Electrical drive axle and vehicle comprising an electric drive axle
AssigneeVolvo Truck Corporation
InventorsNicholas Lieberum, Richard S. Brandt, Frank Bryan, Sean Skinner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electric drive axle includes an electric motor having an output shaft, a first gear mounted on the output shaft, a second gear in meshing engagement with the first gear, a differential case coaxial with the second gear, the differential case including first and second spider gears mounted on an axle perpendicular to an axis of the second gear, and first and second side gears in meshing engagement with the first and second spider gears, and a clutch for engaging and disengaging the second gear and the differential case.
Claims12
An electric drive axle, comprising:
- an electric motor having an output shaft;
- a first gear mounted on the output shaft;
- a second gear in meshing engagement with the first gear;
- a third gear mounted on the output shaft;
- a fourth gear in meshing engagement with the third gear;
- a differential case coaxial with the second gear, the differential case comprising first and second spider gears mounted on an axle perpendicular to an axis of the second gear, and first and second side gears in meshing engagement with the first and second spider gears;
- a first clutch for engaging and disengaging the second gear and the differential case;
- a second clutch for engaging and disengaging the fourth gear and the differential case;
- and
- a twin electric motor having a twin electric motor output shaft;
- a twin electric motor first gear mounted on the twin electric motor output shaft, the second gear being in meshing engagement with the twin electric motor first gear;
- and a twin electric motor third gear mounted on the twin electric motor output shaft, the fourth gear being in meshing engagement with the twin electric motor third gear.
An electric drive axle, comprising:
- an electric motor having an output shaft;
- a first gear mounted on the output shaft;
- a second gear in meshing engagement with the first gear;
- a third gear mounted on the output shaft;
- a fourth gear in meshing engagement with the third gear;
- a differential case coaxial and engageable with the second gear, the differential case being coaxial and engageable with the fourth gear, the differential case comprising:
- first and second spider gears mounted on a spider gear shaft perpendicular to an axis of the second gear, and
- first and second side gears in meshing engagement with the first and second spider gears;
- first and second axle shafts connectable to the spider gear shafts of the first and second spider gears, respectively, wherein the first and second axle shafts are parallel with the output shaft;
- first and second axle shaft disconnects associated with the first and second axle shafts, respectively, for connecting the first and second axle shafts to and disconnecting the first and second axle shaft from the first and second side gears, respectively;
- a clutch arrangement for engaging a selected one of the second gear and the fourth gear with the differential case;
- and
- a twin electric motor having a twin electric motor output shaft;
- a twin electric motor first gear mounted on the twin electric motor output shaft, the second gear being in meshing engagement with the twin electric motor first gear;
- and
- a twin electric motor third gear mounted on the twin electric motor output shaft, the fourth gear being in meshing engagement with the twin electric motor third gear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.