Electric vehicle drive system
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorsLarry A. Pritchard, Philip J. Francis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drive system for powering the wheels of an electric vehicle is disclosed. The drive system includes an electric motor having a stator and a rotor, and one or more planetary gear sets operably connected to the electric motor and the wheels. The drive system includes one or more configurations that reduce packaging space, reduce the weight of the drive system, and/or provide cooling functions.
Claims20
A drive system for powering an axle connected to one or more wheels of an electric vehicle, the drive system comprising:
- an electric motor comprising a wound stator disposed circumferentially around a rotor;
- and
- a two stage planetary gear system comprising a first planetary gear set operably connected to the motor and to a second planetary gear set, the first planetary gear set being located at least partially underneath the wound stator;
- the first planetary gear set having an output first ring gear, the second planetary gear set having an input second sun gear, and the output first ring gear being operably connected to the input second sun gear;
- wherein the two stage planetary gear system circumferentially encompasses the axle.
A drive system for powering an axle connected to one or more wheels of an electric vehicle, comprising:
- an electric motor including a stator disposed circumferentially around a rotor, the stator including stacked stator laminations extending from a first end to a second end of the stator, the stator further including windings extending from each of the first and second ends;
- a gearbox including at least one planetary gear set operably connected to the electric motor and the wheels, the electric motor being configured to provide output power to the at least one planetary gear set, the at least one planetary gear set being configured to provide output power to the wheels;
- and
- an outer housing surrounding the electric motor and the gearbox, the outer housing having a main body consisting of a single, integrated unit;
- wherein the at least one planetary gear set circumferentially encompasses the axle.
A drive system for powering an axle connected to one or more wheels of an electric vehicle, comprising:
- an electric motor including a stator and a rotor mounted on a hollow rotor shaft;
- a stepped planetary gear set operably connected to the electric motor and the wheels, the stepped planetary gear set including a sun gear and stepped planet gears;
- a hollow input gear shaft inserted in the hollow rotor shaft and interconnecting the hollow rotor shaft and the stepped planetary gear set, the hollow input gear shaft having an outer diameter forming a splined connection with an inner diameter of the hollow rotor shaft, the hollow input gear shaft having the sun gear formed integrally therewith;
- wherein the stepped planetary gear set circumferentially encompasses the axle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.