Back to results
US 12,576,703 B2Granted
Electric drive unit with motor assembly isolated from beaming loads transmitted through housing assembly
AssigneeAmerican Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsJames P. Downs, Paul J. Valente
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electric drive unit having an electric motor, a differential assembly, a transmission, which transmits rotary power between the electric motor and the differential assembly, a pair of axle shafts, which are drivingly coupled to output members of the differential assembly, and a housing assembly in which the electric motor, the differential assembly, the transmission, and the axle shafts are housed. The electric motor includes a stator, a rotor and a motor housing that houses the stator and the rotor. The motor housing is fixedly coupled the housing assembly. Bending loads transmitted through the motor housing are not transmitted through the electric motor.
Claims20
An electric drive unit comprising:
- a housing assembly that defines an output axis, the housing assembly having a first end cover, a second end cover, an intermediate housing member, a first axle tube and a second axle tube, the first end cover having a first perimeter wall member and a first axle tube mount, the first perimeter wall member defining a first cavity that is disposed about and extends longitudinally along the output axis, the first axle tube mount defining a first axle tube bore, the second end cover having a second perimeter wall member and a second axle tube mount, the second perimeter wall member defining a second cavity that is disposed about and extends longitudinally along the output axis, the second axle tube mount defining a second axle tube bore, the intermediate housing member being disposed between and being fixedly coupled to the first and second end covers, the first axle tube being received in the first axle tube bore and being fixedly coupled to the first axle tube mount, the second axle tube being received in the second axle tube bore and being fixedly coupled to the second axle tube mount;
- a motor assembly having a motor housing, a stator, a rotor and a motor output shaft, the motor housing being fixedly coupled to the intermediate housing member and extending into the first cavity, the motor housing being spaced apart from the first perimeter wall member and the first axle tube mount, the motor housing defining a motor cavity, the stator being disposed in the motor cavity, the rotor being disposed in the stator for rotation relative to the stator about a motor axis, the motor output shaft being coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith, the motor output shaft extending through the intermediate housing member and into the second cavity;
- a transmission disposed in the second cavity, the transmission having a transmission input member, which is coupled to the motor output shaft for rotation therewith, and a transmission output member that is rotatable about the output axis;
- a differential assembly disposed in the second cavity, the differential assembly having a differential input member, which is coupled to the transmission output member for rotation therewith, and a pair of differential output members;
- a first output shaft member received in the first axle tube and rotatably coupled to a first one of the pair of differential output members;
- and
- a second output shaft member received in the second axle tube and rotatably coupled to the other one of the pair of differential output members.
4 more elements
An electric drive unit comprising:
- a housing assembly that defines an output axis, the housing assembly having an intermediate housing member, a first axle tube and a second axle tube, the housing assembly defining a first cavity, and a second cavity that is segregated from the first cavity by the intermediate housing member;
- a motor assembly having a motor housing, a stator, a rotor and a motor output shaft, the motor housing being fixedly coupled to the intermediate housing member and extending into the first cavity, the motor housing defining a motor cavity, the stator being disposed in the motor cavity, the rotor being disposed in the stator for rotation relative to the stator about a motor axis, the motor output shaft being coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith, the motor output shaft extending through the intermediate housing member and into the second cavity;
- a transmission disposed in the second cavity, the transmission having a transmission input member, which is coupled to the motor output shaft for rotation therewith, and a transmission output member that is rotatable about the output axis;
- a differential assembly disposed in the second cavity, the differential assembly having a differential input member, which is coupled to the transmission output member for rotation therewith, and a pair of differential output members;
- a first output shaft member received in the first axle tube and rotatably coupled to a first one of the pair of differential output members;
- and
- a second output shaft member received in the second axle tube and rotatably coupled to the other one of the pair of differential output members;
- wherein bending loads transmitted through the housing assembly along the output axis are not transmitted through the stator.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.