Vehicle drive device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle drive device having a smaller configuration in which a rotating electrical machine, an output member, a power transmission mechanism, an inverter module, and a power supply module are housed in the same housing. The offset gear mechanism of the power transmission mechanism is disposed on the other shaft in the orthogonal direction with respect to the shaft on which the rotating electrical machine and the output member are disposed. The rotating electric machine and the power transmission mechanism are disposed in the first housing chamber, and the inverter module and the power supply module are disposed in the second housing chamber. The second housing chamber is provided with: an upper region which is located on the upper side with respect to the rotating electrical machine and overlaps the rotating electrical machine when viewed in the vertical direction; and a side region that does not overlap with the rotating electrical machine when viewed in the vertical direction with respect to the rotating electrical machine on a first side in the direction orthogonal to the axis, and that overlaps with the offset gear mechanism when viewed in the axial direction. At least a part of the inverter module is disposed in the upper region, and at least a part of the power supply module is disposed in the side region.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle driving device. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-48748 discloses a vehicle drive device in which a rotating electric machine (11A) serving as a driving force source for wheels is housed in a housing (13), a transmission (12) transmitting power from the rotating electric machine (11A) to an output shaft (15), a power module (25) supplying high-voltage direct current from a battery to drive the rotating electric machine (11A), an ECU (26) controlling the power module (25), and a voltage converter (29) stepping down the high-voltage direct current supplied from the battery and supplying low-voltage direct current to the ECU (26) (in the background art, the symbols in parentheses are symbols of the referenced document.). The power module (25) and the ECU (26) also constitute a power drive unit (28) together with a capacitor module (27) for smoothing the direct current from the battery.

[0003] The rotating shaft (14) and the output shaft (15) of the rotating motor (11A) are independent shafts parallel to each other. Therefore, it is considered that the gear used to transmit power between the rotating shaft (14) and the output shaft (15) is arranged on another shaft parallel to the rotating shaft (14) and the output shaft (15). Or it is considered that power is transmitted between the rotating shaft (14) and the output shaft (15) through a belt, a chain, etc. In addition, the power drive unit (28) is stored in the first storage chamber (21) in the housing (13), and the voltage converter (29) is stored in the second storage chamber (22) in the housing (13). The first storage chamber (21) is arranged above the rotating motor (11A), and the second storage chamber (22) is arranged on the side of the first storage chamber (21).

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-48748

[0005] As described above, when the first storage chamber (21) and the second storage chamber (22) are separated, it is necessary to ensure the storage space of the first storage chamber (21) according to the size of the power drive unit (28), and to ensure the storage space of the second storage chamber (22) according to the size of the voltage converter (29), and the miniaturization of the housing (13), that is, the miniaturization of the vehicle drive device is limited. On the contrary, if the power drive unit (28) is constructed according to the storage space of the first storage chamber (21), and the voltage converter (29) is constructed according to the storage space of the second storage chamber (22), it is often difficult to ensure the performance required by the circuit, or it is necessary to use expensive components to form the circuit for miniaturization. That is, when the first storage chamber (21) and the second storage chamber (22) are separated, there is a tendency for the flexibility of the configuration and structure of the power drive unit (28) and the voltage converter (29) to decrease. Summary of the invention

[0006] In view of the above background, it is desired to construct a more compact vehicle drive device that accommodates a rotating electric machine, an output member, a power transmission mechanism that transmits driving force between the rotating electric machine and the output member, a circuit module that drives and controls the rotating electric machine, and a power module in the same housing.

[0007] In view of the above situation, the vehicle drive device comprises: a rotating motor having a rotor; an output member drivingly connected to a wheel; a power transmission mechanism transmitting a driving force between the rotating motor and the output member; an inverter module for driving and controlling the rotating motor; a power module electrically connected to a vehicle battery and comprising at least one of a voltage conversion circuit for converting a voltage of the vehicle battery, a charging circuit for charging the vehicle battery from an external power source, and a power supply circuit for supplying power from the vehicle battery to the outside; and a housing comprising a first storage chamber for accommodating the rotating motor and the power transmission mechanism, and a second storage chamber for accommodating the inverter module and the power module, wherein the direction along the rotation axis of the rotor, i.e., the rotor axis, is defined as an axial direction, and the direction orthogonal to the rotor axis when viewed in the vertical direction is defined as an axial direction. In the orthogonal direction, one side of the above-mentioned axial orthogonal direction is set as the first side of the axial orthogonal direction, the rotation axis of the above-mentioned output component, that is, the output axis, is coaxially arranged with the above-mentioned rotor axis, and the above-mentioned power transmission mechanism includes an offset gear mechanism arranged on an offset axis relative to the above-mentioned rotor axis and the above-mentioned output axis located on the first side of the above-mentioned axial orthogonal direction. The above-mentioned second storage chamber includes: in the vehicle-mounted state mounted on the vehicle, an area that is on the upper side relative to the above-mentioned rotating motor and overlaps with the above-mentioned rotating motor when viewed in the up and down direction, that is, an upper area, and an area that is on the first side of the above-mentioned axial orthogonal direction relative to the above-mentioned rotating motor and does not overlap with the above-mentioned rotating motor when viewed in the up and down direction and overlaps with the above-mentioned offset gear mechanism when viewed in the above-mentioned axial direction, that is, a lateral area, at least a portion of the above-mentioned inverter module is arranged in the above-mentioned upper area, and at least a portion of the above-mentioned power module is arranged in the above-mentioned lateral area.

[0008] According to this structure, since the power module and the circuit module for driving and controlling the rotating electric machine, that is, the inverter module, are stored in one second storage chamber, for example, it is possible to realize the commonality of components in the inverter module and the power module. Therefore, it is easy to realize the reduction of the number of components and the weight of the inverter module and the power module. In addition, according to this structure, the inverter module is arranged in the upper area on the upper side relative to the rotating electric machine in the second storage chamber, and the power module is arranged in the side area on the first side of the axis orthogonal direction relative to the rotating electric machine in the second storage chamber. That is, compared with the structure in which both the inverter module and the power module are arranged in the area on the upper side relative to the rotating electric machine, it is easy to realize the miniaturization of the vehicle drive device in the up-down direction. Moreover, according to this structure, by configuring the offset gear mechanism, the power module can be configured using the space generated on the first side of the axis orthogonal direction relative to the rotating electric machine. Therefore, it is easy to suppress the enlargement of the vehicle drive device caused by having a power module in addition to the rotating electric machine, the output component, the power transmission mechanism and the inverter module. That is, according to this structure, a vehicle drive device can be constructed in a smaller size, which accommodates a rotating motor, an output component, a power transmission mechanism that transmits driving force between the rotating motor and the output component, a circuit module that drives and controls the rotating motor, and a power module in the same housing.

[0009] Further features and advantages of the vehicle drive device will become apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 It is a schematic exploded perspective view of a vehicle drive device.

[0011] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a vehicle drive device.

[0012] Figure 3 It is a schematic circuit block diagram of a vehicle drive device.

[0013] Figure 4 is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of a power module.

[0014] Figure 5 is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of power system components.

[0015] Figure 6 It is a schematic plan view of the vehicle drive device in a state where the third cover is removed.

[0016] Figure 7 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle drive device viewed from a first axial side.

[0017] Figure 8 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle drive device viewed from a first axial side.

[0018] Fig. 9 It is a schematic four-view diagram of a vehicle drive device.

[0019] Description of Reference Numerals

[0020] 1: Vehicle drive device, 2: ECU (common component), 3: Counter gear mechanism (bias gear mechanism), 5: Inverter module, 7: Power module, 7T: Target part, 8: Rotating electric machine, 9: Case, 44: Differential side gear (output component), 50: Inverter, 61: First DC link capacitor (common component), 62: Second DC link capacitor (common component), 63: Third DC link capacitor (common component), 81: Rotor, 88: Rotor shaft, A1 : First axis (rotor axis, output axis), A2: Second axis (offset axis), BH: High voltage battery (on-board battery), DS: Drive shaft (output component), E2: Second storage chamber, E3: Upper area, E4: Side area, E5: Connection area, E6: Outer area, L: Axial direction, L1: Axial first side, L2: Axial second side, TM: Power transmission mechanism, W: Wheel, Y: Axis-orthogonal direction, Y1: Axis-orthogonal first side, Z: Up and down direction, Z1: Upper side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle drive device will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the vehicle drive device 1, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle drive device 1, Figure 3 FIG. 1 shows a schematic circuit block diagram of a vehicle drive device 1. Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle drive device 1 includes: a rotating electric machine 8 having a rotor 81, an output member (drive shaft DS, differential side gear 44) drivingly connected to the wheel W, a power transmission mechanism TM for transmitting driving force between the rotating electric machine 8 and the output member, an inverter module 5, a power module 7, and a housing 9. The inverter module 5 is a circuit module for driving and controlling the rotating electric machine 8. The power module 7 is a circuit module of a power supply system electrically connected to the vehicle battery (high-voltage battery BH). The housing 9 includes a housing body 91, a first side cover 92, a second side cover 93, and an upper cover 94, and a storage space is formed in the space surrounded by the housing body 91, the first side cover 92, the second side cover 93, and the upper cover 94.

[0022] In addition, in this specification, "drive connection" refers to the state of connecting two rotating members in a way that can transmit driving force, including the state of connecting the two rotating members in a way that can rotate as a whole, or the state of connecting the two rotating members in a way that can transmit driving force via one or more transmission parts. As such transmission parts, various parts that transmit rotation at the same speed or at a variable speed are included, such as shafts, gear mechanisms, belts, chains, etc. In addition, as transmission parts, engaging devices that selectively transmit rotation and driving force may also be included, such as friction engaging devices, meshing engaging devices, etc. In addition, in this specification, "integrated rotation" refers to integral rotation regardless of whether it can be separated or not. That is, multiple components that rotate as a whole can be formed integrally by the same component, or they can be composed of different components and integrated by welding, spline connection, etc. In addition, in this specification, with respect to the configuration of two components, "overlapping when observed in a specific direction" refers to the situation where the region where the imaginary straight line intersects with both members at least partially exists when an imaginary straight line parallel to the line of sight is moved in directions orthogonal to the imaginary straight line.

[0023] In the present embodiment, the direction along the rotation axis of the rotor 81, that is, the rotor axis (first axis A1) is set as the axial direction L. In addition, one side of the axial direction L is set as the axial first side L1, and the other side is set as the axial second side L2. In addition, in the present embodiment, the direction along the vertical direction in the state of being mounted on the vehicle in a standard posture is set as the up-down direction Z, the upper side of the up-down direction Z is set as the upper side Z1, and the lower side is set as the lower side Z2. In other words, the up-down direction Z is a direction of the vehicle drive device 1, and it is consistent with the vertical direction when the vehicle drive device 1 is mounted on the vehicle in a standard posture. Therefore, when the vehicle drive device 1 is mounted on the vehicle in an inclined posture relative to the standard, the up-down direction Z is often inconsistent with the vertical direction. The situation where the inclination angle exceeds 90 degrees is not excluded. In addition, the direction orthogonal to the rotor axis (first axis A1) when viewed in the up-down direction Z is set as the axis orthogonal direction Y, one side of the axis orthogonal direction Y is set as the axis orthogonal direction first side Y1, and the other side is set as the axis orthogonal direction second side Y2.

[0024] like Figure 2As shown in the schematic diagram of , the rotating electric machine 8 is an inner rotor type rotating electric machine including a stator 82 fixed to a housing 9 and a rotor 81 arranged on the radial inner side of the stator 82. A stator coil 83 is wound on the stator 82. The rotor 81 is connected to a rotor shaft 88 arranged on the radial inner side of the rotor 81, and the rotor 81 and the rotor shaft 88 rotate integrally. In the present embodiment, the rotor shaft 88 is a hollow cylindrical member, and as described later, the drive shaft DS (as described later, it can also be a connecting member) passes through the radial inner side of the rotor shaft 88. The rotor shaft 88, the rotor 81, and the drive shaft DS are arranged on the first axis A1. The input gear 89 is integrally formed on the rotor shaft 88. The input gear 89 can also be integrally formed by the same member as the rotor shaft 88, or it can be formed by other members and connected by welding or the like.

[0025] The input gear 89 meshes with the first reverse gear 31. The first reverse gear 31 rotates integrally with the second reverse gear 32, which has a smaller diameter than the first reverse gear 31. As a result, the rotation transmitted from the rotor shaft 88 to the first reverse gear 31 via the input gear 89 is decelerated and output from the second reverse gear 32. The first reverse gear 31 and the second reverse gear 32 constitute a reverse gear mechanism 3 that functions as a speed reducer. The reverse gear mechanism 3 is arranged on a second axis A2 that is parallel to the first axis A1 and different from the first axis A1. Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 As shown, the second axis A2 is located on the first side Y1 in the axially orthogonal direction relative to the first axis A1. Therefore, the second axis A2 can be called an offset axis that is offset to the first side Y1 in the axially orthogonal direction relative to the first axis A1 (rotor axis, and the output axis described later). In addition, the reverse gear mechanism 3 arranged on the second axis A2 (offset axis) can be called an offset gear mechanism. In addition, in the present embodiment, the reverse gear mechanism 3 is arranged on the first axial side L1 relative to the rotating motor 8.

[0026] The second counter gear 32 meshes with the input gear (differential input gear) for the differential gear mechanism 4, that is, the differential ring gear 41. Since it is a well-known structure, the illustration is omitted. The differential gear mechanism 4 is a bevel gear type differential gear mechanism, which includes a differential pinion of a bevel gear and a differential side gear 44. The differential pinion is supported by the differential case and supported by a pinion shaft arranged in a radially extending manner so as to be rotatable. The pinion shaft rotates integrally with the differential case, and the differential pinion is configured to be able to rotate around the pinion shaft as the center and to be able to revolve around the rotation axis of the differential case (here, the first axis A1) as the center. Multiple pinion shafts are arranged radially (for example, in a cross shape) around the rotation axis of the differential case, and a differential pinion is installed on each of the multiple pinion shafts. The differential case accommodates pinions, differential side gears 44, and pinion shafts inside. The differential case rotates integrally with the differential ring gear 41.

[0027] The pair of differential side gears 44 are separately arranged on the axial first side L1 and the axial second side L2. Each of the pair of differential side gears 44 meshes with each of the plurality of pinion gears and is arranged to rotate around the rotation axis of the differential case. Figure 2 As shown, the differential side gear 44 on the axial first side L1 is connected to the drive shaft DS on the axial first side L1 and is drivingly connected to the wheel W on the axial first side L1. The differential side gear 44 on the axial second side L2 is connected to the drive shaft DS on the axial second side L2 and is drivingly connected to the wheel W on the axial second side L2. In addition, the differential gear mechanism 4 is arranged on the axial first side L1 relative to the rotating electric machine 8, so the drive shaft DS on the axial second side L2 passes through the radial inner side of the hollow cylindrical rotor shaft 88 and extends further to the axial second side L2 than the rotating electric machine 8. The drive shaft DS on the axial second side L2 may also be composed of a component (so-called drive shaft) that is drivingly connected to the wheel W, and a connecting component that is connected to the differential side gear 44 and connects the component to the differential side gear 44.

[0028] The differential side gear 44 and the drive shaft DS are equivalent to the output member of the vehicle drive device 1. In the present embodiment, the rotation axis of the output member, that is, the output axis, is also the first axis A1. That is, the vehicle drive device 1 of the present embodiment arranges the rotation axis of the output member, that is, the output axis, on the first axis A1 coaxial with the rotor axis, and the offset gear mechanism is a double-axis structure arranged on the offset axis (second axis A2).

[0029] The rotating electric machine 8 functions as a driving force source for a pair of wheels W. Figure 3 As shown, the rotating electric machine 8 is electrically connected to a high-voltage battery BH, which is a DC power source and is composed of a rechargeable battery such as a lithium battery or an electric double-layer capacitor, via an inverter 50. A first DC link capacitor 61 is provided between the high-voltage battery BH and the inverter 50 and functions as a smoothing capacitor for smoothing the voltage on the DC side of the inverter 50.

[0030] The rotating electric machine 8 has a function as a motor (electric motor) that generates power by receiving power from the high-voltage battery BH, and a function as a generator (generator) that generates power by receiving power from the wheel W side. The rotating electric machine 8 generates driving force by power running using the power stored in the high-voltage battery BH, and generates power by generating driving force transmitted from the side of the pair of wheels W to charge the high-voltage battery BH. The rated voltage of the high-voltage battery BH is about 200 volts to 800 volts.

[0031] As described above, the rotary motor 8 is a driving force source for the wheels, and is a so-called traction rotary motor. Sometimes, in addition to the traction rotary motor, the vehicle also has an auxiliary device rotary motor M that serves as a driving force source for auxiliary devices such as air conditioners and electric oil pumps. In a vehicle that uses only an existing internal combustion engine as a driving force source for the wheels, although the exhaust heat of the internal combustion engine can be used for air conditioning, in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, exhaust heat of the same level as that of the internal combustion engine cannot be expected, and temperature adjustment by a heat pump or the like is required, and there is also a trend of requiring the output of the auxiliary device rotary motor to be larger. In addition, when the vehicle is parked (when the wheels are not rotating), unlike the internal combustion engine that is always in operation such as idling, the traction rotary motor stops when the vehicle is parked. In a mechanical oil pump that draws in and discharges oil through the power of the internal combustion engine, oil for lubrication and cooling cannot be supplied when the vehicle is parked, and an electric oil pump is used, so there is also a trend of requiring the output of the auxiliary device rotary motor to be larger.

[0032] In order to make the auxiliary equipment rotating motor M output a large driving force, the auxiliary equipment rotating motor M is also configured to be supplied with electricity from the high-voltage battery BH, similar to the traction rotating motor. On the other hand, there is a trend that the rated voltage of the high-voltage battery BH becomes higher as the output of the traction rotating motor is required to be larger. Therefore, in the case where the rated voltage of the high-voltage battery BH is too high due to the auxiliary equipment rotating motor M, a voltage conversion circuit is often provided to reduce the voltage of the DC power supplied from the high-voltage battery BH. In the present embodiment, a structure having a first DC-DC converter 75 as such a voltage conversion circuit is illustrated. A second DC link capacitor 62 is also provided on the high-voltage battery BH side of the first DC-DC converter 75 in order to smooth the DC voltage.

[0033] In addition, in the present embodiment, the high-voltage battery BH is configured to be charged not only by the power generated by the rotating motor 8, but also by the power supplied from an external AC power source such as an AC industrial power source with a rated voltage of about 100 volts to 240 volts. Therefore, the high-voltage battery BH is configured to be connected to an external power source through an on-board charging device 70 having a charging circuit. In addition, in recent years, it has been advocated to use batteries mounted on electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles as emergency power sources in times of disasters. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the on-board charging device 70 is configured to have the function of a power supply circuit in addition to the function of a charging circuit. Of course, the on-board charging device 70 may also be configured to have only the function of a charging circuit.

[0034] The above-mentioned emergency power supply is often provided to output AC power to a location connected to an external AC power supply, that is, to the outside of the vehicle. On the other hand, a vehicle may also be provided with an AC power plug in the vehicle interior for supplying power to ordinary household electrical appliances with low power consumption. A power supply circuit for supplying AC power to such an AC power plug may also be provided.

[0035] The vehicle-mounted charging device 70 of this embodiment has: a dual active bridge (DAB: Dual Active Bridge) circuit with a transformer T, which converts the AC power (ACIN) supplied from the external AC power supply side into a first DC power and a second DC power. When viewed from the AC side, the transformer T has a primary side coil and two secondary side coils. For example, a full bridge circuit composed of switching elements is connected to the primary side coil to form a primary side circuit 71. Similarly, the full bridge circuit is connected to the first secondary side coil to form a first secondary side circuit 72, and the full bridge circuit is also connected to the second secondary side coil to form a second secondary side circuit 73.

[0036] The first secondary side circuit 72 generates a first DC power for charging the high voltage battery BH. A third DC link capacitor 63 for smoothing the voltage of the first DC power is provided at the output portion of the first secondary side circuit 72. The second secondary side circuit 73 generates a second DC power having a voltage lower than the first DC power. A fourth DC link capacitor 64 for smoothing the voltage of the second DC power is provided at the output portion of the second secondary side circuit 73.

[0037] like Figure 3 As shown, in addition to the high-voltage battery BH, the vehicle also includes a low-voltage battery BL having a lower rated voltage than the high-voltage battery BH. The rated power supply voltage of the low-voltage battery BL is, for example, about 12 to 24 volts. In the existing vehicle that uses only the internal combustion engine as the driving force source of the wheels W, such a low-voltage battery BL is charged with power generated by the AC generator using the power of the internal combustion engine. In the vehicle of this embodiment that includes the high-voltage battery BH, it is configured to be able to charge the low-voltage battery BL with power supplied from the high-voltage battery BH and the external AC power supply. The low-voltage battery BL can be charged from the high-voltage battery BH via the first secondary side circuit 72, the transformer T, and the second secondary side circuit 73, and can be charged from the external AC power supply via the primary side circuit 71, the transformer T, and the second secondary side circuit 73. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which a second DC-DC converter 76 is provided as a voltage conversion circuit that further steps down the voltage of the second DC power. In addition, the low-voltage battery BL can also be the same as the existing vehicle that uses the internal combustion engine as the driving force source of the wheels, for example, a lead storage battery.

[0038] In this embodiment, refer to Figure 3 As described above, the in-vehicle charging device 70 is configured using the transformer T, so that insulation between the external AC power source, the high voltage battery BH, and the low voltage battery BL can be ensured.

[0039] In addition, the external AC power supply and the on-board charging device 70 are connected via an EMI filter 79 that reduces EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) noise. When the on-board charging device 70 functions as a power supply circuit, AC power (AC OUT) is also output from the on-board charging device 70 via the EMI filter 79. In this embodiment, the power module 7 is formed by including the EMI filter 79, the on-board charging device 70 (charging circuit, power supply circuit), and the voltage conversion circuit (first DC-DC converter 75, second DC-DC converter 76). The power module 7 is not limited to this form, as long as it is configured to have at least one of the charging circuit, the power supply circuit, and the voltage conversion circuit.

[0040] The rotating electric machine control unit drives and controls the rotating electric machine 8 based on the target torque of the rotating electric machine 8 set according to the instruction from the superior control device, that is, the vehicle control device not shown. The rotating electric machine control unit performs switching control on the inverter 50 composed of a plurality of switching elements, so that the inverter 50 converts power between direct current and multi-phase (three-phase in this embodiment) alternating current. In this embodiment, the rotating electric machine control unit, the charging control unit that controls the vehicle-mounted charging device 70, the first voltage conversion control unit that controls the first DC-DC converter 75, the second voltage conversion control unit that controls the second DC-DC converter 76, etc. constitute an ECU 2 (control device).

[0041] ECU2 is constructed with a processor such as a microcomputer as its core, and its operating voltage is 3.3 to 5 volts. The voltage applied to the inverter 50 connected to the high-voltage battery BH is several hundred volts, and the voltage of the switching control signal of the switching elements such as IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) and power MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) constituting the inverter 50 is about 15 volts to 24 volts. Therefore, a drive circuit is provided between ECU2 and the inverter 50 to amplify the voltage of the switching control signal output from ECU2, increase the driving force, and supply it to the inverter 50. Figure 3 Although the drive circuit is not shown in the figure, the inverter module 5 including such a drive circuit is formed with the inverter 50 as the core. The inverter module 5 may be configured to include a control circuit other than the drive circuit and at least a part of the first DC link capacitor 61.

[0042] In this embodiment, the inverter module 5 and the power module 7 constitute a power circuit component PE. Figure 4As shown, the power module 7 is provided with a filter substrate forming an EMI filter 79 at the bottom Z2 in the vertical direction Z, and the vehicle-mounted charger 70 and the second DC-DC converter 76 are provided at the upper side Z1 of the EMI filter 79. Figure 5 as well as Figure 6 As shown, in the power module 7, the inverter module 5, the first DC link capacitor 61, the first DC converter 75, and the ECU 2 are arranged at the uppermost side Z1 in the vertical direction Z. That is, the EMI filter 79 is arranged at the first layer F1 in the vertical direction Z, the on-board charger 70 and the second DC converter 76 are arranged at the second layer F2, and the inverter module 5, the first DC converter 75, the first DC link capacitor 61, and the ECU 2 are arranged at the third layer F3.

[0043] In this embodiment, refer to Figure 5 As described above, the power module 7 is exemplified as including a plurality of substrates arranged in the vertical direction Z. However, the power module 7 may be composed of, for example, an L-shaped substrate, a substrate extending in the vertical direction Z, and a substrate extending in the axial direction L and the axially perpendicular direction Y.

[0044] In addition, Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 Although not shown in the figure, it is preferred that the second DC link capacitor 62, the third DC link capacitor 63, the fourth DC link capacitor 64, etc. are also arranged in the second layer portion F2. The second DC link capacitor 62 can also be arranged in the third layer portion F3. In addition, the first DC link capacitor 61 and the second DC link capacitor 62 can also be used together and formed integrally, or can be arranged in one position. Similarly, the third DC link capacitor 63 can also be used together with either or both of the first DC link capacitor 61 and the second DC link capacitor 62 and formed integrally, or can be arranged in one position. In addition, since the DC link capacitor is large in size, it can also be arranged across the second layer portion F2 and the third layer portion F3.

[0045] Below, also refer to Figure 7 to Figure 9 The following describes how the power circuit assembly PE is stored in the housing 9. Figure 1As shown, the housing 9 includes: a first storage chamber E1 for storing the rotating motor 8 and the power transmission mechanism TM, and a second storage chamber E2 for storing the power circuit assembly PE (inverter module 5 and power module 7). The first storage chamber E1 and the second storage chamber E2 are divided by a partition wall. In the first storage chamber E1, the area for storing the rotating motor 8 and the area for storing the power transmission mechanism are divided by a wall in order to support bearings, etc., but they are connected through a part even when divided. In the present embodiment, the second storage chamber E2 is not divided, and the inverter module and the power module are stored in one chamber, but in a manner that can ensure the path of wiring, etc., as long as they are connected through at least a part, it is also possible to have a wall that partially divides the second storage chamber E2.

[0046] In addition, if Figure 1 , Figure 7 as well as Fig. 9 As shown in the figures, the second storage chamber E2, when mounted on the vehicle, has an upper area E3 which is located on the upper side Z1 relative to the rotating motor 8 and overlaps with the rotating motor 8 when viewed in the up-down direction Z. In addition, the second storage chamber E2 has an area which is located on the first side Y1 in the axially orthogonal direction relative to the rotating motor 8 and does not overlap with the rotating motor 8 when viewed in the up-down direction Z and overlaps with the offset gear mechanism, i.e., the reverse gear mechanism 3 when viewed in the axial direction L. At least a portion of the inverter module 5 is arranged in the upper area E3, and at least a portion of the power module 7 is arranged in the side area E4. As shown in the figures, the second storage chamber E2 has an upper side Z1 relative to the rotating motor 8 and overlaps with the rotating motor 8 when viewed in the up-down direction Z. Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , in the present embodiment, the entire inverter module 5 is disposed in the upper region E3. However, a portion of the inverter module 5 may also be disposed in the connection region E5 described later (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 1 , Figure 7 , Fig. 9 In addition, in the present embodiment, the power module 7 is arranged in the upper area E3, the side area E4, the connection area E5, and the outer area E6 (see Figure 1 , Figure 8 , Fig. 9 wait).

[0047] Since the inverter module 5 and the power module 7 are stored in the second storage chamber E2, Figure 3 The circuit diagram and Figure 5As can be seen from the stereoscopic view, the DC link capacitor, ECU, etc. can be easily shared in the inverter module 5 and the power module 7. Therefore, it is easy to reduce the number of components and the weight of the inverter module 5 and the power module. In addition, since the inverter module 5 is arranged in the upper area E3 and the power module 7 is arranged in the side area E4, it is easy to achieve miniaturization in the vertical direction Z of the vehicle drive device 1 compared with a structure in which both the inverter module 5 and the power module 7 are arranged in an area located on the upper side Z1 relative to the rotating motor 8. In addition, by configuring the reversing gear mechanism 3, the power module 7 can also be configured using the space generated on the first side Y1 in the axial orthogonal direction relative to the rotating motor 8, so even if the power module 7 is provided in addition to the rotating motor 8, the output component, the power transmission mechanism TM and the inverter module 5, it is easy to suppress the enlargement of the vehicle drive device 1.

[0048] The capacitors and inductors used in the power module 7, such as the vehicle-mounted charger 70, including the EMI filter 79, often need to handle large currents and have large capacities. Therefore, there is a tendency for the volume of the capacitors and inductors to increase. According to the present embodiment, it is possible to easily secure a storage space in the vertical direction Z, so that the size of the vehicle drive device 1 can be suppressed from increasing in the vertical direction Z.

[0049] In addition, if Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown in the figure, the dimension of the power module 7 in the vertical direction Z is larger than that of the inverter module 5 , and the dimension of the inverter module 5 in the axially perpendicular direction Y is larger than that of the power module 7 .

[0050] like Fig. 9 As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the area that does not overlap with the rotating motor 8 when viewed in the vertical direction Z on the first side Y1 in the axial orthogonal direction relative to the rotating motor 8, that is, the lateral area E4 overlaps with the counter gear mechanism 3 when viewed in the axial direction L. Therefore, the lateral area E4 can be provided over a wide range of the configuration area of ​​the rotating motor 8 in the vertical direction Z, and even if a wider area is ensured in the vertical direction Z than the upper area E3, it is easy to suppress the expansion of the size of the vehicle drive device 1 in the vertical direction Z. In addition, as Fig. 9 As shown in the figure, the upper region E3 overlapping with the rotating electric machine 8 when viewed in the vertical direction Z can be provided over substantially the entire region in the axis-orthogonal direction Y of the rotating electric machine 8. That is, the upper region E3 can easily ensure an expansion in the axis-orthogonal direction Y corresponding to the diameter of the rotating electric machine 8. In other words, the enlargement of the vehicle drive device 1 is suppressed, and the side region E4 can easily ensure a wider region in the vertical direction Z than the upper region E3, and the upper region E3 can easily ensure a wider region in the axis-orthogonal direction Y than the side region E4.

[0051] According to the present embodiment, at least a portion of the power module 7 having a larger dimension in the vertical direction Z than the inverter module 5 is arranged in the side region E4 where the dimension in the vertical direction Z is easier to ensure than in the upper region E3, so it is easy to achieve miniaturization of the vehicle drive device 1 in the vertical direction Z. In addition, at least a portion of the inverter module 5 having a smaller dimension in the vertical direction Z and a larger dimension in the axial orthogonal direction Y than the power module 7 is arranged in the upper region E3, so it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the vehicle drive device 1 and to appropriately arrange the inverter module 5.

[0052] like Fig. 9 As shown, the upper region E3 and the side region E4 are connected via the connection region E5. That is, the connection region E5 is located on the first side Y1 in the axis-orthogonal direction relative to the upper region E3, and is located on the upper side Z1 in the vertical direction Z relative to the side region E4. In addition, the portion of the upper region E3 on the first side Y1 in the axis-orthogonal direction and the portion of the side region E4 on the upper side Z1 may also be included in the connection region E5. Figure 1 , Figure 5 , Fig. 9 As can be seen, in the present embodiment, common components shared by the inverter module 5 and the power module 7 , such as the ECU 2 and the first DC link capacitor 61 , are arranged in the connection region E5 connecting the upper region E3 and the side region E4 .

[0053] According to this structure, by sharing components in the inverter module 5 and the power module 7, it is easy to reduce the number of components and the weight of the inverter module 5 and the power module 7 added together. In addition, according to this structure, such shared components are arranged in the connection area E5 connecting the upper area E3 and the side area E4, so it is easy to properly connect the shared components to the inverter module 5 and the shared components to the power module 7.

[0054] For example, the first DC link capacitor 61, the second DC link capacitor 62, and the third DC link capacitor 63 can be formed by the same capacitor. By configuring the capacitor in the connection area E5, when the capacitor is shared between the inverter module 5 and the first DC-DC converter 75 of the power module 7, and between the inverter module 5 and the first secondary side circuit 72 of the power module 7, the wiring can be shortened. In addition, the ECU2 performs switching control on the switching elements constituting the inverter 50 and the first DC-DC converter 75, and the switching elements constituting the DAB of the vehicle-mounted charging device 70. By configuring the ECU2 in the connection area E5, the wiring with the ECU2 can be shortened.

[0055] As described above, the pair of differential side gears 44 are equivalent to output members. Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the differential gear 44 is arranged on the first axial side L1 relative to the rotary electric machine 8. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Fig. 9 As shown, the axial dimension L of the reverse gear mechanism 3 as the offset gear mechanism is smaller than the axial dimension L of the rotary motor 8. In addition, the reverse gear mechanism 3 is arranged on the first axial side relative to the rotary motor 8. In addition, at least a part of the offset gear mechanism such as the reverse gear mechanism 3 only needs to be arranged on the first axial side relative to the rotary motor 8. The lateral area E4 is formed on the second axial side L2 relative to the reverse gear mechanism 3. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 , Figure 8 , Fig. 9 As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the second storage chamber E2 further includes an outer region E6 that is continuous with the side region E4 on the first side Y1 in the axially orthogonal direction relative to the side region E4. The object portion 7T (see FIG. 1 ) that is a part of the power module 7 is configured in the outer region E6. Figure 8 The target portion 7T is arranged to overlap the counter gear mechanism 3 when viewed in the axis-orthogonal direction along the axis-orthogonal direction Y. In the present embodiment, the target portion 7T corresponds to a portion arranged on the upper side Z1 of the first layer portion F1 and the second layer portion F2.

[0056] The offset gear mechanism (for example, the counter gear mechanism 3) transmits driving force between the rotating motor 8 and the coaxially arranged output member, so at least a part of it is arranged on the first axial side L1 relative to the rotating motor 8. The lateral area E4 is located in the area overlapping with the offset gear mechanism (counter gear mechanism 3) when viewed in the axial direction L. That is, according to this structure, due to the size and arrangement of the offset gear mechanism (counter gear mechanism 3) relative to the rotating motor 8, the power module 7 can be arranged using the dead zone generated on the first axial side Y1 relative to the rotating motor 8 and on the second axial side L2 relative to the offset gear mechanism (counter gear mechanism 3). Therefore, the enlargement of the vehicle drive device 1 caused by the power module 7 can be effectively suppressed. Moreover, according to this structure, a part of the power module 7 can be arranged using the area that is closer to the first axial side Y1 than the offset gear mechanism (counter gear mechanism 3) and overlaps with the offset gear mechanism when viewed in the axial direction Y. That is, the object part 7T of the power module 7 can be arranged in the outer area E6 continuous with the lateral area E4. Therefore, also in this respect, it is possible to effectively suppress an increase in size of the vehicle drive device 1 due to provision of the power module 7 .

[0057] As described above, the capacitors and inductors used in the power module 7, such as the vehicle-mounted charger 70, including the EMI filter 79, often need to handle large currents and have large capacities. Therefore, although there is a tendency for the volume of capacitors and inductors to increase, according to this embodiment, such components can be appropriately accommodated using the dead space. Therefore, the volume of the vehicle drive device 1 can be limited to a small size and can accommodate more devices.

[0058] [Other implementation methods]

[0059] In addition, the structure of each embodiment described below is not limited to the case where it is applied independently, and it can be combined with the structure of other embodiments and applied as long as there is no contradiction.

[0060] (1) In the above, the counter gear mechanism 3 is exemplified as an offset gear mechanism disposed on the second shaft A2. However, the offset gear mechanism may be a parallel shaft type multi-speed transmission disposed on a plurality of shafts, such as a DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission).

[0061] (2) When the high-voltage battery BH is charged using the on-board charger 70, and when AC power is output from the high-voltage battery BH to the outside of the vehicle using the on-board charger 70, the rotating electrical machine 8 is stopped and the inverter 50 is also stopped. Therefore, any of the dual-active bridge circuits constituting the on-board charger 70 and any of the bridge circuits of the first DC-DC converter 75 can also be used as the inverter 50. In this case, it is preferred that the common component suitable for being arranged in the connection area E5 includes the inverter 50. Similarly, the DC link capacitor can also be used in the on-board charger 70 and the inverter module 5.

[0062] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the vehicle drive device 1 in which the rotating electrical machine 8 , the output member, the power transmission mechanism TM, the inverter module 5 , and the power module 7 are accommodated in the same housing 9 can be configured to be more compact.

Claims

1. A vehicle drive device, characterized in that: have: A rotating electrical machine having a rotor; An output member drivingly connected to the wheels; a power transmission mechanism for transmitting driving force between the rotating electrical machine and the output member; An inverter module, which is used to drive and control the above-mentioned rotating motor; a power module including at least one of a voltage conversion circuit electrically connected to an on-board battery and performing voltage conversion of the on-board battery, a charging circuit for charging the on-board battery from an external power source, and a power supply circuit for supplying power from the on-board battery to the outside; and a housing having a first housing chamber for housing the rotating electrical machine and the power transmission mechanism, and a second housing chamber for housing the inverter module and the power module, The direction along the rotation axis of the rotor, i.e., the rotor axis, is defined as the axial direction, the direction perpendicular to the rotor axis when viewed from top to bottom is defined as the axis-perpendicular direction, and one side of the axis-perpendicular direction is defined as the first side of the axis-perpendicular direction. The output shaft center, i.e., the rotation axis center of the output member, is coaxially arranged with the rotor shaft center. The power transmission mechanism includes an offset gear mechanism disposed on an offset axis located on a first side in the axis-orthogonal direction relative to the rotor axis and the output axis. The second storage chamber comprises: an upper region which is located on the upper side relative to the rotating motor and overlaps with the rotating motor when viewed in the vertical direction when mounted on the vehicle, and a lateral region which is located on the first side in the axially orthogonal direction relative to the rotating motor and does not overlap with the rotating motor when viewed in the vertical direction and overlaps with the offset gear mechanism when viewed in the axial direction, when mounted on the vehicle. At least a portion of the inverter module is disposed in the upper region. At least a portion of the power module is disposed in the side area.

2. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dimension of the power module in the vertical direction is larger than the dimension of the inverter module in the vertical direction. A dimension of the inverter module in the direction perpendicular to the axis is larger than a dimension of the power module in the direction perpendicular to the axis.

3. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Common components common to the inverter module and the power module are arranged in a connection region connecting the upper region and the side region.

4. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The one side in the axial direction is defined as a first side in the axial direction, and the other side in the axial direction is defined as a second side in the axial direction. The output member is arranged on the first side in the axial direction relative to the rotating electrical machine. The axial dimension of the offset gear mechanism is smaller than the axial dimension of the rotating electrical machine. At least a portion of the offset gear mechanism is arranged on the first axial side relative to the rotating electrical machine. The lateral area is formed on the second axial side relative to the offset gear mechanism. The second storage chamber further includes an outer region which is continuous with the side region on a first side in the direction perpendicular to the axis relative to the side region. A part of the power module, namely the target part, is arranged in the outer area. The object portion is arranged so as to overlap with the offset gear mechanism when viewed in the axis-orthogonal direction along the axis-orthogonal direction.

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