JPH0972405A - Lubrication device for power transmission mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] To quickly supply lubricating oil to a member to be lubricated from the beginning of rotation of a power transmission mechanism. SOLUTION: Lubricating oil is held in a differential case portion 22a for a relatively long period of time, and the differential case portion 2 is rotated with the rotation of the differential case portion 22a.
The lubricating oil in 2a is subjected to centrifugal force, gravity, and inertia to cause the oil passage 88,
90 to the pinion shaft 28,
The needle bearing 48 and the thrust washer 50, which are the lubricated members, are satisfactorily lubricated from the beginning of the rotation of the power transmission mechanism 10 regardless of the delay or insufficient supply of the lubricating oil from the mechanical pump 74.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lubricating device for a power transmission mechanism, and more particularly to improvement of a lubricating device utilizing a mechanical pump driven by the power transmission mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Lubricating devices provided with a mechanical pump driven by a power transmission mechanism, which sucks lubricating oil by the mechanical pump and pressure-feeds it to a lubricated member of the power transmission mechanism, for example, a transmission or a speed reducer, It has been proposed as a lubrication device for a vehicle power transmission mechanism such as a differential device, particularly a power transmission mechanism in an electric vehicle. FIG. 11 is an example of a power transmission mechanism for an electric vehicle, which has not been disclosed yet. However, this power transmission mechanism 200 is a planetary gear that is arranged concentrically with one center line O that is substantially horizontal when mounted on a vehicle. Type speed reducer 202
And a bevel gear type differential device 204. The rotation of the motor shaft 206 of an electric motor (not shown) arranged concentrically with the one center line O on the left side of the drawing is performed by the reduction gear device 20.
After being decelerated by 2, it is transmitted to the pair of output members 208 and 210 via the differential device 204, and further transmitted to the left and right drive wheels. The carrier 212 of the speed reducer 202 is
It also serves as a part of the differential case of the differential device 204, and a drive gear 214 for driving the pump is arranged on the outer peripheral portion of the differential case portion 212a, and a mechanical pump (trochoid pump in this example) via a driven gear 216. 218 is rotationally driven.

Lubricating oil pumped up from the oil reservoir 220 by the mechanical pump 218 is stored in the housing 222.
Through the oil passage 224 provided on the differential cover 226, the oil passage 228 provided on the differential cover 226, and the cutout groove 230.
It is supplied to the inside of a and lubricates the bearing portion and meshing portion of the gear of the differential device 204. The differential case portion 212a is liquid-tightly configured so as to retain the supplied lubricating oil for a relatively long period of time, and the mechanical pump 21 is provided when the vehicle is stopped.
Even if the supply of the lubricating oil from 8 is stopped, a good lubricating action can be obtained at the time of subsequent start, while a part of the annular passage 2 between the output member 208 and the motor shaft 206 is provided.
32 is sent to the motor side, lubricates the bearings of the motor shaft 206 and the output member 208, and is returned to the oil reservoir 220 after being used for cooling the motor. Further, a part of the lubricating oil guided to the oil passage 228 of the differential cover 226 is part of the oil passage 23 also provided in the differential cover 226.
4, through the oil passage 236 provided in the differential case portion 212a of the carrier 212, the oil is supplied to the pinion shaft 238 fixed to the carrier 212, and the bearing portion of the stepped pinion gear 240 disposed on the pinion shaft 238, that is, Lubricate the needle bearing 242 and the thrust washer 244. The carrier 212 is provided with a plurality of pinion shafts 238 (three in this example), and the plurality of oil passages 234 and 236 are provided corresponding to the pinion shafts 238.

[0004]

In such a lubricating device, the differential case portion 21 of the differential device 204 is used.
The lubricating oil held in 2a provides a good lubricating action even when the vehicle starts, but the bearing of the stepped pinion gear 240 of the planetary gear type speed reducer 202 may run out of lubricating oil when the vehicle starts. That is, when the vehicle starts moving, the power transmission mechanism 200 also rotates and the lubricating oil is pumped from the mechanical pump 218. However, there is a time delay until the lubricating oil actually reaches the stepped pinion gear 240, and Although the rotational speed at the beginning of the start is slow and the discharge amount of the pump 218 is small, a relatively large torque is generally transmitted at the time of start, so that a large load acts on the bearing portion of the stepped pinion gear 240 to perform sufficient lubrication. This requires a large amount of lubricating oil.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to promptly supply lubricating oil to a lubricated member from the beginning of operation of a power transmission mechanism. is there.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention comprises a mechanical pump driven by a power transmission mechanism, and the mechanical pump sucks lubricating oil to drive the power transmission mechanism. In the lubrication device for pressure-feeding to the member to be lubricated, (a) a part of the power transmission mechanism is arranged concentrically with one substantially horizontal center line and is rotated around the one center line, An oil holding member for holding the lubricating oil supplied from the mechanical pump therein, (b) a lubricated member arranged on the outer peripheral side of the oil holding member, and (c) rotation of the oil holding member. Accordingly, the oil holding member is provided with a supply oil passage provided in the oil holding member so as to guide the lubricating oil in the oil holding member to the member to be lubricated.

A second aspect of the present invention is the lubrication device for a power transmission mechanism according to the first aspect, wherein a predetermined amount of lubricating oil remains in the oil holding member regardless of the rotation stop position of the oil holding member. It is characterized by having means.

[0008]

In such a lubricating device, since the lubricating oil held in the oil holding member is guided from the oil supply passage to the member to be lubricated as the oil holding member rotates, the mechanical pump The member to be lubricated is satisfactorily lubricated from the beginning of the operation of the power transmission mechanism, regardless of the delay or insufficient supply of the lubricating oil from the engine.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a predetermined amount of lubricating oil remains in the oil holding member regardless of the rotation stop position of the oil holding member, so that the member to be lubricated is always lubricated well. That is, since the oil holding member is rotated around a substantially horizontal center line, for example, when a supply oil passage is provided so as to be orthogonal to the one center line, the oil holding member is positioned directly below the oil holding member. When the rotation of the member is stopped, the lubricating oil in the oil holding member flows out from the oil supply passage and disappears, which impairs the lubricating action at the start of the operation of the power transmission mechanism. By leaving the oil in the oil holding member, a good lubricating action can always be obtained.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Here, the lubrication device of the first invention is preferably applied to a lubrication device for a vehicle power transmission mechanism in which all rotations stop when the vehicle is stopped, particularly for an electric vehicle power transmission mechanism. It Further, the oil holding member may hold the lubricating oil only while the vehicle is temporarily stopped due to waiting for a signal or the like, for example, for about 5 to 10 minutes, but it is also sufficient when the vehicle starts after being left for a long time. In order to obtain a lubricating action, it is desirable that the lubricating oil can be retained for a long period of about one week or more. As such an oil holding member, a member housing another member to be lubricated therein, for example, a differential case having a bevel gear type differential gear mechanism built therein, is preferably used. The mechanism itself is well lubricated.

The supply oil passage guides the lubricating oil in the oil holding member to the lubricated member on the outer peripheral side by the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the oil holding member, the inertia of the oil itself, the gravity, and the like.
When the oil holding member has a substantially spherical shape like the differential case, it is desirable that the supply oil passage be provided at a portion where the diameter dimension from one center line is as large as possible. The lubricated member may be integrally rotated with the oil holding member or may be relatively rotated about one center line.

In the outflow restricting means of the second invention, for example, the supply oil passage has a predetermined angle from the outflow portion on the lubricated member side around the one center line, for example, about 100 ° or more, preferably about 120 ° or more. It may be formed in the rotation direction of the oil holding member and opened on the inner peripheral surface of the oil holding member. In this case, the minimum residual oil amount is determined according to the angular range in which the oil supply passage is provided, and for example, 1
If a supply oil passage is provided within an angle range of 80 °, a minimum of 50
% Of lubricating oil remains in the oil retaining member. Further, since it is formed in the rotation direction of the oil holding member from the member to be lubricated, the lubricating oil that has entered the oil supply passage through the opening of the oil holding member is well lubricated as the oil holding member rotates due to its inertia. Supplied to the member. The supply oil passage also serves as an outflow limiting means, and the device is simple and compact.

Another aspect of the outflow limiting means is: (a) The supply oil passage is provided in the oil holding member with an inner diameter smaller than the dimension from the opening position on the inner surface side of the oil holding member to one center line. A weir that forms a sub chamber in which the inflow of the lubricating oil is restricted, and (b) a partition wall that divides the sub chamber into a plurality of parts around one center line. A predetermined amount of lubricating oil always remains in the sub chamber regardless of the rotation stop position of the oil holding member, and when the oil holding member rotates,
Due to the presence of the partition wall, the lubricating oil flows over the weir, flows into the supply oil passage side, and is supplied from the supply oil passage to the member to be lubricated.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Power transmission mechanism 10 for electric vehicle of FIG.
Is basically the same as the power transmission mechanism 200 of FIG. 11, and is a planetary gear type speed reducer 12 and a bevel gear type difference which are arranged concentrically with one center line O which is substantially horizontal when mounted on a vehicle. The rotation of the motor shaft 16 of the electric motor (not shown), which is configured to include the driving device 14 and is concentric with the one center line O on the left side of the drawing, is reduced by the reduction device 12 and then the differential device 14 is rotated. Through a pair of output members 18, 20
To the driving wheels on the left and right. The power transmission mechanism 10 is directly connected to the motor shaft 16 of the electric motor and is rotated by the electric motor when the vehicle is running, but when the rotation of the electric motor is stopped when the vehicle is stopped,
The rotation of all the components of the power transmission mechanism 10 is stopped.

The speed reducer 12 is provided with a carrier 22 rotatably arranged around a center line O, a large-diameter pinion gear 24 and a small-diameter pinion gear 26 integrally in the axial direction, and one center via a pinion shaft 28. A plurality of stepped pinion gears 30, three in this embodiment, are arranged at equal angular intervals on the carrier 22 so as to be rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the line O, and are spline-fitted to the motor shaft 16 to form a single unit. The sun gear 32 is integrally rotated around the center line O and meshes with the large diameter pinion gear 24. The sun gear 32 is fixed to the housing 34 and meshes with the small diameter pinion gear 26. Is rotated by the motor shaft 16, so that the carrier 22 uses the ring gear 36 as a reaction force element. It is decelerated rotation at a constant speed ratio.

The carrier 22 is a small diameter pinion gear 2
The differential case portion 22a is integrally provided on the sixth side, and the differential cover 40 is integrally fixed to the opening portion on the side of the differential case portion 22a by a plurality of bolts 41, so that the differential case of the differential device 14 is configured. , Carrier 2
In a state where the 2 and the differential cover 40 are integrated, both ends thereof are supported by the housing 34 via a pair of bearings 42 and 44 so as to be rotatable about one center line O and not movable in the axial direction. One bearing 42 is supported by a gear cover 46 integrally fixed to the housing 34. Further, the plurality of stepped pinion gears 30 are rotatably arranged on the pinion shaft 28 via a pair of needle bearings 48, respectively, and two sets of thrust washers 50 are arranged at both ends in the axial direction. Through carrier 2
The axial position is defined by 2.

On the other hand, the differential device 14 is arranged close to the speed reducer 12 on the small diameter pinion gear 26 side of the stepped pinion gear 30, that is, on the right side in FIG. 1, which is apparent from the enlarged view of FIG. As described above, a plurality of, in this embodiment, three drive sides are arranged at equal angular intervals in the differential case portion 22a so as to be rotatable about an axis substantially orthogonal to the one center line O via the pinion shaft 52. The bevel gear 54 and the pair of output members 18, 20 are spline-fitted so that they cannot rotate relative to each other.
The differential gear mechanism is configured to include the individual driving-side bevel gears 54 and the pair of driven-side bevel gears 56 that are meshed with each other. The number of teeth of the driven bevel gear 56 is an integer multiple of 3, and the driven bevel gear 56 can be easily meshed with the three driving bevel gears 54 arranged at equal angular intervals around the one center line O. ing. Further, the pair of output members 18, 20 are arranged concentrically with the one center line O, and the output member 18 is inserted through the cylindrical motor shaft 16 so as to be relatively rotatable and reaches the opposite side of the electric motor. On the other hand, the output member 20 is the differential cover 4
0 is inserted and projects to the outside of the housing 34. The drive-side bevel gear 54 and the stepped pinion gear 30 are both pinion shafts 52,
The carrier 22 is disposed via the line 28, but the positions of these are arranged so as to be staggered about the center line O at substantially equal angular intervals (60 ° intervals).

The drive-side bevel gear 54 and the differential case portion 22.
A washer 58 curved in a spherical shape is provided between the a and the a, and the driven-side bevel gear 56 and the differential case portion 2 are provided.
Ring-shaped washers 60 are arranged between the 2a and the differential cover 40, respectively. Further, the pinion shaft 52 has a stepped columnar shape, and a large-diameter body portion 52a is fitted in a mounting hole 62 provided in the differential case portion 22a, and a small-diameter tip portion 52b is cylindrical. With the positioning pin 68 inserted in the positioning hole 66 provided in the shaped holder 64, the differential case portion 22a
Is positioned and fixed. The pinion shaft 52 and the mounting hole 62 of the differential case portion 22a are hermetically sealed, and the differential cover 40 is fixed by the bolt 41 in a state of being in close contact with the opening of the differential case portion 22a. It is regulated that the lubricating oil will flow out. In this embodiment, the differential case constituted by the differential case portion 22a and a part of the differential cover 40 corresponds to an oil holding member, and the lubricating oil is held for a long period of about one week or more. Between the pinion shaft 52 and the mounting hole 62, if necessary, O
A seal member such as a ring is provided. Of the main body portion 52a of the pinion shaft 52, the differential case portion 22a
In the portion that protrudes inward and supports the drive-side bevel gear 54,
A pair of chamfers 52c is provided so that the lubricating oil can easily enter the sliding contact portion between the main body portion 52a and the drive-side bevel gear 54. Further, the holder 64 is positioned concentrically with the one center line O by being engaged with the tips of the three pinion shafts 52.

A mechanical pump (a trochoid pump in this example) 74 is provided at the lower end of the housing 34, and is driven to rotate by a driving gear 75 fixed to the carrier 22 via a driven gear 76. ing. The lubricating oil pumped up from the oil reservoir 78 by the mechanical pump 74 passes through an oil passage 80 provided in the housing 34, an annular groove 82 provided in the differential cover 40, an axial oil passage 84, and a notch groove 86, and the differential case. The bearing portions and meshing portions of the bevel gears 54 and 56 that are supplied into the portion 22a and are accommodated in the differential case portion 22a are lubricated. This lubrication is sufficiently performed by the lubricating oil pumped from the mechanical pump 74 during high-speed traveling, and is sufficiently performed by the lubricating oil retained in the differential case portion 22a during vehicle start-up or low-speed traveling.

The lubricating oil supplied into the differential case portion 22a is supplied to the pinion shaft 28 of the speed reducer 12 through the oil passages 88 and 90 provided in the differential case portion 22a,
Oil passages 92, 94 formed in the pinion shaft 28
Is guided to the bearing portion of the stepped pinion gear 30, that is, the needle bearing 48 and the thrust washer 50 which are the members to be lubricated. The oil passages 88 and 90 correspond to the supply oil passage according to claim 1, and the pinion shaft 2
Corresponding to No. 8, a plurality (three places in this example) are provided around one center line O. The lubricating oil that lubricates the needle bearing 48 and the thrust washer 50 flows down to the oil reservoir 78.

As shown in FIG. 3, the oil passage 88 is formed by a groove formed in the end surface 96 of the differential case portion 22a that abuts against the differential cover 40, and is formed at the same time when the carrier 22 is cast and formed, and cut. No post-processing such as processing is required. Further, the oil passage 88 is provided in an arc shape around the one center line O in an angle range of about 120 °, and the rotation direction of the differential case portion 22a from the outflow portion on the side of the pinion shaft 28 to which the lubricating oil is to be supplied, In the case of 3, the differential case portion 2 is located at a position rotated by about 120 ° in the clockwise direction.
An opening 98 that opens to the inner peripheral surface of 2a is provided so as to be inclined toward the rotational direction. Therefore, the differential case portion 22a
When the differential case portion 22a is rotated clockwise about the one center line O with the lubricating oil present therein, the lubricating oil enters the oil passage 88 through the opening 98 due to centrifugal force, gravity, and inertia acting on the lubricating oil. While entering well, the oil passage 88 is made to flow favorably to the pinion shaft 28 side, and flows into the oil passage 92 of the pinion shaft 28 from the oil passage 90. In FIG. 3, some members such as the positioning pin 68 are omitted.

On the other hand, when the oil passages 88 and 90 are provided in this way, the lubricating oil in the differential case portion 22a flows out from the oil passages 88 and 90 when the pinion shaft 28 is located below when the rotation of the differential case portion 22a is stopped. However, since the oil passage 88 is formed in the angular range of approximately 120 °, a predetermined amount of lubricating oil always remains in the differential case portion 22a regardless of the rotation stop position of the differential case portion 22a, and is always good when restarting. A good lubricating effect can be obtained. That is, the differential case portion 22
Since a is rotated about one substantially horizontal center line O, and the pinion shaft 28 to which the lubricating oil is to be supplied is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the differential case portion 22a, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example. , Its pinion shaft 28
The oil supply passage 10 is provided in the inner part of
When 0 is provided, when the rotation of the differential case portion 22a is stopped in a state where the supply oil passage 100 is located directly below as shown in FIG. 5, the lubricating oil in the differential case portion 22a is supplied with the supply oil passage 100.
It flows out from the tank and disappears, impairing the lubrication effect when the vehicle restarts. The shaded portion in FIG. 3 shows the remaining amount of lubricating oil when the rotation of the differential case portion 22a is stopped, and is the case where the residual oil amount is substantially minimum. In this embodiment, the oil passage 88 serving as the supply oil passage also serves as the outflow limiting means. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is also an embodiment of the invention described in claim 1. Further, if the angle range of the oil passage 88 is 180 °, the residual oil amount becomes one center line O or more, that is, 50% or more, and the angle range of about 100 ° to 180 °, more preferably about 120 ° to 180 °. It is desirable to form the oil passage 88 with. In the case of the angle range θ ° exceeding 180 °, the residual oil amount is the same as that in the case of (360 ° −θ °).

The amount of lubricating oil flowing from the oil passages 88 and 90 to the pinion shaft 28 is smaller than the amount of lubricating oil supplied from the mechanical pump 74 into the differential case portion 22a in a normal traveling state, and the amount of lubricating oil inside the differential case portion 22a is small. The cross-sectional areas of the oil passages 88 and 90 are set so that the lubricating oil is accumulated in the. Therefore, the amount of lubricating oil in the differential case portion 22a increases, and the hydraulic pressure causes the output member 18 and the motor shaft 1 to come out of the notch groove 102 provided in the differential case portion 22a.
6 is sent to the motor side through an annular passage 104 between the motor 6 and the motor 6, lubricates the bearings of the motor shaft 16 and the output member 18, and is returned to the oil reservoir 78 after being used for cooling the motor. An oil seal 106 is provided between the differential case portion 22a and the motor shaft 16.

In the lubricating device for the power transmission mechanism 10 as described above, the differential case portion 22a and the pinion shaft 5 are
Since the space between the differential case 22 and the
The lubricating oil is held in the inside of a for a long time, and even when the vehicle starts after being left for a long time, the differential gear mechanism accommodated in the differential case portion 22a, that is, the bevel gear 54,
Lubrication of the bearing portion and the meshing portion of 56 is favorably performed. Moreover, the lubricating oil in the differential case portion 22a is transferred to the oil passage 88,
Since the needle bearing 48 and the thrust washer 50 are lubricated by being guided from 90 to the pinion shaft 28, the lubricating oil is rapidly supplied to the needle bearing 48 and the like, and the supply of the lubricating oil from the mechanical pump 74 is delayed. A good lubrication effect can be obtained even when the vehicle starts, regardless of the supply amount and supply shortage.

Further, the oil passage 88 is 12 around the center line O.
The differential gear mechanism in the differential case portion 22a is provided within an angle range of about 0 ° and a predetermined amount of lubricating oil remains in the differential case portion 22a regardless of the rotation stop position of the differential case portion 22a. Of course, the needle bearing 48 and the thrust washer 50 can always obtain a good lubricating action. In the present embodiment, the oil passage 88 is provided only over an angle range of about 120 ° in order to secure a predetermined residual oil amount, and the differential case portion 22a is configured simply and compactly. Moreover, since the oil passage 88 is provided on the end surface 96 of the differential case portion 22a, the oil passage 88 is not provided.
Has the advantage that it can be easily formed.

Further, since the lubricating oil supplied into the differential case portion 22a is supplied to the pinion shaft 28, an oil passage 234 is provided as in the case of FIG. 11 and a separate path is provided to the pinion shaft 238 side. As compared with the case where the lubricating oil is supplied to, the lubricating oil supply path is simple and the cost is low.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following embodiments, portions common to the above-described embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the annular groove 8 is used.
The lubricating oil supplied up to 2 is supplied to the plurality of (three in this embodiment) oil passages 1 from the annular groove 110 provided in the differential cover 40.
12 to supply to the intermediate position of the arc-shaped oil passage 88,
This is a case where the oil is allowed to flow into the differential case portion 22a through the oil passage 88. Further, in the embodiment of FIG. 8, instead of providing the oil passage 88 in the differential case portion 22a, the oil passage 11 corresponding to the oil passage 88 is provided on the end surface 116 of the differential cover 40.
8 is provided. In FIG. 7, some members such as the positioning pin 68 are omitted.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is another mode of the outflow restricting means, which is a weir 120 provided in the shape of an inward flange at the opening end of the differential case portion 22a, and the differential case portion 22a.
And the auxiliary chamber 1 formed at the butting portion of the differential cover 40.
22 and the outflow limiting means 123 are configured,
In the portion of the differential case portion 22a where the radial dimension from the one center line O is substantially maximum, the supply oil passage 124 is connected to the one center line O in the state of FIG. 10 so as to communicate with the oil passage 92 of the pinion shaft 28. It is provided so as to be substantially orthogonal. Dam 1
The inner diameter (radius) R ₂ of 20 is smaller than the dimension R ₁ from the opening position of the supply oil passage 124 to the one center line O, and the sub chamber 122
While increasing the amount of lubricating oil that accumulates in the main chamber 1
The lubricating oil that has flowed into 34 is promptly flowed into the supply oil passage 124, and backflow to the sub chamber 122 is prevented. Sub-chamber 12
2 is constituted by recesses 126 and 128 provided on the end surfaces of both the differential case portion 22a and the differential cover 40, and approximately 120 around one center line O.
The partition walls 130 and 132 left at intervals are divided into three around one center line O.

In this case, a predetermined amount of lubricating oil is always left in the sub chamber 122 regardless of the rotation stop position of the differential case portion 22a, and the differential case portion 22a has one center line O.
When rotated, the lubricating oil in the sub chamber 122 flows over the weir 120 into the differential case portion 22a due to the presence of the partition walls 130 and 132, and flows into the differential case portion 22a from the supply oil passage 124 to the pinion shaft 28 by centrifugal force or gravity. Supplied. The hatched portion in FIG. 10 shows the remaining amount of lubricating oil in the sub chamber 122 when the rotation of the differential case portion 22a is stopped, and the inside of the differential case portion 22a, that is, in the main chamber 134 is provided by the supply oil passage 124 located immediately below. This is the case where the lubricating oil of No. 6 completely flows out, and the phase around one center line O is deviated by 60 ° with respect to FIG.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the present invention can be carried out in other modes.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the power transmission mechanism 10 for an electric vehicle, which includes the planetary gear type speed reducer 12 and the bevel gear type differential device 14, has been described. The present invention can be similarly applied to a power transmission mechanism for a vehicle or a power transmission mechanism other than a vehicle.

Further, the speed reducer 12 of the above embodiment is the planetary gear device having the stepped pinion gear 30 provided with the pair of pinion gears, but a planetary gear type speed reducer composed of a single pinion gear may be adopted. .

Further, the stepped pinion gear 30 of the speed reducer 12 and the drive-side bevel gear 54 of the differential device 14 of the above-described embodiment are provided in the number of three, respectively. Can be changed.

Although not illustrated one by one, the present invention can be implemented in various modified and improved modes based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a power transmission mechanism for an electric vehicle equipped with a lubricating device that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a differential device portion in the power transmission mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an end view showing an oil passage provided in a differential case portion of the differential gear shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present invention and is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 2;

5 is a cross-sectional view showing an oil passage provided in the differential case portion of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining still another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG.

7 is an end view of the differential case portion in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining still another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG.

FIG. 9 is a view for explaining still another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG.

FIG. 10 is an end view of the differential case portion in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a view for explaining the background art of the present invention and is a cross-sectional view of a power transmission mechanism for an electric vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: Power transmission mechanism 22a: Differential case (oil holding member) 40: Differential cover (oil holding member) 48: Needle bearing (lubricated member) 50: Thrust washer (lubricated member) 74: Mechanical pump 88: Oil passage ( Supply oil path, outflow restriction means) 90: Oil path (supply oil path) 100, 124: Supply oil path 118: Oil path (supply oil path, outflow restriction means) 123: Outflow restriction means O: One center line

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Eiji Orizaka 1 Toyota-cho, Toyota-shi, Aichi Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A lubricating device comprising a mechanical pump driven by a power transmission mechanism, wherein the mechanical pump sucks lubricating oil and pressure-feeds it to a lubricated member of the power transmission mechanism. An oil holding member that is arranged concentrically with one substantially horizontal center line and that rotates around the one center line, and that holds the lubricating oil supplied from the mechanical pump therein. A member to be lubricated which is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the oil holding member, and provided to the oil holding member so as to guide the lubricating oil in the oil holding member to the member to be lubricated as the oil holding member rotates. And a supply oil passage provided therein. 2. The lubrication device for a power transmission mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising an outflow limiting unit that allows a predetermined amount of lubricating oil to remain in the oil holding member regardless of a rotation stop position of the oil holding member.