DRIVETRAIN

Abstract

A drive train for an electric truck includes a gearbox and a gear box housing. The drive train further includes an output shaft extending in an axial direction across a wall of the gear box housing and powering a cardan shaft arranged outside of the gear box housing. At least one output gear is arranged inside of the gear box housing on the output shaft. At least a first and a second electric motor attached to the housing of the gearbox form a team of electric motors, wherein each electric motor includes a drive shaft extending parallel to the axial direction and being interconnected via an input gear to an output gear.

Claims

1. A drive train (1) for an electric truck, said drive train (1) comprising: a. a gearbox (2) comprising a gear box housing (3); b. an output shaft (4) extending in an axial direction (x) across a wall (5) of the gear box housing (3) and powering a cardan shaft (6) arranged outside of the gear box housing (3); c. at least one output gear (7) arranged inside of the gear box housing (3) on the output shaft (4); d. at least a first and a second electric motor (8) attached to the housing (3) of the gearbox (2) forming a team of electric motors (9), wherein e. each electric motor (8) includes a drive shaft (10) extending parallel to the axial direction (x) and being interconnected via an input gear (11) to an output gear (7).

2. The drive train according to claim 1, wherein the electric motors (8) of the team of electric motors (9) are torque controlled.

3. The drive train according to claim 1, wherein a first and a second electric motor (8) are arranged on a same side of the housing (3) of the gear box (2) forming a pair of electric motors (8).

4. The drive train according to claim 1, wherein a first and a second electric motor (8) are arranged on opposite sides of the housing (3) of the gear box (2) forming a pair of electric motors (8).

5. The drive train according to claim 4, wherein the first and the second electric motor (8) are arranged coaxial with respect to their drive shafts (10).

6. The drive train according to claim 1, wherein the team of electric motors (9) comprises four electric motors (8) arranged in two pairs of electric motors (8).

7. The drive train according to claim 3, wherein at least one pair of electrical motors (8) is arranged mirror symmetrically with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axial direction (x) and/or a plane perpendicular the lateral direction (y).

8. The drive train according to claim 1, wherein all electric motors (8) of a team (9) are operated with the same torque.

9. The drive train according to claim 1, wherein the input gears (11) of the electric motors (8) are directly coupled to an output gear (7) forming a single stage gearbox (2).

10. The drive train according to claim 1, wherein the at least one output gear (7) comprises a disc-shaped gear body (12) and at least one ring gear (13) detachably interconnected to the gear body.

11. The drive train according to claim 10, wherein a first and a second gear ring (13) are arranged back to back to each other.

12. The drive train according to claim 10, wherein the gear body (12) and the output shaft (4) are integrally formed.

13. The drive train according to claim 1, wherein the ratio between the input gear (11) and the output gear (7) is in the range of 10.

14. The drive train according to claim 1, wherein the housing (3) of the gearbox (2) has a front part (14) and a rear part (15) which are substantially identical and interconnectable to each other in a separation plane (16) arranged essentially perpendicular to the axial direction (x).

15. The drive train according to claim 14, wherein the front part (14) and/or the rear part (15) comprise at least one mounting flange (17) suitable to attach an electric motor (8).

16. The drive train according to claim 14, wherein the wall (5) of the gear box housing (3) of the front part (14) and/or the rear part (15) is extending essentially perpendicular to the axial direction and cooling means (18) interconnected to said wall (5).

17. The drive train according to claim 1, wherein dimensions of the housing (3) in an axial direction (x) is less than in a lateral direction (y) or a vertical direction (z).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The herein described invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which should not be considered limiting to the invention described in the appended claims.

[0042] The drawings are showing:

[0043] FIG. 1 an exploded view of a drive train according to the disclosure;

[0044] FIG. 2 the assembled drive train of FIG. 1 in a perspective view;

[0045] FIG. 3 a cross-sectional view of the drive train of FIG. 2 indicated by line A in FIG. 2; and

[0046] FIG. 4 a cross-sectional view of the drive train of FIG. 2 indicated by line B in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0047] Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all features are shown. Indeed, embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Whenever possible, like reference numbers will be used to refer to like components or parts.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a variation the disclosure is directed to a drive train 1 for an electric truck. The drive train 1 comprises a gearbox 2 and an electric motor 8, other numbers are possible such as four electric motors 8. The gearbox 2 comprises a housing 3 which has a front part 14 and a rear part 15 which are substantially identical. The front part 14 and the rear 15 part are interconnectable to each other in a separation plane 16 arranged essentially perpendicular to an axial direction (x) as visible in FIG. 4. The gearbox housing 3 is made from metal.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows an output shaft 4 of the drive train 1 extending in the axial direction (x) across a wall 5 of the gear box housing and powering a cardan shaft (6) arranged outside of the gear box housing 3. FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 show an output gear 7 of the drive train 1 arranged inside of the gear box housing 3 on the output shaft 4. The output gear 7 comprises a disc-shaped gear body 12 and at least one ring gear 13 detachably interconnected to the gear body 12. In the shown variation a first ring gear 13 and a second ring gear 13 are arranged back to back to each other on the gear body 12. The gear body 12 and the output shaft 4 are integrally formed as shown in FIG. 4.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows the assembled drive train 1 having four electric motors 8 attached to the housing 3 of the gearbox 2 forming a team of electric motors 9. The electric motors 8 each have a drive shaft 10 extending parallel to the axial direction (x). The drive shaft 10 of each electric motor 9 being interconnected via an input gear 11 to an output gear 7. The ratio between the input gear 11 and the output gear 7 is in the range of 10:1.

[0051] Two nozzle bridges 19 are visible in FIGS. 1 and 3 extending between the front part 14 and the rear part 15 of the gearbox housing 3 and each comprising at least one nozzle (not shown). The nozzle bridges 19 are C-shaped and partially surround the respective input gear 11. An oil sump 20 as shown in FIG. 4 supplies oil to the nozzle bridge 19 via an oil pump 21. The oil pump 21 being interconnected to the oil sump 20 and to the nozzle bridge 19 in order to transport oil from the oil sump 21 to the at least one nozzle of each nozzle bridge 19.

[0052] The front part 14 and the rear part 15 each comprise two mounting flanges 17, shown in FIG. 2. The gearbox housing 3 carries the electric motors 8 via the respective mounting flanges 17. The electric motors 8 of the power train 1 shown in FIG. 1 are directly coupled to the output gear 7 and form a single stage gearbox. The dimensions of the housing 3 in the axial direction (x) is less than in the lateral direction (y) or the vertical direction (z).

[0053] A first and a second electric motor 8 are arranged on opposite sides of the housing 3 of the gear box 2 forming a pair of electric motors. With respect to their drive shafts the first and the second electric motor are arranged coaxially. FIG. 2 shows in addition, a first and a second electric motor 8 arranged on the same side of the housing 3 of the gear box 2. In FIG. 2 two pairs of electric motors 8 are arranged coaxially on opposing sides of the gearbox housing 3. The two pairs are mirror symmetrically arranged in relation to a mirror plane parallel to the lateral and vertical direction (y, z), which is identical to the separation plane 17 as shown in FIG. 4.

[0054] During operation the electric motors 8 of the team of electric motors 9 are torque controlled operated and each electric motor 8 exerts the same torque on the output gear 7.

[0055] The front part 14 and/or the rear part 15 comprise a wall 5extending essentially parallel to the separation plane 17. FIGS. 1 and 2 further show cooling means 18 arranged on said walls 5. The cooling means 18 are arranged on the outside of the walls 5 and comprise a cooling plate. The cooling plate comprises a channel connected to an external cooling circuit for a cooling fluid to flow through (not shown).

[0056] Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

[0057] 1 Drive train [0058] 2 Gearbox [0059] 3 Housing (gearbox) [0060] 4 Output shaft [0061] 5 Wall (gear box housing) [0062] 6 Cardan shaft [0063] 7 Output gear [0064] 8 Electric motor [0065] 9 Team of electric motors [0066] 10 Drive shaft (electric motor) [0067] 11 Input gear [0068] 12 Gear body [0069] 13 Ring gear [0070] 14 Front part (housing) [0071] 15 Rear part (housing) [0072] 16 Separation plane (housing) [0073] 17 Mounting flange [0074] 18 Cooling means (housing) [0075] 19 Nozzle bridge [0076] 20 Oil sump [0077] 21 Oil pump