US 12,007,004 B2
Electric drive unit with a multi-speed transmission and method for transmission operation
Kurt Cattoor, Koolkerke (BE); Filip Van Raepenbusch, Bruges (BE); Filip D. Schacht, Meulebeke (BE); Joachim Van Dingenen, Drongen (BE); and Bert Hannon, Bruges (BE)
Assigned to DANA BELGIUM N.V., Bruges (BE)
Filed by Dana Belgium N.V., Flanders (BE)
Filed on May 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/661,717.
Prior Publication US 2023/0349447 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. F16H 3/093 (2006.01); B60K 1/02 (2006.01); B60K 17/08 (2006.01); F16H 57/04 (2010.01); B60L 50/60 (2019.01)
CPC F16H 3/093 (2013.01) [B60K 1/02 (2013.01); B60K 17/08 (2013.01); F16H 57/0409 (2013.01); B60L 50/60 (2019.02); F16H 2200/0021 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operation of a transmission system in an electric drive unit, comprising:
transitioning between a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio via selective engagement and disengagement of a first friction clutch and a second friction clutch;
wherein the transmission system includes:
an input shaft rotationally coupled to each of a first electric machine and a second electric machine;
the first friction clutch arranged coaxial to a first countershaft; and
the second friction clutch arranged coaxial to a second countershaft and spaced away from the first countershaft; and
transferring mechanical power from one of the first and second friction clutches to an output shaft that is spaced away from the second countershaft;
wherein the transmission system further includes:
a first gear that is directly fixedly coupled to the input shaft such that it rotates therewith; and
a second gear that is directly fixedly coupled to the first countershaft such that it rotates therewith and directly coupled to a clutch drum of the first friction clutch;
wherein the first gear solely meshes with the second gear; and
wherein the first countershaft is positioned vertically above the second countershaft in relation a vertical axis that is parallel to a gravitational axis.