Drive apparatus for vehicle

• US 8,360,928 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tabata, Atsushi, Taga, Yutaka, Miyazaki, Terufumi
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US11/663,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20090029824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,681 Days
• Field of Search: 477/2, 477/3, 477/4, 477/5, 477/6, 180/65.225, 180/65.23, 180/65.235, 180/65.24, 180/65.25, 192/18.A
• US Class Current: 477/4
• 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 a vehicle includes a differential action limiting device for selectively switching a differential device in a differential state and a locked state, with the differential device and the differential action limiting device being disposed between a first electric motor and a second electric motor.

Claims

1. A drive apparatus for a 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;

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

a case accommodating the first electric motor, the differential device and the second electric motor therein; and

a partition wall protruding inwardly from the case to partition an inside of the case into a plurality of compartments and having a convex portion of thick-wall shape formed at an outer circumferential periphery end portion thereof, the convex portion protruding inward toward an inside of the case,

wherein the differential action limiting device includes 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 convex portion of the partition wall, the piston and the convex portion of the partition wall pressurize the plurality of friction plates into a coupled condition.

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 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.

4. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the differential device includes 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 second rotary element is coupled to a non-rotating member through the brake;

and

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

5. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the differential device includes 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 the 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.

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

7. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the brake is disposed in a radially outward area of the differential device.

8. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the partition wall serves to rotatably support the first electric motor.

9. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the brake includes a hub member supporting parts of the plurality of friction plates to be non-rotatable relative to each other, for coupling the rotating elements forming the differential device to the non-rotating member;

the differential action limiting device includes 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 a 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 9, wherein the plurality of friction plates include a plurality of outwardly oriented friction plates spline-coupled to an outer circumferential periphery of a radially outward tubular section of the hub member.

13. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to, claim 1, 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.

14. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the differential action limiting device is provided on the differential device and functions as a differential state switching device for switching the differential device to the 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 the locked state of the differential device.

15. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of friction plates include a plurality of inwardly oriented friction plates and a plurality of outwardly oriented friction plates.

16. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 15, wherein a tubular spacer member is interposed between an innermost friction plate of the plurality of inwardly oriented friction plates and the convex portion.

17. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of inwardly oriented friction plates are spline-coupled to spline teeth extending from the case.

18. The drive apparatus for vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the piston is configured to directly contact an outermost friction plate of the plurality of inwardly oriented friction plates when the piston forces the plurality of friction plates to be coupled to each other.