Driving device for vehicle

Abstract

To prevent defective cooling at the time of rotating a vehicle.SOLUTION: A driving device for a vehicle has a first motor connected to one of a left wheel and a right wheel of a vehicle, a second motor connected to the other of the left wheel and the right wheel, a casing accommodating the motors and a coolant, and a first circulation circuit and a second circulation circuit for circulating the coolant within the casing. The casing has a first chamber accommodating at least the first motor, and a second chamber accommodating at least the second motor. The first circulation circuit has a first inlet provided in the first chamber, a first supply port provided in the second chamber, and a first pump pressure-sending the coolant from the first inlet to the first supply port. The second circulation circuit has a second inlet provided in the second chamber, a second supply port provided in the first chamber, and a second pump pressure-sending the coolant from the second inlet to the second supply port.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a drive device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a drive unit for a vehicle. This drive unit uses two motors to independently drive left and right wheels. The casing of the drive unit has a first chamber that houses one of the motors and a second chamber that houses the other motor. The casing has a roughly symmetrical shape, with the first chamber and the second chamber being arranged separately in the left-right direction of the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-205444 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a vehicle drive system, it is necessary to suppress the temperature rise of the motors. To address this issue, one approach is to circulate a coolant (typically a lubricating liquid) housed in a casing to each motor to cool them. However, when the vehicle turns, for example, the coolant in the casing may be biased to one side (left or right) or the other side (front or rear) due to centrifugal force. In this case, a sufficient supply of coolant may be received by one motor while an insufficient supply may be received by the other motor, resulting in a temperature difference between the two motors. The temperature of the motors affects their characteristics. Therefore, a temperature difference between the two motors may affect the drivability of the vehicle. This problem may occur not only when the vehicle turns, but also when the vehicle accelerates or decelerates depending on the relative positions of the two motors, or when the vehicle travels on a road that slopes in the left-right and / or front-to-rear directions.

[0005] The present specification provides a technique that can suppress the temperature difference that occurs between two motors in a drive device having two motors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The technology disclosed in this specification is embodied in a drive system for a vehicle. In one embodiment, the drive system may include a first motor connected to one of the left and right wheels of the vehicle, a second motor connected to the other of the left and right wheels, a casing that houses the first and second motors together with a refrigerant, and a first circulation circuit and a second circulation circuit for circulating the refrigerant within the casing. In this case, the casing may have a first chamber that houses at least the first motor and a second chamber that houses at least the second motor. The first circulation circuit may include a first suction port provided in the first chamber, a first supply port provided in the second chamber, and a first pump that pressure-feeds the refrigerant from the first suction port to the first supply port. The second circulation circuit may include a second suction port provided in the second chamber, a second supply port provided in the first chamber, and a second pump that pressure-feeds the refrigerant from the second suction port to the second supply port.

[0007] With the above-described configuration, even when an imbalance in the refrigerant between the first and second chambers occurs due to the vehicle turning, accelerating or decelerating, or the gradient of the road surface, the temperature difference between the two motors can be suppressed. For example, when the refrigerant moves toward the second chamber and the refrigerant in the first chamber decreases, the refrigerant is supplied from the second chamber to the first chamber through the second circulation circuit. Alternatively, when the refrigerant moves toward the first chamber and the refrigerant in the second chamber decreases, the refrigerant is supplied from the first chamber to the second chamber through the first circulation circuit. As a result, in the drive device according to the present technology, even when an imbalance in the refrigerant between the first chamber and the second chamber occurs, the refrigerant is supplied to each of the two motors, suppressing the temperature difference between the motors.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present technology, the drive device may further include at least one gear mechanism housed in the casing and lubricated by a refrigerant. In this case, each of the at least one gear mechanism may be connected to at least one of the first motor and the second motor. With this configuration, for example, oil or other lubricating liquid housed in the casing can be used as a refrigerant to cool the motor.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present technology, the at least one gear mechanism may include a first gear mechanism that transmits torque between the first motor and one of the left wheel and the right wheel, and a second gear mechanism that transmits torque between the second motor and the other of the left wheel and the right wheel. In this case, the first gear mechanism may be housed in a first chamber of the casing, and the second gear mechanism may be housed in a second chamber of the casing. Alternatively, as another embodiment, the casing may further include a third chamber that houses the first gear mechanism and the second gear mechanism. In this case, the third chamber may be located between the first chamber and the second chamber in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present technology, the first chamber and the second chamber may be arranged along the left-right direction of the vehicle. With this configuration, even if the refrigerant is unevenly distributed between the first chamber and the second chamber due to the vehicle turning or the gradient of the road surface in the left-right direction, the temperature difference between the two motors can be suppressed.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present technology, the first suction port may be located outward of the first motor in the left-right direction of the vehicle. Similarly, the second suction port may be located outward of the second motor in the left-right direction of the vehicle. With this configuration, even if the refrigerant in the casing is significantly biased to one side in the left-right direction, the refrigerant can be reliably supplied from the first chamber to the second chamber or from the second chamber to the first chamber.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present technology, the first chamber may be located on one side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to an axle on which the left and right wheels are arranged. In this case, the second chamber may be located on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the axle. With this configuration, even when the refrigerant in the casing moves in one direction in the longitudinal direction due to acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle or the gradient of the road surface, the refrigerant is supplied to each of the two motors, and the temperatures generated in those motors are suppressed.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present technology, the at least one gear mechanism may be a single gear mechanism connected to both the first motor and the second motor. In this case, the single gear mechanism may be disposed across both the first chamber and the second chamber. Also, the single gear mechanism may have a differential device and be connected to both the left and right wheels of the vehicle via the differential device.

[0014] In all embodiments disclosed herein, the vertical positions of the first motor and the second motor may be the same or different from each other. Additionally or alternatively, the vertical positions of the first chamber and the second chamber of the casing (particularly the vertical positions of the first suction port and the second suction port) may also be the same or different from each other. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic configuration of a driving device 10 according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a driving device 110 according to a second embodiment. [Figure 3] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a driving device 210 according to a third embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a driving device 310 according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a driving device 410 according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] (Example 1) A drive system 10 of Example 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. The drive system 10 of this example is a drive system for a vehicle 2. The vehicle 2 is an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle referred to here is, for example, a battery electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or a fuel cell electric vehicle. The drive system 10 is mounted on the vehicle 2 and drives left and right wheels 4 and 6 of the vehicle 2. The left and right wheels 4 and 6 are arranged coaxially. The left and right wheels 4 and 6 may be the front wheels or the rear wheels of the vehicle 2.

[0017] In the drawings, the direction RH indicates the right in the left-right direction of the vehicle 2, and the direction LH indicates the left in the left-right direction. The direction FR indicates the front in the fore-aft direction of the vehicle 2, and the direction RR indicates the rear in the fore-aft direction. The direction perpendicular to the left-right direction and the fore-aft direction, i.e., the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in each drawing, indicates the up-down direction.

[0018] 1, the drive device 10 includes a first motor 12, a second motor 14, and a gear mechanism 16. The first motor 12 and the second motor 14 are prime movers for driving left and right wheels 4 and 6 of the vehicle 2. The first motor 12 and the second motor 14 are connected to the left and right wheels 4 and 6, respectively, via the gear mechanism 16.

[0019] The gear mechanism 16 transmits torque between each of the first motor 12 and the second motor 14 and each of the left wheel 4 and the right wheel 6. Although not particularly limited, the gear mechanism 16 may be a reducer configured to amplify the torque output by each of the motors 12, 14 and transmit it to the left wheel 4 and the right wheel 6. The gear mechanism 16 may also have a differential device (not shown) and be connected to the left wheel 4 and the right wheel 6 via the differential device.

[0020] The drive unit 10 further includes a casing 20. The casing 20 houses the first motor 12, the second motor 14, and the gear mechanism 16 together with a refrigerant CL. The refrigerant CL may be a lubricating liquid such as lubricating oil. The casing 20 has a first chamber 22 and a second chamber 24. The first chamber 22 is located on the left side of the casing 20 and houses the first motor 12. The second chamber 24 is located on the right side of the casing 20 and houses the second motor 14. The gear mechanism 16 is disposed across both the first chamber 22 and the second chamber 24. Note that the first chamber 22 and the second chamber 24 are not completely isolated, and the refrigerant CL can flow between them.

[0021] The drive unit 10 further includes a first circulation circuit 30. The first circulation circuit 30 has a first suction port 32, a first supply port 34, and a first pump 36. The first suction port 32 is provided in the first chamber 22 and is configured to be able to draw the refrigerant CL from the first chamber 22. The first supply port 34 is provided in the second chamber 24 and is configured to be able to supply the refrigerant CL to the second chamber 24. The first pump 36 is configured to pump the refrigerant CL from the first suction port 32 to the first supply port 34. With this configuration, the first circulation circuit 30 can supply the refrigerant CL from the first chamber 22 to the second chamber 24. As a result, the second motor 14 in the second chamber 24 is cooled by the refrigerant CL.

[0022] Although not particularly limited, the first pump 36 may be an electric pump having a motor. Alternatively, the first pump 36 may be connected to the first motor 12 or the gear mechanism 16 and driven by the first motor 12 or the gear mechanism 16. The first supply port 34 may be directly connected to the second motor 14 in the second chamber 24. In this case, the first supply port 34 may be directly connected to the stator or central shaft of the rotor of the first motor 12. Furthermore, the first circulation circuit 30 may be provided with a cooler (e.g., an oil cooler) for cooling the refrigerant CL.

[0023] The drive unit 10 further includes a second circulation circuit 40. The second circulation circuit 40 has a second suction port 42, a second supply port 44, and a second pump 46. The second suction port 42 is provided in the second chamber 24 and is configured to be able to draw the refrigerant CL from the second chamber 24. The second supply port 44 is provided in the first chamber 22 and is configured to be able to supply the refrigerant CL into the first chamber 22. The second pump 46 is configured to pump the refrigerant CL from the second suction port 42 to the second supply port 44. With this configuration, the second circulation circuit 40 can supply the refrigerant CL from the second chamber 24 to the first chamber 22. As a result, the first motor 12 in the first chamber 22 is cooled by the refrigerant CL.

[0024] Although not particularly limited, the second pump 46 may be an electric pump having a motor. Alternatively, the second pump 46 may be connected to the second motor 14 or the gear mechanism 16 and driven by the second motor 14 or the gear mechanism 16. The second supply port 44 may be directly connected to the first motor 12 in the first chamber 22. In this case, the second supply port 44 may be directly connected to the stator or the central shaft of the rotor of the second motor 14. The second circulation circuit 40 may also be provided with a cooler (e.g., an oil cooler) for cooling the refrigerant CL.

[0025] With the above configuration, the drive unit 10 of this embodiment can cool the two motors 12, 14 equally, regardless of the direction in which the vehicle 2 turns. That is, when the vehicle 2 turns, the refrigerant CL in the casing 20 moves to either the left or right. As a result, the refrigerant CL decreases in one of the first chamber 22 or the second chamber 24. However, for example, when the refrigerant CL in the first chamber 22 decreases, the refrigerant CL is supplied from the second chamber 24 to the first chamber 22 through the second circulation circuit 40. This maintains cooling of the first motor 12. Conversely, when the refrigerant CL in the second chamber 24 decreases, the refrigerant CL is supplied from the first chamber 22 to the second chamber 24 through the first circulation circuit 30. This maintains cooling of the first motor 12. In this way, with the drive unit 10 of this embodiment, the refrigerant CL is supplied to each of the two motors 12, 14, even when the vehicle 2 turns, thereby suppressing the temperature difference between the motors 12, 14.

[0026] (Embodiment 2) A drive device 110 of embodiment 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The drive device 110 of this embodiment is obtained by changing the configuration of the gear mechanism 16 in the drive device 10 of embodiment 1. In the following description, components common to or corresponding to the drive device 10 of embodiment 1 will be assigned the same reference numerals to avoid redundant description. In other words, all descriptions in embodiment 1 are also applicable to the drive device 110 of this embodiment as long as they do not contradict the following description.

[0027] The drive device 110 of this embodiment includes a first gear mechanism 16A and a second gear mechanism 16B instead of the gear mechanism 16 in the first embodiment. The first gear mechanism 16A is connected to the first motor 12 and transmits torque between the first motor 12 and the left wheel 4. The second gear mechanism 16B is connected to the second motor 14 and transmits torque between the second motor 14 and the right wheel 6. This allows the drive device 110 to independently drive the left wheel 4 and the right wheel 6 of the vehicle 2 using the two motors 12, 14.

[0028] The first gear mechanism 16A is accommodated in the first chamber 22 of the casing 20. Therefore, the refrigerant CL supplied from the second chamber 24 to the first chamber 22 through the second circulation circuit 40 not only cools the first motor 12 but also contributes to cooling and lubrication of the first gear mechanism 16A. Similarly, the second gear mechanism 16B is accommodated in the second chamber 24 of the casing 20. Therefore, the refrigerant CL supplied from the first chamber 22 to the second chamber 24 through the first circulation circuit 30 not only cools the second motor 14 but also contributes to cooling and lubrication of the second gear mechanism 16B. The drive device 110 of this embodiment can suppress the temperature difference between the two motors 12, 14 and equalize the cooling and lubrication of the two gear mechanisms 16A, 16B, regardless of the direction in which the vehicle 2 turns or the vehicle 2 travels on a road that slopes laterally.

[0029] (Embodiment 3) A drive device 210 of embodiment 3 will be described with reference to Figure 3. The drive device 310 of this embodiment is obtained by changing the configuration of the casing 20 in the drive device 110 of embodiment 2. In the following description, components common to or corresponding to the drive device 110 of embodiment 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant description. In other words, all descriptions in embodiments 1 and 2 are also applicable to the drive device 210 of this embodiment as long as they do not contradict the following description.

[0030] In the drive unit 210 of this embodiment, the casing 20 further includes a third chamber 26 in addition to the first chamber 22 and the second chamber 24. The third chamber 26 is located between the first chamber 22 and the second chamber 24 in the left-right direction of the vehicle 2. The third chamber 26 is not completely isolated from either the first chamber 22 or the second chamber 24, and the refrigerant CL can flow between the third chamber 26 and the first chamber 22 and between the third chamber 26 and the second chamber 24. The first gear mechanism 16A and the second gear mechanism 16B are housed in the third chamber 26.

[0031] Additionally, in the drive unit 210 of this embodiment, the first chamber 22 of the casing 20 is located rearward (RR) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 2 with respect to the axle AX on which the left wheel 4 and the right wheel 6 are disposed. Therefore, the first motor 12 housed in the first chamber 22, the first intake port 32 provided in the first chamber 22, and the second supply port 44 provided in the first chamber 22 are also located rearward with respect to the axle AX. Meanwhile, the second chamber 24 of the casing 20 is located forward (FR) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 2 with respect to the axle AX. Therefore, the second motor 14 housed in the second chamber 24, the second intake port 42 provided in the second chamber 24, and the first supply port 34 provided in the second chamber 24 are also located forward with respect to the axle AX. Note that, as a modified example, the first chamber 22 may be located forward with respect to the axle AX, and the second chamber 24 may be located rearward with respect to the axle AX.

[0032] When the vehicle 2 accelerates or decelerates, or when the road surface inclines in the longitudinal direction, the refrigerant CL in the casing 20 moves in one direction, either longitudinally or laterally. Alternatively, when the vehicle 2 turns, or when the road surface inclines in the lateral direction, the refrigerant CL in the casing 20 moves in one direction, either laterally or laterally. In these cases, in the drive unit 210 of this embodiment, the refrigerant CL decreases in either the first chamber 22 or the second chamber 24. However, for example, when the refrigerant CL in the first chamber 22 decreases, the refrigerant CL is supplied from the second chamber 24 to the first chamber 22 via the second circulation circuit 40. This maintains cooling of the first motor 12. Conversely, when the refrigerant CL in the second chamber 24 decreases, the refrigerant CL is supplied from the first chamber 22 to the second chamber 24 via the first circulation circuit 30. This maintains cooling of the first motor 12. In this way, in the drive unit 210 of this embodiment, even when the refrigerant CL in the casing 20 moves in the forward / backward and / or left / right directions due to the vehicle 2 turning, accelerating / decelerating, or the gradient of the road surface, the refrigerant CL is supplied to each of the two motors 12, 14, thereby suppressing the temperature difference that occurs between the motors 12, 14.

[0033] The configuration described in the third embodiment can be applied to the first and second embodiments. That is, in the drive units 10 and 110 of the first and second embodiments, the first chamber 22 may be located on one side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 2 with respect to the axle AX of the left wheel 4 and the right wheel 6. The second chamber 24 may be located on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 2 with respect to the axle AX.

[0034] In the drive unit 210 of this embodiment, the first chamber 22 is located to the left of the third chamber 26, and the second chamber 24 is located to the right of the third chamber 26. However, in another embodiment, the first chamber 22 may be located to the right of the third chamber 26, and the second chamber 24 may be located to the left of the third chamber 26. In either embodiment, the first chamber 22 and the second chamber 24 are not coaxially arranged but are arranged along the left-right direction. However, both the first chamber 22 and the second chamber 24 may be arranged either to the left or right of the third chamber 26. In this case, the first chamber 22 and the second chamber 24 may be arranged at least partially along the front-rear direction. Even in this embodiment, it is preferable that one of the first chamber 22 and the second chamber 24 is located forward of the axle AX, and the other of the first chamber 22 and the second chamber 24 is located rearward of the axle AX.

[0035] (Fourth Embodiment) A drive device 310 of a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The drive device 410 of this embodiment is the drive device 10 of the first embodiment, except that the positions of the first suction port 32 and the second suction port 42 are changed. In the following description, components common to or corresponding to the drive device 10 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant description. That is, all descriptions in the first, second, and third embodiments are applicable to the drive device 310 of this embodiment, as long as they do not contradict the following description.

[0036] In the drive device 310 of this embodiment, the first intake port 32 is located further outward (i.e., to the left) than the first motor 12 in the left-right direction of the vehicle 2. Similarly, the second intake port 42 is located further outward (i.e., to the right) than the second motor 14 in the left-right direction of the vehicle 2. With this configuration, even if the refrigerant CL in the casing 20 is significantly biased to one side in the left-right direction, the refrigerant CL can be reliably supplied from the first chamber 22 to the second chamber 24 or from the second chamber 24 to the first chamber 22.

[0037] The configuration described in Example 4 can be applied to any of Examples 1, 2, and 3. That is, in the drive devices 10, 110, and 210 of Examples 1, 2, and 3, the first intake port 32 may be located outward (i.e., to the left) from the first motor 12 in the left-right direction of the vehicle 2. Similarly, the second intake port 42 may be located outward (i.e., to the right) from the second motor 14 in the left-right direction of the vehicle 2.

[0038] (Fifth Embodiment) A driving device 410 of a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The driving device 510 of this embodiment is obtained by changing the configuration of the casing 20 in the driving device 210 of the third embodiment. In the following description, components common to or corresponding to the driving device 210 of the third embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals to avoid redundant description. In other words, all descriptions in the third embodiment will also be applied to the driving device 410 of this embodiment, as long as they do not contradict the following description.

[0039] In the drive unit 410 of this embodiment, the first chamber 22 of the casing 20 is located forward (FR) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 2 with respect to the axle AX on which the left wheel 4 and the right wheel 6 are disposed. Therefore, the first motor 12 housed in the first chamber 22, the first intake port 32 provided in the first chamber 22, and the second supply port 44 provided in the first chamber 22 are also located forward with respect to the axle AX. On the other hand, the second chamber 24 of the casing 20 is located rearward (RR) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 2 with respect to the axle AX. Therefore, the second motor 14 housed in the second chamber 24, the second intake port 42 provided in the second chamber 24, and the first supply port 34 provided in the second chamber 24 are also located rearward with respect to the axle AX. Note that, as a modified example, the first chamber 22 may be located rearward with respect to the axle AX, and the second chamber 24 may be located forward with respect to the axle AX.

[0040] In the drive unit 410 of this embodiment, as in the third embodiment, the casing 20 includes the third chamber 26. However, in this embodiment, the third chamber 26 is located between the first chamber 22 and the second chamber 24 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 2. As a result, the first chamber 22 is located forward of the third chamber 26, and the second chamber 24 is located rearward of the third chamber 26. Note that the third chamber 26 is not completely isolated from either the first chamber 22 or the second chamber 24, and the refrigerant CL can flow between the third chamber 26 and the first chamber 22 and between the third chamber 26 and the second chamber 24. In this respect, the drive unit 410 is the same as the drive unit 210 of the third embodiment. However, the first gear mechanism 16A is arranged across the first chamber 22 and the third chamber 26, and the second gear mechanism 16B is arranged across the second chamber 24 and the third chamber 26.

[0041] When the vehicle 2 accelerates or decelerates, or when the road surface is inclined in the longitudinal direction, the refrigerant CL in the casing 20 moves in one direction in the longitudinal direction. In this case, in the drive device 410 of this embodiment, the refrigerant CL decreases in either the first chamber 22 or the second chamber 24. However, for example, when the refrigerant CL in the first chamber 22 decreases, the refrigerant CL is supplied from the second chamber 24 to the first chamber 22 through the second circulation circuit 40. This maintains cooling of the first motor 12. Conversely, when the refrigerant CL in the second chamber 24 decreases, the refrigerant CL is supplied from the first chamber 22 to the second chamber 24 through the first circulation circuit 30. This maintains cooling of the first motor 12. In this way, even when the refrigerant CL in the casing 20 moves in the longitudinal direction due to acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle 2 or the gradient of the road surface, the drive device 410 of this embodiment can supply the refrigerant CL to each of the two motors 12, 14, thereby suppressing the temperature difference between the motors 12, 14. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 2: vehicle, 4: left wheel, 6: right wheel, 10, 110, 210, 310, 410: drive unit, 12: first motor, 14: second motor, 16: gear mechanism, 16A: first gear mechanism, 16B: second gear mechanism, 20: casing, 22: first chamber, 24: second chamber, 26: third chamber, 30: first circulation circuit, 32: first suction port, 34: first supply port, 36: first pump, 40: second circulation circuit, 42: second suction port, 44: second supply port, 46: second pump, AX: axle, CL: refrigerant

Claims

1. A drive device for a vehicle, a first motor connected to one of a left wheel or a right wheel of the vehicle; a second motor connected to the other of the left wheel and the right wheel; a casing that accommodates the first motor and the second motor together with a refrigerant; a first circulation circuit and a second circulation circuit for circulating the refrigerant within the casing; Equipped with the casing has a first chamber that houses at least the first motor and a second chamber that houses at least the second motor, the first circulation circuit includes a first suction port provided in the first chamber, a first supply port provided in the second chamber, and a first pump that pumps the refrigerant from the first suction port to the first supply port, The second circulation circuit includes a second suction port provided in the second chamber, a second supply port provided in the first chamber, and a second pump that pumps the refrigerant from the second suction port to the second supply port. Drive unit.

2. the compressor further comprises at least one gear mechanism housed in the casing and lubricated by the refrigerant; The drive device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one gear mechanism is connected to at least one of the first motor and the second motor.

3. the at least one gear mechanism includes a first gear mechanism that transmits torque between the first motor and the one of the left wheel or the right wheel, and a second gear mechanism that transmits torque between the second motor and the other of the left wheel or the right wheel, the first gear mechanism is housed in the first chamber of the casing, and the second gear mechanism is housed in the second chamber of the casing. The drive device according to claim 2 .

4. The drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are arranged along a left-right direction of the vehicle.

5. the first intake port is located outward of the first motor in the left-right direction of the vehicle, The second intake port is located outward of the second motor in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The drive device according to claim 4.

6. the first chamber is located on one side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle with respect to an axle on which the left wheel and the right wheel are arranged, The second chamber is located on the other side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle with respect to the axle on which the left wheel and the right wheel are arranged. A drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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