Motor Vehicle Power Take-Off Below Drive Gearbox

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor vehicle and industrial truck power take-off systems face limitations in axle and angle offsets, leading to increased size, high temperatures, stress on auxiliary units, and limited installation space, particularly due to the presence of exhaust after-treatment systems and the need for drive shafts which require maintenance and pose safety risks.

Innovation Solution

The power take-off is positioned below the drive gearbox, eliminating the need for drive shafts and allowing the auxiliary unit to be installed in a cooler, less stressed area with greater freedom of movement, using an auxiliary gearbox for direct coupling to the power take-off shaft, enabling improved axle and angle offsets and reduced installation space requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If drive shafts are used to connect auxiliary units to the power take-off, then the auxiliary units can be positioned at various locations, but the overall vehicle size increases and installation space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning flexibilityVSAvoidvehicle size

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent positions the power take-off vertically below the drive gearbox instead of horizontally, utilizing the vertical dimension. This allows the auxiliary unit to be mounted in the vertical space below the gearbox, eliminating the need for horizontal drive shaft extensions and reducing the vehicle's horizontal footprint while maintaining positioning flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Power

If auxiliary units are positioned near the drive gearbox, then power transfer is efficient, but the auxiliary units are exposed to high temperatures and high stresses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower transfer efficiencyVSAvoidtemperature and stress

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a vertically oriented power take-off shaft as an intermediary element between the drive gearbox and the auxiliary unit. This vertical configuration acts as a mediator that transmits power efficiently while spatially separating the auxiliary unit from the high-temperature and high-stress environment of the gearbox, allowing the auxiliary unit to be positioned in a cooler area below.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If drive shafts are used for power transfer, then auxiliary units can be connected, but maintenance requirements increase and safety risks arise from openly-rotating drive shafts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection capabilityVSAvoidmaintenance and safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the power take-off function directly into the drive gearbox assembly by positioning the power take-off shaft vertically below the gearbox and integrating it with the gearbox output. This integration eliminates the need for separate, openly-rotating drive shafts, reducing maintenance requirements and safety risks while maintaining the capability to connect auxiliary units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11691507B2Motor vehicle

Publication Date: 2023.07.04 SAETA GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

A motor vehicle including a drive gearbox connected to a drive motor of the motor vehicle, a power take-off connected to an auxiliary output of the drive gearbox, and an auxiliary unit connected to the power take-off. The auxiliary unit is coupled with the power take-off such that the auxiliary unit is disposed below the drive gearbox.