Hybrid Drive Train and Hybrid Vehicle Equipped with Same

• US 20080223635A1
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobile SA (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobile SA (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Noiret, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 7,823,670 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 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/24 characterised by the combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/905 Combustion engine

Abstract

The invention concerns a hybrid drive train comprising a heat engine (2), at least one first electrical machine (31) and at least a second electrical machine (32) each including a stator and a rotor, a battery (BAT) connected to the first and second electrical machines (31, 32), and a controlling member (5) for controlling the charge or discharge of the battery (BAT), the heat engine (2) and the first and second electrical machines (31, 32). The invention is characterized in that the first electrical machine (31) is arranged between the transmission member (4) and one (7D) of the driven wheels (7G, 7D), and in that the second electrical machine (32) is arranged inside the heat engine (2), the rotor of the second electrical machine (32) being fixed on a crank web and its stator (34) being fixed in the housing (36) of the heat engine (2).

Claims

1. Hybrid traction drive for a vehicle comprising:

a heat engine equipped with a crankshaft whose crank arms extend substantially perpendicular to its longitudinal axis;

a transmission member positioned between the crankshaft output and the driven wheels of the vehicle, the crankshaft being coupled to the wheels via the transmission member;

at least one first electrical machine and at least one second electrical machine, each having a stator and a rotor, the first electrical machine being capable of cooperating with the transmission member and the second electrical machine being capable of cooperating with the heat engine in order to provide combustion and/or electrical drive separately or jointly to the driven wheels;

a battery coupled to the first and second electrical machines; and

a control member capable of controlling the battery charge/discharge process, the heat engine and the first and second electrical machines.

wherein the first electrical machine is positioned between the transmission member and one of the driven wheels, and the second electrical machine is positioned inside the heat engine, the rotor of the second electrical machine being attached onto a crank arm of the crankshaft and its stator being secured inside the heat engine crankcase.

2. Hybrid traction drive according to claim 1, wherein at least one second electrical machine is a starter or an alternator or an alternator-starter.

3. Method for managing a hybrid traction drive according to claim 1, comprising controlling the heat engine, the first electrical machine, the at least one second electrical machine and the battery to adjust their operation according to the vehicle driving conditions.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein, when the vehicle is at a stop, if the battery charge level is lower than a set charge level or if the heat engine speed is lower than a set speed, the method comprises commanding the heat engine to recharge the battery via the at least one second electrical machine.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein with the vehicle at a steady speed, if the speed is lower than a set speed, the method comprises commanding the first electrical machine to set the vehicle in motion via the transmission member, until a set minimum battery charge level is reached, and then, once the minimum charge level is reached, controlling the heat engine, which is used to simultaneously move the vehicle forward and recharge the battery, and deactivating the first electrical machine if the speed increases beyond a set speed, to retain only the combustion drive powered solely by the heat engine.

6. Method according to claim 3, wherein, when the vehicle is accelerating at a rate less than a set threshold for a set battery charge level and at a set power level requested at the wheel, in the method comprises:

during a first pure electric drive phase, commanding the battery to power only the first electrical machine, with the first machine powering the movement of the vehicle by itself;

during a second phase, still a pure electric drive phase, in which the first electrical machine is still powering the movement of the vehicle, additionally commanding the battery to power the at least one second electrical machine in order to start the heat engine; and

during a third, pure combustion drive phase, commanding the heat engine to take over from the first electrical machine, with the heat engine then powering the vehicle drive by itself via the transmission member.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein, during the third, pure combustion drive phase, the method comprises commanding the heat engine to recharge the battery.

8. Method according to claim 3, wherein, when the vehicle is accelerating at a rate higher than a set threshold, the method comprises jointly commanding the heat engine, the first and the at least one second electrical machines and the battery to devote all available power to the acceleration of the vehicle.

9. Method according to claim 3, wherein, when the vehicle acceleration rate is in between, the method comprises commanding only one or the other of the first and the at least one second electrical machines.

10. Method according to claim 3, wherein, when the vehicle is decelerating at a rate lower than a set threshold, the method comprises commanding only the first electrical machine so as to enable regenerative braking.

11. Control method according to claim 3, wherein, when the vehicle is decelerating at a rate higher than a set threshold and the transmission member has a continuously variable transmission, the method comprises commanding the first electrical machine, connected to the wheels, and the at least one second electrical machine, integrated into the crankshaft, so as to contribute to braking the wheels, along with the first electrical machine, via the transmission member.

12. Method according to claim 3, wherein, the transmission member having an electronically controlled manual gearbox, the method comprises commanding the first electrical machine, connected to the wheels, to take over from the heat engine during gear ratio change phases in order to reduce the discontinuity in torque to the wheel.

13. Vehicle equipped with a hybrid traction drive in accordance with claim 1.

14. Vehicle equipped with a hybrid traction drive that employs the control method according to claim 3.

15. Method according to claim 9, wherein the method comprises commanding only one or the other of the first and the at least one second electrical machines when the vehicle acceleration rate is between an acceleration rate lower than a first set threshold and an acceleration rate higher than a second set threshold.