Electric machine with variable torque drive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10059189-B2
Application number	US-201515304795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2015
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

Electric machine assemblies and methods of manufacturing and operating electric machine assemblies for internal combustion engines are provided. The electric machine assembly includes an electric machine configured to generate electric current by induction via a prime mover causing rotation of one of a rotor and a stator with respect to the other one of the rotor and the stator. The electric machine assembly also includes a torque transmitter including a rotating output driver coupled to the prime mover of the electric machine. The torque transmitter includes a rotating input driver configured to receive a rotary input transmitted from a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. The rotating input driver is coupled to the rotating output driver to actuate the rotating output driver at a plurality of gear ratios.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electric machine assembly, comprising:
an electric machine configured to generate electric current by induction via a prime mover causing rotation of one of a rotor and a stator with respect to the other one of the rotor and the stator; and
a torque transmitter including a rotating output driver coupled to the prime mover of the electric machine, the torque transmitter including a rotating input driver configured to receive a rotary input transmitted from a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, the rotating input driver coupled to the rotating output driver to actuate the rotating output driver at a plurality of gear ratios,
wherein the torque transmitter is changed from a first gear ratio of the plurality of gear ratios to a second gear ratio of the plurality of gear ratios via a change in engine oil pressure.

2. The electric machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the torque transmitter includes a gearset.

3. The electric machine assembly of claim 2 , wherein the gearset includes a compound gear.

4. The electric machine assembly of claim 2 , wherein the gearset includes one of a planetary gearset, and a magnetic gearset.

5. The electric machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the torque transmitter includes a chain drive.

6. The electric machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the torque transmitter includes a continuously variable transmission.

7. The electric machine assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a controller electrically coupled to the torque transmitter to cause a change from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio.

8. The electric machine assembly of claim 7 , wherein the controller causes the torque transmitter to change from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio in response to a change in operation of the internal combustion engine.

9. The electric machine assembly of claim 7 , wherein the controller causes the torque transmitter to change from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio in response to a change in a request for electrical power from the electric machine.

10. The electric machine assembly of claim 7 , wherein the controller causes the torque transmitter to change from the first gear ratio to the second gear ratio via the change in engine oil pressure.

11. The electric machine assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first gear ratio is higher than the second gear ratio.

12. The electric machine assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first gear ratio is in a range of 8:1 to 13:1 and wherein the second gear ratio is in a range of 3:1 to 5:1.

13. The electric machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein a rotational speed and torque of the rotating output driver are at a gear ratio greater than 1:1 with respect to a rotational speed and torque of the internal combustion engine.

14. The electric machine assembly of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of gear ratios include one of a gear ratio of 3:1, 4:1, and 5:1.

15. The electric machine assembly of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of gear ratios includes a gear ratio in a range of 8:1-13:1.

16. The electric machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electric machine includes one of an alternator and a starter.

17. A method of operating an electric machine assembly, the method comprising:
actuating an internal combustion engine;
transmitting rotation from a crankshaft to a torque transmitter, the torque transmitter including a rotating input driver configured to receive torque transmitted from the crankshaft, the torque transmitter including a rotating output driver coupled to the rotating input driver, the rotating input driver coupled to the rotating output driver to actuate the rotating output driver at a plurality of gear ratios;
generating electric current via an electric machine configured to generate the electric current by induction via a prime mover causing rotation of one of a rotor and a stator with respect to the other one of the rotor and the stator, the prime mover coupled to the rotating output driver to receive the torque transmitted from the crankshaft at a first gear ratio, whereby the prime mover rotates;
analyzing a change in an electrical power request; and
causing the torque transmitter to change from the first gear ratio to a second gear ratio in response to the change in the electrical power request via a change in engine oil pressure.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the torque transmitter includes a gearset.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio are greater than 1:1 for a given rotational speed of the internal combustion engine.

20. A method of operating an electric machine assembly, the method comprising:
actuating an internal combustion engine via torque transmitted from an electric machine coupled to a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine via a torque transmitter engaged at a first gear ratio of the torque transmitter, the torque transmitter including a first rotating driver coupled to the crankshaft and a second rotating driver coupled to the first rotating driver and a prime mover of the electric machine, the torque from the electric machine generated via a stored power supply coupled to the electric machine,
causing the torque transmitter to change from the first gear ratio to a second gear ratio subsequent to actuation of the internal combustion engine via a change in engine oil pressure, the first gear ratio being greater than the second gear ratio;
causing a combustion process to occur in the internal combustion engine;
transmitting torque from the crankshaft to the torque transmitter to rotate the prime mover of the electric machine at the second gear ratio, the torque from the crankshaft generated via the combustion process in the internal combustion engine; and
generating electric current via the electric machine by rotation of the prime mover, the prime mover coupled to one of a rotor and a stator of the electric machine, the electric machine configured to generate electric current by induction via the prime mover causing rotation of one of the rotor and the stator with respect to the other one of the rotor and the stator.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first gear ratio is in a range of 8:1 to 13:1 and wherein the second gear ratio is in a range of 3:1 to 5:1.

Assignees

• Cummins Inc

Inventors

• O'Brien John P
• Marthaler Michael J

Classifications

• B60W10/11

  Stepped gearings · CPC title

• B60K6/543

  the transmission being a continuously variable transmission · CPC title

• F16H61/0204

  for gearshift control, e.g. control functions for performing shifting or generation of shift signal · CPC title

• B60K6/36

  characterised by the transmission gearings · CPC title

• B60K6/26

  characterised by the motors or the generators · CPC title