US 12,454,151 B1Granted

Electric axle assembly for a vehicle

AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG

InventorsRodrigo Bahena, Patrick Lindemann, David Burky, Angel Salvador Flores

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Abstract

An electric axle assembly includes a banjo axle housing, first and second half shafts, and an electric drive unit. The banjo axle housing has a central portion that defines a receiving space and first and second openings providing access to the receiving space, first and second beams extending from the central portion in opposite first and second axial directions, and defining first and second beam hollows in communication with the receiving space. The half shafts extend within the first and second beam hollows. The electric drive unit includes a motor, a differential, and a housing having first and second housing components. At least one of the first and second housing components defines a motor housing region, the first and second housing components define a gearbox region, and the first and second housing components define first and second apertures that provide access for coupling the half shafts with the differential.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An electric axle assembly, comprising:

a banjo axle housing having a central portion that defines a receiving space and first and second openings that provide access to the receiving space, a first beam that extends from the central portion in a first axial direction and that defines a first beam hollow in communication with the receiving space, and a second beam that extends from the central portion opposite the first beam in a second axial direction and that defines a second beam hollow in communication with the receiving space;
a first half shaft that extends within the first beam hollow;
a second half shaft that extends within the second beam hollow;
and
an electric drive unit comprising:
a motor that drives rotation of a rotor shaft about an axis;
a differential operably coupled with the rotor shaft;
and
a housing having a first housing component and a second housing component fastened to the first housing component, wherein at least one of the first housing component and the second housing component defines a motor housing region within which the motor is housed, the first and second housing components cooperate to define a gearbox region within which the differential is housed, the first housing component defines a first aperture that provides access for operable coupling of the first half shaft with the differential, and the second housing component defines a second aperture that provides access for operable coupling of the second half shaft with the differential, wherein the first housing component is fastened to the second housing component at a junction, such that the first housing component is axially adjacent to the second housing component, and wherein the junction at which the first housing component is fastened to the second housing component extends from outside of the receiving space, into the receiving space via the first opening, and out of the receiving space via the second opening.

6 more elements

An electric axle assembly, comprising:

a banjo axle housing having a central portion that defines a receiving space and first and second openings that provide access to the receiving space, a first beam that extends from the central portion in a first axial direction and that defines a first beam hollow in communication with the receiving space, and a second beam that extends from the central portion opposite the first beam in a second axial direction and that defines a second beam hollow in communication with the receiving space;
and
an electric drive unit comprising:
a motor that drives rotation of a rotor shaft about an axis;
a differential operably coupled with the rotor shaft;
and
a housing having a first housing component and a second housing component that is fastened to the first housing component at a junction, such that the first housing component is axially adjacent to the second housing component, wherein at least one of the first housing component and the second housing component defines a motor housing region within which the motor is housed, and the first and second housing components cooperate to define at least a portion of a gearbox region that extends from outside of the receiving space, into the receiving space via the first opening, and out of the receiving space via the second opening, and wherein the junction at which the first housing component is fastened to the second housing component extends from outside of the receiving space, into the receiving space via the first opening, and out of the receiving space via the second opening.

4 more elements

An electric axle assembly, comprising:

a banjo axle housing having a central portion that defines a receiving space and first and second openings that provide access to the receiving space, a first beam that extends from the central portion in a first axial direction and that defines a first beam hollow in communication with the receiving space, and a second beam that extends from the central portion opposite the first beam in a second axial direction and that defines a second beam hollow in communication with the receiving space;
a first half shaft that extends within the first beam hollow;
a second half shaft that extends within the second beam hollow;
and
an electric drive unit comprising:
a motor that drives rotation of a rotor shaft about an axis;
a differential operably coupled with the rotor shaft;
and
a housing having a first housing component and a second housing component that is fastened to the first housing component at a junction, such that the first housing component is axially adjacent to the second housing component, wherein at least one of the first housing component and the second housing component defines a motor housing region within which the motor is housed, the first and second housing components cooperate to define a gearbox region that extends through the first and second openings and within which the differential is housed, the first housing component defines a first aperture that provides access for operable coupling of the first half shaft with the differential, and the second housing component defines a second aperture that provides access for operable coupling of the second half shaft with the differential, and wherein the junction at which the first housing component is fastened to the second housing component extends from outside of the receiving space, into the receiving space via the first opening, and out of the receiving space via the second opening.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.