Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399428-B2
Application number	US-201815890902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2018
Priority date	Feb 9, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine, a generator, and a motor. The engine burns a gaseous mixture in a cylinder to output a drive force. The generator generates electricity by being rotated by the drive force outputted from the engine. The motor drives by utilizing electric power generated by the generator or electric power that has accumulated in a battery charged with electric power generated by the generator, and the motor thereby outputs a vehicle-running drive force. A case covering the motor is of larger diameter than a case covering a differential. The motor has an output shaft outputting the vehicle-running drive force, and has the output shaft disposed parallel to a vehicle width direction. The generator is disposed such that part of the generator overlaps an upper section of the case covering the differential.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
an engine that burns a gaseous mixture in a cylinder to generate a torque;
a generator that is rotated by the torque to generate electricity; and
a motor that is driven by electric power generated by the generator or electric power generated by the generator accumulated in a battery to generate a drive torque for propelling the vehicle,
wherein the generator has a rotary shaft to which the torque is transmitted,
the rotary shaft is disposed parallel to a front-rear direction of the vehicle proximate to a rear side of the engine,
the motor has an output shaft that outputs the drive torque to propel the vehicle and the output shaft extends parallel to a width direction of the vehicle,
the vehicle further comprises a drive housing that covers the motor, and a generating cover that covers the generator,
at least part of the drive housing is disposed so as to overlap below the generating cover,
the vehicle further comprises an inverter that converts direct current electric power that is output from the battery into alternating current electric power for the motor,
the engine whose shape is simplified so as to include an outline external shape is a rectangular parallelepiped in a posture disposed in a width direction of the vehicle and the generator whose shape is simplified so as to include an outline external shape is a cylinder in a posture disposed along a cylindrical axis in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, have a combined external outline which is L-shaped when viewed from an upper surface of the vehicle, and
the inverter is disposed in a space of the L-shape made by the external outline of the engine and the generator.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the engine includes a crank shaft that outputs the torque, and that is disposed parallel to the front-rear direction of the vehicle coaxially with the rotary shaft of the generator,
the vehicle further comprises: an axle that transmits the drive torque to drive wheels to propel the vehicle and that is disposed coaxially with the output shaft; and a differential that transmits the drive torque to the axle to propel the vehicle,
the drive housing includes a first case covering the motor, and a second case disposed adjacent to the first case in the width direction of the vehicle to cover the differential,
the second case has an outer diameter around the axle which is smaller than that of first case, and the second case is disposed such that at least part of the second case overlaps below the generating cover, and
a lower portion of the generating cover overlaps the first case when viewed from a side of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2 ,
wherein the engine includes a horizontal engine including a cylinder bore that is formed in the cylinder, and a piston that makes reciprocating movement within the cylinder bore,
the engine is mounted on the vehicle in such a manner that a reciprocating direction of the piston within the cylinder bore intersects a vertical line at a predetermined angle, and
the motor is disposed on a top dead center side of the piston with respect to the differential.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein an intake system is provided above the engine, and an exhaust system is provided below the engine.

5. The vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a cabin provided in the vehicle;
a center tunnel disposed extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle within the cabin;
a speed reducer that transmits to the differential the drive torque to propel the vehicle transmitted from the output shaft; and
a third case covering the speed reducer while protruding toward a rear side of the vehicle between the first case and the second case, and
a third case penetrates inside the center tunnel at least partially.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a charger that charges the battery by receiving electric power from an external power source,
wherein the charger is disposed above the engine.

7. A vehicle comprising:
an engine that burns a gaseous mixture in a cylinder to generate a torque;
a generator that is rotated by the torque to generate electricity; and
a motor that is driven by electric power generated by the generator or electric power generated by the generator accumulated in a battery to generate a drive torque for propelling the vehicle,
wherein the engine includes a piston that makes reciprocating movement within a cylinder bore formed in the cylinder, and a crank shaft that outputs the torque in response to the reciprocating movement of the piston,
the generator has a rotary shaft to which the torque is transmitted,
the rotary shaft is disposed coaxially with the crankshaft,
the motor has an output shaft that outputs the drive torque to propel the vehicle,
the vehicle further comprises:
a differential having an axle that transmits the drive torque to drive wheels to propel the vehicle and that is disposed coaxially with the output shaft;
a generating cover that covers the generator;
a first case that covers the motor;
a second case that is disposed adjacent to the first case in a width direction of the vehicle to cover the differential; and
an inverter that converts direct current electric power output from the battery into alternating current electric power for the motor,
wherein the second case has an outer diameter around the axle which is smaller than that of first case,
the second case is disposed such that at least part of the second case overlaps below the generating cover,
the motor is disposed on a top dead center side of the piston with respect to the differential,
the engine whose shape is simplified so as to include an outline external shape is a rectangular parallelepiped in a posture disposed in a width direction of the vehicle and the generator whose shape is simplified so as to include an outline external shape is a cylinder in a posture disposed along a cylindrical axis in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, have a combined external outline which is L-shaped when viewed from an upper surface of the vehicle, and
the inverter is disposed in a space of the L-shape made by the external outline of the engine and the generator.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the engine is disposed in front of the generator in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fujiyoshi Tadashi
• Kawamoto Nobuki
• Koseki Yukio
• Shiina Takahiro
• Komada Hideaki

Classifications

• B60K1/04

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B60K2001/001

  one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle · CPC title

• B60K6/40 Primary

  characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components · CPC title

• B60K6/405 Primary

  Housings · CPC title

• B60K6/46

  Series type · CPC title