Two-speed drive module

A drive module comprising:

• an electric motor;
• a differential assembly having a differential input member and a pair of differential output members;
• a multi-speed transmission assembly transmitting rotary power between the electric motor and the differential input member, the multi-speed transmission assembly comprising a housing, a two-speed planetary transmission stage, a first clutch, a second clutch and a transmission output member, the two-speed planetary transmission stage having a first sun gear, second sun gear, a plurality of first planet gears, a plurality of compound planet gears and a planet carrier, the first sun gear being driven by the electric motor, the first planet gears being meshingly engaged to the first sun gear and journally supported by the planet carrier, each of the compound planet gears being journally supported by the planet carrier and having a second planet gear, which is meshingly engaged to a corresponding one of the first planet gears, and a third planet gear, which is meshingly engaged to the second sun gear and coupled for rotation with an associated one of the second planet gears, the first clutch being configured to selectively couple the second sun gear to the first sun gear for common rotation, the second clutch being configured to selectively couple the second sun gear to the housing, the transmission output member being driven by the planet carrier and providing rotary power to the differential input member;
• and
• a ring gear, a plurality of planet gears and a planet carrier, the sun gear being the input of the two-speed planetary stage, the planet gears being meshed with the sun gear and with the ring gear, the planet gears being rotatably mounted on the planet carrier, one of the planet carrier and the ring gear being the output of the two-speed planetary transmission stage and being drivingly coupled to the transmission output member, the first clutch being selectively operable for locking the two-speed planetary transmission stage such that it operates in a 1:1 gear ratio, the second clutch being operable for controlling rotation of the other one of the planet carrier and the ring gear, the transmission output member being meshingly engaged to the differential input member;
• and
• a pair of axle shafts, each of the axle shafts being coupled to an associated one of the differential output members for rotation therewith.

A drive module comprising:

• a hydraulic circuit that includes:
• a reversible motor;
• a reversible pump driven by the reversible motor, the reversible pump having a first inlet/outlet and a second inlet/outlet;
• a hydraulic reservoir;
• a first conduit coupling the first inlet/outlet to the hydraulic reservoir;
• a second conduit coupling the second inlet/outlet to the hydraulic reservoir;
• a first hydraulic cylinder having a third inlet/outlet, the third inlet/outlet being coupled to the first conduit between the reversible pump and the hydraulic reservoir;
• a second hydraulic cylinder having a fourth inlet/outlet, the fourth inlet/outlet being coupled to the second conduit between the reversible pump and the hydraulic reservoir;
• a first one-way valve disposed in the first hydraulic conduit between the first hydraulic cylinder and the reservoir;
• and
• a second one-way valve disposed in the second hydraulic conduit between the second hydraulic cylinder and the reservoir.