USOO9409477B2

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 9,409,477 B2

Wang (45) Date of Patent: Aug. 9, 2016
(54) TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR AN (58) Field of Classification Search
ELECTRIC VEHICLE CPC ... B60K 17/08; B60K 1/00, B60K 2001/001;
B60K 20/00, B60K 17/16; B62D 37/04
(71) Applicant: LOROM INDUSTRIAL CO.,LTD., See application file for complete search history.
Taipei (TW) (56) References Cited
(72) Inventor: Ching-Feng Wang, Taipei (TW) U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
(73) Assignee: Lorom Industrial Co., Ltd., Taipei 4,368,796 A * 1/1983 Patin ................ B6OG 17 O1925
(TW) 180,215
2012/0165147 A1* 6, 2012 Radermacher ........... B6OK 6/48
475/5
(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 2015/0283889 A1 * 10/2015 Agnew ..................... B6OK 1.00
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 180,292
U.S.C. 154(b) by 28 days.
* cited by examiner
(21) Appl. No.: 14/620,350
Primary Examiner — Faye M Fleming
(22) Filed: Feb. 12, 2015 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Rosenberg, Klein & Lee
(65) Prior Publication Data (57) ABSTRACT
US 2015/O266373 A1 Sep. 24, 2015 A transmission system for an electric Vehicle includes a gear
box which produces different rotation ratio between a drive
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data motor and drive wheels during running of the electric Vehicle,
a differential which serves to absorb a power of the gearbox to
Mar. 24, 2014 (CN) ...................... 2014 2 O13484OU overcome rotation speed difference between the drive wheels,
and two wheel axles which are used to deliver the power to the
(51) Int. Cl. drive wheels from the differential, the gearbox has a housing
which is connected to a vehicle frame of the electric vehicle
B6OK 7/08 (2006.01)
B62D 37/04 (2006.01) via a universal coupling. When the electric vehicle runs on a
B60K L/00 (2006.01) bumpy road and makes a turn, the vehicle frame is able to
B60K 20/00 (2006.01) Swing up and down and pivot left and right with respect to the
gearbox housing, so as to reduce the bounce of the vehicle and
(52) U.S. Cl. dampen the centrifugal force caused tilt or roll of the vehicle,
CPC. B60K 17/08 (2013.01); B60K I/00 (2013.01); thus improving driving comfort and stability.
B60K 20/00 (2013.01); B62D 3704 (2013.01);
B60K 2001/001 (2013.01) 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets

1O

13
U.S. Patent Aug. 9, 2016 Sheet 1 of 4 US 9,409,477 B2

13

FIG. 1
U.S. Patent Aug. 9, 2016 Sheet 2 of 4 US 9,409,477 B2

FIG 2
U.S. Patent Aug. 9, 2016 Sheet 3 of 4 US 9,409,477 B2

13

FIG 3
U.S. Patent Aug. 9, 2016 Sheet 4 of 4 US 9,409,477 B2

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 US 9,409,477 B2
1. 2
TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FORAN dampen the centrifugal force caused tilt or roll of the vehicle,
ELECTRIC VEHICLE thus improving driving comfort and stability.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

1. Field of the Invention FIG. 1 is a front view of a transmission system for an

The present invention relates to a transmission system, and electric vehicle in accordance with the present invention.
more particularly to a transmission system for an electric FIG. 2 is a side view of the transmission system for an
vehicle. electric vehicle in accordance with the present invention.
2. Description of the Prior Art 10 FIG. 3 is a front cross sectional view of the transmission
A transmission system of a vehicle (including fuel Vehicles system for an electric Vehicle in accordance with the present
and electric vehicles) essentially consists of a gearbox, a invention.
differential, a drive shaft and at lease two wheel axles. The FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a gearbox of the trans
transmission system can also be provided with no drive shaft mission system for an electric Vehicle in accordance with the
according to different drive modes. The transmission system 15
present invention.
is used to deliver power from the motor (the engine of a fuel
vehicle or a drive motor of an electric vehicle) to the drive DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
wheels, and thus driving the vehicle to move. EMBODIMENTS
Motor and gearbox are normally fixed to the vehicle frame
by mounting brackets to restrain the vibration caused by The present invention will be clearer from the following
running of the motor or gearbox. However, mounting brack description when viewed together with the accompanying
ets are only capable of reducing vibration, but unable to
counteract the centrifugal force produced during a turn of the drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the
vehicle. Once a driver takes a turn too fast and produces a big preferred embodiment in accordance with the present inven
centrifugal force, the vehicle is very likely to lose balance and 25 tion.
starts to slide or roll over. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a transmission system 10 for an
electric Vehicle inaccordance with the present invention com
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION prises a gearbox 11, a differential 12 and two wheel axles 13.
The gearbox 11 is used to produce different rotation ratio
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide 30 between a drive motor 15 and drive wheels (not shown) of an
a transmission system for an electric vehicle, which is capable electric vehicle. The gearbox 11 includes an input shaft 21, an
of dampening bounce, counteracting centrifugal force and output shaft 22 and a shift slide 23 which are all disposed in a
improving stability when the vehicle runs on a bumpy road housing 24. The input shaft 21 is connected to a force input
and makes a turn. gear 26 via a unilateral bearing 25. The force input gear 26 is
To achieve the above objective, a transmission system for 35 engaged with a force output gear 28 mounted on a main shaft
an electric Vehicle in accordance with the present invention 27 of the drive motor 15, so that rotation can be transmitted
comprises a gearbox which produces different rotation ratio from the main shaft 27 to the input shaft 21 in a one-way
between a drive motor and drive wheels during running of the manner, which prevents force transmission in a reverse direc
electric vehicle, a differential which serves to absorb a power tion. An engine normally should possess the function of
of the gearbox to overcome rotation speed difference between 40 engine brake, therefore, the unidirectional bearing is unable
the drive wheels, and two wheel axles which are used to to take the place of the clutch of an engine. However, the
deliver the power to the drive wheels from the differential, the electric vehicle is driven by a drive motor and uses the unidi
gearbox has a housing which is connected to a vehicle frame rectional bearing to replace the clutch, which not only reduces
of the electric vehicle via a universal coupling, when the cost, allows for easy shifting, but also prevents the potential
electric vehicle runs on a bumpy road and makes a turn, the 45 risk caused by back electromotive force produced when the
vehicle frame is able to Swing up and down and pivot left and electric Vehicle runs down a slope fast. Any functionally
right with respect to the gearbox housing. equivalent unidirectional transmission device is applicable
The universal coupling comprises a connecting member and not limited to the unidirectional bearing. Besides, a plu
which includes a fork portion and a neck portion formed rality of drive gears 29a, 29b and 29c are provided in size
above the fork portion, the fork portion is sleeved onto a 50 order on the input shaft 21, and the output shaft 22 is also
coupling member on a top of the housing and fixed thereto by correspondingly provided with a plurality of differential
a fastener which is inserted through the coupling member and gears 30a, 30b and 30c. The shift slide 23 has one side
the fork portion; a bearing which is mounted on the neck connected to a shift wire 31, and another side connected to
portion of the connecting member; a bracket which includes one end of a tension spring 32 (as shown in FIG. 4). Another
a bottom plate and a lateral plate, the bottom board includes a 55 end of the tension spring 32 is fixed, so that the tension spring
bearing hole for holding of the bearing, and the lateral plate is 32 serves as a power source for moving the shift slide 23 and
connected to the vehicle frame; and a bolt which is inserted the differential gears 30a, 30b and 30c back to a desired
through the bearing and screwed into the neck portion of the position. The shift wire 31 has one end wound around a fixed
connecting member, so that the bracket is fixed to the con pulley 33 and connected to a shift head 34. The fixed pulley 33
necting member, and the bearing is retained in the bearing 60 is rotatably disposed in a shift box 35. By such arrangements,
hole of the bracket. when the shift head 34 is operated to pull the shift wire 31
The advantage of the present invention over the prior art is winding around the fixed pulley 33, the shift slide 23 will be
that with the universal coupling connected between the gear caused to push one of the differential gears 30a, 30b and 30c
box housing and the vehicle frame, when the vehicle runs on to a desired position to engage with a corresponding one of
a bumpy road and makes a turn, the vehicle frame is able to 65 the drive gears 29a, 29b and 29c, which creates different gear
Sway up and down and rotate left and right with respect to the ratios (or transmission ratio or drive ratio) to deliver the
gearbox housing, so as to reduce the bounce of the vehicle or rotation power of the drive motor 15 to the wheels of the
 US 9,409,477 B2
3 4
vehicle at different rotation speeds and torques via the differ transmitted to the differential of the rear wheels via the drive
ential 12 and the wheel axles 13. shaft, and then transmitted to the rear wheels. In other words,
The differential 12 serves to absorb the power of the output the transmission system 10 of the present invention can also
shaft 22 to overcome the rotation speed difference between include a gearbox 11, a drive shaft (not shown), a differential
the drive wheels, so that, when the vehicle move in a curved 12 and at least two wheel axles 13, and the embodiment as
path, the inner and outer wheels of the vehicle are allowed to shown in the drawings are exemplary only, and not intended
rotate at different speeds. to limit the present invention.
The wheel axles 13 are used to deliver the power to the In order to dampen the bounce of the vehicle when moving
drive wheels from the differential 12. Since the vehicle of a FF on bumpy road, or the centrifugal force caused tilt or roll of
(front motor front wheel drive), RR (rear motor rear wheel 10 the vehicle when making a turn, the gearbox 11 of the present
drive) or MR (middle motor rear wheel drive) type is not invention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is connected to the
equipped with a drive shaft, wherein the gearbox 11 and the vehicle frame (not shown) via a universal coupling 14 which
differential 12 are directly connected to the wheel axles 13 includes a connecting member 41, a bearing 42, a bracket 43
after the power is outputted. Namely, as shown in FIG. 3, the and a bolt 44. The connecting member 41 includes a fork
drive motor 15, the gearbox 11 and the differential 12 are 15 portion 46 and a neck portion 47 formed above the fork
connected together, and then two wheel axels 13 are con portion 46. The fork portion 46 is a reverse U-shaped struc
nected at left and right sides of the differential 12 to deliver ture sleeved onto a coupling member 36 on the top of the
power to two drive wheels at left and right sides of the vehicle. gearbox housing 24 and fixed thereto by a fastener 48, Such as
A sleeve 16 of each of the wheel axles 13 is formed with an pin or rivet inserted through the fork portion 46 and a fixing
assembly hole 17 for assembling of a shock absorber 18 hole 37 (as shown in FIG. 3) which is formed in the coupling
which has an upper end connected to a vehicle frame (not member 36, which allows the connecting member 41 to pivot
shown) to absorb or reduce vibration caused in a vertical with respect to the housing 24. The bearing 42 is mounted on
direction when the vehicle moves on a bumpy road. the neck portion 47 of the connecting member 41 to allow
During the operation of the transmission system 10, the rotation of the bracket 43. The bracket 43 includes a bottom
gearbox 11 is manually operated to move the differential 25 plate 49 and a lateral plate 51 connected to the bottom plate 49
gears 30a, 30b and 30c into a desired position. In other words, to form an L-shaped structure. The bottom plate 49 includes
the shift head 34 is manually operated to move the shift slide a bearing hole 50 for holding of the bearing 42, and the lateral
23 to the desired position via the shift wire 31, meanwhile, the plate 51 is connected to the vehicle frame. When the connect
differential gears 30a, 30b and 30c move synchronously with ing member 41, the bearing 42 and the bracket 43 are
the shift slide 23 until one of the differential gears 30a, 30b 30 assembled, the bolt 44 is inserted through a washer 45 dis
and 30c engages with a corresponding one of the drive gears posed on the bottom plate 49 and the bearing 42 and screwed
29a, 29b and 29c to create a desired gear ratio. Then, the into the neckportion 47 of the connecting member 41, so that
power of the output shaft 22 is distributed by the differential the bracket 43 is fixed to the connecting member 41, and the
12 and delivered to the drive wheels by the left and right wheel bearing 42 is retained in the bearing hole 50 of the bracket 43
axles 13 to make the vehicle move. 35 to allow for rotation of the connecting member 41 and the
Referring then to FIGS. 3 and 4, the differential gear 30a is bracket 43. With the universal coupling 14 connected
engaged with the drive gear 29a, at this moment, the speed between the gearbox housing 24 and the vehicle frame, when
position of the transmission system 10 is defined as a third the vehicle runs on a bumpy road and makes a turn, the vehicle
speed position. Similarly, when the differential gears 30b and frame is able to Sway up and down and rotate left and right
30c are engaged with the drive gears 29b and 29c respectively, 40 with respect to the gearbox housing 24, so as to reduce the
the speed positions of the transmission system 10 are defined bounce of the vehicle and dampen the centrifugal force
as a second speed position and a first speed position, respec caused tilt or roll of the vehicle, thus improving driving com
tively. When the transmission system 10 is downshifted from fort and stability.
the third speed position to the second speed position to the The universal coupling 14 and the shock absorbers 18
first speed position, the tension spring 32 will be stretched to 45 connect the transmission system 10 to the vehicle frame, so as
provide an elastic force which serves as a power source to to form a three point support. Besides, the drive motor 15, the
push the gears into a desired speed position during upshifting. gearbox 11, the differential 12, the wheel axles 13, the sleeves
In other words, when upshifting from 1 to 2 to 3 speed 16 and the shock absorbers 18 can be modularly designed to
position, the shift slide 23 and the differential gears 30a, 30b reduce the manufacturing efficiency of the vehicle while
and 30c can be pushed by the tension spring 32 to the desired 50 reducing manufacturing cost.
position. While we have shown and described various embodiments
It is to be noted that the transmission system 10 of the in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those
present invention is designed to be used in Small electric skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made
vehicles, such as three-wheel vehicle or other small electric without departing from the scope of the present invention.
vehicles, therefore, the gearbox 11 is equipped with forward 55 What is claimed is:
gears only but has no reversal gear. 1. A transmission system for an electric Vehicle comprising
Since the transmission system 10 of the present invention a gearbox which produces different rotation ratio between a
requires no use of the clutch which is used on a conventional drive motor and drive wheels during running of the electric
transmission to deliver the power to the manual gearbox from vehicle, a differential which serves to absorb a power of the
the engine, which ensures a Smooth shift and allows a user 60 gearbox to overcome rotation speed difference between the
who is not good at manual transmission to drive easily. drive wheels, and two wheel axles which are used to deliver
Besides, the transmission system 10 without the clutch has a the power to the drive wheels from the differential, the gear
simple structure, and low manufacturing and maintenance box has a housing which is connected to a vehicle frame of the
COStS. electric Vehicle via a universal coupling, the universal cou
In addition, a FR (front motor rear wheel drive) vehicle or 65 pling comprises:
a front motor four-wheel drive vehicle uses the rear wheels as a connecting member which includes a fork portion and a
drive wheels, therefore, the power from the gearbox must be neck portion formed above the fork portion, the fork
 US 9,409,477 B2
5 6
portion is sleeved onto a coupling member on a top of the to deliver the power to the drive wheels from the differential,
housing and fixed thereto by a fastener which is inserted the gearbox has a housing which is connected to a vehicle
through the coupling member and the fork portion; frame of the electric vehicle via a universal coupling, the
a bearing which is mounted on the neck portion of the universal coupling comprises:
connecting member; 5 a connecting member which includes a fork portion and a
a bracket which includes a bottom plate and a lateral plate, neck portion formed above the fork portion, the fork
the bottom plate includes a bearing hole for holding of portion is sleeved onto a coupling member on a top of the
the bearing, and the lateral plate is connected to the housing and fixed thereto by a fastener which is inserted
Vehicle frame; and through the coupling member and the fork portion;
a bolt which is inserted through the bearing and screwed 10 a bearing which is mounted on the neck portion of the
into the neck portion of the connecting member, so that connecting member;
the bracket is fixed to the connecting member, and the a bracket which includes a bottom plate and a lateral plate,
bearing is retained in the bearing hole of the bracket. the bottom plate includes a bearing hole for holding of
2. The transmission system for the electric vehicle as the bearing, and the lateral plate is connected to the
claimed in claim 1, wherein a sleeve of each of the wheel axles 15 vehicle frame; and
is connected to the vehicle frame from a shock absorber. a bolt which is inserted through the bearing and screwed
3. The transmission system for the electric vehicle as into the neck portion of the connecting member, so that
claimed in claim 1, wherein the gearbox includes an input the bracket is fixed to the connecting member, and the
shaft, an output shaft and a shift slide, a plurality of drive bearing is retained in the bearing hole of the bracket.
gears is provided on the input shaft, and the output shaft is 7. The transmission system for the electric vehicle as
also correspondingly provided with a plurality of differential claimed in claim 6, whereina sleeve of each of the wheel axles
gears, the shift slide is connected to a shift wire, then the shift is connected to the vehicle frame from a shock absorber.
wire winds around a fixed pulley and is connected to a shift 8. The transmission system for the electric vehicle as
head, when the shift head is manually operated, the shift slide claimed in claim 6, wherein the gearbox includes an input
will be pulled by the shift wire to move synchronously with 25 shaft, an output shaft and a shift slide, a plurality of drive
the differential gears to a desired position where one of the gears is provided on the input shaft, and the output shaft is
differential gears will engage with a corresponding one of the also correspondingly provided with a plurality of differential
drive gears, so as to create a desired gear ratio. gears, the shift slide is connected to a shift wire, then the shift
4. The transmission system for the electric vehicle as wire winds around a fixed pulley and is connected to a shift
claimed in claim 3, wherein the input shaft is connected to a 30 head, when the shift head is manually operated, the shift slide
force input gear via a unilateral bearing, the force input gear will be pulled by the shift wire to move synchronously with
is engaged with a force output gear mounted on a main shaft the differential gears to a desired position where one of the
of the drive motor, so that rotation is transmitted from the differential gears will engage with a corresponding one of the
main shaft to the input shaft in a one-way manner. drive gears, so as to create a desired gear ratio.
5. The transmission system for the electric vehicle as 35 9. The transmission system for the electric vehicle as
claimed in claim 3, wherein a tension spring is used as a claimed in claim 8, wherein the input shaft is connected to a
power source to push the shift slide and the differential gears force input gear via a unilateral bearing, the force input gear
back to a desired position during shifting in a reverse direc is engaged with a force output gear mounted on a main shaft
t1On. of the drive motor, so that rotation is transmitted from the
6. A transmission system for an electric vehicle comprising 40 main shaft to the input shaft in a one-way manner.
a gearbox which produces different rotation ratio between a 10. The transmission system for the electric vehicle as
drive motor and drive wheels during running of the electric claimed in claim 8, wherein a tension spring is used as a
vehicle, a transmission shaft which delivers a power from the power source to push the shift slide and the differential gears
gearbox, a differential which serves to absorb the power from back to a desired position during shifting in a reverse direc
the gearbox to overcome rotation speed difference between 45 t1On.
the drive wheels, and at least two wheel axles which are used