# US 12,215,778 B2 · Lubricant supply system for a drive unit of an electrically operated vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,215,778 B2 - Document ID: US12215778B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/561,903 - Filed: 2022-05-05 - Published: 2024-07-11 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-19 - Assignees: Audi AG - Applicants: Audi AG - Inventors: Ivo Greiter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215778B2 ## CPC - F16H 57/0483: {Axle or inter-axle differentials} - 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 57/0441: {Arrangements of pumps} - F16H 57/045: {Lubricant storage reservoirs, e.g. reservoirs in addition to a gear sump for collecting lubricant in the upper part of a gear case} - F16H 57/0473: {Friction devices, e.g. clutches or brakes} - F16H 57/0476: {Electric machines and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof} - 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) - B60K 2001/001: {one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle} - F16H 48/00: Differential gearings (cooling or lubricating of differential gearing F16H57/04) - F16H 48/08: comprising bevel gears - F16H 2200/0021: specially adapted for electric vehicles - 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 lubricant supply system, for a drive apparatus of an electrically operated vehicle having at least one electric machine which outputs power to at least one vehicle wheel via a gear mechanism arrangement, includes an electric machine hydraulic circuit in which a lubricant tank is connected via a suction line to a pressure pump which conveys lubricant to the electric machine via an electric machine supply line, and includes a gear mechanism hydraulic circuit, via which lubricant can be conveyed to the gear mechanism arrangement. The pressure pump is associated as a common pressure pump with both the electric machine hydraulic circuit and the gear mechanism hydraulic circuit so that lubricant during pump operation can be recirculated both in the electric machine hydraulic circuit and in the gear mechanism hydraulic circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrically operated vehicle comprising: a drive apparatus having at least one electric machine which outputs power to at least one vehicle wheel via a gear mechanism arrangement, the gear mechanism arrangement including an axle differential which is drivingly connected to the at least one vehicle wheel at the output at both sides via flange shafts, wherein one of the flange shafts is divided into a shaft portion on the at least one wheel and a shaft portion on the axle, which can be connected to each other via a separation clutch; and a lubricant supply system including a pressure pump, an electric machine hydraulic circuit in which a lubricant tank is connected via a suction line to the pressure pump which conveys lubricant to the electric machine via an electric machine supply line, a gear mechanism hydraulic circuit configured to convey the lubricant to the gear mechanism arrangement, wherein the pressure pump is associated as a common pressure pump with both the electric machine hydraulic circuit and the gear mechanism hydraulic circuit, the pressure pump to recirculate the lubricant both in the electric machine hydraulic circuit and in the gear mechanism hydraulic circuit when the pressure pump is operating, a lubricant sump common to both the electric machine hydraulic circuit and the gear mechanism hydraulic circuit, a return pump common to both the electric machine hydraulic circuit and the gear mechanism hydraulic circuit, a separation clutch hydraulic circuit configured to supply the lubricant to the separation clutch, and at least one separation clutch supply line to guide the lubricant to the separation clutch, wherein the lubricant which flows away from the separation clutch is collected in the common lubricant sump. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lubricant to be guided in at least one gear mechanism supply line to at least one gear mechanism lubrication location. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pressure pump is also associated with the separation clutch hydraulic circuit so that the electrically operated vehicle is configured so that lubricant can also additionally be recirculated in the separation clutch hydraulic circuit when the pump is operating. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the separation clutch hydraulic circuit is configured so that an internal lubrication of the separation clutch is carried out by the separation clutch hydraulic circuit, wherein a lubricant channel which opens at a front side of the shaft portion in a clutch chamber of the separation clutch is configured in one of the shaft portions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein a pressure line leads away from the pressure pump and branches out at a branching location into the electric machine supply line and the gear mechanism supply line. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lubricant which drips from the gear mechanism lubrication location is collected in the lubricant sump and the lubricant which flows out of the electric machine is also collected in the lubricant sump and, from there, is guided back by the return pump into the lubricant tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pressure pump and the return pump form a double pump with a common drive shaft, and the common drive shaft is in driving connection with an electric motor which is controlled by a pump control device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pressure pump is also associated with the separation clutch hydraulic circuit so that the electrically operated vehicle is configured so that lubricant can also additionally be recirculated in the separation clutch hydraulic circuit when the pump is operating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pressure pump is also associated with the separation clutch hydraulic circuit so that the electrically operated vehicle is configured so that lubricant can also additionally be recirculated in the separation clutch hydraulic circuit when the pump is operating. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pressure pump is also associated with the separation clutch hydraulic circuit so that the electrically operated vehicle is configured so that lubricant can also additionally be recirculated in the separation clutch hydraulic circuit when the pump is operating. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pressure line, the gear mechanism supply line or the electric machine supply line has a branching location from which the separation clutch supply line branches. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the separation clutch hydraulic circuit is configured so that an internal lubrication of the separation clutch is carried out by the separation clutch hydraulic circuit, wherein a lubricant channel which opens at a front side of the shaft portion in a clutch chamber of the separation clutch is configured in one of the shaft portions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lubricant which drips from the gear mechanism lubrication location is collected in the lubricant sump and the lubricant which flows out of the electric machine is also collected in the lubricant sump and, from there, is guided back by the return pump into the lubricant tank. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pressure pump and the return pump form a double pump with a common drive shaft, and the common drive shaft is in driving connection with an electric motor which is controlled by a pump control device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the pressure pump is also associated with the separation clutch hydraulic circuit so that the electrically operated vehicle is configured so that lubricant can also additionally be recirculated in the separation clutch hydraulic circuit when the pump is operating. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pressure pump is also associated with the separation clutch hydraulic circuit so that the electrically operated vehicle is configured so that lubricant can also additionally be recirculated in the separation clutch hydraulic circuit when the pump is operating. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the separation clutch hydraulic circuit is configured so that an internal lubrication of the separation clutch is carried out by the separation clutch hydraulic circuit, wherein a lubricant channel which opens at a front side of the shaft portion in a clutch chamber of the separation clutch is configured in one of the shaft portions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure pump is also associated with the separation clutch hydraulic circuit so that the electrically operated vehicle is configured so that lubricant can also additionally be recirculated in the separation clutch hydraulic circuit when the pump is operating. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the pressure line, the gear mechanism supply line or the electric machine supply line has a branching location from which the separation clutch supply line branches. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The electrically operated vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separation clutch hydraulic circuit is configured so that an internal lubrication of the separation clutch is carried out by the separation clutch hydraulic circuit, wherein a lubricant channel which opens at a front side of the shaft portion in a clutch chamber of the separation clutch is configured in one of the shaft portions.