US 12,215,778 B2
Lubricant supply system for a drive unit of an electrically operated vehicle
Ivo Greiter, Eitensheim (DE)
Assigned to AUDI AG, Ingolstadt (DE)
Appl. No. 18/561,903
Filed by AUDI AG, Ingolstadt (DE)
PCT Filed May 5, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/062104
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 17, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/243045, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 24, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2021 112 967.2 (DE), filed on May 19, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0229924 A1, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F16H 57/04 (2010.01)
CPC F16H 57/0483 (2013.01) [F16H 57/0441 (2013.01); F16H 57/0476 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrically operated vehicle comprising:
a drive apparatus having at least one electric machine which outputs power to at least one vehicle wheel via a gear mechanism arrangement, the gear mechanism arrangement including an axle differential which is drivingly connected to the at least one vehicle wheel at the output at both sides via flange shafts, wherein one of the flange shafts is divided into a shaft portion on the at least one wheel and a shaft portion on the axle, which can be connected to each other via a separation clutch; and
a lubricant supply system including
a pressure pump,
an electric machine hydraulic circuit in which a lubricant tank is connected via a suction line to the pressure pump which conveys lubricant to the electric machine via an electric machine supply line,
a gear mechanism hydraulic circuit configured to convey the lubricant to the gear mechanism arrangement,
wherein the pressure pump is associated as a common pressure pump with both the electric machine hydraulic circuit and the gear mechanism hydraulic circuit, the pressure pump to recirculate the lubricant both in the electric machine hydraulic circuit and in the gear mechanism hydraulic circuit when the pressure pump is operating,
a lubricant sump common to both the electric machine hydraulic circuit and the gear mechanism hydraulic circuit,
a return pump common to both the electric machine hydraulic circuit and the gear mechanism hydraulic circuit,
a separation clutch hydraulic circuit configured to supply the lubricant to the separation clutch, and
at least one separation clutch supply line to guide the lubricant to the separation clutch,
wherein the lubricant which flows away from the separation clutch is collected in the common lubricant sump.