Transmission Arrangement for a Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle

Abstract

A transmission arrangement (10) for a motor vehicle includes a housing. The housing delimits an interior space and includes an intermediate housing wall (14), which subdivides the interior space into a first subspace and a second subspace (16). At least one electric machine is arranged in the first subspace, and a transmission (20) is at least partially arranged in the second subspace (16). An output shaft of the transmission (20) is connected to a differential (24) of the motor vehicle. At least one power terminal (26) is connected to the electric machine and is routed through respective passage openings in the intermediate housing wall (14) from the first subspace into the second subspace (16) of the interior space. The passage openings are arranged in an area of the intermediate housing wall (14) that is situated on a side of an orthogonal line (32) facing away from the differential (24) relative to a straight line (36) between a main axis (22) of the transmission and a main axis (38) of the differential (24).

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A transmission arrangement (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising: a housing that delimits an interior space and includes an intermediate housing wall (14), which subdivides the interior space into a first subspace and a second subspace (16); at least one electric machine arranged in the first subspace; a transmission (20) at least partially arranged in the second subspace (16), the electric machine connectable to an output shaft by the transmission (20) for transmission of torque, the output shaft connected to a differential (24) of the motor vehicle; and at least one power terminal (26) connected to the electric machine, the at least one power terminal (26) routed through one or more passage openings in the intermediate housing wall (14) from the first subspace into the second subspace (16) of the interior space, wherein the passage openings are arranged in an area of the intermediate housing wall (14) that is situated on a side of an orthogonal line (32) facing away from the differential (24) relative to a straight line (36) between a main axis (22) of the transmission and a main axis (38) of the differential (24).

17. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, wherein the transmission arrangement (10) configured for a front-mounted transverse installation.

18. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, further comprising an intermediate shaft (42), the output shaft connected to the differential (24) by the intermediate shaft (42) for the transmission of torque, the orthogonal line (32) extending through an axis of rotation (40) of the intermediate shaft (42).

19. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, wherein the passage openings are arranged in a radially outer area of the intermediate housing wall (14).

20. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, wherein the passage openings are arranged radially within an outer stator diameter of the electric machine.

21. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, wherein the passage openings, in an installation position of the transmission arrangement (10) in the motor vehicle, are arranged in a vertically uppermost area of the intermediate housing wall (14).

22. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, further comprising a power electronics unit connected to the electric machine by the power terminals (26), the power electronics unit comprising an inverter.

23. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 22, further comprising a power electronics housing sealingly arranged on an outside of the housing.

24. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 23, wherein additional passage openings in an outer wall of the housing extend in an interior space of the power electronics unit, the interior space of the power electronics unit delimited by the power electronics housing and an outer side of the housing, the power terminals (26) routed from the second subspace (16) of the interior space toward the outside of the interior space of the housing through the additional passage openings.

25. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, wherein the transmission (20) comprises at least one planetary gear set.

26. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, wherein one or both of: a respective passage opening for each power terminal (26) is provided in one or both of the intermediate housing wall (14) and in the outer housing wall; and a single, common passage opening for the power terminals (26) is provided in one or both of the intermediate housing wall (14) and in the outer housing wall.

27. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, wherein one or more of the power terminals (26) is configured as a metallic rail at least disposed in the passage opening area of the intermediate housing wall (14).

28. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, wherein the passage opening area of the intermediate housing wall (14) does not overlap axially with a second electric machine (48) that is arranged axially parallel to the electric machine.

29. The transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16, wherein the passage opening area of the intermediate housing wall (14) does not overlap axially with one or more of an actuator, a shift rail (46), and a selector fork of the transmission.

30. A motor vehicle, comprising the transmission arrangement (10) of claim 16.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates, in a diagrammatic side view, an example transmission arrangement having power terminals for an electric machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a portion of a transmission arrangement 10 for a motor vehicle including a housing, wherein only one housing part 12 of the housing, which is designed for accommodating an electric machine, is represented. The electric machine is accommodated in a first subspace of an interior space of the housing, which is covered by the housing part 12 in FIG. 1. The housing has an intermediate housing wall 14, which can be part of the housing part 12 or also a separate part. This intermediate housing wall 14 divides an interior space delimited by the housing into the first subspace and a second subspace 16, which faces the observer in FIG. 1. The interior space and, in particular, the second subspace 16 can be closed by a second housing part (not shown), which can be connected to the first housing part. The second housing part abuts, for example, a collar 18 of the housing part 12 and is bolted together therewith.

[0035] In addition, the transmission arrangement 10 includes a transmission 20, which is partially shown in FIG. 1. The transmission 20 includes, for example, two planetary gear sets, which are arranged next to each other coaxially to an axis of rotation 22. The transmission 20 is accommodated, for example, completely in the first subarea in the interior space of the housing and is connected through the intermediate housing wall 14 to the electric machine for the transmission of torque. The electric machine can also be coaxial to the axis of rotation 22. In addition, the transmission arrangement 10 can also include an internal combustion engine, the output shaft of which is connected to the transmission 20 for transmitting torque and is coaxial to the axis of rotation 22. The internal combustion engine can be arranged, for example, along the axis of rotation 22 in the direction of the observer of FIG. 1.

[0036] The axis of rotation 22 corresponds to a main axis of the transmission 20 and the axial extension of the transmission arrangement 10. The intermediate housing wall 14 preferably extends radially and orthogonally with respect to the axis of rotation 22, although the intermediate housing wall 14 can also be slanted with respect to the axis of rotation 22. The intermediate housing wall 14 divides the interior space into the first subspace and the second subspace 16 in such a way that the transmission 20 and the electric machine can be supplied with different amounts of oil.

[0037] The transmission 20 can provide selectable gears having different transmission ratios for the electric machine as well as for the internal combustion engine independently of one another. The transmission 20 includes an output shaft, which is not represented in FIG. 1. This output shaft is connected to a differential 24 in order to transfer particular drive forces generated by the electric machine and/or the internal combustion engine to driven wheels of the motor vehicle.

[0038] The differential 24 is arranged at the bottom in the transmission arrangement 10. The alignment of the transmission arrangement 10 in FIG. 1 essentially corresponds to the actual installation position, wherein the axis of rotation 22 is essentially aligned in the vehicle transverse direction, in particular in parallel to a front axle of the motor vehicle. Preferably, the transmission arrangement is arranged at the front in the motor vehicle. The upward direction in FIG. 1 essentially corresponds, in the installation position, to a vertical direction and/or upward.

[0039] The electric machine is electrically connected to a power electronics unit (which is also not shown) by particular power terminals 26. A metallic rail 28 is represented, which is routed through particular passage openings in the intermediate housing wall 14 to the electric machine. Due to the passage openings in the intermediate housing wall 14, an opening to the outer side of the housing and/or through an outer wall of the first housing part 12 is not necessary. The passage openings therefore do not need to be sealed, since a minimal exchange of oil between the first subspace and the second subspace at these passage openings is not disadvantageous.

[0040] The power terminals 26 also have an L-shaped angle piece 30, which enables the cable routing upward toward the outer side of the housing. The power terminals 26 are routed through a connecting area between the first housing part 12 and the second housing part. A hood-shaped power electronics housing can be arranged around the mouth area, which closes off with the housing and in the interior space of which the power electronics unit is arranged. A certain oil exchange is also permissible here, and so the passage of the power terminals 26 toward the outside of the interior space does not need to be sealed. Instead, a seal can be provided between the power electronics housing and the housing, which simultaneously protects the power electronics unit. As a result, the transmission arrangement 10 is particularly simple and low-cost. The length of the cable routing of the power terminals 26 is also particularly short due to this position of the power electronics housing.

[0041] In order to achieve these advantages and, simultaneously, a compact transmission arrangement 10, the passage openings are to be arranged in a certain area of the intermediate housing wall 14. The area should be in a radially outer area of the intermediate housing wall 14, in order to be able to utilize the smallest and shortest angle pieces 30 possible and to not adversely affect the installation space of other parts.

[0042] In addition, the particular passage openings are arranged in an area of the intermediate housing wall 14 that is situated on a side of an orthogonal line 32—with respect to a straight line 36 between the main axis and/or the axis of rotation 22 of the transmission 20 and a main axis 38 of the differential 24—facing away from the differential 24. The main axis 38 of the differential 24 corresponds to the axis of rotation of the output shaft of the differential 24.

[0043] Advantageously, the orthogonal line intersects an axis of rotation 40 of an intermediate shaft 42 of the transmission 20. The intermediate shaft 40 bridges the axial offset between the transmission 20 and the differential 24.

[0044] This yields an advantageous area for the arrangement of the passage openings in the intermediate housing wall 14, which is illustrated by the double arrow 44.

[0045] The radial extension of the differential 24 and of the intermediate shaft 42 are also illustrated in FIG. 1. The differential 24 as well as the intermediate shaft 42 are arranged in a lower area of the interior space of the housing, which, in the present case, is integrally formed by the first housing part 12 in a lower protrusion. Alternatively, these two portions can also be arranged in separate housing parts and/or at least partially separated inner areas.

[0046] The transmission 20 also includes a shift rail 46, the radial installation space requirement of which, close to the intermediate housing wall, is illustrated in FIG. 1. In addition, the transmission arrangement can also include a second electric machine 48, which is axially parallel to the above-described electric machine, the radial installation space requirement of which is also illustrated. The passage openings for the power terminals 26 should not also be arranged in axial overlap with the shift rail 46 and the second electric machine 48, since the assembly can become difficult and/or an axial length of the transmission arrangement 10 can become greater otherwise. The passage openings for the power terminals 26 are therefore not to be arranged in the area of the intermediate housing wall 14 that is concealed in FIG. 1 by the representation of the shift rail 46 and the second electric machine 48.

[0047] Advantageously, the passage openings for the power terminals 26 are arranged in a vertically upper area of the intermediate housing wall 14. As a result, the power electronics unit can be arranged in the proximity and particular cable lengths are short. In addition, a seal is simple in this way, since the vertically upper area is usually exposed to only minimal amounts of oil spray.

[0048] Modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments illustrated or described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. In the claims, reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description and the drawings may be recited. Such reference characters are enclosed within parentheses and are provided as an aid for reference to example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings. Such reference characters are provided for convenience only and have no effect on the scope of the claims. In particular, such reference characters are not intended to limit the claims to the particular example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0049] 10 transmission arrangement [0050] 12 first housing part [0051] 14 intermediate housing wall [0052] 16 second subspace [0053] 18 collar [0054] 20 transmission [0055] 22 axis of rotation [0056] 24 differential [0057] 26 power terminals [0058] 28 rail [0059] 30 angle piece [0060] 32 orthogonal line [0061] 36 straight line [0062] 38 axis of rotation [0063] 40 axis of rotation [0064] 42 intermediate shaft [0065] 44 double arrow [0066] 46 shift rail [0067] 48 second electric machine