Abstract

A rear drive axle assembly includes fixedly attaching right and left axles to right and left rear wheels. Inner ends of the axles residing in a tube and reach in to almost a center of the vehicle, and extend out through self-aligning, pillow block bearings. Sprockets are attached to the axles between outer ends of the tube and the pillow block bearings. Negligible friction between the axles and tube is the only rotational coupling of the axles. The Rigid Tube provides concentricity between the two axles, provides perpendicularity of the drive wheels to the road surface and performs the function of a sleeve bearing.

IPC Classes  ?

• B60K 17/04 - Arrangement or mounting of transmissions in vehicles characterised by arrangement, location or kind of gearing
• B60K 7/00 - Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel

Abstract

An improved belt clutch engages to couple one shaft to at least one other shaft and disengaged to decouple the shafts. Known belt clutches fail to smoothly and completely disengage the belt from traction pulleys on the shafts and drag results. The improved belt clutch includes rollers outlining the engaged belt and constrain the disengaged belt to smoothly and completely disengage the belt from the traction pulleys. The new improved belt clutch provides, among other things, higher efficiency when driven in either direction and smoother operation when engaged or disengaged at high speed than prior art belt clutches.

IPC Classes  ?

• F16H 55/36 - Pulleys
• F16D 11/06 - Clutches in which the members have interengaging parts disengaged by a contact of a part mounted on the clutch with a stationarily-mounted member with clutching members movable otherwise than only axially, e.g. rotatable keys

Abstract

An electric powered vehicle includes a first drive unit and a second drive unit. The first drive unit and the second drive unit are coupled to one of the drive wheels. At its maximum power within the system, the second drive unit drives the vehicle at a higher speed than the first drive unit. A clutch automatically disengages the first drive unit from the drive wheel while the second drive unit is operating. The clutch may include a uni-directional device. An electronic control unit automatically adjusts the voltage supplied to the second drive unit to maintain the efficiency of the second electric drive unit within a predetermined efficiency range.

IPC Classes  ?

• B60K 1/02 - Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units comprising more than one electric motor