External parking lock for electric drive systems

An electric drive system with a parking lock assembly for a vehicle with a drive shaft and a plurality of wheels, comprising:

• a drive motor having a housing and a drive motor shaft, the drive motor is adapted to generate rotational force to rotate the drive shaft and turn the plurality of wheels, the housing has a housing surface which is perpendicular in relation to the drive motor shaft;
• a mounting bracket externally fastened to the housing surface;
• a parking gear positioned between the drive motor shaft and the drive shaft, the parking gear having a parking gear first face attached to the drive motor shaft, a parking gear second face attached to the drive shaft, and an outer edge extending circumferentially between the parking gear first face and the parking gear second face, the parking gear forms a linkage which allows the drive motor to rotate the drive shaft, the parking gear further having a plurality of teeth which radiate from the outer edge and gear cavities formed between the teeth;
• and
• an actuator housing fastened to the mounting bracket, the actuator housing containing an actuator and a locking lever, the locking lever pivots about a plane which is parallel with and which passes between the parking gear first face and the parking gear second face, the actuator is adapted to activate and pivot the locking lever from a disengaged position to an engaged position, the locking lever projects from the actuator housing when placed in the engaged position to contact the parking gear and interlock with one of the gear cavities, the locking lever prevents the drive shaft and the wheels from rotating by arresting the rotation of the parking gear.

A method for preventing undesired movement of a vehicle with an electric drive system, the electric drive system comprising a drive motor with a drive motor shaft and a housing, and a drive shaft which rotates a plurality of wheels, the drive motor generates rotational force which turns the wheels via the drive shaft, the vehicle having an undercarriage, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a parking gear fastened to the drive motor shaft and the drive shaft which forms a linkage therebetween which allows the drive motor to rotate the drive shaft;
• providing an actuator housing containing an actuator and a locking lever;
• providing a mounting bracket;
• securing the mounting bracket to a mounting point located on the undercarriage of the vehicle or the housing of the drive motor, and securing the actuator housing to the mounting bracket;
• activating the actuator, displacing the locking lever into an engaged position, contacting the parking gear with the locking lever, and preventing the parking gear from rotating;
• and
• locking the drive shaft via the linkage formed by the parking gear, and preventing the wheels from turning.