# US 2023/0412042 A1 · Vehicle drive device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0412042 A1 - Document ID: US20230412042A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/034,794 - Filed: 2022-02-10 - Published: 2023-12-21 - Earliest claimed: 2021-02-12 - Assignees: Aisin Corporation - Applicants: Aisin Corporation - Inventors: Yutaka HOTTA; Yuya MIZUNO; Ryota SATO; Hirosato IHARA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230412042A1 ## CPC - H02K 7/006: {Structural association of a motor or generator with the drive train of a motor vehicle} - H02K 5/20: with channels or ducts for flow of cooling medium - H02K 11/0094: {Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices} - H02K 11/21: Devices for sensing speed or position, or actuated thereby (specially adapted for machines having non-mechanical commutating devices H02K29/06, H02K29/14) - H02K 11/27: Devices for sensing current, or actuated thereby (overcurrent protection responsive to temperature of the machines or parts thereof, e.g. windings, H02K11/25) - H02K 11/33: Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) - H02K 9/19: for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil - H02K 2203/09: Machines characterised by wiring elements other than wires, e.g. bus rings, for connecting the winding terminations - H02K 2211/00: Specific aspects not provided for in the other groups of this subclass relating to measuring or protective devices or electric components - H02K 2213/12: Machines characterised by the modularity of some components - H02M 7/003: {Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections} - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract Disclosed is a vehicle drive device including: a rotary electric machine including a rotor and a stator; a housing member forming a housing chamber that houses the rotary electric machine; a cover member connected to one end side of the housing member in an axial direction, facing the rotary electric machine in the axial direction, and including a support portion that rotatably supports the rotor; a power switching element electrically connected to a coil of the stator; and a smoothing capacitor electrically connected to the power switching element. The power switching element and the smoothing capacitor are fixed to the cover member and disposed between the cover member and the rotary electric machine in the axial direction. The smoothing capacitor overlaps the power switching element when viewed in a radial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle drive device comprising: a rotary electric machine including a rotor and a stator; a housing member forming a housing chamber that houses the rotary electric machine; a cover member connected to one end side of the housing member in an axial direction, facing the rotary electric machine in the axial direction, and including a support portion that rotatably supports the rotor; a power switching element electrically connected to a coil of the stator; and a smoothing capacitor electrically connected to the power switching element, wherein the power switching element and the smoothing capacitor are fixed to the cover member and disposed between the cover member and the rotary electric machine in the axial direction, and the smoothing capacitor overlaps the power switching element when viewed in a radial direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, wherein the smoothing capacitor overlaps a coil end portion of the stator when viewed in the radial direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, further comprising a control board that controls the power switching element between the power switching element and the rotary electric machine in the axial direction, wherein the smoothing capacitor overlaps the control board when viewed in the radial direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, further comprising a control board that controls the power switching element between the power switching element and the rotary electric machine in the axial direction, wherein the control board overlaps the power switching element and the smoothing capacitor when viewed in the axial direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The vehicle drive device according to claim 3, wherein: the control board has a through hole through which a wire electrically connecting the coil of the stator and the power switching element passes; and the control board is provided with a current sensor around the through hole. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle drive device according to claim 5, wherein: the control board is shaped as an annular ring having a central hole through which a shaft portion of the rotor passes; and a rotation angle sensor that acquires rotation angle information of the rotor is provided at a position around the central hole in the control board. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle drive device according to claim 6, wherein: the control board includes an annular first area around the central hole, and an annular second area that is on an outer side of the first area in the radial direction and electrically insulated from the first area; the first area is provided with the through hole and the current sensor or provided with the rotation angle sensor; and the second area is provided with a drive circuit that drives the power switching element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, wherein: the cover member includes a first coolant channel through which a coolant flows; the power switching element is thermally connected to the cover member while facing the first coolant channel in the axial direction; and the smoothing capacitor is disposed on a radially outer side of the first coolant channel when viewed in the axial direction, and overlaps the first coolant channel when viewed in the radial direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, wherein the smoothing capacitor is disposed on a radially outer side of a coil end portion of the stator when viewed in the axial direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle drive device according to claim 1 wherein: a plurality of the power switching elements is disposed side by side in a circumferential direction around a rotation axis of the rotor; and a plurality of the smoothing capacitors is disposed side by side in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis of the rotor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicle drive device according to claim 10, further comprising an annular power supply busbar electrically connecting the power switching element and the smoothing capacitor to a direct current power supply, wherein the power supply busbar is disposed between the power switching element and the smoothing capacitor in the radial direction when viewed in the axial direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle drive device according to claim 11, wherein: the power switching element is fixed to the cover member via a heat dissipation member; and the power supply busbar is disposed between the smoothing capacitor and the heat dissipation member in the radial direction.