# US 12,214,666 B2 · Vehicle driving apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,666 B2 - Document ID: US12214666B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/409,798 - Filed: 2021-08-24 - Published: 2021-12-09 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-27 - Assignees: Mazda Motor Corporation - Applicants: Mazda Motor Corporation - Inventors: Isao Toda; Seiyo Hirano; Kei Yonemori; Satoshi Maruyama; Shinji Fujihira; Wataru Kuwahara; Tomoya Kakite; Yoshiaki Noguchi; Ryuichiro Amano; Mitsuhiro Hirota - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214666B2 ## CPC - B60K 6/24: characterised by the combustion engines - B60K 6/40: characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components - B60K 6/26: characterised by the motors or the generators - B60K 6/36: characterised by the transmission gearings - B60K 6/405: Housings - B60K 6/46: Series type - F01M 5/002: {Cooling} - F01M 11/0004: {Oilsumps} - F02B 53/04: Charge admission or combustion-gas discharge - F02B 63/042: {Rotating electric generators} - B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - F01M: LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A vehicle driving apparatus is provided that includes a drive motor, an internal combustion engine, and an electrical generator and can inhibit a weight balance and motion performance of a vehicle from being deteriorated and lowered. A vehicle driving apparatus driving a vehicle by motive power of a motor, the vehicle driving apparatus including a drive motor that is driven by electric power, an internal combustion engine that produces motive power by fuel, and an electrical generator that is driven by the internal combustion engine, the vehicle driving apparatus being characterized in that the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator are arranged in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle in order of the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle driving apparatus driving a vehicle by motive power of a drive motor, the vehicle driving apparatus comprising: the drive motor that is driven by electric power; an internal combustion engine that produces motive power by fuel; and an electrical generator that is driven by the internal combustion engine, wherein the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator are arranged in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle in order of the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator from a vehicle right side to a vehicle left side, wherein the internal combustion engine is a rotary piston engine, and an intake pipe and an exhaust pipe of the rotary piston engine extend from a rear side of the rotary piston engine in a front-rear direction of the vehicle to a rearward side of the vehicle; a speed reducer provided in a transmission path for transmitting motive power of the drive motor to a wheel of the vehicle, wherein the speed reducer is arranged between the drive motor and the internal combustion engine in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle; and an electric power conversion apparatus electrically connected with each of the drive motor and the electrical generator; a first conductor connecting the electric power conversion apparatus with the drive motor; and a second conductor connecting the electric power conversion apparatus with the electrical generator, wherein each of the first conductor and the second conductor is arranged in an internal portion of a casing of the electric power conversion apparatus. a casing of the drive motor, or a casing of the electrical generator, and the casing of the electric power conversion apparatus is joined to each of the casing of the drive motor and the casing of the electrical generator so as to straddle over the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a center of the casing of the electric power conversion apparatus in the vehicle width direction is positioned on a side where the drive motor is arranged with respect to a central axis line of the vehicle that extends in a front-rear direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric power conversion apparatus includes an inverter that is electrically connected with the drive motor and converts a direct current to an alternating current and a converter that is electrically connected with the electrical generator and converts an alternating current to a direct current. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a planar view, the drive motor and the casing of the electric power conversion apparatus arranged above the drive motor overlap with each other, the electrical generator and the casing of the electric power conversion apparatus arranged above the electrical generator overlap with each other, and an overlapping amount between the drive motor and the casing of the electric power conversion apparatus is configured to be larger than an overlapping amount between the electrical generator and the casing of the electric power conversion apparatus. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator are housed in a motor room provided in a front portion of the vehicle, and the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator are arranged below a bonnet covering the motor room. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 5, wherein in a front view, an oil pan is provided in a lower portion of the internal combustion engine, and an output shaft of the internal combustion engine is arranged to be offset to a vehicle upward side with respect to an output shaft of the drive motor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 6, wherein in the planar view, a front end portion of the internal combustion engine is positioned on a vehicle forward side of a front end portion of the drive motor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 7, wherein in the planar view, the output shaft of the internal combustion engine is arranged to be offset to a vehicle forward side with respect to the output shaft of the drive motor, and a predetermined auxiliary device related to the internal combustion engine is mounted on a front portion of the internal combustion engine in front of the drive motor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator is arranged such that each of the output shaft of the internal combustion engine, the output shaft of the drive motor, and an input shaft of the electrical generator extends along the vehicle width direction. ### Claim 10 A vehicle driving apparatus driving a vehicle by motive power of a drive motor, the vehicle driving apparatus comprising: the drive motor that is driven by electric power; an internal combustion engine that produces motive power by fuel; an electrical generator that is driven by the internal combustion engine, wherein the drive motor, the internal combustion engine. and the electrical generator are arranged in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle in order of the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator from a vehicle right side to a vehicle left side; and an electric power conversion apparatus electrically connected with each of the drive motor and the electrical generator; a first conductor connecting the electric power conversion apparatus with the drive motor; and a second conductor connecting the electric power conversion apparatus with the electrical generator, wherein each of the first conductor and the second conductor is arranged in an internal portion of a casing of the electric power conversion apparatus, a casing of the drive motor, or a casing of the electrical generator, and the casing of the electric power conversion apparatus is joined to each of the casing of the drive motor and the casing of the electrical generator so as to straddle over the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator are housed in a motor room provided in a front portion of the vehicle, and the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator are arranged below a bonnet covering the motor room. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a front view, an oil pan is provided in a lower portion of the internal combustion engine, and an output shaft of the internal combustion engine is arranged to be offset to a vehicle upward side with respect to an output shaft of the drive motor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a planar view, a front end portion of the internal combustion engine is positioned on a vehicle forward side of a front end portion of the drive motor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a planar view, an output shaft of the internal combustion engine is arranged to be offset to a vehicle forward side with respect to an output shaft of the drive motor, and a predetermined auxiliary device related to the internal combustion engine is mounted on a front portion of the internal combustion engine in front of the drive motor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The vehicle driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the drive motor, the internal combustion engine, and the electrical generator is arranged such that each of an output shaft of the internal combustion engine, an output shaft of the drive motor, and an input shaft of the electrical generator extends along the vehicle width direction.