Diesel-electric drive system with a starting torque converter

• US 6,508,321 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Voith Turbo GmbH & Company KG (Voith GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Voith Turbo GmbH & Company KG (Voith GmbH)
• Inventors: Müller, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McClellan, James S.
• Application Number:
  US09/462,344
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.6, 180/65.7
• US Class Current: 180/65.245
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/10 of fluid gearing of fluid clutches B60K17/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/12 of electric gearing of electrically-actuated clutches B60K17/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/38 characterised by the driveline clutches shift clutches within the gearing or transmission B60K6/36 , B60K6/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/13 using AC generators and AC motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/912 Drive line clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/917 with transmission for changing gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

A drive system for a vehicle, especially a non-guided vehicle, comprising at least one internal combustion engine, at least one generator, at least one electric drive motor and at least one torque converter, the torque converter being positioned between the drive motor and an output shaft leading to the vehicle axes. The drive system is characterized in that the drive motor is coupled with the converter in order to increase the torque conveyed to the vehicle axes by the drive motor via the output shaft at particular speeds or accelerations.

Claims

1. A drive arrangement for a vehicle with a driven shaft connected to the vehicle axles, said drive arrangement comprising:

at least one internal combustion engine;

at least one generator connected to said engine;

at least one transversal flux machine electric drive motor of the in electrical connection to said generator, said motor connected to at least one torque converter arranged between said drive motor and a driven shaft to the vehicle axles, said drive motor coupled to said converter for magnifying the torque delivered from said drive motor onto the vehicle axles via the driven shaft; and

a coupling means for coupling said drive motor and said torque converter, said means can be coupled to said drive motor and decoupled from it or can bridge said torque converter.

2. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, in that said means for coupling and decoupling or bridging the torque converter to the drive motor is a lock-up coupling.

3. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, including a control mechanism which controls the torque converter in such a manner that the coupling is coupled to said drive motor during start procedures and is decoupled from said drive motor or bridged when at least one of a given travel speed or starting acceleration is exceeded.

4. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, in which said torque converter is a hydrodynamic torque converter.

5. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, in which said drive motor is arranged in the vehicle chassis.

6. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, in which said drive motor is provided in a central motor arrangement.

7. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, in which said generator and drive motor are combined into an electrical transmission unit.