Drive apparatus for vehicle

• US 20090029824A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Terufumi, Tabata, Atsushi, Taga, Yutaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• 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 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/485 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• 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 10/115 with planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• 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 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/068 Engine exhaust temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0685 : Engine crank angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 : Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/107 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 : Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 : Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 : Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 : Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0616 : Position of fuel or air injector
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0047 : the gear ratios comprising five forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/201 : with three sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2048 : with seven engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/66 : composed of a number of gear trains without drive passing from one train to another
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/728 : with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

A drive apparatus for vehicle, available to be minimized, is provided. A first planetary gear set (differential device) 24 through which an output of a drive power source is distributed to a first electric motor M1 and a transmitting member 18, and a switching clutch C0 and a switching brake B0 operative to selectively place the first planetary gear set 24 in a differential state to function as an electrically continuously variable transmission and a locked state, are disposed between the first electric motor M1 and a second electric motor M2. This enables a power transmitting state to be performed in a broad range. Additionally, as the first planetary gear set 24 is placed in the locked state under a high output region of an engine to transfer the engine output to drive wheels mainly through a mechanical power transmitting path, an electrical reaction force to be guaranteed with the first electric motor M1 can be reduced, enabling the first electric motor M1 to be minimized. Further, an interspace between the two electric motors M1 and M2 is utilized as a space for accommodating the first planetary gear set 24, the switching clutch C0 and the switching brake B0, thus the drive apparatus 10 being minimized.

Claims

1. A drive apparatus for vehicle having a differential device through which an output of a drive power source is distributed to a first electric motor and a transmitting member, and a second electric motor disposed between the transmitting member and drive wheels, comprising:

a differential action limiting device for selectively switching the differential device in a differential state and a locked state; and

the differential device and the differential action limiting device being disposed between the first electric motor and the second electric motor.

2. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a supporting member for rotatably supporting a rotor of the first electric motor;

the differential device including three rotating elements including a first rotary element coupled to the drive power source, a second rotary element coupled to the first electric motor, and a third rotary element coupled to the transmitting member;

the differential action limiting device including a clutch through which among the three rotating elements, two rotating elements are coupled to each other; and

the clutch being placed on one side of the supporting member in opposition to the first electric motor.

3. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the differential device including three rotating elements having a first rotary element coupled to the drive power source, a second rotary element coupled to the first electric motor, and a third rotary element coupled to the transmitting member,

the differential action limiting device including a brake through which the second rotary element is coupled to a non-rotating member, and

the brake being placed in a radially outward area of the differential device.

4. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the differential device including three rotating elements including a first rotary element coupled to the drive power source, a second rotary element coupled to the first electric motor, and a third rotary element coupled to the transmitting member;

the differential action limiting device including a clutch through which, of the three rotating elements, two rotating elements are coupled to each other, and a brake through which the second rotary element is coupled to a non-rotating member; and

both the clutch and the brake including hydraulic-type frictionally coupling devices.

5. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a gear device including a hydraulic-type frictionally coupling device disposed between the second electric motor and the drive wheels.

6. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a partition wall provided in a case to partition an inside of the case into a plurality of compartments;

the differential action limiting device including a brake including a plurality of friction plates and a piston for forcing the plurality of friction plates to be coupled to each other, for coupling rotating elements forming the differential device to a non-rotating member; and

upon movement of the piston toward the partition wall, the piston and the partition wall pressurizing the plurality of friction plates into a coupled condition.

7. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the brake is disposed in a radially outward area of the differential device.

8. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the partition wall serves to rotatably support the electric motor.

9. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the differential action limiting device includes a brake including a plurality of friction plates engageable with each other and a hub member supporting parts of the plurality of friction plates to be non-rotatable relative to each other, for coupling a rotary element forming the differential device to a non-rotary member;

a clutch including a plurality of friction plates engageable with each other, a piston forcing the plurality of friction plates, and a cylinder member for accommodating the piston and operative to allow at least two rotating elements including rotating element coupled to the non-rotating member with the brake, of rotating elements forming the differential device to be coupled to each other; and

the cylinder member of the clutch and the hub member of the brake being unitized to each other by bonding.

10. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the partition wall includes hydraulic passages through which actuating oil is supplied to the piston of the clutch.

11. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the brake is disposed in a radially outward area of the differential device.

12. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to, claim 6, wherein the second electric motor is operatively coupled to a power transmitting path between the transmitting member and the drive wheels;

the differential device and the brake forming a continuously-variable shifting portion that functions as an electrically continuously variable transmission; and

upon release of the brake the continuously-variable shifting portion being placed in a differential state to be operative as the electrically continuously variable transmission, and upon engagement of the brake a differential action of the continuously-variable shifting portion being locked.

13. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the differential action limiting device is provided on the differential mechanism and functions as a differential state switching device for switching the differential mechanism to a differential state operative as a transmission to electrically change a shifting ratio due to a differential operation thereof, or to a non-differential state to mechanically transmit power due to a locked state of the differential mechanism.

14. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the supporting member is provided with an oil passage for supplying oil to a hydraulic-type frictionally coupling device constituting the differential action limiting device.