STRONG HYBRID SYSTEM

• US 20110061954A1
• Filed: 09/11/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Roses, Victor M., Melanson, Randy Lewis, Singh, Tejinder, Sowul, Henryk, Swales, Shawn H.
• Application Number:
  US12/557,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20110061954A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4825 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A powertrain for a vehicle includes an engine, a transmission and a coupling system interconnecting the engine and the transmission. The coupling system includes an electric motor/generator. The electric motor/generator is coupled to an input shaft. An engine disconnect clutch interconnects the engine with the input shaft. A fluid coupling interconnects the input shaft and the transmission. The engine disconnect shaft is moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position for starting the engine and/or isolating the electric motor/generator from the engine. The engine disconnect clutch includes a default position disconnecting the electric motor/generator from the engine.

Claims

1. A powertrain for a vehicle, the powertrain comprising:

an engine configured for supplying torque;

a transmission; and

a coupling system interconnecting said engine and said transmission, said coupling system including;

an input shaft coupled to said engine and configured for receiving torque from said engine;

an engine disconnect clutch selectively interconnecting said engine and said input shaft and moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein said engaged position is configured for selectively connecting said input shaft with said engine to transmit torque from said engine to said input shaft and said disengaged position is configured for selectively disconnecting said input shaft from said engine to prevent transmission of torque between said engine and said input shaft;

an electric motor/generator coupled to said input shaft and configured for supplying torque to said input shaft for transfer to at least one of said engine and said transmission and receiving torque from said input shaft for generating electricity;

a fluid coupling interconnecting said input shaft and said transmission and configured for transmitting torque from said input shaft to said transmission; and

a transmission fluid pump coupled to said input shaft and operable in response to torque from said input shaft to supply a fluid pressure to said transmission at a pre-determined pressure;

wherein said electric motor/generator supplies torque to said input shaft to operate said transmission fluid pump in a first state of operation, said engine supplies torque to said input shaft to operate said transmission fluid pump in a second state of operation, and both of said engine and said electric motor/generator supply torque to said input shaft to operate said transmission fluid pump in a third state of operation.

2. A powertrain as set forth in claim 1 wherein said engine disconnect clutch includes a default position, wherein said default position is one of said engaged position of said engine disconnect clutch and said disengaged position of said engine disconnect clutch.

3. A powertrain as set forth in claim 2 wherein said engine disconnect clutch is in fluid communication with said transmission fluid pump and wherein said engine disconnect clutch is moveable out of said default position in response to a fluid pressure supplied by said transmission fluid pump.

4. A powertrain as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling system further includes an output shaft interconnecting said fluid coupling and said transmission.

5. A powertrain as set forth in claim 4 wherein said coupling system further includes a locking clutch interconnecting said input shaft and said output shaft and moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said fluid coupling is locked when said locking clutch is in said locked position to prevent relative movement between said input shaft and said output shaft and said fluid coupling is released when said locking clutch is in said unlocked position to permit relative movement between said input shaft and said output shaft.

6. A powertrain as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling system further includes a one way clutch interconnecting said engine and said input shaft and configured for transferring torque from said engine to said transmission and not transferring torque from said input shaft to said engine.

7. A powertrain as set forth in claim 6 wherein said engine disconnect clutch and said one way clutch are arranged in parallel with each other.

8. A powertrain as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling system further includes a torque limiting device interconnecting said engine and said input shaft and configured for limiting torque transfer between said engine and said input shaft to below a pre-determined level.

9. A coupling system for a vehicle including an engine and a transmission, the coupling system comprising:

an input shaft configured for receiving torque from the engine;

an electric motor/generator coupled to said input shaft and configured for alternatively supplying torque to said input shaft for transfer to at least one of the engine and the transmission and receiving torque from said input shaft for generating electricity;

an engine disconnect clutch attached to said input shaft and moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position wherein said engaged position is configured for selectively connecting said input shaft with the engine to transmit torque from the engine to said input shaft and said disengaged position is configured for selectively disconnecting said input shaft from the engine to prevent transmission of torque between the engine and said input shaft;

a fluid coupling attached to said input shaft and configured for transmitting torque from said input shaft to the transmission; and

a transmission fluid pump coupled to said input shaft for receiving torque from said input shaft and configured for supplying a fluid pressure to the transmission at a pre-determined pressure in response to torque transmitted through said input shaft.

10. A coupling system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said engine disconnect clutch includes a default position, wherein said default position is one of said engaged position of said engine disconnect clutch and said disengaged position of said engine disconnect clutch.

11. A coupling system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said engine disconnect clutch is in fluid communication with said transmission fluid pump and wherein said engine disconnect clutch is moveable out of said default position in response to a fluid pressure supplied by said transmission fluid pump.

12. A coupling system as set forth in claim 9 further comprising a one way clutch configured for interconnecting said input shaft and the engine and to permit torque transfer from the engine to the transmission and prevent torque transfer from said electric motor/generator to the engine.

13. A coupling system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said engine disconnect clutch and said one way clutch are arranged in parallel with each other.

14. A coupling system as set forth in claim 9 further including a torque limiting device configured for interconnecting said input shaft and the engine and to limit torque transfer between said input shaft and the engine to below a pre-determined level.

15. A transmission for a vehicle, the transmission comprising:

a housing including a bell portion and a gear portion;

a coupling system disposed within said bell portion of said housing and configured for coupling to an engine of the vehicle, said coupling system including;

an input shaft configured for receiving torque from the engine;

an engine disconnect clutch configured for selectively interconnecting said input shaft and the engine and moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein said engaged position is configured for selectively connecting said input shaft with the engine to transmit torque between the engine and said input shaft and said disengaged position is configured for selectively disconnecting said input shaft from the engine to prevent transmission of torque between the engine and said input shaft;

an electric motor/generator coupled to said input shaft and configured for supplying a torque to said input shaft for transfer to at least one of the engine and the transmission and receiving a torque from said input shaft for generating electricity;

a fluid coupling configured for interconnecting said input shaft and the transmission to transmit torque from said input shaft to the transmission; and

a transmission fluid pump coupled to said input shaft and operable in response to torque from said input shaft to supply a fluid pressure to said engine disconnect clutch and the transmission at a pre-determined pressure;

wherein said engine disconnect clutch includes a default position being one of said engaged position of said engine disconnect clutch and said disengaged position of said engine disconnect clutch.

16. A transmission as set forth in claim 15 wherein said engine disconnect clutch is in fluid communication with said transmission fluid pump and wherein said engine disconnect clutch is moveable out of said default position in response to a fluid pressure supplied by said transmission fluid pump.

17. A transmission as set forth in claim 15 wherein said coupling system further includes a one way clutch configured for interconnecting said input shaft and the engine to permit torque transfer from the engine to the transmission and to prevent torque transfer from said electric motor to the engine.

18. A transmission as set forth in claim 17 wherein said engine disconnect clutch and said one way clutch are arranged in parallel with each other.

19. A transmission as set forth in claim 18 wherein said coupling system further includes a torque limiting device configured for interconnecting said input shaft and the engine to limit torque transfer between said input shaft and the engine to below a pre-determined level.