Hydraulic system and method for a hybrid vehicle

• US 9,772,032 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allison Transmission Incorporated (Allison Transmission Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Allison Transmission Incorporated (Allison Transmission Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Long, Charles F., Taylor, Charles T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huan
• Application Number:
  US14/626,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20150167836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/12 by means of a chargeable fluidic accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/20 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/14 Fluid pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0037 characterised by controlled fluid supply to lubrication circuits of the gearing see also lubrication control F16H57/0446
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0021 Generation or control of line pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0025 Supply of control fluid; Pumps therefore
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0031 using auxiliary pumps, e.g. pump driven by a different power source than the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0206 Layout of electro-hydraulic control circuits, e.g. arrangement of valves for control of actuators selecting and moving final output members, e.g. shift forks F16H61/2807
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0644 One-way valve
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0652 the plurality of throttling means being arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/915 Specific drive or transmission adapted for hev
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 Systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85986 Pumped fluid control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86131 Plural

Abstract

A hydraulic system for a hybrid module which is located between an engine and a transmission includes a parallel arrangement of a mechanical pump and an electric pump. Each pump is constructed and arranged to deliver oil to other portions of the hydraulic system depending on the operational mode. Three operational modes are described including an electric mode, a transition mode, and a cruise mode. Various monitoring and control features are incorporated into the hydraulic system.

Claims

1. A hydraulic system for a hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a sump containing hydraulic fluid;

a main regulator valve;

a main regulator by-pass valve;

a first control solenoid;

a second control solenoid;

a mechanical pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator valve;

an electric pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in direct fluid communication with said main regulator by-pass valve for delivering hydraulic fluid directly from said sump to said main regulator by-pass valve; and

wherein said main regulator valve is constructed and arranged to deliver a control flow of hydraulic fluid directly to said first control solenoid and directly to said second control solenoid.

2. The hydraulic system of claim 1 including a controller for controlling said mechanical pump and said electrical pump based on an operational mode of the hybrid electric vehicle.

3. The hydraulic system of claim 2 wherein the hybrid electric vehicle has three operational modes associated with the hydraulic system, including an eMode, a transition mode and a cruise mode.

4. The hydraulic system of claim 1 wherein said first control solenoid is constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said main regulator by-pass valve.

5. The hydraulic system of claim 1 which further includes a clutch trim valve.

6. The hydraulic system of claim 5 wherein said second control solenoid is constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said clutch trim valve.

7. The hydraulic system of claim 6 wherein said first control solenoid and said second control solenoid each have an operational condition which is determined based on the hybrid electric vehicle being in one of three operational modes.

8. The hydraulic system of claim 5 wherein said clutch trim valve is constructed and arranged as a spool valve.

9. A hydraulic system for a hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a sump containing hydraulic fluid;

a main regulator valve;

a main regulator by-pass valve which is constructed and arranged to be operable in a first condition for control of fluid to said main regulator valve and in a second condition for control of fluid flow to a downstream fluid need;

a mechanical pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator valve; and

an electric pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator by-pass valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator by-pass valve.

10. The hydraulic system of claim 9 which further includes first and second control solenoids.

11. The hydraulic system of claim 10 wherein said first control solenoid is constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said main regulator by-pass valve.

12. The hydraulic system of claim 9 which further includes a control solenoid and a clutch trim valve.

13. The hydraulic system of claim 12 wherein said control solenoid is constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said clutch trim valve.

14. The hydraulic system of claim 9 wherein said downstream fluid need is a cooler.

15. The hydraulic system of claim 9 wherein the hybrid electric vehicle has three operational modes, including an eMode, a transition mode and a cruise mode.

16. A hydraulic system for a hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a sump containing hydraulic fluid;

a main regulator valve;

a main regulator by-pass valve;

a mechanical pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator valve; and

an electric pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator by-pass valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator by-pass valve, wherein said hybrid electric vehicle includes a hybrid module housing and said sump is constructed and arranged as a sump module assembly which is positioned beneath said hybrid module housing, and wherein said sump module assembly includes a control module assembly and a sump body.

17. The hydraulic system of claim 16 wherein said control module assembly is constructed and arranged in three layers including a solenoid body, a separator plate and a main body.

18. The hydraulic system of claim 17 wherein said solenoid body is constructed and arranged with a plurality of separately defined hydraulic compartments.

19. A hydraulic system for a hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a sump containing hydraulic fluid;

a main regulator valve;

a main regulator by-pass valve;

a clutch trim valve which is constructed and arranged as a spool valve;

a mechanical pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator valve; and

an electric pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator by-pass valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator by-pass valve; and

first and second control solenoids, wherein said hybrid electric vehicle has three operational modes associated with said hydraulic system, wherein said first control solenoid and said second control solenoid each have an operational condition which is determined by which of the three operational modes represents the operational mode of the hybrid electric vehicle, wherein said main regulator valve is constructed and arranged to deliver a control flow of hydraulic fluid directly to said first control solenoid and directly to said second control solenoid.

20. The hydraulic system of claim 19 wherein said main regulator valve is constructed and arranged to deliver a control flow of fluid to said first control solenoid and to said second control solenoid.

21. The hydraulic system of claim 19 wherein said three operational modes include an eMode, a transition mode and a cruise mode.

22. A hydraulic system for a hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a sump containing hydraulic fluid;

a main regulator valve;

a main regulator by-pass valve;

a clutch trim valve which is constructed and arranged as a spool valve;

a mechanical pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator valve; and

an electric pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator by-pass valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator by-pass valve, wherein the hybrid electric vehicle has three operational modes associated with the hydraulic system, including an eMode, a transition mode and a cruise mode, wherein said main regulator valve is constructed and arranged to deliver a control flow of hydraulic fluid directly to said first control solenoid and directly to said second control solenoid.

23. The hydraulic system of claim 22 wherein when said hybrid electric vehicle is in said eMode, a first control solenoid is in an OFF operational condition and a second control solenoid is in an OFF operational condition.

24. The hydraulic system of claim 23 wherein when said hybrid electric vehicle is in said eMode, all of the hydraulic fluid which is delivered from the sump to said main regulator valve and/or said main regulator by-pass valve and/or said clutch trim valve is delivered by said electric pump.

25. The hydraulic system of claim 22 wherein when said hybrid electric vehicle is in said transition mode, a first control solenoid is in an OFF operational condition and a second control solenoid is in an ON operational condition.

26. The hydraulic system of claim 25 wherein when said hybrid electric vehicle is in said transition mode, the hydraulic fluid which is delivered from the sump to any of the valves of the hydraulic system is delivered in apportioned amounts by said electric pump and by said mechanical pump.

27. The hydraulic system of claim 22 wherein when said hybrid electric vehicle is in said cruise mode, a first control solenoid is in an ON operational condition and a second control solenoid is in an ON operational condition.

28. The hydraulic system of claim 27 wherein when said hybrid electric vehicle is in said cruise mode, all of the hydraulic fluid which is delivered from the sump to said main regulator valve and/or said main regulator by-pass valve and/or said clutch trim valve is delivered by said mechanical pump.

29. A hydraulic system for a hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a sump containing hydraulic fluid;

a main regulator valve;

a main regulator by-pass valve;

a clutch trim valve which is constructed and arranged as a spool valve;

a first pump in fluid communication with said sump and being constructed and arranged for supplying fluid to said main regulator by-pass valve, said main regulator valve having two pressure states which are determined by a fluid input from said main regulator by-pass valve; and

a second pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in direct fluid communication with said main regulator valve for delivering hydraulic fluid directly from said sump to said main regulator valve.

30. The hydraulic system of claim 29 wherein said first pump is an electric pump and wherein said second pump is a mechanical pump.

31. The hydraulic system of claim 30 including a controller for controlling said first pump and said second pump based on an operational mode of the hybrid electric vehicle.

32. The hydraulic system of claim 31 wherein the hybrid electric vehicle has three operational modes associated with the hydraulic system, including an eMode, a transition mode and a cruise mode.

33. A hydraulic system for a hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a sump containing hydraulic fluid;

a main regulator valve;

a main regulator by-pass valve;

a clutch trim valve which is constructed and arranged as a spool valve;

a mechanical pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator valve; and

an electric pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator by-pass valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator by-pass valve, wherein the hybrid electric vehicle has three operational modes associated with the hydraulic system, including an eMode, a transition mode and a cruise mode, wherein when said hybrid electric vehicle is in said eMode, a first control solenoid is in an OFF operational condition and a second control solenoid is in an OFF operational condition.

34. A hydraulic system for a hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a sump containing hydraulic fluid;

a main regulator valve;

a main regulator by-pass valve;

a clutch trim valve which is constructed and arranged as a spool valve;

a mechanical pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator valve; and

an electric pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator by-pass valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator by-pass valve, wherein the hybrid electric vehicle has three operational modes associated with the hydraulic system, including an eMode, a transition mode and a cruise mode, wherein when said hybrid electric vehicle is in said transition mode, a first control solenoid is in an OFF operational condition and a second control solenoid is in an ON operational condition.

35. A hydraulic system for a hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a sump containing hydraulic fluid;

a main regulator valve;

a main regulator by-pass valve;

a clutch trim valve which is constructed and arranged as a spool valve;

a mechanical pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator valve; and

an electric pump constructed and arranged in fluid communication with said sump and in fluid communication with said main regulator by-pass valve for delivering hydraulic fluid from said sump to said main regulator by-pass valve, wherein the hybrid electric vehicle has three operational modes associated with the hydraulic system, including an eMode, a transition mode and a cruise mode, wherein when said hybrid electric vehicle is in said cruise mode, a first control solenoid is in an ON operational condition and a second control solenoid is in an ON operational condition.