Oil circulating system for electric vehicle

• US 5,372,213 A
• Filed: 10/23/1992
• Issued: 12/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Hara, Takeshi, Tsuzuki, Shigeo, Hasebe, Masahiro, Wakuta, Satoru, Minezawa, Yukihiro, Miyaishi, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Application Number:
  US07/965,940
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.5, 180/65.5, 180/65.7, 310/54, 310/60 R, 310/67 R, 310/112, 184/6.12, 184/6.28
• US Class Current: 180/65.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/02 with liquid cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/046 with planetary gearing having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/16 of differential gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/006 the electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0038 the motor moving together with the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2054 by controlling transmissions or clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/03 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0021 specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0416 Air cooling or ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0441 Arrangements of pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0476 Electric machines and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An electric vehicle includes a drive motor for generating a output drive torque, a torque transmission train for transmitting the output torque to the drive wheels of the electric vehicle and an oil circulating circuit for feeding oil to the drive motor and the torque transmission train. The oil circulating circuit includes: a mechanical drive unit driven by the torque transmission train and adapted to be driven by the rotation of the running motor; and an electric prime mover separate from and in addition to the drive motor.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising:

a wheeled frame having at least one pair of drive wheels;

an electric drive motor, including a stator and a coil, for generating a first output torque;

a torque transmission train for transmitting said first output torque to said drive wheels;

oil circulating means for feeding oil to said drive motor and said torque transmission train, said oil circulating means comprising;

an oil sump;

oil distributing means for distributing oil to said electric drive motor and said torque transmission train for cooling and lubrication;

an electric prime mover separate from, in addition to and operable independently of said electric drive motor for generating a second output torque;

oil pump means for delivering oil from said oil sump to said oil distributing means; and

pump drive means for transmitting said first and second output torques to said oil pump means, said pump drive means including mechanical drive means connecting said oil pump means and said torque transmission train, for transmitting the first output torque of said electric drive motor to said oil pump means.

2. An electric vehicle according to claim 1:

wherein said oil pump means includes a mechanical oil pump driven by the rotation of said electric drive motor and an electric oil pump driven by said electric prime mover; and

wherein said oil distributing means includes;

a lubrication circuit for feeding the oil discharged from said mechanical oil pump to said torque transmission train for lubrication; and

a cooling circuit for feeding oil discharged from said electric oil pump to said drive motor for cooling.

3. An electric vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising an oil passage connecting said lubrication circuit and said cooling circuit to allow oil for said cooling of said electric drive motor to be supplied by said mechanical oil pump through said lubricating circuit and to allow oil or said lubrication of said torque transmission train to be supplied by said electric oil pump through said cooling circuit.

4. An electric vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising means in said oil passage for controlling the flow rate of oil.

5. An electric vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising cooling means for cooling the circulated oil by heat exchange.