IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,635,133
Granted Patent B2
US 11,635,133 · App. 17/494,328 · Granted Apr 25, 2023

Transmission for a motor vehicle, and electric axle drive

Inventors: Michael Griesbach (Langenargen, DE); Thorsten Müller (Friedrichshafen, DE)
Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
F16H57/029F16H57/021F16J15/3228F16J15/3232F16J15/3244F16J15/447H02K11/40B60K17/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,635,133
App. No.
17/494,328
Granted
Apr 25, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes a housing (GG), a shaft (W, GW 2 , DS 1 , DS 2 ) mounted in the housing (GG) and protruding from the housing (GG), a radial shaft seal (DR) having a sealing lip for sealing an oil space (NR) within the housing (GG) with respect to an exterior, a shaft grounding device (E) arranged on an exterior side of the radial shaft seal (DR) for establishing an electrically conductive sliding contact (SK) between the shaft (W, GW 2 , DS 1 , DS 2 ) and the housing (GG), and a sleeve-shaped covering element (C) fixedly connected to the shaft (W, GW 2 , DS 1 , DS 2 ) for protecting the sliding contact (SK) against environmental influences. The shaft grounding device (E) is fixedly connected to the housing (GG). The covering element (C), together with the grounding device (E), forms a labyrinth sealing. An electric axle drive (EA) may include the transmission (G).

Claims (21)

1. A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a housing (GG);

a shaft (W, GW 2 , DS 1 , DS 2 ) mounted in the housing (GG) and protruding from the housing (GG);

a radial shaft seal (DR) comprising a sealing lip for sealing an oil space (NR) within the housing (GG) with respect to an exterior;

a shaft grounding device (E) arranged on an exterior side of the radial shaft seal (DR), the shaft grounding device (E) configured for establishing an electrically conductive sliding contact (SK) between the shaft (W, GW 2 , DS 1 , DS 2 ) and the housing (GG); and

a sleeve-shaped cover (C) fixedly connected to the shaft (W, GW 2 , DS 1 , DS 2 ), the cover (C) configured for protecting the sliding contact (SK) against environmental influences,

wherein the shaft grounding device (E) is fixedly connected to the housing (GG), and the cover (C) and the shaft grounding device (E) collectively form a labyrinth sealing.

2. The transmission (G) of claim 1 , wherein the cover (C) comprises an axially aligned section (C 1 ) that encompasses an axial projection (E 1 ) of the shaft grounding device (E).

3. The transmission (G) of claim 2 , wherein a radial gap (SP 1 ) is defined between the axially aligned section (C 1 ) of the cover (C) and the axial projection (E 1 ) of the shaft grounding device (E).

4. The transmission (G) of claim 1 , wherein the cover (C) comprises a radially aligned projection (C 2 ).

5. The transmission (G) of claim 4 , wherein a radial gap (SP 2 ) is defined between the radially aligned projection (C 2 ) of the cover (C) and the housing (GG).

6. The transmission (G) of claim 4 , wherein:

the cover (C) comprises an axially aligned section (C 1 ) that encompasses an axial projection (E 1 ) of the shaft grounding device (E); and

the radially aligned projection (C 2 ) of the cover (C) adjoins the axially aligned section (C 1 ) of the cover (C).

7. The transmission (G) of claim 1 , wherein the cover (C) is attached on a diameter of the shaft (W) that is larger than a diameter of the sliding contact (SK).

8. The transmission (G) of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the cover (C) forms a shaft-side running surface of the sliding contact (SK).

9. The transmission (G) of claim 1 , wherein the sliding contact (SK) of the shaft grounding device (E) comprises a brush or electrically conductive PTFE elements.

10. The transmission (G) of claim 1 , wherein the shaft (W) comprises an output shaft of the transmission (G).

11. The transmission (G) of claim 1 , further comprising an electric machine (EM) and a power converter (INV) associated with the electric machine (EM).

12. The transmission (G) of claim 1 , wherein the transmission (G) is a planetary automatic transmission, a dual-clutch transmission, an automated transmission, or a CVT transmission.

13. An electric axle drive (EA) for a motor vehicle, comprising the transmission (G) of claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2021
From: GRIESBACH, MICHAEL; MÜLLER, THORSTEN
To: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
Reel/Frame 057704/0962 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2020 212 588.0 · Oct 6, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220107016A1 · Apr 7, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,747,792