Dual-motor electrical transmission and control method
A dual-motor transmission therefor, comprising a first and a second electric traction motor, a first gear arrangement, a second gear arrangement, and a summation box. The first gear arrangement includes a shaft and at least a first gear and a second gear, wherein each of the first and the second gears can be selectively engaged and disengaged with the shaft via a clutch, and the first gear arrangement supplies a first torque from the first motor to the summation box. The second gear arrangement includes a shaft and at least a first gear, wherein the first gear can be engaged and disengaged with the shaft via a clutch, and the second gear arrangement supplies a second torque from the second motor to the summation box, and the summation box is configured to combine the first and second torques and to output a combined output torque.
1. An electric vehicle system, comprising:
a first traction motor coupled to a first gear arrangement;
a second traction motor coupled to a second gear arrangement;
wherein the first gear arrangement includes a first clutch and a second clutch which are each coupled to a corresponding gear; and
wherein the second gear arrangement includes a third clutch which is coupled to a corresponding gear; and
a summation box coupled to the first gear arrangement and the second gear arrangement and including a first output yoke and a second output yoke.
2. The electric vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the first clutch and the second clutch are dog clutches.
3. The electric vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the third clutch is a dog clutch.
4. The electric vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising a control unit configured to adjust the first traction motor and the second traction motor to maintain a simultaneous output torque at the summation box.
5. The electric vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising a power take-off (PTO) coupled to the second gear arrangement.
6. The electric vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the summation box includes an inter-axle differential.
7. The electric vehicle system of claim 6 , wherein the inter-axle differential includes a clutch configured to selectively lock rotation of the first output yoke and the second output yoke.
8. The electric vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising a third gear arrangement connected to the summation box and including a fourth clutch and a fifth clutch.
9. The electric vehicle system of claim 8 , wherein the fourth clutch and the fifth clutch are wet clutches.
10. A method for operation of an electric transmission, comprising:
simultaneously controlling a first traction motor and a second traction motor such that a combined output torque of a summation box in the electric transmission remains constant;
wherein the electric transmission includes:
the first traction motor coupled to a first gear arrangement;
the second traction motor coupled to a second gear arrangement;
wherein the first gear arrangement includes a first clutch and a second clutch which are each coupled to a corresponding gear; and
wherein the second gear arrangement includes a third clutch which is coupled to a corresponding gear; and
the summation box coupled to the first gear arrangement and the second gear arrangement and including a first output yoke and a second output yoke.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising locking an inter-axle differential in the summation box.
12. An electric transmission for an electric vehicle, comprising:
a first electric motor coupled to a first gear arrangement;
a second electric motor coupled to a second gear arrangement;
wherein the first gear arrangement includes a first clutch and a second wet clutch which are each coupled to a corresponding gear; and
wherein the second gear arrangement includes a third clutch which is coupled to a corresponding gear; and
a summation box coupled to the first gear arrangement and the second gear arrangement and including a first output yoke and a second output yoke.
13. The electric transmission of claim 12 , further comprising a power take-off (PTO) directly coupled to the second gear arrangement.
14. The electric transmission of claim 12 , further comprising a third gear arrangement connected to the summation box and including a fourth clutch and a fifth clutch.
15. The electric transmission of claim 14 , wherein the summation box includes an inter-axle differential.