COMBINED POWER TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE UNIT FOR USE IN HYBRID SYSTEMS AND A HYBRID SYSTEM

• US 20110154944A1
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Mueller, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 8,585,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/665.A
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2045/0205 two chamber system, i.e. without a separated, closed chamber specially adapted for actuating a lock-up clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2045/021 three chamber system, i.e. comprising a separated, closed chamber specially adapted for actuating a lock-up clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2045/0252 having a damper arranged on input side of the lock-up clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2045/0278 comprising only two co-acting friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2045/0284 Multiple disk type lock-up clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19051 Single driven plural drives

Abstract

A combined power transmission and drive unit for use in hybrid systems between a first engine and a transmission device, broadly including at least an input connectable with the engine, a power transmission device by which the output is connected with a transmission input shaft, a device for selectively at least interrupting/establishing the power flow to the input of the power transmission device and an electric machine including at least one rotor that is connected non-rotatably with the input of the power transmission device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a hybrid system, including a first engine and a combined power transmission and drive unit connected downstream of the engine.

Claims

1-39. -39. (canceled)

40. A combined power transmission and drive unit for application in hybrid systems comprising:

an input connectable with a first engine;

a power transmission device, by which an output is connected with a transmission input shaft;

a device for selectively interrupting/establishing a power flow from the input of the combined power transmission and drive unit to the power transmission device; and

,

an electric machine, comprising a rotor, which is connected non-rotatably with an input of the power transmission device, wherein the electric machine is a dry running machine and the electric machine, the device for selectively interrupting/establishing the power flow to the power transmission device and the power transmission device are formed and disposed such that they are preassembled units, and wherein the power transmission device and the device for selectively interrupting/establishing the power flow to the input of the power transmission device are liquid-tight relative to the electric machine.

41. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the rotor of the electric machine is supported in a stator housing of the electric machine.

42. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 41, further comprising a first housing enclosing the power transmission device, the device for selectively interrupting/establishing the power flow to the input of the power transmission device and the electric machine, wherein the stator housing is supported inside the first housing.

43. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 41, further comprising a first housing that encloses the power transmission device, the device for selectively interrupting/establishing the power flow to the input of the power transmission device and the electric machine, wherein the stator housing:

is a component of the first housing;

or,

forms components of the first housing of a second housing of an at least one downstream transmission;

or,

is a component of the first housing and forms components of a second housing of a combined power transmission and drive unit of housing of an at least one downstream transmission.

44. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 42, wherein the first housing is a single piece.

45. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 43, wherein the first housing of the combined power transmission and drive unit is in several parts.

46. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 41, wherein the power transmission device is supported directly:

inside the housing of the combined power transmission and drive unit;

or,

inside the stator housing of the electric machine.

47. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 46, wherein the power transmission device and the rotor of the electric machine are supported by means of a bearing device:

inside the housing of the combined power transmission and drive unit;

or,

inside the stator housing.

48. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 41, wherein the transmission input shaft is supported by means of the power transmission device:

inside the housing of the combined power transmission and drive unit;

or,

inside the stator housing.

49. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the device for selectively interrupting/establishing the power flow to the input of the power transmission device and the power transmission device are combined in one assembly.

50. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 49, wherein the transmission input shaft is a component of a preassembled assembly and forms the output of the power transmission device.

51. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the power transmission device comprises a rotatable housing and means for sealing it against the electric machine.

52. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the device for partially interrupting/establishing the power flow to the input of the power transmission device comprises a rotatable housing and means for sealing against the electric machine.

53. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, further comprising a rotatable housing of the device for partially interrupting/establishing the power flow to the input of the power transmission device and a housing of the power transmission device combined to form one component that is supported:

inside the housing of the combined power transmission and drive unit;

or,

inside a stator housing;

or,

inside a housing of the combined power transmission and drive unit and inside the stator housing.

54. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the connection between the power transmission device and the rotor of the electric machine occurs by means of a flexible, axially movable connection.

55. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 54, wherein the connection comprises a flexible device, including:

a flexible plate;

or,

a leaf spring device;

or,

a flexible plate and a leaf spring device.

56. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the power transmission device comprises a hydrodynamic component, forming a hydrodynamic power split, which comprises an impeller that can be coupled indirectly with the input of the power transmission device and a turbine that can be coupled indirectly with the output.

57. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 56, wherein the hydrodynamic component is a hydrodynamic speed/torque converter, comprising a stator.

58. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 56, wherein the hydrodynamic component is a hydrodynamic clutch, free from a stator.

59. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 56, wherein the power transmission device comprises a device for partially bypassing the hydrodynamic power split.

60. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 59, wherein the device for partially bypassing the hydrodynamic power split is formed as a switchable clutch device, comprising:

a first clutch part that;

can be coupled with the power transmission device;

or,

forms the input of the power transmission device; and

,

a second clutch part of the power transmission device that;

can be coupled with the output of the power transmission device;

or,

forms the output of the power transmission device, wherein the first and second clutch parts can be brought into operational connection with one another;

by means of an actuator directly;

or,

by means of further transmission elements.

61. The combined power transmission and drive unit according claim 56, wherein the power transmission device is formed as a two-path unit, comprising:

a first pressure chamber formed by the hydrodynamic component in the form of a work chamber; and

,

a second pressure chamber formed between the rotatable housing and an outside circumference of the hydrodynamic component, in which the device for partially bypassing the hydrodynamic power split is arranged, wherein each one of the pressure chambers is assigned to a connection, and the control of the device takes place through the control of;

a flow direction;

or,

a pressure difference between the pressure chambers;

or,

a flow direction and a pressure difference between the pressure chambers.

62. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 56, wherein the combined power transmission and drive unit is formed as a three-path unit, comprising:

a first pressure chamber enclosed by the hydrodynamic component in the form of a work chamber;

a second pressure chamber in which the device for partially bypassing the hydrodynamic power split is disposed; and

,

a third pressure chamber on which the actuator of the device for partially bypassing the hydrodynamic power split is disposed, wherein each of the pressure chambers is assigned to a connection which is sealed against the third pressure chamber pressurizing the actuator relative to the first and second pressure chambers.

63. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, further comprising a rotatable housing of the power transmission device forms the input of the power transmission device and the rotor:

is connected indirectly by means of a housing of the device for partially interrupting/establishing the power flow to the power transmission device;

or,

is connected directly with the rotatable housing of the power transmission device.

64. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the device for interrupting/establishing the power flow is a wet-running multi-plate clutch, comprising:

a first clutch part forming the input of the combined power transmission and drive unit;

or,

a second clutch part connected non-rotatably with the power transmission device, which can be brought into operational connection with one another by means of an actuator either;

indirectly;

or,

directly;

or,

by means of further transmission means.

65. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the input of the combined power transmission and drive unit is formed by a hollow shaft flange, which comprises the means for generating a stick-on connection with a complementary element coupled with the first engine.

66. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, further comprising a device for damping oscillations, the device connected downstream of the input of the combined power transmission and drive unit.

67. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 66, wherein the device for damping oscillations of the device for partially interrupting/establishing the power flow to the power transmission device is connected downstream.

68. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, further comprising a device for damping oscillations, the device connected downstream of the power transmission device.

69. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, further comprising a device for damping oscillations, the device is connected downstream in the power transmission device in a power split.

70. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, further comprising devices for damping oscillations, the devices being one of the following units:

a mechanical damping device;

or,

a hydraulic damping device;

or,

a combined mechanical and hydraulic damping device;

or,

a series damper;

or,

a parallel damper;

or,

a series-parallel damper;

or,

a dual-mass flywheel.

71. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the rotor of the electric machine in an axial extension area of the device for selectively interrupting/establishing the power flow to the power transmission device is disposed and encloses the rotor in circumferential direction by forming a gap.

72. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the power transmission device and the device for selectively interrupting/establishing the power flow to the power transmission device are assigned respectively to a separate controlling/regulating device.

73. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, wherein the power transmission device and the device for selectively interrupting/establishing the power flow to the power transmission device are assigned to a joint controlling/regulating device.

74. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 72, wherein the controlling/regulating device of the power transmission device is formed by the transmission controlling/regulating device.

75. The combined power transmission and drive unit recited in claim 40, further comprising a hybrid system for use in a drive train, wherein the first engine can be coupled with the combined power transmission and drive unit.

76. The hybrid system recited in claim 75, wherein the transmission input shaft is free of support inside the first engine.

77. The hybrid system recited in claim 75, wherein the connection between the combined power transmission and drive unit and the first engine is:

a form-closed connection;

or,

a force-closed connection.

78. The hybrid system recited in claim 75, wherein the connection between the combined power transmission and drive unit and the first engine is executed a plug-in connection.

79. The hybrid system recited in claim 75, wherein the connection between the combined power transmission and drive unit and the first engine occurs by means of a device for damping oscillations.