Drivetrain for hybrid electric vehicle

• US 7,665,560 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2007
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gelinas, Christopher P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano; S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALTERS, JOHN DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US11/709,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20080202829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.6, 180/65.7, 180/344, 180/374, 180/376, 180/377, 180/378, 903/909, 903/910, 903/915, 903/917, 903/918, 903/919, 746/06.R
• US Class Current: 180/65.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/344 having a transfer gear
• 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 6/405 Housings
• 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: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/909 Gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/915 Specific drive or transmission adapted for hev
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2186 Gear casings

Abstract

A drivetrain for a hybrid electric vehicle having a rear wheel drive configuration and a four wheel drive configuration is disclosed. Certain of the mounting flanges and input/output couplings are replicated between a transmission, a transfer case and an electric drive unit.

Claims

1. A drivetrain for a hybrid electric vehicle having a rear wheel drive configuration and a four wheel drive configuration, the drivetrain comprising:

a transmission having an output mounting flange;

a transfer case having a transfer case input mounting flange operably mounted to the output mounting flange of the transmission, a transfer case output mounting flange, and an output coupling that replicates an output coupling of the transmission; and

an electric drive unit having a drive unit input mounting flange that is operably mounted to the transfer case output mounting flange.

2. The drivetrain of claim 1 wherein the transfer case input mounting flange includes a sealing surface and the drive unit input mounting flange includes a sealing surface that replicates the sealing surface of the transfer case input mounting flange.

3. The drivetrain of claim 2 wherein the transfer case input mounting flange includes a fastener hole pattern and the drive unit input mounting flange includes a fastener hole pattern that replicates the fastener hole pattern of the transfer case input mounting flange.

4. The drivetrain of claim 1 wherein the transfer case input mounting flange includes a fastener hole pattern and the drive unit input mounting flange includes a fastener hole pattern that replicates the fastener hole pattern of the transfer case input mounting flange.

5. The drivetrain of claim 1 wherein the transfer case output mounting flange replicates the output mounting flange of the transmission.

6. The drivetrain of claim 1 wherein the electric drive unit has an input coupling that replicates an input coupling of the transfer case.

7. The drivetrain of claim 1 wherein the drive unit input mounting flange replicates the transfer case input mounting flange.

8. The drivetrain of claim 1 wherein the electric drive unit has a rear end including a drive shaft mount, and wherein the drivetrain includes a driveshaft operatively engaging the drive shaft mount.

9. The drivetrain of claim 1 including a mounting member mounted under the electric drive unit and mountable on a drivetrain support cross member.

10. The drivetrain of claim 9 including a second mounting member mounted under the transfer case and mountable on a second drivetrain support cross member.

11. A drivetrain for a hybrid electric vehicle having a rear wheel drive configuration and a four wheel drive configuration, the drivetrain comprising:

a transmission having an output mounting flange;

a transfer case having a transfer case input mounting flange operably mounted to the output mounting flange of the transmission, and a transfer case output mounting flange; and

an electric drive unit having a drive unit input mounting flange that is operably mounted to the transfer case output mounting flange and a rear end including a drive shaft mount, and wherein the drivetrain includes a driveshaft operatively engaging the drive shaft mount.

12. The drivetrain of claim 11 wherein the transmission output mounting flange has a fastener hole pattern and the transfer case output mounting flange has a fastener hole pattern that replicates the fastener hole pattern of the transmission output mounting flange.

13. The drivetrain of claim 11 wherein the transmission output mounting flange has a sealing surface and the transfer case output mounting flange has a sealing surface that replicates the sealing surface of the transmission output mounting flange.

14. The drivetrain of claim 11 wherein the transfer case has an output coupling that replicates an output coupling of the transmission.

15. The drivetrain of claim 11 wherein the transfer case output mounting flange replicates the output mounting flange of the transmission.

16. The drivetrain of claim 11 including a mounting member mounted under the electric drive unit and mountable on a drivetrain support cross member.

17. The drivetrain of claim 16 including a second mounting member mounted under the transfer case and mountable on a second drivetrain support cross member.

18. A drivetrain for a hybrid electric vehicle having a rear wheel drive configuration and a four wheel drive configuration, the drivetrain comprising:

an electric drive unit having a drive unit input mounting flange that is operably mountable to a transmission output mounting flange and a transfer case output mounting flange, an input coupling that is operably engageable with an output coupling of a transmission and an output coupling of a transfer case.

19. The drivetrain of claim 18 wherein the electric drive unit has a rear end including a driveshaft mount and the drivetrain includes a driveshaft operatively engaging the drive shaft mount.

20. The drivetrain of claim 18 including a mounting member mounted under the electric drive unit and mountable on a drivetrain support cross member.