Drive device for hybrid vehicle

• US 7,017,693 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Wakuta, Satoru, Omote, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Kelly E.
• Application Number:
  US10/433,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20040045752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 475/5, 192/3.28, 192/3.32, 192/3.33, 192/3.31, 477/3
• US Class Current: 180/65.26
• 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 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/16 DC brushless machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/201 with three sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2023 using a Ravigneaux set with 4 connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 45/02 with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type control of torque converter lock-up clutches F16H61/14
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle drive system is designed to have dimensions that are shorter in an axial direction and improved centering accuracy of a rotor, in order to prevent deterioration of motor performance. A rotor support plate (15) has a flat-plate shaped disk portion (15b), and is fixed to a front cover (32) of a take off device (5), such as a torque converter, or the like, at the disk portion with a set block (67) and a bolt (69). A forward portion of the take off device is centered and supported by fitting a center piece (33) to a crankshaft (3). A support-plate hub (15a) is in contact with the center piece (33) at a small area (33c) in a vicinity of a fixing plane P of the disk portion (15b) and the set block (67), and thus centering of the rotor (13) is executed.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle drive system, comprising:

an automatic transmission having a take off device; and

a motor having a stator and a rotor with an output from the motor and a engine being input to the take off device, wherein;

the take off device has a front cover and a center piece protruding from the front cover with the center piece centered and supported on an output shaft of the engine,

the rotor has a support plate supporting the rotor with the support plate having a disk portion extending in an internal diameter direction and defining a hollow portion,

the support plate is centered by contacting the center piece at the hollow portion defined by the disk portions, and

the support plate is fixed to the front cover at the disk portion by placing the center piece in the hollow portion.

2. The hybrid vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein the contact between the disk portion of the support plate and the center piece is at a relatively small portion in a vicinity of an extension line of a plane on which the disk portion is fixed to the front cover.

3. The hybrid vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein the front cover has an internal diameter portion disposed opposite and substantially in parallel to the disk portion of the support plate, and the disk portion of the support plate is fixed at an external diameter side of the internal diameter portion.

4. The hybrid vehicle drive system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fixed member with the stator fixed to the fixed member, wherein a first outer shell of the take off device is supported by the center piece at the output shaft of the engine, and a second outer shell of the take off device is supported by the fixed member.

5. The hybrid vehicle drive system according to claim 4, wherein a torque transmitting member is interposed between the engine output shaft and the support plate, and torque of the engine output shaft is transmitted to the take off device via the torque transmitting member, the fixing portion of the disk portion and the front cover.

6. The hybrid vehicle drive system according to claim 5, wherein the torque transmitting member has a flexible plate.

7. The hybrid vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein

a motor housing, a take off device housing, and a transmission case are disposed in order from an engine position side in order to form an integrated case,

the stator is fixed to the motor housing, and the engine output shaft is rotatably supported by the engine body,

a pump case is fitted into an inner peripheral face of the integrated case and the pump case is fixed to the integrated case, and

the take off device has an outer shell with the front cover and a rear cover integrally fixed to the front cover, a front portion of the outer shell is supported by the center piece at the engine output shaft and a back portion of the outer shell is supported at the pump case by a hub integrated with the rear cover.

8. The hybrid vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein the disk portion of the support plate has an internal diameter portion extending from a portion fixed to the front cover, the internal diameter portion being formed so as to be thinner than an external diameter portion of the disk portion.

9. The hybrid vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein the disk portion of the support plate has weight-reduction holes formed in an area extending from a portion fixed to the front cover to the internal diameter portion.

10. The hybrid vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein the take off device has a hydraulic power transmission.

11. The hybrid vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein the take off device has a starting clutch and a damper unit.