Transmission, and vehicle and bicycle using the same

• US 6,053,833 A
• Filed: 02/19/1999
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Masaki, Ryoso
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US09/253,127
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 475/2, 475/5
• US Class Current: 475/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• 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 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 2710/1022 Input torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 11/145 built in, or adjacent to, the bottom bracket
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/55 power-driven at crank shafts parts
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/60 : power-driven at axle parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/102 : the input or output shaft of the transmission is connected or connectable to two or more differentials
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0008 : specially adapted for front-wheel-driven vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/72 : with a secondary drive, e.g. regulating motor, in order to vary speed continuously
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/725 : with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/727 : with at least two dynamo electric machines for creating an electric power path inside the gearing, e.g. using generator and motor for a variable power torque path special adapted for a hybrid electric vehicle B60K6/20
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/0826 : with only one output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/66 : specially adapted for continuously variable gearings control of exclusively fluid gearing F16H61/38
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/91 : Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/918 : Continuously variable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a transmission comprising a mechanism for distribution energy of a drive source into a plurality of differential mechanisms; a plurality of motors connected to said plurality of differential mechanisms, respectively; and a mechanism for combining energies outputted from said plurality of differential mechanisms.

Claims

1. A transmission comprising:

a plurality of differential mechanisms;

a mechanism operatively arranged for distributing energy of a drive source into said plurality of differential mechanisms;

a plurality of motors connected to said plurality of differential mechanisms, respectively; and

a mechanism for combining energies outputted from said plurality of differential mechanisms.

2. A transmission comprising:

a plurality of differential mechanisms in each of which a difference in the number of rotation between an input shaft thereof and an output shaft thereof is controlled by a motor;

wherein said input shafts of said plurality of differential mechanisms are a first common shaft, and said output shafts of said plurality of differential mechanisms are a second common shaft.

3. A vehicle comprising:

an engine for generating drive energy for driving said vehicle; and

a transmission for changing the speed of rotation of said engine and transmitting the rotational drive force thus speed-changed to a wheel and having

first and second differential mechanisms, each of which takes at least a drive force generated by said engine as an input force and takes a drive force for driving said wheel as an output force; and

first and second motors for controlling said first and second differential mechanisms, respectively.

5. A vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising means for storing energy for driving said first and second motors.

6. A vehicle according to claim 5, wherein a gear ratio between said common input shaft and said common output shaft of said first differential mechanism is larger than a gear ratio between said common input shaft and said common output shaft of said second differential mechanism.

7. A vehicle according to claim 5, wherein means is providing for starting said engine by controlling said first and second motors using the energy of said energy storing means.

8. A vehicle according to claim 6, wherein means is provided for starting said engine with a vehicular speed kept constant by controlling said first and second motors.

9. A vehicle according to claim 6, wherein means is provided for driving said vehicle with said engine stopped by controlling said first and second motors.

10. A vehicle according to claim 6, wherein means is provided for establishing in said vehicle a first operational mode in which said first motor is locked and said second motor is turned into a free-run state when said vehicle is driven by said engine, and a second operational mode in which said first motor is turned into a free-run state and said second motor is locked when said vehicle is driven by said engine.

11. A vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said second motor comprises a fastening means for mechanically fastening said second motor.

12. A vehicle according to claim 10, wherein each of said first and second motors comprises a fastening means for mechanically fastening said motor.

13. A vehicle according to claim 11, wherein when the operational mode of said vehicle is changed into said first or second operational mode, said fastening means is arranged to mechanically fasten a shaft of said first or second motor after said motor is electrically locked.

14. A vehicle according to claim 6, wherein when said vehicle is driven by said engine, said first motor is in a power-running state, and said second motor is in a power-running or regenerative state.

15. A vehicle according to claim 6, wherein when said vehicle is driven by said engine, said first motor is turned into a power-running state using energy generated by said second motor.

16. A vehicle according to claim 3, wherein when one of said first or second motor becomes uncontrollable, said vehicle is configured to be driven by a controllable one of said first and second motors and said engine.

17. A vehicle according to claim 3, wherein when it is confirmed upon stopping of said vehicle that said first or second motor becomes uncontrollable, said engine is configured to be started by a controllable one of said first and second motors, and-thereafter said vehicle is driven by controlling said controllable motor and said engine.

25. A vehicle according to claim 12, wherein when the operational mode of said vehicle is changed into said first or second operational mode, said fastening means is arranged to mechanically fasten a shaft of said first or second motor after said motor is electrically locked.

4. A vehicle comprising:

an engine for generating drive energy for driving said vehicle;

first and second planetary gears each of which is composed of a sun gear, a planetary element, and a ring gear; and

first and second motors for controlling said sun gears of said first and second planetary gears, respectively;

wherein one of said planetary element and said ring gear of each of said first and second planetary gears is connected to an input shaft driven by said engine and the other of said planetary element and said ring gear is connected to an output shaft for driving a vehicular body.

18. A vehicle according to claim 4, wherein a gear ratio between said output side gear and said output shaft of said first planetary gear is different from a gear ratio between said output side gear and said output shaft of said second planetary gear.

24. A vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising means for storing energy for driving said first and second motors.

26. A vehicle according to claim 4, wherein when one of said first or second motor becomes uncontrollable, said vehicle is configured to be driven by a controllable one of said first and second motors and said engine.

19. A bicycle comprising:

first and second differential mechanisms each of which takes a drive force generated by a driver as an input force and takes a drive force for driving a wheel as an output force; and

first and second motors for controlling said first and second differential mechanisms, respectively.

20. A transmission comprising:

a plurality of differential mechanisms having input shafts as a first common shaft and output shafts as a second common shaft;

wherein at least one of said plurality of differential mechanisms controls a difference in the number of rotation between said common input shaft and said common output shaft by a first motor, and at least one of the others of said plurality of differential mechanisms performs torque control by a second motor.

21. A transmission comprising:

plurality of differential mechanisms, having input shafts as a first common shaft and output shafts as a second common shaft, each of said plurality of differential mechanisms being composed of at least three gear elements; and

a plurality of motors, each of which is connected to a shaft of one, different from those connected to said common input shaft and said common output shaft, of said at least three gear elements of each of said plurality of differential mechanisms.

22. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

first and second planetary gears, each being composed of a sun gear, a planetary element, and a ring gear; and

first and second motors for controlling said sun gears of said first and second planetary gears, respectively;

wherein one of said planetary element and said ring gear of each of said first and second planetary gears is connected to an input shaft driven by said engine and the other is connected to an output shaft for driving a vehicular body.

23. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

plurality of differential mechanisms to which a drive force of said engine is operatively inputted;

a drive mechanism for driving said vehicle by the output of said plurality of differential mechanisms;

a plurality of motors operatively connected to said plurality of differential mechanisms, respectively; and

a locking device for stopping rotation of said engine.