Front end motor-generator system and hybrid electric vehicle operating method

• US 10,363,923 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Colavincenzo, David, Venegas Diaz, Fernando
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Viet P
• Application Number:
  US15/378,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20180162376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4833 Step up or reduction gearing driving generator, e.g. to operate generator in most efficient speed range
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• 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 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2054 by controlling transmissions or clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 : including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 : including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 : including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 : Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/30 : Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 : Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/305 : Power absorbed by auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/021 : Clutch engagement state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/025 : Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/91 : Battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/112 : Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/421 : Dog type clutches or brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/70 : Gearings
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 : Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

A system and method are provided for hybrid electric internal combustion engine applications in which a motor-generator, a narrow switchable coupling and a torque transfer unit therebetween are arranged and positioned in the constrained environment at the front of an engine in applications such as commercial vehicles, off-road vehicles and stationary engine installations. The motor-generator is preferably positioned laterally offset from the switchable coupling, which is co-axially-arranged with the front end of the engine crankshaft. The switchable coupling is an integrated unit in which a crankshaft vibration damper, an engine accessory drive pulley and a disengageable clutch overlap such that the axial depth of the clutch-pulley-damper unit is nearly the same as a conventional belt drive pulley and engine damper. The front end motor-generator system includes an electrical energy store that receives electrical energy generated by the motor-generator when the coupling is engaged. When the coupling is disengaged, the motor-generator may drive the pulley portion of the clutch-pulley-damper to drive the engine accessories using energy returned from the energy store, independent of the engine crankshaft.

Claims

1. A hybrid electric arrangement for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a motor-generator;

a torque transfer segment having a motor-generator end configured to receive the motor-generator and transfer torque between the motor-generator end and a coupling end of the torque transfer segment; and

an integrated switchable coupling configured to be co-axially located between the coupling end of the torque transfer segment and a front end of an engine crankshaft,

wherein the integrated switchable coupling includes an engine-side portion including a crankshaft vibration damper portion configured to be coupled to the engine crankshaft, a drive-side portion configured to be coupled to the torque transfer segment coupling end and to drive at least one engine accessory drive coupled to the drive-side portion, and a clutch arranged between the engine-side portion and the drive-side portion, the clutch being configured to selectively engage the engine-side portion with the drive-side portion,

the drive-side portion concentrically surrounds at least a portion of the clutch along a coupling rotation axis, and

a rotation axis of the motor-generator is parallel to and laterally offset from the coupling rotation axis.

2. The hybrid electric arrangement of claim 1, wherein

the torque transfer segment is a gearbox including a motor-generator end gear configured to be coupled to the motor-generator and a coupling end gear configured to be coupled to the drive portion of the integrated switchable coupling, and

said gearbox gears are arranged to transfer torque between the motor-generator and the integrated switchable coupling.

3. The hybrid electric arrangement of claim 2, wherein

the gearbox includes at least one intermediate gear arranged to transfer torque between the motor-generator end gear and the coupling end gear.

4. The hybrid electric arrangement of claim 3, wherein

a reduction ratio of the gearbox is between 1:

1 and 4;

1.

5. The hybrid electric arrangement of claim 4, wherein

a reduction ratio of the gearbox is approximately 2:

1.

6. The hybrid electric arrangement of claim 1, wherein

the motor-generator includes a front end motor-generator controller configured to control actuation of the switchable coupling actuator to switch between engaged and disengaged states.

7. The hybrid electric arrangement of claim 1, further comprising:

a torque arm configured to be coupled between a housing of the torque transfer segment and one of the engine and a member coupled to the engine such that the torque transfer segment is rotationally fixed relative to an engine block of the engine.

8. The hybrid electric arrangement of claim 7, wherein

the member is a portion of an engine support structure.