Motor unit

Abstract

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

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, a structure for cooling a rotating electrical machine by attaching a cooler to the outside of the rotating electrical machine is known (e.g., Patent Document 1). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-73163 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] When a transmission or the like is attached to such a rotating electrical machine, a motor unit for driving a vehicle is configured. Such a motor unit has a problem that it tends to increase in size due to its complicated outer shape.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention, in view of the above problem, has an object of providing a motor unit capable of reducing the overall size. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0006] One embodiment of the motor unit of the present invention comprises a motor having a rotor that rotates about a motor shaft extending horizontally and a stator located radially outward from the rotor; a housing having a housing space for housing the motor; an oil passage for circulating the oil within the housing space to cool the motor; and a gear section connected to the rotor shaft on one axial side of the motor shaft, wherein the housing comprises a motor housing section having a motor chamber for housing the motor and a gear housing section having a gear chamber for housing the gear section, the gear housing section having an overhang that extends radially outward from the motor housing section when viewed from the axial direction, a cooler is provided in the path of the oil passage, and at least a part of the cooler overlaps the overhang when viewed from the axial direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a motor unit is provided that can be miniaturized overall. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram of the motor unit of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the motor unit of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the motor unit of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an exploded view of the housing of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a side view of the motor unit of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a bottom view of the motor unit of the first embodiment, viewed from below. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the motor unit of the first embodiment shown in Figure 6, AA. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of BB in Figure 6 of the motor unit of the first embodiment. [Figure 9]Figure 9 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the motor unit of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the motor unit of the second embodiment. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the stator and refrigerant supply pipe unit of the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] <First Embodiment> The motor unit 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be arbitrarily modified within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

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

[0011] Unless otherwise specified in the following description, the direction parallel to the motor shaft J2 of the motor 2 (Y-axis direction) is simply referred to as the "axial direction", the radial direction centered on the motor shaft J2 is simply referred to as the "radial direction", and the circumferential direction centered on the motor shaft J2, that is, the direction around the motor shaft J2 is simply referred to as the "circumferential direction".

[0012] In addition, in the present specification, the expression "extending along" a predetermined direction (or plane) includes not only the case of extending strictly in the predetermined direction, but also the case of extending in a direction inclined within a range of less than 45° with respect to the strict direction.

[0013] Hereinafter, a motor unit 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. The motor unit 1 of the present embodiment is mounted on a vehicle using a motor as a power source, such as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV), and an electric vehicle (EV), and is used as the power source thereof.

[0014] The motor unit 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The motor unit 1 includes a motor (main motor) 2, a gear portion 3 including a speed reduction device 4 and a differential device 5, a housing 6, an oil O accommodated in the housing 6, an oil passage 90, and an inverter unit 8.

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

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

[0017] An oil sump P that stores oil O is provided in a lower region within the accommodation space 80. In the present embodiment, the bottom portion 81a of the motor chamber 81 is located above the bottom portion 82a of the gear chamber 82. A partition opening 68 is provided in the partition wall 61c that partitions the motor chamber 81 and the gear chamber 82. The partition opening 68 allows communication between the motor chamber 81 and the gear chamber 82. The partition opening 68 guides the oil O accumulated in the lower region within the motor chamber 81 to move to the gear chamber 82. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the oil sump P is located in the lower region of the gear chamber 82.

[0018] The housing 6 has a plurality of ribs. The housing 6 includes a first rib 64 that is parallel to a horizontally extending motor shaft J2 of the motor 2 described later, that is, the first rib 64 extends horizontally, and a second rib 65 that extends in the circumferential direction of the motor shaft J2. This configuration can suppress amplification of vibration and noise generated by rotation of the motor 2 by the housing 6. In addition, the first rib 64 also functions as a draining wall during manufacturing. The draining wall is an alignment portion between molds during aluminum die casting.

[0019] <Motor> The motor 2 is housed in the motor chamber 81 of the housing 6. The motor 2 comprises a rotor 20 that rotates around a horizontally extending motor shaft J2, a stator 30 located radially outside the rotor 20, and a pair of bearings 26, 27 that rotatably support the rotor 20. The motor 2 in this embodiment is an inner rotor type motor. In this embodiment, the direction from the motor 2 toward the gear section 3 is called the axial side (+Y side), and the direction from the gear section 3 toward the motor 2 is called the axial side (-Y side).

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

[0021] The shaft 21 extends axially around the motor shaft J2. The shaft 21 rotates around the motor shaft J2. The shaft 21 is a hollow shaft having a hollow section 22 that extends axially inside. In other words, the hollow section 22 is located inside the shaft 21 and extends axially. The shaft 21 is provided with a communication hole 23. The communication hole 23 extends radially and connects the hollow section 22 to the outside of the shaft 21.

[0022] The shaft 21 extends across the motor chamber 81 and the gear chamber 82 of the housing 6. One end of the shaft 21, that is, the axial end, protrudes towards the gear chamber 82. The first gear 41 of the gear section 3 is fixed to the shaft 21 that protrudes towards the gear chamber 82.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0029] The reduction gear 4 includes a first gear (intermediate drive gear) 41, a second gear (intermediate gear) 42, a third gear (final drive gear) 43, and an intermediate shaft 45. The torque output from the motor 2 is transmitted to the ring gear (gear) 51 of the differential gear 5 via the motor 2's shaft 21, the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the intermediate shaft 45, and the third gear 43. The gear ratio and number of gears can be changed in various ways depending on the required reduction ratio. The reduction gear 4 is a parallel-axis gear type reduction gear in which the axes of each gear are arranged in parallel.

[0030] The first gear 41 is mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the motor shaft 21. The first gear 41 rotates together with the shaft 21 around the motor shaft J2. The intermediate shaft 45 extends along the intermediate shaft J4, which is parallel to the motor shaft J2. The intermediate shaft 45 rotates around the intermediate shaft J4. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate shaft 45. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are connected via the intermediate shaft 45. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 rotate around the intermediate shaft J4. The second gear 42 meshes with the first gear 41. The third gear 43 meshes with the ring gear 51 of the differential 5.

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

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

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

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

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

[0036] The peripheral wall portion 61a and the closing portion 63 of the first housing member 61 constitute the motor chamber 81, enclosing and housing the motor 2. In other words, the peripheral wall portion 61a and the closing portion 63 constitute the motor housing portion 6a shown in Figure 1. Similarly, the side plate portion 61b of the first housing member 61 and the second housing member 62 constitute a gear chamber 82, which surrounds and houses the gear section 3. That is, the side plate portion 61b and the second housing member 62 constitute the gear housing portion 6b shown in Figure 1. Thus, the housing 6 has a motor housing portion 6a which has a motor chamber 81 for housing the motor 2 inside, and a gear housing portion 6b which has a gear chamber 82 for housing the gear section 3 inside.

[0037] Figure 5 is a side view of the motor unit 1. Figure 6 is a bottom view of the motor unit 1, seen from below.

[0038] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the gear housing 6b has an overhang 6d that extends radially outward relative to the motor housing 6a when viewed from the axial direction. In this embodiment, the overhang 6d extends toward the rear and downward sides of the vehicle relative to the motor housing 6a. The overhang 6d houses a part of the gear 3. More specifically, a part of the second gear 42 and a part of the ring gear 51 are housed inside the overhang 6d.

[0039] <oil> As shown in Figure 1, the oil O circulates within an oil passage 90 provided in the housing 6. The oil passage 90 is the path for supplying oil O from the oil reservoir P to the motor 2. The oil passage 90 circulates the oil O within the housing space 80 to cool the motor 2.

[0040] Oil O is used to lubricate the reduction gear 4, the differential gear 5, and each bearing. Oil O is also used to cool the motor 2. Oil O accumulates in the lower region of the gear chamber 82, i.e., the oil reservoir P. Since oil O functions as both a lubricant and a coolant, it is preferable to use an oil equivalent to a low-viscosity automatic transmission fluid (ATF).

[0041] <Oil road> As shown in Figure 1, the oil passage 90 is provided in the housing 6. The oil passage 90 is located in the housing space 80 within the housing 6. The oil passage 90 spans the motor chamber 81 and the gear chamber 82 of the housing space 80. The oil passage 90 is the path for the oil O that guides the oil O from the oil reservoir P below the motor 2 (i.e., the lower region within the housing space 80) through the motor 2 and back to the oil reservoir P below the motor 2.

[0042] In this specification, "oil passage" refers to the concept of a path for oil O circulating within the containment space 80. Therefore, "oil passage" is a concept that includes not only "flow paths" through which oil flows steadily in one direction, but also paths where oil is temporarily retained (e.g., reservoirs) and paths through which oil drips.

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

[0044] (The common section of the first and second oil passages) First, the common parts of the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92 will be described. Both the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92 are paths that supply oil O from the oil reservoir P to the motor 2 and collect it back into the oil reservoir P. In the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92, the oil O drips down from the top of the motor 2 and accumulates in the lower region of the motor chamber 81. The oil O accumulated in the lower region of the motor chamber 81 moves through the partition opening 68 to the lower region of the gear chamber 82 (i.e., the oil reservoir P). In other words, the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92 include paths that move the oil O from the lower region of the motor chamber 81 to the lower region of the gear chamber 82.

[0045] Figures 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views of the motor unit 1. The inverter unit 8 is not shown in Figures 7 and 8. The liquid level OL of the oil O accumulated in the lower region of the motor chamber 81 is shown by a dashed line.

[0046] The bulkhead opening 68 penetrates the bulkhead 61c axially, connecting the motor chamber 81 and the gear chamber 82. When viewed from the axial direction, the horizontal width of the bulkhead opening 68 increases towards the top. The vertical position of the lower end 68a of the bulkhead opening 68 is near the lower end of the stator 30. The vertical position of the upper end 68b of the bulkhead opening 68 is slightly above the lower end of the rotor 20. The horizontal width of the upper end 68b of the bulkhead opening 68 is larger than that of the lower end 68a.

[0047] When motor 2 is driven, the amount of oil O supplied to motor 2 from oil passage 90 (i.e., the first oil passage 91 and the second oil passage 92) per unit time increases. As a result, the liquid level OL of oil O accumulated in the lower region of motor chamber 81 rises. As described above, the width of the partition wall opening 68 increases horizontally as it is viewed from the axial direction and extends upward. Therefore, as the liquid level OL of oil O in motor chamber 81 rises, the amount of oil O moving from motor chamber 81 to gear chamber 82 through the partition wall opening 68 increases. Consequently, the liquid level OL of oil O in motor chamber 81 is prevented from becoming too high. In other words, the rotor 20 in motor chamber 81 is prevented from being submerged in oil O or excessively scraping up oil O. Therefore, the reduction in the rotational efficiency of motor 2 due to the flow resistance of oil O is prevented.

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

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

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

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

[0052] In the shaft internal passage 91c, centrifugal force is applied to the oil O inside the rotor 20 as the rotor 20 rotates. As a result, the oil O is continuously scattered radially outward from the rotor 20. Furthermore, as the oil O is scattered, a negative pressure is created in the internal passage of the rotor 20, and the oil O accumulated in the first reservoir 93 is drawn into the inside of the rotor 20, filling the internal passage of the rotor 20 with oil O.

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

[0054] (Second oil route) The second oil passage (flow path) 92 includes a first oil passage (flow path) 92a, a second oil passage (flow path) 92b, a third oil passage (flow path) 92c, and a fourth oil passage (flow path) 92d. That is, the second oil passage 92 includes a first flow path 92a, a second flow path 92b, a third flow path 92c, and a fourth flow path 92d. A pump 96, a cooler 97, and a second reservoir (oil supply structure) 98 are provided along the path of the second oil passage 92. That is, the second oil passage 92, or oil passage 90, includes a flow path provided inside the housing 6 and an oil supply structure. In this embodiment, at least a first flow path 92a, a second flow path 92b, a third flow path 92c, and a fourth flow path 92d are provided as flow paths inside the housing 6 (including inside the walls of the housing 6). The oil supply structure is housed inside the housing 6. The oil supply structure has a reservoir for storing oil O, and in this embodiment, this reservoir is a second reservoir 98. The oil supply structure is located above the motor 2 and supplies oil O to the stator core 32 or coil ends 31a, 31b. The pump 96 supplies oil O to the motor 2. The cooler 97 cools the oil O as it passes through the second oil passage 92. In the second oil passage 92, the oil O is supplied to the motor 2 by passing through the first passage 92a, the pump 96, the second passage 92b, the cooler 97, the third passage 92c, the fourth passage 92d, and the second reservoir 98 in that order.

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

[0056] In this embodiment, the first channel 92a, the second channel 92b, the third channel 92c, and the fourth channel 92d pass through the interior of the wall portion of the housing 6 surrounding the containment space 80. Therefore, since there is no need to provide separate pipe material when forming the channels, it is possible to reduce the number of parts.

[0057] Pump 96 is an electric pump driven by electricity. Pump 96 draws oil O from the oil reservoir P via the first passage 92a and supplies the oil O to the motor 2 via the second passage 92b, the cooler 97, the third passage 92c, the fourth passage 92d, and the second reservoir 98. In other words, pump 96 is provided to circulate the oil O in the second oil passage 92.

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

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

[0060] The pump motor 96m rotates the internal gear of the pump mechanism 96p. The rotation axis J6 of the pump motor 96m is parallel to the motor axis J2. A pump 96 having the pump motor 96m tends to be elongated in the direction of the rotation axis J6. According to this embodiment, by making the rotation axis J6 of the pump motor 96m parallel to the motor axis J2, the radial dimensions of the motor unit 1 can be reduced. Furthermore, by reducing the radial dimensions of the motor unit 1, it becomes easier to position the pump 96 overlapping the protruding portion 6d of the housing 6 when viewed from the axial direction. As a result, the projected area of ​​the motor unit 1 in the axial direction is suppressed, making it easier to miniaturize the motor unit 1.

[0061] The pump 96 is located below the motor chamber 81. The pump 96 is also fixed to the surface of the protruding portion 6d facing the motor housing portion 6a. The intake port 96a of the pump 96 is positioned opposite the protruding portion 6d. The first flow path 92a connected to the intake port 96a of the pump 96 penetrates the wall surface of the protruding portion 6d linearly in the axial direction and opens into the lower region of the gear chamber 82. In other words, the protruding portion 6d is provided with a first flow path 92a that extends along the axial direction and connects from the lower region of the gear chamber 82 (i.e., the oil reservoir P) to the pump 96.

[0062] According to this embodiment, since the pump 96 is located below the motor chamber 81, the suction port 96a can be easily positioned near the oil reservoir P. As a result, the first flow path 92a connecting the oil reservoir P and the suction port 96a can be shortened. Furthermore, because the distance between the oil reservoir P and the suction port 96a is short, the first flow path 92a can be made into a straight flow path. By making the first flow path 92a a straight and short flow path, the pressure loss in the path from the oil reservoir P to the pump 96 can be reduced, and efficient circulation of oil O can be achieved.

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

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

[0065] As shown in Figure 5, the cooler 97 and pump 96 overlap at least a portion of the protruding portion 6d of the gear housing 6b when viewed from the axial direction. The gear section 3 is housed inside the protruding portion 6d. The axial projected area of ​​the protruding portion 6d is determined depending on the size of each gear in the gear section 3. According to this embodiment, by arranging the cooler 97 and pump 96 to overlap the protruding portion 6d in the axial direction, it is possible to suppress the increase in the axial projected area of ​​the motor unit 1 due to the cooler 97 and pump 96. This suppresses the increase in the axial projected area of ​​the motor unit 1, making the motor unit 1 smaller.

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

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

[0068] The vertical position of the cooler 97 coincides with the vertical position of the differential shaft J5. This prevents the cooler 97 from protruding vertically upward or downward, thereby enabling a reduction in the vertical size of the motor unit 1.

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

[0070] According to this embodiment, the pump 96 and the cooler 97 are fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the housing 6. Therefore, compared to the case where the pump 96 and the cooler 97 are fixed to an external structure of the housing 6, this contributes to miniaturization of the motor unit 1.

[0071] As shown in Figure 7, the second flow path 92b passes through the inside of the wall of the motor housing 6a. The second flow path 92b includes a straight section 92ba and a connecting hole section 92bb. In the second flow path 92b, the oil O flows in the order of the straight section 92ba and the connecting hole section 92bb.

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

[0073] The connection hole 92bb extends radially. The connection hole 92bb opens onto the outer circumferential surface of the motor housing 6a. The opening of the connection hole 92bb is connected to the inlet 97b of the cooler 97.

[0074] In this embodiment, the second flow path 92b extends inside the wall of the motor housing 6a along the circumferential direction of the motor shaft J2. Furthermore, the axial position of the second flow path 92b coincides with the axial position of the stator 30. In other words, the axial positions of the second flow path 92b and the stator 30 overlap with each other. Therefore, the stator 30 can be cooled by the oil O passing through the second flow path 92b.

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

[0076] The first connection hole 92ca extends radially. The first connection hole 92ca opens onto the outer circumferential surface of the motor housing 6a. The opening of the first connection hole 92ca is connected to the outlet 97c of the cooler 97.

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

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

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

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

[0081] In this embodiment, the third flow path 92c extends inside the wall of the motor housing 6a along the circumferential and axial directions of the motor shaft J2. The axial position of the third flow path 92c coincides with the axial position of the stator 30. The radial position of the third flow path 92c coincides with the radial position of the stator 30. In other words, the axial positions of the third flow path 92c and the stator 30 coincide with each other. Therefore, the stator 30 can be cooled by the oil O passing through the third flow path 92c. In particular, the oil O that has just passed through the cooler 97 flows through the third flow path 92c. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be efficiently cooled by the oil O flowing through the third flow path 92c. In this embodiment, the cooler 97 is located downstream of the pump 96 in the second oil passage 92. However, the cooler 97 may be located upstream of the pump 96 in the second oil passage 92. In this configuration, the pump 96 is positioned in the flow path connecting the cooler 97 and the upper region of the housing space 80 (corresponding to the third flow path 92c in this embodiment). Even in this case, if the axial position of the flow path connecting the cooler 97 and the upper region of the housing space 80 coincides with the axial position of the stator 30, the stator 30 can be efficiently cooled by the oil O immediately after passing through the cooler 97.

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

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

[0084] The first straight section 92db extends linearly along the circumferential direction of the motor shaft J2. One upstream end of the first straight section 92db is connected to the first connection hole 92da. Multiple second connection holes 92dc are also connected to the first straight section 92db. In other words, multiple second connection holes 92dc are provided in the fourth flow path 92d. In this embodiment, two second connection holes 92dc are connected to the first straight section 92db.

[0085] Figure 9 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing details of the area enclosed by the dashed line in Figure 1. Note that the orientation of Figure 9 differs from that of Figures 7 and 8 in the X and Y directions. That is, Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the X axis, while Figures 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views perpendicular to the Y axis. The second connection hole 92dc extends along the axial direction. The second connection hole 92dc penetrates the wall of the motor housing 6a inward. One end of the second connection hole 92cd opens into the motor chamber 81 above the second reservoir 98. In other words, oil O is supplied to the second reservoir 98 from the second connection hole 92dc, which extends along the axial direction. The second connection hole 92dc is a flow path portion. In short, oil O is supplied to the oil supply structure from the flow path portion that extends along the axial direction. In this embodiment, oil O flows through the second connection hole 92dc toward the other axial direction (-Y side) and is supplied to the second reservoir 98.

[0086] According to this embodiment, a second connection hole 92dc is opened along the axial direction of the motor shaft J2. This ensures that oil O is reliably supplied to the second reservoir 98 even when the vehicle (not shown) on which the motor unit 1 is mounted is tilted on a slope, compared to the case where oil O is supplied to the second reservoir 98 from the radial direction of the motor shaft J2. That is, for example, consider the case where oil O is supplied to the second reservoir 98 from above in the direction of gravity. In this case, if the bottom surface of the second reservoir 98 is tilted, oil O will not flow to the part located above the point of supply in the direction of gravity. In contrast, when oil O is supplied from the horizontal direction relative to the direction of gravity, as in this embodiment, the oil O is supplied to the second reservoir 98 with momentum to flow horizontally. Therefore, the oil O flows vigorously along the bottom surface of the second reservoir 98. As a result, even if the bottom surface of the second reservoir 98 is slightly tilted, the oil O flows along the bottom surface and walls of the second reservoir 98. Therefore, the oil O is easily supplied to the entire bottom surface of the second reservoir 98. Consequently, it is less affected by inclination on slopes, etc., and the motor 2 can be reliably supplied with oil O. In this embodiment, the direction in which the oil O flows through the second connection hole (flow channel portion) 92dc and the direction in which the oil O flows through the shaft internal path 91c are the same. Specifically, the oil O in the second connection hole 92dc flows to the other axial side (-Y side), and the oil O in the shaft internal path 91c flows to the other axial side. Therefore, the length of the oil passage that leads the oil O from the oil reservoir P to the second reservoir 98 via the second connection hole 92dc, and the length of the oil passage that leads the oil O from the oil reservoir P to the shaft internal path 91c can both be kept short. In addition, since there is no need to provide an oil passage in the detachable closure portion 63 relative to the first housing member 61, the structure of the housing 6 can be simplified compared to the case where an oil passage is provided in the closure portion 63.

[0087] As shown in Figure 8, according to this embodiment, the second connection holes 92dc are provided on both the +X axis side and the -X axis side of the motor shaft J2, specifically in the horizontal direction, centered on the motor shaft J2. That is, the multiple second connection holes 92dc are arranged on both sides of the motor shaft J2 in the front-rear direction, i.e., on the front and rear sides of the motor shaft J2. As a result, even when a vehicle (not shown) on which the motor unit 1 is mounted is tilted on a slope, etc., oil O can be supplied evenly to the +X axis side and the -X axis side of the second reservoir 98, thereby enabling even cooling of the entire motor 2.

[0088] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the first straight section 92cb of the third flow path 92c, the third straight section 92cc, and the first straight section 92db of the fourth flow path 92d each extend linearly in different directions along the circumferential direction of the motor shaft J2. The second straight section 92cbc of the third flow path 92c extends linearly along the axial direction of the motor shaft J2. Generally, it is difficult to construct curved flow paths in the walls of a housing 6 made of metal material. However, linear flow paths can be easily provided in the walls of the housing 6 by machining.

[0089] As shown in Figure 6, according to this embodiment, the positions of the pump 96 and the cooler 97 in the axial direction overlap. The cooler 97 and the pump 96 are connected via a second flow path 92b. That is, the second oil passage 92 is provided with a second flow path 92b that connects the pump 96 and the cooler 97. According to this embodiment, because the axial positions of the pump 96 and the cooler 97 overlap, a structure can be realized in which the second flow path 92b extends linearly in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. That is, the second flow path 92b can be a short, linear flow path, reducing pressure loss in the path from the pump 96 to the cooler 97 and enabling efficient circulation of oil O.

[0090] As shown in Figure 1, the second reservoir 98 is located in the motor chamber 81 of the housing space 80. The second reservoir 98 is located above the motor 2. The second reservoir 98 stores the oil O supplied to the motor chamber 81 via the third flow path 92c and the fourth flow path 92d. The second reservoir 98 has a plurality of outlets 98a. Each outlet 98a opens toward the stator core 32 or the coil ends 31a, 31b. That is, the second reservoir 98, or reservoir, has outlets 98a that open toward the stator core 32 or the coil ends 31a, 31b. The oil O accumulated in the second reservoir 98 is supplied to the motor 2 from each outlet 98a. The oil O that flows out of the outlets 98a of the second reservoir 98 flows from top to bottom along the outer surface of the motor 2, removing heat from the motor 2. This allows the entire motor 2 to be cooled.

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

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

[0093] According to this embodiment, a cooler 97 for cooling the oil O is provided in the path of the second oil passage 92. The oil O that has passed through the second oil passage 92 and been cooled by the cooler 97 merges with the oil O that has passed through the first oil passage 91 in the oil reservoir P. In the oil reservoir P, the oil O that has passed through the first oil passage 91 and the oil O that has passed through the second oil passage 92 mix with each other and heat exchange takes place. Therefore, the cooling effect of the cooler 97 placed in the path of the second oil passage 92 can also be extended to the oil O that passes through the first oil passage 91.

[0094] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a portion of the second oil passage 92 is provided in the partition wall 61c of the housing 6. That is, the partition wall 61c has a portion of the flow path that supplies oil O to the oil supply structure. The partition wall 61c has a certain thickness in the axial direction in order to hold the second bearing 27. Therefore, even when a second oil passage 92 that supplies oil O to the second reservoir 98 is formed within the partition wall 61c, it is not necessary to make the partition wall 61c thicker, and the motor unit 1 can be miniaturized. Specifically, in this embodiment, the flow path has a first partition wall flow path located within the partition wall 61c, and a plurality of second partition wall flow paths located within the partition wall 61c that branch off from the first partition wall flow path and extend in the axial direction. The plurality of second partition wall flow paths are arranged downstream of the first partition wall flow path. Specifically, the first partition wall flow path includes the first straight section 92db of the fourth flow path 92d. The multiple internal passages within the second partition wall include multiple second connection holes 92dc of the fourth passage 92d. Oil O is supplied from these multiple internal passages within the second partition wall to the second reservoir 98, i.e., the oil supply structure. According to this embodiment, by branching the passages within the partition wall 61c, it is not necessary to separately provide branching pipes or the like, which reduces the number of parts and simplifies the structure. In addition, oil O can be efficiently supplied over a wide area to the second reservoir 98 from the multiple internal passages within the second partition wall.

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

[0096] When viewed from the axial direction, at least a portion of the inverter unit 8 overlaps with the protruding portion 6d of the gear housing 6b. According to this embodiment, by arranging the inverter unit 8 to overlap with the protruding portion 6d when viewed from the axial direction, it is possible to suppress the increase in the axial projected area of ​​the motor unit 1 due to the inverter unit 8. This suppresses the increase in the axial projected area of ​​the motor unit 1, and makes the motor unit 1 smaller.

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

[0098] According to this embodiment, the inverter unit 8 is located on the opposite side of the cooler 97 from the motor shaft J2 when viewed from the vertical direction. Therefore, by effectively utilizing the area that overlaps with the protruding portion 6d when viewed from the axial direction, it is possible to reduce the horizontal dimensions of the motor unit 1, thereby enabling miniaturization of the motor unit 1.

[0099] As shown in Figure 1, the inverter unit 8 is connected to a cooling water pipe 97j extending from a radiator (not shown). This allows for efficient cooling of the inverter unit 8. In addition, the cooling water flowing through the cooling water pipe 97j also cools the motor housing 6a, which is in contact with the housing of the inverter unit 8, via the housing itself.

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

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

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

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

[0104] One of the fixing parts 32b protrudes upward from the stator core body 32a. Another of the fixing parts 32b protrudes downward from the stator core body 32a. Yet another of the fixing parts 32b protrudes forward (+X side) from the stator core body 32a. The remaining fixing part 32b protrudes backward (-X side) from the stator core body 32a.

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

[0106] The fixing portion 32b extends in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 32b extends from the left (+Y side) end of the stator core 32 to the right (-Y side) end of the stator core 32. In other words, the fixing portion 32b extends along the entire axial length of the stator core 32. The fixing portion 32b has a through hole 32c that penetrates the fixing portion 32b in the axial direction. A bolt (not shown) that extends in the axial direction is passed through the through hole 32c. The bolt is passed through the through hole 32c from the right side (-Y side) and tightened into a female screw hole (not shown) provided in the motor housing 6a or partition wall 61c. By tightening the bolt into the female screw hole, the fixing portion 32b is fixed to the motor housing 6a or partition wall 61c. In addition, the outer circumferential surface of the stator core body 32a is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the motor housing 6a at least one location in the circumferential direction. In other words, a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the stator core body 32a located between a pair of adjacent fixing portions 32b in the circumferential direction and a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the motor housing portion 6a in the circumferential direction come into contact with each other. In this embodiment, the outer circumferential surface of the stator core body 32a and the inner circumferential surface of the motor housing portion 6a come into contact with each other at multiple locations spaced apart in the circumferential direction, for example, at four locations. As a result, the inner circumferential surface of the motor housing portion 6a and the outer circumferential surface of the stator core body 32a are fitted together. With the above configuration, the stator 30 is fixed to the housing 6.

[0107] As shown in Figure 11, in this embodiment, the coil ends 31a and 31b are annular in shape with the motor shaft J2 as the center. Although not shown in the figure, the coil ends 31a and 31b may include binding members for bundling the coils 31 together, or they may include jumper wires for connecting the coils 31 to each other.

[0108] As shown in Figure 10, the housing 6 contains oil O as a coolant. In other words, in this embodiment, the coolant is oil O. The oil O is contained inside the motor housing 6a and the gear housing 6b. In this specification, "oil is contained inside a certain part" means that oil is present inside the certain part for at least a portion of the time while the motor is running, and does not need to be present inside the certain part when the motor is stopped. For example, in this embodiment, "oil O is contained inside the motor housing 6a" means that oil O is present inside the motor housing 6a for at least a portion of the time while the motor 2 is running, and when the motor 2 is stopped, all of the oil O inside the motor housing 6a may have moved to the gear housing 6b through the partition opening 68. In addition, some of the oil O sent to the inside of the motor housing 6a by the oil passage 90 may remain inside the motor housing 6a when the motor 2 is stopped.

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

[0110] The refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is housed inside the motor housing 6a. In other words, the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is housed inside the housing 6. The refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is positioned between the inner circumferential surface of the housing 6 and the outer circumferential surface of the stator 30. The refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is located above the stator 30. Specifically, the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is positioned between the top wall of the motor housing 6a and the upper end of the outer circumferential surface of the stator core body 32a. The left (+Y) end of the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is fixed to the wall or partition wall 61c of the motor housing 6a. The left end of the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is connected to the fourth flow path 92d. The right (-Y) end of the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is fixed to the top wall or closure 63 of the motor housing 6a. In other words, the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is fixed to the housing 6.

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

[0112] The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are cylindrical in shape and extend in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are cylindrical pipes that extend linearly along the axial direction. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction. That is, the second supply pipe 112 is spaced apart from the first supply pipe 111. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are parallel to each other. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are located radially outside the stator 30. In this embodiment, the radial position of the first supply pipe 111 and the radial position of the second supply pipe 112 are the same. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are located above the stator core body 32a. The vertical position of the first supply pipe 111 and the vertical position of the second supply pipe 112 are the same.

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

[0114] Viewed radially, specifically from above, the upper fixed portion 32b is located between the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112. In other words, the fixed portion 32b is positioned between the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 when viewed radially. The first supply pipe 111 extends along the direction in which the fixed portion 32b extends. The second supply pipe 112 extends along the direction in which the fixed portion 32b extends. According to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be cooled over a wide area on both sides of the upper fixed portion 32b in the direction in which the fixed portion 32b extends, i.e., in the axial direction, by the refrigerant injected from the first supply pipe 111 and the refrigerant injected from the second supply pipe 112.

[0115] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the first supply pipe 111 has a first supply pipe body 111a, a small-diameter portion 111b connected to the left (+Y) end of the first supply pipe body 111a, and a first injection hole (injection hole) 111c penetrating the peripheral wall of the first supply pipe body 111a. In other words, the first supply pipe 111 has a first injection hole 111c penetrating the peripheral wall of the first supply pipe 111. The first injection hole 111c opens toward the stator core 32 or coil ends 31a, 31b.

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

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

[0118] Multiple first injection holes 111c are provided. Multiple first injection holes 111c are provided spaced apart from each other in the axial direction (Y-axis direction). According to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be cooled over a wide area in the axial direction by the oil O injected from multiple first injection holes 111c arranged in the axial direction. Multiple first injection holes 111c are also provided spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. According to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be cooled over a wide area in the circumferential direction by the oil O injected from multiple first injection holes 111c arranged in the circumferential direction.

[0119] The second supply pipe 112 has a second supply pipe body 112a, a small-diameter portion 112b connected to the left (+Y) end of the second supply pipe body 112a, and a second injection hole (injection hole) 112c that penetrates the peripheral wall of the second supply pipe body 112a. In other words, the second supply pipe 112 has a second injection hole 112c that penetrates the peripheral wall of the second supply pipe 112. The second injection hole 112c opens toward the stator core 32 or coil ends 31a, 31b.

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

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

[0122] Multiple second injection holes 112c are provided. Multiple second injection holes 112c are provided spaced apart from each other in the axial direction (Y-axis direction). According to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be cooled over a wide area in the axial direction by the oil O injected from multiple second injection holes 112c arranged in the axial direction. Multiple second injection holes 112c are also provided spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. According to this embodiment, the stator 30 can be cooled over a wide area in the circumferential direction by the oil O injected from multiple second injection holes 112c arranged in the circumferential direction.

[0123] The connecting portion 119 connects the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112. According to this embodiment, since the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are connected by the connecting portion 119, relative positional accuracy between the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 can be ensured, and the first supply pipe 111, the second supply pipe 112, and the connecting portion 119 can be easily installed inside the housing 6. The connecting portion 119 is connected to the end of the first supply pipe 111 and the end of the second supply pipe 112. The connecting portion 119 is fixed to the top wall of the motor housing 6a. According to this embodiment, since the connecting portion 119 connects the end of the first supply pipe 111 and the end of the second supply pipe 112, it is easy to offset the connecting portion 119 and the fixing portion 32b when viewed from the radial direction. Furthermore, both ends of the first supply pipe 111 are supported by the connecting portion 119 and the housing 6 in a double-supported manner, and both ends of the second supply pipe 112 are also supported by the connecting portion 119 and the housing 6 in a double-supported manner. This ensures that the mounting position of the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 to the housing 6 is stable. In addition, the refrigerant injected from the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 is less likely to be obstructed by the connecting portion 119. The refrigerant can be injected over a wide area from both the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112, thereby increasing the cooling efficiency of the stator 30. Moreover, the refrigerant injected from the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 can be supplied not only to the outer surface of the stator 30 but also to other parts, such as the bearing 26 of the occlusion portion 63.

[0124] The connecting portion 119 is connected to the right (-Y) end of the first supply pipe 111, which is different from the end where the small-diameter portion 111b is located, thereby closing the right end of the first supply pipe 111. The connecting portion 119 is connected to the right end of the second supply pipe 112, which is different from the end where the small-diameter portion 112b is located, thereby closing the right end of the second supply pipe 112. In other words, the connecting portion 119 is connected to the downstream end of both ends of the first supply pipe 111 and to the downstream end of both ends of the second supply pipe 112. According to this embodiment, the connecting portion 119 can support the downstream ends of both the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 while closing each of their downstream ends. Unlike this embodiment, for example, compared to a case where a connecting member for connecting the first supply pipe and the second supply pipe, a plug member for closing the downstream end of the first supply pipe, and a plug member for closing the downstream end of the second supply pipe are provided separately, this embodiment reduces the number of parts, simplifies the configuration, and makes assembly easier.

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

[0126] In the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110, the first supply pipe 111, the second supply pipe 112, and the connecting part 119 are parts of a single component. The first supply pipe 111, the second supply pipe 112, and the connecting part 119 are made of, for example, resin. Unlike this embodiment, for example, compared to a case where the first supply pipe, the second supply pipe, and the connecting part are made of separate components, this embodiment reduces the number of parts and the assembly process for the first supply pipe 111, the second supply pipe 112, and the connecting part 119. Furthermore, because the relative positional accuracy of the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 is stably ensured, the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110 is easy to assemble into the housing 6.

[0127] Although not specifically shown, the first elastic ring member is an annular member that can be elastically deformed, such as an O-ring. The first elastic ring member is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the small-diameter portion 111b of the first supply pipe 111. In other words, the first elastic ring member is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the upstream end of the first supply pipe 111, which is different from the end connected to the connecting portion 119. According to this embodiment, the first elastic ring member is positioned between the upstream end of the first supply pipe 111 and a hole (not shown) provided in the wall or partition wall 61c of the motor housing 6a. This ensures a seal between the upstream end of the first supply pipe 111 and the hole, and allows refrigerant to be efficiently supplied from the first supply pipe 111 to the outer circumferential surface of the stator 30. Furthermore, since the first elastic ring member provides a vibration damping function, the generation of noise and other vibrations between the first supply pipe 111 and the hole is suppressed.

[0128] Although not specifically shown, the second elastic ring member is an annular member that can be elastically deformed, such as an O-ring. The second elastic ring member is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the small-diameter portion 112b of the second supply pipe 112. In other words, the second elastic ring member is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the upstream end of the second supply pipe 112, which is different from the end connected to the connecting portion 119. According to this embodiment, the second elastic ring member is positioned between the upstream end of the second supply pipe 112 and a hole (not shown) provided in the wall or partition wall 61c of the motor housing 6a. This ensures a seal between the upstream end of the second supply pipe 112 and the hole, and allows refrigerant to be efficiently supplied from the second supply pipe 112 to the outer circumferential surface of the stator 30. Furthermore, since the second elastic ring member provides a vibration damping function, the generation of noise and other vibrations between the second supply pipe 112 and the hole is suppressed.

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

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

[0131] In this embodiment, multiple supply pipes 111 and 112 are provided as an oil supply structure. Each of the multiple supply pipes 111 and 112 has a first supply pipe 111 and a second supply pipe 112. Accordingly, multiple second connection holes 92dc are also provided. The second connection holes 92dc are provided in pairs, branching off from the first straight section 92db. Each second connection hole 92dc is connected to each supply pipe 111 or 112. In this embodiment as well, since the flow path is branched inside the wall of the housing 6, there is no need to separately provide branching pipes or the like, which reduces the number of parts and simplifies the structure. Furthermore, oil O can be efficiently supplied over a wide area to the stator 30 from the multiple supply pipes 111 and 112.

[0132] The supply pipe internal flow path 192d is a refrigerant flow path located inside the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110. In other words, the supply pipe internal flow path 192d is located inside the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110. The supply pipe internal flow path 192d extends in the axial direction. The supply pipe internal flow path 192d is connected to the fourth flow path 92d. As shown in Figure 11, multiple supply pipe internal flow paths 192d are provided in the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110, and in this embodiment, a pair is provided. The pair of supply pipe internal flow paths 192d are each connected to the fourth flow path 92d. The pair of supply pipe internal flow paths 192d are flow paths located downstream of the fourth flow path 92d in the second oil passage 92. According to this embodiment, since a part of the oil passage 90 can be formed by the refrigerant supply pipe unit 110, the degree of freedom in the shape of the oil passage 90 is increased, and the structure of the oil passage 90 can be simplified. One of the pair of supply pipe internal passages 192d is located inside the first supply pipe 111 and is connected to the first injection hole 111c which opens into the circumferential wall of the first supply pipe 111. The other of the pair of supply pipe internal passages 192d is located inside the second supply pipe 112 and is connected to the second injection hole 112c which opens into the circumferential wall of the second supply pipe 112. In other words, the supply pipe internal passages 192d are connected to the injection holes 111c and 112c.

[0133] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and modifications to the configuration, etc., are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention, as described below, for example.

[0134] In the second embodiment, an example was given in which the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 are cylindrical pipes extending linearly along the axial direction, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 may be other types of piping, such as block-shaped pipes. At least one of the first supply pipe 111 and the second supply pipe 112 may extend in a shape other than a straight line, for example, a curved shape.

[0135] The pump 96 is not limited to an electric pump; for example, it may be a mechanical pump having a part connected to the shaft 21 and capable of pumping oil O as the shaft 21 rotates around the motor shaft J2.

[0136] Although embodiments and variations of the present invention have been described above, the configurations and combinations thereof in the embodiments are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0137] 1,100…Motor unit, 2…Motor, 3…Gear section, 5…Differential gear, 6…Housing, 6a…Motor housing, 6b…Gear housing, 6d…Protruding section, 8…Inverter unit, 20…Rotor, 21…Shaft (motor shaft), 22…Hollow section, 23…Communication hole, 30…Stator, 31…Coil, 31a,31b…Coil end, 32…Stator core, 51…Ring gear, 61c…Bulkhead, 68…Bulkhead opening, 80…Housing space, 81…Motor room, 82…Gear room, 90…Oil passage, 91c…Shaft internal path, 92… 92a...First passage, 92b...Second passage, 92c...Third passage, 92d...Fourth passage, 96...Pump, 97...Cooler, 97a...Contact surface, 92db...First straight section (First passage inside the bulkhead), 92dc...Second connection hole (Part of the passage. Second passage inside the bulkhead), 98...Second reservoir (oil supply structure), 98a...Outlet, 111...First supply pipe (oil supply structure), 111c...First injection hole, 112...Second supply pipe (oil supply structure), 112c...Second injection hole, J2...Motor shaft, J5...Differential shaft, O...Oil

Claims

1. A motor having a rotor that rotates around a motor shaft extending in the axial direction and a stator located radially outward from the rotor, A housing having a housing space for housing the motor, Within the aforementioned containment space, there is an oil passage for circulating oil and cooling the motor, The motor shaft comprises a gear section connected to the rotor shaft on one axial side of the motor shaft, The aforementioned housing is A motor housing section is provided inside which a motor chamber for housing the aforementioned motor, A gear housing section having a gear chamber inside which the gear section is housed, It has, The gear housing portion has a protruding portion that extends radially outward from the motor housing portion when viewed from the axial direction. A cooler is provided in the path of the aforementioned oil passage. Viewed from the axial direction, at least a portion of the cooler overlaps the protruding portion, The cooler is positioned between the gear housing and the motor housing in the oil passage, and a cooling water pipe is connected to the cooler. The oil passing through the cooler is cooled by heat exchange with the cooling water passing through the cooling water pipe. The aforementioned oil passage is A first part connecting the gear housing and the cooler, It has a second part that connects the cooler and the motor housing, At least a portion of the second part is located above the lower end of the stator, Motor unit.

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

3. The aforementioned multiple gears are, A gear rotatable around the motor shaft, Includes a gear that can rotate about a rotation axis parallel to the motor shaft, The motor shaft is located on one side of the rotation shaft in a first direction perpendicular to the axial direction, The cooler is provided on one side of the rotation axis in the first direction, The motor unit according to claim 1 or 2.

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

5. The motor unit according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the cooler overlaps with the stator in the axial direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The housing further has a partition wall separating the gear chamber and the motor chamber, The aforementioned oil passage is An oil supply structure located above the motor and supplying the oil to the stator, The housing has a flow path provided inside it, The aforementioned flow path connects the cooler and the oil supply structure. At least a portion of the aforementioned flow path is provided inside the partition wall, A motor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The aforementioned flow path is A first internal flow channel within the partition wall is located within the partition wall and extends in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, It has a linear portion located within the partition wall, extending linearly in a direction different from the first partition wall internal flow path in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and connected to the first partition wall internal flow path, The motor unit according to claim 6.

8. A pump is further provided in the oil passage. The motor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the position of the cooler and the position of the pump in the axial direction overlap with each other.

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

10. The inverter unit is electrically connected to the motor and fixed to the housing, The aforementioned multiple gears are, A first gear rotatable around the motor shaft, A second gear is rotatable about an intermediate shaft parallel to the motor shaft and meshes with the first gear, A third gear connected to the second gear via an intermediate shaft, It has a ring gear that meshes with the second gear and is rotatable about a differential shaft parallel to the motor shaft, Viewed from the axial direction, at least a portion of the inverter unit overlaps the ring gear, The motor unit according to claim 2.

11. The inverter unit is electrically connected to the motor and fixed to the housing, The motor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cooler, the rotating shaft, and the inverter unit are arranged in this order from one side to the other in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

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