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US 12,459,516 B2Granted
Dual motor gearbox spool lock
AssigneeDana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
InventorsNathan D. Mandery, Kyle Mourdock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle including a first motor coupled to a first gear train, a second motor coupled to a second gear train, and a spool lock configured to variably couple the first gear train and the second gear train, allowing a first torque output by the first motor and a second torque output by the second motor to be combined and output to a first wheel coupled to the first gear train or a second wheel coupled to the second gear train.
Claims20
A system for an electric vehicle, comprising:
- a first electric motor coupled to a first gear train;
- a second electric motor coupled to a second gear train, wherein the first gear train couples the first electric motor to a first wheel via a first output shaft of the first gear train and the second gear train couples the second electric motor to a second wheel via a second output shaft of the second gear train;
- a spool lock configured to couple the first gear train and the second gear train;
- and
- a splined intermediate shaft is positioned between and in a same plane as the first output shaft and the second output shaft, and wherein the splined intermediate shaft is coupled to the first output shaft and the second output shaft.
2 more elements
A method for a vehicle, comprising:
- during an operating mode with a wheel traction less than a determined value, locking a spool lock;
- and
- providing torque to a wheel with more traction via a first output shaft of a first gear train coupled to a first electric motor and a second output shaft of a second gear train coupled to a second electric motor, wherein a splined intermediate shaft extends between the first gear and the second gear along a same rotational shaft as the first output shaft and the second output shaft.
A system for a vehicle drivetrain;
- comprising:
- a first electric motor coupled to a first gear train, the first gear train comprising a first output shaft coupled to a first wheel;
- a second electric motor coupled to a second gear train, the second gear train comprising a second output shaft coupled to a second wheel, wherein the second gear train is separate from the first gear train;
- an intermediate shaft arranged between and in a same plane as the first output shaft and the second output shaft, and wherein the intermediate shaft is splined and coupled to the first output shaft and the second output shaft;
- a spool lock circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of the intermediate shaft;
- and
- a controller with computer-readable instructions stored on memory thereof that when executed cause the controller to:
- unlock the spool lock in response to a traction of the first wheel and the second wheel being equal;
- maintain a torque output of the first electric motor and the second electric motor;
- lock the spool lock in response to the traction of the first wheel and the second wheel being unequal;
- adjust a torque output of the first electric motor and the second electric motor;
- and
- supply a combined torque output of the first electric motor and the second electric motor to one of the first wheel and the second wheel.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.