Power transmission structure of vehicle

• US 10,017,041 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Akitaka, Yokouchi, Yoshimitsu, Sugiyama, Masataka, Isomura, Haruo, Kuwamoto, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pang, Roger L
• Application Number:
  US15/137,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20160311305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 475 5, 74440
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/09 Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/48 Vibration dampers, e.g. dual mass flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/604 AC Machines, e.g. asynchronous motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/73 Planetary gearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/0835 due to the elasticity of the ring or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0866 Power split variators with distributing differentials, with the output of the CVT connected or connectable to the output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2007 with two sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/724 using external powered electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/727 with at least two dynamo electric machines for creating an electric power path inside the gearing, e.g. using generator and motor for a variable power torque path special adapted for a hybrid electric vehicle B60K6/20
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0006 Vibration-damping or noise reducing means specially adapted for gearings devices for varying tension of belts, ropes or chains with damping means F16H7/0829; toothed members with construction providing vibration damping F16H55/14; reducing vibrations or noise of the gearbox casing F16H57/028; suppression of vibrations or noise of gear selectors F16H59/0208; control of hydrostatic fluid gearing preventing or reducing vibrations or noise F16H61/4183
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0025 with gearing elements rigidly connected to a shaft, e.g. securing gears or pulleys by specially adapted splines, keys or methods
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0037 Special features of coaxial shafts, e.g. relative support thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/911 with two or more gear sets

Abstract

A power transmission structure of a vehicle, which is provided with a first rotor, a second rotor, and a metallic cylinder. In this power transmission structure, the reduction shaft and the second rotor shaft receive reaction force from the cylindrical metallic member in radially opposite directions. The cylindrical metallic member is deformable elastically in a radial direction and press-fitted in a part where the reduction shaft and the second rotor shaft of a second electric motor overlap each other in the radial direction adjacent to a spline fitting part of the reduction shaft and the second rotor shaft. Therefore, misalignment between the axis of the reduction shaft and the axis of the second rotor shaft is restrained, and generation of tooth hitting sound is thus restrained. Since the cylindrical metallic member has high rigidity and is restrained from being deformed in a rotation direction, responsiveness of torque transmission is improved.

Claims

1. A power transmission structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a driving shaft connected with a power transmission member, the power transmission member being configured to transmit power of an engine,

a rotating shaft of an electric motor that is provided concentrically with the driving shaft, the rotating shaft being spline-fitted to the driving shaft; and

a metallic cylinder configured to be able to deform elastically in a radial direction, the metallic cylinder being interposed in a part where the driving shaft and the rotating shaft overlap each other in the radial direction, and the metallic cylinder having a first region, a second region, and a third region, in which the first region is in contact with the driving shaft, the second region is in contact with the rotating shaft, and the third region connects the first region and the second region with each other,

wherein resonance frequency of the power transmission structure, which is made from the driving shaft, the rotating shaft, and the metallic cylinder, becomes an upper limit of rotational speed of the engine or higher, in which the metallic cylinder is elastically deformable in the radial direction and interposed in a part where the driving shaft and the rotating shaft overlap each other in the radial direction.

2. The power transmission structure according to claim 1, wherein

the rotating shaft of the electric motor is a rotor shaft of a second electric motor of a hybrid vehicle in which the engine, a first electric motor, and a planetary gear connected with the engine and the first electric motor are arranged on a different rotation axis from a rotation axis of the second electric motor,

the driving shaft is a reduction shaft, and

the metallic cylinder is provided between the rotor shaft of the second electric motor of the hybrid vehicle and the reduction shaft.