Hybrid transmission

• US 6,958,027 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakano, Masaki, Shimizu, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, TISHA D
• Application Number:
  US10/686,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20040097315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 475/4, 475/5, 475/10, 180/65.2, 310/112, 310/113, 290/4.C, 290/4.R, 290/4.A, 290/8
• US Class Current: 475/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/103 Power split variators with each end of the CVT connected or connectable to a Ravigneaux set
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2025 using a Ravigneaux set with 5 connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/728 with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/006 Structural association of a motor or generator with the drive train of a motor vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A differential speed change unit is installed in a housing at a position near an engine and arranged coaxial with a common axis, and a two-rotor type motor/generator unit is installed in the housing at a position away from the engine and arranged coaxial with the common axis. The motor/generator unit has inner and outer rotors and a wiring. An inner rotor shaft is connected with the inner rotor to rotate therewith. The inner rotor shaft extends coaxially with the common axis to be operatively connected to the differential speed change unit. An outer rotor shaft is connected with the outer rotor to rotate therewith. The outer rotor shaft extends coaxially with the common axis to be operatively connected to the differential speed change unit. The housing has a split section at which the housing is dividable into two housing parts, and the split section is positioned between the differential speed change unit and the motor/generator unit.

Claims

1. A hybrid transmission comprising:

a housing having a common axis defined thereby, the housing being adapted to be positioned beside an engine when the hybrid transmission is mounted on a motor vehicle;

a differential speed change unit installed in the housing at a position near the engine and arranged coaxial with the common axis;

a two-rotor type motor/generator unit installed in the housing at a position away from the engine and arranged coaxial with the common axis, the motor/generator unit having inner and outer rotors and a wiring;

an inner rotor shaft connected with the inner rotor to rotate therewith, the inner rotor shaft being coaxial with the common axis and extending to the differential speed change unit to be operatively connected to the same; and

an outer rotor shaft connected with the outer rotor to rotate therewith, the outer rotor shaft being coaxial with the common axis and extending to the differential speed change unit to be operatively connected to the same;

wherein the housing has a split section at which the housing is dividable into two housing parts, the split section being positioned between the differential speed change unit and the motor/generator unit;

wherein the outer rotor shaft is concentrically received in the inner rotor shaft which is hollow, wherein the outer rotor is connected to the outer rotor shaft through a connecting member that is positioned at one axial end of the motor/generator unit that is opposite to the other axial end that faces the differential speed change unit, and wherein the wiring of the motor/generator unit is exposed to a space between the motor/generator unit and the differential speed change unit and led and exposed to the outside of the housing through an opening formed in the housing near the split section.

2. A hybrid transmission as claimed in claim 1, in which the connecting member is a circular drive plate, the circular drive plate having a peripheral portion which is secured to the outer rotor and a center opening which is connected to the outer rotor shaft by a serration connection.

3. A hybrid transmission as claimed in claim 1, in which the opening of the housing through which the wiring is exposed to the outside is provided in a diametrically reduced portion of the housing.

4. A hybrid transmission as claimed in claim 1, in which the wiring comprises:

an annular inner feeding unit concentrically and stably mounted in the motor/generator unit, the annular inner feeding unit having mutually insulated bus bars which are connected to coils of electromagnets of a stator of the motor/generator unit;

inner connectors fixed to the housing and connected to the bus bars of the annular inner feeding unit respectively;

an outer feeding cable having mutually insulated bus bars connected to the inner connectors respectively; and

an outer connector unit connected to the opening of the housing, the outer connector unit having a plurality of terminal ends to which the mutually insulated bus bars of the outer feeding cable are connected respectively.

5. A hybrid transmission as claimed in claim 4, further comprising cooling water passages which are formed in a wall portion of the housing to let a cooling water flow therethrough for cooling the stator of the motor/generator unit.

6. A hybrid transmission as claimed in claim 5, in which the wall portion of the housing is provided with a bearing holder which has a center opening through which the inner and outer rotor shafts pass, and in which the stator of the motor/generator unit is fixed.

7. A hybrid transmission as claimed in claim 6, in which the bearing holder has a cooling water passage that is merged with the cooling water passages of the wall portion of the housing.

8. A hybrid transmission comprising:

a housing having a common axis defined thereby, the housing being adapted to be positioned beside an engine when the hybrid transmission is mounted on a motor vehicle;

a differential speed change unit installed in the housing at a position near the engine and arranged coaxial with the common axis;

a two-rotor type motor/generator unit installed in the housing at a position away from the engine and arranged coaxial with the common axis, the motor/generator unit having inner and outer rotors and a wiring;

an inner rotor shaft connected with the inner rotor to rotate therewith, the inner rotor shaft being hollow and coaxial with the common axis and extending to the differential speed change unit to be operatively connected to the same; and

an outer rotor shaft rotatably received in the hollow inner rotor shaft and extending to the differential speed change unit to be operatively connected to the same, the outer rotor shaft being connected to the outer rotor through a connecting member that is positioned at one axial end of the motor/generator unit that is opposite to the other axial end that faces the differential speed change unit,

wherein the housing has a split section at which the housing is dividable into two housing parts, the split section being positioned between the differential speed change unit and the motor/generator unit, and

wherein the wiring of the motor/generator unit is exposed to a space between the motor/generator unit and the differential speed change unit and led and exposed to the outside of the housing through an opening formed in the housing near the split section.

9. A hybrid transmission comprising:

a housing having a common axis defined thereby and having a diametrically reduced portion, the housing being adapted to be positioned beside an engine when the hybrid transmission is mounted on a motor vehicle;

a differential speed change unit installed in the housing at a position near the engine and arranged coaxial with the common axis;

a two-rotor type motor/generator unit installed in the housing at a position away from the engine and arranged coaxial with the common axis, the motor/generator unit having inner and outer rotors and a wiring;

an inner rotor shaft connected with the inner rotor to rotate therewith, the inner rotor shaft being hollow and coaxial with the common axis and extending to the differential speed change unit to be operatively connected to the same; and

an outer rotor shaft rotatably received in the hollow inner rotor shaft and extending to the differential speed change unit to be operatively connected to the same, the outer rotor shaft being connected to the outer rotor through a connecting member that is positioned at one axial end of the motor/generator unit that is opposite to the other axial end that faces the differential speed change unit,

wherein the housing has a split section at which the housing is dividable into two housing parts, the split section being positioned between the differential speed change unit and the motor/generator unit and near the diametrically reduced portion, and

wherein the wiring of the motor/generator unit is exposed to a space between the motor/generator unit and the differential speed change unit and led and exposed to the outside of the housing through an opening formed in the diametrically reduced portion of the housing.