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 first control unit located above the motor; a housing including a first accommodation part for accommodating the motor, a second accommodation part for accommodating the power transmission mechanism, and a third accommodation part for accommodating the first control unit; and a heating device 10 fixed to an outer side surface of the third accommodation part 6c.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 first control unit located above the motor, a housing having a first accommodating section for accommodating the motor, a second accommodating section for accommodating the power transmission mechanism, and a third accommodating section for accommodating the first control unit, and a heating device fixed to the outer surface of the third accommodating section. 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 a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the drive device of the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a front view of the drive device of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view of the drive device of the first modified example. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a front view of the drive device of the second modification. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a front view of the drive device of the third modification. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a front view of a drive device according to the fourth modification. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a front view of a drive device according to the fifth modification. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view of the driving device of the seventh modification. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view of the drive device of the seventh modification. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the drive unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a side view of the drive device of the eighth modified example. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view of a drive device according to the ninth modification. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a side view of the driving device of the tenth 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] (First embodiment) <Drive unit> Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the drive device 1 of the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the drive device 1 of the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a front view of the drive device 1 of the first embodiment as seen from one 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 (first 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. The heating device 10 is fixed to the 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] A flow passage 68 is provided inside the wall of the first peripheral wall portion 6d. In this embodiment, the flow passage 68 rotates around the motor axis J1 and extends in a spiral shape along the axial direction Y. A fluid W such as cooling water flows through the flow passage 68. The fluid W flowing through the flow passage 68 cools the motor 2 via the first peripheral wall portion 6d. The shape of the flow passage 68 is not limited to this embodiment. The flow passage 68 may extend inside the wall of the first peripheral wall portion 6d while meandering in the axial or circumferential direction. The flow passage may be a fluid supply structure provided in the first housing portion 6A and supplying a fluid to the motor 2. In this case, the flow passage as the fluid supply structure may be a hole portion extending in the axial direction inside the wall of the first peripheral wall portion 6d, or may be a pipe or a gutter arranged in the internal space of the first housing portion 6A. In either case, the flow passage as the fluid supply structure is provided with a supply hole that supplies a fluid toward the motor 2.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] <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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] According to this embodiment, the heating device 10 is fixed to the outer surface of the third housing section 6C. In a driving device having a motor, a power transmission mechanism, and a control section, the vibration transmitted from the control section to the housing is smaller than the vibration transmitted from the motor and the power transmission mechanism to the housing. In addition, when the heating device 10 is disposed on the outer surface of the third housing section 6C, the vibration from the motor and the power transmission mechanism is indirectly transmitted to the heating device 10 via the third housing section 6C. Therefore, in the housing 6 of the driving device 1, by fixing the heating device 10 to the outer surface of the third housing section 6C that accommodates the control section 7, it is possible to suppress the transmission of vibration to the heating device 10. In addition, the control section 7 and the heating device 10 can be disposed close to each other, and in the case where the control section 7 and the heating device 10 are connected by the connection wiring 8b, the connection wiring 8b can be shortened. As a result, for example, the housing 6 that accommodates the connection wiring 8b can be made smaller. In addition, by shortening the connection wiring 8b, the electrical resistance of the connection wiring 8b can be reduced, and the energy efficiency of the driving device 1 can be improved. In this specification, the term "connection wiring" refers to a connection path that electrically connects two electrical components together, and includes not only cable-like wiring but also a connection path using a bus bar or the like. The control unit 7 and the heating device 10 do not necessarily need to be connected by the connection wiring 8. In this case, the heating device 10 may be connected to a control unit of the vehicle.

[0047] In this embodiment, the control unit 7 overlaps with the motor 2 when viewed from the up-down direction Z, so that the connection wiring 8a connecting the motor 2 and the control unit 7 can be shortened. This allows the housing 6 that accommodates the connection wiring 8a to be made more compact. Furthermore, by shortening the connection wiring 8a, the electrical resistance of the connection wiring 8a can be reduced, and the energy efficiency of the drive device 1 can be improved.

[0048] In this embodiment, the heating device 10 is fixed to a surface facing one side (+X side) of the reference direction of the third storage section 6C. As described above, the third storage section 6C has a box-shaped section 6f and a top wall section 6g that covers the opening of the box-shaped section 6f from above. The heating device 10 of this embodiment is fixed across the surface facing one side (+X side) of the reference direction of the box-shaped section 6f of the third storage section 6C and the surface facing one side (+X side) of the reference direction of the top wall section 6g. The heating device 10 may be fixed only to the box-shaped section 6f or only to the top wall section 6g.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 3, the heating device 10 is disposed on one side (+X side) of the third housing section 6C in the reference direction. This can prevent the driving device 1 from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the vertical direction Z. Similarly, even if the heating device 10 is disposed on the other side (-X side) of the reference direction of the third housing section 6C, the driving device 1 can be prevented from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the vertical direction Z. That is, the heating device 10 only needs to be disposed on one or the other side of the reference direction of the third housing section 6C. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the one side (+X side) of the reference direction corresponds to the rear of the vehicle, the heating device 10 is easily protected from impacts such as when the vehicle collides while traveling forward.

[0050] In this embodiment, the heating device 10 overlaps with the motor 2 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. According to this embodiment, when the drive device 1 is viewed from the vertical direction Z, the heating device 10 can be prevented from protruding from the outer surface of the housing 6 in at least one of the axial direction and the reference direction. Similarly, even if the heating device 10 is disposed at a position other than the one or the other axial side of the third housing portion 6C, if the heating device 10 overlaps with the motor 2 when viewed from the vertical direction Z, the heating device 10 can be prevented from protruding from the outer surface of the housing 6 in at least one of the axial direction and the reference direction when viewed from the vertical direction Z. As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the first peripheral wall portion 6d of the housing 6 is provided with a spiral flow path 68 that surrounds the motor 2 from the radial outside. The heating device 10 of this embodiment overlaps with at least a part of the flow path 68 when viewed from the vertical direction Z.

[0051] 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.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 1, the power transmission mechanism 3 is disposed on the other axial side (+Y side) of the motor 2. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the connection wiring 8a between the motor 2 and the control unit 7 is disposed on one axial side (-Y side) of the motor 2. In the drive device 1 of this embodiment, the heating device 10 and the control unit 7 are disposed side by side in the reference direction X, so that the heating device 10 and the connection wiring 8b are unlikely to obstruct the space for the connection wiring 8a between the motor 2 and the control unit 7. That is, according to this modification, a wide space can be secured for the connection wiring 8a connecting the motor 2 and the control unit 7. Also, when viewed from above, the heating device 10 does not protrude from the first housing portion 6A and the second housing portion 6B in at least one of the reference direction X and the axial direction Y. Therefore, even if the drive device 1 has the heating device 10, it is possible to suppress the increase in size in at least one of the reference direction and the axial direction. The control unit 7 and the heating device 10 do not necessarily have to be connected by the connection wiring 8b. In this case, the heating device 10 may be connected to a system on the vehicle side.

[0053] (Modification of the first embodiment) Below, we will explain modified examples of the fixing position of the heating device that can be adopted in the drive device of the first embodiment. In the explanation of each modified example below, the same components as those in the already explained embodiment or modified example are given the same reference numerals and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

[0054] (Variation 1) FIG. 4 is a front view of the driving device 101 of the first modified example. As in the above-mentioned embodiment, the heating device 110 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing one side (+X side) of the third housing section 6C in the reference direction, and is disposed on one side (+X side) of the third housing section 6C in the reference direction. In this embodiment, the heating device 110 and the control section 7 are disposed overlapping each other in the reference direction. This makes it possible to prevent the driving device 101 from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the vertical direction Z. Furthermore, 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 110 from impacts such as when the vehicle collides while traveling forward.

[0055] The end of the heating device 110 on one side in the reference direction is preferably located closer to the other side in the reference direction than the end of the first housing section 6A on one side in the reference direction. The end of the heating device 110 in the up-down direction is preferably located lower than the end of the third housing section 6C on the upper-lower side. The end of the heating device 110 on one side in the axial direction is preferably located closer to the other side in the axial direction than the end of the first housing section 6A on one side in the axial direction. The end of the heating device 110 on the other side in the axial direction is preferably located closer to the one side in the axial direction than the end of the first housing section 6A on the other side in the axial direction.

[0056] In this modification, the heating device 110 is disposed at a position different from the motor 2 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. According to this modification, the heating device 110 can be provided at a position away from the motor 2, and it is possible to prevent the vibration and heat generated when the motor 2 is driven from being transmitted to the heating device 110. Similarly, even if the heating device 110 is disposed at a position other than one or the other axial side of the third housing section 6C, it is possible to prevent the vibration and heat generated when the motor 2 is driven from being transmitted to the heating device 110, as long as the heating device 110 is disposed at a position different from the motor 2 when viewed from the vertical direction Z.

[0057] (Variation 2) FIG. 5 is a front view of the driving device 201 of the second modified example. The heating device 210 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing the other side (-X side) of the third housing section 6C in the reference direction, and is disposed on the other side (-X side) of the reference direction of the third housing section 6C. In this embodiment, the heating device 210 and the control section 7 are disposed so as to overlap in the reference direction. This makes it possible to prevent the driving device 201 from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the vertical direction Z. Furthermore, when 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 an impact such as a collision when the vehicle collides while traveling forward. In addition, in this modified example, the heating device 210 is disposed at a position different from the motor 2 as viewed from the vertical direction Z. The heating device 210 is disposed on the other side of the reference direction than the motor 2. At least a part of the heating device 210 is located above the motor 2 as viewed from the axial direction. According to this modification, the heating device 210 can be provided at a position away from the motor 2, and it is possible to prevent vibrations and heat generated when the motor 2 is driven from being transmitted to the heating device 210. As in the above-described embodiment, the control unit 7 in this modification overlaps with the motor 2 when viewed from the vertical direction Z, and therefore the distance between the motor 2 and the control unit 7 can be shortened, and the length of the connection wiring 208a connecting the motor 2 and the control unit 7 can be shortened.

[0058] Furthermore, in this modification, the heating device 210 overlaps with the differential device 5 when viewed from the up-down direction Z. The heating device 210 is located above the differential axis J3 in the up-down direction. The heating device 210 is located on the other reference direction side (-X side) of the motor axis J1 and the middle axis J2 when viewed from the axial direction. In this modification, the heating device 210 overlaps with the third gear in the up-down direction when viewed from the axial direction. According to this modification, it is possible to prevent the heating device 210 from significantly protruding in the axial direction Y or the reference direction X relative to the second housing portion 6B. When the drive device 201 is assembled to the vehicle, it is possible to prevent the heating device 210 from interfering with the vehicle. In addition, it is preferable that the end of the heating device 210 on the other reference direction side is located on the one reference direction side of the end of the first housing portion on the other reference direction. It is preferable that the end of the heating device 210 on the one axial direction side is located on the other axial direction side of the end of the first housing portion on the one axial direction side. The other axial end of the heating device 210 is preferably located on one axial side of the other axial end of the first housing section. The upper end of the heating device 210 is preferably located at the same vertical position as or lower than the upper end of the third housing section 6C. When viewed from the axial direction, the heating device 210 preferably overlaps at least one of the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the third gear 43, and the differential gear 5 in at least one of the vertical direction and the reference direction.

[0059] (Variation 3) FIG. 6 is a front view of the driving device 301 of the third modification. The driving device 301 of this modification is different from the driving device 301 of the second modification in the configuration of the third housing section 306C and the control section (first control section) 307. In the driving device 301 of this modification, the control section 307 and the motor 2 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. That is, the control section 307 is provided at a position different from the motor 2 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. More specifically, the control section 307 is located on the other side of the reference direction (-X side) than the motor 2. When viewed from the axial direction, the end of the control section 307 on one side of the reference direction overlaps with the second gear 42 in the vertical direction. According to this modification, the control section 307 can be provided at a position away from the motor 2, and the vibration and heat generated when the motor 2 is driven can be prevented from being transmitted to the control section 307.

[0060] (Variation 4) 7 is a front view of the driving device 401 of the fourth modified example. The heating device 410 of this modified example is fixed to the upper surface of the top wall portion 6g. That is, the heating device 410 is disposed above the third housing portion 6C. According to this modified example, the heating device 410 overlaps with the third housing portion 6C when viewed from the vertical direction Z. This makes it possible to prevent the driving device 401 from becoming large in the axial direction and the reference direction when viewed from the vertical direction Z.

[0061] Moreover, according to this modification, the heating device 410 is disposed at the uppermost position in the drive device 401. Therefore, when maintenance work on the drive device 401 is performed from above in the accommodation space of the vehicle, the heating device 410 can be easily accessed by workers and devices. In addition, according to this modification, by disposing the heating device 410 directly above the control unit 7, for example, when the heating device 410 and the control unit 7 are connected by the connection wiring 408b, the length of the connection wiring 408b can be shortened. Note that the control unit 7 and the heating device 410 do not necessarily have to be connected by the connection wiring 408b. In this case, the heating device 410 may be connected to a system on the vehicle side.

[0062] Moreover, the heating device 410 of this modification is arranged side by side with the motor 2 in the vertical direction. Moreover, the heating device 410 is arranged side by side with the differential device 5 in the vertical direction. That is, the heating device 410 overlaps both the motor 2 and the differential device 5 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. In this way, by forming the heating device 410 in a shape extending in the reference direction X, it is possible to reduce the dimensions of the heating device 410 in the vertical direction Z and the axial direction Y, and it is possible to suppress the increase in size of the driving device 401 in the vertical direction Z and the axial direction Y. In this modification, the heating device 410 overlaps with the first gear 41, the second gear 42, and the third gear 43 in the vertical direction when viewed from the axial direction. The heating device 410 may overlap with at least one of the first gear 41, the second gear 42, and the third gear 43 when viewed from the axial direction. It is preferable that the end of the heating device 410 on the other side of the reference direction is located on the one side of the reference direction relative to the end of the second housing portion 6B on the other side of the reference direction.

[0063] Furthermore, it is preferable that the end of the heating device 410 on the other side in the reference direction is located closer to one side in the reference direction than the end of the third housing section 6C on the other side in the reference direction. It is preferable that the end of the heating device 410 on one side in the reference direction is located closer to the other side in the reference direction than the end of one side of the third housing section 6C. This makes it possible to prevent the heating device 410 from protruding toward one side in the reference direction relative to the third housing section 6C. It is possible to prevent the heating device 410 from interfering with the vehicle when the drive device 401 is assembled to the vehicle.

[0064] The end portion on the other axial side of the heating device 410 is preferably located on one axial side of the end portion on the other axial side of the third housing portion 6C. The end portion on one axial side of the heating device 410 is preferably located on the other axial side of the end portion on one side of the third housing portion 6C. This makes it possible to prevent the heating device 410 from protruding in the axial direction relative to the third housing portion 6C. When the drive device 401 is assembled to the vehicle, interference between the heating device 410 and the vehicle can be prevented.

[0065] The heating device 410 of this modification is disposed farthest from the motor 2 in the up-down direction. That is, the heating device 410 is located at the upper end of the driving device 401, and the motor 2 is located at the lower end of the driving device 401. According to this modification, it is possible to suppress the vibration of the motor 2 from being transmitted to the heating device 410.

[0066] (Variation 5) FIG. 8 is a front view of the driving device 501 of the fifth modified example. The heating device 510 of this modified example is fixed to the lower surface of the bottom wall 6k. The heating device 510 of this modified example is located on the other side in the reference direction (-X side) of the first housing section 6A, on one axial side (-Y side) of the second housing section 6B, and below the third housing section 6C. The heating device 510 faces the first peripheral wall section 6d in the reference direction X. The heating device 510 faces the protruding section 6q of the second side wall section 6b in the axial direction Y. The heating device 510 faces the bottom wall section 6k in the up-down direction Z. That is, the heating device 510 of this modified example is disposed in a space surrounded by three parts of the housing 6 (the first peripheral wall section 6d, the bottom wall section 6k, and the protruding section 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 of the driving device 501, and the driving device 501 can be made smaller.

[0067] In this modification, the heating device 510 is disposed below the control unit 7. Therefore, the distance between the heating device 510 and the control unit 7 can be shortened. For example, when the heating device 510 and the control unit 7 are connected by the connection wiring 508b, the length of the connection wiring 508b can be shortened. In addition, a part of the heating device 510 is located above the first housing section 6A. That is, the heating device 510 of this modification is disposed below the third housing section 6C and above the first housing section 6A. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the driving device 501 from becoming large in the axial direction and the reference direction when viewed from the vertical direction Z. In addition, it is possible to prevent the heating device 510 from interfering with the vehicle when the driving device 501 is assembled to the vehicle.

[0068] In this modification, the heating device 510 is located between the motor axis J1 and the differential axis J3 when viewed from the axial direction. The heating device 510 overlaps with the first gear 41, the second gear 42, and the third gear 43 in at least one of the reference direction and the up-down direction when viewed from the axial direction.

[0069] (Variation 6) FIG. 9 is a side view of the driving device 601 of the seventh modified example seen from one side in the reference direction (+X side). The heating device 610 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing one axial side (-Y side) of the third housing portion 6C, and is located on one axial side (-Y side) of the third housing portion 6C. Therefore, the heating device 610 overlaps with the third housing portion 6C when viewed from the axial direction Y. This makes it possible to prevent the heating device 610 from protruding radially outward from the outer surface of the third housing portion 6C when viewed from the axial direction Y. Furthermore, in this modified example, the heating device 610 overlaps with the first housing portion 6A when viewed from the axial direction Y, and can prevent the heating device 610 from protruding radially outward from the outer surface of the first housing portion 6A. In addition, in this modified example, the heating device 610 overlaps with the second housing portion 6B when viewed from the axial direction Y, and is less likely to protrude radially outward from the outer surface of the second housing portion 6B. That is, according to this modification, it is possible to prevent the heating device 610 from protruding radially outward from the outer surface of the housing 6, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the driving device 601. In addition, it is possible to prevent the heating device 610 from interfering with the vehicle when the driving device 601 is mounted on the vehicle.

[0070] In this modification, the end of the heating device 610 on one axial side is located on the one axial side of the end of the first housing section 6A on one axial side, but may be located on the other axial side of the end of the first housing section 6A on one axial side. This allows the driving device 601 to be made smaller in the axial direction. In addition, it is preferable that the upper end of the heating device 610 in the vertical direction is flush with or below the upper end of the third housing section 6C. The heating device 610 may overlap either the first housing section 6A or the third housing section 6C when viewed from the axial direction Y.

[0071] (Variation 7) FIG. 10 is a side view of a driving device 701 of the seventh modification. The driving device 701 of this modification is different from the above-mentioned embodiment and its modifications mainly in the configuration of the control units 7a and 7b. That is, the driving device 701 of this modification has a first control unit 7a and a second control unit 7b. Also, the housing 706 of this modification has a third housing unit 6C that houses the first control unit 7a and a fourth housing unit 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.

[0072] The first control unit 7a is disposed at a position corresponding to the control unit 7 of the above embodiment. That is, the first control unit 7a is disposed on the upper side of the motor 2 as in the above embodiment. On the other hand, the second control unit 7b is disposed on one axial side (-Y side) of the motor 2. The first control unit 7a and the second control unit 7b are electrically connected to each other. According to the driving device 701 of this modification, by having two control units (the first control unit 7a and the second control unit 7b), it is possible to reduce the size of each control unit 7a, 7b compared to a case where one control unit has the functions of both the first control unit 7a and the second control unit 7b. As a result, it is possible to reduce the overall storage space of the driving device 701 by disposing each control unit 7a, 7b in the space around the outer surface of the housing 706. In addition, when the driving device 701 is assembled to the vehicle, it is possible to suppress interference between the heating device 710 and the vehicle.

[0073] Furthermore, according to the driving device 701 of this modified example, by arranging each control unit 7a, 7b separately, the degree of freedom in arranging the connection wiring connecting each control unit 7a, 7b to the vehicle is increased compared to the case where they are concentrated in one place, and interference between the wiring can be suppressed.

[0074] In this embodiment, the heating device 710 is fixed to a surface facing one axial side (-Y side) of the third housing section 6C, and is located on one axial side (-Y side) of the third housing section 6C. The heating device 710 is also arranged on the upper side of the fourth housing section 6D. According to this modification, the heating device 710 can be arranged in a space configured on one axial side (-Y side) of the third housing section 6C and on the upper side of the fourth housing section 6D. According to this modification, the heating device 710 can be arranged in a space around the outer surface of the housing 706, and the driving device 701 can be made smaller. Also, the heating device can be prevented from protruding from the outside of the housing, and interference between the heating device and the vehicle can be prevented when the driving device is assembled to the vehicle or the like.

[0075] In the present embodiment, the second control unit 7b is disposed on one axial side (-Y side) of the motor 2. However, the second control unit 7b may be disposed on the other axial side (+Y side) of the motor 2. In this case, the second control unit 7b is fixed to a surface facing the other axial side (+Y side) of the second housing unit 6B. A space is formed on at least one of the upper side of the second housing unit 6B and the second control unit 7b and on the other axial side of the third housing unit 6C. By disposing the heating device 710 in the space, the driving device 701 can be made smaller. In addition, when the driving device 701 is assembled to the vehicle, interference between the heating device 710 and the vehicle can be suppressed. It is preferable that the end of the heating device 710 on one axial side is also located on one axial side of the end of the fourth housing unit 6D on one axial side.

[0076] Second embodiment 11 is a perspective view of a driving device 801 according to the second embodiment. In the description of the second embodiment, the same components as those in the already described embodiments and their modified examples are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0077] As in the above-described embodiment, a driving device 801 of this embodiment includes a motor 2, a power transmission mechanism 3 (not shown in FIG. 11), a control unit (second control unit) 7b, and a housing 806.

[0078] The control unit 7b in this embodiment is located on one axial side (-Y side) of the motor 2. The housing 806 has a first housing portion 6A that houses the motor 2, a second housing portion 6B that houses the power transmission mechanism 3, and a fourth housing portion 6D that houses the control unit 7b.

[0079] In this embodiment, the heating device 810 is fixed to the outer surface of the fourth storage section 6D. In the housing 806 of the driving device 801, by fixing the heating device 810 to the outer surface of the fourth storage section 6D that accommodates the control section 7b, it is possible to suppress transmission of vibration to the heating device 810. According to this embodiment, the control section 7b and the heating device 810 can be disposed in close proximity to each other. As a result, for example, when the control section 7b and the heating device 810 are connected by a connection wire (not shown), the length of the connection wire (not shown) can be shortened.

[0080] In this embodiment, the heating device 810 is disposed on one side (+X side) of the third housing section 6C in the reference direction. This can prevent the driving device 801 from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the vertical direction Z. In addition, when the driving device 801 is assembled to the vehicle, interference between the heating device 810 and the vehicle can be prevented. Similarly, even if the heating device 810 is disposed on the other side (-X side) of the reference direction of the third housing section 6C, it can prevent the driving device 801 from becoming large in the axial direction Y and the vertical direction Z. That is, the heating device 810 may be disposed on one or the other side of the reference direction of the third housing section 6C. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the one side (+X side) of the reference direction corresponds to the rear of the vehicle, the heating device 810 is easily protected from impacts such as when the vehicle collides while traveling forward. In addition, when the heating device 810 is disposed on the other side in the reference direction (-X side) of the third housing section 6C, it is easy to protect the heating device 810 when the other side in the reference direction (-X side) is at the rear of the vehicle. Also, it is preferable that the end of the heating device 810 on one side in the reference direction is located on the other side in the reference direction than the end of the second housing section 6B on one side in the reference direction. It is preferable that the end of the heating device 810 on one axial side is located on the other axial side than the end of the fourth housing section 6D on one axial side.

[0081] The heating device 810 of this embodiment is disposed at a position different from the motor 2 when viewed from any of the vertical direction Z, the axial direction Y, and the reference direction X. Therefore, the heating device 810 can be provided at a position away from the motor 2, and the transmission of vibrations and heat generated when the motor 2 is driven to the heating device 810 can be suppressed.

[0082] (Modification of the second embodiment) Below, we will explain modified examples of the fixing position of the heating device that can be adopted in the drive device of the second embodiment. In the explanation of each modified example below, the same components as those in the already explained embodiment or modified example are given the same reference numerals and the explanation thereof will be omitted. (Variation 8) FIG. 12 is a side view of the driving device 901 of the eighth modified example. The heating device 910 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing the upper side of the fourth housing section 6D and is located on the upper side of the fourth housing section 6D. A part of the heating device 910 overlaps with the first housing section 6A in the vertical direction when viewed from the reference direction. Therefore, the heating device 910 overlaps with the fourth housing section 6D when viewed from the vertical direction Z, and is unlikely to protrude in the axial direction and the reference direction from the outer side surface of the fourth housing section 6D. Furthermore, in this modified example, the heating device 910 overlaps with the motor 2 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. Therefore, the heating device 910 is unlikely to protrude in the axial direction and the reference direction from the outer side surface of the first housing section 6A of the housing 6. According to this modified example, the driving device 901 can be made smaller in the axial direction and the reference direction. In addition, when the driving device 901 is assembled to the vehicle, interference between the heating device 910 and the vehicle can be suppressed.

[0083] The other axial end of the heating device 910 is preferably located on one axial side of the other axial end of the fourth housing section 6D. A part of the heating device 910 does not need to overlap with the first housing section 6A in the up-down direction when viewed from the reference direction.

[0084] (Variation 9) FIG. 13 is a side view of the driving device 1001 of the ninth modified example. The heating device 1010 of this modified example is fixed to a surface facing one axial side (-Y side) of the fourth housing section 6D, and is located on one axial side (-Y side) of the fourth housing section 6D. Therefore, the heating device 1010 overlaps with the fourth housing section 6D when viewed from the axial direction Y, and is unlikely to protrude radially outward from the outer surface of the fourth housing section 6D. Furthermore, in this modified example, the heating device 1010 overlaps with the first housing section 6A when viewed from the axial direction Y, and is unlikely to protrude radially outward from the outer surface of the first housing section 6A. In addition, in this modified example, the heating device 1010 overlaps with the second housing section 6B when viewed from the axial direction Y, and is unlikely to protrude radially outward from the outer surface of the second housing section 6B. According to this modified example, it is possible to prevent the heating device 1010 from protruding from the outer surface of the housing 6, and the driving device 1001 can be made smaller in size. Furthermore, when the drive device 1001 is mounted on the vehicle, interference between the heating device 1010 and the vehicle can be suppressed.

[0085] In this modification, the heating device 1010 is disposed away from the motor axis J1 in the fourth housing section 6D when viewed from the reference direction. More specifically, the heating device 1010 is disposed below the motor axis J1 when viewed from the reference direction. The heating device 1010 may be partially overlapped with the motor axis J1.

[0086] (Variation 10) 14 is a side view of a driving device 1101 of Modification 10. The driving device 1101 of this modification differs from the above-mentioned embodiment in the structure of the housing 1106, the arrangement of the control unit (second control unit) 1107b, and the arrangement of the heating device 1110. In this modification, the fourth accommodation section 1106D of the housing 1106 is located on the other axial side (+Y side) of the second accommodation section 6B. The control unit 1107b is located on the other axial side (+Y side) of the motor 2 and the power transmission mechanism 3. The control unit 1107b is accommodated in the fourth accommodation section 1106D.

[0087] The heating device 1110 of this modification is fixed to a surface facing the upper side of the fourth housing part 1106D and is located on the upper side of the fourth housing part 1106D. Therefore, the heating device 1110 overlaps with the fourth housing part 1106D when viewed from the vertical direction Z, and is unlikely to protrude from the outer surface of the fourth housing part 1106D. Furthermore, in this modification, the heating device 1110 overlaps with the second housing part 6B and at least one of the gears arranged inside the second housing part 6B when viewed from the vertical direction Z. Therefore, the heating device 1110 is unlikely to protrude in the axial direction and the reference direction from the outer surface of the second housing part 6B. According to this modification, the heating device 1110 is prevented from protruding from the outer surface of the housing 1106, so that the driving device 1101 can be made smaller. In addition, when the driving device 1101 is assembled to the vehicle, interference between the heating device 1110 and the vehicle can be suppressed.

[0088] 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.

[0089] In the above-mentioned embodiment and the modified example, the case where the heating device is fixed only to the third housing section or the fourth housing section has been described. 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 third housing section or the fourth housing section.

[0090] 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.

[0091] 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.

[0092] 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.

[0093] Furthermore, while the power transmission mechanism shown in the above-described embodiment and its modified examples transmit 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.

[0094] 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 first control unit located above the motor; a housing having a first accommodating portion for accommodating the motor, a second accommodating portion for accommodating the power transmission mechanism, and a third accommodating portion for accommodating the first control unit; and a heating device fixed to an outer surface of the third accommodating portion. (2) A drive device as described in (1), wherein a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the vertical direction is used as a reference direction, the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear that can rotate around a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, the motor axis is located on one side of the reference direction relative to the differential axis when viewed from the axial direction, and the heating device is arranged on one side of the reference direction of the third housing section. (3) The drive device according to (1) or (2), wherein the heating device overlaps with the motor when viewed from above and below. (4) The drive device according to (1) or (2), wherein the heating device is disposed at a position different from the motor when viewed from above. (5) A drive device as described in any one of (1), (3), or (4), wherein a reference direction is a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the vertical direction, the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear that can rotate around a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, the motor axis is located on one side of the reference direction relative to the differential axis when viewed from the axial direction, and the heating device is arranged on the other side of the reference direction of the third housing section. (6) The drive device according to (5), wherein the first control unit overlaps with the motor when viewed from above and below. (7) The drive device according to (5), wherein the first control unit is provided at a position different from the motor when viewed from above. (8) The drive device according to any one of (5) to (7), wherein the heating device overlaps with the differential device when viewed from above and below. (9) The drive unit according to any one of (1), (3), or (4), wherein the heating device is disposed above the third housing section. (10) The drive unit according to any one of (1), (3), or (4), wherein the heating device is disposed below the third housing section and above the first housing section. (11) A drive device as described in any one of (1) to (10), further comprising a second control unit arranged on one axial side of the motor, and the housing having a fourth accommodating portion that accommodates the second control unit. (12) The drive unit according to (11), wherein the heating device is disposed above the fourth housing section. (13) The drive unit according to any one of (1) to (12), wherein the heating device overlaps with the third housing portion when viewed in the axial direction. (14) The drive unit according to any one of (1) to (13), wherein the heating device overlaps with the second housing portion when viewed in the axial direction. (15) The drive unit according to any one of (1) to (14), wherein the heating device overlaps with the first housing portion when viewed in the axial direction. (16) A drive device comprising: 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 second control unit arranged on one axial side of the motor; a housing having a first accommodating portion for accommodating the motor, a second accommodating portion for accommodating the power transmission mechanism, and a fourth accommodating portion for accommodating the second control unit; and a heating device fixed to an outer surface of the fourth accommodating portion. (17) A drive device as described in (16), wherein a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the vertical direction is used as a reference direction, the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear that can rotate around a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, the motor axis is located on one side of the reference direction relative to the differential axis when viewed from the axial direction, and the heating device is arranged on one side of the reference direction of the third housing section. (18) The drive device according to (16) or (17), wherein the heating device overlaps with the motor when viewed from above and below. (19) The drive device according to (16) or (17), wherein the heating device is disposed at a position different from the motor when viewed from above. (20) The drive device according to any one of (16) to (19), wherein the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear that is rotatable about a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, and the heating device overlaps with the differential gear when viewed from above and below. (21) The drive unit according to any one of (16) to (20), wherein the heating device overlaps with the fourth housing portion when viewed in the axial direction. (22) The drive unit according to any one of (16) to (21), wherein the heating device overlaps with the second housing portion when viewed in the axial direction. (23) The drive unit according to any one of (16) to (22), wherein the heating device overlaps with the first housing portion when viewed in the axial direction. (24) The drive device according to any one of (1) to (23), wherein a pipe connecting the heating device to an external device is connected to the heating device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1,101,201,301,401,501,601,701,801,901,1001,1101...Drive device, 2...Motor, 3...Power transmission mechanism, 5...Differential device, 6,706,806,1106...Housing, 6A...First housing section, 6B...Second housing section, 6C,306C...Third housing section, 6D,1106D...Fourth housing section, 7,7a , 307...control unit (first control unit), 7b, 1107b...control unit (second control unit), 10, 110, 210, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810, 910, 1010, 1110...heating device, 20...rotor, B...battery (external device), J1...motor 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 first control unit located above the motor; a housing having a first housing portion that houses the motor, a second housing portion that houses the power transmission mechanism, and a third housing portion that houses the first control unit; A heating device fixed to an outer surface of the third housing portion. Drive unit.

2. 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, 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 one side of the third housing part in the reference direction. The drive device according to claim 1 .

3. The heating device overlaps with the motor when viewed from above and below. The drive device according to claim 1 .

4. The heating device is disposed at a position different from that of the motor when viewed from above and below. The drive device according to claim 1 .

5. 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, 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 third housing part in the reference direction. The drive device according to claim 1 .

6. The first control unit overlaps with the motor when viewed from the top-bottom direction. The drive device according to claim 5.

7. The first control unit is provided at a position different from the motor when viewed in the up-down direction. The drive device according to claim 5.

8. The heating device overlaps with the differential device when viewed from above and below. The drive device according to claim 5.

9. The heating device is disposed above the third housing portion. The drive device according to claim 1 .

10. The heating device is disposed below the third housing portion and above the first housing portion. The drive device according to claim 1 .

11. a second control unit disposed on one axial side of the motor; The housing has a fourth accommodating portion that accommodates the second control portion. The drive device according to claim 1 .

12. The heating device is disposed above the fourth housing portion. The drive arrangement according to claim 11.

13. The heating device overlaps with the third housing portion when viewed in the axial direction. The drive device according to claim 1 .

14. The heating device overlaps with the second housing portion when viewed from the axial direction. The drive device according to claim 1 .

15. The heating device overlaps with the first housing portion when viewed from the axial direction. The drive device according to claim 1 .

16. 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 second control unit disposed on one axial side of the motor; a housing having a first housing portion that houses the motor, a second housing portion that houses the power transmission mechanism, and a fourth housing portion that houses the second control unit; A heating device fixed to an outer surface of the fourth housing portion. Drive unit.

17. 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, 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 one side of the fourth housing part in the reference direction.

17. The drive arrangement according to claim 16.

18. The heating device overlaps with the motor when viewed from above and below.

17. The drive arrangement according to claim 16.

19. The heating device is disposed at a position different from that of the motor when viewed from above and below.

17. The drive arrangement according to claim 16.

20. the power transmission mechanism has a differential gear rotatable about a differential axis parallel to the motor axis, The heating device overlaps with the differential device when viewed from above and below.

17. The drive arrangement according to claim 16.

21. The heating device overlaps with the fourth housing portion when viewed in the axial direction.

17. The drive arrangement according to claim 16.

22. The heating device overlaps with the second housing portion when viewed from the axial direction.

17. The drive arrangement according to claim 16.

23. The heating device overlaps with the first housing portion when viewed from the axial direction.

17. The drive arrangement according to claim 16.

24. 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 23.

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