Reduction drive for electric axle

Claim 2

In a drive axle assembly, a support housing; a high speed drive shaft rotatably mounted on said support housing; reduction gearing and a wheel rotatably mounted on said support housing; said reduction gearing connecting said drive shaft to drive said wheel and having a speed reduction ratio of large value between said shaft and wheel during drive by said shaft to said wheel and having an intermediate member driven during overrun of said wheel at a speed multiplication ratio of intermediate value between said wheel and intermediate member and a hydrodynamic retarder having a stator fixed to said support housing and a rotor fixed to said intermediate member and rotating at a high speed relative to said wheel to provide a high torque capacity small diameter retarder effective at low wheel speeds.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 and said reduction geAring having two planetary type reduction gearsets between said wheel and intermediate member and one planetary type additional gearset in series with said two planetary type reduction gearsets for driving said wheel.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 1 and said reduction gearing having a compound dual planetary gear assembly between said intermediate member and wheel providing the same speed ratio during drive and during overrun.

Claim 5

The invention defined in claim 1 and said reduction gearing having a dual gear unit operating as a compound dual planetary gear unit during drive by said shaft and as a single simple planetary type gear unit providing a lower speed ratio during drive by said wheel.

Claim 6

The invention defined in claim 1 and said reduction gearing having a first simple reduction gearset driven by said shaft and a second compound dual planetary gear unit having about four times the reduction ratio of the gearset connected by said intermediate member and said second gear unit driving said wheel to provide during said drive the total reduction of both the gearset and gear unit and on overrun the gear unit has the same speed reduction ratio inverted to become a speed multiplication ratio to drive the intermediate member at an intermediate high speed relative to wheel speed.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 1 and said reduction gearing having a compound dual planetary gear unit with two compounded gearsets having the intermediate member connected between the gear sets; a simple planetary gearset driven by said gear unit and driving said wheel and all three gearsets functioning during drive by said shaft to provide a high reduction speed ratio to said wheel and on overrun without drive by said shaft said simple planetary gearset and one set of said dual compound gear unit functioning to provide only the intermediate speed multiplication of said simple planetary gear set and said one set to drive said retarder rotor at a high intermediate speed relative to wheel speed.

Claim 8

In a drive axle assembly; a tubular support housing having an inboard portion and an open outboard end; a high speed electric motor mounted on the inboard portion of said tubular support housing and having an output shaft extending coaxially of said tubular support housing; an intermediate gearset located first reduction gearing driven by said motor shaft and driving said intermediate drive member; a wheel rotatably mounted on an intermediate external portion of said tubular support housing; a cup-shaped closure housing on and secured to said wheel for rotation with said wheel and enclosing the outboard end of said tubular support housing; stator reduction gear means including at least a portion located between said outboard end of said support housing and said closure housing and within said closure housing driven by said intermediate member and drivingly connected to drive said wheel; a retarder a rotor connected for rotation with said intermediate member for rotation at a speed intermediate the high motor speed and low wheel speed and a stator fixed within said tubular support housing.

Claim 9

In a drive axle assembly; a tubular support housing having an inboard portion and an open outboard end; a high speed electric motor mounted on the inboard portion of said tubular support housing and having an output shaft extending coaxially of said tubular support housing; an intermediate gearset located first reduction gearing driven by said motor shaft and driving said intermediate drive member; a wheel rotatably mounted on an intermediate external portion of said tubular support housing; a cup-shaped closure housing on and secured to said wheel for rotation with said wheel and enclosing the outboard end of said tubular support housing; stator reduction gear means including at least a portion located between said outboard end of said support housing and said closure housing and within said closure housing driven by said intermediate member and drivingly connected to drive said wheel; a retarder a rotor connected for rotation with said intermediate member for rotation at a speed intermediate the high motor speed and low wheel speed and a stator fixed within said tubular support housing.

Claim 10

In a drive axle assembly; a tubular support housing having a large diameter inboard portion and a small diameter outboard portion; a motor mounted on the inboard portion having a wall closing the inboard portion and a drive shaft extending through said wall; an inboard reduction gearset located in said inboard portion and having a sun gear driven by said drive shaft, an output ring gear and a plurality of pinions meshing with said sun and ring gears and mounted on a carrier fixed to said wall; an intermediate drive member connected to said ring gear; a hydrodynamic retarder having a stator fixed inside of said inboard portion and a rotor fixed to said intermediate member; a wheel having inboard and outboard bearings mounted on the external surface of said outboard portion; a seal between said wheel and outboard portion inboard of said inboard bearing; a rotary cup-shaped gear housing having a diametEr substantially the same as said inboard portion and fixed and sealed to said wheel and closing the outboard end of the gear chamber closed at the inboard end by said seal, said support housing and wall; outboard compound reduction planetary gearing with a larger diameter than said outboard portion and having first and second gearsets each having a carrier, a sun gear, a ring gear and pinions meshing with the sun and ring gears and mounted on the carrier with the first carrier connected to drive said rotary housing, the first sun gear driven by said intermediate member, the first ring gear connected to the second sun gear, the second carrier fixed to said outboard portion and the second ring gear fixed on said rotary housing.

Claim 11

In a drive axle assembly; a tubular support housing having a large diameter inboard portion and a small diameter outboard portion; a motor mounted on the inboard portion having a wall closing the inboard portion and a drive shaft extending through said wall; an inboard reduction gearset located in said inboard portion and having a sun gear driven by said drive shaft, an output ring gear and a plurality of pinions meshing with said sun and ring gears and mounted on a carrier fixed to said wall; an intermediate drive member connected to said ring gear; a hydrodynamic retarder having a stator fixed inside of said inboard portion and a rotor fixed to said intermediate member; a wheel having inboard and outboard bearings mounted on the external surface of said outboard portion; a seal between said wheel and outboard portion inboard of said inboard bearing; a rotary cup-shaped gear housing having a diametEr substantially the same as said inboard portion and fixed and sealed to said wheel and closing the outboard end of the gear chamber closed at the inboard end by said seal, said support housing and wall; outboard compound reduction planetary gearing with a larger diameter than said outboard portion and having first and second gearsets each having a carrier, a sun gear, a ring gear and pinions meshing with the sun and ring gears and mounted on the carrier with the first carrier connected to drive said rotary housing, the first sun gear driven by said intermediate member, the first ring gear connected to the second sun gear, the second carrier fixed to said outboard portion and the second ring gear fixed on said rotary housing.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 8 and a source of fluid under pressure; said motor having a cooling system connected to said source and supplying fluid to said inboard gearset; a retarder valve selectively connecting said source to said retarder for braking and evacuating said retarder; a passage connecting said source through said outboard portion to the central portion of said outboard gearing to lubricate said gearing and collect under centrifugal pressure at the outer perimeter of said rotary housing; an exhaust passage in said outer portion and a scoop tube receiving fluid at the outer perimeter of said rotary housing and delivering the fluid to said exhaust passage.

Claim 13

In a drive axle assembly; a cylindrical tubular support housing having an inboard portion and an outboard portion; a motor mounted on the inboard portion having a wall closing the inboard portion and a drive shaft extending through said wall; a hydrodynamic retarder having a stator fixed inside said support housing adjacent said wall and a rotor having a central aperture; compound planetary reduction gearing located inside the outboard portion of said support housing having first and second gearsets each having a carrier, a sun gear, a ring gear and pinions meshing with the sun and ring gears and mounted on the carrier and with the first carrier and second ring gear connected for an output, the first sun gear driven by said drive shaft, the first ring gear connected to the second sun gear and the second carrier fixed to said outboard portion; a planetary gearset having a carrier, a sun gear fixed to the first carrier and a ring gear fixed to said outboard portion and pinions on said carrier meshing with said sun and ring gears; a wheel having inboard and outboard wheel bearings mounted externally on said outboard portion for rotation of said wheel on said outboard portion of said support housing; a seal between said wheel and support housing on the inboard side of said inboard wheel bearing, a cup-shaped rotary drive housing secured and sealed to said wheel and secured to said last mentioned carrier and with said support housing, seal, wall and wheel forming a chamber enclosing said wheel bearings and gearing.

Claim 14

In a drive axle assembly; a cylindrical tubular support housing having an inboard portion and an outboard portion; a motor mounted on the inboard portion having a wall closing the inboard portion and a drive shaft extending through said wall; a hydrodynamic retarder having a stator fixed inside said support housing adjacent said wall and a rotor having a central aperture; compound planetary reduction gearing located inside the outboard portion of said support housing having first and second gearsets each having a carrier, a sun gear, a ring gear and pinions meshing with the sun and ring gears and mounted on the carrier and with the first carrier and second ring gear connected for an output, the first sun gear driven by said drive shaft, the first ring gear connected to the second sun gear and the second carrier fixed to said outboard portion; a planetary gearset having a carrier, a sun gear fixed to the first carrier and a ring gear fixed to said outboard portion and pinions on said carrier meshing with said sun and ring gears; a wheel having inboard and outboard wheel bearings mounted externally on said outboard portion for rotation of said wheel on said outboard portion of said support housing; a seal between said wheel and support housing on the inboard side of said inboard wheel bearing, a cup-shaped rotary drive housing secured and sealed to said wheel and secured to said last mentioned carrier and with said support housing, seal, wall and wheel forming a chamber enclosing said wheel bearings and gearing.

Claim 15

The invention defined in claim 10 and a source of fluid under pressure; said motor having a cooling system connected to said source and supplying fluid to said chamber to lubricate the gearing; a retarder valve connected to said source and exhaust and selectively filling and evacuating said retarder; an exhaust passage leading from between said inboard wheel bearing and said seal and said rotary drive housing and wheel during rotation collecting fluid which was supplied to lubricate the gearing under centrifugal pressure head at the outer perimeter causing the fluid to flow through the outboard and inboard wheel bearings to said exhaust passage.

Claim 16

In a drive axle assembly; a tubular support housing having an inboard portion and an open outboard end; a high speed motor means mounted on and closing the inboard portion of said tubular support housing and having a drive shaft extending axially of said tubular support housing; inboard and outboard wheel bearings mounted on an intermediate external portion of said tubular support housing; a wheel mounted on saiD wheel bearings; a seal between said wheel and support housing on the inboard side of said inboard wheel bearing; a rotary closure housing sealed and secured to said wheel for rotation with said wheel and enclosing the outboard end of said tubular support housing and providing in conjunction with said support housing a gearing and wheel bearing chamber; reduction gearing mounted on said support housing and within said closure housing driven by said drive shaft and drive connected to said rotary housing to drive said wheel at a reduced speed; said rotary housing having an outer perimeter wall having an annular internal surface defining said gearing and wheel bearing chamber closely surrounding said reduction gearing and lubrication means including a source of lubricating fluid under pressure having a pump and pressure regulator means, passage means in said tubular support housing connected to said source inboard of said wheel bearings and supplying lubricating fluid centrally to said reduction gearing and said reduction gearing during rotation throwing lubricating fluid against said internal surface and centrifugal force holding said fluid during rotation under pressure against said internal surface and means to continuously evacuate the lubricating fluid held under pressure against said internal surface and return said lubricating fluid to said source for continuously supplying lubricant to said reduction gearing, throwing lubricant to said internal surface and evacuating lubricating fluid from said chamber.

Claim 17

In a drive axle assembly; a tubular support housing having an inboard portion and an open outboard end; a high speed motor means mounted on and closing the inboard portion of said tubular support housing and having a drive shaft extending axially of said tubular support housing; inboard and outboard wheel bearings mounted on an intermediate external portion of said tubular support housing; a wheel mounted on saiD wheel bearings; a seal between said wheel and support housing on the inboard side of said inboard wheel bearing; a rotary closure housing sealed and secured to said wheel for rotation with said wheel and enclosing the outboard end of said tubular support housing and providing in conjunction with said support housing a gearing and wheel bearing chamber; reduction gearing mounted on said support housing and within said closure housing driven by said drive shaft and drive connected to said rotary housing to drive said wheel at a reduced speed; said rotary housing having an outer perimeter wall having an annular internal surface defining said gearing and wheel bearing chamber closely surrounding said reduction gearing and lubrication means including a source of lubricating fluid under pressure having a pump and pressure regulator means, passage means in said tubular support housing connected to said source inboard of said wheel bearings and supplying lubricating fluid centrally to said reduction gearing and said reduction gearing during rotation throwing lubricating fluid against said internal surface and centrifugal force holding said fluid during rotation under pressure against said internal surface and means to continuously evacuate the lubricating fluid held under pressure against said internal surface and return said lubricating fluid to said source for continuously supplying lubricant to said reduction gearing, throwing lubricant to said internal surface and evacuating lubricating fluid from said chamber.