Dual motor gearbox spool lock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12459516-B2
Application number	US-202318185165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2023
Priority date	Mar 21, 2022
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle including a first motor coupled to a first gear train, a second motor coupled to a second gear train, and a spool lock configured to variably couple the first gear train and the second gear train, allowing a first torque output by the first motor and a second torque output by the second motor to be combined and output to a first wheel coupled to the first gear train or a second wheel coupled to the second gear train.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system for an electric vehicle, comprising:
a first electric motor coupled to a first gear train; a second electric motor coupled to a second gear train, wherein the first gear train couples the first electric motor to a first wheel via a first output shaft of the first gear train and the second gear train couples the second electric motor to a second wheel via a second output shaft of the second gear train; a spool lock configured to couple the first gear train and the second gear train; and a splined intermediate shaft is positioned between and in a same plane as the first output shaft and the second output shaft, and wherein the splined intermediate shaft is coupled to the first output shaft and the second output shaft.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first gear train couples the first motor to a first wheel via a first output shaft of the first gear train and the second gear train couples the second motor to a second wheel via a second output shaft of the second gear train.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein a final drive comprises the spool lock and the splined intermediate shaft.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the spool lock includes a dog clutch and an electromagnetic actuator.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the dog clutch includes a cam ring coupled to the second output shaft and a rotating lock ring coupled to the splined intermediate shaft, and wherein the electromagnetic actuator comprises a piston and a fastener.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein teeth of the cam ring are in meshing engagement with teeth of the rotating lock ring when the spool lock is engaged.

7 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a Hall Effect and/or an Eddy Current Sensor coupled to the electromagnetic actuator to indicate a position of the cam ring and thus detect a state of engagement of the spool lock.

8 . A method for a vehicle, comprising:
during an operating mode with a wheel traction less than a determined value, locking a spool lock; and providing torque to a wheel with more traction via a first output shaft of a first gear train coupled to a first electric motor and a second output shaft of a second gear train coupled to a second electric motor, wherein a splined intermediate shaft extends between the first gear and the second gear along a same rotational shaft as the first output shaft and the second output shaft.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the operating mode includes where a wheel with less traction is slipping or off a ground on which the vehicle is driving.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising unlocking the spool lock and providing torque to a first wheel via only the first output shaft of the first gear train coupled to the first electric motor, and providing torque to a second wheel via only the second output shaft of the second gear train coupled to the second electric motor during a different operating mode with a wheel traction equal to the determined value.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein locking the spool lock further includes engaging a dog clutch, wherein a cam ring of the dog clutch and a rotating lock ring of the dog clutch are coupled and rotate as a single unit, where the cam ring is coupled to the second output shaft of the second gear train and the rotating lock ring is coupled to a first output shaft of the first gear train.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein an electric current is provided to an electromagnetic actuator of the spool lock and a piston of the electromagnetic actuator pushes a pressure plate coupled to the cam ring into meshing engagement with the rotating lock ring.

13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising combining a torque output of the first electric motor and a torque output of the second electric motor when the spool lock is locked, wherein the provided torque is equal to the combined torque output.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein providing torque to the wheel with more traction comprises where the provided torque is greater than a maximum torque output of one of the first electric motor or the second electric motor.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first wheel, the second wheel, the first output shaft, the second output shaft, and the intermediate shaft are arranged along the rotational axis.

16 . A system for a vehicle drivetrain; comprising:
a first electric motor coupled to a first gear train, the first gear train comprising a first output shaft coupled to a first wheel; a second electric motor coupled to a second gear train, the second gear train comprising a second output shaft coupled to a second wheel, wherein the second gear train is separate from the first gear train; an intermediate shaft arranged between and in a same plane as the first output shaft and the second output shaft, and wherein the intermediate shaft is splined and coupled to the first output shaft and the second output shaft; a spool lock circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of the intermediate shaft; and a controller with computer-readable instructions stored on memory thereof that when executed cause the controller to: unlock the spool lock in response to a traction of the first wheel and the second wheel being equal; maintain a torque output of the first electric motor and the second electric motor; lock the spool lock in response to the traction of the first wheel and the second wheel being unequal; adjust a torque output of the first electric motor and the second electric motor; and supply a combined torque output of the first electric motor and the second electric motor to one of the first wheel and the second wheel.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the controller to select a wheel of the first wheel and the second wheel with greater traction to supply the combined torque output.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the controller to supply a torque output of only the first electric motor to the first wheel when the spool lock is unlocked, and wherein a torque output of only the second electric motor is supplied to the second wheel when the spool lock is unlocked.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the intermediate shaft is interlocked with the first output shaft at a first end and the second output shaft at a second end when the spool lock is locked.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first wheel, the first output shaft, the second wheel, the second output shaft, and the intermediate shaft are arranged on a single rotational axis.

Assignees

• Dana Automotive Systems Group

Inventors

• Mandery Nathan D
• Mourdock Kyle

Classifications

• B60W2710/083

  Torque · CPC title

• B60W2710/021

  Clutch engagement state · CPC title

• B60W2520/26

  Wheel slip · CPC title

• B60W2510/0225

  Clutch actuator position · CPC title

• B60W10/08

  including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators · CPC title