Patent Description:
A frame can also be understood as a housing or a part of a vehicle for example a chassis.

A drive according to the preamble of claim <NUM> is known from <CIT>. The known drive requires relatively much installation space.

An object of the invention is to provide a drive of the type described in the preamble which is compact and robust and with which large transmission ratios can be realized. To this end, the drive according to the invention is characterized in that the first and third rotation body can be connected to each other by a first clutch, and wherein the first brake and the first clutch are operated simultaneously such that when the first brake is activated, the first clutch is opened and vice versa.

By making use of a switchable planetary gear set in the way described above a compact drive can be realized. A brake can here also be understood to mean a coupling that couples the relevant rotation body to the frame (fixed world).

In <CIT> a dual-motor coupling drive axle is disclosed, comprising a differential and a number of switchable planetary gear sets each having three rotation bodies, wherein the output shafts and the drive shaft of the motor being concentric. In this drive axle one of the rotation bodies of each planetary gear set is attached to the frame or can be connected to the frame and the other rotation bodies are connected to rotation bodies of neighboring planetary gear sets.

Preferably, one of the outputs of the differential passes through the motor which has a hollow drive shaft for this purpose. This results in an even more compact drive.

Preferably, the output shafts, the drive shaft electric of the motor and the transmission being concentric. Because the components of the drive are in one line and are concentric, a compact drive can be realized.

To further compact the drive an embodiment of the drive according to the invention is characterized in that the transmission further comprises two second switchable planetary gear sets, each with three rotation bodies, of the three rotation bodies of each of the second switchable planetary gear sets, a first rotation body is connected to one of the outputs of the differential, a second rotation body is connected to one of the output shafts, and a third rotation body can be connected to the frame via a second brake, wherein the second and third rotation body can be connected to each other by a second coupling, and wherein the second brake and the second clutch are operated simultaneously such that when the second brake is energized, the second clutch is opened and vice versa.

The transmission is preferably further provided with two final transmissions, each comprising at least one planetary gear set, each planetary gear set has three rotation bodies of which a first rotation body is connected to the second rotation body of one of the second switchable planetary gear units, a second rotation body is connected to one of the output shafts, and a third rotation body is attached to the frame.

A further embodiment of the compact drive according to the invention is characterized in that the drive comprises a further motor provided with a stator which is attached to the frame and a drive shaft which can be connected via a third coupling to the drive shaft of the motor, both of which motors are concentric.

Another embodiment of the compact drive according to the invention is characterized in that the drive comprises a further motor provided with a stator attached to the frame and a drive shaft that can be connected via a third coupling to a third switchable planetary gear set with three rotation bodies. of which a first rotation body is connected to the input of the differential, a second rotation body is connected to the dive shaft of the motor, and a third rotation body can be connected to the frame via a third brake, whereby the first and third rotation body can be connected to each other are operated by a third clutch, in which the two motors are concentric, and in which the third brake and the third clutch are operated simultaneously such that when the third brake is activated, the third clutch is opened and vice versa.

Preferably, in the embodiment described above, the first rotation body of the first switchable planetary gear set and the first rotation body of the third switchable planetary gear set are attached to each other.

Preferably, the motor and/or the further motor is an electric motor having a rotor and a stator, wherein the drive shaft being part of the rotor.

A further embodiment of the compact drive according to the invention is characterized in that the frame is designed like a housing having a cylindrical shape and being closed at both ends by radially extending walls provided with central openings through which the output shafts protrude. This is a compact and robust embodiment of the drive.

The invention also relates to a vehicle provided with a compact drive according to the invention, which vehicle comprises two driven wheels with two wheel shafts attached thereto which are connected to the output shafts, the housing extending longitudinally between the wheels.

An embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention is characterized in that the wheel shafts are aligned with and attached to the output shafts. As a result, the drive is part of the unsprung mass (only sprung from the road by the tires of the wheels).

A further embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention is characterized in that the wheels are provided with rims and the outer diameter of the housing is smaller than the outer diameter of the rims. The construction of the drive according to the invention makes such a compact design possible.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments of the vehicle provided with the drive according to the invention shown in the drawings. Herein is:.

<FIG> shows schematically a part of a first embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention. The vehicle <NUM> is provided with a compact drive designed like an electric drive <NUM> via which two wheels <NUM> are driven. Attached to the wheels are wheel axles <NUM> which are connected via a transmission <NUM> to two electric motors <NUM> and <NUM>. The transmission <NUM> has a frame designed like a housing <NUM> in which the electric motors are present and from which two output shafts <NUM> protrude that are mounted in end walls 3A of the housing and to which the wheel axles <NUM> are attached. The wheel shafts <NUM> are in alignment with the output shafts <NUM>. The housing <NUM> extends longitudinally between the wheels <NUM> and has a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter smaller than that of rims <NUM> of the wheels <NUM>.

The electric motors <NUM> and <NUM> are attached with their stators 5A and 31A to the housing <NUM>, the rotor 5B of one of the electric motors <NUM> is connected to the input shaft <NUM> of the transmission <NUM>. The transmission further has a differential <NUM>, with an input 15A, which is connected to the rotor 5B of the electric motor <NUM>, and two outputs 15B which are connected via further transmissions to the output shafts <NUM>. The transmission further has a first switchable planetary gear set <NUM> with three rotation bodies. Of these rotation bodies, a first rotation body 17a is connected to the input 15A of the differential, a second rotation body 17b is connected to the rotor 5B of the electric motor, and a third rotation body 17c can be connected to the housing <NUM> via a first brake <NUM>. The first and third rotation bodies 17a and 17c can be connected to each other by a first clutch <NUM>. The first brake <NUM> and the first clutch <NUM> are coupled to each other so that they can only be operated simultaneously, wherein when the first brake <NUM> is energized, the first clutch <NUM> is opened and vice versa.

The transmission <NUM> further has at least two second switchable planetary gear sets <NUM>, which also each have three rotational bodies. Of these rotation bodies, a first rotation body 23a is connected to one of the outputs 15B of the differential, a second rotation body 23b is connected to one of the output shafts <NUM>, and a third rotation body 23c can be connected to the housing <NUM> via a second brake. The second and third rotation body 23b and 23c can also be connected to each other by means of a second coupling <NUM>, whereby the second brake <NUM> and the second coupling <NUM> can again only be operated simultaneously, wherein if the second brake <NUM> is energized, the second link <NUM> is opened and vice versa.

The outputs 15B of the differential pass through the electric motors <NUM> and <NUM>, which have a hollow rotor 15B for this purpose, so that the output shafts <NUM>, the electric motors <NUM> and <NUM> and the transmission <NUM> are concentric.

Between each second switchable planetary gear set <NUM> and the associated output shaft <NUM> there is at least one final transmission formed by a planetary gear set <NUM> with three rotation bodies, of which a first rotation body 29a is connected to the second rotation body 23b of the second switchable planetary gear assembly <NUM>, a second rotation body 29b is connected to the output shaft <NUM>, and a third rotation body 29c is attached to the housing <NUM>.

The rotor 31B of the electric motor <NUM> is connected via a coupling <NUM> to the rotor 5B of the electric motor <NUM>, so that if only little power is required, the vehicle can be driven with only one electric motor.

<FIG> shows schematically a part of a second embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention. All parts identical to those of the above-described first embodiment are designated with the same reference numerals. In this embodiment each electric motor <NUM> and <NUM> is located on one side of the differential <NUM> so that a completely symmetrical construction is obtained. In this case too, the stator 131A of the electric motor is attached to the housing <NUM>. The rotor 131B of the electric motor <NUM> can be connected via a third coupling <NUM> to a third switchable planetary gear set <NUM> with three rotation bodies. A first rotation body 135a is connected to the differential input 15A and a second rotation body 135b is connected to the rotor 131B of the electric motor. A third rotation body 135c can be connected to the housing <NUM> via a third brake <NUM> and the first and third rotation bodies 135a and 135c can be connected to each other by a third coupling <NUM>.

The two electric motors <NUM> and <NUM> are also concentric here. The third brake <NUM> and the third clutch <NUM> can again only be operated simultaneously, such that when the third brake <NUM> is energized, the third clutch <NUM> is opened and vice versa. The first rotation body 17a of the first switchable planetary gear set <NUM> and the first rotation body 135a of the third switchable planetary gear set <NUM> are herein attached to each other.

In the two embodiments described above, the electric drive <NUM> thus has a housing <NUM> containing two electric motors <NUM> and <NUM> and a transmission <NUM> provided with a differential <NUM> via which the electric motors are connected to output shafts <NUM>. In both embodiments, the transmission <NUM> has a first switchable planetary gear set <NUM> located between the differential and the electric motors, and two second switchable planetary gear sets <NUM> located between the differential and the output shafts. One rotation body of these switchable planetary gear sets can be connected to the housing <NUM> via a brake and can be connected to another of the rotation bodies via a coupling. The brake and the clutch can only be operated simultaneously in such a way that when the brake is energized, the clutch is opened and vice versa. In both embodiments, the output shafts, the electric motors and the transmission are concentric and the housing is cylindrical, so that a compact and robust construction is obtained.

Claim 1:
Compact drive (<NUM>; <NUM>) for a vehicle, comprising:
- a frame (<NUM>),
- at least one motor (<NUM>) with a stator (5A) attached to the frame (<NUM>) and a drive shaft (5B),
- a transmission (<NUM>) with an input shaft (<NUM>) that is connected to the drive shaft (5B) of the motor (<NUM>) and two output shafts (<NUM>) mounted in the frame (<NUM>), which transmission (<NUM>):
- comprises a differential (<NUM>), with an input (15A) connected to the drive shaft (5B) of the motor and two outputs (15B) connected to the output shafts (<NUM>), and
- a first switchable planetary gear set (<NUM>) with three rotation bodies,
- wherein of the three rotation bodies of the first switchable planetary gear set (<NUM>), a first rotation body (17a) is connected to the input (15A) of the differential, a second rotation body (17b) is connected to the drive shaft (5B) of the motor, and a third rotation body (17c) can be connected to the frame (<NUM>) via a first brake (<NUM>), and
- the output shafts (<NUM>) and the drive shaft of the motor (<NUM>) being concentric, characterized in that the first and third rotation body (17a, 17c) can be connected to each other by a first clutch (<NUM>), and the first brake (<NUM>) and the first clutch (<NUM>) are operated simultaneously such that when the first brake (<NUM>) is activated, the first clutch (<NUM>) is opened and vice versa,.