Hybrid vehicle drive train and method
First Claim
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1. A drive train for a hybrid vehicle having first, second and third motors, comprising:
- a first variable transmission, having an input shaft and an output shaft, the output shaft being coupled to a drive wheel of the vehicle; and
first, second, and third clutched rotational drive connections, selectively interconnecting an output shaft of the first, second and third motors, respectively, with the input shaft of the first transmission, whereby torque from each of the three motors can be selectively combined through the variable transmission to drive the drive wheel.
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Abstract
A drive train for a hybrid vehicle having first, second and third motors includes a first variable transmission, having an input shaft, and an output shaft coupled to a drive wheel of the vehicle, and first, second, and third clutched rotational drive connections. The rotational drive connections selectively interconnect an output shaft of the first, second and third motors, respectively, with the input shaft of the first transmission, whereby torque from each of the three motors can be selectively combined through the variable transmission to drive the drive wheel.
95 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A drive train for a hybrid vehicle having first, second and third motors, comprising:
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a first variable transmission, having an input shaft and an output shaft, the output shaft being coupled to a drive wheel of the vehicle; and
first, second, and third clutched rotational drive connections, selectively interconnecting an output shaft of the first, second and third motors, respectively, with the input shaft of the first transmission, whereby torque from each of the three motors can be selectively combined through the variable transmission to drive the drive wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A drive train for a hybrid vehicle having first, second and third motors, comprising:
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a drive shaft, connected to a drive wheel of the vehicle;
first, second, and third rotational drive connections, selectively interconnecting an output shaft of the first, second and third motors, respectively, with the drive shaft; and
first, second, and third variable transmissions, interposed within the first second and third rotational drive connections, respectively, configured to match a speed of rotation of the respective motor with a speed of rotation of the drive shaft, whereby torque from each of the three motors can be selectively combined through the variable transmission to drive the drive wheel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A hybrid vehicle drive train, comprising:
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a first variable transmission, having an input shaft, and an output shaft coupled to a drive wheel of the vehicle;
a plurality of motors, independently operable at varying rotational rates; and
means for selectively coupling an output shaft of each of the plurality of motors to the input shaft of the first transmission, whereby torque from each of the plurality of motors can be selectively independently combined through the first transmission to drive the drive wheel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for interconnecting multiple torque sources operating at independent speeds to drive a common output shaft, comprising the steps of:
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interconnecting each of the multiple torque sources to a common input shaft via an individual clutched rotational drive connection associated with each torque source; and
modulating rotation of the output shaft via a variable transmission connected to the common input shaft, whereby torque from each of the multiple torque sources can be selectively combined through the variable transmission to drive the common output shaft. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification