IP Library Granted Patent US 12,455,004
Granted Patent B2
US 12,455,004 · App. 18/505,585 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Drive unit

Inventors: Marina Hirata (Toyota, JP); Akitaka Ichikawa (Nisshin, JP); Hiroshi Kawanishi (Nisshin, JP); Tsukasa Sakamaki (Toyota, JP); Shohei Nagata (Nisshin, JP); Takayoshi Hanai (Kariya, JP); Teppei Yamashita (Kariya, JP)
Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA; AISIN CORPORATION
F16H57/0424H02K7/116
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,455,004
App. No.
18/505,585
Granted
Oct 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drive unit may include a case comprising an electric motor chamber and a gear chamber; an electric motor comprising a rotor housed in the electric motor chamber; a specific gear housed in the gear chamber; lubricant stored in the electric motor chamber and the gear chamber; and a through hole connecting the electric motor chamber and the gear chamber. An opening of the through hole on a gear chamber side may be positioned so as to face a side surface of the specific gear. A region below a center of the specific gear is defined as a lower region, a part of the lower region that is located rearward of a vertical plane passing through a center axis of the specific gear in a rotation direction of the specific gear is defined as a lower rear region, and the opening may be in the lower rear region.

Claims (14)

1. A drive unit, comprising:

a case comprising an electric motor chamber and a gear chamber;

an electric motor comprising a rotor housed in the electric motor chamber;

a specific gear housed in the gear chamber and configured to rotate with rotation of the rotor;

lubricant stored in the electric motor chamber and the gear chamber; and

a through hole connecting the electric motor chamber and the gear chamber and configured to allow the lubricant to flow from the electric motor chamber to the gear chamber when the rotor rotates,

wherein

an opening of the through hole on a gear chamber side is positioned so as to face a side surface of the specific gear,

a region below a center of the specific gear is defined as a lower region, a part of the lower region that is located rearward of a vertical plane passing through a center axis of the specific gear in a rotation direction of the specific gear is defined as a lower rear region, and the opening is in the lower rear region.

2. The drive unit of claim 1 , wherein when the rotor rotates, the lubricant discharged from the opening is discharged forward in the rotation direction of the specific gear in the lower rear region.

3. The drive unit of claim 1 , wherein

a first gear fixed to a shaft of the rotor and a plurality of intermediate gears configured to transmit power from the first gear to the specific gear are housed in the gear chamber, and

a number of the intermediate gears is an odd number.

4. The drive unit of claim 1 , wherein the through hole is inclined downward from the electric motor chamber toward the gear chamber.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: HIRATA, MARINA; ICHIKAWA, AKITAKA; KAWANISHI, HIROSHI; SAKAMAKI, TSUKASA; NAGATA, SHOHEI; HANAI, TAKAYOSHI; YAMASHITA, TEPPEI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA; AISIN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065511/0243 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-186789 · Nov 22, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240167559A1 · May 23, 2024
References Cited (6)
US 11174938B2 · Ohkawa · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20180180164A1 · Hagino · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190173359A1 · Ishikawa · 2019 [cited by examiner]
JP 2018105419A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020070821A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/929,098, filed Sep. 1, 2022, Hiroki Takeda, et al. [cited by applicant]