Electric axle assembly
AssigneeDana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, LLC
InventorsMichael D. Cook, Darren J. Ziskovsky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electric axle assembly having dual motors and dual disconnects allowing for selectably disconnecting either one of the motors so that either motor may operate as the primary drive motor. Each of the dual motors is coupled to a layshaft, and each disconnect is positioned between a gear reduction at the output of the motor and a gear reduction connected to the layshaft. The layshaft is coupled to a differential via a clutch and gear set, the gear set providing a two-speed transmission for power delivered from the layshaft to the differential.
Claims17
An electric drive axle in an electric vehicle, comprising:
- a first motor rotationally coupled to a first intermediate shaft with a first gear positioned thereon that is coupled to a layshaft gear on a layshaft;
- a second motor rotationally coupled to a second intermediate shaft with a second gear positioned thereon that is coupled to the layshaft gear;
- and
- a first disconnect mechanism positioned between the first motor and the layshaft and configured to disconnect the first motor from the layshaft;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- speed match the first motor and the second motor;
- and
- operate the first disconnect mechanism to connect the first motor to the layshaft when the first motor achieves a threshold speed.
A multi-motor electric vehicle system, comprising:
- a first motor generator and a second motor generator coupled to a layshaft;
- a first disconnect mechanism configured to selectively decouple the first motor generator from the layshaft;
- a second disconnect mechanism configured to selectively decouple the second motor generator from the layshaft;
- a differential coupled to the layshaft;
- an axle coupled to the differential;
- and
- a clutch assembly coupled to the layshaft and a differential, and configured to selectively operably engage a high gear and a low gear with the differential.
A multi-motor electric vehicle system, comprising:
- a first motor generator and a second motor generator coupled to a layshaft;
- a first disconnect mechanism configured to selectively decouple the first motor generator from the layshaft;
- a second disconnect mechanism configured to selectively decouple the second motor generator from the layshaft;
- a differential coupled to the layshaft;
- and
- an axle coupled to the differential;
- wherein the first motor generator is coupled to the layshaft via a first intermediate shaft that includes a first gear directly coupled to a layshaft gear;
- and
- wherein the second motor generator is coupled to the layshaft via a second intermediate shaft that includes a second gear directly coupled to the layshaft gear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.