IP Library Granted Patent US 12,344,088
Granted Patent B2
US 12,344,088 · App. 17/768,267 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Drive device for an electrically drivable motor vehicle, and motor vehicle

Inventors: Norbert Amann (Munich, DE); David Bock (Carterton, GB); Christophe Lafaye (Vaterstetten, DE)
Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
B60K17/22B60K1/02H02K7/006H02K11/33B60Y2400/61
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,344,088
App. No.
17/768,267
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drive device has two electric drive machines for distributing the torque between two wheels of an axle of a motor vehicle and an inverter unit which is electrically connected to the drive machines for converting an electrical DC signal into a drive-machine-specific electrical AC signal. The two drive machines are arranged spaced apart from one another in the axial direction to form an intermediate space, and components of the inverter unit are arranged in a first area, located in the intermediate space and oriented in a first direction transversely with respect to the axial direction, of the drive device, and in a second area, adjoining the intermediate space and oriented parallel to the axial direction, of the drive device, to form a low-inductance, T-shaped inverter architecture.

Claims (28)

1. A drive device for an electrically drivable motor vehicle, the drive device comprising:

two electric drive machines for distributing torque between two wheels of an axle of the motor vehicle; and

an inverter which is electrically connected to the drive machines for converting an electrical DC signal, which is provided by an energy provider of the motor vehicle, into a drive machine-specific electrical AC signal, wherein:

the two drive machines are arranged spaced apart from one another in an axial direction to form an intermediate space, wherein the axial direction extends between centers of the drive machines,

components of the inverter are arranged in a first region, which is located in the intermediate space and is oriented perpendicular to the axial direction, of the drive device and in a second region, which adjoins the intermediate space and is oriented parallel to the axial direction, of the drive device to form a low-inductance, T-shaped inverter architecture, and

at least one of the components of the inverter is arranged along the axial direction between the centers of the drive machines.

2. The drive device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drive machines are arranged symmetrically in relation to one another along the axial direction.

3. The drive device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the drive machines are n-phase drive machines and the inverter is a 2*n-phase inverter which has, as the components, first components which are jointly usable by both drive machines and drive machine-specific second components, and

the first components are arranged in the first region of the drive device and the second components are arranged in the second region of the drive device.

4. The drive device according to claim 3 ,

wherein the jointly usable first components are at least one of a filter, a DC link capacitor, or a plug-in connector for connection to the energy provider.

5. The drive device according to claim 3 , wherein:

the drive machine-specific second components are power modules for converting the electrical DC signal, which is provided by the energy provider, into the electrical AC signal for the drive machines,

a first power module of the power modules for the first drive machine is arranged on a side of the second region that faces the first drive machine, and

a second power module of the power modules for the second drive machine is arranged on a side of the second region that faces the second drive machine.

6. The drive device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the first power module and the second power module are arranged symmetrically in relation to one another along the axial direction, so that the side of the second region that faces the first drive machine is structurally identical to the side of the second region that faces the second drive machine.

7. The drive device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drive machines are installed in a second direction transversely with respect to the axial direction and have a cylindrical outer geometry, so that the intermediate space has a funnel-shaped cross section.

8. The drive device according to claim 7 , wherein:

the drive machines are arranged in a common housing, and

an outer contour of a housing top side of the housing follows the cylindrical outer geometries of the drive machines, so that the housing top side has two convex portions, which are formed by the cylindrical outer geometries of the drive machines and are arranged spaced apart from one another, and the intermediate space of funnel-shaped cross section is in a form of a groove-like recess of the housing top side with inwardly curved side walls.

9. The drive device according to claim 8 , wherein:

the drive machines have connections for electrical connection to the inverter, and

the connections are arranged in a region of an apex of the convex portions.

10. An electrically drivable motor vehicle comprising the drive device according to claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2022
From: AMANN, NORBERT; BOCK, DAVID; LAFAYE, CHRISTOPE
To: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 060202/0985 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2019 132 776.8 · Dec 3, 2019 · national
Continuity (2)
Related Publication 20240131924A1 · Apr 25, 2024
Related Publication 20240227549A9 · Jul 11, 2024
References Cited (40)
US 6166498A · Yamaguchi et al. · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 8875825B2 · Asakura · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9511660B2 · Braun et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9566851B2 · Kawamura · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 9821650B2 · Falls · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10336178B2 · Albl · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10486512B2 · Bassis · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10773581B2 · Scharlach · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11165308B2 · Albl · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11588423B2 · Yamada · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20090243443A1 · Aoki · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20110094807A1 · Pruitt et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110259657A1 · Fuechtner · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20120329594A1 · Sada et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20140202781A1 · Soma et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160052380A1 · Miyazawa et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160185232A1 · Suzuki · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160311310A1 · Muenst · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20180035573A1 · Taguchi et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180339583A1 · Hirai · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190123665A1 · Apelsmeier et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200274462A1 · Schiedermeier et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 102130534A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
CN 104302506A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 106068197A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 107650670A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 109698643A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 111591147A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 114571971A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
DE 69934728T2 · 2007 [cited by applicant]
DE 102010032106A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
DE 202013011046U1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
DE 112014001863T5 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
DE 102020129729A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
EP 3352345A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2020001860A1 · 2020 [cited by examiner]
International Search Report (PCT/ISA/210) issued in PCT Application No. PCT/EP2020/080866 dated Mar. 24, 2021 with English translation (eight (8) pages). [cited by applicant]
German-language Written Opinion (PCT/ISA/237) issued in PCT Application No. PCT/EP2020/080866 dated Mar. 24, 2021 (ten (10) pages). [cited by applicant]
German-language Search Report issued in German Application No. 10 2019 132 776.8 dated Jun. 21, 2021 with partial English translation (18 pages). [cited by applicant]
Chinese-language Office Action issued in Chinese Application No. 202080064576.8 dated Nov. 20, 2023 with English translation (19 pages). [cited by applicant]