Vehicle Drive Layout With Shared Cooling for Compact Two-Axis Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle drive devices with multiple axes, offsetting the inverter device with respect to the rotating electrical machine in the horizontal direction to reduce overall size in the up-down direction is challenging due to the inability to use common coolant channel configurations as in single-axis devices.
Innovation Solution
An efficient channel configuration is implemented by overlapping the areas where the rotating electrical machine and inverter device are disposed, allowing for a compact design that minimizes the overall size in the up-down direction while maintaining effective cooling and component placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the inverter device is disposed offset with respect to the rotating electrical machine in the horizontal direction to reduce the overall size in the up-down direction, then the overall size in the up-down direction is reduced, but the channel configuration becomes more complex and cannot use the common coolant channel configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single common coolant channel configuration to separate coolant channels for the rotating electrical machine and inverter device. This dimensional separation in the channel configuration allows each component to have dedicated cooling paths, resolving the complexity issue while maintaining the offset horizontal arrangement that reduces overall up-down size.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant channel system is segmented into distinct channels: one for the rotating electrical machine and another for the inverter device. This segmentation enables independent cooling pathways that accommodate the offset horizontal positioning of components, thereby reducing the overall up-down dimension without creating an intractably complex channel network.
2Volume of stationary object
If the inverter device is disposed offset with respect to the rotating electrical machine, then the overall size is reduced, but the coolant channel configuration cannot be shared between components
Solution Approach 1:
The coolant channel system is divided into separate channels for the rotating electrical machine and inverter device. This segmentation allows each component to have its own cooling pathway, enabling the offset horizontal arrangement that reduces overall device volume while maintaining manageable channel complexity through clear separation of cooling functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses spatial separation in the horizontal dimension to position the inverter device offset from the rotating electrical machine. This horizontal offset, combined with separate coolant channels, reduces the overall up-down volume while keeping the channel configuration complexity controlled through distinct routing paths for each component.
3Volume of moving object
If overlapping areas of rotating electrical machine and inverter device are used, then compactness is improved, but component placement becomes more constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves compactness by overlapping the horizontal footprints of the rotating electrical machine and inverter device in the up-down dimension. Component placement constraints are managed by providing separate coolant channel access points and routing paths, allowing installation and maintenance operations to proceed despite the compact overlapping arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing dedicated coolant channels and access points for each component (rotating electrical machine and inverter device) even though they overlap in horizontal area. This localized cooling infrastructure enables compact overlapping placement while maintaining ease of operation through component-specific service access.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces the overall size of the vehicle drive device in the up-down direction, improving mounting efficiency and reducing the dimensions of the device without increasing the size of the coolant channels, thus enhancing the vehicle drive device's compactness and ease of installation.
Implementation Method 1
a coolant channel through which a coolant for cooling a rotating electrical machine passes and a coolant channel through which a coolant for cooling an inverter device passes
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle drive device is disclosed that includes a rotating electrical machine, a transmission mechanism, and an inverter device. The rotating electrical machine and a pair of output members have a two-axis configuration. The transmission mechanism includes, coaxially with the pair of output members, an output gear drivingly connected to at least one of the pair of output members. The inverter device is disposed so as to overlap a first output member that is one of the pair of output members as viewed in a direction along an up-down direction. A first coolant channel through which a coolant for cooling the rotating electrical machine passes and a second coolant channel through which a coolant for cooling the inverter device passes are provided in the case so as to communicate with each other.