Starter/generator for an internal combustion engine, especially an engine of a motor vehicle

• US 6,365,983 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2000
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andreas Grundl, Bernhard Hoffmann, Thomas Pels
• Original Assignee: Grundl und Hoffman GmbH, Isad Electronic Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Masberg, Ullrich, Zeyen, Klaus-Peter, Gründl, Andreas, Hoffmann, Bernhard, Pels, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US09/651,562
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 290/36.R, 290/37.A, 290/38.R, 290/40.R, 290/40.C, 290/46, 322/10, 322/11, 322/14, 310/113
• US Class Current: 290/40.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/262 the motor or generator are used as clutch, e.g. between engine and driveshaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/16 responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels brake control systems for vehicle drive stability B60T8/1755; arrangements responsive to a speed condition for adjusting wheel braking force B60T8/32; control of vehicle driving stability otherwise than by controlling the propulsion unit only B60W30/02; preventing wheel slippage by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/00
• 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 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/52 Clutch motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/003 Dynamic electric braking by short circuiting the motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/28 Eddy-current braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 67/04 of mechanically-driven auxiliary apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/06 Engines with means for equalising torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/24 by using an external load, e.g. a generator
• 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: F02N 2011/0885 Capacitors, e.g. for additional power supply
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0888 : DC/DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0896 : Inverters for electric machines, e.g. starter-generators
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/1292 : characterised by arrangements for axially clamping or positioning or otherwise influencing the frictional plates
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/18 : using electric, magnetic or electromagnetic means suppression of vibrations of rotating systems by use of non-rotating magnetic or electromagnetic means F16F15/03; dynamo-electric devices H02K; control effected upon generator excitation circuit to reduce harmful effects of overloads or transients H02P9/10
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0422 : by an electric machine, e.g. by accelerating or braking the input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 51/00 : Dynamo-electric gears, i.e. dynamo-electric means for transmitting mechanical power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft and comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/108 : with friction clutches
• 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 10/62 : 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 903/906 : 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 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/947 : Characterized by control of braking, e.g. blending of regeneration, friction braking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/96 : having chargeable mechanical accumulator

Abstract

The invention concerns a starter/generator for an internal combustion engine (1), especially that of a motor vehicle, with an electric rotary-field machine (4), which exercises the starter and generator function; and at least one invertor (17) for generating the voltages and/or currents of variable frequency, amplitude and/or phase required for the magnetic fields of the electric machine (4); wherein the electric machine (4) starts the internal combustion engine (1) by merging in from standstill.

Claims

1. A drive system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a drive train comprising a transmission;

an internal combustion engine having a drive shaft and acting on the drive train;

an electric machine which is a combined starter for the internal combustion engine and generator for the motor vehicle, the electric machine having a rotor which is permanently coupled to the drive shaft, so that the drive shaft and the rotor always rotate in unison with the same rotational speed, wherein the electric machine is an internal rotor machine; and

a single clutch, which is arranged in the drive train between the rotor of the electric machine and the transmission, wherein the clutch is a frictional clutch having at least two frictional connection elements rotating with the rotor and at least two frictional connection elements rotating with the transmission, wherein the frictional connection elements are immersed in a clutch fluid, and wherein the clutch is mounted in the rotor of the electric machine.

2. The drive system of claim 1, wherein the electric machine is an induction machine.

3. The drive system of claim 1, wherein the clutch fluid simultaneously acts to cool the electric machine.

4. The drive system of claim 1, wherein the clutch is completely integrated in the rotor of the electric machine.