Pump assembly with multiple gear ratios

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500197-B2
Application number	US-201213475559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2012
Priority date	May 18, 2012
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A pump assembly for a vehicle transmission that is coupled to a prime mover, a chain drive assembly, a hydraulic pump with a rotor, and a planetary gear set. A drive sprocket of the chain drive assembly is rotationally coupled with the prime mover. The planetary gear set includes first, second, and third members. The first member is rotatable with the pump and the third member is rotatable with the driven sprocket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pump assembly for a vehicle transmission that is coupled to a prime mover, the pump assembly comprising:
a chain drive assembly including a drive sprocket and a driven sprocket, wherein the drive sprocket is rotationally coupled with the prime mover;
a hydraulic pump having a rotor;
a planetary gear set including a sun gear, a ring gear, and a planet carrier member, wherein the sun gear is directly connected for common rotation with the rotor of the hydraulic pump and the planet carrier member is rotatable with the driven sprocket of the chain drive assembly;
a first torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the ring gear of the planetary gear set with a stationary member; and
a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the ring gear of the planetary gear set with the driven sprocket, and
an electric motor, a speed reducing gear set, and a one-way clutch, and wherein the electric motor operatively drives an input member of the speed reducing gear set, an output member of the speed reducing gear set is interconnected for common rotation with the planet carrier member of the planetary gear set, and the one-way clutch is disposed between the electric motor and the speed reducing gear set,
wherein the torque transmitting devices are engageable to establish at least a first and a second gear state, and wherein in the second gear state the rotor of the pump rotates at a rotational speed that is more than twice a rotational speed of the planet carrier member of the planetary gear set.

2. The pump assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second torque transmitting devices are cone clutches.

3. The pump assembly of claim 1 further including a shifting device and a biasing member, and wherein the shifting device includes a first position where the first torque transmitting device is disengaged and the second torque transmitting device is engaged and a second position where the second torque transmitting device is disengaged and the first torque transmitting device is engaged, and wherein the biasing member urges the shifting device into the second position.

4. The pump assembly of claim 1 wherein the pump includes a nozzle that reduces cavitation at high pump speeds.

5. The pump assembly of claim 1 wherein the transmission has a predetermined hydraulic pressure and flow demand, and wherein the pump has a displacement that is less than the hydraulic flow demand of the transmission when the pump is operating at the speed of the prime mover of the vehicle at idle conditions.

6. The pump assembly of claim 1 wherein the pump displaces less than ten cubic centimeters of hydraulic fluid per revolution of the rotor of the pump.

7. The pump assembly of claim 1 wherein the sun gear of the planetary gear set is continuously directly connected with the rotor of the pump and the planet carrier member of the planetary gear set is continuously directly connected with the driven sprocket of the chain drive assembly.

8. The pump assembly of claim 7 wherein the second one-way clutch is disposed between the prime mover and the planet carrier member of the planetary gear set, and the first and second one-way clutches are oriented so that the one of the prime mover and electric motor that has a higher rotational speed drives the planet carrier member of the planetary gear set.

9. The pump assembly of claim 8 wherein the second one-way clutch is disposed on the drive sprocket of the chain drive assembly.

10. The pump assembly of claim 1 further including a third torque transmitting device, a fourth torque transmitting device, a fifth torque transmitting device, and a sixth torque transmitting device, wherein the third torque transmitting device is selectively engageable to connect the third member of the planetary gear set with the rotor of the pump, the fourth torque transmitting device is selectively engageable to connect the driven sprocket of the chain drive assembly with the third member of the planetary gear set, the fifth torque transmitting device is selectively engageable to connect the first member of the planetary gear set with the rotor of the pump, and the sixth torque transmitting device is selectively engageable to connect the electric motor with the first member of the planetary gear set.

11. The pump assembly of claim 10 wherein the electric motor operates on about 12 volts.

12. The pump assembly of claim 1 wherein the prime mover is an engine.

13. The pump assembly of claim 1 wherein the second torque transmitting device is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the planetary gear set with the third member of the planetary gear set.

14. A pump assembly for a vehicle transmission that is coupled to a prime mover, the pump assembly comprising:
a prime mover;
a chain drive assembly including a drive sprocket and a driven sprocket, wherein the drive sprocket is rotationally coupled with the prime mover;
a hydraulic pump having a rotor;
a planetary gear set including a sun gear, a ring gear, and a planet carrier member, wherein the sun gear is directly connected for common rotation with the rotor of the hydraulic pump, and the planet carrier member is rotatable with the driven sprocket of the chain drive assembly;
a first torque transmitting mechanism for selectively connecting the ring gear to a stationary member;
a second torque transmitting mechanism for selectively connecting for common rotation the planet carrier to the ring gear;and
an electric motor, a speed reducing gear set, and a one-way clutch, and wherein the electric motor operatively drives an input member of the speed reducing gear set, an output member of the speed reducing gear set is interconnected for common rotation with the planet carrier member of the planetary gear set, and the one-way clutch is disposed between the electric motor and the speed reducing gear set.

Assignees

• Schultz John C
• Lundberg Philip C
• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Schultz John C
• Lundberg Philip C

Classifications

• F16H61/0025 Primary

  Supply of control fluid; Pumps therefor · CPC title

• F04D13/021 Primary

  containing a coupling · CPC title

• F16H57/0439

  using multiple pumps with different power sources or a single pump with different power sources, e.g. one and the same pump may selectively be driven by either the engine or an electric motor · CPC title