Drive unit having an electric motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12203541-B2
Application number	US-202118253352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2021
Priority date	Nov 17, 2020
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

A drive unit for a vehicle, having an electric motor and a transmission unit, wherein the electric motor is connected to the transmission unit via a drive shaft and at least one first output shaft can be driven to rotate by the transmission unit, wherein the drive unit also has at least one brake unit. The rotation of the at least one output shaft can be delayed by the brake unit, wherein the drive unit has at least one of the following: a lubricant circuit through which both the transmission unit and at least one brake unit can be supplied with lubricant, and a cooling circuit through which both (i) at least one of the electric motor and a power electronics system assigned to the electric motor; and (ii) at least one brake assembly can be supplied with coolant.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drive unit for a vehicle, having an electric motor and a transmission unit, wherein the electric motor is connected to the transmission unit via a drive shaft and a first output shaft and a second output shaft can be driven to rotate by the transmission unit, wherein the drive unit also has at least one brake unit, wherein the rotation of the one of the first output shaft and second output shaft can be delayed by the at least one brake unit, wherein the drive unit has at least one of the following:
a) a lubricant circuit through which both the transmission unit and the at least one brake unit can be supplied with lubricant, and
b) a cooling circuit through which both
(i) at least one of the electric motor and a power electronics system assigned to the electric motor; and
(ii) the at least one brake unit can be supplied with coolant.

2. The drive unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one brake unit comprises a wet-running brake.

3. The drive unit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the wet-running brake is a multiple disk brake.

4. The drive unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transmission unit and the at least one brake unit are arranged in a common housing, and the electric motor is also one of: arranged in the common housing and on the common housing.

5. The drive unit as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the common housing is designed as an aluminum die-cast component.

6. The drive unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lubricant circuit is an oil circuit.

7. The drive unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cooling circuit is a water-based cooling circuit.

8. The drive unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein two output shafts can be driven to rotate by the transmission unit, wherein two brake units are provided, wherein the rotation of an output shaft can be delayed by a respective brake unit.

9. The drive unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transmission unit has a differential for driving the first output shaft and the second output shaft, wherein furthermore a first distance between the differential and a first brake unit, which acts on the first output shaft, and a second distance between the differential and a second brake unit, which acts on the second output shaft is substantially the same.

10. The drive unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transmission unit has a differential for driving the first output shaft and the second output shaft, wherein furthermore a first distance between the differential and a first brake unit, which acts on the first output shaft, and a second distance between the differential and a second brake unit, which acts on the second output shaft, is different.

11. The drive unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lubricant circuit and/or the cooling circuit have/has an electronic controller or electronic regulator for the purpose of power adaptation.

12. The drive unit as claimed in claim 11 , wherein one of the electronic controller and the electronic regulator has one of a pressure control device and a pressure regulation device for the purpose of fluid power adaptation.

13. The drive unit as claimed in claim 12 , wherein one of the electronic controller and the electronic regulator of the two fluid circuits is designed independently and is adjusted in each case in an individually metered manner.

14. The drive unit as claimed in claim 12 , wherein one of the pressure control device and the pressure regulation device comprises electrical components wherein the electrical components is at least one of: at least one fluid pressure sensor, at least one electrohydraulic valve, an electromotive pump drive motor, and at least one electronic control unit.

15. The drive unit as claimed in claim 11 , wherein control or regulation of the two fluid circuits is mutually coordinated.

16. The drive unit of claim 1 , wherein the drive unit drives at least one wheel of an electrically driven vehicle.

Assignees

• Continental Automotive Tech Gmbh

Inventors

• Schulitz Matthias
• Hoffmann Jens
• Messner Adrian
• Meyer Ulrike

Classifications

• F16H2057/02052

  Axle units; Transfer casings for four wheel drive · CPC title

• F16H2057/02034

  Gearboxes combined or connected with electric machines · CPC title

• F16H2057/02026

  Connection of auxiliaries with a gear case; Mounting of auxiliaries on the gearbox · CPC title

• F16H57/0476

  Electric machines and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof · CPC title

• F16H57/0415

  Air cooling or ventilation; Heat exchangers; Thermal insulations · CPC title