Drive device

Abstract

A drive device according to one embodiment includes: a motor having a motor shaft rotatable about a motor axis; a transmission mechanism located on one side in the axial direction of the motor and having a plurality of gears for transmitting the power of the motor; a housing provided with a motor chamber in which the motor is housed and a gear chamber in which the transmission mechanism is housed; and a fluid stored in the housing. The housing includes: a partition wall that partitions the motor chamber and the gear chamber; and a partition wall portion extending in the vertical direction. The partition wall portion divides the gear chamber into a first storage portion and a second storage portion when viewed from the axial direction. Each gear of the transmission mechanism is arranged in the first storage part. The second storage part is open at the upper part. The housing is provided with a flow path connecting the first reservoir and the second reservoir. The partition wall is provided with a partition wall opening connecting the motor chamber and the first storage part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drive device.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-212384 filed in Japan on December 28, 2022, the contents of which are cited here. Background Art

[0003] In recent years, as a drive device mounted on an electric vehicle, a drive device having a housing having a motor chamber for accommodating a motor, a gear chamber for accommodating a transmission mechanism, and a partition wall separating the two chambers is known. In addition, the following structure is disclosed: a fluid such as oil is stored inside such a drive device, and the fluid is lifted up by the gears, thereby providing the fluid to the tooth surfaces of other gears to improve the lubricity of the tooth surfaces.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-106776 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] In the gears of the existing structure, when the liquid level of the fluid in which the gears are immersed becomes higher, the stirring resistance of the gears becomes larger and the rotation efficiency of the gears decreases. On the other hand, when the liquid level of the fluid in which the gears are immersed is too low, it is possible that the gears do not lift the fluid sufficiently. Therefore, in the existing drive device, in order to maintain the liquid level in which the gears are immersed at an appropriate height, a collection container for temporarily storing the fluid is provided in the gear chamber. However, the existing collection container is arranged at the upper part of the gear chamber, so the gear chamber may be enlarged in the vertical direction due to the provision of the collection container.

[0009] One object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a drive device capable of achieving downsizing in the vertical direction.

[0010] Means for solving problems

[0011] A driving device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a motor having a motor shaft that can rotate around a motor axis; a transmission mechanism that is located on one axial side of the motor and has a plurality of gears that transmit the power of the motor; a housing that is provided with a motor chamber that accommodates the motor and a gear chamber that accommodates the transmission mechanism; and a fluid that is stored in the housing. The housing comprises: a partition that divides the motor chamber and the gear chamber; and a partition wall portion that extends in the up-down direction. The partition wall portion divides the gear chamber into a first storage portion and a second storage portion when viewed from the axial direction. The gears of the transmission mechanism are arranged in the first storage portion. The second storage portion is open at the top. A flow path connecting the first storage portion and the second storage portion is arranged on the housing. A partition wall opening that connects the motor chamber and the first storage portion is arranged on the partition wall.

[0012] Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a drive device that can be downsized in the vertical direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 This is a conceptual diagram of a driving device according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2 It is a front view of the gear chamber of one embodiment.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a partition wall portion according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Hereinafter, a drive device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the vertical direction is defined based on the positional relationship when the drive device 1 according to the present embodiment is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) located on a horizontal road surface.

[0018] In the accompanying drawings, the XYZ coordinate system is appropriately shown as a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system. In the XYZ coordinate system, the Z-axis direction is the up-down direction. The up-down direction is, for example, the vertical direction. The +Z side is the upper side in the vertical direction, and the -Z side is the lower side in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, the upper side in the vertical direction is referred to as the "upper side", and the lower side in the vertical direction is referred to as the "lower side". The X-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction, and is the front-to-back direction of the vehicle equipped with the drive device 1. In the present embodiment, the +X side is the front side of the vehicle, and the -X side is the rear side of the vehicle. The Y-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, and is the left-to-right direction of the vehicle, that is, the vehicle width direction. The Y-axis direction is equivalent to the axial direction of the first axis J1, the second axis J2, and the third axis J3 described later. The front-to-back direction and the left-to-right direction are horizontal directions perpendicular to the vertical direction. In addition, the front-to-back direction is a cross direction that intersects both the up-down direction and the axial direction, the front side (+X side) is one side of the cross direction, and the rear side (-X side) is the other side of the cross direction.

[0019] The first axis J1, the second axis J2, and the third axis J3 appropriately shown in the respective figures are parallel to each other and extend along the Y-axis direction (i.e., the left-right direction of the vehicle, the direction along the horizontal plane). In the present embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the direction parallel to the first axis J1 is referred to as "axial", the radial direction centered on the first axis J1 is referred to as "radial", and the circumferential direction centered on the first axis J1, i.e., the direction around the first axis J1 is referred to as "circumferential". In addition, in the following description, one axial side refers to the +Y side in the direction along the Y-axis, and the other axial side refers to the -Y side in the direction along the Y-axis. In addition, in the present embodiment, "parallel directions" include substantially parallel directions, and "vertical directions" include substantially vertical directions.

[0020] Figure 1 It is a conceptual diagram of the driving device 1 .

[0021] The drive device 1 of this embodiment is mounted on an electric vehicle (EV) and used as its power source. Alternatively, the drive device 1 may be mounted on a vehicle using a motor as a power source, such as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHV).

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, the drive device 1 includes a motor 2, a transmission mechanism 3, an inverter 7, a housing 6, a fluid O, a pump 8, and a cooler 9. The motor 2, the transmission mechanism 3, and the inverter 7 are accommodated in the housing 6. The fluid O is stored in the housing 6. The pump 8 and the cooler 9 are fixed to the outer side surface of the housing 6.

[0023] <Motor>

[0024] The motor 2 of the present embodiment is a three-phase AC motor. The motor 2 has both the function of an electric motor and the function of a generator. The motor 2 is located on the other axial side (-Y side) of the transmission mechanism 3. The motor 2 has a rotor 20 that rotates around a first axis (motor axis) J1 extending in the horizontal direction and a stator 25 located radially outside the rotor 20. The motor 2 of the present embodiment is an inner rotor type motor in which the rotor 20 is arranged on the inner side of the stator 25. The structure of the motor 2 is not limited to the present embodiment.

[0025] The rotor 20 rotates around a first axis J1 extending in the horizontal direction. The rotor 20 includes a motor shaft 21, a rotor core 24 fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the motor shaft 21, and a rotor magnet (not shown) fixed to the rotor core.

[0026] The motor shaft 21 extends axially with the first axis J1 as the center. The motor shaft 21 rotates with the first axis J1 as the center. The end of the motor shaft 21 on one axial side (+Y side) is connected to the first shaft 46 of the transmission mechanism 3. Thus, the torque of the rotor 20 is transmitted to the transmission mechanism 3. The motor shaft 21 is a hollow shaft. A hole extending radially outward from the hollow portion 21h is provided in the motor shaft 21. The motor shaft 21 is rotatably supported by the housing 6 via a bearing.

[0027] The stator 25 is held by the housing 6. The stator 25 surrounds the rotor 20 from the radially outer side. The outer peripheral surface of the stator 25 faces the inner peripheral surface of the housing 6. The stator 25 has an annular stator core 27 centered on the first axis J1 and a coil 26 attached to the stator core 27. The stator core 27 is fixed to the housing 6.

[0028] The coil 26 is respectively mounted on each tooth portion of the stator core 27 via an insulator (not shown). The coil 26 is composed of a plurality of coil wires. In addition, the coil 26 can also be composed by connecting a plurality of rod-shaped conductors. The coil 26 has coil ends protruding from both axial ends of the stator core 27. A bus bar 30 is connected to the coil 26. An alternating current is supplied to the coil 26 via the bus bar 30.

[0029] <Transmission mechanism>

[0030] The transmission mechanism 3 is located on one axial side (+Y side) of the motor 2. The transmission mechanism 3 has a plurality of gears 41, 42, 43, 51 for transmitting the power of the motor 2. The transmission mechanism 3 reduces the rotation output from the motor 2 and increases the torque output from the motor 2 and outputs it from the output shaft 55.

[0031] The transmission mechanism 3 includes a first shaft 46, a first gear 41, a second shaft 45, a second gear 42, a third gear 43, a differential device 5, and an output shaft 55. The first shaft 46 and the second shaft 45 are hollow shafts, respectively. The first shaft 46, the second shaft 45, and the output shaft 55 extend parallel to each other.

[0032] The first shaft 46 and the first gear 41 are arranged around the first axis J1. The first shaft 46 extends in the axial direction of the first axis J1. The first shaft 46 is connected to the motor shaft 21 at the end on the other side (-Y side) of the axial direction. The first gear 41 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the first shaft 46. The first gear 41 rotates together with the first shaft 46 around the first axis J1. The first shaft 46 is rotatably supported by the housing 6 via a bearing.

[0033] The second shaft 45, the second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are arranged around the second axis J2 parallel to the first axis J1. The second shaft 45 extends along the axial direction of the second axis J2. The second shaft 45 is rotatably supported on the housing 6 via a bearing. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are arranged at intervals from each other along the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the second shaft 45. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 rotate together with the second shaft 45 around the second axis J2. The second gear 42 meshes with the first gear 41. The third gear 43 meshes with the ring gear 51 of the differential device 5.

[0034] The differential device 5 includes a ring gear 51 and a differential mechanism 5a. The diameter of the ring gear 51 is larger than the diameters of the other gears 41, 42, and 43 of the transmission mechanism 3. That is, the multiple gears of the transmission mechanism 3 include the ring gear 51 with the largest diameter. The differential device 5 meshes with the third gear 43 at the ring gear 51. The ring gear 51 rotates around the third axis J3 parallel to the first axis J1. The ring gear 51 is the gear with the largest diameter among the multiple gears of the transmission mechanism 3. The rotation of the ring gear 51 is transmitted to the differential mechanism 5a, and then output from the output shaft 55 connected to the differential mechanism 5a. When the vehicle turns, the differential mechanism 5a absorbs the speed difference between the left and right wheels while transmitting torque to the output shafts 55 of the left and right wheels. The output shaft 55 extends along the third axis J3. The output shaft 55 is connected to the wheels.

[0035] The torque output from the motor 2 is transmitted to the ring gear 51 of the differential device 5 via the motor shaft 21, the first shaft 46, the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the second shaft 45, and the third gear 43, and further transmitted to the wheels via the differential mechanism 5a and the output shaft 55. In this way, the transmission mechanism 3 transmits the torque of the motor 2 to the wheels of the vehicle.

[0036] <Inverter>

[0037] The inverter 7 converts a direct current supplied from a battery (not shown) into an alternating current. The inverter 7 is connected to the coil 26 of the stator 25 via a bus bar 30. The inverter 7 supplies electric power to the motor 2 via the bus bar 30 to control the motor 2.

[0038] <Housing>

[0039] The housing 6 is provided with a motor chamber 6A for accommodating the motor 2, a gear chamber 6B for accommodating the transmission mechanism 3, and an inverter chamber 6C for accommodating the inverter 7. The gear chamber 6B is located on one axial side (+Y side) of the motor chamber 6A. In addition, the inverter chamber 6C is located on the upper side (+Y side) of the motor chamber 6A.

[0040] The housing 6 stores a fluid O. The housing 6 is provided with a flow path 90. The fluid O circulates in the housing 6 through the flow path 90. The fluid O functions as a refrigerant for cooling the motor 2 and as a lubricant for the transmission mechanism 3. As the fluid O, in order to function as a lubricating oil and a cooling oil, it is preferable to use an oil equivalent to an automatic transmission lubricating oil (ATF: Automatic Transmission Fluid) having a relatively low viscosity.

[0041] The fluid O is accumulated in the lower region of the internal space of the housing 6. That is, the fluid O is accumulated in the lower region of the housing 6. In the housing 6 of the present embodiment, the bottom surface of the motor chamber 6A and the bottom surface of the gear chamber 6B are substantially aligned in the vertical direction. Therefore, the fluid O is accumulated in the region spanning the lower region of the motor chamber 6A and the lower region of the housing 6.

[0042] The gear chamber 6B is provided with a first reservoir A1 for storing the fluid O. Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , the ring gear 51 is immersed in the fluid O in the first reservoir A1. The ring gear 51 lifts the fluid O in the first reservoir A1 and spreads it into the gear chamber 6B as it rotates about the third axis J3. The fluid O lifted by the ring gear 51 is provided to each gear in the gear chamber 6B and is used to lubricate the gear tooth surfaces. In addition, in the gear chamber 6B, in addition to the first reservoir A1, a second reservoir A2 (see FIG. 1 ) is provided. Figure 2 ). The specific structure of the second storage unit A2 will be described later.

[0043] The fluid O in the first reservoir A1 is delivered to the upper region of the motor chamber 6A and the upper region of the gear chamber 6B through the flow path 90. The fluid O delivered to the upper region of the motor chamber 6A cools the motor 2 along the surface of the motor 2, and then drips to the lower region of the motor chamber 6A. In addition, the fluid O delivered to the upper region of the gear chamber 6B lubricates the gears of the transmission mechanism 3 and the bearings supporting the transmission mechanism 3, and then drips to the lower region of the gear chamber 6B.

[0044] The housing 6 is formed by combining a plurality of components. The housing 6 includes: a housing body (first component) 61; a motor cover 63, which is located on the other axial side (-Y side) of the housing body 61; a gear cover (second component) 62, which is located on one axial side (+Y side) of the housing body 61; and an inverter cover 64, which is located on the upper side (+Z side) of the housing body 61. The housing body 61 and the motor cover 63 are connected in the axial direction to form a motor chamber 6A. The housing body 61 and the gear cover 62 are connected in the axial direction to form a gear chamber 6B. The housing body 61 and the inverter cover 64 are connected in the up-down direction to form an inverter chamber 6C.

[0045] The housing body 61 has a partition wall 65 that partitions the motor chamber 6A and the gear chamber 6B. The partition wall 65 extends along a plane perpendicular to the first axis J1. The partition wall 65 supports the shafts of the motor 2 and the transmission mechanism 3 via bearings.

[0046] The partition wall 65 is provided with a pump communication hole 65a, a partition wall opening 65b, and a shaft insertion hole 65c. The pump communication hole 65a, the partition wall opening 65b, and the shaft insertion hole 65c penetrate the partition wall 65. The pump communication hole 65a, the partition wall opening 65b, and the shaft insertion hole 65c connect the motor chamber 6A and the gear chamber 6B so that they communicate with each other.

[0047] The shaft insertion hole 65c is substantially circular with the first axis J1 as the center when viewed from the axial direction. Bearings are disposed in the shaft insertion hole 65c to respectively hold the motor shaft 21 and the first shaft 46. The motor shaft 21 and the first shaft 46 are connected to each other inside the shaft insertion hole 65c.

[0048] Figure 2 It is a front view of the gear chamber 6B and the partition wall 65 .

[0049] like Figure 2 As shown, the partition wall opening 65b and the pump communication hole 65a are arranged at the lower end of the partition wall 65. Figure 1 The positional relationship between the partition wall opening 65b and the pump communication hole 65a shown is schematic and does not represent the actual position. Figure 2 As shown, the actual partition wall opening 65b and the pump communication hole 65a are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) along the bottom surface of the gear chamber 6B.

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, the pump communication hole 65a opens in the motor chamber 6A and the gear chamber 6B. A merging flow path 91a opens in the path of the pump communication hole 65a. The merging flow path 91a is connected to the suction port 8c of the pump 8.

[0051] like Figure 2As shown, the end of the upstream side of the confluent flow path portion 91a is opened across the side and bottom of the pump connecting hole 65a. The pump 8 of this embodiment is arranged on the rear side (-X side) relative to the pump connecting hole 65a. The confluent flow path portion 91a extends in the front-to-back direction. The confluent flow path portion 91a is gently inclined toward the upper side (+Z side) as it moves toward the rear side (-X side) between the pump connecting hole 65a and the suction port 8c of the pump.

[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, the area of ​​the pump communication hole 65a that is closer to the gear chamber 6B than the opening of the merging flow path portion 91a constitutes the first branch flow path portion 91b. In addition, the area of ​​the pump communication hole 65a that is closer to the motor chamber 6A than the opening of the merging flow path portion 91a constitutes the second branch flow path portion 91c. The first branch flow path portion 91b opens in the gear chamber 6B, and the second branch flow path portion 91c opens in the motor chamber 6A. The first branch flow path portion 91b, the second branch flow path portion 91c, and the merging flow path portion 91a constitute the suction flow path portion 91.

[0053] Here, the opening of the first branch flow path portion 91b to the gear chamber 6B is referred to as the first inlet (inlet) 91p, and the opening of the second branch flow path portion 91c to the motor chamber 6A is referred to as the second inlet 91q. The fluid O in the gear chamber 6B flows into the suction flow path portion 91 from the first inlet 91p. On the other hand, the fluid O in the motor chamber 6A flows into the suction flow path portion 91 from the second inlet 91q. The fluid O flowing in from the gear chamber 6B and the motor chamber 6A respectively merges in the pump connecting hole 65a and is sucked into the pump 8 through the merged flow path portion 91a. According to the present embodiment, the pump 8 can suck in the fluid O from either the motor chamber 6A or the gear chamber 6B via the first branch flow path portion 91b and the second branch flow path portion 91c.

[0054] Here, in the case of a structure in which the suction flow path portion connected to the pump is opened only in the gear chamber, in order to guide the fluid to the gear chamber, the gear chamber may be arranged at a position lower than the motor chamber, etc., resulting in restrictions on the structure of the housing. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the pump 8 sucks the fluid O from either the gear chamber 6B or the motor chamber 6A, so the degree of freedom of the structure of the housing 6 can be increased to achieve miniaturization of the drive device 1. In particular, when the bottom surfaces of the motor chamber 6A and the gear chamber 6B are set to be substantially the same height in the vertical direction as in the present embodiment, the projection area of ​​the motor chamber 6A projected onto the gear chamber 6B in the axial direction can be expanded, and the size of the drive device 1 viewed from the axial direction can be miniaturized.

[0055] The gear chamber 6B is provided with a guide wall portion 67, a partition wall portion 68, and a ventilation wall portion 69. The guide wall portion 67, the partition wall portion 68, and the ventilation wall portion 69 are part of the housing 6. That is, the housing 6 has the guide wall portion 67, the partition wall portion 68, and the ventilation wall portion 69. The guide wall portion 67, the partition wall portion 68, and the ventilation wall portion 69 are respectively formed by a portion protruding from the partition wall 65 side to one axial side (+Y side) and a portion protruding from the gear cover 62 side to the other axial side (-Y side) are connected.

[0056] The guide wall portion 67 extends in a curved manner along the tooth top of the ring gear 51. The guide wall portion 67 extends in a substantially arc shape with the third axis J3 as the center. The guide wall portion 67 guides the fluid O in the first reservoir A1 along the tooth top of the ring gear 51 in the circumferential direction around the third axis J3 through the surface facing the radial inner side of the third axis J3. The ring gear 51 can effectively lift the fluid O through the guide wall portion 67.

[0057] like Figure 2 As shown, the guide wall portion 67 is located between the first inlet 91p and the ring gear 51. The guide wall portion 67 divides the first storage portion A1 into an area where the first inlet 91p is provided and an area where the ring gear 51 is provided. According to the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress the bubbles generated by the stirring of the fluid O by the ring gear 51 from invading the suction flow path portion 91 through the first inlet 91p. Thus, it is possible to suppress the bubbles from invading the suction port 8c of the pump 8, and it is possible to suppress the reduction in the pressure delivery efficiency of the pump 8 caused by the suction of the bubbles.

[0058] The partition wall portion 68 extends in the up-down direction. The partition wall portion 68 divides the gear chamber 6B into the first storage portion A1 and the second storage portion A2 when viewed from the axial direction. When viewed from the axial direction, the first storage portion A1 and the second storage portion A2 are arranged in a row in the front-to-back direction (X-axis direction). In addition, here, the first storage portion A1 and the second storage portion A2 are "arranged in the front-to-back direction" means that the portions of the storage fluid O of each storage portion are arranged in the front-to-back direction, not that the bottom surfaces of each storage portion are arranged in the front-to-back direction.

[0059] The gears 41, 42, 43, 51 of the transmission mechanism 3 are arranged in the first storage section A1. In addition, a part of the ring gear 51 is immersed in the fluid O accumulated in the first storage section A1, and the fluid O is lifted up along with the rotation. The first storage section A1 is provided with a partition opening 65b and a pump communication hole 65a. As described above, the partition opening 65b and the pump communication hole 65a connect the gear chamber 6B and the motor chamber 6A. Therefore, the fluid O dripping into the lower area of ​​the motor chamber 6A flows into the first storage section A1 through the partition opening 65b and the pump communication hole 65a. In addition, the fluid O accumulated in the first storage section A1 is sucked into the pump 8 through the pump communication hole 65a.

[0060] The second storage section A2 is located on the front side (+X side) relative to the first storage section A1. The second storage section A2 is open at the top. Figure 2 The diagram shows the circumferential direction around the third axis J3. In the following description, the rotation direction of the ring gear 51 when the vehicle is moving forward is referred to as the forward rotation direction. Set the direction of the vehicle when moving backward to the reverse direction exist Figure 2 In the positive rotation direction of the ring gear 51 It is counterclockwise. When the vehicle moves forward, the ring gear 51 rotates in the forward direction. During rotation, the ring gear 51 lifts the fluid O upward at a position on the rear side (-X side) relative to the third axis J3. The rear side (-X side) of the ring gear 51 is not meshed with other gears, so a portion of the fluid O lifted by the ring gear 51 is scattered toward the upper side of the ring gear 51 and the upper sides of the first gear 41, the second gear 42, and the third gear 43, and is recovered to the second reservoir A2 opened at the top on the front side (+X side) of the gear chamber 6B. In addition, a portion of the fluid O lifted by the ring gear 51 is provided to the tooth surfaces of the gears 41, 42, and 43, and then is recovered again to the first reservoir A1.

[0061] According to the present embodiment, the fluid O in the first storage part A1 is transferred to the second storage part A2 by lifting the ring gear 51, so that the storage amount of the fluid O in the second storage part A2 can be increased and the storage amount of the fluid O in the first storage part A1 can be reduced. Thus, the liquid level of the fluid O in the first storage part A1 can be lowered, and the stirring resistance of the fluid O when the ring gear 51 is lifted can be reduced.

[0062] In addition, in the present embodiment, the ring gear 51 has the largest diameter among the multiple gears of the transmission mechanism 3. Furthermore, the rotation center (second axis J2) of the second gear 42 and the third gear 43 is located above the rotation center (third axis J3) of the ring gear 51. Similarly, the rotation center (first axis J1) of the first gear 41 is located above the rotation center (third axis J3) of the ring gear 51. Therefore, each gear 41, 42, 43 other than the ring gear 51 is located above the lower end of the ring gear 51, and is difficult to be immersed in the fluid O in the first storage section A1, which can reduce the stirring resistance generated when each gear 41, 42, 43 rotates and contacts the fluid O in the first storage section A1.

[0063] According to the present embodiment, the first storage part A1 is provided with a partition opening 65b and a pump communication hole 65a. Therefore, as the liquid level of the first storage part A1 is lowered, the liquid level of the fluid O in the motor chamber 6A is also lowered at the same time. When the liquid level of the fluid O stored in the motor chamber 6A is high, the fluid O contacts the lower end of the rotor 20 when the vehicle is tilted, and thus the fluid O becomes a resistance to the rotation of the rotor 20. According to the present embodiment, by transferring the fluid O in the first storage part A1 to the second storage part A2, the liquid level of the fluid O in the motor chamber 6A can be lowered while the liquid level of the fluid O in the first storage part A1 is lowered, and the resistance generated by the contact between the rotor 20 and the fluid O can be reduced.

[0064] According to the present embodiment, the second storage section A2 is arranged in the horizontal direction relative to the first storage section A1. In other words, the second storage section A2 and the first storage section A1 are arranged in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, compared with the case where the second storage section A2 is arranged above the first storage section A1, it is possible to suppress the gear chamber 6B from being enlarged in the vertical direction, and the drive device 1 can be made thinner. In addition, according to the present embodiment, the second storage section A2 is arranged in the horizontal direction relative to the other gears 41, 42, and 43. Here, in the case where the second storage section is arranged directly above the other gears, the second storage section receives the fluid lifted by the gear ring, which may be difficult to reach the other gears. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the second storage section A2 is not easy to hinder the supply of the fluid O to the gears 41, 42, and 43, and the fluid can be transferred to the second storage section A2 while ensuring the supply of the fluid O to the gears 41, 42, and 43. In addition, in this specification, "directly above" means that when viewed from the upper side and in the vertical direction, at least a part of the parts are arranged to overlap.

[0065] The partition wall portion 68 has an upper region 68q, an intermediate region 68h, and a lower region 68i arranged in the vertical direction. The lower end of the upper region 68q is connected to the upper end of the intermediate region 68h. The lower end of the intermediate region 68h is connected to the upper end of the lower region 68i.

[0066] The upper region 68q extends linearly along the up-down direction. The upper region 68q is arranged at a position higher than the first axis J1. The upper end of the upper region 68q is opposed to the inner side surface of the gear chamber 6B in the up-down direction with a gap therebetween. The upper end of the upper region 68q is arranged at a height substantially the same as the second axis J2. That is, the partition wall portion 68 is located lower than the upper end of the second gear 42, which is located at the uppermost side among the plurality of gears 41, 42, 43, 51 of the transmission mechanism 3. Therefore, the upper region 68q is arranged in an array with the second gear 42 and the third gear 43 in the front-to-back direction (X-axis direction).

[0067] In the present embodiment, the plurality of gears 41, 42, 43, 51 of the transmission mechanism 3 include a first gear 41 located closest to the second storage section A2 and a second gear 42 meshing with the first gear 41. In addition, the second axis J2, which is the rotation center of the second gear 42, is located above the first axis J1, which is the rotation center of the first gear 41. By configuring the central axes of the transmission mechanism 3 in such a structure, the second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are separated from the liquid surface of the fluid O in the first storage section A1, and the fluid O in the first storage section A1 can be suppressed from becoming a stirring resistance to the rotation of the second gear 42 and the third gear 43. In this case, if a structure is adopted in which the upper region 68q of the partition wall portion 68 is extended to the rear side (-X direction) in order to ensure the storage amount of the second storage section A2, the partition wall portion 68 may interfere with the second gear 42. According to the present embodiment, the portion of the partition wall portion 68 located above the first axis J1 (the entire upper region 68q and a portion of the middle region 68h) is arranged at a position different from the first axis J1 when viewed from the top and bottom directions. Therefore, a structure that suppresses interference between the upper region 68q of the partition wall portion 68 and the second gear 42 can be realized.

[0068] The upper end of the intermediate region 68h is located on the upper side of the first axis J1, and the lower end of the intermediate region 68h is located on the lower side of the first axis J1. Therefore, the intermediate region 68h is arranged in parallel with the first gear 41 in the front-to-back direction (X-axis direction). The intermediate region 68h is curved in an arc shape with the first axis J1 as the center. The intermediate region 68h extends in a curved manner along the tooth tip of the first gear 41. According to the present embodiment, the partition wall portion 68 can be arranged close to the rear (-X side) while suppressing the interference between the partition wall portion 68 and the first gear 41. By making the partition wall portion 68 close to the rear (-X side), the storage amount of the second storage portion A2 can be increased. According to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to enlarge the gear chamber 6B forward (+X side) in order to increase the storage amount of the first storage portion A1, and it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the drive device 1 in the front-to-back direction (X-axis direction) and ensure the storage amount of the fluid O in the second storage portion A2.

[0069] The lower region 68i extends along the edge of the partition wall opening 65b. That is, at least a portion of the partition wall portion 68 extends along the edge of the partition wall opening 65b. According to the present embodiment, the partition wall portion 68 can be arranged at a position closer to the front side (+X side) than the partition wall opening 65b, and the partition wall portion 68 can be arranged as close to the rear side (-X side) as possible, so that the enlargement of the gear chamber 6B can be suppressed and the storage amount of the fluid O in the second storage portion A2 can be ensured.

[0070] The lower end of the lower region 68i is connected to the inner side surface of the gear chamber 6B. The lower end of the lower region 68i is located below the lower ends of the gears 41, 42, 43, 51 of the transmission mechanism 3. That is, the lower end of the partition wall portion 68 is located below the rotation center (the first axis J1, the second axis J2, and the third axis J3) of any one of the plurality of gears 41, 42, 43, 51. According to the present embodiment, the second storage portion A2 can be ensured to be sufficiently large in the up-down direction, more fluid O can be stored in the second storage portion A2, and the enlargement of the gear chamber 6B in the front-back direction (X-axis direction) can be suppressed.

[0071] The partition wall portion 68 is provided with a first communicating hole 68a and a second communicating hole 68b. The first communicating hole 68a and the second communicating hole 68b penetrate the partition wall portion 68 in the thickness direction. The first communicating hole 68a is provided in the middle region 68h of the partition wall portion 68. The second communicating hole 68b is provided in the lower region 68i of the partition wall portion 68. The second communicating hole 68b is located at the lower end of the partition wall portion 68. On the other hand, the first communicating hole 68a is located above the second communicating hole 68b.

[0072] By providing the first communicating hole 68a and the second communicating hole 68b in the partition wall portion 68, the fluid O stored in the second reservoir A2 can be gradually transferred to the first reservoir A1 via the first communicating hole 68a and the second communicating hole 68b. Thus, after the driving of the motor 2 stops and the lifting of the ring gear 51 stops, the liquid level of the first reservoir A1 can be made consistent with the liquid level of the second reservoir A2. According to the present embodiment, when the motor 2 is restarted, the ring gear 51 can lift more fluid O, and sufficient fluid O can be provided to the tooth surfaces of the gears 41, 42, and 43 at the time of restarting.

[0073] The second communication hole 68b of the present embodiment is provided at the lower end of the partition wall 68, so that the fluid O can be moved from the second reservoir A2 to the first reservoir A1 regardless of the height of the liquid level of the fluid O in the second reservoir A2. On the other hand, the first communication hole 68a of the present embodiment is arranged at a position above the lower end of the partition wall 68, and the fluid O moves from the second reservoir A2 to the first reservoir A1 only when the liquid level of the fluid O in the second reservoir A2 exceeds the first communication hole 68a. According to the present embodiment, the plurality of communication holes 68a and 68b of the partition wall 68 are arranged in the vertical direction, and respectively connect the first reservoir A1 and the second reservoir A2. Thus, when the height of the liquid level of the fluid O in the second reservoir A2 is sufficiently high, the fluid O flows to the first reservoir A1 through the first communication hole 68a and the second communication hole 68b, respectively. In addition, when the liquid level of the fluid O in the second reservoir A2 decreases and becomes lower than the first communicating hole 68a, the fluid O does not flow from the first communicating hole 68a, and the fluid O flows to the first reservoir A1 only through the second communicating hole 68b. According to the present embodiment, the flow rate per unit time of the fluid O flowing from the second reservoir A2 to the first reservoir A1 can be changed according to the height of the liquid level of the fluid O in the second reservoir A2. Thus, the liquid levels of the fluid O in the first reservoir A1 and the second reservoir A2 can be appropriately adjusted.

[0074] In the present embodiment, the first communicating hole 68a is preferably located above the lower end of the rotor 20. The storage amount of the fluid O in the housing 6 becomes substantially the same height as the lower end of the rotor 20 in the initial state when the drive device 1 is stopped, thereby making it difficult for the rotor 20 to receive stirring resistance from the fluid O, and improving the rotation efficiency of the rotor 20. By arranging the first communicating hole 68a above the lower end of the rotor 20, the first communicating hole 68a can be arranged above the liquid surface of the first storage part A1. Since the fluid O in the first storage part A1 is difficult to reach the opening of the first communicating hole 68a on the first storage part A1 side, the fluid O does not flow back from the first storage part A1 to the second storage part A2. That is, according to the first communicating hole 68a of the present embodiment, the fluid O can be easily and stably flowed from the second storage part A2 to the first storage part A1.

[0075] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the partition wall portion 68. The partition wall portion 68 is formed by axially butting the first portion 68P, which is a part of the housing body 61, and the second portion 68Q, which is a part of the gear cover 62. The first portion 68P protrudes from the housing 6 to one axial side (+Y side) in the gear chamber 6B. Similarly, the second portion 68Q protrudes from the gear cover 62 to the other axial side (-Y side) in the gear chamber 6B.

[0076] The end surface of the first part 68P facing one axial side (+Y side) is provided with notches 68c and 68e. The end surface of the second part 68Q facing the other axial side (-Y side) covers the openings of the notches 68c and 68e. The first connecting hole 68a is provided in the area surrounded by the inner edge of the notch 68c and the end surface of the second part 68Q. The second connecting hole 68b is provided in the area surrounded by the inner edge of the notch 68e and the end surface of the second part 68Q. That is, the first connecting hole 68a and the second connecting hole 68b are formed by combining the first part 68P provided with the notches 68c and 68e and the second part 68Q without the notch.

[0077] According to the present embodiment, the first communication hole 68a and the second communication hole 68b can be formed in the partition wall portion 68 without performing post-processing such as drilling, and the manufacturing cost of the drive device 1 can be reduced. In addition, compared with the case where the first communication hole 68a and the second communication hole 68b are formed by drilling, the degree of freedom of the shape and position of the first communication hole 68a and the second communication hole 68b can be increased, and the first communication hole 68a and the second communication hole 68b of a more preferred size can be formed at a more preferred position.

[0078] The first communication hole 68a and the second communication hole 68b of the present embodiment are provided on the boundary BL between the first part 68P of the housing body 61 and the second part 68Q of the gear cover 62 which are butted against each other. Here, the boundary BL refers to the contact surface where the first part 68P and the second part 68Q are butted against each other and its extended surface.

[0079] In the present embodiment, the first connecting hole 68a and the second connecting hole 68b are respectively provided in the area surrounded by the notch portions 68c, 68e of the first portion 68P and the end surface of the second portion 68Q. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path cross section of the first connecting hole 68a on the side of the first portion 68P (-Y side) relative to the boundary BL is larger than the cross-sectional area on the side of the second portion 68Q (+Y side) relative to the boundary BL. Similarly, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path cross section of the second connecting hole 68b on the side of the first portion 68P (-Y side) relative to the boundary BL is larger than the cross-sectional area on the side of the second portion 68Q (+Y side) relative to the boundary BL.

[0080] The first inlet 91p of the present embodiment is provided in the housing body 61. The first inlet 91p guides the fluid O from the gear chamber 6B to the pump 8. When the liquid level of the first storage portion A1 becomes too low, the pump 8 will suck air from the first inlet 91p, and the pressure delivery efficiency of the pump 8 may be reduced. According to the present embodiment, by arranging the first communicating hole 68a and the second communicating hole 68b to be biased toward the first portion 68P side relative to the boundary BL, the first communicating hole 68a and the second communicating hole 68b can be brought close to the first inlet 91p, and the fluid O can be smoothly supplied to the pump 8 from the first communicating hole 68a and the second communicating hole 68b.

[0081] In this embodiment, the case where the notches 68c and 68e constituting the communicating holes 68a and 68b are provided only on the first portion 68P side is described. Figure 3 As shown by the middle dotted line, the communicating holes 68a and 68b may be formed by combining the notches 68d and 68f of the second portion 68Q and the notches 68c and 68e of the first portion 68P face to face. In this case, by making the cross-sectional area of ​​the notch 68c of the first portion 68P larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the notch 68d of the second portion 68Q, the first communicating hole 68a can be arranged to be closer to the first portion 68P than the boundary BL. Similarly, by making the cross-sectional area of ​​the notch 68e of the first portion 68P larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the notch 68f of the second portion 68Q, the second communicating hole 68b can be arranged to be closer to the first portion 68P than the boundary BL.

[0082] In the present embodiment, the inlet (first inlet 91p) provided in the housing body 61 is a part of the housing 6. However, the inlet may be another structure as long as it is an inlet portion that opens in the gear chamber 6B and allows the fluid O to flow in and guides the fluid O into the pump 8. As an example, the inlet may be a suction port of the pump 8 that opens directly in the gear chamber 6B.

[0083] In the present embodiment, as a structure for returning the fluid O from the first reservoir A1 to the second reservoir A2, the case where the housing 6 has the first communicating hole 68a and the second communicating hole 68b is described. That is, the first communicating hole 68a and the second communicating hole 68b of the present embodiment function as a flow path connecting the first communicating hole 68a and the second reservoir A2. However, the flow path of the housing 6 connecting the first reservoir A1 and the second reservoir A2 is not limited to the present embodiment.

[0084] like Figure 2As shown by the double-dotted line in the figure, a first flow path portion 168h and a second flow path portion 168k may also be provided on the housing 6. The first flow path portion 168h and the second flow path portion 168k constitute a flow path 168 of a modified example connecting the first storage portion A1 and the second storage portion A2. The first flow path portion 168h is a hole portion provided in the partition wall 65. The first flow path portion 168h connects the second storage portion A2 and the shaft insertion hole 65c. The second flow path portion 168k connects the shaft insertion hole 65c and the first storage portion A1. The fluid O in the first storage portion A1 is supplied to the shaft insertion hole 65c through the first flow path portion 168h. A portion of the fluid O in the shaft insertion hole 65c is supplied to bearings that respectively hold the motor shaft 21 and the first shaft 46 (refer to Figure 1 ). In addition, a portion of the fluid O in the shaft insertion hole 65c returns to the first reservoir A1 through the second flow path portion 168k. The flow path connecting the first reservoir A1 and the second reservoir A2 is not limited to the communicating holes 68a, 68b of the above-mentioned embodiment or the flow path 168 of the modified example, and may have other structures.

[0085] like Figure 2 As shown, the housing 6 is provided with a breather 4. The breather 4 is located on the inner side surface of the gear chamber 6B and covers the top surface 61t of the gear chamber 6B from the upper side. The breather 4 connects the gear chamber 6B with the external space and adjusts the internal pressure of the gear chamber 6B.

[0086] The ventilation device 4 has a hole portion 4a and a pipe portion 4b installed on the hole portion 4a. The hole portion 4a is arranged on the top surface portion 61t. The hole portion 4a of the present embodiment is a hole with an opening end that is roughly circular. An internal thread is arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the hole portion 4a. An external thread that is screwed into the internal thread of the hole portion 4a is arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the pipe portion 4b. The pipe portion 4b is screwed into the hole portion 4a and fixed. The pipe portion 4b is in a tubular shape with openings at both ends, connecting the inside and outside of the gear chamber 6B. A filter may also be arranged inside the pipe portion 4b. In addition, a hose may also be connected to the front end of the pipe portion 4b that is open to the outside.

[0087] The ventilation wall portion 69 defines a space (hereinafter referred to as the ventilation chamber B) in the gear chamber 6B where the ventilation device 4 opens. According to the present embodiment, by providing the ventilation chamber B surrounded by the ventilation wall portion 69 in the gear chamber 6B, it is possible to prevent the fluid O scattered in the gear chamber 6B from reaching the opening of the ventilation device 4. Thus, it is possible to prevent the fluid O from flowing out to the outside of the housing 6.

[0088] The vent wall portion 69 is located on the upper side of the partition wall portion 68. More specifically, the vent wall portion 69 is located directly above the upper end of the partition wall portion 68. The vent wall portion 69 is inclined downward as it moves from the first storage portion A1 side toward the second storage portion A2 side. The lower end of the vent wall portion 69 is arranged directly above the opening of the second storage portion A2. According to the present embodiment, the fluid that is lifted up by the ring gear 51 and scattered toward the front side (+X side) in the upper space within the gear chamber 6B can come into contact with the lower surface of the vent wall portion 69, thereby being guided to the second storage portion A2. As a result, the fluid O is lifted up from the first storage portion A1 by the ring gear 51, the liquid level of the fluid O in the first storage portion A1 can be lowered, and the fluid O can be more effectively stored in the second storage portion A2.

[0089] <Flow path>

[0090] Figure 1 The flow path 90 shown is a circulation path for the fluid O to flow. The flow path 90 is a path for supplying the fluid O from the first storage portion A1 to the motor 2 and the transmission mechanism 3. The pump 8, the cooler 9, the first supply pipe (first supply portion) 93A, the second supply pipe (second supply portion) 95A, and the third supply pipe 94A are arranged in the flow path 90. The first supply pipe 93A, the second supply pipe 95A, and the third supply pipe 94A are arranged inside the housing 6.

[0091] The pump 8 sucks the fluid O from the first inlet 91p opened in the gear chamber 6B and the second inlet 91q opened in the motor chamber 6A and pumps it. Thus, the pump 8 supplies the fluid O to the motor 2. The cooler 9 cools the fluid O in the flow path 90. The refrigerant (not shown) flows inside the cooler 9. The cooler 9 is a heat exchanger that transfers the heat of the fluid O to the refrigerant.

[0092] The first supply pipe 93A and the second supply pipe 95A are arranged in the motor chamber 6A. The first supply pipe 93A and the second supply pipe 95A extend in the axial direction respectively. The ends of the first supply pipe 93A and the second supply pipe 95A on one axial side (+Y side) are supported by the partition wall 65, and the ends on the other axial side (-Y side) are supported by the motor cover 63. The first supply pipe 93A and the second supply pipe 95A are provided with a plurality of injection holes opening toward the stator 25. The first supply pipe 93A and the second supply pipe 95A are both arranged on the upper side of the motor 2. In addition, in Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , the second supply pipe 95A is shown on the lower side of the motor 2 , but this is a schematic illustration and does not represent the actual structure.

[0093] The third supply pipe 94A is arranged in the gear chamber 6B. The third supply pipe 94A extends in the axial direction. The end of the third supply pipe 94A on one axial side (+Y side) is supported by the gear cover 62, and the end of the third supply pipe 94A on the other axial side (-Y side) is supported by the partition wall 65. The third supply pipe 94A of this embodiment is arranged coaxially with the first supply pipe 93A. A plurality of injection holes opening toward the transmission mechanism 3 are provided in the third supply pipe 94A.

[0094] The flow path 90 of this embodiment includes a suction flow path portion 91, a first pressure-feeding flow path portion 91A, a second pressure-feeding flow path portion 92, a third pressure-feeding flow path portion 93, a fourth pressure-feeding flow path portion 94, a fifth pressure-feeding flow path portion 95, and a lubrication supply flow path portion 96. The third pressure-feeding flow path portion 93, the fourth pressure-feeding flow path portion 94, and the fifth pressure-feeding flow path portion 95 are flow paths inside the first supply pipe 93A, the second supply pipe 95A, and the third supply pipe 94A, respectively.

[0095] The suction flow path section 91 is a flow path connecting the first storage section A1 and the pump 8. The first pressure-feeding flow path section 91A extends from the pump 8 to the motor cover 63. The cooler 9 is arranged in the path of the first pressure-feeding flow path section 91A. The second pressure-feeding flow path section 92 is provided in the motor cover 63. The second pressure-feeding flow path section 92 is connected to the first pressure-feeding flow path section 91A at the end on the upstream side. The second pressure-feeding flow path section 92 is branched into three flow paths in the middle, connected to the fifth pressure-feeding flow path section 95 at the first branch flow path, connected to the hollow portion 21h of the motor shaft 21 at the second branch flow path, and connected to the third pressure-feeding flow path section 93 at the third branch flow path. The fluid O flowing into the fifth pressure-feeding flow path section 95 is supplied to the motor 2 via the ejection hole provided in the second supply pipe 95A. The fluid O supplied to the hollow portion 21h of the motor shaft 21 is supplied to the bearing supporting the motor shaft 21 to lubricate the bearing, and then is scattered radially outward under the action of centrifugal force through the hole provided in the motor shaft 21 and supplied to the stator 25. A part of the fluid O flowing in the third pressure-feeding flow path portion 93 is supplied to the motor 2 via the ejection hole provided in the first supply pipe 93A. The downstream end of the third pressure-feeding flow path portion 93 is connected to the fourth pressure-feeding flow path portion 94. A part of the fluid O flowing into the fourth pressure-feeding flow path portion 94 is supplied to the transmission mechanism 3 via the ejection hole provided in the third supply pipe 94A. The downstream end of the fourth pressure-feeding flow path portion 94 is connected to the lubrication supply flow path portion 96. The lubrication supply flow path portion 96 is provided in the gear cover 62. The lubrication supply flow path portion 96 supplies the fluid O to each bearing held by the gear cover 62.

[0096] The various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but each structure in each embodiment and their combination are examples, and addition, omission, substitution and other changes of the structure can be made without departing from the scope of the gist of the present invention. In addition, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments.

[0097] The structure of each shaft of the transmission mechanism of the above embodiment is an example. The shafts constituting the transmission mechanism are not limited to three. In addition, two of the plurality of shafts may be coaxially arranged in a manner that one passes through the hollow portion of the other. The fluid O stored in the housing 6 is not particularly limited and may be a fluid other than oil. The fluid provided to the motor by the fluid supply unit may be, for example, water.

[0098] In addition, the present technology can adopt the following structures.

[0099] (1) A drive device, comprising: a motor having a motor shaft that can rotate around a motor axis; a transmission mechanism, which is located on one side of the axial direction of the motor and has a plurality of gears for transmitting power of the motor; a housing, which is provided with a motor chamber for accommodating the motor and a gear chamber for accommodating the transmission mechanism; and a fluid accumulated in the housing, the housing having: a partition wall that divides the motor chamber and the gear chamber; and a partition wall portion that extends in the up-down direction, the partition wall portion divides the gear chamber into a first storage portion and a second storage portion when viewed from the axial direction, the gears of the transmission mechanism are arranged in the first storage portion, the second storage portion is open at the top, a flow path connecting the first storage portion and the second storage portion is provided on the housing, and a partition wall opening connecting the motor chamber and the first storage portion is arranged on the partition wall.

[0100] (2) The drive device according to (1), wherein the plurality of gears include a ring gear having the largest diameter and a third gear meshing with the ring gear, and a rotation center of the third gear is located above a rotation center of the ring gear.

[0101] (3) The driving device according to (1) or (2), wherein a plurality of connecting holes are provided on the partition wall portion as the flow path, and the plurality of connecting holes are arranged in a vertical direction and respectively connect the first storage portion and the second storage portion.

[0102] (4) A drive device according to (3), wherein the motor has a rotor that can rotate together with the motor shaft around the motor axis, and the first connecting hole located at the uppermost side of the plurality of connecting holes is located above the lower end of the rotor.

[0103] (5) A drive device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the drive device has a pump that sucks the fluid from an inlet opening in the gear chamber and delivers it under pressure, the housing has a first component and a second component, the first component and the second component are axially butted together to form the gear chamber, the inlet is provided in the first component, the partition wall portion is formed by axially butting together a first portion as a part of the first component and a second portion as a part of the second component, a connecting hole connecting the first storage portion and the second storage portion is provided on the partition wall portion as the flow path, the connecting hole is provided on the boundary between the first portion and the second portion, and a cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path cross section of the connecting hole on the side closer to the first portion than the boundary is larger than a cross-sectional area on the side closer to the second portion than the boundary.

[0104] (6) A driving device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein a ventilation device for connecting the gear chamber with an external space is provided on the housing, and a ventilation wall portion is provided in the gear chamber, the ventilation wall portion divides the space of the ventilation device opening, and the ventilation wall portion is located on the upper side of the partition wall portion and is inclined downward from the first storage portion side toward the second storage portion side.

[0105] (7) The driving device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein at least a portion of the partition wall portion extends along an edge of the partition wall opening.

[0106] (8) The driving device according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein a lower end of the partition wall portion is located below a rotation center of any gear among the plurality of gears.

[0107] (9) A drive device according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the plurality of gears include a first gear located closest to the second storage portion and a second gear meshing with the first gear, the rotation center of the second gear being located above the rotation center of the first gear, and a portion of the partition wall portion located above the rotation center of the first gear being arranged at a position different from the rotation center of the first gear when viewed from the top and bottom.

[0108] (10) A driving device according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein a direction intersecting both the axial direction and the vertical direction is set as an intersecting direction, and the first storage unit and the second storage unit are arranged in parallel in the intersecting direction.

[0109] (11) The drive device according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein the partition wall portion is located below an upper end of an uppermost gear among the plurality of gears.

[0110] Description of symbols

[0111] 1: driving device; 2: motor; 3: transmission mechanism; 4: ventilation device; 6: housing; 6A: motor chamber; 6B: gear chamber; 8: pump; 21: motor shaft; 41: gear; 41: first gear; 42: second gear; 43: third gear; 51: ring gear; 61: housing body (first component); 62: gear cover (second component); 65: partition wall; 65b: partition wall opening; 68: partition wall portion; 68a: first connecting hole (flow path); 68b: second connecting hole (flow path); 68P: first part; 68Q: second part; 69: ventilation wall portion; 90: flow path; 91p: first inlet (inlet); 168: flow path; A1: first storage portion; A2: second storage portion; BL: boundary; J1: first axis (motor axis); O: fluid.

Claims

1. A driving device, comprising: A motor having a motor shaft rotatable about a motor axis; A transmission mechanism, which is located on one axial side of the motor and has a plurality of gears for transmitting power of the motor; a housing having a motor chamber for accommodating the motor and a gear chamber for accommodating the transmission mechanism; and a fluid, which is accumulated in the housing, The housing has: a partition wall that divides the motor chamber and the gear chamber; and a partition wall portion extending in the up-down direction, The partition wall portion divides the gear chamber into a first storage portion and a second storage portion when viewed from the axial direction. The first storage unit is provided with gears of the transmission mechanism. The second storage portion is open at the top. The housing is provided with a flow path connecting the first storage part and the second storage part. The partition wall has a partition wall opening that connects the motor chamber and the first storage unit.

2. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of gears include a ring gear having the largest diameter and a third gear meshing with the ring gear, The rotation center of the third gear is located above the rotation center of the ring gear.

3. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein: The partition wall portion is provided with a plurality of communicating holes as the flow path, The plurality of communication holes are arranged in the up-down direction and respectively connect the first storage part and the second storage part.

4. The driving device according to claim 3, wherein: The motor has a rotor that can rotate around the motor axis. A first communicating hole located at the uppermost side among the plurality of communicating holes is located above a lower end of the rotor.

5. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein: The drive device includes a pump for sucking the fluid from an inlet opening in the gear chamber and delivering the fluid under pressure. The housing comprises a first component and a second component. The first component and the second component are butted against each other in the axial direction to form the gear chamber. The inlet is provided in the first component, The partition wall portion is formed by a first portion, which is a part of the first component, and a second portion, which is a part of the second component, being butted together in the axial direction. The partition wall portion is provided with a communicating hole connecting the first storage portion and the second storage portion as the flow path, The communicating hole is provided at a boundary between the first portion and the second portion, and a cross-sectional area of ​​a flow path cross section of the communicating hole on a side closer to the first portion than the boundary is larger than a cross-sectional area on a side closer to the second portion than the boundary.

6. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein: A ventilator is provided on the housing to connect the gear chamber with the external space. The gear chamber is provided with a ventilation wall portion, which divides the space of the ventilation device opening. The ventilation wall portion is located on the upper side of the partition wall portion, and is inclined downward from the first storage portion side toward the second storage portion side.

7. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein: At least a portion of the partition wall portion extends along an edge of the partition wall opening.

8. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein: The lower end of the partition wall portion is located below a rotation center of any gear among the plurality of gears.

9. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of gears include a first gear located closest to the second storage portion and a second gear meshing with the first gear. The rotation center of the second gear is located above the rotation center of the first gear. When viewed in the up-down direction, a portion of the partition wall portion located above the rotation center of the first gear is arranged at a position different from the rotation center of the first gear.

10. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein: The direction intersecting both the axial direction and the vertical direction is defined as the intersecting direction. The first storage section and the second storage section are arranged side by side in the intersecting direction.

11. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein: The partition wall portion is located below an upper end of an uppermost gear among the plurality of gears.

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