Electric Drive Unit Assembly Nested Shaft Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electric drive units for vehicles lack cost efficiency and superior packaging, and they do not offer high transmission ratios, which are essential for modern vehicles aiming to reduce fuel costs and emissions.
Innovation Solution
A drive unit assembly that includes one or more motors connected to a planetary gear assembly with a sun gear, planetary gears, and a carrier, integrated with a differential input member and axle connect/disconnect device, allowing for selective engagement and disengagement to achieve high torque and speed ratios through a complex gear system and clutch mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional electric drive unit is used, then the vehicle structure is simple, but the packaging is not superior and transmission ratios are not high
Solution Approach 1:
The first shaft is disposed within a hollow portion of the second shaft, creating a nested configuration where one shaft is positioned inside another. This nesting arrangement maximizes space utilization and achieves superior packaging efficiency while maintaining a compact overall drive unit structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The planetary gear assembly, differential assembly, and shafts are integrated into a unified drive unit structure where multiple components are combined and interconnected. The first and second shafts are drivingly connected to the planetary gear assembly, which is in turn connected to the differential assembly, creating a merged compact structure that achieves high transmission ratios in a limited space.
2Power
If high transmission ratios are achieved through a complex gear system, then torque and speed multiplication is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The axle connect and disconnect device enables dynamic engagement and disengagement of the differential assembly from the planetary gear assembly. This dynamic capability allows the system to achieve high transmission ratios when needed while simplifying the operational state when the differential connection is not required, effectively managing complexity through conditional engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The planetary gear assembly serves multiple functions: it provides high transmission ratios through its gear configuration, connects both the first and second shafts to the differential assembly, and works in conjunction with the axle connect and disconnect device to enable versatile operational modes. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A drive unit assembly. The drive unit assembly includes one or more first motors drivingly connected to at least a first end portion of a first shaft. A planetary gear assembly having a sun gear, one or more planetary gears, a ring gear and a carrier. At least a portion of the sun gear is drivingly connected to at least a portion of a second end portion of the first shaft and the carrier is drivingly connected to at least a portion of the one or more planetary gears. A differential input member is drivingly connected to at least a portion of the carrier and a differential assembly. At least a portion of a first axle half shaft is drivingly connected to the differential and is disposed within a hollow portion of said first shaft and a second axle half shaft is drivingly connected to the differential assembly.