Hybrid vehicle

• US 20080076616A1
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Honda, Kenji, Morishita, Naohisa, Kidokoro, Teruhisa
• Granted Patent: US 7,845,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 475/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching 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: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0421 on or within the casing, e.g. shields or baffles for collecting lubricant, tubes, pipes, grooves, channels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0457 Splash lubrication characterised by the problem reducing losses, e.g. splash losses F16H57/0409
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle is provided with a first transmission passage for transmitting driving force of an engine to driving wheels and a second transmission passage for transmitting driving force of a driving motor to the driving wheels, and driven by selectively using or in combination of the first transmission passage and the second transmission passage. The hybrid vehicle includes: a first input gear for inputting the driving force of the engine; a second input gear for inputting the driving force of the driving motor; and an idle gear meshed with the first input gear and the second input gear, and transmitting at least one of the driving force of the engine and the driving force of the driving motor toward the driving wheels. The driving force to be input from at least one of the first input gear and the second input gear is transmitted to the driving wheels via the idle gear and the final differential gears.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle having a first transmission passage for transmitting driving force of an engine to driving wheels and a second transmission passage for transmitting driving force of a driving motor to the driving wheels, and driven by selectively using or in combination of the first transmission passage and the second transmission passage, the hybrid vehicle comprising:

a first input gear for inputting the driving force of the engine;

a second input gear for inputting the driving force of the driving motor; and

an idle gear meshed with the first input gear and the second input gear, and transmitting at least one of the driving force of the engine and the driving force of the driving motor toward the driving wheels,

wherein the driving force to be input from at least one of the first input gear and the second input gear is transmitted to the driving wheels via the idle gear and the final differential gears.

3. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a first reduction gear ratio of the first transmission passage is set lower than a reduction gear ratio which enables the driving force of the engine alone to achieve the maximum vehicle speed of the vehicle, and wherein a second reduction gear ratio of the second transmission passage is set higher than the first reduction gear ratio such that the maximum vehicle speed is achieved by the driving force of the driving motor.

4. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first input gear, the second input gear, the idle gear, and the final differential gears are housed in a transmission casing, into which lubricating oil is charged to provide a lubricant pool at a predetermined static liquid level, and wherein the idle gear is positioned above the predetermined static liquid level so as not to be submerged in and agitate the lubricant pool upon rotation of the idle gear.

5. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an idle shaft as an axis of the idle gear is positioned above shafts of the final differential gears and a shaft of the first input gear.

6. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a shaft of the second input gear is positioned above a shaft of the first input gear and shafts of the final differential gears.

7. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driving motor is positioned on the opposite side of the engine with respect to the idle gear.

8. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the vehicle runs at the maximum vehicle speed, only the driving force of the driving motor is transmitted to the driving wheels via the second transmission passage.

9. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the engine is provided with an output characteristic variable mechanism for changing output characteristics.

10. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the output characteristic variable mechanism performs cylinder deactivation drive so as to disable part of cylinders of the engine during operation of the engine.

2. A hybrid vehicle having a first transmission passage for transmitting driving force of an engine to driving wheels and a second transmission passage for transmitting driving force of a driving motor to the driving wheels, and driven by selectively using or in combination of the first transmission passage and the second transmission passage, the hybrid vehicle comprising:

a first input gear for inputting the driving force of the engine;

a second input gear for inputting the driving force of the driving motor;

an idle gear for transmitting at least one of the driving force of the engine and the driving force of the driving motor toward the driving wheels; and

a chain or a belt meshed with the first input gear and the second input gear, and transmitting at least one of the driving force of the engine and the driving force of the driving motor to the idle gear,

wherein the driving force to be input from at least one of the first input gear and the second input gear is transmitted to the driving wheels via the idle gear and the final differential gears.