Qinetiq Limited

Renk America LLC

Robert John Bonner Flaxman

Robert William Thompson

A drive unit for a skid steered vehicle includes a controlled differential positioned between two shafts. The end of each shaft forms an output of the drive unit connected directly to the differential outputs via the shafts. A steer motor is in driveable communication with the differential, and an electric propulsion motor is in driveable communication with the shaft outputs. A gear reduction unit, and optional gear change unit, is positioned between the differential and the electric propulsion motor. The electric propulsion motor, the gear reduction unit and optional gear change unit are connected in a parallel connection with an output of the differential to the shaft outputs. The optional gear change unit includes an epicyclic gear reduction unit having an input and an output which provides drive input from the gear change unit to the shaft. A gear change set has a master gear that receives drive output from the electric propulsion motor, and slave gears which are driven by the master gear via one or more gear chains. A dog clutch slideably engages the input of the gear reduction unit and selectively engages with the master gear or slave gears so that the selected position of the dog clutch determines which gear is engaged.

Drive system for a skid steered vehicle

Gearboxes for a skid steered vehicle including layouts in which all electric propulsion drive motors and electric steering motors are located on one side of the gearbox, and layouts in which the drive inputs of the electric propulsion drive motors are located face to face. Gear change units and gear packaging configurations suitable for such gearboxes.

Some embodiments are directed to a drive configuration for a skid-steered vehicle that has a pair of traction motors for rotationally driving opposite outputs of the drive configuration. The traction motors are operatively connected to the outputs via respective gearing arrangements for selectively varying gear reduction between each of the traction motors and the corresponding output. The drive configuration also has a steer differential in a torque connection with the first and second outputs of the drive configuration. The drive configuration additional has a steer motor operatively connected to the steer differential for selectively varying the rotational speed of the first and second outputs in use. Also, the traction and steer motors define a volume in which the gearing arrangements and steering differential are at least partially located.

Drive configuration

Some embodiments are directed to a gearing assembly including a rotary input member, a rotary output member and a gearing arrangement between the input member and the output member selectively engageable to effect a driving engagement between the input member and the output member through at least a first torque connection having a first gear ratio and a second torque connection having a second gear ratio. One of the rotary input member and the rotary output member includes a first shaft and the first torque connection includes a first dog clutch including a dog hub having a hub set of teeth and a surrounding dog ring including a ring set of teeth. The hub and ring sets of teeth are radially projecting and mutually engageable. The dog hub is mounted on the first shaft so as to allow axial movement of the dog hub relative to the shaft.

Gearing assemblies and apparatus

Some embodiments are directed to a drive configuration for a skid steered vehicle includes first and second torque outputs coupled by a differential and in a torque connection with first and second electric motors, the differential being configured to mechanically transfer power across itself; and a mechanical power splitter having a first torque transfer feature in a torque connection with a combustion engine, a second torque transfer feature in a torque connection with a respective additional electric motor and a third torque transfer feature in a torque connection with at least one of the first and second torque outputs of the drive configuration, wherein torque output from the or each the mechanical power splitter in use is dependent on torques generated by the combustion engine and the associated additional electric motor.

Drive configurations for skid steered vehicles

Some embodiments are directed to an electric motor that includes a stator including a plurality of circumferentially distributed drive elements for causing an electromagnetic driving force to be applied to a rotor of the electric motor in use. Each drive element includes a wire extending around a metal core to define a plurality of coils for magnetizing the metal core when current flows in the coils. At least one space exists between the metal core of each respective drive element and the coils around it. A cooling device is provided for transferring heat away from the drive elements. Each drive element further includes a heat conductor including a plurality of mutually electrically isolated metallic elements located in the or each respective space between the metal core thereof and the coils around it, for transferring heat from the coils to the cooling device.

Electric motor

Some embodiments are directed to an apparatus for managing fluid flow in a vehicle, that includes an epicyclic gear set having first, and second inputs configured to receive rotational drive input from a torque output feature of a powertrain and a rotary actuator respectively. A pump driver is provided for driving a fluid pump, the pump driver being configured to receive rotational drive input from an output of the epicyclic gear set. A controller is configured to determine information corresponding to the rotational speed of the torque output feature using information generated by a rotational speed sensor and based on this control the rotary actuator, such that the pump driver is caused to rotate at substantially a pre-specified speed.

Apparatus for managing fluid flow in a vehicle

Some embodiments are directed to a controlled differential adapted to couple two shafts and steer input, such as those provided in a drive configuration for a skid steered vehicle, the controlled differential including a pair of planet carriers arranged to turn with respective shafts; a pair of ring gears interconnected by a cross-shaft such that the ring gears rotate in common; planet gears and a pair of sun gears, the sun gears being coupled to at least one steer motor to enable rotation of the sun gears in mutually opposite senses upon input from the steer motor.

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Guildford, United Kingdom

Robert John Bonner Flaxman