Planetary pinion input electric drive unit
AssigneeDana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, LLC
InventorsJeffrey M. David, William F. Waltz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for an electric drive unit. The electric drive system includes, in one example, a set of electric machines each of which are rotationally coupled to a pinion device in a set of pinion devices and a planetary assembly. The electric drive system further includes an inverter assembly electrically coupled to the set of electric machines in parallel. The planetary assembly includes the set of pinion devices, a carrier which is mechanically grounded, a ring device, and a sun device, where the ring device and/or the sun device are rotationally coupled to the set of pinion devices.
Claims17
An electric drive system, comprising:
- a first set of electric machines each of which are rotationally coupled to a pinion device in a first set of pinion devices;
- a second set of electric machines each of which are rotationally coupled to a pinion device in a second set of pinion devices;
- a planetary assembly including:
- the first set of pinion devices;
- the second set of pinion devices;
- a carrier which is mechanically grounded;
- a ring device;
- and
- a sun device;
- and
- an inverter assembly electrically coupled to the first set of electric machines in parallel;
- wherein the first set of pinion devices mesh with or frictionally engage one of the ring device or the sun device;
- and
- wherein the second set of pinion devices mesh with or frictionally engage the sun device or the ring device that is not engaged with the first set of pinion devices.
A method for operation of an electric drive system, comprising:
- transferring electrical energy from an inverter assembly to a first set of electric machines in parallel;
- and
- transferring electrical energy from the inverter assembly to a second set of electric machines in parallel;
- where the electric drive system includes:
- the first set of electric machines each of which are rotationally coupled to a pinion device in a first set of pinion devices;
- the second set of electric machines each of which are rotationally coupled to a pinion device in a second set of pinion devices;
- and
- a planetary assembly including:
- the first set of pinion devices;
- a carrier which is mechanically grounded;
- and
- a ring device;
- and
- a sun device;
- and
- the inverter assembly;
- wherein the first set of pinion devices mesh with or frictionally engage one of the ring device or the sun device;
- and
- wherein the second set of pinion devices mesh with or frictionally engage the sun device or the ring device that is not engaged or meshed with the first set of pinion devices.
An electric drive system, comprising:
- a first set of traction motors each of which are each rotationally coupled to a pinion gear in a first set of pinion gears;
- a second set of traction motors each of which are each rotationally coupled to a pinion gear in a second set of pinion gears;
- a planetary gear set including:
- the first set of pinion gears;
- the second set of pinion gears;
- a carrier which is mechanically grounded;
- and
- a ring gear;
- and
- a sun gear;
- and
- an inverter assembly electrically coupled to the first set of traction motors and the second set of traction motors in parallel;
- wherein the first set of pinion gears meshes with the ring gear or the sun gear;
- wherein the inverter assembly further comprises:
- a first set of electrical contactors configured to independently selectively electrically decouple the inverter assembly from the first set of traction motors;
- and
- a second set of electrical contactors configured to independently selectively electrically decouple the inverter assembly from the second set of traction motors;
- and
- wherein the electric drive system further comprises a controller including instructions that when executed, while the electric drive system is operating at less than peak load, cause the controller to:
- implement load sharing between the first set of traction motors and the second set of traction motors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.