# US 2018/0022203 A1 · Hybrid vehicle

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- Number: US 2018/0022203 A1
- Document ID: US20180022203A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/550,051
- Filed: 2016-02-16
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-18
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Hidehiko BANSHOYA; Kiyonori TAKAGI; Atsushi KAWAMOTO; Haruhisa SUZUKI; Tatsuya IMAMURA; Toshiki KANADA; Atsushi TABATA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022203A1

## CPC

- B60K 6/445: Differential gearing distribution type
- B60K 6/365: with the gears having orbital motion
- B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
- B60K 6/40: characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- F16H 3/728: {with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing}
- F16H 37/08: with differential gearing
- B60W 20/20: Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
- B60W 20/40: Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)}
- F16H 2037/0873: {with switching means, e.g. to change ranges}
- F16H 2200/2007: with two sets of orbital gears
- F16H 2200/2038: with three engaging means
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid 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
- F16H: GEARING
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A transmission unit is able to switch between a non-neutral state where power of an engine is transmitted via a path K1 and a neutral state where power of the engine is not transmitted via the path K1. A clutch is able to switch between an engaged state where power is transmitted from the engine to a first MG and a released state where transmission of power from the engine to the first MG is interrupted. When the transmission unit is controlled to the non-neutral state and, at the same time, the clutch is set to the released state, a vehicle is operable in series-parallel mode. When power is transmitted via the path K2 by directly coupling the engine to the first MG by the clutch and the path K1 is interrupted by controlling the transmission unit to the neutral state, the vehicle is operable in series mode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hybrid vehicle comprising:
an internal combustion engine;
a first rotary electric machine;
a second rotary electric machine configured to output power to a drive wheel;
a power transmission unit including an input element and an output element, the input element being configured to receive power from the internal combustion engine, the output element being configured to output power input to the input element, and the power transmission unit being configured to switch between a non-neutral state where power is transmitted between the input element and the output element and a neutral state where power is not transmitted between the input element and the output element, the power transmission unit is configured to be able to change a ratio of a rotation speed of the input element to a rotation speed of the output element;
a differential unit including a first rotating element, a second rotating element and a third rotating element, the first rotating element being connected to the first rotary electric machine, the second rotating element being connected to the second rotary electric machine and the drive wheel, the third rotating element being connected to the output element, and the differential unit being configured such that, when rotation speeds of any two of the first rotating element, the second rotating element and the third rotating element are determined, a rotation speed of the remaining one of the first rotating element, the second rotating element and the third rotating element is determined; and
a clutch configured to switch between an engaged state where power is transmitted from the internal combustion engine to the first rotary electric machine and a released state where transmission of power from the internal combustion engine to the first rotary electric machine is interrupted, power from the internal combustion engine being transmitted to the first rotary electric machine though at least one of a first path or a second path,
the first path being a path through which power is transmitted from the internal combustion engine to the first rotary electric machine via the power transmission unit and the differential unit,
the second path being a path through which power is transmitted from the internal combustion engine to the first rotary electric machine, being different from the first path, and not including the differential unit, and the clutch being provided in the second path.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the first rotary electric machine is provided along a first axis coaxial with a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, the second rotary electric machine is provided along a second axis different from the first axis, the clutch is provided along the first axis, the clutch is arranged across the first rotary electric machine from the internal combustion engine, and, when viewed in an axial direction of the first axis, the clutch has a smaller outermost diameter than the first rotary electric machine.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, wherein
the differential unit is provided along the first axis, and the differential unit, the first rotary electric machine and the clutch are arranged in a line in ascending order of distance from to the internal combustion engine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:
a controller configured to control the power transmission unit and the clutch, the controller being configured to select any one of a plurality of operation modes and cause the hybrid vehicle to travel in the selected operation mode, the plurality of operation modes include a series-parallel mode and a series mode, the series-parallel mode is a mode in which the power transmission unit is set to the non-neutral state and the clutch is set to a released state, and the series mode is a mode in which the power transmission unit is set to the neutral state and the clutch is set to an engaged state.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of operation modes further include a parallel mode, and the parallel mode is a mode in which the power transmission unit is set to the non-neutral state and the clutch is set to the engaged state.

### Claim 6

(canceled)

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the power transmission unit is configured to be able to restrict rotation of the output element.