Flywheel assembly for a powertrain

• US 9,162,560 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Jacobson, Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hodge, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): DODD, RYAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/570,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20140045651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/105 the accumulator being a flywheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/24 including control of energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A powertrain for a machine may include a flywheel and a drivetrain having multiple configurations to permit the flywheel to be mechanically connected both upstream and downstream of a transmission. A bypass clutch may be used to selectively couple the flywheel directly to the engine, while a flywheel clutch may be used to selectively couple the flywheel directly to a lower powertrain. In both upsteam and downstream modes of operation, the transmission is bypassed to increase flywheel energy storage and use, as well as expanding the functionality of the flywheel.

Claims

1. A powertrain for a machine having a ground engaging member, the powertrain comprising:

an engine;

a transmission having a transmission input shaft operably coupled to the engine and a transmission output shaft;

a lower powertrain continuously coupled to the ground engaging member and configured to provide torque output to the ground engaging member, the lower powertrain including a lower powertrain input shaft operably coupled to the transmission output shaft;

a bypass shaft operably coupled to the transmission input shaft;

a first flywheel including a first flywheel shaft and a first flywheel body coupled to the first flywheel shaft;

a bypass clutch configured to selectively couple the bypass shaft to the first flywheel shaft;

a flywheel clutch configured to selectively couple the first flywheel shaft to the lower powertrain input shaft independent of the bypass clutch; and

a controller operably coupled to the bypass clutch and the flywheel clutch, the controller being configured to;

selectively operate in a flywheel upstream mode, in which the bypass clutch is engaged and the flywheel clutch is disengaged;

selectively operate in a flywheel downstream mode in which the bypass clutch is disengaged and the flywheel clutch is engaged.

2. The powertrain of claim 1, further including a transmission output clutch configured to selectively couple the transmission output shaft to the lower powertrain input shaft, wherein the controller is operably coupled to the transmission output clutch.

3. The powertrain of claim 2, wherein the flywheel upstream mode comprises a flywheel spin up mode, and wherein the transmission output clutch is disengaged.

4. The powertrain of claim 2, wherein the flywheel upstream mode comprises a load leveling mode, and wherein the transmission output clutch is engaged.

5. The powertrain of claim 2, wherein the flywheel downstream mode comprises a regeneration mode, and wherein the transmission output clutch is disengaged.

6. The powertrain of claim 2, wherein the flywheel downstream mode comprises an acceleration mode, and wherein the transmission output clutch is engaged.

7. The powertrain of claim 2, further including an auxiliary device operably coupled to the first flywheel shaft, wherein the controller is further configured to selectively operate in an auxiliary power mode in which the bypass clutch is disengaged, the transmission output clutch is disengaged, and the flywheel clutch is disengaged.

8. The powertrain of claim 7, wherein the auxiliary device comprises a hydraulic pump.

9. The powertrain of claim 1, further including a second flywheel having a second flywheel shaft rotatably coupled to the first flywheel shaft and a second flywheel body coupled to the second flywheel shaft, and an intermediate flywheel clutch configured to selectively couple the second flywheel shaft to the first flywheel shaft.

10. The powertrain of claim 1, further including a motor/generator operably coupled to the first flywheel shaft.

11. A flywheel assembly for use with a drivetrain including a transmission having a transmission input shaft operably coupled to an engine and a transmission output shaft, and a lower powertrain continuously coupled to the ground engaging member and configured to provide torque output to a ground engaging member, the lower powertrain including a lower powertrain input shaft operably coupled to the transmission output shaft, the flywheel assembly including:

a bypass shaft operably coupled to the transmission input shaft;

a first flywheel including a first flywheel shaft and a first flywheel body coupled to the first flywheel shaft;

a bypass clutch configured to selectively couple the bypass shaft to the first flywheel shaft;

a flywheel clutch configured to selectively couple the first flywheel shaft to the lower powertrain input shaft independent of the bypass clutch; and

a controller operably coupled to the bypass clutch and the flywheel clutch, the controller being configured to;

selectively operate in a flywheel upstream mode, in which the bypass clutch is engaged and the flywheel clutch is disengaged;

selectively operate in a flywheel downstream mode in which the bypass clutch is disengaged and the flywheel clutch is engaged.

12. The flywheel assembly of claim 11, further including a transmission output clutch configured to selectively couple the transmission output shaft to the lower powertrain input shaft, wherein the controller is operably coupled to the transmission output clutch.