Vehicle Drive Layout With Overlapping Inverter and Output Gear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle drive apparatuses have large dimensions in an axial view due to the placement of power electronic devices over both electric motors and transmission apparatuses, leading to a need for a technology that reduces these dimensions.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle drive apparatus features a rotating electrical machine and output members placed on parallel axes, with a transmission mechanism and inverter device arranged to overlap each other in an axial view, allowing for a reduction in size by utilizing the space between components effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the power electronic device is placed over both the electric motor and the transmission apparatus, then the control function is achieved, but the dimensions of the vehicle drive apparatus in axial view become large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the power electronic device from a planar arrangement (over both motor and transmission) to a three-dimensional arrangement where it is placed on the opposite side of the motor in the axial direction. This dimensional change allows the device to utilize space that would otherwise be unused, reducing the overall footprint in the axial view while maintaining all necessary control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent arranges components in a nested-like configuration where the output gear is placed coaxially with the output member, and the power electronic device is positioned to overlap with these components in the axial view. This nested arrangement allows multiple components to occupy overlapping spatial regions, effectively reducing the projected area without compromising functional relationships.
2Ease of manufacture
If the rotating electrical machine and inverter device are placed far apart, then each component has sufficient space, but the overall device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the axial direction (third dimension) to position the inverter device relative to the rotating electrical machine. By placing the inverter device on the opposite side of the motor in the axial direction and allowing it to overlap with the motor and output gear in the axial view, the design reduces the lateral footprint while ensuring sufficient spatial separation for manufacturing and thermal management.
Data Source
AI summary
A transmission mechanism is provided with an output gear drivingly coupled to at least one of a pair of output members and placed coaxially with the pair of output members. A direction in which a rotating electrical machine and an inverter device are arranged side by side in an axial view is defined as a first direction. A direction perpendicular to both an axial direction and the first direction is defined as a second direction. A first output member that is one of the pair of output members is placed between the rotating electrical machine and the inverter device in the first direction, at a position in the second direction where both the rotating electrical machine and the inverter device are placed. The output gear is placed in such a manner as to overlap each of the rotating electrical machine and the inverter device in the axial view.