# US 10,480,631 B2 · Modular electric drive axle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,631 B2 - Document ID: US10480631B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/104,356 - Filed: 2018-08-17 - Published: 2019-03-14 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-14 - Assignees: Volvo Car Corporation - Applicants: Volvo Car Corporation - Inventors: Ahmet Dzafic; Mathias Jörgensson; Thomas Weiland - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480631B2 ## CPC - F16H 37/082: {and additional planetary reduction gears} - B60K 1/00: Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) - B60K 7/0007: {the motor being electric} - F16H 1/28: with gears having orbital motion - F16H 48/08: comprising bevel gears - F16H 48/10: with orbital spur gears - F16H 48/19: consisting of two linked clutches - F16H 57/025: Support of gearboxes, e.g. torque arms, or attachment to other devices - F16H 57/029: characterised by means for sealing the gearboxes, e.g. to improve airtightness - F16H 57/037: Gearboxes for accommodating differential gearings (rotating cases for differential gearings F16H48/40) - H02K 7/006: {Structural association of a motor or generator with the drive train of a motor vehicle} - H02K 7/116: with gears - B60K 2001/001: {one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle} - B60K 2007/0061: {the motor axle being parallel to the wheel axle} - F16H 2001/2881: {comprising two axially spaced central gears, i.e. ring or sun gear, engaged by at least one common orbital gear wherein one of the central gears is forming the output} - F16H 2057/02034: {Gearboxes combined or connected with electric machines} - H02K 2213/12: Machines characterised by the modularity of some components - F16H: GEARING - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract An electric drive axle, including: a first and a second drive shaft being axially aligned, an electric drive module and a differential module, wherein the electric drive module includes an electric motor and a planetary gear set, wherein both the electric motor and the planetary gear set are coaxially arranged about the drive shafts, wherein output means of the electric drive module is connected to input means of the differential module, wherein the input means is or can be set in drive connection with the drive shafts, such that a drive force generated by the electric drive module can be transferred to the first and/or second drive shaft, and a coupling between the output means and the input means, wherein the coupling is arranged to allow for the output means and the input means to slide into engagement in an axial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric drive axle, comprising: a first and a second drive shaft being axially aligned, an electric drive module and a differential module, wherein the electric drive module comprises an electric motor and a planetary gear set, wherein both the electric motor and the planetary gear set are coaxially arranged about the drive shafts, wherein output means of the electric drive module is connected to input means of the differential module, wherein the input means is or can be set in drive connection with the drive shafts, such that a drive force generated by the electric drive module can be transferred to the first and/or second drive shaft, and a coupling between the output means and the input means, wherein the coupling is arranged to allow for the output means and the input means to slide into engagement in an axial direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric drive axle according to claim 1, wherein the electric drive module and the differential module are provided with separate housings and seals are provided at least between the electric drive module output means and/or the differential module input means and one of the housings, such that each housing is a separate sealed volume. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electric drive axle according to claim 2, wherein the housing of the electric drive module is provided with an attachment flange at its output side and the housing of the differential module is provided with an attachment flange at its input side, whereby the attachment flanges are fixedly arranged towards each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The electric drive axle according to claim 2, wherein the coupling is provided inside the housing of the electric drive module. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The electric drive axle according to claim 2, wherein the coupling is provided between two seals, where the first seal seals between the output means and the housing of the electric drive module and the second seal seals between the input means and the housing of the differential module. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electric drive axle according to claim 1, wherein the coupling is a splines coupling. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electric drive axle according to claim 1, wherein the differential module comprises a standard differential with bevel gears. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electric drive axle according to claim 1, wherein the differential module comprises a double clutch differential, wherein a first clutch connects to the first drive shaft and a second clutch connects to the second drive shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electric drive axle according to claim 1, wherein the differential module comprises a planetary differential. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electric drive axle according to claim 9, wherein the differential module further comprises an additional planetary gear set, wherein, in the additional planetary gear set, the sun gear connects to the input means of the differential module and the ring gear connects to the housing via a selectable one-way clutch and the planet carrier connects to the planet carrier of the planetary differential. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A vehicle provided with the electric drive axle according to claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method to assemble the electric drive axle according to claim 1, wherein the electric drive module is assembled upon the first drive shaft and the differential module is assembled upon the second drive shaft, thereby connecting the input means of the differential module with the output means of the electric drive module, sliding the input means and the output means together in axial direction such that the coupling is engaged, and fastening the attachment flanges to each other.