Power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle

• US 5,562,565 A
• Filed: 10/14/1993
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Equos Research
• Original Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Equos Research
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Kozo, Kawamoto, Mutsumi, Miyaishi, Yoshinori, Moroto, Shuzo, Tuzuki, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KWON, TAI CHOON
• Application Number:
  US08/136,109
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 475/5, 475/149, 477/2, 477/3, 477/8, 477/9, 477/12, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.6, 180/65.7
• US Class Current: 477/3
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/04 with the engine main axis, e.g. crankshaft axis, transversely to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/383 One-way clutches or freewheel devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• 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 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/0638 with more than two discs, e.g. multiple lamellae
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0034 the gear ratios comprising two forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/54 one of the central gears being internally toothed and the other externally toothed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 : Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/909 : Gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/91 : Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/913 : One way
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/914 : Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/919 : Stepped shift
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/952 : Housing details

Abstract

A power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle uses the power developed by an electric motor for directly rotating driving wheels, without power loss in a torque convertor connected to an engine. When the vehicle travels by the power of the engine, an input clutch 7 is engaged so that rotation of an engine output shaft 1a is transmitted to a two-gear shift device 9 via the torque convertor 6, the input clutch 7, and an intermediate shaft 21, whereby driving wheels 33a and 33b are driven by a differential unit 11. While powered by the electric motor, the input clutch 7 is released and the rotation of the electric motor 27 is preferably changed in the shift device 9 before being transmitted to the driving wheels 33a and 33b.

Claims

1. A power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an internal-combustion engine having an engine output shaft;

a hydraulic power transmission connected to said engine output shaft and having a hydraulic power transmission output shaft;

an input clutch connected to said hydraulic power transmission output shaft for selectively transmitting rotation of the engine output shaft to an intermediate shaft;

an electric motor having a magnet, a stator and a rotor fixed to the intermediate shaft for rotatably driving said intermediate shaft;

an automatic gear shift device comprising a speed change gear unit having an input element connected to the intermediate shaft and an output element connected to driving wheels and engagement means for effecting a predetermined speed change in the speed change gear unit; and

a housing in which are mounted said hydraulic power transmission, said input clutch, said electric motor and said automatic gear shift device.

2. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said rotor has a hollow interior and said automatic gear shift device is located in said hollow interior of the rotor.

3. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the speed change gear unit of said automatic gear shift device is a planetary gear unit having a ring gear, a carrier with at least one pinion and a sun gear.

4. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the engagement means of said automatic gear shift device has a direct clutch for regulating relative movement between the carrier and the sun gear, a brake for interrupting rotation of the sun gear relative to said housing to thereby provide an engine brake, and a one-way clutch provided between the sun gear and either the carrier or said housing.

5. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the ring gear is connected to the intermediate axle, wherein the carrier has one pinion and is connected to the driving wheels, and wherein the one-way clutch of the engagement means is provided between the sun gear and said housing.

6. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the carrier has one pinion and is connected to the intermediate axle, wherein the ring gear is connected to the driving wheels, and wherein the one-way clutch of the engagement means is provided between the sun gear and the carrier.

7. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said automatic gear shift has the engagement means and the speed change gear unit in this order between the intermediate axle and the driving wheels, the engagement means and the speed change gear unit being coaxial with the intermediate axle.

8. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the ring gear is connected to the intermediate axle, wherein the carrier has two pinions and is connected to the driving wheels, and wherein the one-way clutch of the engagement means is provided between the sun gear and the carrier.

9. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the carrier has two pinions and is connected to the intermediate axle, wherein the ring gear is connected to the driving wheels, and wherein the one-way clutch of the engagement means is provided between the sun gear and said housing.

10. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said automatic gear shift device is located between said electric motor and said driving wheels.

11. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said hydraulic power transmission consists of a pump impeller coupled to said engine output shaft, a turbine runner fluidically driven by said pump impeller, and a stator mounted to the housing via a one-way clutch.

12. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said hydraulic power transmission includes a lockup clutch for directly transmitting the rotation of said engine output shaft to said input clutch.

13. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said input clutch is a hydraulic wet multiple disk clutch.

14. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said stator has a coil connected with a battery, provided for said electric motor as an energy source, such that said electric motor functions as an electric generator when the hybrid vehicle is powered by said internal-combustion engine.

15. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic power transmission is torque converter.

16. The power transmission system in a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic power transmission is fluid coupling.