Hybrid vehicle and method of assembling same

• US 20070161455A1
• Filed: 01/09/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Salasoo, Lembit, King, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 477/3
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/20 Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• 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: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A parallel hybrid vehicle includes a heat engine, a transmission including an input and output, and an electrical device. The transmission input is coupled to the engine and the transmission output is coupled to the electrical device such that substantially all of the torque generated by the heat engine is channeled through the transmission to the electrical device, and a differential, the electrical device coupled to the differential such that during a first mode of operation the electrical device functions as a motor to receive substantially all the torque generated by the engine through the transmission, and such that during a second mode of operation the electric device functions as a generator to receive substantially all the torque generated by the vehicle through the differential.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a heat engine;

a transmission including an input and an output;

an electrical device, said transmission input coupled to said engine and said transmission output coupled to said electrical device such that substantially all of the torque generated by said heat engine is channeled through said transmission to said electrical device; and

a differential, said electrical device coupled to said differential such that during a first mode of operation said electrical device functions as a motor to receive substantially all the torque generated by said engine through said transmission, and such that during a second mode of operation said electrical device functions as a generator to receive substantially all the torque generated by said differential.

2. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said engine comprises at least one of an internal combustion gasoline engine, an internal combustion diesel engine, an external combustion engine, and a gas turbine engine.

3. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said transmission comprises an automatically shifting manual transmission.

4. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said transmission comprises an automatic transmission including a torque converter coupled between said engine and said automatic transmission.

5. A vehicle in accordance with claim 4 wherein said transmission comprises an automatic transmission having one or more discrete gear ratios.

6. A vehicle in accordance with claim 4 wherein said transmission comprises an automatic transmission having continuously variable gear ratios that vary between approximately 0.5 to 1 and approximately 5.0 to 1.

7. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said transmission comprises a manual transmission including a clutch coupled between said engine and said manual transmission.

8. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a drive shaft coupled between said transmission and said electrical device.

9. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrical device is directly coupled to said transmission.

10. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a drive shaft coupled between said electrical device and said differential.

11. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrical device is directly coupled to said differential.

12. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least two wheels coupled to said differential.

13. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

a first drive shaft coupled between said transmission and said electrical device; and

a second drive shaft coupled between said electrical device and said differential.

14. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a control system coupled to said electrical device, said control system comprising:

an energy storage system; and

a vehicle system control (VSC) system coupled to said electrical device and said energy storage system, said vehicle system control system configured to operate the vehicle in at least one of a heat engine vehicle operating mode, a hybrid vehicle operating mode, and an electric vehicle operating mode.

15. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrical device is configured to receive energy from said energy storage system when operating in the first mode.

16. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrical device is configured to at least partially charge said energy storage system when operating in the second mode.

17. A vehicle in accordance with claim 14 wherein said energy storage system comprises at least one battery and at least one ultracapacitor.

18. A vehicle in accordance with claim 17 further comprising a precharge and interface circuit that is coupled between said at least one battery and said at least one ultracapacitor and configured to channel energy from the ultracapacitor to the electrical device in the first mode of operation, and channel energy from the electrical device to the ultracapacitor in the second mode of operation.

19. A method of retrofitting a vehicle that includes a heat engine, a transmission coupled to the engine, a differential, and at least one drive shaft coupled between the transmission and the differential, said method comprising:

removing the at least one drive shaft; and

coupling an electrical device between the transmission and the differential such that during a first mode of operation the electrical device functions as a motor to receive substantially all the torque generated by the engine through the transmission, and such that during a second mode of operation the electrical device functions as a generator to receive substantially all the torque generated by the differential.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein said removing the at least one drive shaft further comprises:

reinstalling a second drive shaft having a length that is less than a length of the first drive shaft such that the electrical device is coupled between transmission and the differential.

21. A method in accordance with claim 19 further comprising:

coupling a control system coupled to the electrical device, the control system including an energy storage system and a vehicle system control (VSC) such that the vehicle control system is coupled to the electrical device and the energy storage system, and such that the vehicle system control system is configured to operate the vehicle in at least one of a heat engine vehicle operating mode, a hybrid vehicle operating mode, and an electric vehicle operating mode.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein the energy storage system includes at least one battery and at least one ultracapacitor, said method further comprising coupling a precharge and interface circuit between the at least one battery and the at least one ultracapacitor such that channel energy is channeled from the ultracapacitor to the electrical device in the first mode of operation, and such that energy is channeled from the electrical device to the ultracapacitor in the second mode of operation.

23. A method in accordance with claim 22 further comprising coupling the electrical device to the second drive shaft utilizing at least one of a fixed ratio gear assembly, a chain drive, or a belt drive, such that the electrical device is operable at a relatively high speed and at a relatively low torque.