Driving device

Abstract

To provide a driving device that allows a heating device to be arranged appropriately.SOLUTION: A driving device according to the present invention comprises: a motor including a rotor rotatable about a motor axis; a power transmission mechanism connected to the rotor and configured to transmit rotation of the rotor; a housing including a first accommodation part for accommodating the motor and a second accommodation part for accommodating the power transmission mechanism; and a heating device 10 fixed to an outer side surface of the second accommodation part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Generally, a heating device such as a PTC heater is used in an air conditioner for a vehicle. Conventionally, a structure is known in which an electrically operated heater generates heat to heat the cooling water in a cooling water circulation circuit that heats a fuel cell (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-284045 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles are also provided with heating devices for heating the vehicle battery and for use in air conditioning devices, etc. However, the space available for arranging the drive device in the vehicle is limited, and depending on the arrangement of the heating device, there is a possibility that the heating device and the drive device may interfere with each other. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the heating device and the drive device from interfering with each other within the limited space in the vehicle.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, one object of the present invention is to provide a drive device that allows a heating device to be appropriately arranged. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of a drive device of the present invention comprises a motor having a rotor rotatable around a motor axis, a power transmission mechanism connected to the rotor and transmitting rotation of the rotor, a housing having a first accommodating portion for accommodating the motor and a second accommodating portion for accommodating the power transmission mechanism, and a heating device fixed to the outer surface of the second accommodating portion. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is an object to provide a drive device that can appropriately arrange a heating device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a drive device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the drive device according to one embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the drive device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the drive device of the first modified example. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a rear view of the drive device of the second modification. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the drive device of the third modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a rear view of the drive device of the fourth modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side view of the drive device of the fifth modified example. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a front view of a drive device according to the fifth modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front view of a drive device according to the sixth modification. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a front view of the drive device of the seventh modification. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a front view of a drive device according to the eighth modified example. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a top view of the driving device of the ninth modification. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a top view of the driving device of the tenth modification. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a rear view of the drive device of the eleventh modification. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a rear view of the drive device of the twelfth modification. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a side view of a drive device according to a thirteenth modification. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a rear view of the drive device of the thirteenth modification. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a rear view of the drive device of the fourteenth modification. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a side view of a drive device according to a fifteenth modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The drive device of the embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the direction of gravity is defined based on the positional relationship when the drive device is mounted on a vehicle positioned on a horizontal road surface. In addition, XYZ coordinates are shown appropriately in each figure. The Z axis is the vertical direction, with the +Z side being the upper side and the -Z side being the lower side. The Y axis is the left-right direction of the vehicle on which the drive device is mounted. The X axis is the front-rear direction of the vehicle on which the drive device is mounted.

[0010] In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction parallel to the motor axis J1 of the motor 2 (Y-axis direction) will be simply referred to as the "axial direction Y", the radial direction centered on the motor axis J1 will be simply referred to as the "radial direction", and the circumferential direction centered on the motor axis J1, i.e., around the axis of the motor axis J1, will be simply referred to as the "circumferential direction". Furthermore, the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle (i.e., the direction parallel to the X-axis) will be referred to as the reference direction X. The reference direction X is a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction Y and the up-down direction Z.

[0011] In the following description, one axial side is the direction opposite to the direction of the Y-axis arrow in the drawing (-Y side), and the other axial side is the direction in which the Y-axis arrow in the drawing points (+Y side). One reference direction side is the direction in which the X-axis arrow in the drawing points (+X side), and the other reference direction side is the direction opposite to the direction in which the arrow in the drawing points (-X side).

[0012] <Drive unit> Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the driving device 1 of the embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the driving device 1 of the embodiment. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the driving device 1 of the embodiment as viewed from the other axial side (+Y side).

[0013] The drive device 1 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle using a motor 2 as a power source, such as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHV), or an electric vehicle (EV), and is used as the power source thereof.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the drive device 1 includes a motor 2, a power transmission mechanism 3, a housing 6, a control unit 7, and a heating device 10. The housing 6 accommodates the motor 2, the power transmission mechanism 3, and the control unit 7. In this embodiment, a fluid O such as oil is stored inside the housing 6. A heating device 10 is fixed to an outer surface of the housing 6. The housing 6 may be provided with a flow path for circulating the fluid O. In this case, a pump for pumping the fluid O and a cooler for cooling the fluid O may be provided on the outer surface of the housing 6 or inside the housing 6.

[0015] <Motor> The motor 2 of this embodiment is, for example, an inner rotor type three-phase AC motor. The motor 2 has both a function of outputting power as a motor and a function of generating electricity as a generator. The motor 2 may be used as either a motor or a generator. In addition, the configuration of the motor 2 is not limited to this embodiment, and may be, for example, an AC motor with four or more phases.

[0016] The motor 2 includes a rotor 20 that is rotatable about a motor axis J1 that extends in the horizontal direction, and a stator 25 that is located radially outward of the rotor 20.

[0017] <Stator> The stator 25 is held in the housing 6. The stator 25 surrounds the rotor 20 from the radial outside. The stator 25 has an annular stator core 27 centered on the motor axis J1, a coil 26 attached to the stator core 27, and an insulator (not shown) interposed between the stator core 27 and the coil 26. The stator core 27 has an annular core back portion and a plurality of teeth portions extending radially inward from the core back portion and aligned in the circumferential direction. A plurality of coil wires constituting the coil 26 are arranged between the teeth portions. In this specification, the term "annular" refers to a shape formed of a series of loops or a shape equivalent thereto, such as a C-shape, and is not necessarily limited to a circular ring shape.

[0018] <Rotor> The rotor 20 has a shaft 21, a rotor core 24 fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 21, and a plurality of magnets (not shown) fixed to the rotor core 24. The shaft 21 extends along the motor axis J1. The shaft 21 is supported by the housing 6 so as to be rotatable about the motor axis J1. The rotor core 24 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 21. The rotor core 24 is columnar and extends along the motor axis J1. The rotor core 24 is provided with a through hole through which the shaft 21 passes. The rotor core 24 is provided with a retaining hole (not shown) that penetrates, for example, in the axial direction Y, and a magnet is housed in the retaining hole.

[0019] <Power transmission mechanism> The power transmission mechanism 3 is located on the other axial side (+Y side) of the motor 2. The power transmission mechanism 3 is connected to the rotor 20 to transmit the rotation of the rotor 20 and output it from an output shaft 55. The power transmission mechanism 3 has a first shaft 44, a second shaft 45, a first gear 41, a second gear 42, a third gear 43, and a differential device 5. The differential device 5 has a ring gear 51 and a pair of output shafts 55. Wheels (not shown) are attached to the ends of the pair of output shafts 55, respectively.

[0020] The first shaft 44 extends in the axial direction Y around the motor axis J1. The first shaft 44 is connected at an end on one axial side (-Y side) to an end on the other axial side (+Y side) of the shaft 21. As a result, the first shaft 44 is connected to the rotor 20 of the motor 2 and rotates together with the rotor 20. The first gear 41 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the first shaft 44. The first gear 41 rotates around the motor axis J1. The second shaft 45 is rotatable around an intermediate axis J2 parallel to the motor axis J1. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second shaft 45. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 rotate around the intermediate axis J2. The second gear 42 meshes with the first gear 41. The third gear 43 meshes with a ring gear 51 of the differential device 5. The differential device 5 is rotatable about a differential axis J3 parallel to the motor axis J1. When the vehicle turns, the differential device 5 transmits the torque transmitted from the third gear 43 to the output shaft 55 while absorbing the speed difference between the left and right wheels. The torque output from the motor 2 is transmitted to the ring gear 51 of the differential device 5 via the first shaft 44, the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the second shaft 45, and the third gear 43, and is output to the pair of output shafts 55 via a differential mechanism of the differential device 5. Each of the pair of output shafts 55 is rotatable about the differential axis J3.

[0021] The lower end portion of the ring gear 51 is immersed in the fluid O stored in the housing 6. The ring gear 51 scoops up the fluid O, thereby supplying the fluid O to the tooth surfaces of the other gears and improving the lubrication between the gears. Note that the gear that scoops up the fluid O may be a gear other than the ring gear 51.

[0022] 3, when the drive device 1 is viewed from the axial direction Y, the motor axis J1, the intermediate axis J2, and the differential axis J3 are aligned along the reference direction X. When the drive device 1 is viewed from the axial direction Y, the motor axis J1 is located on one side in the reference direction (+X side, vehicle front side) with respect to the differential axis J3. That is, in this specification, the one side in the reference direction means the side on which the motor axis J1 is disposed with respect to the differential axis J3 in the reference direction X, and the other side in the reference direction means the side on which the differential axis J3 is disposed with respect to the motor axis J1 in the reference direction X.

[0023] <Control Unit> As shown in Fig. 1, the control unit 7 is located radially outward of the motor 2 and on one axial side (-Y side) of the power transmission mechanism 3. The control unit 7 is located above the motor 2. The control unit 7 has an inverter 7A. The inverter 7A is connected to a battery B and converts a direct current supplied from the battery B into an alternating current. The inverter 7A is also connected to the stator 25 and supplies the alternating current to the stator 25.

[0024] Furthermore, the control unit 7 may have a power integration system 7B in addition to the inverter 7A. The power integration system 7B has, for example, an on-board charger (OBC), a power distribution unit (PDU), a DC / DC converter, and the like. The on-board charger is a system for converting AC voltage supplied via a plug into DC voltage and charging the battery B. The power distribution unit is a part that distributes the current supplied from the battery B to various electrical components in the vehicle including the inverter 7A. The DC / DC converter is a part that converts the voltage supplied from the battery B and charges another low-voltage battery.

[0025] The control unit 7 is also connected to a temperature sensor T provided in the battery B, and to the heating device 10. The control unit 7 controls the heating device 10 in accordance with the temperature of the battery B detected by the temperature sensor T.

[0026] <Housing> As shown in Fig. 1, the housing 6 has a housing main body 61, a motor cover 63, a gear cover 62, and a control unit cover 64. The housing main body 61, the motor cover 63, the gear cover 62, and the control unit cover 64 are each separate members. The motor cover 63 is disposed on one axial side (-Y side) of the housing main body 61. The gear cover 62 is disposed on the other axial side (+Y side) of the housing main body 61. The control unit cover 64 is disposed on the upper side of the housing main body 61.

[0027] The housing 6 also has a first housing section 6A, a second housing section 6B, and a third housing section 6C. The first housing section 6A houses the motor 2. The second housing section 6B houses the power transmission mechanism 3. The third housing section 6C houses the control section 7. The first housing section 6A, the second housing section 6B, and the third housing section 6C are each composed of a housing main body 61, a motor cover 63, a gear cover 62, and a control section cover 64.

[0028] The first accommodating section 6A is constituted by a cylindrical portion of the housing main body 61 (a first peripheral wall portion 6d described later) and a motor cover 63 that covers an opening on one axial side (-Y side) of the cylindrical portion. A first flange portion 61f that extends radially outward is provided at the end portion on one axial side (-Y side) of the housing main body 61. The first flange portion 61f and the motor cover 63 are fastened in the axial direction Y by fastening means such as screws. The motor 2 is disposed in a space surrounded by the housing main body 61 and the motor cover 63.

[0029] The second storage section 6B is configured by a concave portion that opens to the other axial side (+Y side) of the housing body 61, and a gear cover 62 that covers the opening of the concave portion. A second flange portion 61k that spreads outward in the radial direction is provided at the end of the other axial side (+Y side) of the housing body 61. A third flange portion 62k that spreads outward in the radial direction is provided at the end of one axial side (-Y side) of the gear cover 62. The second flange portion 61k and the third flange portion 62k are fastened in the axial direction Y by fastening means such as screws. The power transmission mechanism 3 is disposed in a space surrounded by the housing body 61 and the gear cover 62. In this embodiment, a fluid O is stored in the internal space of the second storage section 6B.

[0030] The third storage section 6C is configured by a box-shaped portion (a box-shaped portion 6f described later) that opens to the upper side of the housing main body 61, and a control section cover 64 that covers the opening of this box-shaped portion. The control section 7 is disposed in a space surrounded by the housing main body 61 and the control section cover 64.

[0031] Furthermore, the housing 6 has a first side wall portion 6a, a second side wall portion 6b, a third side wall portion 6c, a first peripheral wall portion 6d, a second peripheral wall portion 6e, a box-shaped portion 6f, and a top wall portion 6g as the respective portions of the housing main body 61, the motor cover 63, the gear cover 62, and the control unit cover 64. The first side wall portion 6a, the second side wall portion 6b, and the third side wall portion 6c extend along a plane perpendicular to the motor axis J1. The first peripheral wall portion 6d and the second peripheral wall portion 6e are substantially cylindrical and extend along the axial direction Y. The first peripheral wall portion 6d connects the second side wall portion 6b and the first side wall portion 6a. The second peripheral wall portion 6e connects the third side wall portion 6c and the second side wall portion 6b. The box-shaped portion 6f and the top wall portion 6g are located above the first peripheral wall portion 6d.

[0032] The first side wall 6a is provided on the motor cover 63. The first side wall 6a also constitutes a part of the first housing portion 6A. The first side wall 6a is located on one axial side (-Y side) of the motor 2.

[0033] The second side wall portion 6b is provided on the housing main body 61. The second side wall portion 6b is located on the other axial side (+Y side) of the motor 2. The second side wall portion 6b has a partition portion 6p and a protruding portion 6q.

[0034] The partition 6p partitions the internal space of the first housing portion 6A and the internal space of the second housing portion 6B. The partition 6p constitutes a part of the first housing portion 6A and a part of the second housing portion 6B. The partition 6p is provided with a first hole 61a penetrating the partition 6p in the axial direction Y. The first hole 61a connects the internal space of the first housing portion 6A and the internal space of the second housing portion 6B. In this embodiment, the first hole 61a is arranged at the connecting portion between the shaft 21 and the first shaft 44. The connecting portion between the shaft 21 and the first shaft 44 may be arranged in the internal space of either the first housing portion 6A or the second housing portion 6B.

[0035] The protruding portion 6q extends radially outward from the partition portion 6p. The protruding portion 6q constitutes a part of the second housing portion 6B. The protruding portion 6q is provided with a second hole 61b penetrating the protruding portion 6q in the axial direction Y. The output shaft 55 is disposed in the second hole 61b.

[0036] The third side wall portion 6c is provided on the gear cover 62. The third side wall portion 6c constitutes a part of the second housing portion 6B. The third side wall portion 6c is disposed on the other axial side (+Y side) of the power transmission mechanism 3. The third side wall portion 6c is provided with a third hole 62a penetrating the third side wall portion 6c in the axial direction Y. The output shaft 55 is disposed in the third hole 62a.

[0037] The first peripheral wall portion 6d is provided on the housing main body 61. The first peripheral wall portion 6d constitutes a part of the first accommodating portion 6A. The first peripheral wall portion 6d surrounds the outer periphery of the motor 2 from the radial outside of the motor axis J1. For example, the stator core 27 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the first peripheral wall portion 6d. A first flange portion 61f protruding radially outward from the first peripheral wall portion 6d is provided at an end portion on one axial side (-Y side) of the first peripheral wall portion 6d.

[0038] The second peripheral wall portion 6e is constituted by a part of the housing main body 61 and a part of the gear cover 62. The second peripheral wall portion 6e constitutes a part of the second accommodating portion 6B. The second peripheral wall portion 6e surrounds the power transmission mechanism 3 from the radial outside. More specifically, the second peripheral wall portion 6e surrounds the gears 41, 42, 43, 51 from the radial outside of the motor axis J1, the intermediate axis J2, and the differential axis J3. The second peripheral wall portion 6e is provided with a fastening portion 69 that fastens the second flange portion 61k and the third flange portion 62k. The fastening portion 69 protrudes radially outward from the outer surface of the second peripheral wall portion 6e.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2, the box-shaped portion 6f is provided on the housing main body 61. The box-shaped portion 6f constitutes a part of the third storage portion 6C. The box-shaped portion 6f is located above the first peripheral wall portion 6d. The box-shaped portion 6f is connected to the outer surface of the first peripheral wall portion 6d. The box-shaped portion 6f has a side wall portion 6j having a rectangular frame shape when viewed from above, and a bottom wall portion 6k connected to the lower end portion of the side wall portion 6j. The side wall portion 6j surrounds the internal space of the third storage portion 6C from the horizontal direction (one axial side (-Y side) and the other axial side (+Y side), and one reference direction side (+X side) and the other reference direction side (-X side). In this embodiment, the side wall portion 6j has a plurality of surfaces. More specifically, the side wall portion 6j has a surface facing one axial side (-Y side), a surface facing the other axial side (+Y side), a surface facing one reference direction side (+X side), and a surface facing the other reference direction side (- The side wall 6j has a surface facing the inner space of the third storage section 6C (X side). The bottom wall 6k is arranged side by side with a part of the first peripheral wall 6d in the reference direction X. The bottom wall 6k and the first peripheral wall 6d cover the inner space of the third storage section 6C from below. Note that the side wall 6j only needs to have at least one surface and surround the inner space of the third storage section 6C when viewed from above. For example, the side wall 6j may have a shape other than a rectangular frame when viewed from above.

[0040] The top wall 6g is provided on the control unit cover 64. The top wall 6g constitutes a part of the third storage unit 6C. The top wall 6g is a plate extending along a horizontal plane (XY plane). The top wall 6g faces the bottom wall 6k and the first peripheral wall 6d in the vertical direction Z. The top wall 6g covers the internal space of the third storage unit 6C from above. As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 7 is fixed to the top wall 6g of this embodiment. The control unit 7 may be fixed to the inner surface of the box-shaped portion 6f. That is, the box-shaped portion 6f may be fixed to the side wall 6j or the bottom wall 6k.

[0041] <Heating device> As shown in FIG. 1, a pipe P is connected to the heating device 10 of this embodiment. The pipe P is a circulation path for circulating a fluid such as water, a refrigerant, or air. An external device that is an object to be heated by the heating device 10 is connected to the pipe P. A pump (not shown) for pumping the fluid in the pipe P may be connected to the pipe P. In this embodiment, the external device is a battery B. That is, the pipe P connects between the heating device 10 and the battery (external device) B. A part or the entire pipe P may be, for example, a part of the housing 6, and the pipe P may be entirely made of a material different from the housing 6.

[0042] When the outside air temperature drops, the discharge voltage of battery B may drop. In the drive device 1 of this embodiment, a temperature sensor T is provided in battery B, so that the control unit 7 can detect a drop in temperature of battery B. Furthermore, the control unit 7 can control the heating device 10 to heat battery B via the pipe P, so that battery B can be operated stably. Note that a system of the vehicle in which the drive device 1 is mounted may detect the temperature of battery B.

[0043] 2, according to this embodiment, the heating device 10 is fixed to the outer surface of the housing 6. This makes it possible to mount the heating device 10 on the vehicle in a state where it is assembled to other parts of the drive device 1 (such as the motor 2, the drive device 1, and the control unit 7), thereby simplifying the process of assembling the heating device 10 on the vehicle.

[0044] According to this embodiment, by disposing the heating device 10 on the outer surface of the housing 6, it is possible to prevent the heat generated by the heating device 10 from being transmitted to other components (e.g., the control unit 7) compared to a case in which the heating device 10 is disposed inside the housing 6. Therefore, there is no need to provide a member such as a heat insulating structure between the heating device 10 and other components, and the size of the drive device 1 can be prevented from increasing. As a result, the drive device 1 can be made smaller. That is, according to this embodiment, the heating device 10 can be appropriately disposed with respect to the drive device 1.

[0045] According to this embodiment, the heating device 10 is fixed to the outer surface of the second storage section 6B. The heating device 10 heats the fluid in the heating device 10 via a heat generating member provided inside the heating device 10 according to a command from the control section 7. Meanwhile, in addition to the heating device 10, the drive device 1 is provided with a motor 2 and a control section 7 as parts that generate heat when driven (hereinafter, heat generating parts). If the heat generating parts such as the motor 2 and the control section 7 are arranged near the heating device 10, the heating device 10 and the fluid in the pipe P may be heated by the heat generating parts, and the fluid in the heating device 10 and the pipe P may be warmed more than necessary. In other words, if the heating device 10 is arranged near the heat generating parts, there is a risk that the temperature adjustment of the fluid by the heating device 10 may be affected. In addition, the heat generated from the heating device 10 may also be transmitted to the motor 2 and the control section 7, causing the temperatures of the motor 2 and the control section 7 to rise, thereby affecting their operation.

[0046] According to the drive device 1 of this embodiment, by fixing the heating device 10 to the outer surface of the second housing section 6B, it is possible to make it difficult for heat generated during operation of the heating device 10 to be transmitted to the motor 2 and the control section 7. This makes it possible to prevent the temperatures of the motor 2 and the control section 7 from becoming too high. Furthermore, a flow path for cooling the motor 2 may be provided inside the wall of the first housing section 6A that houses the motor 2. Similarly, a flow path for cooling the control section 7 may be provided inside the wall of the third housing section 6C. According to the drive device 1 of this embodiment, by fixing the heating device 10 to the second housing section 6B, it is possible to prevent the fluid in the flow paths of the first housing section 6A and the second housing section 6B from being heated by the heat of the heating device 10.

[0047] According to this embodiment, the heating device 10 is fixed to the outer surface of the second housing section 6B, so that the heating device 10 can be disposed away from the motor 2 and the control section 7. This makes it possible to prevent the heat of the motor 2 and the control section 7 from being transmitted to the heating device 10, and thus makes it possible to suppress the influence on the operation of the motor 2 and the control section 7.

[0048] In this embodiment, for example, fluid O that lubricates the power transmission mechanism 3 is stored inside the second housing portion 6B. When the outside air temperature is low, the fluid O inside the second housing portion 6B becomes more viscous and is less likely to be supplied to the power transmission mechanism 3, which may cause the power transmission mechanism 3 to operate more difficultly. More specifically, when the viscosity of the fluid O increases, for example, there is a possibility that the rotational resistance of the ring gear 51 immersed in the fluid O increases.

[0049] According to the present embodiment, the heating device 10 is fixed to the outer surface of the second housing portion 6B, and thus the fluid O inside the second housing portion 6B can be warmed by the heat generated by the heating device 10. This allows the fluid O to be efficiently supplied to the power transmission mechanism 3, and the power transmission mechanism 3 can operate smoothly, even in an environment such as a cold region with a low outside air temperature.

[0050] In this embodiment, the heating device 10 has a heating device main body 10a and a fixing portion 10m that supports the heating device main body 10a. The heating device 10 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the second peripheral wall portion 6e of the housing 6 at the fixing portion 10m. As described above, the second peripheral wall portion 6e is provided with a fastening portion 69 between the second flange portion 61k and the third flange portion 62k. The fixing portion 10m is disposed across the fastening portion 69 and is fixed to the housing main body 61 and the gear cover 62, respectively.

[0051] In this embodiment, the heating device 10 is disposed on one side (+X side) of the reference direction of the second housing section 6B. This makes it possible to prevent the drive device 1 from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the vertical direction Z. Similarly, when the heating device 10 is disposed on the other side (-X side) of the reference direction of the second housing section 6B, it is possible to prevent the drive device 1 from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the vertical direction Z. That is, the heating device 10 may be disposed on one or the other side of the reference direction of the second housing section 6B. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the one side (+X side) of the reference direction corresponds to the rear of the vehicle, it is easy to protect the heating device 10 from impacts such as when the vehicle collides while traveling forward.

[0052] In the drive device 1 of this embodiment, the heating device 10 overlaps with at least one of the gears (the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the third gear 43, and the ring gear 51) constituting the power transmission mechanism 3 when viewed from the reference direction X. According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the heating device 10 from significantly protruding in the up-down direction Z or the axial direction Y from the second housing portion 6B.

[0053] In this embodiment, the heating device 10 is disposed on one or the other side of the second housing portion 6B in the reference direction, offset upward with respect to the motor axis J1. Note that, here, "the heating device 10 is disposed offset upward with respect to the motor axis J1" means that the position of the geometric center of gravity of the heating device 10 is located above the motor axis J1.

[0054] In this embodiment, the second housing portion 6B is cylindrical and surrounds the power transmission mechanism 3 from the radial outside, so that the outer peripheral surface of the second peripheral wall portion 6e extends along the shape of the radially outer side surface of the gear. In particular, in this embodiment, the surface on one side in the reference direction (+X side) to which the heating device 10 is fixed is a surface that surrounds the first gear 41, which rotates around the motor axis J1, among the multiple gears of the power transmission mechanism 3. Therefore, in this embodiment, the surface to which the heating device 10 is fixed is a curved surface centered on the motor axis J1. When viewed from the axial direction Y, the portion of the second peripheral wall portion 6e located closest to one side in the reference direction (+X side) is located closer to one side in the reference direction (+X side) than the portion of the side wall portion 6j located closest to one side in the reference direction (+X side). Therefore, above the motor axis J1, a space is formed between a portion of the second peripheral wall portion 6e located closest to one side in the reference direction (+X side) and a portion of the side wall portion 6j located closest to one side in the reference direction (+X side). In this embodiment, the heating device 10 is arranged offset upward with respect to the motor axis J1, so that the heating device 10 can be arranged in the space obliquely above the second peripheral wall portion 6e as viewed from the axial direction Y. This makes it possible to prevent the entire driving device 1 from becoming large in the reference direction X. Particularly in this embodiment, the upper end of the heating device 10 is located below the upper end of the first housing portion 6A. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to effectively utilize the dead space around the second peripheral wall portion 6e while preventing the heating device 10 from protruding upward.

[0055] If the volume of the heating device 10 protruding from the outer surface of the housing 6 is large, there is a possibility that the heating device 10 will interfere with the vehicle when the drive unit 1 is assembled to the vehicle. As described above, the driving unit 1 can be made smaller in the radial direction by disposing the heating device 10 in the space provided around the housing 6. In other words, by reducing the volume of the heating device 10 protruding from the driving unit 1, interference between the heating device 10 and the vehicle when the driving unit 1 is assembled to the vehicle can be suppressed. As a result, the driving unit 1 can be arranged in a smaller accommodation space within the vehicle.

[0056] The first shaft 44 of this embodiment is connected to the rotor 20. Therefore, when a large impact is applied to the first shaft 44 in the event of a vehicle collision or the like, the impact may be transmitted to the motor 2, causing damage to the motor 2. As described above, in the drive device 1 of this embodiment, the motor axis J1 is located on one side in the reference direction (+X side) with respect to the intermediate axis J2. That is, in the power transmission mechanism 3 of this embodiment, the second shaft 45 is not disposed on one side in the reference direction (+X side) of the first shaft 44. Therefore, when an impact is applied to the drive device 1 from one side in the first direction (+X side), the impact is likely to be directly transmitted to the first shaft 44. In contrast, in the drive device 1 of this embodiment, the heating device 10 is disposed on one side in the reference direction (+X side) of the second housing portion 6B. Therefore, the heating device 10 is disposed on one axial side (+X side) of the first shaft 44. Therefore, even if the vehicle is rear-ended from one side in the first direction (+X side), the impact of the rear-end collision can be buffered by the heating device 10, and the transmission of a large impact to the first shaft 44 can be suppressed.

[0057] The power transmission mechanism 3 of this embodiment is a reducer that transmits the rotation of the rotor 20 while reducing the speed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first gear 41 has a smaller diameter than the other gears in the power transmission mechanism 3. According to this embodiment, the heating device 10 is disposed on one side (+X side) of the reference direction of the second housing portion 6B. Therefore, the heating device 10 is disposed on the opposite side of the second gear 42 with respect to the first gear 41 in the reference direction X. According to this embodiment, by disposing the heating device 10 radially outside the first gear 41 having a smaller diameter, it is easy to prevent the heating device 10 from protruding significantly from the outer surface of the housing 6.

[0058] <Modification> Modifications of the fixing position of the heating device will be described below. In the description of each modification below, the same components as those in the embodiment or modification already described will be given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0059] (Variation 1) 4 is a rear view of the driving device 101 of the first modified example. The heating device 110 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing radially outward of the second housing portion 6B. In this modified example, the heating device 110 is disposed on one side (+X side) of the second housing portion 6B in the reference direction and biased downward with respect to the motor axis J1. That is, in this modified example, the position of the geometric center of gravity of the heating device 110 is located below the motor axis J1.

[0060] As in the above-described embodiment, the heating device 110 is disposed on one side (+X side) of the second housing section 6B in the reference direction, thereby making it possible to prevent the driving device 101 from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the vertical direction Z. Furthermore, in a case where the one side (+X side) in the reference direction corresponds to the rear of the vehicle, it is easy to protect the heating device 110 from impacts such as when the vehicle collides while traveling forward.

[0061] As viewed from the axial direction Y, an inclined surface 6ec is provided on the outer surface of the second peripheral wall portion 6e between an end portion 6ea on one side (+X side) in the reference direction and a lower end portion 6eb of the second peripheral wall portion 6e, the inclined surface 6ec being inclined downward toward the other side (-X side) in the reference direction. As viewed from the axial direction, the inclined surface 6ec is an arc-shaped surface centered on the motor axis J1. A space is formed radially outside the inclined surface 6ec. Therefore, according to this modification, the heating device 110 can be disposed in a space obliquely below the inclined surface 6ec as viewed from the axial direction Y by disposing the heating device 110 biased downward with respect to the motor axis J1. This makes it possible to suppress the entire driving device 101 from becoming larger in the reference direction X, for example, compared to a case in which the heating device 110 is disposed on one side of the reference direction of the second peripheral wall portion 6e. Also, when the driving device 101 is assembled to the vehicle, interference between the heating device 110 and the vehicle can be suppressed. Particularly in this modification, the lower end of the heating device 110 is located above the lower end of the second housing portion 6B. Therefore, according to this modification, the heating device 110 can be prevented from protruding downward while effectively utilizing the dead space.

[0062] (Variation 2) 5 is a rear view of the driving device 201 of the second modification. The heating device 210 of this modification is fixed to a surface facing radially outward of the second housing portion 6B. In this modification, the heating device 210 is disposed on the other side (-X side) of the second housing portion 6B in the reference direction and biased upward with respect to the motor axis J1. That is, in this modification, the position of the geometric center of gravity of the heating device 210 is located below the motor axis J1.

[0063] In this modification, the heating device 210 is located radially outside the third gear. In the reference direction, the heating device 210 is closer to the third gear 43 than the first gear 41. The heating device 210 is disposed on the other reference direction side (-X side) of the second housing portion 6B and biased upward with respect to the differential axis J3. The heating device 210 may overlap with the intermediate axis J2 in the reference direction, or may be disposed on the other reference direction side (-X side) of the second housing portion 6B and biased upward or downward with respect to the intermediate axis J2.

[0064] As in the above-described embodiment, the heating device 210 is disposed on the other side (-X side) of the reference direction of the second housing section 6B, thereby making it possible to prevent the driving device 201 from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the vertical direction Z. Furthermore, in a case where the other side (-X side) of the reference direction corresponds to the rear of the vehicle, it is easy to protect the heating device 210 from impacts such as when the vehicle collides while traveling forward.

[0065] Moreover, by disposing the heating device 210 offset upward with respect to the motor axis J1, the heating device 210 can be disposed in the space obliquely above the cylindrical second circumferential wall portion 6e as viewed from the axial direction Y, as in the above-described embodiment. This makes it possible to suppress the entire driving device 201 from becoming large in the reference direction X, as compared with the case where the heating device 210 is disposed on the other side of the reference direction of the second circumferential wall portion 6e, for example. Also, when the driving device 201 is assembled to the vehicle, interference between the heating device 210 and the vehicle can be suppressed. Particularly in this modification, the upper end of the heating device 210 is located below the upper end of the second housing portion 6B. Therefore, according to this modification, as in the above-described embodiment, it is possible to effectively utilize the dead space obliquely above the second circumferential wall portion 6e while suppressing the heating device 210 from protruding upward.

[0066] (Variation 3) 6 is a rear view of the driving device 301 of the third modified example. The heating device 310 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing radially outward of the second housing portion 6B. In this modified example, the heating device 310 is disposed on the other side (-X side) of the second housing portion 6B in the reference direction and biased downward with respect to the motor axis J1. That is, in this modified example, the position of the geometric center of gravity of the heating device 310 is located below the motor axis J1.

[0067] In this modification, the heating device 310 is located radially outside the third gear. In the reference direction, the heating device 310 is closer to the third gear 43 than the first gear 41. The heating device 310 is disposed on the other reference direction side (-X side) of the second housing portion 6B and biased downward with respect to the differential axis J3. The heating device 310 may overlap with the intermediate axis J2 in the reference direction, or may be disposed on the other reference direction side (-X side) of the second housing portion 6B and biased upward or downward with respect to the intermediate axis J2.

[0068] As in the above-described embodiment, the heating device 310 is disposed on the other side (-X side) of the reference direction of the second housing section 6B, thereby making it possible to prevent the driving device 301 from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the up-down direction Z. Furthermore, in a case where the other side (-X side) of the reference direction corresponds to the rear of the vehicle, it is easy to protect the heating device 310 from impacts such as when the vehicle collides while traveling forward.

[0069] In addition, by disposing the heating device 310 on the lower side with respect to the motor axis J1, the heating device 310 can be disposed in a space obliquely below the cylindrical second circumferential wall portion 6e as viewed from the axial direction Y, as in the above-mentioned modified example 1. This makes it possible to suppress the entire driving device 301 from becoming large in the reference direction X, for example, compared to a case in which the heating device 310 is disposed on the other side of the reference direction of the second circumferential wall portion 6e. In addition, when the driving device 301 is assembled to the vehicle, interference between the heating device 310 and the vehicle can be suppressed. Particularly in this modified example, the lower end of the heating device 310 is located above the lower end of the second housing portion 6B. Therefore, according to this modified example, as in the above-mentioned modified example 1, it is possible to effectively utilize the dead space obliquely above the second circumferential wall portion 6e while suppressing the heating device 310 from protruding downward.

[0070] (Variation 4) FIG. 7 is a rear view of the driving device 401 of the fourth modified example. The heating device 410 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing the radially outward side of the second housing portion 6B. In this modified example, the heating device 410 is disposed so that the position in the vertical direction on the other side (-X side) of the reference direction of the second housing portion 6B overlaps with the motor axis J1. This makes it difficult for the heating device 410 to protrude upward or downward from the outer surface of the housing 6. When the driving device 401 is assembled to the vehicle, interference between the heating device 410 and the vehicle can be suppressed. In addition, when the other side (-X side) of the reference direction corresponds to the rear of the vehicle, the heating device 410 is easily protected from impacts such as when the vehicle collides while traveling forward. In addition, in this modified example, at least a part of the heating device 410 overlaps with the differential axis J3 in the reference direction.

[0071] The heating device 410 overlaps at least one of the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the third gear 43, and the ring gear 51 when viewed from the reference direction. The other axial end of the heating device 410 is preferably located on the one axial side of the other axial end of the second housing portion. In this modification, the heating device 410 is located radially outward of the third gear 43. In the reference direction, the heating device 410 is closer to the third gear 43 than the first gear 41. The heating device 410 overlaps with the differential axis J3 on the other reference direction side (-X side) of the second housing portion 6B. Note that the heating device may overlap with the intermediate axis J2 in the reference direction, or may be disposed on the other reference direction side (-X side) of the second housing portion 6B, biased upward or downward with respect to the intermediate axis J2.

[0072] (Variation 5) Fig. 8 is a side view of driving device 501 of modified example 5 as viewed from the other side in the reference direction (-X side). Fig. 9 is a front view of driving device 501 of modified example 5 as viewed from one axial side (-Y side). As shown in Fig. 8, heating device 510 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing one axial side (-Y side) of second housing section 6B.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the heating device 510 of this modification is located on the other side (-X side) of the reference direction of the first housing portion 6A, on one axial side (-Y side) of the second housing portion 6B, and below the third housing portion 6C. The heating device 510 faces the first peripheral wall portion 6d in the reference direction X. The heating device 510 faces the protruding portion 6q of the second side wall portion 6b in the axial direction Y. The heating device 510 faces the bottom wall portion 6k in the up-down direction Z. That is, the heating device 510 of this modification is disposed in a space surrounded by three portions of the housing 6 (the first peripheral wall portion 6d, the bottom wall portion 6k, and the protruding portion 6q) from three directions. By disposing the heating device 510 in this space, it is possible to prevent the heating device 510 from protruding outward from the outer surface of the housing 6, and the driving device 501 can be made smaller in size. Furthermore, when the drive device 501 is mounted on the vehicle, interference between the heating device 510 and the vehicle can be suppressed. Note that the third housing section 6C does not have to be disposed above the heating device 510.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 9, in this modification, the heating device 510 is disposed on one axial side (-Y side) of the second housing portion 6B. Therefore, it is easy to arrange the heating device 510 so as to overlap with the second housing portion 6B when viewed from the axial direction Y. In particular, the heating device 510 of this modification is disposed between the motor axis J1 and the differential axis J3 in the reference direction X. Therefore, the heating device 510 is unlikely to protrude to one side or the other side of the reference direction X with respect to the second housing portion 6B when viewed from the axial direction Y. As a result, the projected area of ​​the driving device 501 in the axial direction Y can be reduced, and the driving device 501 can be made smaller. In addition, when the driving device 501 is mounted on a vehicle, interference between the heating device 510 and the vehicle can be suppressed. In this embodiment, the heating device 510 overlaps with the second gear 42, the third gear 43, and the ring gear when viewed from the axial direction. It is preferable that the heating device 510 overlaps at least one of the second gear 42, the third gear 43, and the ring gear when viewed in the axial direction.

[0075] Also, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the first housing portion 6A of this modification is disposed on one axial side (-Y side) of the second housing portion 6B. Therefore, in this modification, the heating device 510 and the first housing portion 6A are both located on one axial side (-Y side) of the first housing portion 6A. Therefore, the axial position of the heating device 510 and the axial position of the first housing portion 6A can be overlapped with each other. That is, the heating device 510 overlaps with the first housing portion 6A when viewed from the radial direction of the motor axis J1. Also, the end portion of the heating device 510 on one axial side is located on the other axial side of the end portion of the first housing portion 6A on one axial side. According to this modification, it is possible to suppress the heating device 510 from protruding from the outer surface of the housing 6 when viewed from the radial direction of the motor axis J1.

[0076] Furthermore, according to this modification, the heating device 510 is located on the other side (-X side) of the first housing section 6A in the reference direction. Therefore, when the other side (-X side) in the reference direction corresponds to the rear of the vehicle, the heating device 510 is easily protected from impacts such as when the vehicle collides while traveling forward.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 8, a recess 6m recessed toward the other axial side (+Y side) is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the overhanging portion 6q facing one axial side (-Y side). That is, the recess 6m is provided on the outer surface of the second housing portion 6B. In this modification, at least a part of the heating device 510 is provided inside the recess 6m. As a result, in this modification, the height of the heating device 510 protruding from the surface on one axial side of the second housing portion 6B can be reduced, and the driving device 501 can be made smaller as a whole. In this modification, it is preferable that at least a part of the recess 6m overlaps with at least one of the second gear 42, the third gear 43, and the ring gear when viewed from the axial direction. The shape of the recess 6m is not particularly limited as long as at least a part of the heating device 510 is disposed therein. The recess 6m may be a hole having a bottom, or a through hole penetrating the overhanging portion 6q in the axial direction. In the case where the recess 6m is a through hole, it is preferable that the heating device 510 closes the opening of the recess 6m. In this case, at least a part of the heating device 510 penetrates the protruding portion 6q in the axial direction and is disposed inside the second housing portion 6B. In the case where the recess 6m is a through hole, the entire heating device 510 may be disposed inside the second housing portion 6B to close the opening of the recess 6m. In addition, the end of the recess 6m on one side in the reference direction is preferably located on the other side in the reference direction than the first peripheral wall portion 6d. The end of the recess 6m on the other side in the reference direction is preferably located on one side in the reference direction than the end of the second housing portion 6B on the other side in the reference direction. The upper end of the recess 6m is preferably located below the bottom wall portion 6k. The axial bottom of the recess is preferably located on one axial side than the second flange portion 61k.

[0078] (Variation 6) FIG. 10 is a front view of the driving device 601 of the sixth modification. The heating device 610 of this modification is fixed to a surface facing one axial side (-Y side) of the second housing portion 6B, as in the fifth modification. The heating device 610 of this modification is disposed in a space surrounded from three directions by three parts of the housing 6 (the first peripheral wall portion 6d, the bottom wall portion 6k, and the protruding portion 6q), as in the fifth modification. This allows the driving device 601 to be made compact. In addition, the heating device 610 of this modification overlaps with the first housing portion 6A when viewed from the radial direction of the motor axis J1. This makes it possible to prevent the heating device 610 from protruding from the outer surface of the housing 6 when viewed from the radial direction of the motor axis J1. This makes it possible to prevent the heating device 610 from interfering with the vehicle when the driving device 601 is assembled to the vehicle.

[0079] The heating device 610 in this modification is disposed below the control unit 7 and on the other side (-X side) of the differential axis J3 in the reference direction. In this modification, a space is provided below the control unit 7 and on the other side (-X side) of the differential axis J3 in the reference direction. According to this modification, by disposing the heating device 610 in this space, the heating device and the second housing section can be disposed so as to overlap when viewed in the axial direction, and an increase in the radial size of the driving device 601 can be suppressed.

[0080] (Variation 7) FIG. 11 is a front view of the driving device 701 of the seventh modified example. The heating device 710 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing one axial side (-Y side) of the second housing portion 6B, as in the fifth and sixth modified examples. The heating device 710 of this modified example is disposed in a space surrounded from three directions by three parts of the housing 6 (the first circumferential wall portion 6d, the bottom wall portion 6k, and the protruding portion 6q), as in the fifth and sixth modified examples. This allows the driving device 701 to be made compact in the radial direction. In addition, the heating device 710 of this modified example overlaps with the first housing portion 6A when viewed from the radial direction of the motor axis J1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the heating device 710 from protruding from the outer surface of the housing 6 when viewed from the radial direction of the motor axis J1. In addition, it is possible to prevent the heating device 710 from interfering with the vehicle when the driving device 701 is assembled to the vehicle. Furthermore, the heating device 710 of this modified example is disposed in a space below the control unit 7 and on the other side (-X side) of the differential axis J3 in the reference direction. By disposing the heating device 710 in this space, it is possible to prevent the heating device 710 from protruding outward from the outer surface of the housing 6, and the driving device 701 can be made smaller in size.

[0081] In addition, the heating device 710 of this modification is disposed below the third housing portion 6C and above the differential axis J3. Therefore, when the driving device 701 is viewed from the axial direction Y, the heating device 710 is unlikely to protrude below the second housing portion 6B and above the third housing portion 6C. As a result, the projected area of ​​the driving device 701 in the axial direction Y can be reduced, and the driving device 701 can be made smaller. In addition, since the heating device 710 and the third housing portion 6C can be disposed close to each other, the structure of the member connecting the heating device 710 and the third housing portion 6C can be simplified. Note that, in this modification, the recess 6m may be provided on the surface of the second housing portion 6B facing one axial side, as in the modification 5 (see FIG. 8). The end of the heating device 710 on the other reference direction side may be located on the other reference direction side of the end of the third housing portion 6C on the other reference direction side, or may be disposed on the one reference direction side.

[0082] (Variation 8) FIG. 12 is a front view of the driving device 801 of the eighth modified example. The heating device 810 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing one axial side (-Y side) of the second housing portion 6B, as in the fifth to seventh modified examples. The heating device 810 of this modified example is disposed in a space surrounded from three directions by three parts of the housing 6 (the first circumferential wall portion 6d, the bottom wall portion 6k, and the protruding portion 6q), as in the fifth to seventh modified examples. This allows the driving device 801 to be made compact in the radial direction. In addition, the heating device 810 of this modified example overlaps with the first housing portion 6A when viewed from the radial direction of the motor axis J1. This makes it possible to prevent the heating device 810 from protruding from the outer surface of the housing 6 when viewed from the radial direction of the motor axis J1. Furthermore, the heating device 810 of this modified example is disposed in a space below the control portion 7 and on the other reference direction side (-X side) of the differential axis J3. By disposing the heating device 810 in this space, it is possible to prevent the heating device 810 from protruding outward from the outer surface of the housing 6, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the driving device 801. In addition, when the driving device 801 is assembled to the vehicle, it is possible to prevent the heating device 810 from interfering with the vehicle.

[0083] In addition, the heating device 810 of this modification is disposed below the differential axis J3. According to this modification, since the heating device 810 is not disposed in the region above the differential axis J3, this region can be widely secured for other parts (the third housing section 6C in this modification), and the driving device 801 can be made smaller overall. In addition, it is possible to prevent the heating device 810 from coming into contact with the third housing section 6C due to vibrations of the driving device 801 or vibrations applied to the driving device 801 from the outside. Furthermore, the heating device 810 of this modification is disposed directly below the differential axis J3. Therefore, the output shaft 55 (see FIG. 1), which extends in the axial direction Y with the differential axis J3 as the center, can be protected from below by the heating device 810. In addition, when the fluid O is stored in the lower part of the second housing section 6B, if the heating device 810 is disposed below the differential axis J3, the fluid O can be more easily heated.

[0084] (Variation 9) 13 is a top view of a driving device 901 of Modification 9. A heating device 910 of this modification is fixed to the surface facing the upper side of the second housing section 6B.

[0085] The heating device 910 of this modification is disposed above the motor 2 and the power transmission mechanism 3. As in the above embodiment, the control unit 7 and the third housing section 6C that houses the control unit 7 are disposed above the motor 2. The heating device 910 and the third housing section 6C of this modification are both disposed above the motor 2 and the power transmission mechanism 3. According to this modification, the control unit 7 and the heating device 910 can be disposed close to each other, and when the control unit 7 and the heating device 910 are connected by the connection wiring 908b, the length of the connection wiring 908b can be shortened. In this specification, the "connection wiring" means a connection path that electrically connects two electrical components, and includes not only cable-shaped wiring but also a connection path using a bus bar or the like.

[0086] In this modification, the heating device 910 and the control unit 7 are arranged side by side in the axial direction Y. In particular, in this modification, the heating device 910 is arranged on the other axial side (+Y side) of the control unit 7, and the control unit 7 is arranged on one axial side (-Y side) of the heating device 910. In addition, the power transmission mechanism 3 is arranged on the other axial side (+Y side) of the motor 2, and the connection wiring 908a between the motor 2 and the control unit 7 is arranged on one axial side (-Y side) of the motor 2. Since the heating device 910 in this modification is arranged on the other axial side (+Y side) of the control unit 7, interference between the heating device 910 and the connection wiring 908a connecting the motor 2 and the control unit 7 can be suppressed. In addition, according to this modification, a wide space can be secured in which the connection wiring 908a between the motor 2 and the control unit 7 is arranged. In addition, when viewed from above, the heating device 910 does not protrude from the first housing section 6A and the second housing section 6B at least in either the reference direction X or the axial direction Y. Therefore, even if the driving device 901 has the heating device 910, it is possible to suppress an increase in size in at least one of the reference direction X and the axial direction Y. Furthermore, when the driving device 901 is mounted on a vehicle, it is possible to suppress interference between the heating device 910 and the vehicle. Note that the control unit 7 and the heating device 910 do not necessarily have to be connected by the connection wiring 908b. In this case, the heating device 910 may be connected to a system on the vehicle side.

[0087] (Variation 10) 14 is a top view of the driving device 1001 of Modification 10. The heating device 1010 of this modification is fixed to the surface facing the upper side of the second accommodation section 6B. In addition, since the heating device 1010 of this modification is disposed above the motor 2 together with the control unit 1007, the heating device 1010 and the control unit 1007 can be disposed close to each other, and the connection wiring 1008b between the control unit 1007 and the heating device 1010 can be shortened.

[0088] In this modification, the control unit 1007 and the third housing section 1006C housing the control unit 1007 have an L-shape extending in the axial direction Y and the reference direction X, respectively, as viewed from the up-down direction Z. According to this modification, as in modification 9, the heating device 1010 and the control unit 1007 are arranged at least partially side by side in the axial direction Y. In this modification, the heating device 1010 is provided on the other axial side of the control unit 1007. The control unit 1007 is arranged on one axial side of the heating device 1010, and is connected to the motor 2 on the one axial side via a connection wire. Therefore, it is possible to suppress interference between the heating device 1010 and the motor 2 and the control unit 1007 located on one axial side (-Y side) of the motor 2. In addition, it is easy to secure a space for arranging the connection wire 1008a.

[0089] Furthermore, the heating device 1010 and the control unit 1007 are arranged so that at least a portion of them is aligned in the reference direction X. In particular, in this modified example, the heating device 1010 is arranged on the other side (-X side) of the control unit 1007 in the reference direction, and the control unit 1007 is arranged on one side (+X side) of the heating device 1010 in the reference direction. By arranging them in this manner, it becomes easier to arrange the control unit 1007 directly above the motor axis J1, and the connection wiring 1008a connecting the control unit 1007 and the motor 2 can be shortened.

[0090] Furthermore, since the heating device 1010 and the control unit 1007 can be connected in either the axial direction Y or the reference direction X, for example, the degree of freedom in arranging electronic components provided in the control unit 1007 can be increased.

[0091] Moreover, the shape of the third accommodation section 1006C as viewed from the vertical direction Z is not limited to an L-shape. The shape of the third accommodation section 1006C as viewed from the vertical direction Z may be another shape, such as a C-shape or an H-shape that opens in the axial direction or the reference direction. Even in this case, the heating device 1010 is prevented from protruding from the end of the second accommodation section 6B on the other side in the reference direction (-X side). The heating device 1010 is prevented from protruding from the end of the first accommodation section 6A on one side in the axial direction (-Y side). As a result, the driving device 1001 can be prevented from becoming large. Furthermore, when the driving device 1001 is assembled to the vehicle, interference between the heating device 1010 and the vehicle can be prevented.

[0092] (Variation 11) 15 is a rear view of the driving device 1101 of Modification 11. The heating device 1110 of this modification is fixed to a surface facing the lower side of the second housing section 6B. According to this modification, by disposing the heating device 1110 on the lower side of the second housing section 6B, it is possible to reduce the projection area of ​​the driving device 1101 in the vertical direction Z and the reference direction X. This allows the driving device 1101 to be made more compact.

[0093] As in the above-described embodiment, the fluid O (see FIG. 1) that lubricates the power transmission mechanism 3 is stored inside the second storage unit 6B. The fluid O accumulates in a lower region inside the second storage unit 6B. In this modification, the heating device 1110 is disposed below the second storage unit 6B, so that the fluid O that accumulates in the lower region inside the second storage unit 6B can be easily heated by the heat generated by the heating device 1110. This allows the fluid O heated by the heating device 1110 to be supplied to the power transmission mechanism 3 even in cold regions, allowing the power transmission mechanism 3 to operate smoothly.

[0094] In this modification, the heating device 1110 overlaps with the first gear 41 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. The heating device 1110 overlaps with the second gear 42 in the vertical direction Z. At least a part of the heating device 1110 is disposed between the motor axis J1 and the intermediate axis J2 in the reference direction. The first gear 41 is a gear that rotates around the motor axis J1 together with the rotor 20, and is disposed furthest from the differential device 5. Therefore, according to this modification, it is easy to suppress the vibration generated in the differential device 5 from being transmitted to the heating device 1110. In addition, the power transmission mechanism 3 of this modification is a reducer that transmits the rotation of the rotor 20 while decelerating it. Therefore, in the power transmission mechanism 3 of this modification, the first gear 41 has a smaller diameter than the other gears. According to this modification, the heating device 1110 is disposed directly below the first gear 41, so that it is easy to dispose the heating device 1110 close to the motor axis J1. This makes it easy to prevent the heating device 1110 from protruding downward from the outer surface of the housing 6. Note that the heating device 1110 does not necessarily have to overlap with the second gear 42 in the vertical direction.

[0095] (Variation 12) 16 is a rear view of the driving device 1201 of the modified example 12. The heating device 1210 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing the lower side of the second storage unit 6B. According to this modified example, similar to the modified example 11, by arranging the heating device 1210 below the second storage unit 6B, it is possible to reduce the projected area of ​​the driving device 1201 in the up-down direction Z. Furthermore, by arranging the heating device 1210 below the second storage unit 6B, it becomes easier to warm the fluid O inside the second storage unit 6B by the heat generated by the heating device 1210.

[0096] In this modification, the heating device 1210 overlaps with the differential gear 5 when viewed from the up-down direction Z. At least a part of the heating device 1210 is disposed between the differential axis J3 and the middle axis J2 in the reference direction. In the power transmission mechanism 3 of this modification, the ring gear 51 of the differential gear 5 is the gear with the largest diameter compared to the other gears, and is used to stir up the fluid O inside the second housing portion 6B. Therefore, in this modification, the second housing portion 6B has a portion where the fluid O accumulates below the differential gear 5. According to this modification, the heating device 1210 is disposed directly below the differential gear 5, so that the fluid O accumulated below the differential axis J3 can be warmed by the heating device 1210.

[0097] (Variation 13) FIG. 17 is a side view of the driving device 1301 of the modified example 13. FIG. 18 is a rear view of the driving device 1301 of the modified example 13. The heating device 1310 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing the other axial side (+Y side) of the third side wall portion 6c provided on the gear cover 62. That is, the heating device 1310 of this modified example is located on the other axial side (+Y side) of the second housing portion 6B. According to this modified example, the heating device 1310 can be arranged overlapping the second housing portion 6B when viewed from the axial direction Y. This allows the driving device 1301 to be made smaller in the radial direction.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 17, the heating device 1310 of this modification is disposed on the other axial side (+Y side) of the second housing portion 6B. On the other hand, the first housing portion 6A is disposed on one axial side (-Y side) of the second housing portion 6B. Therefore, the heating device 1310 and the first housing portion 6A are disposed on opposite sides of the second housing portion 6B. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 18, it is possible to dispose the heating device 1310 so that a part of it overlaps with the motor 2 as viewed from the axial direction Y. In this modification, the heating device 1310 is located between the differential axis J3 and the motor axis J1 in the reference direction. The heating device 1310 overlaps with the intermediate axis J2 in the axial direction. As viewed from the reference direction, the heating device 1310 overlaps with at least one of the differential axis J3 and the motor axis J1. Note that the heating device 1310 does not necessarily have to overlap with the intermediate axis J2 in the axial direction.

[0099] (Variation 14) 19 is a rear view of the driving device 1401 of Modification 14. The heating device 1410 of this modification is fixed to the other axial side (+Y side) of the second housing section 6B. According to this modification, similar to Modification 13, the heating device 1410 can be arranged overlapping the second housing section 6B when viewed from the axial direction Y, and the driving device 1401 can be made smaller in the radial direction.

[0100] The heating device 1410 of this modification is provided at a position different from the motor axis J1 and the intermediate axis J2 when viewed from the axial direction Y. When viewed from the axial direction, the heating device 1410 is located between the motor axis J1 and the differential axis J3 in the reference direction. The first shaft 44 is arranged on the motor axis J1, and the second shaft 45 is arranged on the intermediate axis J2 (see FIG. 1). For this reason, if the heating device is arranged on the motor axis J1 or the intermediate axis J2, there is a possibility that the vibration of the first shaft 44 or the second shaft 45 is easily transmitted to the heating device. According to this modification, by arranging the heating device 1410 at a position different from the motor axis J1 and the intermediate axis J2, it is possible to suppress the influence of the vibration of the first shaft 44 and the second shaft 45 on the heating device 1410. In addition, a bearing supporting the first shaft 44 or the second shaft 45 is arranged on the motor axis J1 and the intermediate axis J2. According to this modification, the heating device 1410 is disposed at a position different from the motor axis J1, and the heating device 1410 is disposed so as to overlap the portion of the housing 6 that accommodates the bearings in the radial direction, thereby preventing the drive device 1401 from becoming large in size in the axial direction Y. Note that, as long as the heating device 1410 is disposed at a lower portion of the second accommodation portion, it may be disposed on the other side of the differential axis J3 in the reference direction, or on one side of the motor axis J1 in the reference direction. At least a part of the heating device 1410 may be disposed between the motor axis J1 and the intermediate axis J2 or between the intermediate axis J2 and the differential axis J3 in the reference direction.

[0101] Furthermore, according to this modification, the heating device 1410 is provided below at least one of the motor axis J1, the intermediate axis J2, and the differential axis J3 as viewed from the axial direction Y. This makes it easier to warm the fluid O that accumulates in the lower region inside the second housing portion 6B by heat generated by the heating device 1410. This makes it possible to stably warm the fluid O even in an environment such as a cold region where the outside air temperature is low, thereby preventing the viscosity of the fluid O from decreasing, and makes it possible to efficiently supply the fluid O to the power transmission mechanism 3. This allows the power transmission mechanism 3 to operate smoothly.

[0102] (Variation 15) 20 is a side view of a driving device 1501 of Modification 15. The arrangement of the heating device 10 provided in the driving device 1501 of this modification is similar to that of the above-mentioned embodiment. The driving device 1501 of this modification has different configurations of the control units 7a and 7b compared to the above-mentioned embodiment and its modifications.

[0103] The driving device 1501 of this modification has a first control unit 7a and a second control unit 7b. Furthermore, the housing 1506 of this modification has a third housing section 6C that houses the first control unit 7a and a fourth housing section 6D that houses the second control unit 7b. For example, one of the first control unit 7a and the second control unit 7b is an inverter, and the other is a power integration system. At least a part of the heating device 10 may overlap the third housing section 6C and the first housing section 6A in the reference direction. The heating device 10 may be disposed across the second housing section 6B and the first housing section 6A. Note that the driving device 1501 may further have a third control unit that is a part of at least one of the first control unit 7a and the second control unit 7b, and in that case, the housing 1506 may have a fifth housing section that houses the third control unit.

[0104] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, each configuration and their combinations in the embodiments are merely examples, and addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configurations are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

[0105] In the above-described embodiment and the modified example, the heating device is fixed only to the second housing section. However, the heating device may be fixed across the other housing sections as long as at least a part of the heating device is fixed to the second housing section.

[0106] In the above embodiment and its modified example, the heating device has been described as heating the battery through the fluid in the duct. However, the heating target of the heating device is not limited to the present embodiment. For example, the heating device may heat the fluid of an air conditioning system in a vehicle. The heating device may also heat the fluid stored in a housing.

[0107] In the above-described embodiment and its modified example, the heating device is controlled by the control unit. However, the heating device may be provided in the vehicle and controlled by a control device that controls each part of the vehicle. In this case, the temperature sensor attached to the battery is connected to the control device that controls each part of the vehicle.

[0108] The configurations of the power transmission mechanism shown in the above-described embodiment and its modified examples are merely examples. For example, the power transmission mechanism may be one in which the first shaft and the output shaft are arranged coaxially. In this case, a part of the output shaft passes through the radial inside of the rotor. Also, the motor axis J1, the intermediate axis J2, and the differential axis J3 do not have to be arranged side by side along the reference direction X. For example, at least one of the motor axis J1, the intermediate axis J2, and the differential axis J3 may be provided at a position different from the other two in the up-down direction.

[0109] In the above-mentioned modification 8, the case where the heating device 510 is provided in the recess 6m that houses the heating device 510 in the protruding portion 6q of the housing 6 has been described. The configuration in which the heating device is disposed inside the recess can also be adopted in the embodiment and other modifications. That is, the recess may be disposed at any position on the outer surface of the second housing portion, and by disposing the heating device inside the recess, the driving device 501 can be made smaller.

[0110] Furthermore, while the power transmission mechanism shown in the above-described embodiment and its modified examples transmits the rotation of the rotor at a reduced speed, the power transmission mechanism may transmit the rotation of the rotor at an increased speed in part or in its entirety.

[0111] The present technology can be configured as follows. (1) A drive device comprising: a motor having a rotor rotatable around a motor axis; a power transmission mechanism connected to the rotor and transmitting the rotation of the rotor; a housing having a first accommodating portion for accommodating the motor and a second accommodating portion for accommodating the power transmission mechanism; and a heating device fixed to an outer surface of the second accommodating portion. (2) The drive device described in (1), wherein a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the vertical direction is defined as a reference direction, and the heating device is disposed on one side or the other side of the reference direction of the second housing portion. (3) The drive device according to (2), wherein the heating device is positioned offset upward with respect to the motor axis. (4) The drive device according to (2), wherein the heating device is positioned offset downward with respect to the motor axis. (5) A drive device described in any one of (2) to (4), wherein the power transmission mechanism has a first gear rotating about the motor axis and a second gear rotating about an intermediate axis parallel to the motor axis and meshing with the first gear, wherein when viewed from the axial direction, the motor axis is located on one side of the intermediate axis in the reference direction, and the heating device is arranged on one side of the second accommodating section in the reference direction. (6) The drive unit according to (1), wherein the first housing portion is disposed on one axial side of the second housing portion, and the heating device is disposed on one axial side of the second housing portion. (7) The drive unit according to (6), wherein the heating device overlaps with the first housing portion when viewed in a radial direction. (8) A drive device as described in (6) or (7), wherein a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the vertical direction is a reference direction, the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear that can rotate around a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, and the heating device is disposed between the motor axis and the differential axis in the reference direction. (9) A drive device described in any one of (6) to (8), comprising a control unit arranged above the motor, with a reference direction being a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the vertical direction, the housing having a third accommodating section that accommodates the control unit, the power transmission mechanism having a differential gear that can rotate around a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, the motor axis being located on one side of the reference direction relative to the differential axis when viewed from the axial direction, and the heating device being arranged below the control unit and on the other side of the differential axis in the reference direction. (10) A drive device described in any one of (6) to (9), wherein the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear that can rotate around a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, and the heating device is positioned below the differential axis. (11) A drive device as described in (1), comprising a control unit arranged above the motor, the housing having a third storage section that accommodates the control unit, and the heating device being arranged above the motor. (12) The drive device according to (11), wherein the heating device and the control unit are at least partially aligned in the axial direction. (13) The drive device according to (12), wherein the heating device is disposed on the other axial side of the control unit, and the control unit is disposed on one axial side of the heating device. (14) The drive device according to (11), wherein a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the up-down direction is defined as a reference direction, and the heating device and the control unit are arranged so that at least a portion of them are aligned in the reference direction. (15) The drive device described in (14), wherein the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear that can rotate around a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, and when viewed from the axial direction, the motor axis is located on one side of the differential axis in the reference direction, the heating device is located on the other side of the control unit in the reference direction, and the control unit is located on one side of the heating device in the reference direction. (16) The drive mechanism according to (1), wherein the heating device is disposed below the second housing portion. (17) The drive device according to (16), wherein the power transmission mechanism has a first gear that rotates about the motor axis, and the heating device overlaps with the first gear when viewed from above and below. (18) The drive unit according to (1), wherein the first housing portion is disposed on one axial side of the second housing portion, and the heating device is disposed on the other axial side of the second housing portion. (19) The drive device according to (18), wherein the heating device is provided at a position different from the motor axis when viewed in the axial direction. (20) The drive unit according to (18) or (19), wherein the heating device is provided below at least one of the motor axis and the differential axis when viewed in the axial direction. (21) The drive unit according to any one of (1) to (20), wherein a recess is provided on an outer surface of the second housing section, and the heating device is provided inside the recess. (22) The drive device according to any one of (1) to (21), wherein a pipe connecting the heating device to an external device is connected to the heating device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0112] 1,101,201,301,401,501,601,701,801,901,1001,1101,1201,1301,1401,1501...Drive unit, 2...Motor, 3...Power transmission mechanism, 5...Differential unit, 6,1506...Housing, 6m...Recess, 6A...First housing, 6B...Second housing, 6C,1006C...Third housing, 7,7a,7b,1007 ...Control unit, 10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810, 910, 1010, 1110, 1210, 1310, 1410...Heating device, 20...Rotor, 41...First gear, 42...Second gear, B...Battery (external device), J1...Motor axis, J2...Intermediate axis, J3...Differential axis, P...Pipe, X...Reference direction, Y...Axial direction, Z...Up-down direction

Claims

1. A motor having a rotor rotatable about a motor axis; a power transmission mechanism connected to the rotor and configured to transmit rotation of the rotor; a housing having a first housing portion that houses the motor and a second housing portion that houses the power transmission mechanism; A heating device fixed to an outer surface of the second housing portion. Drive unit.

2. The direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the vertical direction is the reference direction. The heating device is disposed on one side or the other side of the second housing part in the reference direction. The drive device according to claim 1 .

3. The heating device is disposed offset upward with respect to the motor axis. The drive device according to claim 2.

4. The heating device is disposed offset downward with respect to the motor axis. The drive device according to claim 2.

5. The power transmission mechanism includes: a first gear that rotates about the motor axis; a second gear that rotates about an intermediate axis parallel to the motor axis and meshes with the first gear, When viewed in the axial direction, the motor axis is located on one side in the reference direction with respect to the intermediate axis, The heating device is disposed on one side of the second housing part in the reference direction. The drive device according to claim 2.

6. The first housing portion is disposed on one axial side of the second housing portion, The heating device is disposed on one axial side of the second housing portion. The drive device according to claim 1 .

7. The heating device overlaps with the first housing portion when viewed from a radial direction.

7. The drive device according to claim 6.

8. The direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the vertical direction is the reference direction. the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear rotatable about a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, The heating device is disposed between the motor axis and the differential axis in the reference direction.

7. The drive device according to claim 6.

9. The direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the vertical direction is the reference direction. A control unit is provided above the motor, The housing has a third accommodating portion that accommodates the control unit, the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear rotatable about a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, When viewed in the axial direction, the motor axis is located on one side of the differential axis in the reference direction, The heating device is disposed below the control unit and on the other side of the differential axis in the reference direction.

7. The drive device according to claim 6.

10. the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear rotatable about a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, The heating device is disposed below the differential axis.

7. The drive device according to claim 6.

11. A control unit is provided above the motor, The housing has a third accommodating portion that accommodates the control unit, The heating device is disposed above the motor. The drive device according to claim 1 .

12. The heating device and the control unit are at least partially arranged in line in the axial direction. The drive arrangement according to claim 11.

13. The heating device is disposed on the other axial side of the control unit, and the control unit is disposed on one axial side of the heating device.

13. The drive arrangement according to claim 12.

14. The direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the vertical direction is the reference direction. The heating device and the control unit are at least partially arranged in the reference direction. The drive arrangement according to claim 11.

15. the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear rotatable about a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, When viewed in the axial direction, the motor axis is located on one side of the differential axis in the reference direction, the heating device is disposed on the other side of the control unit in the reference direction, and the control unit is disposed on one side of the heating device in the reference direction.

15. The drive arrangement according to claim 14.

16. The heating device is disposed below the second housing portion. The drive device according to claim 1 .

17. the power transmission mechanism includes a first gear that rotates about the motor axis; The heating device overlaps with the first gear when viewed from above and below.

17. The drive arrangement according to claim 16.

18. The first housing portion is disposed on one axial side of the second housing portion, The heating device is disposed on the other axial side of the second housing portion. The drive device according to claim 1 .

19. The heating device is provided at a position different from the motor axis when viewed in the axial direction.

20. The drive arrangement of claim 18.

20. the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear rotatable about a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, The heating device is provided below at least one of the motor axis and the differential axis when viewed in the axial direction.

20. The drive arrangement of claim 18.

21. A recess is provided on an outer surface of the second housing portion, The heating device is provided inside the recess. The drive device according to claim 1 .

22. A pipe connecting the heating device to an external device is connected to the heating device. A drive arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 21.

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