Electric drive module with a housing having an exterior wall into which a filter pickup and a suction tube are integrally formed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10476351-B2
Application number	US-201815898773-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2018
Priority date	Feb 19, 2018
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A drive module with a housing, an electric motor coupled to the housing, a differential assembly, a transmission, and a filter-strainer assembly. The housing has an exterior wall member that defines an internal cavity and a suction tube. The internal cavity at least partly forms a lubricant sump with a sump outlet. The suction tube is spaced apart from and does not intersect the internal cavity such that the suction tube is not in direct fluid communication with the internal cavity. The differential assembly and transmission are received in the internal cavity and the transmission transmits rotary power between the electric motor and the differential assembly. The filter-strainer assembly is coupled to the housing and has a filter-strainer inlet, which is coupled in fluid communication to the sump outlet, and a filter-strainer outlet, which is directly coupled in fluid communication to a suction tube inlet of the suction tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric drive module comprising:
a housing having an exterior wall member that defines an internal cavity and a suction tube, the internal cavity at least partly forming a lubricant sump with a sump outlet, the suction tube being spaced apart from and not intersecting the internal cavity such that the suction tube is not in direct fluid communication with the internal cavity;
an electric motor coupled to the housing, the electric motor having a motor output member that is rotatable about a rotational axis;
a differential assembly received in the internal cavity, the differential assembly having a differential input that is rotatable about the rotational axis;
a transmission received in the internal cavity and transmitting rotary power between the electric motor and the differential assembly, the transmission having a transmission input, which is coupled to the motor output member for rotation therewith, and a transmission output, which is coupled to the differential input for common rotation;
a filter-strainer assembly coupled to the housing, the filter-strainer assembly having a filter-strainer inlet, which is coupled in fluid communication to the sump outlet, and a filter-strainer outlet, which is directly coupled in fluid communication to a suction tube inlet of the suction tube.

2. The electric drive module of claim 1 , further comprising a lubricant pump and a lubricant conduit, the lubricant pump having a pump inlet, the lubricant conduit being coupled in fluid communication to a suction tube outlet of the suction tube and the pump inlet.

3. The electric drive module of claim 2 , wherein the housing defines a pump mount and wherein the pump inlet is formed in the pump mount.

4. An electric drive module comprising:
a housing having an exterior wall member that defines an internal cavity and a suction tube, the internal cavity at least partly forming a lubricant sump with a sump outlet, the suction tube being spaced apart from and not intersecting the internal cavity such that the suction tube is not in direct fluid communication with the internal cavity;
an electric motor coupled to the housing;
a differential assembly received in the internal cavity;
a transmission received in the internal cavity and transmitting rotary power between the electric motor and the differential assembly; and
a filter-strainer assembly coupled to the housing, the filter-strainer assembly having a filter-strainer inlet, which is coupled in fluid communication to the sump outlet, and a filter-strainer outlet, which is directly coupled in fluid communication to a suction tube inlet of the suction tube;
wherein the differential assembly has a pair of differential outputs and wherein the electric drive module further comprises a pair of output shafts that are received into the housing, each of the output shafts being drivingly coupled to a corresponding one of the differential outputs.

5. The electric drive module of claim 1 , wherein the external wall member defines first and second housing faces, wherein the sump outlet and the suction tube extend through the first housing face, and wherein the suction tube outlet extends through the second housing face.

6. The electric drive module of claim 5 , wherein the first and second housing faces are perpendicular to one another.

7. An electric drive module comprising:
a housing having an exterior wall member that defines an internal cavity and a suction tube, the internal cavity at least partly forming a lubricant sump with a sump outlet, the suction tube being spaced apart from and not intersecting the internal cavity such that the suction tube is not in direct fluid communication with the internal cavity;
an electric motor coupled to the housing;
a differential assembly received in the internal cavity;
a transmission received in the internal cavity and transmitting rotary power between the electric motor and the differential assembly; and
a filter-strainer assembly coupled to the housing, the filter-strainer assembly having a filter-strainer inlet, which is coupled in fluid communication to the sump outlet, and a filter-strainer outlet, which is directly coupled in fluid communication to a suction tube inlet of the suction tube;
wherein the filter-strainer outlet comprises a hollow tube that is received into the suction tube inlet and wherein a seal is disposed about the hollow tube and sealingly engages both the external wall member and the hollow tube.

8. The electric drive module of claim 1 , wherein the suction tube has a suction tube outlet, wherein the electric drive module further comprises a lubricant pump having a pump inlet, and wherein the pump inlet is directly coupled to the suction tube outlet.

9. The electric drive module of claim 4 , further comprising a lubricant pump and a lubricant conduit, the lubricant pump having a pump inlet, the lubricant conduit being coupled in fluid communication to a suction tube outlet of the suction tube and the pump inlet.

10. The electric drive module of claim 9 , wherein the housing defines a pump mount and wherein the pump inlet is formed in the pump mount.

11. The electric drive module of claim 4 , wherein the external wall member defines first and second housing faces, wherein the sump outlet and the suction tube extend through the first housing face, and wherein the suction tube outlet extends through the second housing face.

12. The electric drive module of claim 11 , wherein the first and second housing faces are perpendicular to one another.

13. The electric drive module of claim 4 , wherein the filter-strainer outlet comprises a hollow tube that is received into the suction tube inlet and wherein a seal is disposed about the hollow tube and sealingly engages both the external wall member and the hollow tube.

14. The electric drive module of claim 4 , wherein the suction tube has a suction tube outlet, wherein the electric drive module further comprises a lubricant pump having a pump inlet, and wherein the pump inlet is directly coupled to the suction tube outlet.

15. The electric drive module of claim 7 , further comprising a lubricant pump and a lubricant conduit, the lubricant pump having a pump inlet, the lubricant conduit being coupled in fluid communication to a suction tube outlet of the suction tube and the pump inlet.

16. The electric drive module of claim 15 , wherein the housing defines a pump mount and wherein the pump inlet is formed in the pump mount.

17. The electric drive module of claim 7 , wherein the external wall member defines first and second housing faces, wherein the sump outlet and the suction tube extend through the first housing face, and wherein the suction tube outlet extends through the second housing face.

18. The electric drive module of claim 17 , wherein the first and second housing faces are perpendicular to one another.

19. The electric drive module of claim 7 , wherein the suction tube has a suction tube outlet, wherein the electric drive module further comprises a lubricant pump having a pump inlet, and wherein the pump inlet is directly coupled to the suction tube outlet.

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Francis Philip J
• Pritchard Larry A

Classifications

• F01P5/12 Primary

  Pump-driving arrangements · CPC title

• H02K9/26

  Structural association of machines with devices for cleaning or drying cooling medium, e.g. with filters · CPC title

• H02K7/006 Primary

  Structural association of a motor or generator with the drive train of a motor vehicle · CPC title

• H02K11/33

  Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16H57/04

  Features relating to lubrication or cooling {or heating} (control of lubrication or cooling in hydrostatic gearing F16H61/4165) · CPC title