Transaxle unit for hybrid vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9309933-B2
Application number	US-201314375698-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2013
Priority date	Mar 2, 2012
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A transaxle unit that separately transmits power from an engine and power from a motor to an output shaft of driving wheels and transmits the power from the engine to a generator is provided. A rotary shaft of the motor is disposed vertically apart from the output shaft, and a rotary shaft of the generator is disposed horizontally apart from the output shaft. A clutch is disposed in the transaxle unit in a power transmission path from the engine to the output shaft to connect or disconnect the power from the engine. A pump is disposed coaxially with a rotary shaft of the clutch on a side of the transaxle unit to generate hydraulic pressure for the clutch with the power from the output shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transaxle unit of a powertrain for a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine, a generator, and a motor, the transaxle unit separately transmitting power from the engine and power from the motor to an output shaft of driving wheels and transmitting the power from the engine to the generator,
the powertrain comprising:
a clutch disposed in a power transmission path from the engine to the output shaft in the transaxle unit, the clutch connecting or disconnecting the power from the engine; and
a pump disposed coaxially with a rotary shaft of the clutch on a side of the transaxle unit, the pump generating hydraulic pressure for the clutch with the power from the output shaft,
wherein
the generator has a rotary shaft disposed horizontally apart from the output shaft, and
the motor has a rotary shaft disposed vertically apart from the output shaft.

2. The transaxle unit for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein,
a rotary shaft of the engine is disposed parallel to the output shaft,
the motor has a rotary shaft disposed above the output shaft, and
the clutch has a clutch shaft comprising a rotary shaft disposed below a plane in which an input shaft connected to the rotary shaft of the engine and the output shaft are coplanar.

3. The transaxle unit for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the generator has a rotary shaft disposed below a horizontal plane extending through the rotary shaft of the engine.

4. The transaxle unit for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein,
the engine is disposed on one of the sides in the vehicle-width direction of the transaxle unit, and
the generator, the motor, and the pump are disposed on the other side in the vehicle-width direction.

5. The transaxle unit for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein,
the engine is disposed on one of the sides in the vehicle-width direction of the transaxle unit, and
the generator, the motor, and the pump are disposed on the other side in the vehicle-width direction.

6. The transaxle unit for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the generator has a rotary shaft disposed below a horizontal plane extending through the rotary shaft of the engine.

7. The transaxle unit for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein,
the engine is disposed on one of the sides in the vehicle-width direction of the transaxle unit, and
the generator, the motor, and the pump are disposed on the other side in the vehicle-width direction.

8. The transaxle unit for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein,
the engine is disposed on one of the sides in the vehicle-width direction of the transaxle unit, and
the generator, the motor, and the pump are disposed on the other side in the vehicle-width direction.

9. The transaxle unit for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the transaxle unit comprises:
an output shaft disposed between a first mechanism for the power transmission from the engine to the driving wheels and a second mechanism for the power transmission from the motor to the driving wheels, the output shaft outputting the power from the engine and the motor to the driving wheels;
an input shaft disposed between a third mechanism for the power transmission from the engine to the generator and the first mechanism, the input shaft being connected to the rotary shaft of the engine;
a motor shaft connected to the rotary shaft of the motor, the motor shaft transmitting the power from the motor to the second mechanism;
a generator shaft connected to the rotary shaft of the generator, the generator shaft transmitting the power from the third mechanism to the generator;
a clutch shaft functioning as a rotary shaft of the clutch, the clutch shaft being disposed in the first mechanism not so as to overlap with both the motor and the generator in the axial direction of the output shaft; and
a pump shaft disposed coaxially with the clutch shaft, rotatable in cooperation with the output shaft, and connected to the pump generating hydraulic pressure for the clutch.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Motors Corp

Inventors

• Date Hiromasa

Classifications

• B60K6/40 Primary

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

• B60K6/442

  Series-parallel switching type · CPC title

• Y10S903/951

  Assembly or relative location of components · CPC title

• F16D25/12 Primary

  Details not specific to one of the before-mentioned types · CPC title

• B60K2006/4808

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