U.S. patent application number 09/782836 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-15 for power combining apparatus for hybrid electric vehicle.
Invention is credited to Kingman, Grantland I., Lilley, Timothy J..
Application Number | 20020109357 09/782836 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25127319 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020109357 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lilley, Timothy J. ; et
al. |
August 15, 2002 |
POWER COMBINING APPARATUS FOR HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE
Abstract
A power combining apparatus for a hybrid electric vehicle
comprises a planetary gear set comprising a sun gear, a ring gear
connected to an output shaft, a plurality of planet gears, and a
carrier assembly rotatably supporting the plurality of planet gears
journaled with the sun and ring gears. A torque transmitting
arrangement is coupled to the sun gear and to the shaft of the
variable power source for influencing rotation of the sun gear
according to the rotation of the variable power supply shaft for
causing rotation of the sun gear, thereby influencing rotation of
the ring gear and the output shaft. The carrier assembly of the
planetary gear arrangement is selectively connectable to the
constant power source for selectively influencing rotation of the
carrier assembly of the planetary gears and the ring gear, to
thereby influence rotation of the output shaft.
Inventors: |
Lilley, Timothy J.;
(Binghamton, NY) ; Kingman, Grantland I.;
(Fishers, IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Eward J. Howard, ESQ.
Duane, Morris & Heckscher LLP
100 College Road West, Suite 100
princeton,
NJ
08540
US
|
Family ID: |
25127319 |
Appl. No.: |
09/782836 |
Filed: |
February 14, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
290/40C ; 322/4;
903/903; 903/910; 903/912; 903/951; 903/952 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 903/912 20130101;
B60K 6/38 20130101; Y10S 903/951 20130101; F16H 2200/2007 20130101;
Y10S 903/952 20130101; B60K 6/445 20130101; B60W 2710/0644
20130101; F16H 2037/088 20130101; Y02T 10/6239 20130101; B60K 6/365
20130101; Y10S 903/903 20130101; F16H 2200/2005 20130101; B60K 1/02
20130101; F16H 3/728 20130101; B60K 6/40 20130101; B60W 10/08
20130101; B60K 6/405 20130101; Y02T 10/62 20130101; B60Y 2200/14
20130101; Y10S 903/91 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
290/40.00C ;
322/4 |
International
Class: |
H02K 007/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vehicle transmission system adapted for receiving inputs from
variable and constant power sources for driving an output shaft
comprising: a combining planetary gear arrangement having a
plurality of members and operatively coupled to a rotatable shaft
of said variable power source, a rotatable shaft of said constant
power source, and to said output shaft; a torque transmitting
arrangement coupled to a member of said combining planetary gear
arrangement and responsive to said variable power source for
influencing rotation of said output shaft according to rotation of
said shaft of said variable power source; and a clutch for
selectively connecting the constant power source with another
member of the combining planetary gear arrangement for establishing
a drive path between said constant power source and said combining
planetary gear arrangement for influencing rotation of the output
shaft according to rotation of the constant power source shaft.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of
members of said combining planetary gear arrangement include a sun
gear, a ring gear, a plurality of planet gears, and a carrier
assembly rotatably supporting the plurality of planet gears
journaled with said sun and ring gears.
3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said ring gear is
directly coupled to said output shaft.
4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said member coupled to
said torque transmitting arrangement is said sun gear.
5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said another member of
said combining planetary gear arrangement is said carrier.
6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said torque
transmitting arrangement comprises a bull gear connected to a
pinion gear.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said variable power
source comprises an at least one electric motor.
8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said at least one
electric motor is a reversible motor.
9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said constant power
source comprises an internal combustion engine operating at a
constant speed.
10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a brake for
selectively grounding said another member of said planetary gear
arrangement and said constant power source connected therewith for
preventing operation of said output shaft from influence by
rotation of said shaft of said constant power supply.
11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said system is
operative in a first mode such that said output shaft is driven by
said mechanical power source, in a second mode such that said
output shaft is driven by said variable power source, and in a
third mode such that said output shaft is driven by the combination
of said variable and constant power sources.
12. The system according to claim 9, wherein said variable power
supply is driven to substantially a synchronizing speed to cause
said transmission system to change modes.
13. A vehicle transmission system comprising: a planetary gear set
comprising a sun gear, a ring gear connected to an output shaft, a
plurality of planet gears, and a carrier assembly rotatably
supporting the plurality of planet gears journaled with said sun
and ring gears; and a torque transmitting arrangement coupled to
said sun gear and to the shaft of said variable power source for
influencing rotation of said sun gear according to the rotation of
said variable power supply shaft for causing rotation of said sun
gear, thereby influencing rotation of said ring gear and said
output shaft; wherein the carrier assembly of said planetary gear
arrangement is selectively connectable to said constant power
source for selectively influencing rotation of said carrier
assembly of said planetary gears and said ring gear, to thereby
influence rotation of said output shaft.
14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said torque
transmitting arrangement comprises a pinion gear connected to a
bull gear.
15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said bull gear is
directly connected to said sun gear.
16. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a clutch
for selectively connecting the carrier assembly of said planetary
gear arrangement to said constant power source.
17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising a brake
for selectively grounding said carrier assembly and said constant
power source connected therewith for preventing operation of said
output shaft from influence by rotation of said shaft of said
constant power source.
18. A vehicle transmission system having a drive shaft which can be
driven continuously or at varying speeds and operable in a first
mechanical mode, a second electrical mode, or a third combined mode
of operation, comprising: a combining planetary gear arrangement
having a plurality of members and operatively coupled to a
rotatable shaft of a variable power source, a rotatable shaft of a
constant power source, and to said output drive shaft; a clutch and
brake mechanism operable in said first and third modes for
connecting said constant power source with a member of said
combining planetary gear arrangement for establishing a drive path
between said combining planetary gear arrangement and said constant
power source for influencing rotation of said output shaft
according to a rotation direction of the constant power source
shaft, and in said second mode for grounding said member of said
combining planetary gear arrangement for preventing rotation of
said output drive shaft from being influenced by the constant power
source; and a torque transmitting arrangement coupled to another
member of said combining planetary gear arrangement and responsive
to said variable power source for influencing rotation of said
output shaft according to a rotation direction of said shaft of
said variable power source in said second and third modes of
operation, and in said first mode of operation, for producing
sufficient torque to prevent rotation of said another member for
preventing rotation of said output drive shaft from being
influenced by the variable power source.
19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said variable power
supply is driven to substantially a synchronizing speed to cause
said transmission system to change modes.
20. The system according to claim 18, wherein said planetary gear
arrangement comprises a sun gear, a ring gear connected to said
output shaft, a plurality of planet gears, and a carrier assembly
rotatably supporting the plurality of planet gears journaled with
said sun and ring gears.
21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said torque
transmitting arrangement comprises a pinion connected to a bull
gear, and wherein said variable power source comprises one or more
reversible electric motors speed synchronized and connected through
said pinion and bull gear to said combining planetary gear
arrangement via said sun gear.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) combine the internal
combustion engine of a conventional vehicle with the battery and
electric motor of an electric vehicle. This results in an increase
in fuel economy over conventional vehicles. This combination also
offers extended range and rapid refueling that users expect from a
conventional vehicle, with a significant portion of the energy and
environmental benefits of an electric vehicle. The practical
benefits of HEVs include improved fuel economy and lower emissions
compared to conventional vehicles. The inherent flexibility of HEVs
also permits their use in a wide range of applications, from
personal transportation to commercial hauling.
[0002] A parallel hybrid electric vehicle requires that a power
path for both constant and variable power be present. That is, a
parallel hybrid electric vehicle uses power from both a mechanical
source such as an internal combustion engine as well as an
electrical source. This permits the HEV to use a smaller engine as
the mechanical source. The smaller engine size and system operating
characteristics provide even greater performance or improved fuel
economy with lower emission. A significant challenge, however, in
the design of HEVs, has been to produce a drive system that takes
advantage of the high efficiency of mechanical components and the
versatility of electrical components.
[0003] In the past, various types of parallel hybrid systems have
been proposed for multiple use applications such as automobiles.
For example, planetary gear sets have been used in automatic
transmissions for many years. However, most automatic transmissions
use a double planetary gear set such as a Simpson or Ravigneaux
set. The typical automatic transmission uses only a single power
source for the vehicle. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a
drive system which allows the system to operate at its most
efficient power transmission point where the system spends most of
its time while providing a means of generating the torque required
to accelerate the vehicle without having a multi-gear ratio
transmission. It is further desirable to provide a drive system
that enables each source (mechanical or electrical) in the system
to operate either independently or in conjunction with one another
for transferring power to an output device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A vehicle transmission system adapted for receiving inputs
from variable and constant power sources for driving an output
shaft comprises a planetary gear set comprising a sun gear, a ring
gear connected to the output shaft, a plurality of planet gears,
and a carrier assembly rotatably supporting the plurality of planet
gears journaled with the sun and ring gears. A torque transmitting
arrangement is coupled to the sun gear and to the shaft of the
variable power source for influencing rotation of the sun gear
according to the rotation of the variable power supply shaft,
thereby influencing rotation of the ring gear and the output shaft
connected thereto. The carrier assembly of the planetary gear
arrangement is selectively connectable to the constant power source
via a clutch and brake mechanism for selectively influencing
rotation of the carrier assembly of the planetary gears and the
ring gear, to thereby influence rotation of the output shaft.
[0005] A vehicle transmission system having a drive shaft which can
be driven continuously or at varying speeds and operable in a first
mechanical mode, a second electrical mode, or a third combined mode
of operation, comprises a combining planetary gear arrangement
having a plurality of members and operatively coupled to a
rotatable shaft of a variable power source, a rotatable shaft of a
constant power source, and to the output drive shaft. A clutch and
brake mechanism is operable in the first and third modes for
connecting the constant power source with a member of the combining
planetary gear arrangement for establishing a drive path in the
combining planetary gear arrangement for influencing rotation of
the output shaft according to a rotation direction of the constant
power source shaft, and in the second mode for grounding the member
of the combining planetary gear arrangement for preventing rotation
of the output drive shaft from being influenced by the constant
power source. A torque transmitting arrangement is coupled to
another member of the combining planetary gear arrangement and
responsive to the variable power source for influencing rotation of
the output shaft according to a rotation direction of the shaft of
the variable power source in the second and third modes of
operation, and in the first mode of operation, for producing
sufficient torque to prevent rotation of the another member for
preventing rotation of the output drive shaft from being influenced
by the variable power source. The variable power source is driven
to a synchronizing speed to enable the transmission system to
change modes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Various advantages of the invention will become more
apparent by reading the following detailed description in
conjunction with the drawings, which are shown by way of example
only, wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration a power combining
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a more detailed cross sectional view of a power
combining apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention wherein two variable power sources are utilized.
[0009] FIG. 3A is a top view schematic of the power combining
apparatus embodied in a parallel hybrid electric truck
configuration.
[0010] FIG. 3B is a more detailed schematic view of the output side
of the gearbox assembly of FIG. 3A.
[0011] FIG. 3C is a more detailed schematic view of the input side
of the collection transmission box assembly of FIG. 3A.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a graphical representation of the speed of
rotation of each component in the planetary gear system through the
different modes according to an aspect of the present
invention.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of an in-line
parallel hybrid electric vehicle transmission incorporating a power
combining apparatus according to an alternate embodiment of the
present invention.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross sectional view of an in-line
parallel hybrid electric vehicle transmission incorporating a power
combining apparatus according to a second alternate embodiment of
the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross sectional view of an in-line
parallel hybrid electric vehicle transmission incorporating a power
combining apparatus according to a third alternate embodiment of
the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross sectional view of an in-line
parallel hybrid electric vehicle transmission incorporating a power
combining apparatus according to a fourth alternate embodiment of
the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross sectional view of an in-line
parallel hybrid electric vehicle transmission incorporating a power
combining apparatus according to a fifth alternate embodiment of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] As described herein, the collection transmission system of
the present invention utilizes a planetary gear set to combine and
transmit power from multiple inputs through to a single output. The
gear set is enclosed in a case that can accept the output shaft of
one or more variable power supplies and an output shaft from a
constant power source. The output of this system is in the form of
a shaft that can be adapted to drive various loads. The entire
system is supported through mounting sockets on the case.
[0019] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference
numerals indicate like parts, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is
shown a schematic illustration of a power combining collection
transmission system 100 according to an embodiment of the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 comprises a planetary
gear set comprising a sun gear 41, a ring gear 43 directly
connected to an output shaft 43s, a plurality of planet gears 42a,
42b, and 42c and a carrier assembly 30c rotatably supporting the
plurality of planet gears 42a-c journaled with the sun gear 41and
ring gear 43. A torque transmitting arrangement comprises pinion
gear 10p and bull gear 40. Bull gear 40 is operatively coupled to
the sun gear and to the pinion gear 10p which accepts shaft 10s of
variable power source 10 such as a reversible electric motor for
influencing rotation of the sun gear according to the rotation of
the variable power supply shaft. This in turn influences rotation
of ring gear 43 and output shaft 43s coupled thereto. The carrier
assembly 30c of the planetary gear arrangement is operatively
connected to carrier shaft 30s which runs coaxial with sun gear 41.
The carrier assembly 3Oc is selectively connectable to shaft 20s of
constant power source 20 such as an internal combustion engine via
clutch mechanism 33 for selectively influencing rotation of the
carrier assembly of the planetary gears and the ring gear, thereby
influencing rotation of output drive shaft 43s.
[0020] As one can ascertain from the above description, the
transmission system of FIG. 1 preferably uses one or more
reversible electric motors as its variable power source 10. The
motor is connected directly to the gear case and drives through
pinion 10p that meshes with single bull gear 40. The bull gear 40
is fixed directly to and meshes with sun gear 41 of the planetary
set. The constant power source 20 is preferably in the form of an
internal combustion engine that runs at a constant speed with
limited torque feedback. Constant power source 20 is connected to
the carrier through clutch mechanism 33.
[0021] Operation of the above system is as follows. In order to
produce power at the output 43s of collection transmission 100, an
input power must be provided from constant power source 20,
variable power source 10, or both. As shown in FIG. 1, constant
power source 20 transmits its power through its shaft 20s to clutch
mechanism 33 comprising conventional clutch member 33 and brake
member 32 to the carrier 30c of the planetary set. The clutch,
which may be a fluid-operated clutch, and brake are conventional
control devices used with power transmissions. In FIG. 1, the
rotation R2 of the shaft 20s of constant power supply 20 creates a
rotation R3 of carrier shaft 30s. This rotation R3 is transmitted
to the carrier 30c via carrier shaft 30s to produce rotation R8
which is combined with rotation R5 of sun gear 41 to produce
rotation R7. The power is then transmitted through the ring gear 43
directly connected to output shaft 43s. In a preferred embodiment,
the ratio between these components (i.e. the carrier and the ring
gear) is approximately a 1.3 to 1 decrease in torque.
[0022] The variable power supply 10 transmits its power through its
shaft 10s to the pinion gear 10p into the bull gear 40 directly
connected to sun gear 41. In FIG. 1, a specific rotation R1 of the
shaft of variable power supply 10 causes a rotation R4 of the bull
gear 40 which is directly transmitted to sun gear 41. This rotation
causes the planet gears 42a-c to rotate in direction R6, thus
creating the rotation R7 of ring gear 43. In a preferred
embodiment, this results in a speed reduction of approximately 5:1
and an increase in torque. The input power is then transmitted
through planet gears 42a-c to ring gear 43 connected to the output.
Preferably, the speed ratio between the sun gear and ring gear is
approximately 3 to 1.
[0023] This system of the present invention can operate in three
different modes, the first of which uses the variable power source
to provide the total power output. With clutch 33 disengaged and
brake 32 engaged in the clutch/brake mechanism, it is possible to
stop the rotation of the shaft 30s and the carrier 30c by providing
a defined amount of reaction torque dependent on the ratios of the
gears in the planet set 42a-c and relative to the torque applied by
the variable power supply. The power then moves through the bull
gear 40 to the sun gear 41, then from the sun gear 41 through the
planets to ring gear 43, which is directly connected to the output
drive shaft 43s.
[0024] The second mode utilizes the constant power supply 20 to
provide the output power to drive shaft 43s. With the variable
power supply 10 producing enough torque on the system to stop the
sun gear 41 from rotating, the power path for the constant power
supply 20 is isolated and the power is transmitted through clutch
mechanism 33 to the carrier 30c. The carrier 30c cooperates with
sun gear 41 to pass the power through the planets 42a-c to the ring
gear 43 to drive output shaft 43s. In this mode the clutch is
engaged and the brake disengaged so as to establish a drive path
for transmitting the power from constant power source 20 to output
drive shaft 43s through the combining planetary gear set.
[0025] The third mode of operation combines power contributions
from both the constant power supply 20 and variable power supply
10. In this mode, the clutch 33 is engaged and the brake 32 is off
in the clutch/brake mechanism. The power then flows from each
component as described in the previous two modes until they reach
the planet set which splits the torque contributions for each
depending on the assigned ratios. The speed of rotation of each
component in the planetary gear system through the different modes
is illustrated in FIG. 4.
[0026] A further advantageous feature of the system according to
the present invention is that the variable power supply 10 is
driven to a point of a synchronizing speed when the transmission
changes modes. This allows the mode change point to be selected
such that the majority of the power is supplied by the fixed speed
or mechanical power source 20. The less efficient variable speed
power source supplies a smaller percentage of the power but is
still available to assist in situations where more power is
required such as passing and climbing grades at high speed. This
enables the system to run at its most efficient power transmission
point where the system spends most of its time and provides a means
of generating the torque required to accelerate the vehicle without
using a multi-gear ratio transmission.
[0027] In a particular embodiment, when the vehicle is accelerated
to a predetermined speed, for example, 52 mph, the brake holding
the carrier 30c fixed is released. This allows the carrier
components to spin up to speed to match the engine output shaft.
This is accomplished by driving the electric motor(s) to a
synchronizing speed for synchronizing with the fixed power source.
In a particular embodiment, this is accomplished by transitioning
the electric motor(s) from a given speed/rotation (e.g. 15000 rpm)
to a second speed/rotation (e.g. -1300 rpm), for example, to limit
clutch slippage. When the motor(s) reach the synchronizing speed,
the carrier is at the engine operating speed. The ring gear is
connected to the output drive shaft and to the axles via a final
drive such that the vehicle momentum is used to turn the ring gear,
thereby helping to synchronize the speed. Once the traction
motor(s) are at the synchronizing speed, the clutch can be locked
to provide a direct drive between the engine and the rear axle. The
carrier, the ring gear and the motor are linked via the planetary
gear set so that knowledge of two of the components of the system
enables one to determine the third component.
[0028] As one can ascertain, three major events occur during the
transfer between the source of power from variable to mechanical.
First, the brake in the clutch/brake mechanism between the constant
power source and the planetary gear set is disengaged. Second, the
variable power source is driven to a synchronizing speed so that
the power before and after the transfer is as close to the same
value as possible. Finally, the constant power supply is speed
synchronized with the carrier of the planetary set as closely as
possible to limit clutch slip as the clutch in the aforementioned
clutch/brake mechanism is engaged.
[0029] The collection transmission can be employed with one or more
variable power sources 10 connected to the bull gear 40 so long as
the power sources are matched such that the output speeds are
synchronous. FIG. 2 illustrates such a configuration. As shown in
FIG. 2, two electric traction motors 10a and 10b are connected to
the bull gear 40 via pinions 10pa and 10pb, respectively and speed
synchronized to provide the variable power source to the collection
transmission 100. Internal combustion engine 20, coupled to
conventional gear box 24, is used to provide power for the electric
motors 10a, 10b through a generator 22 as well as providing a
direct or parallel path of power to the final drive of the vehicle
via drive shaft 43s. The gear case can be made of a suitable
material such as a metal, for example, that will be strong enough
to support the internal components and have mounting sockets
located such that the gear case can be attached in a known manner
to a stationary object. Preferably, the gear case housing the
collection transmission system is bolted directly to the
engine.
[0030] In stop and go traffic, a parallel HEV that incorporates the
present invention may, for example, operate in the first
"electrical only" mode of operation approximately 33% of the time.
The generators are used to supply power to the motor or motors. A
battery or batteries (not shown) may also be used and coupled to
the electric motors to absorb power during acceleration. During
deceleration, the energy normally dissipated as heat in the brakes
may be re-routed and stored in the batteries thereby providing
additional fuel economy, less engine cycling and enhanced
efficiency. Moreover, in conventional transmission systems such as
a typical eight speed transmission, eight different gear ratios are
needed, with only the top two gear ratios typically used for
highway travel. The remaining gear ratios are used in stop and go
traffic to accelerate/decelerate the vehicle. In the present
invention, the electric motors may be used to accelerate the
vehicle up to highway speeds (e.g. about 50 mph) before switching
over to a parallel combination of electrical and mechanical power,
and then ultimately transitioning completely over to mechanical
power.
[0031] FIG. 3A shows a block diagram of the embodiment shown in
FIG. 2 incorporated within a parallel hybrid electric vehicle
configuration such as a line haul truck. As shown in FIG. 3A,
internal combustion engine 20 such as a diesel engine is
operatively coupled to clutch mechanism 33 via gear box 24 and
shaft 20s. Gear box 24 also operatively connects internal
combustion engine 20 to generator 22. The gear box operates in
conventional fashion by having an input for the IC engine output
and providing an output for generator 22 and an output for shaft
20s upstream of clutch 33 via a gear reduction mechanism.
Reversible electric motors 10a, 10b represent the variable power
sources operatively coupled to inputs 54 and 56 (see FIG. 3B) of
collection transmission system 100. The system includes input 52
(see FIG. 3C) coupled to clutch mechanism 33 via carrier shaft 30s
for receiving power from the constant power source. The output 58
(see FIG. 3C) of collection transmission system 100 is adapted to
accommodate output drive shaft 43s for connection to final drive
55. Final drive 55 is in turn operatively connected via
differential 99 to wheel axle shaft 72 for driving vehicle wheels
13. In a preferred embodiment, the variable power source 10
represented by electric motors 10a, 10b are each 250 horsepower
(HP) reversible motors. The constant power source is preferably a
460HP diesel engine.
[0032] FIGS. 5-9 illustrate schematic diagrams of alternative
embodiments of the power combining apparatus of the present
invention. These embodiments employ configurations that utilize
coaxial shafts that create an inline envelope for the entire
system. This is advantageous in that these configurations provide a
package that will fit into the space occupied by conventional
vehicle transmission systems, thereby making it easier for
manufacturers to integrate a hybrid drive system into a current
production vehicle. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 uses a
variable power source 10 that is tuned to provide the torque and
speed characteristics required to produce the desired output from
the planetary gearbox. The embodiments depicted in FIGS. 6-9
utilize a reduction scheme to incorporate a variable power supply
for adaptation to a particular application. Each of these figures
illustrates a hybrid electric power train depicting a generator,
motor, and collection transmission.
[0033] The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 illustrates the in-line
configuration where the rotor shaft 11 of a suitable motor is
mounted rigidly to the sun gear 41 of the collection transmission
or combining gearbox 100. A single hollow rotor motor 10 is used to
pass the carrier shaft 30s directly through the sun gear 41 without
the need for pinion and bull gears. The generator 22 includes rotor
23 and stator 25. The rotor 23 of the generator is rigidly mounted
to the output shaft 20s from the torsional damper (not shown) on
the engine. Clutch 30 is used to engage and disengage the carrier
drive shaft 30s, and brake 32 has been incorporated to ground the
carrier 30c to the external wall of the transmission.
[0034] FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 provide additional embodiments for
accommodating a motor that is not optimally sized to the vehicle
horsepower requirements associated with a particular HEV.
[0035] The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 but
utilizes an additional planetary reduction assembly 60 that
includes a ring gear 61 fixed to the external wall of the casing,
planetary gears 62a-62c journaled to carrier 64, and sun gear 63
coupled to the rotor shaft 11 of motor 10. The motor rotor 11
drives into the planetary reduction assembly 60 through the sun
gear 63. The carrier 64 of the planetary reduction assembly drives
the sun gear 41 of the collector transmission 100.
[0036] An alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 7 is similar to the
previous embodiment shown in FIG. 6 in that it uses a planetary
reduction gear set 60 with a grounded carrier 64 to produce
acceptable speed input for the combining gearbox 100.
[0037] The embodiments shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 use planetary gearbox
97 to act as a speed increaser. This is accomplished in two ways.
By driving the motor rotor 11 into the carrier 64 and grounding the
ring gear 61 it is possible to use a motor turning at a lower speed
to drive the sun gear 63 to drive the collector transmission sun
gear 41. This is shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 9, if the motor
rotor 11 is used to drive the ring gear 61 and the carrier 64 is
grounded a slower motor can be used to drive the combining gearbox.
The different embodiments do not affect the modes of operation and
as stated previously will allow for a more traditional installation
in a vehicle.
[0038] Although the invention has been described and pictured in
preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is
understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has
been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the
details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts
may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as hereinafter claimed. It is intended that the patent
shall cover by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever
features of patentable novelty exist in the invention
disclosed.
* * * * *