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US 2015/0090505 A1Published application
Structural electric tandem axle module
OwnerLeo P. Orietinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A structural electric tandem axle module (13) for propelling a vehicle such as a large vocational vehicle without applying torque to the chassis frame of the vehicle as the module operates.
Claims14
A tandem axle module comprising:
- a structurally rigid housing;
- a front tandem axle mounted on the housing and comprising a differential gear mechanism having a right side gear rotationally coupled with a right drive shaft and a left side gear rotationally coupled with a left drive shaft;
- a rear tandem axle mounted on the housing and comprising a differential gear mechanism having a right side gear rotationally coupled with a right drive shaft and a left side gear rotationally coupled with a left drive shaft;
- an electric motor comprising an outer rotor supported on the housing for rotation about a longitudinal axis and an inner rotor supported on the housing for rotation about the longitudinal axis, the electric motor being operable to cause the outer rotor and the inner rotor to rotate in opposite directions about the longitudinal axis as viewed in a direction from one differential gear mechanism toward the other and cause both the right drive shafts and the left drive shafts of both tandem axles to rotate in identical directions of rotation when viewed from a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.
1 more element
A vehicle comprising:
- a chassis frame having a right side rail and a left side rail;
- a structurally rigid housing mounted on the chassis frame between the right side rail and the left side rail;
- a front tandem axle mounted on the housing and comprising a front differential gear mechanism having a right side gear rotationally coupled with a right drive shaft and a left side gear rotationally coupled with a left drive shaft;
- right and left front axle wheels respectively coupled for rotation with the right and left drive shafts respectively of the front tandem axle;
- a rear tandem axle mounted on the housing and comprising a rear differential gear mechanism having a right side gear rotationally coupled with a right drive shaft and a left side gear rotationally coupled with a left drive shaft;
- right and left rear axle wheels respectively coupled for rotation with the right and left drive shafts respectively of the rear tandem axle;
- an electric motor comprising an outer rotor supported on the housing for rotation about a longitudinal axis and an inner rotor supported on the housing for rotation about the longitudinal axis, the electric motor being operable to cause the outer rotor and the inner rotor to rotate in opposite directions about the longitudinal axis as viewed in a direction from one differential gear mechanism toward the other and cause both the right drive shafts and the left drive shafts of both tandem axles to rotate in identical directions of rotation when viewed from a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.