, which is electrically connected to the stator; Busbar, which electrically connects the stator and the inverter device; as well as A hollow tubular component, which is housed inside the housing. A first region and a second region are provided inside the housing. The first region, when viewed from the axial direction, is located between the outer surface of the stator core and the inner surface of the housing. The second region, when viewed from the axial direction, is located between the outer surface of the stator core and the inner surface of the housing, and is configured to be circumferentially spaced apart from the first region. The second region is wider than the first region. The tubular component overlaps with the first region when viewed from the axial direction. The busbar overlaps with the second region when viewed from the axial direction. When viewed from the axial direction, the pipe component and the manifold are respectively positioned on both sides of an imaginary line that passes through the central axis and extends along the vertical direction, i.e., the first direction. The inverter device has: Power components; and The inverter housing contains the power components. The inverter housing is located on one side of the housing in the first direction, and when viewed from the axial direction, it protrudes further to one side than the housing in a second direction orthogonal to both the axial direction and the first direction. The first region is located on one side of the second direction relative to the imaginary line when viewed from the axial direction. The second region, when viewed from the axial direction, is located on the opposite side of the imaginary line relative to the second direction. The busbar and the power element are located on one side of the stator core in the first direction when viewed from the axial direction. The power element is located on one side of the busbar in the second direction when viewed from the axial direction.

2. The rotary motor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The stator core has: A stator core body having a cylindrical outer peripheral surface surrounding the rotor; and The protrusion extends radially outward from the stator core body. The first region, when viewed from the axial direction, includes a region located between the portion of the outer surface of the stator core, including the boundary between the stator core body and the protrusion, and the inner surface of the housing.

3. The rotary motor as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A first recess is provided on the inner surface of the housing, which is recessed toward the outer surface of the housing. The first region, when viewed from the axial direction, includes a region located between the outer surface of the stator core and a portion of the inner surface of the housing, including the first recess.

4. The rotary motor as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The tubular component has an intervening portion located between the outer surface of the stator core and the inner surface of the housing. When viewed from the axial direction, the dimension of the intervention portion in the clamping direction between the outer surface of the stator core and the inner surface of the housing is smaller than the dimension of the intervention portion in the direction orthogonal to the clamping direction.

5. The rotary motor as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The inverter device has capacitors. At least a portion of the power element overlaps with the stator core when viewed from the first direction. The capacitor is located outside the stator core when viewed from the first direction.

6. The rotary electric motor as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The stator core has an inclined surface facing one side toward the first direction. The inclined surface extends in a direction when viewed from the axial direction, which, as it moves away from the tube component in the second direction, points towards the opposite side of the first direction. The busbar is located on one side of the inclined surface in the first direction when viewed from the axial direction.

7. The rotary electric motor as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, When viewed from the axial direction, the center of the housing in the second direction is configured to be offset relative to the imaginary line toward the side where the busbar is located.

8. The rotary electric motor as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The tubular component is located on one side of the stator core in the first direction when viewed from the axial direction.

9. The rotary electric motor as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first direction is the direction of the plumb bob.

10. The rotary electric motor as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A second recess and a third recess are provided on the outer surface of the stator core. The second recess is recessed towards one side of the central axis. The third recess is recessed towards the central axis, and its radial dimension is larger than that of the second recess. The first region, when viewed from the axial direction, includes a region located between a portion of the inner surface of the outer surface of the stator core, including the second recess, and the inner surface of the housing. The second region, when viewed from the axial direction, includes a region located between the portion of the inner surface of the outer surface of the stator core, including the third recess, and the inner surface of the housing.

11. A drive device mounted on a vehicle, characterized in that, include: Rotary electric motor according to any one of claims 1 to 10; as well as A transmission device is connected to the rotary motor and transmits the rotation of the rotary motor to the axle of the vehicle.

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