Electric drive unit

An electric drive unit comprising:

• an electric motor comprising a housing, an armature winding in said housing, and an armature shaft extending from said housing;
• a gear housing connected to said motor housing;
• said armature shaft extending into said gear housing and having a first portion having first and second oppositely pitched worm threads;
• said gear housing including:
• a first gear means comprising a first worm gear wheel having a first rotational axis and disposed on one side of said first shaft portion and adapted to engage said first worm thread, a first spur wheel concentrically seated on said first worm gear and rotatable with said first worm gear about said first rotational axis;
• a second gear means comprising a second worm gear wheel having a second rotational axis and disposed on the opposite side of said first shaft portion and adapted to engage said second worm thread, a second spur wheel concentrically seated on said second worm gear and rotatable with said second worm gear about said second rotational axis;
• said first and second axes of rotation being parallel;
• a driven output shaft;
• a toothed wheel seated on said output shaft and adapted to engage said first and second spur wheels, said toothed wheel having a third axis of rotation located in a plane defined by said first and second axes of rotation.