Planetary gear transmission systems or components – Input from independent power sources – Condition responsive motor control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-13
2001-06-26
Estremsky, Sherry (Department: 3681)
Planetary gear transmission systems or components
Input from independent power sources
Condition responsive motor control
C180S065230, C475S005000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251037
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application claims the priority of 198 41 828.0-22, filed Sep. 12, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a hybrid drive, in particular for vehicles, and more particularly, to a hybrid drive containing at least one first electric machine, which can be operated at least as an electric motor; a second electric machine, which can be operated at least as an electric motor and has a nonrotatably arranged stator and a rotor which can be rotated relative to the latter; a variable-ratio gear unit which has a primary-motor input component, which is connected or can be connected to a primary motor, a machine input component, which is connected or can be connected to the rotor of the second electric machine, and an output component, all three parts being arranged so as to be rotatable relative to one another.
A hybrid drive is described in DE-A-24 36 546. In this known drive, a primary motor is connected to a planet carrier of a simple planetary gear unit. The annulus is connected to an output shaft on which a rotor of a second electric machine (motor/generator) is arranged in a rotationally rigid manner. The stator of this machine is arranged nonrotatably in a fixed location.
A central sun gear of the planetary gear unit is connected to a rotor of a first electric machine (motor/generator) in this known drive, the stator of which is likewise arranged nonrotatably in a fixed location. That component (planet carrier) of the planetary gear unit which is connected to the primary motor can be connected directly to the output shaft by a clutch. Depending on the mode in which the hybrid drive is being driven, the two electric machines can each operate as an electric motor or an electric generator. DE-A-41 24 479 and DE-A-197 17 884 describe the same kind of hybrid drive.
In another kind of hybrid drive described in JP-A-09175199, a primary motor is connected to the central sun gear of a simple planetary gear unit. The annulus is connected to an output shaft which is connected in a rotationally rigid manner to the rotor of a second electric machine (motor/generator), the stator of which is arranged nonrotatably in a fixed location. The planet carrier of the planetary gear unit is connected with a rotor of a first electric machine (motor/generator). The stator is likewise arranged rotatably and is connected in a rotationally rigid manner to the sun gear. DE-A-44 07 666 describes a hybrid drive for vehicles with a primary motor arranged in series and two electric machines (motor/generator). A clutch can be used to form a mechanical connection from the primary machine, via the two electric machines, to an output shaft in order to drive the latter without slip in the electric machines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide smaller, more compact hybrid drives with the same transmissible driving power.
To achieve this object, the invention offers two possible solutions, each of which in itself results in a smaller, more compact and more economical constructional unit and the advantages of which are cumulative when they are used together.
Both solutions take as their starting point a hybrid drive, in particular for vehicles, which has at least the following features:
a first electric machine, which can be operated at least as an electric motor;
a second electric machine, which can be operated at least as an electric motor and has a nonrotatable stator and a rotor which can be rotated relative to the latter; and
a variable-ratio gear unit which has a primary-motor input component, which is connected or can be connected to a primary motor, a machine input component, which is connected or can be connected to the rotor of the second electric machine, and an output component, all three parts being arranged so as to be rotatable relative to one another.
According to one solution provided by the invention, a brake nonrotatably fixes the rotor of the second electric machine. This has the advantage that, during the process of driving away with the primary motor, this second electric machine does not have to accept several times the motor torque electrically. This reaction torque that has to be accepted via the planetary gear unit can be produced by the mechanical brake. When driving away in the first gear of an automatic gearbox arranged in the drive line, up to about four times the torque of the primary motor occurs as reaction torque which has to be accepted by the electric machine or, in the case of the invention, by the brake. When driving away in a second gear, the torque to be accepted would be reduced to two times to three times the torque of the primary motor. This allows the second electric machine to be of significantly smaller design for the torque to be produced by it in its role as vehicle propulsion drive.
According to another solution, which can be combined with the first solution, the first electric machine is integrated as a double rotation machine into the variable-ratio gear unit, preferably a planetary gear unit. The integration is performed in such a way that the power produced by the primary motor is divided at the primary-motor input component of the variable-ratio gear unit between another component of the variable-ratio gear unit, on one hand, and that part of the first electric machine which is connected in a rotationally rigid manner to the primary-motor input component, on the other hand. The power is then, on the one hand, summed mechanically in the variable-ratio gear unit and, on the other hand, electrically by the first electric machine at the output component. This too results in a more economical, smaller and compact construction and better utilization of space than in the prior art.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5823281 (1998-10-01), Yamaguchi et al.
patent: 5856709 (1999-01-01), Ibaraki et al.
patent: 5934395 (1999-08-01), Koide et al.
patent: 2436546 (1976-02-01), None
patent: 4124479 A1 (1993-01-01), None
patent: 4407666 A1 (1995-09-01), None
patent: 19717884 A1 (1998-02-01), None
patent: 09175199 (1997-07-01), None
patent: 9-222036 (1997-08-01), None
Baumgaertner Walter
Meier Klaus
Rennefeld Alfons
Seiler Jakob
Daimler-Chrysler AG
Estremsky Sherry
Evenson, McKeown, Edwards & Lenahan P.L.L.C.
Lewis Tisha D.
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