US-20260124890-A1 - ELECTRIC TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY OF A WORK VEHICLE

US20260124890A1US 20260124890 A1US20260124890 A1US 20260124890A1US-20260124890-A1

Abstract

Disclosed is an electric transaxle for a work vehicle. The electric transaxle includes a transaxle housing and an electric machine. The electric transaxle further includes a multiple-speed power shift transmission driven by the electric machine and including a first gear set with a first power shift clutch to provide a first speed ratio and a second gear set with a second power shift clutch to provide a second speed ratio different than the first speed ratio. The electric transaxle further includes a cooling system including a cooler cooling a cooling circuit configured to cool the electric machine. The electric transaxle further includes a hydraulic system including a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic circuit mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing to operate the first and second power shift clutches, the hydraulic circuit being cooled by the cooler of the cooling system.

Inventors

Randall L. Long
SAURABH KULHARE
Anup N. Yadgire

Assignees

DEERE & COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241106

Claims (20)

1 . An electric transaxle for a work vehicle comprising: a transaxle housing; an electric machine mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing; a multiple-speed power shift transmission driven by the electric machine and including a first gear set with a first power shift clutch to provide a first speed ratio and a second gear set with a second power shift clutch to provide a second speed ratio different than the first speed ratio; a cooling system including a cooler cooling a cooling circuit mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and configured to cool the electric machine; and a hydraulic system including a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic circuit mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing to operate the first and second power shift clutches of the first and second gear sets, the hydraulic circuit being cooled by the cooler of the cooling system.
2 . The electric transaxle of claim 1 , wherein the first gear set is identical to the second gear set and the first and second gear sets are arranged in opposite axial orientations.
3 . The electric transaxle of claim 2 , wherein the first gear set includes a first shaft extending along a first rotation axis and carrying a first large gear spaced along the first rotation axis from a first small gear; wherein the second gear set includes a second shaft extending along a second rotation axis, parallel to the first rotation axis, and carrying a second large gear, identical to the first large gear, spaced along the second rotation axis from a second small gear, identical to the first small gear; and wherein the first small gear meshes with the second large gear to provide the first speed ratio and wherein the first large gear meshes with the second small gear to provide the second speed ratio.
4 . The electric transaxle of claim 3 , wherein the multiple-speed power shift transmission provides power at the first speed ratio when the first power shift clutch is engaged and the second power shift clutch is disengaged; and wherein the multiple-speed power shift transmission provides power at the second speed ratio when the second power shift clutch is engaged and the first power shift clutch is engaged.
5 . The electric transaxle of claim 4 , further including an output gear coupled to or part of the second shaft of the second gear set and outputting power at the first speed ratio when the first power shift clutch is engaged and the second power shift clutch is disengaged and at the second speed ratio when the second power shift clutch is engaged and the first power shift clutch is disengaged.
6 . The electric transaxle of claim 5 , wherein the output gear is a spiral bevel gear meshing with a face of drive ring gear of the transaxle.
7 . The electric transaxle of claim 6 , further including a differential mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and receiving power from the drive ring gear.
8 . The electric transaxle of claim 7 , further including a first final drive mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing at a first side of the differential and providing a final gear ratio to a first hub configured to mount a first ground-engaging wheel or track; and a second final drive mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing at a second side of the differential and providing the final gear ratio to a second hub configured to mount a second ground-engaging wheel or track.
9 . The electric transaxle of claim 3 , further including one or more of: a first power take off assembly mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and configured to receive power from or transmit power to the multiple-speed power shift transmission at the first speed ratio or the second speed ratio; or a second power take off assembly mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and configured to receive power from or transmit power to the multiple-speed power shift transmission at the first speed ratio or the second speed ratio.
10 . The electric transaxle of claim 9 , wherein the first power take off assembly is a part of a continuous four wheel drive assembly and wherein the second power take off assembly is a part of a mechanical momentary four wheel drive assembly.
11 . A work vehicle comprising: a chassis supported off the ground by ground-engaging wheels or tracks; and an electric transaxle carried by the chassis and driving the ground-engaging wheels or tracks, the electric transaxle including: a transaxle housing; an electric machine mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing; a multiple-speed power shift transmission driven by the electric machine and including a first gear set with a first power shift clutch and providing a first speed ratio and a second gear set with a second power shift clutch and providing a second speed ratio different than the first speed ratio; a cooling system including a cooler cooling a cooling circuit mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and configured to cool the electric machine; and a hydraulic system including a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic circuit mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing to operate the first and second power shift clutches of the first and second gear sets, the hydraulic circuit being cooled by the cooler of the cooling system.
12 . The work vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the first gear set is identical to the second gear set and the first and second gear sets are arranged in opposite axial orientations.
13 . The work vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first gear set includes a first shaft extending along a first rotation axis and carrying a first large gear spaced along the first rotation axis from a first small gear; wherein the second gear set includes a second shaft extending along a second rotation axis, parallel to the first rotation axis, and carrying a second large gear, identical to the first large gear, spaced along the second rotation axis from a second small gear, identical to the first small gear; and wherein the first small gear meshes with the second large gear to provide the first speed ratio and wherein the first large gear meshes with the second small gear to provide the second speed ratio.
14 . The work vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the multiple-speed power shift transmission provides power at the first speed ratio when the first power shift clutch is engaged and the second power shift clutch is disengaged; and wherein the multiple-speed power shift transmission provides power at the second speed ratio when the second power shift clutch is engaged and the first power shift clutch is engaged.
15 . The work vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the electric transaxle further includes an output gear coupled to or part of the second shaft of the second gear set and outputting power at the first speed ratio when the first power shift clutch is engaged and the second power shift clutch is disengaged and at the second speed ratio when the second power shift clutch is engaged and the first power shift clutch is engaged.
16 . The work vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the output gear is a spiral bevel gear meshing with a face of drive ring gear of the transaxle.
17 . The work vehicle of claim 16 , further including a differential mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and receiving power from the drive ring gear.
18 . The work vehicle of claim 17 , further including a first final drive mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing at a first side of the differential and providing a final gear ratio to a first hub configured to mount a first of the ground-engaging wheels or tracks; and a second final drive mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing at a second side of the differential and providing the final gear ratio to a second hub configured to mount a second of the ground-engaging wheels or tracks.
19 . The work vehicle of claim 13 , further including one or more of: a first power take off assembly mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and configured to receive power from or transmit power to the multiple-speed power shift transmission at the first speed ratio or the second speed ratio; or a second power take off assembly mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and configured to receive power from or transmit power to the multiple-speed power shift transmission at the first speed ratio or the second speed ratio.
20 . The work vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the first power take off assembly is a part of a continuous four wheel drive assembly and wherein the second power take off assembly is a part of a mechanical momentary four wheel drive assembly.

Description

STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure generally relates to an electric transaxle of a work vehicle. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Heavy-duty work vehicles, such as those used in the agricultural, construction, forestry, and mining industries, can have a transmission system with a high-speed gearing and low-speed gearing that are selected based on the operations being performed by the work vehicle. The gearing systems can be driven by an electric machine that is powered by batteries. The shifting between the high-speed gearing and low-speed gearing can be performed with a clutch. The electric machine and transmission can be lubricated with hydraulic fluid. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE An electric transaxle includes a transaxle housing and an electric machine mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing. The electric transaxle further includes a multiple-speed power shift transmission driven by the electric machine and including a first gear set with a first power shift clutch to provide a first speed ratio and a second gear set with a second power shift clutch to provide a second speed ratio different than the first speed ratio. The electric transaxle further includes a cooling system including a cooler cooling a cooling circuit mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and configured to cool the electric machine. The electric transaxle further includes a hydraulic system including a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic circuit mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing to operate the first and second power shift clutches of the first and second gear sets, the hydraulic circuit being cooled by the cooler of the cooling system. In an example of the electric transaxle, the first gear set is identical to the second gear set and the first and second gear sets are arranged in opposite axial orientations. In a further example of the electric transaxle, the first gear set is identical to the second gear set and the first and second gear sets are arranged in opposite axial orientations. In a further example of the electric transaxle, the first gear set includes a first shaft extending along a first rotation axis and carrying a first large gear spaced along the first rotation axis from a first small gear, and the second gear set includes a second shaft extending along a second rotation axis, parallel to the first rotation axis, and carrying a second large gear, identical to the first large gear, spaced along the second rotation axis from a second small gear, identical to the first small gear. The first small gear meshes with the second large gear to provide the first speed ratio and the first large gear meshes with the second small gear to provide the second speed ratio. In a further example of the electric transaxle, the multiple-speed power shift transmission provides power at the first speed ratio when the first power shift clutch is engaged and the second power shift clutch is disengaged and the multiple-speed power shift transmission provides power at the second speed ratio when the second power shift clutch is engaged and the first power shift clutch is engaged. In a further example of the electric transaxle, the electric transaxle further includes an output gear coupled to or part of the second shaft of the second gear set. The output gear outputting power at the first speed ratio when the first power shift clutch is engaged and the second power shift clutch is disengaged and at the second speed ratio when the second power shift clutch is engaged and the first power shift clutch is disengaged. In a further example of the electric transaxle, the output gear is a spiral bevel gear meshing with a face of drive ring gear of the transaxle. In a further example of the electric transaxle, the electric transaxle further includes a differential mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and receiving power from the drive ring gear. In a further example of the electric transaxle, the electric transaxle further includes a first final drive mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing at a first side of the differential and providing a final gear ratio to a first hub configured to mount a first ground-engaging wheel or track; and a second final drive mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing at a second side of the differential and providing the final gear ratio to a second hub configured to mount a second ground-engaging wheel or track. In a further example of the electric transaxle, the electric transaxle further includes one or more of: a first power take off assembly or a second power take off assembly. The first power take off assembly mounted to or contained at least in part within the transaxle housing and configured to receive power from or transmit power to the multiple-speed power shift tran