Method and apparatus for providing a hydraulic transmission pump assembly having a differential actuation
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorsWilliam Vukovich, Mark R. Buchanan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydraulic transmission pump assembly including a pump, an electric motor operatively coupled to the pump, and a differential gear assembly interposed between the two. The differential gear assembly acts to divide engine torque between the pump and the electric motor at engine speeds above a predetermined level thereby providing fluid under pressure to the transmission and driving the electric motor to generate electricity; the electric motor also being operable to drive the pump at engine speeds below the predetermined level thereby providing fluid under pressure to the transmission during this operating condition.
Claims20
A hydraulic transmission pump assembly comprising:
- a pump adapted to provide fluid under pressure to predetermined components in a transmission;
- an electric motor operatively coupled to said pump;
- and
- a differential gear assembly interposed between an engine and said electric motor, said differential gear assembly acting to divide engine torque between said pump and said electric motor at engine speeds above a predetermined level thereby providing fluid under pressure to the transmission and driving said electric motor to generate electricity, said electric motor operable to drive said pump at engine speeds below said predetermined level thereby providing fluid under pressure to the transmission during this operating condition.
A hydraulic transmission pump comprising:
- a planetary gear set differential adapted to accept and transfer rotational power from both an engine of a motor vehicle and an electrical motor;
- a gerotor pump adapted to accept rotational power from said differential and provide a volume of pressurized hydraulic fluid to a transmission of a motor vehicle;
- and
- a said electric motor adapted to provide rotational power to said differential.
A method of providing hydraulic power to an automotive transmission, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a pump which is operatively actuated about a central axis as defined by a common driven shaft;
- providing an electric motor which is electrically connected to the electrical system of an automobile;
- providing a differential gear assembly interposed between a power input and the electric motor;
- controlling the operation of the differential gear assembly such that the differential gear assembly causes the pump to be driven by the electric motor when the automotive engine is operating below a predetermined RPM, and that the differential gear assembly causes both the pump and the electric motor to be driven by the power input when the automotive engine is operating above a predetermined RPM such that the electric motor functions as a generator to provide electric power back to the automobile electrical system during specific times of motor vehicle operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.