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

• US 10,486,690 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• 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): Chace, Christian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fei, Jordan S
• Application Number:
  US15/378,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20180162371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• 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 6/48 Parallel 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 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• 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 2240/54 related to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• 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 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 : Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 : Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• 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 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/305 : target power to auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/91 : Battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/421 : Dog type clutches or brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/424 : Friction clutches
• 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 903/914 : Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

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 method of operating a hybrid electric arrangement for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine with a front end and a rear end at which an engine flywheel is coupled to a crankshaft of the engine, the hybrid electric drive arrangement including

an integrated switchable coupling located in a region adjacent to the front end of the engine and being configured to selectively engage a drive-side portion of the integrated switchable coupling with an engine-side portion of the coupling coupled to a front end of the crankshaft, wherein the drive-side portion concentrically surrounds at least a portion of a clutch of the integrated switchable coupling along a coupling rotation axis, and

a torque transfer segment configured to transfer torque between a motor-generator and the drive-side portion of the integrated switchable coupling, the torque transfer segment being coupled at a first end to the drive-side portion of the switchable coupling and at an second end to the motor-generator at a location laterally offset from a rotation axis of the integrated switchable coupling,

an accessory drive drivable by the drive-side portion of the integrated switchable coupling and configured to drive at least one engine accessory,

an energy store configured to receive electrical energy generated by the motor-generator and to supply electrical energy to the motor-generator, and

a front end motor-generator controller configured to selectively engage and disengage the switchable coupling, the method comprising the acts of:

determining an energy content of an energy store of the vehicle using an energy store controller;

determining an operating state of the vehicle with the front end motor-generator controller based on operating state information received from at least one of a vehicle sensor and at least one other vehicle controller, the operating state information including at least an engagement state of the switchable coupling and an operating state of the at least one engine accessory,

selecting a torque source for the accessory drive with the front end motor-generator controller based on the energy content and the vehicle operating state, the torque source including torque from the crankshaft, torque from the motor-generator and torque from both the crankshaft and the motor-generator; and

switching the switchable coupling with the front end motor-generator controller based on the determined accessory drive torque source,

wherein the drive-side portion of the integrated switchable coupling is disengaged from the engine-side portion when the selected torque source is the motor-generator and is engaged with the engine-side portion when the selected torque source is the crankshaft or both the crankshaft and the motor-generator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

if the determined energy content of the energy store is lower than a first charge level, in the torque source selecting act the crankshaft is selected as the torque source for the at least one engine accessory and the front end motor-generator controller controls the motor-generator to generate electrical energy,

if the determined energy content of the energy store is above the first charge level and below a second charge level, and the vehicle operating state is at least one of a braking state, a deceleration state and a negative torque event state, in the torque source selecting act the crankshaft is selected as the torque source for the at least one engine accessory, and the front end motor-generator controller controls the motor-generator to generate electrical energy,

if the determined energy content of the energy store is above the first charge level and below a second charge level, and the vehicle operating state is not the braking state, the deceleration state and the negative torque event state, in the torque selecting act the crankshaft is selected as the torque source for the at least one engine accessory and the front end motor-generator controller does not control the motor-generator to generate electrical energy,

if the determined energy content of the energy store is above the second charge level and below a third charge level higher than the second charge level, and the vehicle operating state is at least one of the braking state, the deceleration state and the negative torque event state, in the torque source selecting act the crankshaft is selected as the torque source for the at least one engine accessory, and the front end motor-generator controller controls the motor-generator to generate electrical energy,

if the determined energy content of the energy store is above the second charge level and below a third charge level higher than the second charge level, and the vehicle operating state is not the braking state, the deceleration state and the negative torque event state, in the torque source selecting act the motor-generator is selected as the torque source for the at least one engine accessory, and

if the determined energy content of the energy store is above the third charge level, in the torque source selecting act the motor-generator is selected as the torque source for the at least one engine accessory and the front end motor generator controller does not control the motor-generator to generate electrical energy.