Transmission mechanism device and driving device

Abstract

An object of the present application is to provide a transmission mechanism device and a driving device capable of effectively supplying oil from a collection tank to a bearing. A transmission mechanism device of one embodiment of the present application includes: a transmission mechanism including a plurality of gears, a first shaft, and a first bearing that supports the first shaft; a housing that houses the transmission mechanism and has a first bearing holding portion on an inner surface; oil that is accumulated in a lower region inside the housing; and a collection tank that is disposed inside the housing and is open to an upper side. The first bearing holding portion has a holding cylinder portion that holds the first bearing from a radially outer side. A notch portion that connects an inner side and an outer side of the holding cylinder portion is provided on the holding cylinder portion. A flow path that includes the notch portion is provided on the inner surface of the housing. The collection tank has a storage portion and a supply portion that extends from inside the storage portion to the holding cylinder portion. A front end portion of the supply portion is inserted into the flow path.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a transmission mechanism device and a driving device. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the development of drive units for electric vehicles has been booming. These drive units contain oil, which improves the lubricity of the gears and bearings within the drive units. Patent Document 1 discloses a structure with a catch tank to catch oil stirred up by the gears.

[0003] [Prior art literature]

[0004] [Patent Document]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-129608 Summary of the Invention

[0006] A portion of the oil stored in the catch tank is supplied to the bearing, for example. In this case, a structure is required to effectively supply the oil in the catch tank to the bearing.

[0007] One object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a transmission mechanism device and a drive device capable of efficiently supplying oil from a catch tank to a bearing.

[0008] A transmission mechanism device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a transmission mechanism having a plurality of gears, a first shaft, and a first bearing supporting the first shaft; a housing that accommodates the transmission mechanism and has a first bearing retaining portion on its inner surface; oil that accumulates in a lower area within the housing; and a capture box that is disposed within the housing and opens upward. The first bearing retaining portion includes a retaining cylinder portion that retains the first bearing from the radially outer side. The retaining cylinder portion is provided with a notch portion that connects the inside and outside of the retaining cylinder portion. A flow path including the notch portion is provided on the inner surface of the housing. The capture box includes a storage portion and a supply portion that extends from the inside of the storage portion to the retaining cylinder portion. The front end portion of the supply portion is inserted into the flow path.

[0009] Furthermore, a driving device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the above-described transmission mechanism device and a motor that transmits power to the transmission mechanism.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a transmission mechanism device and a drive device capable of efficiently supplying oil from a catch tank to a bearing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 This is a conceptual diagram of a driving device according to one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2This is a front view of a gear chamber of a drive device according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a rear view of a gear chamber of a drive device according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 4 It is a perspective view of a capture box according to an embodiment.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a driving device according to one embodiment.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a driving device according to one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 7 This is a front view of the first bearing holding portion of Modification 1.

[0018] Figure 8 This is a front view of the first bearing holding portion of Modification 2.

[0019] (Explanation of Symbols)

[0020] 1…Drive device, 2…Motor, 3…Transmission mechanism, 5…Differential gear, 6…Casing, 6a…First protruding rib (rib), 6t…Sub-tank unit, 7…Transmission mechanism, 8…Oil pump, 8a…First discharge port (discharge port), 9…Oil cooler, 20…Rotor, 21…Rotor shaft, 23…Hole, 25…Stator, 41…First gear (pinion, gear), 42…Second gear (counter gear, gear), 43…Third gear (gear), 45…Counter shaft (first shaft, shaft), 45a, 46a…Inner circumference, 45p, 46p…Upper end, 46…Drive shaft (second shaft, shaft), 47…Oil guide, 47a…Cylinder, 47… b…flange portion, 47h…through-hole, 51…ring gear (transmission gear, gear), 51t…upper end position, 55…output shaft (shaft), 61f…first inner side surface (inner surface), 61h, 62d, 66m…recess, 62c…cover member, 62f…second inner side surface (inner surface), 62j…first through-hole, 62k…second through-hole, 62p…communication hole (communication path), 64…second bearing retaining portion, 64b…second retaining cylinder portion, 64cp…lower end, 65…third bearing retaining portion, 66, 166…first bearing retaining portion, 66b, 166b…first retaining cylinder portion, 66c, 166c…first rib, 66cp...lower end, 66d, 166d...second rib, 66e...third rib, 66n, 68n, 166n...notch, 66s...flow path, 68...output shaft bearing retaining portion, 70...collection box, 71...storage portion, 71a...first wall portion (fixed wall portion), 71b...second wall portion (side wall portion), 71f...first bottom portion, 71g...second bottom portion, 71k...first ejection hole (first ejection portion), 72...supply portion, 72a...bottom plate, 72c...front end portion, 72d...intermediate portion, 72e...side plate, 73...ejection notch (second ejection portion), 74...tube portion, 76...cover plate, 78...sub-storage portion, 79…notch portion for transfer (outflow portion), 84…second bearing, 85…third bearing, 86…first bearing, 88…bearing for output shaft, 89a…fifth bearing (bearing for rotor shaft), 90…oil passage, 91…first path, 91a…first end portion, 91b…second end portion, 92…second path, 93…third path, 95…stirring path, 98…first supply path, 99…second supply path, 99a…first sub-path, 99b…second sub-path, 166da…one end, 166db…other end, G…gap, J1…motor axis, J2…center axis, J3…output axis, O…oil, W…wheel DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Hereinafter, a drive device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the drive device 1 according to the present embodiment is described based on the positional relationship when it is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) located on a horizontal road surface, with the vertical direction being specified.

[0022] 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 +Z side is the upper side in the vertical direction, and the -Z side is the lower side in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the upper side in the vertical direction is simply referred to as the "upper side", and the lower side in the vertical direction is simply referred to as the "lower side". The X-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction, and is the front-to-back direction of the vehicle equipped with the drive device 1. In this embodiment, the +X side is the front side of the vehicle, and the -X side is the rear side of the vehicle. The Y-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, and is the left-to-right direction of the vehicle, that is, the vehicle width direction. The Y-axis direction is equivalent to the axial direction of the motor axis J1, the center axis J2, and the output axis J3 described later. The front-to-back direction and the left-to-right direction are horizontal directions perpendicular to the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the -Y side is equivalent to one axial side, and the +Y side is equivalent to the other axial side.

[0023] In addition, the +X direction corresponds to the front of the vehicle equipped with the drive device 1, and the -X direction corresponds to the rear of the vehicle. However, the +X direction may also correspond to the rear of the vehicle and the -X direction may correspond to the front of the vehicle. In other words, the front-to-back direction of the drive device 1 does not necessarily coincide with the front-to-back direction of the vehicle.

[0024] The motor axis J1, center axis J2, and output axis J3, as shown in the respective figures, are parallel to each other and extend in the Y-axis direction (i.e., the left-right direction of the vehicle, along the horizontal plane). In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the direction parallel to the center axis J2 is referred to simply as the "axial direction," the radial direction centered on the center axis J2 is referred to simply as the "radial direction," and the circumferential direction centered on the center axis J2, i.e., the axis around the center axis J2, is referred to simply as the "circumferential direction." In this embodiment, "parallel direction" includes substantially parallel directions, and "orthogonal direction" includes substantially orthogonal directions.

[0025] In addition, in this specification, when the rib protrudes from the wall surface, the "front end of the rib" means the front end in the direction of protrusion from the wall surface.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a conceptual diagram of the driving device 1 . Figure 2 It is a front view of the gear chamber 6B of the drive device 1 . Figure 3 It is from Figure 2 This is a rear view of the gear chamber 6B of the drive device 1 as viewed in the opposite direction.

[0027] The drive device 1 of this embodiment is mounted on an electric vehicle (EV) and used as its power source. Alternatively, the drive device 1 may be mounted on a vehicle using a motor as a power source, such as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHV).

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, the drive device 1 includes a motor 2 and a transmission mechanism 7 connected to the motor 2. The transmission mechanism 7 includes a transmission mechanism 3, a housing 6, oil O, a catch tank 70, an oil pump 8, an oil cooler 9, and an oil passage 90. In other words, the drive device 1 includes the motor 2, the transmission mechanism 3, the housing 6, oil O, the catch tank 70, the oil pump 8, the oil cooler 9, and the oil passage 90. The drive device 1 may further include an inverter (not shown).

[0029] The housing 6 houses the motor 2, the transmission mechanism 3, the oil O, and the catch tank 70. The interior of the housing 6 is divided into a motor chamber 6A, which houses the motor 2, and a gear chamber 6B, which houses the transmission mechanism 3 and the catch tank 70. The oil O flows across the motor chamber 6A and the gear chamber 6B. The gear chamber 6B is located on the other side (+Y side) of the motor chamber 6A in the axial direction.

[0030] The housing 6 includes a housing body 61, a motor cover 63 located on one axial side (-Y side) of the housing body 61, and a gear cover 62 located on the other axial side (+Y side) of the housing body 61. The housing body 61 and the motor cover 63 surround the motor chamber 6A. Meanwhile, the housing body 61 and the gear cover 62 surround the gear chamber 6B.

[0031] The housing body 61 includes a partition wall 61c that divides the motor chamber 6A and the gear chamber 6B. The partition wall 61c extends along a plane perpendicular to the central axis J2. A partition wall opening 61a is provided in the partition wall 61c. The partition wall opening 61a extends through the partition wall 61c, connecting the motor chamber 6A and the gear chamber 6B.

[0032] Oil O is stored in the housing 6. The oil O circulates within the housing 6 through an oil passage 90. The oil O functions as a refrigerant for cooling the motor 2 and as a lubricant for the transmission mechanism 3. To ensure that the oil O functions as both a lubricating oil and a cooling oil, it is preferable to use an oil equivalent to automatic transmission fluid (ATF) having a relatively low viscosity.

[0033] An oil reservoir P is provided in the lower region of the gear chamber 6B to store the oil O. Specifically, the oil O is stored in the lower region (oil reservoir P) within the housing 6. The oil O in the oil reservoir P is delivered to the motor chamber 6A via the oil passage 90. The oil O delivered to the motor chamber 6A drips into the lower region of the motor chamber 6A, then moves through the partition wall opening 61a to the gear chamber 6B and returns to the oil reservoir P.

[0034] The motor 2 is located on one axial side (-Y side) of the transmission mechanism 3. The motor 2 includes a rotor 20 and a stator 25. In this embodiment, the motor 2 is an inner rotor type motor.

[0035] The rotor 20 rotates about the horizontally extending motor axis J1. The rotor 20 includes a hollow rotor shaft 21 and a rotor body 24. Although not shown, the rotor body 24 includes a rotor core and rotor magnets fixed to the rotor core. The torque of the rotor 20 is transmitted to the transmission mechanism 3. In other words, the motor 2 transmits power to the transmission mechanism 3.

[0036] The rotor shaft 21 extends axially about the motor axis J1. The rotor shaft 21 rotates about the motor axis J1. The other axial end of the rotor shaft 21 is connected to the drive shaft 46. The rotor shaft 21 is hollow. A hole 23 is provided in the rotor shaft 21 to connect the hollow portion 21h to the rotor core disposed radially outside the rotor shaft 21.

[0037] The rotor shaft 21 is rotatably supported by a fifth bearing (rotor shaft bearing) 89a and a sixth bearing 89b. The fifth bearing 89a and the sixth bearing 89b are held on the inner side surface of the housing 6 surrounding the motor chamber 6A.

[0038] The stator 25 surrounds the rotor 20. The stator 25 is located radially outward from the rotor 20. The outer circumference of the stator 25 faces the inner circumference of the housing 6. The stator 25 includes a stator core 27 and coils 26 mounted on the stator core 27. The stator core 27 is fixed to the inner surface of the motor chamber 6A. The coils 26 are attached to the teeth of the stator core 27 via insulators (not shown).

[0039] The transmission mechanism 3 is housed in the gear chamber 6B of the housing 6. The transmission mechanism 3 is connected to the motor 2 and transmits power from the motor 2. More specifically, the transmission mechanism 3 is connected to the other axial side of the rotor shaft 21. In other words, the motor 2 transmits power to the transmission mechanism 3.

[0040] The transmission mechanism 3 reduces the rotational speed of the motor 2, thereby increasing the torque output from the motor 2 in accordance with the reduction ratio. The transmission mechanism 3 includes a drive shaft (second shaft) 46, a first gear (pinion) 41, a countershaft (first shaft) 45, a second gear (counter gear) 42, a third gear 43, a differential 5, an output shaft 55, a first bearing 86, a second bearing 84, a third bearing 85, a fourth bearing 87, and an output shaft bearing 88. The drive shaft 46 and countershaft 45 are each hollow shafts. The drive shaft 46, countershaft 45, and output shaft 55 extend parallel to each other.

[0041] The drive shaft 46 and the first gear 41 are arranged with the motor axis J1 as the center. The drive shaft 46 extends in the axial direction of the motor axis J1. The end portion of the drive shaft 46 on the other axial side protrudes into the motor chamber 6A. The end portion of the drive shaft 46 on the one axial side (-Y side) is connected to the rotor shaft 21. The hollow portion 46h of the drive shaft 46 is connected to the hollow portion 21h of the rotor shaft 21. The first gear 41 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 46. The first gear 41 rotates with the drive shaft 46 with the motor axis J1 as the center.

[0042] The countershaft 45, the second gear 42, and the third gear 43 are arranged with the center axis J2 parallel to the motor axis J1 as the center. The countershaft 45 extends in the axial direction of the center axis J2. That is, the countershaft 45 extends in parallel with the drive shaft 46. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the countershaft 45 at a distance from each other in the axial direction. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 rotate with the countershaft 45 with the center axis J2 as the center. The second gear 42 is engaged with the first gear 41. The third gear 43 is engaged with the ring gear 51 of the differential 5.

[0043] The differential 5 has a ring gear (transmission gear) 51, a gear case (omitted from illustration), a pair of pinion gears (omitted from illustration), a pinion shaft (omitted from illustration), and a pair of half shaft gears (omitted from illustration). Since the differential 5 has the ring gear 51, the plurality of gears possessed by the transmission mechanism 3 include the ring gear 51.

[0044] The differential 5 is engaged with the third gear 43 at the ring gear 51. The ring gear 51 rotates around an output axis J3 parallel to the motor axis J1. The differential 5 is connected to an output shaft 55. The output shaft 55 extends along the output axis J3. The pair of output shafts 55 are respectively connected to the wheels W.

[0045] The torque output from the motor 2 is transmitted to the ring gear 51 of the differential 5 via the rotor shaft 21, the drive shaft 46, the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the countershaft 45, and the third gear 43, and further transmitted to the wheels W via the differential 5 and the output shaft 55. At the time of turning of the vehicle, the differential 5 absorbs the speed difference between the left and right wheels W and transmits torque to the output shafts 55 of the left and right wheels. In this way, in the present embodiment, the transmission mechanism 3 transmits the torque of the motor 2 to the wheels W of the vehicle.

[0046] The first bearing 86 and the fourth bearing 87 are arranged with the center axis J2 as the center. The first bearing 86 and the fourth bearing 87 support the outer peripheral surface of the countershaft 45. The first bearing 86 supports the end portion of the countershaft 45 on the other axial side (+Y side). On the other hand, the fourth bearing 87 supports the end portion of the countershaft 45 on the one axial side (-Y side).

[0047] The second bearing 84 and the third bearing 85 are arranged centered on the motor axis J1. The second bearing 84 and the third bearing 85 support the outer circumferential surface of the drive shaft 46. The second bearing 84 supports the end portion of the drive shaft 46 on the other axial side (+Y side). Meanwhile, the third bearing 85 supports the end portion of the drive shaft 46 on the one axial side (-Y side).

[0048] Two output shaft bearings 88 are provided on the transmission mechanism 3. The two output shaft bearings 88 support the outer circumferential surfaces of different output shafts 55. Here, only the one of the two output shaft bearings 88 located on the other axial side (+Y side) will be described. The output shaft bearings 88 are centered about the output axis J3.

[0049] The first bearing 86, the second bearing 84, and the output shaft bearing 88 are held by the gear cover 62 of the housing 6. The gear cover 62 includes a first bearing holding portion 66 that holds the first bearing 86, a second bearing holding portion 64 that holds the second bearing 84, and an output shaft bearing holding portion 68 that holds the output shaft bearing 88.

[0050] The first bearing retaining portion 66 and the second bearing retaining portion 64 are located on the axially facing surface (second inner side surface 62f) of the housing 6 surrounding the gear chamber 6B. Specifically, the first bearing retaining portion 66, the second bearing retaining portion 64, and the output shaft bearing retaining portion 68 are provided on the second inner side surface (inner surface) 62f. The housing 6 retains the first bearing 86, the second bearing 84, and the output shaft bearing 88 on the second inner side surface 62f.

[0051] like Figure 3 As shown, the first bearing retaining portion 66 includes a first opposing surface 66a and a first retaining tube portion 66b. The first opposing surface 66a extends along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction. The first opposing surface 66a is a surface facing the gear chamber 6B side. The first opposing surface 66a faces the end surface on the other axial side (+Y side) of the countershaft 45. The first retaining tube portion 66b protrudes from the first opposing surface 66a to one axial side (-Y side). The first retaining tube portion 66b is cylindrical centered on the central axis J2. The first retaining tube portion 66b retains the first bearing 86 from the radially outer side of the central axis J2.

[0052] The second bearing retaining portion 64 includes a second opposing surface 64a and a second retaining cylinder portion 64b. The second opposing surface 64a extends along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction. The second opposing surface 64a is a surface facing the gear chamber 6B side. The second opposing surface 64a is opposed to the end surface on the other axial side (+Y side) of the drive shaft 46. The second retaining cylinder portion 64b protrudes from the second opposing surface 64a to one axial side (-Y side). The second retaining cylinder portion 64b is cylindrical with the motor axis J1 as the center. The second retaining cylinder portion 64b retains the second bearing 84 from the radially outer side of the motor axis J1.

[0053] The output shaft bearing retaining portion 68 includes an output shaft retaining cylinder 68b. The output shaft retaining cylinder 68b is cylindrical, centered on the output axis J3. The output shaft retaining cylinder 68b retains the output shaft bearing 88 from the radially outer side of the motor axis J1. A through-hole 68h is provided inside the output shaft retaining cylinder 68b, extending through the gear cover 62. The output shaft 55 is inserted through the through-hole 68h.

[0054] like Figure 1 As shown, the third bearing 85 and the fourth bearing 87 are held by the partition wall 61c of the housing 6. The partition wall 61c has a third bearing holding portion 65 that holds the third bearing 85 and a fourth bearing holding portion 67 that holds the fourth bearing 87.

[0055] The third and fourth bearing retaining portions 65 and 67 are located on the surface of the housing 6 surrounding the gear chamber 6B, facing the other axial side (the first inner surface 61f). Specifically, the third and fourth bearing retaining portions 65 and 67 are provided on the first inner surface (inner surface) 61f. The housing 6 retains the third and fourth bearings 85 and 87 on the first inner surface 61f. Furthermore, the first inner surface 61f also retains another output shaft bearing (not shown).

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, the third bearing holding portion 65 includes a third holding cylindrical portion 65b. The third holding cylindrical portion 65b is cylindrical with the motor axis J1 as its center. The third holding cylindrical portion 65b holds the third bearing 85 from the radially outer side.

[0057] Although description is omitted here, the fourth bearing holding portion 67 also includes a holding cylindrical portion that holds the fourth bearing 87 from the radially outer side.

[0058] like Figure 1 As shown, the oil passage 90 supplies oil O from the oil reservoir P to the upper region of the motor chamber 6A and the upper region of the gear chamber 6B. The oil O passing through the oil passage 90 is supplied to the motor 2 and the transmission mechanism 3, respectively.

[0059] In this specification, "oil passage" refers to the path of the oil O. The concept of "oil passage" includes not only a "flow path" that allows the oil O to flow constantly in one direction, but also the path of the oil O stirred up by the gears, the path where the oil O temporarily accumulates, and the path where the oil O drips.

[0060] The oil pump 8, oil cooler 9, and supply pipe 97A are provided in the oil passage 90. The oil pump 8 and oil cooler 9 are respectively arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the wall portion of the housing 6 surrounding the motor chamber 6A. The supply pipe 97A is arranged directly above the motor 2 in the gear chamber 6B.

[0061] The oil pump 8 is an electric pump driven by electricity. The oil pump 8 pumps oil O in the oil passage 90. The oil pump 8 has a single suction port 8c and two discharge ports (a first discharge port 8a and a second discharge port 8b). Therefore, the oil pump 8 branches the oil passage into two paths.

[0062] The oil cooler 9 cools the oil O in the oil passage 90. A refrigerant (not shown) flows inside the oil cooler 9. The oil cooler 9 is a heat exchanger that transfers heat of the oil O to the refrigerant.

[0063] The oil passage 90 includes an intake passage 94, a first passage 91, a second passage 92, a third passage 93, an in-tube passage 97, and an agitation passage 95. The intake passage 94, the first passage 91, the second passage 92, and the third passage 93 are holes provided in the housing 6. Therefore, the first passage 91, the second passage 92, and the third passage 93 are formed by drilling the housing wall. Meanwhile, the in-tube passage 97 is an internal passage provided by the pipe 97A.

[0064] The suction path 94 connects the oil reservoir P of the gear chamber 6B and the oil pump 8 . The upstream end of the suction path 94 opens at the oil reservoir P. On the other hand, the downstream end of the suction path 94 is connected to the suction port 8 c of the oil pump 8 .

[0065] The first path 91 connects the oil pump 8 and the catch tank 70. The first path 91 has a first end 91a located upstream of the flow direction of the oil O and a second end 91b located downstream. The first end 91a is connected to the first discharge port (discharge port) 8a of the oil pump 8. On the other hand, the second end 91b is connected to the catch tank 70.

[0066] According to this embodiment, the first path 91 connecting the oil pump 8 and the catch tank 70 is formed by a hole provided in the wall of the housing 6. Therefore, there is no need to provide a separate piping component between the oil pump 8 and the catch tank 70, which can reduce the number of components. The structure of the connection between the first path 91 and the catch tank 70 will be described later.

[0067] like Figure 2 As shown, the first end 91a and the second end 91b of the first path 91 are located above the output axis J3. The first path 91 is located above the output axis J3 along its entire length. Furthermore, the oil pump 8 and the first end 91a are arranged to overlap with the ring gear 51 when viewed axially.

[0068] As will be described later, the capture box 70 is arranged on the upper side of the output axis J3 in order to supply oil O to the gears and bearings in the gear chamber 6B. Therefore, the second end 91b connected to the capture box 70 is arranged on the upper side of the output axis J3. According to this embodiment, by arranging the first end 91a on the upper side of the output axis J3, the first end 91a can be arranged close to the capture box 70 in the vertical direction (X-axis direction). As a result, the overall length of the first path 91 can be shortened, and the pipeline resistance of the first path 91 can be reduced. Since the first path 91 is a hole provided in the housing 6, the wall portion of the housing 6 in which the first path 91 is provided needs to be thickened. According to this embodiment, by shortening the overall length of the first path 91, the area where the wall thickness of the housing 6 is thickened can be shortened, and the housing 6 can be made lighter as a whole.

[0069] As described later, the catch tank 70 is positioned directly above the ring gear 51 to effectively receive the oil O stirred up by the ring gear 51. According to this embodiment, by arranging the first end portion 91a to overlap the ring gear 51 as viewed from the Y-axis direction, the first end portion 91a can be positioned closer to the catch tank 70 in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction (the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, the X-axis direction). This shortens the overall length of the first path 91. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by arranging a portion of the oil pump 8 to overlap the ring gear 51 as viewed from the Y-axis direction, the projected area of ​​the drive device 1 in the axial direction can be reduced, thereby enabling miniaturization of the drive device 1.

[0070] In this specification, “directly above” means the upper side and is arranged to overlap when viewed from the vertical direction. Therefore, the capture box 70 is arranged above the ring gear 51 and overlaps with the ring gear 51 when viewed from the vertical direction.

[0071] like Figure 1 As shown, the second path 92 supplies oil O from the oil pump 8 to the oil cooler 9. The upstream end of the second path 92 is connected to the second discharge port 8b of the oil pump 8. The downstream end of the second path 92 is connected to the oil cooler 9.

[0072] The third path 93 supplies oil O from the oil cooler 9 to the motor 2. The third path 93 includes a main path 93c, a first branch path 93a, and a second branch path 93b. The third path 93 is connected to the oil cooler 9 at the upstream end of the main path 93c. The third path 93 branches into the first branch path 93a and the second branch path 93b at the downstream end of the main path 93c. The first branch path 93a supplies oil O from one axial side (the -Y side) of the rotor shaft 21 to the hollow portion 21h of the rotor shaft 21. Meanwhile, the second branch path 93b supplies oil O to the in-tube path 97 within the supply tube 97A on the upper side of the motor 2.

[0073] The oil O supplied from the first branch path 93 a to the hollow portion 21 h of the rotor shaft 21 is scattered from the hole 23 provided in the rotor shaft 21 to the outside of the rotor shaft 21 through the rotor core by the centrifugal force of the rotor 20 and supplied to the stator 25 .

[0074] The oil O supplied from the first branched passage 93a to the internal tube path 97 within the supply tube 97A flows axially above the motor 2. The supply tube 97A is provided with a spray hole that opens toward the motor 2. The oil O in the internal tube path 97 is sprayed toward the stator 25 through the spray hole.

[0075] The oil O supplied to the stator 25 removes heat from the stator 25 as it flows over its surface, cooling the stator 25. The oil O then drips from the stator 25 and reaches the lower area of ​​the motor chamber 6A. The oil O in the lower area of ​​the motor chamber 6A then returns to the oil reservoir P of the gear chamber 6B through the partition wall opening 61a.

[0076] According to this embodiment, a portion of the oil O pumped from the oil pump 8 is supplied to the gear chamber 6B via the first path 91. Furthermore, a portion of the oil O pumped from the oil pump 8 is supplied to the motor chamber 6A via the second path 92, the oil cooler 9, and the third path 93. According to this embodiment, the oil O in the gear chamber 6B can be used to improve the lubricity of the transmission mechanism 3, while the oil O in the motor chamber 6A can be used to cool the motor 2.

[0077] In this embodiment, the flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the first path 91 is preferably smaller than that of the second path 92. The oil O pumped from the oil pump 8 is branched and supplied to the first path 91 and the second path 92. Therefore, a larger amount of oil O flows through the first path 91 or the second path 92, whichever has the smaller line resistance. According to this embodiment, by making the flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the first path 91 smaller than that of the second path 92, the line resistance of the second path 92 can be relatively reduced. This increases the flow rate of the oil O flowing through the second path 92 compared to the oil flowing through the first path 91, ensuring a sufficient amount of oil supplied to the motor 2 and preventing excessive temperature increases in the motor 2.

[0078] The stirring path 95 stirs up the oil O as the ring gear 51 rotates and guides it to the catch tank 70. The catch tank 70 is located within the housing 6 and is open upward. The oil O stirred up by the ring gear 51 diffuses into the gear chamber 6B, with a portion of the oil being supplied to the catch tank 70. Furthermore, the oil O that diffuses within the gear chamber 6B and is not caught by the catch tank 70 is supplied to the gears within the gear chamber 6B, where it is used to lubricate the gear tooth surfaces.

[0079] The oil O in the collection tank 70 is supplied to the gears and bearings of the transmission mechanism 3. The oil O is supplied from the oil reservoir P to the collection tank 70 via two paths (the stirring path 95 and the first path 91).

[0080] According to the present embodiment, the oil O is supplied to the collection tank 70 via the stirring path 95. The amount of oil O stirred in the stirring path 95 increases in accordance with the rotational speed of the ring gear 51. That is, the stirring path 95 is a path that increases the amount of oil O delivered according to the increase in the rotational speed of the ring gear 51. Since the ring gear 51 is subjected to the stirring resistance of the oil O from the oil reservoir P, the rotation efficiency of the ring gear 51 increases as the liquid level of the oil reservoir P decreases. According to the present embodiment, since the oil circuit 90 has the stirring path 95, when the rotational speed of the ring gear 51 increases, the liquid level of the oil reservoir P can be lowered and the rotation efficiency of the ring gear 51 can be improved. Thus, a transmission mechanism device 7 with excellent drive efficiency can be formed.

[0081] On the other hand, if the path of the oil O from the oil reservoir P to the catch tank 70 relies solely on the stirring path 95, the amount of oil O supplied to the catch tank 70 may be insufficient when the rotation speed of the ring gear 51 is low. According to this embodiment, in addition to the stirring path 95, the oil O can be supplied to the catch tank 70 via the first path 91. The first path 91 is a path through which the oil O is pumped by the oil pump 8. In other words, the first path 91 is a path that can supply the oil O to the catch tank 70 as needed, regardless of the rotation of the ring gear 51. According to this embodiment, since the oil passage 90 is provided with not only the stirring path 95 but also the first path 91, insufficient oil in the catch tank 70 can be suppressed, and the oil can be stably supplied to the transmission mechanism 3 via the catch tank 70.

[0082] In this embodiment, the oil pump 8 is an electric pump. Therefore, the oil pump 8 can supply oil O to the catch tank 70 independently of the gear drive state. However, the oil pump 8 may also be a mechanical pump connected to any shaft of the transmission mechanism 3. Even in this case, by supplying oil O to the catch tank 70 through two paths (the stirring path 95 and the first path 91), the overall supply amount can be ensured even if the supply amount of each path is reduced. As a result, it is possible to prevent the catch tank 70 from being insufficiently supplied with oil O.

[0083] like Figure 2As shown, in the transmission mechanism 3 of the present embodiment, the center axis J2 is arranged on the upper side of the motor axis J1. That is, when viewed from the axial direction, the center of the secondary shaft 45 is located on the upper side of the center of the drive shaft 46. Thus, in the drive device 1, the motor 2 can be arranged close to the lower side, and the center of gravity of the drive device 1 can be made close to the lower side. As a result, it is easy to stabilize the weight balance of the vehicle on which it is mounted. Furthermore, in the case where the drive device 1 is equipped with an inverter, a part of the inverter can be arranged on the upper side of the motor 2, and the drive device 1 as a whole can be miniaturized. In addition, by arranging the center axis J2 at a higher position, the second gear 42 rotating around the center axis J2 can be separated from the liquid surface, and the stirring resistance applied to the second gear 42 can be suppressed.

[0084] On the other hand, when the shafts are arranged in this manner, the second gear 42 is located above the first gear 41 and away from the liquid surface of the oil reservoir P. Therefore, the second gear 42 cannot stir up the oil O. Therefore, in the conventional structure, the second gear 42 is inevitably located below the first gear 41, and the oil O is stirred up using the ring gear 51 and the second gear 42.

[0085] In this embodiment, oil O can be supplied from the oil reservoir P to the catch tank 70 via the first path 91 using the oil pump 8. Therefore, a structure can be adopted in which the second gear 42 is separated from the liquid level of the oil reservoir P while eliminating oil shortage in the catch tank 70.

[0086] Figure 4 It is a perspective view of the collection box 70. Figure 5 It is a partial cross-sectional view of the driving device 1 including the capture box 70 .

[0087] like Figure 4 As shown, the capture box 70 includes a box member 70A and a first protruding rib 6a of the housing 6. The first protruding rib 6a functions as a bottom portion of the auxiliary storage portion 78 as will be described later.

[0088] The box member 70A includes a storage portion 71, a supply portion 72, a pipe portion 74, a fixing pin portion 75, and a cover plate 76. That is, the capture box 70 includes the storage portion 71, the supply portion 72, the pipe portion 74, and the cover plate 76.

[0089] The reservoir 71 is box-shaped and upwardly open. It receives and temporarily stores the oil O stirred up by the ring gear 51. The reservoir 71 defines a storage space S for the oil O. The reservoir 71 includes a first wall (fixed wall) 71a, a second wall (side wall) 71b, a third wall 71c, a fourth wall 71d, a stepped wall 71e, a first bottom 71f, and a second bottom 71g, surrounding the storage space S. In other words, the reservoir 71 comprises a plurality of walls, including the first wall 71a and the second wall 71b.

[0090] The first wall portion 71a and the third wall portion 71c are axially opposed to each other (in the Y-axis direction). The second wall portion 71b and the fourth wall portion 71d are opposed to each other in the vehicle front-rear direction (in the X-axis direction). The second wall portion 71b is connected to the first wall portion 71a and the third wall portion 71c. Similarly, the fourth wall portion 71d is connected to the first wall portion 71a and the third wall portion 71c.

[0091] like Figure 5 As shown, the first wall portion 71a is opposed to the second inner side surface 62f of the housing 6. The first wall portion 71a extends along the second inner side surface 62f. A fixing pin portion 75 is provided on the first wall portion 71a. The fixing pin portion 75 protrudes from the outer surface of the first wall portion 71a toward the second inner side surface 62f. The second inner side surface 62f is provided with a fitting hole 62h for inserting the fixing pin portion 75. This secures the first wall portion 71a to the second inner side surface 62f.

[0092] The third wall portion 71c is opposite the first inner side surface 61f of the housing 6. The third wall portion 71c extends along the first inner side surface 61f. A hollow tube portion 74 is provided on the third wall portion 71c. The tube portion 74 protrudes from the outer side of the third wall portion 71c toward the first inner side surface 61f. The tube portion 74 has a hollow portion. One end of the hollow portion of the tube portion 74 opens to the storage space S, and the other end opens to the outside of the storage space S. On the other hand, a recess 61h is provided on the first inner side surface 61f, which opens to the first path 91 of the oil supply passage 90. The tube portion 74 is inserted into the recess 61h. As a result, the third wall portion 71c is retained on the second inner side surface 62f. Furthermore, the tube portion 74 is connected to the first path 91. The hollow portion of the tube portion 74 guides the oil O from the first path 91 to the collection tank 70.

[0093] According to this embodiment, by inserting the pipe portion 74 into the recess 61h, the capture tank 70 can be easily positioned relative to the housing 6. Furthermore, since the pipe portion 74 is connected to the first path 91, the oil O in the first path 91 can be smoothly guided to the storage space S of the capture tank 70.

[0094] In this embodiment, the pipe portion 74 is provided on the capture box 70, and the recess 61h is provided on the first inner side surface 61f of the housing 6. However, the pipe portion 74 may be provided on the first inner side surface 61f, and the recess may be provided on the capture box 70. Specifically, the pipe portion 74 may be provided on either the first inner side surface 61f or the capture box 70, protruding toward the other side, and the recess 61h may be provided on the other side to engage with the pipe portion 74. Furthermore, when the pipe portion 74 is provided on the first inner side surface 61f, the hollow portion of the pipe portion 74 is connected to the first path 91 within the wall of the housing 6.

[0095] The first bottom portion 71f and the second bottom portion 71g are located below the reservoir S. The oil O is stored in the first bottom portion 71f and the second bottom portion 71g of the reservoir 71. The first bottom portion 71f and the second bottom portion 71g are arranged side by side in the axial direction (Y-axis direction) between the first wall portion 71a and the third wall portion 71c.

[0096] The first bottom portion 71f and the second bottom portion 71g are positioned at different vertical positions. The second bottom portion 71g is located below the first bottom portion 71f. A stepped wall portion 71e is disposed between the first bottom portion 71f and the second bottom portion 71g. The stepped wall portion 71e extends along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction, connecting the first bottom portion 71f and the second bottom portion 71g.

[0097] The oil O stored in the reservoir 71 is supplied to the bearings of the transmission mechanism 3. Therefore, the reservoir 71 is preferably positioned close to the motor axis J1, the center axis J2, and the output axis J3. According to this embodiment, since the second bottom portion 71g is located below the upper end 51t of the ring gear 51, the second bottom portion 71g can be positioned close to the motor axis J1, the center axis J2, and the output axis J3 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). This shortens the supply path for the oil O stored in the reservoir 71 to the bearings, enabling efficient supply of the oil O from the catch tank 70 to the bearings.

[0098] According to this embodiment, the second bottom portion 71g is located on the other axial side of the ring gear 51, overlapping the ring gear 51 when viewed in the Y-axis direction. Consequently, the second bottom portion 71g of the catch tank 70 is located below the upper end 51t of the ring gear 51. As a result, the catch tank 70 can store a large volume of oil O without increasing the height of the housing 6.

[0099] The first bottom portion 71f is located above the upper end 51t of the ring gear 51 and overlaps with the ring gear 51 when viewed from above. Therefore, the reservoir 71 can effectively receive the oil O stirred up by the ring gear 51. The second bottom portion 71g is located below the upper end 51t of the ring gear 51. In other words, the second bottom portion 71g is located below the first bottom portion 71f. Therefore, the oil O accumulated in the first bottom portion 71f flows into the second bottom portion 71g.

[0100] like Figure 4As shown, a second wall portion 71b is provided at the end portion of the first bottom portion 71f on the front side (+X side) of the vehicle. On the other hand, there is no connecting wall portion at the end portion of the first bottom portion 71f on the rear side (-X side) of the vehicle. Therefore, the storage space S on the upper side of the first bottom portion 71f is open on the rear side (-X side) of the vehicle. The oil O stirred up by the ring gear 51 scatters from the upper side of the ring gear 51 toward the front side (+X side) of the vehicle. According to the present embodiment, the oil O stirred up by the ring gear 51 passes through the upper side of the first bottom portion 71f and abuts against the second wall portion 71b, thereby being smoothly stored in the storage space S.

[0101] The first bottom portion 71f is tilted upward toward the vehicle rear side (-X side), thereby preventing the oil O in the storage space S above the first bottom portion 71fg ​​from flowing out from the vehicle rear side (-X side) end portion of the second bottom portion 71g.

[0102] A second ejection hole 71h is provided at the first bottom portion 71f. The second ejection hole 71h opens directly above the ring gear 51. The second ejection hole 71h supplies the oil O in the storage space S to the ring gear 51. In a case where the vehicle is parked for a long time, for example, it is foreseeable that the oil O on the tooth surface of the ring gear 51 will be exhausted. As described above, the oil O that is pressurized to the oil pump 8 is supplied to the storage space S via the first path 91. According to the present embodiment, by driving the oil pump 8, the oil O can be supplied to the tooth surface of the ring gear 51 via the second ejection hole 71h, and the lubricity of the tooth surface of the ring gear 51 can be ensured.

[0103] The second bottom portion 71g is provided with an axially extending groove 71j. The groove 71j extends across the entire axial direction of the second bottom portion 71g. A first bottom portion 71f is disposed on one axial side (the -Y side) of the groove 71j. Furthermore, the end of the other axial side (the +Y side) of the groove 71j is connected to the supply portion 72. According to this embodiment, the provision of the groove 71j on the second bottom portion 71g allows the oil O flowing from the first bottom portion 71f to the second bottom portion 71g to be smoothly guided to the supply portion 72.

[0104] A first discharge hole (first discharge portion) 71k is provided in the second bottom portion 71g. Specifically, the catch tank 70 includes the first discharge hole 71k for discharging the oil O from the storage space S. The first discharge hole 71k is disposed within the recessed groove 71j. Specifically, the first discharge hole 71k opens into the lowest region of the storage space S. Therefore, the first discharge hole 71k preferentially discharges the oil O from the storage space S.

[0105] The path (first supply path 98) of the oil O ejected from the first ejection hole 71k will be described. Figure 3As shown, a first guide rib 62s and a second guide rib 62q are provided on the second inner side surface 62f of the housing 6. The first guide rib 62s and the second guide rib 62q are located on the lower side of the capture box 70.

[0106] When viewed axially, the first guide rib 62s extends upward from the outer circumferential surface of the output shaft retaining cylinder 68b. Furthermore, when viewed axially, the second guide rib 62q extends diagonally upward from slightly below the upper end of the first guide rib 62s toward directly below the reservoir 71. The end of the second guide rib 62q on the vehicle front side (+X side) is located directly below the first ejection port 71k. The second guide rib 62q protrudes less than the first guide rib 62s.

[0107] The output shaft retaining cylinder 68b is provided with a notch 68n that connects the inside and outside of the output shaft retaining cylinder 68b. The notch 68n is located above the output axis J3. The notch 68n is located to the side of the first guide rib 62s and below the first guide rib 62s.

[0108] The oil O ejected from the first ejection hole 71k of the reservoir 71 is received by the second guide rib 62q. The oil O received by the second guide rib 62q flows downward along the surface of the second guide rib 62q and reaches the first guide rib 62s. The oil O then overflows axially from the tip of the second guide rib 62q and flows downward toward the bottom of the second guide rib 62q. The oil O flows downward along the surface of the first guide rib 62s and is guided to the notch 68n of the output shaft retaining cylinder 68b. The oil O guided to the notch 68n flows into the interior of the output shaft retaining cylinder 68b.

[0109] According to this embodiment, the oil O stored in the reservoir 71 can be efficiently guided to the output shaft bearing 88 disposed inside the output shaft retaining cylinder 68b. Thus, a path (first supply path 98) is provided within the interior space of the housing 6 to supply the oil O ejected from the first ejection hole 71k to the output shaft bearing 88. The first supply path connects the first ejection hole 71k and the output shaft bearing 88. The first supply path 98 is formed by the first guide rib 62s, the second guide rib 62q, and the notch 68n.

[0110] The first supply path does not necessarily have to consist of the first guide rib 62s, the second guide rib 62q, and the notch 68n. For example, the first supply path may consist solely of the first guide rib 62s and the notch 68n. In this case, the oil O ejected from the first ejection hole 71k is supplied to the first guide rib 62s and then guided along the surface of the first guide rib 62s to the notch 68n of the output shaft retaining cylinder 68b.

[0111] like Figure 4 As shown, the supply portion 72 of the catch tank 70 is trough-shaped and comprises a bottom plate 72a and a pair of side plates 72e and 72f. The oil O flows through the barrel-shaped supply portion formed by the bottom plate 72a and the pair of side plates 72e and 72f. The supply portion 72 supplies the oil O stored in the reservoir 71 to the first bearing 86. The supply portion 72 extends from the second wall portion 71b of the reservoir 71 toward the +X side, curves toward the +Y side, and then extends in an S-shaped curve toward the +X side.

[0112] like Figure 3 As shown, a notch portion 66n is provided on the first retaining cylinder portion 66b of the first bearing retaining portion 66, connecting the inside and outside of the first retaining cylinder portion 66b. The vertical position of the notch portion 66n is consistent with the vertical position of the center axis J2. In addition, a recess 66m is provided on the second inner side surface 62f of the housing 6, which is recessed along the notch portion 66n. The recess 66m is groove-shaped and extends radially outward from the notch portion 66n toward the center axis J2. The recess 66m extends slightly upward as it moves away from the center axis J2. The recess 66m and the notch portion 66n constitute a flow path 66s connecting the inside and outside of the first retaining cylinder portion 66b. That is, a flow path 66s including the notch portion 66n is provided on the inner surface of the housing 6. The flow path 66s includes the notch portion 66n and the recess 66m.

[0113] The supply portion 72 of the capture box 70 extends from the reservoir portion 71 toward the first retaining cylinder 66b. Furthermore, the front end 72c of the supply portion 72 is inserted into the notch 66n and recess 66m of the first retaining cylinder 66b. Specifically, the front end 72c is inserted into the flow path 66s. The oil O within the reservoir 71 flows through the groove-shaped supply portion 72 and outflows from the front end 72c. According to this embodiment, by inserting the front end 72c of the supply portion 72 into the notch 66n, the oil O flowing out of the front end 72c is effectively supplied to the inside of the first retaining cylinder 66b along the notch 66n. This allows for proper lubrication of the first bearing 86 located inside the first retaining cylinder 66b.

[0114] In this embodiment, the front end portion 72c is inserted into both the notch 66n and the recess 66m that constitute the flow path 66s. However, the front end portion 72c may be inserted only into the recess 66m. In this case, the oil O flowing out of the front end portion 72c flows along the inner surface of the recess 66m and reaches the notch 66n. Alternatively, the front end portion 72c may be inserted only into the notch 66n. In this case, the recess 66m may not be provided on the second inner surface 62f of the housing 6.

[0115] The oil O guided to the inside of the first retaining cylindrical portion 66b is supplied not only to the first bearing 86 but also to the hollow portion 45h of the countershaft 45. This structure will be described later.

[0116] like Figure 4 As shown, the supply portion 72 includes a front end portion 72c and a relay portion 72d. As described above, the front end portion 72c is disposed inside the notch portion 66n. In contrast, the relay portion 72d is disposed between the reservoir portion 71 and the front end portion 72c, connecting from the reservoir portion 71 to the front end portion 72c.

[0117] The pair of side plates 72e and 72f that comprise the supply portion 72 have different heights at the intermediate portion 72d and the front end portion 72c. The side plates 72e and 72f are smaller at the front end portion 72c than at the intermediate portion 72d. According to this embodiment, by making the pair of side plates 72e and 72f higher at the intermediate portion 72d, the supply portion 72 can prevent the oil O flowing through the supply portion 72 between the reservoir 71 and the notch 66n from passing over the side plates 72e and 72f. Furthermore, since the front end portion 72c is positioned within the notch 66n, even if the oil O does pass over the side plates 72e and 72f at the front end portion 72c, it is guided into the interior of the first retaining cylinder 66b for lubrication. Furthermore, by making the pair of side plates 72e and 72f lower at the front end portion 72c, the width of the notch 66n provided in the first retaining cylinder 166b, into which the front end portion 72c is inserted, can be reduced. This can suppress a reduction in the rigidity of the first holding cylindrical portion 66 b due to the provision of the notch portion 66 n , and improve the stability with which the first holding cylindrical portion 66 b holds the first bearing 86 .

[0118] In this embodiment, the width of the bottom plate 72a of the supply portion 72 is uniform from the intermediate portion 72d to the front end portion 72c. However, even if the width of the bottom plate 72a at the front end portion 72c is smaller than the width of the bottom plate 72a at the intermediate portion 72d, the size of the notch 66n can be reduced. In other words, the aforementioned effect can be achieved when the front end portion 72c is smaller than the intermediate portion 72d in at least one of the width of the bottom plate 72a or the height of the side plates 72e and 72f.

[0119] Here, one of the pair of side plates 72e, 72f is referred to as the first side plate 72e, and the other is referred to as the second side plate 72f. The first side plate 72e and the second side plate 72f are arranged side by side in the axial direction at the front end portion 72c. The second side plate 72f is located on one side (-Y side) of the first side plate 72e in the axial direction.

[0120] like Figure 5 As shown, at the front end 72c of the providing portion 72, the first side plate 72e faces the second inner side surface 62f of the housing 6. That is, one of the pair of side plates 72e, 72f located on the second inner side surface 62f side is the first side plate 72e, and the other is the second side plate 72f.

[0121] In this embodiment, the height dimension of the first side plate 72e of the front end portion 72c is smaller than the height dimension of the second side plate 72f. The front end portion 72c is positioned within the notch 66n. Therefore, the first side plate 72e is positioned at the bottom of the notch 66n. Therefore, by making the height dimension of the first side plate 72e relatively low within the front end portion 72c, the oil O can be supplied to the inner side of the notch 66n and, through the notch 66n, the oil O can be efficiently supplied to the interior of the first retaining tube 66b. Furthermore, by making the front end portion 72c smaller, the manufacturing cost of the catch tank 70 can be reduced. Conversely, by making the height dimension of the second side plate 72f of the front end portion 72c higher, the oil O can be prevented from spilling axially from the notch 66n to one side (the -Y side), allowing the oil O to be efficiently introduced into the notch 66n.

[0122] like Figure 5 As shown, the first wall portion 71a of the reservoir portion 71 extends along the second inner side surface 62f of the housing 6 and is fixed to the second inner side surface 62f via the fixing pin portion 75. Furthermore, the supply portion 72 extends from the second wall portion 71b of the reservoir portion 71. Therefore, compared to a case where the supply portion 72 extends from the first wall portion 71a, the first wall portion 71a can be positioned closer to the second inner side surface 62f, thereby ensuring more stable fixation of the reservoir portion 71 relative to the second inner side surface 62f.

[0123] like Figure 4 As shown, a discharge notch (second discharge portion) 73 is provided in the second wall portion 71b. Specifically, the collection tank 70 includes the discharge notch 73. The discharge notch 73 extends downward from the upper edge of the second wall portion 71b. The discharge notch 73 is located in a region on one axial side (the -Y side) of the second wall portion 71b. When the oil O stored in the reservoir 71 reaches the discharge notch 73, it overflows from the discharge notch 73. In other words, the discharge notch 73 discharges the oil O from the reservoir 71.

[0124] The path (second supply path 99) of the oil O ejected from the ejection notch 73 will be described. Figure 2 As shown, the first inner side surface 61f of the housing 6 is provided with a second protruding rib 6b and a third protruding rib 6c that protrude toward the other axial side (+Y side). A cover member 4 is disposed on the other axial side (+Y side) of the second and third protruding ribs 6b, 6c. In other words, the transmission mechanism 7 includes the cover member 4 disposed within the interior space of the housing 6.

[0125] The second protruding rib 6b is located above the central axis J2 and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction (X-axis direction). The second protruding rib 6b is curved in an arc shape convexly upward along the circumference of the central axis J2.

[0126] The second protruding rib 6b has a first end 6ba on the vehicle rear side (-X side) and a second end 6bb on the vehicle front side (+X side). The first end 6ba faces the capture box 70 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The second protruding rib 6b tilts upward at the first end 6ba as it approaches the capture box 70. The first end 6ba of the second protruding rib 6b is positioned directly below the discharge notch 73 of the capture box 70. The second end 6bb faces the third protruding rib 6c in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X-axis direction). The second protruding rib 6b tilts upward at the second end 6bb as it approaches the third protruding rib 6c.

[0127] The cover member 4 includes a main plate portion 4a and a relay rib 4b. The main plate portion 4a extends along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction. The main plate portion 4a is located toward the front end of the second protruding rib 6b. The main plate portion 4a covers the upper area of ​​the second protruding rib 6b. This creates a flow path for the oil O that extends in the vehicle's longitudinal direction and is surrounded by the second protruding rib 6b, the first inner side surface 61f, and the main plate portion 4a.

[0128] The relay rib 4b protrudes axially from one axial side (-Y side) of the main plate portion 4a. The front end of the relay rib 4b faces the first inner side surface 61f with a small gap therebetween. Alternatively, the front end of the relay rib 4b may contact the first inner side surface 61f.

[0129] The relay rib 4b extends in the vehicle front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction). The relay rib 4b is positioned on the vehicle front side (+X side) of the second protruding rib 6b. The relay rib 4b is located below the second end 6bb of the second protruding rib 6b. Furthermore, when viewed from above and below, the relay rib 4b overlaps with the second end 6bb. Oil O flowing from the second end 6bb toward the vehicle front side (+X side) is received by the relay rib 4b. The relay rib 4b tilts slightly downward as it approaches the vehicle front side. Thus, the relay rib 4b facilitates the smooth flow of oil O toward the vehicle front side.

[0130] The third protruding rib 6c includes a first piece 6ca and a second piece 6cb. The first piece 6ca and the second piece 6cb are arranged in a V-shape when viewed from the axial direction. The first piece 6ca extends toward the vehicle rear side from the third inner side surface 61g of the housing 6 that faces the vehicle rear side (-X side). The first piece 6ca tilts downward as it faces the vehicle rear side. The second piece 6cb extends upward from the end of the first piece 6ca on the vehicle rear side. The second piece 6cb tilts toward the vehicle front side (+X side) as it faces upward. A gap is provided between the upper end of the second piece 6cb and the third inner side surface 61g of the housing 6. In this way, the third protruding rib 6c extends in a concave shape that opens to the upper side.

[0131] like Figure 3As shown, a fourth protruding rib 6d is provided on the second inner side surface 62f, protruding axially toward one side (the -Y side). The fourth protruding rib 6d is axially opposed to the third protruding rib 6c. The fourth protruding rib 6d has the same shape as the third protruding rib 6c. Specifically, the fourth protruding rib 6d extends in a concave shape that opens upward. The front end of the fourth protruding rib 6d contacts the third protruding rib 6c.

[0132] The third and fourth protruding ribs 6c and 6d and the first and second inner side surfaces 61f and 62f constitute the sub-tank portion 6t open upward.

[0133] like Figure 2 As shown, the sub-tank portion 6t is disposed within the interior space of the housing 6. Furthermore, the sub-tank portion 6t is open upward. The sub-tank portion 6t is located on the opposite side of the catch tank 70 across the countershaft 45. Since the sub-tank portion 6t is located on the vehicle front side (+X side) of the ring gear 51, it can receive the oil O scattered by the ring gear 51.

[0134] The opening of the sub tank portion 6t is located directly below the end portion of the relay rib 4b on the vehicle front side (+X side).

[0135] An oil supply hole 6h is provided at the bottom of the sub-tank portion 6t. The oil supply hole 6h passes through the partition wall 61c of the housing body 61. In addition, the lower end portion of the oil supply hole 6h is open on the surface of the partition wall 61c facing the motor chamber 6A side. In addition, the oil supply hole 6h on the motor chamber 6A side is located on the upper side of the cylindrical bearing retaining portion (not shown) that retains the fifth bearing 89a. A cutout is provided on the bearing retaining portion. The cutout supplies the oil O that flows into the motor chamber 6A side through the oil supply hole 6h to the fifth bearing 89a. Thus, the oil O stored in the sub-tank portion 6t is supplied to the fifth bearing 89a through the oil supply hole 6h.

[0136] Thus, a second supply path 99 is provided within the interior space of the housing 6 to supply the oil O ejected from the ejection notch 73 to the fifth bearing 89a. The second supply path 99 is formed by the second protruding rib 6b, the third protruding rib 6c, the cover member 4, and the oil supply hole 6h. The second supply path 99 can supply the oil O stored in the catch tank 70 to the fifth bearing 89a located within the motor chamber.

[0137] The second supply path 99 includes a first sub-path 99a extending from the capture tank 70 to the sub-tank portion 6t and a second sub-path 99b extending from the sub-tank portion 6t to the fifth bearing 89a.

[0138] The first sub-path 99a is a path for the oil O surrounded by the second and third protruding ribs 6b, 6c, and the cover member 4. In this embodiment, the sub-shaft 45 is positioned between the drive shaft 46 and the output shaft 55 in the X-axis direction. The first sub-path 99a passes through the upper side of the sub-shaft 45. The first sub-path 99a of this embodiment allows the oil O to be transferred from the collection tank 70 to the sub-tank portion 6t via the upper side of the sub-shaft 45.

[0139] The second sub-path 99b has an oil supply hole 6h. The second sub-path 99b supplies the oil O stored in the sub-tank portion 6t to the fifth bearing 89a. The second supply path 99 supplies the oil O from the sub-tank portion 6t to the fifth bearing 89a via the second sub-path 99b.

[0140] According to this embodiment, the second sub-path 99b supplies the oil O temporarily accumulated in the sub-tank portion 6t to the fifth bearing 89a. Therefore, even if the amount of oil O ejected from the ejection notch 73 of the catch tank 70 by the second supply path 99 is unstable, the oil O stored in the sub-tank portion 6t can compensate for this instability, thereby stably supplying the oil O to the fifth bearing 89a.

[0141] like Figure 4 As shown, the capture box 70 includes a sub-storage portion 78 disposed on the vehicle rear side (-X side) of the storage portion 71. The sub-storage portion 78 includes a first protruding rib 6a extending from the housing 6 and a cover plate 76 of the box member 70A.

[0142] A fourth wall 71d is provided at the boundary between the reservoir 71 and the auxiliary reservoir 78. Specifically, the fourth wall 71d divides the reservoir 71 from the auxiliary reservoir 78. A transfer notch (outflow portion) 79 is provided in the fourth wall 71d to allow the oil O to flow from the reservoir 71 to the auxiliary reservoir 78. In other words, the collection box 70 includes the transfer notch 79.

[0143] The transfer notch 79 extends downward from the upper edge of the fourth wall 71d. The transfer notch 79 is located above the bottom surface of the reservoir 71. When the level of the oil O stored in the reservoir 71 reaches the lower end of the transfer notch 79, the oil O flows out through the transfer notch 79 into the auxiliary reservoir 78.

[0144] When the liquid level in the oil reservoir P is high, the rotational efficiency of the ring gear 51 decreases due to the stirring resistance of the oil O. Furthermore, as the rotational speed of the ring gear 51 increases, the stirring resistance of the oil O increases. Furthermore, when the rotational speed of the ring gear 51 is high, the amount of oil O transferred through the stirring path 95 increases. Specifically, even if the amount of oil O transferred through the stirring path 95 increases as the rotational speed of the ring gear 51 increases, a structure is required to prevent the oil O from overflowing from the collection tank 70.

[0145] The catch tank 70 of this embodiment transfers a portion of the oil O stored in the reservoir 71 to the auxiliary reservoir 78 when the liquid level of the oil O in the reservoir 71 exceeds a certain level. According to this embodiment, when the rotational speed of the ring gear 51 increases, the oil O stirred up by the ring gear 51 can be stored not only in the reservoir 71 but also in the auxiliary reservoir 78. Therefore, even if the rotational speed of the ring gear 51 increases, thereby increasing the amount of oil O transferred in the stirring path 95, a decrease in the rotational efficiency of the ring gear 51 can be prevented.

[0146] like Figure 3 As shown, a discharge port 78a is provided at the bottom of the auxiliary storage portion 78. The oil O stored in the auxiliary storage portion 78 is discharged from the discharge port 78a.

[0147] The bottom of the auxiliary reservoir 78 is formed by the first protruding rib 6a. The first protruding rib 6a is provided on the second inner side surface 62f of the housing 6, protruding toward one axial side (the -Y side). The first protruding rib 6a includes a rib body 6ab extending in the vehicle front-rear direction (the X-axis direction) and a side end 6aa extending upward from the end of the rib body 6ab on the vehicle rear side (the -X side). Specifically, the first protruding rib 6a protrudes toward one axial side (the -Y side) from the second inner side surface 62f of the housing 6.

[0148] The cover plate 76 extends along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction. Specifically, the cover plate 76 extends along the second inner side surface 62f of the housing 6. Furthermore, the cover plate 76 is disposed opposite the second inner side surface 62f. The cover plate 76 contacts the tip of the first protruding rib 6a. The cover plate 76 covers the upper area of ​​the first protruding rib 6a. Thus, the secondary reservoir 78 stores the oil O in the space enclosed by the cover plate 76, the second inner side surface 62f, the first protruding rib 6a, and the fourth wall portion 71d.

[0149] like Figure 2 As shown, at least a portion of the auxiliary reservoir 78 of this embodiment overlaps with the ring gear 51 when viewed from the Y-axis direction. According to this embodiment, the increase in size of the gear chamber 6B due to the provision of the auxiliary reservoir 78 can be suppressed, resulting in a reduction in the size of the drive device 1. More specifically, by providing the auxiliary reservoir 78 below the upper end of the ring gear 51, the height of the drive device 1 can be reduced.

[0150] If at least a portion of the auxiliary reservoir 78 overlaps with the ring gear 51 when viewed from the Y-axis direction, forming the auxiliary reservoir 78 into a barrel shape using only ribs protruding from the housing 6 is difficult to manufacture. Furthermore, if the auxiliary reservoir 78 is entirely a separate component from the housing 6, the auxiliary reservoir 78 must be miniaturized to avoid buffering with the housing 6, which reduces the amount of oil that can be stored in the auxiliary reservoir 78. According to this embodiment, at least a portion of the auxiliary reservoir 78 forms the inner surface of the housing 6, and at least a portion of the auxiliary reservoir 78 forms the cover plate 76 disposed opposite the inner surface of the housing. More specifically, the bottom of the auxiliary reservoir 78 is formed by the first protruding rib 6a protruding from the housing 6. Therefore, the second inner side surface 62f of the housing 6 serves as one wall surrounding the storage space of the auxiliary reservoir 78, effectively utilizing the limited space in the gear chamber 6B to ensure sufficient storage capacity for the oil O in the auxiliary reservoir 78.

[0151] The catch box 70 of this embodiment is arranged to overlap with the second gear 42 and other gears in the supply portion 72. This allows the tip 72c of the supply portion 72 to be closer to the center axis J2 of the second gear 42, thereby improving the reliability of the supply portion 72 in supplying oil to the first bearing 86 around the center axis J2.

[0152] According to this embodiment, the capture box 70 includes a box member 70A having a storage portion 71 and a supply portion 72. The box member 70A, which is a part of the capture box 70, is a separate component from the housing 6. The box member 70A, which is a part of the capture box 70, is fixed to the inner side surface of the housing 6. According to this embodiment, the structural freedom of the supply portion 72 is increased compared to a case where the capture box 70 is formed solely of ribs protruding from the housing 6. More specifically, if the capture box is formed solely of ribs protruding from the housing 6, even if the storage portion can be formed, it is difficult to manufacture the supply portion extending toward the bearing retaining portion as in this embodiment. By fixing the box member 70A, which is a separate component, to the inner side surface of the housing 6, as in this embodiment, not only can the capture box 70 be formed into a complex shape, but the freedom of arrangement of the capture box 70 is also increased.

[0153] Next, mainly use Figure 3 The path of the oil O supplied from the supply portion 72 to the inner side of the first bearing holding portion 66 is described. As described above, the first holding cylinder portion 66b of the first bearing holding portion 66 is provided with a notch portion 66n. In addition, the notch portion 66n is connected to the oil passage 90 ( Figure 1 That is, oil O is supplied from the oil passage 90 to the notch portion 66n.

[0154] like Figure 3As shown, the first bearing holding portion 66 includes a first rib 66c, a second rib 66d, and a third rib 66e located inside the first holding cylindrical portion 66b and projecting from the first facing surface 66a toward one axial side (-Y side).

[0155] The first rib 66c extends in a concave shape that opens upward. The first rib 66c has a first end 66ca on the vehicle front side (+X side) and a second end 66cb on the vehicle rear side (-X side).

[0156] The first rib 66c is curved into an arc shape with the center axis J2 as the center as it extends from directly below the center axis J2 toward the first end 66ca. The first end 66ca of the first rib 66c is located slightly above the center axis J2. The first end 66ca is located at the uppermost end of the entire length of the first rib 66c. That is, when viewed from the Y-axis direction, the first end 66ca is located at the upper end of the first rib 66c. In addition, the first end 66ca is arranged at a position radially inward of the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube portion 66b. That is, the upper end of the first rib 66c (the first end 66ca) is opposite the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube portion 66b across the gap G.

[0157] The first rib 66c extends linearly from directly below the center axis J2 toward the second end 66cb. The first rib 66c tilts slightly upward as it extends from directly below the center axis J2 toward the second end 66cb. The second end 66cb is positioned radially inward of the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining cylindrical portion 66b.

[0158] When viewed in the Y-axis direction, the lower end 66cp of the inner circumferential surface of the first rib 66c is located below the upper end 45p of the inner circumferential surface 45a of the secondary shaft 45. Here, the inner circumferential surface of the first rib 66c refers to the surface of the concavely extending first rib 66c that faces the opening (upward). In this embodiment, the lower end 66cp of the inner circumferential surface of the first rib 66c is located directly below the central axis J2.

[0159] Oil O is supplied from the oil passage 90 to the opening of the first rib 66c extending in a concave shape. Therefore, the oil O accumulates in the opening of the first rib 66c. According to the present embodiment, the lower end 66cp of the inner peripheral surface of the first rib 66c is arranged below the upper end 45p of the inner peripheral surface 45a of the auxiliary shaft 45, thereby enabling the oil O accumulated in the opening of the first rib 66c to be smoothly guided to the interior of the auxiliary shaft 45. The oil O introduced into the inner peripheral surface 45a of the auxiliary shaft 45 passes through the hollow portion 45h of the auxiliary shaft 45 and reaches the end portion on one axial side of the auxiliary shaft 45, and is used for lubrication of the fourth bearing 87 (see Figure 1 ).

[0160] According to this embodiment, a gap G is provided between the first end 66ca of the first rib 66c and the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube 66b. Therefore, a portion of the oil O flowing into the opening of the first rib 66c can be supplied to a position below the first rib 66c through the gap G between the first end 66ca and the first retaining tube 66b. The oil O flowing below the first rib 66c accumulates in the lower area inside the first retaining tube 66b and is supplied to the first bearing 86. In other words, according to this embodiment, the oil O flowing from the oil passage 90 into the interior of the first retaining tube 66b can be used to lubricate all parts evenly. Furthermore, this effect can be achieved if, when viewed axially, at least one of the first rib 66c's extending end (the first end 66ca) or the other extending end (the second end 66cb) faces the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube 66b across the gap G. For example, one end portion of the first rib (first end portion 66ca) may face the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube portion 66b across a gap G, while the other end portion (second end portion 66cb) may be connected to the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube portion 66b. In this case, a portion of the oil O accumulated in the opening of the first rib 66c is accumulated in the lower area inside the first retaining tube portion 66b via the gap G and is supplied to the first bearing 86.

[0161] The second rib 66d connects the second end 66cb of the first rib 66c to the inner circumference of the first retaining tube 66b. The second rib 66d extends linearly. The second rib 66d is positioned on an extension of the first rib 66c on the side of the second end 66cb. The second rib 66d is located below the notch 66n. In other words, the second rib 66d extends from below the notch 66n in the inner circumference of the first retaining tube 66b to the first rib 66c. The second rib 66d protrudes less than the first rib 66c.

[0162] In this embodiment, the second rib 66d connects the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube 66b to the first rib 66c. This effectively guides the oil O flowing into the first retaining tube 66b from the notch 66n into the opening of the first rib 66c. Consequently, a sufficient amount of oil O can be introduced from the first rib 66c into the interior of the countershaft 45.

[0163] In this embodiment, the second rib 66d protrudes lower than the first rib 66c. Therefore, as the oil O travels along the upper side of the second rib 66d to the opening of the first rib 66c, it partially drips from the second rib 66d and accumulates at the bottom of the first retaining tube 66b. This contributes to lubrication of the first bearing 86.

[0164] The third rib 66e is positioned on the open side of the first rib 66c. That is, the third rib 66e is located directly above the first rib 66c. Furthermore, the third rib 66e is located directly above the central axis J2. The third rib 66e extends in an arc shape centered on the central axis J2. The protruding height of the third rib 66e is equal to that of the first rib 66c.

[0165] Figure 6 It is a partial cross-sectional view of the drive device 1 near the other axial side (+Y) end portion of the counter shaft 45 .

[0166] The inner circumferential surface of the first retaining cylinder portion 66b includes a stepped surface 66k facing one axial side (-Y side), a large-diameter portion 66p located axially to one side of the stepped surface 66k, and a small-diameter portion 66q located axially to the other side of the stepped surface 66k. The large-diameter portion 66p surrounds and retains the first bearing 86 from the radial outside. A disc-shaped washer 86s is disposed between the first bearing 86 and the stepped surface 66k.

[0167] The diameter of the small diameter portion 66q is smaller than the outer diameter of the first bearing 86. The oil guide 47 is arranged radially inside the small diameter portion 66q. That is, the transmission mechanism 7 includes the oil guide 47 arranged inside the first holding cylinder portion 66b.

[0168] The oil guide 47 includes a cylindrical portion 47a, a flange portion 47b, and an outer ring cylindrical portion 47c. The cylindrical portion 47a is cylindrical, centered on the central axis J2. The cylindrical portion 47a extends axially. The end of the cylindrical portion 47a on one axial side (the -Y side) is positioned within the interior (hollow portion 45h) of the countershaft 45. A tapered portion 47j, whose diameter increases toward the other axial side (the +Y side), is provided at the end of the cylindrical portion 47a on the other axial side (the +Y side).

[0169] The flange portion 47b extends radially outward from the end portion on the other axial side (+Y side) of the cylindrical portion 47a. The flange portion 47b is disc-shaped centered on the central axis J2. When viewed from the direction of the central axis J2, at least a portion of the flange portion 47b overlaps with the first bearing 86.

[0170] The flange portion 47b has a first surface 47f facing the other axial side (+Y side). The first surface 47f faces the first opposing surface 66a. The first surface 47f contacts the front end surfaces of the first rib 66c and the third rib 66e, or faces them with a small gap therebetween. Thus, a gap is provided between the first surface 47f and the first opposing surface 66a for the passage of the oil O.

[0171] The flange portion 47b of the oil guide 47 is provided with a plurality of through-holes 47h extending axially therethrough. The through-holes 47h are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction. The through-holes 47h allow a portion of the oil O between the first surface 47f and the first opposing surface 66a to pass through the axially one side (-Y side). This allows a portion of the oil O accumulated in the first retaining cylinder 66b to be appropriately supplied to the first bearing 86.

[0172] The outer annular cylindrical portion 47c extends axially toward one side (the -Y side) from the outer edge of the flange portion 47b. The outer annular cylindrical portion 47c is cylindrical, centered on the central axis J2. The outer diameter of the outer annular cylindrical portion 47c is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the small-diameter portion 66q. The axially distal end of the outer annular cylindrical portion 47c contacts the washer 86s or faces it with a slight gap therebetween. This creates a slight axial play between the first opposing surface 66a and the first bearing 86 of the oil guide 47.

[0173] According to this embodiment, the flange portion 47 b of the oil guide 47 covers the front end side of the first rib 66 c , so that the oil O can be accumulated in the opening of the concavely extending first rib 66 c and effectively introduced into the hollow portion 45 h of the countershaft 45 .

[0174] According to this embodiment, the oil guide 47 includes the cylindrical portion 47a extending into the hollow portion 45h of the countershaft 45. This allows the oil O between the flange portion 47b and the first opposing surface 66a to be effectively guided into the hollow portion 45h. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the tapered portion 47j is provided between the oil O and the end of the cylindrical portion 47a on the flange portion 47b side. This allows the oil O that fills the other axial side (+Y side) of the flange portion 47b to be smoothly guided into the cylindrical portion 47a.

[0175] According to this embodiment, the flange portion 47b of the oil guide 47 is axially positioned between the distal end of the first rib 66c on one axial side (the -Y side) and the first bearing 86. This prevents the oil guide 47 from tilting between the first opposing surface 66a and the first bearing 86, and reliably controls the flow of the oil O. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a third rib 66e is provided on the opening side of the first rib 66c, on the opposite side of the center axis J2, with a protrusion height that matches that of the first rib 66c. The flange portion 47b is axially positioned between the axial ends of the first and third ribs 66c, 66e, and the first bearing 86. This further reliably prevents the oil guide 47 from tilting.

[0176] like Figure 3As shown, the second retaining tube portion 64b of the second bearing retaining portion 64 is disposed below the first retaining tube portion 66b of the first bearing retaining portion 66. A communication hole (communication passage) 62p is provided in the housing 6, connecting the interior of the first retaining tube portion 66b with the interior of the second retaining tube portion 64b. The communication hole 62p opens into the inner circumference of the first retaining tube portion 66b in an area below the center axis J2. Meanwhile, the communication hole 62p opens into the inner circumference of the second retaining tube portion 64b in an area above the motor axis J1.

[0177] According to this embodiment, since the first retaining cylinder 66b and the second retaining cylinder 64b are connected to each other via the communication hole 62p, a portion of the oil O introduced into the interior of the first retaining cylinder 66b can be guided into the interior of the second retaining cylinder 64b. This allows for proper lubrication of not only the first bearing 86 but also the second bearing 84. According to this embodiment, by supplying oil O to the first bearing retaining portion 66, it is possible to supply oil O not only to the first bearing 86 but also to the second bearing 84.

[0178] The communication hole 62p has a recessed portion 62d, a first through hole 62j, and a second through hole 62k. The recessed portion 62d is provided on the surface of the gear cover 62 (i.e., the wall portion of the housing 6) on the other axial side (+Y side). In addition, the recessed portion 62d is covered by a cover member 62c from the other axial side of the gear cover 62 (see Figure 1 The first through hole 62j and the second through hole 62k each penetrate the gear cover 62. Furthermore, the first through hole 62j connects the recessed portion 62d to the interior of the first retaining cylinder 66b. Meanwhile, the second through hole 62k connects the recessed portion 62d to the interior of the second retaining cylinder 64b.

[0179] In this embodiment, the oil O communication path connecting the first retaining cylinder 66b and the second retaining cylinder 64b is a surrounding hole-shaped communication hole 62p. In other words, the oil O communication path is not a path not surrounded by a wall surface, such as a cutout or groove. Therefore, the communication hole 62p can reliably transfer the oil O inside the first retaining cylinder 66b to the inside of the second retaining cylinder 64b.

[0180] like Figure 1The first through-hole 62j and the second through-hole 62k of the present embodiment are shown to pass through the gear cover 62 in the Y-axis direction. In addition, the recessed portion 62d is recessed toward the axial one side (-Y side) on the face of the axial other side (+Y side) of the gear cover 62. In a case where a communication hole 62p is to be formed from the axial one side of the gear cover 62, it is necessary to insert a jig for machining (a drill bit or the like) into the first holding cylinder portion 66b or the second holding cylinder portion 64b, and there is a problem in that the manufacturing process becomes complicated. According to the present embodiment, the communication hole 62p can be formed from the axial other side of the gear cover 62, and thus sufficient work space can be obtained, so that the manufacturing process can be simplified.

[0181] Next, the oil O is mainly used Figure 3 A path through which the oil O supplied from the communication hole 62p to the inside of the second bearing holding portion 64 passes will be described. The second bearing holding portion 64 has a fourth rib 64c, a fifth rib 64d, and a sixth rib 64e that are located inside the second holding cylinder portion 64b and protrude from the second opposing face 64a toward the axial one side.

[0182] The fourth rib 64c extends in a concave shape that is open upward. The fourth rib 64c has a first end portion 64ca on the vehicle front side (+X side) and a second end portion 64cb on the vehicle rear side (-X side). The fourth rib 64c is curved in a circular arc shape with the center axis J2 as the center on the lower side of the center axis J2. The first end portion 64ca and the second end portion 64cb are disposed at positions that are radially inside the inner peripheral surface of the second holding cylinder portion 64b. The first end portion 64ca and the second end portion 64cb of the fourth rib 64c oppose the inner peripheral surface of the second holding cylinder portion 64b with a gap therebetween. In addition, the fifth rib 64d is connected to the second end portion 64cb.

[0183] When viewed in the axial direction, the lower end 64cp of the inner peripheral surface of the fourth rib 64c is located on the lower side of the upper end 46p of the inner peripheral surface 46a of the drive shaft 46. According to the present embodiment, the lower end 64cp of the inner peripheral surface of the fourth rib 64c is disposed on the lower side of the upper end 46p of the inner peripheral surface 46a of the drive shaft 46, and thus the oil O accumulated in the opening of the fourth rib 64c can be smoothly introduced into the inside of the drive shaft 46. In addition, the oil O introduced into the inner peripheral surface 46a of the drive shaft 46 passes through the hollow portion 46h of the drive shaft 46 to reach the end portion on the axial one side of the rotor shaft 21, and is used for lubrication of the sixth bearing 89b (refer to Figure 1 ).

[0184] According to the present embodiment, a gap is provided between the first end portion 64ca of the fourth rib 64c and the inner peripheral surface of the second holding cylinder portion 64b. Therefore, a portion of the oil O flowing into the opening of the fourth rib 64c can be supplied to the lower side of the fourth rib 64c through the gap between the first end portion 64ca and the second holding cylinder portion 64b. The oil O flowing on the lower side of the fourth rib 64c is accumulated in the lower region on the inner side of the second holding cylinder portion 64b, and the lubricity of the second bearing 84 is improved. That is, according to the present embodiment, the lubricity of each portion can be improved uniformly using the oil O flowing into the inner side of the second holding cylinder portion 64b from the oil passage 90.

[0185] The fifth rib 64d connects the second end portion 64cb of the fourth rib 64c and the inner peripheral surface of the second holding cylinder portion 64b. The fifth rib 64d extends in a straight line. The fifth rib 64d is disposed on the extension line of the fourth rib 64c on the second end portion 64cb side. The fifth rib 64d is located on the lower side of the opening of the communication hole 62p. That is, the fifth rib 64d reaches the fourth rib 64c from the lower side of the opening of the communication hole 62p of the inner peripheral surface of the second holding cylinder portion 64b. The protrusion height of the fifth rib 64d is lower than that of the fourth rib 64c.

[0186] The fifth rib 64d of the present embodiment connects the inner peripheral surface of the second holding cylinder portion 64b and the fourth rib 64c, and thus can effectively guide the oil O flowing into the inner side of the second holding cylinder portion 64b from the communication hole 62p into the opening of the fourth rib 64c. As a result, a sufficient amount of oil O can be introduced from the fourth rib 64c into the inside of the drive shaft 46. In addition, since the protrusion height of the fifth rib 64d is lower than that of the fourth rib 64c, a portion of the oil O can be used for lubrication of the second bearing 84.

[0187] The sixth rib 64e is disposed on the opening side of the fourth rib 64c. That is, the sixth rib 64e is located directly above the fourth rib 64c. In addition, the sixth rib 64e is located directly above the center axis J2. The sixth rib 64e extends in a circular arc shape with the center axis J2 as the center. The protrusion height of the sixth rib 64e is equal to that of the fourth rib 64c.

[0188] Although not illustrated, an oil guide 47 identical to the oil guide provided to the first bearing holding portion 66 is disposed between the second opposing surface 64a of the second bearing holding portion 64 and the second bearing 84 in the axial direction. The front end of the fourth rib 64c and the sixth rib 64e are in contact with the oil guide 47. Thereby, inclination of the oil guide 47 can be suppressed. The oil guide 47 disposed inside the second bearing holding portion 64 guides the oil O to the inside of the drive shaft 46.

[0189] As Figure 1As shown, according to this embodiment, the end portion of the drive shaft 46 on one axial side (-Y side) is coupled to the rotor shaft 21. Therefore, a portion of the oil O introduced into the drive shaft 46 reaches the opening on the axial side (-Y side) of the rotor shaft 21. This oil O is used to lubricate the sixth bearing 89b that holds the end portion of the rotor shaft 21 on one axial side.

[0190] In this embodiment, the shaft connected to the rotor shaft 21 is described as the shaft (drive shaft 46) held by the second bearing holding portion 64. However, the shaft connected to the rotor shaft 21 may also be a shaft (auxiliary shaft 45) held by the first bearing holding portion 66 to which the oil O is directly supplied from the capture tank 70.

[0191] (Variation 1)

[0192] Then, based on Figure 7 The structure of the first bearing holding portion 166 of Modification 1 that can be adopted in the above-described embodiment will be described. Components identical to those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0193] Similar to the above embodiment, the first bearing retaining portion 166 of this modified example includes: a first opposing surface 166a; a first retaining sleeve 166b projecting axially to one side (-Y direction) from the first opposing surface 166a; and first and second ribs 166c, 166d located inside the first retaining sleeve 166b and projecting axially to one side from the first opposing surface 166a. Furthermore, similar to the above embodiment, a notch 166n is provided in the first retaining sleeve 166b of the first bearing retaining portion 166.

[0194] The first rib 166c extends into an upwardly open concave shape. The first rib 166c is curved into an arc shape below the central axis J2, centered on the central axis J2. Both ends of the first rib 166c are positioned radially inward of the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube portion 166b. Both ends of the first rib 166c face the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube portion 166b with a gap therebetween.

[0195] One end 166da of the second rib 166d is connected to the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube portion 166b below the notch portion 166n. The second rib 166d extends linearly inward from the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube portion 166b. The second rib 166d tilts downward as it moves away from the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube portion 166b. The other end 166db of the second rib 166d is located directly above the opening of the first rib 166c. In this embodiment, the protruding height of the second rib 166d is equal to the protruding height of the first rib 166c. Alternatively, the protruding height of the second rib 166d may be lower than the protruding height of the first rib 166c.

[0196] The second rib 166d of this modified example guides the oil O that flows from the notch 166n into the first retaining tube 166b to directly above the first rib 166c. This allows the oil O to be adequately accumulated within the opening of the first rib 166c, and similarly to the above-described embodiment, the oil O can be effectively guided into the interior of the countershaft 45.

[0197] In addition, the first bearing holding portion 166 of this modification may also be provided with the oil guide 47 as in the above embodiment. In this case, the front end of the first rib 166 c contacts the oil guide 47 .

[0198] (Variation 2)

[0199] Then, based on Figure 8 The structure of the first bearing holding portion 266 of Modification 2 that can be adopted in the above-described embodiment will be described. Components identical to those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0200] The first bearing retaining portion 266 of this modified example is similar to the above-described embodiment and includes a first opposing surface 266a, a first retaining sleeve 266b projecting axially to one side (-Y side) from the first opposing surface 266a, a first rib 266c and a seventh rib 266d located inside the first retaining sleeve 266b and projecting axially to one side from the first opposing surface 266a. Furthermore, similar to the above-described embodiment, a notch 266n is provided in the first retaining sleeve 266b of the first bearing retaining portion 266.

[0201] The first rib 266c extends into an upwardly open concave shape. The first rib 266c is curved into an arc shape below the central axis J2, centered on the central axis J2. One end 266ca of the first rib 266c faces the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube 266b with a gap therebetween. Meanwhile, the other end of the first rib 266c is connected to the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube 266b below the notch 266n.

[0202] The seventh rib 266d extends linearly. It is located on the side of one end 266ca of the first rib 266c, on an extension line of the first rib 266c. One end 266da of the seventh rib 266d in the extension direction opposes one end 266ca of the first rib 266c, with a gap therebetween. Meanwhile, the other end of the seventh rib 266d in the extension direction is connected to the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube 266b.

[0203] According to this modified example, a portion of the oil O that flows from the notch 266n into the opening of the first rib 266c can be supplied to the lower side of the first rib 266c through the gap between the one end 266ca of the first rib 266c and the one end 266da of the seventh rib 266d. The oil O that flows below the first rib 266c accumulates in the lower region inside the first retaining tube 266b and is supplied to the first bearing 86. This effect is achieved because at least one of the one end 266ca or the other end of the first rib 266c in its extending direction is not connected to the inner circumferential surface of the first retaining tube 266b, but is opposed to it via a gap.

[0204] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the various structures and combinations thereof in the various embodiments are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications to the structures may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

Claims

1. A transmission mechanism device, characterized in that: include: a transmission mechanism having a plurality of gears, a first shaft, and a first bearing supporting the first shaft; a housing for housing the transmission mechanism and having a first bearing retaining portion on an inner surface thereof; oil accumulated in a lower region within the housing; and a collection box disposed in the housing and opening upward, The first bearing holding portion includes a holding cylindrical portion that holds the first bearing from the radially outer side. The retaining cylinder is provided with a notch portion connecting the inside and outside of the retaining cylinder. The inner surface of the housing is provided with a flow path including the notch portion. The capture box has: storage; and a supply portion extending from the storage portion toward the holding cylinder portion, The front end portion of the supply portion is inserted into the flow path, The capture box has: an outflow portion located above a bottom surface of the storage portion and configured to allow the oil to flow out of the storage portion; and a secondary storage portion located downstream of the outflow portion and storing the oil, At least a portion of the secondary storage portion is an inner surface of the housing, At least a portion of the auxiliary storage portion is a cover plate disposed opposite to the inner surface of the housing. At least a portion of the auxiliary storage portion is arranged to overlap with the gear when viewed from the axial direction.

2. The transmission mechanism device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supply unit includes the front end portion and a relay unit connected from the storage unit to the front end portion. The providing portion is trough-shaped and has a bottom plate and a pair of side plates. The front end portion is smaller than the intermediate portion in at least one of a width dimension of the bottom plate or a height dimension of the side plate.

3. The transmission mechanism device according to claim 2, characterized in that: Of the pair of side plates at the front end portion, the height dimension of one side plate facing the inner surface of the housing is smaller than the height dimension of the other side plate.

4. The transmission mechanism device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The storage portion has a plurality of wall portions, the plurality of wall portions including: a fixed wall portion extending along the inner surface of the housing and fixed to the inner surface; and a side wall portion connected to the fixed wall portion. The providing portion extends from the side wall portion.

5. The transmission mechanism device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The storage portion has: a first bottom portion, the first bottom portion being arranged above an upper end position of a transmission gear included in the plurality of gears and overlapping with the transmission gear when viewed from the top and bottom direction; as well as The second bottom portion is located below the upper end of the transmission gear.

6. The transmission mechanism device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A portion of the capture box and the housing are different components, A portion of the capture box is fixed to the inner surface of the housing.

7. A transmission mechanism device, characterized in that: include: a transmission mechanism having a plurality of gears, a first shaft, and a first bearing supporting the first shaft; a housing for housing the transmission mechanism and having a first bearing retaining portion on an inner surface thereof; oil accumulated in a lower region within the housing; and a collection box disposed in the housing and opening upward, The first bearing holding portion includes a holding cylindrical portion that holds the first bearing from the radially outer side. The retaining cylinder is provided with a notch portion connecting the inside and outside of the retaining cylinder. The inner surface of the housing is provided with a flow path including the notch portion. The capture box has: storage; and a supply portion extending from the storage portion toward the holding cylinder portion, The front end portion of the supply portion is inserted into the flow path, The motor that transmits power to the transmission mechanism has a rotor shaft that rotates around a motor axis. The housing rotatably supports the rotor shaft via a rotor shaft bearing. The capture tank includes a second discharge portion for discharging the oil in the storage portion. A second supply path is provided in the internal space of the housing, and the second supply path supplies the oil ejected from the second ejection portion to the rotor shaft bearing. The transmission mechanism includes a second shaft extending parallel to the first shaft and an output shaft. When viewed from the axial direction, the first shaft is arranged between the second shaft and the output shaft in a direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity. A sub-tank portion opened upward is provided in the inner space of the housing on the opposite side of the capture tank across the first shaft. The second providing path has: a first secondary path extending from the capture tank to the secondary tank portion; and A second auxiliary path extends from the auxiliary case portion to the rotor shaft bearing.

8. The transmission mechanism device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The supply unit includes the front end portion and a relay unit connected from the storage unit to the front end portion. The providing portion is trough-shaped and has a bottom plate and a pair of side plates. The front end portion is smaller than the intermediate portion in at least one of a width dimension of the bottom plate or a height dimension of the side plate.

9. The transmission mechanism device according to claim 8, characterized in that: Of the pair of side plates at the front end portion, the height dimension of one side plate facing the inner surface of the housing is smaller than the height dimension of the other side plate.

10. The transmission mechanism device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The storage portion has a plurality of wall portions, the plurality of wall portions including: a fixed wall portion extending along the inner surface of the housing and fixed to the inner surface; and a side wall portion connected to the fixed wall portion. The providing portion extends from the side wall portion.

11. The transmission mechanism device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The storage portion has: a first bottom portion, the first bottom portion being arranged above an upper end position of a transmission gear included in the plurality of gears and overlapping with the transmission gear when viewed from the top and bottom direction; as well as The second bottom portion is located below the upper end of the transmission gear.

12. The transmission mechanism device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: A portion of the capture box and the housing are separate components, and the portion of the capture box is fixed to an inner surface of the housing.

13. A driving device, characterized in that: include: The transmission mechanism device according to any one of claims 1 to 6; as well as A motor that transmits power to the transmission mechanism.

14. A driving device, characterized in that: include: The transmission mechanism device according to any one of claims 7 to 12; and The motor.

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