AXLE DRIVE UNIT FOR A HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20090197728A1
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Janson, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,832,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 475/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/38 characterised by the driveline clutches shift clutches within the gearing or transmission B60K6/36 , B60K6/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• 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 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 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 48/08 comprising bevel gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/909 Gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/945 Characterized by control of gearing, e.g. control of transmission ratio

Abstract

A drive unit for a hybrid electric motor vehicle includes an engine, an electric motor/generator, a layshaft supporting a first coupler and a second coupler, a first drive path including the layshaft and the first coupler for driveably connecting and disconnecting the engine and the motor/generator, and a second drive path including the layshaft and the second coupler for driveably connecting and disconnecting the engine and an output of the drive unit, the first coupler and the second coupler being operative to connect concurrently the engine, the motor/generator and said output.

Claims

1. A drive unit for a hybrid electric motor vehicle that includes an engine, comprising:

an electric motor/generator;

a layshaft supporting a first coupler and a second coupler;

a first drive path including the layshaft and the first coupler for driveably connecting and disconnecting the engine and the motor/generator;

a second drive path including the layshaft and the second coupler for driveably connecting and disconnecting the engine and an output of the drive unit, the first coupler and the second coupler being operative to connect concurrently the engine, the motor/generator and said output.

2. The drive unit of claim 1 wherein the first drive path further comprises:

a pinion driveably connectable to the engine;

a gear meshing with the pinion and secured to the layshaft;

a first pinion journalled on the layshaft and alternately connected and disconnected by the first coupler to the layshaft; and

a first gear meshing with the first gear and driveably connected to a rotor of the motor/generator.

3. The drive unit of claim 1 wherein the second drive path further comprises:

a pinion driveably connectable to the engine;

a gear meshing with the bevel pinion and secured to the layshaft;

a second pinion journalled on the layshaft and alternately connected and disconnected by the second coupler to the layshaft; and

a second gear meshing with the first gear and driveably connected to the output.

4. The drive unit of claim 1 wherein:

the first drive path further comprises a bevel pinion driveably connectable to the engine, a bevel gear meshing with the bevel pinion and secured to the layshaft, a first pinion journalled on the layshaft and alternately connected and disconnected by the first coupler to the layshaft, and a first gear meshing with the first gear and driveably connected to a rotor of the motor/generator; and

the second drive path further comprises, a second pinion journalled on the layshaft and alternately connected and disconnected by the second coupler to the layshaft, and a second gear meshing with the first gear and driveably connected to the output.

5. The drive unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a unit for alternately opening and closing a drive connection between the engine and the first drive path.

6. The drive unit of claim 1 further comprising:

first and second drive shafts;

a differential mechanism driveably connectable to the layshaft for transmitting power between the layshaft and the first and second drive shafts.

7. The drive unit of claim 1 further comprising:

first and second axially aligned drive shafts; and

wherein the motor/generator includes a rotor and a stator aligned with the first and the second drive shafts.

8. The drive unit of claim 1 wherein the first coupler and the second coupler are integrated in a single coupler.

9. A drive unit for a hybrid electric motor vehicle that includes an engine, comprising:

an electric motor/generator;

a layshaft driveably connected to the n;

a first gear pair including a first pinion coupled to the motor/generator and a first gear supported on the layshaft;

a second gear pair including a second pinion supported on the layshaft and a second gear driveably connected to the engine;

a coupler having a first state in which the first gear and second pinion are coupled to the layshaft, a second state in which the first gear is coupled to the layshaft and the second pinion is decoupled from the layshaft, and a third state in which the second pinion is coupled to the layshaft and the first gear is decoupled from the layshaft.

10. The drive unit of claim 9 further comprising a bevel pinion driveably connected to the engine, a bevel gear meshing with the bevel pinion and secured to the layshaft.

11. The drive unit of claim 9 further comprising a unit for alternately opening and closing a drive connection between the engine and the layshaft.

12. The drive unit of claim 9 further comprising:

first and second drive shafts;

a differential mechanism driveably connectable to the layshaft for transmitting power between the layshaft and the first and second drive shafts.

13. The drive unit of claim 9 further comprising:

first and second axially aligned drive shafts; and

wherein the motor/generator includes a rotor and a stator aligned with the first and the second drive shafts.

14. A drive unit for a hybrid electric motor vehicle that includes an engine, comprising:

an electric motor/generator;

a first coupler and a second coupler;

a layshaft supporting the first coupler and the second coupler;

a bevel pinion driveably connectable to the engine;

a bevel gear meshing with the bevel pinion and secured to the layshaft;

a first pinion journalled on the layshaft and alternately connected and disconnected by the first coupler to the layshaft;

a first gear meshing with the first gear and driveably connected to a rotor of the motor/generator;

a second pinion journalled on the layshaft and alternately connected and disconnected by the second coupler to the layshaft; and

a second gear meshing with the first gear and driveably connected to the output.

15. The drive unit of claim 14 further comprising:

a unit for alternately opening and closing a drive connection between the engine and bevel pinion.

16. The drive unit of claim 14 further comprising:

first and second drive shafts;

a differential mechanism driveably connectable to the layshaft for transmitting power between the layshaft and the first and second drive shafts.

17. The drive unit of claim 14 further comprising:

first and second axially aligned drive shafts; and

wherein the motor/generator includes a rotor and a stator aligned with the first and the second drive shafts.

18. The drive unit of claim 14 wherein the first coupler and the second coupler are integrated in a single coupler.