Vehicle drive device

Abstract

To make a vehicle drive device more compact, the vehicle drive device including a rotary electric machine, an output member, a power transmission mechanism, an inverter module, and a power supply module.SOLUTION: A case 9 has, in an internal storage space, in an in-vehicle state, a side region E4 that is on a first side Y1 in a direction orthogonal to the axis of a rotary electric machine 8, does not overlap with the rotary electric machine 8 when viewed in a vertical direction Z, and overlaps with an offset gear mechanism 3 when viewed in an axial direction. At least a part of a power supply module 7 is disposed at a position that is on an upper side Z1 of the rotary electric machine 8 and overlaps with the rotary electric machine 8 when viewed in the vertical direction Z. At least a part of an inverter module 5 is disposed in the side region E4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] JP 2021-48748 A discloses a vehicle drive device in which a case (13) contains a rotating electric machine (11A) that serves as a driving force source for the wheels, a transmission (12) that transmits power from the rotating electric machine (11A) to an output shaft (15), a power module (25) that receives high-voltage DC power from a battery to drive the rotating electric machine (11A), an ECU (26) that controls the power module (25), and a voltage converter (29) that reduces the high-voltage DC power supplied from the battery and supplies low-voltage DC power to the ECU (26) (symbols in parentheses in the background art are those of the referenced documents). The power module (25) and the ECU (26) further constitute a power drive unit (28) together with a capacitor module (27) that smoothes the DC power from the battery. The power drive unit (28) is accommodated in a first accommodation chamber (21) in the case (13), and the voltage converter (29) is accommodated in a second accommodation chamber (22) in the case (13). The first accommodation chamber (21) is provided above the rotating electric machine (11A) at a position that overlaps with the rotating electric machine (11A) but does not overlap with the transmission (12) in a vertical view, and the second accommodation chamber (22) is provided above the rotating electric machine (11A) and to the side of the first accommodation chamber (21) at a position that does not overlap with either the rotating electric machine (11A) or the transmission (12) in a vertical view. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-48748 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] If both the first accommodation chamber (21) and the second accommodation chamber (22) are provided above the rotating electric machine (11A) as described above, there may be a limitation in reducing the size of the case (13), that is, the size reduction of the vehicle drive device. In particular, the vertical dimension of the vehicle drive device tends to increase, which is likely to hinder size reduction.

[0005] In view of the above background, it is desirable to configure a vehicle drive device including a rotating electric machine, an output member, a power transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force between the rotating electric machine and the output member, a circuit module that drives and controls the rotating electric machine, and a power supply module to be smaller.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] The vehicle drive device in view of the above includes a rotating electric machine having a rotor, an output member drivingly connected to a wheel, a power transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force between the rotating electric machine and the output member, an inverter module for driving and controlling the rotating electric machine, a power supply module electrically connected to an in-vehicle battery, and a case that houses the rotating electric machine and the power transmission mechanism. The direction along the rotor axis, which is the rotation axis of the rotor, is defined as the axial direction, the direction along the vertical direction in the in-vehicle state mounted on the vehicle is defined as the vertical direction, the direction orthogonal to the rotor axis in the view in the vertical direction is defined as the axis-orthogonal direction, and one side in the axis-orthogonal direction is defined as the first side in the axis-orthogonal direction. The output axis, which is the rotation axis of the output member, is arranged coaxially with the rotor axis. The power transmission mechanism includes an offset gear mechanism arranged on an offset axis located on the first side in the axis-orthogonal direction with respect to the rotor axis and the output axis. The case has a side region in the internal accommodation space, in the in-vehicle state, on the first side in the axis-orthogonal direction with respect to the rotating electric machine, not overlapping with the rotating electric machine in the view in the vertical direction, and overlapping with the offset gear mechanism in the view in the axial direction. At least a part of the power supply module is arranged above the rotating electric machine and at a position overlapping with the rotating electric machine in the view in the vertical direction, and at least a part of the inverter module is arranged in the side region.

[0007] According to this configuration, the power supply module is disposed above the rotating electric machine, and the inverter module is disposed in a lateral region located on the first side in the axial orthogonal direction relative to the rotating electric machine. That is, it is easier to reduce the vertical size of the vehicle drive device compared to a configuration in which both the inverter module and the power supply module are disposed above the rotating electric machine. In addition, the inverter module can be disposed by utilizing the dead space that is likely to be generated on the first side in the axial orthogonal direction relative to the rotating electric machine by disposing the offset gear mechanism. Therefore, it is easy to suppress the increase in size of the vehicle drive device that includes the rotating electric machine, the output member, the power transmission mechanism, the inverter module, and the power supply module. That is, according to this configuration, it is possible to configure a vehicle drive device that includes the rotating electric machine, the output member, the power transmission mechanism that transmits driving force between the rotating electric machine and the output member, the circuit module that drives and controls the rotating electric machine, and the power supply module in a smaller size.

[0008] Further features and advantages of the drive device for a vehicle will become apparent from the following description of an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, which is given with reference to the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] Schematic exploded perspective view of a vehicle drive device; [Diagram 2] Skeleton diagram of a vehicle drive system [Diagram 3] Schematic circuit block diagram of a vehicle drive device [Figure 4] A diagram showing the layout of each part when viewed in the axial direction. [Diagram 5] A diagram showing the layout of each part when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the axis. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the vehicle drive device with a cover member removed; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the vehicle drive device will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the vehicle drive device 1, FIG. 2 is a skeleton diagram of the vehicle drive device 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit block diagram of the vehicle drive device 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle drive device 1 includes a rotating electric machine 8 having a rotor 81, an output member (drive shaft DS, differential side gear 44) drivingly connected to wheels W, a power transmission mechanism TM that transmits driving force between the rotating electric machine 8 and the output member, an inverter module 5, a power module 7, and a case 9. The inverter module 5 is a circuit module for driving and controlling the rotating electric machine 8. The power module 7 is a power electronics circuit module that is electrically connected to an on-board battery (high-voltage battery BH). The case 9 for housing the rotating electric machine 8 and the power transmission mechanism TM houses at least the rotating electric machine 8, the power transmission mechanism TM, and the inverter module 5, and further houses the power module 7 in the present embodiment exemplified below. The case 9 is composed of a case main body 91, a first side cover 92, a second side cover 93, and an upper cover 94, and an accommodation space is formed in the space surrounded by the case main body 91, the first side cover 92, the second side cover 93, and the upper cover 94.

[0011] In this specification, "driving connection" refers to a state in which two rotating elements are connected so as to be able to transmit a driving force, and includes a state in which the two rotating elements are connected so as to rotate integrally, or a state in which the two rotating elements are connected so as to be able to transmit a driving force via one or more transmission members (shafts, gear mechanisms, belts, chains, etc.). The transmission members may also include an engagement device (friction engagement device, meshing engagement device, etc.) that selectively transmits rotation and driving force. "Rotating integrally" refers to rotating integrally regardless of whether they are separable or not. In this specification, with regard to the arrangement of two elements, "overlapping when viewed in a specific direction" means that when a virtual line parallel to the line of sight is moved in each direction perpendicular to the virtual line, there is at least a part of an area in which the virtual line intersects both of the two elements.

[0012] In this embodiment, the direction along the rotor axis (first axis A1) which is the rotation axis of the rotor 81 is defined as the axial direction L. One side in the axial direction L is defined as the first axial side L1, and the other side is defined as the second axial side L2. In this embodiment, the direction along the vertical direction in a state where the vehicle is mounted on the vehicle in a standard posture (mounted on the vehicle) is defined as the up-down direction Z, and the upper side in the up-down direction Z is defined as the upper side Z1, and the lower side is defined as the lower side Z2. In other words, the up-down direction Z is one direction in the vehicle drive device 1, and coincides with the vertical direction when the vehicle drive device 1 is mounted on the vehicle in a standard posture. Therefore, when the vehicle drive device 1 is mounted on the vehicle at an inclination with respect to the standard posture, the up-down direction Z may not coincide with the vertical direction. This does not prevent the inclination angle from exceeding 90 degrees. In addition, the direction perpendicular to the rotor axis (first axis A1) when viewed in the vertical direction Z is defined as the axially orthogonal direction Y, one side of the axially orthogonal direction Y is defined as the axially orthogonal direction first side Y1, and the other side is defined as the axially orthogonal direction second side Y2.

[0013] As shown in the skeleton diagram of FIG. 2, the rotating electric machine 8 is an inner rotor type rotating electric machine including a stator 82 fixed to a case 9 and a rotor 81 arranged radially inside the stator 82. A stator coil 83 is wound around the stator 82. The rotor 81 is connected to a rotor shaft 88 arranged radially inside the rotor 81, and the rotor 81 and the rotor shaft 88 rotate integrally. In this embodiment, the rotor shaft 88 is a hollow cylindrical member, and as described later, a drive shaft DS (which may be a connecting member as described later) penetrates the radial inside of the rotor shaft 88. The rotor shaft 88, the rotor 81, and the drive shaft DS are arranged on the first axis A1. An input gear 89 is integrally formed with the rotor shaft 88. The input gear 89 may be integrally formed with the rotor shaft 88 by the same member, or may be formed by a separate member and connected by welding or the like.

[0014] The input gear 89 meshes with the first counter gear 31. The first counter gear 31 rotates integrally with the second counter gear 32, which has a smaller diameter than the first counter gear 31. As a result, the rotation transmitted from the rotor shaft 88 through the input gear 89 to the first counter gear 31 is decelerated and output from the second counter gear 32. The first counter gear 31 and the second counter gear 32 constitute a counter gear mechanism 3 that functions as a reducer. The counter gear mechanism 3 is arranged on a second axis A2 that is parallel to the first axis A1 and is separate from the first axis A1. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the second axis A2 is located on the first side Y1 in the axis-orthogonal direction with respect to the first axis A1. Therefore, the second axis A2 can be said to be an offset axis offset to the first side Y1 in the axis-orthogonal direction with respect to the first axis A1 (the rotor axis and the output axis described later). The counter gear mechanism 3 disposed on the second axis A2 (offset axis) can be called an offset gear mechanism. In this embodiment, the counter gear mechanism 3 is disposed on the first axial side L1 with respect to the rotating electric machine 8.

[0015] The second counter gear 32 meshes with a differential ring gear 41, which is an input gear (differential input gear) to the differential gear mechanism 4. Although not shown in the figure because it is a known configuration, the differential gear mechanism 4 is a bevel gear type differential gear mechanism, and includes a differential pinion gear and a differential side gear 44, both of which are bevel gears. The differential pinion gear is rotatably supported by a pinion shaft that is supported by the differential case and arranged to extend along the radial direction. The pinion shaft rotates integrally with the differential case, and the differential pinion gear is configured to rotate about the pinion shaft and revolve about the rotation axis of the differential case (here, the first axis A1). A plurality of pinion shafts are arranged radially (for example, in a cross shape) about the rotation axis of the differential case, and a differential pinion gear is attached to each of the plurality of pinion shafts. The differential case accommodates the pinion gears, the differential side gears 44, and the pinion shafts therein. The differential case rotates integrally with the differential ring gear 41.

[0016] The differential side gears 44 are arranged in a pair on the axial first side L1 and the axial second side L2, spaced apart from each other. Each of the pair of differential side gears 44 is arranged to mesh with each of the pinion gears and rotate around the rotation axis of the differential case. As shown in FIG. 2, the differential side gear 44 on the axial first side L1 is connected to the drive shaft DS on the axial first side L1 and is drivingly connected to the wheels W on the axial first side L1. The differential side gear 44 on the axial second side L2 is connected to the drive shaft DS on the axial second side L2 and is drivingly connected to the wheels W on the axial second side L2. Since the differential gear mechanism 4 is arranged on the axial first side L1 with respect to the rotating electric machine 8, the drive shaft DS on the axial second side L2 penetrates the radial inner side of the hollow cylindrical rotor shaft 88 and extends toward the axial second side L2 beyond the rotating electric machine 8. The drive shaft DS on the second axial side L2 may be composed of a member (a so-called drive shaft) that is drivingly connected to the wheels W and a connecting member that is connected to the differential side gear 44 and connects the member to the differential side gear 44.

[0017] The differential side gear 44 and the drive shaft DS correspond to an output member in the vehicle drive device 1. In this embodiment, the output shaft center, which is the rotation shaft center of the output member, is also the first axis A1. That is, the vehicle drive device 1 of this embodiment has a two-shaft configuration in which the output shaft center, which is the rotation shaft center of the output member, is arranged on the first axis A1 coaxial with the rotor shaft center, and the offset gear mechanism is arranged on an offset shaft center (second axis A2) parallel to the first axis A1.

[0018] The rotating electric machine 8 functions as a driving force source for a pair of wheels W. As shown in Fig. 3, the rotating electric machine 8 is electrically connected to a high-voltage battery BH, which is a DC power supply constituted by a rechargeable secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery or an electric double-layer capacitor, via an inverter 50. A first DC link capacitor 61, which functions as a smoothing capacitor that smoothes the voltage on the DC side of the inverter 50, is provided between the high-voltage battery BH and the inverter 50.

[0019] The rotating electric machine 8 has a function as a motor (electric motor) that receives power from the high-voltage battery BH to generate power, and a function as a generator (electric generator) that receives power from the wheels W to generate power. The rotating electric machine 8 generates driving force by running using the power stored in the high-voltage battery BH, and also generates electricity using the driving force transmitted from the pair of wheels W to charge the high-voltage battery BH. The rated voltage of the high-voltage battery BH is approximately 200 volts to 800 volts.

[0020] As described above, the rotating electric machine 8 is a driving force source for the wheels W, and is a so-called traction rotating electric machine. In addition to the traction rotating electric machine, the vehicle may be equipped with an auxiliary motor M that serves as a driving force source for auxiliary devices such as an air conditioner and an electric oil pump. In a conventional vehicle in which only an internal combustion engine is a driving force source for the wheels W, the exhaust heat of the internal combustion engine can be used as a heat source for heating, but in a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, the exhaust heat of the internal combustion engine cannot be expected to be as large as that of an internal combustion engine, and a heat pump is often used for heating. For this reason, the output required for the auxiliary motor M that drives the compressor tends to be large. Also, unlike an internal combustion engine that operates constantly, such as idling, even when the vehicle is stopped (when the wheels are not rotating), the traction rotating electric machine stops when the vehicle is stopped. A mechanical oil pump that draws in and discharges oil using the power of the internal combustion engine cannot supply oil for lubrication or cooling while the vehicle is stopped, and an electric oil pump is used, so the output required for the auxiliary motor M that drives the pump tends to be large.

[0021] In order to output a large driving force from the accessory motor M, an increasing number of vehicles are configured so that the accessory motor M is supplied with power from the high-voltage battery BH, similar to the traction rotating electric machine. For this reason, for example, an accessory inverter module 75 is provided for driving the accessory motor M. A second DC link capacitor 62 is also provided on the DC side of the accessory inverter module 75, i.e., on the side of the high-voltage battery BH, in order to smooth the DC voltage.

[0022] On the other hand, the output required of the traction rotating electric machine increases, and the rated voltage of the high-voltage battery BH tends to become higher. For this reason, the rated voltage of the high-voltage battery BH may be too high for the auxiliary motor M. In this case, a voltage conversion circuit may be provided to step down the voltage supplied to the auxiliary inverter module 75, i.e., the DC power supplied from the high-voltage battery BH. The auxiliary inverter module 75 may be configured to include a first DC-DC converter as such a voltage conversion circuit. In this case, a second DC link capacitor 62 is provided on the side of the high-voltage battery BH in the first DC-DC converter.

[0023] In this embodiment, the high-voltage battery BH is configured to be charged not only by the power generated by the rotating electric machine 8, but also by the power supplied from an external AC power source such as an AC commercial power source having a rated voltage of about 100 volts to 240 volts. For this reason, the high-voltage battery BH is configured to be connectable to an external power source via an on-board charging device 70 (onboard charger) equipped with a charging circuit. In recent years, it has been proposed to use batteries mounted on electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles as emergency power sources in the event of a disaster or the like. Therefore, in this embodiment, the on-board charging device 70 is configured to have the function of a power supply circuit in addition to the function of a charging circuit. Naturally, the on-board charging device 70 may be configured to have only the function of a charging circuit.

[0024] The above-mentioned emergency power supply is often provided so as to be capable of outputting AC power to a location where an external AC power supply is connected, i.e., to the outside of the vehicle. Meanwhile, some vehicles are provided with an AC power socket for supplying power to low-power consumption general home appliances and the like within the vehicle interior (including the luggage compartment). A power supply circuit for supplying AC power to such an AC power socket may be provided.

[0025] The in-vehicle charging device 70 of this embodiment includes a dual active bridge (DAB) circuit including a transformer T, and converts AC power (AC IN) supplied from an external AC power supply into first and second DC power. From the AC side, the transformer T includes a primary coil and two secondary coils. For example, a full bridge circuit including switching elements is connected to the primary coil to form a primary circuit 71. Similarly, a full bridge circuit is connected to the first secondary coil to form a first secondary circuit 72, and a full bridge circuit is connected to the second secondary coil to form a second secondary circuit 73.

[0026] The first secondary side circuit 72 generates a first DC power for charging the high voltage battery BH. An output section of the first secondary side circuit 72 is provided with a third DC link capacitor 63 for smoothing the voltage of the first DC power. The second secondary side circuit 73 generates a second DC power having a lower voltage than the first DC power. An output section of the second secondary side circuit 73 is provided with a fourth DC link capacitor 64 for smoothing the voltage of the second DC power.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle includes a high-voltage battery BH and a low-voltage battery BL having a rated voltage lower than that of the high-voltage battery BH. The rated power supply voltage of the low-voltage battery BL is, for example, about 12 to 24 volts. In a conventional vehicle in which only an internal combustion engine is used as a driving force source for the wheels W, the low-voltage battery BL is charged with electric power generated by an alternator using the power of the internal combustion engine. In the vehicle of this embodiment including the high-voltage battery BH, the low-voltage battery BL can be charged with electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery BH or an external AC power source. The low-voltage battery BL can be charged from the high-voltage battery BH via a first secondary side circuit 72, a transformer T, and a second secondary side circuit 73, and from the external AC power source via a primary side circuit 71, a transformer T, and a second secondary side circuit 73. In this embodiment, a second DC-DC converter 76 is provided as a voltage conversion circuit for further reducing the voltage of the second DC power. The low-voltage battery BL may be, for example, a lead-acid battery, as in a conventional vehicle in which an internal combustion engine is used as a driving force source for the wheels W.

[0028] In this embodiment, as described above with reference to FIG. 3, the in-vehicle charging device 70 is configured using the transformer T, so that insulation between the external AC power supply, the high-voltage battery BH, and the low-voltage battery BL can be ensured.

[0029] The external AC power source and the in-vehicle charging device 70 are connected via an EMI filter 79 that reduces EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) noise. Even when the in-vehicle charging device 70 functions as a power supply circuit, AC power (AC OUT) is output from the in-vehicle charging device 70 via the EMI filter 79. In this embodiment, the power supply module 7 is formed by including the EMI filter 79, the in-vehicle charging device 70 (charging circuit, power supply circuit), the auxiliary inverter module 75, and the voltage conversion circuit (first DC-DC converter, second DC-DC converter 76). The power supply module 7 electrically connected to the high-voltage battery BH is not limited to this form, and may be configured to include at least one of a voltage conversion circuit that converts the voltage of the high-voltage battery BH, a charging circuit for charging the high-voltage battery BH from an external power source, and a power supply circuit for supplying power from the high-voltage battery BH to the outside.

[0030] The rotating electric machine 8 is driven and controlled by a rotating electric machine control unit based on a target torque of the rotating electric machine 8 that is set according to a command from a vehicle control unit (not shown) that is a higher-level control unit. The rotating electric machine control unit controls switching of an inverter 50 that is composed of a plurality of switching elements, and causes the inverter 50 to convert power between DC and multi-phase (three-phase in this embodiment) AC. In this embodiment, the rotating electric machine control unit is configured as an ECU 2 (control unit) together with a charging control unit that controls an in-vehicle charging device 70, an auxiliary inverter control unit that controls an auxiliary inverter module 75, a second voltage conversion control unit that controls a second DC-DC converter 76, and the like. When a first DC-DC converter is provided, the first voltage conversion control unit that controls the first DC-DC converter is also included in the ECU 2.

[0031] The inverter 50 is configured to have a plurality of switching elements. The inverter 50 includes a plurality of sets (here, three sets) of arms for single-phase alternating current, each of which is constituted by a series circuit of an upper-stage switching element on the positive electrode side of direct current and a lower-stage switching element on the negative electrode side. It is preferable to apply a power transistor such as an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor), a power MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor), or a HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) to the switching element.

[0032] The ECU 2 is configured with a processor such as a microcomputer at its core, and the operating voltage is from 3.3 to 5 volts. The voltage applied to the inverter 50 connected to the high-voltage battery BH is several hundred volts, and the voltage of the switching control signal of the power transistor constituting the inverter 50 is about 15 volts to 24 volts. Therefore, a drive circuit is provided between the ECU 2 and the inverter 50 to amplify the voltage of the switching control signal output from the ECU 2, increase the driving force, and supply it to the inverter 50. Although the drive circuit is not shown in FIG. 3, an inverter module 5 centered on the inverter 50 is formed including such a drive circuit. The inverter module 5 may be configured to include a control circuit other than the drive circuit and at least a part of the first DC link capacitor 61.

[0033] In this embodiment, a power circuit assembly PE is configured to include the inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7 are both connected to a high-voltage battery BH. The inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7, which are both power system circuits, may be able to share components such as a connector (not shown in FIG. 3, reference numeral "68" in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, which will be referred to later) that connects the high-voltage battery BH and the vehicle drive device 1, and DC link capacitors (a first DC link capacitor 61 and a third DC link capacitor 63). If the power circuit assembly PE is configured to include the inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7, sharing of such components becomes easy.

[0034] Hereinafter, the manner in which the power circuit assembly PE is housed in the case 9 will be described with reference to Fig. 4 to Fig. 6. Fig. 4 shows a schematic arrangement of each member including the power circuit assembly PE as viewed in the axial direction L. Fig. 5 shows a schematic arrangement of each member including the power circuit assembly PE as viewed in the axial direction Y. Fig. 6 shows a schematic top view of the vehicle drive device 1 with an upper cover 94, which will be described later, removed.

[0035] As described above, the case 9 is configured to include the case main body 91, the first side cover 92, the second side cover 93, and the upper cover 94. An accommodation space is defined in a space surrounded by the case main body 91, the first side cover 92, the second side cover 93, and the upper cover 94. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the accommodation space inside the case 9 includes a first accommodation chamber E1 that accommodates the rotating electric machine 8 and the power transmission mechanism TM, and a second accommodation chamber E2 that accommodates the power circuit assembly PE (the inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7).

[0036] The second accommodation chamber E2 may be a space that accommodates at least the inverter module 5. In this case, an accommodation space (e.g., a third accommodation space not shown) that accommodates the power supply module 7 may be formed outside the case 9. This third accommodation space may be formed in a space surrounded by sharing a part with the case 9 (e.g., the case main body 91, the upper cover 94), or may be formed in a second case not shown that is independent from the case 9. When the third accommodation space is formed in the internal space of the second case, it is preferable that the second case is fixed to the case 9 and integrated as the vehicle drive device 1.

[0037] The first accommodation chamber E1 and the second accommodation chamber E2 are partitioned by a partition wall. In the first accommodation chamber E1, the area in which the rotating electric machine 8 is accommodated and the area in which the power transmission mechanism is accommodated may be partitioned by a wall in order to support bearings, etc., but even if partitioned, they communicate with each other in part. In this embodiment, the second accommodation chamber E2 is not partitioned, and the inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7 are accommodated in one chamber, but a wall that partially partitions the second accommodation chamber E2 may be provided as long as they communicate with each other in at least a part so as to ensure a path for wiring, etc.

[0038] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the case 9 (case body 91) has an opening 95 that is in communication with the second accommodation chamber E2 and is open widely over almost the entire horizontal area of ​​the case 9 toward the upper side Z1. The opening direction may be inclined within a range of about 45 degrees with respect to the up-down direction Z (vertical direction). In relation to the second accommodation chamber E2, the opening 95 is formed so as to overlap both the side region E4 and the upper region E3 when viewed in the up-down direction Z. The upper cover 94 (cover member) is a cover member that covers the entire opening 95. The upper cover 94 is attached to the case 9 so as to close the opening 95. Since the case 9 has a large opening 95 in communication with the second accommodation chamber E2, when the upper cover 94 is removed, it is possible to assemble both the inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7 into the second accommodation chamber E2 and perform maintenance. Furthermore, by attaching one upper cover 94 to the case body 91, the second accommodation chamber E2 in which both the inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7 are accommodated can be simply closed, and the vehicle drive device 1 can be assembled.

[0039] 1, 4, and 5, the second accommodation chamber E2 has an upper region E3 which is an area above the rotating electric machine 8 and overlaps with the rotating electric machine 8 when viewed in the vertical direction Z, when mounted on a vehicle. For example, the upper region E3 is above the dashed dotted line "B3" shown in FIG. 4, and is an area which overlaps with the rotating electric machine 8 when viewed in the vertical direction Z, as shown in FIG. 1, 4, and 5.

[0040] The second housing chamber E2 has a side region E4 which is a region on the first side Y1 in the axial orthogonal direction with respect to the rotating electric machine 8, which does not overlap with the rotating electric machine 8 when viewed in the up-down direction Z, and which overlaps with the rotating electric machine 8 when viewed in the axial orthogonal direction Y. The side region E4 can also be said to be a region on the first side Y1 in the axial orthogonal direction with respect to the rotating electric machine 8, which does not overlap with the rotating electric machine 8 when viewed in the up-down direction Z, and which overlaps with the counter gear mechanism 3 (offset gear mechanism) when viewed in the axial direction L, when mounted on the vehicle. For example, the side region E4 is on the first side Y1 in the axial orthogonal direction with respect to the dashed dotted line "B4" shown in FIG. 4, and is a region which overlaps with the rotating electric machine 8 when viewed in the axial orthogonal direction Y, as shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5.

[0041] In this embodiment, at least a portion of the inverter module 5 is disposed in the side region E4, and at least a portion of the power supply module 7 is disposed in the upper region E3. All of the inverter modules 5 may be disposed in the side region E4, or a portion may be disposed in the side region E4 and another portion may be disposed in the upper region E3. Similarly, all of the power supply modules 7 may be disposed in the upper region E3, or a portion may be disposed in the upper region E3 and another portion may be disposed in the side region E4.

[0042] In this embodiment, the inverter module 5 and the power module 7 are accommodated in a common second accommodation chamber E2, although the upper region E3 and the side region E4 are the centers, respectively. If the accommodation chamber for accommodating the inverter module 5 and the accommodation chamber for accommodating the power module 7 are separated, it becomes necessary to secure space in the accommodation chamber according to the size of each circuit, and the degree of freedom of the structure of the case 9 is reduced, which may limit the miniaturization of the case 9 and further the miniaturization of the vehicle drive device 1. If the circuit is configured according to the size of the accommodation chamber, it may be difficult to secure the performance required for the circuit, or it may be necessary to form the circuit using expensive parts for miniaturization. If the inverter module 5 and the power module 7 are accommodated in a common second accommodation chamber E2 as in this embodiment, the degree of freedom of forming the accommodation chamber (the degree of freedom of securing the accommodation space) and the degree of freedom of the circuit configuration are also increased.

[0043] In addition, when the second accommodation chamber E2 is a space that accommodates at least the inverter module 5 as described above, all of the power supply module 7 except for the parts shared with the inverter module 5 (described later), or a part of the power supply module 7 except for the parts shared with the inverter module 5 may not be accommodated in the second accommodation chamber E2. In such a case, the second accommodation chamber E2 may not include the upper region E3 and may include only the side region E4. Even in this case, it is preferable that at least a part of the power supply module 7 is disposed on the upper side Z1 of the rotating electric machine 8 and overlaps with the rotating electric machine 8 as viewed in the vertical direction Z. For example, it is preferable that the above-mentioned third accommodation space (not shown) is formed on the upper side Z1 of the rotating electric machine 8 and overlaps with the rotating electric machine 8 as viewed in the vertical direction Z, and that at least a part of the power supply module 7 is accommodated in the third accommodation space.

[0044] In this embodiment, both the upper region E3 and the side region E4 are included in the second storage chamber E2. As shown in Fig. 1 and other figures, the second storage chamber E2 also includes a connection region E5 that connects the upper region E3 and the side region E4. The connection region E5 includes a region adjacent to the upper region E3 on the first side Y1 in the axially orthogonal direction and a region adjacent to the upper side Z1 of the side region E4.

[0045] In this embodiment, since the inverter module 5 and the power module 7 are accommodated in one second accommodation chamber E2, it is easy to share parts between the inverter module 5 and the power module 7, such as a DC link capacitor and an ECU, as is clear from the circuit block diagram of Fig. 3. This makes it easy to reduce the number of parts and the weight of the inverter module 5 and the power module 7. In addition, since the inverter module 5 is arranged in the side region E4 and the power module 7 is arranged in the upper region E3, it is easy to reduce the size of the vehicle drive device 1 in the up-down direction Z compared to a configuration in which both the inverter module 5 and the power module 7 are arranged in a region located on the upper side Z1 with respect to the rotating electric machine 8, for example.

[0046] 4 and 5, in this embodiment, the power supply module 7 is formed in a flat plate shape extending along the axial direction L and the axial orthogonal direction Y. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, an in-vehicle charging device 70 and a second DC-DC converter 76 are arranged on the axial orthogonal first side Y1, and an EMI filter 79 is arranged on the axial orthogonal second side Y2. As shown in FIG. 4, a connector 78 (receptacle) connected to an external AC power supply is arranged on the axial orthogonal second side Y2, and a high-voltage connector 68 (receptacle) connected to a high-voltage battery BH is arranged on the axial orthogonal first side Y1. Note that FIG. 5 shows the arrangement of each member in a simplified and schematic manner in consideration of complexity, and for example, the first fluid path 11, the second fluid path 12, the first DC link capacitor 61, etc. shown in FIG. 4 are omitted.

[0047] Since the power supply module 7 is formed in a flat plate shape, the dimension in the vertical direction Z of the upper region E3 in the second housing chamber E2, i.e., the region on the upper side Z1 relative to the rotating electric machine 8, can be shortened, making it easier to miniaturize the vehicle drive device 1 in the vertical direction Z. For example, the circuits constituting the power supply module 7 may be formed on one board, or may be formed on multiple boards arranged in parallel.

[0048] As described above, the power transmission mechanism TM includes the counter gear mechanism 3 arranged on the second axis A2 located on the first side Y1 in the axially orthogonal direction relative to the first axis A1. The first axis A1 is the main axis of the power transmission mechanism TM on which the rotor shaft 88 and the output members (such as the differential side gear 44) are arranged, and the second axis A2 is parallel to the main axis (first axis A1) and can be said to be an offset axis offset from the main axis. The counter gear mechanism 3 can be said to be an offset gear mechanism arranged on the offset axis. As described above, the side region E4 is an area that overlaps with the offset gear mechanism (counter gear mechanism 3 in this embodiment) when viewed in the axial direction L.

[0049] 4, in consideration of complexity, a configuration is shown in which the components arranged in the side region E4, such as the inverter module 5, do not overlap with the counter gear mechanism 3 when viewed in the axial direction L. However, as is clear from the schematic exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, the arrangement of the counter gear mechanism 3 generates an empty space on the first side Y1 in the direction perpendicular to the axis with respect to the rotating electric machine 8. Since the side region E4 includes this empty space (so-called dead space), it is possible to ensure a large area in which the components arranged in the side region E4, such as the inverter module 5, can be arranged while preventing the case 9 and the vehicle drive device 1 from becoming large.

[0050] As described above, the inverter module 5 and the power module 7, both of which are power circuits, can share some components. Here, such shareable components are referred to as "shared components." As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the DC side of the inverter module 5 and the first secondary side circuit 72 of the in-vehicle charging device 70 are both DC circuit parts electrically connected to the high-voltage battery BH. The first DC link capacitor 61 connected to the DC side of the inverter module 5 and the third DC link capacitor 63 connected to the first secondary side circuit 72 are capacitors that smooth the same DC voltage and may be composed of the same capacitor. Therefore, the first DC link capacitor 61 and the third DC link capacitor 63 correspond to "shared components." In addition, the high-voltage connector 68 (see FIG. 4 and FIG. 5) that electrically connects the high-voltage battery BH and the power circuit assembly PE (the inverter module 5 and the power module 7) also corresponds to "shared components."

[0051] The presence of such shared parts makes it easy to reduce the number of parts combined, including the inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7, and also makes it easy to reduce the total weight of parts and the arrangement space in the vehicle drive device 1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, such shared parts are arranged in the connection region E5 where the upper region E3 and the side region E4 are connected. When the shared parts are arranged in the connection region E5, it is easy to appropriately connect the shared parts to the inverter module 5 and the shared parts to the power supply module 7, and also makes it easy to reduce the wiring space.

[0052] As described above, the power circuit assembly PE includes, in addition to the inverter module 5, an auxiliary inverter module 75 for driving the auxiliary motor M. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, at least a part of the auxiliary inverter module 75 is arranged in the side area E4 so as to be aligned with the inverter module 5 in the axial direction L. As shown in FIG. 3, the DC side of the inverter module 5 and the DC side of the auxiliary inverter module 75 (when the auxiliary inverter module 75 includes a first DC-DC converter, the high-voltage side of the converter) are both connected to the high-voltage battery BH. That is, the first DC link capacitor 61 and the second DC link capacitor 62 are capacitors that smooth the same DC voltage, and may be configured by the same capacitor. Therefore, the second DC link capacitor 62 can also be called a "shared part." Since the inverter module 5 and the auxiliary inverter module 75 are arranged in the side area E4 so as to be aligned with the inverter module 5 in the axial direction L, it is easy to share parts such as the first DC link capacitor 61 and the second DC link capacitor 62.

[0053] Incidentally, when the rotating electric machine 8 is driven, a large current flows through the switching elements constituting the inverter 50, causing the switching elements to generate heat. Therefore, the inverter 50, which includes a plurality of switching elements, generates a large amount of heat. For this reason, in many cases, a cooling unit having a fluid path (e.g., a cooling water path) through which a fluid (e.g., cooling water) flows for cooling the inverter 50 by heat exchange with the inverter 50 is provided, or a fluid path is formed in the case 9. The power supply module 7 is also configured with switching elements, and the switching elements generate heat during power conversion. Therefore, it is preferable that the power supply module 7 is also capable of heat exchange with a cooling unit or a fluid (cooling water) flowing through a fluid path formed in the case 9. Furthermore, the DC link capacitor, which smoothes the pulsating DC voltage, also generates heat due to the inflow and outflow of current. Therefore, it is preferable that the DC link capacitors (particularly the first DC link capacitor 61 and the third DC link capacitor 63, which are connected to the high-voltage battery BH and through which a large current flows) are also cooled in the same manner.

[0054] In FIG. 4, the vehicle drive device 1 is illustrated with a first fluid path 11 through which a fluid for exchanging heat with the power source module 7 flows, and a second fluid path 12 through which a fluid for exchanging heat with the inverter module 5 flows. The first fluid path 11 is disposed at least along the axial orthogonal direction Y in the upper region E3. Preferably, the first fluid path 11 is formed so that the fluid flows from the axial orthogonal direction second side Y2 to the axial orthogonal direction first side Y1, meandering on a plane along the axial orthogonal direction Y and the axial direction L. Here, the state in which the first fluid path 11 "runs along" is not limited to a state in which it is parallel to the axial orthogonal direction Y and the axial direction L, and may have an inclination of approximately 15 degrees or less. The second fluid path 12 is disposed at least along the vertical direction Z in the side region E4. Preferably, the second fluid path 12 is formed so that the fluid flows from the upper side Z1 to the lower side Z2, meandering on a plane along the vertical direction Z and the axial direction L.

[0055] In addition, in the present embodiment, the end of the first fluid passage 11 on the first side Y1 in the direction perpendicular to the axis and the upper end of the second fluid passage 12 are connected such that the second fluid passage 12 is on the downstream side of the fluid flow with respect to the first fluid passage 11. This "connection" means a state in which fluid can flow between the first fluid passage 11 and the second fluid passage 12. As shown in FIG. 4, in the present embodiment, fluid is supplied to the first fluid passage 11 from the second side Y2 in the direction perpendicular to the axis, and fluid is discharged from the lower side Z2 of the second fluid passage 12. Since the fluid for heat exchange (for example, cooling water) can flow generally from the upper side Z1 to the lower side Z2 using gravity, it is easy to suppress the pressure loss of the fluid.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 4, since the first fluid passage 11 and the second fluid passage 12 are arranged according to the arrangements of the power module 7 and the inverter module 5, it is possible to appropriately arrange, with a simple configuration, a fluid passage that enables heat exchange between both the power module 7 and the inverter module 5 and the fluid while suppressing an increase in the size of the vehicle drive device 1. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the second fluid passage 12 can also perform heat exchange with heat generating components other than the inverter module 5, such as the first DC link capacitor 61.

[0057] Hereinafter, other embodiments will be described. Note that the configurations of the embodiments described below are not limited to being applied individually, and can be applied in combination with the configurations of other embodiments as long as there is no contradiction.

[0058] (1) The form of the power transmission mechanism TM from the rotating electric machine 8 to the output member is not limited to the form described above with reference to FIG. 2 and the like. It is not limited to the form having a mechanism for distributing the driving force to the pair of wheels W as described above, and may be a form in which the driving force is transmitted only to one wheel W. In this case, the output member is, for example, a member (for example, an output shaft) that is drivingly connected to the wheel W. Further, as described above, it is not limited to two axes, and a three-axis configuration in which the rotor axis and the output axis are separate axes may be used, or a single-axis configuration in which the reduction gear is a planetary gear mechanism instead of the counter gear mechanism 3 may be used. Further, in the above, the counter gear mechanism 3 disposed on the second axis A2 is exemplified as the offset gear mechanism. However, the offset gear mechanism may be a parallel-axis multi-stage transmission disposed on a plurality of axes, such as a DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission).

[0059] (2) When the high-voltage battery BH is charged using the in-vehicle charger 70, and when AC power is output from the high-voltage battery BH to the outside of the vehicle using the in-vehicle charger 70, the rotating electric machine 8 is stopped and the inverter 50 is also stopped. Therefore, it is also possible to use the inverter 50 in either the bridge circuit constituting the dual active bridge circuit of the in-vehicle charger 70 or the bridge circuit of the first DC-DC converter. In this case, it is preferable to include the inverter 50 in a common component that is preferably disposed in the connection region E5. Similarly, the DC link capacitor can also be shared by the in-vehicle charger 70 and the inverter module 5.

[0060] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the vehicle drive device 1 in which the rotating electric machine 8, the output member, the power transmission mechanism TM, the inverter module 5, and the power supply module 7 are housed in the same case 9 can be configured to be smaller.

[0061] Hereinafter, the vehicle drive device (1) described above will be briefly summarized.

[0062] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a rotating electric machine including a rotating electric machine (8) having a rotor (81), an output member drivably connected to wheels (W), a power transmission mechanism (TM) that transmits a driving force between the rotating electric machine (8) and the output member, an inverter module (5) for driving and controlling the rotating electric machine (8), a power supply module (7) electrically connected to an on-vehicle battery, and a case (9) that houses the rotating electric machine (8) and the power transmission mechanism (TM), in which a direction along a rotor shaft (88) that is a rotation axis center of the rotor (81) is defined as an axial direction (L), a direction along a vertical direction in a vehicle-mounted state is defined as a vertical direction (Z), a direction perpendicular to the rotor shaft (88) as viewed in the vertical direction (Z) is defined as an axial orthogonal direction (Y), and one side of the axial orthogonal direction (Y) is defined as an axial orthogonal direction first side (Y1), and an output shaft center that is a rotation axis center of the output member is defined as The power transmission mechanism (TM) is arranged coaxially with the rotor shaft (88), and the power transmission mechanism (TM) includes an offset gear mechanism arranged on an offset axis located on a first side (Y1) in the axial direction orthogonal to the rotor shaft (88) and the output axis, and the case (9) has, in the internal storage space, a side region (E4) that, when mounted on the vehicle, is on the first side (Y1) in the axial direction orthogonal to the rotating electric machine (8) and does not overlap with the rotating electric machine (8) when viewed in the vertical direction (Z) and overlaps with the offset gear mechanism when viewed in the axial direction (L), and at least a portion of the power supply module (7) is arranged above (Z1) the rotating electric machine (8) and in a position overlapping with the rotating electric machine (8) when viewed in the vertical direction (Z), and at least a portion of the inverter module (5) is arranged in the side region (E4).

[0063] According to this configuration, the power supply module (7) is disposed on the upper side (Z1) of the rotating electric machine (8), and the inverter module (5) is disposed in the lateral region (E4) located on the first side (Y1) in the axial direction perpendicular to the rotating electric machine (8). That is, it is easier to reduce the size of the vehicle drive device (1) in the vertical direction (Z) compared to a configuration in which both the inverter module (5) and the power supply module (7) are disposed on the upper side (Z1) of the rotating electric machine (8), for example. In addition, the inverter module (5) can be disposed by utilizing a dead space that is likely to be generated on the first side (Y1) in the axial direction perpendicular to the rotating electric machine (8) by disposing the offset gear mechanism (3). Therefore, it is easy to prevent the vehicle drive device (1) from becoming large in size due to the provision of the rotating electric machine (8), the output member (44, DS), the power transmission mechanism (TM), the inverter module (5), and the power supply module (7). In other words, with this configuration, the vehicle drive device (1) can be made smaller, and includes a rotating electric machine (8), an output member (44, DS), a power transmission mechanism (TM) that transmits driving force between the rotating electric machine (8) and the output member (44, DS), a circuit module (5) that drives and controls the rotating electric machine (8), and a power supply module (7).

[0064] In addition, it is preferable that the storage space of the case (9) includes a first storage chamber (E1) that stores the rotating electric machine (8) and the power transmission mechanism (TM) and a second storage chamber (E2) that includes the side region (E4), the second storage chamber (E2) further includes an upper region (E3) that is an area that is above (Z1) the rotating electric machine (8) and overlaps with the rotating electric machine (8) when viewed in the vertical direction (Z), and at least a part of the power supply module (7) is arranged in the upper region (E3), the case (9) includes an opening (95) that communicates with the second storage chamber (E2) and opens toward the upper side (Z1), the opening (95) is formed so as to overlap with both the side region (E4) and the upper region (E3) when viewed in the vertical direction (Z), and a cover member that covers the entire opening (95) is attached to the case (9) so as to close the opening (95).

[0065] According to this configuration, since the power supply module (7) and the inverter module (5), which is a circuit module that drives and controls the rotating electric machine (8), are accommodated in one second accommodation chamber (E2), it is possible to share parts between the inverter module (5) and the power supply module (7), for example. This makes it easy to reduce the number of parts and the weight of the inverter module (5) and the power supply module (7). In addition, according to this configuration, it is possible to assemble and maintain both the inverter module (5) and the power supply module (7) in the second accommodation chamber (E2) with the cover member (94) removed. In addition, by attaching the cover member (94), it is possible to easily close the second accommodation chamber (E2) in which both the inverter module (5) and the power supply module (7) are accommodated.

[0066] In addition, it is preferable that the vehicle drive device (1) has common parts (68, 61) shared by the inverter module (5) and the power supply module (7) arranged in a connection area (E5) where the upper area (E3) and the side area (E4) are connected.

[0067] If there are parts shared between the inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7, it is easy to reduce the number of parts combined between the inverter module 5 and the power supply module 7, and it is also easy to reduce the total weight of the parts and the installation space. In addition, since such shared parts are arranged in the connection area where the upper area and the side area are connected, it is easy to appropriately connect the shared parts to the inverter module and the shared parts to the power supply module, and it is also easy to reduce the wiring space.

[0068] Furthermore, in the vehicle drive device (1), a first fluid path (11) through which a fluid flows for heat exchange with the power supply module (7) is arranged in the upper region (E3) along the axial-orthogonal direction (Y), a second fluid path (12) through which a fluid flows for heat exchange with the inverter module (5) is arranged in the lateral region (E4) along the vertical direction (Z), an end of the first fluid path (11) on a first side (Y1) in the axial-orthogonal direction and an upper end of the second fluid path (12) are connected, and the second fluid path (12) is connected to the first fluid path (11) so as to be downstream in the fluid flow direction.

[0069] According to this configuration, the first fluid path (11) and the second fluid path (12) are arranged according to the arrangement of the power supply module (7) and the inverter module (5), so that the fluid paths that enable heat exchange between the fluid and both the power supply module (7) and the inverter module (5) can be appropriately arranged with a simple configuration while suppressing an increase in size of the vehicle drive device (1). Also, according to this configuration, the fluid for heat exchange can flow generally from the upper side (Z1) to the lower side (Z2), so that pressure loss of the fluid can be easily suppressed.

[0070] In the vehicle drive device (1), it is preferable that the power supply module (7) is formed in a flat plate shape extending along the axial direction (L) and the axis-orthogonal direction (Y).

[0071] According to this configuration, it is easy to reduce the dimension in the vertical direction (Z) of the upper area (E3) of the second accommodation chamber (E2), and it is easy to reduce the size of the vehicle drive device (1) in the vertical direction (Z).

[0072] In addition, it is preferable that the vehicle drive device (1) further includes, in addition to the inverter module (5), an auxiliary inverter module (75) for driving an auxiliary motor (M) of the vehicle, and that at least a portion of the auxiliary inverter module (75) is arranged in the side region (E4) so ​​as to be aligned with the inverter module (5) in the axial direction (L).

[0073] According to this configuration, the inverter module (5) and the auxiliary inverter module (75) are accommodated in the side region (E4) of the second accommodation chamber (E2), which makes it easy to reduce the size of the vehicle drive device (1) including the auxiliary inverter module (75) and also makes it easy to share parts between the inverter module (5) and the auxiliary inverter module (75). [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1: vehicle drive device, 3: counter gear mechanism (offset gear mechanism), 5: inverter module, 7: power supply module, 8: rotating electric machine, 9: case, 11: first fluid path, 12: second fluid path, 44: differential side gear (output member), 50: inverter, 61: first DC link capacitor (shared part), 62: second DC link capacitor (shared part), 63: third DC link capacitor (shared part), 68: high voltage connector (shared part), 75: auxiliary inverter module, 81: rotor motor, 88: rotor shaft, 94: upper cover (cover member that covers the entire opening), 95: opening, A1: first shaft (rotor shaft center), A2: second shaft (offset shaft center), BH: high-voltage battery (vehicle battery), DS: drive shaft (output member), E1: first housing chamber, E2: second housing chamber, E3: upper region, E4: side region, E5: connection region, L: axial direction, M: accessory motor, TM: power transmission mechanism, W: wheel, Y: axial direction perpendicular to axis, Y1: axial direction perpendicular to axis first side, Z: up-down direction, Z1: upper side

Claims

1. A rotating electric machine having a rotor; An output member drivingly connected to the wheels; a power transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force between the rotating electric machine and the output member; an inverter module for driving and controlling the rotating electric machine; a power module electrically connected to the vehicle battery; a case that accommodates the rotating electric machine and the power transmission mechanism, A direction along a rotor axis, which is a rotation axis of the rotor, is defined as an axial direction, a direction along a vertical direction in a state in which the rotor is mounted on a vehicle is defined as an up-down direction, a direction perpendicular to the rotor axis as viewed in the up-down direction is defined as an axial-orthogonal direction, and one side of the axial-orthogonal direction is defined as a first axial-orthogonal direction side, an output shaft center, which is a rotation shaft center of the output member, is disposed coaxially with the rotor shaft center, the power transmission mechanism includes an offset gear mechanism disposed on an offset axis that is located on a first side in the axial orthogonal direction with respect to the rotor axis and the output axis, the case has an internal storage space, and the case has a side region that is a first side in the axially orthogonal direction with respect to the rotating electric machine in the mounted state on the vehicle, does not overlap with the rotating electric machine as viewed in the up-down direction, and overlaps with the offset gear mechanism as viewed in the axial direction; at least a portion of the power supply module is disposed above the rotating electric machine and at a position overlapping with the rotating electric machine as viewed in the up-down direction; At least a portion of the inverter module is disposed in the side region.

2. the housing space of the case includes a first housing chamber that houses the rotating electric machine and the power transmission mechanism, and a second housing chamber that includes the side region, the second housing chamber further includes an upper region that is an upper side of the rotating electric machine and overlaps with the rotating electric machine when viewed in the up-down direction, At least a portion of the power module is disposed in the upper region; the case has an opening communicating with the second storage chamber and opening upward, The opening is formed so as to overlap both the side region and the upper region when viewed in the up-down direction, The vehicle drive device according to claim 1 , wherein a cover member that entirely covers the opening is attached to the case so as to close the opening.

3. 3. The vehicle drive device according to claim 2, wherein a common part shared by the inverter module and the power supply module is disposed in a connection area where the upper area and the side area are connected.

4. a first fluid path through which a fluid flows for performing heat exchange with the power supply module is disposed in the upper region along a direction perpendicular to the axis; a second fluid path through which a fluid for performing heat exchange with the inverter module flows is disposed in the side region along the up-down direction; An end portion of the first fluid path on a first side in the direction perpendicular to the axis is connected to an upper end portion of the second fluid path, The vehicle drive device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second fluid passage is connected to the first fluid passage so as to be downstream in a fluid flow direction.

5. The vehicle drive device according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply module is formed in a flat plate shape extending along the axial direction and a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

6. In addition to the inverter module, the vehicle further includes an auxiliary inverter module for driving an auxiliary motor of the vehicle, The vehicle drive device according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the auxiliary inverter module is arranged in the side region so as to be aligned with the inverter module in the axial direction.

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