# US 12,184,147 B2 · Drive device and vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,184,147 B2 - Document ID: US12184147B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/851,042 - Filed: 2022-06-28 - Published: 2023-01-05 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-30 - Assignees: Nidec Corporation - Applicants: Nidec Corporation - Inventors: Daiki Shimogai; Masafumi Ishimatsu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12184147B2 ## CPC - H02K 5/124: Sealing of shafts - H02K 11/40: Structural association with grounding devices - H02K 5/10: with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers - H02K 5/1732: {radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor (H02K5/1737 takes precedence)} - H02K 7/116: with gears - H02K 9/19: for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract A drive device includes a shaft, a rotor, a stator, a bearing, a housing, a first neutralizing device, and a seal member. The shaft extends in the axial direction along a rotation axis. The rotor is fixed to the shaft and is rotatable about the rotation axis. The stator faces the rotor with a gap therebetween in the radial direction. The bearing rotatably supports the shaft. The housing accommodates the rotor, the stator, and the bearing. The first neutralizing device is arranged on one axial side of the bearing and electrically connects the shaft and the housing. The seal member is arranged between the bearing and the first neutralizing device in the axial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive device comprising: a shaft extending in an axial direction along a rotation axis; a rotor fixed to the shaft and rotatable about the rotation axis; a stator facing the rotor in a radial direction with a gap between the stator and the rotor; a bearing rotatably supporting the shaft; a housing accommodating the rotor, the stator, and the bearing; a first neutralizing device that is arranged on one axial side of the bearing and electrically connects the shaft and the housing; and a seal member arranged between the bearing and the first neutralizing device in the axial direction, and the shaft includes: a shaft tubular portion that has a tubular shape surrounding the rotation axis; and a shaft through-hole penetrating the shaft tubular portion in the radial direction or in a direction obliquely intersecting the radial direction and the axial direction, and the seal member is arranged next to the bearing with a gap in the axial direction, and a radially outer end portion of the shaft through-hole is connected between one axial end of the bearing and the seal member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a bearing holder that holds the bearing, the bearing holder has an opening through which the shaft is inserted, and the seal member includes: a fixed portion fixed to a radially outer surface of the shaft; and a flange portion that expands radially outward from the fixed portion and covers a gap between the opening and the shaft. ### Claim 3 A drive device comprising: a shaft extending in an axial direction along a rotation axis; a rotor fixed to the shaft and rotatable about the rotation axis; a stator facing the rotor in a radial direction with a gap between the stator and the rotor; a bearing rotatably supporting the shaft; a housing accommodating the rotor, the stator, and the bearing; a first neutralizing device that is arranged on one axial side of the bearing and electrically connects the shaft and the housing; and a seal member arranged between the bearing and the first neutralizing device in the axial direction, and a rotation detector that detects a rotation angle of the shaft, wherein the rotation detector is arranged between the bearing and the first neutralizing device in the axial direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The drive device according to claim 3, wherein the rotation detector is arranged on the one axial side of the seal member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A vehicle comprising the drive device according to claim 3. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, further comprising a second neutralizing device that is arranged between the bearing and the first neutralizing device in the axial direction and electrically connects the shaft and the housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The drive device according to claim 6, wherein the second neutralizing device is arranged on the one axial side of the seal member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A vehicle comprising the drive device according to claim 1. ### Claim 9 A drive device comprising: a shaft extending in an axial direction along a rotation axis; a rotor fixed to the shaft and rotatable about the rotation axis; a stator facing the rotor in a radial direction with a gap between the stator and the rotor; a bearing rotatably supporting the shaft; a housing accommodating the rotor, the stator, and the bearing; a first neutralizing device that is arranged on one axial side of the bearing and electrically connects the shaft and the housing; and a seal member arranged between the bearing and the first neutralizing device in the axial direction, and the shaft includes: a shaft tubular portion that has a tubular shape surrounding the rotation axis; and a shaft through-hole penetrating the shaft tubular portion in the radial direction or in a direction obliquely intersecting the radial direction and the axial direction, and the shaft further includes a shaft wall that is arranged inside the shaft tubular portion and expands in the radial direction, and the shaft wall is arranged at an axial position identical to the seal member or on the one axial side of a radially inner end portion of the shaft through-hole and on another axial side of the seal member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A vehicle comprising the drive device according to claim 9. ### Claim 11 A drive device comprising: a shaft extending in an axial direction along a rotation axis; a rotor fixed to the shaft and rotatable about the rotation axis; a stator facing the rotor in a radial direction with a gap between the stator and the rotor; a bearing rotatably supporting the shaft; a housing accommodating the rotor, the stator, and the bearing; a first neutralizing device that is arranged on one axial side of the bearing and electrically connects the shaft and the housing; and a seal member arranged between the bearing and the first neutralizing device in the axial direction, a shaft extending in an axial direction along a rotation axis; a rotor fixed to the shaft and rotatable about the rotation axis; a stator facing the rotor in a radial direction with a gap between the stator and the rotor; a bearing rotatably supporting the shaft; a housing accommodating the rotor, the stator, and the bearing; a first neutralizing device that is arranged on one axial side of the bearing and electrically connects the shaft and the housing; and a seal member arranged between the bearing and the first neutralizing device in the axial direction, and a rotation detector that detects a rotation angle of the shaft, the rotation detector is arranged on the one axial side of the first neutralizing device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The drive device according to claim 11, wherein a second neutralizing device that is arranged on one axial side of the rotation detector and electrically connects the shaft and the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A vehicle comprising the drive device according to claim 11.