# US 10,308,240 B2 · Front end motor-generator system and hybrid electric vehicle operating method

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- Number: US 10,308,240 B2
- Document ID: US10308240B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/378,764
- Filed: 2016-12-14
- Published: 2018-06-14
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-14
- Assignees: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
- Applicants: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
- Inventors: David Colavincenzo; Fernando Venegas Diaz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308240B2

## CPC

- B60L 50/15: with additional electric power supply (with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61)
- B60K 6/448: Electrical distribution type
- B60K 6/48: Parallel type
- B60L 7/22: Dynamic electric resistor braking, combined with dynamic electric regenerative braking
- B60L 15/2054: {by controlling transmissions or clutches}
- B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
- B60L 50/30: using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
- B60L 58/15: Preventing overcharging
- B60L 58/20: having different nominal voltages
- B60L 58/22: Balancing the charge of battery modules
- B60W 20/20: Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
- B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft}
- B60K 2006/4833: {Step up or reduction gearing driving generator, e.g. to operate generator in most efficient speed range}
- B60L 2210/10: DC to DC converters
- B60L 2210/42: Voltage source inverters
- B60L 2240/421: Speed
- B60L 2240/423: Torque
- B60L 2240/441: Speed
- B60L 2240/443: Torque
- B60L 2240/507: Operating parameters
- B60W 2710/021: Clutch engagement state
- B60Y 2300/91: Battery charging
- B60Y 2400/112: Batteries
- B60Y 2400/421: Dog type clutches or brakes
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- Y10S 903/946: Characterized by control of driveline clutch
- Y10S 903/951: Assembly or relative location of components
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A system and method are provided for hybrid electric internal combustion engine applications in which a motor-generator, a narrow switchable coupling and a torque transfer unit therebetween are arranged and positioned in the constrained environment at the front of an engine in applications such as commercial vehicles, off-road vehicles and stationary engine installations. The motor-generator is preferably positioned laterally offset from the switchable coupling, which is co-axially-arranged with the front end of the engine crankshaft. The switchable coupling is an integrated unit in which a crankshaft vibration damper, an engine accessory drive pulley and a disengageable clutch overlap such that the axial depth of the clutch-pulley-damper unit is nearly the same as a conventional belt drive pulley and engine damper. The front end motor-generator system includes an electrical energy store that receives electrical energy generated by the motor-generator when the coupling is engaged. When the coupling is disengaged, the motor-generator may drive the pulley portion of the clutch-pulley-damper to drive the engine accessories using energy returned from the energy store, independent of the engine crankshaft.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of retrofitting a vehicle with a hybrid electric system, comprising the acts of:
coupling an engine crankshaft damper of an integrated switchable coupling to a crankshaft at a front end of an internal combustion engine opposite a rear engine flywheel end of the engine;
coupling a first end of a torque transfer gearbox to a pulley of the integrated switchable coupling on a side of the integrated switchable coupling opposite a damper side of the coupling with a selectively-engageable clutch between the pulley and the damper;
coupling a motor-generator to a second end of the torque transfer gearbox at a location laterally offset from a rotation axis of the integrated switchable coupling;
coupling an engine accessory drive arranged to drive at least one engine accessory to the pulley of the integrated switchable coupling;
installing an energy store on the vehicle;
electrically connecting the motor-generator and the energy store such that electrical energy is transferable between the motor-generator and the energy store; and
connecting a front end motor-generator controller to the motor-generator, the energy store and a clutch actuator, the front end motor-generator controller being configured to selectively engage and disengage the clutch between the damper and the pulley.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of retrofitting a vehicle with a hybrid electric system of claim 1, further comprising the act of:
installing an electrical energy conversion unit between the motor-generator and the energy store,
wherein the electrical energy conversion unit is configured to convert electrical energy transferred between alternating current and direct current when the electrical energy is transferred from the motor-generator to the energy store and between direct current and alternating current when the electrical energy is transferred from the energy store to the motor-generator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of retrofitting a vehicle with a hybrid electric system of claim 1, wherein
the front end motor-generator controller is configured to be connected to at least one vehicle network over which signals from vehicle sensors and other vehicle controllers are receivable.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of retrofitting a vehicle with a hybrid electric system of claim 1, wherein
the torque transfer gearbox is configured to be mounted relative to the engine in a plurality of orientations about the rotation axis.