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US 11,353,097 B2Granted
Electric machine with fluid coupling
AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorPeter Rentfrow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A powertrain includes an electric machine including a rotor defining a hollow center and a fluid-coupling assembly at least partially disposed within the hollow center. The fluid-coupling assembly includes an input shaft, a turbine fixedly coupled to the rotor and having a hub configured to connect with a transmission input shaft, and an impeller configured to fluid couple with the turbine. The impeller is selectively coupled to the rotor and selectively coupled to the input shaft.
Claims12
A powertrain comprising:
- an electric machine including a rotor defining a hollow center;
- and
- a fluid-coupling assembly at least partially disposed within the hollow center, the assembly including:
- an input shaft,
- a turbine fixedly coupled to the rotor and having a hub configured to connect with a transmission input shaft, and
- an impeller configured to fluidly couple with the turbine, the impeller being selectively coupled to the rotor and selectively coupled to the input shaft,
- wherein the fluid-coupling assembly further includes:
- a first clutch selectively coupling the impeller to the rotor, and
- a second clutch selectively coupling the impeller to the input shaft;
- wherein the first and second clutch are controlled independently so as to place the powertrain in a plurality of different operating modes, the operating modes comprising at least one of an electric-only mode, engine-only mode, hybrid mode and engine-starting mode,
- and wherein the first clutch includes at least one first clutch plate fixedly coupled to the rotor and at least one first clutch disc fixedly coupled to the impeller, and wherein the second clutch includes at least one second clutch plate fixedly coupled to the input shaft and at least one second clutch disc fixedly coupled to the impeller.
8 more elements
An electric machine assembly with integrated fluid coupling, comprising:
- an electric machine including a rotor;
- an input shaft supported for rotation within the rotor;
- a fluid-coupling including a turbine fixedly coupled to the rotor and an impeller;
- and
- a clutch assembly configured to selectively couple the impeller to the input shaft and to selectively couple the impeller to the rotor, and
- the clutch assembly further comprising a first clutch that selectively couples the impeller to the input shaft and a second clutch that selectively couples the impeller to the rotor, and
- wherein the impeller includes a shell having an outer circumferential surface connected to the first clutch and an inner circumferential surface connected to the second clutch.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.