All-wheel drive motor vehicle

• US 7,464,779 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Company KG (Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Company KG (Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Grabmaier, Norbert, Helf, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US11/413,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20060243512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.8, 180/65.2, 180/65.6, 180/65.7, 180/65.1, 180/308, 180/197, 180/248, 318/400.12, 318/721, 318/139
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/043 Transmission unit disposed in on near the vehicle wheel, or between the differential gear unit and the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/22 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of main drive shafting, e.g. cardan shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0061 the motor axle being parallel to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0015 the motor being hydraulic
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An all-wheel drive motor vehicle having at least two wheel axles and comprising an electrical or hydraulic drive unit having a plurality of electric or hydraulic motors connected to an electrical or hydraulic energy source. Each motor is associated with a drive wheel and drives such wheel via a transmission. The motors that are associated with a given one of the wheel axles are adapted to be coupled with one another via a shiftable transverse locking device. At least one of the motors on a first side of the vehicle is adapted to be coupled, via a shiftable longitudinal locking device, with one of the motors associated with a different one of the wheel axles on the same side or on a second side of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An all-wheel drive motor vehicle having at least two wheel axles, comprising:

an electrical or hydraulic drive unit having a plurality of electric or hydraulic motors, connected to an electric or hydraulic energy source, wherein each motor is associated with a drive wheel and drives such wheel via a transmission, wherein the motors that are associated with a given one of said wheel axles are adapted to be coupled with one another via shiftable transverse locking means, and wherein at least one of said motors on a first side of the vehicle is adapted to be coupled, via a shiftable longitudinal locking means, with one of said motors that is associated with a different one of said wheel axles on the same side of the vehicle or on a second side of the vehicle.

2. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each of said motors disposed on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the vehicle drives the associated wheel via a transmission and a universal joint shaft that extends transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and wherein the transmissions associated with a given one of said wheel axles are disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and are adapted to be coupled with one another via said shiftable transverse locking means.

3. A motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said transmissions associated with a given one of said wheel axles, and said shiftable transverse locking means, are disposed within a common housing, and wherein said motors are disposed on outer walls of said housing that extend in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

4. A motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said motors on one side of the vehicle is adapted to be coupled, via a universal joint shaft that extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a shiftable longitudinal locking means, with that motor that is disposed on the subsequent wheel axle and on the other side of the vehicle.

5. A motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein coupling of the motor on one side of the vehicle with the motor of the subsequent wheel axle on the other side of the vehicle is effected via at least one additional transmission and at least one shiftable longitudinal locking means.

6. A motor vehicle according to claim 5, wherein said at least one additional transmission is disposed on said outer walls of said common housing, and wherein the motors are disposed on outer sides of the additional transmission.

7. A motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein coupling of the motor on one side of the vehicle with the motor of the subsequent wheel axle on the other side of the vehicle is effected via additional shafts that are each guided through the transmission that is associated with that motor.

8. A motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein at least one motor on one side of the vehicle is adapted to be coupled, via a universal joint shaft that extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a shiftable longitudinal locking means, with the motor that is disposed on the subsequent wheel axle and is on the same side of the vehicle.

9. A motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein on both sides of the vehicle the motors that are associated with a given wheel axle are adapted to be coupled with the motors that are associated with the subsequent wheel axle.

10. A motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the motors that is adapted to be coupled with a motor of the subsequent wheel axle has a drive shaft that extends to both sides, wherein one end of said drive shaft is connected with the transmission of this motor, and wherein the other end of the drive shaft is connected via the universal joint shaft that extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and said shiftable longitudinal locking means with a drive shaft of the subsequent or the preceding wheel axle.

11. A motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein with at least one of the motors that is adapted to be coupled with a motor of the subsequent wheel axle, the connection of the drive shaft with the universal joint shaft that extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and leads to the motor of the subsequent or preceding wheel axle is effected via an additional shaft that is guided through the transmission of this motor.

12. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said motors that are associated with said drive wheels are each disposed in wheel hubs thereof and drive the associated drive wheel directly or via a transmission, and wherein with at least one of said wheel axles the two motors thereof are respectively connected, via a universal joint shaft that extends in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, with a shiftable transverse locking means by means of which said motors are adapted to be coupled.

13. A motor vehicle according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said motors on one side of the vehicle is connected, via the universal joint shaft that extends in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and leads to the transverse locking means, with an intermediate transmission that is adapted to be coupled, via at least one shiftable longitudinal locking means and a universal joint shaft that extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, as well as a further intermediate transmission, with a universal joint shaft that extends in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and leads to a motor of the subsequent wheel axle on the other side of the vehicle.

14. A motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein said transverse locking means or said intermediate transmissions, or said transverse locking means and said intermediate transmissions, are disposed on or immediately adjacent to said longitudinal axis of said vehicle.

15. A motor vehicle according to one of the claim 1, wherein said shiftable transverse locking means or said shiftable longitudinal locking means, or said shiftable transverse locking means and said shiftable longitudinal locking means, are embodied as couplings that operate in a force-locking manner.

16. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said shiftable transverse locking means and/or said shiftable longitudinal locking means are embodied as couplings that operate in a force-locking manner.