Prime mover arrangement and method for controlling speed and torque output of a prime mover arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016347316-A1
Application number	US-201315038703-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2013
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A prime mover arrangement includes a prime mover ( 23 ) including a first shaft ( 25 ) driven by the prime mover, a second shaft ( 27 ), and a speed and torque manipulator ( 29 ) connected to the first shaft ( 25 ) and to the second shaft ( 27 ), the speed and torque manipulator permitting manipulation between at least one non-one-to-one ratio or a plurality of different input/output ratios of speeds and torques input by the first shaft and output to the second shaft. A method is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A prime mover arrangement, comprising:
a prime mover including a first shaft driven by the prime mover; a second shaft, the first and second shafts being non-coaxial; and a speed and torque manipulator connected to the first shaft and to the second shaft, the speed and torque manipulator permitting manipulation of at least one non-one-to-one ratio allowing speed and torque of the second shaft to be different than that of the prime mover.

2 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the speed and torque manipulator permits manipulation between an infinite number of input/output ratios of speeds and torques input from the first shaft and output to the second shaft.

3 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein axes of the first shaft and the second shaft are offset from each other.

4 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein axes of the first shaft and the second shaft are non-parallel.

5 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the speed and torque manipulator comprises one or more of a continuously variable transmission, a gear train, and a chain drive.

6 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the speed and torque manipulator comprises at least a continuously variable transmission including one or more of a fluid coupling, a belt and pulley, and a rolling traction continuously variable transmission.

7 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the speed and torque manipulator comprises at least a gear train comprising one or more of a single gear train, a layshaft gear train, and a planetary gear train.

8 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the speed and torque manipulator comprises at least a chain drive comprising one or more of a multiple sprocket chain drive, and an expandable sprocket chain drive.

9 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , comprising a controller configured to control the speed and torque manipulator to select an input/output ratio as a function of a power demand.

10 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 9 , comprising a controller configured to control the prime mover as a function of the power demand.

11 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 9 , wherein controller is configured to control the prime mover arrangement to perform an engine brake function and to select the input/output ratio as a function of engine brake demand.

12 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to control the prime mover as a function of the power demand to optimize fuel consumption.

13 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , comprising a flywheel driven by the second shaft.

14 . The prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the prime mover arrangement is operable in a first mode to deliver power to the second shaft and in a second mode to receive power from the second shaft.

15 . A method for controlling speed and torque output of a prime mover arrangement, the prime mover arrangement comprising a prime mover and a speed and torque manipulator, comprising
operating the prime mover so that a first shaft is driven by the prime mover at a first speed and at a first torque; driving the speed and torque manipulator via the first shaft; and driving a second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a first output speed and first output torque at a first non-one-to-one ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque, the second shaft being non-coaxial with the first shaft.

16 . The method for controlling speed and torque output of the prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 15 , comprising driving the second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a second output speed and second output torque at a second ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque.

17 . The method for controlling speed and torque output of the prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 16 , comprising inputting a power demand to a controller and outputting one or more control signals to the speed and torque manipulator to select one of the first or second ratios as a function of the power demand.

18 . The method for controlling speed and torque output of the prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the speed and torque manipulator is adapted to change a ratio of the first speed and first torque of the first shaft input to the speed and torque manipulator to an output speed and output torque of the second shaft driven by the speed and torque manipulator at an infinite number of ratios between a maximum ratio and a minimum ratio, comprising driving the second shaft at an output speed and output torque at any ratio, relative to the first speed and first torque, between the maximum ratio and the minimum ratio via the speed and torque manipulator.

19 . The method for controlling speed and torque output of the prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 18 , comprising inputting a power demand to a controller and outputting one or more control signals to the speed and torque manipulator to select a ratio between the maximum ratio and the minimum ratio as a function of the power demand.

20 . The method for controlling speed and torque output of the prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 19 , comprising controlling the prime mover as a function of the power demand to optimize fuel consumption.

21 . The method for controlling speed and torque output of the prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 20 , comprising outputting one or more control signals to control the speed and torque manipulator to provide an output speed and torque at the second shaft different than the first speed and first torque of the first shaft.

22 . The method for controlling speed and torque output of the prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 21 , comprising optimizing fuel consumption by controlling both the prime mover and the speed and torque manipulator to control the output speed and torque.

23 . The method for controlling speed and torque output of the prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 16 , comprising operating the prime mover arrangement in a second mode, including:
driving the second shaft at a first second mode speed and at a first second mode torque; driving the speed and torque manipulator via the second shaft; driving the first shaft and the prime mover via the speed and torque manipulator at a first second mode output speed and first second mode output torque at a first second mode ratio relative to the first second mode speed and the first second mode torque; and driving the first shaft and the prime mover via the speed and torque manipulator at a second second mode output speed and second second mode output torque at a second second mode ratio relative to the first second mode speed and the first second mode torque.

24 . The method for controlling speed and torque output of the prime mover arrangement as set forth in claim 16 , comprising operating the prime mover arrangement in a first mode to deliver power to the second shaft and in a second mode to receive power from the second shaft.

25 . A non-transitory computer program product comprising computer code for controlling speed and torque output of a prime mover arrangement, the prime mov

Assignees

• Volvo Truck Corp

Inventors

• Jerwick John
• Gordon Brian
• Werner Todd

Classifications

• B60W10/08

  including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators · CPC title

• B60Y2300/52

  Engine fuel consumption · CPC title

• B60W30/188 Primary

  Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power · CPC title

• B60W10/101

  Infinitely variable gearings · CPC title

• B60K17/08

  of mechanical type · CPC title