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US 12,638,079 B1Granted
Electric axle parking mechanism with oil dam for stable oil level during uphill/downhill driving
AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorKyle Nelson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A park mechanism in an electric drive unit may relocate an oil passage within an end housing and add a sensor dam. The sensor dam may separate a park mechanism cavity and a sensor cavity. The sensor dam may trap oil in the park mechanism cavity and prevent the sensor cavity from filling with the oil. The oil may trap the air above the oil in the sensor cavity, preventing the oil from reaching a height of a manual shaft. Thus, a seal of the manual shaft may be prevented from being submerged in the oil.
Claims20
A park unit comprising:
- a park actuator;
- an end housing;
- a cover, wherein the cover seals against the end housing, wherein the end housing and the cover define a sensor cavity, a park mechanism cavity, a sensor dam, and a rotor cavity, wherein the sensor cavity is disposed adjacent to the park mechanism cavity with the sensor dam disposed therebetween, wherein the sensor dam defines a slot, wherein the slot is an only fluid inlet to and fluid outlet from the sensor cavity, wherein the sensor dam is configured to trap air above oil in the sensor cavity, wherein a rotor shaft inlet is disposed within the rotor cavity, wherein the rotor shaft inlet vents the park mechanism cavity;
- and
- a park mechanism comprising an actuator rod and a park lock pawl, wherein the actuator rod is disposed in the sensor cavity, the park mechanism cavity, and the slot, wherein the park lock pawl is disposed in the park mechanism cavity, wherein the park actuator is configured to lock and unlock the park mechanism using the actuator rod and the park lock pawl, wherein linear translation of the actuator rod causes the park lock pawl to rotate relative to the end housing thereby locking and unlocking the park mechanism, wherein the oil is configured to flow along the actuator rod between the sensor cavity and the park mechanism cavity.
2 more elements
An electric drive unit comprising:
- a park unit comprising:
- a park actuator;
- an end housing;
- a cover, wherein the cover seals against the end housing, wherein the end housing and the cover define a sensor cavity, a park mechanism cavity, a sensor dam, and a rotor cavity, wherein the sensor cavity is disposed adjacent to the park mechanism cavity with the sensor dam disposed therebetween, wherein the sensor dam defines a slot, wherein the slot is an only fluid inlet to and fluid outlet from the sensor cavity, wherein the sensor dam is configured to trap air above oil in the sensor cavity, wherein a rotor shaft inlet is disposed within the rotor cavity, wherein the rotor shaft inlet vents the park mechanism cavity;
- and
- a park mechanism comprising an actuator rod and a park lock pawl, wherein the actuator rod is disposed in the sensor cavity, the park mechanism cavity, and the slot, wherein the park lock pawl is disposed in the park mechanism cavity, wherein the park actuator is configured to lock and unlock the park mechanism using the actuator rod and the park lock pawl, wherein linear translation of the actuator rod causes the park lock pawl to rotate relative to the end housing thereby locking and unlocking the park mechanism, wherein the oil is configured to flow along the actuator rod between the sensor cavity and the park mechanism cavity;
- a housing comprising a motor housing, wherein the end housing is affixed to the motor housing;
- a stator, wherein the stator is affixed to the motor housing;
- and
- a rotating assembly, wherein the rotating assembly comprises a park lock gear, a rotor shaft, and a rotor, wherein the park lock gear is configured to lock and unlock the rotating assembly to and from the stator via the park lock pawl.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.