Power train system for a vehicle and method for operating same

• US 6,048,288 A
• Filed: 08/10/1998
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Yasuki, Tsujii, Hiroshi, Nagano, Shuji, Nakao, Hatsuo, Kuramochi, Kojiro
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, KHOI QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/131,854
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.4, 477/2, 477/5, 477/8, 475/5
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3222 characterised by the compressor driving arrangements, e.g. clutches, transmissions or multiple drives B60H1/3208, B60H1/3226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3294 Compressor drive is hybrid
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/28 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of power take-off
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4833 Step up or reduction gearing driving generator, e.g. to operate generator in most efficient speed range
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2025/005 driven by electric motors forming part of the propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/00 Auxiliary drives B60K16/00 takes precedence; arrangements of tyre-inflating pumps mounted on vehicles B60C23/10; driving tyre-inflating pumps B60C; driving engine auxiliaries F02B
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• 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: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• 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 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2005/026 with an auxiliary pump
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0462 Liquid cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 67/00 Engines characterised by the arrangement of auxiliary apparatus not being otherwise provided for, e.g. the apparatus having different functions; Driving auxiliary apparatus from engines, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/003 : said electric motor being also used as a drive for auxiliaries, e.g. for driving transmission pumps or fuel pumps during engine stop
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 : the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0866 : comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2710/20 : the control being hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/54 : one of the central gears being internally toothed and the other externally toothed
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/10 : Structural association with clutches, brakes, gears, pulleys or mechanical starters
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1004 : with pulleys
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1025 : using axial electromagnets with generally annular air gap
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 : with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/00 : Conversion of ac power input into dc power output; Conversion of dc power input into ac power output
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/91 : Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 : Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

In an economy running mode, auxiliary machines are operated by a motor generator in a state where the engine is stopped so as to reduce electric power consumption. The motor generator, the engine and the auxiliary machines are connected through pulleys and belts. Moreover, a clutch is provided for switching enabling/disabling of power transmission between the motor generator and the engine. A battery is connected to the motor generator through an inverter. When the engine is stopped, the clutch is disengaged and the auxiliary machines are operated by the motor generator.

Claims

1. A power train system for a vehicle comprising:

an engine operable in an economy running mode;

a motor generator;

an auxiliary machine that receives power from the motor generator when the engine is operating in the economy running mode;

a clutch between the motor generator and the engine;

a switch provided inside the vehicle that is operable to produce a signal to selectively activate the economy running mode; and

a controller that operates the motor generator to supply power to the auxiliary machine during the economy running mode while disabling the clutch to prevent power from being transferred from the motor generator to the engine when the switch is operated to send to the controller the signal to activate the economy running mode.

2. A power train system according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls said clutch to disable power transmission between a drive shaft of said engine and a rotational shaft of said motor generator when the vehicle is stopped.

3. A power train system according to claim 2, wherein said clutch is an electromagnetic clutch for switching a mechanical connection/disconnection between the drive shaft of said engine and the rotational shaft of said motor generator.

4. A power train system according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary machine operated by said engine or said motor,

wherein said auxiliary machine is connected to a rotational shaft of said motor generator.

5. A power train system according to claim 1, wherein said motor generator has a rotative function of rotating using electric energy and an electric-power generating function of generating electric-power using mechanical energy.

6. A power train system according to claim 1, wherein the motor generator is connected to a drive shaft of the engine,

a transmission mechanism is disposed between the engine and the motor generator and is capable of transmitting rotation of a rotational shaft of said motor generator to the drive shaft of said engine at a changed speed,

the auxiliary machine is connected to the rotational shaft of said motor generator and is operated by said engine or said motor generator, and

said transmission mechanism reduces the speed of rotation of the rotational shaft of said motor generator and transmits the rotation to the drive shaft of said engine when said auxiliary machine is operated by said motor generator in a state where said engine is stopped.

7. A power train system according to claim 6, wherein said clutch interrupts transmission of rotation of the rotational shaft of said motor generator to the drive shaft of said engine when the auxiliary machine is operated by said motor generator in a state where said engine is stopped.

8. A power train system according to claim 6, further comprising:

first and second rotative members having rotational shafts disposed in parallel with the drive shaft of said engine;

a first cover joined to said engine to form a first space in association with said engine for accommodating said first rotative member;

a second cover joined to an outside of said first cover to form a second space in association with said first cover for accommodating said second rotative member;

a motor rotative member provided for the rotational shaft of said motor generator so as to be rotated in conjunction therewith; and

power transmission means for connecting said motor rotative member to either said first rotative member or said second rotative member such that power can be transmitted,

wherein said motor rotative member and said power transmission means are accommodated in either said first space or said second space.

9. A power train system according to claim 8, wherein said first and second spaces are communicated with each other and formed separately from the outside of the engine, and a lubricant is supplied into said first and second spaces.

10. A power train system according to claim 9, wherein said lubricant is a lubricant used for engine lubrication and enabled to circulate to and from the engine.

11. A method for operating a power train system for a vehicle including an engine operable in an economy running mode, an electrically powered motor generator, an auxiliary machine that receives power from at least one of the engine and the motor generator, and a clutch between the engine and the motor generator, the method comprising:

providing a switch operable by a driver inside the vehicle to selectively activate the economy running mode;

supplying power to the auxiliary machine from the motor generator when the economy running mode is selected; and

disabling the clutch to prevent power from being transferred from the motor generator to the engine when the switch is operated to produce a signal that activates the economy running mode.