Power train having an internal combustion engine, energy converter, clutch, and accessory

• US 6,668,953 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2000
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Luk Lamellen Und Kupplungsbau GmbH (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Luk Lamellen Und Kupplungsbau GmbH (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Reik, Wolfgang, Pels, Thomas, Reitz, Dierk
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROYAL, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/630,696
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 180/165, 180/53.8, 180/65, 192/85.CA, 192/91.A, 192/87.11
• US Class Current: 180/53.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/02 for main transmission clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/08 Prime-movers comprising combustion engines and mechanical or fluid energy storing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/105 the accumulator being a flywheel
• 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 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/4242 of dry type
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 67/04 of mechanically-driven auxiliary apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 5/04 of inertia type
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 21/06 at least two driving shafts or two driven shafts being concentric
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/087 the clutch being actuated by the fluid-actuated member via a diaphragm spring or an equivalent array of levers F16D25/085, F16D25/086 take precedence
• 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 903/906 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 903/951 Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

A power train for a motor vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a power transmission, and an energy converter positioned between the engine and the transmission. A first clutch is positioned between the engine and the energy converter and a second clutch is positioned between the power transmission and the energy converter. The energy converter is operatively connected with at least one accessory for driving the accessory by energy derived either from the rotational motion of the engine crankshaft or from rotational motion transferred from the vehicle'"'"'s drive wheels through the transmission.

Claims

1. A power train comprising:

an internal combustion engine having a drive shaft;

a unitary power transmission having an input shaft for receiving power and an output shaft for driving at least one drive wheel, wherein the power transmission is situated downstream of the engine in a power pathway that includes the engine and the power transmission;

a rotatable energy converter situated in the path of power transmission between the engine and the power transmission;

a first clutch for selectively engaging and disengaging the engine from the energy converter and from the power transmission; and

at least one accessory drivingly connected with the energy converter.

2. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy converter is connected with a storage device for receiving and/or emitting electrical energy, energy of rotation and/or thermodynamic energy.

3. A power train in accordance with claim 1, including a second clutch for selectively engaging and disengaging the energy converter from the power transmission.

4. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the accessory is a pump.

5. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the accessory is a compressor.

6. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy converter is mounted coaxially with the engine drive shaft.

7. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy converter is mounted outwardly of and parallel with the engine drive shaft.

8. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one accessory is mounted coaxially with the engine drive shaft.

9. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one accessory is mounted outwardly of and parallel with the engine drive shaft.

10. A power train in accordance with claim 7, wherein the axially parallel energy converter is connected with the power train by a belt drive.

11. A power train in accordance with claim 9, wherein the axially parallel accessory is connected with the power train by a belt drive.

12. A power train in accordance with claim 11, wherein the belt drive is a continuously variable transmission.

13. A power train in accordance with claim 10, wherein the belt drive is a continuously variable transmission.

14. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one accessory is driven by energy provided by the energy converter.

15. A power train in accordance with claim 3, wherein when the vehicle is decelerating one at least of the first and second clutches is disengaged.

16. A power train in accordance with claim 3, wherein when the vehicle is in a coasting mode the second clutch is engaged and the energy converter converts vehicle kinetic energy into another form of energy.

17. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy converter exchanges energy with at least one accessory.

18. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vehicle is decelerated by the input of power to the at least one drive wheel, through the power transmission, to the energy converter.

19. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein energy from the energy converter to the at least one accessory is stored as thermodynamic energy.

20. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein energy from the energy converter to the at least one accessory is used to compress a critical gas.

21. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy converter includes at least one electrical machine for converting kinetic and electrical energy into each other.

22. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy converter converts at least kinetic energy and energy of rotation into each other.

23. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy converter is connected with a storage device for receiving and/or emitting electrical energy.

24. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy converter is connected with a storage device for receiving and/or emitting rotational energy.

25. A power train in accordance with claim 1, wherein the energy converter is connected with a storage device for receiving and/or emitting thermodynamic energy.

26. A power train in accordance with claim 3, wherein the first and second clutches and the energy converter are carried within a unitary housing.

27. A power train in accordance with claim 26, wherein at least one clutch is positioned radially inwardly of and axially opposite from a stator of the energy converter.

28. A power train in accordance with claim 3, wherein the first and second clutches include a common pressure plate.

29. A power train in accordance with claim 3, wherein the first and second clutches are axially adjacent to each other.

30. A power train in accordance with claim 1, including a second clutch for selectively engaging and disengaging the engine from the power transmission, wherein the first and second clutches each include a disengaging device, wherein the disengaging device of at least one clutch includes an hydraulic slave cylinder that can be pressurized with a pressure medium from a master cylinder through a pressure line, and wherein at least a portion of the pressure line is within the transmission input shaft.

31. A method of operating a motor vehicle accessory from a vehicle power train that includes an engine, a transmission operatively connected with at least one drive wheel, an energy converter positioned between the engine and the transmission to lie in a power pathway that extends from the engine to the at least one drive wheel, said method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a unitary power transmission between the engine and the at least one drive wheel;

b. providing a first clutch for selectively engaging and disengaging the engine from the energy converter;

from the energy converter and from the power transmission;

c. storing in the energy converter energy derived from rotational motion of at least one of the engine and the transmission; and

d. driving a vehicle accessory with energy obtained from the energy converter.