US 12,381,447 B2
Electric drive module configured as a beam axle
Matthew A. Umerley, Shelby Township, MI (US); Frederick E. Zink, Capac, MI (US); Jonathan P. Prichard, Harrison Township, MI (US); James P. Downs, South Lyon, MI (US); Gregory A. Marsh, Waterford, MI (US); Matthew T. Blakeman, Newport, MI (US); Steven Grider, Grosse Pointe Park, MI (US); and Paul J. Valente, Berkley, MI (US)
Assigned to AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC., Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Aug. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/240,238.
Application 18/240,238 is a division of application No. 17/790,254, granted, now 11,750,063, previously published as PCT/US2022/020286, filed on Mar. 15, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/220,204, filed on Jul. 9, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/178,985, filed on Apr. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/161,218, filed on Mar. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0412046 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H02K 11/33 (2016.01); B60K 1/02 (2006.01); H02K 7/116 (2006.01); H02K 9/19 (2006.01)
CPC H02K 7/116 (2013.01) [B60K 1/02 (2013.01); H02K 9/19 (2013.01); H02K 11/33 (2016.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electric drive module comprising:
a housing assembly that defines an output axis, the housing assembly having a carrier housing and a pair of axle tubes, the carrier housing having a pair of carrier housing members that are mated to one another across a first plane that intersects the output axis at a point, the carrier housing defining a carrier cavity, each of the axle tubes being fixedly coupled to a corresponding one of the carrier housing members;
a differential assembly received in the carrier cavity, the differential assembly having a differential input member, which is supported by the carrier housing for rotation about the output axis, and a pair of differential output members;
a pair of output shafts, each of the output shafts being received in a corresponding one of the axle tubes and being coupled for rotation with a corresponding one of the differential output members;
a first electric motor mounted to the exterior of a first one of the carrier housing members, the first electric motor having a first motor shaft that extends through the first one of the carrier housing members into the carrier cavity and couples with a pinion gear;
a first transmission received in the carrier cavity, the first transmission transmitting rotary power between the first motor shaft and the differential input member, wherein the first transmission further comprises:
a compound gear having a first gear rotatably engaged with the pinion gear and a second gear rotatably engaged with a transmission output gear;
an additional compound gear having a first gear rotatably engaged with the pinion gear and a second gear rotatably engaged with the transmission output gear;
a first inverter mounted to the first electric motor;
a first heat exchanger mounted to the first one of the carrier housing members;
a first coolant pump coupled to the housing assembly, the first coolant pump being configured to pump a cooling fluid through a first cooling circuit that fluidly couples the first heat exchanger and the first electric motor.