All-wheel drive vehicle

• US 7,500,931 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Rosemeier, Thomas, Pelchen, Christoph, Baasch, Detlef, Mair, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, HA DINH
• Application Number:
  US11/581,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20070087885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 475/5, 477/3, 180/248
• US Class Current: 475/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/346 the transfer gear being a differential gear
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/0808 for varying torque distribution between driven axles, e.g. by transfer clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/11 having intermeshing planet gears

Abstract

A vehicle with a drive engine, with at least two vehicle axles and a transmission unit for variable distribution of drive torque from the drive engine in the vehicle'"'"'s longitudinal direction between the vehicle'"'"'s axles. The transmission unit is made with an input shaft and at least two output shafts, at least two planetary gearsets and an electric machine arranged between two mutually connected shafts of the planetary gearsets for distribution of the torque delivered via the transmission input shaft between the transmission output shafts as a function of a torque produced by the electric machine. The electric machine is in active connection with the transmission unit connecting between the two interconnected shafts of the planetary gearsets and the planetary gearsets are made with different transmission ratios so that the electric machine is driven by virtue of a speed difference between the actively interconnected shafts of the planetary gearsets.

Claims

1. An all-wheel drive vehicle (1) having

a drive engine (5),

at least two vehicle axles (2, 3), and

a transmission unit (7) for variable distribution of drive torque from the drive engine (5), in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, between the vehicle'"'"'s axles (2, 3), the transmission unit (7) having a transmission input shaft (10) and at least two transmission output shafts (11, 12, 13), at least two planetary gearsets (14, 15, 18) and an electric machine (16) arranged between two mutually connected shafts (14A, 15A) of the planetary gearsets (14, 15) for the variable distribution of torque delivered by the transmission input shaft (10) between the at least two transmission output shafts (11, 12, 13) as a function of a torque produced by the electric machine (16), the electric machine (16) actively communicating with the transmission unit (7) in an area of a connection between the two mutually connected shafts (14A, 15A) of the planetary gearsets (14, 15), and the planetary gearsets (14, 15) having different transmission ratios such that, during a direct start, the electric machine (16) is driven by virtue of a speed difference between the two mutually connected shafts (14A, 15A) of the planetary gearsets (14, 15).

2. The all-wheel drive vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the drive engine (5) is aligned transverse to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

3. The all-wheel drive vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the drive engine (5) is aligned along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

4. The all-wheel drive vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit (7) has three transmission output shafts (11, 12, 13).

5. The all-wheel drive vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a web (14D) of a first planetary gearset (14) is formed with a differential cage (19A) of a differential (19) which is provided to distribute a portion of the torque delivered by the transmission input shaft (10), via the transmission unit (7), to first and second of the at least two transmission output shafts (11, 12), between the first and second output shafts (11, 12).

6. The all-wheel drive vehicle according to claim 5, wherein a differential (19) is arranged in a housing (9) of the transmission unit (7).

7. The all-wheel-drive vehicle according to claim 4, wherein a web (15D) of a second planetary gearset (15) is formed with a bevel gear (20) which meshes with a bevel gear (21) of a third transmission output shaft (13).