Clockable Gearbox Electric Drive Unit for Axle Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles require custom-designed electric drivetrains for front and rear axles due to differing packaging constraints, leading to increased costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A modular electric drive unit with a motor housing and gearbox housing that can be mounted at multiple rotational positions, using a common pattern of openings for fasteners and an adapter plate to achieve alignment, allowing the same configuration to be used on both axles, reducing the need for custom designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom-designed electric drivetrains are used for front and rear axles to meet different packaging constraints, then packaging adaptability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The motor housing and gearbox housing are designed with universal mounting features including a circular pattern of openings that can accommodate multiple rotational positions. This allows the same electric drive unit to be installed on both front and rear axles with different packaging constraints, eliminating the need for custom designs for each application.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing designs incorporate a clockable gearbox mechanism with multiple predetermined rotational positions, allowing the gearbox to be oriented in different directions relative to the motor housing. This dynamic positioning capability enables adaptation to various packaging layouts without modifying the fundamental design of the electric drive unit.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom-designed electric drivetrains are used for front and rear axles, then packaging adaptability is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By designing universal motor and gearbox housings with standardized mounting patterns and multiple rotational positions, the same components can be manufactured in volume for both front and rear axle applications. This eliminates the need for separate custom manufacturing processes for each application, significantly reducing per-unit costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric drive unit is designed as a modular system with separable motor housing and gearbox housing that can be assembled in different configurations. This segmentation allows for standardized mass production of individual modules that can then be combined in various orientations to meet different packaging requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If the gearbox is fixed at a single rotational position, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to different axle placements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gearbox housing incorporates a clockable mounting mechanism with multiple predetermined rotational positions, allowing the gearbox to be oriented in different directions relative to the motor housing. This dynamic positioning capability maintains manufacturing simplicity through standardized components while providing adaptability to various axle placements and packaging layouts.
Data Source
AI summary
An electric drive system for a vehicle includes a motor housing and a gearbox housing that is mountable to the motor housing at a predetermined number of rotational positions.