Propulsion system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10113617-B2
Application number	US-201415022904-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2014
Priority date	May 17, 2013
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A propulsion system for providing a power output is disclosed. The propulsion system may have a transmission configured to provide the power output. The propulsion system may also have at least one first energy conversion machine. Further, the propulsion system may have at least one power unit. The power unit may be operable to selectively drive at least one of the transmission and the at least one first energy conversion machine. The propulsion system may also have at least one second energy conversion machine. The second energy conversion machine may be operable to selectively drive or be driven by the transmission. In addition, the propulsion system may have a power transfer arrangement for transferring power between the first and second energy conversion machines.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A propulsion system for providing a power output, said propulsion system comprising:
a transmission configured to provide the power output, the transmission comprising at least one planetary gearbox;
at least one first energy conversion machine;
at least one power unit operable to selectively drive at least one of the transmission and the at least one first energy conversion machine;
at least one second energy conversion machine operable to selectively drive or be driven by the transmission;
a power transfer arrangement for transferring power between the first and second energy conversion machines; and
at least one coupling operable to selectively connect and disconnect the at least one power unit and the transmission such that the at least one power unit is operable to drive the at least one first energy conversion machine independently of the transmission,
wherein the at least one power unit is operable to selectively drive the transmission via at least one drive shaft, at least one transmission coupling, and at least one first kinematic connection element,
wherein the at least one power unit is operable to selectively drive the at least one first energy conversion machine via the at least one drive shaft and at least one second kinematic connection element, and
wherein the first and second kinematic connection elements are gears, and the propulsion system further comprises:
a first gear mounted on a power unit output shaft;
a second gear interconnected with the first gear and providing a rotatable input to the transmission;
a third gear mounted on the power unit output shaft; and
a fourth gear mounted on a first machine shaft and interconnected with the third gear, said first machine shaft providing an input or output to the at least one first energy conversion machine.

2. The propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first and second energy conversion machines are reversible hydraulic or electrical machines.

3. The propulsion system of claim 2 , wherein the power transfer arrangement is hydraulic or electrical.

4. The propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one planetary gearbox comprises a sun gear, a plurality of planetary gears attached to a carrier, and a rotatable ring gear.

5. The propulsion system of claim 4 , wherein the sun gear is rotatably connected to the at least one second energy conversion machine, the ring gear is rotatably connected to provide the power output, and the carrier is operably connected to the at least one power unit.

6. The propulsion system of claim 5 , wherein the carrier is rotatably connected to the second gear.

7. The propulsion system of claim 5 , wherein the power output is provided by a rotatable transmission output shaft and the ring gear is rotatably connected to the transmission output shaft.

8. A method for operating a propulsion system, the propulsion system comprising:
a transmission configured to provide a power output, the transmission comprising at least one planetary gearbox;
at least one first energy conversion machine;
at least one power unit operable to selectively drive at least one of the transmission and the at least one first energy conversion machine;
at least one second energy conversion machine operable to selectively drive or be driven by the transmission;
a power transfer arrangement for transferring power between the first and second energy conversion machines; and
at least one coupling operable to selectively connect and disconnect the at least one power unit and the transmission such that the at least one power unit is operable to drive the at least one first energy conversion machine independently of the transmission,
wherein the at least one power unit is operable to selectively drive the transmission via at least one drive shaft, at least one transmission coupling, and at least one first kinematic connection element,
wherein the at least one power unit is operable to selectively drive the at least one first energy conversion machine via the at least one drive shaft and at least one second kinematic connection element, and
wherein the first and second kinematic connection elements are gears, and the propulsion system further comprises:
a first gear mounted on a power unit output shaft,
a second gear interconnected with the first gear and providing a rotatable input to the transmission,
a third gear mounted on the power unit output shaft, and
a fourth gear mounted on a first machine shaft and interconnected with the third gear, said first machine shaft providing an input or output to the at least one first energy conversion machine,

the method comprising:
providing the power output from the at least one power unit; and
selectively performing at least one of:
driving the transmission by connecting the power unit to the transmission,
driving the at least one first energy conversion machine by connecting the power unit to the at least one first energy conversion machine; and
transferring power between the first energy conversion machine and the second energy conversion machine, using the power transfer arrangement.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising a first mode, including transferring power from the power unit to the transmission via at least one first shaft, the at least one first kinematic connection element, and the at least one transmission coupling.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising a second mode including:
transferring power from the power unit to the at least one first energy conversion machine via at least one second shaft and at the least one second kinematic connection element; and
transferring the power from the at least one first energy conversion machine to the transmission via the power transfer arrangement and the second energy conversion machine.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a third mode, wherein the power is transferred simultaneously in the first mode and the second mode.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising a fourth mode, including:
transferring the power to the transmission in the first mode; and
transferring the power from the transmission to the second energy conversion machine.

13. A machine, comprising:
a transmission configured to provide a power output to a propulsion element, the transmission comprising at least one planetary gearbox;
at least one first energy conversion machine;
at least one power unit operable to selectively drive at least one of the transmission and the at least one first energy conversion machine;
at least one second energy conversion machine operable to selectively drive or be driven by the transmission;
a power transfer arrangement for transferring power between the first and second energy conversion machines; and
at least one coupling operable to selectively connect and disconnect the at least one power unit and the transmission such that the at least one power unit is operable to drive the at least one first energy conversion machine independently of the transmission,
wherein the at least one power unit is operable to selectively drive the transmission via at least one drive shaft, at least one transmission coupling, and at least one first kinematic connection element,
wherein the at least one power unit is operable to selectively drive the at least one first energy conversion machine via the at least one drive shaft and at least one second kinematic connection element, and
wherein the first and second kinematic connection elements are gears, and the machine further comprises:
a first gear mounted on a power unit output shaft;
a second gear interconnected with the first

Assignees

• Perkins Engines Co Ltd

Inventors

• Strashny Igor
• Cronin Michael G

Classifications

• B60K6/442

  Series-parallel switching type · CPC title

• B60K6/20

  the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs · CPC title

• B63H2021/205

  the second power unit being of the internal combustion engine type, or the like, e.g. a Diesel engine · CPC title

• F16H47/04

  the mechanical gearing being of the type with members having orbital motion · CPC title

• B60Y2200/92

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title