# US 2013/0152570 A1 · Fluid flow path control unit for vehicle drive system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0152570 A1 - Document ID: US20130152570A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/818,533 - Filed: 2011-06-28 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-24 - Inventors: Takeshi Hoshinoya; Shigeru Nakayama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152570A1 ## CPC - F15B 13/02: Fluid distribution or supply devices characterised by their adaptation to the control of servomotors - B60K 1/00: Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) - B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means - B60K 6/46: Series type - B60K 6/52: Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive - B60L 1/003: {to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors} - B60L 3/0023: {Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train} - B60L 7/26: Controlling the braking effect - B60L 15/2009: {for braking} - B60L 15/2036: {Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles} - B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion - B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries} - F16H 57/0434: {relating to lubrication supply, e.g. pumps; Pressure control} - F16H 57/0446: {the supply forming part of the transmission control unit, e.g. for automatic transmissions} - F16H 57/0476: {Electric machines and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof} - F16H 61/0021: {Generation or control of line pressure} - B60K 7/0007: {the motor being electric} - B60K 17/046: {with planetary gearing having orbital motion} - B60K 2007/0046: {the motor moving together with the vehicle body, i.e. moving independently from the wheel axle} - B60K 2007/0092: {the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle} - B60L 2220/46: Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel - B60L 2240/12: Speed - B60L 2240/36: Temperature of vehicle components or parts - B60L 2240/421: Speed - B60L 2240/423: Torque - B60L 2240/486: Operating parameters - B60L 2260/28: Four wheel or all wheel drive - B60Y 2400/427: One-way clutches - F16H 2061/0037: {characterised by controlled fluid supply to lubrication circuits of the gearing} - 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 - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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 - 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 - F16H: GEARING - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A fluid flow path control unit includes a fluid supply unit supplying fluid to a hydraulic connection/disconnection unit and a fluid supplied portion, and a flow path selector valve disposed on a fluid flow path between the fluid supply unit and the fluid supplied portion or stradding between a hydraulic path communicating between the fluid supply unit and the hydraulic connection/disconnection unit and the fluid flow path. The selector valve includes a valve element switchable between a first operating position and a second operating position, a restoration member biasing the valve element from the second position toward the first position and a fluid chamber accomodating fluid biasing the valve element from the first position toward the second position. The fluid flow path has a flow path resistance differing between when the valve element is in the first position and when the valve element is in the second position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fluid flow path control unit for a vehicle drive system, the vehicle drive system including: a motor that generates driving force to drive a vehicle; a hydraulic connection/disconnection unit that is provided on a power transmission line defined between the motor and a wheel that connects and disconnects the transmission of power therebetween; and a fluid supplied portion that is at least one of the motor and the power transmission line and to which fluid that is used for cooling or lubrication is supplied, the fluid flow path control unit including: a fluid supply unit that supplies fluid to the hydraulic connection/disconnection unit and the fluid supplied portion; and a flow path selector valve that is disposed on a fluid flow path that establishes a communication between the fluid supply unit and the fluid supplied portion or is disposed so as to straddle between a hydraulic path that establishes a communication between the fluid supply unit and the hydraulic connection/disconnection unit and the fluid flow path, wherein the flow path selector valve includes a valve element that is switchable between a first operating position and a second operating position, a restoration member that biases the valve element from the second operating position toward the first operating position and a fluid chamber that accommodates fluid for biasing the valve element from the first operating position toward the second operating position, wherein the fluid chamber communicates with the fluid supply unit when the valve element is in the first and second operating positions, and wherein the fluid flow path has a flow path resistance which differs between when the valve element is in the first operating position and when the valve element is in the second operating position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 1, wherein the flow path resistance of the fluid flow path is larger when the valve element is in the second operating position than when the valve element is in the first operating position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 2, wherein the fluid flow path has a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path that are disposed in parallel with each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 3, wherein the flow path selector valve establishes a communicating state in the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path when the valve element is in the first operating position and establishes a cut-off state in the first fluid flow path when the valve element is in the second operating position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 4, wherein the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path have different flow path resistances. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 5, wherein a diametrically constricted portion is formed in at least one of the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 6, wherein the diametrically constricted portion is formed only in one of the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6, 7) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 6 or 7, wherein the diametrically constricted portion is a choke. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 4, wherein the second fluid flow path establishes a communication that passes round the flow path selector valve between the fluid supply unit and the fluid supplied portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 4, wherein at least part of the first fluid flow path and at least part of the second fluid flow path are formed within the flow path selector valve. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic path establishes a communication between the fluid supply unit and the hydraulic connection/disconnection unit when the valve element is in the first and second operating positions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 11, wherein at least part of the hydraulic path is formed within the flow path selector valve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 3, wherein the flow path selector valve establishes a communicating state in the first fluid flow path when the valve element is in the first operating position and establishes a communicating state in the second fluid flow path when the valve element is in the second operating position, and wherein a flow path resistance of the second fluid flow path is larger than a flow path resistance of the first fluid flow path. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 13, wherein the flow path selector valve establishes a cut-off state in the second fluid flow path when the valve element is in the first operating position and establishes a cut-off state in the first fluid flow path when the valve element is in the second operating position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 13, wherein a flow path resistance structure is disposed in each of the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path, and wherein the flow path resistance structure in the first fluid flow path and the flow path resistance structure in the second fluid flow path are formed so that a flow path resistance of the flow path resistance structure in the second fluid flow path is larger than that of the flow path resistance structure in the first fluid flow path. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 15, wherein the flow path resistance structures are diametrically constricted portions that are disposed in the flow paths, and wherein the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path are formed so that a minimum flow path sectional area of the diametrically constricted portion of the second fluid flow path is smaller than a minimum flow path sectional area of the diametrically constricted portion of the first fluid flow path. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 13, wherein the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path are formed so that a flow path sectional area of the second fluid flow path is smaller than a flow path sectional area of the first fluid flow path. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 13, wherein the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path are formed so that a flow path length of the second fluid flow path that extends from the fluid flow path selector valve to the fluid supplied portion is longer than a flow path length of the first fluid flow path that extends from the fluid flow path selector valve to the fluid supplied portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 3) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 3, wherein the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path merge downstream of the flow path selector valve. ### Claim 20 (depends on 7) The fluid flow path control unit of claim 7, wherein the diametrically constricted portion is a choke.