Hybrid vehicle

• US 7,568,539 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Okada, Yoshio, Abe, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher P
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, BRIDGET D
• Application Number:
  US10/567,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20070084649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.4, 180/65.7
• US Class Current: 180/65.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle is provided in which, since the driving force of a generator/motor (M1) is transmitted to the downstream side of an output shaft (17) of a transmission (T) without going through an input shaft (16) thereof and the output shaft (17), it is possible to carry out the so-called leg shaft drive, which prevents the driving force of the generator/motor (M1) from dragging along an engine (E), the input shaft (16), and the output shaft (17), thus reducing power consumption and enhancing energy recovery efficiency during regenerative braking. Furthermore, since the generator/motor (M1) is disposed at a position sandwiched between the engine (E) and the transmission (T), it is possible to employ the same layout for the generator/motor (M1) as for a conventional sandwiched generator/motor type, and the leg shaft drive system can be employed without greatly modifying the design of the transmission (T).

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine (E) having a crankshaft (15);

a transmission (T) that has an input shaft (16) joined coaxially to the crankshaft (15) and an output shaft (17) disposed in parallel to the input shaft (16), and is capable of changing the gear ratio between the input shaft (16) and the output shaft (17); and

a generator/motor (M1) that is disposed at a position sandwiched between the engine (E) and the transmission (T) and a position off an axis (L) of the input shaft (16), and transmits its driving force to any position of a power transmission pathway between the output shaft (17) and a differential gear (19); and

a starter motor (M2) that can crank the crankshaft (15) and is disposed at a position sandwiched between the engine (E) and the transmission (T);

the vehicle being capable of traveling by means of either one or both of the driving force of the engine (E) and the driving force of the generator/motor (M1) and at least parts of the generator/motor (M1) and the starter motor (M2) overlapping each other when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axis (L).

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the generator/motor (M1) is disposed coaxially with the output shaft (17).

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the starter motor (M2) is disposed coaxially with the crankshaft (15).