Electrical generator or motor structure – Dynamoelectric – Rotary
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-28
2001-02-06
Mullins, Burton (Department: 2834)
Electrical generator or motor structure
Dynamoelectric
Rotary
C310S078000, C310S092000, C310S096000, C180S065230, C477S003000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06184603
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor/generator unit having a motor/generator constructed so as to be enabled to give and receive a torque to and from rotary elements of a torque converter interposed between an engine and a transmission.
b) Description of the Related Art
Recently, in automotive vehicles, a fuel economy improvement has been demanded from standpoints of environment protection and limited resources.
One of techniques to improve the fuel economy includes a motor/generator installation in a vehicular engine driving force transmission system. For example, the motor/generator performs a regeneration such as to convert a running energy into an engine torque by means of an output torque of the motor/generator.
A Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. Heisei 7-123509 published on May 12, 1995 exemplifies a first previously proposed motor/generator unit.
A Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. Heisei 10-225058 published on Aug. 21, 1998 exemplifies a second previously proposed motor/generator unit.
In the first previously proposed motor/generator unit, the motor/generator is installed so as to be enabled to give and receive the torque to and from an output axle of the engine. If a power margin is left in a vehicular battery power, the motor/generator is caused to function as a motor to assist a driving force of the engine. During a braking, the motor/generator is caused to function as a power generator to regenerate the power from the running energy in a range not exceeding a battery power. Using a conventional power train of the vehicle, the fuel economy improvement is, thus, made.
The second previously proposed motor/generator unit has been applied to, so-called, a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle includes the engine, a clutch motor, and an assistance motor, drives of these engine and motors being controlled to be enabled to carry out efficient operations of the generation of the running energy, the power generation during the vehicular run, and the regeneration during the braking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the first previously proposed motor/generator unit, a manual transmission has been used as a transmission although there are few modifications made to an already present and normally available power train.
In a case where the regeneration is started during a vehicular deceleration, a brake force corresponding to the regeneration is added to that corresponding to an engine braking so that the brake force accordingly becomes magnified and a disagreeable feeling of a vehicular drive is given to a vehicular driver.
In addition, in a case where the first previously proposed motor/generator unit is applied to a torque converter equipped automatic transmission which is major in current automotive vehicles as the transmission, a transmission of an input torque from a drive wheel side is not carried out between a turbine runner connected to an input axle of the transmission and a torque converter cover connected to an input axle of the engine so that it becomes impossible for the motor/generator to carry out the regeneration during the vehicular deceleration.
Furthermore, a starter to start the engine and an alternator to generate the electric power to be used in the vehicle are additionally required in the case of the application of the first previously proposed motor/generator unit to the vehicle. Hence, an increase in a vehicular weight is introduced This alternator always provides a load against the engine. Even if a voltage across the battery is sufficient, the power generation by the alternator is carried out. Hence, this arrangement described above gives a disadvantage to the improvement in fuel economy.
Furthermore, electrical parts to be mounted in the vehicle due to a demand of recent high-level technology have been increased. Together with the increase in the electrical parts, such a proposal that electromagnetic actuators are used to operate such vehicular air conditioner and power steering mechanism as those parts whose power has been obtained from the engine via its crankshaft and a belt has been made in order to improve the fuel economy. Therefore, there is a tendency of the increase in a vehicular battery load. To cope with the tendency of the increase in the vehicular battery load, it is expected that the battery voltage is increased from normal 12 volts to about 42 volts. Therefore, although it is necessary to increase a capacity of the alternator, it is unreasonable to increase the capacity of the alternator as separate from the motor/generator.
In addition, if the alternator having the large capacity is always operated by means of the engine, a fuel consumption becomes accordingly increased.
In the hybrid vehicle to which the second previously proposed motor/generator unit is applied, the drive of the engine, the clutch motor, and the assistance motor are controlled so that the vehicular run by means of the motor drive and the engine output torque assistance, and the generation and regeneration of the clutch motor and the assistance motor can efficiently be carried out.
However, in the hybrid vehicle to which the second previously proposed motor/generator unit is applied, the power train configuration is quite different from those having already present and normally available engine and transmission.
Hence, since it is impossible to utilize the already present and normally available power train and use a normally available assembly line, the second previously proposed motor/generator unit becomes extremely expensive.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a novel and inexpensive motor/generator unit for an automotive vehicle which can utilize the already present and normally available power train, can utilize the already present and normally available production line, can eliminate both of the exclusively-used stator and alternator which would introduce a reduction of the fuel economy, and can improve a generation capacity and a regeneration ability.
The above-described object can be achieved by providing a motor/generator unit for an automotive vehicle, comprising: a torque converter to perform a transmission of a driving force between an output axle of a vehicular engine and an input axle of a transmission, the transmission being enabled to switch between a neutral state and a forward-and-rearward state and being enabled to vary a gear ratio; a housing enclosing a periphery of the torque converter; a hydraulic clutch; an electromagnetic clutch, both of the hydraulic clutch and electromagnetic clutch being juxtaposed to be enabled to form a lock-up state of the torque converter; and a motor/generator including a stator fixed to the housing and a rotor attached to a rotary element of the torque converter so as to be opposed to the stator, the motor/generator being disposed to be enabled to give and receive a torque to and from the rotary element of the torque converter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5562565 (1996-10-01), Moroto et al.
patent: 5844342 (1998-12-01), Miyatani et al.
patent: 5924395 (1999-07-01), Moriya et al.
patent: 5934395 (1999-08-01), Koide et al.
patent: 5944628 (1999-08-01), Lee
patent: 7-123509 (1995-05-01), None
patent: 10-225058 (1998-08-01), None
Hamai Kyugo
Taniuchi Satoshi
Foley & Lardner
Mullins Burton
Unisia Jecs Corporation
LandOfFree
Motor/generator unit applicable to automotive vehicle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Motor/generator unit applicable to automotive vehicle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Motor/generator unit applicable to automotive vehicle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2607837