US 12,456,899 B2
Drive apparatus
Yui Watanabe, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to NIDEC CORPORATION, Kyoto (JP)
Filed by NIDEC CORPORATION, Kyoto (JP)
Filed on Aug. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/893,173.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-136482 (JP), filed on Aug. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0065709 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H02K 5/20 (2006.01); H02K 7/00 (2006.01); H02K 7/116 (2006.01); H02K 9/193 (2006.01); H02K 11/33 (2016.01)
CPC H02K 5/203 (2021.01) [H02K 7/003 (2013.01); H02K 7/116 (2013.01); H02K 9/193 (2013.01); H02K 11/33 (2016.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A drive apparatus comprising:
a motor having a motor shaft that rotates about a motor axis;
a power transmission mechanism connected to the motor shaft from one side in an axial direction;
a housing having a motor housing portion that houses the motor therein and a gear accommodation portion that houses the power transmission mechanism therein;
a refrigerant channel through which a refrigerant circulates;
a cooler configured to cool the refrigerant; and
a pump configured to pressure-feed the refrigerant, wherein the refrigerant channel includes:
a first flow passage connecting a refrigerant pool in the housing and a suction port of the pump;
a second flow passage connecting a discharge port of the pump and an inflow port of the cooler; and
a third flow passage that extends from an outflow port of the cooler to an inside of the motor housing portion and supplies the refrigerant to the motor,
the cooler is fixed to an outer side face of the housing in a region overlapping at least a part of the gear accommodation portion in a radial direction above a horizontal plane including the motor axis, and
the housing has a partition that partitions an internal space of the motor housing portion and an internal space of the gear accommodation portion, and at least a part of the cooler overlaps the partition in a radial direction.