Lubricant reservoir for drive device

The integrated lubricant reservoir with a pump, heat exchanger, and receiving space addresses the bulkiness of conventional designs by providing a compact, efficient, and easily integratable solution for vehicle drive devices, ensuring lubrication and cooling while facilitating easy integration into vehicle axles.

DE102024201930B4Active Publication Date: 2025-09-11ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
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Patent Information

Application Number
DE102024201930
Authority / Receiving Office
DE · DE
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-03-01
Publication Date
2025-09-11
Estimated Expiration
2044-03-01

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Conventional lubricant reservoirs for vehicle drive devices are bulky and complicate integration into vehicle axles due to their peripheral mounting, necessitating a more compact and integrated design.

Method used

A lubricant reservoir with an integrated lubricant pump, heat exchanger, and receiving space, designed for coaxial mounting on the end face of a drive device, providing a compact and space-saving arrangement that minimizes pressure drop through short flow paths and allows easy integration into vehicle axles.

Benefits of technology

The compact design ensures efficient lubrication, cooling, and filtration of lubricant while facilitating easy integration and maintenance of the drive device within the vehicle axle, ensuring lubricant availability during rapid maneuvers.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a lubricant reservoir (3) for a drive device (2) of a vehicle. The lubricant reservoir (3) comprises a lubricant pump (8), a heat exchanger (9), a lubricant receiving chamber (10), a housing (11), and a mounting interface (12) for mounting the lubricant reservoir (3) on an end face (6) of the drive device (2). The lubricant reservoir (3) comprises an inlet (13) for receiving a lubricant from the drive device (2) and an outlet (14) for supplying a lubricant to the drive device (2). A lubricant can flow from the inlet (13) via the lubricant pump (8), the lubricant receiving chamber (10), and the heat exchanger (9) to the outlet (14). The lubricant pump (8), the lubricant receiving chamber (10), and the heat exchanger (9) are structurally integrated into a single unit via the housing (11).Furthermore, the present invention relates to a drive arrangement (1) with such a lubricant reservoir (3).
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Description

Technical area

[0001] The present invention relates to a lubricant reservoir for a drive device for a vehicle. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a drive arrangement comprising a drive device and such a lubricant reservoir. State of the art

[0002] Electric drive systems for vehicles can be designed as axle drives, in which the drive system is integrated into a front and / or rear axle of a vehicle. It is known to provide an electric motor coaxially with a transmission system of the drive system, which may include a manual transmission for shifting different gears and a differential. To lubricate the transmission system, a lubrication system is required, which may include a lubricant reservoir. Conventionally, such a lubricant reservoir is mounted on a lateral surface of the drive system, which makes the drive system bulky and complicates integration of the drive system into the vehicle axle.DE 10 2019 213 522 A1 relates to a transmission oil module for a transmission device, DE 10 2021 212 081 A1 relates to an oil module for a transmission, JP 2022 - 100 150 A relates to a cooling device and WO 2023 / 222 280 A1 relates to a transmission oil cooler. Description of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention was to provide a lubricant reservoir for a drive device of a vehicle, which overcomes the problems known from the prior art. This object is achieved by a lubricant reservoir according to patent claim 1. The lubricant reservoir is designed to lubricate a drive device of a vehicle. The lubricant reservoir can be an oil reservoir. The drive device can be an electric drive device, which can have an electric motor and a transmission device. The transmission device can have a manual transmission for switching different gear ratios and a differential gear with two drive axles. The electric motor and the transmission device can be designed coaxially with one another. Furthermore, the drive axles can be arranged coaxially with the transmission device and the electric motor.The drive system can be an axle drive integrated into a front and / or rear axle of the vehicle. The lubricant reservoir can be used to lubricate the transmission system, such as the manual transmission and / or differential, and alternatively or additionally the electric motor. The vehicle can be any vehicle, for example, a passenger car, a commercial vehicle, or a work machine.

[0004] The lubricant reservoir has a lubricant pump, which can have one or more pump sections, whereby the different pump sections can deliver a lubricant independently of one another or in coordination with one another. The lubricant reservoir also has a heat exchanger, via which the lubricant in the lubricant reservoir can be cooled. The lubricant can be cooled via the heat exchanger using a cooling medium, such as water. Alternatively or additionally, the lubricant can be air-cooled through the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger can be a plate heat exchanger.

[0005] The lubricant reservoir further comprises a lubricant receiving space for receiving and storing a lubricant. The space can have any shape, but its cross-section can be larger than the supply and discharge lines of the lubricant reservoir. Furthermore, the lubricant reservoir comprises a housing, which can be formed from one or more sections, and a mounting interface for mounting the lubricant reservoir on an end face of the drive device. The housing and the mounting interface can be detachably or permanently connected to one another as separate components. Alternatively or additionally, the housing and the mounting interface can be integrally formed. The drive device can have a rotationally symmetrical shape, for example, a cylindrical shape. It can have one or more end faces, which can be circular, for example.The mounting interface of the lubricant reservoir is designed to mount the lubricant reservoir on such an end face of the drive device.

[0006] The lubricant reservoir further comprises an inlet for receiving a lubricant from the drive device and an outlet for supplying a lubricant to the drive device. A lubricant can flow from the inlet via the lubricant pump, the lubricant receiving chamber, and the heat exchanger to the outlet through the lubricant reservoir. The lubricant can be stored, cooled, and alternatively or additionally cleaned in the lubricant reservoir. The lubricant reservoir is designed such that the lubricant pump, the lubricant receiving chamber, and the heat exchanger are structurally integrated into a single unit via the housing. In other words, the lubricant pump, the lubricant receiving chamber, and the heat exchanger are formed by the housing, are mounted on it, or are integrated into it.The housing therefore combines all these components into a single unit that can be mounted holistically via the mounting interface on the front face of the drive device.

[0007] Thus, a lubricant reservoir for a drive device of a vehicle can be provided that has a compact design and in which all components are integrated in a space-saving manner. At the same time, the lubricant reservoir of the present invention allows for mounting on an end face of a drive device. Accordingly, a drive arrangement with a drive device and a lubricant reservoir can be provided that has a compact design and is easily integrated into a drive axle of a vehicle. The lubricant reservoir and the drive device can each be arranged coaxially to a central axis and one behind the other in an axial direction. Alternatively, the lubricant reservoir can also be provided in coaxial drive systems.The compact arrangement of the lubricant receiving chamber, the lubricant pump and the heat exchanger allows short flow paths between the components to be provided, which minimizes pressure drop in the lines.

[0008] In one embodiment, the lubricant reservoir has a contact surface for mounting on the end face of the drive device. The contact surface can be, for example, a circular surface. An extension of the lubricant reservoir normal to this contact surface, for example in the direction of a central axis of the lubricant reservoir, which can form a rotational symmetry axis of the lubricant reservoir, can be smaller than the extension of the lubricant reservoir in the other two spatial directions. The other two spatial directions can be perpendicular to one another and perpendicular to the direction that is normal to the contact surface. In one embodiment, the extension in such a normal direction of the lubricant reservoir is less than half the extension of the lubricant reservoir in the other two spatial directions.The extension of the lubricant reservoir in the other two spatial directions can be essentially the same. This allows for a lubricant reservoir with a substantially disc-like shape, enabling space-saving and compact integration into a vehicle's drive system. Furthermore, such a design can ensure that lubricant is available at every possible operating point, especially during fast cornering.

[0009] In one embodiment, the mounting interface is designed as a circular mounting flange. The mounting flange can have one or more bores and, alternatively or additionally, fastening means that can be arranged equidistantly around the circumference of the mounting flange. The lubricant reservoir can be mounted on a circular end face of a cylindrical drive device via the circular mounting flange. The mounting flange can cooperate with a correspondingly designed mounting flange of the drive device for mounting the lubricant reservoir. For example, such a corresponding mounting flange can be formed on the end face of the drive device. The mounting flange of the lubricant reservoir and a corresponding mounting flange of the drive device can have the same diameter.In one embodiment, the lubricant pump, the heat exchanger, and the lubricant receiving chamber are provided substantially within a cylindrical envelope surface, which can be arranged at the radial height of the circular mounting flange. This makes it possible to provide a lubricant reservoir which, as a whole, has a substantially cylindrical shape. Such a lubricant reservoir can be integrated particularly easily into an axle drive of a vehicle. An arrangement of the respective components substantially within the cylindrical envelope surface can be understood to mean an arrangement in which a large part of the respective components is arranged within the envelope surface, for example more than 50%, more than 70%, or more than 80% of the respective volume of the respective components. However, individual regions of the respective components can protrude beyond the cylindrical envelope surface.However, what is central to this embodiment is that the respective components are provided holistically essentially within the envelope surface.

[0010] In one embodiment, the housing has a central opening for the passage of a device of the drive mechanism. The device of the drive mechanism can be a shaft or axle, for example a drive axle connected to a differential of the drive mechanism. The central opening can be a circular opening that can be arranged coaxially to a central axis of the lubricant reservoir. The opening can extend through the entire lubricant reservoir. In this embodiment, the housing further has a lower section for receiving the lubricant pump and an upper section for forming the lubricant receiving space and for receiving the heat exchanger. The lower section can be a section that is arranged at the bottom when the lubricant reservoir is properly mounted on a properly arranged drive mechanism.Accordingly, the upper section can be a section that is positioned at the top when the lubricant reservoir is properly mounted on a properly arranged drive device. By arranging the lubricant pump in the lower section, it can be ensured that one suction side is always immersed in lubricant.

[0011] The upper section of the housing can form a lubricant receiving space in the shape of an annular segment. The lubricant receiving space in the shape of an annular segment can extend in the circumferential direction, for example, over 90°, for example over 120°, in one embodiment more than 160°, for example approximately 180°. The lubricant receiving space can have a varying extent in the circumferential direction. For example, the housing has a boundary surface that can be designed as a flat surface, for example as a rectangular surface. The boundary surface can form a secant to the annular segment-shaped ring receiving space. The boundary surface can extend in the depth direction only along a section of the annular segment-shaped lubricant receiving space. The depth direction can run along the central axis described above.By providing the boundary surface, which forms a secant to the annular segment-shaped lubricant receiving space, space can be created within the cylindrical envelope of the housing for integrating the heat exchanger. In this embodiment, the heat exchanger is arranged on the side of the boundary surface facing away from the lubricant receiving space. This allows the heat exchanger and the lubricant receiving space to be arranged compactly relative to one another.

[0012] In one embodiment, the lubricant is supplied to the lubricant receiving chamber by the lubricant pump on one side and removed on an opposite side for supply to the heat exchanger. For example, the lubricant can be supplied to a ring-segment-shaped lubricant receiving chamber via one end face, while it can be removed via the other end face of the lubricant receiving chamber. By providing the supply on one side and the discharge on the other side of the lubricant receiving chamber, a settling chamber can be formed to homogenize the lubricant and prevent turbulence. Furthermore, within the scope of this embodiment, the heat exchanger can be arranged on the side of the lubricant receiving chamber to which the lubricant can be supplied by means of the lubricant pump.In other words, within the scope of this embodiment, the lubricant can flow into the lubricant receiving space on one side, flow through the lubricant receiving space to the other side, and then leave the lubricant receiving space on the other side to flow back to the first side, to the heat exchanger. Thus, a flow path of the lubricant in the lubricant reservoir can be extended, which leads to a settling and homogenization of the lubricant and simultaneously enables effective cooling of the lubricant.

[0013] Within the scope of one embodiment, the lubricant pump has a fastening means, for example a fastening screw and alternatively or additionally a fastening bolt, by means of which the lubricant pump can be fastened to the housing. The fastening means can have a longitudinal direction along which it can be moved to fasten the lubricant pump. Rotation of the fastening means may be necessary for movement along the fastening direction. Within the scope of this embodiment, the fastening means can be provided at an angle to the mounting interface. In other words, within the scope of this embodiment, the longitudinal direction can run at an angle >0° to the mounting interface, for example a plane in which the mounting interface comes into contact with the end face of the drive device. The angle can be an acute angle.Within the scope of this embodiment, the fastening means can therefore be provided tilted away from the mounting interface. This can simplify access to the fastening means, for example, using a tool. At the same time, within the scope of this embodiment, the lubricant reservoir can be designed to be particularly compact without compromising assembly and maintainability. The angle between the fastening means and the mounting interface can be, for example, less than 45°, for example, less than 30°, and in one embodiment, between 5 and 15°.

[0014] In one embodiment, the lubricant receiving space has a lubricant filter, for example an oil filter, with which the lubricant can be cleaned. The lubricant filter can be provided in the longitudinal direction and, alternatively or additionally, in the transverse direction of the lubricant reservoir in the lubricant receiving space. In one embodiment, several lubricant filters can be arranged one behind the other. The lubricant reservoir can have a cleaning device for cleaning the lubricant filter. The lubricant filter can be arranged in the lubricant receiving space such that lubricant flowing through the lubricant reservoir inevitably passes through the lubricant filter. By providing the lubricant filter, cleaning of the lubricant in the lubricant reservoir can be integrated. Thus, the lubricant reservoir can not only provide and cool lubricant but also clean it simultaneously.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a drive arrangement for a vehicle having a drive device and a lubricant reservoir according to one of the previously described embodiments. The lubricant reservoir is arranged on an end face of the drive device. For an understanding and understanding of the advantages of the individual features, reference is made to the above explanations in connection with the lubricant reservoir. Short description of the characters Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a drive assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 shows a wire model of a lubricant reservoir of the drive assembly from Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the drive arrangement of Fig. 1 in a side view. Detailed description of embodiments

[0016] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a drive assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The drive assembly 1 is designed as a whole, substantially rotationally symmetrical to a central axis Z. The drive assembly 1 comprises a drive device 2 and a lubricant reservoir 3. The drive device 2 has an electric motor and a transmission device, which, in the present embodiment, are arranged coaxially to one another and one behind the other in the direction of the central axis Z. The transmission device has a manual transmission for switching different gear ratios and a differential transmission for transmitting torque from the electric motor to two drive axles.The drive axles can be arranged coaxially to the central axis Z, wherein one of the drive axles on one side and the other of the drive axles on the other side can extend out of the drive device 2 along the central axis Z. A torque of the electric motor of the drive device can therefore be transmitted via the manual transmission with different ratios to the differential gear and from there to the drive axles.

[0017] In the present embodiment, the drive device 2 has a housing 4 that forms a cylindrical outer surface. In the present embodiment, power electronics 5 for driving the electric motor of the drive device 2 are arranged on the cylindrical outer surface. In addition, the electric drive device 2 comprises two opposing end faces 6, between which the cylindrical outer surface extends. On one of the end faces 6, at the radial height of the cylindrical outer surface, an annular mounting flange 7 is formed. In the present embodiment, the mounting flange 7 comprises a plurality of bores distributed equidistantly over the circumference, into which fastening means for fastening the lubricant reservoir 3 described below can be inserted.In the present embodiment, the power electronics 5 extends in the direction of the central axis Z beyond the end face 6 with the mounting flange 7.

[0018] In the present embodiment, a lubricant reservoir 3 is attached to the end face 6 with the mounting flange 7 of the drive device 2, which is described in detail below. The lubricant reservoir 3, as a whole, also has a substantially rotationally symmetrical shape relative to the central axis Z. The lubricant reservoir 3 is designed such that the rotationally symmetrical shape is formed by the entirety of the individual components of the reservoir 3, but individual components do not have a rotationally symmetrical shape relative to the central axis Z. The lubricant reservoir 3 comprises a lubricant pump 8, a heat exchanger 9, a lubricant receiving chamber 10, a housing 11, and a mounting interface 12 for mounting the lubricant reservoir 3 on the end face 6 of the drive device 2.

[0019] In addition, the lubricant reservoir 3 comprises an inlet 13, which Fig. 2. A lubricant, in this case oil, can be supplied from the drive device 2 to the lubricant reservoir 3 via the inlet 13. The lubricant reservoir further comprises an outlet 14, which Fig. 2, for supplying a lubricant from the lubricant reservoir 3 to the drive device 2.

[0020] In this case, the lubricant in the lubricant reservoir 3 is used to lubricate the transmission device, i.e., the manual transmission and the differential gear, as well as the electric motor of the drive device 2. In the lubricant reservoir 3, the oil of the drive device 2, which is supplied thereto via the inlet 13, can be fed via the pump 8 to the lubricant receiving chamber 10, from where it can be fed via the pump 8 and through the heat exchanger 9 to the outlet 14. In the present embodiment, a lubricant filter 15, in this case an oil filter, is arranged in the lubricant receiving chamber 10, through which the lubricant can be cleaned.

[0021] As in Fig. 1, the mounting interface 12 of the lubricant reservoir 3 in the present embodiment has a circular mounting flange 12 comprising a plurality of bores arranged equidistantly from one another around the circumference. The bores of the mounting flange 12 of the lubricant reservoir 3 are aligned with the bores of the mounting flange 7 on the end face 6 of the drive device 2. Thus, the lubricant reservoir 3 can be fastened to the end face 6 of the drive device 2 via the mounting flanges 12 and 7 using fastening means, for example screws. The drive device 2 and the lubricant reservoir 3 are therefore arranged one behind the other in the direction of the central axis Z, i.e., the axial direction of the drive arrangement 1.The lubricant reservoir 3 is designed holistically such that all sections of the lubricant reservoir 3 are located within a cylindrical envelope arranged at the level of the mounting flange 12. Individual sections of individual components of the lubricant reservoir 3 protrude beyond this envelope, but all components of the lubricant reservoir 3 are essentially arranged within this envelope. For example, the heat exchanger 9 protrudes beyond the envelope with its upper corner, yet the majority of the heat exchanger 9 is arranged within the envelope.

[0022] Furthermore, the lubricant reservoir 3 comprises the housing 11, which in the present embodiment is formed integrally with the mounting flange 12. In the direction of the central axis Z, the housing 11 is provided behind the mounting flange 12. The housing 11 and the mounting flange 12 comprise a central circular opening 16 that extends through the entire lubricant reservoir 3 and, in the assembled state, is arranged coaxially to the central axis Z. A drive shaft (not shown) of the drive device 2 is passed through the opening 16. The lubricant reservoir 3 has an extension in the direction of the central axis Z, i.e., normal to the contact surface of the mounting flange 12 with the end face 6 of the drive device 2, which is significantly smaller than the extension of the lubricant reservoir 3 in the other two spatial directions arranged perpendicular to one another and perpendicular to the central axis Z.

[0023] As in Fig. 2, the lubricant reservoir 3 has a lower section 17.1 and an upper section 17.2. The upper section 17.2 of the lubricant reservoir 3 is arranged on the side of the power electronics 5 in the assembled state of the drive arrangement 1. The lower section 17.1 is therefore provided on the side of the drive arrangement 1 facing away from the power electronics 5. The lubricant pump 8 is provided in the lower section 17.1, which is also arranged on the lower side of the drive device 2 during normal operation of the drive arrangement 1. The lubricant pump 8 extends essentially transversely to the central axis Z, i.e. essentially parallel to the mounting flange 12. As shown in Fig. 3, however, it is provided slightly angled from the mounting flange 12. In other words, a longitudinal extension direction of the pump 8 is not completely parallel, but rather is provided at an acute angle away from the mounting flange 12. The lubricant pump 8 comprises a plurality of fastening means 18, of which Fig. 3, some examples are shown. The fastening elements 18, in this case the screws, are therefore not parallel, but rather arranged at an acute angle to the mounting flange 12. This allows the lubricant pump 8 to be integrated into the lubricant reservoir 3 in a compact manner. At the same time, good accessibility is ensured by the design of the fastening elements 18 facing away from the mounting flange 12.

[0024] In the upper section 17.2 of the lubricant reservoir 3, the housing 11 forms an annular segment-shaped lubricant receiving chamber 10. Furthermore, the heat exchanger 9 is attached to the housing 11 in the upper section 17.2. The lubricant receiving chamber 10, the lubricant pump 8, and the heat exchanger 9 are structurally integrated into a single unit via the housing 11, in that the components are either arranged in or on the housing and / or are formed by it.

[0025] In the present embodiment, the annular segment-shaped lubricant receiving chamber 10 extends circumferentially around the central opening 16. The annular segment-shaped lubricant receiving chamber 10 is delimited by a left end face 10.1 and a right end face 10.2. At the left end face 10.1, the lubricant can be supplied to the lubricant receiving chamber 10 by the lubricant pump 8. At the right end face 10.2 of the lubricant receiving chamber 10, the lubricant can be removed from the chamber 10 by the pump 8 in order to supply it to the heat exchanger 9. The heat exchanger 9 is arranged on the left side, i.e. on the side of the left end face 10.1, in the upper section 17.2 of the lubricant reservoir 3. For this purpose, the housing 11 has a boundary surface 19, which is designed as a flat surface.The boundary surface 19 intersects the annular-segment-shaped lubricant receiving space 10 in the form of a secant, but does not extend along the entire lubricant receiving space 10 in the direction of the central axis Z. In the region in which the boundary surface 19 is provided, the annular-segment-shaped lubricant receiving space 10 accordingly has a smaller extension in the circumferential direction around the central axis Z than in the region in which the boundary surface 19 is not arranged. For example, in regions of the boundary surface 19, the annular-segment-shaped lubricant receiving space 10 has sections with a circumferential extension of between 90 and 120°, while in the other regions it has a circumferential extension of between 150° and 180°.

[0026] By providing the boundary surface 19, which forms a secant to the annular segment-shaped lubricant receiving space 10, space for the heat exchanger 9 can be created within the cylindrical envelope surface described above. In the present embodiment, the heat exchanger 9 is designed as a plate heat exchanger and is provided on the side of the boundary surface 19 facing away from the lubricant receiving space 10. The boundary surface 19 and the heat exchanger 9 are coordinated with one another in such a way that the heat exchanger 9 does not protrude beyond the boundary surface 19 in the direction of the central axis Z. In the lower section 17.1, the housing 11 for accommodating the lubricant pump 8 is essentially cuboid-shaped. Transverse to the central axis Z, the lower section 17.1 has a smaller extension than the upper section 17.2.The components of the lubricant reservoir 3 are coordinated such that the lubricant pump 8 does not protrude beyond the end faces 10.1 and 10.2 of the annular segment-shaped lubricant receiving chamber 10 in a direction transverse to the central axis Z. The above-described design of the lubricant reservoir 3 allows for a compact and integrated construction.

[0027] The lubricant pump 8 in the present embodiment has two pump sections 8.1 and 8.2, which are arranged one behind the other transversely to the central axis Z. Via the first pump section 8.1, a lubricant can be supplied to the lubricant reservoir 3 via the inlet 13 and then introduced via the end face 10.1 into the ring-shaped lubricant receiving space 10, as indicated by the reference symbols I and II in Fig. 2. In the annular-segment-shaped lubricant receiving chamber 10, the supplied lubricant flows from the left end face 10.1 in the circumferential direction to the right end face 10.2, as represented by the reference symbol III. The annular-segment-shaped lubricant receiving chamber 10 functions as a calming chamber to reduce turbulence. The widening cross-section of the annular-segment-shaped lubricant receiving chamber 10 in the flow direction, which is formed due to the boundary surface 19, also contributes to this. The lubricant can now be removed from the annular-segment-shaped lubricant receiving chamber 10, more precisely via the right end face 10.2, via the second pumping section 8.2 of the lubricant pump 8, as shown by the reference symbol IV.

[0028] The lubricant is then supplied to the heat exchanger 9 by the pump section 8.2 via channels formed in the lower section 17.1 of the housing 11, as indicated by the reference symbols IV, V and VI in Fig. 2. The lubricant flows through the heat exchanger 9 and then exits the outlet 14 on the left side of the upper section 17.2 of the lubricant reservoir 3, as indicated by reference numeral VII. From the outlet 14, the lubricant is fed back to the drive device 2.

[0029] As previously described, a lubricant filter 15 is also arranged in the lubricant receiving space 10, through which the lubricant flows for cleaning purposes on its way from the left end face 10.1 to the right end face 10.2. The lubricant filter 15 can be arranged both in the longitudinal and transverse direction of the lubricant reservoir 3. The lubricant reservoir 3 therefore has an integrated and compact design, which enables particularly space-saving integration into the drive arrangement 1. The lubricant reservoir 3 is designed such that it lies essentially within a cylindrical envelope formed by the lateral surface 4 of the drive device 2. Furthermore, the lubricant reservoir 3 can be conveniently integrated below the protrusion of the power electronics 5 via the end face 6.The drive arrangement 1 of the present embodiment therefore has a compact and integrated design, which at the same time enables good accessibility and maintainability. Reference symbol 1 drive arrangement 2 drive device 3 Lubricant reservoir 4 housings 5 Power electronics 6 Frontal surface 7 Mounting flange 8 Lubricant pump 8.1, 8.2 Pump section 9 heat exchangers 10 Lubricant storage chamber 10.1, 10.2 Front surface of the receiving space 11 housings 12 Mounting flange 13 Inlet 14 Procedure 15 lubricant filters 16 central opening 17.1 lower section housing 17.2 upper section housing 18 fasteners 19 Boundary area Z central axis I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII Flow direction lubricant

Claims

[1] Lubricant reservoir (3) for a drive device (2) of a vehicle, comprising a lubricant pump (8), a heat exchanger (9), a lubricant receiving chamber (10), a housing (11), and a mounting interface (12) for mounting the lubricant reservoir (3) on an end face (6) of the drive device (2), wherein the lubricant reservoir (3) has an inlet (13) for receiving a lubricant from the drive device (2) and an outlet (14) for supplying a lubricant to the drive device (2), a lubricant can flow from the inlet (13) via the lubricant pump (8), the lubricant receiving chamber (10), and the heat exchanger (9) to the outlet (14), and the lubricant pump (8), the lubricant receiving chamber (10), and the heat exchanger (9) are structurally integrated into a unit via the housing (11). [2] Lubricant reservoir (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the lubricant reservoir (3) has a contact surface for mounting on the end face (6) of the drive device (2) and an extension of the lubricant reservoir (3) normal to the contact surface is smaller than the extension of the lubricant reservoir (3) in the other two spatial directions. [3] Lubricant reservoir (3) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the mounting interface is designed as a circular mounting flange (12) via which the lubricant reservoir (3) can be mounted on a circular end face (6) of a cylindrical drive device (2). [4] Lubricant reservoir (3) according to claim 3, characterized by that the lubricant pump (8), the heat exchanger (9) and the lubricant receiving chamber (10) are provided substantially within a cylindrical envelope surface arranged at the radial height of the circular mounting flange (12). [5] Lubricant reservoir (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the housing (11) has a central opening (16) for the passage of a device of the drive device (2), a lower section (17.1) for receiving the lubricant pump (8) and an upper section (17.2) for forming the lubricant receiving space (10) and for receiving the heat exchanger (9). [6] Lubricant reservoir (3) according to claim 5, characterized by that the upper section (17.2) of the housing (11) forms an annular section-shaped lubricant receiving space (10) which is delimited by a flat boundary surface (19) which forms a secant to the annular section-shaped lubricant receiving space (10), wherein the heat exchanger (9) is arranged on the side of the boundary surface (19) facing away from the lubricant receiving space (10). [7] Lubricant reservoir (3) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized bythat the lubricant can be supplied to the lubricant receiving space (10) by the lubricant pump (8) on one side and removed on an opposite side for supply to the heat exchanger (9), wherein the heat exchanger (9) is arranged on the side of the lubricant receiving space (10) to which the lubricant can be supplied by means of the lubricant pump (8). [8] Lubricant reservoir (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the lubricant pump (8) has a fastening means (18) for fastening the lubricant pump (8) to the housing (11), wherein the fastening means (18) is provided at an angle from the mounting interface (12) in order to simplify accessibility to the fastening means (18). [9] Lubricant reservoir (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat a lubricant filter (15) for cleaning the lubricant is provided in the lubricant receiving space (10). [10] Drive arrangement (1) for a vehicle with a drive device (2) and a lubricant reservoir (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lubricant reservoir (3) is arranged on an end face (6) of the drive device (2).

Citation Information

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