BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle drive device including a rotary electric machine, an input member, a counter gear mechanism, a differential gear device, and a case accommodating these components.

One known technique for a vehicle drive device is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-175349 (JP 9-175349A) (Patent Document 1). A case (case 90) of a vehicle drive device of JP 9-175349A is divided into four parts in the axial direction.

If a peripheral wall portion of the case surrounding the outer side of a rotary electric machine (motor M), a counter gear mechanism (counter gear mechanism G), and a differential gear device (differential device D) in the radial direction is divided into a plurality of parts in the axial direction, it is necessary to provide bosses projecting radially outward for joining these parts of the peripheral wall portion to each other by a bolt or the like, and to provide a seal member for preventing oil leakage from the case at the joining portion. As the number of parts into which the peripheral wall portion is divided in the axial direction increases, the more bosses and seal members are needed. This may result in an increase in the size of the case, and an increase in production costs.

SUMMARY

It is therefore desired to implement a vehicle drive device that allows a reduction in the size of a case and a reduction in production costs.

In view of the above, there is provided a vehicle drive device including: a rotary electric machine that serves as a drive power source for a plurality of wheels; an input drivingly coupled to the rotary electric machine; a counter gear mechanism; a differential gear device that distributes a driving force transmitted from the rotary electric machine via the input and the counter gear mechanism, to the plurality of wheels; a case that accommodates the rotary electric machine, the input, the counter gear mechanism, and the differential gear device; and a support that is a separate member from the case, and is fixed inside the case; wherein the rotary electric machine and the input are disposed on a first axis; wherein the counter gear mechanism is disposed on a second axis different from the first axis; wherein the differential gear device is disposed on a third axis that is different from the first axis and the second axis; wherein a side on which the input is disposed with respect to the rotary electric machine in an axial direction is defined as an axial first side, and a side opposite to the axial first side is defined as an axial second side; wherein the case includes a tube peripheral wall surrounding an outer side of the rotary electric machine, the input the counter gear mechanism, and the differential gear device in a radial direction, a first side wall disposed on the axial first side with respect to the peripheral wall, and a second side wall disposed on the axial second side with respect to the peripheral wall; wherein the peripheral wall includes a first peripheral wall, and a second peripheral wall joined to the first peripheral wall from the axial second side; and wherein an axial first-side end of the counter gear mechanism is supported by the first side wall, and an axial second-side end of the counter gear mechanism is supported by the support.

With this configuration, since the support for supporting an end of the counter gear mechanism is provided, and since the support is fixed inside the case, it is possible to minimize the number of parts into which the peripheral wall of the case is divided. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the number of bosses for joining the peripheral walls, and the number of seal members for preventing oil leakage from the inner side of the peripheral walls. As the number of bosses is reduced, the number of portions projecting radially outward can be reduced. Therefore, the size of the case can be reduced, and the configuration of the case can be simplified, which allows a reduction in production costs. A reduction in the number of seal members also allows a reduction in production costs. Accordingly, this configuration allows a reduction in the size of the case and a reduction in production costs.

