Hybrid vehicle and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10744874-B2
Application number	US-201716085983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2017
Priority date	Mar 29, 2016
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle, such as a hybrid vehicle, according to one aspect of the present invention is configured such that: a propeller shaft rotated by an engine is arranged so as to extend in a vehicle body front-rear direction; a drive gear provided at a rear end portion of the propeller shaft and a driven gear configured to rotate together with a differential case of a differential device mesh with each other; a motor or a generator is connected to the differential case so as to transmit power to the differential case; the motor or the generator is arranged at one of vehicle width direction right and left sides of an axis of the propeller shaft; and the differential case is arranged at the other of the vehicle width direction right and left sides of the axis of the propeller shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a propeller shaft rotated by the engine and arranged so as to extend in a vehicle body front-rear direction;
a drive gear provided at a rear end portion of the propeller shaft;
a differential device including:
a driven gear meshing with the drive gear,
a differential case configured to rotate together with the driven gear, and
a pair of left and right side gears accommodated in an accommodating portion of the differential case;

a left axle connecting the left side gear and a left driving wheel through a universal joint;
a right axle connecting the right side gear and a right driving wheel through a universal joint; and
a motor connected to the differential case so as to transmit power to the differential case, wherein:
the motor is arranged at one of right and left sides with respect to an axis of the propeller shaft in a vehicle body width direction;
the differential case is arranged at the other of the right and left sides with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction;
the motor is connected to the differential case through a speed reducer smaller in diameter than the motor; and
the speed reducer is arranged between the drive gear and the motor.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the motor is arranged at the right side with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction and arranged on the right axle; and
the differential case is arranged such that the accommodating portion is located at the left side with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction.

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein a battery electrically connected to the motor is arranged at the right side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction.

4. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein an exhaust pipe of the engine is arranged at the left side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction, the exhaust pipe extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction.

5. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein an exhaust pipe of the engine is arranged at the left side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction, the exhaust pipe extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction.

6. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the motor is arranged at the right side with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction and arranged on the right axle; and
the differential case is arranged such that the accommodating portion is located at the left side with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction and located adjacent to the drive gear at a left side of the drive gear in the vehicle body width direction.

7. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein a battery electrically connected to the motor is arranged at the right side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction.

8. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein an exhaust pipe of the engine is arranged at the left side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction, the exhaust pipe extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction.

9. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein an exhaust pipe of the engine is arranged at the left side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction, the exhaust pipe extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction.

10. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the motor is arranged at the left side with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction and arranged on the left axle; and
the differential case is arranged such that the accommodating portion is located at the right side with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction.

11. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein a battery electrically connected to the motor is arranged at the left side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction.

12. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein an exhaust pipe of the engine is arranged at the right side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction, the exhaust pipe extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction.

13. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein an exhaust pipe of the engine is arranged at the right side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction, the exhaust pipe extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction.

14. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the motor is arranged at the left side with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction and arranged on the left axle; and
the differential case is arranged such that the accommodating portion is located at the right side with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction and located adjacent to the drive gear at a right side of the drive gear in the vehicle body width direction.

15. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein a battery electrically connected to the motor is arranged at the left side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction.

16. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein an exhaust pipe of the engine is arranged at the right side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction, the exhaust pipe extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction.

17. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein an exhaust pipe of the engine is arranged at the right side with respect to the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction, the exhaust pipe extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction.

18. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the motor is connected to the differential case through the speed reducer smaller in diameter than the motor; and
the speed reducer and the drive gear are arranged so as to overlap each other in the vehicle body width direction.

19. A hybrid vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a propeller shaft rotated by the engine and arranged so as to extend in a vehicle body front-rear direction;
a drive gear provided at a rear end portion of the propeller shaft;
a differential device including:
a driven gear meshing with the drive gear,
a differential case configured to rotate together with the driven gear, and
a pair of left and right side gears accommodated in an accommodating portion of the differential case;

a left axle connecting the left side gear and a left driving wheel through a universal joint;
a right axle connecting the right side gear and a right driving wheel through a universal joint; and
a generator connected to the differential case, wherein:
the generator is arranged at one of right and left sides with respect to an axis of the propeller shaft in a vehicle body width direction;
the differential case is arranged at the other of the right and left sides with respect to the axis of the propeller shaft in the vehicle body width direction;
the generator is connected to the differential case through a speed reducer smaller in diameter than the generator; and
the speed reducer is arranged between the drive gear and the generator.

Assignees

• Mazda Motor

Inventors

• Hidaka Seiji
• Mito Eiji
• Sawazaki Tomoo
• Toyota Hideo

Classifications

• B60K6/40 Primary

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

• B60K2001/001

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

• B60K1/02

  comprising more than one electric motor · CPC title

• B60K6/36

  characterised by the transmission gearings · CPC title

• Y02T10/62

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title