Hybrid vehicle

• US 20020170757A1
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Uchida, Masaaki, Kikuchi, Toshio, Kaneko, Yutaro, Hattori, Noboru, Kitada, Shinichiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,817,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/952 Housing details

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle is provided that lowers the cost of series hybrid vehicles in order to make it easier for series hybrid vehicles to gain popularity. A hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine, a first rotary electric machine and a second rotary electric machine. The first rotary electric machine is coupled to the output shaft of the engine, while the second rotary electric machine is electrically coupled to the first rotary electric machine and coupled to the drive wheels of the vehicle. The maximum generated electric power of the first rotary electric machine is substantially equal to the maximum output power of the second rotary electric machine.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine having an output shaft;

a first rotary electric machine with a maximum generated electric power operatively coupled to said output shaft of said engine; and

a second rotary electric machine with a maximum output power electrically coupled to said first rotary electric machine and operatively coupled to a drive wheel of said hybrid vehicle,

said maximum generated electric power of said first rotary electric machine being substantially equal to said maximum output power of said second rotary electric machine.

2. The hybrid vehicle as recited in claim 1, further comprising

an electric storage device operatively coupled to said first rotary electric machine and said second rotary electric machine to transfer electric power between said first rotary electric machine and said second rotary electric machine.

3. The hybrid vehicle as recited in claim 2, wherein

said first rotary electric machine and said second rotary electric machine are housed inside a single casing.

4. The hybrid vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein

said first rotary electric machine and said second rotary electric machine are housed inside a single casing.

5. A group of hybrid vehicles comprising:

a first hybrid vehicle model including

a first engine having a set of first engine specifications and a first output shaft,

a first input rotary electric machine with a first generated electric power specification operatively coupled to said first output shaft of said first engine,

a first output rotary electric machine with a first output power specification electrically coupled to said first input rotary electric machine and operatively coupled to a drive wheel of said first hybrid vehicle model, and

a first electric storage device operatively coupled to said first input rotary electric machine and said first output rotary electric machine to transfer electric power between said first input rotary electric machine and said first output rotary electric machine; and

a second hybrid vehicle model including

a second engine having a set of second engine specifications and a second output shaft,

a second input rotary electric machine with a second generated electric power specification that is identical to said first generated electric power specification of said first input rotary electric machine, said second input rotary electric machine being operatively coupled to said second output shaft of said second engine,

a second output rotary electric machine with a second output power specification that is identical to said first output power specification of said first output rotary electric machine, said second output rotary electric machine being electrically coupled to said second input rotary electric machine and operatively coupled to a drive wheel of said second hybrid vehicle model, and

a second electric storage device with a different specification from said first electric storage device, said second electric storage device being operatively coupled to said second input rotary electric machine and said second output rotary electric machine to transfer electric power between said second input rotary electric machine and said second output rotary electric machine.

6. The group of hybrid vehicles as recited in claim 5, wherein

said first input rotary electric machine has a maximum generated electric power that is substantially equal to a maximum output power of said first output rotary electric machine, and

said second input rotary electric machine has a maximum generated electric power that is substantially equal to a maximum output power of said second output rotary electric machine.

7. The group of hybrid vehicles as recited in claim 5, wherein

said first input rotary electric machine and said first output rotary electric machine are housed inside a single first casing, and

said second input rotary electric machine and said second output rotary electric machine are housed inside a single second casing.

8. The group of hybrid vehicles as recited in claim 5, further comprising

a third hybrid vehicle model including

a third engine having a set of third engine specifications and a third output shaft,

a third input rotary electric machine with a third generated electric power specification that is identical to said first and second generated electric power specifications of said first and second input rotary electric machines, said third input rotary electric machine being operatively coupled to said third output shaft of said third engine,

a third output rotary electric machine with a third output power specification that is identical to said first and second output power specifications of said first and second output rotary electric machines, said third output rotary electric machine being electrically coupled to said third input rotary electric machine and operatively coupled to a drive wheel of said third hybrid vehicle model.

9. The group of hybrid vehicles as recited in claim 8, wherein

said first input rotary electric machine has a maximum generated electric power that is substantially equal to a maximum output power of said first output rotary electric machine,

said second input rotary electric machine has a maximum generated electric power that is substantially equal to a maximum output power of said second output rotary electric machine, and

said third input rotary electric machine has a maximum generated electric power that is substantially equal to a maximum output power of said third output rotary electric machine.

10. The group of hybrid vehicles as recited in claim 8, wherein

said first input rotary electric machine and said first output rotary electric machine are housed inside a single first casing,

said second input rotary electric machine and said second output rotary electric machine are housed inside a single second casing, and

said third input rotary electric machine and said third output rotary electric machine are housed inside a single third casing.

11. A group of hybrid vehicles comprising:

a first hybrid vehicle model including

a first engine having a first output shaft,

a first input rotary electric machine with a first maximum generated electric power operatively coupled to said first output shaft,

a first output rotary electric machine with a first maximum output power electrically coupled to said first input rotary electric machine and operatively coupled to a drive wheel of said first hybrid vehicle model, and

a first electric storage device with a first maximum output electric power operatively coupled to said first input rotary electric machine and said first output rotary electric machine to transfer electric power between said first input rotary electric machine and said first output rotary electric machine; and

a second hybrid vehicle model including

a second engine having a second output shaft,

a second input rotary electric machine with a second maximum generated electric power that is identical to said first maximum generated electric power, said second input rotary electric machine being operatively coupled to said second output shaft,

a second output rotary electric machine with a second maximum output power that is identical to said first maximum output power, said second output rotary electric machine being electrically coupled to said second input rotary electric machine and operatively coupled to a drive wheel of said second hybrid vehicle model, and

a second electric storage device with a second maximum output electric power that is different from said first maximum output electric power, said second electric storage device being operatively coupled to said second input rotary electric machine and said second output rotary electric machine to transfer electric power between said second input rotary electric machine and said second output rotary electric machine.

12. The group of hybrid vehicles as recited in claim 11, wherein

said first electric storage device has a first electric capacity, and

said second electric storage device has a second electric capacity that is different from said first electric capacity.

13. The group of hybrid vehicles as recited in claim 11, wherein

said first input rotary electric machine and said first output rotary electric machine are housed inside a single first casing, and

said second input rotary electric machine and said second output rotary electric machine are housed inside a single second casing that is identical to said first casing.