Methods and devices for altering the transmission ratio of a drive system

• US 7,101,307 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Luke W. Clauson
• Original Assignee: Luke W. Clauson
• Inventors: Clauson, Luke W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, TISHA D
• Application Number:
  US10/619,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20050014600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 477/2, 477/15, 475/4, 475/5, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 903/942, 903/910
• US Class Current: 477/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/724 using external powered electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/725 with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

The transmission ratio between a first motor and an output shaft is varied by changing the speed of a second motor. The first and second motors are coupled to the output shaft with a planetary gear set. The first and second motors may both add power to the drive system.

Claims

1. A method of varying a transmission ratio between a first motor and an output shaft using a second motor, comprising the steps of:

providing a first motor, a second motor, an output shaft and a planetary gear set including a ring gear, a sun gear and a carrier which supports at least one planet gear;

coupling the first motor, the second motor, and the output shaft each to one of the ring gear, sun gear and carrier;

producing a rotary output at the output shaft, wherein the transmission ratio between the first motor and the output shaft is varied by varying the speed of the second motor, wherein the speed of the output shaft increases when the speed of the second motor increases and the speed of the first motor is held constant, the producing step being carried out by varying the rotating speed of the second motor so that the first motor operates at a speed within a desired performance range, the producing step being carried out with the desired performance range being a range of less than 1000 rpm for the first motor while the power output increases 50% of a peak power output.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the producing step is carried out with the transmission ratio being controlled by the second motor based upon an output torque demand on the engine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the first motor being a heat engine and the second motor is an electric motor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the heat engine being an internal combustion engine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the first motor being coupled to the sun gear, the second motor being coupled to the ring gear, and the output shaft being coupled to the carrier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the first motor being coupled to the sun gear, the second motor being coupled to the carrier and the output shaft being coupled to the ring gear.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with a synchronizer for synchronizing the rotation of the first motor and the output shaft.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

synchronizing the rotation of the first motor, second motor and output shaft using the synchronizer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the producing step is carried out in a manner which operates the first motor within a desired performance range by varying the transmission ratio between the first motor and the output shaft.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the producing step is carried out by combining a power of the first motor with a power of the second motor when the output shaft is initially not rotating.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

synchronizing rotation of the first motor and the output shaft, wherein a power of the first motor is combined serially with the power of the second motor to provide power to the output shaft.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating electrical energy with the second motor, the second motor being an electrical motor;

storing the electrical energy in a power storage device.

13. A method of varying a transmission ratio between a first motor and an output shaft using a second motor, comprising the steps of:

providing a first motor, a second motor, an output shaft and a planetary gear set including a ring gear, a sun gear and a carrier which supports at least one planet gear;

coupling the first motor, the second motor, and the output shaft each to one of the ring gear, sun gear and carrier;

producing a rotary output at the output shaft, wherein the transmission ratio between the first motor and the output shaft is varied by varying the speed of the second motor, wherein the speed of the output shaft increases when the speed of the second motor increases and the speed of the first motor is held constant; and

stopping the second motor to provide a fixed speed ratio between the first motor and the output shaft during a second mode of operation;

the producing step being carried out to vary the transmission ratio during a first mode of operation.

14. A method of combining the power of a first motor and a second motor, comprising the steps of:

providing an output shaft, a first motor, a second motor, a synchronizer, and a planetary gear set having a ring gear, a sun gear and a carrier having at least one planet gear, the first motor, second motor and output shaft being coupled to at least one of the ring gear, sun gear and carrier, the synchronizer synchronizing the rotation of the first motor and the output shaft;

varying the transmission ratio between the first motor and the output shaft by varying the speed of the second motor in a first mode of operation, wherein the speed of the output shaft increases when the speed of the second motor is increased while the speed of the first motor is constant, the varying step being carried out by varying the rotating speed of the second motor so that the first motor operates at a speed within a desired performance range, the varying step being carried out with the desired performance range being a range of less than 1000 rpm for the first motor while the power output increases 50% of a peak power output; and

synchronizing the rotation of the first motor, second motor and output shaft using the synchronizer in a second mode of operation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the varying step is carried out with the transmission ratio being controlled by the second motor based upon an output torque demand.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the first motor being a heat engine and the second motor is an electric motor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the heat engine being an internal combustion engine.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the first motor being coupled to the sun gear, the second motor being coupled to the ring gear, and the output shaft being coupled to the carrier.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the first motor being coupled to the sun gear, the second motor being coupled to the carrier and the output shaft being coupled to the ring gear.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the varying step is carried out by combining a power of the first motor with a power of the second motor when the output shaft is initially not rotating.

21. A method of combining the power of a first motor and a second motor, comprising the steps of:

providing an output shaft, a first motor, a second motor, a synchronizer, and a planetary gear set having a ring gear, a sun gear and a carrier having at least one planet gear, the first motor, second motor and output shaft being coupled to at least one of the ring gear, sun gear and carrier, the synchronizer synchronizing the rotation of the first motor and the output shaft;

varying the transmission ratio between the first motor and the output shaft by varying the speed of the second motor in a first mode of operation, wherein the speed of the output shaft increases when the speed of the second motor is increased while the speed of the first motor is constant;

synchronizing the rotation of the first motor, second motor and output shaft using the synchronizer in a second mode of operation; and

stopping the second motor to provide a fixed speed ratio between the first motor and the output shaft.

22. A method of varying a transmission ratio between a first motor and an output shaft using a second motor, comprising the steps of:

providing a first motor, a second motor, an output shaft and a planetary gear set including a ring gear, a sun gear and a carrier which supports at least one planet gear;

coupling the first motor, the second motor, and the output shaft each to one of the ring gear, sun gear and carrier;

producing rotary output at the output shaft in a first mode of operation and in a second mode of operation, the transmission ratio between the first motor and the output shaft being varied by varying the speed of the second motor in the first mode of operation, the second motor being stopped to provide a fixed speed ratio between the first motor and the output shaft when in the second mode of operation.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the producing step is carried out with the speed of the output shaft increasing when the speed of the second motor increases and the speed of the first motor is held constant.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the producing step is carried out with the transmission ratio being controlled by the second motor based upon an output torque demand on the engine when in the first mode of operation.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the first motor being a heat engine and the second motor is an electric motor.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the first motor being coupled to the sun gear, the second motor being coupled to the carrier and the output shaft being coupled to the ring gear.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

the providing step is carried out with a synchronizer for synchronizing the rotation of the first motor and the output shaft.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

synchronizing the rotation of the first motor, second motor and output shaft using the synchronizer.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the producing step is carried out in a manner which operates the first motor within a desired performance range by varying the transmission ratio between the first motor and the output shaft in the first mode of operation.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the producing step is carried out by varying the rotating speed of the second motor so that the first motor operates at a speed within the desired performance range in the first mode of operation.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the producing step is carried out with the desired performance range being a range of less than 2000 rpm for the first motor while the power output increases 50% of a peak power output.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the producing step is carried out with the desired performance range being a range of less than 1000 rpm for the first motor while the power output increases 50% of a peak power output.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the producing step is carried out by combining a power of the first motor with a power of the second motor when the output shaft is initially not rotating.

34. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

synchronizing rotation of first motor and the output shaft, wherein a power of the first motor is combined serially with the power of the second motor to provide power to the output shaft.

35. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

generating electrical energy with the second motor, the second motor being an electrical motor;

storing the electrical energy in a power storage device.

36. A method of combining the power of a first motor and a second motor, comprising the steps of:

providing an output shaft, a first motor, a second motor, and a planetary gear set having a ring gear, a sun gear and a carrier having at least one planet gear, the first motor, the second motor and the output shaft each being coupled to at least one of the ring gear, sun gear and carrier;

varying the transmission ratio between the first motor and the output shaft by varying the speed of the second motor when in a first mode of operation, wherein the speed of the output shaft increases when the speed of the second motor is increased and the speed of the first motor is constant; and

stopping the second motor to provide a fixed speed ratio between the first motor and the output shaft in a second mode of operation.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the producing step is carried out with the transmission ratio being controlled by the second motor based upon an output torque demand when in the first mode of operation.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the first motor being a heat engine and the second motor is an electric motor.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with the first motor being coupled to the sun gear, the second motor being coupled to the carrier and the output shaft being coupled to the ring gear.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the providing step is carried out with a synchronizer for synchronizing the rotation of the first motor and the output shaft.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of:

synchronizing the rotation of the first motor, second motor and output shaft using the synchronizer.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the producing step is carried out in a manner which operates the first motor within a desired performance range by varying the transmission ratio between the first motor and the output shaft in the first mode of operation.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the producing step is carried out by varying the rotating speed of the second motor so that the first motor operates at a speed within the desired performance range in the first mode of operation.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein:

the producing step is carried out with the desired performance range being a range of less than 2000 rpm for the first motor while the power output increases 50% of a peak power output.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein:

the producing step is carried out with the desired performance range being a range of less than 1000 rpm for the first motor while the power output increases 50% of a peak power output.

46. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the producing step is carried out by combining a power of the first motor with a power of the second motor when the output shaft is initially not rotating.