An electric drive axle of a vehicle includes an electric motor having an output shaft. An idler assembly is drivingly coupled to the electric motor and a differential. The idler assembly includes a first gear-clutch assembly to facilitate a first gear ratio and a second gear-clutch assembly to facilitate a second gear ratio.

A method for serial operation of a motor vehicle with a transmission having a first electric machine, which is operated as a motor for driving the motor vehicle, and a second electric machine, which is operated as a generator, includes, after a generation of a change-over signal, switching the first electric machine from the operation as a motor to the operation as a generator, and switching the second electric machine from the operation as a generator to the operation as a motor in order to drive the motor vehicle.

A drive train, including: a first electric motor; a second electric motor; and a transmission system including a first input shaft driveably connected to the first electric motor, a second input shaft driveably connected to the second electric motor, a first gear train including a first gear element rotatably mounted on the first input shaft and a second gear element rotatably mounted on the second input shaft, a second gear train including a third gear element rotatably mounted on the first input shaft and a fourth gear element rotatably mounted on the second input shaft, a gear selector assembly arranged to selectively lock either the first and third gear elements for rotation with the first input shaft or the second and fourth gear elements for rotation with the second input shaft.

An automated mechanical transmission for a vehicle includes a main gearbox assembly comprising a main shaft and being adapted to be shiftable between at least one engaged state and a neutral state; a split gearbox assembly comprising an input shaft and being adapted to be shiftable between a first engaged state, a second engaged state and a neutral state; a countershaft; a crawler gearbox assembly comprising a crawler gear engagement member which is adapted to selectively engage and disengage a crawler gear defining a torque path from the input shaft to the main gearbox assembly via the countershaft; a gearbox brake; and transmission control unit. The transmission is configured to be settable in an AMT neutral state defined by the main gearbox assembly being in the neutral state. When the transmission control unit obtains a request to engage the crawler gear from the AMT neutral state, the transmission control unit is configured to apply the gearbox brake so that a rotational speed of the countershaft is reduced to a first predetermined rotational speed which is higher than a zero rotational speed; and when the first predetermined rotational speed is reached, release the gearbox brake, set the split gearbox assembly to the neutral state and engage the crawler gear by the crawler gear engagement member.

An automated mechanical transmission for a vehicle includes a main gearbox assembly comprising a main shaft and being adapted to be shiftable between at least one engaged state and a neutral state; a split gearbox assembly comprising an input shaft and being adapted to be shiftable between a first engaged state, a second engaged state and a neutral state; a countershaft; a crawler gearbox assembly comprising a crawler gear engagement member which is adapted to selectively engage and disengage a crawler gear defining a torque path from the input shaft to the main gearbox assembly via the countershaft; a gearbox brake; and transmission control unit. The transmission is configured to be settable in an AMT neutral state defined by the main gearbox assembly being in the neutral state. When the transmission control unit obtains a request to engage the crawler gear from the AMT neutral state, the transmission control unit is configured to apply the gearbox brake so that a rotational speed of the countershaft is reduced to a first predetermined rotational speed which is higher than a zero rotational speed; and when the first predetermined rotational speed is reached, release the gearbox brake, set the split gearbox assembly to the neutral state and engage the crawler gear by the crawler gear engagement member.

An electric drive axle of a vehicle includes an electric motor having an output shaft. An idler assembly is drivingly coupled to the electric motor and a differential. The idler assembly includes a first gear-clutch assembly to facilitate a first gear ratio and a second gear-clutch assembly to facilitate a second gear ratio.

A hydraulic synchronizer selectively couples one or more gears to a drive shaft. The synchronizer has a shaft hub with a splined annulus and a fluid passage. A ring is disposed about the shaft hub and movable along a rotation axis of the shaft hub. A shift collar is fixedly coupled to the ring and has a splined annulus engaged with the splined annulus of the shaft hub. The shift collar is configured to engage splines of a gear when the ring is in an engaged axial position and to disengage the splines of the gear when the ring is in a neutral position. The shift collar transmits rotational input from the shaft hub to the gear when the ring is in the engaged axial position. Hydraulic chambers receive hydraulic fluid from the fluid passage and move the ring to the engaged and neutral positions.

A hydraulic synchronizer selectively couples one or more gears to a drive shaft. The synchronizer has a shaft hub with a splined annulus and a fluid passage. A ring is disposed about the shaft hub and movable along a rotation axis of the shaft hub. A shift collar is fixedly coupled to the ring and has a splined annulus engaged with the splined annulus of the shaft hub. The shift collar is configured to engage splines of a gear when the ring is in an engaged axial position and to disengage the splines of the gear when the ring is in a neutral position. The shift collar transmits rotational input from the shaft hub to the gear when the ring is in the engaged axial position. Hydraulic chambers receive hydraulic fluid from the fluid passage and move the ring to the engaged and neutral positions.

An axle assembly having a countershaft transmission. The countershaft transmission may operatively connect a rotor shaft of an electric motor to a drive pinion that may be rotatable about a drive pinion axis. The electric motor and the countershaft transmission may be positioned on opposite sides of a differential assembly.

Described is a device for synchronization of a reverse gear for a vehicle gearbox including: a support shaft fixed in rotation; an idle gear wheel for engagement with a first reverse gear wheel on a gearbox primary shaft and a second reverse gear wheel on a gearbox secondary shaft, said idle gear wheel mounted rotatable and axially slidable on said support shaft and having a hub including a first friction surface; and a synchronizer ring mounted mobile on said support shaft along an axial travel and countered axially by an elastic element along said axial travel, said synchronizer ring having a second friction surface for engagement with said first friction surface. Axial movement of the idle gear wheel towards an engagement position of the reverse gear causes drawing of the synchronizer ring implementing, prior to reverse gear engagement, braking of rotary movement of the idle gear wheel.