Electric drive axle system with removable planetary gear assembly
AssigneeDana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
InventorsEric M. Engerman, Mitchell R. Lawson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for an electric drive axle of a vehicle are provided. An electric drive axle system includes, in one example, a gear train configured to rotationally attach to an electric motor-generator. The gear train includes an output shaft rotationally coupled to a first planetary gear assembly axially offset from an input shaft rotationally coupled to the electric motor-generator, the first planetary gear assembly configured to removably couple to a differential arranged co-axial with an axle.
Claims18
An electric drive axle system, comprising:
- a gear train configured to rotationally attach to an electric motor-generator, the gear train comprising:
- an output shaft rotationally coupled to a first planetary gear assembly axially offset from an input shaft rotationally coupled to the electric motor-generator, the first planetary gear assembly configured to removably attach to a differential arranged co-axial with an axle;
- and
- a clutch assembly configured to rotationally couple and decouple a gear set from the output shaft, where a sun gear in the first planetary gear assembly is configured to counteract at least a portion of an axial force acting on the clutch assembly when the clutch assembly is engaged.
An electric drive axle system, comprising:
- a gear train configured to rotationally attach to an electric motor-generator, the gear train comprising:
- an output shaft rotationally coupled to a first planetary gear assembly axially offset from an input shaft rotationally coupled to the electric motor-generator, the first planetary gear assembly configured to removably attach to a differential arranged co-axial with an axle;
- a clutch assembly configured to rotationally couple and decouple a gear set from the output shaft, where a sun gear in the first planetary gear assembly is configured to counteract at least a portion of an axial force acting on the clutch assembly when the clutch assembly is engaged;
- and
- a snap ring, a spring, and a thrust bearing coupled to the sun gear and a carrier in the first planetary gear assembly.
An electric drive axle system, comprising:
- a gear train configured to rotationally attach to an electric motor-generator, the gear train comprising:
- an input shaft rotationally coupled to the electric motor-generator and an output shaft rotationally coupled to a differential, where the input shaft is axially offset from the output shaft;
- and
- a clutch assembly configured to rotationally couple and decouple a gear set from the output shaft, where a sun gear in a first planetary gear assembly is configured to counteract at least a portion of an axial force acting on the clutch assembly when the clutch assembly is engaged;
- where the differential is configured to attach to the first planetary gear assembly and a second planetary gear assembly having a different gear ratio than the first planetary gear assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.