Patent Description:
This invention relates to the field of vehicles, and in particular, to a vehicle transmission apparatus and a vehicle having the same.

In the related art, such as the one derivable from <CIT>, the existing vehicle transmission apparatus is formed by a motor, an input shaft, a speed reducer, an output shaft, a planetary speed reducer, a brake, and a hub. The speed reducer includes an input gear, an intermediate shaft, a primary driven gear, a secondary driven gear, and an output gear. The planetary speed reducer includes a sun gear, a planetary gear, a planetary carrier, and a ring gear.

In addition, the motor is connected to the input shaft. Power is inputted through the input shaft. The input gear is connected to the input shaft, and rotates with the input shaft at the same rotational speed. The input gear is meshed with the primary driven gear. The intermediate shaft is fixed to a speed reducer casing through a bearing. The primary driven gear and the secondary driven gear are connected to the intermediate shaft. The secondary driven gear is connected to an output gear. The output gear and the sun gear are connected to an output shaft. The sun gear is meshed with the planetary gear. The planetary gear is meshed with the ring gear. The ring gear is fixed. The planetary gear is connected to the planetary carrier. The planetary carrier is connected to the hub. The brake is connected to the hub. The vehicle transmission apparatus implements double speed reduction and torque increasing by using the speed reducer and the planetary speed reducer to satisfy the power performance of an entire vehicle.

The speed reducer uses two sets of separate two-stage speed reduction transmission gears, resulting in a relatively large axial size of the speed reducer. This is disadvantageous to widen an aisle of a passenger car. In addition, the vehicle transmission apparatus has a complex structure and poor operating reliability. Further, a specific power transmission route is as follows: the driving motor, the input shaft, the input gear, the primary driven gear, the intermediate shaft, the secondary driven gear, the output gear, the output shaft, the sun gear, the planetary gear, the planetary carrier, and the hub, resulting in low transmission efficiency.

This invention aims to resolve at least one of the technical problems existing in the related art. Therefore, an objective of this invention is to provide a vehicle transmission apparatus. The structure of the vehicle transmission apparatus is more compact, which helps widen an aisle of a vehicle.

This invention further provides a vehicle.

The vehicle transmission apparatus according to this invention includes a motor and a speed reducer, where the speed reducer includes a speed reduction gear set, the speed reduction gear set includes an input gear, an intermediate gear, and an output gear, the input gear is connected to the motor, and at least one intermediate gear is provided and is meshed between the input gear and the output gear; and rotational centers of the input gear and the output gear are not on the same straight line.

In the vehicle transmission apparatus according to this invention, through the cooperation of the motor and the speed reducer, the structure of the vehicle transmission apparatus becomes more compact, which helps widen an aisle of a vehicle. Moreover, the structure of the vehicle transmission apparatus also becomes simpler, which can improve the transmission efficiency of the vehicle transmission apparatus.

In some embodiments of this invention, a plurality of intermediate gears are provided, which are all meshed between the input gear and the output gear.

According to some embodiments of this invention, two intermediate gears are provided, and the two intermediate gears are symmetrically distributed on two sides of a line connecting the rotational centers of the output gear and the input gear.

According to some embodiments of this invention, the rotational center of the input gear and rotational centers of the intermediate gears are on the same line.

According to the invention, the vehicle transmission apparatus further includes a planetary gear mechanism in transmission connection with the output gear, where the planetary gear mechanism includes a sun gear, a planetary gear, a planetary carrier, and a ring gear, the planetary gear is disposed on the planetary carrier, the planetary carrier is meshed between the sun gear and the ring gear, the sun gear is connected to the output gear, the ring gear is fixed to a hub of a wheel, and the planetary carrier is fixed.

According to the invention, the speed reducer includes a first housing, and the planetary carrier is fixed to the first housing.

According to the invention, the planetary gear mechanism includes a second housing, the sun gear, the planetary gear, the planetary carrier, and the ring gear are disposed in the second housing, the ring gear is connected to the second housing, and the second housing is fixed to the hub.

According to some embodiments of this invention, a circle of inner teeth are formed on an inner wall of the second housing, and the circle of inner teeth form the ring gear of the planetary gear mechanism.

According to some embodiments of this invention, an output shaft is disposed between the sun gear and the output gear, and the output shaft is integrated with the sun gear.

According to some embodiments of this invention, after passing through the input gear, the intermediate gear, the output gear, the sun gear, the planetary gear, and the ring gear sequentially, power of the motor is outputted to the hub of the wheel.

According to some embodiments of this invention, the vehicle transmission apparatus further includes a planetary gear mechanism in transmission connection with the output shaft of the output gear, where the planetary gear mechanism includes a sun gear, a planetary gear, a planetary carrier, and a ring gear, the planetary gear is disposed on the planetary carrier, the planetary carrier is meshed between the sun gear and the ring gear, the sun gear is connected to the output shaft, the planetary carrier is fixed to the hub of the wheel, and the ring gear is fixed.

According to some embodiments of this invention, the speed reducer includes a first housing, and the input shaft, the intermediate shaft, and the output shaft that are fixed in the first housing, the input gear is disposed on the input shaft, the intermediate gear is disposed on the intermediate shaft, the output gear is disposed on the output shaft, and the ring gear is fixed to the first housing.

According to some embodiments of this invention, the planetary gear mechanism includes a second housing, the sun gear, the planetary gear, the planetary carrier, and the ring gear are disposed in the second housing, the planetary carrier is connected to the second housing, and the second housing is fixed to the hub.

According to some embodiments of this invention, after passing through the input gear, the intermediate gear, the output gear, the sun gear, the planetary gear, and the planetary carrier sequentially, the power of the motor is outputted to the hub of the wheel.

According to some embodiments of this invention, a radius of the output gear is greater than a radius of the input gear and radius of the intermediate gear.

A vehicle according to this invention includes the foregoing vehicle transmission apparatus.

Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be given in the following description, some of which will become apparent from the following description or may be learned from practices of this invention.

Embodiments of this invention are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, where the same or similar elements or the elements having same or similar functions are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals throughout the description. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and used only for explaining this invention, and should not be construed as a limitation on this invention.

A vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of this invention is described below with reference to <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> according to this embodiment of this invention includes a motor <NUM> and a speed reducer <NUM>. The speed reducer <NUM> may include a speed reduction gear set <NUM>. The speed reduction gear set <NUM> may include an input gear <NUM>, an intermediate gear <NUM>, and an output gear <NUM> that are vertically arranged. The input gear <NUM> is connected to the motor <NUM>. At least one intermediate gear <NUM> may be provided. That is, one or more intermediate gears <NUM> are disposed. In addition, the intermediate gear <NUM> is meshed between the input gear <NUM> and the output gear <NUM>. Rotational centers of the input gear <NUM>, the intermediate gear <NUM>, and output gear <NUM> are not on the same line. For example, lines connecting the rotational centers of the input gear <NUM>, the intermediate gear <NUM>, and the output gear <NUM> may form an equilateral triangle, an isosceles triangle, or may another shape.

In the speed reducer <NUM>, the input gear <NUM>, the intermediate gear <NUM>, and the output gear <NUM> are arranged in the same vertical direction, so that the structure of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> becomes simpler, and the structure of the speed reducer <NUM> may become more compact in an axial direction. In addition, the width of the aisle of a vehicle is mainly related to an axial width of the speed reducer <NUM>. The speed reducer <NUM> adopts first-stage gear transmission, which directly reduces the axial width of the first-stage gear mechanically. Therefore, a size of the speed reducer <NUM> can be reduced. This helps widen a drive axle housing, to maximize the width of the aisle in the vehicle, so that the aisle of the vehicle is widened. In addition, such gear meshing arrangement can disperse the torque of the input gear <NUM>, and enhance the torque transmission capability of the speed reducer <NUM>, thereby improving the transmission efficiency of the power.

Further, the structure of the speed reducer <NUM> can be further simplified through an external meshing structure of the input gear <NUM>, the intermediate gear <NUM>, and the output gear <NUM> in the speed reducer <NUM>, to achieve higher machining accuracy. The input gear <NUM>, the intermediate gear <NUM>, and the output gear <NUM> of the speed reducer <NUM> have few meshing points, and the meshing points are symmetrical, to improve a load balancing effect, so that a bearing capacity of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> can be improved. In addition, the few meshing points may also reduce energy loss, so that the transmission efficiency of the speed reducer <NUM> can be improved. Moreover, the few meshing points and the improvement of the machining accuracy can improve the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance.

Therefore, through the cooperation of the motor <NUM> and the speed reducer <NUM>, the structure of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> becomes more compact, which helps widen the aisle of the vehicle, and the structure of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> also becomes simpler, which can improve the transmission efficiency of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM>.

In some examples of this invention, a plurality of intermediate gears <NUM> may be provided. In other words, two or more intermediate gears <NUM> may be provided, and the plurality of intermediate gears <NUM> are all meshed between the input gear <NUM> and the output gears <NUM>. With such arrangement, the power can be split, to reduce load on gears and bearing parts, so that the load capacity of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> can be further improved. In addition, the intermediate gears <NUM> can be better mounted between the input gear <NUM> and the output gear <NUM>, to better pass power of the input gear <NUM> to the output gear <NUM>, so that the transmission efficiency of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> can be further improved.

In some examples of this invention, as shown in <FIG>, two intermediate gears <NUM> may be provided. The two intermediate gears <NUM> are symmetrically distributed on two sides of a line connecting the rotational centers of the output gear <NUM> and the input gear <NUM>. It should be noted that as shown in <FIG>, the two intermediate gears <NUM> are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the input gear <NUM>. The intermediate gears <NUM> are meshed with the input gear <NUM>. The output gear <NUM> is meshed with both of the two intermediate gears <NUM>. Such arrangement makes the quantity of the disposed intermediate gears <NUM> more appropriate, to simplify the structure of the speed reducer <NUM>. In addition, the two intermediate gears <NUM> are completely the same. Such arrangement can reduce types of the gears, thereby reducing the development costs.

In some examples of this invention, the rotational centers of the input gear <NUM> and the intermediate gear <NUM> may be on the same line. Such arrangement can offset a radial force exerted on the input gear <NUM>, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the speed reducer <NUM>, and further improving the NVH performance of the vehicle.

In some examples of this invention, as shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> further includes a planetary gear mechanism <NUM> in transmission connection with the output gear <NUM>. The planetary gear mechanism <NUM> includes a sun gear <NUM>, a planetary gear <NUM>, a planetary carrier <NUM> and a ring gear <NUM>. The planetary gear <NUM> is disposed on the planetary carrier <NUM>. The planetary gear <NUM> may hollowly sleeve the planetary carrier <NUM> by using a bearing, and the planetary gear <NUM> can rotate on its own. The planetary gear <NUM> is meshed between the sun gear <NUM> and the ring gear <NUM>. The sun gear <NUM> is connected to the output gear <NUM>. The ring gear <NUM> is fixed to a hub <NUM> of a wheel <NUM>. The planetary carrier <NUM> is fixed.

When the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> operates, after the output gear <NUM> passes the power to the sun gear <NUM>, the sun gear <NUM> drives the planetary gear <NUM> to rotate. During rotation, the planetary gear <NUM> drives the ring gear <NUM> to rotate, and then the ring gear <NUM> drives the hub <NUM> to rotate. Finally, the power is passed to the wheel <NUM>. Such arrangement can achieve the purpose of passing the power to the wheel <NUM>. In addition, compared with a speed reducer of the existing vehicle transmission apparatus, the speed reducer <NUM> of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> in this invention has a shorter axial distance and a better bearing capacity.

In some examples of this invention, the speed reducer <NUM> may include a first housing <NUM>. The planetary carrier <NUM> is fixed to the first housing <NUM>. It should be noted that the planetary carrier <NUM> may be fixed to the first housing <NUM> by using a nut. After the planetary carrier <NUM> is fixed to the first housing <NUM>, the planetary carrier <NUM> cannot rotate, where the nut provides good fastness. With such arrangement, the planetary carrier <NUM> can be firmly mounted on the first housing <NUM>, so that the planetary carrier33 can be prevented from coming off the first housing <NUM>.

In some examples of this invention, as shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, the planetary gear mechanism <NUM> may include a second housing <NUM>. The sun gear <NUM>, the planetary gear <NUM>, the planetary carrier <NUM>, and the ring gear <NUM> are disposed in the second housing <NUM>. The second housing <NUM> can protect the sun gear <NUM>, the planetary gear <NUM>, the planetary carrier <NUM>, and the ring gear <NUM>, and can prevent the sun gear <NUM>, the planetary gear <NUM>, the planetary carrier <NUM>, and the ring gear <NUM> from being damaged, thereby prolonging the service life of the sun gear <NUM>, the planetary gear <NUM>, the planetary carrier <NUM>, and the ring gear <NUM>.

In addition, the ring gear <NUM> is connected to the second housing <NUM>. The second housing <NUM> is fixed to the hub <NUM>. It should be noted that the second housing <NUM> may be connected to the hub <NUM> by using a bolt <NUM>. An end cover <NUM> may be connected to the second housing <NUM> by using a bolt. With such arrangement, the second housing <NUM> and the hub <NUM> can be firmly mounted together, to prevent the second housing <NUM> from being separated from the hub <NUM>, thereby ensuring the operating reliability of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM>.

In some examples of this invention, a circle of inner teeth may be formed on an inner wall of the second housing <NUM>. The circle of inner teeth can form the ring gear <NUM> of the planetary gear mechanism <NUM>. With such arrangement, the hub <NUM> and the ring gear <NUM>, can be integrated, to make the structure of the speed reducer <NUM> simpler, thereby achieving higher transmission efficiency. In addition, such arrangement also makes the overall structure of the second housing <NUM> and the ring gear <NUM> more compact, thereby reducing a volume of the planetary gear mechanism <NUM>, omitting a process of disposing the ring gear <NUM> independently, and reducing the quantity of parts of the planetary gear mechanism <NUM>, so that the structure of the planetary gear mechanism <NUM> becomes simpler, and the structure of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> is thus simplified.

In some examples of this invention, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, an output shaft <NUM> may be disposed between the sun gear <NUM> and the output gear <NUM>. The output shaft <NUM> may be integrated with the sun gear <NUM>. When the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> operates, the power of the speed reducer <NUM> may be passed to the sun gear <NUM> by using the output shaft <NUM>. Such arrangement can improve the overall structure strength of the sun gear <NUM> and the output shaft <NUM>, to prevent a connection between the sun gear <NUM> and the output shaft <NUM> from being broken, so that the sun gear <NUM> does not separate from the output shaft <NUM>, thereby ensuring the sun gear <NUM> to rotate with the output shaft <NUM> at the same speed.

In some examples of this invention, as shown in <FIG>, after passing through the input gear <NUM>, the intermediate gear <NUM>, the output gear <NUM>, the sun gear <NUM>, the planetary gear <NUM>, and the ring gear <NUM> sequentially, the power of the motor <NUM> may be outputted to the hub <NUM> of the wheel <NUM>. Through double speed reduction and torque increasing implemented by the speed reducer <NUM> and the planetary gear mechanism <NUM>, the power performance of the entire vehicle can be satisfied.

In some examples of this invention, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> may further include a planetary gear mechanism <NUM> in transmission connection with the output shaft <NUM> of the output gear <NUM>. The planetary gear mechanism <NUM> may include a sun gear <NUM>, a planetary gear <NUM>, a planetary carrier <NUM>, and a ring gear <NUM>. The planetary gear <NUM> may be disposed on the planetary carrier <NUM>. The planetary gear <NUM> is meshed between the sun gear <NUM> and the ring gear <NUM>. The sun gear <NUM> is connected to the output shaft <NUM>. The planetary carrier <NUM> is fixed to the hub <NUM> of the wheel <NUM>. The ring gear <NUM> is fixed. When the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> operates, the planetary carrier <NUM> drives the hub <NUM> to rotate, to finally pass the power to the wheel <NUM>. Such arrangement can achieve the purpose of passing the power to the wheel <NUM>.

In some examples of this invention, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the speed reducer <NUM> may include the first housing <NUM>, and an input shaft <NUM>, an intermediate shaft <NUM>, and the output shaft <NUM> that are fixed in the first housing <NUM>. The input gear <NUM> may be disposed on the input shaft <NUM>. The intermediate gear <NUM> may be disposed on the intermediate shaft <NUM>. The output gear <NUM> may be disposed on the output shaft <NUM>. The ring gear <NUM> is fixedly connected to the first housing <NUM>.

The motor <NUM> is connected to the input shaft <NUM>. The power is inputted through the input shaft <NUM>. The input gear <NUM> may be rigidly connected to the input shaft <NUM>. In addition, the input gear <NUM> may rotate with the input shaft <NUM> at the same speed. The intermediate shaft <NUM> may be fixed to the first housing <NUM> by using a bearing. The intermediate shaft <NUM> can rotate freely. The intermediate gear <NUM> may be rigidly connected to the intermediate shaft <NUM>. The output gear <NUM> may be rigidly connected to the output shaft <NUM>. With such arrangement, the input gear <NUM> can be firmly mounted on the input shaft <NUM>, the intermediate gear <NUM> can be firmly mounted on the intermediate shaft <NUM>, and the output gear <NUM> can be firmly mounted on the output shaft <NUM>.

In some example of this invention, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the planetary gear mechanism <NUM> may include the second housing <NUM>. The sun gear <NUM>, the planetary gear <NUM>, the planetary carrier <NUM>, and the ring gear <NUM> may be disposed in the second housing <NUM>. The planetary carrier <NUM> is connected to the second housing <NUM>. The second housing <NUM> is fixed to the hub <NUM>. Because the planetary carrier <NUM> is connected to the second housing <NUM>, the power is directly outputted to the hub <NUM> through the second housing <NUM>.

In some example of this invention, after passing through the input gear <NUM>, the intermediate gear <NUM>, the output gear <NUM>, the sun gear <NUM>, the planetary gear <NUM>, and the planetary carrier <NUM> sequentially, the power of the motor <NUM> is outputted to the hub <NUM> of the wheel <NUM>. Such arrangement can reduce loss of the power, to further improve the transmission efficiency of the power.

In some examples of this invention, a radius of the output gear <NUM> is greater than a radius of the input gear <NUM> and a radius of the intermediate gear <NUM>. Such arrangement can implement a speed reduction function of the speed reducer <NUM>, and can enable the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> to meet operating requirements.

In some examples of this invention, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> may further include a brake <NUM>. The brake <NUM> may include a brake air chamber <NUM>, a brake caliper <NUM>, a brake disc <NUM>, and a brake disc fixing bolt <NUM>. The brake disc <NUM> may be connected to the hub <NUM> by using the brake disc fixing bolt <NUM>. The brake air chamber <NUM> is connected to the brake caliper <NUM>. The brake caliper <NUM> is fixed to the first housing <NUM>.

The planetary gear mechanism <NUM> outputs a high speed reduction ratio: Z35/Z31, where Z35 is the quantity of teeth of the hub <NUM>, and Z31 is the quantity of teeth of the sun gear <NUM>, so as to satisfy power performance of the entire vehicle.

A vehicle according to the embodiments of this invention includes the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> in the foregoing embodiments. The vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> is disposed on the vehicle, so that the structure of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> becomes more compact, which helps widen an aisle of the vehicle, and the structure of the vehicle transmission apparatus <NUM> also becomes simpler, which can improve the transmission efficiency of the vehicle.

In the descriptions of this specification, descriptions using reference terms "an embodiment", "some embodiments", "an exemplary embodiment", "an example", "a specific example", or "some examples" mean that specific characteristics, structures, materials, or features described with reference to the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of this invention. In this specification, exemplary descriptions of the foregoing terms do not necessarily refer to a same embodiment or example. In addition, the described specific features, structures, materials, or features can be combined in a proper manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

Claim 1:
A vehicle transmission apparatus (<NUM>), comprising:
a motor (<NUM>); and
a speed reducer (<NUM>), wherein the speed reducer (<NUM>) comprises a speed reduction gear set (<NUM>), the speed reduction gear set (<NUM>) comprises an input gear (<NUM>), at least one intermediate gear (<NUM>), and an output gear (<NUM>), the input gear (<NUM>) is connected to the motor (<NUM>), and the intermediate gear (<NUM>) is meshed between the input gear (<NUM>) and the output gear (<NUM>); and
for each of said at least one intermediate gear (<NUM>), rotational centers of the input gear (<NUM>), said intermediate gear (<NUM>), and the output gear (<NUM>) are not on the same line, characterized by further comprising
a planetary gear mechanism (<NUM>), and the planetary gear mechanism (<NUM>) is in transmission connection with the output gear (<NUM>), wherein the planetary gear mechanism (<NUM>) comprises: a sun gear (<NUM>), a planetary gear (<NUM>), a planetary carrier (<NUM>), and a ring gear (<NUM>), the planetary gear (<NUM>) is disposed on the planetary carrier (<NUM>), the planetary carrier (<NUM>) is meshed between the sun gear (<NUM>) and the ring gear (<NUM>), the sun gear (<NUM>) is connected to the output gear (<NUM>), the ring gear (<NUM>) is fixed to a hub (<NUM>) of a wheel (<NUM>), and the planetary carrier (<NUM>) is fixed; wherein the speed reducer (<NUM>) comprises a first housing (<NUM>), and the planetary carrier (<NUM>) is fixed to the first housing (<NUM>),
wherein the planetary gear mechanism (<NUM>) comprises a second housing (<NUM>), the sun gear (<NUM>), the planetary gear (<NUM>), the planetary carrier (<NUM>), and the ring gear (<NUM>) are disposed in the second housing (<NUM>), the ring gear (<NUM>) is connected to the second housing (<NUM>), and the second housing (<NUM>) is fixed to the hub (<NUM>).