Hybrid vehicle operable in series mode and in series-parallel mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10214093-B2
Application number	US-201615550051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2016
Priority date	Feb 18, 2015
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

A transmission unit is able to switch between a non-neutral state where power of an engine is transmitted via a path K 1 and a neutral state where power of the engine is not transmitted via the path K 1 . A clutch is able to switch between an engaged state where power is transmitted from the engine to a first MG and a released state where transmission of power from the engine to the first MG is interrupted. When the transmission unit is controlled to the non-neutral state and, at the same time, the clutch is set to the released state, a vehicle is operable in series-parallel mode. When power is transmitted via the path K 2 by directly coupling the engine to the first MG by the clutch and the path K 1 is interrupted by controlling the transmission unit to the neutral state, the vehicle is operable in series mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:
an internal combustion engine;
a first rotary electric machine;
a second rotary electric machine configured to output power to a drive wheel of the hybrid vehicle;
a power transmission unit including an input element and an output element, the input element being configured to receive power from the internal combustion engine, the output element being configured to output power input to the input element, and the power transmission unit being configured to switch between a non-neutral state where power is transmitted between the input element and the output element and a neutral state where power is not transmitted between the input element and the output element, the power transmission unit is configured to be able to change a ratio of a rotation speed of the input element to a rotation speed of the output element;
a differential unit including a first rotating element, a second rotating element and a third rotating element, the first rotating element being connected to the first rotary electric machine, the second rotating element being connected to the second rotary electric machine and the drive wheel, the third rotating element being connected to the output element, and the differential unit being configured such that a rotation speed of one of the first rotating element, the second rotating element and the third rotating element is based on rotation speeds of a remaining two of the first rotating element, the second rotating element and the third rotating element; and
a clutch configured to switch between an engaged state where power is transmitted from the internal combustion engine to the first rotary electric machine and a released state where transmission of power from the internal combustion engine to the first rotary electric machine is interrupted, power from the internal combustion engine being transmitted to the first rotary electric machine through at least one of a first path or a second path,
the first path being a path through which power is transmitted from the internal combustion engine to the first rotary electric machine via the power transmission unit and the differential unit,
the second path being a path through which power is transmitted from the internal combustion engine to the first rotary electric machine, being different from the first path, and not including the differential unit, and
the clutch being provided in the second path.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the first rotary electric machine is provided along a first axis coaxial with a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, the second rotary electric machine is provided along a second axis different from the first axis, the clutch is provided along the first axis, the clutch is arranged on an opposite side of the first rotary electric machine from the internal combustion engine, and, when viewed in an axial direction of the first axis, the clutch has a smaller outermost diameter than the first rotary electric machine.

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein
the differential unit is provided along the first axis, and the differential unit, the first rotary electric machine and the clutch are arranged in a line in ascending order of distance from the internal combustion engine.

4. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control the power transmission unit and the clutch, the controller being configured to select any one of a plurality of operation modes and cause the hybrid vehicle to travel in the selected operation mode, the plurality of operation modes include a series-parallel mode and a series mode, the series-parallel mode is a mode in which the power transmission unit is set to the non-neutral state and the clutch is set to a released state, and the series mode is a mode in which the power transmission unit is set to the neutral state and the clutch is set to an engaged state.

5. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein
the plurality of operation modes further include a parallel mode, and the parallel mode is a mode in which the power transmission unit is set to the non-neutral state and the clutch is set to the engaged state.

6. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the power transmission unit is configured to be able to restrict rotation of the output element.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• BANSHOYA Hidehiko
• Takagi Kiyonori
• Kawamoto Atsushi
• Suzuki Haruhisa
• Imamura Tatsuya
• Kanada Toshiki
• Tabata Atsushi

Classifications

• F16H37/08

  with differential gearing · CPC title

• B60K6/445 Primary

  Differential gearing distribution type · CPC title

• F16H3/728

  with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing · CPC title

• F16H2200/2007

  with two sets of orbital gears · CPC title

• B60K6/26

  characterised by the motors or the generators · CPC title