Axle Drive

Abstract

An axle drive (1) for a motor vehicle axle includes at least a first drive unit (2), a second drive unit (2), and an output axle (6). The first and second drive units (2) are arranged such that an overall center of gravity (7) of the axle drive (1) is situated proximate to a center of the output axle (6) and/or an axis of rotation of a vehicle wheel of the motor vehicle driven by the axle drive (1).

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. An axle drive (1) for a motor vehicle axle, comprising: a first drive unit (2); a second drive unit (2); and an output axle (6), wherein the first and second drive units (2) are positioned such that an overall center of gravity (7) of the axle drive (1) is situated proximate a center of the output axle (6) and/or an axis of rotation of a vehicle wheel driven by the axle drive (1).

10. The axle drive (1) of claim 9, wherein the first and second drive units (2) each include an electric machine (3) and a transmission (4).

11. The axle drive (1) of claim 10, wherein each of the transmissions (4) is a countershaft transmission or is a planetary transmission.

12. The axle drive (1) of claim 9, wherein the first and second drive units (2) each include an electric machine (3), and the first and second drive units (2) share a common transmission (4).

13. The axle drive (1) of claim 12, wherein the common transmission (4) is a countershaft transmission or is a planetary transmission.

14. The axle drive (1) of claim 9, wherein the first and second drive units (2) are arranged symmetrically about the center of the output axle (6).

15. The axle drive (1) of claim 9, wherein the first and second drive units (2) are each arranged equidistant from the output axle (6).

16. The axle drive (1) of claim 9, wherein each of the first and second drive units (2) comprises a respective input axle (5), and the input axles (5) of the first and second drive units (2) are arranged at the same height (z) as the output axle (6).

17. The axle drive (1) of claim 9, wherein each of the first and second drive units (2) comprises a respective input axle (5), and there is no lateral offset (y) between the input axles (5) of the first and second drive units (2).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Example aspects of the invention are explained in greater detail with reference to figures. Wherein:

[0010] FIG. 1 shows an electric axle drive with a symmetrical arrangement of the electric machines and transmissions of a countershaft design;

[0011] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of FIG. 1; and

[0012] FIG. 3 shows an electric axle drive with a symmetrical arrangement of the drive units and a common planetary transmission.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows an electric axle drive 1 designed according to example aspects of the invention for electrically driving a motor vehicle axle with a symmetrical arrangement of the drive units 2. The drive units 2 are each made up of an electric machine 3 and a transmission 4 associated with the particular electric machine 3. The input axles 5 of the drive units 2 are arranged axially parallel and symmetrically with respect to the output axle 6 in the axle center of the motor vehicle axle. This axle center also corresponds to the axis of rotation of a vehicle wheel of the motor vehicle axle driven by the output axle 6. Such a vehicle wheel is represented in the background, by way of example, in FIG. 2.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view through the axle drive 1 from FIG. 1. The drive units 2 and the respective center of gravity 8 for each drive unit 2 are arranged in such a way that the overall center of gravity 7 of the motor vehicle axle is situated close to the axis of rotation of the vehicle wheel driven by the output axle 6. Here, the axis of rotation is simultaneously situated in the axle center of the output axle 6 and/or in the wheel center. The drive units 2 are positioned symmetrically about the axle center of the output axle 6. This means, the input axles 5 of the drive units 2 are positioned at an equal distance x to the axle center of the output axle 6.

[0016] FIG. 3 shows the electric axle drive 1 with a symmetrical arrangement of the electric machines 3 in connection with a common transmission 4 of a planetary design. The transmission 4 is connected via a summarizing gear to the output axle 6. The input axles 5 and the output axle 6 are arranged at the same height z. In addition, the drive units 2 are arranged at the same distance x to the output axle 6. The drive units 2 and/or the input axles 5 have no lateral offset y with respect to one another.

[0017] Modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments illustrated or described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. In the claims, reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description and the drawings may be recited. Such reference characters are enclosed within parentheses and are provided as an aid for reference to example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings. Such reference characters are provided for convenience only and have no effect on the scope of the claims. In particular, such reference characters are not intended to limit the claims to the particular example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0018] 1 axle drive [0019] 2 drive unit [0020] 3 electric machine [0021] 4 transmission [0022] 5 input axle [0023] 6 output axle [0024] 7 overall center of gravity of the motor vehicle axle [0025] 8 individual center of gravity of the drive unit [0026] x distance of the component to the axle center in x-direction [0027] z, h distance of the axles in z-direction/height h [0028] y lateral offset