Electric drive system

Abstract

To provide an electric drive unit that is excellent in vibration resistance, insulation, and sealing properties while absorbing tolerances such as assembly errors and manufacturing errors.SOLUTION: An electric drive unit includes an electric motor, an inverter that converts power to be supplied to the electric motor, a first housing that houses the electric motor, a second housing that houses the inverter and is arranged side by side with the first housing, and a wiring section that has a conductive member passing through through-holes provided on the first housing and the second housing and electrically connecting the electric motor and the inverter. The conductive member has a through-hole conductive part that penetrates the through-holes, a part on the electric motor side of the through-hole conductive part, and a part on the inverter side of the through-hole conductive part. One or both of the part on the electric motor side and the part on the inverter side are flexible members that have flexibility. The wiring section has a seal member that seals the through-hole.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to an electric drive device.

Background Art

[0002] There is disclosed a configuration of an electric drive device which is a power train structure of an electric vehicle in which each of an electric motor, a transmission that converts the rotation of the electric motor and transmits it to drive wheels, and an inverter that controls the rotation of the electric motor are arranged in order along a wheel axle provided with drive wheels as the electric motor, the transmission, and the inverter (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the transmission is integrally arranged between the electric motor and the inverter. Further, the transmission has a through-hole through which a connection line for electrically connecting the electric motor and the inverter penetrates in a portion where the electric motor and the inverter overlap with each other with the transmission interposed therebetween.

[0003] In such a configuration, when assembling the electric drive device, assembly errors and manufacturing errors are absorbed at the portion where the connection line is provided, and in order to relieve stress concentration on the connection portion due to running vibration and rotational vibration between the electric motor and the gear, it is necessary to increase the size of the connection portion. Therefore, there were problems in terms of the layout property and cost of each part of the electric drive device. Further, in order to prevent contaminants adhering to the electric motor and the transmission, lubricant for the gears, and cooling oil used to improve the cooling performance of the electric motor from flowing in and out between each part of the electric drive device, it is necessary to implement sealing measures for each housing. Therefore, there was a problem that there was a risk of deterioration in the productivity of the electric drive device. Further, when the connection line connecting the electric motor and the inverter comes into contact with each of the housing of the electric motor, the housing of the transmission, the gear, and the housing of the inverter, there is a risk of short circuit, so careful insulation design was necessary.

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, a configuration has been disclosed that absorbs assembly errors and manufacturing errors in the portion where the connecting wires are provided (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In Patent Document 2, in the power supply connection member, a flexible member is used to connect the busbar that connects to the inverter and the inverter itself. Therefore, tolerances such as assembly errors and manufacturing errors on the inverter side can be absorbed in the portion where the connecting wires are provided. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5900012 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-141430 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, tolerances such as assembly errors and manufacturing errors on the inverter side can be absorbed in the part where the connecting wire is provided. However, when it becomes necessary to absorb tolerances on the motor side as well, there was a problem that the tolerances on the motor side could not be absorbed. In addition, due to insufficient sealing measures, foreign matter such as contaminants flowed in and out between the various parts of the electric drive unit, and foreign matter such as contaminants flowed in from the outside to the inside.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an electric drive device that offers excellent vibration resistance, insulation, and sealing properties while absorbing tolerances such as assembly errors and manufacturing errors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The electric drive device disclosed herein comprises an electric motor, an inverter for converting power supplied to the electric motor, a first housing housing the electric motor, a second housing housing the inverter and arranged alongside the first housing, and a wiring section having a conductive member that penetrates through holes provided in the first and second housings and electrically connects the electric motor and the inverter, wherein the conductive member has a through-conductive portion which is the portion that penetrates the through-hole, a portion on the electric motor side relative to the through-conductive portion, and a portion on the inverter side relative to the through-conductive portion, and one or both of the portion on the electric motor side and the portion on the inverter side are flexible members, and the wiring section has a sealing member that seals the through-hole A through-conductive portion, consisting of a single member of the conductive material, penetrates through holes provided in the first housing and the second housing. It is something that exists. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The electric drive device disclosed in this application comprises an electric motor, an inverter, a first housing housing the electric motor, a second housing housing the inverter and arranged alongside the first housing, and a wiring section having a conductive member that penetrates through holes provided in the first and second housings and electrically connects the electric motor and the inverter. The conductive member has a through-conductive portion which is the part that penetrates the through-hole, a portion on the electric motor side relative to the through-conductive portion, and a portion on the inverter side relative to the through-conductive portion. One or both of the electric motor side portion and the inverter side portion are flexible members, and the wiring section has a sealing member that seals the through-hole. Because one or both of the electric motor side portion and the inverter side portion of the conductive member are flexible members, tolerances such as assembly errors and manufacturing errors in the electrical connection between the electric motor and the inverter can be absorbed. Furthermore, since the phase difference when the electric motor and the inverter vibrate in different phases is absorbed, the vibration resistance of the electric drive device can be improved. Furthermore, since the wiring section has a sealing member that seals the through-hole, conductive contaminants generated during the manufacturing of the motor and inverter can be prevented from flowing in and out between the first housing and the second housing, thus providing an electric drive device with excellent sealing properties. In addition, since a conductive member is provided in the wiring section that seals the through-hole, short circuits between the conductive member and the first housing or the second housing are suppressed, thus providing an electric drive device with excellent insulation properties. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is an exploded perspective view showing the external appearance of the electric drive device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the wiring section of the electric drive device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of the wiring section of the electric drive device, cut at cross-sectional position AA in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is a plan view showing the main parts of another electric drive device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of another electric drive device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6]This is a perspective view of the wiring section of the electric drive device according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the wiring section of the electric drive device according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of the wiring section of another electric drive device according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing the outline of the electric drive device according to Embodiment 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The electric drive device according to the embodiment of the present application will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent members and parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals. In the illustrations between drawings, the size and scale of the corresponding components are independent of each other.

[0012] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the external appearance of the electric drive unit 1 according to Embodiment 1, with details of the internal configuration omitted. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the wiring section 11 of the electric drive unit 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wiring section 11 of the electric drive unit 1 cut at the AA section position in Figure 2. The electric drive unit 1 mounted on an electric vehicle is a device that transmits the rotation of an electric motor 2, controlled by an inverter 3 connected to an external DC power source, to the wheel axle of the electric vehicle via a reduction gear 4.

[0013] <Electric drive unit 1> As shown in Figure 1, the electric drive unit 1 comprises an electric motor 2, an inverter 3 that converts the power supplied to the electric motor 2, a first housing 5 housing the electric motor 2, a second housing 6 housing the inverter 3 and arranged alongside the first housing 5, and a wiring section 11 having a conductive member 13 that passes through through holes 15 provided in the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 and electrically connects the electric motor 2 and the inverter 3. The electric drive unit 1 further comprises a reduction gear 4 having a gear mechanism that reduces the rotation of the electric motor 2 and outputs the result, and a third housing 7 housing the reduction gear 4. Note that in Figure 1, the through holes 15 provided in the second housing 6 are hidden by the wall of the second housing 6 and are not visible.

[0014] The electric motor 2 includes a stator having a stator core and a stator winding, and a rotor disposed inside the stator. The rotating shaft of the rotor is rotatably supported by bearings and is arranged to be able to rotate coaxially with respect to the stator. The electric motor 2 is provided in the first space 8 inside the first housing 5. The inverter 3 performs DC-AC conversion between a DC power source (not shown) and the stator windings of a plurality of phases. When the inverter 3 outputs three-phase alternating current, three conductive members 13 are provided in the wiring portion 11. The electronic components including the inverter 3 are provided in the second space 9 inside the second housing 6. The gear mechanism has a plurality of gears, a plurality of rotating shafts integrated with the gears and parallel to the axial direction of the electric motor 2, and bearings that support the rotating shafts. The gear mechanism converts the rotation of the electric motor 2 and transmits it to the wheel shaft. The gear mechanism is provided in the third space 10 inside the third housing 7.

[0015] The first housing 5, the second housing 6, and the third housing 7 are made of, for example, aluminum die casting. In FIG. 1, the first housing 5, the second housing 6, and the third housing 7 are each manufactured separately. These housings are not limited to being manufactured separately. For example, the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 may be integrally cast. When these housings are manufactured separately, each of the housings is fixed to each other, for example, by screwing. In FIG. 1, the second housing 6 is fixed to the first housing 5.

[0016] <Wiring portion 11> The wiring portion 11 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the wiring portion 11 has a conductive member 13, a holding member 12 that holds the conductive member 13, and a sealing member 16 that seals the through hole 15. The conductive member 13 has a through-conductive portion 13a that is the portion passing through the through hole 15, a portion on the side of the electric motor 2 with respect to the through-conductive portion 13a, and a portion on the side of the inverter 3 with respect to the through-conductive portion 13a. One or both of the portion on the side of the electric motor 2 and the portion on the side of the inverter 3 are flexible members 13b having flexibility. In FIG. 2, for the conductive member 13, the portion on the side of the inverter 3 is the flexible member 13b.

[0017] The through-conductor 13a is, for example, a busbar formed in the shape of a plate. The busbar is made of, for example, copper, which has excellent conductivity. The flexible member 13b is, for example, a stranded wire or a plate material made by stacking multiple thin plates. The through-conductor 13a and the flexible member 13b are connected, for example, by brazing or welding. In this embodiment, the flexible member 13b has a terminal 14 at the end connected to the inverter 3. The terminal 14 is made of, for example, a copper plate material with excellent conductivity. The terminal 14 has a through hole and is screwed to the busbar of the inverter 3 using the through hole. The terminal 14 and the flexible member 13b are connected, for example, by brazing or welding. The sealing member 16 is, for example, rubber, or an adhesive such as silicone, acrylic, epoxy, or urethane.

[0018] With this configuration, since one or both of the portion of the conductive member 13 on the motor 2 side and the portion on the inverter 3 side are flexible members 13b, tolerances such as assembly errors and manufacturing errors in the electrical connection between the motor 2 and the inverter 3 can be absorbed. In addition, since the phase difference when the motor 2 and the inverter 3 vibrate in different phases is absorbed, the vibration resistance of the electric drive unit 1 can be improved. Furthermore, since the wiring section 11 has a sealing member 16 that seals the through hole 15, conductive contaminants generated during the manufacturing of the motor 2 and the inverter 3 can be prevented from flowing in and out between the first housing 5 and the second housing 6, an electric drive unit 1 with excellent sealing properties can be obtained. Furthermore, the inflow of oils used to cool the motor 2 into the inverter 3 can be prevented. In addition, since the conductive member 13 is provided in the wiring section 11 that seals the through hole 15, short circuits between the conductive member 13 and the first housing 5 or the second housing 6 are suppressed, an electric drive unit 1 with excellent insulation properties can be obtained.

[0019] The configuration of the retaining member 12 in this embodiment will now be described. As shown in Figure 3, the retaining member 12 holds the through-conductive portion 13a, which is a part of the conductive member 13. The retaining member 12 is manufactured by molding from a non-conductive material such as resin. The three through-conductive portions 13a are arranged with intervals between them and are integrally molded with the retaining member 12. With this configuration, the through-conductive portions 13a are securely held by the portion of the retaining member 12 with intervals between them, so that short circuits between each of the through-conductive portions 13a and between the through-conductive portions 13a and the first housing 5 can be prevented.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the retaining member 12 has a through-retaining portion 12a, which is the portion that penetrates the through-hole 15 provided in the first housing 5, and a large-diameter retaining portion 12b, which is provided on the inside of the first housing 5, further inside than the through-retaining portion 12a, and has a larger diameter than the through-hole 15. The large-diameter retaining portion 12b is pressed against and fixed to the inner surface of the first housing 5 by a fastening member, and a ring-shaped sealing member 16 surrounding the opening of the through-hole 15 is provided between the large-diameter retaining portion 12b and the inner surface of the first housing 5. In this embodiment, the large-diameter retaining portion 12b has a through-hole 12c, and the retaining member 12 is fixed to the first housing 5 by a screw. The method of fixing the retaining member 12 to the first housing 5 is not limited to this, and a fit may also be used. With this configuration, the sealing member 16 is in close contact between the large-diameter retaining portion 12b and the inner surface of the first housing 5, so that the space between the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 can be reliably sealed. Although Figure 2 shows a configuration in which the sealing portion is provided in the planar direction, the sealing may also be provided in the radial direction.

[0021] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the first housing 5 has a cylindrical portion 5a that covers the outer circumference of the electric motor 2 and a cover portion 5b that covers one opening of the cylindrical portion 5a, and the cylindrical portion 5a and the cover portion 5b are separate components. The cover portion 5b is detachable and is fastened to the cylindrical portion 5a, for example, by screws. The through hole 15 is provided at one end of the cylindrical portion 5a on the opening side, and the second housing 6 is positioned radially outward of the cylindrical portion 5a. The wiring portion 11 is moved in the direction of the dashed arrow and attached to the through hole 15. With this configuration, since the location where the wiring portion 11 is attached is the end on the opening side of the cylindrical portion 5a, the wiring portion 11 can be easily attached to the through hole 15. Since the wiring portion 11 can be easily attached to the through hole 15, the productivity of the electric drive device 1 can be improved. In addition, when replacing the wiring portion 11, the cover portion 5b can be removed and the wiring portion 11 can be easily replaced.

[0022] <Example 1> A modified example of the electric drive unit 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a plan view showing the main part of another electric drive unit 1 according to Embodiment 1, and shows the connection part between the wiring section 11 and the electric motor 2 side and the inverter 3 side. The first housing 5 and the second housing 6 have a shared wall 17, and the through hole 15 penetrates the shared wall 17. In Modification 1, the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are integrated. With this configuration, since the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are integrated with a shared wall 17, the process of fixing the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 is unnecessary, thus improving the productivity of the electric drive unit 1. In addition, since the wiring section 11 is configured to penetrate a single through hole 15, the wiring section 11 can be easily placed in the through hole 15, thus improving the productivity of the electric drive unit 1.

[0023] The wiring section 11 is fixed to either the first housing 5 or the second housing 6, and has flexible members 13b on both the motor 2 side and the inverter 3 side. In modified example 1, the wiring section 11 is fixed to a shared wall 17, which is part of the first housing 5 and part of the second housing 6. In Figure 1 above, the wiring section 11 is fixed to the first housing 5. The fixing method is screw fastening. One flexible member 13b is connected to the motor busbar 19 at a non-conductive terminal block 18, and the other flexible member 13b is connected to the inverter busbar 20 at a non-conductive terminal block 18. The configuration of the sealing member 16 is the same as the configuration shown in Figure 2.

[0024] With this configuration, since both the motor 2 side and the inverter 3 side have flexible members 13b, tolerances such as assembly errors and manufacturing errors in the electrical connection between the motor 2 and the inverter 3 can be easily absorbed. In addition, since the phase difference when the motor 2 and the inverter 3 vibrate in different phases is reliably absorbed, the vibration resistance of the electric drive unit 1 can be further improved. Note that if the distance to the terminal block 18 is far from the shared wall 17, the flexible members 13b may vibrate due to vehicle vibration or vibration due to the rotation of the motor 2 and gears, and there is a possibility of short circuits between adjacent flexible members 13b, so non-conductive tubes may be attached to the flexible members 13b.

[0025] <Modification 2> Another modified example of the electric drive device 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of another electric drive device 1 according to Embodiment 1, and shows the wiring section 11 and the connection part between the first housing 5 and the second housing 6. In Modification 2, the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are separate parts.

[0026] The first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are arranged with a gap between them. The first through-hole 15a of the first housing 5 and the second through-hole 15b of the second housing 6 are arranged opposite each other. The wiring section 11 has a first sealing member 16a that seals the first through-hole 15a and a second sealing member 16b that seals the second through-hole 15b. When the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are arranged with a gap between them, two sealing members 16 are used. With this configuration, even if the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are separated, it is possible to prevent contamination from the outside from entering the first space 8 and the second space. Since the inflow of contamination from the outside into the first space 8 and the second space is suppressed, it is possible to prevent failure of each component provided in the first space 8 and the second space.

[0027] A ring-shaped first sealing member 16a is provided between the large-diameter holding portion 12b and the inner surface of the first housing 5, surrounding the opening of the first through-hole 15a. The through-holding portion 12a passes through the second through-hole 15b provided in the second housing 6, and a second sealing member 16b, which is an additional ring-shaped sealing member, is provided between the second through-hole 15b of the second housing 6 and the through-holding portion 12a. The first sealing member 16a provides sealing in the surface direction, and the second sealing member 16b provides sealing in the radial direction. With this configuration, since the second sealing member 16b provides sealing in the radial direction and there is tolerance in the mounting position of the second sealing member 16b, the productivity of the electric drive device 1 can be improved. In Figure 5, the housing on the right is the first housing 5 and the housing on the left is the second housing 6, but this is not the only option, and the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 may be arranged in reverse.

[0028] As described above, the electric drive device 1 according to Embodiment 1 comprises an electric motor 2, an inverter 3, a first housing 5 housing the electric motor 2, a second housing 6 housing the inverter 3 and arranged alongside the first housing 5, and a wiring section 11 having a conductive member 13 that penetrates through holes 15 provided in the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 and electrically connects the electric motor 2 and the inverter 3, wherein the conductive member 13 has a through-conductive portion 13a which is the portion that penetrates the through-hole 15, and the electric motor 2 side relative to the through-conductive portion 13a The conductive member 13 has a portion on the motor 2 side and a portion on the inverter 3 side relative to the through-hole conductive portion 13a, and one or both of the portion on the motor 2 side and the portion on the inverter 3 side are flexible members 13b, and the wiring portion 11 has a sealing member 16 that seals the through-hole 15, so that one or both of the portion on the motor 2 side and the portion on the inverter 3 side of the conductive member 13 are flexible members 13b, tolerances such as assembly errors and manufacturing errors in the electrical connection between the motor 2 and the inverter 3 can be absorbed.

[0029] Furthermore, since the phase difference when the motor 2 and the inverter 3 vibrate in different phases is absorbed, the vibration resistance of the electric drive unit 1 can be improved. In addition, since the wiring section 11 has a sealing member 16 that seals the through hole 15, conductive contaminants generated during the manufacturing of the motor 2 and inverter 3 can be prevented from flowing in and out between the first housing 5 and the second housing 6, thus providing an electric drive unit 1 with excellent sealing properties. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent oils used to cool the motor 2 from flowing into the inverter 3. In addition, since a conductive member 13 is provided in the wiring section 11 that seals the through hole 15, short circuits between the conductive member 13 and the first housing 5 or the second housing 6 are suppressed, thus providing an electric drive unit 1 with excellent insulation properties.

[0030] The first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are arranged with a gap between them, and the first through-hole 15a of the first housing 5 and the second through-hole 15b of the second housing 6 are arranged opposite each other. The wiring section 11 has a first sealing member 16a that seals the first through-hole 15a and a second sealing member 16b that seals the second through-hole 15b. Therefore, even though the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are separated, it is possible to prevent contamination from the outside from entering the first space 8 and the second space. Since the inflow of contamination from the outside into the first space 8 and the second space is suppressed, it is possible to prevent failure of each component provided in the first space 8 and the second space.

[0031] Since the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 have a shared wall 17, and the through hole 15 penetrates the shared wall 17, the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are integrated with the shared wall 17, eliminating the need for a process to fix the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 together, thus improving the productivity of the electric drive device 1. Furthermore, since the wiring section 11 penetrates a single through hole 15, the wiring section 11 can be easily placed in the through hole 15, further improving the productivity of the electric drive device 1.

[0032] Since the wiring section 11 is fixed to the first housing 5 or the second housing 6, and both the portion on the motor 2 side and the portion on the inverter 3 side have flexible members 13b, tolerances such as assembly errors and manufacturing errors in the electrical connection between the motor 2 and the inverter 3 can be easily absorbed. Furthermore, since the phase difference when the motor 2 and the inverter 3 vibrate in different phases is reliably absorbed, the vibration resistance of the electric drive unit 1 can be further improved.

[0033] The wiring section 11 has a holding member 12 that holds the through-conductive section 13a, and the holding member 12 has a through-holding section 12a which is the part that penetrates the through-hole 15 provided in the first housing 5, and a large-diameter holding section 12b which is provided inside the first housing 5 more than the through-holding section 12a and has a larger diameter than the through-hole 15, and the large-diameter holding section 12b is pressed against and fixed to the inner surface of the first housing 5 by a fastening member, and a ring-shaped sealing member 16 surrounding the opening of the through-hole 15 is provided between the large-diameter holding section 12b and the inner surface of the first housing 5, so that the sealing member 16 is in close contact with the large-diameter holding section 12b and the inner surface of the first housing 5, and thus a seal can be reliably made between the first housing 5 and the second housing 6.

[0034] Since the through-holding portion 12a penetrates the through-hole 15 provided in the second housing 6, and a second sealing member 16b, which is a ring-shaped additional sealing member, is provided between the through-hole 15 of the second housing 6 and the through-holding portion 12a, the productivity of the electric drive device 1 can be improved because the second sealing member 16b provides radial sealing and there is tolerance in the mounting position of the second sealing member 16b.

[0035] The first housing 5 has a cylindrical portion 5a that covers the outer circumference of the electric motor 2 and a cover portion 5b that covers one opening of the cylindrical portion 5a, and the cylindrical portion 5a and the cover portion 5b are separate members, and a through hole 15 is provided at one end of the cylindrical portion 5a on the opening side, and the second housing 6 is positioned radially outside the cylindrical portion 5a, so the location where the wiring portion 11 is attached is the end of the cylindrical portion 5a on the opening side, and the wiring portion 11 can be easily attached to the through hole 15. Since the wiring portion 11 can be easily attached to the through hole 15, the productivity of the electric drive device 1 can be improved.

[0036] Embodiment 2. The electric drive device 1 according to Embodiment 2 will now be described. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the wiring section 11 of the electric drive device 1 according to Embodiment 2. The electric drive device 1 according to Embodiment 2 has a configuration in which the holding member 12 has a relay connector 21.

[0037] The wiring section 11 has a retaining member 12 that holds the through-hole conductive section 13a. A relay connector 21 is provided on the retaining member 12, which is a connector that relays one side of the through-hole 15 to the other side. Wiring 30 for controlling the motor 2, which is connected to the motor 2 and the inverter 3, is connected to the relay connector 21. Figure 6 shows the state before the control wiring 30 is connected to the relay connector 21. The relay connector 21 is a waterproof connector for low voltage. The relay connector 21 may be integrally molded with the retaining member 12, or it may be fixed by fastening screws into the through-hole provided in the retaining member 12. When the relay connector 21 is fixed to the retaining member 12 by screw fastening, it is necessary to provide a sealing member on the relay connector 21 as a measure against contamination.

[0038] The electric motor 2 is equipped with a rotation sensor necessary for controlling its rotation and a temperature sensor necessary for temperature protection. Therefore, control wiring 30 is provided between the electric motor 2 and the inverter 3 to transmit control signals. Typically, the control wiring 30 is often located in a different place from the busbar through which the three-phase AC current flows, and the routing and sealing measures for the control wiring 30 had to be considered separately from those for the busbar.

[0039] In this embodiment, since the retaining member 12 is provided with a relay connector 21, the control wiring 30 does not need to be placed in a different location from the busbar through which the three-phase AC current flows, thus enabling miniaturization of the electric drive unit 1. Furthermore, when fastening the conductive member 13 to the motor busbar 19 and the inverter busbar 20 (not shown in Figure 6), the control wiring 30 can be connected at the relay connector 21 at the same time, making the connection work for the control wiring 30 easier and thus improving the productivity of the electric drive unit 1.

[0040] Embodiment 3. The electric drive device 1 according to Embodiment 3 will now be described. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the wiring section 11 of the electric drive device 1 according to Embodiment 3, showing a cross-section at the same position as the cross-sectional position in Figure 2. The electric drive device 1 according to Embodiment 3 has a configuration in which the holding member 12 has a magnetic material 22.

[0041] The wiring section 11 has a holding member 12 that holds the through-conductor 13a. The holding member 12 has a magnetic material 22 that surrounds the through-conductor 13a. The magnetic material 22 is a noise suppressing material. When handling high currents, or when the wiring connecting the motor 2 and the inverter 3 is long, it is necessary to suppress noise generated due to the switching of the inverter 3 as needed. In this embodiment, since the magnetic material 22 surrounds the busbar which is the through-conductor 13a, noise can be effectively suppressed. Also, in this embodiment, since the magnetic material 22 is integrally molded and provided on the holding member 12, the wiring section 11 can be miniaturized. Generally, a ferrite core is used for the magnetic material 22, but the material of the magnetic material 22 is not limited to this.

[0042] In this embodiment, each of the three busbars is individually surrounded by a magnetic material 22, but the configuration is not limited to this. As shown in Figure 8, the three busbars may be surrounded by a single magnetic material 22. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the wiring section 11 of another electric drive device 1 according to Embodiment 3. Furthermore, for reasons such as the type of noise, in addition to the configuration shown in Figure 7, a magnetic material 22 further surrounding the three magnetic materials 22 may be provided. Moreover, by providing the magnetic material 22, external noise can be effectively suppressed.

[0043] Embodiment 4. The electric drive unit 1 according to Embodiment 4 will now be described. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the outline of the electric drive unit 1 according to Embodiment 4, and is a cross-sectional view showing only the housing portion. The electric drive unit 1 according to Embodiment 4 has a configuration in which the housing is integrated.

[0044] In this embodiment, the electric drive unit 1 includes a reduction gear 4 having a gear mechanism that reduces the rotation of the electric motor 2 and outputs the result, and a third housing 7 housing the reduction gear 4, with the first housing 5 and the third housing 7 being integrated. The first space 8 and the third space 10 are connected by the dashed line in Figure 9.

[0045] One method for cooling the electric motor 2 is to provide a cooling channel from the inverter 3 to the electric motor 2 and to exchange heat with the heat sources of the electric motor 2 and inverter 3 by flowing a refrigerant such as antifreeze (LLC) through the cooling channel. When this cooling method is adopted, measures are needed to prevent the gear lubrication oil inside the reduction gear 4 from flowing into the electric motor 2, so the first housing 5 housing the electric motor 2 and the third housing 7 housing the reduction gear 4 are often constructed as separate components. In addition to the above-mentioned cooling method, there is a cooling method to improve cooling performance by dripping the gear lubrication oil of the reduction gear 4 onto the stator and rotor, or by injecting lubricating oil as the rotor rotates.

[0046] In this embodiment, the first housing 5 and the third housing 7 are integrated, and the first space 8 and the third space 10 are the same space, so that the gear lubrication oil of the reduction gear 4 can be easily used for the electric motor 2. By manufacturing the first housing 5 and the third housing 7 integrally by casting, the first housing 5 and the third housing 7 can be easily integrated.

[0047] Alternatively, the first housing 5, the second housing 6, and the third housing 7 may be integrated into a single unit. In that case, it is desirable to provide a shared wall 17 between the first housing 5 and the second housing 6, and to place the wiring section 11 on the shared wall 17. This configuration not only suppresses the inflow and outflow of contaminants by the sealing member 16 of the wiring section 11, but also suppresses the inflow of gear lubrication oil into the second space 9 housing the inverter 3.

[0048] Furthermore, although this application describes various exemplary embodiments and examples, the various features, aspects, and functions described in one or more embodiments are not limited to the application of a particular embodiment, but can be applied individually or in various combinations to the embodiments. Accordingly, countless variations not illustrated are conceivable within the scope of the technology disclosed herein. These include, for example, modifying, adding or omitting at least one component, or even extracting at least one component and combining it with components of other embodiments.

[0049] The various aspects of this disclosure are summarized below as an appendix. (Note 1) Electric motor and, An inverter that converts the power supplied to the aforementioned electric motor, A first housing containing the aforementioned electric motor, A second housing, which houses the inverter and is arranged alongside the first housing, The device comprises a wiring section having a conductive member that penetrates through holes provided in the first housing and the second housing, and electrically connects the electric motor and the inverter, The conductive member has a through-hole conductive portion, a portion on the motor side relative to the through-hole conductive portion, and a portion on the inverter side relative to the through-hole conductive portion, wherein one or both of the portion on the motor side and the portion on the inverter side are flexible members. The aforementioned wiring section is an electric drive device having a sealing member that seals the through hole. (Note 2) The first housing and the second housing are arranged with a gap between them. The first through-hole, which is the through-hole in the first housing, and the second through-hole, which is the through-hole in the second housing, are arranged opposite each other. The electric drive device according to Appendix 1, wherein the wiring section comprises a first sealing member which seals the first through hole and a second sealing member which seals the second through hole. (Note 3) The first enclosure and the second enclosure share a common wall. The through-hole is the electric drive device described in Appendix 1, which penetrates the shared wall. (Note 4) The wiring section is fixed to the first housing or the second housing. The electric drive device according to any one of the appendices 1 to 3, wherein the flexible member is provided on both the electric motor side and the inverter side. (Note 5) The wiring section has a retaining member that holds the through-conducting section, The electric drive device according to Appendix 1, wherein the retaining member has a through-retaining portion which is a portion that penetrates the through-hole provided in the first housing, and a large-diameter retaining portion which is provided on the inside of the first housing than the through-retaining portion and has a larger diameter than the through-hole, the large-diameter retaining portion is pressed against and fixed to the inner surface of the first housing by a fastening member, and the ring-shaped sealing member surrounding the opening of the through-hole is provided between the large-diameter retaining portion and the inner surface of the first housing. (Note 6) The through-holding portion penetrates the through-hole provided in the second housing, The electric drive device according to Appendix 5, wherein an additional ring-shaped sealing member is provided between the through-hole of the second housing and the through-holding portion. (Note 7) The first housing has a cylindrical portion that covers the outer circumference of the electric motor and a cover portion that covers one opening of the cylindrical portion, and the cylindrical portion and the cover portion are separate components. The through hole is provided at one end of the cylindrical portion on the open side. The second housing is the electric drive device described in Appendix 5 or 6, which is located radially outward of the cylindrical portion. (Note 8) The wiring section has a retaining member that holds the through-conducting section, The retaining member is provided with a relay connector that relays one side of the through hole to the other side. The electric drive device according to any one of the appendices 1 to 7, wherein the relay connector is connected to the electric motor and the inverter, and the wiring for controlling the electric motor is connected to the electric motor. (Note 9) The wiring section has a retaining member that holds the through-conducting section, The electric drive device according to any one of the appendices 1 to 8, wherein the holding member has a magnetic material surrounding the through-conducting portion. (Note 10) A reduction gear having a gear mechanism that reduces the rotation of the aforementioned electric motor and outputs the result, The system comprises a third housing that houses the aforementioned reduction gear, An electric drive device according to any one of the appendices 1 to 9, wherein the first housing and the third housing are integrated. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 1 Electric drive unit, 2 Electric motor, 3 Inverter, 4 Reducer, 5 First housing, 5a Cylindrical section, 5b Cover section, 6 Second housing, 7 Third housing, 8 First space, 9 Second space, 10 Third space, 11 Wiring section, 12 Retaining member, 12a Through-hole retaining section, 12b Large-diameter retaining section, 12c Through-hole, 13 Conductive member, 13a Through-conductor, 13b Flexible member, 14 Terminal, 15 Through-hole, 15a First through-hole, 15b Second through-hole, 16 Seal member, 16a First seal member, 16b Second seal member, 17 Shared wall, 18 Terminal block, 19 Motor busbar, 20 Inverter busbar, 21 Intermediate connector, 22 Magnetic material, 30 Control wiring

Claims

1. Electric motor and, An inverter that converts the power supplied to the aforementioned electric motor, A first housing containing the aforementioned electric motor, A second housing, which houses the inverter, is arranged alongside the first housing, The device comprises a wiring section having a conductive member that penetrates through holes provided in the first housing and the second housing, and electrically connects the electric motor and the inverter, The conductive member has a through-hole conductive portion, a portion on the motor side relative to the through-hole conductive portion, and a portion on the inverter side relative to the through-hole conductive portion, wherein one or both of the portion on the motor side and the portion on the inverter side are flexible members. The wiring section has a sealing member that seals the through hole, An electric drive device in which the through-conductive portion, which is made up of one member of the conductive member, penetrates the through-hole provided in the first housing and the second housing.

2. The first housing and the second housing are arranged with a gap between them. The first through-hole, which is the through-hole in the first housing, and the second through-hole, which is the through-hole in the second housing, are arranged opposite each other. The electric drive device according to claim 1, wherein the wiring section comprises a first sealing member which seals the first through hole and a second sealing member which seals the second through hole.

3. An electric motor and, An inverter that converts the power supplied to the aforementioned electric motor, A first housing containing the aforementioned electric motor, A second housing, which houses the inverter, is arranged alongside the first housing, The device comprises a wiring section having a conductive member that penetrates through holes provided in the first housing and the second housing, and electrically connects the electric motor and the inverter, The conductive member has a through-hole conductive portion, a portion on the motor side relative to the through-hole conductive portion, and a portion on the inverter side relative to the through-hole conductive portion, wherein one or both of the portion on the motor side and the portion on the inverter side are flexible members. The wiring section has a sealing member that seals the through hole, The first enclosure and the second enclosure share a common wall. The aforementioned through-hole is an electric drive device that penetrates the shared wall.

4. The wiring section is fixed to the first housing or the second housing. The electric drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the flexible member is provided on both the electric motor side and the inverter side.

5. The wiring section has a retaining member that holds the through-conducting section, The electric drive device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining member has a through-retaining portion which is a portion that penetrates the through-hole provided in the first housing, and a large-diameter retaining portion which is a portion provided on the inside of the first housing than the through-retaining portion and has a larger diameter than the through-hole, the large-diameter retaining portion is pressed against and fixed to the inner surface of the first housing by a fastening member, and a ring-shaped sealing member surrounding the opening of the through-hole is provided between the large-diameter retaining portion and the inner surface of the first housing.

6. The through-holding portion penetrates the through-hole provided in the second housing, The electric drive device according to claim 5, wherein an additional ring-shaped sealing member is provided between the through hole of the second housing and the through-holding portion.

7. The first housing has a cylindrical portion that covers the outer circumference of the electric motor and a cover portion that covers one opening of the cylindrical portion, and the cylindrical portion and the cover portion are separate components. The through hole is provided at one end of the cylindrical portion on the open side. The electric drive device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the second housing is arranged radially outward of the cylindrical portion.

8. The wiring section has a retaining member that holds the through-conducting section, The retaining member is provided with a relay connector that connects one side of the through hole to the other side. The electric drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the relay connector is connected to the electric motor and the inverter, and the wiring for controlling the electric motor is connected to the electric motor.

9. The wiring section has a retaining member that holds the through-conducting section, The electric drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holding member has a magnetic material surrounding the through-conductive portion.

10. A reduction gear having a gear mechanism that reduces the rotation of the aforementioned electric motor and outputs the result, The device comprises a third housing that houses the aforementioned reduction gear, The electric drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first housing and the third housing are integrated.

Images