Electric axle drive for a vehicle wheel axle

An electric axle drive for a vehicle wheel axle with a differential gear wheel coaxial to the wheel axle;

• said axle drive comprising:
• at least one electric motor and a gear assembly, said electric motor comprising a rotor and a stationary housing;
• and the gear assembly comprising a gear assembly input shaft coupled to the rotor and a gear assembly output shaft to be rotatably coupled to the differential gear wheel;
• wherein the gear assembly comprises:
• a first planetary gear set driven by the gear assembly input shaft:
• a first pinion driven by the first planetary gear set;
• a second planetary gear set driven by the first pinion;
• and
• wherein said gear assembly output shaft is driven by the second planetary gear set;
• said first planetary gear set further comprising a spline ring that is provided with internal splines along an axial direction of the spline ring and that is slidably provided over a first ring wheel of the first planetary gear set having mating splines on its outer surface;
• said spline ring further comprising an external groove along its circumference, for receiving a first shift actuator element to shift the spline ring in axial directions over the first ring wheel;
• said spline ring further comprises a first interlock profile on one axial side, that locks the spline ring, when slid by the actuator element in one axial direction, to a corresponding interlock profile provided onto the stationary housing;
• and
• wherein said spline ring comprises a second interlock profile on another axial side, that locks the spline ring, when slid by the actuator element in another axial direction, to a corresponding interlock profile provided on a first carrier shaft of the first planetary gear set,
• wherein a second pinion is mounted on a secondary axle of the output shaft coaxial to a second carrier shaft;
• wherein the secondary axle comprises a central shaft coaxial to the second carrier shaft that mounts a second sun wheel of the second planetary gear set, and
• wherein a clutch is provided to lock the second sun wheel relative to the stationary housing.