GB2581134A - Electric goods vehicle with de Dion axle - Google Patents

Electric goods vehicle with de Dion axle Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2581134A
GB2581134A GB1901160.0A GB201901160A GB2581134A GB 2581134 A GB2581134 A GB 2581134A GB 201901160 A GB201901160 A GB 201901160A GB 2581134 A GB2581134 A GB 2581134A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
attached
drive unit
electric
chassis
goods vehicle
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1901160.0A
Other versions
GB201901160D0 (en
Inventor
Maughan Ryan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Avid Technology Ltd
Original Assignee
Avid Technology Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Avid Technology Ltd filed Critical Avid Technology Ltd
Priority to GB1901160.0A priority Critical patent/GB2581134A/en
Publication of GB201901160D0 publication Critical patent/GB201901160D0/en
Publication of GB2581134A publication Critical patent/GB2581134A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G9/00—Resilient suspensions of a rigid axle or axle housing for two or more wheels
    • B60G9/003—Resilient suspensions of a rigid axle or axle housing for two or more wheels the axle being rigidly connected to a trailing guiding device
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G9/00—Resilient suspensions of a rigid axle or axle housing for two or more wheels
    • B60G9/02—Resilient suspensions of a rigid axle or axle housing for two or more wheels the axle or housing being pivotally mounted on the vehicle, e.g. the pivotal axis being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle
    • B60G9/027—Resilient suspensions of a rigid axle or axle housing for two or more wheels the axle or housing being pivotally mounted on the vehicle, e.g. the pivotal axis being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle the axle having either a triangular, a "T" or "U" shape and being directly articulated with the chassis only by its middle apex, e.g. De Dion suspension
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
    • B60K1/04—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K7/00—Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel
    • B60K7/0007—Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel the motor being electric
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2200/00—Indexing codes relating to suspension types
    • B60G2200/30—Rigid axle suspensions
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2200/00—Indexing codes relating to suspension types
    • B60G2200/30—Rigid axle suspensions
    • B60G2200/32—Rigid axle suspensions pivoted
    • B60G2200/324—Rigid axle suspensions pivoted with a single pivot point and a triangular "T" or "U"-shaped axle, e.g. DeDion arrangement
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2202/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of spring, damper or actuator
    • B60G2202/10—Type of spring
    • B60G2202/11—Leaf spring
    • B60G2202/112—Leaf spring longitudinally arranged
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2300/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of vehicle
    • B60G2300/02—Trucks; Load vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2300/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of vehicle
    • B60G2300/03—Silo or fluid transporting vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2300/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of vehicle
    • B60G2300/50—Electric vehicles; Hybrid vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
    • B60K2001/001—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
    • B60K1/04—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
    • B60K2001/0405—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion characterised by their position
    • B60K2001/0438—Arrangement under the floor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K7/00—Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel
    • B60K2007/0046—Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel the motor moving together with the vehicle body, i.e. moving independently from the wheel axle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Y—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
    • B60Y2200/00—Type of vehicle
    • B60Y2200/10—Road Vehicles
    • B60Y2200/14—Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Y—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
    • B60Y2200/00—Type of vehicle
    • B60Y2200/10—Road Vehicles
    • B60Y2200/14—Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
    • B60Y2200/141—Light trucks

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Arrangement Or Mounting Of Propulsion Units For Vehicles (AREA)

Abstract

An electric goods vehicle 1, such as a van or lorry, comprising a battery 15; a chassis 2 supported on, and attached to, at least one driven axle 4; and a drive unit 8. The axle 4 comprises a de Dion tube 5 with a wheel hub 7 attached to each of its two ends; and is attached to the chassis 2 by spaced-apart suspension elements 6. The drive unit 8 is attached directly to the chassis 2, and has at least one electric motor 9 and two half shafts (12, Fig. 3) each extending from the drive unit 8 to a respective one of the wheel hubs 7. The drive unit 8 may comprise a reduction gear set 10 with an input and output, the input being attached to an output shaft of the drive unit 8, and the output being used to drive each half shaft (12, Fig. 3).

Description

Electric Goods Vehicle with de Dion Axle
Field fo the Invention
The present invention relates to electrified goods vehicles and in particular to the drive train and suspension arrangements for such vehicles.
Background of the Invention
Whilst many developments have been made in arrangements for suspending driven wheels from a vehicle's chassis in the case of goods vehicles (typically vans and lorries) the live axle (also known as a solid axle) is still preferred. A live (or solid) axle comprises a housing which encases and mounts a differential, drive shafts extending from the differential. Wheel hubs are attached to the free ends of the housing either directly where the wheel hubs are fixed in relation to the axle or by kingpins where the axle is steerable and the wheel hubs pivot relative to the housing.
The live (or solid) axle is preferred for goods vehicles because the suspension system must be capable of coping with significant changes in height between the load bed of the vehicle and the wheels. Where a live axle is used, whether suspended by leaf springs or trailing arms and pneumatic cylinders, as the load is increased and the distance between the load bed and the wheels attached to the live axle decreases, the camber of the wheels is unchanged.
When vehicles are electrified, inboard wheel motors may be specified for each driven wheel, with the driven wheels mounted on independent wishbone suspension. This keeps the unsprung mass of the vehicle to a minimum. However, in goods vehicles a wishbone arrangement gives too great a camber change when the vehicle moves between its unladen and fully laden states.
Attempts have been made to modify a live axle by attaching an electric motor to the differential housing with the output shaft of the electric motor connected to an input shaft of the differential via a suitable step down gear set. However, this is problematic because the unsprung mass of the vehicle is increased and a flexible high voltage connection is required.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved suspension arrangement for an electrified goods vehicle.
Summary to the Invention
According to the invention there is provided an electric goods vehicle comprising a battery for storing electrical charge, a chassis supported on and attached to at least one driven axle, the at least one driven axle comprising a de dion tube attached to the chassis by spaced apart suspension elements, the de dion tube having two ends and a wheel hub attached to each end, the electric vehicle further comprising a drive unit attached directly to the chassis and including at least one electric motor and two half shafts each extending from the drive unit to a respective one of the wheel hubs.
Preferably, the drive unit comprises a reduction gear set having an input and an output, where an output shaft of the at least one electric motor is attached to the input of the reduction gear set.
Advantageously, each half shaft is driven by the output of the reduction gear set.
The drive unit may include a differential gearbox, the differential gearbox connected to and driven by the output of the reduction gear set, the half shafts attached to and driven by respective outputs of the differential gearbox.
The drive unit may comprise two electric motors, each electric motor driving a respective one of the half shafts.
Preferably, the battery occupies the space between the front and rear axles and is mounted attached to the chassis.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In the Drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and which are by way of example: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a vehicle according to the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the vehicle illustrated in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the vehicle illustrated in Figure 1.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a goods vehicle 1 comprising a chassis 2 having a front axle 3 and a rear axle 4 attached thereto. An operator's cab would sit over or just behind the front axle 3. Between the front and rear axles a battery 15 is mounted.
The invention is concerned primarily with providing a goods vehicle with the greatest possible space for locating one battery pack. This is achieved by the particular rear axle arrangement of the vehicle. The rear axle 4, which is based around an assembly known in the art as a De Dion axle, comprises a De Dion tube 5 that is attached to leaf springs 6. The leaf springs 6 are attached to the chassis 2. The detail means by which the leaf springs 6 are attached to the chassis 2 are not described herein, since they are well known in the art. A pneumatic suspension system comprising trailing arms and pneumatic cylinders may replace the leaf springs 6. Again, these components are not described in detail s they are well known in the art.
A wheel hub 7 is attached to each free end of the De Dion tube 5, wheels 7a being attached to each wheel hub. The wheel hubs may include final speed reduction drives.
Drive to the wheel hubs 7 is from a drive unit 8 which is attached directly to the chassis 2, and which comprises an electric motor 9 and a reduction gear set 10. In the illustrated example the reduction gear set includes a first bevel gear attached to an output shaft of the electric motor 9 and a second larger diameter bevel gear which is part of a differential 10c. The reduction gear set 10 has two output shafts 11, each attached to a half shaft 12 by means of a universal joint 13. The wheel hubs 7 are each driven by a respective one of the half shafts 12 via a second universal joint 13'. The half shafts 12 each comprise two sections one slidable within the other. This sliding arrangement allows the half shafts 12 to change length as the load on the vehicle changes or a change in height of the road surface is encountered.
As can be seen from Figure 1, the rear axle arrangement removes components from the central part of the vehicle, providing a large space which is occupied by a battery. This is very advantageous over the arrangement of the prior art where a live axle is used, the electric motor is incorporated into the gear box and power is transmitted from the electric motor to the rear axle by a prop shaft, which arrangement usually results in batteries being located at many locations around the vehicle where there happens to be some available space. Such batteries require high voltage interconnect cables which have reluctance and capacitance requiring balancing.

Claims (6)

  1. Claims 1. An electric goods vehicle comprising a battery for storing electrical charge, a chassis supported on and attached to at least one driven axle, the at least one driven axle comprising a de dion tube attached to the chassis by spaced apart suspension elements, the de dion tube having two ends and a wheel hub attached to each end, the electric vehicle further comprising a drive unit attached directly to the chassis and including at least one electric motor and two half shafts each extending from the drive unit to a respective one of the wheel hubs.
  2. 2. An electric goods vehicle according to Claim 1, wherein the drive unit comprises a reduction gear set having an input and an output, where an output shaft of the at least one electric motor is attached to the input of the reduction gear set.
  3. 3. An electric goods vehicle according to Claim 2, wherein each half shaft is driven by the output of the reduction gear set.
  4. 4. An electric goods vehicle according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the drive unit includes a differential gearbox, the differential gearbox connected to and driven by the output of the reduction gear set, the half shafts attached to and driven by respective outputs of the differential gearbox.
  5. 5. An electric goods vehicle according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the drive unit comprises two electric motors, each electric motor driving a respective one of the half shafts.
  6. 6. An electric goods vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the battery occupies the space between the front and rear axles and is mounted attached to the chassis.
GB1901160.0A 2019-01-28 2019-01-28 Electric goods vehicle with de Dion axle Withdrawn GB2581134A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1901160.0A GB2581134A (en) 2019-01-28 2019-01-28 Electric goods vehicle with de Dion axle

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1901160.0A GB2581134A (en) 2019-01-28 2019-01-28 Electric goods vehicle with de Dion axle

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201901160D0 GB201901160D0 (en) 2019-03-20
GB2581134A true GB2581134A (en) 2020-08-12

Family

ID=65997889

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB1901160.0A Withdrawn GB2581134A (en) 2019-01-28 2019-01-28 Electric goods vehicle with de Dion axle

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2581134A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11220150B2 (en) * 2017-08-30 2022-01-11 Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, Llc Electric axle drivetrain assembly

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2017172788A1 (en) * 2016-03-28 2017-10-05 Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, Llc Suspension rear axle comprising two electric motors
WO2019046531A1 (en) * 2017-08-30 2019-03-07 Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, Llc Electric axle drivetrain assembly

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2017172788A1 (en) * 2016-03-28 2017-10-05 Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, Llc Suspension rear axle comprising two electric motors
WO2019046531A1 (en) * 2017-08-30 2019-03-07 Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, Llc Electric axle drivetrain assembly

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11220150B2 (en) * 2017-08-30 2022-01-11 Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, Llc Electric axle drivetrain assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201901160D0 (en) 2019-03-20

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)