U.S. patent number RE36,678 [Application Number 09/064,109] was granted by the patent office on 2000-05-02 for hybrid vehicle.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Equos Research. Invention is credited to Yoshinori Miyaishi, Shuzo Moroto, Shigeo Tuzuki, Kozo Yamaguchi.
United States Patent |
RE36,678 |
Moroto , et al. |
May 2, 2000 |
Hybrid vehicle
Abstract
A hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a
generator connected with an output shaft extending from the
internal combustion engine, an electric motor axially aligned with
the output shaft, an output gear assembly connected to an output
shaft driven by the rotor of the electric motor and positioned
between the generator and the electric motor, a clutch adapted to
connect and disconnect the generator to/from the output gear
assembly, a differential gear unit, and a counter shaft oriented in
parallel the output shaft driven by the rotor.
Inventors: |
Moroto; Shuzo (Nagoya,
JP), Yamaguchi; Kozo (Anjo, JP), Tuzuki;
Shigeo (Takahama, JP), Miyaishi; Yoshinori
(Okazaki, JP) |
Assignee: |
Kabushiki Kaisha Equos Research
(JP)
|
Family
ID: |
15392695 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/064,109 |
Filed: |
April 22, 1998 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
202599 |
Feb 28, 1994 |
05513719 |
May 7, 1996 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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May 24, 1993 [JP] |
|
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5-145767 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
180/65.23;
180/65.6; 60/718; 903/909; 903/914; 903/952; 903/919 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K
6/442 (20130101); B60K 6/405 (20130101); B60K
6/36 (20130101); B60K 6/24 (20130101); B60K
6/387 (20130101); B60K 6/485 (20130101); B60K
6/547 (20130101); B60K 6/26 (20130101); B60W
10/26 (20130101); B60K 6/48 (20130101); Y10S
903/919 (20130101); Y10S 903/952 (20130101); B60K
2006/4833 (20130101); Y10S 903/905 (20130101); F16H
3/728 (20130101); Y10S 903/903 (20130101); Y02T
10/62 (20130101); Y10S 903/909 (20130101); Y10S
903/906 (20130101); Y10S 903/914 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60K
6/04 (20060101); B60K 6/00 (20060101); F16H
3/44 (20060101); F16H 3/72 (20060101); B06L
011/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;180/65.2,65.3,65.4,65.6,65.7,69.6 ;60/713,716,718 ;123/2,3 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0528412 |
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Feb 1993 |
|
EP |
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4124479 |
|
Feb 1993 |
|
DE |
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4297330 |
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Oct 1992 |
|
JP |
|
Primary Examiner: Boehler; Anne Marie
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lorusso & Loud
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:
(a) an internal combustion engine having output at an engine
shaft;
(b) a generator connected to said engine shaft, said generator
including:
a first stator; and
a first rotor rotatably mounted coaxially with said first
stator;
(c) an electric motor axially aligned with said engine shaft and
including:
a second stator; and
a second rotor rotatably mounted coaxially with said second
stator;
(d) an output gear assembly connected to an output shaft driven by
said second rotor and located between said generator and said
electric motor;
.[.(e) a clutch adapted to connect and disconnect said engine shaft
to/from said second rotor;
(f).]. .Iadd.(e) .Iaddend.a differential gear unit driven by said
output gear assembly; and
.[.(g).]. .Iadd.(f) .Iaddend.a counter shaft oriented in parallel
with the output shaft, said counter shaft including gears for
transmitting torque from said output gear assembly to said
differential gear unit.
2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said output
gear assembly is provided with an automatic transmission unit after
said second rotor for changing the speed of the rotation of said
second rotor and for transmitting the rotation to the output
shaft.
3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the automatic
transmission unit includes at least one planetary gear unit.
4. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the automatic
transmission unit is arranged as an under-drive unit.
5. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the automatic
transmission unit includes a hydraulic wet clutch.
6. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the engine
shaft is connected with said first rotor through a damper.
7. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said generator
includes a speed-increasing gear assembly located in its interior,
for increasing the speed of rotation received from the engine shaft
and for transferring the rotation at the increased speed to said
first rotor.
8. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the
speed-increasing gear assembly of said generator is a planetary
gear unit.
9. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the engine
shaft is connected with the speed-increasing gear assembly of said
generator through a damper.
10. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the radial
dimension of said output gear assembly located between said
generator and said electric motor is smaller in size than
corresponding dimensions of both of said generator and said
electric motor.
11. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said
generator, said electric motor and said output gear assembly are
all housed together in one integral case.
12. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the integral
case is abutted against said internal combustion engine.
13. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the integral
case has three defined sections, the first section housing said
generator, the second section housing said output gear assembly,
and the third section housing said electric motor.
14. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 13, wherein said first
stator is fixed to the first section of the case.
15. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 13, wherein said second
stator is fixed to the third section of the case.
16. The hybrid vehicle according to claim .[.1.].
.Iadd.20.Iaddend., wherein said clutch is a hydraulic wet
clutch.
17. A hybrid vehicle comprising:
drive wheels for propelling the vehicle;
a differential unit for transmitting torque to the drive
wheels;
an internal combustion engine having torque output at an engine
shaft;
an output gear for transmitting .Iadd.the .Iaddend.torque to said
differential unit;
.[.a clutch for selectively connecting said engine shaft to said
output gear;.].
a battery for storing electric power;
a generator, driven off of said engine shaft, for charging said
battery;
an electric motor, powered by said battery, for transmitting torque
to said output gear, said motor including a rotor;
wherein said internal combustion engine is axially aligned with, in
succession, said generator.[., said clutch.]., said output gear and
said electric motor.
18. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 17 wherein said engine
shaft is continuously rotated at a constant speed.
19. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 17 additionally
comprising:
an intermediate shaft .[.connected to said clutch.]. for receiving
torque from said internal combustion engine and fixed to said rotor
for receiving torque from said motor;
an output shaft coaxial with and rotatable supported by said
intermediate shaft, said output shaft being fixed to said output
gear; and
a transmission unit for transmitting torque from said intermediate
shaft to said output shaft and for changing the speed of the
transmitted torque. .Iadd.
20. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 17 further comprising a
clutch for selectively connecting said engine shaft to said output
gear and wherein said intermediate shaft is connected to said
clutch for receiving the torque from said internal combustion
through said clutch. .Iaddend..Iadd.
21. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a
clutch adapted to connect said engine to said second rotor and to
disconnect said engine from said second rotor. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicle having a hybrid power source
operationally combining an internal combustion engine, such as a
gasoline engine, diesel engine or gas-turbine engine, with an
electric motor operating off current stored in a battery mounted in
the vehicle and, more particularly, to an assembly including the
internal combustion engine, a generator and the electric motor in a
hybrid vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention can be applied both to a series type assembly
and a parallel type assembly. Three types of hybrid arrangement are
known. The first type is the series type assembly in which the
hybrid vehicle moves under power of the electric motor operating on
current generated by the generator driven by the internal
combustion engine which is constantly running. The second type is
the parallel type assembly in which both the internal combustion
engine and the electric motor are arranged to relate to the drive
wheels, but are selectively used. The third type is the
series-parallel type assembly combining the series type and
parallel type assemblies.
The conventional hybrid vehicle of the series type assembly has the
internal combustion engine and the generator integrally combined
and the electric motor or an electric motor and transmission unit
separated therefrom. A motor vehicle typically mounts the electric
motor and the transmission at its front portion, the internal
combustion engine and the generator at its rear and the battery
intermediate the front and rear.
However, in a passenger car, the internal combustion engine (with
the generator), provided at the front of the vehicle, is cooled by
ram air. Accordingly, the battery should be located either at the
intermediate or rear portion of the vehicle. In consideration of
providing sufficient interior space for passengers and a practical
traveling distance on one battery charge, several batteries are
typically arranged at the rear portion of the vehicle.
It has therefore been preferable to install the electric motor and
the transmission unit at the front of the vehicle in a total plan
for weight balance and interior space for passengers.
A certain clearance between the internal combustion engine and
generator unit and the electric motor and transmission unit should
be provided because the two units should be mounted in the vehicle
separately to appropriately relate to different drive components
and systems causing vibration, which separation requires a large
space for the internal combustion engine, generator, electric motor
and transmission unit in the vehicle. In the series type hybrid
vehicle, such a disadvantage is conspicuous due to a relatively
large generator, so that an arrangement aligning the internal
combustion engine, generator, electric motor and transmission all
together in an engine compartment at the front of the vehicle is
impossible.
Even if such an arrangement could be fit into the engine
compartment, somehow or other, the steering angle required for the
front wheels to turn requires a large clearance circle and further
requires separate cases for the internal combustion engine,
generator, electric motor and transmission unit, which results in
an increase in the number of parts, in weight and in the cost for
manufacturing.
Giving precedence to the internal combustion engine and 35 the
generator, the electric motor and the transmission unit are
difficult to locate at the central portion of the vehicle, whereby
the differential gear unit receiving driving power from the
electric motor also tends to be located off-center of the vehicle,
so that shafts laterally and oppositely extending from the
differential gear unit have different lengths which causes a torque
on the steering.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to arrange the generator and
the electric motor in alignment and within an integrated case to
reduce the required longitudinal dimension of the hybrid
vehicle.
To attain the foregoing object, a hybrid vehicle according to the
present invention has: (a) an internal combustion engine; (b) a
generator connected with an output shaft extending from the
internal combustion engine, the generator including a magneto
stator and a rotor driven by the magneto stator; (c) an electric
motor axially aligned with the output shaft extending from the
internal combustion engine, the electric motor including a magneto
stator and a rotor driven by the magneto stator; (d) an output gear
assembly connected to an output axle shaft driven by the rotor of
the electric motor and located between the generator and the
electric motor; (e) a clutch adapted to connect and disconnect the
generator to/from the output gear assembly; (f) a differential gear
unit; and (g) a counter shaft oriented in parallel to the output
shaft related to the rotor, the counter shaft including gears
transmitting a torque from the output gear assembly to the
differential gear unit.
The output shaft related to the rotor of the electric motor is
provided with an automatic transmission unit after the rotor of the
electric motor, so that the rotational speed of the rotor of the
electric motor is transmitted to the output shaft connected with
the output gear assembly. The automatic transmission unit includes
at least one planetary gear unit and is arranged to operate as an
under-drive unit.
The automatic transmission unit should also include a hydraulic wet
clutch.
The output shaft from the internal combustion engine is connected
with the
rotor of the generator through a damper.
The generator includes a speed-increasing gear assembly in the
interior thereof, so that the rotational speed of the output shaft
of the internal combustion engine is accelerated and transferred to
the rotor of the generator. The speed-increasing gear assembly of
the generator is in the form of a planetary gear unit. Furthermore,
the output shaft from the internal combustion engine is connected
with the speed-increasing gear assembly of the generator through a
damper.
The output gear assembly arranged between the generator and the
electric motor is smaller in size than both the generator and the
electric motor.
The generator, the electric motor and the output gear assembly are
arranged to be received all together in an integrated casing. The
integrated casing is abutted against the internal combustion
engine. The integrated casing includes three members, the first
member being adapted to receive the generator, the second member
being adapted to receive the output gear assembly, and the third
member being adapted to receive the electric motor. The stator of
the generator should be fixed to the first member of the case and
the stator of the electric motor is fixed to the third member of
the case.
The clutch is preferably a hydraulic wet clutch.
According to the present invention, the generator, electric motor
and transmission unit are aligned with an output shaft extending
from the internal combustion engine and all are received in the
integrated casing, whereby a single anti-rattle means is sufficient
due to the unified vibration generated by them. The integrated
arrangement of the internal combustion engine and the electric
motor does not require a space between them to prevent interference
but, rather, minimizes the longitudinal dimensions thereof.
Furthermore, the rotation of the internal combustion engine is
mainly transmitted to the generator and that of the electric motor
goes to the differential gear unit via the transmission gear unit
and the output shaft located in the central portion of the casing,
so that the power transmitting path is short and the shafts
laterally and oppositely extending from the differential gear unit
have the same length to avoid torque on the steering and thereby
improve reliability of power transmission.
Because the generator is secured on the integrated casing adjacent
the internal combustion engine, the rotor thereof can be securely
and rotatably supported at both ends.
The integrated casing housing the generator, electric motor and
transmission gear unit and the shortened power transmitting path
contribute to a decrease in the number of parts, in weight and in
manufacturing cost.
Use of a generator in place of a torque converter in a front-wheel
front-drive vehicle, allows the system according to the present
invention to be manufactured in already existing facilities for
assembling transmission units. The shafts conventionally applied to
the differential gear unit can be replaced to easily start
production line work.
As the electric motor is located spaced from the internal
combustion engine, design of the electric motor may be freely
changed without changing the arrangement of the internal combustion
engine and generator.
With optional provision of a clutch between the generator and the
transmission unit, the series type hybrid vehicle can be used in
high speed cruising, just as a parallel type vehicle and, if
necessary, the vehicle can be propelled without the generator.
By providing a speed increasing gear assembly inside of the rotor,
the generator offers the advantages of shortening the axial length
and allowing generation of an effectively higher voltage by the
generator.
Locating the transmission unit inside of the rotor of the electric
motor provides the advantages of shortening the longitudinal length
and not restricting design of the electric motor since there are no
limitations dictating radial or longitudinal dimensions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the hybrid unit according to a first
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the first embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the hybrid unit according to a second
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the second embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a generator in combination with a
planetary gear assembly; and
FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an arrangement of the
hybrid unit and a battery in a hybrid vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
A first preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be
described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
An engine compartment provided at a front portion of the vehicle
houses an internal combustion engine (hereinafter referred to as
"engine") 1, such as a gasoline or diesel engine, which is
transversely mounted, and a hybrid unit 2, which replaces a
conventional automatic-transmission unit and receives output of the
engine 1. The hybrid unit 2 has an integral case 3 which abuts one
end of the engine and is defined by three sections (3A, 3B, 3C).
Case 3 houses a generator 6, a clutch 7, a two-speed automatic
transmission unit 9 and an electric motor in alignment with output
shaft la of the engine 1. A differential gear unit 11 is mounted
under the case 3.
The generator 6 is provided, in place of the torque converter of
the conventional automatic transmission unit, adjacent to the
engine 1 in a generator housing 3A forming one section of the
integral case 3. The generator 6 has a stator coil 12 fixed to the
housing and a rotor 15 connecting to the output axle 1a via a
damper 13. The damper 13, located radially inward of the stator
coil 12, includes an input element 13a connected to the output axle
1a, an output element 13b connected to the rotor 15 and plural
springs 13c provided therebetween. The rotor 15 includes a boss
portion 15a, a hub 15b and a magnetic member 15c wound around the
outer circumferential surface of the hub. The hub 15b is secured to
the damper 13 and the boss 15a has a cylindrical shape and is
fitted over a spline shaft 17.
The clutch 7 is a hydraulic-wet multiple disk clutch having an
input section connected to the spline shaft 17 and an output
section connected to an intermediate shaft 21 extending toward the
automatic transmission unit 9. The intermediate shaft 21 is
rotatably supported in a cylindrically shaped output axle 22 which,
in turn, is connected to a counter drive gear 23 at its distal end
near the clutch 7. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the clutch 7 and the
counter drive gear 23 are arranged near the central portion of the
case 3 or, more particularly, in central case section 3B, i.e. in
an area encircled by an annular flange 3a (shown partially cut
off). At the forward end of the annular flange 3a, there is
attached a pump case 19 adjacent a side wall of the generator
housing 3A. The pump case 19 houses an internal gear pump for
supplying a hydraulic fluid to clutches 7 and C2 and to a brake B
and for lubricating moving parts of the hybrid unit 2.
The two-speed automatic transmission unit 9 includes an under-drive
mechanism (U/D) with a single planetary gear unit 25 including a
ring gear R, which is connected to the intermediate shaft 21, and a
carrier CR fixed to the output shaft 22. A direct clutch C2, in the
form of a hydraulic-wet multiple disk clutch, is arranged between
the carrier CR and a sun gear S. A hydraulic multiple disk type
brake B for slow speed and a one-way clutch F are arranged in
parallel between the sun gear S and the case section 3B.
The electric motor 10 is a hollow motor, such as a brush-less DC
motor, induction motor or direct current shunt motor, and is
mounted in a motor case section 3C, isolated from the engine 1. The
electric motor 10 is defined by a flat stator 26 and a flat rotor
27, the stator 26 being secured to the inner wall surface of the
motor case section 3C and wound with a coil 28, and the rotor 27
being connected to the intermediate shaft 21 and the ring gear R of
the planetary gear unit 25. The electric motor 10 defines a large
central interior space A for accommodating the two-speed automatic
transmission unit 9. Incidentally, the transmission unit 9 is not
housed entirely within central space A, but extends into the case
section 3B.
In the lower portion of the generator housing 3A and the case
section 3B, is mounted a counter shaft 29 with output to
differential gear unit 11. The counter shaft 29 is provided with a
counter driven gear 30, meshing with the drive gear 23, and a
pinion gear 31. The differential gear unit 11 further comprises a
ring gear 32 meshing with the pinion gear 31 to transmit torque to
the laterally extending front shafts 33a and 33b, respectively, in
different ratios, from the ring gear 32. Incidentally, in a
sectional end view, the spline shaft 17 (21, 22), the counter shaft
29 and two front shafts 33a, 33b would be seen oriented at
respective vertexes of a triangle.
As can be seen from the drawings, the radii of the counter drive 23
and of the clutch 7 are smaller than those of the generator 6 and
the electric motor 10 and the outer diameter of the annular flange
3a encircling them is smaller than those of the generator housing
3A and the motor case 3C. The pinion gear 31 secured to the counter
shaft 29 is arranged close to the clutch 7 and, more particularly,
centered between the two shafts 33a and 33b. The pinion gear 31 is
meshed with the ring gear 32 securely attached to differential case
11a of the differential gear unit 11 which, in turn, is centered
between the two shafts 33a and 33b driving, respectively, wheels
49a and 49b.
The boss 15a of the generator 6 is rotatably supported by a slide
bearing 35 at its forward end and by the splined shaft 17 through a
cap 36 at its rear end. The splined shaft 17 is supported in a
sleeve 19a, extending at one end through the pump case 19, through
sliding bearings 37, 39. Accordingly, the boss 15a can be
supported, at its forward end, on the rigidly mounted pump case 19
and, at its rear end, by the splined shaft 17 at two points. It
should be understood that as the splined shaft 17 and the rotor 15
are connected to rotate as a single unit, the rotor 15 does not
rotate relative to the splined shaft 17.
Lubricating oil is fed through a central oil path 41 of the
intermediate shaft 21, through an oil path 40 of the motor case 3C
and through plural radially extending holes 41a in the intermediate
shaft 21 and also into lubricating oil path 42 of the pump case 19.
The lubricating oil from the oil path 42 flows through a gap a
between the splined shaft 17 and the sleeve 19a to lubricate the
sliding bearings 37, 39, through a hole b to a sliding bearing 35
and through a hole d and a center hole e of the shaft 17 to the cap
36 (See, FIGS. 2 and 7).
Since the generator 6, the electric motor 10 and the automatic
transmission unit 9 are installed all together in the case 3, a
single lubricating pool is sufficient to lubricate and cool the
generator 6 as well as the automatic 10 transmission unit 9.
Incidentally, FIG. 1, also shows a battery 45, a converter 46 for
conversion of alternating current into direct current and an
inverter 47 for controlling the electrical current to the electric
motor 10.
FIG. 8 is a plan view schematically showing the hybrid vehicle
according to the present invention in an arrangement wherein the
engine 1, the generator 6, the electric motor 10 and the automatic
transmission unit 9 are all installed transversely in the engine
compartment, in this order, with a differential gear unit 11
mounted via the counter gear arrangement 29, 30, 31 located in
about the center of the whole. As has been described above, the
differential gear unit 11 is centrally located between the driving
shafts 33a and 33b to transmit rotation to the front wheels 49a and
49b. The battery 45 is located at the rear of the vehicle between
rear wheels 50a and 50b (see FIG. 6).
The invention facilitates an operative sequence as will be
explained in more detailed below.
In normal operation, the clutch 7 is released to isolate the
rotation of the intermediate shaft 21 from that of the shaft 17
driven by the engine 1. The engine 1 is occasionally started by
operation of a switch control by an operator for running at a
constant speed, determined to suppress exhaust gas while achieving
high efficiency, both in short stops and in running. The rotation
of the engine 1 is transmitted to the rotor 15 of the generator 6
via the damper 13 to generate a predetermined electrical current in
the stator coil 12. The thus-generated electrical power is stored
in the battery 4 via the converter 46. The rotation of engine 1
also produces an oil pressure by driving the oil pump housed in the
case 19, via the boss 15a.
The electrical current from the battery 45 and/or converter 46 is
supplied to the electric motor 10 via the inverter 47 responsive,
for example, to operation of an accelerator pedal. The speed of
rotation of the rotor 27 of the electric motor 10 is changed by the
automatic transmission unit 9 based on the throttle opening and the
speed of travel and thereafter transmitted to the output shaft 22.
More particularly, in first speed, the direct clutch C2 is released
but the one-way clutch F is engaged. The rotation of the rotor 27
drives the ring gear R which, in turn, drives the pinion P of the
carrier CR at a relatively reduced speed to thereby rotate the
output shaft 22 as the under-drive mode. In regenerative braking,
the brake B is operated to stop the sun gear S so that the rotation
of the output shaft 22 is transmitted to the rotor 27.
In second speed, the direct clutch C2 is engaged so that the motion
of the sun gear S is integrated with that of the carrier CR to
thereby rotate the gear unit 25, which results in an integral
rotation of the rotor 27 and the output shaft 22.
The thus-rotated output shaft 22 drives the counter drive gear 23,
the counter driven gear 30 and the pinion gear 31, in succession,
and this rotation is finally transmitted to the differential gear
unit 11 to rotate the front wheel shafts 33a and 33b.
Under a high load torque when starting, accelerating or climbing,
the automatic transmission unit 9 maintains first speed to maximize
the torque from the electric motor 10. For high speed cruising, the
automatic transmission unit 9 shifts to the second speed state,
under conditions where the electric motor 10 will not be required
to cope with any high load torque.
As has been mentioned above, this embodiment is a series type
assembly which normally drives the vehicle by the electric motor 10
but, when the electric motor 10 is out of order or the vehicle is
to be run at a high speed on a highway, the clutch 7 is activated,
either by the operator or automatically, whereby the output of the
electric motor 10 is converted to an arrangement in parallel with
the engine output. In this state, the rotation of the output axle
1a is not only transmitted to the rotor 15 via the damper 13, but
also to the intermediate shaft 21 via the spline shaft 17 and the
engaged clutch 7, with input to the ring gear R of the automatic
transmission unit 9. It is therefore possible not to use the
electric motor 10 while the rotation of the engine 1 is being
transmitted to the automatic transmission unit 9.
FIGS. 3 and 4 depict a second embodiment according to the present
invention. Incidentally, in the description of the following
embodiments, the same reference numerals will be used to designate
the same or similar components as those in the first embodiment, so
that the description will be omitted or simplified.
The difference between this second embodiment and the first
embodiment is in the addition of a speed increasing gear assembly
52 in the generator 6. The speed increasing gear assembly is a
single planetary gear unit by which the output of shaft 1a of the
engine 1 is transmitted to the carrier CR via a damper 13, the ring
gear R2 is connected to the rotor 15 and the sun gear S2 is secured
on the pump case 19 via the sleeve 19a. The carrier CR2 is slipped
over the spline shaft 17.
As shown in FIG. 5, the lubricating oil from the lubricating oil
path 42 from the pump housed in case 19 is fed to a carrier oil
path f of the
planetary gear unit 52 through the aperture a between the spline
shaft 17 and the sleeve 19a and the oil path d, e of the shaft 17
and then fed into the oil path g of the pinion shaft via an oil pan
53. The lubricating oil is also fed to the sliding bearing 37 from
the aperture a, fed to the sliding bearing 35 through the hole b,
supplied to an aperture i between the sleeve 10a and the boss 54
through the hole h and fed to the bearings 55, 56, 57 via the oil
path j.
Accordingly, the rotation of the output shaft 1a of the 5 engine 1
is transmitted to the carrier CR2 of the speed-=increasing gear
assembly 52 via damper 13. The speed-increasing gear assembly 52
accelerates the rotational speed of the ring gear R2 because the
sun gear S2 is temporarily stopped, the rotor 15 connected to the
ring gear R2 is accelerated relative to the coil 12. Accordingly,
the generator 6 generates a high voltage to charge the battery 45
via the converter 46. The speed-increasing gear assembly 52 is
located inside of the rotor 15 without changing the dimensions of
the generator 6 to allow for preferred lubrication and cooling.
The speed-increasing gear assembly 52 may be of a double-pinion
planetary gear unit instead of the single planetary gear unit used
in the above mentioned embodiments.
The automatic transmission unit 9 provided intermediate the rotor
27 of the electric motor 10 and the drive gear 23 could be omitted
and the rotor 27 of the electric motor 10 may be connected to the
gear 23 directly or via a reduction gear unit.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without
departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The
present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects
as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention
being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing
description, and all changes which come within the meaning and
range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be
embraced therein.
* * * * *