# US 12,181,031 B2 · Gearbox for electric off-road vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,031 B2 - Document ID: US12181031B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/191,924 - Filed: 2023-03-29 - Published: 2024-10-03 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2023-03-29 - Assignees: Fca US LLC - Applicants: Fca US LLC - Inventors: Sandeep Makam; Pradeep Attibele; Donald F Schmanski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181031B2 ## CPC - 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) - 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} - F16H 2200/0034: the gear ratios comprising two forward speeds - F16H 2200/201: with three sets of orbital gears - F16H 2200/2035: with two engaging means - 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 ## Abstract A two-speed gearbox assembly includes a housing, a first planetary gear set configured to operably connect to an output of an electric motor, a second planetary gear set rotationally coupled to an output of the first planetary gear set, and a third gear set rotationally coupled to an output of the second planetary gearset. A first clutch is configured to selectively couple the first planetary gear set to the second planetary gear set, and a second clutch is configured to selectively ground a portion of the second planetary gear set to the housing. The gearbox assembly is selectively switchable between (i) an on-road first gear where the first clutch is engaged and the second clutch is disengaged, and (ii) an off-road second gear where the first clutch is disengaged and the second clutch is engaged to provide sustained high torque and low speed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A two-speed gearbox assembly for an electric drive vehicle, the gearbox assembly comprising: a housing; a first planetary gear set configured to operably connect to an output of an electric motor; a second planetary gear set rotationally coupled to an output of the first planetary gear set; a third gear set rotationally coupled to an output of the second planetary gearset; a gearbox output shaft configured to rotationally couple the third gear set to a differential; a first clutch configured to selectively couple the first planetary gear set to the second planetary gear set; and a second clutch configured to selectively ground a portion of the second planetary gear set to the housing, wherein the gearbox assembly is selectively switchable between (i) an on-road, forward first gear where the first clutch is engaged and the second clutch is disengaged, and (ii) an off-road, forward second gear where the first clutch is disengaged and the second clutch is engaged to provide sustained high torque and low speed, wherein the first planetary gear set includes a sun gear configured to rotationally couple to the electric motor output, a ring gear grounded to the housing, and a carrier selectively coupled to the second planetary gear set via the first clutch, and wherein the second planetary gear set includes a sun gear rotationally coupled to the first planetary gear set, a ring gear rotationally coupled to the third gear set, and a carrier that is (i) selectively grounded to the housing via the second clutch, and (ii) selectively directly coupled to the first planetary gear set carrier via the first clutch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gearbox assembly of claim 1, wherein the third gear set is a planetary gear set. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gearbox assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second planetary gear sets are coaxial. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gearbox assembly of claim 1, wherein when the first clutch is in the engaged state, the second clutch is in the disengaged state, and wherein when the first clutch is in the disengaged state, the second clutch is in the engaged state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gearbox assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second clutches are dog clutches. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gearbox assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second clutches do not require friction elements, hydraulics, lubrication, or cooling. ### Claim 7 A two-speed gearbox assembly for an electric drive vehicle, the gearbox assembly comprising: a housing; a first planetary gear set configured to operably connect to an output of an electric motor; a second planetary gear set rotationally coupled to an output of the first planetary gear set; a third gear set rotationally coupled to an output of the second planetary gearset; a gearbox output shaft configured to rotationally couple the third gear set to a differential; a first clutch configured to selectively couple the first planetary gear set to the second planetary gear set; and a second clutch configured to selectively ground a portion of the second planetary gear set to the housing, wherein the gearbox assembly is selectively switchable between (i) an on-road first gear where the first clutch is engaged and the second clutch is disengaged, and (ii) an off-road second gear where the first clutch is disengaged and the second clutch is engaged to provide sustained high torque and low speed, and wherein the gearbox assembly can only shift between the on-road first gear and the off-road second gear when the electric motor is at zero speed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The gearbox assembly of claim 7, wherein the first planetary gear set includes a sun gear configured to rotationally couple to the electric motor output, a ring gear grounded to the housing, and a carrier selectively coupled to the second planetary gear set via the first clutch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The gearbox assembly of claim 7, wherein the second planetary gear set includes a sun gear rotationally coupled to the first planetary gear set, a ring gear rotationally coupled to the third gear set, and a carrier that is (i) selectively grounded to the housing via the second clutch, and (ii) selectively coupled to the first planetary gear set via the first clutch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The gearbox assembly of claim 9, wherein the first clutch selectively couples the second planetary gear set carrier to a carrier of the first planetary gear set. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The gearbox assembly of claim 7, wherein the third gear set is a planetary gear set, and wherein the first and second planetary gear sets are coaxial. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The gearbox assembly of claim 7, wherein when the first clutch is in the engaged state, the second clutch is in the disengaged state, and wherein when the first clutch is in the disengaged state, the second clutch is in the engaged state. ### Claim 13 A two-speed gearbox assembly for an electric drive vehicle, the gearbox assembly comprising: a housing; a first planetary gear set configured to operably connect to an output of an electric motor; a second planetary gear set rotationally coupled to an output of the first planetary gear set; a third gear set rotationally coupled to an output of the second planetary gearset; a gearbox output shaft configured to rotationally couple the third gear set to a differential; a first clutch configured to selectively couple the first planetary gear set to the second planetary gear set; and a second clutch configured to selectively ground a portion of the second planetary gear set to the housing, wherein the gearbox assembly is selectively switchable between (i) an on-road first gear where the first clutch is engaged and the second clutch is disengaged, and (ii) an off-road second gear where the first clutch is disengaged and the second clutch is engaged to provide sustained high torque and low speed, wherein in the on-road first gear, the electric motor output rotates in a first direction, and wherein in the off-road second gear, the electric motor output rotates in a second direction opposite of the first direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gearbox assembly of claim 13, wherein the first planetary gear set includes a sun gear configured to rotationally couple to the electric motor output, a ring gear grounded to the housing, and a carrier selectively coupled to the second planetary gear set via the first clutch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The gearbox assembly of claim 13, wherein the second planetary gear set includes a sun gear rotationally coupled to the first planetary gear set, a ring gear rotationally coupled to the third gear set, and a carrier that is (i) selectively grounded to the housing via the second clutch, and (ii) selectively coupled to the first planetary gear set via the first clutch. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The gearbox assembly of claim 15, wherein the first clutch selectively couples the second planetary gear set carrier to a carrier of the first planetary gear set. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The gearbox assembly of claim 13, wherein the third gear set is a planetary gear set, wherein the first and second planetary gear sets are coaxial, wherein when the first clutch is in the engaged state, the second clutch is in the disengaged state, and wherein when the first clutch is in the disengaged state, the second clutch is in the engaged state.