Off-axis hybrid module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11091019-B2
Application number	US-201816131117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2018
Priority date	Sep 19, 2017
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

A hybrid module for a vehicle includes a damper, a pulley, a clutch, and a torque converter. The damper is arranged for fixing to a crank shaft of an engine. The pulley circumscribes the damper and is arranged for connecting to an electric motor via a belt drive. The clutch has a first output flange for drivingly engaging the damper with the pulley. The torque converter has a pilot drivingly engaged with the first output flange.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A hybrid module for a vehicle comprising:
a damper arranged for fixing to a crank shaft of an engine;
a pulley circumscribing the damper, the pulley arranged for connecting to an electric motor via a belt drive;
a clutch comprising a first output flange fixed to the pulley for drivingly engaging the damper with the pulley; and,
a torque converter comprising a pilot drivingly engaged with the first output flange.

2. The hybrid module of claim 1 wherein the damper comprises:
a helical spring;
a first drive plate comprising:
a first orifice for receiving a bolt to fix the damper to the crank shaft; and,
a second orifice;

a second drive plate including a third orifice, the second drive plate at least partially circumscribing the helical spring; and,
a rivet installed in the second orifice and the third orifice to fix the first drive plate to the second drive plate.

3. The hybrid module of claim 2 wherein:
one of the first drive plate or the second drive plate comprises an inner circumferential wall;
the other of the first drive plate or the second drive plate comprises an outer toroidal wall;
and,
the damper comprises a seal installed between the inner circumferential wall and the outer toroidal wall.

4. The hybrid module of claim 1 further comprising a drive flange, wherein:
the damper comprises a second output flange;
the clutch comprises a friction ring; and,
the drive flange is drivingly engaged with the second output flange and the friction ring.

5. The hybrid module of claim 1 wherein the clutch comprises:
a pressure plate; and,
a friction ring clampable between the first output flange and the pressure plate.

6. The hybrid module of claim 5 wherein the first output flange comprises an orifice and at least a portion of the pressure plate passes through the orifice.

7. The hybrid module of claim 5 wherein the clutch comprises:
a backing plate fixed to the first output flange; and,
a spring installed between the backing plate and the pressure plate to clamp the friction ring and close the clutch.

8. The hybrid module of claim 5 further comprising:
a slave cylinder for displacing the pressure plate to open the clutch; and,
a housing with a hydraulic port in fluid communication with the slave cylinder.

9. The hybrid module of claim 8 further comprising a release bearing and a pressing plate installed in a force path between the slave cylinder and the pressure plate.

10. The hybrid module of claim 9 wherein the first output flange comprises an orifice and at least a portion of the pressing plate passes through the orifice.

11. The hybrid module of claim 1 further comprising a housing and a bearing, wherein:
the bearing is installed radially between the torque converter and the housing;
the pilot is installed in the bearing; and,
the torque converter is centered by the bearing.

12. A hybrid module comprising:
a pulley arranged for driving connection to an electric motor;
a torque converter drivingly engaged with the pulley; and
a damper arranged for fixing to an engine crankshaft, the damper installed in a power flow between the engine crankshaft and the pulley, wherein
the torque converter comprises a pilot with a first spline;
the pulley comprises an output flange with a second spline, complementary to the first spline; and,
the pilot is drivingly engaged with the output flange.

13. The hybrid module of claim 12 wherein the first spline is an external spline and the second spline is an internal spline.

14. The hybrid module of claim 12 further comprising:
a housing; and,
a bearing disposed radially between the pilot and the housing, the bearing arranged to radially position the torque converter in the housing.

15. The hybrid module of claim 12 wherein the output flange is axially retained on the pilot.

16. A hybrid module comprising:
a pulley arranged for driving connection to an electric motor;
a torque converter drivingly engaged with the pulley;
a damper arranged for fixing to an engine crankshaft, the damper installed in a power flow between the engine crankshaft and the pulley; and
a friction clutch for releasably connecting the pulley to the damper, the friction clutch comprising a spring for engaging the friction clutch and a slave cylinder for releasing the friction clutch.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Steinberger Markus
• Vögtle Benjamin
• Heeke Gregory
• Burke Peter

Classifications

• Y02T10/62

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title

• B60K6/36 Primary

  characterised by the transmission gearings · CPC title

• B60K6/405

  Housings · CPC title

• B60K6/48

  Parallel type · CPC title

• B60K2006/4825

  Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft · CPC title