Modular head assembly for an electric axle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021362577-A1
Application number	US-201816762429-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 9, 2018
Priority date	Nov 10, 2017
Publication date	Nov 25, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A modular electric axle head assembly for a vehicle, including a gear assembly including a gear assembly housing defining a hollow portion therein, a first gear shaft having a first gear, a second gear shaft having a second gear and a third gear, wherein at least a portion of the second gear is drivingly connected to the first gear and the third gear, and at least a portion of the gear assembly is disposed within the hollow portion of the gear assembly housing; a motor assembly having an output shaft that is drivingly connected to at least a portion of the gear assembly; and a first mounting assembly including a portion integrally connected to the modular electric head assembly and a portion integrally connected to a support member of the vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the third gear is drivingly connected to a pair of drive shafts.

First claim

1 . A modular electric axle head assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a gear assembly including a gear assembly housing defining a hollow portion therein, a first gear shaft having a first gear; a second gear shaft having a second gear and a third gear, wherein at least a portion of the second gear is drivingly connected to the first gear and the third gear, and wherein the gear assembly is disposed at least partially within the hollow portion of the gear assembly housing; a motor assembly having a motor output shaft that is drivingly connected to at least a portion of the gear assembly; and a first mounting assembly including a portion integrally connected to the modular electric axle head assembly and a portion integrally connected to a support member of the motor vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the third gear of the gear assembly is drivingly connected to a pair of drive shafts.

2 . The modular electric modular electric axle head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the mounting assembly integrally connected to the modular electric axle head assembly is connected to the motor assembly.

3 . The modular electric modular electric axle head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the mounting assembly integrally connected to the modular electric axle head assembly is connected to the gear housing assembly.

4 . The modular electric modular electric axle head assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a second mounting assembly including a first portion integrally connected to the gear assembly housing and a second portion integrally connected to a second support member of the motor vehicle, wherein the second mounting assembly is positioned on one end of the gear housing assembly and the first mounting assembly is positioned on the opposite end of the gear housing assembly.

5 . The modular electric axle head assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first gear has a plurality of first gear teeth; wherein the second gear has a plurality of second gear teeth; wherein the third gear has a plurality of third gear teeth; and wherein the plurality of first gear teeth, the plurality of second gear teeth, and the plurality of third gear teeth have a helix angle that reduces or eliminates an amount of axial force experienced by the second gear shaft of the gear assembly when in operation.

6 . The modular electric axle head assembly according to claim 3 , further comprising a gear housing cover wherein at least a portion of the gear housing cover is integrally connected to at least a portion of the first end of the gear assembly housing, and wherein the portion of the first mounting assembly integrally connected the gear housing assembly is connected to the gear housing cover.

7 . The modular electric axle head assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a modular parking mechanism removably attached to the gear assembly and drivingly connected to the gear assembly.

8 . The modular electric axle head assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the parking mechanism comprises a parking gear and a parking pawl selectively engagable with the parking gear;
wherein at least a portion of the parking gear is connected to at least a portion of the first gear shaft; and wherein the parking pawl is driven into engagement with the parking gear by using an actuation mechanism.

9 . The modular electric axle head assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a motor stabilizing assembly, wherein at least a portion of the motor stabilizing assembly is integrally connected to at least a portion of the motor assembly and a support member of the vehicle.

10 . The modular electric axle head assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the portion of the mounting assembly connected to the motor assembly is at one end of the motor assembly opposite the gear housing assembly.

11 . The modular electric axle head assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the gear housing assembly is drivingly connected to a differential assembly, wherein the differential assembly is drivingly connected to the pair of drive shafts.

Assignees

• Dana Heavy Vehicle Sys Group

Inventors

• Laforce Nicholas W
• Slesinski Steven G
• Trost Harry W
• Willford George A

Classifications

• B60Y2200/142

  Heavy duty trucks · CPC title

• B60Y2400/74

  Shaft brakes, e.g. input shaft brakes · CPC title

• B60K17/08

  of mechanical type · CPC title

• B60Y2200/14

  Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses · CPC title

• F16H63/3425

  characterised by pawls or wheels · CPC title