drive device

Abstract

One embodiment of the drive device of the present application includes a motor, a power transmission portion, a parking mechanism, and a housing having a gear housing portion. The parking mechanism includes a parking gear, a parking pawl, a transmission portion, and a bushing. The transmission portion includes a cam lever and a cam attached to the cam lever and causing the parking pawl to operate. The cam is guided by the bushing. An air vent and a partition wall portion are provided in the gear housing portion, and the partition wall portion partitions a space in which the air vent is opened in the inside of the gear housing portion. The gear housing portion includes a first housing member and a second housing member. A holding recess portion is provided in the second housing member, and the holding recess portion is opened toward one side in the axial direction and holds the bushing. A separation prevention wall portion is provided in the first housing member, and the separation prevention wall portion covers a surface of the bushing toward the other side in the axial direction. The separation prevention wall portion is a part of the partition wall portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a driving device. Background Technology

[0002] A parking mechanism is installed in the drive unit that drives the vehicle. Patent Document 1 discloses a parking device for a vehicle in which a cam component is moved by a parking lever, pressing a parking pawl toward a parking gear and locking the parking gear and the parking pawl. Patent Document 1 also discloses a structure in which the cam component is guided by a bushing component.

[0003] Existing technical documents Patent documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-153435 Summary of the Invention The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0004] The bushings in the existing structure are fixed to the inner side of the outer shell by bolts, which not only increases the number of parts, but also complicates the assembly process.

[0005] In view of the above, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a drive device that makes the assembly of bushings easier.

[0006] Technical solutions adopted to solve technical problems One embodiment of the drive device of the present invention comprises: a motor that rotates about a central axis; a power transmission unit that transmits power from the motor; a parking mechanism; and a housing having a gear housing for housing the power transmission unit and the parking mechanism. The power transmission unit has at least one shaft. The parking mechanism comprises: a parking gear disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft; a parking pawl having a protrusion that meshes with the parking gear; a transmission unit that transmits power to the parking pawl; and a cylindrical bushing. The transmission unit comprises: a cam rod that drives axially along the central axis; and a cam mounted on the cam rod and actuating the parking pawl. The cam is guided by the bushing. A vent and a dividing wall are provided in the gear housing, the vent connecting the interior and exterior of the gear housing, and the dividing wall dividing the space of the vent opening inside the gear housing. The gear receiving portion includes: a first housing component; and a second housing component, the second housing component being disposed on one axial side of the first housing component and connected to the first housing component. The second housing component has a retaining recess that opens towards one axial side and retains the bushing. The first housing component has an anti-detachment wall portion that covers the side of the bushing facing the other axial side. The anti-detachment wall portion is part of the dividing wall portion. Invention Effects

[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, a drive mechanism can be provided that facilitates the assembly of the bushing. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a drive device according to one embodiment. Figure 2 This is a conceptual diagram of a drive device according to one embodiment. Figure 3 This is a front view of the gear storage section according to one embodiment. Figure 4 This is a front view of the ventilation chamber in one embodiment. Figure 5 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a drive device according to one embodiment. Figure 6 This is a perspective view of a parking mechanism according to one embodiment. Figure 7 This is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a drive device according to one embodiment. Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view of the bushing and housing according to one embodiment. (Symbol Explanation) 1 Drive unit; 2 Motor; 4 Power transmission part; 4b Differential device; 5 Parking device; 6 Housing; 6f Supply passage; 8 Breather; 10 First protrusion; 10a First storage space; 11 Upper wall; 12 Lower wall; 12b Recess; 12c Bottom surface; 19a Through hole; 41 Gear; 41 First gear; 42 Large diameter gear; 43 Small diameter gear; 44 Second shaft; 46g Third gear; 48 Second gear part; 50 Parking mechanism; 50s Torsion spring; 50sa First foot; 50sb Second foot; 50t Pawl shaft; 50A Transmission part; 51 Parking gear; 52 Parking pawl; 52a Protrusion; 53 Cam; 54 Cam rod; 54a Connecting part; 54b Relay part; 54c Rod body; 54ca Front end; 55 Flange; 55a Flange body; 55b Protruding piece; 56 Bushing; 56a Circular part; 56b Arc part; 56c Anti-rotation part; 57 Rotating shaft; 57a First end; 57b Second end; 57c Large diameter part; 57d Supported part; 57k Fourth surface; 57m Spline protrusion; 57t Second surface; 58 Rotating part; 58a Cylindrical part; 58b First surface; 58f Spline groove; 59 Actuator; 82 Gear storage part; 82g Second protrusion (protrusion); 82h Second storage space (storage space); 82m Bottom; 82ma Area; 84 Collection container; 85 Holding recess; 87 First wall part; 87f, 88f Surface; 87t Notch part; 88 Second wall section (anti-detachment wall section); 89 First dividing wall section (dividing wall section); h1, k1 distance dimension; h2 insertion depth; J1 central axis; J2 intermediate axis; J3 differential axis; J5 drive axis; J6 bushing axis; k2 engagement length Detailed Implementation

[0009] In the following description, the direction of gravity is defined based on the positional relationship of the drive unit 1 mounted on a vehicle located on a horizontal road surface. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the XYZ coordinate system is appropriately shown as a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.

[0010] In the XYZ coordinate system, the Z-axis represents the vertical direction (i.e., the up-down direction), the +Z direction is the upper side (opposite to the direction of gravity), and the -Z direction is the lower side (in the direction of gravity). Furthermore, the X-axis is orthogonal to the Z-axis and represents the front-to-back direction of the vehicle on which the drive unit 1 is mounted. In the following embodiment, the side pointed to by the X-axis arrow (+X side) is the front side of the vehicle, and the opposite side (-X side) is the rear side of the vehicle. The Y-axis is orthogonal to both the X-axis and Z-axis and represents the width direction (left-to-right direction) of the vehicle. In the following embodiment, the side pointed to by the Y-axis arrow (+Y side) is the left side of the vehicle, and the opposite side (-Y side) is the right side of the vehicle. The front-to-back and left-to-right directions are horizontal directions orthogonal to the vertical direction.

[0011] In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction parallel to the central axis J1 of motor 2 (Y-axis direction) will be simply referred to as "axial direction," the radial direction centered on the central axis J1 will be simply referred to as "radial direction," and the circumferential direction centered on the central axis J1, i.e., the direction around the central axis J1, will be simply referred to as "circumferential direction." However, the aforementioned "parallel direction" also includes directions that are approximately parallel. Furthermore, in the following description, the +Y direction in the axial direction of the central axis J1 may sometimes be simply referred to as one side of the axial direction, and the -Y direction as the other side of the axial direction.

[0012] <Driver> Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the drive device 1 in this embodiment. Figure 2 This is a conceptual diagram of the drive device 1 in this embodiment. The drive unit 1 of this embodiment is installed in vehicles that use a motor as a power source, such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHV), and electric vehicles (EV), and is used as their power source.

[0013] like Figure 2 As shown, the drive unit 1 includes a motor 2, a power transmission unit 4, a parking device 5, an inverter 7, and a housing 6. The housing 6 houses the motor 2, the power transmission unit 4, the parking device 5, and the inverter 7. Inside the housing 6, the motor 2, the power transmission unit 4, and the inverter 7 are arranged on the central axis J1.

[0014] <Motor> The motor 2 in this embodiment is an internal rotor type three-phase AC motor. Motor 2 functions as both an electric motor and a generator. Furthermore, the structure of motor 2 is not limited to this embodiment; for example, it could be a four-phase or higher AC motor.

[0015] Motor 2 rotates about a central axis J1 extending in the horizontal direction. Motor 2 includes a rotor 20 and a stator 30 that is radially opposite to the rotor 20. The motor 2 in this embodiment is an inner rotor type motor in which the rotor 20 is disposed inside the stator 30.

[0016] Rotor 20 rotates about its central axis J1. Rotor 20 includes: a first shaft 21; a rotor core 24 fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the first shaft 21; and a rotor magnet (not shown), fixed to the rotor core 24. The torque of rotor 20 is transmitted to power transmission unit 4. The first shaft 21 extends axially about its central axis J1. Both ends of the first shaft 21 are supported by a housing 6 via bearings, enabling rotation.

[0017] The stator 30 is held in the housing 6. The stator 30 surrounds the rotor 20 radially outward. The stator 30 has: an annular stator core 32 centered on a central axis J1; a coil 31 mounted on the stator core 32; and an insulating member (not shown) sandwiched between the stator core 32 and the coil 31. The stator core 32 has a plurality of magnetic pole teeth (not shown) extending radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the annular yoke. Coil wires are arranged between the magnetic pole teeth. The coil wires located in the gaps between adjacent magnetic pole teeth constitute the coil 31. The insulating member is made of an insulating material.

[0018] <Inverter> Inverter 7 is electrically connected to motor 2. Inverter 7 is connected to a battery (not shown) installed in the vehicle, converting the direct current supplied from the battery into alternating current and supplying it to motor 2. Furthermore, inverter 7 controls motor 2. In this embodiment, inverter 7 is positioned on one axial side (+Y side) relative to motor 2. According to this embodiment, compared to the case where inverter 7 is positioned radially outward from motor 2, the drive unit 1 can be miniaturized radially.

[0019] <Power Transmission Section> like Figure 2 As shown, the power transmission unit 4 is positioned on the opposite side (-Y side) of the axial direction relative to the motor 2. The power transmission unit 4 is connected to the rotor 20 and transmits and outputs the power of the motor 2 to the output shaft 47. The power transmission unit 4 has a reduction gear 4a and a differential gear 4b. That is, the drive unit 1 has a reduction gear 4a and a differential gear 4b.

[0020] The torque output from motor 2 is transmitted to differential device 4b via reduction gear 4a. Reduction gear 4a is a parallel shaft gear reducer with the rotation axes of each gear arranged in parallel. When the vehicle turns, differential device 4b absorbs the speed difference between the left and right wheels and transmits the same torque to both wheels.

[0021] The reduction gear 4a has a second shaft (shaft) 44, a first gear 41, and a second gear section 48. That is, the drive unit 1 has a second shaft 44, a first gear 41, and a second gear section 48. Furthermore, the second gear section 48 has a third shaft 45, a large-diameter gear 42, and a small-diameter gear 43. The differential device 4b has: a third gear 46g; a differential housing 46; and a differential mechanism section 46c, which is disposed inside the differential housing 46. That is, the power transmission unit 4 has multiple gears 41, 42, 43, and 46g.

[0022] The second shaft 44 extends axially around the central axis J1. The second shaft 44 and the first shaft 21 are arranged coaxially. The end of the second shaft 44 on one axial side (+Y side) is connected to the end of the first shaft 21 on the other axial side (-Y side). The second shaft 44 and the first shaft 21 rotate together around the central axis J1. That is, the second shaft 44 rotates around the central axis J1 by the power of the motor 2.

[0023] The first gear 41 is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the second shaft 44. The first gear 41 and the second shaft 44 rotate together around the central axis J1.

[0024] The components of the second gear section 48 (third shaft 45, large diameter gear 42, and small diameter gear 43) are fixed to each other. The second gear section 48 rotates around an intermediate axis J2 parallel to the central axis J1. The third shaft 45 extends axially around the intermediate axis J2. The large diameter gear 42 and the small diameter gear 43 are arranged axially. The small diameter gear 43 is axially positioned on the motor 2 side (i.e., the axial side) closer to the motor 2 side than the large diameter gear 42. The large diameter gear 42 and the small diameter gear 43 are disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the third shaft 45.

[0025] The major diameter gear 42 meshes with the first gear 41. Thus, the major diameter gear 42 rotates around the intermediate axis J2. The minor diameter gear 43 has a smaller diameter than the major diameter gear 42. The minor diameter gear 43 and the major diameter gear 42 rotate together around the intermediate axis J2.

[0026] The third gear 46g meshes with the minor gear 43. The third gear 46g rotates about the differential axis J3, which is parallel to the central axis J1. The torque output from the motor 2 is transmitted to the third gear 46g via the reduction gear 4a. The third gear 46g is fixed to the differential housing 46.

[0027] The differential housing 46 includes: a housing portion 46b that houses the differential mechanism portion 46c; and a differential housing shaft 46a that protrudes axially to one side and the other side relative to the housing portion 46b. The differential housing shaft 46a is cylindrical, extending axially about the differential axis J3. A third gear 46g is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the differential housing shaft 46a. The differential housing shaft 46a and the third gear 46g rotate together about the differential axis J3.

[0028] A pair of output shafts 47 are connected to the differential 4b. The pair of output shafts 47 protrude axially from the differential housing 46 of the differential 4b to one axial side and the other axial side. The output shafts 47 are disposed inside the differential housing shaft 46a. The output shafts 47 are rotatably supported on the inner circumferential surface of the differential housing shaft 46a via bearings.

[0029] The torque output from motor 2 is transmitted via the second shaft 44, first gear 41, large diameter gear 42, third shaft 45, and small diameter gear 43 of reduction gear 4a to the third gear 46g of differential gear 4b, and then output to output shaft 47 via differential mechanism 46c of differential gear 4b. The multiple gears 41, 42, 43, and 46g of power transmission unit 4 transmit the power of motor 2 in the order of second shaft 44, third shaft 45, and differential housing shaft 46a.

[0030] <Outer Shell> The housing 6 includes an inverter retainer 6A, a housing body 6B, a gear cover 6C, a water jacket 6D, and a bearing retainer 6E. The inverter retainer 6A, housing body 6B, gear cover 6C, water jacket 6D, and bearing retainer 6E are all different components. The inverter retainer 6A is located on one axial side (+Y side) of the housing body 6B. The gear cover 6C is located on the other axial side (-Y side) of the housing body 6B. The water jacket 6D and bearing retainer 6E are located inside the housing body 6B.

[0031] The housing body 6B houses the motor 2 and opens towards one axial side (+Y side). The housing body 6B has: a cylindrical outer cylindrical portion 65 centered on the central axis J1; a partition wall portion 66 disposed on the other axial side (-Y side) of the outer cylindrical portion 65 and covering the opening on the other axial side of the outer cylindrical portion 65; and a first gear peripheral wall portion 66a extending from the outer edge of the partition wall portion 66 towards the other axial side (-Y side).

[0032] In addition, in this specification, the partition wall 66 refers to the entire wall extending along a plane orthogonal to the axial direction between the motor 2 and the power transmission unit 4. The partition wall 66 in this specification includes not only the portion that separates the space within the housing 6 that houses the motor 2 and the power transmission unit 4 from each other, but also the portion that extends radially outward relative to the space that houses the motor 2 or the power transmission unit 4.

[0033] A shaft insertion hole 65h is provided in the partition wall portion 66. A bearing supporting the first shaft 21, a bearing supporting the second shaft 44, and a sealing component are disposed in the shaft insertion hole 65h. The first shaft 21 and the second shaft 44 are connected to each other inside the shaft insertion hole 65h. The sealing component is axially disposed between the two bearings. The sealing component seals the inner circumferential surface of the shaft insertion hole 65h and the outer circumferential surface of the second shaft 44. Alternatively, the first shaft 21 and the second shaft 44 may be a single component.

[0034] The outer cylindrical portion 65 of the housing body 6B has: a motor peripheral wall portion 65e that surrounds the motor 2 radially outward; and an inverter peripheral wall portion 65f that surrounds a portion of the inverter 7 radially outward. The motor peripheral wall portion 65e supports the stator 30 through the water jacket 6D. The inverter peripheral wall portion 65f is located on one axial side (+Y side) of the motor peripheral wall portion 65e.

[0035] The gear cover 6C is disposed on the other axial side (-Y side) of the housing body 6B. The gear cover 6C has: a counter wall portion 67 opposite to the partition wall portion 66; and a second gear peripheral wall portion 67a extending from the outer edge of the counter wall portion 67 toward one axial side (+Y side). The end face of the second gear peripheral wall portion 67a on one axial side (+Y side) is fastened to the end face of the first gear peripheral wall portion 66a on the other axial side (-Y side) of the housing body 6B.

[0036] Inverter holder 6A holds inverter 7. Inverter holder 6A covers the opening on the axial side (+Y side) of the outer cylindrical portion 65 of the housing body 6B. A first flow path 91 for cooling inverter 7 is provided in inverter holder 6A.

[0037] The water jacket 6D has a cylindrical inner cylindrical portion 64 centered on the central axis J1. The inner cylindrical portion 64 surrounds the stator 30 radially outward. The inner diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 64 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the stator core portion 32. The inner circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical portion 64 contacts the outer circumferential surface of the stator 30. Furthermore, the inner cylindrical portion 64 is surrounded radially outward by an outer cylindrical portion 65. The outer diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 64 is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer cylindrical portion 65 of the outer casing body 6B. A gap is provided between the inner cylindrical portion 64 and the outer cylindrical portion 65, which functions as a third flow path portion 93.

[0038] The bearing retainer 6E is disposed inside the housing body 6B on one axial side (+Y side) of the motor 2. The bearing retainer 6E is fixed to the end face of the water jacket 6D on one axial side (+Y side). The bearing retainer 6E holds the bearing that supports the rotor 20 for rotation. In this embodiment, the bearing retainer 6E is a plate-shaped component made of metal. The bearing retainer 6E is formed, for example, by stamping. However, the structure and manufacturing method of the bearing retainer 6E are not limited to this embodiment.

[0039] The housing 6 includes a motor housing 81, a gear housing 82, and an inverter housing 83. The gear housing 82 is located on the opposite axial side (-Y side) of the motor housing 81. The inverter housing 83 is located on one axial side (+Y side) of the motor housing 81. The motor housing 81, gear housing 82, and inverter housing 83 are each composed of an inverter holder 6A, a housing body 6B, a gear cover 6C, and a water jacket 6D.

[0040] The motor housing 81 includes: a motor peripheral wall portion 65e of the outer casing 6B; and an inner cylindrical portion 64 of the water jacket 6D. A motor chamber vent 63 is provided in the motor housing 81. The motor chamber vent 63 connects the interior and exterior of the motor housing 81. The motor chamber vent 63 suppresses excessive pressure rise in the internal space of the motor housing 81.

[0041] The inverter housing 83 is composed of the inverter peripheral wall portion 65f of the housing body 6B and the inverter retaining member 6A. The inverter 7 is supported by the inverter retaining member 6A. A portion of the inverter 7 is disposed radially inside the inverter peripheral wall portion 65f.

[0042] The gear housing 82 houses the power transmission unit 4 and the parking mechanism 50 described below. Specifically, the housing 6 houses the second shaft 44, the first gear 41, the second gear 48, the differential 4b, and the parking mechanism 50 within the gear housing 82. The gear housing 82 is composed of the partition wall 66 and the first gear peripheral wall 66a of the housing body 6B, and the opposing wall 67 and the second gear peripheral wall 67a of the gear cover 6C. Furthermore, the term "inside the gear housing 82" (or "within the gear housing 82") in the following description refers to the space axially held by the partition wall 66 and the opposing wall 67, and radially surrounded by the first gear peripheral wall 66a and the second gear peripheral wall 67a.

[0043] Fluid O is stored inside the gear housing 82. Fluid O is, for example, oil. In this embodiment, fluid O is used as a refrigerant to cool the motor 2. In addition, fluid O is used as lubricating oil for the power transmission part 4 and the bearings. As fluid O, for example, in order to perform the functions of refrigerant and lubricating oil, it is preferable to use an oil with a relatively low viscosity, such as automatic transmission fluid (ATF).

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, the opposing wall portion 67 of the gear housing portion 82 is provided with a first protrusion (protrusion) 10 protruding towards the other side (-Y side) in the axial direction. That is, the housing 6 has a first protrusion 10 protruding along the axial direction. Furthermore, the first protrusion 10 protrudes outward from the housing 6. The first protrusion 10 protrudes towards the other side (-Y side) in the axial direction compared to the other parts of the opposing wall portion 67. That is, the first protrusion 10 protrudes towards the other side (-Y side) in the axial direction compared to the part of the gear housing portion 82 that houses the first gear 41, the second gear portion 48, and the differential device 4b.

[0045] The first protrusion 10 is part of the opposing wall 67 and protrudes outward in a manner that expands the internal space of the gear receiving portion 82. A first receiving space (receiving space) 10a is provided inside the first protrusion 10. When viewed from one axial side (+Y side), the first receiving space 10a is the internal space of the portion of the opposing wall 67 that is recessed towards the other axial side (-Y side), and the internal space of the gear receiving portion 82 expands towards the other axial side (-Y side). Furthermore, an actuator 59 for transmitting power to the parking mechanism 50 is fixed to the upper surface of the first protrusion 10.

[0046] The surface of the opposite wall portion 67 facing the axial direction (-Y side) is provided with a plurality of mounting portions 67b and a plurality of straight ribs 67d. In this embodiment, the mounting portions 67b are boss-shaped and provided with bolt holes 67c. The mounting portions 67b are fastened with bolts for fixing the housing 6 to the vehicle. The plurality of straight ribs 67d connect the plurality of mounting portions 67b to each other. Two of the plurality of straight ribs 67d intersect each other.

[0047] In this embodiment, the protrusion height of the mounting portion 67b and the straight rib 67d is greater than the protrusion height of the first protrusion 10. That is, the end of the mounting portion 67b and the straight rib 67d on the other axial side (-Y side) is located further on the other axial side (-Y side) than the end of the first protrusion 10 on the other axial side (-Y side). As a result, the mounting portion 67b and the straight rib 67d protect the first protrusion 10 from strong impacts during accidents.

[0048] Figure 3This is a front view of the gear storage section 82 after the gear cover 6C has been removed. The gear storage section 82 has a top section 82t that covers the interior space of the gear storage section 82 from the top, a bottom section 82m that covers the bottom, a front section 82f that covers the front (+X) side of the vehicle, and a section that covers the rear side of the vehicle.

[0049] A collection container 84 is provided inside the gear storage section 82. The collection container 84 opens upward. In this embodiment, the collection container 84 is rib-shaped, protruding axially from the partition wall section 66. A portion of the collection container 84 is connected to the top surface section 82t.

[0050] The collecting container 84 receives fluid O raised by the gears of the power transmission unit 4 (e.g., the third gear 46g and the large diameter gear 42) inside the gear housing 82. The collecting container 84 supplies fluid O to bearings and the like through holes not shown in the figure.

[0051] A vent 8 is provided in the gear storage section 82. The vent 8 is located on the top surface 82t of the gear storage section 82. That is, the vent 8 is located at the upper part of the gear storage section 82. The vent 8 connects the inside and outside of the gear storage section 82 and regulates the internal pressure of the gear storage section 82.

[0052] The ventilator 8 has a hole 8a and a tube 8b installed in the hole 8a. The hole 8a is provided on the top surface 82t. In this embodiment, the hole 8a is a circular hole extending linearly in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface of the hole 8a is provided with an internal thread. The outer circumferential surface of the tube 8b is provided with an external thread that allows insertion into the internal thread of the hole 8a. The tube 8b is inserted into and fixed to the hole 8a. The tube 8b is a tube with open ends, connecting the inside and outside of the gear housing 82. A filter may also be provided inside the tube 8b. Alternatively, the front end of the tube 8b may be connected to a flexible hose.

[0053] A first dividing wall (dividing wall) 89 and a second dividing wall 86 are provided in the gear housing 82. The first dividing wall 89 and the second dividing wall 86 are disposed inside the gear housing 82. The first dividing wall 89 and the second dividing wall 86 extend axially. The first dividing wall 89 divides the space of the vent 8 opening (hereinafter referred to as the vent chamber R8) inside the gear housing 82. The second dividing wall 86 is disposed inside the vent chamber R8. The second dividing wall 86 provides a complex path inside the vent chamber R8.

[0054] According to this embodiment, by providing a vent chamber R8 surrounded by a first dividing wall 89 within the gear housing 82, it is possible to prevent fluid O scattered within the gear housing 82 from reaching the opening of the vent 8. This prevents fluid O from flowing out of the outer casing 6.

[0055] According to this embodiment, a second dividing wall 86 is provided inside the ventilator chamber R8. The second dividing wall 86 further surrounds the opening of the ventilator 8 inside the ventilator chamber R8. By providing the second dividing wall 86, a labyrinth structure can be formed inside the ventilator chamber R8. Even if scattered fluid O enters the ventilator chamber R8, the second dividing wall 86 can prevent the fluid O from reaching the ventilator 8.

[0056] Furthermore, the function of the second dividing wall 86 can also be described as further dividing the interior of the ventilator chamber R8. That is, the second dividing wall 86 divides the space of the ventilator 8 opening inside the gear receiving part 82.

[0057] Figure 4 This is a front view of the gear housing 82 near the ventilator chamber R8. The vent chamber R8 is disposed inside the gear housing 82 at the end of the vehicle's front side (+X side). Furthermore, the vent chamber R8 is disposed inside the gear housing 82 at the upper end. The vent chamber R8 is surrounded by the front portion 82f and the top portion 82t of the gear housing 82, as well as the first dividing wall portion 89.

[0058] The first dividing wall portion 89 has: a first longitudinal dividing wall 89a extending downward from the top portion 82t of the gear housing portion 82; and a first transverse dividing wall 89b extending from the lower end of the first longitudinal dividing wall 89a toward the front (+X) side of the vehicle. The first transverse dividing wall 89b slopes downward toward the front (+X) side of the vehicle. The front end of the first transverse dividing wall 89b on the front side of the vehicle faces the front portion 82f of the gear housing portion 82 with a gap. The gap allows the vent chamber R8 to communicate with other spaces within the gear housing portion 82. The first transverse dividing wall 89b is located directly below the opening of the orifice 8a of the vent 8.

[0059] The second dividing wall portion 86 has: a second longitudinal dividing wall 86a extending downward from the top portion 82t of the gear receiving portion 82; and a second transverse dividing wall 86b extending from the lower end of the second longitudinal dividing wall 86a toward the rear (-X) side of the vehicle. The second transverse dividing wall 86b is slightly inclined downward toward the rear (-X) side of the vehicle. The front end of the second transverse dividing wall 86b on the rear side of the vehicle faces the first longitudinal dividing wall 89a with a gap. The second transverse dividing wall 86b is vertically positioned between the opening of the vent 8's hole portion 8a and the first transverse dividing wall 89b.

[0060] The first dividing wall portion 89 and the second dividing wall portion 86 are each composed of a pair of rib-shaped wall portions that protrude from the outer shell body 6B and the gear cover 6C in opposite directions and are joined together. Here, the wall portion of the first dividing wall portion 89 that protrudes from the outer shell body 6B side toward the other axial side (-Y side) is called the first wall portion 87, and the wall portion that protrudes from the gear cover 6C side toward one axial side (+Y side) is called the second wall portion 88. That is, the first dividing wall portion 89 has the first wall portion 87 as part of the outer shell body 6B and the second wall portion 88 as part of the gear cover 6C. Similarly, the wall portion of the second dividing wall portion 86 that protrudes from the outer shell body 6B side toward the other axial side (-Y side) is called the third wall portion 86P, and the wall portion that protrudes from the gear cover 6C side toward one axial side (+Y side) is called the fourth wall portion 86Q. That is, the second dividing wall portion 86 has the third wall portion 86P as part of the outer shell body 6B and the fourth wall portion 86Q as part of the gear cover 6C. The mating surfaces of the first wall portion 87 and the second wall portion 88, as well as the mating surfaces of the third wall portion 86P and the fourth wall portion 86Q, are respectively arranged on the same plane as the fastening surfaces of the outer shell body 6B and the gear cover 6C.

[0061] A portion of the first wall portion 87 surrounds the outer periphery of the bushing 56 of the parking mechanism 50 described below. Here, the portion that surrounds the outer periphery of the bushing 56 as part of the first wall portion 87 is referred to as the bushing guide portion 87a. The bushing guide portion 87a is provided with a notch portion 87t.

[0062] The first wall portion 87 is connected to the extended wall portion 87e. That is, the extended wall portion 87e is provided in the partition wall portion 66 of the outer casing body 6B. The extended wall portion 87e extends from the bushing guide portion 87a toward the rear side (-X side) of the vehicle. The extended wall portion 87e extends in an arc shape along the outer peripheral surface of the bushing 56.

[0063] The upper end of the first wall portion 87 is connected to the top surface portion 82t of the gear receiving portion 82. On the other hand, the upper end of the second wall portion 88 is not connected to the top surface portion 82t. The upper end of the second wall portion 88 faces the top surface portion 82t in the vertical direction with a gap between them. Therefore, a gap is partially provided between the first dividing wall portion 89 and the top surface portion 82t. This further ensures a reliable connection to the ventilator chamber R8.

[0064] The upper end of the third wall portion 86P is connected to the top surface portion 82t of the gear receiving portion 82. On the other hand, the upper end of the fourth wall portion 86Q is not connected to the top surface portion 82t. The upper end of the fourth wall portion 86Q faces the top surface portion 82t in the vertical direction with a gap between them. A partial gap is provided between the second dividing wall portion 86 and the top surface portion 82t. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the area around the opening of the ventilator 8 from being completely blocked.

[0065] like Figure 2 As shown, the outer casing 6 is provided with a flow path 90 for cooling water L to flow through. The cooling water L is, for example, water. The flow path 90 has: an external pipe 97 passing through the outside of the outer casing 6; and a first flow path section 91, a second flow path section 92, a third flow path section 93, and a fourth flow path section 94 passing through the inside of the outer casing 6.

[0066] External piping 97 is a piping connected to the outer casing 6. A radiator (not shown) for cooling the cooling water L is arranged along the path of external piping 97. The cooling water L flows inside the outer casing 6 in the order of first flow path 91, second flow path 92, third flow path 93, and fourth flow path 94. First flow path 91 is located in the inverter housing 83. First flow path 91 is connected to external piping 97. The cooling water L flowing through first flow path 91 cools the inverter 7. Second flow path 92 is located in the outer cylindrical portion 65 of the outer casing body 6B. Second flow path 92 connects first flow path 91 and third flow path 93. Third flow path 93 is located between the outer cylindrical portion 65 of the outer casing body 6B and the inner cylindrical portion 64 of the water jacket 6D. A spiral-shaped protrusion is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical portion 64. Thus, the third flow path 93 extends spirally in the circumferential direction. Cooling water L flowing through the third flow path 93 cools the stator 30. A fourth flow path 94 is provided on the outer cylindrical portion 65 of the outer casing 6B. The fourth flow path 94 connects the third flow path 93 to the external piping 97.

[0067] Parking device The parking device 5 is disposed inside the gear storage section 82. The parking device 5 locks the rotation of one shaft of the power transmission section 4 (the second shaft 44 in this embodiment).

[0068] The parking device 5 includes an actuator 59 and a parking mechanism 50 driven by the actuator 59. That is, the drive unit 1 includes the parking mechanism 50 and the actuator 59. The actuator 59 is disposed on the outside of the housing 6. On the other hand, the parking mechanism 50 is disposed inside the housing 6 (more specifically, the gear housing 82).

[0069] <Actuator> Actuator 59 actuates parking mechanism 50. Actuator 59 switches parking mechanism 50 between a locked state that prevents rotation of second shaft 44 and an unlocked state that allows rotation of second shaft 44. When the vehicle is in parking gear, parking device 50 is locked; when the vehicle is in a gear other than parking gear, parking device 50 is unlocked. Gears other than parking gear include, for example, driving, neutral, or reverse gear.

[0070] Figure 5This is a cross-sectional view of the drive device 1 at the connection between the actuator 59 and the parking mechanism 50 in this embodiment. The actuator 59 has a rotating part 58 and a housing 59h. In addition, although not shown in the figure, the actuator 59 has a drive motor and a transmission mechanism disposed inside the housing 59h.

[0071] The rotating part 58 is rotated about the drive axis J5 by the power of the drive motor. The rotating part 58 has: a cylindrical part 58a; a bottom 58c; and a first surface 58b.

[0072] In the following description, the actuator 59 and the rotation shaft 57 connected to the actuator 59 will be described with reference to the drive axis J5. In this embodiment, one axial side of the drive axis J5 is referred to as the lower side (-Z side), and the other axial side of the drive axis J5 is referred to as the upper side (+Z side).

[0073] The cylindrical portion 58a is cylindrical with a drive shaft J5 extending vertically as its center. The cylindrical portion 58a opens towards one axial side (lower side) of the drive shaft J5. Furthermore, a bottom 58c is located on the other axial side (upper side) of the cylindrical portion 58a along the drive shaft J5. Multiple spline grooves 58f extending axially along the drive shaft J5 are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 58a. That is, spline grooves 58f are provided in the cylindrical portion 58a. The rotating shaft 57 of the parking mechanism 50 is inserted into and connected to the cylindrical portion 58a from the lower side. The actuator 59 transmits power to the parking mechanism 50 at the cylindrical portion 58a.

[0074] The first surface 58b faces the axial side (lower side) of the drive shaft J5. The first surface 58b is the lower end face of the cylindrical portion 58a. The first surface 58b is located at the opening edge of the cylindrical portion 58a. The first surface 58b is an annular surface surrounding the drive shaft J5.

[0075] The frame 59h has a support cylinder 59k surrounding the cylindrical portion 58a. The support cylinder 59k is cylindrical with the drive axis J5 as its center. The support cylinder 59k supports the cylindrical portion 58a so that it can rotate. An O-ring is disposed between the inner circumferential surface of the support cylinder 59k and the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 58a to suppress liquid intrusion into the interior of the frame 59h.

[0076] Actuator 59 is mounted on the upper side of the first protrusion 10 of housing 6. The first protrusion 10 has an upper wall (first wall) 11 and a lower wall (second wall) 12 that are opposite each other in the vertical direction. The upper wall 11 and the lower wall 12 extend in the horizontal direction.

[0077] A through hole 19a centered on the drive axis J5 is provided in the upper wall 11. The through hole 19a penetrates the upper wall 11 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, a connecting cylinder portion 19 extending upward from the upper surface of the upper wall 11 is provided in the upper wall 11. The connecting cylinder portion 19 surrounds the through hole 19a from the radially outer side of the drive axis J5. The diameter of the inner circumferential surface of the connecting cylinder portion 19 is larger than the diameter of the through hole 19a. The support cylinder 59k of the actuator 59 is inserted into the connecting cylinder portion 19 from the outside of the housing 6. An O-ring is disposed between the inner circumferential surface of the connecting cylinder portion 19 and the outer circumferential surface of the support cylinder 59k to suppress liquid intrusion into the interior of the housing 6.

[0078] The connecting sleeve 19 surrounds the rotating shaft 57 of the parking mechanism 50 radially outward from the drive axis J5. A washer 19g is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the connecting sleeve 19. The inner circumferential surface of the washer 19g contacts the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 57 into which the connecting sleeve 19 is inserted. The washer 19g seals the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the connecting sleeve 19 and the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 57.

[0079] Parking facilities Figure 6 This is a 3D diagram of the parking mechanism 50. The parking mechanism 50 includes: a parking gear 51; a parking pawl 52; a transmission part 50A that transmits power to the parking pawl 52; and a cylindrical bushing 56. Furthermore, the transmission part 50A includes a pawl shaft 50t, a cam rod 54, a cam 53, a coil spring 50d, a flange 55, and a rotating shaft 57. The transmission part 50A receives power from the actuator 59 at the rotating shaft 57 and transmits power to the parking pawl 52 at the cam 53.

[0080] like Figure 5 As shown, the rotating shaft 57, the flange 55, and a portion of the cam rod 54 are housed within the first storage space 10a inside the first protrusion 10. That is, at least a portion of the transmission part 50A is housed within the first storage space 10a.

[0081] like Figure 2 As shown, the gear storage portion 82 has a first protrusion 10. Furthermore, the first storage space 10a inside the first protrusion 10 stores at least a portion of the transmission portion 50A of the parking mechanism 50. According to this embodiment, by partially expanding a portion to match the shape of the parking mechanism 50, rather than enlarging the gear storage portion 82 in one direction to ensure the storage volume of the parking mechanism 50, the overall shape of the gear storage portion 82 can be miniaturized. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first protrusion 10 protrudes axially (Y-axis direction), thus suppressing an increase in the axial projected area of ​​the drive unit 1. Therefore, the storage space for the drive unit 1 within the vehicle is less likely to become large.

[0082] like Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the first protrusion 10 overlaps with at least a portion of the large-diameter gear 42 when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. In other words, the axial position of the first protrusion 10 overlaps with the axial position of the large-diameter gear 42. According to this embodiment, by arranging the first protrusion 10 and the gear of the power transmission unit 4 to overlap axially, it is possible to suppress the axial enlargement of the protrusion of the gear housing 82 relative to the first protrusion 10.

[0083] <Rotation axis> like Figure 5 As shown, the rotating shaft 57 is cylindrical with the drive axis J5 as its center. The rotating shaft 57 has a first end 57a located on the other side (upper side) of the drive axis J5, and a second end 57b located on one side (lower side) of the drive axis. The rotating shaft 57 is connected to the actuator 59. The power from the actuator 59 causes the rotating shaft 57 to rotate about the drive axis J5.

[0084] The rotating shaft 57 extends both inside and outside the housing 6. A first end 57a is disposed on the outside of the housing 6. Conversely, a second end 57b is disposed inside the housing 6. That is, at least a portion of the rotating shaft 57 is disposed inside the housing 6. The rotating shaft 57 is connected to the actuator 59 on the outside of the housing 6 and to the flange 55 on the inside of the housing 6.

[0085] A plurality of spline protrusions 57m extending axially along the drive axis J5 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the first end 57a. The first end 57a is inserted into the cylindrical portion 58a of the actuator 59. Thus, the spline protrusions 57m of the first end 57a engage with the spline grooves 58f of the cylindrical portion 58a, and the rotating shaft 57 is connected to the cylindrical portion 58a. The connection between the rotating shaft 57 and the cylindrical portion 58a is a spline engagement, thus allowing relative movement along the axial direction of the drive axis J5.

[0086] The first end portion 57a ​​has a smaller outer diameter compared to the rest of the rotating shaft 57. Here, the portion of the rotating shaft 57 other than the first end portion 57a ​​is referred to as the large-diameter portion 57c. That is, the rotating shaft 57 has a large-diameter portion 57c with a larger diameter than the first end portion 57a. The second end portion 57b is a part of the large-diameter portion 57c.

[0087] A stepped second surface 57t is provided between the first end 57a and the large-diameter portion 57c. The second surface 57t is the upper end surface of the large-diameter portion 57c. Furthermore, the second surface 57t is an annular surface surrounding the drive shaft J5. The second surface 57t faces the other side (upper side) of the axial direction of the drive shaft J5. The second surface 57t is opposite to the first surface 58b of the actuator 59 in the axial direction of the drive shaft J5.

[0088] A recessed portion 57g, with a smaller outer diameter than the first end 57a, is provided between the first end 57a and the large-diameter portion 57c. The recessed portion 57g extends in a groove shape in the circumferential direction. Generally, it is difficult to form the complete shape of the spline protrusion 57m to the root in the axial direction. According to this embodiment, by providing the recessed portion 57g, incomplete spline shape can be removed at the root of the spline protrusion 57m.

[0089] A supported portion 57d is provided in the large-diameter portion 57c, which is rotatably supported on the upper wall 11 of the housing 6. That is, the rotating shaft 57 has a supported portion 57d. The supported portion 57d contacts the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 19a at its outer peripheral surface. The through hole 19a is circular in plan view with the drive axis J5 as its center. The inner diameter of the through hole 19a is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the supported portion 57d. The supported portion 57d is inserted into the through hole 19a and supported so as to be rotatable. That is, the through hole 19a functions as a sliding bearing for the rotating shaft 57.

[0090] The second end 57b is located on the opposite side of the first end 57a. The second end 57b is rotatably supported on the lower wall 12 of the housing 6. A recess 12b centered on the drive axis J5 is provided on the upper surface of the lower wall 12. That is, the housing 6 has a recess 12b. The recess 12b is circular in plan view centered on the drive axis J5. The second end 57b is inserted into the recess 12b.

[0091] The second end 57b has a fourth surface 57k facing the other side (lower side) axially. The fourth surface 57k is the lower end surface of the rotating shaft 57. The fourth surface 57k is opposite to the bottom surface 12c of the recess 12b. Alternatively, the fourth surface 57k and the bottom surface 12c may be in contact with each other. The inner diameter of the recess 12b is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the second end 57b. The second end 57b is rotatably supported by the recess 12b. That is, the recess 12b functions as a sliding bearing for the rotating shaft 57.

[0092] In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 57 is supported by an upper wall 11 and a lower wall 12 that are axially opposite each other on the drive axis J5, enabling it to rotate. According to this embodiment, compared to the case of a cantilevered rotating shaft 57, the support of the rotating shaft 57 can be made more stable.

[0093] In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 57 is connected to the rotating portion 58 of the actuator 59 via a spline engagement. While employing a spline engagement in the connection mechanism between the rotating shaft 57 and the rotating portion 58 improves the assemblability of the parking mechanism 50 and the actuator 59, it also allows axial movement of the rotating shaft 57 relative to the rotating portion 58. Therefore, the rotating shaft 57 may detach from the bearing portion (recess 12b in this embodiment). Consequently, in conventional structures, additional components such as E-rings and pins are used to prevent the rotating shaft 57 from detaching.

[0094] According to this embodiment, in the axial direction of the drive shaft J5, the first surface 58b of the actuator 59 faces the second surface 57t of the rotating shaft 57. The first surface 58b contacts the second surface 57t, thereby restricting the upward movement of the rotating shaft 57. According to this embodiment, the upward movement of the rotating shaft 57 can be restricted without using additional components such as E-rings and pins, thus providing a drive device 1 that reduces the number of components and is easy to assemble.

[0095] According to this embodiment, the first surface 58b is provided on the rotating portion 58 of the actuator 59. Therefore, even when the first surface 58b and the second surface 57t are in contact with each other, no dynamic frictional resistance is generated between the first surface 58b and the second surface 57t. According to this embodiment, disengagement of the rotating shaft 57 can be suppressed without reducing the efficiency of power transmission from the actuator 59 to the rotating shaft 57.

[0096] In this embodiment, the distance h1 between the first surface 58b and the second surface 57t along the axial direction of the drive shaft J5 is smaller than the insertion depth h2 of the second end 57b into the recess 12b. Therefore, even if the rotating shaft 57 moves in the direction of disengagement from the recess 12b, i.e., upward (the other side of the axial direction of the drive shaft J5), the first surface 58b and the second surface 57t will still come into contact. The first surface 58b and the second surface 57t restrict the upward movement of the rotating shaft 57, preventing the rotating shaft 57 from disengaging from the recess 12b.

[0097] The distance dimension h1 and the insertion depth h2 change due to the axial movement of the rotating shaft 57 relative to the housing 6 along the drive axis J5. The distance dimension h1 and the insertion depth h2 are related to each other. As the rotating shaft 57 moves upward, the distance dimension h1 decreases, and consequently, the insertion depth h2 decreases by the same amount. Therefore, as long as the rotating shaft 57 satisfies the above relationship at any position, the above relationship will be satisfied at all positions.

[0098] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the distance j between the end face 57aa (i.e., the upper end face) of the first end 57a and the bottom surface 58ca of the rotating part 58 is significantly larger than the distance h1 between the first surface 58b and the second surface 57t. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the end face 57aa from contacting the bottom surface 58ca before the first surface 58b contacts the second surface 57t. As a result, the first surface 58b and the second surface 57t can reliably function as surfaces that restrict the movement of the rotation axis 57.

[0099] In this embodiment, the first surface 58b is provided on the end face of the cylindrical portion 58a on the axial side (lower side) facing the drive axis J5. The end face of the cylindrical portion 58a is relatively easy to machine, thus making it easy to improve surface accuracy. According to this embodiment, a rotating portion 58 with a first surface 58b having high surface accuracy can be formed, and the distance dimension h1 between it and the second surface 57t is easy to manage.

[0100] Furthermore, by providing the first surface 58b on the end face of the cylindrical portion 58a, the first surface 58b can be configured as an annular shape centered on the drive axis J5. This allows the first surface 58b and the second surface 57t to maintain stable contact around the drive axis J5.

[0101] In this embodiment, the second surface 57t is a surface that connects the large-diameter portion 57c and the first end portion 57a ​​in a stepped manner. According to this embodiment, the second surface 57t can be configured as an annular shape centered on the drive axis J5, allowing the first surface 58b and the second surface 57t to stably contact around the drive axis J5. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a recess 57g is provided at the root of the spline protrusion 57m, removing any incomplete spline shape at the root of the spline protrusion 57m. Therefore, the spline protrusion 57m can be inserted into the spline groove 58f until the first surface 58b contacts the second surface 57t.

[0102] Furthermore, the positions of the first surface 58b and the second surface 57t described in this embodiment are one example. The locations of the first surface 58b and the second surface 57t are not limited as long as they are respectively provided on the rotating part 58 and the rotating shaft 57. For example, the first surface may be provided on the bottom 58c of the rotating part 58, and the second surface may be provided on the end face of the first end 57a of the rotating shaft 57.

[0103] In this embodiment, the second end 57b of the rotating shaft 57 is opposite to the bottom surface 12c of the recess 12b at the fourth surface 57k. The bottom surface 12c restricts the downward movement of the rotating shaft 57 by contacting the fourth surface 57k, thus preventing the spline protrusion 57m from disengaging from the spline groove 58f.

[0104] In this embodiment, the distance k1 between the fourth surface 57k and the bottom surface 12c along the axial direction of the drive shaft J5 is smaller than the engagement length k2 between the spline protrusion 57m and the spline groove 58f. Therefore, even if the spline protrusion 57m moves downward (to the axial side of the drive shaft J5) in the direction of disengagement from the spline groove 58f, the fourth surface 57k and the bottom surface 12c will still come into contact. The fourth surface 57k and the bottom surface 12c restrict the downward movement of the rotating shaft 57, thus preventing the spline protrusion 57m from disengaging from the spline groove 58f.

[0105] Furthermore, the distance dimension k1 and the fitting length k2 have the same relationship as the relationship between the distance dimension h1 and the insertion depth h2 described above. Therefore, the distance dimension k1 and the fitting length k2 satisfy the above relationship at any position as long as the rotation axis 57 satisfies the above relationship at any position.

[0106] In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 57 is assembled from the outside of the housing 6. Here, the assembly process of the rotating shaft 57 and the actuator 59 to the housing 6 as the assembly method of the drive device 1 will be specifically described. The assembly method includes: a shaft insertion process of inserting the rotating shaft 57 into the interior of the housing 6; and a connection process of communicating the actuator 59 with the first end 57a of the rotating shaft 57.

[0107] In the shaft insertion process, the operator first inserts the rotating shaft 57 into the interior of the housing 6 through the through hole 19a provided in the upper wall 11. At this time, the operator inserts the rotating shaft 57 into the through hole 19a from the second end 57b side. Furthermore, the operator inserts the second end 57b of the rotating shaft 57 into the recess 12b of the lower wall 12. Thus, the operator supports the rotating shaft 57 across the upper wall 11 and the lower wall 12. After the shaft insertion process, the rotating shaft 57 protrudes from the housing 6 at the first end 57a.

[0108] During the connection process, the operator connects the actuator 59 to the first end 57a protruding from the housing 6. In this connection process, the operator aligns the first surface 58b of the actuator 59 with the second surface 57t of the rotating shaft 57 axially along the drive axis J5. After the connection process, the actuator 59 is fastened to the outer surface of the housing 6 using bolts or the like.

[0109] According to the assembly method of this embodiment, the rotation shaft 57 can be prevented from falling out of the housing 6 simply by inserting the rotation shaft 57 into the through hole 19a and connecting the actuator 59. That is, the process of installing an anti-detachment component on the rotation shaft 57 is eliminated, simplifying the assembly process. In addition, in the assembly method of this embodiment, during the shaft insertion process, it is preferable to fix the flange 55 to the outer peripheral surface of the rotation shaft 57 inside the first storage space 10a before inserting the rotation shaft 57 into the recess 12b.

[0110] <Flange> A flange 55 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 57. In this embodiment, the flange 55 is a component different from the rotating shaft 57 and is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 57. However, the flange 55 may also be part of the rotating shaft 57.

[0111] A flange 55 is disposed between the upper wall 11 and the lower wall 12 of the first protrusion 10. As described above, the rotation shaft 57 is supported rotatably relative to the upper wall 11 and the lower wall 12. By fixing the flange 55 to the rotation shaft 57 between the upper wall 11 and the lower wall 12, the upper wall 11 and the lower wall 12 can provide end-to-end support for the flange 55 and the rotation shaft 57. Therefore, the upper wall 11 and the lower wall 12 can stably support the rotation shaft 57 relative to the reaction force exerted on the rotation shaft 57 by the flange 55.

[0112] Flange 55 extends radially along drive axis J5. Flange 55 rotates together with rotation shaft 57 about drive axis J5. According to this embodiment, rotation shaft 57 extends vertically inside first protrusion 10. Furthermore, flange 55 rotates between upper wall 11 and lower wall 12 of first protrusion 10 along a plane orthogonal to vertical direction. According to the structure of this embodiment, the first storage space 10a inside first protrusion 10 can be effectively utilized to efficiently arrange the various parts of transfer section 50A.

[0113] like Figure 6 As shown, the flange 55 of this embodiment has: a flange body 55a extending radially along the drive axis J5; and a protruding piece 55b disposed at the front end of the flange body 55a. The protruding piece 55b protrudes axially from the flange body 55a along the drive axis J5.

[0114] The flange body 55a is plate-shaped and orthogonal to the drive axis J5. A connecting hole 55h extending through the flange body 55a in the thickness direction is provided. The connecting portion 54a of the cam rod 54 passes through the connecting hole 55h. The connecting portion 54a of the cam rod 54 is rotatable about the connecting hole 55h.

[0115] <Cam lever> The cam rod 54 has a connecting portion 54a, a relay portion 54b, and a rod body 54c. A first curved portion 54P is provided between the connecting portion 54a and the relay portion 54b, and a second curved portion 54Q is provided between the relay portion 54b and the rod body 54c. The cam rod 54 is bent at approximately 90° at both the first curved portion 54P and the second curved portion 54Q. The cam rod 54 is a rod with a circular cross-section, bent at both the first curved portion 54P and the second curved portion 54Q.

[0116] The connecting portion 54a extends axially along the drive shaft J5. Therefore, the connecting portion 54a extends parallel to the drive shaft J5. The connecting portion 54a is inserted into the connecting hole 55h of the flange 55. Thus, the connecting portion 54a is rotatably connected to and supported relative to the flange 55. That is, the cam rod 54 is supported by the flange 55 at the connecting portion 54a and is rotatable. A protrusion 54ac is provided on the outer periphery of the connecting portion 54a to prevent the connecting portion 54a from disengaging from the connecting hole 55h.

[0117] The rod body 54c extends axially along the central axis J1. The rod body 54c extends in a direction orthogonal to the connecting portion 54a. The rod body 54c passes through the interior of the bushing 56. The rod body 54c is guided by the bushing 56. In addition, the cam rod 54 moves axially along the central axis J1, accompanying the movement of the flange 55 (i.e., rotation about the drive axis J5).

[0118] The relay section 54b connects the connecting section 54a and the rod body 54c. The relay section 54b is orthogonal to both the connecting section 54a and the rod body 54c. Furthermore, the relay section 54b extends in a direction orthogonal to the drive axis J5 and the central axis J1. One end of the relay section 54b is connected to the connecting section 54a, and the other end is connected to the rod body 54c.

[0119] The relay section 54b extends radially along the central axis J1. The relay section 54b is provided to offset the relative positions of the connecting section 54a and the rod body 54c. By arranging the relay section 54b to extend radially along the central axis J1, the connecting section 54a can be positioned close to the central axis J1 relative to the rod body 54c. Therefore, the cam 53 supported on the rod body 54c can be positioned optimally, and the flange 55, rotating shaft 57, and actuator 59 connected to the connecting section 54a can be positioned close to the central axis J1. This allows for a dense arrangement of the various parts of the parking mechanism 50 around the central axis J1, reducing the required space for the parking mechanism 50 within the drive unit 1.

[0120] The protruding piece 55b of the flange 55 is disposed on one axial side (+Y side) of the relay portion 54b. The protruding piece 55b is disposed on the parking gear 51 side relative to the relay portion 54b in the axial direction of the central axis J1, and overlaps with the relay portion 54b when viewed axially from the central axis J1. The protruding piece 55b has a facing surface 55c opposite to the relay portion 54b. The facing surface 55c faces the relay portion 54b with a gap in the axial direction of the central axis J1.

[0121] A helical spring 50d, a cam 53, and a cover 50c are fitted onto the rod body 54c. That is, the helical spring 50d, the cam 53, and the cover 50c are installed on the rod body 54c. In the following description, the end of the rod body 54c that is connected to the relay part 54b is referred to as the base end 54cb, and the end on the opposite side of the base end 54cb is referred to as the front end 54ca.

[0122] A helical spring 50d is positioned relative to the cam 53 at the base end 54cb of the rod body 54c. A protrusion 54cc, larger than the inner diameter of the helical spring 50d, is provided on the outer periphery of the base end 54cb of the rod body 54c. The helical spring 50d is positioned between the protrusion 54cc and the cam 53 in a compressed state relative to its natural length. The helical spring 50d exerts a force on the cam 53 toward the front end 54ca of the rod body 54c.

[0123] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the drive unit 1 near the front end 54ca of the rod body 54c. The cover 50c is fixed to the front end 54ca of the rod body 54c. The cover 50c is positioned on the rod body 54c at a position closer to the front end 54ca than the cam 53. The cover 50c contacts the end face of the cam 53. The cover 50c restricts the movement of the cam 53 relative to the rod body 54c towards the front end 54ca. The cover 50c prevents the cam 53 from detaching from the front end 54ca of the rod body 54c.

[0124] Cam The cam 53 is annular with the rod body 54c at its center. The rod body 54c is inserted through a central through hole in the cam 53. The inner diameter of the through hole in the cam 53 is larger than the outer diameter of the rod body 54c. The cam 53 is sandwiched between the coil spring 50d and the cover 50c along the length of the rod body 54c. The coil spring 50d is compressed as the cam 53 moves toward the base end 54cb. When the cam 53 is subjected to a force stronger than the repulsive force of the coil spring 50d toward the base end 54cb, it compresses the coil spring 50d and moves it toward the base end 54cb relative to the rod body 54c.

[0125] The cam 53 contacts the cam contact portion 52c of the parking pawl 52 on its outer peripheral surface. The cam has a first portion 53a and a second portion 53b. The first portion 53a and the second portion 53b are arranged coaxially. The second portion 53b is located on the front end 54ca side relative to the first portion 53a. The first portion 53a and the second portion 53b are each truncated cones. The outer peripheral surfaces of the first portion 53a and the second portion 53b are conical surfaces that gradually decrease in outer diameter from the base end 54cb side of the rod body 54c towards the front end 54ca side. Therefore, the cross-sections of the first portion 53a and the second portion 53b are each circular. The cone angle of the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 53a is much smaller than that of the outer peripheral surface of the second portion 53b. The cone angle of the outer peripheral surface of the second portion 53b is a sufficient angle for the cam 53 to smoothly disengage from the bushing 56 and the cam contact portion 52c when transitioning from the locked state to the unlocked state. Alternatively, the first portion 53a may also be cylindrical instead of truncated cone.

[0126] The movement of the lever body 54c is transmitted to the cam 53 via the coil spring 50d. As a result, the cam 53 moves together with the lever body 54c along its length. Furthermore, the cam 53 contacts the cam contact portion 52c of the parking pawl 52 on its outer peripheral surface. The cam 53 moves along with the movement of the cam lever 54, thereby actuating the parking pawl 52. In the unlocked state of the parking mechanism 50, the second portion 53b of the cam 53 faces the cam contact portion 52c of the parking pawl 52 with a gap. In the locked and standby states of the parking mechanism 50, the cam 53 contacts the cam contact portion 52c at its first portion 53a. When the parking mechanism 50 switches between the locked and unlocked states, the cam 53 contacts the cam contact portion 52c at its second portion 53b, and then slides. This causes the cam 53 to move the cam contact portion 52c upwards, causing the parking pawl 52 to rotate about the support axis J4. Furthermore, in the standby state, the protrusion 52a is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the teeth 51a of the parking gear 51. In the standby state, the cam 53 cannot move even if the cam rod 54 moves to the locked position, and the cam 53 is pressed against the cam contact portion 52c. As a result, the coil spring 50d is compressed between the cam 53 and the protrusion 54cc of the rod body 54c. The coil spring 50d presses the cam 53 against the cam contact portion 52c until the parking gear 51 rotates and the protrusion 52a engages with the teeth 51a.

[0127] <Bushing> The bushing 56 is cylindrical, extending along the bushing axis J6. The front end 54ca of the rod body 54c is inserted into the bushing 56. Furthermore, in the locked state, the bushing 56 supports the cam 53 from the opposite side of the parking pawl 52. In the unlocked state, the cam 53 is separated from the bushing 56. The bushing 56 guides the cam 53, limiting the range of motion of the cam 53 and the cam rod 54. The bushing 56 has a bushing notch 56e that opens a portion of its inner surface radially outward. The bushing 56 is fixed to the inner surface of the housing 6. The method of fixing the bushing 56 will be described in detail in later paragraphs.

[0128] <Highlighting the film> According to this embodiment, a protruding piece 55b is provided on the flange 55. The protruding piece 55b is used in the process of assembling the parking mechanism 50 to the housing 6. After the transmission part 50A is assembled to the housing 6, the cam rod 54 is inserted into the bushing 56 and the bushing 56 is held in the housing 6. The process of inserting the cam rod 54 into the bushing 56 and installing the bushing 56 into the housing 6 (hereinafter, the bushing installation process) is sometimes performed with the housing 6 tilted. In this embodiment, the bushing installation process is performed with the housing 6 tilted so that the side in which the arrow of the Y-axis in the figure points becomes the vertically downward side. In the bushing installation process, the protruding piece 55b of the flange 55 is disposed below the relay part 54b of the cam rod 54. In the bushing installation process, the operator inserts the front end 54ca of the rod body 54c into the bushing 56 from below, supporting the relay part 54b with the protruding piece 55b. Then, the operator fixes the bushing 56 to the inner side of the housing 6. According to this embodiment, the cam rod 54, which is prone to instability during the assembly process, can be temporarily held in place by the protruding piece 55b. This allows for easy insertion of the front end 54ca of the rod body 54c into the bushing 56, simplifying the assembly process of the parking mechanism 50.

[0129] Parking Gear like Figure 2 As shown, the parking gear 51 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the second shaft 44. The parking gear 51 is axially positioned between the first gear 41 and the partition wall portion 66.

[0130] According to this embodiment, the parking gear 51 is axially disposed between the motor 2 and the first gear 41. That is, the parking gear 51 is disposed on the partition wall 66 side relative to the first gear 41. As a result, the parking mechanism 50 can be disposed close to the motor 2 within the gear storage portion 82, and the situation where the parking mechanism 50 protrudes significantly from the gear storage portion 82 toward the axial side (+Y side) can be suppressed. As a result, the axial dimension of the drive device 1 can be miniaturized.

[0131] According to this embodiment, the parking gear 51 overlaps with at least a portion of the third gear 46g when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. In other words, the axial position of the parking gear 51 overlaps with the axial position of the third gear 46g. According to this embodiment, the parking mechanism 50 and the power transmission unit 4 can be arranged to overlap in the axial direction. That is, the parking mechanism 50 can be arranged in the gap of the power transmission unit 4, and the internal space of the gear storage unit 82 can be effectively utilized to achieve miniaturization of the drive device 1.

[0132] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the third gear 46g meshes with the minor gear 43. Moreover, the tooth width of the third gear 46g is approximately equal to the tooth width of the minor gear 43. Therefore, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, the parking gear 51 overlaps not only with at least a portion of the third gear 46g but also with at least a portion of the minor gear 43.

[0133] As described above, the parking gear 51 is positioned axially closer to the motor 2 than the first gear 41. Therefore, the small-diameter gear 43 and the third gear 46g, which overlap with the parking gear 51 when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, are also positioned axially closer to the motor 2. The third gear 46g is the gear with the largest diameter in the power transmission unit 4. By positioning the third gear 46g close to the motor 2, the storage space of the power transmission unit 4 and the area overlapping with the third gear 46g when viewed axially can be miniaturized axially, thus enabling miniaturization of the drive unit 1.

[0134] like Figure 3 As shown, according to this embodiment, at least a portion of the parking gear 51 overlaps with the large-diameter gear 42 when viewed axially. This allows a portion of the parking mechanism 50 and a portion of the power transmission unit 4 to be arranged in an axially overlapping configuration. According to this embodiment, the diameter of the parking gear 51 can be made larger to sufficiently ensure the braking force of the parking mechanism 50 on the rotation of the power transmission unit 4, while simultaneously reducing the axially projected area of ​​the drive unit 1.

[0135] In this embodiment, the parking gear 51 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the second shaft 44. The second shaft 44 is the shaft with the smallest transmitted torque among the multiple shafts of the power transmission unit 4. By disposing the parking gear 51 on the second shaft 44, the reaction force applied to the parking mechanism 50 when locked can be reduced. According to this embodiment, the reaction force applied to the parking mechanism 50 can be reduced and the parking mechanism 50 can be miniaturized.

[0136] like Figure 6 As shown, the parking gear 51 of this embodiment is annular in shape with the central axis J1 as its center. The parking gear 51 rotates together with the second shaft 44. That is, the parking gear 51 rotates around the central axis J1 together with the first gear 41 in conjunction with the vehicle's wheels. A plurality of teeth 51a are provided on the outer periphery of the parking gear 51, arranged circumferentially. The teeth 51a protrude radially outward toward the central axis J1. In the following locked state, the teeth 51a engage with the protrusions 52a.

[0137] <Rachip> The pawl shaft 50t extends along the support shaft J4, which is parallel to the central axis J1. That is, the pawl shaft 50t is a shaft parallel to the second shaft 44. The pawl shaft 50t supports the parking pawl 52 so that it can rotate.

[0138] In this embodiment, the pawl shaft 50t is orthogonal to the rotation shaft 57. According to this embodiment, compared to the case where the rotation shaft 57 and the pawl shaft 50t extend parallel to each other, the shafts can be arranged in a three-dimensional manner, and the parking mechanism 50 can be miniaturized as a whole.

[0139] A torsion spring 50s is mounted on the pawl shaft 50t. The torsion spring 50s has: a coil-shaped spring body 50sc; and a first foot 50sa and a second foot 50sb extending from both ends of the spring body 50sc.

[0140] like Figure 3 As shown, the pawl shaft 50t is inserted into the spring body 50sc. The first foot 50sa contacts the outer side of the collection container 84. On the other hand, as... Figure 6 As shown, the second foot 50sb is hooked into the spring hook hole 52h provided in the parking pawl 52. The torsion spring 50s applies a spring force to the parking pawl 52 in the direction that causes the front end to retract toward the bushing 56.

[0141] According to this embodiment, a portion of the collection container 84 is positioned directly below the pawl shaft 50t, and contacts the first foot 50sa of the torsion spring 50s on its outer side. Thus, the collection container 84 supports the first foot 50sa, and the torsion spring 50s can apply a directional elastic force to the parking pawl 52. Furthermore, compared to having a separate portion on the housing 6 for supporting the first foot 50sa, utilizing the outer side of the collection container 84 reduces the cost required for machining the housing 6.

[0142] Another example is the position where the first foot 50sa of the torsion spring 50s is hooked onto the outer side of the collection container 84. The first foot 50sa can also be hooked onto any position on the outer side of the collection container 84, for example, it can be positioned above the pawl shaft 50t.

[0143] Parking pawl like Figure 6 As shown, the parking pawl 52 is disposed on the side of the parking gear 51. The parking pawl 52 has a base end portion 52d, a parking pawl body portion 52b extending obliquely downward from the base end portion 52d, a cam contact portion 52c, and a protrusion 52a.

[0144] Viewed axially from the central axis J1, the parking pawl body 52b is disposed between the parking gear 51 and the bushing 56. A protrusion 52a is provided on the surface of the parking pawl body 52b facing the parking gear 51. On the other hand, a cam contact portion 52c is provided on the surface of the parking pawl body 52b facing the bushing 56. The cam contact portion 52c is located at the front end of the parking pawl 52. The protrusion 52a is located between the base end portion 52d and the cam contact portion 52c in the longitudinal direction of the parking pawl 52.

[0145] The parking pawl 52 has a support hole 52k centered on the support axis J4 at its base end 52d. A pawl shaft 50t is inserted into the support hole 52k. Thus, the parking pawl 52 is supported by the pawl shaft 50t at its base end 52d and can rotate about the support axis J4 via the pawl shaft 50t.

[0146] A protrusion 52a protrudes from the parking pawl body 52b toward the parking gear 51. The protrusion 52a is opposite to the tooth 51a of the parking gear 51. By rotating the parking pawl 52 about the pawl axis 50t, the protrusion 52a moves toward and away from the parking gear 51.

[0147] The parking pawl 52 can be in any of the following states: locked, unlocked, or standby. The locked and unlocked states transition between each other as the operator performs actions. The standby state is present during the transition from the unlocked to the locked state when the operator performs an operation to switch from the unlocked to the locked state.

[0148] The locked state is a state in which the protrusion 52a engages with the parking gear 51, thus preventing the rotation of the parking gear 51. In the locked state of the parking mechanism 50, the protrusion 52a is engaged with the teeth 51a of the parking gear 51.

[0149] The unlocked state is the state in which the protrusion 52a is disengaged from the parking gear 51 and the parking gear 51 is released from its lock, allowing the parking gear 51 to rotate. In the unlocked state of the parking mechanism 50, the protrusion 52a retracts radially outward from between the teeth 51a toward the central axis J1.

[0150] The standby state is when the protrusion 52a is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the tooth 51a of the parking gear 51 and waits to become locked. In the standby state, the parking gear 51 rotates, and when the gap of the tooth 51a matches that of the protrusion 52a, the protrusion 52a meshes with the tooth 51a, changing to a locked state.

[0151] The cam contact portion 52c is located inside the bushing notch portion 56e (see reference). Figure 7 The parking pawl 52 rotates around the support axis J4 at the cam contact portion 52c under the force of the cam 53. That is, the parking pawl 52 moves along with the movement of the cam 53.

[0152] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the parking pawl 52 is disposed above the parking gear 51. Therefore, compared to the case where the parking pawl 52 is disposed horizontally relative to the parking gear 51, the increase in the size of the gear storage portion 82 in the horizontal direction can be suppressed. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the vertical positions of the parking pawl 52 and the parking gear 51 overlap with the vertical positions of the third gear 46g. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the excessive protrusion of the upper and lower ends of the parking pawl 52 and the parking gear 51 relative to the third gear 46g in the vertical direction. As a result, it is possible to suppress the increase in the size of the gear storage portion 82 in the vertical direction.

[0153] According to this embodiment, the third gear 46g, the collection container 84, and the transmission part 50A of the parking mechanism 50 are arranged in a horizontal direction. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the collection container 84 and the transmission part 50A from protruding significantly in the vertical direction relative to the upper and lower ends of the third gear 46g, and the drive device 1 can be miniaturized in the vertical direction.

[0154] According to this embodiment, the first protrusion 10 of the housing 6 is located above the parking gear 51. According to this embodiment, a part of the parking mechanism 50 disposed above the parking gear 51 can be housed by the first protrusion 10, which can efficiently utilize the area above the parking gear 51 and reduce the size of the drive unit 1 in the vertical direction.

[0155] According to this embodiment, the parking pawl 52 is disposed on one axial side (+Y side) relative to the transmission part 50A, and overlaps with the first protrusion 10 when viewed from the axial direction. According to this embodiment, by arranging the parking pawl 52 and the transmission part 50A in the axial direction, it is possible to suppress the large size of the parking mechanism 50 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and the vehicle longitudinal direction (X-axis direction). As a result, the projected area of ​​the drive device 1 when viewed from the axial direction can be reduced.

[0156] According to this embodiment, the collection container 84 is located above the second gear section 48, and the vertical position of the parking pawl 52 overlaps with the vertical position of the second gear section 48. Therefore, the parking pawl 52, which is part of the parking mechanism 50, and the collection container 84 can be arranged horizontally. According to this embodiment, the upward protrusion of the collection container 84 or the parking mechanism 50 relative to other components within the gear storage section 82 can be suppressed, and the drive unit 1 can be miniaturized in the vertical direction.

[0157] According to this embodiment, the collection container 84 is located above the second gear section 48, and the transmission section 50A is located above the first gear 41. Therefore, compared to the case where the transmission section 50A is arranged horizontally relative to the first gear 41, the size of the gear storage section 82 in the horizontal direction can be suppressed. According to this embodiment, the upper space of the first gear 41 with a relatively small diameter can be effectively utilized, thereby achieving miniaturization of the drive device 1.

[0158] <Support of Bushing> Next, the support of bushing 56 will be described in detail. Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view showing the bushing 56 and a portion of the housing 6 that holds the bushing 56. The bushing 56 has an annular portion 56a, an arc portion 56b, and an anti-rotation portion 56c. The annular portion 56a is annular about the bushing axis J6. The annular portion 56a surrounds the front end 54ca of the cam rod 54 from the radially outer side of the bushing axis J6.

[0159] like Figure 8 As shown, the arc portion 56b is connected to the other axial side (-Y side) of the annular portion 56a. The arc portion 56b extends in an arc shape centered on the bushing axis J6. The axial length of the arc portion 56b is greater than the axial length of the annular portion 56a. A bushing notch 56e is provided in the area surrounded by the circumferential end faces of the arc portion 56b relative to the bushing axis J6 and the end face of one axial side of the annular portion 56a. The cam rod 54 disposed in the bushing 56 protrudes radially outward from the bushing axis J6 at the bushing notch 56e and contacts the parking pawl 52.

[0160] The anti-rotation portion 56c protrudes radially outward relative to the annular portion 56a toward the bushing axis J6. The anti-rotation portion 56c is disposed in the region where the arcuate portion 56b is provided in the circumferential direction around the bushing axis J6.

[0161] In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the arc portion 56b is larger than the outer diameter of the annular portion 56a. By making the outer diameter of the arc portion 56b larger than that of the annular portion 56a, the arc portion 56b can be strongly and tightly attached to the retaining surface of the housing 6 when held in the housing 6. This improves the stability of the housing 6 in holding the bushing 56. Furthermore, an anti-rotation portion 56c is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 56a. The closer the outer diameter of the annular portion 56a is to the inner diameter of the insertion portion (retaining recess 85) of the housing 6, the more difficult it is to install the annular portion 56a relative to the housing 6. According to this embodiment, by making the outer diameter of the annular portion 56a smaller than that of the arc portion 56b, the positioning of the anti-rotation portion 56c and the installation process to the housing 6 can be made easier.

[0162] In this embodiment, the axial dimension of the arcuate portion 56b is larger than the axial dimension of the first portion 53a of the cam 53. If the axial dimension of the arcuate portion 56b is too short, the first portion 53a may not be stably supported at the arcuate portion 56b when receiving load from the cam 53. According to this embodiment, by making the arcuate portion 56b larger axially than the first portion 53a of the cam 53, the first portion 53a of the cam 53 can be stably supported at the arcuate portion 56b even when receiving load from the cam 53.

[0163] The partition wall portion 66 of the outer casing body 6B is provided with a retaining recess 85 for retaining the bushing 56, and a bushing guide portion 87a and an extension wall portion 87e of the first wall portion 87 protruding from the inner edge of the retaining recess 85 toward the other side (-Y side) in the axial direction.

[0164] The recess 85 is kept open to the other axial side (-Y side) of the central axis J1. That is, the recess 85 is kept open to the gear cover 6C side. The recess 85 holds the arcuate portion 56b of the bushing 56.

[0165] The bushing guide portion 87a and the extended wall portion 87e of the first wall portion 87 extend in an arc shape centered on the bushing axis J6. In the circumferential direction of the bushing axis J6, the area where the bushing guide portion 87a and the extended wall portion 87e are provided coincides with the area where the arc portion 56b of the bushing 56 is provided.

[0166] like Figure 7 As shown, the bushing 56 has a front end face 56t facing the other side (-Y side) in the axial direction. The front end face 56t is covered from the other side (-Y side) in the axial direction by the second wall portion 88 of the gear cover 6C. That is, the gear cover 6C is provided with a second wall portion (anti-detachment wall portion) 88 that covers the side of the bushing 56 facing the other side (-Y side) in the axial direction (front end face 56t).

[0167] In this embodiment, the bushing 56 is inserted into a retaining recess 85 provided in the housing body 6B and opening towards one axial side (+Y side). Furthermore, the front end face 56t of the bushing 56 is covered from the other axial side (-Y side) by the second wall portion 88 of the gear cover 6C. This prevents the bushing 56 from detaching from the retaining recess 85. In this embodiment, the bushing 56 is fixed to the housing 6 by two components constituting the housing 6 (the housing body 6B and the gear cover 6C). According to this embodiment, the number of components can be reduced compared to the case where additional fixing components are provided in the housing 6. Moreover, the assembler completes the fixing of the bushing 56 by inserting the bushing 56 into the retaining recess 85 and assembling the housing body 6B and the gear cover 6C; therefore, the assembly process is simplified compared to fixing the bushing 56 with fasteners such as screws.

[0168] According to this embodiment, the second wall portion 88 covering the front end face 56t of the bushing 56 is a part of the first dividing wall portion 89 that divides the vent chamber R8 inside the gear housing portion 82. That is, the second wall portion 88 has the function of being part of the first dividing wall portion 89 and the function of being an anti-detachment wall portion. According to this embodiment, the spaces disposed inside the gear housing portion 82 can be compactly arranged, and the gear housing portion 82 can be miniaturized. In addition, by giving the second wall portion 88 multiple functions, the processing cost of the housing 6 can be reduced compared to the case where walls with each function are provided separately.

[0169] In this embodiment, the second wall portion 88 covers at least a portion of the front end face 56t of the bushing 56. Furthermore, the first wall portion 87, which together with the second wall portion 88 forms the first dividing wall portion 89, surrounds at least a portion of the bushing 56. That is, the bushing 56 is surrounded and supported by the first wall portion 87 and the second wall portion 88, which together form the first dividing wall portion 89. Therefore, the bushing 56 can be stably supported by the housing 6.

[0170] In this embodiment, the front end face 56t of the bushing 56 is positioned further axially (to the +Y side) than the first mating surface 87f of the first wall portion 87 facing the opposite axial direction (-Y side). The first mating surface 87f of the first wall portion 87 and the second mating surface 88f of the second wall portion 88 facing the axial direction (+Y side) are axially opposite each other. The first mating surface 87f and the second mating surface 88f are in contact with each other. When the front end face 56t of the bushing 56 is positioned further axially (to the -Y side) than the first mating surface 87f, excessive load may be applied to the bushing 56 when fastening the housing body 6B and the gear cover 6C. According to this embodiment, by setting the axial dimension of the bushing 56 to a height that does not protrude axially from the first wall portion 87, excessive load on the bushing 56 can be suppressed.

[0171] The bushing guide portion 87a of the first wall portion 87 is provided with a notch portion 87t. The notch portion 87t opens axially toward the gear cover 6C. The opening of the notch portion 87t is covered by the second wall portion 88. The notch portion 87t extends with the same width axially along the bushing axis J6. The width dimension of the notch portion 87t is slightly larger than the width dimension of the anti-rotation portion 56c. The anti-rotation portion 56c of the bushing 56 is inserted into the notch portion 87t. Figure 7 As shown, the notch 87t reaches the retaining recess 85.

[0172] According to this embodiment, by inserting the anti-rotation portion 56c of the bushing 56 into the notch 87t opening towards the gear cover 6C, rotation of the bushing 56 within the retaining recess 85 around the bushing axis J6 can be suppressed. This allows the bushing 56 to be positioned circumferentially around the bushing axis J6. Consequently, the opening direction of the bushing notch 56e provided in the bushing 56 can be stabilized, reliably exposing the cam 53 relative to the parking pawl 52.

[0173] Furthermore, while the anti-rotation portion 56c in this embodiment is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 56a, the structure of the anti-rotation portion 56c is not limited to this embodiment. The anti-rotation portion 56c can simply protrude radially outward from the annular portion 56a; for example, it can also be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the arc portion 56b. Additionally, the radially outer end of the anti-rotation portion 56c can be located radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 56a.

[0174] like Figure 7 As shown, a second protrusion (protrusion) 82g protruding in the axial direction is provided on the surface of the outer casing 6B facing the axial side (+Y side). In this embodiment, the second protrusion 82g is provided on the surface of the partition wall portion 66 facing the axial side. When viewed from the axial direction, the second protrusion 82g is circular. Furthermore, the second protrusion 82g overlaps with the aforementioned retaining recess 85 when viewed from the axial direction. A second storage space (storage space) 82h is provided inside the second protrusion 82g. The second storage space 82h is a recess provided on the surface of the partition wall portion 66 facing the other axial side (-Y side). The second protrusion 82g is provided at the bottom of the retaining recess 85. The second protrusion 82g can accommodate the front end 54ca of the cam rod 54.

[0175] According to this embodiment, the partition wall 66 of the housing body 6B protrudes axially to accommodate the front end 54ca of the cam rod 54. This allows the parking mechanism 50 to be positioned inside the housing 6 closer to the motor 2 while ensuring the travel of the cam rod 54. As a result, the drive unit 1 body can be miniaturized axially. Furthermore, by partially protruding only a portion of the partition wall 66 axially to ensure the travel of the cam rod 54, the overall shape of the housing 6 can be miniaturized compared to the case where the entire partition wall 66 is positioned axially to one side.

[0176] like Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, the bushing 56 is positioned closer to the front of the vehicle (+X side, horizontal direction side) than the differential axis J3, intermediate axis J2, and central axis J1. Furthermore, the bushing 56 is positioned higher than the differential axis J3, intermediate axis J2, and central axis J1. The fluid O inside the gear housing 82 is primarily lifted by the third gear 46g rotating around the differential axis J3, and is also partially lifted by the second gear 48 rotating around the intermediate axis J2. According to this embodiment, by arranging the bushing 56 as described above, the bushing 56 can be positioned furthest away from the third gear 46g, and also furthest away from the second gear 48. Furthermore, the bushing 56 in this embodiment is supported by a first dividing wall 89 that surrounds the opening of the ventilator 8, and therefore is located near the ventilator 8. As a result, the ventilator 8 can be moved away from the third gear 46g and the second gear 48, and the flow of fluid O to the opening of the ventilator 8 can be suppressed.

[0177] As described above, the bushing 56 is located on the front side (+X side) and upper side (+Z side) of the vehicle relative to the differential axis J3, intermediate axis J2, and central axis J1. Therefore, the gear of the power transmission section 4 is not arranged directly below the bushing 56. According to this embodiment, the region 82ma directly below the bottom 82m of the bushing 56 is located above the differential axis J3, intermediate axis J2, and central axis J1. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the provision of a space without storage directly below the bushing 56, which serves as the interior of the gear storage section 82, and to miniaturize the drive unit 1. Furthermore, by partially arranging the bottom 82m of the gear storage section 82 on the upper side, it is easy to raise the fluid level O inside the gear storage section 82, and the lifting of the fluid O by each gear of the power transmission section 4 can be performed efficiently. In addition, a portion of the fluid O scattered by the lifting of the fluid O by each gear reaches the bushing 56 and lubricates the bushing 56, reducing the sliding resistance between it and the cam 53. In addition, the opening of the ventilator 8 is located in the space divided by the first dividing wall portion 89 and the second dividing wall portion 86, so that the scattered fluid O is not easily reached.

[0178] like Figure 3 As shown by the imaginary line (double-dotted line), a supply path 6f extending from the collection container 84 to the bushing 56 may also be provided on the housing 6. The supply path 6f may be, for example, a through hole extending from the collection container 84 to the retaining recess 85 of the retaining bushing 56. Alternatively, a portion of the supply path 6f may include a rib protruding from the partition wall 66 toward the internal space of the gear receiving portion 82. In this case, the fluid O flowing from the collection container 84 reaches the bushing 56 along the upper side of the rib. The fluid O supplied to the bushing 56 reduces the sliding resistance between the bushing 56 and the cam 53.

[0179] Various embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above. However, each embodiment and each structure and combination thereof in the modifications are examples, and structural additions, omissions, substitutions, and other changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Moreover, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

[0180] For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the retaining recess of the retaining bushing is provided in the outer shell body, and the anti-detachment wall portion covering the front end face of the bushing is provided in the gear cover, has been described. However, it is also possible that the retaining recess is provided in the gear cover, and the anti-detachment wall portion is provided in the outer shell body.

Claims

1. A driving device, characterized in that, have: A motor that rotates about a central axis; A power transmission unit that transmits power to the motor; Parking facilities; as well as The housing has a gear housing for accommodating the power transmission unit and the parking mechanism. The power transmission unit has at least one shaft. The parking mechanism has the following features: A parking gear, wherein the parking gear is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft; A parking pawl, wherein the parking pawl is provided with a protrusion that meshes with the parking gear; A transmission unit that transmits power to the parking pawl; and Cylindrical bushing, The transmission unit has: A cam rod, the cam rod being axially driven along the central axis; and A cam, mounted on the cam rod, actuates the parking pawl. The cam is guided by the bushing. The gear housing is equipped with a vent and a dividing wall. The vent connects the inside and outside of the gear housing. The dividing wall portion divides the space of the vent opening inside the gear receiving portion. The gear storage section has: First outer casing component; as well as A second housing component is disposed on one axial side of the first housing component and is connected to the first housing component. The second housing component is provided with a retaining recess that opens toward the other axial side and retains the bushing from one axial side. The first housing component is provided with an anti-detachment wall portion that covers the side of the bushing facing the opposite axial direction. The anti-detachment wall section is part of the dividing wall section.

2. The driving device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dividing wall portion has: a first wall portion, which is part of the second housing component; and a second wall portion, which is part of the first housing component. At least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the bushing is surrounded by the first wall portion. At least a portion of the end face of the bushing facing the other side of the axial direction is covered by the second wall portion.

3. The driving device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bushing has: An annular portion, the annular portion being centered on the bushing axis; and An anti-rotation portion, which protrudes radially outward relative to the annular portion toward the bushing axis. A notch is provided in the first wall portion, and the anti-rotation portion is inserted into the notch.

4. The driving device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bushing has an arcuate portion that connects to the other axial side of the annular portion and extends in an arcuate shape centered on the bushing axis. The outer diameter of the arc portion is larger than the outer diameter of the annular portion.

5. The driving device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cam has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion having circular cross-sections respectively, and the first portion and the second portion are arranged coaxially. The second portion is located on the front end side of the cam rod relative to the first portion. The outer diameter of the second part is smaller than the outer diameter of the first part. The axial dimension of the arc portion is larger than the axial dimension of the first portion.

6. The driving device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The second housing component has a protrusion on its axially facing side, which overlaps with the retaining recess when viewed from the axial direction. The protrusion has a storage space inside that can accommodate the front end of the cam rod.

7. The driving device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The power transmission unit has: The shaft that rotates about the central axis; A first gear is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft; The second gear section has a large-diameter gear and a small-diameter gear. The large-diameter gear meshes with the first gear. The diameter of the small-diameter gear is smaller than the diameter of the large-diameter gear. The small-diameter gear and the large-diameter gear rotate together around a central axis. as well as A differential mechanism having a third gear that meshes with the minor diameter gear and rotates about the differential axis. An upward-opening collection container is disposed inside the gear storage section. The parking gear is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft. The third gear, the collecting container, and the transfer unit are arranged in a horizontal direction.

8. The driving device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The collection container is located on the upper side of the second gear section. The transmission part is located on the upper side of the first gear.

9. The driving device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The outer casing is provided with a supply path extending from the collection container to the bushing.

10. The driving device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The bushing is positioned on a horizontal side relative to the differential axis, the intermediate axis, and the central axis. The bushing is positioned above the differential axis, the intermediate axis, and the central axis.

11. The driving device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The gear storage section has a bottom that covers the internal space from below. The area directly below the bushing at the bottom is located above the differential axis, the intermediate axis, and the central axis.

12. The driving device according to claim 7, characterized in that, An upward-opening collection container is disposed inside the gear storage section. The parking mechanism has the following features: Pawl shaft, the pawl shaft supporting the parking pawl so as to be rotatable; and A torsion spring, the torsion spring being mounted on the pawl shaft, The torsion spring has: The first foot contacts the outer side of the collection container; as well as The second foot is hooked onto the parking pawl.

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