Motor integration assembly

• US 9,956,864 B1
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XL Hybrids, Inc. (The Shyft Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: XL Hybrids
• Inventors: Leach, Brian Joseph, Brenner, Neal Ennis, Hafer, Jason Paul, McCabe, Joseph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US15/042,369
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4808 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/20 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/10 Road Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/82 Four wheel drive systems
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02034 Gearboxes combined or connected with electric machines structural association with electric machines H02K7/116
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/02 Gearboxes; Mounting gearing therein
• 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 903/916 with plurality of drive axles

Abstract

A motor integration assembly includes a supporting structure for connecting a transmission of a vehicle to a drivetrain of the vehicle, wherein the support structure includes a housing to receive a portion of the drivetrain of the vehicle. The motor integration assembly also includes a torque transfer unit for transferring torque from an electric machine to the portion of the drivetrain of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A motor integration assembly, comprising:

a supporting structure configured to receive a tail shaft of a vehicle transmission of a fleet vehicle having an internal combustion engine and also receive a portion of a drivetrain of the vehicle;

an electric machine for providing torque to the portion of the drivetrain;

a torque transfer unit for transferring the torque from the electric machine to the portion of the drivetrain of the fleet vehicle;

an electrical storage system electrically connectable to the electric machine, the electrical storage system located externally from the electric machine and mounted on a frame of the fleet vehicle;

a control unit that controls the torque transferred from the torque transfer unit to the portion of the drivetrain; and

electrical connections that permit communication between the electric machine and the control unit, the control unit configured to control and condition electric power flow between the electric machine and the electrical storage system,

wherein the torque transferred complements torque delivered from the internal combustion engine to the drivetrain of a converted hybrid-electric fleet vehicle.

2. The motor integration assembly of claim 1, wherein the electric machine is located in a portion of the vehicle for a four-wheel drive component.

3. The motor integration assembly of claim 1, wherein the supporting structure includes a multi-piece bracket.

4. The motor integration assembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of the motor integration assembly is substantially aligned with the transmission and the drivetrain of the vehicle along an axis of rotation.

5. The motor integration assembly of claim 1, wherein the torque transfer unit includes gearing for transferring torque from the electric machine to the drivetrain of the vehicle.

6. The motor integration assembly of claim 1, wherein the electric machine converts electrical power to mechanical power.

7. The motor integration assembly of claim 1, wherein the tail shaft has at least two sections, one located forward to the motor integration assembly and one being located aft of the motor integration assembly.

8. The motor integration assembly of claim 1, wherein the components of the motor integration assembly are arranged in a serial manner.

9. The motor integration assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the motor integration assembly is substantially aligned along an axis of rotation.