Hybrid motor vehicle

• US 5,845,731 A
• Filed: 07/02/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Moore, Thomas S., Buglione, Arthur J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAR, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US08/678,356
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.6, 290/4 R, 290/4 C
• US Class Current: 180/65.23
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• 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: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• 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: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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: Y10S 903/906 Motor or generator
• 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 hybrid powertrain system for a motor vehicle includes a final drive unit for providing tractive power to wheels of a motor vehicle, a first motor/generator operatively connected in series to a heat engine of the motor vehicle, a second motor/generator operatively connected in series to the first motor/generator and the final drive unit, and an energy storage device operatively connected in parallel to the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator.

Claims

1. A hybrid powertrain system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a heat engine;

a first motor/generator having a rotor with a rotor shaft, the rotor shaft having first and second opposite ends;

a first clutch operatively connected between an output shaft of said heat engine and the first end of the rotor shaft of said first motor/generator;

a second motor/generator having a rotor with a rotor shaft, the rotor shaft having first and second opposite ends;

a second clutch operatively connected between the second end of the rotor shaft of said first motor/generator and the first end of the rotor shaft of said second motor/generator;

a final drive unit operatively connected to the second end of the rotor shaft of the second motor/generator;

a battery; and

a control unit for selectively controlling the heat engine and the first and second clutches, and for selectively connecting the battery to the first and second motor/generators, wherein during low vehicle speeds, the first clutch may be closed and the second clutch may be opened for permitting the heat engine to drive the first motor/generator for recharging the battery and for permitting only the second motor/generator to propel the vehicle, and during high vehicle speeds, both of the first and second clutches may be closed for propelling the vehicle by the engine and the first and second motor/generators.

2. A hybrid powertrain system as set forth in claim 1 including a gearset interconnecting the heat engine and said first clutch.

3. A hybrid powertrain system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said gearset is a planetary gearset.

4. A hybrid powertrain system as set forth in claim 2 including a ring gear used in conjunction with a planetary gear of said gearset.

5. A hybrid powertrain system as set forth in claim 1 including means for matching operating speeds of the heat engine with the operating speeds of the first motor/generator and second motor/generator.

6. A hybrid motor vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heat engine is an internal combustion engine.