Magnetic filter in a fluid channel upsteam of electric motor in a modular hybrid transmission

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10895317-B2
Application number	US-201715685990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2017
Priority date	Aug 24, 2017
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A hybrid drive unit configured for arrangement in a torque path upstream from a transmission and downstream from an internal combustion engine is provided. The hybrid drive unit includes an electric motor, a clutch configured for selectively coupling the internal combustion engine to the electric motor for driving the transmission, and a housing supporting the electric motor. The housing includes a fluid inlet channel for directing cooling fluid from the transmission to the electric motor. The hybrid drive unit also includes a filter assembly attached to the housing. The filter assembly is arranged in a fluid flow path of the cooling fluid downstream of the inlet and upstream of the electric motor. The filter assembly is configured for removing ferrous metallic particles from the cooling fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid module comprising:
a hybrid drive unit configured for arrangement in a torque path upstream from a transmission and downstream from an internal combustion engine, the hybrid drive unit comprising:
an electric motor;
a clutch configured for selectively coupling the internal combustion engine to the electric motor for driving the transmission;
a housing supporting the electric motor, the housing including an axially extending fluid inlet channel radially outside of the electric motor, a radially extending fluid channel and a further axially extending fluid channel, the axially extending fluid inlet channel configured for directing cooling fluid from the transmission to the radially extending fluid channel, the radially extending fluid channel configured for directing the cooling fluid from the axially extending fluid inlet channel to the further axially extending fluid channel, the further axially extending fluid channel configured for directing the cooling fluid from the radially extending fluid channel to the electric motor; and
a filter assembly attached to the housing, the filter assembly being arranged in a fluid flow path of the cooling fluid downstream of the inlet and upstream of the electric motor, the filter assembly being configured for removing ferrous metallic particles from the cooling fluid,
the filter assembly including at least one magnet for attracting the ferrous metallic particles flowing through the filter assembly, the at least one magnet being upstream from the radially extending fluid channel,
the hybrid drive unit being configured for attachment to the internal combustion engine; and

a torque converter attached to the hybrid drive unit and configured for attachment to a transmission input shaft of the transmission.

2. The hybrid module as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one magnet extends into a bore provided in the housing longitudinally such that the cooling fluid flowing from the axially extending fluid inlet channel through the filter assembly flows along a length of the at least one magnet.

3. The hybrid module as recited in claim 1 wherein the filter assembly includes at least one wall, the at least one magnet being provided on the at least one wall to form a chamber within the filter assembly, the filter assembly being configured such that the ferrous metallic particles are drawn into the chamber by the at least one magnet during operation of the hybrid drive unit.

4. The hybrid module as recited in claim 1 wherein the filter assembly is configured for removable attachment to the housing such that the ferrous metallic particles accumulating in the filter assembly during operation of the hybrid drive unit are removable during servicing of the filter assembly.

5. The hybrid module as recited in claim 4 wherein the housing includes a bore intersecting an outer circumference thereof receiving the filter assembly.

6. The hybrid module as recited in claim 5 wherein the housing includes a housing attachment section in the bore, the filter assembly including a filter attachment section configured for removably engaging the housing attachment section to removably attach the filter assembly to the housing.

7. The hybrid module as recited in claim 1 further comprising a sensor configured for provide signals indicating an amount of the ferrous metallic particles present in the filter assembly.

8. The hybrid module as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one magnet is at a transition between the axially extending fluid inlet channel and the radially extending fluid channel.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Heeke Gregory
• Uddin Md Wasi

Classifications

• B03C2201/30

  for use in or with vehicles · CPC title

• B03C1/30

  Combinations with other devices, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B03C2201/18

  Magnetic separation whereby the particles are suspended in a liquid · CPC title

• B03C1/282

  with associated accumulation indicator, e.g. Hall sensor · CPC title

• B60K6/48

  Parallel type · CPC title