On-vehicle device arrangement structure

Abstract

Provided is an on-vehicle device arrangement structure which can suppress deterioration in mountability of on-vehicle devices, which include a motor, an inverter, and a drive pinion shaft, on a vehicle.　In an on-vehicle device arrangement structure 90 in which a motor MG for applying motive power to rear wheels 16 via a rear differential gear 54 and an inverter 62 for performing electric power conversion between a battery 60 and the motor MG are mounted on a vehicle 10 which comprises a drive pinion shaft 50, the rear differential gear 54, and a pair of rear drive shafts 56 in the stated order from a rear propeller shaft 46 side toward the rear wheels 16, the motor MG and the drive pinion shaft 50 are arranged in a state of overlapping each other in a vehicle left-right directional view, and the inverter 62 and the motor MG are arranged in a state of overlapping each other in a vehicle left-right directional view which is also a vehicle horizontal directional view.

Description

Arrangement structure of in-vehicle devices

[0001] The present invention relates to an arrangement structure of in-vehicle devices including a motor that applies power to a pair of left and right rear wheels via a differential device, and an inverter that performs power conversion between a battery and the motor.

[0002] A vehicle is known that includes a propeller shaft that transmits the power of a power source provided on a pair of left and right front wheel sides to a pair of left and right rear wheel sides, a drive pinion shaft connected to the propeller shaft, a drive pinion gear provided on the drive pinion shaft, a differential device that houses a pair of side gears and a differential pinion that meshes with both of the pair of side gears, and a case provided on the case and a ring gear that meshes with the drive pinion gear, and a pair of drive shafts for the rear wheels respectively connected to the pair of side gears. For example, the vehicle described in Patent Document 1 is such a vehicle. In the vehicle described in Patent Document 1, a motor that applies power to a pair of left and right rear wheels via a differential device is mounted.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-231526

[0004] By the way, when the inverter that performs power conversion between the battery and the motor is arranged close to the motor, depending on the arrangement structure of the in-vehicle devices including the motor, the inverter, and the drive pinion shaft, the height dimension of the unit composed of these may increase, and there is a risk that the mountability to the vehicle may decrease.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an arrangement structure of in-vehicle devices that can suppress a decrease in the mountability of in-vehicle devices including a motor, an inverter, and a drive pinion shaft to a vehicle.

[0006] The gist of the first invention is a differential having a propeller shaft that transmits power from a power source provided on the left and right front wheel sides to a left and right rear wheel side, a drive pinion shaft connected to the propeller shaft, a drive pinion gear provided on the drive pinion shaft, a differential case that houses a pair of side gears and a differential pinion that meshes with both of the pair of side gears, and a ring gear provided in the differential case that meshes with the drive pinion gear, and a pair of rear wheel drive shafts connected to the pair of side gears, respectively. The vehicle is equipped with a motor that applies power to the left and right rear wheels via the differential, and an inverter that performs power conversion between the battery and the motor, wherein (a) the motor is positioned on the right or left side in the left-right direction of the vehicle with respect to the drive pinion shaft, (b) in a view in the left-right direction of the vehicle, a part of the motor and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft overlap, and (c) in a view in the horizontal direction of the vehicle, at least a part of the inverter and at least a part of the motor overlap.

[0007] The gist of the second invention is that, in the first invention, the inverter is positioned relative to the motor on the drive pinion shaft side in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0008] The gist of the third invention is that, in the second invention, (a) the inverter is positioned above the drive pinion shaft in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and (b) in a view in the vertical direction of the vehicle, at least a part of the inverter and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft are positioned to overlap.

[0009] The gist of the fourth invention is that, in the third invention, the drive pinion shaft is positioned such that its rotation axis is lower in the vehicle's vertical direction than the rotation axis of the ring gear.

[0010] The gist of the fifth invention is that, in any one of the second to fourth inventions, the motor is arranged such that its rotation axis is parallel to the rotation axis of the drive pinion shaft.

[0011] The gist of the sixth invention is that, in the fifth invention, (a) the power of the motor is transmitted to the drive pinion shaft via a power transmission member, and (b) the power transmission member is positioned on the front side of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction relative to the motor.

[0012] The gist of the seventh invention is that, in the first invention, the inverter is positioned on the rear side in the vehicle's longitudinal direction relative to the motor.

[0013] The gist of the eighth invention is that, in the seventh invention, the motor is positioned with respect to the drive pinion shaft on the right and left sides in the left-right direction of the vehicle, on the side opposite to the side on which the ring gear is provided in the differential case.

[0014] The gist of the ninth invention is that, in the first invention, when viewed from the horizontal direction of the vehicle, at least a part of the terminal block connected to the power line of the motor and at least a part of the motor are arranged to overlap.

[0015] According to the vehicle equipment arrangement structure of the first invention, (a) the motor is positioned on the right or left side in the vehicle's left-right direction with respect to the drive pinion shaft, (b) in a vehicle's left-right view, a part of the motor and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft overlap, and (c) in a vehicle's horizontal view, at least a part of the inverter and at least a part of the motor overlap. In this way, in the vehicle's vertical direction, i.e., the height direction, a part of the motor and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft overlap, and at least a part of the inverter and at least a part of the motor overlap. This suppresses an increase in the height dimension of the unit composed of the motor, inverter, and drive pinion shaft, and suppresses a decrease in the vehicle's mountability of the vehicle equipment.

[0016] According to the vehicle equipment arrangement structure of the second invention, in the first invention, the inverter is arranged on the drive pinion shaft side in the left-right direction of the vehicle relative to the motor. This makes it easier to miniaturize the unit composed of the motor, inverter, and drive pinion shaft in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0017] According to the arrangement structure of the in-vehicle equipment of the third invention, in the second invention, (a) the inverter is arranged on the upper side in the vertical direction of the vehicle with respect to the drive pinion shaft, and (b) in a view in the vertical direction of the vehicle, at least a part of the inverter and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft are arranged to overlap. When the inverter is arranged on the upper side with respect to the drive pinion shaft, and in a view in the vertical direction of the vehicle, at least a part of the inverter and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft are arranged to overlap, the unit composed of the motor, inverter, and drive pinion shaft can be made even smaller in the left-right direction of the vehicle compared to the case where this is not the case.

[0018] According to the vehicle equipment arrangement structure of the fourth invention, in the third invention, the drive pinion shaft is arranged such that its rotation axis is below the rotation axis of the ring gear in the vertical direction of the vehicle. When the drive pinion shaft is arranged such that its rotation axis is below the rotation axis of the ring gear, the mounting space for the inverter, which is positioned above the drive pinion shaft, can be increased compared to the case where it is not.

[0019] According to the vehicle equipment arrangement structure of the fifth invention, in any one of the second to fourth inventions, the motor is arranged such that its rotation axis is parallel to the rotation axis of the drive pinion shaft. When the motor is arranged such that its rotation axis is parallel to the rotation axis of the drive pinion shaft, the unit consisting of the motor, inverter, and drive pinion shaft can be made smaller in at least one of the vehicle's left-right direction and vehicle's up-down direction, compared to the case where it is not.

[0020] According to the vehicle equipment arrangement structure of the sixth invention, in the fifth invention, (a) the power of the motor is transmitted to the drive pinion shaft via a power transmission member, and (b) the power transmission member is positioned on the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the motor. When the power transmission member is positioned in front of the motor, compared to when it is positioned behind the motor, the arrangement of the power transmission member is less likely to interfere with the differential, particularly the large-diameter portion of the differential case located on the side where the ring gear of the differential is provided, and it is easier to secure space for mounting the inverter.

[0021] According to the vehicle equipment arrangement structure of the seventh invention, in the first invention, the inverter is positioned on the rear side in the vehicle's longitudinal direction relative to the motor. This makes it easier to miniaturize the unit, which consists of the motor, inverter, and drive pinion shaft, in the vehicle's lateral direction.

[0022] According to the vehicle equipment arrangement structure of the eighth invention, in the seventh invention, the motor is positioned on the right and left sides in the vehicle's left-right direction with respect to the drive pinion shaft, on the side opposite to the side where the ring gear is provided in the differential case. As a result, the large-diameter portion of the differential case of the differential device, which is the side where the ring gear is provided, is not located behind the motor, while the small-diameter portion of the differential case of the differential device and the drive shaft, which are on the opposite side of the side where the ring gear is provided, are located. Therefore, it becomes easier to secure space for mounting the inverter.

[0023] According to the vehicle equipment arrangement structure of the ninth invention, in the first invention, in a horizontal view of the vehicle, at least a portion of the terminal block connected to the motor's power line and at least a portion of the motor are arranged to overlap. In this way, in the vertical direction of the vehicle, at least a portion of the terminal block and at least a portion of the motor are arranged to overlap. This further preferably suppresses the increase in the height dimension of the unit composed of the motor, inverter, terminal block, and drive pinion shaft.

[0024] This is a schematic diagram of a vehicle to which the vehicle equipment arrangement structure according to the present invention is applied. This diagram illustrates the general outline of the vehicle equipment arrangement structure according to Embodiment 1, where (a) is a view of the vehicle in the vertical direction, (b) is a view of the vehicle in the horizontal direction, and (c) is a view of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction. This diagram illustrates the general outline of the vehicle equipment arrangement structure according to Embodiment 2, where (a) is a view of the vehicle in the vertical direction, (b) is a view of the vehicle in the horizontal direction, and (c) is a view of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction. This diagram illustrates the general outline of the vehicle equipment arrangement structure according to Embodiment 3, where (a) is a view of the vehicle in the vertical direction, (b) is a view of the vehicle in the horizontal direction, and (c) is a view of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction.

[0025] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that in each embodiment, the drawings have been simplified or modified as appropriate, and the dimensional ratios and shapes of each part are not necessarily depicted accurately.

[0026] In this specification, "vehicle longitudinal direction," "vehicle lateral direction," and "vehicle vertical direction" refer to the directions when the on-board equipment is mounted on the vehicle. "Vehicle longitudinal direction" is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. "Vehicle lateral direction" is the lateral direction of the vehicle, i.e., the vehicle width direction, which is perpendicular and horizontal to the vehicle longitudinal direction. "Vehicle vertical direction" is the direction of the vertical line, i.e., the height direction. "Vehicle longitudinal view" means looking from the front to the rear or from the rear to the front in the vehicle longitudinal direction. "Vehicle lateral view" means looking from the left to the right or from the right to the left in the vehicle lateral direction. "Vehicle vertical view" means looking from the top to the bottom or from the bottom to the top in the vehicle vertical direction. "Vehicle horizontal view" means looking in a direction parallel to a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vehicle vertical direction. "When viewed from the left or right direction of the vehicle, one configuration and another configuration overlap" means that when viewed from one configuration towards another configuration in the left or right direction of the vehicle, or when viewed from another configuration towards one configuration in the left or right direction of the vehicle, those configurations overlap. "When viewed from the horizontal direction of the vehicle, one configuration and another configuration overlap" means that when viewed from one configuration towards another configuration in the horizontal direction of the vehicle, or when viewed from another configuration towards one configuration in the horizontal direction of the vehicle, those configurations overlap. "When viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle, one configuration and another configuration overlap" means that when viewed from one configuration towards another configuration in the vertical direction of the vehicle, or when viewed from another configuration towards one configuration in the vertical direction of the vehicle, those configurations overlap. "When viewed from the front or rear direction of the vehicle, one configuration and another configuration overlap" means that when viewed from one configuration towards another configuration in the front or rear direction of the vehicle, those configurations overlap.

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle 10 to which the vehicle equipment arrangement structure 90 according to the present invention is applied. In Figure 1, the relative positions of the drive pinion shaft 50, drive pinion gear 52, rear differential gear 54, motor MG, gear pair 70, inverter 62, and battery 60, which constitute a part of the vehicle 10 and will be described later, are not necessarily reflected in the illustration. However, the relative positions of the other components are reflected in the illustration.

[0028] Vehicle 10 is equipped with an engine 12 as a power source for driving, a pair of front wheels 14 (hereinafter simply referred to as "front wheels 14"), a pair of rear wheels 16 (hereinafter simply referred to as "rear wheels 16"), and a power transmission device 18 that transmits power from the engine 12 to the front wheels 14 and rear wheels 16, respectively. The rear wheels 16 are the main drive wheels, which are driven wheels in both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive modes. The front wheels 14 are the secondary drive wheels, which are driven wheels in two-wheel drive mode and drive wheels in four-wheel drive mode. Vehicle 10 is a four-wheel drive vehicle based on the FR (front-engine, rear-drive) system.

[0029] The engine 12 is a power source located on the front wheel 14 side and is a well-known internal combustion engine. "Engine 12" corresponds to "power source" in this invention.

[0030] The power transmission device 18 includes a transmission 20 in the power transmission path between the engine 12 and the transfer case 22, and the transmission 20 has a well-known configuration. The transfer case 22 is a well-known front and rear wheel power distribution device that either distributes all of the engine 12's power to the rear wheels 16, or distributes the engine 12's power to the front wheels 14 and the rear wheels 16, respectively.

[0031] The power transmission device 18 includes, in order from the transfer case 22 side, a constant velocity coupling 24, a front propeller shaft 26, a constant velocity coupling 28, a front differential gear 34, and a pair of front drive shafts 36 in the power transmission path between the transfer case 22 and the front wheels 14, and these are well-known configurations. The front propeller shaft 26 is a rotating member that transmits power from the engine 12 to the front wheels 14.

[0032] The transfer case 22 includes, for example, an engagement clutch (not shown) that can disconnect and reconnect power transmission between the transfer case 22 and the front propeller shaft 26. When this engagement clutch is disengaged, the vehicle 10 is capable of two-wheel drive. When the engagement clutch is connected, the vehicle 10 is capable of four-wheel drive. The pair of front drive shafts 36 are rotating members that connect the front differential gear 34 and the front wheels 14, respectively, and include a drive shaft for the left front wheel and a drive shaft for the right front wheel. The pair of front drive shafts 36 each include a constant velocity coupling 36j1 located on the front differential gear 34 side and a constant velocity coupling 36j2 located on the front wheel 14 side.

[0033] The power transmission device 18 includes, in order from the transfer case 22 side, a constant velocity coupling 44, a rear propeller shaft 46, a constant velocity coupling 48, a drive pinion shaft 50, a drive pinion gear 52, a rear differential gear 54, and a pair of rear drive shafts 56 in the power transmission path between the transfer case 22 and the rear wheels 16, and these are well known configurations. The rear propeller shaft 46 is a rotating member that transmits power from the engine 12 to the rear wheels 16. The "rear propeller shaft 46" corresponds to the "propeller shaft" in this invention.

[0034] The drive pinion shaft 50 is connected to the rear propeller shaft 46 via a constant velocity coupling 48. The drive pinion gear 52 is fixed to the drive pinion shaft 50 so as not to rotate relative to it. For example, the drive pinion gear 52 is an helical gear.

[0035] The rear differential gear 54 comprises a differential case 54c and a differential ring gear 54r. The differential case 54c houses a pair of side gears 54s and a differential pinion 54p that meshes with both of the pair of side gears 54s. The differential ring gear 54r is provided on the differential case 54c and meshes with the drive pinion gear 52. The differential ring gear 54r is connected to the left side of the differential case 54c in the vehicle's left-right direction and is rotatable together with the differential case 54c around the second rotation axis C2 (see Figure 2). In the vehicle's left-right direction, the rear differential gear 54 has a large-diameter section 54cl (see Figure 2) on the side where the differential ring gear 54r is provided, and a small-diameter section 54cs (see Figure 2) on the side where the differential ring gear 54r is not provided, with a diameter smaller than the large-diameter section 54cl. The "rear differential gear 54" corresponds to the "differential device" in this invention. The "differential ring gear 54r" corresponds to the "ring gear" in this invention.

[0036] A pair of rear drive shafts 56 are each connected to a pair of side gears 54s. The pair of rear drive shafts 56 are rotating members that connect the rear differential gear 54 and the rear wheels 16, and include a drive shaft 56L for the left rear wheel and a drive shaft 56R for the right rear wheel. The pair of rear drive shafts 56 each include a constant velocity coupling 56j1 located on the rear differential gear 54 side and a constant velocity coupling 56j2 located on the rear wheel 16 side. "A pair of rear drive shafts 56" corresponds to "a pair of rear wheel drive shafts" in the present invention.

[0037] Vehicle 10 is equipped with a motor MG that applies power to the rear wheels 16 via a rear differential gear 54, and an inverter 62 that performs power conversion between the battery 60 and the motor MG. The motor MG is a rotating electric machine that has at least one of the following functions: a prime mover function that generates mechanical power from electricity, and a generator function that generates electricity from mechanical power. For example, the motor MG is a so-called motor generator and is a three-phase synchronous motor. The motor MG comprises a stator and a rotor and occupies, for example, a cylindrical space. The inverter 62 is, for example, a plate-shaped circuit board with a rectangular thickness and switching elements mounted on it, and occupies a rectangular parallelepiped space. These cylindrical and rectangular parallelepiped spaces are also the shapes of the motor room 84m, which houses the motor MG, and the control room 82, which houses the inverter 62, respectively. The battery 60 is a well-known energy storage device that supplies power to and from the motor MG. The inverter 62 is a well-known power supply circuit installed between the motor MG and the battery 60, which converts DC to AC and AC to DC. The power of the motor MG is transmitted to the drive pinion shaft 50 via a gear pair 70. For example, the gear pair 70 consists of a gear 70a (see Figure 2) fixed to the rotor shaft of the motor MG so as not to rotate relative to it, and a gear 70b (see Figure 2) fixed to the drive pinion shaft 50 so as not to rotate relative to it and meshing with gear 70a. Preferably, gear 70b has a larger diameter than gear 70a, and the gear pair 70 functions as a reduction gear. This makes it possible to transmit high torque power to the drive pinion shaft 50 even if the motor MG is miniaturized. The "gear pair 70" corresponds to the "power transmission member" in this invention.

[0038] For example, the motor MG, inverter 62, and rear differential gear 54 are housed in a common non-rotating component, the case 80. A partition wall 80d is provided inside the case 80, dividing the internal space of the case 80 into two main sections. One of these sections, the control room 82, houses the inverter 62, which is an electrical control device, while the other section, the machine room 84, houses mechanical components such as the motor MG and the rear differential gear 54. The machine room 84 is further divided by a partition wall and oil seals within the machine room 84 into a motor room 84m, which houses the motor MG, and a gear room 84g, which houses the rear differential gear 54, gear pair 70, and other components besides the motor MG. As a result, the motor room 84m and the gear room 84g are each sealed with an oil-tight structure, and the inside of the motor room 84m and the gear room 84g are lubricated with appropriate lubricating oils.

[0039] The power line 86 of the motor MG connects the inverter 62 and the motor MG. The power line 86 supplies the drive current that drives the motor MG between the inverter 62 and the motor MG. The power line 86 is, for example, a power line through which the inverter 62 and the motor MG exchange three-phase alternating current. A terminal block 88 is provided along the power line 86 to connect and relay each of the divided power lines. The terminal block 88 is fixed to the partition wall 80d. On the control room 82 side, one end of one of the divided power lines is connected to the inverter 62. Inside the motor room 84m, one end of the other divided power line is connected to the motor MG. The terminal block 88 connects the other end of one of the divided power lines to the other end of the other divided power line.

[0040] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the schematic arrangement structure 90 of the in-vehicle equipment according to Embodiment 1, where (a) is a view in the vertical direction of the vehicle, (b) is a view in the horizontal direction of the vehicle, and (c) is a view in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In Figure 2, the relative arrangement positions of the drive pinion shaft 50, drive pinion gear 52, rear differential gear 54, motor MG, gear pair 70, and inverter 62 in the longitudinal, horizontal, and vertical directions of the vehicle are shown. In Figure 2, the case 80 is not shown. In Figure 2 and the later-described Figures 3 and 4, the motor MG is shown as a cylindrical shape, and the inverter 62 is shown as a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0041] The rotation axis of the drive pinion shaft 50 will be referred to as the "first rotation axis C1," the rotation axis of the differential ring gear 54r will be referred to as the "second rotation axis C2," and the rotation axis of the motor MG will be referred to as the "third rotation axis C3."

[0042] The third rotation axis C3 is parallel to the first rotation axis C1. That is, the motor MG is positioned such that the third rotation axis C3 is parallel to the first rotation axis C1. The motor MG is positioned to the right in the vehicle's left-right direction relative to the drive pinion shaft 50. The inverter 62 is positioned on the drive pinion shaft 50 side in the vehicle's left-right direction relative to the motor MG. In a vehicle left-right view, a portion of the motor MG and at least a portion of the drive pinion shaft 50 overlap. Specifically, in the vehicle's vertical direction, the top and bottom of the drive pinion shaft 50 are located between the top and bottom of the motor MG. In a vehicle left-right view, at least a portion of the inverter 62 and at least a portion of the motor MG overlap. Specifically, in the vehicle's vertical direction, the bottom of the inverter 62 is located between the top and bottom of the motor MG. Furthermore, in the vehicle's vertical direction, the uppermost part of the motor MG is located between the uppermost and lowermost parts of the inverter 62. The inverter 62 is positioned above the drive pinion shaft 50 in the vehicle's vertical direction. In a vehicle's vertical view, at least a portion of the inverter 62 and at least a portion of the drive pinion shaft 50 overlap. Specifically, in the vehicle's left-right direction, the rightmost part of the inverter 62 is located between the leftmost and rightmost parts of the drive pinion shaft 50.

[0043] The drive pinion shaft 50 is positioned such that the first rotation axis C1 is below the second rotation axis C2 in the vehicle's vertical direction. The gear pair 70 is positioned in front of the motor MG in the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

[0044] According to this embodiment, (a) the motor MG is disposed on the right side in the vehicle left-right direction with respect to the drive pinion shaft 50, (b) in a view from the vehicle left-right direction, at least a part of the motor MG and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft 50 are overlapped and disposed, and (c) in a view from the vehicle horizontal direction, at least a part of the inverter 62 and at least a part of the motor MG are overlapped and disposed. Thus, in the vehicle up-down direction, at least a part of the motor MG and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft 50 are overlapped, and at least a part of the inverter 62 and at least a part of the motor MG are overlapped. Thereby, an increase in the height dimension of the unit constituted by the motor MG, the inverter 62, and the drive pinion shaft 50 is suppressed, and a decrease in the mountability of in-vehicle devices to the vehicle 10 is suppressed.

[0045] According to this embodiment, the inverter 62 is disposed on the left side, which is the drive pinion shaft 50 side in the vehicle left-right direction, with respect to the motor MG. Thereby, it becomes easier to miniaturize the unit constituted by the motor MG, the inverter 62, and the drive pinion shaft 50 in the vehicle left-right direction.

[0046] According to this embodiment, (a) the inverter 62 is disposed on the upper side in the vehicle up-down direction with respect to the drive pinion shaft 50, and (b) in a view from the vehicle up-down direction, at least a part of the inverter 62 and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft 50 are overlapped and disposed. When the inverter 62 is disposed on the upper side with respect to the drive pinion shaft 50 and at least a part of the inverter 62 and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft 50 are overlapped and disposed in a view from the vehicle up-down direction, compared with the case where they are not overlapped, it becomes easier to further miniaturize the unit constituted by the motor MG, the inverter 62, and the drive pinion shaft 50 in the vehicle left-right direction.

[0047] According to this embodiment, the drive pinion shaft 50 is arranged such that a first rotation axis C1, which is the rotation axis of the drive pinion shaft 50, is on the lower side in the vehicle vertical direction than a second rotation axis C2, which is the rotation axis of the differential gear 54r. When the drive pinion shaft 50 is arranged such that the first rotation axis C1 is on the lower side than the second rotation axis C2, the mounting space for the inverter 62 arranged above the drive pinion shaft 50 is widened as compared with the case where it is not so.

[0048] According to this embodiment, the motor MG is arranged such that a third rotation axis C3, which is the rotation axis of the motor MG, is parallel to a first rotation axis C1, which is the rotation axis of the drive pinion shaft 50. When the motor MG is arranged such that the third rotation axis C3 is parallel to the first rotation axis C1, the unit composed of the motor MG, the inverter 62, and the drive pinion shaft 50 is more easily miniaturized in at least one of the vehicle left-right direction and the vehicle vertical direction as compared with the case where it is not so.

[0049] According to this embodiment, (a) the power of the motor MG is transmitted to the drive pinion shaft 50 via the gear pair 70, and (b) the gear pair 70 is arranged on the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the motor MG. When the gear pair 70 is arranged on the front side of the motor MG, the arrangement of the gear pair 70 is less likely to interfere with the rear differential gear 54, particularly its large-diameter portion 54cl, and it becomes easier to secure the mounting space for the inverter 62 as compared with the case where it is arranged on the rear side of the motor MG.

[0050] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the general layout of the in-vehicle equipment arrangement structure 190 according to Embodiment 2, where (a) is a view from the vertical direction of the vehicle, (b) is a view from the horizontal direction of the vehicle, and (c) is a view from the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The in-vehicle equipment arrangement structure 190 according to this embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the in-vehicle equipment arrangement structure 90 according to Embodiment 1 described above, but the main difference is that the inverter 62 is positioned on the rear side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle instead of on the left side in the horizontal direction of the vehicle relative to the motor MG. Therefore, the explanation will focus on the parts that differ from Embodiment 1, and the explanation of parts that are substantially common will be omitted as appropriate. The basic diagram of the vehicle to which the in-vehicle equipment arrangement structure 190 is applied is the same as that of the vehicle 10 according to Embodiment 1 described above. Figure 3 illustrates the relative positions of the drive pinion shaft 50, drive pinion gear 52, rear differential gear 54, motor MG, gear pair 70, and inverter 62 in the vehicle's longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions. The case 80 is not shown in Figure 3.

[0051] The inverter 62 is positioned on the rear side of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction relative to the motor MG. The inverter 62 is positioned above the second rotation axis C2, which is the rotation axis of the differential ring gear 54r, in the vertical direction of the vehicle. In a view in the vertical direction of the vehicle, at least a part of the inverter 62 and at least a part of the drive shaft 56R for the right rear wheel are positioned overlapping. Specifically, in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the rearmost part of the inverter 62 is located between the foremost and rearmost parts of the drive shaft 56R for the right rear wheel. The motor MG is positioned on the right side of the vehicle in a view in the lateral direction relative to the drive pinion shaft 50, which is the side opposite to the side on which the differential ring gear 54r is provided in the differential case 54c.

[0052] According to this embodiment, by having the same configuration as in the aforementioned Embodiment 1, the same effects as in Embodiment 1 are achieved according to that configuration.

[0053] In this embodiment, the inverter 62 is positioned on the rear side of the motor MG in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. This makes it easier to miniaturize the unit, which consists of the motor MG, inverter 62, and drive pinion shaft 50, in the vehicle's lateral direction.

[0054] In this embodiment, the motor MG is positioned on the right side of the differential case 54c, opposite to the side where the differential ring gear 54r is installed, relative to the drive pinion shaft 50. As a result, the large-diameter portion 54cl of the differential case 54c, where the differential ring gear 54r is installed, is not located behind the motor MG. Instead, the small-diameter portion 54cs of the differential case 54c, opposite to the side where the differential ring gear 54r is installed, and the drive shaft 56R for the right rear wheel of the pair of rear drive shafts 56 are located. Therefore, it becomes easier to secure space for mounting the inverter 62.

[0055] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the general layout of the vehicle equipment arrangement structure 290 according to Embodiment 3, where (a) is a view of the vehicle in the vertical direction, (b) is a view of the vehicle in the horizontal direction, and (c) is a view of the vehicle in the front-rear direction. The vehicle equipment arrangement structure 290 according to this embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the vehicle equipment arrangement structure 90 according to Embodiment 1 described above. In Embodiment 1, the arrangement of the power lines 86 and terminal block 88 was not explained, but in this embodiment, the arrangement of the power lines 86 and terminal block 88 will be explained. In this embodiment, the explanation will focus on the parts that differ from Embodiment 1, and the explanation of substantially common parts will be omitted as appropriate. The basic diagram of the vehicle to which the vehicle equipment arrangement structure 290 is applied is the same as the vehicle 10 according to Embodiment 1 described above. Figure 4 illustrates the relative positions of the drive pinion shaft 50, drive pinion gear 52, rear differential gear 54, motor MG, gear pair 70, inverter 62, power lines 86, and terminal block 88 in the vehicle's longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions. The case 80 is not shown in Figure 4. In Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the power lines 86 are not shown. In Figure 4(c), a portion of the gear 70b is cut off and omitted to make the positions of the power lines 86 and terminal block 88 easier to understand.

[0056] In a view of the vehicle from side to side, at least a portion of the terminal block 88 connected to the power line 86 of the motor MG and a portion of the motor MG are positioned to overlap. Specifically, in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the uppermost and lowermost parts of the terminal block 88 are both located between the uppermost and lowermost parts of the motor MG.

[0057] According to this embodiment, by having the same configuration as in the aforementioned Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, the same effects as in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 are achieved depending on the configuration.

[0058] In this embodiment, when viewed from the left to right of the vehicle, at least a portion of the terminal block 88 and at least a portion of the motor MG are arranged to overlap. In this way, when viewed from the up to down of the vehicle, at least a portion of the terminal block 88 and at least a portion of the motor MG are arranged to overlap. This further preferably suppresses the increase in the height dimension of the unit composed of the motor MG, inverter 62, terminal block 88, and drive pinion shaft 50.

[0059] The above-described examples are embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention is also applicable to other embodiments different from those described in Examples 1 to 3 above. The present invention can be implemented in various modified and improved forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, without departing from its spirit.

[0060] In the above-described embodiments 1 to 3, the motor MG was positioned on the right side in the vehicle's left-right direction relative to the drive pinion shaft 50. However, the present invention is also applicable to configurations in which the motor MG is positioned on the left side in the vehicle's left-right direction relative to the drive pinion shaft 50. In other words, the present invention is applicable as long as the motor MG is positioned on either the right or left side in the vehicle's left-right direction relative to the drive pinion shaft 50.

[0061] In the above-described embodiments 1 and 3, the inverter 62 was positioned on the left side relative to the motor MG, which is on the drive pinion shaft 50 side in the vehicle left-right direction. However, the present invention is also applicable to configurations in which the inverter 62 is positioned on the right side relative to the motor MG, which is on the opposite side from the drive pinion shaft 50 in the vehicle left-right direction. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment 2, the inverter 62 was positioned on the rear side relative to the motor MG in the vehicle front-rear direction, and at least a part of the inverter 62 and at least a part of the drive shaft 56R for the right rear wheel overlapped when viewed in the vehicle up-down direction. However, the present invention is also applicable to configurations in which, for example, the inverter 62 is positioned on the front side relative to the motor MG in the vehicle front-rear direction, or when the inverter 62 and the drive shaft 56R for the right rear wheel do not overlap when viewed in the vehicle up-down direction.

[0062] In the above-described embodiments 1 to 3, (a) the inverter 62 was positioned above the drive pinion shaft 50 in the vehicle's vertical direction, and (b) at least a portion of the inverter 62 and at least a portion of the drive pinion shaft 50 overlapped when viewed in the vehicle's vertical direction. However, the present invention is not limited to these configurations. For example, the present invention is also applicable to configurations in which the inverter 62 is positioned below the drive pinion shaft 50 in the vehicle's vertical direction, or in which the inverter 62 and the drive pinion shaft 50 do not overlap when viewed in the vehicle's vertical direction.

[0063] In the above-described embodiments 1 to 3, the drive pinion shaft 50 was positioned such that the first rotation axis C1 was below the second rotation axis C2 in the vehicle's vertical direction. However, the present invention is also applicable to configurations in which the drive pinion shaft 50 is positioned such that the first rotation axis C1 is above the second rotation axis C2 in the vehicle's vertical direction, or so that the first rotation axis C1 is at the same height as the second rotation axis C2 in the vehicle's vertical direction.

[0064] In the above-described embodiments 1 to 3, the motor MG was positioned such that the third rotation axis C3 was parallel to the first rotation axis C1. However, the present invention is also applicable to configurations in which the motor MG is positioned such that the third rotation axis C3 is not parallel to the first rotation axis C1.

[0065] In the above-described embodiments 1 to 3, the gear pair 70 was positioned on the front side in the vehicle's longitudinal direction relative to the motor MG. However, the present invention is also applicable to configurations in which, for example, the gear pair 70 is positioned on the rear side in the vehicle's longitudinal direction relative to the motor MG.

[0066] In the aforementioned embodiment 2, the motor MG was positioned on the right side of the drive pinion shaft 50, which is the side opposite to the side on which the differential ring gear 54r is provided in the differential case 54c. However, the present invention is also applicable to an embodiment in which the motor MG is positioned on the left side of the drive pinion shaft 50, which is the side on which the differential ring gear 54r is provided in the differential case 54c.

[0067] In the aforementioned Embodiment 3, at least a portion of the terminal block 88 and at least a portion of the motor MG overlapped when viewed from the left to right direction of the vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention is also applicable to the configuration in the aforementioned Embodiment 2 where at least a portion of the terminal block 88 and at least a portion of the motor MG overlap when viewed from the front to rear direction of the vehicle.

[0068] Even in embodiments other than those described above in Examples 1 to 3, as long as a portion of the motor MG and at least a portion of the drive pinion shaft 50 overlap in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and at least a portion of the inverter 62 and at least a portion of the motor MG overlap, the increase in the height dimension of the unit composed of the motor MG, inverter 62, and drive pinion shaft 50 will be suppressed.

[0069] In the above-described embodiments 1 to 3, the motor MG, inverter 62, and rear differential gear 54 were housed in separate motor chambers 84m, control chambers 82, and gear chambers 84g, respectively, within a case 80 which is the same non-rotating member. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, the present invention can also be applied to embodiments in which the motor MG, inverter 62, and rear differential gear 54 are housed in separate non-rotating members, which are fastened together, for example, with bolts.

[0070] In the aforementioned embodiments 1 to 3, the shape of the motor MG was shown as cylindrical, and the shape of the inverter 62 was shown as a rectangular parallelepiped, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the shape of the inverter 62 may be a shape in which rectangular parallelepipeds of different sizes are stacked in the vertical direction of the vehicle, or a shape such as a trapezoid or parallelogram when viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0071] In the aforementioned embodiments 1 to 3, the vehicle 10 to which the vehicle equipment arrangement structures 90, 190, and 290 according to the present invention were applied was a part-time four-wheel drive vehicle based on the FR system. However, the present invention is also applicable to full-time four-wheel drive vehicles. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to four-wheel drive vehicles, but is also applicable to FR system two-wheel drive vehicles.

[0072] 10: Vehicle, 12: Engine (power source), 14: Pair of front wheels, 16: Pair of rear wheels, 46: Rear propeller shaft (propeller shaft), 50: Drive pinion shaft, 52: Drive pinion gear, 54: Rear differential gear (differential device), 54c: Differential case, 54p: Differential pinion, 54r: Differential ring gear (ring gear), 54s: Pair of side gears, 56: Pair of rear drive shafts (pair of drive shafts for rear wheels), 60: Battery, 62: Inverter, 70: Gear pair (power transmission member), 86: Power line, 88: Terminal block, 90, 190, 290: Arrangement structure of on-board equipment, C1: First rotation axis (rotation axis of drive pinion shaft), C2: Second rotation axis (rotation axis of ring gear), C3: Third rotation axis (rotation axis of motor), MG: Motor

Claims

1. An on-board equipment arrangement structure for a vehicle comprising: a propeller shaft that transmits power from a power source provided on the left and right front wheel sides to a left and right rear wheel side; a drive pinion shaft connected to the propeller shaft; a drive pinion gear provided on the drive pinion shaft; a differential having a differential case housing a pair of side gears and a differential pinion that meshes with both of the pair of side gears, and a ring gear provided in the differential case that meshes with the drive pinion gear; and a pair of rear wheel drive shafts connected to the pair of side gears, respectively, wherein the motor is mounted on the left and right rear wheel side via the differential, and an inverter that performs power conversion between the battery and the motor, wherein the motor is positioned on the right or left side in the left-right direction of the vehicle with respect to the drive pinion shaft, and in a view in the left-right direction of the vehicle, a part of the motor and at least a part of the drive pinion shaft are positioned overlapping. An on-board equipment arrangement structure in which at least a portion of the inverter and at least a portion of the motor are arranged to overlap in a horizontal view of the vehicle.

2. The arrangement structure of in-vehicle equipment according to claim 1, wherein the inverter is arranged on the drive pinion shaft side in the left-right direction of the vehicle relative to the motor.

3. The arrangement structure for in-vehicle equipment according to claim 2, wherein the inverter is positioned above the drive pinion shaft in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and at least a portion of the inverter and at least a portion of the drive pinion shaft overlap when viewed in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle equipment arrangement structure according to claim 3, wherein the drive pinion shaft is arranged such that its axis of rotation is lower in the vehicle's vertical direction than the axis of rotation of the ring gear.

5. The arrangement structure for in-vehicle equipment according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the motor is arranged such that the rotation axis of the motor is parallel to the rotation axis of the drive pinion shaft.

6. The arrangement structure for in-vehicle equipment according to claim 5, wherein the power of the motor is transmitted to the drive pinion shaft via a power transmission member, and the power transmission member is positioned on the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the motor.

7. The vehicle equipment arrangement structure according to claim 1, wherein the inverter is positioned on the rear side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the motor.

8. The arrangement structure for in-vehicle equipment according to claim 7, wherein the motor is arranged with respect to the drive pinion shaft on the right and left sides in the left-right direction of the vehicle, on the side opposite to the side on which the ring gear is provided in the differential case.

9. The vehicle equipment arrangement structure according to claim 1, wherein, in a horizontal view of the vehicle, at least a portion of the terminal block connected to the power lines of the motor and at least a portion of the motor are arranged to overlap.

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