Electric axle assembly and operating method
AssigneeDana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
InventorThibault Devreese
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for an electric axle assembly are provided herein. The electric axle assembly includes, in one example, an electric machine with a rotor shaft having an output gear thereon. The electric axle assembly further includes a planetary gearset with a carrier coupled to a pair of axle shafts, a first ring gear with external teeth that are rotationally coupled to the output gear; and a sun gear meshing with a plurality of planet gears that rotate on the carrier, where, in the axle assembly, internal teeth of the ring gear are rotationally coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and where, in the axle assembly, the sun gear or the carrier are grounded by a housing of the electric axle assembly.
Claims15
A one-speed electric axle, comprising:
- an electric machine with a rotor shaft with an output gear that is coupled thereto;
- and
- a planetary gearset rotationally coupled to a differential and including:
- a ring gear with external teeth that mesh with the output gear;
- and
- a sun gear meshing with a first plurality of planet gears that rotate on a carrier;
- wherein internal teeth of the ring gear are rotationally coupled to the first plurality of planet gears;
- wherein the sun gear or the carrier is permanently grounded by a housing of the one-speed electric axle;
- and
- wherein the planetary gearset does not include any clutches or brakes.
A method for operation of a one-speed electric axle, comprising:
- transferring rotational energy from an electric machine to a ring gear of a planetary gearset;
- and
- wherein the planetary gearset is rotationally coupled to a differential and includes:
- the ring gear with external teeth that are rotationally coupled to a gear that is rotationally coupled to a rotor shaft of the electric machine;
- and
- a sun gear meshing with a plurality of planet gears that rotate on a carrier;
- wherein internal teeth of the ring gear are rotationally coupled to the plurality of planet gears;
- wherein the sun gear is permanently grounded by a housing of the one-speed electric axle;
- and
- wherein the planetary gearset does not include any clutches or brakes.
A one-speed electric axle, comprising:
- an electric motor-generator with a rotor shaft with a gear that is coupled thereto;
- and
- a planetary gearset coupled to a differential and the planetary gear set and including:
- a ring gear that includes a first set of internal teeth and a second set of internal teeth;
- a sun gear meshing with a plurality of planet gears that rotate on a carrier;
- wherein the planetary gearset does not include any clutches or brake;
- and
- wherein internal teeth of the ring gear are rotationally coupled to the plurality of planet gears.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.