DRIVE UNIT AND DRIVE MODULE

摘要

A drive unit includes a speed reducer that includes a plurality of gears having helical teeth and rotatably supported by bearings, and transfers rotation of a drive motor to rear drive wheels of a vehicle. The maximum value of torque to be generated by the drive motor during rearward travel of the vehicle is set to be lower than that during forward travel. Under such a precondition, the size of a bearing that receives a load during rearward travel, among the bearings which constitute the speed reducer, is smaller than the size of a bearing that receives a load during forward travel.

主权项

1. A drive unit comprising:
a speed reducer, wherein: the drive unit transfers rotation of a motor that serves as a drive source of a vehicle to drive wheels to transfer torque of the motor to the drive wheels, wherein the speed reducer includes a plurality of gears having helical teeth and a plurality of bearings that rotatably support the gears, wherein the speed reducer is configured such that a direction of an axial force that acts in an axial direction of the bearings from the gears when the vehicle travels forward is opposite to a direction of an axial force that acts in the axial direction of the bearings from the gears when the vehicle travels rearward, wherein the speed reducer is configured such that a bearing of the plurality of bearings, the bearing receiving the axial force when the vehicle travels forward, and a bearing of the plurality of bearings, the bearing receiving the axial force when the vehicle travels rearward, are different from each other, wherein the speed reducer is configured such that the bearing that receives the axial force when the vehicle travels forward and the bearing that receives the axial force when the vehicle travels rearward are different in size from each other.