Drive unit

Abstract

To provide a drive apparatus which achieves overall downsizing by arranging a parking assembly in the drive apparatus efficiently.SOLUTION: A drive apparatus includes: a power assembly rotatable about a first axis; a transmission mechanism which transmits power of the power assembly; and a parking assembly provided in the transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism includes: a first gear rotatable around the first axis; a second gear which meshes with the first gear and is rotatable around a second axis; a third gear which rotates around the second axis together with the second gear; and a fourth gear which meshes with the third gear and is rotatable around a third axis. The parking assembly includes: a parking gear rotatable around the first axis together with the first gear; and a parking pawl which includes a meshing portion and is rotatable around a fourth axis. The parking gear is disposed so as to overlap with the third gear when viewed in a radial direction and overlap with the second gear when viewed in an axial direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A parking mechanism is installed in a drive unit that drives a vehicle. Patent Document 1 discloses a parking mechanism in which a parking rod moves a cam to push a parking pole toward a parking gear, thereby locking the parking gear and the parking pole together. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-158078 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, drive devices have become increasingly smaller, and it has been thought that the drive device can be made smaller by devising an arrangement of the parking mechanism.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, one object of the present invention is to provide a drive device that can be made smaller overall by efficiently arranging a parking mechanism inside the drive device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of the drive device of the present invention includes a power unit that rotates about a first axis, a transmission mechanism that transmits power from the power unit, and a parking mechanism provided in the transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism includes a first gear that rotates about the first axis, a second gear that meshes with the first gear and rotates about a second axis parallel to the first axis, a third gear that rotates about the second axis together with the second gear, and a fourth gear that meshes with the third gear and rotates about a third axis parallel to the first axis. The parking mechanism includes a parking gear that rotates about the first axis together with the first gear, a parking pole that has a meshing portion and is rotatable about a fourth axis that is parallel to the first axis, and a drive unit that rotates the parking pole about the fourth axis to operate between a locked state in which the meshing portion meshes with the parking gear and an unlocked state in which the meshing portion is separated from the parking gear. The parking gear overlaps with the third gear when viewed radially and with the second gear when viewed axially. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a drive device that can be made smaller overall by efficiently arranging a parking mechanism inside the drive device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram that schematically illustrates a drive device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of a gear portion and a parking mechanism according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the parking mechanism of one embodiment, showing the unlocked state. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the parking mechanism of one embodiment, showing the locked state. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the drive unit of one embodiment taken along the length of the cam rod, showing the unlocked state. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the length of the cam rod of the driving unit of one embodiment, showing the locked state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In the following description, the vertical direction is defined based on the positional relationship when the drive unit 1 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) positioned on a horizontal road surface. In addition, in the drawings, an XYZ coordinate system is shown as a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system as appropriate.

[0010] In each drawing, the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction. The +Z side is the upper side in the vertical direction, and the -Z side is the lower side in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the upper side in the vertical direction is simply referred to as the "upper side," and the lower side in the vertical direction is simply referred to as the "lower side." The X-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction and corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on which the drive unit 1 is mounted. In this embodiment, the +X side is the front side of the vehicle, and the -X side is the rear side of the vehicle. The Y-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction and corresponds to the lateral direction of the vehicle, i.e., the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the +Y side is the left side of the vehicle, and the -Y side is the right side of the vehicle. The Y-axis direction corresponds to the axial direction of a first axis J1, which will be described later. The longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the vehicle are horizontal directions perpendicular to the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the +Y side corresponds to one axial side, and the -Y side corresponds to the other axial side. A first axis J1, which is shown appropriately in each drawing, extends in the Y-axis direction, that is, in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0011] 1 is a conceptual diagram that schematically illustrates a drive unit 1. The drive unit 1 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle powered by a motor, such as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHV), or an electric vehicle (EV), and is used as the power source thereof.

[0012] The drive device 1 includes a motor (power unit) 2, a gear unit (transmission mechanism) 3 including a reduction gear 4 and a differential gear 5, a parking mechanism 8, a housing 6, and oil O. The motor 2 drives the vehicle. The gear unit 3 is connected to the motor 2. The parking mechanism 8 is attached to the gear unit 3.

[0013] The housing 6 has a motor accommodating portion 61 that accommodates the motor 2, a gear accommodating portion 62 that accommodates the gear portion 3 and the parking mechanism 8, and a partition wall 61c provided between the motor accommodating portion 61 and the gear accommodating portion 62.

[0014] Oil O is stored in the gear accommodating portion 62. The oil O is scooped up by the gear portion 3 to increase the lubrication of the tooth surfaces of the gear portion 3. The oil O may also be supplied to the motor 2. In this case, the oil O cools the motor.

[0015] A catch tank (not shown) for receiving oil scooped up by the gear portion 3 may be provided on the inner wall of the gear accommodating portion 62. In this case, the catch tank is connected to a flow path for guiding the received oil to various portions within the housing 6. The catch tank opens upward in the direction of gravity. Therefore, the orientation of the drive unit 1 relative to the direction of gravity during use can be confirmed by checking the direction of the opening of the catch tank.

[0016] A breather device 69 is provided in the motor accommodating portion 61. That is, the housing 6 has the breather device 69. The breather device 69 provides communication between the inside and outside of the housing 6. The breather device 69 is provided on the upper side in the direction of gravity. This makes it possible to prevent oil O from leaking from the breather device 69. The position of the breather device 69 makes it possible to check the orientation of the drive unit 1 relative to the direction of gravity when in use.

[0017] The motor 2 rotates about a first axis J1 extending along a horizontal plane. The motor 2 includes a rotor 2a and a stator 2c. In this embodiment, the motor 2 is an inner rotor type motor. Therefore, the stator 2c surrounds the radial outside of the rotor 2a. The rotor 2a rotates about the first axis J1 extending horizontally. The rotor 2a has a motor shaft 2b extending axially around the first axis J1.

[0018] The motor shaft 2b rotates about the first axis J1. The motor shaft 2b extends across the motor accommodating portion 61 and the gear accommodating portion 62 of the housing 6. The left end of the motor shaft 2b protrudes into the gear accommodating portion 62. The first gear 41 of the gear unit 3 is fixed to the left end of the motor shaft 2b.

[0019] The gear unit 3 is accommodated in the gear accommodating portion 62 of the housing 6. The gear unit 3 is connected to the motor 2. More specifically, the gear unit 3 is connected to one axial side of the motor shaft 2b. The gear unit 3 transmits the power of the motor 2. The gear unit 3 has a reduction gear 4 and a differential gear 5.

[0020] The reduction gear 4 is connected to the motor 2. The reduction gear 4 reduces the rotational speed of the motor 2 and increases the torque output from the motor 2 according to a reduction ratio. The reduction gear 4 transmits the torque output from the motor 2 to the differential gear 5. The reduction gear 4 has a first gear 41, a second gear 42, a third gear 43, and an intermediate shaft 45. That is, the gear unit 3 has the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the third gear 43, and the intermediate shaft 45.

[0021] The first gear 41 is fixed to the left end of the motor shaft 2b. The first gear 41 rotates together with the motor shaft 2b about the first axis J1. The intermediate shaft 45 extends along a second axis J2 parallel to the first axis J1. The intermediate shaft 45 rotates about the second axis J2. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate shaft 45 and spaced apart from each other in the axial direction. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are connected to each other via the intermediate shaft 45. The second gear 42 meshes with the first gear 41. The second gear 42 rotates about the second axis J2. The third gear 43 rotates together with the second gear 42 about the second axis J2. The third gear 43 meshes with a ring gear (fourth gear) 51 of the differential device 5.

[0022] Torque output from the motor 2 is transmitted to the ring gear 51 of the differential device 5 via the motor shaft 2b, the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the intermediate shaft 45, and the third gear 43 in this order. The gear ratio of each gear of the reduction gear 4, the number of gears, etc. can be changed as appropriate depending on the required reduction ratio. In this embodiment, the reduction gear 4 is a parallel-shaft gear type reducer in which the axes of the gears are arranged in parallel.

[0023] The differential 5 is connected to the motor 2 via the reduction gear 4. The differential 5 is a device for transmitting torque output from the motor 2 to the wheels of the vehicle. When the vehicle turns, the differential 5 transmits the same torque to the axles 55 of the left and right wheels while absorbing the speed difference between the left and right wheels. The differential 5 has a ring gear 51, a gear housing (not shown), a pair of pinion gears (not shown), a pinion shaft (not shown), and a pair of side gears (not shown). That is, the gear unit 3 has the ring gear 51. The ring gear 51 meshes with the third gear 43 and rotates about a third axis J3 parallel to the first axis J1.

[0024] The axle 55 extends in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle (i.e., in the width direction of the vehicle). Therefore, the traveling direction of the vehicle with the drive unit 1 mounted thereon can be estimated based on the direction in which the axle 55 extends.

[0025] The parking mechanism 8 is provided in the gear unit 3 and limits the drive of the gear unit 3. The parking mechanism 8 is driven by an electric actuator 9. The state of the parking mechanism 8 is switched by the electric actuator 9, which is a power source, between a locked state in which rotation of the motor shaft 2b is prevented and an unlocked state in which rotation of the motor shaft 2b is permitted. The parking mechanism 8 is in the locked state when the vehicle gear is in park, and is in the unlocked state when the vehicle gear is not in park. Cases in which the vehicle gear is not in park include, for example, cases in which the vehicle gear is in drive, neutral, reverse, etc.

[0026] Fig. 2 is a front view of the gear unit 3 and the parking mechanism 8. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are perspective views of the parking mechanism 8, Fig. 3 showing the unlocked state and Fig. 4 showing the locked state.

[0027] 3 and 4, the parking mechanism 8 has a parking gear 10, a pole shaft 29, a parking pole 20, and a drive unit 8a. The drive unit 8a also has a cam rod 30, a cam 35, a coil spring 39, a sleeve 80, a manual shaft 90, a flange 91, an elastic member 95, and an electric actuator 9.

[0028] 1, the parking gear 10 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the motor shaft 2b. The parking gear 10 is disposed axially between the first gear 41 and the partition wall 61c.

[0029] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the parking gear 10 of this embodiment has an annular shape centered on the first axis J1 and is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the motor shaft 2b. The parking gear 10 rotates together with the motor shaft 2b. That is, the parking gear 10 rotates around the first axis J1 together with the first gear 41 in conjunction with the vehicle wheels. A plurality of teeth 11 are arranged circumferentially on the outer periphery of the parking gear 10. The teeth 11 protrude radially outward from the first axis J1.

[0030] The pole shaft 29 extends along a fourth axis J4 that is parallel to the first axis J1. That is, the pole shaft 29 is a shaft that is parallel to the motor shaft 2b. The pole shaft 29 rotatably supports the parking pole 20.

[0031] A coil spring 29a is attached to the pole shaft 29. The coil spring 29a has a coil-shaped spring body and spring ends extending from both ends of the spring body. The pole shaft 29 is inserted into the spring ends of the coil spring 29a. One spring end of the coil spring 29a is hooked on a spring hook portion (not shown) provided on the inner surface of the housing 6. The other spring end of the coil spring 29a is hooked on a spring hook hole 20h provided in the parking pole 20. The coil spring 29a applies an elastic force to the parking pole 20 in a direction that retracts the tip thereof toward the sleeve 80.

[0032] 2, the parking pole 20 is disposed on the side of the parking gear 10. The parking pole 20 is plate-shaped with its thickness direction oriented in the axial direction of the first axis J1. The parking pole 20 has a base end 22, a parking pole main body 21 extending obliquely downward from the base end 22, a cam contact portion (acting portion) 23, and a meshing portion 25.

[0033] The parking pole main body 21 is disposed between the parking gear 10 and the sleeve 80 when viewed in the axial direction of the first axis J1. The parking pole main body 21 has a gear-facing surface 21a facing the parking gear 10 and a sleeve-facing surface 21b facing the sleeve 80. In this embodiment, the meshing portion 25 is located on the gear-facing surface 21a, and the cam contact portion 23 is located on the sleeve-facing surface 21b. The cam contact portion 23 is located at the tip end of the parking pole 20. The meshing portion 25 is located between the base end portion 22 and the cam contact portion 23 in the longitudinal direction of the parking pole 20.

[0034] 3 and 4, a support hole 22h centered on the fourth axis J4 is provided in the base end 22 of the parking pole 20. A pole shaft 29 is inserted into the support hole 22h. As a result, the parking pole 20 is supported by the pole shaft 29 at the base end 22 and is rotatable about the fourth axis J4 by the pole shaft 29. In other words, the parking pole 20 is rotatable about the fourth axis J4.

[0035] The meshing portion 25 protrudes from the gear-facing surface 21a of the parking pole main body 21 toward the parking gear 10. The meshing portion 25 faces the tooth portion 11 of the parking gear 10. When the parking pole 20 rotates around the pole shaft 29, the meshing portion 25 moves toward and away from the parking gear 10.

[0036] The parking pole 20 operates between a locked state in which the meshing portion 25 meshes with the parking gear 10, and an unlocked state in which the meshing portion 25 is separated from the parking gear 10. In the parking mechanism 8 in the locked state shown in FIG. 4, the meshing portion 25 fits between the toothed portions 11 of the parking gear 10. That is, in the locked state, the meshing portion 25 meshes with the toothed portions 11 of the parking gear 10. In the parking mechanism 8 in the unlocked state shown in FIG. 3, the meshing portion 25 retreats from between the toothed portions 11 to the outside in the radial direction of the first axis J1.

[0037] 3 and 4, the cam contact portion 23 is disposed on the sleeve-facing surface 21b of the parking pole main body 21. The cam contact portion 23 is located inside the notch 83 of the sleeve 80. The cam contact portion 23 functions as an acting portion that receives force from the driving portion 8a. The parking pole 20 receives force from the driving portion 8a at the cam contact portion 23 and rotates around the fourth axis J4.

[0038] 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views of the drive portion 8a and the cam contact portion 23 along the length direction of the rod body 30c, with FIG. 4 showing the unlocked state and FIG. 5 showing the locked state. The cam contact portion 23 faces the outer peripheral surface of the cam 35. In the unlocked state shown in FIG. 4, the cam contact portion 23 is separated from the outer peripheral surface of the cam 35, and in the locked state shown in FIG. 5, the cam contact portion 23 moves upward in accordance with the movement of the cam 35 as the state transitions from the unlocked state to the locked state. The parking pawl 20 rotates about the fourth axis J4 as the cam contact portion 23 moves up and down.

[0039] When the parking pole 20 of this embodiment is viewed from the axial direction of the first axis J1, the meshing portion 25 is located between the fourth axis J4 and the cam contact portion 23. Therefore, the distance between the cam contact portion 23 and the fourth axis J4 is greater than the distance between the meshing portion 25 and the fourth axis J4. According to this embodiment, the force that causes the meshing portion 25 to be inserted between the toothed portions 11 can be made greater than the force applied by the cam 35 to the cam contact portion 23. In other words, according to this embodiment, the meshing portion 25 can be smoothly inserted between the toothed portions 11 by utilizing the principle of leverage.

[0040] 2, the manual shaft 90 extends along a fifth axis J5. The fifth axis J5 is an axis extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle (X-axis direction). Therefore, the manual shaft 90 extends in a direction perpendicular to the motor shaft 2b and the pole shaft 29.

[0041] The manual shaft 90 extends inside and outside the housing 6. The manual shaft 90 is connected to the cam rod 30 via a flange portion 91 inside the housing 6. The manual shaft 90 is connected to the electric actuator 9 outside the housing 6. The manual shaft 90 rotates around a fifth axis J5 by the power of the electric actuator 9.

[0042] 3 and 4, the flange portion 91 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the manual shaft 90. The flange portion 91 extends radially outward from the fifth axis J5. The flange portion 91 is plate-shaped and perpendicular to the fifth axis J5. The flange portion 91 rotates together with the manual shaft 90 about the fifth axis J5.

[0043] The flange portion 91 has an outer edge portion 91c that faces radially outward from the fifth axis J5. A first groove portion 91a and a second groove portion 91b are provided in the outer edge portion 91c of the flange portion 91. The first groove portion 91a and the second groove portion 91b are aligned along the circumferential direction of the fifth axis J5. The first groove portion 91a and the second groove portion 91b open radially outward from the fifth axis J5.

[0044] A connecting hole 91h penetrating through the flange portion 91 in the thickness direction is provided. The connecting end portion 30a of the cam rod 30 passes through the connecting hole 91h. The connecting end portion 30a of the cam rod 30 is rotatable around the connecting hole 91h.

[0045] The elastic member 95 has a leaf spring portion 96 and a roller 97. The leaf spring portion 96 is plate-shaped with its plate surface facing the axial direction of the first axis J1. The leaf spring portion 96 extends in the vertical direction. The lower end of the leaf spring portion 96 is fixed to the inner surface of the housing 6 by a screw 98. The upper end of the leaf spring portion 96 is located on the side of the manual shaft 90. The upper end of the leaf spring portion 96 can be elastically displaced in the axial direction of the first axis J1, with the lower end of the leaf spring portion 96 fixed by the screw 98 as a fulcrum.

[0046] The leaf spring portion 96 has a base portion 96a and a pair of arms 96b. The base portion 96a is, for example, a lower portion of the leaf spring portion 96. The base portion 96a is provided with a through-hole into which a screw 98 is inserted to fix the leaf spring portion 96 to the housing 6. The pair of arms 96b extend upward from an upper end portion of the base portion 96a. The pair of arms 96b are arranged side by side at a distance in the axial direction of the fifth axis J5.

[0047] The roller 97 is rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the axial direction of the fifth axis J5. The roller 97 is attached to the upper end of the leaf spring portion 96. The roller 97 has a shaft portion connecting the upper ends of the pair of arm portions 96b and a rotating portion through which the shaft portion passes. The roller 97 rotates relative to the leaf spring portion 96 at the rotating portion. The roller 97 comes into contact with the outer edge portion 91c of the flange portion 91. As the flange portion 91 rotates about the fifth axis J5, the roller 97 moves while rolling between the first groove portion 91a and the second groove portion 91b of the outer edge portion 91c.

[0048] The rollers 97 can be fitted into the first groove portion 91a and the second groove portion 91b, so that the elastic member 95 is caught in the first groove portion 91a or the second groove portion 91b, and positions the flange portion 91 around the fifth axis J5.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 3, the roller 97 fits into the second groove 91b when the parking mechanism 8 is in the unlocked state. As shown in Fig. 4, the roller 97 fits into the first groove 91a when the parking mechanism 8 is in the locked state. When the state of the parking mechanism 8 switches between the locked state and the unlocked state, the leaf spring 96 elastically deforms and the roller 97 moves between the first groove 91a and the second groove 91b.

[0050] The cam rod 30 has a connecting end portion 30a, a relay portion 30b, and a rod main body 30c. In the cam rod 30, a first bent portion 31 is provided between the connecting end portion 30a and the relay portion 30b, and a second bent portion 32 is provided between the relay portion 30b and the rod main body 30c. The cam rod 30 is bent at the first bent portion 31 and the second bent portion 32 and has a rod shape with a circular cross section.

[0051] The connecting end 30a extends along the axial direction of the fifth axis J5. The connecting end 30a is inserted into the connecting hole 91h of the flange portion 91. A protrusion is provided on the outer periphery of the connecting end 30a to prevent the connecting end 30a from coming out of the connecting hole 91h. The cam rod 30 is connected to the manual shaft 90 via the flange portion 91 at the connecting end 30a. As described above, the manual shaft 90 is connected to the electric actuator 9 and rotates around the fifth axis J5. The cam rod 30 is driven by the manual shaft 90 along the axial direction of the first axis J1.

[0052] The rod main body 30c extends along the axial direction of the first axis J1. The rod main body 30c extends in a direction perpendicular to the connecting end portion 30a. The rod main body 30c also extends in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the manual shaft 90 (the axial direction of the fifth axis J5). The rod main body 30c passes through the inside of the sleeve 80. The rod main body 30c is guided by the sleeve 80. The cam rod 30 also moves along the axial direction of the first axis J1 as the flange portion 91 rotates along the fifth axis J5.

[0053] The relay portion 30b extends in the vertical direction. The upper end of the relay portion 30b is connected to the connecting end portion 30a. The lower end of the relay portion 30b is connected to the rod main body 30c. The relay portion 30b connects the connecting end portion 30a and the rod main body 30c.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 2 , the relay portion 30b extends toward the first axis J1 when viewed in the axial direction of the first axis J1. The relay portion 30b is provided to shift the relative positions of the connecting end portion 30a and the rod main body 30c in the up-down direction. By arranging the relay portion 30b to extend toward the first axis J1, the connecting end portion 30a can be positioned closer to the first axis J1 with respect to the rod main body 30c. This allows the cam 35 supported by the rod main body 30c to be positioned in an optimal position, while the flange portion 91, manual shaft 90, electric actuator, and other components connected to the connecting end portion 30a can be positioned closer to the first axis J1. This allows the components of the parking mechanism 8 to be densely arranged around the first axis J1, thereby reducing the space required for the parking mechanism 8 within the drive unit 1.

[0055] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a coil spring 39 and a cam 35 are passed through the rod main body 30c. That is, the rod main body 30c supports the coil spring 39 and the cam 35. The end of the rod main body 30c connected to the relay portion 30b is the base end, and the end opposite the base end is the tip. The coil spring 39 is disposed on the base end side of the rod main body 30c relative to the cam 35. A protrusion larger than the inner diameter of the coil spring 39 is provided on the outer periphery of the base end of the rod main body 30c. The coil spring 39 is disposed between the protrusion and the cam 35 in a state compressed relative to its natural length. The coil spring 39 applies a force to the cam 35 toward the tip side of the rod main body 30c.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 3, the cam 35 is annular and has the rod body 30c at its center. The rod body 30c is inserted through a central through-hole in the cam 35. The inner diameter of the through-hole in the cam 35 is larger than the outer diameter of the rod body 30c. A retaining cap (not shown) is attached to the tip of the rod body 30c. The retaining cap prevents the cam 35 from falling off the tip of the rod body 30c. The cam 35 comes into contact with a coil spring 39 on the base end side of the rod body 30c. The coil spring 39 is compressed as the cam 35 moves toward the base end. When the cam 35 receives a force toward the base end that is stronger than the repulsive force of the coil spring 39, it moves toward the base end relative to the rod body 30c.

[0057] The cam 35 contacts the cam contact portion 23 of the parking pole 20 at its outer peripheral surface. The cam 35 has a first conical surface 35a and a second conical surface 35b on its outer peripheral surface. The first conical surface 35a and the second conical surface 35b are arranged coaxially. The first conical surface 35a and the second conical surface 35b are each a conical tapered surface whose outer diameter gradually decreases from the base end to the tip end of the rod body 30c. The second conical surface 35b is located on the tip side of the first conical surface 35a. The taper angle of the first conical surface 35a is sufficiently smaller than the taper angle of the second conical surface 35b. The taper angle of the second conical surface 35b is set to an angle sufficient to allow the cam 35 to smoothly disengage from between the sleeve 80 and the cam contact portion 23 when transitioning from the locked state to the unlocked state. The first conical surface 35a may be a cylindrical surface instead of a conical surface.

[0058] 5 and 6, the cam 35 is attached to the cam rod 30 and moves along the length of the rod body 30c together with the cam rod 30. The outer peripheral surface of the cam 35 contacts the cam contact portion 23 of the parking pole 20. The cam 35 moves in conjunction with the movement of the cam rod 30, thereby operating the parking pole 20.

[0059] As shown in Fig. 5, when the parking mechanism 8 is in the unlocked state, the second conical surface 35b of the cam 35 faces the cam contact portion 23 of the parking pole 20 with a gap therebetween. Also, as shown in Fig. 6, when the parking mechanism 8 is in the locked state, the first conical surface 35a of the cam 35 contacts the cam contact portion 23. When the state of the parking mechanism 8 switches between the locked state and the unlocked state, the second conical surface 35b of the cam 35 contacts the cam contact portion 23 and further slides against it. As a result, the cam 35 moves the cam contact portion 23 upward, causing the parking pole 20 to rotate about the fourth axis J4.

[0060] The sleeve 80 is cylindrical and surrounds the rod main body 30c. The sleeve 80 has a notch 83 that opens a part of an inner surface 81 radially outward. The sleeve 80 is fixed to the inner surface of the housing 6. The sleeve 80 guides the movement of the rod main body 30c and the cam 35.

[0061] 3, in the unlocked state, the parking pole 20 contacts the edge of the notch 83 of the sleeve 80 at the sleeve-facing surface 21b. In the unlocked state, the parking pole 20 contacts the sleeve 80 and is supported from below by the sleeve 80. In the unlocked state of the parking mechanism 8, the sleeve 80 contacts the parking pole 20 and limits the range of rotational movement of the parking pole 20.

[0062] Next, the effects of the driving device 1 of this embodiment will be described. 1, the parking gear 10 of this embodiment overlaps with the third gear 43 when viewed from the radial direction. By arranging the parking gear 10 so that it overlaps with the third gear 43 when viewed from the radial direction, the parking mechanism 8 and the gear unit 3 can be arranged so that they overlap in the axial direction. In other words, the parking mechanism 8 can be arranged in the gap of the gear unit 3, and the internal space of the drive device 1 can be effectively utilized to reduce the size of the drive device 1.

[0063] Furthermore, the parking gear 10 of this embodiment is disposed between the motor 2 and the first gear 41 in the axial direction. That is, the parking gear 10 is disposed closer to the partition wall 61c than the first gear 41. Therefore, the third gear 43 and the ring gear 51, which overlap with the parking gear 10 as viewed from the radial direction, are also disposed closer to the motor 2 in the axial direction. The gear with the largest diameter in the gear unit 3 is the ring gear 51. By disposing the ring gear 51 closer to the motor 2, the area of ​​the accommodation space for the gear unit 3 that overlaps with the ring gear 51 as viewed from the axial direction can be made smaller in the axial direction, and the drive device 1 can be made more compact.

[0064] 2, the parking gear 10 of this embodiment overlaps with the second gear 42 when viewed in the axial direction of the first axis J1. This allows a portion of the parking mechanism 8 and a portion of the gear unit 3 to be arranged so as to overlap in the axial direction. According to this embodiment, the diameter of the parking gear 10 can be increased to ensure a sufficient force for braking the rotation of the gear unit 3 by the parking mechanism 8, while reducing the projected area of ​​the drive device 1 in the axial direction.

[0065] In this embodiment, the parking pole 20 in the locked state overlaps with the second gear 42 when viewed in the axial direction of the first axis J1. By arranging the parking pole 20 closer to the second axis J2 in this way, it is possible to increase the axial overlap between the parking mechanism 8 and a portion of the gear unit 3, thereby achieving further miniaturization of the drive unit 1. Note that the parking pole 20 may also be configured to overlap with the second gear 42 in the unlocked state. In this case, it is possible to achieve even further miniaturization of the drive unit 1.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 2, the first axis J1 is disposed above the second axis J2. The second axis J2 and the third axis J3 are disposed at approximately the same height. Therefore, in the drive device 1 of this embodiment, the rotation center of the motor 2 (i.e., the first axis J1) is disposed above the rotation centers of the other gears. According to this embodiment, the second gear 42 is disposed below the motor 2. Therefore, the second gear 42, together with the ring gear 51, easily scoops up the oil O accumulated in the lower region inside the housing 6.

[0067] The parking pole 20 is disposed below the parking gear 10. The meshing portion 25 of the parking pole 20 meshes with the parking gear 10 from below. According to this embodiment, the weight of the parking pole 20 can be used to transition the parking pole 20 from the locked state to the unlocked state. This makes it possible to reduce the spring force of the coil spring 29a that moves the parking pole 20 toward the unlocked side (the sleeve 80 side), thereby improving the ease of assembly of the parking mechanism 8.

[0068] In this embodiment, the oil O scooped up by the ring gear 51 passes through the vehicle rear side (-X side) of the ring gear 51 and above the first gear 41, second gear 42, and third gear 43, and is supplied to each part of the gear unit 3. According to this embodiment, the parking pole 20 is disposed below the parking gear 10, and therefore is less likely to obstruct the scattering path of the oil O than when the parking pole 20 is disposed above the parking gear 10. Therefore, the oil O scooped up by the ring gear 51 can be distributed throughout the entire gear unit 3.

[0069] The parking pole 20 is disposed so as to be inclined obliquely upward when viewed in the axial direction of the first axis J1. As shown in FIG. 2, when viewed in the axial direction, a line connecting the fourth axis J4, which is the rotation center of the parking pole 20, and the cam contact portion 23 is defined as a first imaginary line VL1. When viewed in the axial direction, a line connecting the first axis J1 and the second axis J2 is defined as a second imaginary line VL2. The first imaginary line VL1 and the second imaginary line VL2 incline toward the front of the vehicle (+X side) as they extend upward. The first imaginary line VL1 is inclined at approximately 55° with respect to the horizontal plane. The second imaginary line VL2 is inclined at approximately 50° with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0070] According to this embodiment, the first imaginary line VL1 extends along the second imaginary line VL2 when viewed in the axial direction of the first axis J1. Therefore, the parking pole 20 is arranged along the parking gear 10 and the third gear 43 while avoiding interference with the third gear 43. According to this embodiment, by arranging the parking pole 20 along the gear portion 3, the projected area of ​​the drive device 1 in the axial direction can be reduced, and the drive device 1 can be made more compact.

[0071] In this embodiment, the inclination angle α of the first virtual line VL1 with respect to the horizontal plane (XY plane) is preferably 45° or more. By setting the inclination angle α to 45° or more, the parking pole 20 can be made sufficiently long while preventing the accommodation space for the parking mechanism 8 from becoming large in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction (X-axis direction).

[0072] In this embodiment, the inclination angle α of the first virtual line VL1 with respect to the horizontal plane (XY plane) is preferably 60° or less. By setting the inclination angle α to 60° or less, the parking pole 20 can be easily rotated toward the sleeve 80 by utilizing its own weight.

[0073] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the configurations and combinations thereof in each embodiment are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications of the configurations are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

[0074] For example, the power unit of the drive device 1 in this embodiment is a motor, but it may be an engine. Also, the structure of the gear unit (transmission mechanism) is not limited to the description in this embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...drive device, 2...motor (power unit), 3...gear unit (transmission mechanism), 8...parking mechanism, 8a...drive unit, 10...parking gear, 20...parking pole, 23...cam contact unit (action unit), 25...engagement unit, 30...cam rod, 30a...connection end, 30b...relay unit, 30c...rod body, 35...cam, 41...first gear, 42...second gear, 43...third gear, 51...ring gear (fourth gear), 90...manual shaft, J1...first axis, J2...second axis, J3...third axis, J4...fourth axis, J5...fifth axis, VL1...first virtual line, VL2...second virtual line, α...tilt angle

Claims

1. a power unit that rotates about a first axis; a transmission mechanism that transmits power from the power unit; a parking mechanism provided in the transmission mechanism, The transmission mechanism includes: a first gear that rotates about the first axis; a second gear that meshes with the first gear and rotates about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis; a third gear that rotates together with the second gear about the second axis; a fourth gear that meshes with the third gear and rotates about a third axis that is parallel to the first axis, The parking mechanism includes: a parking gear that rotates together with the first gear about the first axis; a parking pole having an engaging portion and rotatable about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis; a drive unit that rotates the parking pole around the fourth axis and operates the parking pole between a locked state in which the meshing portion meshes with the parking gear and an unlocked state in which the meshing portion is separated from the parking gear, the parking gear overlaps with the third gear when viewed from a radial direction and overlaps with the second gear when viewed from an axial direction, the first axis extends along a horizontal plane above the second axis, the parking pole has an action part that receives a force from the drive part, The meshing portion meshes with the parking gear from below, The drive unit is a flange portion that is driven to rotate by an actuator; a cam rod having a connecting end portion connected to the flange portion and a rod body extending along an axial direction and moving along the axial direction in response to rotation of the flange portion; a cam attached to the rod body, in contact with the parking pole, and moving in accordance with the movement of the cam rod to operate the parking pole; a sleeve for guiding the movement of the cam; the flange portion, the cam rod, the cam, and the sleeve are located between one end and the other end of the parking pole in a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the up-down direction, When viewed in the axial direction, the first axis is located below the fourth axis and above the action portion, When viewed from the axial direction, the third axis, the second axis, the parking pole, and the actuator are aligned in a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the up-down direction. Drive unit.

2. When viewed from the axial direction, a first imaginary line connecting the fourth axis and the action portion extends along a second imaginary line connecting the first axis and the second axis. The drive device according to claim 1 .

3. a power unit that rotates about a first axis; a transmission mechanism that transmits power from the power unit; a parking mechanism provided in the transmission mechanism, The transmission mechanism includes: a first gear that rotates about the first axis; a second gear that meshes with the first gear and rotates about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis; a third gear that rotates together with the second gear about the second axis; a fourth gear that meshes with the third gear and rotates about a third axis that is parallel to the first axis, The parking mechanism includes: a parking gear that rotates together with the first gear about the first axis; a parking pole having an engaging portion and rotatable about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis; a drive unit that rotates the parking pole around the fourth axis and operates the parking pole between a locked state in which the meshing portion meshes with the parking gear and an unlocked state in which the meshing portion is separated from the parking gear, the parking gear overlaps with the third gear when viewed from a radial direction and overlaps with the second gear when viewed from an axial direction, the first axis extends along a horizontal plane above the second axis, the parking pole has an action part that receives a force from the drive part, The meshing portion meshes with the parking gear from below, When viewed from the axial direction, a first imaginary line connecting the fourth axis and the action portion extends along a second imaginary line connecting the first axis and the second axis, The drive unit is a flange portion that is driven to rotate by an actuator; a cam rod having a rod body and a connecting end portion connected to the flange portion; a cam attached to the rod body, in contact with the parking pole, and moving in accordance with the movement of the cam rod to operate the parking pole; a sleeve for guiding the movement of the cam; the flange portion, the cam rod, the cam, and the sleeve are located between an upper end and a lower end of the second gear in the up-down direction, When viewed in the axial direction, the first axis is located below the fourth axis and above the action portion, When viewed from the axial direction, the third axis, the second axis, the parking pole, and the actuator are aligned in a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the up-down direction. Drive unit.

4. The inclination angle of the first virtual line with respect to the horizontal plane is 45° or more.

4. The drive device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The inclination angle of the first virtual line with respect to the horizontal plane is 60° or less. The drive device according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. The drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the parking pawl in the locked state overlaps with the second gear when viewed in the axial direction.

7. The parking gear is disposed between the power unit and the first gear in the axial direction. The drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The meshing portion is located between the fourth axis and the action portion when viewed from the axial direction. The drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The drive unit is a manual shaft extending along a fifth axis perpendicular to the first axis and rotating around the fifth axis; the cam rod connected to the manual shaft via the flange portion; the cam; The cam rod is The rod body; The connecting end portion; a relay portion connecting the rod body and the connecting end portion, The relay portion extends toward the first axis when viewed in the axial direction. The drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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