Hybrid vehicle system

• US 6,638,195 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: New Venture Gear, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: New Venture Gear, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Williams, Cameron P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDELNOUR, DENNIS J
• Application Number:
  US10/083,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20030162631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 477/3, 477/4, 477/5, 180/242, 180/243, 180/65.2, 180/65.4, 290/4.5, 290/14, 192/49, 192/50
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/08 for changing number of driven wheels , for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles B60K17/3515 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/0808 for varying torque distribution between driven axles, e.g. by transfer clutch
• 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 6/383 One-way clutches or freewheel devices
• 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 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• 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 10/119 including control of all-wheel-driveline means, e.g. transfer gears or clutches for dividing torque between front and rear axle B60W10/14 takes precedence
• 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 30/19 Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/912 Drive line clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/913 One way
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/914 Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/916 : with plurality of drive axles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/919 : Stepped shift
• 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

A hybrid vehicle system is provided with an internal combustion engine driving one set of wheels and an electric motor connected to the other wheels via an active clutch system. A power take-off unit is provided for selectively providing driving torque from the internal combustion engine to the electric motor to operate the motor in a regenerative operating mode. The active clutch system is selectively engaged and disengaged based upon whether the vehicle is operating in an internal combustion engine operating mode, an electric motor operating mode, a combined electric motor and internal combustion engine operating mode, or a regenerative operating mode.

Claims

1. A hybrid drive system, comprising:

an engine;

a power transfer unit connected to said engine;

an electric motor connected to said power transfer unit;

a first axle assembly drivingly connected to said electric motor, said first axle assembly including an active clutch system to selectively apply driving torque from said electric motor to a pair of drive axles;

a transmission assembly selectively connected to said engine; and

a second axle assembly drivingly connected to said transmission assembly.

2. The hybrid drive system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission assembly is engaged with said engine during an engine driving mode for providing torque to said second axle assembly.

3. The hybrid drive system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission assembly is engaged with said engine for providing driving torque to said second axle assembly and said electric motor is activated to provide driving torque to said first axle assembly while said active clutch system is engaged during a combined engine and electric motor driving mode.

4. The hybrid drive system according to claim 1, wherein said electric motor is activated to provide driving torque to said first axle assembly while said active clutch system is engaged during an electric motor driving mode.

5. The hybrid drive system according to claim 1, wherein said power transfer unit is engaged during an engine driving mode for driving said electric motor as a generator.

6. The hybrid drive system according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit for controlling said engine, said electric motor, said transmission assembly, said power transfer unit and said active clutch system.

7. The hybrid drive system according to claim 6, wherein said electric motor is operated in a regeneration mode-when a braking signal is received by said control unit.

8. The hybrid drive system according to claim 6, wherein said control unit increases an amount of electric motor torque delivered during a transmission assembly shifting operation in order to reduce shift shock during a shifting operation.

9. The hybrid drive system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission assembly is an automated manual transmission.

10. The hybrid drive system according to claim 1, wherein said active clutch system includes a pair of active clutches for applying torque to said pair of drive axles.

11. The hybrid drive system according to claim 1, wherein said active clutch system includes at least one active clutch for applying torque to said pair of drive axles.

12. The hybrid drive system according to claim 1, wherein said power transfer unit includes a gear train with a controllable clutch unit.

13. The hybrid drive system according to claim 12, wherein said controllable clutch unit of said power transfer unit is a bi-directional overrunning clutch.

14. A four wheel drive vehicle, comprising:

an engine;

a transmission assembly selectively connected to said engine;

a first pair of driven wheels drivingly connected to said transmission;

a power transfer unit connected to said engine;

an electric motor connected to said power transfer unit; and

a second pair of driven wheels selectively connected to said electric motor by an active clutch system disposed between said electric motor and said second pair of driven wheels.

15. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said transmission assembly is engaged with said engine during an engine driving mode for providing torque to said second axle assembly.

16. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said transmission assembly is engaged with said engine for providing driving torque to said second axle assembly and said electric motor is activated to provide driving torque to said first axle assembly while said active clutch system is engaged during a combined engine and electric motor driving mode.

17. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said electric motor is activated to provide driving torque to said first axle assembly while said active clutch system is engaged during an electric motor driving mode.

18. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said power transfer unit is engaged during an engine driving mode for driving said electric motor as a generator.

19. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising a control unit for controlling, said engine, said electric motor, said transmission assembly, said power transfer unit and said active clutch system.

20. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 19, wherein said electric motor is operated in a regeneration mode when a braking signal is received by said control unit.

21. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 19, wherein said control unit increases an amount of electric motor torque delivered during a transmission assembly shifting operation in order to reduce shift shock during a shifting operation.

22. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said transmission assembly is an automated manual transmission.

23. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said active clutch system includes a pair of active clutches for applying torque to said pair of drive axles.

24. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said active clutch system includes at least one active clutch for applying torque to said pair of drive axles.

25. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said power transfer unit includes a gear train with a controllable clutch unit.

26. The four wheel drive vehicle according to claim 25, wherein said controllable clutch unit of said power transfer unit is a bi-directional overrunning clutch.