Electric and hybrid electric powertrain for motor vehicles
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsBob Roethler, Michael Berhan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A powertrain for transmitting power to a driven wheel of a motor vehicle includes a power source that includes a reversible electric machine. A first transmission includes an input driveably connected to the power source, a first output, and a mechanism for producing a stepless variable range of ratios of a speed of the output to a speed of the input. An epicyclic transmission includes a second input driveably connected to the power source, a third input driveably connected to the first output, and a second output driveably connected to a drive wheel. The transmissions produce a range of speed of the drive wheel that varies from negative to positive and includes zero.
Claims25
A powertrain for transmitting power to a drive wheel of a motor vehicle, comprising:
- a power source including a reversible electric machine having a slow transient response;
- a first transmission including an input driveably connected to the power source, a first output, and a mechanism for producing a stepless variable range of ratios of a speed of the power source and a speed of the first output;
- an epicyclic transmission including a second input driveably connected to the power source, a third input driveably connected to the first output, and a second output driveably connected to the drive wheel, for producing a range of speed of the drive wheel that varies from negative to positive and includes zero.
A powertrain for transmitting power from a power source to an output, comprising:
- a power source including reversible electric machine having a slow transient response;
- a traction drive transmission including an input disc driveably connected to the power source, an output disc, and a drive element driveably engaged with the input disc and output disc at variable positions on the discs for producing a stepless range of ratios of a speed of the input disc and a speed of the output disc;
- an epicyclic transmission including a sun gear driveably connected to the output disc, a pinion carrier driveably connected to the power source, a ring gear driveably connected to the output, and planet pinions supported for rotation on the carrier and driveably engaged with the sun gear and the ring gear, for producing a stepless range of ratios of a speed of the output and a speed of the power source, the speed ratio range varying from negative ratios to positive ratios including a zero ratio.
A powertrain for a motor vehicle comprising:
- an electric motor/generator having a slow transient response and including an output;
- and
- an infinitely variable transmission driveably connected to the output of the electric motor/generator and including a second output, the infinitely variable transmission producing a range of ratios of a speed of the output of the electric motor/generator and a speed of the second output that varies from negative to positive and includes zero.
A method for operating a powertrain that includes a power source having a slow transient response and an output the method comprising the steps of:
- driveably connecting the power source to an input of a first transmission capable of producing a stepless variable range of ratios of a speed or the power source and a speed or an output of the first transmission;
- driveably connecting the power source to a first input of an epicyclic transmission that includes the output;
- driveably connecting the output of the first transmission to a second input of the epicyclic transmission;
- controlling a speed of the output of the first transmission relative to a speed of the power source such that the powertrain operates in a geared-neutral condition with the speed of its output being zero when the speed of the power source is not zero.
A method for operating a powertrain in response to a command for a change in the magnitude of power transmitted to a vehicle wheel, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a reversible machine and a second power source to produce output power, said machine and second power source having a slow transient response;
- transmitting the power output by the reversible machine and second power source to a vehicle drive wheel through an IVT;
- and
- using the reversible machine to produce a portion of the magnitude of commanded wheel power during a period in which the magnitude of output power produced by the second power source is increasing.
A method for operating a powertrain in response to a command for a change in the magnitude of power transmitted to a vehicle wheel, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a reversible machine and a second power source having a slow transient response to produce output power;
- (b) providing an energy storage device operatively connected to the reversible machine;
- and
- (c) transmitting energy to the energy storage device from the reversible machine during a period in which the magnitude of output power produced by the second power source is decreasing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.