IP Library Granted Patent US 12,558,951
Granted Patent B2
US 12,558,951 · App. 18/561,622 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Drive unit

Inventors: Mamoru Yokota (Kanagawa, JP); Youji Okano (Kanagawa, JP); Yuki Tsukagoshi (Kanagawa, JP); Kazuhiro Hayakawa (Kanagawa, JP); Takuma Kinoto (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
B60K6/40B60K6/26B60K6/36B60K6/46B60K6/50F16H37/065F16H57/0006B60Y2200/92F16H2057/0012F16H2057/02034F16H2057/02052F16H57/035
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,558,951
App. No.
18/561,622
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drive unit includes: an electric unit including a first electric motor for driving, a deceleration mechanism configured to transmit a rotation torque of the first electric motor to a drive wheel, a second electric motor configured to be driven by an internal combustion engine to generate electric power, and an acceleration mechanism configured to transmit a rotation torque of the internal combustion engine to the second electric motor. The first electric motor, the deceleration mechanism, the second electric motor, and the acceleration mechanism are housed in one housing.

Claims (19)

1 . A drive unit comprising:

an electric unit comprising a first electric motor for driving, a deceleration mechanism configured to transmit a rotation torque of the first electric motor to a drive wheel, a second electric motor configured to be driven by an internal combustion engine to generate electric power, and an acceleration mechanism configured to transmit a rotation torque of the internal combustion engine to the second electric motor, wherein:

the first electric motor, the deceleration mechanism, the second electric motor, and the acceleration mechanism are housed in one housing, and

in the housing:

the first electric motor and the second electric motor are arranged in a front-rear direction of a vehicle with their respective rotation shafts parallel,

the deceleration mechanism and the acceleration mechanism are arranged in the front-rear direction of the vehicle,

the electric unit and the internal combustion engine are connected in a state of being arranged in a left-right direction of the vehicle,

a first rotation shaft which is the rotation shaft of the first electric motor and a second rotation shaft which is the rotation shaft of the second electric motor are located on a front side and a rear side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle with a crankshaft rotation axis which is a rotation axis of a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine interposed therebetween, and

when viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the crankshaft rotation axis is located at a midpoint of a motor connecting line which is a line connecting the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft.

2 . The drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electric unit and the internal combustion engine in a connected state are supported by the vehicle body in the left-right direction of the vehicle by a pendulum type mount, and

a mount connecting line, which is a line connecting a support portion of the mount on a left side in the left-right direction of the vehicle and a support portion of the mount on a right side in the left-right direction of the vehicle, is parallel to an output shaft of the deceleration mechanism.

3 . The drive unit according to claim 2 , wherein:

the crankshaft rotation axis is parallel to the mount connecting line and is on a vertical plane including the mount connecting line.

4 . The drive unit according to claim 3 , wherein:

the first electric motor is heavier than the second electric motor, the acceleration mechanism is heavier than the deceleration mechanism, and

the first electric motor and the deceleration mechanism are disposed on a rear side of the vehicle body with respect to the crankshaft rotation axis, the second electric motor and the acceleration mechanism are disposed on a front side of the vehicle body with respect to the crankshaft rotation axis, and at least a part of a plurality of auxiliary components of the internal combustion engine is disposed on the front side of the vehicle body with respect to the crankshaft rotation axis, whereby a center of gravity of the entire drive unit is located on the mount connecting line.

5 . The drive unit according to claim 4 , wherein:

when viewed in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, the motor connecting line is inclined by 45 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2023
From: YOKOTA, MAMORU; OKANO, YOUJI; TSUKAGOSHI, YUKI; HAYAKAWA, KAZUHIRO; KINOTO, TAKUMA
To: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065590/0107 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240239177A1 · Jul 18, 2024
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