Unit

Abstract

[Problem] Provided is a structure that allows a breather hose to be compactly housed.　[Solution] This unit comprises a housing, a breather hose, and wiring which is attached to the housing. The wiring has a terminal, a conductive wire section which is electrically connected to the terminal, and a cover member which covers the conductive wire section. The breather hose is disposed so as to pass through the inside of the cover member.　

Description

unit

[0001] The present invention relates to a unit.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a breather hose.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-280181

[0004] In a unit equipped with a breather hose, it is desired to provide a structure that can store the breather hose compactly.

[0005] In one aspect of the present invention, the unit comprises a housing, a breather hose, and wiring attached to the housing, the wiring comprising a terminal, a conductive wire portion electrically connected to the terminal, and a covering member covering the conductive wire portion, and the breather hose is arranged to pass through the inside of the covering member.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a structure that allows the breather hose to be stored compactly.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a unit. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an inverter case. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle equipped with the unit. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating harness members. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating wiring. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating terminals. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating terminals. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a breather hose. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a unit according to a comparative example.

[0008] First, definitions of terms used in this specification will be explained. A "unit" is also called a "motor unit," a "power transmission device," etc. A motor unit is a unit that has at least a motor. A power transmission device is a device that has at least a power transmission mechanism, and the power transmission mechanism is, for example, a gear mechanism and / or a differential gear mechanism. A unit that is a device that has a motor and a power transmission mechanism belongs to the concepts of both a motor unit and a power transmission device.

[0009] The "housing" contains the motor, gears, and inverter. The housing is made up of one or more cases.

[0010] The term "motor" refers to a rotating electric machine having a motor function and / or a generator function.

[0011] When it is stated that an element B (component, part, etc.) is connected to an element A (component, part, etc.), an element B (component, part, etc.) is connected downstream of an element A (component, part, etc.), or an element B (component, part, etc.) is connected upstream of an element A (component, part, etc.), it means that the elements A and B are connected so that power can be transmitted. The power input side is the upstream side, and the power output side is the downstream side. Furthermore, the elements A and B may be connected via another element (a clutch, another gear mechanism, etc.).

[0012] "Overlapping when viewed in a predetermined direction" means that multiple elements are lined up in a predetermined direction, and is synonymous with "overlapping in a predetermined direction." The "predetermined direction" is, for example, the axial direction, the radial direction, the direction of gravity, the vehicle traveling direction (the forward direction of the vehicle, the backward direction of the vehicle), etc. When a drawing shows that multiple elements (components, parts, etc.) are lined up in a predetermined direction, it may be assumed that the description in the specification contains a sentence explaining that they overlap when viewed in the predetermined direction.

[0013] "Not overlapping when viewed in a predetermined direction" and "offset when viewed in a predetermined direction" mean that multiple elements are not lined up in a predetermined direction, and are synonymous with "not overlapping in a predetermined direction" and "offset in a predetermined direction." Examples of the "predetermined direction" include the axial direction, radial direction, gravity direction, and vehicle travel direction (vehicle forward direction, vehicle backward direction). When a drawing shows that multiple elements (components, parts, etc.) are not lined up in a predetermined direction, it may be assumed that the description in the specification includes a sentence explaining that they are not overlapping when viewed in a predetermined direction.

[0014] The phrase "element A (component, part, etc.) is located between element B (component, part, etc.) and element C (component, part, etc.) when viewed from a predetermined direction" means that element A can be observed to be located between element B and element C when viewed from a predetermined direction. The "predetermined direction" is, for example, the axial direction, the radial direction, the direction of gravity, the vehicle traveling direction (the forward direction of the vehicle, the backward direction of the vehicle), etc. For example, when element B, element A, and element C are lined up in this order along the axial direction, it can be said that element A is located between element B and element C when viewed from a radial direction. When a drawing shows that element A is located between element B and element C when viewed from a predetermined direction, it can be considered that the description in the specification includes a sentence explaining that element A is located between element B and element C when viewed from the predetermined direction.

[0015] When two elements (parts, portions, etc.) overlap in an axial view, the two elements are coaxial.

[0016] "Axial direction" means the axial direction of the rotation axis of the component that constitutes the unit. "Radial direction" means the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the component that constitutes the unit. The component is, for example, a motor, a gear mechanism, a differential gear mechanism, etc.

[0017] This embodiment will be described below. In this embodiment, a unit 1 mounted on a vehicle V will be described as an example. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the unit 1. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a cross section along the rotation axis X of the motor 2. In FIG. 1, the power transmission mechanism 3 is depicted by an imaginary line. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an inverter case 15. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the vehicle V mounted with the unit 1. FIG. 3 corresponds to a view of the vehicle V mounted with the unit 1 as seen from the direction of the arrow A-A in FIG. 1. Note that FIG. 3 illustrates a state in which the water level W of the vehicle V traveling through a flooded road is temporarily higher than the unit 1. Here, the "vertical direction" in the drawings refers to the vertical direction when the unit 1 is mounted on the vehicle. Therefore, the term "upper side" refers to the "upper side" in the vertical direction, and the term "lower side" refers to the "lower side" in the vertical direction.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the unit 1 includes a motor 2, a power transmission mechanism 3 that transmits the rotational driving force of the motor 2 to a drive shaft DS, an inverter 4 that is a power conversion device for the motor 2, and a housing HS that accommodates the motor 2, the power transmission mechanism 3, and the inverter 4.

[0019] The power transmission mechanism 3 may be, for example, a planetary gear mechanism. The power transmission mechanism 3 has a sun gear 31, a pinion gear 32 meshing with the sun gear 31, a carrier 33 supporting the pinion gear 32, and a ring gear 34 meshing with the pinion gear 32.

[0020] The sun gear 31 is coaxial with the rotation axis X of the motor 2 and rotates integrally with the motor 2. The ring gear 34 is fixed to the housing HS so as not to rotate relative to the motor 2. Therefore, in the power transmission mechanism 3, the sun gear 31 serves as the input part of the output rotation of the motor 2, and the carrier 33 supporting the pinion gear 32 serves as the output part of the input rotation.

[0021] In this embodiment, the rotational driving force of the motor 2 input to the sun gear 31 is decelerated by the revolution of the pinion gear 32 and output from the carrier 33. The rotational driving force output from the carrier 33 is transmitted from the drive shaft DS to the left and right drive wheels (not shown) via a differential mechanism (not shown).

[0022] 1, the housing HS has a motor case 10 that houses the motor 2 and a gear case 14 that houses the power transmission mechanism 3. The motor case 10 and the gear case 14 are joined in the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0023] The motor case 10 includes a case member 11 and a cover member 12 joined to the case member 11 in the direction of the rotation axis X. The case member 11 includes a support wall portion 111 that surrounds the rotation axis X. The support wall portion 111 is oriented along the rotation axis X. The motor 2 is housed inside the support wall portion 111. The cover member 12 is connected to one end 111a of the support wall portion 111 with a bolt (not shown). The gear case 14 is connected to the other end 111b of the support wall portion 111 with a bolt (not shown).

[0024] The gear case 14 has a support wall 141 that surrounds the rotation axis X and supports the ring gear 34. The support wall 141 is provided with a wall 140 that extends radially inward between the motor 2 and the power transmission mechanism 3. The wall 140 is provided in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis X.

[0025] A cylindrical motor support portion 145 is provided in the wall portion 140 in an area where the rotation axis X intersects. The other end 20b of the motor shaft 20 of the motor 2 passes through the motor support portion 145 in the direction of the rotation axis X. A bearing B1 is supported on the inner periphery of the motor support portion 145. The outer periphery of the motor shaft 20 is supported by the motor support portion 145 via the bearing B1.

[0026] The space formed inside the housing HS is divided into two by a wall 140. The space on the motor 2 side from the wall 140 (on the right side in the figure) is a motor chamber Sa that houses the motor 2. The space on the power transmission mechanism 3 side from the wall 140 (on the left side in the figure) is a gear chamber Sb that houses the power transmission mechanism 3.

[0027] The cover member 12 has a wall portion 120 perpendicular to the rotation axis X and a peripheral wall portion 121 surrounding the outer periphery of the wall portion 120. The peripheral wall portion 121 is joined to one end 111a of the support wall portion 111 of the case member 11 from the direction of the rotation axis X. In this state, the opening of the case member 11 on the side of the one end 111a is closed by the cover member 12.

[0028] A cylindrical motor support portion 125 is provided in the wall portion 120 in an area where the rotation axis X intersects. One end 20a of the motor shaft 20 of the motor 2 penetrates the motor support portion 125 in the direction of the rotation axis X. A bearing B1 is supported on the inner periphery of the motor support portion 125. The outer periphery of the motor shaft 20 is supported by the motor support portion 125 via the bearing B1.

[0029] The motor case 10 also has a lid member 13 joined to the cover member 12. The lid member 13 is provided on the opposite side of the cover member 12 from the case member 11 in the direction of the rotation axis X.

[0030] The cover member 13 has a wall portion 130 that is perpendicular to the rotation axis X. The drive shaft DS penetrates the wall portion 130 in the direction of the rotation axis X in an area where the wall portion 130 intersects with the rotation axis X. The wall portion 130 is provided with a cylindrical drive shaft support portion 135 that surrounds the drive shaft DS.

[0031] The drive shaft support portion 135 is provided on the surface of the wall portion 130 facing the cover member 12. A bearing B2 is supported on the inner periphery of the drive shaft support portion 135. The outer periphery of the drive shaft DS is supported by the drive shaft support portion 135 via the bearing B2.

[0032] The motor 2 has a cylindrical motor shaft 20, a cylindrical rotor core 21 that is fitted onto the motor shaft 20, a stator core 22 that surrounds the outer periphery of the rotor core 21 at a distance, and coils 23 that are provided on the stator core 22. The stator core 22 is fixed to the inner periphery of the support wall portion 111 of the case member 11.

[0033] Bearings B1, B1 are fitted around the motor shaft 20 on one side and the other side of the rotor core 21. The motor shaft 20 is rotatably supported by the motor case 10 and the gear case 14 via the bearings B1, B1. The drive shaft DS passes through a hollow space 201 in the motor shaft 20. The motor shaft 20 is rotatable relative to the drive shaft DS.

[0034] The inverter 4 and an inverter case 15 that houses the inverter 4 are provided on the upper part of the motor case 10. The inverter case 15 is provided above the motor 2, straddling the case member 11 and the cover member 12. The inverter case 15 is provided at the highest position in the housing HS.

[0035] 2, the inverter case 15 has a bottom wall 16 joined to the upper part of the motor case 10 and a bottomed housing part 17 with an opening facing downward. The lower opening of the housing part 17 is sealed by the bottom wall part 16. In the inverter case 15, the space surrounded by the bottom wall part 16 and the housing part 17 forms an inverter chamber Sc that houses the inverter 4.

[0036] The bottom wall 16 of the inverter case 15 is provided with a bottom wall 160 that abuts against the upper surface 111c of the support wall 111 of the case member 11, a through hole 160a that passes through the bottom wall 160 in the vertical direction, and a cylindrical wall 161 that surrounds the through hole 160a. The cylindrical wall 161 is provided across one end 111a of the support wall 111 in the vertical direction. The lower end surface 161a of the cylindrical wall 161 is joined to the upper surface 121c of the peripheral wall 121 of the cover member 12.

[0037] The housing 17 of the inverter case 15 has a ceiling wall 170 that faces the bottom wall 160 of the bottom wall 16 in the vertical direction with a gap therebetween, and a peripheral wall 171 that surrounds the outer periphery of the ceiling wall 170. A lower end surface 171a of the peripheral wall 171 abuts against the bottom wall 16 around the entire periphery.

[0038] A through-hole 126 that connects the inside and outside of the motor chamber Sa is formed in the upper surface 121c of the peripheral wall portion 121 of the cover member 12. As a result, the motor chamber Sa is connected to the inverter chamber Sc via the through-holes 126 and 160a.

[0039] The inverter 4 and the coil 23 of the motor 2 are electrically connected via a bus bar Bs. The bus bar Bs passes through the through hole 160a of the inverter case 15 and the through hole 126 of the cover member 12, and is provided so as to straddle the motor chamber Sa and the inverter chamber Sc.

[0040] 3, the unit 1 is provided forward of the vehicle interior VR in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is connected to the front wheels of the vehicle V. The drive shaft DS is connected to the drive wheel T on the right side of the vehicle on the front side of the page, and is connected to the drive wheel (not shown) on the left side of the vehicle on the back side of the page.

[0041] The inverter 4 of the unit 1 is connected to a battery 9 via a harness member 5. The battery 9 is disposed below the passenger compartment VR of the vehicle V. The harness member 5 is routed in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle V and connects the inverter 4 and the battery 9. The harness member 5 extends in the fore-and-aft direction above the housing HS.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 2, the harness member 5 has an electric wire portion 7 that electrically connects the battery 9 (see Fig. 3) and the inverter 4, and a tube 6 that protects the electric wire portion 7. The electric wire portion 7 is composed of two electric wires 7A and 7B (wiring). The electric wires 7A and 7B are connected to a positive terminal 41 and a negative terminal 42 of the inverter 4, respectively. As a result, the direct current of the battery 9 (see Fig. 3) is converted into alternating current by the inverter 4 and supplied as power to the coil 23 of the motor 2 from the bus bar Bs.

[0043] 1, when power is supplied from the inverter 4 to the coil 23 of the motor 2, a magnetic field is generated around the stator core 22. This causes the rotor core 21 and the motor shaft 20 to rotate around the rotation axis X.

[0044] Oil OL is stored within the housing HS to cool the motor 2 and lubricate the meshing parts of the power transmission mechanism 3. When the oil OL is stirred up and splashed by the rotation of the rotor core 21 of the motor 2 and the power transmission mechanism 3, the pressure within the motor chamber Sa, gear chamber Sb, and inverter chamber Sc of the housing HS may increase.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 3, the harness member 5 connecting the battery 9 and the inverter 4 is provided in advance in the vehicle V. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, a breather hose 8 is provided on the electric wire 7B of the harness member 5 so that the electric wire 7B also functions as a breather. The increased pressure inside the housing HS is released to the atmosphere from the electric wire 7B side.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the harness member 5. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of region A in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a cross section of the harness member 5 cut in the vertical direction. Note that in FIG. 4, the bolts that secure the electric wire 7B to the inverter 4 are omitted, exposing the terminal hole Ha of the negative terminal 42. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the electric wire 7B. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of region A in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the terminal portion 72. FIG. 6 illustrates the portion of the electric wire 7A that is exposed from the tube 6 to the inverter chamber Sc, with the terminal portion 72 spaced apart from the conductor portion 70. To facilitate understanding of their positional relationship, the covering portion 71 and the conductor portion 70 are hatched differently. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the terminal portion 75. FIG. 7 illustrates the portion of the electric wire 7B that is exposed from the tube 6 to the inverter chamber Sc, with the terminal portion 75 spaced apart from the conductor portion 73. To make it easier to understand their positional relationship, different types of hatching are used for the covering portion 74 and the conductive wire portion 73. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the breather hose 8. Note that the ring grooves 601a and 602a (see Figure 4) of the tube 6 are omitted in Figure 8.

[0047] 4, the inverter case 15 has a through-hole 170a that passes through the top wall 170 in the up-down direction, and a tubular portion 175 that surrounds the through-hole 170a. The tube 6 of the harness member 5 is inserted into the through-hole 170a of the top wall 170. In the region where the tube 6 is inserted into the through-hole 170a, the harness member 5 is arranged so that the longitudinal direction indicated by the straight line Lp is oriented along the up-down direction.

[0048] The tube 6 may be, for example, a corrugated tube made of resin. The tube 6 has a cylindrical base 60 surrounding the straight line Lp, a lid 61 that is perpendicular to the straight line Lp and closes the opening of the base 60, and a ring-shaped thick portion 62 that bulges outward from the base 60. The thick portion 62 is provided at the end of the base 60 on the lid 61 side in the direction of the straight line Lp.

[0049] The base 60 has ring grooves 601a and 602a formed on the inner circumferential surface 601 and the outer circumferential surface 602, respectively, in portions that avoid the thick-walled portion 62. The ring grooves 601a and 602a are alternately formed along the direction of the straight line Lp. The base 60 is formed in a wavy shape in a cross section along the direction of the straight line Lp. Therefore, for example, the tube 6 is less likely to be crushed and easier to bend than a tube having a simple cylindrical shape without the ring grooves 601a and 602a.

[0050] A ring groove 65 recessed toward the line Lp is formed on the outer periphery of the thick-walled portion 62. A seal ring S is provided in the ring groove 65. In the harness member 5, the thick-walled portion 62 of the tube 6 is inserted into the through-hole 170a of the ceiling wall 170. In this state, the gap between the thick-walled portion 62 of the tube 6 and the through-hole 170a of the ceiling wall 170 is sealed with the seal ring S. This prevents air from leaking from the inverter chamber Sc between the thick-walled portion 62 of the tube 6 and the through-hole 170a of the ceiling wall 170. Furthermore, by interposing the seal ring S in the gap between the thick-walled portion 62 of the tube 6 and the through-hole 170a, the position of the tube 6 relative to the inverter case 15 of the housing HS is fixed.

[0051] Two electric wires 7A and 7B are housed inside the base 60. The electric wires 7A and 7B pass through the lid 61 in the vertical direction. The electric wires 7A and 7B are fitted into the through-holes 61a and 61b of the lid 61 and are immovably fixed to the housing HS via the tube 6. In other words, the two electric wires 7A and 7B are attached to the housing HS.

[0052] The electric wire 7A has a conductor portion 70 oriented along a line Lp1 parallel to the line Lp, and a covering portion 71 covering the conductor portion 70. One ends 70a, 71a of the conductor portion 70 and the covering portion 71 in the direction of the line Lp penetrate the lid portion 61 of the tube 6 and are exposed inside the inverter chamber Sc. Although not shown, the conductor portion 70 is a twisted wire formed by twisting multiple copper wires. By using the twisted wire as the conductor portion 70, the flexibility of the electric wire 7A can be improved compared to, for example, a case in which the conductor portion 70 is a solid wire formed of a single thick copper wire.

[0053] 6, one end 70a of the conductive wire portion 70 is exposed from the covering portion 71. In the electric wire 7A, a terminal portion 72 is connected to the portion of the conductive wire portion 70 exposed from the covering portion 71.

[0054] The terminal portion 72 may be a known round crimp terminal. For example, the terminal portion 72 has a cylindrical portion 721 around which the conductive wire portion 70 is inserted and a ring-shaped connecting piece 720 formed integrally with the cylindrical portion 721.

[0055] The cylindrical portion 721 is oriented along the direction of the straight line Lp1. The connection piece 720 has a through-hole 720a in a region where the line Lp1 and the line Lq1, which are perpendicular to the line Lp1, intersect. When viewed from the cylindrical portion 721, the connection piece 720 is provided on the opposite side of the conductive line portion 70 in the direction of the straight line Lp.

[0056] The terminal portion 72 is fixed to the conductive wire portion 70 by inserting the cylindrical portion 721 onto the conductive wire portion 70 from one end 70a side and then crimping the cylindrical portion 721 and the conductive wire portion 70. As a result, the conductive wire portion 70 is electrically connected to the terminal portion 72 via the cylindrical portion 721.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 4 , the electric wire 7B has a conductive wire portion 73 oriented along a line Lp2 parallel to the line Lp, and a covering portion 74 covering the conductive wire portion 73. The conductive wire portion 73 is composed of a first conductive wire 731 and a second conductive wire 732 arranged on one side and the other side of the line Lp2. Although not shown, the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 are each twisted wires formed by twisting multiple copper wires. By twisting the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732, the flexibility of the electric wire 7B can be improved compared to, for example, when the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 are each solid wires formed of a single thick copper wire. The number and thickness of the copper wires in the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 combined are the same as those in the conductive wire portion 70 of the electric wire 7A described above.

[0058] A breather hose 8, which will be described later, is provided between the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732. The covering portion 74 covers the conductive wire portion 73 and the breather hose 8. The diameter D2 of the covering portion 74 of the electric wire 7B is formed to be larger than the diameter D1 of the covering portion 71 of the electric wire 7A (D2>D1) by the amount corresponding to the provision of the breather hose 8.

[0059] 5 , one end 74a of the covering portion 74 of the electric wire 7B in the direction of the straight line Lp2 passes through the lid portion 61 of the tube 6 and is exposed in the inverter chamber Sc. One ends 731a and 732a of the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 of the electric wire 7B in the direction of the straight line Lp2 also pass through the through-hole 61b of the lid portion 61 of the tube 6 and are exposed in the inverter chamber Sc.

[0060] 7 , one end 731a of the first conductive wire 731 and one end 732a of the second conductive wire 732 are exposed from the covering portion 74. Terminal portions 75 (terminals) are connected to the portions of the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 that are exposed from the covering portion 74.

[0061] The terminal portion 75 has cylindrical portions 751 and 752 (terminal connection portions) around which the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 are respectively inserted. The cylindrical portions 751 and 752 are oriented along a straight line Lp2. As shown in Fig. 5 , the cylindrical portions 751 and 752 are disposed on one side and the other side of the straight line Lp2, and are adjacent to each other with a gap CL therebetween.

[0062] 7, the terminal portion 75 has a ring-shaped connecting piece 750 that surrounds a line Lq2 that is perpendicular to the line Lp2. The cylindrical portions 751 and 752 and the connecting piece 750 are connected via a plate-shaped connecting plate 753 that extends in the direction of the line Lp2.

[0063] A through hole 750a is provided in the connecting piece 750 in a region where the line Lq2 intersects. When viewed from the coupling plate 753, the connecting piece 750 is provided on the opposite side of the line Lp2 from the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732.

[0064] The terminal portion 75 is fixed to the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 by inserting the cylindrical portions 751 and 752 onto the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 from one end 731a and 732a, respectively, and then crimping the cylindrical portions 751 and the first conductive wire 731 together and the cylindrical portions 752 and the second conductive wire 732 together. As a result, the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 of the conductive wire portion 73 are electrically connected to the terminal portion 75 via the cylindrical portions 751 and 752.

[0065] 4, the terminal portion 75 attached to the electric wire 7B is configured so that the through hole 750a of the connecting piece 750 overlaps with the terminal hole Ha of the negative terminal 42 of the inverter 4. The terminal portion 72 attached to the electric wire 7A is also configured so that the through hole 720a (see FIG. 6) of the connecting piece 720 overlaps with the terminal hole (not shown) of the positive terminal 41 of the inverter 4.

[0066] In this state, by screwing bolts B and B into terminal portions 72 and 75, respectively, electric wires 7A and 7B are connected to positive terminal 41 and negative terminal 42 of inverter 4, respectively (see FIG. 2). Also, as shown in FIG. 8, electric wires 7A and 7B are connected to positive terminal 91 and negative terminal 92 of battery 9, respectively, on the side opposite to inverter 4.

[0067] 7, the breather hose 8 has a cylindrical shape surrounding the straight line Lp2. The breather hose 8 is provided inside the covering portion 74 between the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 along the direction of the straight line Lp2.

[0068] 8, the breather hose 8 has a hollow space 80 therein. One end 8a and the other end 8b of the breather hose 8 are open. The breather hose 8 can be made of a resin material (e.g., fluororesin) that has insulating properties, is resistant to crushing, and is easily bendable.

[0069] 5 , one end 8a of the breather hose 8 abuts against end surfaces 751a, 752a of the cylindrical portions 751, 752 between the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732. The hollow space 80 of the breather hose 8 opens into the gap CL between the cylindrical portions 751, 752 at the one end 8a side. Therefore, the one end 8a side of the breather hose 8 opens through the gap CL into the inverter chamber Sc, which is an internal region of the housing HS.

[0070] 8 , the breather hose 8 branches off from the covering portion 74 and the tube 6 between the inverter 4 and the battery 9 in the longitudinal direction of the harness member 5. The other end 8b of the breather hose 8 is exposed to the external area Sd of the housing HS outside the tube 6. The hollow space 80 of the breather hose 8 opens to the external area Sd of the housing HS at the other end 8b.

[0071] The other end 8b of the breather hose 8 is pulled upward from a branch hole 740 provided in the covering portion 74. The breather hose 8 pulled upward from the branch hole 740 is further pulled upward from a branch hole 66 provided in the base portion 60 of the tube 6 and is exposed in the external region Sd of the housing HS. The other end 8b of the breather hose 8 can be fixed to the frame FR of the vehicle V (see FIG. 3) via a bracket BK, for example, at a position higher than the one end 8a. The frame FR is provided at a higher position than the unit 1 (see FIG. 3).

[0072] 8, air inside the inverter chamber Sc is taken into the hollow space 80 from one end 8a of the breather hose 8, then rises inside the hollow space 80 and is released to the atmosphere from the other end 8b to the external region Sd of the housing HS. That is, one end 8a of the breather hose 8 forms an inlet for the air, and the other end 8b forms an opening.

[0073] Here, the inverter 4 and inverter chamber Sc are located at the top of the housing HS, so the oil OL cannot easily reach them. Therefore, by providing a breather hose 8 on the electric wire 7B connected to the inverter 4, the oil OL cannot easily enter the breather hose 8.

[0074] Furthermore, because the other end 8b of the breather hose 8 is located higher than the one end 8a, even if oil OL enters from the one end 8a, the oil OL, which is heavier than air, is unlikely to reach the other end 8b. This makes it difficult for the oil OL to spray out of the breather hose 8 into the external area Sd of the housing HS. Note that the breather hose 8 may be provided with a filter to block the opening on the other end 8b side. Providing a filter more effectively reduces the oil OL from spraying out into the external area Sd of the housing HS.

[0075] Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating a unit 100 according to a comparative example. Fig. 9 shows a state in which the water level W in the flood channel is temporarily higher than that of the unit 100. As shown in Fig. 9, in the unit 100 according to the comparative example, electric wires 7A, 7A are electrically connected to the positive terminal 41 and the negative terminal 42 of the inverter 4, respectively, as an electric wire section 700.

[0076] In the unit 100 according to the comparative example, a breather 800 is provided in the inverter case 15 of the housing HS. The breather 800 is composed of a breather pipe 801 and a breather chamber 802. The pressure that has increased inside the housing HS passes through the breather chamber 802 and is released to the atmosphere from the breather pipe 801 to an external area Sd of the housing HS.

[0077] Here, as shown in Fig. 3 , the vehicle V may travel on a flooded road. When traveling on a flooded road, the water level W may temporarily become higher than that of the unit 1. As shown in Fig. 9 , in the unit 100 according to the comparative example, if the water level W rises to a position higher than the breather pipe 801, water may enter the housing HS from the breather pipe 801. In this case, it may be possible to prevent water from entering the housing HS from the breather pipe 801, for example, by extending the other end 801b (opening) of the breather pipe 801 upward and positioning it higher than the water level W.

[0078] However, other vehicle components are arranged around the unit 100. Therefore, depending on layout restrictions, it may not be possible to extend the breather pipe 801.

[0079] As shown in Fig. 8, in this embodiment, instead of a breather pipe 801 (see Fig. 9), the wire 7B of the existing harness member 5 is used, and the breather hose 8 is arranged to pass through the sheath 74 of the wire 7B. This reduces the area of ​​the breather hole 8 that protrudes from the housing HS compared to when the breather hose 8 is arranged to run along the outside of the housing HS, allowing the breather hose 8 to be stored compactly.

[0080] The length of the breather hose 8 can be freely set within the sheath portion 74 of the electric wire 7B without interfering with other vehicle components. Therefore, the breather hose 8 can branch off from the sheath portion 74 at a location where the other end 8b can be positioned sufficiently higher than the water level W while passing through the electric wire 7B. Note that the "position sufficiently higher than the water level W" can be determined by a prior simulation or the like. In this way, the unit 1 according to this embodiment has a greater degree of freedom in the positioning of the other end 8b (opening) of the breather hose 8 than the unit 100 according to the comparative example.

[0081] 5, in this embodiment, terminal connection portions for connecting the conductive wire portion 73 to the terminal portion 75 are provided in multiple locations, such as the cylindrical portions 751 and 752, and a gap CL is provided between the cylindrical portions 751 and 752 (between the multiple terminal connection portions). This ensures a space for taking in the air inside the housing HS into the breather hose 8.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 of the conductive wire portion 73 are each a twisted wire formed by twisting multiple copper wires. This improves the flexibility of the electric wire 7B compared to, for example, when the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 are each a solid wire formed of a single thick copper wire. This makes it easier to route the electric wire 7B while taking into consideration the position of the other end 8b of the breather hose 8. This improves the flexibility of routing the breather hose 8.

[0083] Furthermore, by providing the breather hose 8 inside the sheath 74 of the electric wire 7B, the overall length of the breather hose 8 can be easily extended, thereby increasing the volume of the breather hose 8. This also makes it possible to omit the breather chamber 802 (see FIG. 9 ). Therefore, the unit 1 according to this embodiment can contribute to reducing manufacturing costs more than the unit 100 according to the comparative example.

[0084] In the present embodiment, the electric wire 7B including the breather hose 8 is connected to the negative terminal 42 (see FIG. 4 ) of the inverter 4, but the present invention is not limited to this. The electric wire 7B including the breather hose 8 may be connected to the positive terminal 41, or may be connected to both the positive terminal 41 and the negative terminal 42.

[0085] Below are listed examples of a unit 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. (1) The unit 1 includes a housing HS, a breather hose 8, and an electric wire 7B (wiring) attached to the housing HS. The electric wire 7B includes a terminal portion 75 (terminal), a conductive wire portion 73 electrically connected to the terminal portion 75, and a covering portion 74 (covering member) that covers the conductive wire portion 73. The breather hose 8 is arranged to pass through the interior of the covering portion 74. One end 8a (inlet) of the breather hose 8 opens into the inverter chamber Sc, which is an internal region of the housing HS. The other end 8b (opening) of the breather hose 8 branches off from the covering portion 74 and opens into an external region Sd of the housing HS.

[0086] By configuring the breather hose 8 in this manner and passing it through the sheath 74 of the electric wire 7B, the breather hose 8 is less likely to protrude from the housing HS, allowing the breather hose 8 to be stored compactly. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9 , for example, due to layout restrictions around the vehicle, the height of the other end 801b (opening) of the breather pipe 801 may not be able to be set higher than the water level W of the flooded road. In such a case, water may enter through the other end 801b of the breather pipe 801 when traveling through a flooded road. Therefore, the breather hose 8 is provided within the sheath 74 of the electric wire 7B in the above-described configuration. The length of the breather hose 8 can be freely set within the sheath 74 without interfering with other vehicle components. Therefore, the breather hose 8 can branch off from the electric wire 7B at a location where the other end 8b can be positioned sufficiently higher than the water level W (see FIG. 8 , for example) while passing through the electric wire 7B. Therefore, the structure of one aspect of the present invention is preferable because it allows the other end 8b of the breather hose 8 to be positioned at a position sufficiently higher than the water level W of the submerged channel.

[0087] (2) The terminal portion 75 has cylindrical portions 751, 752 (terminal connection portions) at at least two locations. A gap CL is provided between the cylindrical portions 751, 752. The conductive wire portion 73 has a first conductive wire 731 and a second conductive wire 732 inserted into the cylindrical portions 751, 752. The first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 are fixed to the cylindrical portions 751, 752 of the terminal portion 75, respectively, and are electrically connected to the terminal portion 75 via the cylindrical portions 751, 752. One end 8a of the breather hose 8 opens into the inverter chamber Sc, which is an internal region of the housing HS, through the gap CL between the two cylindrical portions 751, 752. Air (airflow) is introduced into one end 8a of the breather hose 8 from between the cylindrical portions 751, 752.

[0088] By configuring in this manner, terminal connection portions that connect the conductive wire portion 73 and the terminal portion 75 are provided in multiple locations, such as the cylindrical portions 751 and 752, and by creating a gap CL between the cylindrical portions 751 and 752 (between the multiple terminal connection portions), it is possible to ensure space for the air Air inside the housing HS to be taken in by the breather hose 8.

[0089] (I) The first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 are each a twisted wire formed by twisting a plurality of copper wires.

[0090] This configuration improves the flexibility of the electric wire 7B compared to, for example, when the first conductive wire 731 and the second conductive wire 732 are each a single thick copper wire. This makes it easier to route the electric wire 7B while taking into consideration the position of the other end 8b of the breather hose 8. This improves the flexibility of routing the breather hose 8.

[0091] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment merely shows one application example of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific configuration of the above embodiment. Appropriate modifications are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the invention.

[0092] 1: Unit 2: Motor 3: Power transmission mechanism 4: Inverter 5: Harness member 7B: Electric wire (wiring) 8: Breather hose 9: Battery 10: Motor case 15: Inverter case 73: Conductive wire portion 74: Covering portion (covering member) 731: First conductive wire 732: Second conductive wire 75: Terminal portion (terminal) 751: Cylindrical portion (terminal connection portion) 752: Cylindrical portion (terminal connection portion) 80: Hollow space 8a: One end (inlet) 8b: Other end (opening) Air: Air (airflow) CL: Gap HS: Housing Sa: Motor chamber Sb: Gear chamber Sc: Inverter chamber Sd: External area V: Vehicle W: Water level X: Rotating shaft

Claims

Housing and Breather hose and wiring attached to the housing; the wiring includes a terminal, a conductive line portion electrically connected to the terminal, and a covering member covering the conductive line portion; The breather hose is arranged to pass through the inside of the covering member. 　 In claim 1, the conductive wire portion is fixed to two or more terminal connection portions and is electrically connected to the terminal via the terminal connection portions; The breather hose has an airflow introduced therein between the two terminal connections.

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