Power transmission system and operation method therefor

• US 20040154853A1
• Filed: 02/03/2004
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tochigi Fuji Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tochigi Fuji Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Aikawa, Masashi, Yamazaki, Nobushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,086,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/242
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/02 characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of clutch
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/04 characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of gearing electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/165 provided between independent half axles B60K17/18, B60K17/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/08 for changing number of driven wheels , for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles B60K17/3515 takes precedence
• 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 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• 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: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 : including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 : Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 : Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/20 : involving more than two intermeshing members
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/08 : comprising bevel gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/22 : using friction clutches or brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/30 : using externally-actuatable means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/91 : Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/912 : Drive line clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/913 : One way
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/914 : Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/916 : with plurality of drive axles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/917 : with transmission for changing gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/919 : Stepped shift
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 : Assembly or relative location of components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/952 : Housing details

Abstract

Between a speed reducing mechanism (15, 17, 19) for speed-reducing drive power of an electric motor and a differential apparatus (7) for distributing speed-reduced drive power to axle ends is disposed a clutch (5) configured for interruptive transmission of drive power.

Claims

1. A power transmission system comprising:

a speed reducing mechanism for speed-reducing drive power of an electric motor;

a differential apparatus for distributing speed-reduced drive power to axle ends; and

a clutch configured for interruptive transmission of drive power between the speed-reducing mechanism and the differential apparatus.

2. A power transmission system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a main drive power source; and

the electric motor used as an auxiliary drive power source relative to the main drive power source.

3. A power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the speed-reducing mechanism comprises a plurality of reduction gear sets including a first reduction gear set for inputting thereto drive power from the electric motor, the first reduction gear set comprising a planetary gear.

4. A power transmission system according to claim 3, wherein the speed-reducing mechanism is provided with an oil pump for supplying lubricant to the planetary gear.

5. A power transmission system according to claim 4, wherein the oil pump is provided on a lid side of a case.

6. A power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the speed-reducing mechanism comprises a plurality of reduction gear sets, and the clutch is disposed in a power transmission path of the speed-reducing mechanism.

7. A power transmission system according to claim 6, wherein the speed-reducing mechanism and the differential apparatus are neighbored to each other, and the clutch is coaxially provided to one of the plurality of reduction gear sets of the speed-reducing mechanism that is nearest to the differential apparatus.

8. A power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the speed-reducing mechanism and the differential apparatus are integrally arranged in a casing.

9. A power transmission system according to claim 8, wherein a final reduction gear set and a previous reduction gear set relative thereto are axially neighbored to each other.

10. A power transmission system according to claim 9, wherein the previous reduction gear set is disposed on an axially one side of the final reduction gear set, and the differential apparatus is disposed on an axially opposite side of the final reduction gear set.

11. A power transmission system according to claim 10, wherein the clutch is coaxially neighbored, at an axially outer side, to the differential apparatus.

12. A power transmission system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of reduction gear sets of the speed-reducing mechanism is provided near a differential center of the differential apparatus.

13. A power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the clutch comprises a frictional clutch.

14. A power transmission system according to claim 13, wherein the frictional clutch comprises a multi-plate clutch.

15. A power transmission system according to claim 13, wherein the frictional clutch comprises a cone clutch.

16. A power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the clutch comprises a meshing clutch.

17. A power transmission system according to claim 16, wherein the meshing clutch comprises a dog clutch.

18. A power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the clutch comprises a one-way clutch.

19. A power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the clutch comprises a two-way clutch in which canceling directions of relative rotations are switchable.

20. A power transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the clutch comprises a centrifugal clutch.

21. An operation method for a power transmission system according to claim 16, the method comprising the step of canceling connection of the clutch, switching a rotating direction of the electric motor, thereby causing a contact portion of the clutch to vibrate so that the contact portion has a reduced frictional resistance.

22. An operation method for a power transmission system according to claim 16, the method comprising the step of canceling connection of the clutch, changing a revolution number of the electric motor so that a contact portion thereof has a reduced frictional resistance.

23. An operation method for a power transmission system according to claim 18, the method comprising the step of canceling connection of the clutch, switching a rotating direction of the electric motor, thereby causing a contact portion of the clutch to vibrate so that the contact portion has a reduced frictional resistance.

24. An operation method for a power transmission system according to claim 18, the method comprising the step of canceling connection of the clutch, changing a revolution number of the electric motor so that a contact portion thereof has a reduced frictional resistance.

25. An operation method for a power transmission system according to claim 19, the method comprising the step of canceling connection of the clutch, switching a rotating direction of the electric motor, thereby causing a contact portion of the clutch to vibrate so that the contact portion has a reduced frictional resistance.

26. An operation method for a power transmission system according to claim 19, the method comprising the step of canceling connection of the clutch, changing a revolution number of the electric motor so that a contact portion thereof has a reduced frictional resistance.

27. An operation method for a power transmission system according to claim 20, the method comprising the step of canceling connection of the clutch, switching a rotating direction of the electric motor, thereby causing a contact portion of the clutch to vibrate so that the contact portion has a reduced frictional resistance.

28. An operation method for a power transmission system according to claim 20, the method comprising the step of canceling connection of the clutch, changing a revolution number of the electric motor so that a contact portion thereof has a reduced frictional resistance.