Vehicle hybrid wheel drive system

• US 5,947,855 A
• Filed: 06/06/1997
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Weiss, Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Assistant Examiner(s): KWON, TAI CHOON
• Application Number:
  US08/870,846
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 475/5, 477/3, 477/7, 180/65.2, 180/65.6, 180/60
• US Class Current: 475/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/08 of mechanical type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/16 of differential gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/28 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of power take-off
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/82 Torque vectoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• 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 903/909 Gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/916 with plurality of drive axles

Abstract

A vehicle drive system includes a generator driven by an internal combustion engine and a drive axle having a pair of wheels, each wheel being driven by an associated electric motor powered by the generator. The engine also drives a drive shaft which is coupled to the drive axle. The drive system also includes a pair of summing gears, each having an output shaft coupled to a respective wheel, and each summing gear having a first input coupled to the drive shaft and a second input coupled to the respective electric motor.

Claims

1. A vehicle drive system for a vehicle having an engine driven generator, a first drive axle with a pair of wheels, each wheel being driven by a respective electric motor powered by the generator, the drive system comprising:

a drive shaft driven by the engine and coupled to the first drive axle;

a pair of summing gears, each summing gear having an output shaft coupled to a respective wheel, each summing gear having a first input coupled to the drive shaft and a second input coupled to the respective electric motor; and

a change-speed gearbox coupled between the engine and the summing gear and shiftable between at least two transmission ratios.

2. The drive system of claim 1, wherein:

the summing gear is a planetary Ravigneaux type gear.

3. The drive system of claim 1, wherein:

the summing gear is shiftable between at least two transmission ratios.

4. The drive system of claim 1, wherein:

the electric motors are asynchronous motors.

5. A vehicle drive system for a vehicle having an engine driven generator, a first drive axle with a pair of wheels, each wheel being driven by a respective electric motor powered by the generator, the drive system comprising:

a drive shaft driven by the engine and coupled to the first drive axle;

a pair of summing gears, each summing gear having an output shaft coupled to a respective wheel, each summing gear having a first input coupled to the drive shaft and a second input coupled to the respective electric motor; and

a final planetary speed reducing gear coupled to an output of the summing gear.