# US 11,299,028 B2 · Drive device for a motor vehicle, corresponding motor vehicle, and method for operating a drive device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,028 B2 - Document ID: US11299028B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/346,914 - Filed: 2017-10-30 - Published: 2019-08-22 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-08 - Assignees: Audi AG - Applicants: Audi AG - Inventors: Alfred Rehr; Thierry Caramigeas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299028B2 ## CPC - B60K 6/40: characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components - B60K 1/02: comprising more than one electric motor - B60K 6/36: characterised by the transmission gearings - B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means - B60K 6/48: Parallel type - B60K 6/52: Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive - B60K 17/02: characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of clutch - B60K 17/34: for driving both front and rear wheels, e.g. four wheel drive vehicles - B60K 17/346: the transfer gear being a differential gear - B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches - B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators - B60W 10/119: including control of all-wheel-driveline means, e.g. transfer gears or clutches for dividing torque between front and rear axle (B60W10/14 takes precedence) - B60W 20/40: Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)} - B60K 2006/4808: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox output shaft} - B60K 2006/4833: {Step up or reduction gearing driving generator, e.g. to operate generator in most efficient speed range} - B60W 2510/081: Speed - B60W 2710/021: Clutch engagement state - F16H 2048/364: {using electric or hydraulic motors} - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - 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 - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - F16H: GEARING - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A drive device for a motor vehicle, having a first drive unit, a second drive unit, and a first output shaft which can be coupled or is coupled to a first wheel drive shaft of the motor vehicle, and/or a second output shaft which can be coupled or is coupled to a second wheel drive shaft of the motor vehicle, wherein the first drive unit and the second drive unit can be coupled jointly to the first output shaft and/or the second output shaft. It is provided here that the second drive unit can be coupled via a separating clutch to the first drive unit, a transmission output shaft of a transmission which is coupled to the first drive unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive device for a motor vehicle comprising: a first drive unit and a second drive unit as well as a first output shaft rigidly connected to a first wheel drive shaft and a second output shaft rigidly connected to a second wheel drive shaft, wherein the first and second drive units are coupleable to at least one of the first and second output shafts, wherein the first drive unit is arranged on an input side of a gear-change transmission, wherein a transmission output shaft of the gear-change transmission is coupled to a first coupling element upstream of the first coupling element, and a transmission shaft is coupled to the first coupling element downstream of the first coupling element, wherein the second drive unit is coupled via at least a separating clutch to the transmission output shaft, wherein the first output shaft is coupled to the transmission output shaft, and wherein the transmission shaft is coupled via a second differential gear to the second output shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the first output shaft is coupled via a first differential gear to the transmission output shaft, wherein the first coupling element is a first clutch, and wherein, in addition to the second differential gear, the second output shaft is coupled to the transmission shaft via a second clutch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the second drive unit is coupled to the transmission output shaft upstream of the first coupling element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling element is a center differential gear having a first, second, and third branch, wherein, on the first branch, the center differential gear is coupled to the first output shaft via a first differential gear, wherein, on the second branch, the center differential gear is rigidly connected to the transmission shaft, wherein, on the third branch, the center differential gear is rigidly connected to the transmission output shaft, and wherein a downstream side of the separating clutch joins with the first branch in order to couple the second drive unit to the transmission output shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling element is a center differential gear having a first, second, and third branch, wherein, on the first branch, the center differential gear is coupled to the first output shaft via a first differential gear, wherein, on the second branch, the center differential gear is rigidly connected to the transmission shaft, wherein, on the third branch, the center differential gear is rigidly connected to the transmission output shaft, and wherein a downstream side of the separating clutch joins with the second branch in order to couple the second drive unit to the transmission output shaft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A motor vehicle comprising the drive device according to claim 1. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method for operating the drive device according to claim 1, comprising: coupling, in a first operating mode, the second drive unit to the first output shaft and decoupling the second drive unit from the second output shaft, and coupling, in a second operating mode, the second drive unit to both the first and second output shafts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein, when a rotational speed limit speed is exceeded by the second drive unit, a third operating mode is entered in which the separating clutch is opened, thereby decoupling the second drive unit from both the first and second output shafts. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the second drive unit is coupled to the transmission shaft downstream of the first coupling element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The drive device according to claim 2, wherein the second drive unit is coupled to the transmission output shaft upstream of the first coupling element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The drive device according to claim 2, wherein the second drive unit is coupled to the transmission shaft downstream of the first coupling element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission shaft at least partially axially overlaps the transmission output shaft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the first output shaft is coupled to the transmission output shaft upstream of the first coupling element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The drive device according to claim 13, wherein the first output shaft is coupled via a first differential gear to the transmission output shaft, wherein the first coupling element is a first clutch, and wherein, in addition to the second differential gear, the second output shaft is coupled to the transmission shaft via a second clutch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The drive device according to claim 14, wherein the second drive unit is coupled to the transmission output shaft upstream of the first coupling element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The drive device according to claim 14, wherein the second drive unit is coupled to the transmission shaft downstream of the first coupling element.