Motor vehicles – Transmission mechanism – With temperature control – lubrication or sealing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-20
2002-06-04
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3613)
Motor vehicles
Transmission mechanism
With temperature control, lubrication or sealing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06397968
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transmission unit to be installed in a hybrid vehicle combining an engine and a motor, to obtain a driving force.
With improved fuel economy and lower emissions, hybrid vehicles benefit conservation of global environment and savings of limited resources. In a hybrid vehicle, a motor is arranged in series or parallel to an engine to assist the engine and to serve as a generator for converting kinetic energy of the vehicle to electrical energy on deceleration.
A published Japanese patent application Publication (Kokai) No. 9(1997)-329228 shows a conventional transmission having a planetary gear system. This transmission is designed to add a motor without changing the basic layout of a conventional transmission to reduce the manufacturing cost. The transmission of this example includes, as shown in
FIG. 7A
, a torque converter chamber
101
defined by a first housing
113
and a first partition
116
, a planetary gear chamber
102
defined by a second housing
114
, the first partition
116
and a second partition
117
, and a transmission chamber
103
defined by a third housing
115
and the second partition
117
. Rotation from the engine is inputted to a torque converter
110
in the torque converter chamber
101
, the output from the torque converter
110
is inputted:the planetary gear system in the planetary gear chamber
102
and further to a transmission
112
in the transmission chamber
103
.
When a motor is disposed in the planetary gear chamber without changing the basic layout, a water jacket formed around the motor is effective to cool the motor having the coil heated by repetition of drive and generation.
A published Japanese patent application Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-9213 shows an apparatus having an electromagnetic clutch in the torque converter chamber
101
and a motor in the planetary gear chamber
102
, as shown in FIG.
7
A.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
However, the space for the water jacket is limited because, as shown in
FIGS. 7A and 7B
, a transmission input shaft
120
, a driven shaft
121
, an idler shaft
123
and a differential
124
are arranged with proper distances between adjacent axes.
FIG. 8
shows a front view of the housing of the transmission unit of FIG.
7
B. As shown in
FIG. 8
, a motor receiving: portion
231
for receiving the motor is surrounded by a driven pulley receiving portion
232
for a driven pulley, a differential receiving portion
233
for a differential, and a parking support receiving portion
234
for a parking pole support.
An object of the present invention is to provide a transmission unit for a hybrid vehicle, having a water jacket to cool a motor efficiently. Another object is to provide a transmission unit in which a water jacket is formed compactly without the need for changing a layout of a conventional design. Still another object is to provide an annular water jacket designed to improve the cooling performance by holding the flow rate uniform all round the circumference.
According to the present invention, a transmission unit for a hybrid vehicle, the transmission unit comprises a unit housing which comprises;
a first section (such as an item
42
) defining a clutch chamber for containing an electromagnetic clutch;
a second section (such as an item
41
a
) defining a transmission chamber for containing a transmission; and
a third -section (such as an item
41
b
) defining a motor chamber for containing a motor comprising a rotor and a stator, and a water jacket for circulation of water to cool the stator.
The water jacket comprises an annular passage extending around the motor chamber, and comprising a water inlet for introducing the coolant into the annular passage, a water outlet for discharging the coolant from the annular passage, and a depressed or uneven portion which is depressed to form a space for receiving an adjacent component of the transmission unit, and which has a cross sectional shape varied gradually so that a flow sectional area remains uniform.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4837469 (1989-06-01), Ward
patent: 9-329228 (1997-12-01), None
patent: 2000-9213 (2000-01-01), None
U.S. application No. 09/785,454, Sugano, filed Feb. 20, 2001.
U.S. application No. 09/785,455, Hasegawa, filed Feb. 20, 2001.
U.S. application No. 09/785,483, Sugano, filed Feb. 20, 2001.
U.S. application No. 09/785,484, Sugano, filed Feb. 20, 2001.
Hasegawa Sachiyo
Sugano Taku
Bartz C. T
Dickson Paul N.
Jatco Transtechnology Ltd.
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