Automotive air blowers
AssigneesDrivetec (UK) Limited, Integral Powertrain Limited
InventorDavid Luke BARKER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automotive air blower, in particular a supercharger, includes an air pump, such as an air impeller connected to the output shaft of a transmission system, the input shaft of which is connected, in use, to the engine of a motor vehicle. The input and output shafts are connected to respective branches of a three-branch epicyclic differential gearset. The third branch of the gearset and the input shaft are connected to the rotor of respective electrical machines, the electrical connections of the stators of which machines are connected together via a controller arranged to control the flow of electric power between them.
Claims8
1-11. (canceled)
An automotive air blower system, comprising:
- a supercharger connected to an output shaft of a transmission system, an input shaft of the transmission system being connected, in use, to an engine of a motor vehicle, the input and output shafts being connected to respective branches of a three-branch epicyclic differential gearset, one branch of the gearset and the input shaft being connected to a rotor of respective electrical machines,
- wherein the supercharger comprises a centrifugal impeller wheel,
- wherein a first of the electrical machines constitutes a motor/generator and a second of the electrical machines is configured to operate as a generator,
- wherein each of the first and second electrical machines comprise stators and electrical connections of the stators, and
- wherein the electrical connections of the stators are connected to a controller configured to control a flow of electric power between the first and second electrical machines.
An automotive air blower system, comprising:
- a transmission system, having an input shaft and an output shaft, the input shaft configured to be connected to an engine of a motor vehicle;
- a supercharger comprising a centrifugal impeller wheel connected to the transmission system via the output shaft;
- a three-branch epicyclic differential gearset comprising a sun wheel in engagement with a plurality of planet wheels, the planet wheels being carried by a common carrier and in engagement with an annulus wheel;
- a first electrical machine, comprising a first stator, having at least one of a motor capability and a combination motor/generator capability, and connected to the input shaft;
- a second electrical machine, comprising a second stator, having at least one of a generator capability and a combination motor/generator capability, and connected to the input shaft;
- and
- an electronic controller,
- wherein a first electrical connections of the first stator and a second electrical connections of the second stator are connected to the controller,
- wherein the electronic controller is configured to control a first flow of electric power between a battery and any of the first and second electrical machines, and further configured to control a second flow of electric power between the first and second electrical machines,
- wherein each of the sun wheel, the carrier, and the annulus wheel is respectively connected to one of the input shaft, the supercharger, and a rotor of the second electrical machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.