Vehicle Drive Layout With Overlapping Inverter and Nested Breather
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle drive devices, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-79110, do not provide a specific disposition configuration for the inverter device, leading to increased dimensions and reduced mountability due to the placement of the inverter and breather devices.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle drive device configuration where the rotary electric machine and output members are disposed on parallel axes, with the inverter device positioned on one widthwise side overlapping the rotary electric machine and output members, and the breather chamber utilizing the space between them to minimize protrusion and size, allowing for downsizing in both the up-down and axial directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the inverter device is disposed separately from the rotary electric machine and output members, then the inverter device can be independently maintained and controlled, but the overall dimensions of the vehicle drive device increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inverter device is merged with the rotary electric machine by disposing the inverter device on the first widthwise side with respect to the second axis, allowing the inverter device to overlap the rotary electric machine and output members in the up-down direction. This integration reduces the overall volume while maintaining independent functionality of the inverter device for control and maintenance operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the breather device is disposed outside the case, then the breather chamber can communicate with the outside of the case, but the vehicle drive device dimensions increase in the up-down direction
Solution Approach 1:
The breather chamber is nested within the case by disposing at least a part of the breather chamber between the rotary electric machine and the inverter device in the width direction. The breather chamber utilizes the target space formed by these components and is positioned on the upper side of the first axis, allowing communication with the outside of the case while maintaining a compact up-down dimension.
3Reliability
If the inverter device and breather device are disposed to ensure proper functionality, then the device operates reliably, but the mountability on vehicle decreases due to increased size
Solution Approach 1:
The inverter device is positioned to overlap the rotary electric machine and output members in the up-down direction, utilizing vertical space rather than horizontal space. The breather chamber is disposed in the width direction between components and on the upper side in the up-down direction. This three-dimensional arrangement maintains proper functionality while reducing the overall footprint for vehicle mounting.
Data Source
AI summary
A second axis is located on a lower side with respect to a first axis and on a first widthwise side with respect to the first axis. An inverter device is disposed on the first widthwise side with respect to the second axis so that a disposition area in an up-down direction overlaps a rotary electric machine and a pair of output members. At least a part of a breather chamber is disposed between the rotary electric machine and the inverter device in a width direction in an area in the up-down direction where both the rotary electric machine and the inverter device are disposed.