Hybrid vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518626-B2
Application number	US-201815975397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2018
Priority date	May 9, 2018
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, a torque converter, and a first one-way clutch. The torque converter has an impeller rotatably coupled to the engine. The torque converter also has a turbine. The first one-way clutch is configured to, responsive to turbine and electric machine speeds being equal, couple the turbine and electric machine in a first rotational direction to transfer power from the turbine to the electric machine. The first one-way clutch is also configured to, responsive to electric machine speed being greater than turbine speed, isolate the turbine from the electric machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
an engine;
an electric machine;
a torque converter having an impeller rotatably coupled to the engine, and a turbine;
a first one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
turbine and electric machine speeds being equal, couple the turbine and the electric machine in a first rotational direction to transfer power from the turbine to the electric machine, and
the electric machine speed being greater than turbine speed, isolate the turbine from the electric machine, wherein the first one-way clutch is a selectable one-way clutch that is configured to, responsive to being activated, couple the turbine and the electric machine in the first rotational direction in response to the turbine and the electric machine speeds being equal and isolate the turbine from the electric machine in response to the electric machine speed being greater than turbine speed when activated, and responsive to being deactivated, to isolate the turbine from the electric machine at all the electric machine and the turbine speeds; and

a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
being activated, couple the turbine and the electric machine in a second direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the electric machine to the turbine, and
being deactivated, isolate the turbine and the electric machine at all the electric machine and the turbine speeds.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:
a transmission gearbox; and
a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
being activated, couple the electric machine to an input of the transmission gearbox in the first rotational direction to transfer power from the electric machine to the transmission gearbox, and
being deactivated, isolate the electric machine from the transmission gearbox.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising:
a third selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
being activated, couple the electric machine to an input of the transmission gearbox in a second rotational direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the input of the transmission gearbox to the electric machine and
being deactivated, isolate the electric machine from the transmission gearbox.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 further comprising a damper disposed between the input of the transmission gearbox and the second selectable one-way clutch.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 further comprising a housing, wherein the torque converter and the electric machine are disposed within the housing, and wherein the housing includes a partition wall disposed between the torque converter and the electric machine.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the partition wall defines a channel configured to direct lubricating fluid to a bearing disposed about the turbine.

7. A vehicle comprising:
an engine having a crankshaft;
an electric machine having a rotor;
a torque converter having an impeller rotatably coupled to the crankshaft, and a turbine;
a first one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
turbine and rotor speeds being equal, couple the turbine and the rotor in a first direction to transfer engine power from the turbine to the rotor, and
rotor speed being greater than turbine speed, decouple the turbine and the rotor, wherein the first one-way clutch is a selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to being activated, couple the turbine and the rotor in the first direction in response the turbine and rotor speeds being equal and decouple the turbine from the rotor in response to the rotor speed being greater than turbine speed, and responsive to being deactivated, decouple the turbine from the rotor at all the rotor and turbine speeds; and

a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
being activated, couple the turbine and the rotor in a second direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the electric machine to the turbine, and
being deactivated, decouple the turbine and the electric machine at all the electric machine and the turbine speeds.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 further comprising:
a transmission gearbox; and
a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
being activated, couple the rotor to an input of the transmission gearbox in the first direction to transfer power from the rotor to the transmission gearbox, and
being deactivated, decouple the rotor from the transmission gearbox.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 further comprising:
a third selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
being activated, couple the rotor to an input of the transmission gearbox in a second rotational direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the input of the transmission gearbox to the rotor and
being deactivated, isolate the rotor from the transmission gearbox.

10. The vehicle of claim 7 further comprising a housing, wherein the torque converter and the electric machine are disposed within the housing, and wherein the housing includes a partition wall disposed between the torque converter and the electric machine.

11. A vehicle comprising:
an engine;
an electric machine;
a launch clutch having an input rotatably coupled to the engine, and an output; and
a first selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
being activated, couple the output and the electric machine in the first rotational direction in response to output and electric machine speeds being equal and isolate the output from the electric machine in response to the electric machine speed being greater than output speed, and
being deactivated, isolate the output from the electric machine at all the electric machine and the output speeds; and

a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
being activated, couple the output and electric machine in a second direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the electric machine to the output, and

being deactivated, isolate the output and electric machine at all electric machine and output speeds.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 further comprising:
a transmission gearbox; and
a second selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
being activated, couple the electric machine to an input of the transmission gearbox in the first rotational direction to transfer power from the electric machine to the transmission gearbox, and
being deactivated, isolate the electric machine from the transmission gearbox.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 further comprising:
a third selectable one-way clutch configured to, responsive to
being activated, couple the electric machine to an input of the transmission gearbox in a second rotational direction, that is opposite of the first direction, to transfer power from the input of the transmission gearbox to the electric machine and
being deactivated, isolate the electric machine from the transmission gearbox.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 further comprising a damper disposed between the input of the transmission gearbox and the second selectable one-way clutch.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Pettersson Lars Niklas

Classifications

• F16H41/24

  Details · CPC title

• F16H41/04

  Combined pump-turbine units · CPC title

• F16D43/30

  Systems of a plurality of automatic clutches · CPC title

• F16D43/04

  controlled by angular speed (F16D43/24 takes precedence; clutches in which the drive is transmitted through a medium consisting of small particles F16D37/00) · CPC title

• F16D41/069

  the intermediate members wedging by pivoting or rocking, e.g. sprags (F16D41/061 takes precedence) · CPC title