A differential and method of operating the differential is described. The differential has side gears and at least one pinion gear in mesh with the side gears. One of the side gears is provided with dog clutch teeth and an axially extending ring carrying clutch plates. A clutch housing has an axially extending ring carrying clutch plates interleaved with the side gear clutch plates. A dog clutch ring is connected to the clutch housing and selectively engages with the side gear dog clutch teeth. The above-described system permits an axle system of a tandem axle system to be selectively engaged and disengaged.

A differential and method of operating the differential is described. The differential has side gears and at least one pinion gear in mesh with the side gears. One of the side gears is provided with dog clutch teeth and an axially extending ring carrying clutch plates. A clutch housing has an axially extending ring carrying clutch plates interleaved with the side gear clutch plates. A dog clutch ring is connected to the clutch housing and selectively engages with the side gear dog clutch teeth. The above-described system permits an axle system of a tandem axle system to be selectively engaged and disengaged.

The present disclosure relates to a gearing arrangement for a tandem axle assembly for a vehicle that reduces parasitic losses associated with the bearings of a drive pinion. The gearing arrangement includes a first helical gear in driving engagement with an input shaft and a portion of an interaxle differential; a second helical gear coupled to a pinion shaft with at least two bearings mounted on either side of the second helical gear on the pinion shaft; and a drive pinion coupled to the pinion shaft and meshingly engaged with a ring gear. The ring gear is in driving engagement with a forward differential assembly. The first helical gear and second helical gear are meshingly engaged and have a predetermined gear ratio.

An axle assembly with a motor, a differential assembly, a housing, a transmission and a reduction gearset. The transmission has a first and second planetary gearsets that have associated (i.e., first and second) ring gears, planet carriers and sun gears. The first planet carrier is coupled to a differential carrier of the differential assembly for common rotation. The second ring gear is non-rotatably coupled to the housing. The second planet carrier is coupled to the second differential output for common rotation. The second sun gear is coupled to the first sun gear for common rotation. The reduction gearset is disposed between an output shaft of the motor and the first ring gear and includes a first gear, which is coupled to the output shaft for rotation therewith, and a second gear that is coupled to the first ring gear for rotation therewith.

An axle assembly with a motor, a differential assembly, a housing, a transmission and a reduction gearset. The transmission has a first and second planetary gearsets that have associated (i.e., first and second) ring gears, planet carriers and sun gears. The first planet carrier is coupled to a differential carrier of the differential assembly for common rotation. The second ring gear is non-rotatably coupled to the housing. The second planet carrier is coupled to the second differential output for common rotation. The second sun gear is coupled to the first sun gear for common rotation. The reduction gearset is disposed between an output shaft of the motor and the first ring gear and includes a first gear, which is coupled to the output shaft for rotation therewith, and a second gear that is coupled to the first ring gear for rotation therewith.

An electric drive for a vehicle includes at least one electric machine (1) with a rotor shaft (2) as a drive shaft, a transmission connected to a first output shaft (3) and a second output shaft (4), and a shift element (5) with at least one actuatable coupling element for achieving a first shift position (N), a second shift position (S2) and a third shift position (S2). In the first shift position (N), the coupling element is connected either to an element of the transmission or to the rotor shaft (2). In the second shift position (S1), the element of the transmission is connected to the rotor shaft (2) via the coupling element. In the third shift position (S2), the element of the transmission and the rotor shaft (2) are connected to the housing via the coupling element.

In a left-right wheel drive device (10) that accommodates, in a casing (4), two electric motors (1, 2) spaced apart from each other and a planetary gear mechanism (3) arranged so as to be offset on a first side in an axial direction, a pair of motor shafts (11), a pair of counter shafts (12), and two output shafts (13, 14) are arranged in parallel. The first output shaft (13) is arranged on the first side from the planetary gear mechanism (3) and is fixed with a carrier (3C) at an end portion of a second side thereof. The second output shaft (14) is longer than the first output shaft (13) and is fixed with the second sun gear (3S2) at an end portion on the first side thereof. The second output shaft (14) is rotatably supported by roller bearings (35, 36) at the end portion on the second side and a position on the second side from a driven gear meshing with the second counter gear.

Systems and methods for a drive axle. The drive axle system, in one example, includes a displacement sensor coupled to a pinion input flange and configured to generate axial displacement data corresponding to the pinion input flange, where the pinion input flange is directly coupled to an angled pinion gear. The drive axle system further includes a controller configured to determine a torque at the pinion input flange based on the axial displacement data.

Systems and methods for a drive axle. The drive axle system, in one example, includes a displacement sensor coupled to a pinion input flange and configured to generate axial displacement data corresponding to the pinion input flange, where the pinion input flange is directly coupled to an angled pinion gear. The drive axle system further includes a controller configured to determine a torque at the pinion input flange based on the axial displacement data.

A drive unit for a skid steered vehicle includes a controlled differential positioned between two shafts. The end of each shaft forms an output of the drive unit connected directly to the differential outputs via the shafts. A steer motor is in driveable communication with the differential, and an electric propulsion motor is in driveable communication with the shaft outputs. A gear reduction unit, and optional gear change unit, is positioned between the differential and the electric propulsion motor. The electric propulsion motor, the gear reduction unit and optional gear change unit are connected in a parallel connection with an output of the differential to the shaft outputs. The optional gear change unit includes an epicyclic gear reduction unit having an input and an output which provides drive input from the gear change unit to the shaft. A gear change set has a master gear that receives drive output from the electric propulsion motor, and slave gears which are driven by the master gear via one or more gear chains. A dog clutch slideably engages the input of the gear reduction unit and selectively engages with the master gear or slave gears so that the selected position of the dog clutch determines which gear is engaged.