Motor unit

Abstract

To provide a motor unit that can be made smaller overall.SOLUTION: One aspect of a motor unit includes: a motor 2 that has a rotor 20 that rotates around a horizontally extending motor shaft and a stator 30 that is located radially outward of the rotor; a housing 6 with accommodation space to accommodate the motor; an oil passage that circulates oil within the accommodation space to cool the motor; and a gear part that is connected to the rotor shaft on one axial side of the motor shaft. The housing includes a motor accommodating part 6a provided with a motor chamber inside that accommodates the motor, and a gear accommodating part provided with a gear chamber inside that accommodates the gear part. The gear accommodating part has an out-jutting part protruding radially outward from the motor accommodating part when viewed in the axial direction. A cooler is provided in the path of the oil passage, and at least a portion of the cooler overlaps the out-jutting part when viewed in the axial direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a motor unit. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a structure for cooling a rotating electric machine by attaching a cooler to the outside of the rotating electric machine is known (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-73163 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A motor unit for driving a vehicle is formed by attaching a transmission and the like to such a rotating electric machine. Such motor units have a problem in that they tend to become large in size due to their complex external shape.

[0005] In view of the above problems, one aspect of the present invention has an object to provide a motor unit that can be made smaller overall. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the motor unit of the present invention comprises a motor having a rotor rotating around a horizontally extending motor shaft and a stator located radially outward of the rotor, a housing having an accommodation space for accommodating the motor, an oil passage for circulating the oil within the accommodation space to cool the motor, and a gear portion connected to the shaft of the rotor on one axial side of the motor shaft, wherein the housing comprises a motor accommodating portion having a motor chamber therein for accommodating the motor, and a gear accommodating portion having a gear chamber therein for accommodating the gear portion, the gear accommodating portion having a protrusion protruding radially outward from the motor accommodating portion when viewed in the axial direction, and a cooler is provided in the path of the oil passage, and at least a portion of the cooler overlaps with the protrusion when viewed in the axial direction. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a motor unit that can be made smaller overall. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a motor unit according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the motor unit according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the motor unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the housing of the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of the motor unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the motor unit according to the first embodiment as viewed from below. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the motor unit according to the first embodiment taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the motor unit according to the first embodiment taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 9]FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the motor unit of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a motor unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a stator and a refrigerant supply pipe unit according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] First Embodiment Hereinafter, a motor unit 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and can be modified as desired within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

[0010] In the following description, the direction of gravity is defined based on the positional relationship when the motor unit 1 is mounted on a vehicle positioned on a horizontal road surface. In addition, in the drawings, an XYZ coordinate system is appropriately shown as a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system. In the XYZ coordinate system, the Z axis direction indicates the vertical direction (i.e., the up-down direction), the +Z direction is the upper side (opposite the direction of gravity), and the -Z direction is the lower side (direction of gravity). In addition, the X axis direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z axis direction and indicates the front-rear direction of the vehicle on which the motor unit 1 is mounted. In this embodiment, the +X side is the front side of the vehicle, and the -X side is the rear side of the vehicle. The Y axis direction is a direction perpendicular to both the X axis direction and the Z axis direction and indicates the width direction (left-right direction) of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the +Y side is the left side of the vehicle, and the -Y side is the right side of the vehicle. Note that the positional relationship in the front-rear direction is not limited to the positional relationship in this embodiment, and the +X side may be the rear side of the vehicle, and the -X side may be the front side of the vehicle. In this case, the +Y side is the right side of the vehicle and the -Y side is the left side of the vehicle.

[0011] In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction parallel to the motor axis J2 of motor 2 (Y-axis direction) will be referred to simply as the "axial direction", the radial direction centered on the motor axis J2 will be referred to simply as the "radial direction", and the circumferential direction centered on the motor axis J2, i.e., around the axis of the motor shaft J2, will be referred to simply as the "circumferential direction".

[0012] In addition, in this specification, "extending along" a specified direction (or plane) includes not only extending strictly in the specified direction, but also extending in a direction tilted at an angle of less than 45° relative to the strict direction.

[0013] A motor unit 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The motor unit 1 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle that uses a motor 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] The motor unit 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. The motor unit 1 includes a motor (main motor) 2, a gear unit 3 including a reduction gear 4 and a differential gear 5, a housing 6, oil O contained in the housing 6, an oil passage 90, and an inverter unit 8.

[0015] <Housing> An accommodation space 80 is provided inside the housing 6 to accommodate the motor 2 and the gear unit 3. That is, the accommodation space 80 accommodates the motor 2. The housing 6 holds the motor 2 and the gear unit 3 in the accommodation space 80. The accommodation space 80 is partitioned into a motor chamber 81 that accommodates the motor 2, and a gear chamber 82 that accommodates the gear unit 3.

[0016] The housing 6 has a partition wall 61c. The storage space 80 is divided into a motor chamber 81 and a gear chamber 82 by the partition wall 61c. The housing 6 also has a closing portion 63 that surrounds the motor chamber 81 and faces the partition wall 61c. The closing portion 63 can be removed from the housing 6. In the assembly process, an operator stores the motor 2 in the motor chamber 81 with the closing portion 63 removed. In this embodiment, the housing 6 is made of, for example, aluminum die casting, but it may also be made of cast iron or the like. A breather device (breather) 7 for adjusting the internal pressure of the motor chamber 81 may be provided on the upper side of the housing 6.

[0017] An oil sump P in which oil O accumulates is provided in the lower region of the accommodation space 80. In this embodiment, a bottom 81a of the motor chamber 81 is located above a bottom 82a of the gear chamber 82. A partition wall opening 68 is provided in the partition wall 61c that separates the motor chamber 81 and the gear chamber 82. The partition wall opening 68 connects the motor chamber 81 and the gear chamber 82. The partition wall opening 68 moves the oil O that accumulates in the lower region of the motor chamber 81 to the gear chamber 82. Therefore, in this embodiment, the oil sump P is located in the lower region of the gear chamber 82.

[0018] The housing 6 has a plurality of ribs. The housing 6 has a first rib 64 that is parallel to a motor shaft J2 of the motor 2 that extends in the horizontal direction (described later), i.e., horizontal, and a second rib 65 that extends in the circumferential direction of the motor shaft J2. This makes it possible to suppress the amplification of vibrations and sounds caused by the rotation of the motor 2 by the housing 6. The first rib 64 also acts as a pouring wall during manufacturing. The pouring wall is a matching portion between dies when performing aluminum die casting.

[0019] <Motor> The motor 2 is accommodated in a motor chamber 81 of the housing 6. The motor 2 includes a rotor 20 that rotates around a motor axis J2 extending horizontally, a stator 30 located radially outward of the rotor 20, and a pair of bearings 26, 27 that rotatably support the rotor 20. The motor 2 of this embodiment is an inner rotor type motor. In this embodiment, in the axial direction, the direction from the motor 2 to the gear unit 3 is referred to as one axial side (+Y side), and the direction from the gear unit 3 to the motor 2 is referred to as the other axial side (-Y side).

[0020] The rotor 20 rotates when an AC current is supplied to the stator 30 from a battery (not shown) via an inverter unit 8. The rotor 20 has a shaft 21, a rotor core 24, and a plurality of rotor magnets 25. The rotor 20 (i.e., the shaft 21, the rotor core 24, and the rotor magnets 25) rotates about a motor axis J2 that extends horizontally and in the width direction of the vehicle. The torque of the rotor 20 is transmitted to the gear section 3.

[0021] The shaft 21 extends in the axial direction around the motor shaft J2. The shaft 21 rotates around the motor shaft J2. The shaft 21 is a hollow shaft having a hollow portion 22 that is a cavity extending in the axial direction inside. In other words, the hollow portion 22 is located inside the shaft 21 and extends in the axial direction. The shaft 21 is provided with a communication hole 23. The communication hole 23 extends in the radial direction to communicate between the hollow portion 22 and the outside of the shaft 21.

[0022] The shaft 21 extends across the motor chamber 81 and the gear chamber 82 of the housing 6. One end of the shaft 21, i.e., the end on one axial side, protrudes towards the gear chamber 82. The first gear 41 of the gear unit 3 is fixed to the shaft 21 protruding towards the gear chamber 82.

[0023] The shaft 21 is rotatably supported by a pair of bearings (a first bearing 26 and a second bearing 27). The first bearing 26 and the second bearing 27 are located in the motor chamber 81. The first bearing 26 and the second bearing 27 are located on both axial sides of the shaft 21 with the rotor core 24 in between. The first bearing 26 and the second bearing 27 are held in the housing 6. More specifically, the first bearing 26 is held in the blocking portion 63, and the second bearing 27 is held in the partition wall 61c.

[0024] The rotor core 24 is made by laminating silicon steel plates. The rotor core 24 is a cylindrical body extending along the axial direction. As shown in Fig. 7, a plurality of rotor magnets 25 are fixed to the rotor core 24. The plurality of rotor magnets 25 are arranged along the circumferential direction with their magnetic poles alternating.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the stator 30 has a stator core 32, a coil 31, and an insulator (not shown) interposed between the stator core 32 and the coil 31. The stator 30 is held in a housing 6. The stator core 32 has a plurality of magnetic pole teeth (not shown) protruding radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of an annular yoke. A coil wire is wound around the magnetic pole teeth. The coil wire wrapped around the magnetic pole teeth constitutes the coil 31. That is, the coil 31 is wound around the stator core 32 via the insulator. The coil wire extending from the coil 31 is connected to the inverter unit 8 via a bus bar (not shown). The insulator may be insulating paper.

[0026] The coil 31 has a first coil end 31a and a second coil end 31b. The first coil end 31a protrudes on the other axial side of the stator core 32. The second coil end 31b protrudes on one axial side of the stator core 32. That is, the coil 31 has a pair of coil ends 31a, 31b that protrude on both axial sides of the stator core 32.

[0027] <Gear section> The gear unit 3 is accommodated in a gear chamber 82 of the housing 6. The gear unit 3 is connected to a shaft 21 on one axial side of the motor shaft J2. The gear unit 3 has a reduction gear 4 and a differential gear 5. Torque output from the motor 2 is transmitted to the differential gear 5 via the reduction gear 4.

[0028] <Deceleration device> The reduction gear 4 is connected to the rotor 20 of the motor 2. The reduction gear 4 has a function of reducing the rotational speed of the motor 2 and increasing the torque output from the motor 2 in accordance with a reduction ratio. The reduction gear 4 transmits the torque output from the motor 2 to the differential gear 5.

[0029] The reduction gear 4 has a first gear (intermediate drive gear) 41, a second gear (intermediate gear) 42, a third gear (primary drive gear) 43, and an intermediate shaft 45. Torque output from the motor 2 is transmitted to a ring gear (gear) 51 of the differential device 5 via the shaft 21 of the motor 2, the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the intermediate shaft 45, and the third gear 43. The gear ratio of each gear, the number of gears, and the like can be changed in various ways according to the required reduction ratio. The reduction gear 4 is a parallel shaft gear type reducer in which the shaft cores of the gears are arranged in parallel.

[0030] The first gear 41 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 21 of the motor 2. The first gear 41 rotates together with the shaft 21 around the motor shaft J2. The intermediate shaft 45 extends along an intermediate shaft J4 parallel to the motor shaft J2. The intermediate shaft 45 rotates around the intermediate shaft J4. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate shaft 45. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are connected via the intermediate shaft 45. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 rotate around the intermediate shaft J4. 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.

[0031] <Differential device> The differential gear 5 is connected to the motor 2 via the reduction gear 4. The differential gear 5 is a device for transmitting the torque output from the motor 2 to the wheels of the vehicle. The differential gear 5 has a function of transmitting the same torque to the axles 55 of both the left and right wheels while absorbing the speed difference between the left and right wheels when the vehicle turns. The differential gear 5 has a ring gear 51, a gear housing (not shown), a pair of pinion gears (not shown), a pinion shaft (not shown), and a pair of side gears (not shown).

[0032] The ring gear 51 rotates about a differential shaft J5 that is parallel to the motor shaft J2. The torque output from the motor 2 is transmitted to the ring gear 51 via the reduction gear 4. In other words, the ring gear 51 is connected to the motor 2 via another gear.

[0033] <Housing> FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the housing 6. The first housing member 61 has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 61a surrounding the motor 2 from the radial outside, and a side plate portion 61b located on one axial side of the peripheral wall portion 61a. The space inside the peripheral wall portion 61a constitutes the motor chamber 81. The side plate portion 61b has a partition wall 61c and a protruding plate portion 61d. The partition wall 61c covers an opening on one axial side of the peripheral wall portion 61a. In addition to the partition wall opening 68 described above, the partition wall 61c is provided with an insertion hole 61f through which the shaft 21 of the motor 2 is inserted. The side plate portion 61b has the partition wall 61c and a protruding plate portion 61d protruding radially outward from the peripheral wall portion 61a. The protruding plate portion 61d is provided with a first axle passage hole 61e through which a drive shaft (not shown) supporting a wheel passes.

[0034] The closing portion 63 is fixed to the peripheral wall portion 61a of the first housing member 61. The closing portion 63 closes the opening of the cylindrical first housing member 61. The closing portion 63 has a closing portion main body 63a and a lid member 63b. The closing portion main body 63a is provided with a window portion 63c penetrating in the axial direction. The lid member 63b closes the window portion 63c from the outside of the accommodation space 80.

[0035] The second housing member 62 is fixed to the side plate portion 61b of the first housing member 61. The second housing member 62 has a concave shape that opens towards the side plate portion 61b. The opening of the second housing member 62 is covered by the side plate portion 61b. The space between the second housing member 62 and the side plate portion 61b forms a gear chamber 82 that houses the gear portion 3. A second axle passage hole 62e is provided in the second housing member 62. The second axle passage hole 62e overlaps with the first axle passage hole 61e when viewed in the axial direction.

[0036] The peripheral wall portion 61a and the closing portion 63 of the first housing member 61 form a motor chamber 81, which surrounds the motor 2 and houses the motor 2. That is, the peripheral wall portion 61a and the closing portion 63 form the motor housing portion 6a shown in FIG. Similarly, the side plate portion 61b of the first housing member 61 and the second housing member 62 form a gear chamber 82 that surrounds and houses the gear portion 3. That is, the side plate portion 61b and the second housing member 62 form the gear accommodating portion 6b shown in Fig. 1. In this manner, the housing 6 has the motor accommodating portion 6a that provides therein the motor chamber 81 that accommodates the motor 2, and the gear accommodating portion 6b that provides therein the gear chamber 82 that accommodates the gear portion 3.

[0037] Fig. 5 is a side view of the motor unit 1. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the motor unit 1 as viewed from below.

[0038] 5 and 6, the gear accommodating portion 6b has a protruding portion 6d that protrudes radially outward from the motor accommodating portion 6a when viewed in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the protruding portion 6d protrudes toward the rear and downward sides of the vehicle from the motor accommodating portion 6a. The protruding portion 6d accommodates a portion of the gear portion 3. More specifically, a portion of the second gear 42 and a portion of the ring gear 51 are accommodated inside the protruding portion 6d.

[0039] <Oil> 1, the oil O circulates in an oil passage 90 provided in the housing 6. The oil passage 90 is a path for the oil O that supplies the oil O from an oil reservoir P to the motor 2. The oil passage 90 circulates the oil O in the accommodation space 80 to cool the motor 2.

[0040] The oil O is used to lubricate the reduction gear 4, the differential gear 5, and each bearing. The oil O is also used to cool the motor 2. The oil O accumulates in the lower region of the gear chamber 82, i.e., in the oil reservoir P. Since the oil O functions as a lubricating oil and a cooling oil, it is preferable to use an oil equivalent to a low-viscosity lubricating oil for automatic transmissions (ATF: Automatic Transmission Fluid).

[0041] <Oil road> As shown in Fig. 1, the oil passage 90 is provided in the housing 6. The oil passage 90 is located in the accommodation space 80 inside the housing 6. The oil passage 90 is configured to straddle the motor chamber 81 and the gear chamber 82 of the accommodation space 80. The oil passage 90 is a path for the oil O that leads the oil O from an oil sump P below the motor 2 (i.e., a lower region within the accommodation space 80) through the motor 2 to the oil sump P below the motor 2 again.

[0042] In this specification, the term "oil passage" is a concept that refers to a path through which the oil O circulates in the accommodation space 80. Therefore, the term "oil passage" is a concept that includes not only a "flow path" through which oil steadily flows in one direction, but also a path through which the oil temporarily stays (e.g., a reservoir) and a path through which the oil drips.

[0043] The oil passage 90 has a first oil passage 91 that passes through the inside of the motor 2, and a second oil passage (oil passage) 92 that passes through the outside of the motor 2. The first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92 each circulate the oil O inside the housing 6. The oil O cools the motor 2 from the inside and outside in the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92.

[0044] (Common area between the first and second oil passages) First, a common portion between the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92 will be described. Both the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92 are paths that supply oil O from the oil sump P to the motor 2 and collect the oil O back into the oil sump P. In the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92, the oil O drips from the upper side of the motor 2 and accumulates in a lower region in the motor chamber 81. The oil O that has accumulated in the lower region in the motor chamber 81 moves to the lower region in the gear chamber 82 (i.e., the oil sump P) through the partition opening 68. That is, the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92 include paths that move the oil O from the lower region in the motor chamber 81 to the lower region in the gear chamber 82.

[0045] Figures 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views of the motor unit 1. The inverter unit 8 is omitted from Figures 7 and 8. The liquid level OL of the oil O that accumulates in the lower region of the motor chamber 81 is indicated by a dashed dotted line.

[0046] The partition wall opening 68 penetrates the partition wall 61c in the axial direction, and connects the motor chamber 81 and the gear chamber 82. When viewed in the axial direction, the partition wall opening 68 has a horizontal width that increases toward the upper side. The vertical position of the lower end 68a of the partition wall opening 68 is located near the lower end of the stator 30. The vertical position of the upper end 68b of the partition wall opening 68 is located slightly above the lower end of the rotor 20. The horizontal width of the upper end 68b of the partition wall opening 68 is greater than that of the lower end 68a.

[0047] By driving the motor 2, the supply amount per unit time of the oil O supplied to the motor 2 from the oil passage 90 (i.e., the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92) increases. As a result, the liquid level OL of the oil O accumulated in the lower region of the motor chamber 81 rises. As described above, the partition wall opening 68 has a horizontal width that increases toward the upper side when viewed from the axial direction. Therefore, the liquid level OL of the oil O in the motor chamber 81 rises, and the amount of the oil O moving from the motor chamber 81 to the gear chamber 82 through the partition wall opening 68 increases. As a result, the liquid level OL of the oil O in the motor chamber 81 is prevented from becoming too high. That is, it is possible to prevent the rotor 20 in the motor chamber 81 from being immersed in the oil O or from scooping up an excessive amount of the oil O. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the rotation efficiency of the motor 2 from decreasing due to the flow resistance of the oil O.

[0048] (First Oil Channel) 1, in the first oil passage 91, the oil O is scooped up from the oil reservoir P by the differential gear 5 and guided to the inside of the rotor 20. Inside the rotor 20, centrifugal force is applied to the oil O as the rotor 20 rotates. As a result, the oil O is evenly diffused toward the stator 30 that surrounds the rotor 20 from the radial outside, and cools the stator 30.

[0049] The first oil passage 91 has a scoop-up passage 91a, a shaft supply passage 91b, an in-shaft passage 91c, and an in-rotor passage 91d. A first reservoir 93 is provided in the first oil passage 91. The first reservoir 93 is provided in the gear chamber 82. The first reservoir 93 also has a function of temporarily storing a predetermined amount of oil O.

[0050] The scooping path 91a is a path through which the oil O scooped up from the oil pool P by the rotation of the ring gear 51 of the differential device 5 is received in the first reservoir 93. As shown in FIG. 3, the first reservoir 93 is disposed between the intermediate shaft J4 and the differential shaft J5. Specifically, the first reservoir 93 is located between the intermediate shaft J4 and the differential shaft J5 in the front-rear direction. The first reservoir 93 opens upward. The first reservoir 93 receives the oil O scooped up by the ring gear 51. In addition, when the oil level of the oil pool P is high, such as immediately after the motor 2 is driven, the first reservoir 93 also receives the oil O scooped up by the second gear 42 and the third gear 43 in addition to the ring gear 51.

[0051] The shaft supply path 91b guides the oil O from the first reservoir 93 to the hollow portion 22 of the shaft 21. As shown in Fig. 1, the intra-shaft path 91c is a path through which the oil O passes inside the hollow portion 22 of the shaft 21. In other words, the oil passage 90 has the intra-shaft path 91c located in the hollow portion 22. The intra-rotor path 91d is a path through which the oil O passes from the communication hole 23 of the shaft 21 through the inside of the rotor core 24, splashes radially outward, and reaches the stator 30.

[0052] In the in-shaft passage 91c, centrifugal force is applied to the oil O inside the rotor 20 as the rotor 20 rotates. As a result, the oil O is continuously scattered radially outward from the rotor 20. As the oil O scatters, the passage inside the rotor 20 becomes negative pressure, and the oil O stored in the first reservoir 93 is sucked into the rotor 20, filling the passage inside the rotor 20 with the oil O.

[0053] The oil O that reaches the stator 30 removes heat from the stator 30. The oil O that has cooled the stator 30 drips onto the lower side of the stator 30 and accumulates in the lower region of the motor chamber 81. The oil O that has accumulated in the lower region of the motor chamber 81 moves to the gear chamber 82 through the partition opening 68 provided in the partition 61c.

[0054] (Second Oil Channel) The second oil passage (flow passage) 92 has a first oil passage (flow passage) 92a, a second oil passage (flow passage) 92b, a third oil passage (flow passage) 92c, and a fourth oil passage (flow passage) 92d. That is, the second oil passage 92 has a first flow passage 92a, a second flow passage 92b, a third flow passage 92c, and a fourth flow passage 92d. A pump 96, a cooler 97, and a second reservoir (oil supply structure) 98 are provided in the second oil passage 92. That is, the second oil passage 92, i.e., the oil passage 90, has a flow passage provided inside the housing 6 and an oil supply structure. In this embodiment, at least the first flow passage 92a, the second flow passage 92b, the third flow passage 92c, and the fourth flow passage 92d are provided as flow passages inside the housing 6 (including the inside of the wall portion of the housing 6). The oil supply structure is accommodated inside the housing 6. The oil supply structure has a reservoir that stores the oil O, which is a second reservoir 98 in this embodiment. The oil supply structure is located above the motor 2 and supplies the oil O to the stator core 32 or the coil ends 31a, 31b. The pump 96 supplies the oil O to the motor 2. The cooler 97 cools the oil O passing through the second oil passage 92. In the second oil passage 92, the oil O passes through the first passage 92a, the pump 96, the second passage 92b, the cooler 97, the third passage 92c, the fourth passage 92d, and the second reservoir 98 in this order, and is then supplied to the motor 2.

[0055] The first flow passage 92a, the second flow passage 92b, the third flow passage 92c, and the fourth flow passage 92d pass through a wall portion of the housing 6 that surrounds the accommodation space 80. The first flow passage 92a connects an oil reservoir P in a lower region of the accommodation space 80 and a pump 96. The second flow passage 92b connects the pump 96 and a cooler 97. The third flow passage 92c connects the cooler 97 and the fourth flow passage 92d. The fourth flow passage 92d connects the third flow passage 92c and an upper region of the accommodation space 80.

[0056] In this embodiment, the first flow path 92a, the second flow path 92b, the third flow path 92c, and the fourth flow path 92d pass through the inside of the wall part of the housing 6 that surrounds the accommodation space 80. Therefore, when forming the flow paths, there is no need to provide a separate pipe material, which can contribute to a reduction in the number of parts.

[0057] The pump 96 is an electric pump that is driven by electricity. The pump 96 sucks up the oil O from the oil reservoir P via the first flow path 92a, and supplies the oil O to the motor 2 via the second flow path 92b, the cooler 97, the third flow path 92c, the fourth flow path 92d, and the second reservoir 98. That is, the pump 96 is provided to circulate the oil O in the second oil path 92.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 6, the pump 96 has a pump mechanism 96p, a pump motor 96m, a suction port 96a, and a discharge port 96b. In this embodiment, the pump mechanism 96p is a trochoidal pump in which an external gear and an internal gear (not shown) mesh and rotate. The internal gear of the pump mechanism 96p is rotated by the pump motor 96m. A gap between the internal gear and the external gear of the pump mechanism 96p is connected to the suction port 96a and the discharge port 96b.

[0059] A suction port 96a of the pump 96 is connected to the first flow path 92a. A discharge port 96b of the pump 96 is connected to the second flow path 92b. The pump 96 draws up oil O from the oil reservoir P via the first flow path 92a, and supplies the oil O to the motor 2 via the second flow path 92b, the cooler 97, the third flow path 92c, the fourth flow path 92d, and the second reservoir 98.

[0060] The pump motor 96m rotates the internal gear of the pump mechanism section 96p. The rotation axis J6 of the pump motor 96m is parallel to the motor axis J2. The pump 96 having the pump motor 96m tends to be long in the direction of the rotation axis J6. According to this embodiment, the radial dimension of the motor unit 1 can be reduced by making the rotation axis J6 of the pump motor 96m parallel to the motor axis J2. In addition, by reducing the radial dimension of the motor unit 1, the pump 96 can be easily arranged to overlap the protruding portion 6d of the housing 6 when viewed from the axial direction. As a result, the motor unit 1 is prevented from having an increased axial projected area, making it easy to reduce the size of the motor unit 1.

[0061] The pump 96 is located below the motor chamber 81. The pump 96 is fixed to a surface of the overhanging portion 6d facing the motor housing portion 6a. An intake port 96a of the pump 96 is disposed facing the overhanging portion 6d. A first flow passage 92a connected to the intake port 96a of the pump 96 linearly penetrates the wall surface of the overhanging portion 6d in the axial direction and opens to a lower region in the gear chamber 82. That is, the overhanging portion 6d is provided with the first flow passage 92a that extends along the axial direction and connects from the lower region in the gear chamber 82 (i.e., the oil reservoir P) to the pump 96.

[0062] According to this embodiment, since the pump 96 is disposed below the motor chamber 81, it is easy to dispose the suction port 96a near the oil reservoir P. As a result, the first flow passage 92a connecting the oil reservoir P and the suction port 96a can be shortened. In addition, since the distance between the oil reservoir P and the suction port 96a is short, the first flow passage 92a can be a straight flow passage. By making the first flow passage 92a a short straight flow passage, it is possible to reduce pressure loss in the path from the oil reservoir P to the pump 96 and realize efficient circulation of the oil O.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 1, the second flow path 92b and the third flow path 92c are connected to the cooler 97. The second flow path 92b and the third flow path 92c are connected via an internal flow path of the cooler 97. A cooling water pipe 97j, through which cooling water cooled by a radiator (not shown) passes, is connected to the cooler 97. The oil O passing through the inside of the cooler 97 is cooled by heat exchange with the cooling water passing through the cooling water pipe 97j. The inverter unit 8 is provided in the path of the cooling water pipe 97j. The cooling water passing through the cooling water pipe 97j cools the inverter unit 8.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 7, the cooler 97 is located on the vertical lower side of the motor chamber 81. The cooler 97 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the motor housing portion 6a facing radially outward. The cooler 97 has a contact surface 97a that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the motor housing portion 6a. The contact surface 97a is located on the vertical lower side of the motor chamber 81. As shown in FIG. 1, the oil O supplied to the motor 2 temporarily accumulates in the lower region of the motor chamber 81, and then moves to the lower region of the gear chamber 82 through the partition opening 68. That is, the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92 pass through the lower region of the motor chamber 81. According to this embodiment, the contact surface 97a of the cooler 97 with respect to the motor housing portion 6a is located on the lower side of the motor chamber 81. As a result, the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92 include a path that passes between the motor 2 and the contact surface 97a in the lower region of the motor chamber 81. Therefore, the oil O passing through the lower region of the motor chamber 81 through the wall surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a can be cooled by the contact surface 97a. By cooling the oil O accumulated in the lower region of the motor chamber 81, the stator 30 of the motor 2 immersed in the oil O is cooled from below. This allows the motor 2 to be effectively cooled. In addition, the contact surface 97a of the cooler 97 and the partition wall opening 68 at least partially overlap with each other in the radial direction of the motor shaft J2. The oil O flowing from the lower region of the motor chamber 81 to the gear chamber 82 passes through the partition wall opening 68. According to this embodiment, the oil O passing through the partition wall opening 68 can be cooled by the contact surface 97a of the cooler 97.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 5, at least a portion of the cooler 97 and the pump 96 overlaps with the protruding portion 6d of the gear accommodating portion 6b when viewed from the axial direction. The gear portion 3 is accommodated inside the protruding portion 6d. The axial projected area of ​​the protruding portion 6d is determined depending on the size of each gear of the gear portion 3. According to this embodiment, by arranging the cooler 97 and the pump 96 so as to overlap with the protruding portion 6d in the axial direction, it is possible to prevent the axial projected area of ​​the motor unit 1 from being increased by the cooler 97 and the pump 96. This prevents the axial projected area of ​​the motor unit 1 from being increased, and the motor unit 1 can be made smaller.

[0066] According to this embodiment, at least a portion of the cooler 97 and the pump 96 overlaps with the second gear 42 of the gear section 3 when viewed in the axial direction. Therefore, even if the projected area of ​​the protruding portion 6d when viewed in the axial direction is made as small as possible in accordance with the outer shape of each gear of the gear section 3, a configuration can be realized in which the cooler 97 and the pump 96 overlap with the protruding portion 6d when viewed in the axial direction. As a result, the projected area of ​​the motor unit 1 in the axial direction is prevented from increasing, and the motor unit 1 can be made smaller.

[0067] According to this embodiment, the lower end of the cooler 97 and the lower end of the pump 96 are located at approximately the same position as the lower end of the protruding portion 6d. In other words, the cooler 97 and the pump 96 do not protrude further downward from the lower end of the protruding portion 6d. This allows the motor unit 1 to be made smaller in the vertical direction. Also, according to this embodiment, the axial dimension of the cooler 97 is longer than the radial dimension.

[0068] The vertical position of the cooler 97 overlaps with the vertical position of the differential shaft J5. This prevents the cooler 97 from being disposed so as to protrude vertically upward or downward, thereby enabling the motor unit 1 to be made compact in the vertical direction.

[0069] As shown in Fig. 5, the cooler 97 and the pump 96 are located vertically below the motor chamber 81. The motor unit 1 is disposed, for example, inside the bonnet of the vehicle. In the motor unit 1, the cooler 97 and the pump 96 are protrusions that protrude from the housing 6. According to this embodiment, by disposing the cooler 97 and the pump 96 vertically below the motor chamber 81, it is possible to prevent the cooler 97 and the pump 96, which are protrusions, from piercing the object even if the vehicle collides with the object due to an accident or the like.

[0070] According to the present embodiment, the pump 96 and the cooler 97 are fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the housing 6. This contributes to a reduction in the size of the motor unit 1 compared to a case in which the pump 96 and the cooler 97 are fixed to a structure external to the housing 6.

[0071] 7, the second flow passage 92b passes through the inside of the wall of the motor housing 6a. The second flow passage 92b includes a straight portion 92ba and a connection hole portion 92bb. In the second flow passage 92b, the oil O flows through the straight portion 92ba and the connection hole portion 92bb in this order.

[0072] The straight portion 92ba extends linearly along the circumferential direction of the motor shaft J2. One upstream end of the straight portion 92ba is connected to the discharge port 96b of the pump 96. The other downstream end of the straight portion 92ba extends to the radial inside of the cooler 97 and is connected to the connection hole portion 92bb.

[0073] The connection hole 92bb extends in the radial direction. The connection hole 92bb opens to the outer circumferential surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a. The opening of the connection hole 92bb is connected to an inlet 97b of the cooler 97.

[0074] According to the present embodiment, the second flow passage 92b extends inside the wall of the motor housing portion 6a in the circumferential direction of the motor axis J2. The axial position of the second flow passage 92b overlaps with the axial position of the stator 30. That is, the second flow passage 92b and the stator 30 overlap with each other in the axial direction. Therefore, the stator 30 can be cooled by the oil O passing through the second flow passage 92b.

[0075] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the third flow passage 92c passes through the inside of the wall of the motor housing 6a. The third flow passage 92c includes a first connection hole 92ca, a first straight portion 92cb, a second straight portion 92cbc, a third straight portion 92cc, and a second connection hole 92cd. In the third flow passage 92c, the oil O flows through the first connection hole 92ca, the first straight portion 92cb, the second straight portion 92cbc, the third straight portion 92cc, and the second connection hole 92cd in this order.

[0076] The first connection hole 92ca extends in the radial direction. The first connection hole 92ca opens to the outer circumferential surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a. The opening of the first connection hole 92ca is connected to an outlet 97c of the cooler 97.

[0077] The first straight portion 92cb extends linearly along the circumferential direction of the motor shaft J2. One end of the first straight portion 92cb on the upstream side is connected to the first connection hole portion 92ca. The other end of the first straight portion 92cb on the downstream side is connected to the second straight portion 92cbc. One end of the first straight portion 92cb opens to the outer circumferential surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a and is covered by a cap member.

[0078] The second straight portion 92cbc extends linearly along the axial direction of the motor shaft J2. One end of the second straight portion 92cbc on the upstream side is connected to the first straight portion 92cb. The other end of the second straight portion 92cbc on the downstream side is connected to the third straight portion 92cc. One end of the second straight portion 92cbc opens to the outer circumferential surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a and is covered by a cap member.

[0079] The third straight portion 92cc extends linearly along the circumferential direction of the motor shaft J2. One upstream end of the third straight portion 92cc is connected to the second straight portion 92cbc. The other downstream end of the third straight portion 92cc is connected to the second connection hole portion 92cd. One end of the third straight portion 92cc opens to the outer circumferential surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a and is covered by a cap member. The third straight portion 92cc is provided on the partition wall 61c.

[0080] An upstream end of the second connection hole 92cd is connected to the third straight portion 92cc. The other downstream end of the second connection hole 92cd is connected to the fourth flow path 92d. The second connection hole 92cd opens to the upper side of the outer circumferential surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a and is covered with a cap member. The second connection hole 92cd opens to the +X-axis side, i.e., the front side, of the motor accommodating portion 6a and is covered with a cap member. The second connection hole 92cd is provided in the partition wall 61c.

[0081] According to this embodiment, the third flow passage 92c extends inside the wall of the motor housing portion 6a along the circumferential direction and the axial direction of the motor shaft J2. The axial position of the third flow passage 92c overlaps with the axial position of the stator 30. The radial position of the third flow passage 92c overlaps with the radial position of the stator 30. That is, the third flow passage 92c and the stator 30 overlap with each other in the axial direction. Therefore, the stator 30 can be cooled by the oil O passing through the third flow passage 92c. In particular, the oil O immediately after passing through the cooler 97 flows in the third flow passage 92c. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be efficiently cooled by the oil O flowing through the third flow passage 92c. In this embodiment, the cooler 97 is disposed downstream of the pump 96 in the second oil passage 92. However, the cooler 97 may be disposed upstream of the pump 96 in the second oil passage 92. In this case, the pump 96 is disposed in a flow path (corresponding to the third flow path 92c in this embodiment) connecting the cooler 97 and the upper region of the accommodation space 80. Even in this case, when the axial position of the flow path connecting the cooler 97 and the upper region of the accommodation space 80 overlaps with the axial position of the stator 30, the stator 30 can be efficiently cooled by the oil O immediately after passing through the cooler 97.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the fourth flow passage 92d passes through the inside of the wall of the motor housing portion 6a. The fourth flow passage 92d includes a first connection hole portion 92da, a first straight portion 92db, and a second connection hole portion 92dc. In the fourth flow passage 92d, the oil O flows through the first connection hole portion 92da, the first straight portion 92db, and the second connection hole portion 92dc in this order. The first connection hole portion 92da may be referred to as a third connection hole portion 92da. The first straight portion 92db may be referred to as a fourth straight portion 92db. The second connection hole portion 92dc may be referred to as a fourth connection hole portion 92dc. The fourth flow passage 92d is provided in the partition wall 61c. That is, the partition wall 61c has the fourth flow passage 92d as a part of the flow passage that supplies the oil O to the second reservoir 98.

[0083] The first connection hole 92da opens into the second connection hole 92cd of the third flow passage 92c. The first connection hole 92da connects the third flow passage 92c and the fourth flow passage 92d.

[0084] The first straight portion 92db extends linearly along the circumferential direction of the motor shaft J2. One upstream end of the first straight portion 92db is connected to the first connection hole portion 92da. In addition, a plurality of second connection holes 92dc are connected to the first straight portion 92db. That is, a plurality of second connection holes 92dc are provided in the fourth flow passage 92d. In this embodiment, two second connection holes 92dc are connected to the first straight portion 92db.

[0085] FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the details of the portion surrounded by the broken line in FIG. 1. The orientation of FIG. 9 is different from that of FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 in the X and Y directions. That is, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the X axis, and FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are cross-sectional views perpendicular to the Y axis. Now, the second connection hole portion 92dc extends along the axial direction. The second connection hole portion 92dc penetrates the wall portion of the motor accommodating portion 6a to the inside. One end of the second connection hole portion 92cd opens into the motor chamber 81 above the second reservoir 98. That is, the second reservoir 98 is supplied with oil O from the second connection hole portion 92dc extending along the axial direction. The second connection hole portion 92dc is a part of the flow path. That is, the oil supply structure is supplied with oil O from the part of the flow path extending along the axial direction. In this embodiment, the oil O flows through the second connection hole portion 92dc to the other axial side (−Y side) and is supplied to the second reservoir 98.

[0086] According to this embodiment, the second connection hole portion 92dc is opened along the axial direction of the motor shaft J2. As a result, compared to the case where the oil O is supplied to the second reservoir 98 from the radial direction of the motor shaft J2, even if a vehicle (not shown) on which the motor unit 1 is mounted is inclined on a slope or the like, the oil O can be reliably supplied to the second reservoir 98. That is, for example, consider the case where the oil O is supplied to the second reservoir 98 from above in the direction of gravity. In this case, if the bottom surface of the second reservoir 98 is inclined, the oil O does not flow to a portion located above the place where the oil O is supplied in the direction of gravity. In contrast, when the oil O is supplied from the horizontal side with respect to the direction of gravity as in this embodiment, the oil O is supplied to the second reservoir 98 with a momentum of flowing in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the oil O flows vigorously along the bottom surface of the second reservoir 98. As a result, even if the bottom surface of the second reservoir 98 is somewhat inclined, the oil O flows along the bottom surface and wall surface of the second reservoir 98. Therefore, the oil O is easily supplied to the entire bottom surface of the second reservoir 98. Therefore, the oil O is not easily affected by inclination on a slope or the like, and can be reliably supplied to the motor 2. In addition, in this embodiment, the direction in which the oil O flows through the second connection hole portion (flow path portion) 92dc and the direction in which the oil O flows through the shaft in-path 91c are the same. Specifically, the oil O in the second connection hole portion 92dc flows to the other axial side (-Y side), and the oil O in the shaft in-path 91c flows to the other axial side. Therefore, the length of the oil path that guides the oil O from the oil reservoir P to the second reservoir 98 via the second connection hole portion 92dc and the length of the oil path that guides the oil O from the oil reservoir P to the shaft in-path 91c can both be kept short. In addition, since there is no need to provide an oil path in the blocking portion 63 that is removable from the first housing member 61, the structure of the housing 6 can be simplified compared to the case in which an oil path is provided in the blocking portion 63.

[0087] 8, according to this embodiment, the second connection hole 92dc is provided on the +X-axis side and the -X-axis side of the motor shaft J2 in the radial direction of the motor shaft J2, specifically in the horizontal direction. That is, the multiple second connection hole 92dc is disposed on both sides of the motor shaft J2 in the front-rear direction, that is, on the front and rear sides of the motor shaft J2. As a result, even if a vehicle (not shown) on which the motor unit 1 is mounted is tilted on a slope or the like, the oil O can be evenly supplied to the +X-axis side and the -X-axis side of the second reservoir 98, and the entire motor 2 can be evenly cooled.

[0088] As shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, the first straight portion 92cb of the third flow passage 92c, the third straight portion 92cc, and the first straight portion 92db of the fourth flow passage 92d each extend linearly in different directions along the circumferential direction of the motor shaft J2. The second straight portion 92cbc of the third flow passage 92c extends linearly along the axial direction of the motor shaft J2. In general, it is difficult to form a curved flow passage in the wall of the housing 6 made of a metal material. However, a linear flow passage can be easily provided in the wall of the housing 6 by cutting.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 6, according to this embodiment, the pump 96 and the cooler 97 are positioned so as to overlap with each other in the axial direction. The cooler 97 and the pump 96 are connected to each other via the second flow passage 92b. That is, the second oil passage 92 is provided with the second flow passage 92b connecting the pump 96 and the cooler 97. According to this embodiment, the axial positions of the pump 96 and the cooler 97 overlap with each other, so that the second flow passage 92b can be structured to extend linearly in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. That is, the second flow passage 92b can be a short linear flow passage, so that the pressure loss in the path from the pump 96 to the cooler 97 can be reduced, and efficient circulation of the oil O can be achieved.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 1, the second reservoir 98 is located in the motor chamber 81 of the accommodation space 80. The second reservoir 98 is located above the motor 2. The second reservoir 98 stores the oil O supplied to the motor chamber 81 through the third flow path 92c and the fourth flow path 92d. The second reservoir 98 has a plurality of outlets 98a. Each outlet 98a opens toward the stator core 32 or the coil ends 31a, 31b. That is, the second reservoir 98, i.e., the reservoir, has outlets 98a that open toward the stator core 32 or the coil ends 31a, 31b. The oil O stored in the second reservoir 98 is supplied to the motor 2 from each outlet 98a. The oil O flowing out of the outlets 98a of the second reservoir 98 flows from the upper side to the lower side along the outer circumferential surface of the motor 2 to remove heat from the motor 2. This allows the entire motor 2 to be cooled.

[0091] The second reservoir 98 extends along the axial direction. Furthermore, the outlets 98a of the second reservoir 98 are provided at both axial ends of the second reservoir 98. The outlets 98a are located above the coil ends 31a, 31b. This allows the coils 31 to be directly cooled by pouring oil O onto the coil ends 31a, 31b located at both axial ends of the stator 30.

[0092] The oil O that has cooled the coil 31 drips downward and accumulates in the lower region of the motor chamber 81. The oil O that has accumulated in the lower region of the motor chamber 81 moves to the gear chamber 82 through the partition opening 68 provided in the partition 61c.

[0093] According to this embodiment, a cooler 97 for cooling the oil O is provided in the second oil passage 92. The oil O that passes through the second oil passage 92 and is cooled by the cooler 97 merges with the oil O that passes through the first oil passage 91 in the oil sump P. In the oil sump P, the oil O that passes through the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92 mix with each other and heat exchange occurs. For this reason, the cooling effect of the cooler 97 provided in the second oil passage 92 can be applied to the oil O that passes through the first oil passage 91.

[0094] According to the present embodiment, a part of the second oil passage 92 is provided in the partition wall 61c of the housing 6. That is, the partition wall 61c has a part of the passage that supplies the oil O to the oil supply structure. The partition wall 61c has a certain thickness in the axial direction in order to hold the second bearing 27. Therefore, even when the second oil passage 92 that supplies the oil O to the second reservoir 98 is formed in the partition wall 61c, it is not necessary to thicken the partition wall 61c, and the motor unit 1 can be made compact. More specifically, in the present embodiment, the passage has a first partition wall passage located in the partition wall 61c and a plurality of second partition wall passages located in the partition wall 61c and branching from the first partition wall passage to extend in the axial direction. The plurality of second partition wall passages are arranged downstream of the first partition wall passage. Specifically, the first partition wall passage includes a first straight portion 92db of the fourth passage 92d. The second partition wall flow passages include the second connection hole portions 92dc of the fourth flow passage 92d. The oil O is supplied from the second partition wall flow passages to the second reservoir 98, i.e., the oil supply structure. According to this embodiment, by branching the flow passages in the partition wall 61c, it is not necessary to separately provide a pipe material for branching, and the number of parts can be reduced to simplify the structure. In addition, the oil O can be efficiently supplied from the second partition wall flow passages to the second reservoir 98 over a wide area.

[0095] <Inverter unit> The inverter unit 8 is electrically connected to the motor 2. The inverter unit 8 controls the current supplied to the motor 2. As shown in Fig. 5, the inverter unit 8 is fixed to the housing 6. More specifically, the inverter unit 8 is fixed to an outer circumferential surface facing radially outward of the motor accommodating portion 6a.

[0096] When viewed from the axial direction, at least a portion of the inverter unit 8 overlaps with the protruding portion 6d of the gear accommodating portion 6b. According to this embodiment, by arranging the inverter unit 8 so as to overlap with the protruding portion 6d when viewed from the axial direction, it is possible to prevent the axial projection area of ​​the motor unit 1 from being increased by the inverter unit 8. This prevents the axial projection area of ​​the motor unit 1 from being increased, and allows the motor unit 1 to be made smaller.

[0097] According to this embodiment, at least a portion of the inverter unit 8 overlaps with the ring gear 51 of the gear portion 3 when viewed in the axial direction. Therefore, even if the projected area of ​​the protruding portion 6d when viewed in the axial direction is made as small as possible in accordance with the outer shape of each gear of the gear portion 3, a configuration can be realized in which the inverter unit 8 overlaps with the protruding portion 6d when viewed in the axial direction. As a result, the projected area of ​​the motor unit 1 in the axial direction is prevented from increasing, and the motor unit 1 can be made smaller.

[0098] According to this embodiment, the inverter unit 8 is located on the opposite side of the motor shaft J2 from the cooler 97 when viewed in the vertical direction. Therefore, it is possible to effectively utilize the area overlapping with the protruding portion 6d when viewed in the axial direction, thereby reducing the horizontal dimension of the motor unit 1, and thus the motor unit 1 can be made more compact.

[0099] 1, a cooling water pipe 97j extending from a radiator (not shown) is connected to the inverter unit 8. This makes it possible to efficiently cool the inverter unit 8. The cooling water flowing through the cooling water pipe 97j also cools the motor accommodating portion 6a that comes into contact with the housing of the inverter unit 8 through the housing.

[0100] <Second embodiment> Next, a motor unit 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same names and symbols, and their description may be omitted. In this embodiment, a predetermined direction in the circumferential direction is called one circumferential side θ1, and a direction opposite to the predetermined direction is called the other circumferential side θ2. In this embodiment, the one circumferential side θ1 is a direction toward the front side (+X side) above the motor shaft J2, and the other circumferential side θ2 is a direction toward the rear side (-X side) above the motor shaft J2.

[0101] As shown in Fig. 10, the motor unit 100 includes a motor 2, a gear unit 3 including a reduction gear 4 and a differential gear 5, a housing 6, a breather 7, oil O contained in the housing 6, a refrigerant supply pipe unit 110, and an oil passage 90. In this embodiment, the motor unit 100 does not include an inverter unit. In other words, the motor unit 100 has a structure separate from the inverter unit. Note that the motor unit 100 may include an inverter unit. In other words, the motor unit 100 may have an integrated structure with the inverter unit.

[0102] The stator core 32 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a. As shown in FIG. 11, the stator core 32 has a stator core body 32a and a fixed portion 32b. In other words, the stator 30 has the fixed portion 32b. The stator core body 32a has a cylindrical core back 32d extending in the axial direction and a plurality of teeth 32e extending radially inward from the core back 32d. The plurality of teeth 32e are arranged at intervals from one another in the circumferential direction. The plurality of teeth 32e are arranged at equal intervals over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction.

[0103] The fixed portion 32b protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the stator core body 32a. That is, the fixed portion 32b protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30. The fixed portion 32b is fixed to the motor accommodating portion 6a. That is, the fixed portion 32b is fixed to the housing 6. A plurality of the fixed portions 32b are provided at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. For example, four fixed portions 32b are provided. The four fixed portions 32b are arranged at equal intervals over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction.

[0104] One of the fixing portions 32b protrudes upward from the stator core body 32a. The other of the fixing portions 32b protrudes downward from the stator core body 32a. Yet another of the fixing portions 32b protrudes frontward (+X side) from the stator core body 32a. The remaining one of the fixing portions 32b protrudes rearward (-X side) from the stator core body 32a.

[0105] In the following description, the fixing portion 32b protruding upward from the stator core body 32a will be referred to simply as the "upper fixing portion 32b," the fixing portion 32b protruding forward from the stator core body 32a will be referred to simply as the "front fixing portion 32b," the fixing portion 32b protruding downward from the stator core body 32a will be referred to simply as the "lower fixing portion 32b," and the fixing portion 32b protruding rearward from the stator core body 32a will be referred to simply as the "rear fixing portion 32b."

[0106] The fixing portion 32b extends in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 32b extends from the end of the left side (+Y side) of the stator core 32 to the end of the right side (-Y side) of the stator core 32. That is, the fixing portion 32b extends over the entire axial length of the stator core 32. The fixing portion 32b has a through hole 32c penetrating the fixing portion 32b in the axial direction. A bolt (not shown) extending in the axial direction is passed through the through hole 32c. The bolt is passed through the through hole 32c from the right side (-Y side) and is fastened into a female screw hole (not shown) provided in the motor accommodating portion 6a or the partition wall 61c. The fixing portion 32b is fixed to the motor accommodating portion 6a or the partition wall 61c by fastening the bolt into the female screw hole. The outer peripheral surface of the stator core body 32a contacts the inner peripheral surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a at least at one or more points in the circumferential direction. That is, a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the stator core body 32a located between a pair of circumferentially adjacent fixing portions 32b contacts a circumferential part of the inner circumferential surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a. In this embodiment, the outer circumferential surface of the stator core body 32a and the inner circumferential surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a contact each other at multiple locations, for example, four locations, spaced apart in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the inner circumferential surface of the motor accommodating portion 6a and the outer circumferential surface of the stator core body 32a are fitted together. With the above configuration, the stator 30 is fixed to the housing 6.

[0107] 11, in this embodiment, the coil ends 31a, 31b are annular about the motor shaft J2. Although not shown, the coil ends 31a, 31b may include bundling members for bundling the coils 31 together, or may include crossover wires for connecting the coils 31 together.

[0108] As shown in FIG. 10, the housing 6 accommodates oil O as a refrigerant therein. That is, in this embodiment, the refrigerant is oil O. The oil O is accommodated inside the motor accommodating portion 6a and inside the gear accommodating portion 6b. In this specification, "oil is accommodated inside a certain portion" means that oil is located inside a certain portion at least partly while the motor is driving, and oil does not have to be located inside a certain portion when the motor is stopped. For example, in this embodiment, the oil O is accommodated inside the motor accommodating portion 6a means that oil O is located inside the motor accommodating portion 6a at least partly while the motor 2 is driving, and when the motor 2 is stopped, all of the oil O inside the motor accommodating portion 6a may have moved to the gear accommodating portion 6b through the partition opening 68. A part of the oil O sent to the inside of the motor accommodating portion 6a by the oil passage 90 may remain inside the motor accommodating portion 6a when the motor 2 is stopped.

[0109] The breather 7 is configured to be able to communicate between the inside and outside of the housing 6. For example, when the internal pressure of the housing 6 becomes higher than the external pressure and the pressure difference between the internal pressure and the external pressure becomes equal to or exceeds a predetermined value, or when the motor unit 100 vibrates, the breather 7 communicates between the inside and outside of the housing 6. In this embodiment, the breather 7 is provided on the top wall portion, i.e., the upper wall portion, of the housing 6. The breather 7 is provided on, for example, the top wall portion of the motor accommodating portion 6a.

[0110] The refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is accommodated inside the motor accommodating portion 6a. That is, the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is accommodated inside the housing 6. The refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is disposed between the inner peripheral surface of the housing 6 and the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30. The refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is located on the upper side of the stator 30. Specifically, the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is disposed between the top wall portion of the motor accommodating portion 6a and the upper end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the stator core main body 32a. The left end (+Y side) of the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is fixed to the wall portion or partition wall 61c of the motor accommodating portion 6a. The left end of the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is connected to the fourth flow path 92d. The right end (-Y side) of the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is fixed to the top wall portion or closed portion 63 of the motor accommodating portion 6a. That is, the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is fixed to the housing 6.

[0111] 11, the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 includes a first supply pipe (supply pipe) 111, a second supply pipe (supply pipe) 112, a connecting portion 119, a first elastic ring member (not shown), and a second elastic ring member (not shown). In other words, the motor unit 100 includes the first supply pipe 111, the second supply pipe 112, the connecting portion 119, the first elastic ring member (not shown), and the second elastic ring member (not shown).

[0112] The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are cylindrical and extend in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are cylindrical pipes that extend linearly along the axial direction. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are arranged at intervals from each other in the front-rear direction. That is, the second supply pipe 112 is arranged at an interval from the first supply pipe 111. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are parallel to each other. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are located on the radial outside of the stator 30. In this embodiment, the radial position of the first supply pipe 111 and the radial position of the second supply pipe 112 are the same as each other. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are arranged on the upper side of the stator core body 32a. The vertical position of the first supply pipe 111 and the vertical position of the second supply pipe 112 are the same.

[0113] As viewed from the axial direction, the upper fixing portion 32b is disposed between the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112. That is, as viewed from the axial direction, a virtual line (not shown) passing through the central axis of the first supply pipe 111 and the central axis of the second supply pipe 112 intersects with the upper fixing portion 32b. As viewed from the front-rear direction, the first supply pipe 111, the second supply pipe 112, and the upper fixing portion 32b overlap each other. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are disposed on both sides of the upper fixing portion 32b in the front-rear direction. The first supply pipe 111 is located in front of the upper fixing portion 32b (+X side), and the second supply pipe 112 is located in rear of the upper fixing portion 32b (-X side). The first supply pipe 111 is located on one circumferential side θ1 of the upper fixed portion 32b, and the second supply pipe 112 is located on the other circumferential side θ2 of the upper fixed portion 32b.

[0114] When viewed from the radial direction, specifically, when viewed from above, the upper fixed portion 32b is located between the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112. That is, when viewed from the radial direction, the fixed portion 32b is disposed between the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112. The first supply pipe 111 extends along the direction in which the fixed portion 32b extends. The second supply pipe 112 extends along the direction in which the fixed portion 32b extends. According to this embodiment, the refrigerant sprayed from the first supply pipe 111 and the refrigerant sprayed from the second supply pipe 112 can cool the stator 30 over a wide range on both sides of the upper fixed portion 32b in the direction in which the fixed portion 32b extends, i.e., in the axial direction.

[0115] 10 and 11, the first supply pipe 111 has a first supply pipe main body 111a, a small diameter portion 111b connected to the left end (+Y side) of the first supply pipe main body 111a, and a first injection hole (injection hole) 111c penetrating the peripheral wall of the first supply pipe main body 111a. That is, the first supply pipe 111 has the first injection hole 111c penetrating the peripheral wall of the first supply pipe 111. The first injection hole 111c opens toward the stator core 32 or the coil ends 31a, 31b.

[0116] The first supply pipe main body 111a is cylindrical and extends in the axial direction. The small diameter portion 111b is cylindrical and extends in the axial direction. The outer diameter of the small diameter portion 111b is smaller than the outer diameter of the first supply pipe main body 111a. The first supply pipe 111 is attached to the wall or partition wall 61c of the motor housing portion 6a by inserting the small diameter portion 111b from the right side (-Y side) into a hole (not shown) provided in the wall or partition wall 61c of the motor housing portion 6a. The small diameter portion 111b opens to the left side (+Y side). The small diameter portion 111b communicates with the fourth flow path 92d. As a result, the inside of the first supply pipe 111, that is, the supply pipe inner flow path 192d described later, is connected to the fourth flow path 92d.

[0117] The first injection hole 111c extends in a pipe diameter direction perpendicular to the central axis of the first supply pipe 111, and communicates the inside and outside of the first supply pipe 111. The first injection hole 111c is, for example, a circular hole. The first injection hole 111c is located between the inner peripheral surface of the housing 6 and the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30. The first injection hole 111c injects oil O, i.e., refrigerant, between the inner peripheral surface of the housing 6 and the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30. The first injection hole 111c injects the refrigerant at least to the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30. That is, the first supply pipe 111 injects the refrigerant at least to the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30. The first supply pipe 111 supplies the refrigerant to at least the upper end of the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30.

[0118] A plurality of first injection holes 111c are provided. The plurality of first injection holes 111c are provided at intervals from each other in the axial direction (Y-axis direction). According to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be cooled over a wide area in the axial direction by the oil O injected from the plurality of first injection holes 111c aligned in the axial direction. Furthermore, a plurality of first injection holes 111c are also provided at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. According to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be cooled over a wide area in the circumferential direction by the oil O injected from the plurality of first injection holes 111c aligned in the circumferential direction.

[0119] The second supply pipe 112 has a second supply pipe main body 112a, a small diameter portion 112b connected to the left end (+Y side) of the second supply pipe main body 112a, and a second injection hole (injection hole) 112c penetrating the peripheral wall of the second supply pipe main body 112a. That is, the second supply pipe 112 has the second injection hole 112c penetrating the peripheral wall of the second supply pipe 112. The second injection hole 112c opens toward the stator core 32 or the coil ends 31a, 31b.

[0120] The second supply pipe main body 112a is cylindrical and extends in the axial direction. The small diameter portion 112b is cylindrical and extends in the axial direction. The outer diameter of the small diameter portion 112b is smaller than the outer diameter of the second supply pipe main body 112a. The second supply pipe 112 is attached to the wall or partition wall 61c of the motor housing portion 6a by inserting the small diameter portion 112b from the right side (-Y side) into a hole (not shown) provided in the wall or partition wall 61c of the motor housing portion 6a. The small diameter portion 112b opens to the left side (+Y side). The small diameter portion 112b communicates with the fourth flow path 92d. As a result, the inside of the second supply pipe 112, that is, the supply pipe inner flow path 192d described later, is connected to the fourth flow path 92d.

[0121] The second injection hole 112c extends in a pipe diameter direction perpendicular to the central axis of the second supply pipe 112, and communicates the inside and outside of the second supply pipe 112. The second injection hole 112c is, for example, a circular hole. The second injection hole 112c is located between the inner peripheral surface of the housing 6 and the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30. The second injection hole 112c injects oil O, i.e., refrigerant, between the inner peripheral surface of the housing 6 and the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30. The second injection hole 112c injects the refrigerant at least to the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30. That is, the second supply pipe 112 injects the refrigerant at least to the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30. The second supply pipe 112 supplies the refrigerant to at least the upper end of the outer peripheral surface of the stator 30.

[0122] A plurality of second injection holes 112c are provided. A plurality of second injection holes 112c are provided at intervals from each other in the axial direction (Y-axis direction). According to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be cooled over a wide range in the axial direction by the oil O injected from the plurality of second injection holes 112c arranged in the axial direction. In addition, a plurality of second injection holes 112c are also provided at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. According to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be cooled over a wide range in the circumferential direction by the oil O injected from the plurality of second injection holes 112c arranged in the circumferential direction.

[0123] The connecting portion 119 connects the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112. According to this embodiment, since the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are connected by the connecting portion 119, the relative positional accuracy of the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 can be ensured, and the first supply pipe 111, the second supply pipe 112, and the connecting portion 119 can be easily attached in the housing 6. The connecting portion 119 is connected to an end of the first supply pipe 111 and an end of the second supply pipe 112. The connecting portion 119 is fixed to the top wall portion of the motor accommodating portion 6a. According to this embodiment, since the connecting portion 119 connects the end of the first supply pipe 111 and the end of the second supply pipe 112, it is easy to displace the connecting portion 119 and the fixing portion 32b from a radial direction. In addition, both ends of the first supply pipe 111 are supported by the connecting portion 119 and the housing 6 in a double-supported state, and both ends of the second supply pipe 112 are supported by the connecting portion 119 and the housing 6 in a double-supported state. This stabilizes the mounting posture of the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 to the housing 6. In addition, the refrigerant sprayed from the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 is less likely to be blocked by the connecting portion 119. The refrigerant can be sprayed over a wide range from the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112, respectively, and the cooling efficiency of the stator 30 can be improved. In addition, the refrigerant sprayed from the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 can be supplied not only to the outer circumferential surface of the stator 30, but also to, for example, the bearing 26 of the blocking portion 63.

[0124] The connecting portion 119 is connected to one of the axial ends of the first supply pipe 111, which is an end different from the end where the small diameter portion 111b is located, that is, the right end (-Y side), and blocks the right end of the first supply pipe 111. The connecting portion 119 is connected to one of the axial ends of the second supply pipe 112, which is an end different from the end where the small diameter portion 112b is located, that is, the right end, and blocks the right end of the second supply pipe 112. That is, the connecting portion 119 is connected to the downstream end of the two ends of the first supply pipe 111, and is connected to the downstream end of the two ends of the second supply pipe 112. According to this embodiment, the connecting portion 119 can support the downstream ends of the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 while blocking the downstream ends. Unlike the present embodiment, for example, compared to a case in which a connecting member connecting the first supply pipe and the second supply pipe, a plug member blocking the downstream end of the first supply pipe, and a plug member blocking the downstream end of the second supply pipe are provided separately, the present embodiment reduces the number of parts, simplifies the configuration, and makes assembly easier.

[0125] As shown in FIG. 11, the connecting portion 119 is plate-shaped. The connecting portion 119 extends in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction). The connecting portion 119 has mounting holes 119d. The mounting holes 119d are, for example, circular holes, and in this embodiment, a pair of mounting holes 119d are provided at both ends of the connecting portion 119 in the front-rear direction. A bolt (not shown) is passed through each mounting hole 119d from the right side (-Y side). The bolt inserted into each mounting hole 119d is fastened into a female screw hole (not shown) in the top wall of the motor accommodating portion 6a, thereby fixing the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 to the housing 6.

[0126] In the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110, the first supply pipe 111, the second supply pipe 112, and the connecting portion 119 are parts of a single member. The first supply pipe 111, the second supply pipe 112, and the connecting portion 119 are made of, for example, resin. Unlike the present embodiment, for example, compared to a case in which the first supply pipe, the second supply pipe, and the connecting portion are made of separate members, this embodiment can reduce the number of parts and the work process for assembling the first supply pipe 111, the second supply pipe 112, and the connecting portion 119 can be reduced. In addition, since the relative positional accuracy of the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 is stably ensured, the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 can be easily assembled to the housing 6.

[0127] Although not shown in particular, the first elastic ring member is an elastically deformable annular member, such as an O-ring. The first elastic ring member is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion 111b of the first supply pipe 111. That is, the first elastic ring member is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the end portion of the first supply pipe 111 different from the end portion connected to the connecting portion 119, that is, the upstream end portion. According to this embodiment, the first elastic ring member is disposed between the upstream end portion of the first supply pipe 111 and a hole portion (not shown) provided in the wall portion or partition wall 61c of the motor housing portion 6a. This ensures sealing between the upstream end portion of the first supply pipe 111 and the hole portion, and the refrigerant is efficiently supplied from the first supply pipe 111 to the outer circumferential surface of the stator 30. In addition, since the first elastic ring member provides a vibration-proof function, noise caused by vibration between the first supply pipe 111 and the hole portion is suppressed.

[0128] Although not shown in particular, the second elastic ring member is an elastically deformable annular member, such as an O-ring. The second elastic ring member is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion 112b of the second supply pipe 112. That is, the second elastic ring member is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the end portion of the second supply pipe 112 different from the end portion connected to the connecting portion 119, that is, the upstream end portion. According to this embodiment, the second elastic ring member is disposed between the upstream end portion of the second supply pipe 112 and a hole portion (not shown) provided in the wall portion or partition wall 61c of the motor housing portion 6a. This ensures sealing between the upstream end portion of the second supply pipe 112 and the hole portion, and the refrigerant is efficiently supplied from the second supply pipe 112 to the outer circumferential surface of the stator 30. In addition, the second elastic ring member provides a vibration-proof function, so that noise caused by vibration between the second supply pipe 112 and the hole portion is suppressed.

[0129] As shown in FIG. 10, the oil passage 90 has a first oil passage 91 and a second oil passage 92. The second oil passage 92 has a first flow path 92a, a second flow path 92b, a third flow path 92c, a fourth flow path 92d, and a flow path in the supply pipe 192d. A pump 96, a cooler 97, and supply pipes (oil supply structure) 111, 112 are provided in the second oil passage 92. That is, the second oil passage 92, i.e., the oil passage 90, has a flow path provided inside the housing 6 and an oil supply structure. The oil supply structure has supply pipes 111, 112 through which the oil O flows, and the supply pipes 111, 112 have injection holes 111c, 112c that open toward the stator core 32 or the coil ends 31a, 31b. In this embodiment, the supply pipes 111 and 112, which are an oil supply structure, form a part of the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110. The oil supply structure is located above the motor 2, and supplies oil O to the stator core 32 or the coil ends 31a and 31b.

[0130] The fourth flow passage 92d is provided in the partition wall 61c. The fourth flow passage 92d is connected to the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 of the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110. That is, the fourth flow passage 92d connects the third flow passage 92c and the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110. The partition wall 61c has the fourth flow passage 92d as a part of the flow passage that supplies the oil O to the supply pipes 111, 112. The fourth flow passage 92d has a first straight portion 92db and a second connection hole portion (part of the flow passage) 92dc. In this embodiment, the oil O is supplied to the supply pipes 111, 112, that is, the oil supply structure, from the second connection hole portion 92dc, that is, the part of the flow passage, which extends along the axial direction. Therefore, the same action and effect as the first embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, since the oil O is supplied through the injection holes 111c, 112c of the supply pipes 111, 112, the oil O can be stably supplied to the stator core 32 or the coil ends 31a, 31b even when the vehicle is traveling on a slope, for example.

[0131] In this embodiment, a plurality of supply pipes 111, 112 are provided as an oil supply structure. The plurality of supply pipes 111, 112 include a first supply pipe 111 and a second supply pipe 112. Accordingly, a plurality of second connection holes 92dc are also provided. The second connection holes 92dc are provided in pairs branching from the first straight portion 92db. Each of the second connection holes 92dc is connected to each of the supply pipes 111, 112. In this embodiment, too, the flow path is branched inside the wall of the housing 6, so that it is not necessary to separately provide a pipe material for branching, and the number of parts can be reduced to simplify the structure. In addition, the oil O can be efficiently supplied from the plurality of supply pipes 111, 112 to the stator 30 over a wide area.

[0132] The supply pipe flow path 192d is a refrigerant flow path disposed inside the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110. That is, the supply pipe flow path 192d is located inside the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110. The supply pipe flow path 192d extends in the axial direction. The supply pipe flow path 192d is connected to the fourth flow path 92d. As shown in FIG. 11, a plurality of supply pipe flow paths 192d are provided in the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110, and a pair is provided in this embodiment. The pair of supply pipe flow paths 192d are connected to the fourth flow path 92d, respectively. The pair of supply pipe flow paths 192d are flow paths located downstream of the fourth flow path 92d in the second oil path 92. According to this embodiment, a part of the oil path 90 can be configured by the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110, so that the degree of freedom of the shape of the oil path 90 is increased, and the structure of the oil path 90 can be simplified. One of the pair of supply pipe inner flow paths 192d is located inside the first supply pipe 111 and is connected to the first injection hole 111c opening into the peripheral wall of the first supply pipe 111. The other of the pair of supply pipe inner flow paths 192d is located inside the second supply pipe 112 and is connected to the second injection hole 112c opening into the peripheral wall of the second supply pipe 112. In other words, the supply pipe inner flow path 192d is connected to the injection holes 111c, 112c.

[0133] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the configuration may be modified within the scope of the present invention, for example as described below.

[0134] In the second embodiment, the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are cylindrical pipes that extend linearly along the axial direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 may be piping other than pipes, block-shaped pipes, or the like. At least one of the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 may extend in a curved shape other than a straight line.

[0135] The pump 96 is not limited to an electric pump, and may be, for example, a mechanical pump that has a portion connected to the shaft 21 and is capable of pumping the oil O as the shaft 21 rotates about the motor axis J2.

[0136] Although the embodiments of the present invention and their modifications have been described above, the configurations and their combinations in the embodiments are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, 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. [Explanation of symbols]

[0137] 1,100...motor unit, 2...motor, 3...gear portion, 5...differential device, 6...housing, 6a...motor accommodating portion, 6b...gear accommodating portion, 6d...projection portion, 8...inverter unit, 20...rotor, 21...shaft (motor shaft), 22...hollow portion, 23...communication hole, 30...stator, 31...coil, 31a, 31b...coil end, 32...stator core, 51...ring gear, 61c...partition wall, 68...partition wall opening, 80...accommodating space, 81...motor chamber, 82...gear chamber, 90...oil passage, 91c...internal shaft passage, 92... Second oil passage, 92a...first flow passage, 92b...second flow passage, 92c...third flow passage, 92d...fourth flow passage, 96...pump, 97...cooler, 97a...contact surface, 92db...first straight section (first partition inner flow passage), 92dc...second connection hole section (flow passage part; second partition inner flow passage), 98...second reservoir (oil supply structure), 98a...outlet, 111...first supply pipe (oil supply structure), 111c...first injection hole, 112...second supply pipe (oil supply structure), 112c...second injection hole, J2...motor shaft, J5...differential shaft, O...oil

Claims

1. a motor having a rotor that rotates around a motor shaft that extends in an axial direction and a stator that is positioned radially outward of the rotor; a housing having an accommodation space for accommodating the motor; an oil passage for circulating oil within the accommodation space to cool the motor; a gear portion connected to a shaft of the rotor at one axial side of the motor shaft, The housing includes: a motor housing portion having a motor chamber therein for housing the motor; a gear accommodating portion having a gear chamber therein for accommodating the gear portion; having the gear accommodating portion has a protruding portion that protrudes radially outward from the motor accommodating portion when viewed in the axial direction, A cooler is provided in the oil passage, When viewed from the axial direction, at least a portion of the cooler overlaps with the protruding portion. Motor unit.

2. The gear portion has a plurality of gears, The motor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the cooler overlaps with at least one of the plurality of gears in the axial direction.

3. The plurality of gears include A gear rotatable around the motor shaft; a gear rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to the motor shaft; the motor shaft is located on one side of the rotation shaft in a first direction perpendicular to an axial direction, The cooler is provided on one side of the rotation shaft in the first direction.

3. The motor unit according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The cooler is provided on one side of the motor shaft in the first direction. The motor unit according to claim 3.

5. The motor unit according to claim 3 , wherein the cooler overlaps with the stator in an axial direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The housing further includes a partition wall that separates the gear chamber from the motor chamber, The oil passage is an oil supply structure located above the motor and supplying the oil to the stator; a flow passage provided inside the housing, The flow path connects the cooler and the oil supply structure, At least a portion of the flow path is provided inside the partition wall. A motor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The flow path is a first partition wall flow passage located within the partition wall and extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction; a linear portion located within the partition, extending linearly in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction different from the first partition-wall internal flow passage, and connected to the first partition-wall internal flow passage; The motor unit according to claim 6.

8. A pump is further provided in the oil passage, The motor unit according to claim 1 , wherein a position of the cooler and a position of the pump overlap with each other in the axial direction.

9. an inverter unit electrically connected to the motor and fixed to the housing; When viewed from the axial direction, at least a portion of the inverter unit overlaps with the protruding portion. A motor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. an inverter unit electrically connected to the motor and fixed to the housing; The plurality of gears include a first gear rotatable about the motor shaft; a second gear that is rotatable about an intermediate shaft parallel to the motor shaft and that meshes with the first gear; a third gear connected to the second gear via an intermediate shaft; a ring gear that meshes with the second gear and is rotatable about a differential shaft that is parallel to the motor shaft; When viewed from the axial direction, at least a portion of the inverter unit overlaps with the ring gear. The motor unit according to claim 2.

11. an inverter unit electrically connected to the motor and fixed to the housing; The motor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the cooler, the rotating shaft, and the inverter unit are arranged in this order from one side to the other side in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction.

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