AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FOR A HYBRID VEHICLE

• US 20110237388A1
• Filed: 12/04/2009
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BorgWarner Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BorgWarner Incorporated
• Inventors: Koenig, Melissa, Xiang, Xiaoning
• Granted Patent: US 8,376,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/428 Double clutch arrangements; Dual clutches
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0037 characterised by controlled fluid supply to lubrication circuits of the gearing see also lubrication control F16H57/0446
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0439 using multiple pumps with different power sources or a single pump with different power sources, e.g. one and the same pump may selectively be driven by either the engine or an electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0446 the supply forming part of the transmission control unit, e.g. for automatic transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0031 using auxiliary pumps, e.g. pump driven by a different power source than the engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle includes a hydraulic circuit (110) having a source of pressurized fluid (112), an actuation circuit (114) that delivers pressurized fluid to actuate components of the transmission, and a cooling circuit (116) used to cool components of the transmission. The source of pressurized fluid includes a first pump (134) that is operatively driven by the internal combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle and a second pump (136) that is operatively driven by the electric motor (138). The second pump (136) acts to supply pressurized fluid to the cooling circuit (116) when the first pump (134) is operatively driven by the internal combustion engine under certain predetermined conditions.

Claims

1. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle having a power plant including an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, said transmission comprising:

a hydraulic circuit (110) having a source of pressurized fluid (112), said hydraulic circuit including an actuation circuit (114) that delivers pressurized fluid used to actuate components of said transmission and a cooling circuit (116) that delivers pressurized fluid used to cool components of said transmission;

said source of pressurized fluid (112) including a first pump (134) operatively driven by the internal combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle and a second pump (136) operatively driven by the electric motor (138), a pair of check valves (152, 154) disposed in series and in fluid communication with said second pump (136);

said first pump (134) operable to supply pressurized fluid to said actuator circuit (114) and said cooling circuit (116) when operatively driven by the internal combustion engine; and

said second pump (136) acting to supply pressurized fluid to said cooling circuit (116) when said first pump (134) is operatively driven by said internal combustion engine under certain predetermined conditions and said first check valve (152) is open and further acting to supply pressurized fluid to said actuation circuit (114) and said cooling circuit when said internal combustion engine is no longer operatively driving said first pump (134) and said first and second check valves (152, 154) are open.

2. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said transmission includes a pair of clutches (32, 34) operatively interconnecting the power plant to first and second input shafts (14, 16), said actuation circuit (114) including first and second clutch actuation valves (118, 120) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and a corresponding one of said pair of clutches (32, 34), each of said pair of first and second clutch actuation valves (118, 120) operable to provide pressurized fluid to each of a corresponding one of said pair of clutches to actuate same.

3. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 2 further including a plurality of gears operatively supported on said first and second input shafts (14, 16) and adapted to transmit torque at different ratios through said dual clutch transmission, a plurality of synchronizers (24) associated with adjacent pair of gears and a plurality of shift actuators (26) for actuating said synchronizers to select between adjacent gears, said actuator circuit (114) further including a shift actuation system (122) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and acting to selectively provide fluid power to said shift actuators (26) so as to actuate said synchronizers and select a designated gear among said plurality of gears.

4. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein said shift actuation system (122) includes a first and second multiplex valves (214, 216) and first and second actuator regulator valves (218, 220) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid, each of said first and second regulator valves (218, 220) includes a valve member (221) that is operable to direct pressurized fluid to opposite sides of said shift actuators (26), said first and second multiplex valves (214, 216) operable to select predetermined pair of adjacent gears among said plurality of gears to which said pressurized fluid is delivered from said first and second actuator regulators (218, 220).

5. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 4 further including first and second regulator control valves (222, 224) in fluid communication with said first and second actuator regulator valves (218, 220) and adapted to selectively control said first and second actuator regulator valves, each of said first and second regulator control valves (222, 224) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and including a valve body (230), a valve member (232) movably supported in said valve body (230), and a solenoid (234), said solenoid adapted to move said valve member (232) of said associated first and second regulator control valves (222, 224) to produce a control signal pressure to said valve member (221) of the respective one of said first and second actuator regulator valves (218, 220) to move said valve member against the bias of said biasing member (223) to open a respective one of said first and second actuator regulator valves (218, 220) thereby delivering a controlled predetermined amount of pressurized fluid through said first and second multiplex valves (214, 216) to move a predetermined shift actuator (26) and an associated synchronizer (24) to select a predetermined gear among the plurality of gears of said dual clutch transmission.

6. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cooling circuit (116) includes a lube valve (124) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and adapted to control the flow of pressurized fluid to said clutches of said transmission.

7. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 6 wherein said lube valve (124) includes a valve body (246) and a valve member (248) movably supported in said valve body (246) to provide a flow of cooling fluid to said clutches of said transmission with said lube valve (124) including a biasing member (247) that acts on the valve member (248) to bias it to a normally closed position.

8. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 7 further including a lube control actuator (126) in fluid communication with said lube valve (124) and adapted to selectively control said lube valve (124), said lube control actuator (126) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and including a valve body (252), a valve member (254) movably supported in said valve body and a solenoid (256), said solenoid adapted to move said valve member (254) of said lube control actuator to produce a control signal pressure to said valve member (248) of said lube valve (124) to move said valve member against the bias of said biasing member (247) to selectively open said lube valve (124) thereby delivering a controlled, predetermined amount of cooling fluid to the clutches of the transmission.

9. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cooling circuit (116) includes a clutch support lube delivery line (128) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and adapted to provide pressurized cooling fluid to the clutch of the transmission.

10. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cooling circuit (116) includes a gear lube delivery line (130) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and operable to provide pressurized cooling fluid to the gears of the transmission.

11. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 1 further including a main pressure regulator (132) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and adapted to provide a predetermined set system pressure for said hydraulic circuit (110).

12. An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 11 wherein said main pressure regulator (132) is disposed in fluid communication between said source of pressurized cooling fluid (112) and said lube valve (124) and said lube control actuator (126).

13. A dual clutch transmission for a hybrid vehicle having a power plant including an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, said dual clutch transmission comprising:

a pair of clutches (32, 34) operatively interconnecting the power plant to first and second input shafts (14, 16);

a hydraulic circuit (110) having a source of pressurized fluid (112);

first and second clutch actuators valves (118, 120) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and a corresponding one of said pair of clutches (32, 34), each of said pair of first and second clutch actuation valves (118, 120) operable to provide pressurized fluid to each of a corresponding one of said pair of clutches to actuate same;

a lube valve (124) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and adapted to control the flow of pressurized cooling fluid to components of said dual clutch transmission;

said source of pressurized fluid including a first pump (134) operatively driven by the internal combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle and a second pump (136) operatively driven by the electric motor (138), a pair of check valves (152, 154) disposed in series and in fluid communication with said second pump (136);

said first pump (134) operable to supply said hydraulic circuit (110) with pressurized fluid when said internal combustion engine is operating; and

said second pump (136) acting to supply pressurized fluid when said internal combustion engine and said electric motor (138) are operable and said first check valve (152) is open and further acting to supply pressurized fluid to said first and second clutch actuators (118, 120) when said first and second check valves (152, 154) are open and said electric motor (138) is operable.

14. A dual clutch transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 13 wherein said lube valve (124) including a valve body (246) and a valve member (248) movably supported in said valve body to provide a flow of cooling fluid to each of the pair of clutches (32, 34) of the dual clutch transmission with said lube valve (124) including a biasing member (247) that acts on the valve member (248) to bias it to a normally closed position.

15. A dual clutch transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 14 further including a lube control actuator (126) in fluid communication with said lube valve (124) and adapted to selectively control said lube valve, said lube control actuator (126) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and including a valve body (252), a valve member (254) movably supported in said valve body and a solenoid (256), said solenoid adapted to move said valve member (254) of said lube control actuator (126) to produce a control signal pressure to said valve member (248) of said lube valve (124) to move said valve member against the bias of said biasing member (247) to selectively open said lube valve (124) thereby delivering a controlled, predetermined amount of cooling fluid to the clutches (32, 34) of the dual clutch transmission.

16. A dual clutch transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 13 wherein said dual clutch transmission further includes a plurality of gears operatively supported on said first and second input shafts (14, 16) and adapted to transmit torque at different ratios through said dual clutch transmission, a plurality of synchronizers (24) associated with adjacent pair of gears and a plurality of shift actuators (26) for actuating said synchronizers (24) to select between adjacent gears, said hydraulic circuit (110) further including a shift actuation system (122) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and acting to selectively provide fluid power to said shift actuators (26) so as to actuate said synchronizers (24) and select a designated gear among said plurality of gears.

17. A dual clutch transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 16 wherein said shift actuation system (122) includes first and second multiplex valves (214, 216) and first and second actuator regulator valves (218, 220) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112), said first and second regulator valves (218, 220) operable to direct pressurized fluid to opposite sides of said shift actuators (26), said first and second multiplex valves (214, 216) operable to select predetermined pair of adjacent gears among said plurality of gears to which said pressurized fluid is delivered from said first and second actuator regulators (218, 220).

18. A dual clutch transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 17 further including first and second regulator control valves (222, 224) in fluid communication with said first and second actuator regulator valves (218, 220) and adapted to selectively control said first and second actuator regulator valve, each of said first and second regulator control valves (222, 224) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and including a valve body (230), a valve member (232) movably supported in said valve body, and a solenoid (234), said solenoid adapted to move said valve member (232) of said associated first and second regulator control valves (222, 224) to produce a control signal pressure to said valve member (221) of the respective one of said first and second actuator regulator valves (218, 220) to move said valve member (221) against the bias of said biasing member (223) to open a respective one of said first and second actuator regulator valves (218, 220) thereby delivering a controlled predetermined amount of pressurized fluid through said first and second multiplex valves (214, 216) to move a predetermined shift actuator (26) and an associated synchronizer (24) to select a predetermined gear among the plurality of gears of said dual clutch transmission.

19. A dual clutch transmission for a hybrid vehicle as set forth in claim 13 further including a main pressure regulator (132) in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid (112) and adapted to provide a predetermined set system pressure for said hydraulic circuit.