Back to results
US 12,214,821 B2Granted
Drive system for a skid steered vehicle
AssigneeRenk America LLC
InventorsRobert William Thompson, Robert John Bonner Flaxman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Gearboxes for a skid steered vehicle including layouts in which all electric propulsion drive motors and electric steering motors are located on one side of the gearbox, and layouts in which the drive inputs of the electric propulsion drive motors are located face to face. Gear change units and gear packaging configurations suitable for such gearboxes.
Claims13
A gearbox for a skid steered vehicle, the gearbox comprising:
- a housing having first and second opposing sides;
- a controlled differential positioned between and connecting two drive shafts and being in driveable communication with each drive shaft, wherein the end of each drive shaft remote from the controlled differential forms an output of the gearbox, wherein outputs from the controlled differential connect directly via the drive shafts to the gearbox outputs such that outputs of the controlled differential attach solidly to and turn at the same speed as the gearbox outputs;
- a steering input shaft in driveable communication with the controlled differential, wherein one end of the steering input shaft forms a steering input to the gearbox;
- a propulsion input shaft in driveable communication with the gearbox outputs, wherein one end of the propulsion input shaft forms a propulsion input to the gearbox;
- a gear reduction unit and/or a gear change unit in driveable communication with the gearbox outputs, wherein the propulsion input shaft, the gear reduction unit and/or the gear change unit are connected in a parallel connection with an output of the controlled differential to the gearbox outputs, and wherein the steering input and the propulsion input are located on the same side of the gearbox housing;
- and
- at least one drive shaft having a primary drive gear fixed thereto;
- the propulsion input shaft including a propulsion input and a propulsion input gear fixed thereto;
- and
- the gear change unit including,
- a gear input shaft having first and second gears fixed thereto, wherein the first gear meshes with the propulsion input gear;
- a gear output shaft having a third gear fixed thereto, wherein the third gear meshes with the primary drive gear, the gear output shaft further including fourth and fifth gears each located around and supported for rotation on the gear output shaft, wherein the fourth gear meshes with the first gear and wherein the fifth gear meshes with the second gear;
- and
- a slideable dog hub operably connectable to a gear change selector, wherein the slideable dog hub is located on the gear output shaft in slideable engagement and constrained for rotation therewith, wherein the slideable dog hub is located between the fourth and fifth gears, wherein the at least one drive shaft and the gear change unit are arranged so that the circumference of the fifth gear overlaps the circumference of the primary drive gear.
11 more elements
A gearbox for a skid steered vehicle, the gearbox comprising:
- a housing having first and second opposing sides;
- a controlled differential positioned between and connecting two drive shafts and being in driveable communication with each drive shaft, wherein the end of each drive shaft remote from the controlled differential forms an output of the gearbox, wherein outputs from the controlled differential connect directly via the drive shafts to the gearbox outputs such that outputs of the controlled differential attach solidly to and turn at the same speed as the gearbox outputs;
- one or more steering input shafts in driveable communication with the controlled differential, wherein one end of the or each steering input shaft forms a steering input to the gearbox;
- one or more propulsion input shafts in driveable communication with the gearbox outputs, wherein one end of the or each propulsion input shaft forms a propulsion input to the gearbox;
- a gear reduction unit and/or a gear change unit in driveable communication with the gearbox outputs, wherein the or each propulsion input shaft, the gear reduction unit and/or the gear change unit are connected in a parallel connection with an output of the controlled differential to the gearbox outputs, and wherein the or each steering input and the or each propulsion input are located on the one side of the gearbox housing;
- and
- the gear change unit including:
- an input shaft including a drive input;
- an output shaft including a drive output;
- a first gear located around and supported for rotation on the output shaft or the input shaft;
- a second gear located around and supported for rotation on the same output shaft or input shaft as the first gear;
- a third gear located around and supported for rotation on the other of the input or output shafts not supporting the first and second gears;
- a slideable dog hub operably connectable to a gear change selector, wherein the slideable dog hub is located on the same output shaft or input shaft as the first and second gears in slideable engagement and constrained for rotation therewith, wherein the slideable dog hub is located between the first and second gears, wherein the gear change unit is configured so that, in use, when the slideable dog hub is engaged with the first gear, drive is transmitted from the drive input to the drive output via a first gear chain not including the second gear, and when the slideable dog hub is engaged with the second gear, drive is transmitted from the drive input to the drive output via a second gear chain including the second and third gears;
- a fourth gear located around and supported for rotation on the same output shaft or input shaft as the third gear;
- and
- a second slideable dog hub operably connectable to a gear change selector, wherein the second slideable dog hub is located on the same output shaft or input shaft as the third and fourth gears in slideable engagement and constrained for rotation therewith, wherein the second slideable dog hub is located between the third and fourth gears, wherein the gear change unit is configured so that, in use, when the second slideable dog hub is engaged with the fourth gear the first and second gear chains may be selected by means of the slideable dog hub, and wherein when the second slideable dog hub is engaged with the third gear and the slideable dog hub is engaged with the first gear, drive is transmitted from the drive input to the drive output via a third gear chain not including the second or fourth gears, and when the second slideable dog hub is engaged with the third gear and the slideable dog hub is engaged with the second gear, drive is transmitted from the drive input to the drive output via a fourth gear chain not including the first or fourth gears.
13 more elements
A gearbox for a skid steered vehicle, the gearbox comprising:
- a housing having first and second opposing sides;
- a controlled differential positioned between and connecting two drive shafts and being in driveable communication with each drive shaft, wherein the end of each drive shaft remote from the controlled differential forms an output of the gearbox, wherein outputs from the controlled differential connect directly via the drive shafts to the gearbox outputs such that outputs of the controlled differential attach solidly to and turn at the same speed as the gearbox outputs;
- one or more steering input shafts in driveable communication with the controlled differential, wherein one end of the or each steering input shaft forms a steering input to the gearbox;
- one or more propulsion input shafts in driveable communication with the gearbox outputs, wherein one end of the or each propulsion input shaft forms a propulsion input to the gearbox;
- a gear reduction unit and/or a gear change unit in driveable communication with the gearbox outputs, wherein the or each propulsion input shaft, the gear reduction unit and/or the gear change unit are connected in a parallel connection with an output of the controlled differential to the gearbox outputs, and wherein the or each steering input and the or each propulsion input are located on one side of the gearbox housing;
- at least one drive shaft having a primary drive gear fixed thereto;
- the propulsion input shaft including a propulsion input and a propulsion input gear fixed thereto;
- and
- the gear change unit including,
- a gear input shaft having first and second gears fixed thereto, wherein the first gear meshes with the propulsion input gear;
- a gear output shaft having a third gear fixed thereto, wherein the third gear meshes with the primary drive gear, the gear output shaft further including fourth and fifth gears each located around and supported for rotation on the gear output shaft, wherein the fourth gear meshes with the first gear and wherein the fifth gear meshes with the second gear;
- and
- a slideable dog hub operably connectable to a gear change selector, wherein the slideable dog hub is located on the gear output shaft in slideable engagement and constrained for rotation therewith, wherein the slideable dog hub is located between the fourth and fifth gears, wherein the at least one drive shaft and the gear change unit arc arranged so that the circumference of the fifth gear overlaps the circumference of the primary drive gear.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.