Electric axle with compact electric machine and gearbox arrangement
Systems and methods for an electric axle. The electric axle includes, in one example, a first electric machine directly coupled to a sun gear of a planetary gear set and a second electric machine directly coupled to a carrier of a planetary gear set. The planetary gear set includes a set of planet gears that rotate on the carrier and an output gear that meshes with an input gear in a differential.
1 . An electric axle comprising:
a first electric machine directly coupled to a sun gear of a planetary gear set; and
a second electric machine directly coupled to a carrier of the planetary gear set;
wherein the planetary gear set includes a set of planet gears that rotate on the carrier and a ring gear that meshes with an input gear in a differential;
wherein the first electric machine, the second electric machine, and the planetary gear set are coaxially arranged;
wherein the ring gear includes:
inner teeth that mesh with gears in the set of planet gears; and
outer teeth that mesh with the input gear of the differential; and
wherein the inner teeth and the outer teeth are radially aligned.
2 . The electric axle of claim 1 , wherein the electric axle is a single speed electric axle.
3 . The electric axle of claim 1 , wherein a rotor of the second electric machine is rotationally coupled to the carrier of the planetary gear set.
4 . The electric axle of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure at least partially enclosing the electric axle.
5 . The electric axle of claim 1 , wherein the first electric machine and the second electric machine are axial flux motors.
6 . The electric axle of claim 1 , wherein the electric axle is an electric beam axle.
7 . The electric axle of claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear set is a simple planetary gear set.