US-20260126097-A1 - ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) GEARBOX ASSEMBLY

US20260126097A1US 20260126097 A1US20260126097 A1US 20260126097A1US-20260126097-A1

Abstract

An electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly that can be equipped in an electric vehicle (EV) such as an automotive battery electric vehicle (BEV) is depicted and described. The EV gearbox assembly, per certain implementations, can include an electric motor, an input shaft, one or more speed gears, a first countershaft, and a second countershaft, among other possible components. The input shaft is rotationally driven by the electric motor, and the speed gear(s) is rotationally driven by the input shaft. Further, the first countershaft is rotationally driven by the speed gear(s). The second countershaft is situated rotationally downstream of the first countershaft, and has a concentric arrangement with respect to the input shaft.

Inventors

Philip J. Francis
Brian A. Nickoloff
Gregory BEYERLEIN
Matthew A. Biederwolf

Assignees

BORGWARNER INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241107

Claims (20)

1 . An electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly, comprising: an electric motor; an input shaft coupled with the electric motor and rotationally driven by the electric motor; at least one speed gear rotationally driven by the input shaft; a first countershaft carrying the at least one speed gear and rotationally driven by the at least one speed gear, the first countershaft having a radially offset arrangement with respect to the input shaft wherein the at least one speed gear rotates freely about the first countershaft; and a second countershaft situated rotationally downstream of the first countershaft, the second countershaft having a radially offset arrangement with respect to the first countershaft and having a concentric arrangement with respect to the input shaft.
2 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the at least one speed gear includes a first speed gear and a second speed gear, the first speed gear and the second speed gear being rotationally driven by the input shaft and being carried by the first countershaft, the first speed gear for a first speed mode setting of the EV gearbox assembly and the second speed gear for a second speed mode setting of the EV gearbox assembly.
3 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a disconnect assembly situated adjacent the at least one speed gear and carried about the first countershaft, the disconnect assembly for disconnecting rotational drive of the at least one speed gear from the first countershaft.
4 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a countershaft gear carried by the second countershaft and being rotationally driven by the first countershaft, the second countershaft being rotational driven by the countershaft gear.
5 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the countershaft gear and the at least one speed gear have a radially offset arrangement with respect to each other.
6 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the countershaft gear and the at least one speed gear have an axially offset arrangement with respect to each other.
7 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 4 , wherein rotational drive is transmitted from the electric motor, to the input shaft, to the at least one speed gear, to the first countershaft, to the countershaft gear, to the second countershaft, and to a differential assembly situated rotationally downstream of the second countershaft.
8 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the input shaft has a first section and a second section, the concentric arrangement of the second countershaft with respect to the input shaft is established at the first section and engagement between the input shaft and the at least one speed gear for rotationally driving the at least one speed gear is established at the second section.
9 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the first section of the input shaft is a proximal section of the input shaft with respect to the electric motor, and the second section of the input shaft is a distal section of the input shaft with respect to the electric motor.
10 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a differential assembly rotationally driven by the second countershaft, the differential assembly having a radially offset arrangement with respect to the first countershaft and with respect to the second countershaft and with respect to the input shaft.
11 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 10 , wherein engagement between the second countershaft and a ring gear of the differential assembly drives rotation of the differential assembly.
12 . An electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly, comprising: an electric motor; an input shaft rotationally driven by the electric motor, the input shaft having a proximal section and a distal section; at least one speed gear rotationally driven by the input shaft at the distal section of the input shaft; a first countershaft rotationally driven by the at least one speed gear wherein the at least one speed gear rotates freely about the first countershaft; and a second countershaft situated rotationally downstream of the first countershaft and having a concentric arrangement with respect to the input shaft at the proximal section of the input shaft.
13 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the first countershaft has a radially offset arrangement with respect to the input shaft and has a radially offset arrangement with respect to the second countershaft.
14 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the at least one speed gear includes a first speed gear and a second speed gear, the first speed gear and the second speed gear being rotationally driven by the input shaft, the first speed gear for a first speed mode setting of the EV gearbox assembly and the second speed gear for a second speed mode setting of the EV gearbox assembly.
15 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising a disconnect assembly situated adjacent the at least one speed gear, the disconnect assembly for disconnecting rotational drive of the at least one speed gear from the first countershaft.
16 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising a countershaft gear carried by the second countershaft and being rotationally driven by the first countershaft, the second countershaft being rotational driven by the countershaft gear, the countershaft gear having a concentric arrangement with respect to the input shaft at the proximal section of the input shaft.
17 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 16 , wherein rotational drive is transmitted from the electric motor, to the input shaft, to the at least one speed gear, to the first countershaft, to the countershaft gear, to the second countershaft, and to a differential assembly situated rotationally downstream of the second countershaft.
18 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising a differential assembly rotationally driven by the second countershaft, the differential assembly having a radially offset arrangement with respect to the first countershaft and with respect to the second countershaft and with respect to the input shaft.
19 . An electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly, comprising: an electric motor; an input shaft rotationally driven by the electric motor; at least one speed gear rotationally driven by the input shaft; a disconnect assembly situated adjacent the at least one speed gear; a first countershaft rotationally driven by the at least one speed gear, the first countershaft having a radially offset arrangement with respect to the input shaft wherein the at least one speed gear rotates freely about the first countershaft; a countershaft gear rotationally driven by the first countershaft and having a concentric arrangement with respect to the input shaft; and a second countershaft rotationally driven by the countershaft gear and having a concentric arrangement with respect to the input shaft; wherein, during use of the EV gearbox assembly, rotational drive is transmitted from the electric motor, to the input shaft, to the at least one speed gear, to the first countershaft, to the countershaft gear, to the second countershaft, and to a differential assembly situated rotationally downstream of the second countershaft.
20 . The electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 19 , wherein, during use of the EV gearbox assembly, the electric motor, input shaft, countershaft gear, and second countershaft all rotate about a first rotational axis, and the at least one speed gear and first countershaft rotate about a second rotational axis.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present application relates to gearing and shaft layouts and arrangements in electric vehicle (EV) gearboxes and, more particularly, to gearbox assemblies in EVs such as automotive EV gearbox assemblies. BACKGROUND Electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assemblies—such as automotive EV gearbox assemblies—serve to deliver the speed and torque requirements from electric motors and ultimately to vehicle wheels for driving purposes. Gear and shaft components, as well as electric motors and other components, are commonly packaged within gearbox housings. In the automotive industry, packaging and performance demands, as well as weight and cost demands, often collide and tend to create gearbox design and construction challenges that are not easily resolved. SUMMARY In an implementation, an electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly is provided. The EV gearbox assembly can be an automotive EV gearbox assembly, as an example. The EV gearbox assembly may include an electric motor, an input shaft, one or more speed gears, a first countershaft, and a second countershaft. The input shaft is coupled with the electric motor and is rotationally driven by the electric motor. The speed gear(s) is rotationally driven by the input shaft. The first countershaft carries the speed gear(s) and is rotationally driven by the speed gear(s). The first countershaft has a radially offset arrangement and configuration with respect to the input shaft. The second countershaft is situated rotationally downstream of the first countershaft. The second countershaft has a radially offset arrangement and configuration with respect to the first countershaft and has a concentric arrangement and configuration with respect to the input shaft. In another implementation, an electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly is provided. The EV gearbox assembly can be an automotive EV gearbox assembly, as an example. The EV gearbox assembly may include an electric motor, an input shaft, one or more speed gears, a first countershaft, and a second countershaft. The input shaft is rotationally driven by the electric motor. The input shaft has a proximal section and a distal section. The speed gear(s) is rotationally driven by the input shaft at the distal section of the input shaft. The first countershaft is rotationally driven by the speed gear(s). The second countershaft is situated rotationally downstream of the first countershaft. The second countershaft has a concentric arrangement and configuration with respect to the input shaft at the proximal section of the input shaft. In yet another implementation, an electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly is provided. The EV gearbox assembly can be an automotive EV gearbox assembly, as an example. The EV gearbox assembly may include an electric motor, an input shaft, one or more speed gears, a disconnect assembly, a first countershaft, a countershaft gear, and a second countershaft. The input shaft is rotationally driven by the electric motor. The speed gear(s) is rotationally driven by the input shaft. The disconnect assembly is situated at or near the speed gear(s). The first countershaft is rotationally driven by the speed gear(s). The first countershaft has a radially offset arrangement and configuration with respect to the input shaft. The countershaft gear is rotationally driven by the first countershaft and has a concentric arrangement and configuration with respect to the input shaft. The second countershaft is rotationally driven by the countershaft gear. The second countershaft has a concentric arrangement and configuration with respect to the input shaft. Amid use of the EV gearbox assembly, rotational drive is transmitted and transferred from the electric motor, to the input shaft, to the speed gear(s), to the first countershaft, to the countershaft gear, to the second countershaft, and to a differential assembly situated rotationally downstream of the second countershaft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 presents an embodiment of an electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the EV gearbox assembly; FIG. 3 is another sectional view of the EV gearbox assembly; FIG. 4 is another sectional view, this one segmented, of the EV gearbox assembly; FIG. 5 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the EV gearbox assembly; and FIG. 6 is another sectional view of the EV gearbox assembly of FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of an electric vehicle (EV) gearbox assembly 10 are presented in the figures and detailed in this description. The EV gearbox assembly 10 can be equipped within an automotive EV gearbox such as for battery electric automobiles. In this regard, as used herein the term “electric vehicle” and grammatical variations thereof is intended to refer to vehicles that are propelled, either wholly or partially, by rotating electrical machines or motors such as battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in electric vehicles, hybrid-electric vehicles, and battery power