Work vehicle electric drive assembly cooling device

Abstract

A drive assembly for a work vehicle includes an electric machine and a transmission assembly having a gear set housed at least partially in a transmission case and having a control orifice in communication with a transmission section of a cooling circuit for the drive assembly at least partially within the transmission case. The electric machine has an outer housing coupled to the transmission case for fixed mounting to the transmission case. The outer housing has a coolant inlet and defines an electric machine section of the cooling circuit for the drive assembly at least partially within the outer housing. A controlled flow of coolant is delivered from the electric machine section of the cooling circuit to the transmission section of the cooling circuit via the control orifice.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] not applicable.

[0003] Federal government-sponsored research or development statement

[0004] not applicable. Technical Field

[0005] This disclosure generally relates to electric drives for work vehicles, and more particularly to the cooling of various components of such drives. Background Technology

[0006] Work vehicles used in construction, agriculture, forestry, mining, and other industries may have one or more drive assemblies to power various subsystems of the work vehicle. Such drive assemblies may incorporate hydraulic or electric power components and / or draw mechanical power from the work vehicle's engine, and subsequently output hydraulic, electric, and / or mechanical power to various on-board and off-board components. As an example, a drive assembly may have an electric motor and a transmission case that provide mechanical power to a pump driver to power various hydraulic components of the work vehicle. The drive assembly may operate the electric motor as a generator to output rotational mechanical power to drive one or more pumps. In some cases, the drive assembly may additionally or alternatively operate the electric motor as a generator to output power to any number of electrical components of the work vehicle, including other electric drives, such as those that can be used to provide traction to the work vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This disclosure provides a drive assembly for a work vehicle with improved cooling.

[0008] In one aspect, this disclosure provides a drive assembly for a work vehicle, the drive assembly including a transmission assembly and a motor. The transmission assembly has a gear set at least partially housed within a transmission housing and a control port communicating with a drive section of a cooling circuit for the drive assembly, the drive section of the cooling circuit being at least partially within the transmission housing. The motor has a housing coupled to the transmission housing for secure mounting, the housing having a coolant inlet and defining a motor section of the cooling circuit for the drive assembly, the motor section being at least partially within the housing. A controlled flow of coolant is delivered from the motor section of the cooling circuit to the drive section of the cooling circuit via the control port.

[0009] In another aspect, this disclosure provides a work vehicle having an engine and an engine shaft, the work vehicle including a drive assembly with a drive assembly housing, a transmission assembly, and an electric motor. The drive assembly housing is used to mount the drive assembly and retain a certain volume of coolant within the drive assembly. The drive assembly housing includes a transmission housing and an outer housing, the outer housing being coupled to the transmission housing for fixed mounting to the transmission housing. The transmission assembly has a gear set at least partially housed within the transmission housing and a control port communicating with a drive section of a cooling circuit for the drive assembly, the drive section of the cooling circuit being at least partially within the transmission housing. The electric motor is at least partially housed within the outer housing, the outer housing having a coolant inlet and defining a motor section of the cooling circuit for the drive assembly, the motor section being at least partially within the outer housing. A controlled flow of coolant is delivered from the motor section of the cooling circuit to the drive section of the cooling circuit via the control port.

[0010] Details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 It is a simplified perspective view of an exemplary work vehicle in the form of a wheeled loader, wherein a drive component may be used in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 2 It is used for Figure 1 An isometric view of an exemplary drive assembly with a pump driver (shown in a simplified manner) of an exemplary work vehicle;

[0013] Figure 3 Is Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary motor and transmission assembly of an exemplary drive assembly, taken at plane 3-3 in the image;

[0014] Figure 4 Is Figure 3 A sectional view taken at plane 4-4 in the middle;

[0015] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary housing of an exemplary motor;

[0016] Figure 6 Is Figure 4 Enlarged detail view of area 6-6 in the image, including the coolant feed line;

[0017] Figure 7 Is Figure 3 A magnified detail image cropped from area 7-7 in the image;

[0018] Figure 8 and Figure 9 yes Figure 2 The isometric front and rear views of the exemplary drive assembly and the exemplary transmission assembly are shown, with some parts omitted for clarity.

[0019] Figure 10A yes Figure 8 and Figure 9 A side view of an exemplary transmission assembly, wherein certain components are omitted;

[0020] Figure 10B This is its rear view, in which some parts are omitted and some features are shown in dashed lines;

[0021] Figure 10C Is Figure 10A A frontal sectional view taken at plane 10C-10C;

[0022] Figure 10D Is Figure 10C A sectional view taken at plane 10D-10D, in which certain features are shown by dashed lines;

[0023] Figure 11 Is Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary drive assembly, taken at plane 11-11, showing the discharge area and outlet of the drive assembly; and

[0024] Figure 12 Is Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary transmission assembly taken at plane 12-12, wherein the disc gear shown is partially cut off.

[0025] In the various figures, similar reference numerals indicate similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The following describes one or more exemplary embodiments of the electric drive assembly of the disclosed work vehicle, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings briefly described above. Various modifications to the exemplary embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0027] As used herein, unless otherwise limited or modified, a configuration or arrangement that may contain individual elements in the list or any combination thereof, separated by conjunctions (e.g., “and”) and also consisting of a list of phrases “one or more” or “at least one”, indicates a configuration or arrangement that may contain individual elements in the list or any combination thereof. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” or “one or more of A, B, and C” indicates the possibility of only A, only B, only C, or any combination of two or more of A, B, and C (e.g., A and B; B and C; A and C; or A, B, and C).

[0028] Furthermore, in describing this disclosure in detail, terms of direction and orientation such as “downstream,” “upstream,” “longitudinal,” “radial,” “axial,” “circumferential,” “lateral,” and “transverse” may be used. These terms are defined at least partially relative to the motor, the channel or loop for fluid flow, the rotor, the rotating shaft, and / or the stator. As used herein, the term “longitudinal” refers to an orientation along the length of the equipment; the term “lateral” refers to an orientation along the width of the equipment and orthogonal to the longitudinal orientation; and the term “transverse” refers to an orientation along the height of the equipment and orthogonal to both the longitudinal and transverse orientations. These orientations may be obtained relative to the working vehicle to which the components may be attached or the direction of travel of the working vehicle.

[0029] Overview

[0030] Work vehicles, such as construction vehicles, can employ electric drive components that include an electric motor paired with a transmission in various applications, either on the work vehicle or in conjunction with attached work implements. For example, such a drive component can provide traction to the wheels, supplement engine power sent to the wheels, transmit mechanical power to onboard components via a pump drive, and / or function as a generator to convert mechanical energy (e.g., from the engine) into electrical energy. These various drive component functions can generate significant amounts of heat during operation. To achieve the required cooling, the motor and transmission components can be designed to dissipate heat through conduction (e.g., the motor housing in contact with the stator coils), convection (e.g., air passing through gaps in the components, coolant guided along the components), or a combination thereof. The motor can be one of various types of motors (e.g., alternating current (AC) motors and direct current (DC) motors), generators, etc., and the transmission component provides one or more gear sets configured to provide the required speed and torque from the rotational output of the motor.

[0031] In general, this disclosure provides a drive assembly for a work vehicle having a cooling circuit for cooling a single combination of multiple discrete functional components. The discrete components are cooled in series by a coolant (e.g., pressurized oil) from a source container, which is fed to a single input port. This coolant absorbs heat directly or indirectly from various sub-components (e.g., the stator or rotor of an electric motor, the gears of a transmission, etc.) and flows away from the sub-components to remove heat. After passive or active cooling, the coolant is subsequently returned to the source container for reuse in the cooling circuit.

[0032] In some embodiments, the drive assembly includes a motor and a transmission assembly, each housed in separate housings. The motor housing and transmission housing are directly and rigidly mounted together at mating interfaces. Each housing also defines coolant passages for a cooling circuit, which are aligned and fluidly communicated when the housings are assembled together. Thus, coolant flows from one component housing into the other through an inlet at the interface. This delivery occurs without hoses or other external structures. Additionally, the drive assembly may include one or more additional functional components (e.g., additional transmission housings and / or generators) also housed separately. These additional functional components are fluidly coupled to cooling circuits downstream of the motor and transmission housing and may be directly mounted together at one or more other mating interfaces or connected using external hoses, fittings, etc.

[0033] On one hand, the cooling circuit has a motor section and a drive section. The motor section of the cooling circuit has its routing arranged within the motor housing, and the drive section has its routing arranged within the drive housing. The two sections of the cooling circuit intersect at the interface between the motor housing and the drive housing, and a control orifice is provided near the interface (e.g., outside the interface inside the drive housing) to measure the coolant flow from the motor section to the drive section.

[0034] On the other hand, the control orifice controls the volume and rate of coolant flow through the inlet between discrete components (e.g., from the motor section to the drive section of the cooling circuit). The control orifice balances the coolant flow to provide sufficient coolant flow to downstream components (e.g., the drive assembly) without depriving upstream components (e.g., the motor) of the required coolant flow. For this purpose, the size of the metering port of the control orifice is set to suit the required coolant flow in the components through which the cooling circuit flows. The control orifice can be formed as an integral part within the coolant channel near the interface (e.g., machined in a coolant channel formed in a component of the drive housing). Alternatively, the control orifice can be a separate, removable, and interchangeable part selectively mounted (e.g., pressure-fitted or threaded) to a coolant channel near the interface. The control orifice can be located on either side of the interface, i.e., within, for example, the motor housing or the drive housing.

[0035] In addition to coolant flow from one discrete component to another, in some embodiments, the disclosed drive assembly can provide combined cooling for sub-components within one of the discrete components. In one example, the motor is a permanent magnet motor with a housing that houses the drive assembly, which includes a stator and rotor cooled by stator and rotor feed circuits, respectively. Similar to the control orifice of a drive assembly, an inlet orifice is located near the input port of the cooling circuit to meter the coolant flow into the stator feed circuit. The housing defines coolant channels that distribute and direct the coolant flow to the stator and rotor feed circuits. The rotor feed circuit extends radially inward from the housing to the rotor and then through axial and radial channels formed in the rotor to provide conductive cooling to the rotor shaft, permanent magnets, and other components. The stator feed circuit has one or more meandering channels defined in the inner periphery of the housing to allow coolant to pass along the outer periphery of the stator windings. The stator feed circuit can be connected to a spray ring that sprays coolant onto the end turns of the stator winding.

[0036] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the disclosed drive assembly provides a transmission assembly that provides gear reduction for input and output to the motor. The transmission assembly may be a planetary gear set having a fixed gear ratio or multiple gear ratios (e.g., multiple gear ratios achieved by a clutch mechanism). Components of the transmission assembly provide control orifices for coolant supplied to the gearbox. Components may be gear set components and may be fixed and form part of a housing of the gearbox that is fixedly mounted to the motor. Components may be carriers of one or more planetary gears of the planetary gear set. The carrier may also include coolant passages for transferring coolant from the control orifices to the planetary gear set.

[0037] On the other hand, the drive assembly can implement multiple power flow paths in multiple directions. In drive mode, the electricity in the motor is converted into mechanical rotation of the rotor, flows through the gearbox, and is output as mechanical power. This mechanical power can be delivered to various other systems, such as providing traction to wheels, powering a hydraulic pump in a pump drive, etc. In generator mode, mechanical rotation from an external source (e.g., the gear set of a pump drive connected to the engine shaft of the engine) drives the gear set in the gearbox in the opposite direction of rotation to that in drive mode, causing the motor rotor to rotate in the opposite direction to induce current, thereby converting the mechanical input into electricity in the motor. The motor is wired to a motor, battery, or other electrical system (e.g., the final drive) to deliver the converted electricity to the motor. For either operating mode, the cooling circuit flows through the coolant inlet port in the same manner and direction to effectively cool the motor and gearbox.

[0038] This disclosure further provides a drive assembly incorporating a hydraulic pump driver for operatively connecting the drive assembly to hydraulic components of a work vehicle. The pump driver may include a gear set housed within a pump housing or manifold. In the drive assembly's driving mode, the pump driver transmits mechanical power (torque) output from the drive assembly to actuate one or more hydraulic pumps, thereby driving various hydraulic components of the work vehicle, such as wheel propellers, wheel steering systems, or implement actuators. The pump driver may also provide mechanical connections from other parts of the work vehicle, such as engine shafts, to the drive assembly.

[0039] The following describes one or more exemplary embodiments of the disclosed drive assembly. While the discussion herein may sometimes focus on example applications of cooling circuits for drive assemblies in wheel loaders, the disclosed drive assemblies are applicable to other types of mating components and work vehicles, including various other construction machinery (e.g., tracked vehicles, motorized graders, dump trucks) and various agricultural or forestry machinery (e.g., combine harvesters, harvesters, balers, mowers, transfer machines, forestry timber harvesters, etc.) and multi-purpose vehicles. Furthermore, although the following describes drive assemblies for installation with pump drives, various aspects of this disclosure are applicable to other applications, particularly drives for driven wheels.

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the driving component

[0041] Reference Figure 1 In some embodiments, the disclosed work vehicle 20 may be a wheeled loader, although, as noted, the drive assembly described herein can be adapted to a variety of machines, such as agricultural vehicles, forestry vehicles (e.g., transporters), and other engineering vehicles (e.g., tracked excavators). As shown, the work vehicle 20 can be considered to include a structural main frame or chassis 22 supporting a work implement 24, which is selectively positioned by various combinations of structural elements (e.g., booms, crossbars, pivot joints, etc.) and controllably moved using any number of actuators (e.g., hydraulic cylinders). The work vehicle 20 can also be considered to include a cab 26, a drivetrain 28, a control system 30, and a hydraulic system 32. The work vehicle 20 can be supported on the ground by wheels or tracks that engage with the ground. In the example shown, the work vehicle 20 includes: a front axle (not shown) mounted with steerable wheels 34 (one on each left / right lateral side of the work vehicle 20); and a rear axle ( Figure 1 (not shown), which is equipped with wheels 36 (one or more on the left / right side of the work vehicle 20).

[0042] Typically, the drivetrain 28 has wheel steering components 38, which include various devices (e.g., power steering pumps and lines, steering mechanisms, etc.) that connect manual steering inputs (e.g., operator steering controllers or steering wheels) and / or automatic steering inputs (e.g., via control system 30) to the wheels, such as steerable wheels 34. The drivetrain 28 includes a propulsion source, such as an engine 40, which provides power to the work vehicle 20. This power is either direct mechanical power or power converted to electrical or hydraulic power. In one example, the engine 40 is an internal combustion engine, such as a diesel engine, with an engine shaft 42 for outputting mechanical power. The engine 40 is controlled by an engine control module of the control system 30. It should be noted that the use of an internal combustion engine is only one example, as the propulsion source can be a fuel cell, a motor, a hybrid gas motor, or other power-generating device.

[0043] In addition to providing traction to propel the work vehicle 20, the engine 40 can also power onboard subsystems, including various electrical and hydraulic components of the work vehicle, and offboard power to other subsystems located away from the work vehicle 20. For example, the engine 40 can provide mechanical power, which is converted into electrical power to operate the electronics of the control system 30 and one or more electric drives of the work vehicle 20. Therefore, the control system 30 may have a mechanical-to-electric conversion unit 44, one or more batteries 46, and associated electronics, including various alternators, generators, voltage regulators, rectifiers, inverters, etc.

[0044] Engine 40 can also provide mechanical power, which is converted into hydraulic power to power various pumps and compressors that pressurize fluid to drive various actuators of hydraulic system 32 to power components of work vehicle 20, such as work implements 24, wheel steering and brakes, and towed work implements (not shown). In this example, work vehicle 20 supports a mounting bracket for work implement 24, which acts as a front loader and can be raised and lowered during operation by one or more hydraulic piston-cylinder devices. Hydraulic system 32 can be coupled to and operated by control system 30 in response to commands from operator input devices (e.g., operator controllers, operator displays, etc.) in or away from work vehicle 20. Hydraulic system 32 may include other components (e.g., valves, fluid lines, pistons / cylinders, seals / gaskets, etc.) to enable control of various devices based on hydraulic, mechanical, or other signals and motions.

[0045] The control system 30 can be configured as a computing device with associated processor equipment and memory architecture, configured as hardwired computing circuits(s), configured as programmable circuits, or configured as a hydraulic, electric, or electrohydraulic controller. The control system 30 can be configured to perform various computational and control functions for the work vehicle 20, including various devices associated with the drivetrain 28, hydraulic system 32, and various additional components of the work vehicle 20. In some embodiments, the control system 30 can be configured to receive various forms of input signals (e.g., hydraulic signals, voltage signals, current signals, etc.) and output various forms of command signals (e.g., hydraulic signals, voltage signals, current signals, mechanical motion such as rotation, etc.). The control system 30 is configured to operate various aspects of the disclosed motors, which may form part of the drivetrain 28 or another subsystem of the work vehicle 20.

[0046] Also refer to Figure 2 An exemplary drive assembly 50 of the drivetrain 28 is shown, comprising a motor 52 and a transmission assembly 54 operatively mated together. The drive assembly 50 can be implemented to transmit power to the wheels 34 of the work vehicle 20. As described above, the drive assembly 50 can additionally or alternatively provide the conversion of electric and / or hydraulic power to various components of the work vehicle 20, for example, by implementing the motor 52 in a power generation mode that provides electricity throughout the vehicle. In this power generation mode, the drive assembly 50 can provide power to one or more of the control system 30, the hydraulic system 32, the power wheel axle that provides traction to the wheels (not shown), etc. In the example shown, the drive assembly 50 is mounted to a pump driver 56 to connect the drivetrain 28 to various hydraulic pumps (not shown) of the work vehicle 20 via an insert mounting base 58. For example, the pump driver 56 includes gears, such as a helical gear set (not shown), to transmit the rotational output from the drive assembly 50, thereby driving the hydraulic pumps mounted in the insert base 58.

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, the pump driver 56 can be connected to the second drive housing 60 and the second motor 62 (e.g., the second motor 62, used as a dedicated generator, forms a motor-generator pair with motor 52). In this arrangement, the second drive housing 60 can also share a volume, and a coolant flow from the combined cooling circuit disclosed herein will be supplied to the two components (motor 52 and drive assembly 54) directly connected in series, as well as the second drive housing 60 and / or the second motor 62, such that the cooling system will be combined to cool the third and fourth components. In some cases, these additional components will be directly coupled together (i.e., through direct mounting and connection to the housing) or connected together via external hoses and fittings.

[0048] In the example shown, the drive assembly 50 includes a drive assembly housing 64 that connects the components of the drive assembly 50 together and securely mounts the drive assembly 50 to the pump driver 56. The drive assembly housing 64 is defined by external components of a motor 52 and a transmission assembly 54, which are fastened together, for example, by bolts. Specifically, the drive assembly housing 64 includes a motor housing 66 and a transmission housing 68, both of which can be formed from one or more rigid cast metal parts. An exemplary motor housing 66 includes a housing 70, an end section 72, and a cover 74 rigidly assembled together to enclose the motor 52. The transmission housing 68 includes a carrier 76 and a gearbox 78 rigidly assembled together to enclose the transmission assembly 54. With this arrangement, the drive assembly housing 64 provides a continuous, generally cylindrical enclosure that retains a volume of coolant fluid (e.g., oil) within the drive assembly 50.

[0049] Also refer to Figure 3 The drive assembly housing 64 encloses a cooling circuit 80 with various channels that delivers coolant from a single coolant source inlet to the motor 52 and the drive assembly 54. Therefore, the cooling circuit 80 is a cooling circuit for the combination of two separate components (i.e., the motor 52 and the drive assembly 54) and provides a single, controlled cooling for these components. The cooling circuit 80 does not require any external hoses or lines to deliver coolant between the motor 52 and the drive assembly 54. Instead, the coolant flow is contained within the drive assembly housing 64 and flows partially through channels formed within it. Specifically, coolant flows from the motor section 82 of the cooling circuit 80 to the drive section 84 of the series-connected cooling circuit 80 through coolant channels that mate in the housing 70 and the carrier 76. In other words, the coolant flows directly and internally through an interface where the motor 52 and the drive assembly 54 are fixedly mounted. In the example shown, outlet block 86 is mounted below drive assembly 50 to deliver used coolant from both motor 52 and transmission assembly 54, which can then be recycled (through various pipelines and fittings) to hydraulic tank or container 87, such as... Figure 4 As shown schematically in the diagram.

[0050] Also refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4The housing 70 of the exemplary motor 52 has a generally hollow annular (e.g., cylindrical) shape, with its outer peripheral surface 88 extending from a first axial end (e.g., drive end 90) to a second axial end (e.g., non-drive end 92) around an axial reference axis R (e.g., drive axis). The drive end 90 may include one or more mounting flanges 94 with multiple mounting holes for attachment (e.g., by bolts 96) to a carrier 76 of the transmission assembly 54 or another nearby fixing component. One or more connectors 98 are arranged on the housing 70 for various purposes, such as powering from the battery 46 of the drive system 28 or the work vehicle 20 and providing a wired electrical connection to the control system 30. The end section 72 of the motor housing 66 is also in a hollow annular shape located at the non-drive end 92, and a cover 74 closes the non-drive end 92.

[0051] The illustrated example motor 52 is a permanent magnet motor comprising a stator 100 and a rotor 102. The stator 100 includes a core 104 arranged annularly coaxially with the rotor 102 and may be formed of a solid core material, multiple stacked laminations, or separate core materials. The stator 100 also includes a coil 106 positioned (e.g., wound) radially inward of the core 104. The coil 106 may include axial end turns 108 extending axially beyond the core 104. Figure 4 As shown, a plurality of slots 110 and a plurality of protrusions 112 are arranged radially inside the core 104. The plurality of slots 110 may be symmetrical and are evenly spaced circumferentially about a reference axis R. When assembled, a portion of the coils 106 of the stator 100 is mounted in the plurality of slots 110 and wound around one or more of the plurality of protrusions 112.

[0052] Rotor 102 has a rotor shaft 114 configured to rotate about a reference axis R. The rotor shaft 114 may be supported for rotation relative to housing 70 by one or more bearings, such as roller bearing assemblies 116 mounted near each of the drive end 90 and the non-drive end 92. The rotor shaft 114 may be integrally formed as a single, monolithic part (extending axially beyond housing 70 for coupling with transmission assembly 54), or it may be a subassembly having two or more parts. Rotor 102 also includes a rotor core 118 mounted to rotate with the rotor shaft 114. The rotor core 118 is formed from a plurality of rotor stacks 120. Figure 4As shown, each of the plurality of rotor stacks 120 carries a plurality of permanent magnets 122 for generating a magnetic field. The plurality of permanent magnets 122 are circumferentially spaced about a reference axis R. The plurality of permanent magnets 122 are arranged with alternating polarities such that rotation of the coils 106 passing through the stator 100 induces an alternating magnetic field. In the example shown, the permanent magnets 122 are arranged in a generally V-shaped repeating configuration. As shown, the rotor shaft 114 may have a splined end at the drive end 90 of the motor 52 for transmitting or receiving rotational mechanical power.

[0053] Typically, the various parts and sections of the motor 52 can be sources of heat during operation. Therefore, the motor section 82 of the cooling circuit 80 distributes coolant throughout the stator 100 and rotor 102. The housing 70 of the motor 52 incorporates various structures for distributing coolant (e.g., liquid oil) around and outwards from the motor 52. The housing 70 has a mating flange 130 located between the drive end 90 and the non-drive end 92. The mating flange 130 includes a coolant inlet 132 for supplying coolant to the cooling circuit 80, which, as described above, is the only direct source of coolant for both the motor 52 and the transmission assembly 54. The housing 70 has a coolant outlet 134 at the drive end 90, formed in one of the mounting flanges 94. The coolant outlet 134 is in fluid communication with the coolant inlet 132. The coolant outlet 134 fluidly connects the motor 52 to the mating transmission assembly 54 at an inlet 136 between the components, thereby allowing a shared coolant supply without separate piping, fittings, etc. It will be understood that in other examples or applications, the coolant outlet 134 may be located at other locations around the housing 70. The housing 70 may be formed as a single piece (e.g., integrally formed from the same material at the same time through the same process) including one or more mounting flanges 94 and mating flanges 130.

[0054] The housing 70 of the exemplary motor 52 includes a coolant passage 140 for providing coolant fluid throughout the motor 52, which, as described above, is generally referred to as the motor segment 82 of the cooling circuit 80. The coolant passage 140 may be integrally formed as a whole part of the housing 70. The end segment 72 and cover 74 of the motor housing 66 may also have the coolant passage 140 formed therein. The coolant passage 140 includes a coolant inlet 132 for receiving a coolant input 144 and a coolant outlet 134 for providing a coolant output 146 to the drive assembly 54. The motor segment 82 may be divided into a stator feed circuit 148 and a rotor feed circuit 150, at least partially formed by the coolant passage 140. An inlet orifice 152 is located in the coolant inlet 132 to meter the coolant flow to the stator feed circuit 148, which also meters the flow to the rotor feed circuit 150 and outward to the drive assembly 54 via the coolant outlet 134. In the example shown, the upper passage 154 of the coolant passage 140 extends from the intersection 156 toward the inlet orifice 152 and then toward the coolant outlet 134. It will be understood that the intersection 156 and the mating flange 130 can be located at any axial position along the housing 70 between the drive end 90 and the non-drive end 92. Used coolant from the motor section 82 can passively flow toward the drive end 90 to be discharged via the carrier 76, the discharge conduit 157, or at other locations along the housing 70, to be collected in the outlet block 86.

[0055] Also refer to Figure 6 An inlet orifice 152 is mounted (e.g., pressure-fitted) in the coolant inlet 132 at its lower region 158. The lower region 158 is the portion of the inlet 132 with a reduced diameter. The inlet orifice 152 may be formed of a metal or polymer material to provide a sealing friction fit with the lower region 158. The inlet orifice 152 has a metering port 160 formed in its base plate 162. The metering port 160 is sized to provide a predetermined desired coolant flow rate through the stator feed circuit 148 of the cooling circuit 80. Figure 3 As shown in the figure, although other relative sizes and shapes can be achieved, the thickness of the base plate 162 of the inlet orifice 152 tapers towards the metering port 160, and the base plate 162 is thicker than the straight wall 166 of the inlet orifice 152. In other examples, the inlet orifice 152 may be permanently mounted (e.g., adhered or welded) in the lower region 158, or the inlet orifice 152 may be integrally formed as a whole part of the housing 70 and / or the mating flange 130 (e.g., formed simultaneously from the same material using the same process).

[0056] like Figure 6As shown in the example, a coolant input 144 for the motor 52 is provided at coolant inlet 132. In this example, connector 168 connects feed line 170 to coolant inlet 132. Coolant input 144 branches within coolant inlet 132 to flow through coolant passage 140, via inlet orifice to stator feed circuit 148, and via crossover point 156 to rotor feed circuit 150 and drive section 84. Crossover point 156 distributes this coolant flow separately to stator feed circuit 148, rotor feed circuit 150, and upper passage 154 (reaching drive section 84 of coolant circuit 80 via inlet 136). In this way, coolant input 144 is a single input providing active, controlled cooling for both motor 52 and drive assembly 54. For motor section 82, metering port 160 of inlet orifice 152 meters the flow into stator feed circuit 148, with the remainder of coolant entering rotor feed circuit 150. Because the coolant flow into rotor feed circuit 150 and drive section 84 is a function of the coolant flow into stator feed circuit 148, inlet orifice 152 metering flows the coolant into both rotor feed circuit 150 and stator feed circuit 148. In use, inlet orifice 152 is easily installed via coolant inlet 132 (e.g., using a hand tool). It will be understood that feed line 170 is supplied with coolant pumped from container 87, thus providing a closed loop for cooling circuit 80.

[0057] The stator feed circuit 148 of the motor section 82 initially extends around the periphery of the housing 70 and has meandering coolant channels 172 in a plurality of axially spaced branches. The meandering coolant channels 172 are formed on the inner circumferential surface 174 of the housing 70. With this arrangement, the coolant flow through the meandering coolant channels 172 makes physical contact with the outer periphery of the core 104 of the stator 100 for direct convective cooling. In the illustrated example with three branches of the meandering coolant channels 172, a substantial contact area is provided between the coolant in the stator feed circuit 148 and the core 104, thereby achieving significant cooling. The meandering coolant channels 172 can then be connected to one or more spray rings 176 (see...). Figure 3 ), to cool the axial end turns 108 of the coil 106 of the stator 100.

[0058] Still referencing Figure 9 The meandering coolant passage 172 of the stator feed circuit 148 can then be connected to one or more spray rings 176 (see...). Figure 3To further cool the stator 100, one or more spray rings 176 are axially mounted on the outside of the core 104 of the stator 100 to direct a spray of coolant onto one or more corresponding axial end turns 108. The spray rings 176 are calibrated to provide the desired spray and cooling characteristics for cooling the stator 100, for example, flowing along the axial end turns 108 and spreading out in a generally sheet-like manner. In some examples, the metering port 160 of the inlet orifice 152 may be sized to provide a flow rate from the spray rings 176 that imparts the desired spray velocity.

[0059] For the stator feed circuit 148 in the example shown, coolant flows from coolant inlet 144 to inlet orifice 152 via intersection 156. Coolant flows through metering port 160 of inlet orifice 152 into meandering coolant channel 172. As shown, coolant in meandering coolant channel 172 flows around most of the circumference of inner circumference surface 174 of housing 70 in the axial central region of housing 70, then the meandering coolant channel 172 branches in two axial directions to allow coolant to flow over most of the circumference of inner circumference surface 174 near the drive end 90 and non-drive end 92 of housing 70. Subsequently, coolant flows into one or more spray rings 176 to spray and contact the axial end turns 108 of coil 106.

[0060] like Figure 3 As shown, the rotor feed circuit 150 of motor segment 82 initially extends axially from intersection 156 toward the non-drive end 92 of motor 52. The rotor feed circuit 150 is arranged to deliver a portion of the coolant input 144 from coolant inlet 132 to and through multiple sections of rotor 102. For this purpose, the rotor feed circuit 150 has an external axial channel 178 that extends axially from intersection 156 toward the non-drive end 92 of motor 52. Subsequently, at the non-drive end 92, an end radial channel 180 extends radially inward toward rotor 102. The axial coolant channel 182 passes through rotor shaft 114 and extends along reference axis R. The axial coolant channel 182 can supply coolant as spline lubricant to rotor shaft 114 at drive end 90.

[0061] The rotor feed circuit 150 branches from the axial coolant passage 182 to deliver coolant to the rotor core 118. Specifically, one or more radial passages 184 intersect the axial coolant passage 182 and extend into the rotor core 118. Continuing from the one or more radial passages 184, the rotor core 118 includes axial coolant passages 186 to allow coolant flow in two axial directions. The axial coolant passages 186 are circumferentially distributed between each V-shape of the permanent magnets 122 to axially deliver coolant throughout the rotor core 118 and between the plurality of rotor stacks 120. The rotor feed circuit 150 may also provide coolant passages that reach the roller bearing assembly 116 via one or more bearing radial passages 188.

[0062] For the rotor feed circuit 150 of the example shown, the coolant flow from coolant input 144 enters the outer axial channel 178 through intersection 156. The coolant then flows radially inward through the end radial channel 180 and into the axial coolant channel 182 of the rotor 102. In the axial coolant channel 182, the coolant flows axially towards the drive end 90, while also branching through one or more radial channels 184 and one or more bearing radial channels 188. The coolant flow branches from one or more radial channels 184 in two axial directions through the axial coolant channel 186, passes through the rotor core 118, and exits. The coolant in the unbranched axial coolant channel 186 can continue through the rotor shaft 114.

[0063] Also refer to Figures 8 to 9 and Figure 12The diagram details a transmission assembly 54, which includes a transmission housing 68 that at least partially houses a gear set 210. In the example shown, the gear set 210 is a planetary gear set, including a sun gear 212, one or more planetary gears 214, a ring gear 216, and a carrier 76. The carrier 76 is non-rotating (e.g., fixed relative to the drive assembly housing 64) and mounts one or more planetary gears 214, causing them to rotate about a reference axis of rotation R. In the example shown, the axis of rotation R of the sun gear 212 is the same as the axis of rotation R of the rotor shaft 114 of the motor 52. The ring gear 216 includes a disc gear 218, which is an annular disc extending from the outer diameter of the teeth or splines meshing with the ring gear 216 to the inner diameter of the teeth or splines meshing with the output shaft 220 of the transmission assembly. In the example shown, the ring gear 216 has two tooth regions 221 and 223 with different numbers and / or configurations of teeth, wherein teeth 221 of the ring gear are configured to mesh with the teeth of the planetary gear 214, and teeth 223 are configured to mesh with teeth at the outer diameter of the disc gear 218. The different numbers / configurations of teeth 221 and 223 allow the ring gear 216 to engage with the planetary gear 214 and the disc gear 218 with different numbers of gear teeth. However, in some cases, the ring gear 216 may have a single toothed or splined segment through its inner diameter that meshes with both the planetary gear 214 and the disc gear 218 with a common tooth ratio. The disc gear 218 is held between a shoulder 225 of the ring gear 216 and a retaining ring 227, which is mounted in an annular groove 229 at the inner diameter of the ring gear 216 within the tooth region 223. The output shaft 220 is supported by one or more bearings (e.g., roller bearing assembly 222) to rotate relative to the drive housing 68.

[0064] Figure 12Two power flows, reflecting the drive mode and the power generation mode, are shown, provided by the drive assembly 50. The gear arrangement and connections of the transmission assembly 54 remain the same in both modes, including a fixed (i.e., grounded) support 76 to prevent rotation. The power flow in the drive mode originates from the motor 52, which serves as the output mechanical power for the motor. The motor 52 can be energized due to the previous power generation mode or selectively energized by other sources such as the battery 46. When energized, the current in the coils 106 of the stator 100 causes the permanent magnets 122 of the rotor 102 to rotate, and thus causes the rotor shaft 114 to rotate. The rotor shaft 114 engages with the sun gear 212 of the planetary gear set 210 in the transmission assembly 54, thereby driving the planetary gear 214 to rotate. Because the support 76 is fixed, the planetary gear 214 cannot rotate within the ring gear 216; therefore, the rotation of the planetary gear 214 drives the rotation of the ring gear 216. The ring gear 216 rotates together with the disc gear 218 and the output shaft 220, thereby outputting mechanical power (e.g., rotation) to the pump driver 56 for transmission to another component of the work vehicle 20. Thus, in drive mode, the gear set 210 of the transmission assembly 54 provides a configuration with input from the sun gear and output from the ring gear, wherein the motor 52 converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.

[0065] In power generation mode, engine 40 initiates a power flow from an external source (e.g., a gear set within pump driver 56 driven by engine shaft 42) that powers drive assembly 50. Rotation from pump driver 56 is transmitted to output shaft 220, which rotates and drives disk gear 218 and ring gear 216, which in turn drive planetary gear 214. Carrier 76 remains stationary, thus planetary gear 214 drives sun gear 212. Sun gear 212 engages with rotor shaft 114 of motor 52, and the resulting rotation of permanent magnet 122 in rotor 102 induces current in coil 106 of stator 100. Therefore, in power generation mode, gear set 210 of transmission assembly 54 provides a configuration with input from ring gear and output from sun gear, where motor 52 converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.

[0066] It should be noted that the output shaft 220 of the transmission assembly 54 can be connected to various subsystems or components of the work vehicle 20, such as the gear assembly (not shown) of the pump driver 56 connected to hydraulic components (e.g., one or more hydraulic pumps (not shown) connected at the support 58 to the pump driver 56). In other embodiments, the output shaft 220 can be connected to other components, such as shock absorbers, mechanical connections to the engine shaft 42, or other auxiliary components of the work vehicle 20. It should be noted that other types of gear sets are also suitable for this disclosure to provide similar gear reduction between the motor 52 and the connected subsystems / components. Such other gear sets can define different axes of rotation (e.g., parallel or perpendicular axes) that are not on the axis of rotation R of the rotor shaft 114.

[0067] In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier 76 of the gear set 210 serves not only to set the gear ratio of the transmission assembly 54, but also as part of the transmission housing 68 and as a transmission segment 84 of the cooling circuit 80. Specifically, the carrier 76 has a radially extending annular disk 230 segment and an axially extending annular peripheral wall 232, both extending about an axial reference axis R (e.g., the drive axis). The annular disk 230 includes a pinion shaft or spindle 234 that extends axially from the annular disk to mount the planetary gear 214. As part of the transmission housing 68, the carrier 76 engages with the gearbox 78 to form the transmission housing 68, which encapsulates the gear set 210 as a discrete component of the drive assembly 50. The carrier 76 engages with the motor 52 to securely mount the transmission assembly 54 to the motor 52 (e.g., by bolts 96). Multiple mounting flanges 240 extend from the peripheral wall 232 of the carrier 76, each mounting flange 240 having a mounting hole 242 for receiving fasteners such as bolts 96 fastened to the motor 52. A double flange 244 of the carrier 76 similarly extends from the peripheral wall 232 and includes mounting holes 246 and interface coolant channels 248. The mounting holes 242 and 246 of the transmission assembly 54 are evenly spaced around the periphery of the carrier 76. Because the mounting holes 246 are symmetrically arranged in the carrier 76, the transmission assembly 54 can be mounted in different orientations required for connection with the motor 52.

[0068] A coolant passage 248 is formed in the end face 250 of the carrier 76 and extends axially to a control orifice 252 to meter the coolant flow into the drive section 84. The control orifice 252 provides a controlled flow of coolant into the drive assembly 54 through a metering port 254 with a diameter 256 configured to provide the desired flow rate to the drive section 84 of the cooling circuit 80. Figure 3 and Figure 7As shown, the interface coolant channel 248 is aligned and fluidly communicated with the coolant outlet 134 of the motor 52 to form an inlet 136 between the respective component and the cooling section. Therefore, the interface coolant channel 248 provides a coolant flow (i.e., coolant output 146) to the drive assembly 54, which is received from the motor section 82 of the cooling circuit 80 for driving the assembly 50. The control orifice 252 can be formed, for example, as an integral part of the carrier 76 by machining, although in other examples, the control orifice 252 can be a discrete part, such as a metal or polymer part, pressure-fitted into the interface coolant channel 248 in the same manner as the inlet orifice 152 discussed above. It should be noted that, as used herein, the term "orifice" refers to a physical structure and may also be referred to as a "restriction plate" in removable applications, and the term does not refer to a general opening in the structure. In particular, an orifice is a structure that includes an opening of a certain size, such as the metering port 160 of the disclosed inlet orifice 152 or the metering port 254 of the control orifice 252, or a similar opening (or narrowing region) that produces desired flow characteristics.

[0069] Figures 10A to 10D and Figure 11 The flow of coolant through the transmission assembly 54 is described in detail. The carrier 76 of the transmission assembly 54 includes a plurality of carrier coolant channels 260 for providing coolant flow through and around the gear set, which, as described above, are generally referred to as the transmission segment 84 of the cooling circuit 80. The carrier coolant channels 260 are formed, for example, within the material of the carrier 76 by drilling and / or machining. The carrier coolant channels 260 begin at an interface coolant channel 248, which extends axially from an inlet 136 to a control orifice 252 and receives the coolant output 146 of the motor 52. The coolant channels 260 of the carrier 76 bend radially inward from the control orifice 252 and include one or more longitudinal channels 262 and one or more transverse channels 264 extending around a region of the carrier 76. For each of the one or more planetary gears 214, the planetary channel 266 extends axially along the spindle 234. After leaving planetary channel 266, the coolant flows into the internal region of planetary gear 214 to lubricate and flow through the bearings supporting planetary gear 214 (e.g., needle roller bearings not shown). Subsequently, the coolant flows radially outward (e.g., downward due to gravity) from planetary gear 214 to ring gear 216 and through the gap 268 between ring gear 216 and the annular disk 230 of carrier 76 (see...). Figure 11 The coolant is collected in the gearbox 78. In this way, during use, the coolant diffuses throughout the gear set 210 to provide a wide range of cooling and lubrication.

[0070] Gearbox 78 includes a collection area 270 so that used oil is passively collected and flows to outlet block 86. (Example) Figure 11 As shown, cooling circuit 80 provides a combined discharge circuit 272 for merging the return coolant from both motor section 82 and drive section 84. As described above, the non-drive end 92 of motor 52 passively discharges coolant into discharge conduit 157 leading to outlet block 86. The drive end 90 of the motor is at least partially mounted within a ledge 274 extending from the support member 76. Drive housing 68 provides a series of recesses and channels for passively guiding used coolant to outlet block 86. Channels 276 are formed in the support member 76, extending axially beyond ledge 274; and axial openings 278 in the annular disc 230 are in fluid communication with the interior of drive housing 68. At this time, coolant discharged from drive section 84 merges with coolant discharged from drive end 90 of motor, and the combined discharge flow gathers in recess 280, which connects to discharge channel 282 leading to outlet block 86. The coolant can be returned from there to container 87 for active or passive cooling, and then pumped back to coolant inlet 132 via feed line 170. Figure 4 ).

[0071] The control orifice 252 of the carrier 76 defines a metering port 254 to meter the flow of coolant to the drive section 84. The metering port 254 of the control orifice 252 can be sized to provide a flow rate sufficient to maintain the desired operating temperature in the drive assembly 54. In some examples, the control orifice 252 can provide a flow rate of approximately 0.5-3 L / min with a diameter 256 of approximately 1-3 mm; in one example, it can provide a flow rate of approximately 1.5-2 L / min with a diameter 256 of approximately 1.4-1.6 mm. The motor 52 will also have the required coolant flow rate sufficient to maintain the desired operating temperature therein. Therefore, cooling of both components (motor 52 and drive assembly 54) can be achieved as long as the flow rate to the cooling circuit 80 is at least the sum of the required flow rates for the motor 52 and the drive assembly 54. Therefore, if the motor 52 requires a coolant flow of 10-12 L / min through the motor section 82 and the transmission assembly requires a coolant flow of 0.5-3 L / min through the transmission section 84, then a coolant input 144 providing a flow rate of 10.5-15 L / min will provide sufficient cooling.

[0072] The drive assembly 54 can also be configured to be mounted in a range of motor sizes (e.g., motor sizes in kilowatt or horsepower rated power), thereby allowing for simplified manufacturing of the drive assembly 50. Considering that the motor 52 has a first power capacity requiring a first coolant flow rate for proper cooling, and can be replaced by various other motors, such as a second motor with a second power capacity requiring a second coolant flow rate (e.g., in…),… Figure 1 The schematically shown 52A) or a third motor with a third power capacity requiring a third coolant flow (e.g., in Figure 1 (52B is schematically shown in the diagram). Using any of these three motors, the control orifice 252 of the carrier 76 is configured to provide the required coolant flow to the transmission assembly 54. The first, second, and third motors (52, 52A, 52B) can be considered as related models or product families, where the range of power capacities has a similar overall form factor. In some examples, the control orifice 252 can be configured to balance the flow of coolant to the transmission assembly 54 while mounting motors 52, 52A, 52B selected from a set of models, including sizes such as 100kW, 120kW, 140kW, 160kW, 180kW, or 200kW. The corresponding required coolant flow rate can be in the range of, for example, 5-25 L / min. Therefore, broadly speaking, if motors 52, 52A, and 52B are selected from this group of motors, and they require a coolant flow rate of 5-25 L / min through motor section 82 and the transmission assembly requires a coolant flow rate of 0.5-3 L / min through transmission section 84, then coolant input 144 will require a flow rate of 5.5-28 L / min. In other examples, the relevant motors could be motors with power ranges of 3-50 kW, 25-100 kW, 100-200 kW, 50-300 kW, or other similar ranges and subranges.

[0073] The above description details one or more exemplary drive assemblies. Within the scope of this disclosure, various other configurations are also possible, including incorporating other components, such as a supplementary motor as a generator, into the combined cooling circuit, and implementing control orifices in different sections of the transmission assembly separate from the carrier. Gear sets can be provided as multi-stage gear sets with multiple gear ratios selectable by a clutch. Furthermore, the drive assembly can be implemented for various applications within a given work vehicle separate from the exemplary pump drive. The drive assembly can also be implemented in other vehicles, other work vehicles, or other industrial applications. On work vehicles, the drive assembly may have various locations and applications, including locations separate from the pump drive, including drive assemblies that drive the wheel axles. The drive assembly can also supplement hydraulic systems and components, such as steering components, hydraulic front-end loaders, or other work implements.

[0074] Enumeration examples of driver components

[0075] In addition, the following examples are provided, numbered for easy reference.

[0076] 1. A drive assembly for a work vehicle, comprising: a transmission assembly having a gear set at least partially housed within a transmission housing and a control port communicating with a drive section of a cooling circuit for the drive assembly, the drive section of the cooling circuit being at least partially housed within the transmission housing; and a motor having a housing coupled to the transmission housing for fixed mounting to the transmission housing, the housing having a coolant inlet and defining a motor section of the cooling circuit for the drive assembly, the motor section being at least partially housed within the housing; wherein a controlled flow of coolant is delivered via the control port from the motor section of the cooling circuit to the drive section of the cooling circuit.

[0077] 2. The drive assembly as described in Example 1, wherein the control orifice has a metering port configured to meter the delivery of coolant to the drive assembly.

[0078] 3. The drive assembly as described in Example 1, wherein the controlled coolant flow is delivered only via the control orifice between the drive section of the cooling circuit and the motor section of the cooling circuit.

[0079] 4. The drive assembly as described in Example 3, wherein the motor is selected from one of a first power capacity requiring a first coolant flow rate, a second power capacity requiring a second coolant flow rate, and a third power capacity requiring a third coolant flow rate; and wherein the control orifice is configured to provide each of the first coolant flow rate, the second coolant flow rate, and the third coolant flow rate.

[0080] 5. The drive assembly as described in Example 1, wherein the transmission assembly includes a gear component having the control orifice; and wherein the gear component forms an interface housing that connects the transmission housing and the outer casing.

[0081] 6. The drive assembly as described in Example 5, wherein the control aperture is a machined portion integrally formed in the gear component.

[0082] 7. The drive assembly as described in Example 5, wherein the gear set of the transmission assembly is a planetary gear set having a sun gear, one or more planetary gears, and a ring gear; and wherein the gear component is a carrier on which one or more planetary gears of the planetary gear set are mounted.

[0083] 8. The drive assembly as described in Example 1 further includes an engine having an engine shaft; and wherein the gear set of the transmission assembly is a planetary gear set having a sun gear, one or more planetary gears, and a ring gear, the ring gear engaging the engine shaft.

[0084] 9. The drive assembly as described in Example 8, wherein the drive assembly is configured to implement a drive mode in which power flows from the motor to the transmission assembly along a first power flow direction; and the drive assembly is configured to implement a power generation mode in which power flows from the engine axis to the transmission assembly to the motor along a second power flow direction.

[0085] 10. The drive assembly as described in Example 9, wherein, in the drive mode, the motor provides power for the rotation of the motor's rotor shaft, the power being transmitted to the sun gear, the one or more planetary gears, and the ring gear, and output to provide mechanical power to another component of the work vehicle; and wherein, in the power generation mode, the engine provides power for the rotation of the engine shaft, the power being transmitted to the ring gear, the one or more planetary gears, and the sun gear, and output to the rotor shaft of the motor to generate electricity.

[0086] 11. The drive assembly as described in Example 1, wherein the motor section of the cooling circuit has a coolant outlet at the axial end of the housing, the coolant outlet being in fluid communication with the control orifice to deliver the coolant flow from the motor section to the drive section of the cooling circuit.

[0087] 12. The drive assembly as described in Example 1, wherein the housing of the motor includes an inlet orifice in the cooling circuit near the coolant inlet, the inlet orifice having a metering port configured to meter the coolant flow to the motor segment of the cooling circuit.

[0088] 13. The drive assembly as described in Example 1, wherein the motor includes a stator and a rotor at least partially housed within the housing, the rotor having a rotor shaft rotatable relative to the stator about a drive axis and engaging with the gear set of the transmission assembly; and wherein the motor segment of the cooling circuit includes a rotor feed circuit and a stator feed circuit.

[0089] 14. The drive assembly as described in Example 13, wherein the housing of the motor includes: an inlet orifice in the cooling circuit adjacent to the coolant inlet, the inlet orifice being configured to meter a coolant flow toward the stator feed circuit; and an annular body having an inner circumferential surface that contacts the outer periphery of the stator; and wherein the stator feed circuit defines one or more meandering coolant channels at least partially recessed in the inner circumferential surface, and coolant travels through the outer periphery of the stator in the coolant channels.

[0090] 15. In other embodiments, a work vehicle is provided having an engine and an engine shaft, the work vehicle comprising: a drive assembly, the drive assembly including: a drive assembly housing for mounting the drive assembly and retaining a volume of coolant within the drive assembly, the drive assembly housing including a transmission housing and an outer housing, the outer housing being coupled to the transmission housing for fixed mounting to the transmission housing; a transmission assembly having a gear set at least partially housed within the transmission housing and having a control port communicating with a drive section of a cooling circuit for the drive assembly, the drive section of the cooling circuit being at least partially housed within the transmission housing; and a motor at least partially housed within the outer housing, the outer housing having a coolant inlet and defining a motor section of the cooling circuit for the drive assembly, the motor section being at least partially housed within the outer housing; wherein a controlled flow of coolant is delivered from the motor section of the cooling circuit to the drive section of the cooling circuit via the control port.

[0091] in conclusion

[0092] The examples discussed above yield several benefits of the disclosed drive assembly. For instance, the drive assembly allows for improved cooling characteristics across the entire motor and drivetrain housing, as well as other downstream components such as the generator, from a single coolant source. Direct coolant flow between the housings of the discrete components (motor and drivetrain) provides an improved and efficient cooling system that requires less coolant and has a compact form factor. Coolant flow is controlled via one or more orifices to provide the necessary flow to each component in series during its single pass through the cooling loop (i.e., before returning to the container). The drive assembly also provides readily available configurability for a range of motors or various paired components in a work vehicle.

[0093] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless explicitly indicated otherwise in the context. It will be further understood that when the terms “comprising” and / or “including” are used in this specification, they specify the presence of the described features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0094] While this disclosure has been described for purposes of illustration and description, it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to its disclosed forms. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The embodiments expressly referenced herein were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of this disclosure and its practical application, and to enable others skilled in the art to understand this disclosure and recognize the many alternatives, modifications, and variations of the described examples. Therefore, various embodiments and implementations other than those expressly described are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A drive assembly (50) for a work vehicle (20), comprising: A transmission assembly (54) having a gear set (210) at least partially housed within a transmission housing (68) and a control port (252) communicating with a transmission segment (84) of a cooling circuit (80) for the drive assembly, the transmission segment (84) of the cooling circuit (80) being at least partially within the transmission housing (68); and The motor (52) has a housing (70) connected to the transmission housing (68) for fixed mounting on the transmission housing, the housing having a coolant inlet and defining a motor section (82) for the cooling circuit (80) of the drive assembly (50), the motor section (82) being at least partially within the housing (70); In this process, a controlled flow of coolant is delivered from the motor section (82) of the cooling circuit (80) to the transmission section (84) of the cooling circuit (80) via the control port (252). The controlled coolant flow is delivered only via the control orifice (252) between the drive section (84) of the cooling circuit and the motor section (82) of the cooling circuit (80); The motors (52, 52A, 52B) are selected from one of a first power capacity requiring a first coolant flow rate, a second power capacity requiring a second coolant flow rate, and a third power capacity requiring a third coolant flow rate; and The control orifice (252) is configured to provide each of the first coolant flow rate, the second coolant flow rate, and the third coolant flow rate.

2. The drive assembly (50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control port (252) has a metering port (254) configured to meter the delivery of coolant to the drive assembly (54).

3. The driving component (50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The transmission assembly (54) includes a gear component (76) having the control port (252); and The gear component (76) forms an interface shell, which connects the transmission housing (68) and the outer shell (70).

4. The driving component (50) as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The control orifice (252) is a machined part integrally formed in the gear component (76).

5. The driving component (50) as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The gear set (210) of the transmission assembly (54) is a planetary gear set, which has a sun gear (212), one or more planetary gears (214), and a ring gear (216); and The gear component (76) is a carrier for one or more planetary gears (214) of the planetary gear set (210) on which the planetary gear set (210) is mounted.

6. The drive assembly (50) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an engine (40) having an engine shaft (42); and in, The gear set (210) of the transmission assembly (54) is a planetary gear set having a sun gear (212), one or more planetary gears (214), and a ring gear (216) that engages with the engine shaft (42).

7. The drive assembly (50) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the drive assembly is configured to implement a drive mode in which power flows from the motor (52) to the transmission assembly (54) in a first power flow direction; and the drive assembly is configured to implement a power generation mode in which power flows from the engine shaft (42) to the transmission assembly (54) to the motor (52) in a second power flow direction.

8. The drive component (50) as claimed in claim 7, wherein, In the drive mode, the motor (52) provides power for the rotation of the rotor shaft (114) of the motor (52), the power being transmitted to the sun gear (212), the one or more planetary gears (214) and the ring gear (216), and output to provide mechanical power to another component (56) of the work vehicle; and In the power generation mode, the engine (40) provides power for the rotation of the engine shaft (42), the power is transmitted to the ring gear (216), the one or more planetary gears (214) and the sun gear (212), and output to the rotor shaft (114) of the motor (52) to generate electricity.

9. The driving component (50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The motor section (82) of the cooling circuit (80) has a coolant outlet (134) at the axial end of the housing (70), the coolant outlet (134) being in fluid communication with the control port (252) to deliver the coolant flow from the motor section (82) to the drive section (84) of the cooling circuit (80).

10. The driving component (50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The housing (70) of the motor (52) includes an inlet orifice (152) in the cooling circuit (80) near the coolant inlet (132), the inlet orifice (152) having a metering port (160) configured to meter the coolant flow to the motor section (82) of the cooling circuit (80).

11. The driving component (50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The motor (52) includes a stator (100) and a rotor (102) at least partially housed within the housing (70), the rotor (102) having a rotor shaft (114) rotatable relative to the stator (100) about a drive axis (R) and engaging with the gear set (210) of the transmission assembly (54); as well as The motor section (82) of the cooling circuit (80) includes a rotor feed circuit (150) and a stator feed circuit (148).

12. The drive component (50) as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The housing (70) of the motor (52) includes: An inlet orifice (152) is located in the cooling circuit (80) near the coolant inlet (132), and the inlet orifice (152) is configured to meter the coolant flow to the stator feed circuit (148). An annular body (70) having an inner circumferential surface (174) that contacts the outer periphery of the stator (100); and The stator feed circuit (148) defines one or more meandering coolant channels (172) that are at least partially recessed in the inner circumferential surface (174) and in which coolant travels through the outer periphery of the stator (100).

13. A work vehicle (20) having an engine (40) and an engine shaft (42), the work vehicle comprising: Drive component (50), the drive component (50) includes: A drive assembly housing (64) is used to install the drive assembly (50) and retain a certain volume of coolant inside the drive assembly (50). The drive assembly housing (64) includes a transmission housing (68) and an outer shell (70). The outer shell (70) is connected to the transmission housing (68) to be fixedly installed on the transmission housing. A transmission assembly (54) having a gear set (210) at least partially housed within the transmission housing (68) and a control port (252) communicating with a transmission segment (84) of a cooling circuit (80) for the drive assembly (50), the transmission segment (84) of the cooling circuit (80) being at least partially within the transmission housing (68); and An electric motor (52) is at least partially housed within the housing (70), the housing having a coolant inlet (132) and defining a motor segment (82) for the cooling circuit (80) of the drive assembly (50), the motor segment (82) being at least partially housed within the housing (70); In this process, a controlled flow of coolant is delivered from the motor section (82) of the cooling circuit (80) to the transmission section (84) of the cooling circuit (80) via the control port (252). The controlled coolant flow is delivered only via the control orifice (252) between the drive section (84) of the cooling circuit and the motor section (82) of the cooling circuit (80); The motors (52, 52A, 52B) are selected from one of a first power capacity requiring a first coolant flow rate, a second power capacity requiring a second coolant flow rate, and a third power capacity requiring a third coolant flow rate; and The control orifice (252) is configured to provide each of the first coolant flow rate, the second coolant flow rate, and the third coolant flow rate.

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