Segmented Drive Module Housing for Stable Lubrication Under Sloshing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lubricant sloshing in drive module assemblies leads to uneven distribution, causing dry spots and overheating of components, particularly in high-performance vehicles during intense maneuvers, which affects the performance and longevity of electric motors.
Innovation Solution
The drive module assembly features two separate housing interiors, each with its own lubricant sump and pump system, preventing cross-contamination and ensuring continuous lubricant supply to components, even during rapid maneuvers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single housing interior is used to contain lubricant for multiple gear trains, then the device complexity is reduced, but the lubricant distribution becomes uneven during intense maneuvers causing dry spots and overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The housing interior is divided into multiple separate compartments (first housing interior, second housing interior, third housing interior) that are fluidly isolated from each other. Each compartment contains its own lubricant sump and supplies lubricant to specific gear trains, ensuring reliable lubricant supply during intense maneuvers while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Ease of operation
If lubricant is allowed to move freely within the housing interior, then the ease of operation is improved, but the lubricant sloshes to one side during intense maneuvers causing dry spots
Solution Approach 1:
The housing interior is segmented into multiple fluidly isolated compartments, each with its own lubricant sump. This segmentation prevents lubricant from sloshing freely across the entire housing while ensuring each compartment maintains adequate lubricant levels for its associated gear train during intense maneuvers.
3Device complexity
If a single pump system is used for the entire housing interior, then the device complexity is reduced, but the pump becomes unable to adequately pump lubricant when it moves to one side
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is segmented into multiple independent pumps (first pump, second pump, third pump), with each pump dedicated to a specific housing interior compartment. This ensures each pump can reliably supply lubricant to its associated gear train regardless of the vehicle's maneuvering, while keeping each individual pump relatively simple in design.
4Temperature
If lubricant is used to cool electric motors, then the temperature control is improved, but the electric motor overheats when lubricant sloshes away from the motor
Solution Approach 1:
The housing interior is segmented into separate compartments, with each compartment containing an electric motor and its associated gear train. Each compartment has its own lubricant sump and pump system, ensuring the motor in each compartment is continuously surrounded by and cooled by lubricant regardless of vehicle maneuvers.
Solution Approach 2:
The lubricant acts as an intermediary cooling medium between the electric motor and the external environment. By segmenting the housing into separate compartments with dedicated lubricant supplies, the lubricant maintains continuous contact with the motor surfaces, ensuring stable cooling performance.
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
This design maintains consistent lubrication and cooling, reducing the risk of overheating and enhancing the reliability and performance of the drive module assembly under extreme conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Lubricant in the drive module assembly is used to lubricate and cool various components, such as the first and second gear trains
Implementation Method 2
the lubricant may interact with various components of the drive module assembly, such as an electric motor, which causes shear of the lubricant and generates heat
Implementation Method 3
when there is a reduced volume of lubricant in the sump, a pump is unable to pull lubricant to adequately pump the lubricant to where the lubricant is needed
Implementation Method 4
Lubricant in the drive module assembly is used to lubricate and cool various components
Data Source
AI summary
A drive module assembly includes a housing defining a housing interior for containing a lubricant. The housing interior is further defined as a first housing interior and a second housing interior. The drive module assembly also includes a first input shaft configured to receive rotational torque from a first power source, a first gear train rotatably coupled to the first input shaft, a first output shaft rotatably coupled to the first gear train, a second input shaft configured to receive rotational torque from a second power source, a second gear train disposed rotatably coupled to the second input shaft, and a second output shaft rotatably coupled to the second gear train. The first housing interior and the second housing interior are fluidly separate from one another.