Hybrid vehicle

• US 10,518,626 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2018
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Pettersson, Lars Niklas
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hau V
• Application Number:
  US15/975,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20190344655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4825 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft
• 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 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 41/12 with hinged pawl co-operating with teeth, cogs, or the like F16D41/02, F16D41/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, a torque converter, and a first one-way clutch. The torque converter has an impeller rotatably coupled to the engine. The torque converter also has a turbine. The first one-way clutch is configured to, responsive to turbine and electric machine speeds being equal, couple the turbine and electric machine in a first rotational direction to transfer power from the turbine to the electric machine. The first one-way clutch is also configured to, responsive to electric machine speed being greater than turbine speed, isolate the turbine from the electric machine.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

an electric machine;

a torque converter having an impeller rotatably coupled to the engine, and a turbine;

a first one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

turbine and electric machine speeds being equal, couple the turbine and the electric machine in a first rotational direction to transfer power from the turbine to the electric machine, and

the electric machine speed being greater than turbine speed, isolate the turbine from the electric machine, wherein the first one-way clutch is a selectable one-way clutch that is configured to, responsive to being activated, couple the turbine and the electric machine in the first rotational direction in response to the turbine and the electric machine speeds being equal and isolate the turbine from the electric machine in response to the electric machine speed being greater than turbine speed when activated, and responsive to being deactivated, to isolate the turbine from the electric machine at all the electric machine and the turbine speeds; and

a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

being activated, couple the turbine and the electric machine in a second direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the electric machine to the turbine, and

being deactivated, isolate the turbine and the electric machine at all the electric machine and the turbine speeds.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:

a transmission gearbox; and

a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

being activated, couple the electric machine to an input of the transmission gearbox in the first rotational direction to transfer power from the electric machine to the transmission gearbox, and

being deactivated, isolate the electric machine from the transmission gearbox.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising:

a third selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

being activated, couple the electric machine to an input of the transmission gearbox in a second rotational direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the input of the transmission gearbox to the electric machine and

being deactivated, isolate the electric machine from the transmission gearbox.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising a damper disposed between the input of the transmission gearbox and the second selectable one-way clutch.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 further comprising a housing, wherein the torque converter and the electric machine are disposed within the housing, and wherein the housing includes a partition wall disposed between the torque converter and the electric machine.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the partition wall defines a channel configured to direct lubricating fluid to a bearing disposed about the turbine.

7. A vehicle comprising:

an engine having a crankshaft;

an electric machine having a rotor;

a torque converter having an impeller rotatably coupled to the crankshaft, and a turbine;

a first one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

turbine and rotor speeds being equal, couple the turbine and the rotor in a first direction to transfer engine power from the turbine to the rotor, and

rotor speed being greater than turbine speed, decouple the turbine and the rotor, wherein the first one-way clutch is a selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to being activated, couple the turbine and the rotor in the first direction in response the turbine and rotor speeds being equal and decouple the turbine from the rotor in response to the rotor speed being greater than turbine speed, and responsive to being deactivated, decouple the turbine from the rotor at all the rotor and turbine speeds; and

a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

being activated, couple the turbine and the rotor in a second direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the electric machine to the turbine, and

being deactivated, decouple the turbine and the electric machine at all the electric machine and the turbine speeds.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 further comprising:

a transmission gearbox; and

a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

being activated, couple the rotor to an input of the transmission gearbox in the first direction to transfer power from the rotor to the transmission gearbox, and

being deactivated, decouple the rotor from the transmission gearbox.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 further comprising:

a third selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

being activated, couple the rotor to an input of the transmission gearbox in a second rotational direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the input of the transmission gearbox to the rotor and

being deactivated, isolate the rotor from the transmission gearbox.

10. The vehicle of claim 7 further comprising a housing, wherein the torque converter and the electric machine are disposed within the housing, and wherein the housing includes a partition wall disposed between the torque converter and the electric machine.

11. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

an electric machine;

a launch clutch having an input rotatably coupled to the engine, and an output; and

a first selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

being activated, couple the output and the electric machine in the first rotational direction in response to output and electric machine speeds being equal and isolate the output from the electric machine in response to the electric machine speed being greater than output speed, and

being deactivated, isolate the output from the electric machine at all the electric machine and the output speeds; and

a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

being activated, couple the output and electric machine in a second direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the electric machine to the output, and

being deactivated, isolate the output and electric machine at all electric machine and output speeds.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 further comprising:

a transmission gearbox; and

a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

being activated, couple the electric machine to an input of the transmission gearbox in the first rotational direction to transfer power from the electric machine to the transmission gearbox, and

being deactivated, isolate the electric machine from the transmission gearbox.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 further comprising:

a third selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to

being activated, couple the electric machine to an input of the transmission gearbox in a second rotational direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the input of the transmission gearbox to the electric machine and

being deactivated, isolate the electric machine from the transmission gearbox.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 further comprising a damper disposed between the input of the transmission gearbox and the second selectable one-way clutch.