# US 11,441,652 B2 · Multi-speed gearbox with high torque ratio and the drive axle made therewith

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- Number: US 11,441,652 B2
- Document ID: US11441652B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/221,715
- Filed: 2021-04-02
- Published: 2021-07-22
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-15
- Assignees: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
- Applicants: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
- Inventors: Eric M. Engerman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441652B2

## CPC

- B60K 17/354: having separate mechanical assemblies for transmitting drive to the front or to the rear wheels or set of wheels
- 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 17/02: characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of clutch
- B60K 17/08: of mechanical type
- B60K 17/12: of electric gearing
- B60K 17/16: of differential gearing
- F16H 3/54: one of the central gears being internally toothed and the other externally toothed
- F16H 3/66: composed of a number of gear trains without drive passing from one train to another
- B60K 2001/001: {one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle}
- B60Y 2400/428: Double clutch arrangements; Dual clutches
- F16H 2200/0034: the gear ratios comprising two forward speeds
- F16H 2200/0039: the gear ratios comprising three forward speeds
- F16H 2200/2005: with one sets of orbital gears
- F16H 2200/2007: with two sets of orbital gears
- F16H 2200/201: with three sets of orbital gears
- F16H 2200/2012: with four sets of orbital gears
- F16H 2200/2035: with two engaging means
- F16H 2200/2038: with three engaging means
- 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
- F16H: GEARING
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An electric drive axle assembly of a vehicle includes an electric motor having an output shaft. At least one of a gear and a planetary gear assembly is coupled to the output shaft of the electric motor. The at least one of the gear and the planetary gear assembly is coupled to a differential mechanism configured to transfer torque to two axle shafts of the vehicle. The electric drive axle assembly configured to produce a plurality of speed ratios between the electric motor and the differential mechanism.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An axle assembly, comprising:
an electric motor having an output shaft;
at least one of a gear and a first planetary gear assembly connected to the output shaft;
a differential mechanism connected with the at least one of the gear and the first planetary gear assembly, wherein the differential mechanism is connected to at least one axle shaft;
a first clutch assembly connected with at least one of the output shaft and the differential mechanism, wherein an engagement of the first clutch assembly produces a first speed ratio;
a second clutch assembly connected with at least one of the output shaft and the differential mechanism, wherein an engagement of the second clutch assembly produces a second speed ratio;
a second planetary gear assembly connected to the output shaft; and
a third planetary gear assembly connected to the at least one axle shaft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The axle assembly of claim 1, wherein the first planetary gear assembly is selectively connected to the output shaft by the first clutch assembly.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The axle assembly of claim 2, wherein the second planetary gear assembly is selectively connected to the output shaft by the second clutch assembly.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The axle assembly of claim 1, wherein the second planetary gear assembly is connected to the first planetary gear assembly.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The axle assembly of claim 1, wherein the first planetary gear assembly comprises a first planet carrier, the second planetary gear assembly comprises a second planet carrier, and the first and second planet carriers are connected to one another.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The axle assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one axle shaft is coaxially aligned with the output shaft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The axle assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fourth planetary gear assembly connected to the at least one axle shaft.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The axle assembly of claim 7, wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth planetary gear assemblies are coaxially aligned with the output shaft.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The axle assembly of claim 8, wherein the first and second planetary gear assemblies are coaxially aligned with the output shaft between the differential mechanism and the electric motor, and the third and fourth planetary gear assemblies are coaxially aligned with the output shaft with the differential mechanism and the electric motor therebetween.

### Claim 10

A method, comprising:
providing an axle assembly including:
an electric motor having an output shaft;
at least one of a gear and a first planetary gear assembly connected to the output shaft;
a differential mechanism connected with the at least one of the gear and the first planetary gear assembly, wherein the differential mechanism is connected to at least one axle shaft;
a first clutch assembly connected with at least one of the output shaft and the differential mechanism, wherein an engagement of the first clutch assembly produces a first speed ratio;
a second clutch assembly connected with at least one of the output shaft and the differential mechanism, wherein an engagement of the second clutch assembly produces a second speed ratio;
a second planetary gear assembly connected to the output shaft; and
a third planetary gear assembly connected to the at least one axle shaft; and
causing the engagement of one of the first clutch assembly and the second clutch assembly.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the engagement of the first clutch assembly produces the first speed ratio and engagement of the second clutch assembly produces the second speed ratio.

### Claim 12

An axle assembly, comprising:
an electric motor having an output shaft;
at least one of a gear and a first planetary gear assembly connected to the output shaft;
a differential mechanism connected with the at least one of the gear and the first planetary gear assembly, wherein the differential mechanism is connected to at least one axle shaft;
a first clutch assembly connected with at least one of the output shaft and the differential mechanism, wherein an engagement of the first clutch assembly produces a first speed ratio;
a second clutch assembly connected with at least one of the output shaft and the differential mechanism, wherein an engagement of the second clutch assembly produces a second speed ratio; and
a third clutch assembly connected with at least one of the output shaft and the differential mechanism, wherein an engagement of the third clutch assembly produces a third speed ratio, and wherein one of the first clutch assembly, the second clutch assembly, and the third clutch assembly is connected to the first planetary gear assembly.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The axle assembly of claim 12, further comprising an idler shaft rotationally connected to at least one of the output shaft and the differential mechanism.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The axle assembly of claim 13, wherein the output shaft, the idler shaft, and the axle shaft are offset from one another.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The axle assembly of claim 12, wherein the second clutch assembly includes a plurality of plates connected to a second gear in the planetary gear assembly.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The axle assembly of claim 15, wherein the second gear is a ring gear.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The axle assembly of claim 14, wherein the first, the second, and the third clutch assemblies are coaxially aligned with the idler shaft.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The axle assembly of claim 13, wherein the first clutch assembly includes a first plurality of clutch plates rotationally connected to the idler shaft.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The axle assembly of claim 18, wherein the third clutch assembly includes a second plurality of clutch plats rotationally connected to the idler shaft.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The axle assembly of claim 19, wherein the second clutch assembly includes a plurality of plates connected to a ring gear, and the second clutch assembly is coaxially aligned on the idler shaft between the first clutch assembly and the third clutch assembly.