IP Library Granted Patent US 11,863,052
Granted Patent B2
US 11,863,052 · App. 17/563,437 · Granted Jan 2, 2024

Drive device

Inventors: Kengo Takamura (Kyoto, JP); Hibiki Takada (Kyoto, JP); Shohei Fujimoto (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
H02K9/19H02K5/20H02K7/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,863,052
App. No.
17/563,437
Granted
Jan 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drive device includes a motor including a rotor rotatable about a central axis, a transmission connected to the motor, and a housing including a motor housing accommodating the motor and a transmission housing accommodating the transmission. A first fluid is accommodated in the transmission housing. The housing includes a first flow path through which the first fluid flows and a second flow path through which the second fluid flows. The first flow path includes a supply flow path that supplies the first fluid in the transmission housing to the inside of the motor housing, and a collection flow path that extends from the inside of the motor housing to the inside of the transmission housing. At least a portion of the second flow path is located radially outside the motor. At least a portion of the collection flow path is located radially outside the second flow path.

Claims (68)

1. A drive device, comprising:

a motor including a rotor rotatable about a central axis;

a transmission connected to the motor; and

a housing including a motor housing accommodating the motor therein and a transmission housing accommodating the transmission therein; wherein

a first fluid is accommodated in the transmission housing;

the housing includes:

a first flow path through which the first fluid flows; and

a second flow path through which a second fluid flows;

the first flow path includes:

a supply flow path that supplies the first fluid in the transmission housing to an inside of the motor housing; and

a collection flow path extending from the inside of the motor housing to an inside of the transmission housing;

at least a portion of the second flow path is located radially outside the motor;

at least a portion of the collection flow path is located radially outside the second flow path; and

at least a portion of the first flow path overlaps a portion of the second flow path within a peripheral wall of the motor housing when viewed along a radial direction.

2. The drive device according to claim 1 , wherein

the second flow path includes:

a plurality of axial flow path portions extending in an axial direction and arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction;

a plurality of first circumferential flow path portions connecting ends on one side in an axial direction of the axial flow path portions adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction; and

a plurality of second circumferential flow path portions connecting ends on another side in the axial direction of the axial flow path portions adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, extends in a rectangular wave shape along the circumferential direction.

3. The drive device according to claim 2 , wherein

the motor housing and the transmission housing are separate bodies fixed to each other;

the motor housing includes:

a first housing fixed to the transmission housing; and

a second housing fixed to a side of the first housing in the axial direction;

the transmission housing includes:

a third housing fixed to the first housing; and

a fourth housing fixed to a side of the third housing in the axial direction which is opposite to the side of the first housing in the axial direction;

the axial flow path portion is provided in the first housing; and

the first circumferential flow path portion is provided across the first housing and the third housing.

4. The drive device according to claim 2 , wherein

the collection flow path includes:

a groove portion provided on an inner peripheral surface of the motor housing and extending in an axial direction;

a collection flow path body located radially outside the groove portion, extending in the axial direction, and connected to the inside of the transmission housing; and

a connection portion connecting the groove portion and the collection flow path body portion to each other; and

at least a portion of the collection flow path body is located radially outside the second flow path.

5. The drive device according to claim 4 , wherein

the transmission housing is connected to one side of the motor housing in the axial direction; and

the connection portion connects an end of the groove portion on a side in the axial direction opposite to the one side of the motor housing and an end of the collection flow path body on the side in the axial direction opposite to the one side of the motor housing.

6. The drive device according to claim 5 , wherein

the plurality of first circumferential flow path portions include a first circumferential flow path portion extending over one side in the axial direction of the groove portion in the circumferential direction; and

the connection portion is located between the second circumferential flow path portions adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction.

7. The drive device according to claim 4 , wherein

the central axis extends in a direction intersecting the vertical direction;

the collection flow path is located on a vertically lower side of the motor; and

a bottom of the groove portion is an inclined surface located on a vertically lower side toward the connection portion.

8. The drive device according to claim 4 , wherein

a circumferential dimension of the collection flow path body is larger than a circumferential dimension of the connection portion.

9. The drive device according to claim 1 , wherein

the collection flow path includes:

a groove portion provided on an inner peripheral surface of the motor housing and extending in an axial direction;

a collection flow path body located radially outside the groove portion, extending in the axial direction, and connected to the inside of the transmission housing; and

a connection portion which connects the groove portion and the collection flow path body portion to each other; and

at least a portion of the collection flow path body is located radially outside the second flow path.

10. The drive device according to claim 1 , wherein

the supply flow path includes an introduction flow path portion extending in the axial direction from the inside of the transmission housing; and

at least a portion of the introduction flow path portion is located radially outside the second flow path.

11. The drive device according to claim 10 , wherein

the introduction flow path portion is adjacent to the collection flow path in the circumferential direction.

12. The drive device according to claim 1 , wherein

the motor housing includes:

a cylindrical first housing surrounding the motor on a radially outer side of the motor; and

a second housing that is separate from the first housing and is fixed to a side of the first housing in the axial direction; and

the collection flow path and the second flow path are provided across the first housing and the second housing, respectively.

13. The drive device according to claim 12 , wherein

the first housing and the second housing are fixed to each other at positions radially inside the collection flow path and adjacent to the second flow path in the circumferential direction.

14. The drive device according to claim 1 , wherein

the housing includes a partition wall separating an inside of the motor housing and an inside of the transmission housing; and

the partition wall includes a through hole connecting the inside of the motor housing and the inside of the transmission housing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2021
From: TAKAMURA, KENGO; TAKADA, HIBIKI; FUJIMOTO, SHOHEI
To: NIDEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058491/0532 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-218897 · Dec 28, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220209625A1 · Jun 30, 2022