Open-Air Electric Axle Cradle for Strength and Service Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cradle assemblies for electric axles in hybrid and electric vehicles lack the necessary strength and stiffness to support the weight of electric machines and transmissions while allowing for easy maintenance and repair without disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A cradle assembly design featuring end caps with integrated spring seats, tubular portions, and motor mounts that securely house and support electric motors and gearboxes, allowing for easy access and maintenance without disassembly, and includes a skid plate for protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the cradle assembly is designed with sufficient strength and stiffness to support the weight of electric machines and transmissions, then the structural support capability is improved, but the complexity of disassembly and reassembly for maintenance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cradle assembly is segmented into modular components including end caps, tube portions, and motor mounts that can be independently removed. This allows maintenance personnel to access the electric machine and transmission without disassembling the entire cradle structure, thus maintaining structural integrity while enabling easy repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric machine and transmission are extracted as separate removable components from the cradle assembly. The motor mounts are designed to facilitate easy removal and reinstallation of these components, allowing maintenance without compromising the overall structural strength of the cradle.
2Strength
If the cradle assembly uses integrated spring seats and tubular portions for structural support, then the strength-to-weight ratio is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring seats are integrated directly into the end caps as unified components rather than separate parts. This merging of functions reduces the total number of components and assembly steps while maintaining the structural strength and stiffness provided by the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The end caps serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, incorporate spring seats for vibration isolation, and feature tubular portions for structural reinforcement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining high strength-to-weight ratio.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cradle assembly includes motor mounts attached to tube portions for securing electric machines, then the stability of motor mounting is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tube portions are strategically positioned and sized to provide optimal mounting locations for the motor mounts. This localized structural reinforcement ensures stable motor mounting only where needed, rather than requiring complex reinforcement throughout the entire cradle assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor mounts are designed to attach to the tube portions in a nested configuration, where the mounts integrate with the existing tubular structure. This nesting approach provides stable mounting while avoiding additional external components that would increase overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A cradle assembly for housing and supporting a motor and a gearbox of an electric axle assembly. The cradle assembly has generally an “open air” design which provides a space for a motor and/or gearbox to be positioned within a pre-assembled cradle assembly and allows for easy access to the motor and gearbox for maintenance. The cradle assembly includes two end caps, a plurality of tube portions connecting the end caps and a plurality of motor mounts for supporting the motor and gearbox.