US 12,304,301 B2
In-wheel motor drive device mounted on motor vehicle
Keita Imai, Seto (JP); Kiichi Yokoyama, Toyota (JP); Hiroki Monji, Toyota (JP); Yusuke Ueta, Shizuoka-ken (JP); and Tatsuya Sakai, Toyota (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Oct. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/497,259.
Claims priority of application No. 2023-006014 (JP), filed on Jan. 18, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0239187 A1, Jul. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. B60K 17/04 (2006.01); B60K 7/00 (2006.01); F16H 1/08 (2006.01); F16H 57/02 (2012.01)
CPC B60K 17/043 (2013.01) [B60K 7/0007 (2013.01); F16H 1/08 (2013.01); F16H 57/02 (2013.01); F16H 2057/02034 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An in-wheel motor drive device mounted on a motor vehicle, the in-wheel motor drive device comprising:
a motor case that houses a motor, the motor including a motor main shaft;
an axle parallel to the motor main shaft with a wheel fixed to an outer end of the axle in a vehicle width direction of the motor vehicle;
a first helical gear fixed to the motor main shaft;
a second helical gear fixed to the axle and engaged with the first helical gear;
a gear case that is in contact with the motor case, houses the first helical gear and the second helical gear, has a first opening in an inner wall of the gear case that faces the motor case, and has a second opening in an outer wall of the gear case that is located on an outer side in the vehicle width direction, the motor main shaft passing through the first opening, and the axle passing through the second opening;
a pair of first thrust bearings, the pair of first thrust bearings including a first outer thrust bearing that is attached to the outer wall of the gear case and a first inner thrust bearing that is attached to the inner wall of the gear case, and the pair of first thrust bearings being configured to rotatably support the first helical gear; and
a pair of second thrust bearings, the pair of second thrust bearings including a second outer thrust bearing that is attached to the outer wall of the gear case and a second inner thrust bearing that is attached to the inner wall of the gear case, and the pair of second thrust bearings being configured to rotatably support the second helical gear, wherein
an outer end of the first helical gear is supported by the outer wall via the first outer thrust bearing, and an inner end of the first helical gear is supported by the inner wall via the first inner thrust bearing at the first opening,
an inner end of the second helical gear is supported by the inner wall via the second inner thrust bearing, and an outer end of the second helical gear is supported by the outer wall via the second outer thrust bearing at the second opening,
directions of helical teeth of the first helical gear and the second helical gear are set in such a manner that when the motor main shaft is rotating in a direction in which the motor vehicle travels forward, a first thrust load directed outward in the vehicle width direction is applied to the first helical gear such that the outer wall receives the first thrust load, and a second thrust load directed toward a middle in the vehicle width direction is applied to the second helical gear such that the inner wall receives the second thrust load, and
the first thrust load and the second thrust load have a same absolute value and are directed in opposite directions.