Patent ID: 7309300

Claim:
An electric drive system, comprising: a first output member; a second output member; a driving shaft having an axis of rotation; a plurality of electric motors arranged adjacent to the driving shaft, each of the plurality of electric motors having an output shaft in driving engagement with and substantially parallel to the driving shaft; a differential steering system operably disposed between the driving shaft and the first and second output members such that the driving shaft conveys torque from the electric motors to the differential steering system, the differential steering system including a first planetary gear assembly operatively engaged between the driving shaft and the first output member and operatively engaged between the driving shaft and the second output member, the first planetary gear assembly having an axis of rotation that substantially aligns with the axis of rotation of the driving shaft; and a steering motor operatively engaged with the differential steering system and operable to simultaneously adjust the relative rotational speed of the first and second output members.