# US 12,007,016 B2 · Axle drive for a motor vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,016 B2 - Document ID: US12007016B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/331,752 - Filed: 2023-06-08 - Published: 2023-12-14 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-08 - Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Applicants: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Inventors: Thomas Kölbl; Stephan Brandl; Heidi Bartlsperger; Nils Trümper; Christina Weber; Sophia Schubert; Alois Biereder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007016B2 ## CPC - F16H 57/0476: {Electric machines and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof} - B60K 17/165: {provided between independent half axles (B60K17/18, B60K17/20 take precedence)} - F16H 37/0813: {with only one input shaft} - F16H 57/0424: {Lubricant guiding means in the wall of or integrated with the casing, e.g. grooves, channels, holes} - F16H 57/043: {within rotary parts, e.g. axial channels or radial openings in shafts} - F16H 57/0471: {Bearing} - H02K 7/006: {Structural association of a motor or generator with the drive train of a motor vehicle} - H02K 7/083: {radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor (H02K7/086, H02K7/09 take precedence)} - H02K 7/116: with gears - H02K 9/19: for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil - H02K 9/193: with provision for replenishing the cooling medium; with means for preventing leakage of the cooling medium - B60K 2001/001: {one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle} - F16H: GEARING - 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 - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract An axle drive for a motor vehicle, comprising an electric machine coupled by a rotor shaft to a transmission for the axle drive, wherein a torque can be transferred from the electric machine to an intermediate shaft with a first gear stage and from the intermediate shaft to another gear train, in particular a differential, with a second gear stage, wherein the rotor shaft or a shaft segment coupled to the rotor shaft is supported in a bearing element, wherein a fluid supply is designed to convey a liquid, in particular oil, into an intermediate space between the bearing element and a side shaft on the axle drive through a fluid channel, and from the intermediate space into the rotor chamber in the electric machine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An axle drive for a motor vehicle, comprising: an electric machine coupled by a rotor shaft to a transmission for the axle drive, wherein a torque can be transferred from the electric machine to an intermediate shaft with a first gear stage, and from the intermediate shaft to a second gear train with a second gear stage, and wherein the rotor shaft or a shaft segment coupled to the rotor shaft is supported in a bearing element; and a fluid supply configured to convey oil into an intermediate space between the bearing element and a side shaft on the axle drive through a fluid channel, and from the intermediate space into a rotor chamber in the electric machine, wherein the rotor shaft and/or the shaft segment has a conical inner surface opening toward the rotor chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The axle drive according to claim 1, wherein the second gear train comprises a differential. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The axle drive according to claim 1, comprising: a fluid conducting element coupled to the rotor shaft configured to convey a liquid from the intermediate space into a middle of the rotor chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The axle drive according to claim 3, wherein the fluid conducting element is a nozzle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The axle drive according to claim 3, wherein the rotor chamber has at least one first hole at a first axial position, and at least one second hole at a second axial position, and wherein the first axial position and the second axial position are on opposite sides of the middle of the rotor chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The axle drive according to claim 5, comprising: at least one fluid guidance element configured to guide fluid flowing from at least one hole of the first hole or the second hold into the rotor onto at least one winding head in the electric machine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The axle drive according to claim 6, wherein the at least one fluid guidance element is a fluid deflection plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The axle drive according to claim 1, wherein a hole in the intermediate space bordered by the rotor shaft or the shaft segment is larger than an axially opposing hole in the intermediate space bordered by the second gear train. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The axle drive according to claim 1, wherein the second gear train and the rotor shaft or the shaft segment are supported on the bearing element by roller bearings, and wherein at least one retention element is configured to retain a liquid in the intermediate space upstream of the roller bearings. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The axle drive according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate space forms an annular chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The axle drive according to claim 10, wherein a blocking element exists in the annular chamber and comprises an intervening element extending, at least in part, radially into the annular chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A motor vehicle, comprising the axle drive according to claim 1. ### Claim 13 An axle drive for a motor vehicle, comprising: an electric machine coupled by a rotor shaft to a transmission for the axle drive, wherein a torque can be transferred from the electric machine to an intermediate shaft with a first gear stage, and from the intermediate shaft to a second gear train with a second gear stage, and wherein the rotor shaft or a shaft segment coupled to the rotor shaft is supported in a bearing element; and a fluid supply configured to convey oil into an intermediate space between the bearing element and a side shaft on the axle drive through a fluid channel, and from the intermediate space into a rotor chamber in the electric machine, wherein the second gear train and the rotor shaft or the shaft segment are supported on the bearing element by roller bearings, and wherein at least one retention element is configured to retain a liquid in the intermediate space upstream of the roller bearings. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The axle drive according to claim 13, further comprising: a fluid conducting element coupled to the rotor shaft configured to convey a liquid from the intermediate space into a middle of the rotor chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The axle drive according to claim 13, wherein the rotor chamber has at least one first hole at a first axial position, and at least one second hole at a second axial position, and wherein the first axial position and the second axial position are on opposite sides of a middle of the rotor chamber. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The axle drive according to claim 13, wherein a hole in the intermediate space bordered by the rotor shaft or the shaft segment is larger than an axially opposing hole in the intermediate space bordered by the second gear train. ### Claim 17 An axle drive for a motor vehicle, comprising: an electric machine coupled by a rotor shaft to a transmission for the axle drive, wherein a torque can be transferred from the electric machine to an intermediate shaft with a first gear stage, and from the intermediate shaft to a second gear train with a second gear stage, and wherein the rotor shaft or a shaft segment coupled to the rotor shaft is supported in a bearing element; and a fluid supply configured to convey oil into an intermediate space between the bearing element and a side shaft on the axle drive through a fluid channel, and from the intermediate space into a rotor chamber in the electric machine, wherein the intermediate space forms an annular chamber, and wherein a blocking element exists in the annular chamber and comprises an intervening element extending, at least in part, radially into the annular chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The axle drive according to claim 17, further comprising: a fluid conducting element coupled to the rotor shaft configured to convey a liquid from the intermediate space into a middle of the rotor chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The axle drive according to claim 17, wherein the rotor chamber has at least one first hole at a first axial position, and at least one second hole at a second axial position, and wherein the first axial position and the second axial position are on opposite sides of a middle of the rotor chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The axle drive according to claim 17, wherein a hole in the intermediate space bordered by the rotor shaft or the shaft segment is larger than an axially opposing hole in the intermediate space bordered by the second gear train.