Motor vehicles – Power – Electric
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-18
2004-05-18
Vanaman, Frank (Department: 3618)
Motor vehicles
Power
Electric
C180S065510
Reexamination Certificate
active
06736227
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a transmission for a motor vehicle, and more particularly to a transmission that can transmit torque from an engine and/or a generator and motor unit to an output shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 1
, an in-series connection type conventional transmission for a motor vehicle is shown to include an engine
11
, a generator
12
, a rectifier
13
, a storage battery unit
14
, a converter
15
, a motor
16
, a speed reduction gear unit
17
, an output shaft
18
, and a controller
19
. Power generated from the engine
11
activates the generator
12
to create alternating current that is passed through the rectifier
13
so as to be converted into direct current, which is stored within the storage battery unit
14
. When it is desired to start the motor vehicle, the storage battery unit
14
supplies direct current, which is converted by the converter
15
into an electric current that can be utilized by the motor
16
so that the motor
16
can rotate the speed reduction gear unit
17
and thus the output shaft
18
. The engine
11
, the generator
12
, and the converter
15
are controlled by the controller
19
. A drawback associated with the aforesaid conventional transmission is that energy loss is relatively large during conversion between electric energy and dynamic energy.
To reduce the energy loss, an in-parallel connection type conventional transmission is developed. Referring to
FIG. 2
, the in-parallel connection type conventional transmission is shown to include an engine
21
, a generator
22
, a power distribution device
23
, a speed reduction gear unit
24
, an output shaft
25
, a converter
26
, a storage battery unit
27
, and a motor
28
. The engine
21
and the generator
22
are interconnected by means of the power distribution device
23
. The power distribution device
23
is connected to the speed reduction gear unit
24
so as to transmit power to the output shaft
25
. The generator
22
is connected to the storage battery unit
27
via the converter
26
. The motor
28
is disposed between the converter
26
and the speed reduction gear unit
24
.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, the power distribution device
23
is configured as a planetary gear unit, and includes a sun gear
231
, four planetary gears
232
, and a ring gear
233
. The power distribution device
23
can transmit power from the engine
21
to the output shaft
25
via the speed reduction gear unit
24
. The generator
22
can be activated by the power distribution device
23
to create and store electric energy within the storage battery unit
27
. When the motor vehicle moves at a low speed, the engine
21
is stopped so that the motor vehicle is driven solely by the motor
28
, thereby offering a comparatively large torque output to the output shaft
25
. When the motor vehicle moves at a medium speed, it is driven solely by the engine
21
. When the motor vehicle moves at a high speed, it is driven by both the engine
21
and the motor
28
.
Both the generator
22
and the motor
28
are needed for the in-parallel connection type conventional transmission, thereby resulting in high manufacturing costs. Moreover, there is a need for high manufacturing precision and material strength of the power distribution device
23
, thereby further increasing the manufacturing costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a transmission for a motor vehicle, which is inexpensive to manufacture.
Another object of this invention is to provide a transmission for a motor vehicle, which has a power distribution device that does not need high manufacturing precision and material strength.
According to this invention, a transmission for a motor vehicle includes a controller for controlling an engine, a generator and motor unit, a converter, and a storage battery unit. A detecting mechanism is used to detect the operating conditions of the motor vehicle and the engine so as to generate control signals. A power distribution device is disposed between the engine and the generator and motor unit. The generator and motor unit can be controlled to operate in one of a generator mode and a motor mode. As such, the generator and motor unit is cheaper than an assembly of a generator and a motor, thereby resulting in low manufacturing costs of the transmission.
In an embodiment, the power distribution device includes a belt and pulley unit that interconnects fixedly a motor shaft of the generator and motor unit and a high-speed output shaft.
In another embodiment, the power distribution device includes a connector that interconnects fixedly an end of the motor shaft and an end of the high-speed output shaft. As such, the power distribution device does not need high manufacturing precision and material strength.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4407132 (1983-10-01), Kawakatsu et al.
patent: 4455490 (1984-06-01), Giardini et al.
patent: 4588040 (1986-05-01), Albright. et al.
patent: 4616742 (1986-10-01), Matsushita
patent: 5664635 (1997-09-01), Koga et al.
patent: 5667029 (1997-09-01), Urban et al.
patent: 6109127 (2000-08-01), Liau
patent: 6155366 (2000-12-01), Lin
patent: 6186916 (2001-02-01), Blanchard
patent: 6302227 (2001-10-01), Takemura et al.
patent: 6524216 (2003-02-01), Suzuki et al.
Chen Wen-Chang
Huang Hui-Huay
Wu Shih-Chang
JI-EE Industry Co., Ltd.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Vanaman Frank
LandOfFree
Transmission being capable of transmitting torque from an... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Transmission being capable of transmitting torque from an..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Transmission being capable of transmitting torque from an... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3228700