Abstract: A rotor cooling arrangement is provided for an electric machine used in a drive train of a work vehicle. The electric machine has a housing containing a stator disposed within the housing in a fixed position about a rotation axis. The rotor cooling arrangement includes a rotor disposed within the housing about the rotation axis. The rotor has a series of rotor discs with pockets in which magnets are disposed. The rotor discs are separated from each other along the rotation axis by a dielectric. A rotor shaft extends along the rotation axis and couples to the rotor discs to corotate relative to the stator about the rotation axis. The rotor shaft defines, in part, a cooling circuit through which flows coolant for cooling the rotor. The cooling circuit includes a feed passage internal to the rotor shaft that communicates with a cooling passage, in the form of an open groove in an outer surface of the rotor shaft, that communicates with an outlet opening spaced along the rotation axis from the rotor.

Abstract: An auxiliary differential mechanism for a work vehicle includes a housing fixed with respect to the differential, a main shaft extending within the housing along a rotation axis and configured to couple to the differential and rotate about the rotation axis, and a wheel shaft extending along the rotation axis and configured to rotate about the rotation axis to drive the ground-engaging wheel or track. A brake is located between the main shaft and the housing, and a brake piston is configured to selectively engage the brake to ground the main shaft to the housing. A clutch is located between the main shaft and the wheel shaft, and a clutch piston is configured to selectively engage the clutch to tie the wheel shaft to the main shaft to corotate together. An intermediate piston between the brake and the clutch is selectively movable to engage the brake or the clutch.

Abstract: A lubricant management system is provided for a work vehicle transmission. The system includes a balance piston contained in a balance piston cavity configured to receive fluid under pressure and provided between a clutch piston and a balance piston; a cooling fluid shutoff piston mounted in a passageway of the clutch piston; a valve configured to control pressure of fluid flow into the clutch piston cavity; and a controller, having processing and memory architecture, operatively coupled to the valve and configured to command the valve to adjust the pressure of the fluid flowing into the clutch piston cavity during operation of the clutch assembly. The passageway has a lubrication supply opening that is closed by the cooling fluid shutoff piston when a first pressure is within the clutch piston cavity.

Abstract: An end drive unit for a work vehicle having a ground-engaging member includes a drive casing configured to mount to the work vehicle. An input shaft is disposed within the drive casing and configured to receive rotational power to drive a planetary set driven having a grounded carrier fixed with respect to the drive casing. A drive hub is mountable to the ground-engaging member of the work vehicle and supported for rotation about a drive axis by the planetary set and a bearing mounted to the grounded carrier. A drive brake arrangement is configured to impede rotation of the planetary set and thereby rotation of the drive hub about the drive axis. A service panel is coupled to the drive casing such that removal of the service panel facilitates access to the drive brake arrangement for service or deactivation of the drive brake arrangement without disassembly of the planetary set.

Abstract: An energy storage device is mounted at a horizontal end of a work vehicle for storing energy generated from operation of the work vehicle. The energy storage device includes a stator of an electric machine having a stator axis, a rotor of the electric machine fixed for rotation with a rotating ballast and configured for rotation about the stator axis, a housing disposed around the rotor and configured to contain the electric machine, and a brake configured to absorb kinetic energy of the rotor.

Abstract: A work vehicle and energy storage device include a ballast providing ballast weight to the horizontal end of the work vehicle, a stator of an electric machine having a vertically extending axis, and a rotor of the electric machine fixed for rotation with the ballast.

Abstract: A lubrication mechanism is provided for a transmission unit having a balance piston. The lubrication mechanism is movable between a closed position when a clutch assembly is disengaged which prevents cooling flow of lubrication to a clutch pack of the clutch assembly, and an open position when the clutch assembly is engaged which provides for a cooling flow of lubrication to the clutch pack. In both positions, lubrication is supplied to a balance piston cavity between the clutch assembly and the balance piston.

Abstract: A work vehicle and energy storage device include an electric machine having a stator and a rotor. The rotor is configured to rotate from the flow of electrical current provided to the electric machine, rotate to store energy of the work vehicle, provide a rotor mass to an end of the work vehicle, and generate electrical current for the work vehicle from rotation of the rotor. The rotor mass is greater than a stator mass.

Abstract: An energy storage device for storing energy generated from operation of a work vehicle includes a ballast providing ballast weight to the work vehicle, a stator of an electric machine mounted on the work vehicle, a rotor of the electric machine fixed for rotation with the ballast, spaced from the stator by a gap, and configured for rotation relative to the stator such that the electric machine is configured to generate electrical current from rotation of the rotor and the ballast relative to the stator and to rotate the rotor and the ballast from electrical current received by the electric machine, and a gap modulator coupled to at least one of the stator and the rotor and configured to selectively adjust the gap between the rotor and the stator based on an operation of the electric machine.

Abstract: A planetary gear system and a planet gear fastener assembly for a planetary gear system includes a planet gear having a planet gear axis, a carrier connected to the planet gear, and a sun gear that engages the planet gear. The planetary gear fastener assembly includes a washer having a washer axis and configured to be positioned against an axial end of the planet gear and a fastener extending through the washer to couple the washer to the carrier. The fastener includes a fastener axis positioned to be radially offset from the planet gear axis of the planet gear.

Abstract: A lubricant management system is provided for a work vehicle transmission. The system includes a balance piston contained in a balance piston cavity configured to receive fluid under pressure and provided between a clutch piston and a balance piston; a cooling fluid shutoff piston mounted in a passageway of the clutch piston; a valve configured to control pressure of fluid flow into the clutch piston cavity; and a controller, having processing and memory architecture, operatively coupled to the valve and configured to command the valve to adjust the pressure of the fluid flowing into the clutch piston cavity during operation of the clutch assembly. The passageway has a lubrication supply opening that is closed by the cooling fluid shutoff piston when a first pressure is within the clutch piston cavity.

Abstract: A work vehicle has two transaxles carried by a chassis each having wheel end units rotatable to drive ground-engaging members about wheel axes and having electric machines powering transmission configured to effect multiple gear ratios. The electric transaxles are operationally mechanically uncoupled. One or more sensors detect speed, heading, and loading characteristics of the work vehicle. A controller, having memory and processing architecture, is configured to process control to: receive from the one or more sensors input of the speed, heading, and loading characteristics of the work vehicle. The controller determines a shift pair sequence for shifting the first transmission and the second transmission based on the received input of the speed, heading, and loading characteristics of the work vehicle.

Abstract: A multi-mode electric transaxle for a work vehicle includes a transaxle housing and wheel end units coupled to the transaxle housing and have hubs rotatable about a wheel axis. An electric machine and a transmission are supported within the transaxle housing. The transmission receives rotational power from the electric machine and is configured to effect multiple gear ratios at a range gear. A drive gear is mounted within the transaxle housing to rotate about the wheel axis and has multiple gear mesh locations, including a first gear mesh location at an outer circumference of the drive gear where the range gear engages the drive gear and a second gear mesh location at an annular face of the drive gear. An output shaft has an inner end mounting an output gear within the transaxle housing to engage the drive gear at the second gear mesh location. The output shaft extends outside the transaxle housing. A transaxle gear assembly couples the drive gear to rotatable the hubs of the wheel end units.

Abstract: A work vehicle has a chassis supported off the ground by ground-engaging wheels or tracks and two transaxles carried by the chassis. The first transaxle has first wheel end units rotatable about a first wheel axis via a first transaxle gear set to rotate a first set of the ground-engaging wheels or tracks. The second transaxle has second wheel end units rotatable about a second wheel axis via a second transaxle gear set to rotate a second set of the ground-engaging wheels or tracks. The second transaxle includes an electric machine having a shaft rotating about a machine axis, a transmission rotated by the electric machine shaft and configured to effect multiple gear ratios at a range gear, and a drive gear rotatable about the second wheel axis by the range gear of the transmission.

Abstract: An electric drive axle for a work vehicle has an axle housing defining chassis mounts configured to mount to the work vehicle chassis and defining an interior cavity disposed between opposite open ends. Wheel end units are secured at least partially within the axle housing. Each wheel end unit includes an electric machine and a gear set driving a hub for engaging a ground-engaging member of the work vehicle. A battery pack and power electronics are mounted within the axle housing between the wheel end units. The power controller has a processor executing control logic and is electrically coupled to the wheel end units and the battery pack and configured to control supply of power from the battery pack to the wheel end units.

Abstract: An electric drive axle for a work vehicle has an axle housing configured to mount to the work vehicle chassis. The axle housing defines an interior cavity disposed between opposite ends defining openings. Wheel end units are secured at least partially within the axle housing, each wheel end unit defining a hub for engaging a ground-engaging member of the work vehicle through one of the openings. Each wheel end unit has drive components configured to rotate the hub of a wheel end unit. A battery pack and power controller are mounted within the axle housing between the wheel end units. The power controller is electrically coupled to the wheel end units and the battery pack to control power to the wheel end units. Plumbing lines within the axle housing convey a coolant from a housing inlet to the battery pack and the power controller and from the battery pack and the power controller to a housing outlet.

Abstract: A work vehicle includes front and rear electric drive axles mounted to its chassis. Each electric drive axle has an axle housing defining chassis mounts configured to mount to the chassis. The axle housing defines an interior cavity disposed between opposite ends defining openings. Wheel end units are secured at least partially within the axle housing. Each wheel end unit defines a hub for engaging a ground-engaging member of the work vehicle through an associated one of the openings. Each wheel end unit has drive components configured to rotate the hub of each wheel end unit. A battery pack is mounted within the axle housing between the wheel end units. A power controller is mounted within the axle housing between the wheel end units, the power controller electrically coupled to the wheel end units and the battery pack and configured to control supply of power from the battery pack to the wheel end units.

Abstract: A transmission assembly for a work vehicle includes a housing that accommodates first and second transmission shafts, a gear arrangement that provides a selective gear reduction for transmission of power between the first and second transmission shafts, and a quill structure secured to the housing that supports the first transmission shaft. The quill structure is couplable to the housing in a first orientation and a second orientation to vary a vertical spacing between the first and second transmission shafts. A bearing bore in the quill structure is formed at a vertically offset location of the quill structure and receives the first transmission shaft. The vertical spacing between the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft may be set at a first vertical distance or at a second vertical distance based on the quill structure being coupled to the housing in the first orientation or in the second orientation, respectively.

Abstract: A work vehicle drive includes a housing; an electric machine at least partially housed within the housing, configured to generate rotational power, and comprising an interface coupling at an electric machine output; a transmission at least partially housed within the housing, rotationally coupled to the interface coupling, and configured to transfer at least a portion of the mechanical power from the electric machine to a drive output; a pump at least partially housed within the housing and configured to facilitate circulation of lubrication fluid about the transmission, wherein the pump is selectively driven, in a first mode of operation, by the rotational power of the electric machine; and a solenoid device at least partially housed within the housing and configured to selectively drive the pump in a second mode of operation.

Abstract: A lubricant management system is provided for a work vehicle transmission. The system includes a balance piston contained in a balance piston cavity configured to receive fluid under pressure and provided between a clutch piston and a balance piston; a cooling fluid shutoff piston mounted in a passageway of the clutch piston; a valve configured to control pressure of fluid flow into the clutch piston cavity; and a controller, having processing and memory architecture, operatively coupled to the valve and configured to command the valve to adjust the pressure of the fluid flowing into the clutch piston cavity during operation of the clutch assembly. The passageway has a lubrication supply opening that is closed by the cooling fluid shutoff piston when a first pressure is within the clutch piston cavity.