Apparatus and method for delivering power in a hybrid vehicle

• US 10,202,031 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Lo, Jonathan Mong Ling, Gromadzki, Jacek, Bouchon, Nicolas Louis, Strange, Martin Alexander, Woo, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Restifo, Jeffrey J
• Application Number:
  US15/380,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20170096057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 180242, 180245
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/28 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of power take-off
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/344 having a transfer gear
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4808 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4833 Step up or reduction gearing driving generator, e.g. to operate generator in most efficient speed range
• 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 6/383 One-way clutches or freewheel devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1888 Control of power take off [PTO]
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/1888 Control of power take off [PTO]
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/192 Power-up or power-down of the driveline, e.g. start up of a cold engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/423 Control of power take-off clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/73 Planetary gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/795 Power take off
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/91 : Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/915 : Specific drive or transmission adapted for hev

Abstract

A method and apparatus for delivering power to a hybrid vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus includes an apparatus for delivering power to a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid vehicle including a powertrain having a power take-off coupling, the powertrain including an engine and a transmission. The apparatus includes an electric motor operable to generate a torque, the motor being coupled to transmit a starting torque through the power take-off of the powertrain for starting the engine.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering power to a hybrid vehicle comprising:

a powertrain comprising;

an engine;

a transmission coupled to the engine;

a power take-off coupled to the transmission;

a driveline coupled to the transmission;

a transfer case coupled to the driveline;

a first drive wheel coupled to the driveline;

a second drive wheel coupled to the transfer case;

an electric motor coupleable to the powertrain, the motor configured to generate;

a starting torque to provide through the power take-off for starting the engine;

a first drive torque to provide to the first drive wheel through the driveline; and

a second drive torque to provide to the second drive wheel through the transfer case.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first drive wheel is a front drive wheel and the second drive wheel is a rear drive wheel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first drive wheel is a rear drive wheel and the second drive wheel is a front drive wheel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transmission further comprises a torque converter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a planetary gear system operable to receive torque generated by the motor, the planetary gear system selectively configurable to transmit the starting torque to the engine and the first and second drive torques to the first and second drive wheels, respectively.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a clutch coupled between the planetary gear set and the driveline, the clutch disposed to selectively transmit torque between the engine and the driveline.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the planetary gear system comprises a sun gear, a ring gear, a planet gear coupled between the sun gear and the ring gear, and a planet carrier coupled to the planet gear, wherein:

the electric motor is coupled to the sun gear;

the ring gear is coupled to the driveline; and

the planetary gear system is configurable to permit rotation of both the ring gear and the planet carrier.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the planetary gear system comprises a sun gear, a ring gear, a planet gear coupled between the sun gear and the ring gear, and a planet carrier coupled to the planet gear, wherein:

the electric motor is coupled to the sun gear;

the planet carrier is coupled to the driveline; and

the planetary gear system is configurable to permit rotation of both the ring gear and the planet carrier.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the planetary gear system is selectively configurable to receive a generating torque from the driveline and to transmit the generating torque to the electric motor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the generating torque comprises at least one of:

a torque generated by the engine; and

a regenerative torque generated by at least one of the first and second drive wheels of the vehicle.

11. An apparatus for delivering power to a hybrid vehicle comprising:

a powertrain comprising;

an engine;

a transmission coupled to the engine;

a power take-off coupled to the transmission;

a driveline coupled to the transmission;

a transfer case coupled to the driveline;

at least one front drive wheel coupled to the driveline;

at least one rear drive wheel coupled to the transfer case;

an electric motor coupleable to the powertrain, the motor configured to generate;

a starting torque to provide through the power take-off for starting the engine;

a first drive torque to provide to the front drive wheel through the driveline; and

a second drive torque to provide to the rear drive wheel through the transfer case.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the transmission further comprises a torque converter.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a planetary gear system operable to receive torque generated by the motor, the planetary gear system selectively configurable to transmit the starting torque to the engine and the first and second drive torques to the front and rear drive wheels, respectively.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the planetary gear system comprises a sun gear, a ring gear, a planet gear coupled between the sun gear and the ring gear, and a planet carrier coupled to the planet gear, wherein:

the electric motor is coupled to the sun gear;

the ring gear is coupled to the driveline; and

the planetary gear system is configurable to permit rotation of both the ring gear and the planet carrier.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the planetary gear system comprises a sun gear, a ring gear, a planet gear coupled between the sun gear and the ring gear, and a planet carrier coupled to the planet gear, wherein:

the electric motor is coupled to the sun gear;

the planet carrier is coupled to the driveline; and

the planetary gear system is configurable to permit rotation of both the ring gear and the planet carrier.

16. An apparatus for delivering power to a hybrid vehicle comprising:

a powertrain comprising;

an engine;

a transmission coupled to the engine;

a power take-off coupled to the transmission;

a driveline coupled to the transmission;

a transfer case coupled to the driveline;

at least one rear drive wheel coupled to the driveline;

at least one front drive wheel coupled to the transfer case;

an electric motor coupleable to the powertrain, the motor configured to generate;

a starting torque to provide through the power take-off for starting the engine;

a first drive torque to provide to the rear drive wheel through the driveline; and

a second drive torque to provide to the front drive wheel through the transfer case.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the transmission further comprises a torque converter.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a planetary gear system operable to receive torque generated by the motor, the planetary gear system selectively configurable to transmit the starting torque to the engine and the first and second drive torques to the rear and front drive wheels, respectively.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the planetary gear system comprises a sun gear, a ring gear, a planet gear coupled between the sun gear and the ring gear, and a planet carrier coupled to the planet gear, wherein:

the electric motor is coupled to the sun gear;

the ring gear is coupled to the driveline; and

the planetary gear system is configurable to permit rotation of both the ring gear and the planet carrier.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the planetary gear system comprises a sun gear, a ring gear, a planet gear coupled between the sun gear and the ring gear, and a planet carrier coupled to the planet gear, wherein:

the electric motor is coupled to the sun gear;

the planet carrier is coupled to the driveline; and

the planetary gear system is configurable to permit rotation of both the ring gear and the planet carrier.