Drive arrangement for a hybrid vehicle

• US 5,755,302 A
• Filed: 01/11/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Thieler, Wolfgang, Lutz, Dieter, Bauch-Panetzky, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US08/571,882
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.6, 180/65.7, 180/65.8
• US Class Current: 180/65.21
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/264 with outer rotor and inner stator
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• 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 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/106 Rate of change
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 13/50 in which the clutching pressure is produced by springs only
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/2791 Surface mounted magnets; Inset magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/28 : Means for mounting or fastening rotating magnetic parts on to, or to, the rotor structures
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/22 : with magnets rotating around the armatures, e.g. flywheel magnetos
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 29/06 : with position sensing devices H02K29/03 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/006 : Structural association of a motor or generator with the drive train of a motor vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/108 : with friction clutches
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• 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 903/914 : Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 : Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

A drive apparatus for a hybrid electric/combustion powered vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a gear-shifting transmission unit. The drive apparatus includes a rotatable crank shaft operatively connectable to the internal combustion engine, and a rotatable transmission shaft operatively connectable to the gear-shifting transmission unit. The drive apparatus further comprises a movable annular rotor disposed annularly about the transmission shaft, the rotor including a permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field and an attachment mechanism for attaching the rotor to the transmission shaft so that torque can be transmitted between the rotor and the transmission shaft. The stationary annular stator is attachable to at least one of the internal combustion engine and the gear-shifting transmission unit and is disposed concentrically about and proximate the rotor in an electromagnetically interactive relation. The stator includes a conductive winding for electromagnetically interacting with the magnetic field of the rotor, the stator defining a continuous axial recess annularly therewithin. The drive apparatus includes only one clutch disposed at least partially within the continuous axial recess of the stator, the clutch including 2 coupling mechanism for selectively and frictionally coupling the crank shaft to the transmission shaft for torque transmission therebetween so that the clutch is switchable between an engaged position in which torque can be transmitted between the crankshaft and the transmission shaft and a disengaged position in which torque transmission between the crankshaft and the transmission shaft can be discontinued.

Claims

1. A drive apparatus for a hybrid electric/combustion powered vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a gear-shifting transmission unit, comprising:

a rotatable crank shaft having an end and being operatively connectable to the internal combustion engine for torque transmission;

a rotatable transmission shaft being axially spaced from said end of said crank shaft and being operatively connectable to the gear-shifting transmission unit;

a movable annular rotor disposed annularly about said transmission shaft, said rotor including magnetic means for generating a magnetic field and further including attaching means for attaching said rotor to said transmission shaft so that torque can be transmitted between said rotor and said transmission shaft;

a stationary annular stator attachable to at least one of the internal combustion engine and the gear-shifting transmission unit and being disposed concentrically about and proximate said rotor in an electromagnetically interactive relation, said stator including electromagnetic means for electromagnetically interacting with the magnetic field of said rotor, said stator defining a continuous axial recess annularly therewithin; and

one clutch disposed at least partially within the continuous axial recess of said stator, said clutch including coupling means for selectively and frictionally coupling said crank shaft to said transmission shaft for torque transmission therebetween so that said clutch is switchable between an engaged position in which torque can be transmitted between said crankshaft and said transmission shaft and a disengaged position in which torque transmission between said crankshaft and said transmission shaft can be discontinued.

2. The drive apparatus of claim 1, wherein said stator is disposed concentrically within said rotor.

3. The drive apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electronic control unit operatively connected to said stator for commutation of electrical current in said stator, and wherein said rotor magnetic means comprises a plurality of permanent magnets.

4. The drive apparatus of claim 3, wherein said electronic control unit includes means for automatically switching said clutch between said engaged and disengaged positions.

5. The drive apparatus of claim 3, wherein said electronic control unit includes means for regulating said clutch so that said clutch can be substantially engaged without jerking motion and with low wear.

6. The drive apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a resolver system operatively connected to said electronic control unit for supplying at least one of angle and speed information of said rotor to said electronic control unit, and wherein said electronic control unit selectively varies electrical current in said stator so as to influence motion of said rotor for torsional vibration damping of said transmission shaft.

7. The drive apparatus of claim 3, wherein said transmission shaft is a gear-shifting transmission input shaft, and said electronic control unit selectively changes said rotor'"'"'s speed for transmission synchronization during gear shifting.

8. The drive apparatus of claim 7, further comprising means for detecting the gear-shifting transmission unit output speed.

9. The drive apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an accelerator pedal movable from one position to another and being operatively connected to said electronic control unit, wherein said electronic control unit detects a desired gear-shifting by receiving information that includes at least one of change of said accelerator pedal'"'"'s position over time and change of said rotor'"'"'s speed over time.

10. The drive apparatus of claim 1, wherein said clutch is a single-plate dry clutch.

11. The drive apparatus of claim 1, wherein said clutch is a multiple-plate dry clutch.

12. The drive apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling means includes at least one of a torsional vibration damping element and an overload protection device.

13. The drive apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rotor attaching means includes a torsional vibration damping element.

14. The drive apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission shaft has a bore defined axially therewithin, and further comprising a pushrod guidedly received within said bore of said transmission shaft for switching said clutch between said engaged and disengaged positions.

15. The drive apparatus of claim 1, wherein said clutch coupling means includes a clutch release mechanism disposed between said crank shaft and said transmission shaft for switching said clutch between said engaged and disengaged positions.

16. The drive apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a diaphragm spring operatively connected to said clutch for resiliently urging said clutch to said engaged position.