IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,744,431
Granted Patent B2
US 12,744,431 · App. 18/700,034 · Granted Sep 22, 2026

Circulation sump device for an electric drive unit of a vehicle

Inventors: Benjamin Krank (Munich, DE); Ferdinand Weidinger (Munich, DE); Bernhard Wolf (Munich, DE)
Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
H02K9/193F16H57/0452F16H57/0475F16N7/40F16N31/00H02K7/116F16N2210/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,744,431
App. No.
18/700,034
Granted
Sep 22, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A circulation sump device for an electric drive unit of a motor vehicle, which can be lubricated and/or temperature-controlled via a lubricant, comprising a lubricant sump with a first axial region and a second axial region, a lubricant reservoir which extends below the lubricant sump in the first axial region and is connected to the lubricant sump via a lubricant drain opening, and a lubricant sump pump line which is designed to pump lubricant out of the second axial region of the lubricant sump into the lubricant reservoir.

Claims (47)

1 . A circulation sump device for an electric drive unit of a motor vehicle, which can be lubricated and/or temperature-controlled via a lubricant, comprising:

a lubricant sump having a first axial region and a second axial region,

a lubricant reservoir which extends below the lubricant sump in the first axial region and is connected to the lubricant sump via a lubricant outflow opening, and

a lubricant sump-to-pump line which is specified to pump lubricant from the second axial region of the lubricant sump into the lubricant reservoir.

2 . The circulation sump device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first axial region contains a position of stator end windings on a first side of a stator core of the drive unit, and the second axial region contains a position of stator end windings on a second side.

3 . The circulation sump device according to claim 1 , wherein:

a reservoir pump is disposed in the lubricant sump-to-pump line.

4 . The circulation sump device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the lubricant sump-to-pump line is disposed in the second axial region so as to proceed from a stator core-distal axial end of a machine housing and/or of the lubricant sump.

5 . The circulation sump device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the lubricant outflow opening in the first axial region is disposed on a stator core-distal axial end of a machine housing and/or of the lubricant reservoir and/or of the lubricant sump.

6 . The circulation sump device according to claim 1 , wherein:

a conveying outlet from the lubricant reservoir is disposed at or close to an axial position of the lubricant outflow opening.

7 . The circulation sump device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the lubricant reservoir also extends in the second axial portion.

8 . The circulation sump device according to claim 1 , wherein:

a baffle is disposed in the lubricant reservoir, wherein a pressurized oil inlet of the lubricant sump-to-pump line and the conveying outlet from the lubricant reservoir are disposed on the same side of the baffle.

9 . The circulation sump device according to claim 8 , wherein:

the baffle is specified to impede a flow of lubricant proceeding from the first axial region to the second axial region.

10 . The circulation sump device according to claim 1 , wherein:

provided between the lubricant reservoir and the second axial region of the lubricant sump is a connecting line for balancing a lubricant filling level and/or venting the lubricant reservoir.

11 . The circulation sump device according to claim 1 , wherein:

a conveying pump, which is disposed in a conveying line that proceeds from the conveying outlet, and the reservoir pump are designed with a common pump drive.

12 . An electric drive unit for a motor vehicle, comprising:

an electric drive machine in a machine housing,

an output transmission in a transmission housing, and

a circulation sump device according to claim 1 .

13 . The electric drive unit according to claim 12 ,

wherein:

the lubricant sump of the circulation sump device is formed in the machine housing on both sides of a stator core of the drive machine.

14 . The electric drive unit according to claim 12 ,

wherein:

a transmission lubricant sump of the transmission housing can empty by way of an overflow into the lubricant sump of the circulation sump device in the machine housing.

15 . The electric drive unit according to claim 12 ,

wherein:

the lubricant reservoir is disposed below the machine housing and extends between the conveying outlet and the beginning of the lubricant sump-to-pump line in a transverse direction of the drive unit.

16 . The circulation sump device according to claim 8 , wherein:

the baffle is curved about the pressurized oil inlet.

17 . The circulation sump device according to claim 11 , wherein:

the conveying pump and the reservoir pump are designed as a two-stage lubricant pump.

18 . The circulation sump device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the lubricant sump-to-pump line proceeds from the second axial region into where the lubricant reservoir is disposed in the first axial region.

19 . The circulation sump device according to claim 10 , wherein:

the connecting line is disposed remote from the lubricant sump-to-pump line.

20 . The electric drive unit according to claim 12 , wherein:

a drive axle of the electric drive machine runs in a vehicle transverse direction such that the first axial region and the second axial region of the lubricant sump are distinguished by their vehicle transverse position.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 19, 2024
From: KRANK, BENJAMIN; WEIDINGER, FERDINAND; WOLF, BERNHARD
To: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 067160/0393 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2021 133 902.2 · Dec 20, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240339895A1 · Oct 10, 2024
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