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US 11,607,947 B2Granted
Hybrid power train structure in off-road vehicle
AssigneeZhejiang CFMOTO Power Co., Ltd.
InventorJiajun Li
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid power train structure for off-road vehicles (ATVs, UTVs and SSVs) uses an internal combustion engine (“ICE”) rotating a crankshaft through a continuously variable transmission (“CVT”) as a primary source of locomotion torque, but also includes a driving/generator motor which, in certain established conditions, can either provide an additional or alternative source of locomotion torque or can harvest electricity from the torque created by the internal combustion engine. The driving/generator motor is an axial flux motor of small size for its relative torque output, which can either be directly coupled to the CVT output shaft or, when additionally used as a starter motor for the ICE in an automatic ICE starting and stopping routine.
Claims19
A hybrid power train structure for an off-road vehicle, comprising:
- an internal combustion engine causing rotation of a crankshaft;
- a continuously variable transmission powered by rotation of the crankshaft to output power on a CVT output shaft;
- a driving/generator motor directly coupled to the CVT output shaft, operating under control of a vehicle power control unit to operate optionally in a hybrid mode wherein torque from the driving/generator motor is added to torque from the internal combustion engine, or in a power harvesting mode which generates electricity from torque on the CVT output shaft;
- a gear shift assembly on the CVT output shaft;
- a drive shaft powered by the gear shift assembly and by torque from the CVT output shaft for locomotion of the off-road vehicle;
- and
- a differential powered by the drive shaft.
4 more elements
A hybrid power train structure for an off-road vehicle, comprising:
- an internal combustion engine causing rotation of a crankshaft;
- a continuously variable transmission powered by rotation of the crankshaft to output power on a CVT output shaft;
- a driving/generator motor directly coupled to the CVT output shaft, operating under control of a vehicle power control unit to operate optionally in a hybrid mode wherein torque from the driving/generator motor is added to torque from the internal combustion engine, or in a power harvesting mode which generates electricity from torque on the CVT output shaft;
- and
- a drive shaft powered by torque from the CVT output shaft for locomotion of the off-road vehicle;
- wherein the vehicle power control unit places the driving/generator motor into the power harvesting mode a) during idling;
- b) during braking, and c) when a battery charge state value is low.
4 more elements
A hybrid power train structure for an off-road vehicle, comprising:
- an internal combustion engine causing rotation of a crankshaft;
- a continuously variable transmission powered by rotation of the crankshaft to output power on a CVT output shaft;
- a driving/generator motor operating under control of a vehicle power control unit to operate optionally in a hybrid mode wherein torque from the driving/generator motor is added to torque from the internal combustion engine, or in a power harvesting mode which generates electricity from torque on the CVT output shaft;
- a drive shaft powered by torque from the CVT output shaft for locomotion of the off-road vehicle;
- and
- a separate generator motor coupled to the crankshaft, wherein the vehicle power control unit can operate the driving/generator motor in the hybrid mode while the internal combustion engine is running and the crankshaft is rotating even if a mechanical failure prevents torque transfer from the crankshaft to the CVT output shaft;
- wherein the vehicle power control unit can operate the driving/generator motor in a pure electric mode, to output torque on the CVT output shaft for locomotion of the off-road vehicle while the internal combustion engine is off and the crankshaft is not rotating.
4 more elements
A hybrid power train structure for an off-road vehicle, comprising:
- an internal combustion engine causing rotation of a crankshaft;
- a continuously variable transmission powered by rotation of the crankshaft to output power on a CVT output shaft;
- and
- a driving/generator motor operating under control of a vehicle power control unit to operate optionally in a hybrid mode wherein torque from the driving/generator motor is added to torque from the internal combustion engine, or in a power harvesting mode which generates electricity from torque from the internal combustion engine, wherein the driving/generator motor is an axial flux motor;
- wherein torque from the CVT output shaft causes locomotion of the off-road vehicle;
- wherein the axial flux motor can be operated by the vehicle power control unit to turn the crankshaft for starting of the internal combustion engine;
- wherein the vehicle power control unit has an automatic starting and stopping routine used to control the internal combustion engine to stop when the vehicle is not travelling for a preset duration;
- and
- wherein the vehicle power control units uses the axial flux motor to start the internal combustion engine after the vehicle power control unit receives a throttle signal.
6 more elements
A hybrid power train structure for an off-road vehicle, comprising:
- an internal combustion engine causing rotation of a crankshaft;
- a continuously variable transmission powered by rotation of the crankshaft to output power on a CVT output shaft;
- and
- a driving/generator motor operating under control of a vehicle power control unit to operate optionally in a hybrid mode wherein torque from the driving/generator motor is added to torque from the internal combustion engine, or in a power harvesting mode which generates electricity from torque from the internal combustion engine, wherein the driving/generator motor is an axial flux motor;
- wherein torque from the CVT output shaft causes locomotion of the off-road vehicle;
- wherein the axial flux motor can be operated by the vehicle power control unit to turn the crankshaft for starting of the internal combustion engine;
- wherein the vehicle power control unit has an automatic starting and stopping routine used to control the internal combustion engine to stop when the vehicle is not travelling for a preset duration;
- and
- wherein the vehicle power control units uses the axial flux motor to start the internal combustion engine after the vehicle power control unit receives a new braking signal after the vehicle has stopped travelling.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.