Apparatus capable of driving vehicle in reverse direction with engine as well as electric motor

• US 6,409,623 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Oba, Hidehiro, Hoshiya, Kazumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US09/680,707
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 475/317
• US Class Current: 475/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• 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 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• 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 2710/025 Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/54 one of the central gears being internally toothed and the other externally toothed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/724 using external powered electric machines
• 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: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/909 Gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/91 Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/918 : Continuously variable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/945 : Characterized by control of gearing, e.g. control of transmission ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

An apparatus for rear-driving an automotive vehicle having a drive power source, an output member operatively connected to a drive wheel, a gear type synthesizing/distributing device including a housing, and a first, a second and a third rotary element, the first and second rotary elements being rotated in respective opposite directions when the third rotary element is stationary, and connected to the drive power source and the output member, respectively, and a brake or fixing the third rotary element to the housing, wherein the brake is a frictional coupling device capable of effecting a slipping engagement. The apparatus includes a reverse friction-drive control device which is operable when the first rotary element is rotated in a forward direction with an operation of the drive power source, while the third rotary element is rotated in the forward direction with a rotary motion of the first rotary element, the reverse friction-drive control device controlling the brake to effect the slipping engagement so as to restrict a rotary motion of the third rotary element, for thereby causing a drive torque to act on the second rotary element in a reverse direction to drive the vehicle in the reverse direction.

Claims

1. A vehicle rear driving apparatus for driving an automotive vehicle in a reverse direction, the automotive vehicle having a drive power source, an output member operatively connected to a drive wheel of the vehicle for driving the vehicle, a synthesizing/distributing device of gear type including a housing, a first rotary element, a second rotary element and a third rotary element, said first and second rotary elements being rotated in respective opposite directions when said third rotary element is stationary, and connected to said drive power source and said output member, respectively, and a brake for fixing said third rotary element to said housing, wherein an improvement comprises:

said brake being a frictional coupling device capable of effecting a slipping engagement; and

reverse friction-drive control means operable when said first rotary element is rotated in a forward direction with an operation of said drive power source, while said third rotary element is rotated in the forward direction with a rotary motion of said first rotary element, said reverse friction-drive control means controlling said brake to effect said slipping engagement so as to restrict a rotary motion of said third rotary element, for thereby causing a drive torque to act on said second rotary element in a reverse direction to drive the vehicle in the reverse direction.

2. A vehicle rear driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said automotive vehicle is a hybrid vehicle wherein said drive power source includes an engine operable by combustion of a fuel, and an electric motor, and said synthesizing/distributing device comprises a planetary gear device including a sun gear as said first rotary element, a carrier as said second rotary element, and a ring gear as said third rotary element, said engine being connected to said sun gear while said electric motor being connected to said carrier,

and wherein said brake is operable to fix said ring gear to said housing, said apparatus further comprising;

a first clutch is provided for connecting said carrier to said output member; and

a second clutch is provided for connecting said ring gear to said output member.

3. A vehicle rear driving apparatus for driving an automotive vehicle in a reverse direction, the automotive vehicle having a drive power source consisting of an engine operable by combustion of a fuel and an electric motor, an output member operatively connected to a drive wheel of the vehicle for driving the vehicle, a synthesizing/distributing device of gear type including a housing, a first rotary element, a second rotary element and a third rotary element, said first and second rotary elements being rotated in respective opposite directions when said third rotary element is stationary, and connected to said engine and said electric motor, respectively, and a brake for fixing said third rotary element to said housing, wherein an improvement comprises:

said brake being a frictional coupling device capable of effecting a slipping engagement;

reverse-motor-drive control means for operating said electric motor in a reverse direction to rotate said second rotary element with said brake held in a released state thereof, for thereby driving the vehicle in the reverse direction; and

engine-assisted reverse-motor-drive control means operable when the vehicle is driven in the reverse direction under the control of said reverse-motor-drive control means, said reverse-motor-drive control means operating said engine to rotate said first rotary element in a forward direction, and controlling said brake to effect said slipping engagement while said third rotary element is rotated in a forward direction with a rotary motion of said first rotary element in said forward direction, so that a rotary motion of said third rotary element is restricted to cause a drive torque to act on said second rotary element in a reverse direction to drive the vehicle in the reverse direction.

4. A vehicle rear driving apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said automotive vehicle is a hybrid vehicle wherein said drive power source includes an engine operable by combustion of a fuel, and an electric motor, and said synthesizing/distributing device comprises a planetary gear device including a sun gear as said first rotary element, a carrier as said second rotary element, and a ring gear as said third rotary element, said engine being connected to said sun gear while said electric motor being connected to said carrier,

and wherein said brake is operable to fix said ring gear to said housing, said apparatus further comprising;

a first clutch is provided for connecting said carrier to said output member; and

a second clutch is provided for connecting said ring gear to said output member.

5. A vehicle rear driving apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising mode determining means for selecting an operating mode of the vehicle such that an engine-assisted reverse motor drive mode in which the vehicle is driven in the reverse direction by said electric motor and said engine under the control of said engine-assisted reverse-motor-drive control means is selected more frequently when an amount of electric energy stored in an electric energy storing device to operate said electric motor is relatively small than when said amount of electric energy stored in said electric energy storing device is relatively large.

6. A vehicle rear driving apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said engine-assisted reverse-motor-drive control means includes means for controlling an engaging torque of said brake according to a difference between a desired vehicle drive torque desired by an operator of the vehicle and an output torque of said electric motor, and controls an output torque of said engine in a feedback fashion such that an operating speed of said engine coincides with a desired value.