SYSTEM FOR DRIVING THE DRIVE WHEELS OF AN ELECTRIC OR HYBRID VEHICLE

摘要

The invention relates to a system for driving the drive wheels (1) of a vehicle, comprising two sets of electric motors (2) and casings (3) (left and right). Each of the casings (3) comprises an input pinion (8) which rotates interdependently with the rotor of one of the electric motors (2) as well as with a set of gears (12) driving the ring gear (7) of a planetary gear set (4). The two planetary gear sets (4) are connected to one another by a connecting means (9) that rotates interdependently with each of the two sun gears (5) (inner planetaries). The planet carrier (6) of each of the planetary gear sets (4) rotates interdependently with a connecting means (11) of one of the drive wheels (1). The two planetary gear sets (4) perform a double differential function. The invention also relates to a method for controlling the electric motors (2) that allows the drive system to be used as a torque converter. The drive system can be fixed to the chassis frame of the vehicle. In addition, the two casings (3) can be located in the wheel cages (13). The connecting means (9) that rotates interdependently with the two sun gears (5) can be located inside the casing of the floor pan (14) of the vehicle. The two electric motors (2) can be located just behind the driven wheels (1).

主权项

1. A low-floor vehicle comprising: a chassis frame and at least one left drive wheel and one right drive wheel connected by a non-driving rigid axle, a system for driving the drive wheels which is mounted on said chassis frame, said drive system including a left electric motor and a right electric motor mounted on a transaxle characterized by a H-shaped geometry including longitudinal lateral members and an off-centered transversal member, said longitudinal lateral members being formed by a left casing and a right casing, said off-centered transversal member being formed by a link interconnecting the left and right casings, said left and right casings having an elongated shape and oriented along a front-rear axis of the vehicle, said left and right casings each including an input shaft disposed at a first end of a lateral external face and an output shaft at a second end of the associated casing on the same lateral external face, said input and output shafts of each of the right and left casings being also vertically offset one relative to the other, each of said input shafts being driven by an associated one of the left and right electric motors mounted to the chassis frame behind the corresponding one of the left and right drive wheels, each of said output shafts being mounted for joint rotation with a half-shaft disposed at an output of the left and right casings, said half-shaft being provided at its ends with constant velocity joints and being rotatably secured to a corresponding wheel of said left and right drive wheels, each of the input shafts being rotatably drivingly connected to an input pinion mounted inside the associated one of the right and left casings, each of said input pinions disposed at said first end of the right and left casings driving an epicyclic gear train driven via a gear set, said epicyclic gear train having a ring gear, a planet wheel carrier and a sun gear, either one of the ring gear and of the planet wheel carrier being rigidly connected to said half-shaft arranged at the output of the second end of the casings, said epicyclic gear trains of the left and right casings being connected together by said link corresponding to the off-centered transversal member of the H-shaped transaxle, said link being rotatably secured to each of the sun gears of the left and right epicyclic gear trains, the sun gears of the left and right casings having opposite torques, said link being horizontally and vertically offset relative to the non-driving rigid axle and relative to an axis of rotation of the left and right drive wheels and located at the level of the lowered floor of the vehicle, the transaxle further comprising a rotation reversal means in order to transmit to each of the drive wheels a rotation in a same direction.