A vehicle axle assembly includes an axle housing and a carrier assembly. The carrier assembly includes a carrier housing and a differential assembly that includes a ring gear arranged in meshing engagement with a pinion gear. The gears are urged away from one another by separation forces during torque transfer. The carrier housing includes a curved wall circumscribed by a mounting flange as well as a plurality of integrally formed and parallel spaced apart gussets interconnecting the curved wall and the mounting flange. The gussets extend in a direction parallel to the gear separation forces to resist bending of the carrier housing. Other features increasing the structural rigidity of the one-piece carrier housing are discussed.

A reduction drive including an electric motor disposed in a housing and driving a motor shaft, a Hall Effect sensor adjacent to the motor, a power and control module, and a pinion gear in the housing and driven by the motor shaft. A planetary gear reduction assembly includes a first ring gear rotatably disposed in the housing and driven by the pinion gear, a sun gear engaged to and driven by the first ring gear, a second ring gear non-rotatably fixed to a housing surface, and a plurality of planet gears mounted on a carrier assembly, each planet gear rotating with the sun gear, and on the second ring gear. An output axle is driven by the carrier assembly and has an axis of rotation that is offset from and parallel to the motor shaft axis of rotation.

A drive axle assembly includes a motor; a first shaft and a second shaft. A right planet row mechanism is disposed on the first shaft, and a left planet row mechanism is disposed on the second shaft. A right sun gear of the right planet row mechanism is connected with the first shaft. A left sun gear of the left planet row mechanism is connected with the second shaft. The right sun gear has a right central oil passage and a right radial oil passage. The right central oil passage is in communication with the first shaft. The left sun gear has a left central oil passage and a left radial oil passage. The left central oil passage is in communication with the second shaft. The first shaft is in communication with the second shaft to supply oil to the second shaft.

The invention relates to an electrically drivable steering axle (10) having an axle housing (11), an electric motor (12), a transmission (13), a differential (14) with a first output shaft (18) and a second output shaft (18′), a first wheel head (15), a second wheel head (16) and a steering linkage (17, 17′, 17″). The electric motor (12) is drive-connected to the first wheel head (15) and to the second wheel head (16) via the transmission (13) and the differential (14). The steering axle (10) according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that the electric motor (12), the transmission (13), and the differential (14) are arranged coaxially with the first output shaft (18) and the second output shaft (18′). The invention additionally relates to a corresponding vehicle.

A vehicle axle assembly including an axle housing, carrier assembly, and first and second axle shafts. The axle housing is formed from an upper beam and a lower beam that are positioned in a clam-shell arrangement. The carrier assembly includes a carrier housing and a differential that includes a ring gear arranged in meshing engagement with a pinion. The first and second axle shafts extend outwardly from the differential in opposite directions. The pinion is rotatably supported by a self-lubricating cartridge pinion input bearing and the outboard ends of the first and second axle shafts are rotatably supported by self-lubricating and unitized grease wheel end bearings. These bearings do not require lubrication from oil contained inside the axle housing allowing for a reduced oil fill level in the axle housing, creating less viscous losses and better efficiency.

An electric drive axle for a motor vehicle including an axle housing, an electric motor having an output shaft directly driven by a bevel pinion gear coupled thereto, a fixed ratio planetary gear arrangement, a differential unit including a differential gear arrangement housed within a differential case and a first clutch selectively operable to connect a portion of the planetary gear set to a stationary member of the drive axle so that the drive axle operates in a first gear ratio.

An assembly of a first component designed as an axle or a shaft on a second component, is provided, in particular for a vehicle. The first component is secured to the second component at least in the axial direction of the first component. At least one of the components has at least one first deformation on one side, the deformation being used to secure the first component on the second component in a first direction which coincides with the axial direction. At least one of the components has at least one second deformation on the same side, the second deformation being used to secure the first component on the second component in a second direction which coincides with the axial direction and is opposite the first direction.

An axle assembly having an electric motor module, a drive pinion, and at least one rotor bearing assembly. The electric motor module may have a rotor. The rotor and the drive pinion may be rotatable about a first axis. The first rotor bearing assembly may extend between the drive pinion and the rotor.

A transaxle includes a planetary gear reducer and a differential device. The planetary gear reducer includes a stepped pinion, a first needle bearing, a second needle bearing, and a carrier. The stepped pinion includes a pinion shaft with which a large diameter pinion and a small diameter pinion are integrated. The first needle bearing is fitted to a part of the pinion shaft outside the large diameter pinion. The second needle bearing is fitted to a part of the pinion shaft outside the small diameter pinion. The carrier is configured to support the stepped pinion via the first needle bearing and the second needle bearing such that the stepped pinion is rotatable with respect to the carrier, and to couple the stepped pinion and the differential device.

A lawn mower includes a blade housing and a height adjusting mechanism for adjusting a height of the blade housing with respect to the associated ground. The height adjusting mechanism includes rear wheel support members for supporting rear drive wheels. Each rear drive wheel includes a cover having an exterior cover part and an interior cover part. The interior cover part is directly connected to one of the support members without the use of separate associated mechanical fasteners.