Self-contained axle module

• US 8,561,735 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Morrow, Jon J., Braun, Eric, Nasr, Nader, Schmiedel, Gary, Schimke, Martin, Verhoff, Donald H., Yakes, Christopher K.
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/576,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20100116569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 180/252, 180/253, 180/254, 180/256, 180/257, 180/65.1, 180/65.5, 180/65.6
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/0114 Independent suspensions on subframes
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/36 for driving tandem wheels
• 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 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

A self-contained axle module for a vehicle having a support structure is provided. The self-contained axle includes a housing removably coupled to the support structure and an output shaft extending from the housing. An electric motor is coupled to the housing and drives the output shaft. Two wheel end assemblies are coupled to the output shaft, and an independent suspension assembly is coupled between each wheel end assembly and the housing, so that the independent suspension assemblies and the wheel end assemblies and the electric motor and the housing are removable from the vehicle as a unit by detaching the housing from the support structure.

Claims

1. A self-contained axle module with independent suspension for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing having a sump portion and an interface portion, wherein the housing is configured to be coupled to a support structure of the vehicle;

an electric motor supported by the interface portion of the housing and disposed along a first axis, wherein the electric motor is rotatably coupled to a gear train positioned within the sump portion of the housing, the gear train having an input along the first axis and a first output and a second output disposed coaxially along a second axis;

a heat exchanger mounted on the housing and configured to provide cooling for a component within the housing from a supplemental cooling source;

a first wheel end assembly coupled to the first output of the gear train;

a second wheel end assembly coupled to the second output of the gear train;

a first independent suspension assembly having a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the first wheel end assembly;

a first spring having a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the first independent suspension assembly;

a second independent suspension assembly having a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the second wheel end assembly; and

a second spring having a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the second independent suspension assembly;

wherein the independent suspension assemblies and the wheel end assemblies and the housing and the electric motor and the gear train and the springs are configured to be removable from the support structure as a unit by removing the housing from the support structure.

2. The self-contained axle module of claim 1, wherein the housing is coupled to a first side plate and a second side plate, and the first side plate and the second side plate are configured to be removably coupled to the support structure.

3. The self-contained axle module of claim 2, further comprising a skid plate coupled to the first and second side plates and configured to protect an underside portion of the housing.

4. The self-contained axle module of claim 1, further comprising a first side plate and a second side plate coupled to the housing, the first side plate and the second side plate having an upper portion and a lower portion, the independent suspension assemblies being coupled to the lower portions and the first ends of the springs being coupled to the upper portions.

5. The self-contained axle module of claim 4, wherein the independent suspension assemblies include at least one of an upper arm and a lower arm, the second ends of the springs being coupled to one of the upper arm and the lower arm.

6. A self-contained axle module system for a vehicle, comprising:

a first self-contained axle module and a second self-contained axle module configured to be coupled to a support structure of the vehicle at any one of a plurality of positions relative to the other, each self-contained axle module comprising;

a housing having a sump portion and an interface portion;

an electric motor coupled to the interface portion and supported along a length of the housing, wherein the electric motor is rotatably coupled to a gear train positioned within the sump portion of the housing;

a power take-off coupled to the gear train and mounted on the housing;

a first wheel end assembly coupled to the gear train with a first half-shaft extending laterally from the housing with respect to the electric motor;

a second wheel end assembly coupled to the gear train with a second half-shaft extending laterally from the housing with respect to the electric motor;

a first independent suspension assembly having a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the first wheel end assembly;

a first spring having a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the first independent suspension assembly;

a second independent suspension assembly having a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the second wheel end assembly; and

a second spring having a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the second independent suspension assembly;

wherein the independent suspension assemblies and the wheel end assemblies and the housing and the electric motor and the gear train and the springs are configured to be removable from the support structure as a unit by removing the housing from the support structure.

7. The self-contained axle module system of claim 6, wherein each housing comprises a first side plate and a second side plate, and the first side plate and the second side plate are configured to be removably coupled to the support structure.

8. The self-contained axle module system of claim 7, wherein each side plate includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the independent suspension assemblies being coupled to the lower portions and the first ends of the springs being coupled to the upper portions.

9. The self-contained axle module system of claim 8, wherein the independent suspension assemblies include at least one of an upper arm and a lower arm, and the second ends of the springs are coupled to one of the upper arm and the lower arm.

10. The self-contained axle module system of claim 7, further comprising a skid plate coupled to the first and second side plates of each housing, the skid plate being configured to protect an underside portion of the housing.

11. The self-contained axle module system of claim 6, further comprising a heat exchanger mounted on each housing.

12. A self-contained axle module with independent suspension for a vehicle, the self-contained axle module comprising:

a housing having a sump portion defining a lateral axis and an interface portion defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the housing is configured to be coupled to a support structure of the vehicle;

an output shaft extending along the lateral axis of the housing and projecting externally from the sump portion;

an electric motor coupled to the interface portion along the longitudinal axis of the housing and operable to rotate the output shaft about the lateral axis of the housing, wherein the electric motor is configured to be coupled to a drive controller, wherein the electric motor selectively receives electrical energy that drives the electric motor or mechanical energy during regenerative braking;

a first wheel end assembly coupled to the output shaft; and

a first independent suspension assembly coupled to the first wheel end assembly and to the housing to permit movement of the first wheel end assembly independent of the housing;

wherein the first independent suspension assembly, the first wheel end assembly, and the housing are removable from the support structure as a unit by removing the housing from the support structure.

13. The self-contained axle module of claim 12, further comprising a second wheel end assembly coupled to the output shaft and a second independent suspension assembly coupled to the second wheel end assembly and to the housing to permit movement of the second wheel end assembly independent of the housing and the first wheel end assembly.

14. The self-contained axle module of claim 13, wherein the output shaft includes a first segment and a second segment, the first segment being coupled to the first wheel end assembly and the second segment being coupled to the second wheel end assembly.

15. The self-contained axle module of claim 14, wherein the housing further comprises a first side plate removably coupled to the support structure of the vehicle and a second side plate removably coupled to the support structure of the vehicle.

16. The self-contained axle module of claim 15, wherein the first independent suspension assembly is coupled to the first side plate, the second independent suspension assembly is coupled to the second side plate.

17. The self-contained axle module of claim 16, wherein the housing is removable from the support structure by removing the first and second side plates from the support structure.

18. The self-contained axle module of claim 14, further comprising a gear train disposed within the housing and rotatably coupled to the electric motor and the output shaft.

19. The self-contained axle module of claim 13, further comprising a first spring and a second spring, wherein the first spring includes a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the first independent suspension assembly and the second spring includes a first end coupled to the housing and a second end coupled to the second independent suspension assembly.