Integrated EV Drive Housing With Compact Gear-Differential Layout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric drive systems for motor vehicles lack a compact design, leading to increased space requirements, complexity, and higher costs due to multiple housing parts and sealing surfaces.
Innovation Solution
An integrated electric drive system with a one-piece drive housing enclosing the electric machine and gear unit, including a differential, and a modular design with flange joints, minimizing housing parts and sealing surfaces, and incorporating a gear unit with switchable spur gear pairs and planetary gear sets for compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple housing parts are used to enclose the electric machine and differential, then the assembly can be manufactured separately and assembled, but the number of sealing surfaces increases and the overall size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electric machine housing and differential housing into a single integrated housing structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate housing parts and their associated sealing surfaces, thereby reducing the overall volume while maintaining manufacturability through modular internal design.
Solution Approach 2:
The single housing structure serves multiple functions: it encloses the electric machine, encloses the differential, and provides mounting surfaces for both assemblies. This multi-functional design reduces the number of separate components needed while keeping manufacturing straightforward.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple housing parts with multiple sealing surfaces are used, then assembly flexibility is improved, but sealing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the housing parts into a single integrated structure, the patent eliminates multiple sealing surfaces and their associated gaskets and seals. This reduces sealing complexity significantly while maintaining assembly flexibility through the modular arrangement of internal components.
3Volume of moving object
If a compact design is pursued with integrated housing, then space requirements are reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated housing is designed with segmentable internal structures that allow separate assembly of the electric machine and differential units. This segmentation enables manufacturing of components separately and assembly into the compact integrated housing, reducing installation space without excessively increasing manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested arrangement where the electric machine and differential are positioned within the same housing space in a compact, space-efficient manner. This nesting approach minimizes the overall volume while maintaining manufacturability through standardized mounting interfaces.
4Ease of repair
If housing parts are separated into multiple components, then assembly and disassembly are easier, but the number of parts and sealing surfaces increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple housing parts into a single integrated housing, reducing the total number of parts and sealing surfaces. Assembly ease is maintained through modular internal components that can be accessed and serviced without disassembling the entire housing structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves a significantly compact and cost-effective design with reduced installation space and sealing efforts, enhancing drivability and assembly ease while maintaining efficient torque transmission.
Implementation Method 1
The electric drive system has a first electric machine with a first rotor that can be driven by means of a first stator and can be rotated relative to a housing about a machine axis of rotation
Implementation Method 2
The gear unit has two gear wheels arranged coaxially to the first input shaft, namely a first gear wheel and a second gear wheel, and two gear wheels arranged coaxially to the output shaft, namely a third gear wheel and a fourth gear wheel
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an electric drive system (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising an electric machine (20) with a rotor (24). A differential (38) with a differential gear (40) is provided. A gear unit (58) is provided, which is arranged in the torque flow between the rotor (24) and the differential gear (40) with respect to a torque flow emanating from the electric machines (20), and has a first input shaft (60) an output shaft (68) arranged parallel and axially offset to the first input shaft (60) and at least two gear wheels (72, 74) arranged coaxially to the first input shaft (60), namely a first gear wheel (72) and a second gear wheel (74), and two gear wheels (76, 78) arranged coaxially to the output shaft (68), namely a third gear wheel (76) and a fourth gear wheel (78).