Granted Patent B2

US 7,497,796 · App. 11/402,728 · Granted Mar 3, 2009

Abstract

Claims (76)

1. An electro-mechanical transmission comprising:

an electric propulsion motor;

an electric steer motor;

first and second final drive mechanisms; wherein said propulsion motor and said steer motor are operatively connected with said final drive mechanisms;

an input differential gear set;

a first and a second torque transmitting mechanism;

wherein said propulsion motor is operatively connectable with said final drive mechanisms and said input differential gear set via selective engagement of said first and second torque transmitting mechanisms to establish first and second speed ratios, respectively, across said input differential gear set.

2. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 1 , wherein said input differential gear set has a first, a second and a third member;

wherein said first torque transmitting mechanism is a brake selectively engagable to ground one of said members of said input differential gear set to a stationary member; and

wherein said second torque transmitting mechanism is a clutch selectively engagable to connect any two of said members of said differential gear set with one another.

3. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 1 , wherein said input differential gear set has a first, a second, and a third member;

wherein said first member is continuously connected with said propulsion motor, said second member is selectively connected with said first member via said second torque transmitting mechanisms and with a first stationary member via said first torque transmitting mechanism; and further comprising:

an output cross shaft operatively connected with said first and second final drive mechanisms and positional axially therebetween;

wherein said third member is operatively connected with said output cross shaft.

4. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 3 , further comprising:

first and second combining differential gear sets each having a first, a second, and a third member;

wherein said first member of each said first and second combining differential gear sets is continuously connected with said output cross shaft;

wherein said second member of each said first and second combining differential gear sets is operatively connected with said steer motors; and

wherein said third member of each said first and second combing differential gear sets is operatively connected with said first and said second final drive mechanisms, respectively.

5. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 4 , further comprising;

a first brake selectively engagable to ground said third member of said first combining differential gear set with one of said first stationary member and a second stationary member; and

a second brake selectively engagable to ground said third member of said second combining differential gear set with one of said first stationary member, said second stationary member and a third stationary member.

6. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 5 , wherein said respective stationary member to which said respective third members are grounded circumscribes said respective combining differential gear sets.

7. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 3 , further comprising:

a steer cross shaft offset from and substantially parallel with said output cross shaft; and

wherein said steer motor is operatively connectable with said first and second final drive mechanisms via said steer cross shaft.

8. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 1 , further comprising:

a motor housing circumscribing at least one of said motors;

a stationary member; and

an axial clamp;

wherein said motor housing is connectable to said stationary member via said axial clamp; wherein said axial clamp is tightenable to secure said motor housing to said stationary member and releasable to release said motor housing from said stationary member; wherein said axial clamp is accessible from outside of said motor housing and said stationary member, thereby permitting removal of said motor from said stationary member for serviceability.

9. An electro-mechanical transmission comprising:

an electric propulsion motor;

an electric steer motor;

a first and a second final drive mechanism; wherein said propulsion motor and said steer motor are operatively connectable with said first and second final drive mechanisms;

an output cross shaft operatively connected with said first and second final drive mechanisms and axially therebetween;

an input differential gear set connected between said propulsion motor and said output cross shaft;

a first torque-transmitting mechanism selectively engagable to establish a first speed ratio through said input differential gear set;

a second torque transmitting mechanism selectively engagable to establish a second speed ratio through said input differential gear set; said input differential gear set and said first and second torque-transmitting mechanisms thereby establishing a two-speed range package between said propulsion motor and said final drive mechanisms.

10. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 9 , wherein said input differential gear set has a first, a second and a third member;

wherein said first torque transmitting mechanism is a brake selectively engagable to ground one of said members of said input differential gear set to a stationary member; and

wherein said second torque transmitting mechanism is a clutch selectively engagable to connect any two of said members of said differential gear set with one another.

11. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 9 , wherein said input differential gear set is a planetary gear set having a ring gear member, a sun gear member, and a carrier member;

wherein said first torque-transmitting mechanism is a brake selectively engagable to ground said ring gear member to a stationary member;

wherein said second torque-transmitting mechanism is a clutch selectively engagable to connect any two of said members of said planetary gear set.

12. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 9 , wherein said input differential gear set has a first, a second, and a third member;

wherein one of said members of said input differential gear set is operatively connected with said propulsion motor;

wherein another of said members of said input differential gear set is operatively connected with said output cross shaft, and further comprising:

a first combining planetary gear set having a first, a second, and a third member; and

a second combining planetary gear set having a first, second, and a third member;

wherein said first combining planetary gear set is connected between said output cross shaft and said first final drive mechanism; wherein said second combining planetary gear set is connected between said output cross shaft and said second final drive mechanism;

wherein said output cross shaft is connected to said first member of each of said respective combining planetary gear sets;

wherein said steer motor is operatively connected to said second member of each of said respective combining planetary gear sets; and

wherein said third member of said first combining planetary gear set is operatively connected with said first final drive mechanism and said third member of said second combining planetary gear set is operatively connected with said second final drive mechanism.

13. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 12 , wherein said first members of said combining planetary gear sets are ring gear members; wherein said second members of said combining planetary gear sets are sun gear members; and wherein said third members of said combining planetary gear sets are carrier members.

14. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 12 , further comprising:

a first brake selectively engagable to ground said third member of said first combining planetary gear set with a first stationary member; and

a second brake selectively engagable to ground said third member of said second combining planetary gear set with one of said first stationary member and a second stationary member.

15. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 14 , wherein said respective stationary member to which said respective third members are grounded circumscribes said respective combining planetaries.

16. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 9 , further comprising:

a steer cross shaft offset from and substantially parallel with said output cross shaft; and

wherein said steer motor is operatively connectable with said first and second final drive mechanisms via said steer cross shaft.

17. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 9 , further comprising:

a motor housing circumscribing at least one of said motors;

a stationary member; and

an axial clamp;

wherein said motor housing is connectable to said stationary member via said axial clamp; wherein said axial clamp is tightenable to secure said motor housing to said stationary member and releasable to release said motor housing from said stationary member; and wherein said axial clamp is accessible from outside of said motor housing and said stationary member, thereby permitting removal of said motor from said stationary member for serviceability.

18. An electro-mechanical transmission comprising:

a propulsion motor module having a propulsion motor housing encircling a propulsion motor; wherein the propulsion motor has a stator and a rotor;

a steer motor module having a steer motor housing encircling a steer motor; wherein the steer motor has a stator and a rotor;

first and second final drive mechanisms;

wherein said propulsion motor and said steer motor are both operatively connectable with said final drive mechanisms;

at least one stationary member at least partially surrounding at least one of said final drive mechanisms and axially abutting one of said motor housings; and

an axial clamp circumscribing abutted portions of said one of said motor housings and said at least one stationary member and tightenable for selectively connecting said one of said motor housings to said at least one stationary member and releasable for selectively releasing said one of said motor housings from said at least one stationary member.

19. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 18 , wherein said axial clamp is a first axial clamp; wherein said at least one stationary member includes a first stationary member and a second stationary member; wherein said first stationary member is connected with said one of said motor housings via said first axial clamp, wherein said second stationary member axially abuts the other of said motor housings, and further comprising:

a second axial clamp circumscribing abutted portions of the other of said motor housings and said at least one stationary member and tightenable for selectively connecting the other of said motor housings to said second stationary member and releasable for selectively releasing said other of said motor housings from said second stationary member.

Assignments (18)