Electric drive apparatus for vehicle, and vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electric drive apparatus (1) for a vehicle, the electric drive apparatus comprising: a first housing (10)for accommodating a first electronic apparatus; a second housing (20) for accommodating a second electronic apparatus; and a third housing (30) for accommodating an electric motor and / or a gearbox. The second housing (20) is arranged between the first housing (10) and the third housing (30), and the second housing (20) is detachably mounted to the third housing (30), and first housing (10) is detachably mounted to the second housing (20). The first housing (10) is configured to be able to detach from the second housing (20) in a scenario in which the second housing (20) is mounted to the third housing (30). The present disclosure further relates to a vehicle comprising the electric drive apparatus (1) described above.

Description

[0001] Electric drive apparatus for vehicle, and vehicle

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to an electric drive apparatus for a vehicle, and to a vehicle comprising such an electric drive apparatus.

[0004] Background

[0005] As vehicles gradually develop, the space inside vehicles is becoming ever more compact; as an important motive power system of vehicles, electric drive apparatuses face ever higher requirements to become more lightweight, smaller, more integrated and multifunctional, and lower in cost. The electric drive apparatus mainly comprises: a gearbox and an electronic apparatus, wherein the electronic apparatus may comprise electric motor control components such as an inverter, a voltage converter, an onboard charger and a power distributor.

[0006] In known solutions, the electric drive apparatus is generally integrated as an all-in-one product. Such an integrated electric drive apparatus is able to achieve multifunctionality with a compact structure, facilitating mounting of the electric drive apparatus. However, the compact structure of the electric drive apparatus makes maintenance and repair inconvenient. For example, when different electric motor control components of an electric drive apparatus may be arranged in different housings, but when one of the components needs to be repaired or replaced, it is generally necessary to remove all the electric motor control components from the housings of the electric motor and the gearbox, which not only makes subsequent mounting inconvenient, but also may cause additional damage to the electric motor control components.

[0007] Summary

[0008] Therefore, the present disclosure is intended to provide an electric drive apparatus for a vehicle. The electric drive apparatus according to the present disclosure has a compact structure of integrated components, and is suitable for being partially detached, to facilitate repair, replacement, etc. The object is achieved by means of an electric drive apparatus for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, comprising a first housing, which is used for accommodating a first electronic apparatus; a second housing, which is used for accommodating a second electronic apparatus; and a third housing, which is used for accommodating an electric motor and / or a gearbox, wherein the second housing is arranged between the first housing and the third housing, and wherein the second housing is detachably mounted to the third housing, the first housing is detachably mounted to the second housing, and the first housing is configured to be able to detach from the second housing in a scenario in which the second housing is mounted to the third housing.

[0009] The object of the present invention lies in proposing an electric drive apparatus, which has a compact structure of integrated components, and is also suitable for being partially detached, to facilitate repair, replacement, etc. The electric drive apparatus according to the present disclosure comprises a first housing, a second housing and a third housing, wherein the second housing is detachably mounted to the third housing, and the first housing is detachably mounted to the second housing. When the first to third housings are mounted together, the electric drive apparatus has a compact structure of integrated components, which can be integrally mounted in a vehicle. In addition, the first housing of the electric drive apparatus is configured to be detachable from the second housing in a scenario in which the second housing is mounted to the third housing. When the first electronic apparatus in the first housing needs to be repaired or replaced, a user can just detach the first housing from the electric drive apparatus. After repair or replacement is completed, it is also only necessary to further mount the first housing to the second housing. This not only reduces (dis)assembly steps for maintenance or repair operations, but also reduces the effect of the operations on the second electronic apparatus that is arranged in the second housing, and especially reduces the effect on a physical connection and an electrical connection of the second electronic apparatus and the electric motor and / or gearbox in the third housing.

[0010] The electric drive apparatus for a vehicle according to the present disclosure may further have one or more of the following features individually or in combination.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first housing comprises a first cooling channel, and the second housing comprises a second cooling channel, wherein the first housing is joined to the second housing at a first joint face, and the first cooling channel is joined in a sealed manner to the second cooling channel at a second joint face, and wherein the second joint face is located at a level lower than the first joint face. When the first housing is detached, the first cooling channel is disconnected from the second cooling channel, and cooling medium therein may flow out from the first cooling channel. By means of arranging the second joint face that is between the first and second cooling channels to be lower than the first joint face between the first housing and the second housing, cooling medium that has dripped onto the second joint face can be prevented from flowing into the second housing and damaging the second electronic apparatus.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second housing comprises a sidewall that defines an interior space, and a top face of the sidewall defines the first joint face, the second cooling channel comprises a first port that is open at the second joint face, and the first cooling channel is joined to the first port in a sealed manner.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first cooling channel comprises a first plug, and, when the first housing is mounted to the second housing, the first plug is inserted in the first port.

[0014] According to the above features, the mounting of the first housing to the second housing or detachment thereof from the second housing is sufficient to connect or disconnect the first cooling channel and the second cooling channel, thereby saving on extra steps for (dis)assembling the cooling channels.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electric drive apparatus further comprises: one or more first fastening assemblies, configured to fasten the first housing and the second housing to the third housing, and one or more second fastening assemblies, configured to fasten the second housing to the third housing. The first fastening assembly alone can fasten the first housing, the second housing and the third housing, such that the electric drive apparatus has an integrated compact structure. After the first fastening assembly is loosened, the first housing can be detached from the second housing, but the second housing can still be fastened to the third housing at this time by means of the second fastening assembly.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first fastening assembly comprises a first fastener, a first through hole that is arranged on the first housing, and a second through hole that is arranged on the second housing, the first fastener passing through the first through hole and the second through hole, and fastening to the third housing.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first fastening assembly further comprises a first threaded hole that is arranged on the third housing, and the first fastener is screwed into the first threaded hole.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second fastening assembly comprises a second fastener, and a third through hole that is arranged on the second housing, the second fastener passing through the third through hole, and fastening to the third housing.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second fastening assembly further comprises a second threaded hole that is arranged on the third housing, and the second fastener is screwed into the second threaded hole.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second fastening assembly comprises a fastening pin that is arranged on one of the second housing and the third housing, and the fastening pin is in interference fit with the other one of the second housing and the third housing.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electric drive apparatus further comprises: one or more third fastening assemblies, configured to fasten the first housing to the second housing. That is, besides the first fastening assembly, the mounting strength between the first housing and the second housing can be enhanced by means of the third fastening assembly.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the third fastening assembly comprises a third fastener, a fourth through hole that is arranged on the first housing, and a third threaded hole that is arranged on the second housing, the third fastener passing through the fourth through hole and being screwed into the third threaded hole.

[0023] The present disclosure further relates to a vehicle, comprising the electric drive apparatus described above.

[0024] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the description and the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. The drawings below are not drawn to scale according to actual dimensions but rather focus on showing the main purpose of the present disclosure.

[0026] Fig. 1 shows an electric drive apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, comprising a first housing, a second housing and a third housing;

[0027] Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the electric drive apparatus;

[0028] Fig. 3 is a partial cutaway view of the electric drive apparatus, and shows a first cooling channel of the first housing and a second cooling channel of the second housing;

[0029] Fig. 4 shows in detail a portion of the second housing;

[0030] Fig. 5 shows a first fastening assembly in a partial cutaway view;

[0031] Fig. 6 shows a second fastening assembly in a partial cutaway view;

[0032] Fig. 7 shows a first fastening assembly, a second fastening assembly and a third fastening assembly of an electric drive apparatus from a top view.

[0033] In the drawings, identical or similar components are indicated by identical reference numerals.

[0034] Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0035] To clarify the objective, technical solutions and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure are described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure. It must be explained that the embodiments described are some, not all, of the embodiments of the present disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of the present disclosure without the need for inventive effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0036] Unless defined otherwise, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the common meanings as understood by those of ordinary skill in the field to which the present disclosure belongs. Words such as "one", "a" or "the" used in the description and the claims of the patent application disclosed herein do not indicate a quantity limit, but mean that there is at least one. Words such as "comprise" or "include" mean that the element or object appearing before the word encompasses the elements or objects and their equivalents listed after the word, without excluding other elements or objects. Although expressions such as "first" and "second" are used to describe various elements of the present disclosure, they are only intended to distinguish one component from another, rather than limiting the sequence or importance of the corresponding elements. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, "first element" may be written as "second element", and, similarly, "second element" may be written as "first element". The terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and the like are only used to indicate a relative positional relationship, and when the absolute position of a described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0037] In order to facilitate description, the drawings of the present disclosure accordingly simplify or omit components commonly used in the art, such as external connection lines and other components that are irrelevant to the description of the present disclosure. These omitted or simplified components do not affect the understanding of the content of the present disclosure by a person skilled in the art.

[0038] Fig. 1 shows an electric drive apparatus 1 for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The electric drive apparatus 1 may comprise an electric motor, a gearbox and an electronic apparatus. The electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy that drives driving of the vehicle. The gearbox is mechanically connected to the electric motor, and may convert high speed, low torque rotation generated by the electric motor into low speed, high torque rotation. The electronic apparatus may comprise at least one of an inverter, an onboard charger (OBC), a DC-DC converter and a power distributor. The inverter can be used to invert DC outputted by an electrical energy storage apparatus (e.g. a battery or another electrical energy storage apparatus) to AC capable of driving the electric motor; the onboard charger can charge the electrical energy storage apparatus when the vehicle is recovering energy; the DC-DC converter can convert high-voltage DC outputted by the electrical energy storage apparatus to low- voltage DC suitable for use in a low-voltage system of the vehicle; the power distributor can distribute power between different systems of the vehicle.

[0039] As shown in the figures, the electric drive apparatus 1 is provided with three housings for accommodating the electric motor, the gearbox and the electronic apparatus: a first housing 10, a second housing 20 and a third housing 30. The three housings are arranged adjacently and mounted together, such that the electric drive apparatus 1 is formed as an integral assembly with an integrated compact construction. Specifically, the second housing 20 is mounted to the third housing 30, and the first housing 10 is mounted to the second housing 20. The second housing 20 is located between the third housing 30 and the first housing 10.

[0040] As described above, the electric motor is mechanically connected to the gearbox, and therefore the two are jointly arranged in the third housing 30. The electronic apparatus is hence divided into a first electronic apparatus arranged in the first housing 10 and a second electronic apparatus that is arranged in the second housing 20. In particular, the inverter is used for supplying power to the electric motor, and may act as the second electronic apparatus in the second housing 20 next to the third housing 30. One or more of the onboard charger, DC-DC converter and power distributor, etc., may be arranged in the first housing 10 as the first electronic apparatus.

[0041] Referring to Figs. 2, 5 and 7, the electronic apparatus 1 comprises four first fastening assemblies 40 that are approximately arranged at four comers. The first fastening assembly 40 comprises a threaded first fastener 41, a first through hole 42 that is arranged on the first housing 10, a second through hole 43 that is arranged on the second housing 20, and a first threaded hole 44 that is arranged on the third housing 30. The first through hole 42, the second through hole 43 and the first threaded hole 44 are aligned with each other. In the mounting construction of the electric drive apparatus, the threaded first fastener 41 passes through the first through hole 42 and the second through hole 43 and is screwed into the first threaded hole 44, thereby fastening the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 to the third housing 30. Compared to fastening three housings in sequence, this type of configuration in which two housings are simultaneously fastened to the third housing by means of a single fastener enhances the integral structural strength of the electric drive apparatus 1.

[0042] The above describes one embodiment of the first fastening assembly 40 of the electric drive apparatus 1 in view of the figures. It should be understood that the first fastening assembly 40 may have other embodiments that are different to the embodiment shown. For example, rather than a threaded hole, another through hole, which is aligned with a first through hole 42 and a second through hole 43, may be arranged on a third housing 30. The first fastener 41 passes through these three through holes, a nut is screwed on a terminal end of the first fastener 41, and a first housing 10 and a second housing 20 are fastened to the third housing 30.

[0043] When, for example, a first electronic apparatus of an onboard charger, a DC- DC converter and a power distributor, etc., malfunctions, a user must detach the first housing 10 from the electric drive apparatus 1 to repair or replace the first electronic apparatus. When detaching the first housing 10, the user must loosen the first fastening assembly 40, in order to be able to remove the first housing 10 from the electric drive apparatus 1. However, the first fastening assembly 40 may also be used for fastening the second housing 20 to the third housing 30. To prevent the second housing 20 from separating from the third housing 30, the electric drive apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure further provides a second fastening assembly 50, which is able to fasten the second housing 20 to the third housing 30. Therefore, even when the first housing 10 is detached from the electric drive apparatus 1, the second housing 20 is still able to remain mounted and fastened to the third housing 30.

[0044] Referring to Figs. 2, 6 and 7, the electric drive apparatus 1 comprises four second fastening assemblies 50 that are approximately arranged at two opposite comers. The second fastening assembly 50 comprises a threaded second fastener 51, a third through hole 52 that is arranged on the second housing 20, and a second threaded hole 53 that is arranged on the third housing 30. The third through hole 52 and the second threaded hole 53 are aligned with each other. In the mounting construction of the electric drive apparatus, the threaded second fastener 51 passes through the third through hole 52 and is screwed into the second threaded hole 53, thereby fastening the second housing 20 to the third housing 30. Thus, even in a scenario in which the first fastener 40 is loosened, the second housing 20 is still able to remain mounted and fastened to the third housing 30 by means of the second fastening assembly 50.

[0045] The above describes one embodiment of the second fastening assembly 50 of the electric drive apparatus 1 in view of the figures. It should be understood that the second fastening assembly 50 may have other embodiments that are different to the embodiment shown. For example, rather than a threaded hole, another through hole, which is aligned with a third through hole 52, may be arranged on a third housing 30. The second fastener 51 passes through these two through holes, a nut is screwed on a terminal end of the second fastener 51, and a second housing 20 is fastened to the third housing 30. Further optionally, the second fastening assembly 50 also may not be a threaded fastener, but rather comprise a fastening pin that is arranged on one of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, wherein the fastening pin is in interference fit with the other one of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, such that the second housing 20 is mounted and fastened to the third housing 30.

[0046] Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, the electric drive apparatus 1 further comprises multiple third fastening assemblies 60. The third fastening assembly 60 comprises a third fastener 61, a fourth through hole 62 that is arranged on the first housing 10, and a third threaded hole 63 that is arranged on the second housing 20. The third fastener 61 passes through the fourth through hole 62 and is screwed into the third threaded hole 63, thereby fastening the first housing 10 to the second housing 20. That is, besides by means of the first fastening assembly 40, the first housing 10 is further mounted to the second housing 20 by means of the third fastening assembly 60, enhancing the mounting strength between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. Optionally, the third fastening assembly 60 may also be provided with a through hole on the second housing 20, and the first housing 10 is fastened to the second housing 20 by means of a nut screwed onto the third fastener 61.

[0047] The electric drive apparatus 1 may further comprise a cooling system, to keep the temperature thereof within a desired range. Specifically, the first housing 10 comprises a first cooling channel 11 , and the second housing 20 comprises a second cooling channel 21 that is joined to the first cooling channel 11 in a sealed manner. A cooling medium of the cooling system may flow in the first cooling channel 11 and the second cooling channel 21, to cool the first electronic apparatus and the second electronic apparatus.

[0048] Referring to Figs. 2 to 4, the first cooling channel 11 is joined to the second cooling channel 21 in a sealed manner at a second joint face P2. Specifically, the first cooling channel 11 comprises a first plug 12, and the second cooling channel 21 comprises a first port 24 that is open at the second joint face P2. When the first housing 10 is mounted to the second housing 20, the first plug 12 is inserted in the first port 24, such that the first cooling channel 11 is joined to the first port 24 in a sealed manner, and thereby joined to the second cooling channel 21 in a sealed manner.

[0049] However, when the first housing 10 is detached, the sealed joint between the first cooling channel 11 and the second cooling channel 21 is damaged. At this time, cooling medium present in the first cooling channel 11 may flow out from the first cooling channel 11. For example, the first plug 12 will be removed from the first port 24, and cooling medium flows out from the first plug 12 and drips onto the second joint face P2. To prevent this cooling medium from flowing into the second housing 20, in the electric drive apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure, the second joint face P2 is arranged at a level lower than a first joint face Pl between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the second housing 20 comprises a sidewall 22 that defines an interior space S, and a top face 23 of the sidewall 22 defines the first joint face Pl. The second joint face P2 is arranged outside the interior space S, and is lower than the top face 23. Thus, when the first housing 10 is detached, cooling medium that may have dripped from the first cooling channel 11 onto the second joint face P2 will not pass beyond the first joint face Pl and flow into the interior space S of the second housing 20.

[0050] The above describes one embodiment of the electric drive apparatus 1 in view of the figures. It will be understood that the numbers and positions of the first fastening assembly 40, the second fastening assembly 50 and the third fastening assembly 60 in the electric drive apparatus 1 may all be suitably adjusted according to requirements.

[0051] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is proposed, the vehicle comprising the electric drive apparatus 1 described above. The vehicle may be an electrified vehicle, such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a range extended EV or a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). The vehicle may also be a hydrogen- powered vehicle. Based on the preceding description, the vehicle may realize the functions of the electric drive apparatus 1 described above and have the advantages described above.

[0052] Certain features, structures or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined appropriately.

[0053] The above is a description of the present disclosure and should not be regarded as limiting it. Although several exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art will easily understand that many modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the novel teaching and advantages of the present disclosure. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be comprised in the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. It should be understood that the above is a description of the present disclosure; the present disclosure should not be considered to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and modifications to the disclosed embodiments and other embodiments are intended to be comprised within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An electric drive apparatus (1) for a vehicle, the electric drive apparatus (1) comprising: a first housing (10), configured for accommodating a first electronic apparatus; a second housing (20), configured for accommodating a second electronic apparatus; and a third housing (30), configured for accommodating an electric motor and / or a gearbox, wherein the second housing (20) is arranged between the first housing (10) and the third housing (30), and wherein the second housing (20) is detachably mounted to the third housing (30), the first housing (10) is detachably mounted to the second housing (20), and the first housing (10) is configured to be able to detach from the second housing (20) in a scenario in which the second housing (20) is mounted to the third housing (30).

2. The electric drive apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first housing (10) comprises a first cooling channel (11), and the second housing (20) comprises a second cooling channel (21), the first housing (10) is joined to the second housing (20) at a first joint face (Pl), and the first cooling channel (11) is joined in a sealed manner to the second cooling channel (21) at a second joint face (P2), and the second joint face (P2) is located at a level lower than the first joint face (Pl).

3. The electric drive apparatus (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the second housing (20) comprises a sidewall (22) that defines an interior space (S), and a top face (23) of the sidewall (22) defines the first joint face (Pl), the second cooling channel (21) comprises a first port (24) that is open at the second joint face (P2), and the first cooling channel (11) is joined to the first port (24) in a sealed manner.

4. The electric drive apparatus (1) according to claim 3, characterized in thatthe first cooling channel (11) comprises a first plug (12), and, when the first housing (10) is mounted to the second housing (20), the first plug (12) is inserted in the first port (24).

5. The electric drive apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the electric drive apparatus further comprises: one or more first fastening assemblies (40), configured to fasten the first housing (10) and the second housing (20) to the third housing (30), and one or more second fastening assemblies (50), configured to fasten the second housing (20) to the third housing (30).

6. The electric drive apparatus (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the first fastening assembly (40) comprises a first fastener (41), a first through hole (42) that is arranged on the first housing (10), and a second through hole (43) that is arranged on the second housing (20), the first fastener (41) passing through the first through hole (42) and the second through hole (43), and fastening to the third housing (30).

7. The electric drive apparatus (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the first fastening assembly (40) further comprises a first threaded hole (44) that is arranged on the third housing (30), and the first fastener (41) is screwed into the first threaded hole (44).

8. The electric drive apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the second fastening assembly (50) comprises a second fastener (51), and a third through hole (52) that is arranged on the second housing (20), the second fastener (51) passing through the third through hole (52), and fastening to the third housing (30).

9. The electric drive apparatus (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the second fastening assembly (50) further comprises a second threaded hole(53) that is arranged on the third housing (30), and the second fastener (51) is screwed into the second threaded hole (53).

10. The electric drive apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in thatthe second fastening assembly (50) comprises a fastening pin that is arranged on one of the second housing (20) and the third housing (30), and the fastening pin is in interference fit with the other one of the second housing (20) and the third housing (30).

11. The electric drive apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that the electric drive apparatus further comprises: one or more third fastening assemblies (60), configured to fasten the first housing (10) to the second housing (20).

12. The electric drive apparatus according to Claim 11, characterized in that the third fastening assembly (60) comprises a third fastener (61), a fourth through hole (62) that is arranged on the first housing (10), and a third threaded hole (63) that is arranged on the second housing (20), the third fastener (61) passing through the fourth through hole (62) and being screwed into the third threaded hole (63).

13. A vehicle, characterized in that the vehicle comprises the electric drive apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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