US 12,220,986 B2Granted

Multispeed transaxle with sprung powertrain mounting and methods therefor

AssigneeAllison Transmission, Inc.

InventorsJason Ellis, Kyle Mason, George Pelton, John Tysman

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Vehicles, powertrains for vehicles, and methods of mounting powertrains to chassis of vehicles are disclosed herein. A vehicle includes a chassis, a plurality of wheels, and a powertrain. The chassis extends along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end arranged opposite the first end. The plurality of wheels are coupled to the chassis between the first end and the second end and configured for rotation about a rotational axis. The powertrain is mounted to the chassis transverse to the longitudinal axis between the first end and the second end. The powertrain is configured to drive rotation of the plurality of wheels about the rotational axis in use of the vehicle.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A vehicle comprising:

a chassis including a pair of frame rails spaced apart from one another to define a gap therebetween;
a plurality of wheels coupled to the chassis that are each configured for rotation about a rotational axis;
and
a powertrain mounted to the chassis that is configured to drive rotation of each of the plurality of wheels about the rotational axis in use of the vehicle,
wherein:
the powertrain includes a drive unit to generate rotational power and a transaxle coupled to the drive unit to receive rotational power therefrom and transmit rotational power to the plurality of wheels,
the transaxle includes a transmission,
the drive unit and the transmission are supported above the rotational axis in a vertical direction such that the rotational axis extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle without passing through the drive unit or the transmission, and
each of the pair of frame rails is positioned above the rotational axis in the vertical direction along an entire length of the frame rail.

6 more elements

A vehicle comprising:

a chassis including a pair of frame rails spaced apart from one another to define a gap therebetween;
a plurality of wheels coupled to the chassis that are each configured for rotation about a rotational axis;
and
a powertrain mounted to the chassis that is configured to drive rotation of each of the plurality of wheels about the rotational axis in use of the vehicle,
wherein the powertrain includes a transmission arranged in the gap that is supported above the rotational axis in a vertical direction such that the rotational axis extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle without passing through the transmission,
wherein each of the pair of frame rails is positioned above the rotational axis in the vertical direction along an entire length of the frame rail.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/747,229Filed 18 May 2022 · continuation
Priority: 14 Jul 2020
Published: US 2022/0016970 A11 Sep 2022
Granted: 11 Feb 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B60K 1/00
Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
B60K 7/0007
Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel: the motor being electric
B60K 17/043
Characterised by arrangement, location or kind of gearing: transmission unit disposed in on near the vehicle wheel, or between the differential…
B60K 2001/001
Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units: one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle

Family

Application16/928,235Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Jul 2020
US 2022/0274481 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Sep 2022
US 11,420,514 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2022/0016970 A1Published application
US 12,220,986 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.