Drive system for electric car

• US 5,419,406 A
• Filed: 10/23/1992
• Issued: 05/30/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Hasebe, Masahiro, Kawamoto, Mutsumi, Miyaishi, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Application Number:
  US07/964,630
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.5, 180/65.6, 180/65.1, 180/60, 180/216, 180/242, 180/297, 310/112, 310/148, 475/5, 475/6, 475/150
• US Class Current: 180/65.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/046 with planetary gearing having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/001 one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0038 the motor moving together with the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/00 Arrangement or mounting of control devices for vehicle transmissions, or parts thereof, not otherwise provided for movable cabs having special adaptations of vehicle control devices B62D33/06; such control devices per se F16D, F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0021 specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

A drive system for an electric vehicle includes a plurality of motors and reduction gearing, including planetary gearing, for power transmission from the motors to the wheels of the electric vehicle. The motors and the reduction gearing are coaxially arranged so that they can be mounted in axial alignment with and between the right-hand and left-hand wheels of the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A drive system for a wheeled electric vehicle comprising:

a pair of drive wheels;

a pair of electric motors, each motor having a stator, a roar and a rotor spindle on which said rotor is mounted, said rotor spindles being axially aligned;

a pair of reduction gear means, each reduction gear means including planetary gearing and an output shaft for transmitting power from one of said motors to one of said drive wheels of the electric vehicle; and

a single common casing, said motors and said pair of reduction gear means being mounted in said common casing, said common casing including;

a pair of first sections, each of said first sections having a circumferential wall, to which said stator is fixed, and an end wall bearing a rotor spindle, said first sections being joined together at one end and each of said first sections having an opening at an end opposite said one end; and

a pair of second sections, each of said second sections closing the opening of one of said first sections and supporting the output shaft of said reduction gear means.

2. A drive system for a wheeled electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said reduction gearing means comprises a pair of planetary gear sets, each of said planetary gear sets transmitting power from at least one of said plurality of electric motors to one of said output shafts.

3. A drive system for mounting on the chassis of an electric vehicle, said drive system comprising:

right-hand and left-hand drive wheels, mounted on the chassis, for propelling the electric vehicle;

a plurality of electric motors, each of said motors including rotors mounted on rotor spindles, the rotor spindles of two of said plurality of said motors being axially aligned with each other;

engagement means for connecting said spindles to each other for rotation together; and

engaging force control means for controlling the engaging force of said engagement means responsive to rotational speed of one of said electric motors.

4. A drive system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said engagement means is a multiple disk clutch operable by hydraulic pressure and wherein said engaging force control means controls said hydraulic pressure to said multiple disk clutch responsive to said rotation speed.

5. A drive system for a wheel in an electric vehicle comprising a pair of drive wheels, said drive system comprising:

a plurality of electric motors, each motor driving a central spindle;

a pair of output shafts for transmitting power from said drive unit to said pair of drive wheels;

a plurality of reduction gear means, each coaxially mounted on one of said central spindles, for transmitting power from said central spindles to said pair of output shafts, said spindles and said shafts being mounted axially aligned with and between said pair of wheels of the electric vehicle; and

a phase sensor and a gear unit, connecting said phase sensor to one of said electric motors, for transmitting rotation from said one electric motor to said phase sensor.

6. A drive system for mounting on the chassis of an electric vehicle, said drive system comprising:

right-hand and left-hand drive wheels, mounted on the chassis, for propelling the electric vehicle;

a plurality of electric motors, each of said motors including rotors mounted on rotor spindles, the rotor spindles of two of said plurality of said motors being axially aligned with each other;

engagement means for connecting said spindles to each other for rotation together; and

engaging force control means for controlling the engaging force of said engagement means responsive to a differential in rotation of said right-hand and left-hand drive wheels.