Electric machine for dampening vibrations in a drive train and method of using the same

• US 6,209,692 B1
• Filed: 02/02/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Isad Electronic Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Moloren Werke, Isad Electronic Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Maurer, Michael, Wall, Wolfgang, Pour, Rahim, Pels, Thomas, Masberg, Ullrich, Zeyen, Klaus-Peter, Birzl, Willibald
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US09/241,952
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 188/293, 188/294, 188/269, 188/381, 188/379, 188/380, 310/51, 310/92, 310/98, 310/74, 310/102 R, 310/75 R, 464/29, 464/61, 464/62, 464/82, 464/83, 180/165, 74/574
• US Class Current: 188/381
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/22 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of main drive shafting, e.g. cardan shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist 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 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/003 Dynamic electric braking by short circuiting the motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/20 Reducing vibrations in the driveline
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/1201 for damping of axial or radial, i.e. non-torsional vibrations F16F15/13107 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/10 Structural association with clutches, brakes, gears, pulleys or mechanical starters
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/0016 Control of angular speed of one shaft without controlling the prime mover
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 machine with a stator and a rotor arranged in the drive train of a drive unit is disclosed. A vibration insulation device is incorporated in the rotor of the electric machine. The electric machine can function as a starter/generator, a generator vehicle brake, an auxiliary drive and/or an active vibration damper.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a drive train having a drive side, a driven side, and a torque path by which torque is transferred from the drive side to the driven side;

a stator;

a rotor disposed adjacent the stator within the torque path of the drive train, the rotor defining a substantially hollow interior; and

a vibration insulation device disposed at least in part within the hollow interior of the rotor and within the torque path of the drive train, the vibration insulation device including a first part connected to the drive side of the drive train, a second part connected to the driven side of the drive train, and a torsionally elastic coupling device coupling the first and second parts, such that the first part is radially disposed relative to the second part.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the torsionally elastic coupling device comprises one or more helical springs.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the torsionally elastic coupling device comprises one or more coil springs.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the rotor is annular and the vibration insulation device is disposed in concentric relation to the rotor.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a flywheel mass coupled to one of the first and second parts of the vibration insulation device.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the flywheel mass is coupled to the one of the first and second parts of the vibration insulation device by a second torsionally elastic coupling.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the second torsionally elastic coupling comprises an elastomer layer.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a friction surface coupled to one of the first and second parts of the vibration insulation device via a second torsional elastic coupling, the friction surface being disposed between the first and second parts of the vibration insulation device.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein one of the first and second parts of the vibration insulation device rotates in unison with the rotor.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein one of the first and second parts of the vibration insulation device at least partially assumes an electromagnetic function of the rotor.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the rotor is mounted on one side.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a rotating field machine and the rotor comprises a squirrel cage rotor having salient magnetic poles.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the rotor and stator are excited to act as a starter for starting an internal combustion engine associated with the drive train.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the rotor and stator are excited to act as a generator.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the rotor and stator are excited to act as an auxiliary drive to support acceleration of a vehicle associated with the drive train.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the rotor and stator are excited to act as an active torsional vibration dampener which generates alternating torques to compensate for rotational irregularities detected in the rotor.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 further comprising a control device to controllably excite the stator to effect the rotation of the rotor.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 further comprising a control device to controllably excite the stator to effect the rotation of the rotor.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 further comprising a control device to controllably excite the stator to effect the rotation of the rotor.