Author : Srinivasan Ekambaram and Shoaib Hassan!

A new approach to design a driven axle with dual final drive ratio is reported in this paper. The design integrates an additional speed reduction. Objective of this design is to provide a better gear spread in an automobile which would result in improved fuel economy. The additional reduction stage is a planetary gear set comprising a ring gear, a sun gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted on a carrier. The selectable speed reduction can provide choice of reduction which in combination with the reduction stages in the gear box/transmission, can at least double the gear spread that would otherwise have been available. Thereby it helps to have a better control on drive torque/traction force and engine speed to which results in improved fuel economy.

Keywords: Dual ratio, Driven axle, gear spread, speed reduction, torque multiplication, fuel economy.

Article published in International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.6, No.6 (Dec-2016)