Endless belt power transmission systems or components – Pulley with belt-receiving groove formed by drive faces on... – Fluid pressure actuator for adjustment of member
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-20
2003-12-02
Hannon, Thomas R. (Department: 3682)
Endless belt power transmission systems or components
Pulley with belt-receiving groove formed by drive faces on...
Fluid pressure actuator for adjustment of member
C074S60600R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06656069
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transmission unit installed to a hybrid vehicle which is equipped with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as a driving force generator.
Various types of hybrid vehicles have been proposed in order to respond to social demands in view of environmental protection and fuel economy. Most of the proposed hybrid vehicles are arranged to comprise an electric motor and an internal combustion engine as a motive power generator. When such a hybrid vehicle is produced, it is preferable to employ a conventional transmission without changing a basic layout in view of cost saving. For example, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 9-329228 discloses a continuously variable transmission (CVT) arranged as shown in FIG.
12
. This CVT is constituted by a torque converter chamber
101
defined by the first housing
113
and a first partition wall
116
, a planetary gear chamber
102
defined by a second housing
114
, the first partition wall
116
and a second partition wall
117
, and a transmission chamber
103
defined by a third housing
115
and the second partition wall
117
.
Rotational power of an engine is inputted to a torque converter
110
provided in the torque converter chamber
101
. An output from the torque converter
110
is inputted into the planetary gear chamber
102
to changeover the rotational direction between the forward or reverse direction. Then, the power is inputted from the torque converter
110
to a transmission
112
of the transmission chamber
103
. The transmission
112
comprises a belt-type CVT which transmits the output rotation of the planetary gear
111
through a driver pulley
112
a
and a belt
112
c
to a follower pulley
112
b
. The hydraulic pressure outputted from a control valve unit is supplied to an axial oil passage
123
of the driver pulley
112
a
through a case
120
, an oil pump
121
and an input shaft
122
. Further, the hydraulic pressure is supplied to a driver pulley cylinder chamber
124
of the driver pulley
112
a
to control a transmission ratio.
However, when such a conventional transmission unit for an engine-drive vehicle is adapted as that for a hybrid vehicle without changing the basic layout, it is first planed to put an electromagnetic clutch in the torque converter chamber
101
and a motor in the planetary gear chamber
102
. In such a plan, it is necessary to locate the electromagnetic clutch and the motor in a dry chamber in which oil for control and lubrication is not entered. Further, a hybrid vehicle is put in a running state even when the engine is stopped. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an electric oil pump for supplying hydraulic pressure during such engine-stopped running state.
In other way, an electric oil pump may be installed outside of the transmission unit. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication 10-205606, an electric oil pump may be installed outside of a housing of the transmission unit. However, if the electric oil pump is simply installed to the housing, the size of the transmission unit including the electric oil pump becomes large to degrade the installation on a vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved transmission unit which maintains a basic layout of a conventional transmission unit and comprises an electric oil pump.
A transmission unit according to the present invention comprises a hydraulic control valve unit, a housing and an electric oil pump. The hydraulic control valve unit is disposed at a plane parallel to an axis of the transmission unit. The hydraulic control valve unit controls hydraulic pressure for controlling and lubricating a transmission mechanism. The housing has a depressed portion which is contacted with the hydraulic control valve unit, the transmission mechanism of the transmission unit and the hydraulic control valve unit is disposed in said housing. The electric oil pump is disposed on the depressed portion of said housing so that a part of the hydraulic control valve unit is overlapped with a part of the electric oil pump through the depressed portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5746677 (1998-05-01), Wakahara et al.
patent: 6039666 (2000-03-01), Okuda et al.
patent: 9-329228 (1997-12-01), None
patent: 10-205606 (1998-08-01), None
Foley & Lardner
Hannon Thomas R.
Jatco LTD
Johnson Vicky A.
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