US 12,454,151 B1
Electric axle assembly for a vehicle
Rodrigo Bahena, Puebla (MX); Patrick Lindemann, Wooster, OH (US); David Burky, Massillon, OH (US); and Angel Salvador Flores, Puebla (MX)
Assigned to Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Aug. 21, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/811,296.
Int. Cl. B60K 17/16 (2006.01); B60B 35/16 (2006.01); B60K 1/00 (2006.01); F16H 57/029 (2012.01); F16H 57/031 (2012.01); F16H 57/037 (2012.01); F16H 57/02 (2012.01)
CPC B60B 35/16 (2013.01) [B60K 1/00 (2013.01); B60K 17/165 (2013.01); F16H 57/029 (2013.01); F16H 57/031 (2013.01); F16H 57/037 (2013.01); B60B 2900/113 (2013.01); B60B 2900/115 (2013.01); F16H 2057/02034 (2013.01); F16H 2057/02052 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electric axle assembly, comprising:
a banjo axle housing having a central portion that defines a receiving space and first and second openings that provide access to the receiving space, a first beam that extends from the central portion in a first axial direction and that defines a first beam hollow in communication with the receiving space, and a second beam that extends from the central portion opposite the first beam in a second axial direction and that defines a second beam hollow in communication with the receiving space;
a first half shaft that extends within the first beam hollow;
a second half shaft that extends within the second beam hollow; and
an electric drive unit comprising:
a motor that drives rotation of a rotor shaft about an axis;
a differential operably coupled with the rotor shaft; and
a housing having a first housing component and a second housing component fastened to the first housing component, wherein at least one of the first housing component and the second housing component defines a motor housing region within which the motor is housed, the first and second housing components cooperate to define a gearbox region within which the differential is housed, the first housing component defines a first aperture that provides access for operable coupling of the first half shaft with the differential, and the second housing component defines a second aperture that provides access for operable coupling of the second half shaft with the differential, wherein the first housing component is fastened to the second housing component at a junction, such that the first housing component is axially adjacent to the second housing component, and wherein the junction at which the first housing component is fastened to the second housing component extends from outside of the receiving space, into the receiving space via the first opening, and out of the receiving space via the second opening.