DRIVE UNIT

Abstract

Disclosed is a drive unit (10) with a housing (12), an electric motor (14) arranged in the housing with a rotor shaft (26). At least two oil chambers (30) are arranged in the housing (12). In each case the oil chambers include an oil zone (38) and an air zone (40) with an oil capture pocket (46). The oil chambers are flow-connected to one another via an overflow channel (42). Axial end areas of the rotor shaft (26) project into the oil chambers (30), and the rotor shaft defines a connecting channel (34) which flow-connects the oil chambers (30) to one another. A transmission is coupled to one axial end area or the rotor shaft (26) and an impulse disk (32) is coupled to the opposite axial end area, where each axial end area conveys oil to the respective oil capture pocket (46).

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A drive unit for an electric vehicle, comprising: a housing (12); an electric motor (14) arranged in the housing, the electric motor (14) having a rotor shaft (26); at least two oil chambers (30) arranged in the housing (12), each of the at least two oil chambers comprising an oil zone (38) and an air zone (40) with an oil capture pocket (46); and an overflow channel (42) flow-connecting the oil zone (38) of the at least two oil chambers; wherein first and second axial end areas of the rotor shaft (26) project into the oil chambers (30), the rotor shaft (26) comprising a connecting channel (34) that flow-connects the at least two oil chambers (30); wherein a transmission (16) is coupled to the first axial end area of the rotor shaft (26) and an impulse disk (32) is coupled to the second axial end area of the rotor shaft (26); and wherein the transmission (16) and the impulse disk (32) are configured to deliver oil from the respective oil zone (38) to the corresponding oil capture pocket (46) and each oil capture pocket (46) is flow-connected by an inlet channel (48) to an oil inlet (50) that opens into the connecting channel (34), so that oil can flow from each oil capture pocket (46) via the inlet channels (48) into the connecting channel (34).

12. The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the inlet channel (48) opens into the oil inlet (50) at the first and second axial end areas of the rotor shaft (26).

13. The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the oil inlet (50) is arranged on an end area of the rotor shaft (26) that is remote from the transmission (16).

14. The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein in the assembled condition of the drive unit (10) each oil capture pocket (46) is positioned at a higher vertical level than the corresponding oil inlet (50).

15. The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein in the assembled condition of the drive unit (10) each oil capture pocket (46) is positioned at a higher vertical level than the corresponding oil inlet (50) at oblique orientations of the rotor shaft (26) of up to 20° relative to a horizontal plane.

16. The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the rotor shaft (26) is accommodated rotatably in the housing (12) by means of bearings (28), and the connecting channel (34) has outlet openings (36) in an area of the bearings (28) and the transmission (16), so that oil can flow by way of the bearings (28) and the transmission (16) into the at least two oil chambers (30).

17. The drive unit according to claim 11, further comprising a partition wall (44) between the at least two oil chambers (30), the partition wall (44) comprising the overflow channel (42).

18. The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the transmission (16) is in the form of a planetary transmission.

19. The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the inlet channel (48) is formed by channels in a wall of the housing.

20. The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the inlet channel (48) is formed by separate lines.

21. The drive unit according to claim 20, wherein the inlet channel (48) is formed by tubes.

22. The drive unit according to claim 20, wherein the inlet channel (48) is formed by flexible pipes.

23. The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the drive unit (10) does not have a separate oil pump.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the following description and from the attached drawings, to which reference is made and which show:

[0015] FIG. 1: A sectioned view of the drive unit according to the invention with the rotor shaft directed horizontally,

[0016] FIG. 2: A sectioned view of the drive unit according to the invention with the rotor shaft directed obliquely, for example for a fitted situation when driving uphill, and

[0017] FIG. 3: A sectioned view of the drive unit according to the invention with the rotor shaft directed obliquely, for example for a fitted situation when driving downhill.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a drive unit 10 with a housing 12 in which an electric motor 14 and a transmission 16 are arranged. The electric motor comprises a rotor 18 and a stator 20 and is arranged inside a separate dry space 24 sealed by shaft sealing rings 22.

[0019] The electric motor 14 can for example be an asynchronous motor.

[0020] In this case the transmission 16 is in the form of a planetary transmission. However, it is conceivable to use other type of electric motors and transmissions.

[0021] The rotor 18 is coupled to a rotor shaft 26 which, by means of bearings 28, in this embodiment in the form of ball bearings, is accommodated and can rotate in the housing 12.

[0022] The rotor shaft 26 is arranged in the housing 12 in such manner that it projects with its two axial end areas into oil chambers 30.

[0023] At one axial end area of the rotor shaft 26 is coupled the transmission 16 and at the other end area is coupled an impulse ring 32 for determining the rotation speed.

[0024] In this case the rotor shaft 26 is in the form of a hollow shaft and comprises a connecting channel 34.

[0025] The said connecting channel 34 has outlet openings 36 in the area of the bearings 28 and the transmission 16, and flow-connects the two oil chambers 30 arranged in the housing 12 to one another. Each oil chamber has an oil zone 38 and an air zone 40. In the figures, the oil level in the oil chambers 30 is indicated symbolically by the broken line A.

[0026] The oil chambers are arranged on axially opposite sides of the housing 12. Depending on the drive unit, more than two oil chambers 30 can also be provided in the drive unit 10.

[0027] In the oil zone 38 the oil chambers 30 are also flow-connected to one another by way of an overflow channel 42 formed in a partition wall 44, which channel is represented symbolically.

[0028] In the assembled condition the oil zones 38 are in a lower area of the oil chambers 30 and the air zones 40 are above them, in such manner that in the upper part of the air zones 40 in each case a schematically represented oil capture pocket 46 is formed in the housing 12. The oil capture pockets 46 can for example be simple protrusions in the wall of the housing 12, but more complex designs are also possible.

[0029] The oil capture pockets 46 are flow-connected via symbolically represented inlet channels 48 to an oil inlet 50. In this case the oil inlet 50 is formed in a cover 52 of the oil chamber 30 in which the impulse disk 32 is arranged and is optionally pushed with one end into the rotor shaft 26 so that the oil inlet is flow-connected to the connecting channel 34. However, the oil inlet 50 does not rotate with the rotor shaft 26.

[0030] Thus, the oil inlet 50 is attached at the axial end area of the rotor shaft 26 remote from the transmission 16.

[0031] The inlet channels 48 open into an upper area of the oil inlet 50. In the example embodiment illustrated, the inlet channel 48 coming from the transmission side first opens into the inlet channel 48 on the oil inlet side. It is also possible for both inlet channels 48 to open directly into the oil inlet 50, or for the inlet channel 48 on the oil inlet side to open first into the inlet channel 48 that extends from the transmission side.

[0032] Furthermore, the oil capture pockets 46 are designed such that in all the usual driving situations they are at a higher vertical level than the oil inlet 50. More precisely, when the rotor shaft 26 is directed horizontally or when the rotor shaft 26 is in an oblique orientation range up to ±20° relative to a horizontal plane, the oil capture pockets are vertically above the oil inlet 50. In FIG. 1 that can be seen for travelling on level ground, in FIG. 2 for driving uphill and in FIG. 3 for driving downhill. In this context the terms uphill and downhill should be regarded as depending on the installation orientation of the drive unit 10 in the vehicle. If the installation orientation of the drive unit 10 in the vehicle was opposite to the installation orientations shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, then FIG. 2 would shown an installation situation for downhill driving and FIG. 3 one for uphill driving.

[0033] The inlet channels 48 extend from the oil capture pockets 46 obliquely downward to the oil inlet 50. The inlet ducts 48 can be formed in the wall of the housing 12, for example by drilling or by generative production, or in the case of separate lines such as tubes or flexible pipes they can extend inside or outside the housing 12. It is also conceivable for the tubes or pipes to extend partly inside and partly outside the housing 12.

[0034] The impulse disk 32 and the transmission 16, which during operation are driven by the rotor shaft 26, are designed such that by virtue of their rotation movement they deliver or spray oil from the corresponding oil zone 38 to the respective oil capture pocket 46.

[0035] In the example embodiment shown, the transmission 16 is for example so designed that when driving on level ground (see FIG. 1) and driving uphill (see FIG. 2) the transmission delivers oil to the corresponding oil capture pocket 46. In those conditions the impulse disk 32 does not deliver any oil, since it does not project down into the oil. Accordingly, the oil zone 38 arranged on the side of the transmission 16 in this case has the function of a primary oil reservoir. When driving downhill (see FIG. 3), the transmission 16 no longer projects down into the oil. So, in that case the impulse disk 32, which in this operating condition does project down into the oil, delivers oil to the corresponding oil capture pocket 46. For this, other designs also are conceivable, for example such that when the rotor shaft 26 is horizontal both the transmission 16 and the impulse disk 32 deliver oil, or only the impulse disk 32 delivers oil.

[0036] The oil collected in the oil capture pockets 46 flows through the inlet channels 48 extending obliquely downward into the oil inlet 50. From the oil inlet 50 the oil flows on into the connecting channel 34. By way of a first outlet opening 36 the oil here reaches the first bearing 28 and the first shaft sealing ring 22, and then flows into the oil zone 38 of the corresponding oil chamber 30.

[0037] On the axially opposite side of the rotor shaft 26 a second outlet opening 36 is formed, through which the oil can flow to the second bearing 28 and the second shaft sealing ring 22.

[0038] During this, the oil is propelled by centrifugal force into the outlet openings 36. Moreover, the oil flows here through lubrication channels 54 in the transmission 16 to the needle bearings and gearwheels of the planetary transmission. In this case too, the oil again flows into the oil zone 38 of the corresponding oil chamber 30.

[0039] Accordingly, in all the usual driving situations oil is conveyed from an oil zone 38 to the points that have to be lubricated and cooled, either by the impulse disk 32 or by the transmission 16, and sometimes by both these components. From those points, more precisely the bearings 28, the shaft sealing rings 22 and the transmission 16, the oil flows back into the oil zone 38 of the corresponding oil chamber 30, so that an oil cycle is created. Thus, there is no need for a separate oil pump with a drive of its own, which would increase costs.

INDEXES

[0040] 10 Drive unit [0041] 12 Housing [0042] 14 Electric motor [0043] 16 Transmission [0044] 18 Rotor [0045] 20 Stator [0046] 22 Shaft sealing ring [0047] 24 Dry space [0048] 26 Rotor shaft [0049] 28 Bearing [0050] 30 Oil chamber [0051] 32 Impulse disk [0052] 34 Connecting channel [0053] 36 Outlet opening [0054] 38 Oil zone [0055] 40 Air zone [0056] 42 Overflow channel [0057] 44 Partition wall [0058] 46 Oil capture pocket [0059] 48 Inlet channel [0060] 50 Oil inlet [0061] 52 Cover [0062] 54 Lubrication channel