# US 2019/0173358 A1 · Motor unit

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- Number: US 2019/0173358 A1
- Document ID: US20190173358A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/323,910
- Filed: 2017-08-08
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-09
- Assignees: Nidec Corporation
- Applicants: Nidec Corporation
- Inventors: Yuki ISHIKAWA; Yasuo YAMAGUCHI; Takayuki MIGITA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190173358A1

## CPC

- H02K 9/19: for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil
- H02K 5/203: {specially adapted for liquids, e.g. cooling jackets}
- H02K 7/116: with gears
- H02K 21/16: having annular armature cores with salient poles (with homopolar co-operation H02K21/20)
- B60T 1/005: {by locking of wheel or transmission rotation}
- F16D 63/006: {Positive locking brakes}
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})
- B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES
- F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES

## Abstract

A motor unit includes a motor including a rotor to rotate about a motor axis extending in a horizontal direction, a differential connected to the motor, a housing including a housing space to house the motor and the differential, oil in a vertically lower region of the housing space, and an oil passage to feed the oil from the vertically lower region of the housing space to the motor. A pump is fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the housing and is located in a channel of the oil passage. The pump is on an opposite side of the motor axis with respect to the differential when viewed in an axial direction of the motor axis.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-12. (canceled)

### Claim 13

A motor unit comprising:
a motor including a rotor to rotate about a motor axis extending in a horizontal direction;
a differential connected to the motor;
a housing including a housing space to house the motor and the differential;
oil in a vertically lower region of the housing space;
an oil passage to feed the oil from the vertically lower region of the housing space to the motor; and
a pump fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the housing and located in a channel of the oil passage; wherein
the pump is on an opposite side of the motor axis with respect to the differential when viewed in an axial direction of the motor axis;
the channel of the oil passage includes a cooler therein to cool the oil passing therethrough;
the oil passage includes a second flow passage to connect the pump and the cooler to each other, and a third flow passage to connect the cooler and the housing space to each other; and
the cooler is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the housing.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The motor unit according to claim 13, wherein
the oil passage includes a first flow passage extending along a lower side of the motor; and
the first flow passage includes a first end portion that opens into the housing space on a lower side of the differential, and a second end portion connected to a suction inlet of the pump.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The motor unit according to claim 14, wherein
a plurality of gears are connected between the motor and the differential; and
at least a portion of the first flow passage overlaps with at least one of the plurality of gears when viewed in the axial direction of the motor axis.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The motor unit according to claim 14, wherein
the differential is lower than the motor; and
the suction inlet of the pump is higher than a lower end of the differential and lower than the motor axis.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The motor unit according to claim 14, wherein the suction inlet is lower than a liquid surface of the oil in the vertically lower region of the housing space.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The motor unit according to claim 14, wherein the first flow passage extends in a straight line and slants upward as the first flow passage extends from the first end portion to the second end portion.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The motor unit according to claim 14, wherein
the housing includes a wall portion surrounding the housing space; and
the first flow passage extends along an interior of the wall portion.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The motor unit according to claim 13, wherein the third flow passage opens into the housing space on an upper side of the motor.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The motor unit according to claim 13, wherein
the motor includes a stator radially outside of the rotor; and
the cooler includes an outflow port between end portions of the stator in the axial direction.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The motor unit according to claim 13, wherein the cooler overlaps with the pump when viewed in a vertical direction.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The motor unit according to claim 13, wherein
the housing includes a wall portion surrounding the housing space; and
each of the second flow passage and the third flow passage extends along an interior of the wall portion.