# US 8,771,122 B2 · Vehicle power output device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,771,122 B2 - Document ID: US8771122B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/565,477 - Filed: 2012-08-02 - Published: 2013-04-04 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-30 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Junya Ono; Asuka Ito; Jun Adachi; Eisuke Kajihara; Dai Kataoka - Inventors: Junya Ono; Asuka Ito; Jun Adachi; Eisuke Kajihara; Dai Kataoka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771122B2 ## CPC - B60K 6/383: One-way clutches or freewheel devices - B60K 6/365: with the gears having orbital motion - B62M 7/12: with the engine beside or within the driven wheel - B60L 2200/12: Bikes - B60L 2220/42: with use of more than one motor - B60L 2240/486: Operating parameters - B60L 2240/507: Operating parameters - B60Y 2200/126: Scooters - B62K 2204/00: Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor - F16H 3/725: {with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing} - F16H 2200/2005: with one sets of orbital gears - F16H 2200/2084: two freewheel mechanisms - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - 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 - B62M: RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR {SINGLE-TRACK} CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of transmissions in vehicles in general B60K; transmission elements per se F16) - 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 - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE - F16H: GEARING - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A vehicle power output device for driving a first and second rotary electric machine in an efficient range in a wide driving region and for eliminating the need for a complicated mechanism and control. A planetary gear mechanism combines the rotational drive force of a first shaft rotationally driven by a first rotary electric machine and the rotational drive force of a second shaft rotationally driven by a second rotary electric machine and transmits the combined rotational drive force to a drive shaft with the rotational speed increased. The rotational drive force of the second shaft in the forward direction is transmitted to the planetary gear mechanism via a first one-way clutch unit and a first power transmitting mechanism. The rotational drive force of the second shaft in the opposite direction is transmitted to the drive shaft via a second one-way clutch unit and a second power transmitting mechanism. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle power output device for outputting a rotational drive force to a drive shaft, the vehicle power output device comprising: a first rotary electric machine capable of rotating a first shaft; a second rotary electric machine capable of rotating a second shaft in both forward and opposite directions; a planetary gear mechanism operatively connected to the first shaft and the drive shaft; a first power transmitting mechanism for transmitting a rotational drive force of the second shaft to the planetary gear mechanism; a second power transmitting mechanism for transmitting a rotational drive force of the second shaft to the drive shaft; a first one-way clutch unit for permitting transmission of a rotational drive force from the second shaft to the first power transmitting mechanism only when the second shaft rotates in the forward direction; and a second one-way clutch unit for permitting transmission of a rotational drive force from the second shaft to the second power transmitting mechanism only when the second shaft rotates in the opposite direction, wherein the planetary gear mechanism combines a rotational drive force transmitted from the first shaft and a rotational drive force transmitted from the first power transmitting mechanism and transmits the combined rotational drive force to the drive shaft with a rotational speed increased. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle power output device according to claim 1, wherein the second one-way clutch unit includes a ring body disposed to surround an outer circumferential surface of the second shaft and an inner circumferential surface of the ring body including a plurality of trenches having a circular arc sectional shape formed along a circumferential direction with roller bearings and elastic members operatively provided in respective trenches formed in the ring body, wherein when the second shaft rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the second shaft and the ring body integrally rotates in the counterclockwise direction and wherein when the second shaft rotates in a clockwise direction, the second shaft idly rotates relative to the ring body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle power output device according to claim 1, wherein the planetary gear mechanism includes: a sun gear connected to the first shaft, a ring gear to which a rotational drive force of the first power transmitting mechanism is transmitted, a planetary gear that meshes with each of the sun gear and the ring gear, and a carrier that rotatably supports the planetary gear in such a state so as to be coupled to the drive shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle power output device according to claim 3, wherein the second power transmitting mechanism is configured by a chain or a belt wound around the second one-way clutch unit and the carrier or by a gear. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle power output device according to claim 1, and further comprising: clutch means provided on a power transmission path between the first one-way clutch unit and the planetary gear mechanism, the clutch means permitting transmission of a rotational drive force from the second shaft to the planetary gear mechanism and blocking transmission of a rotational drive force from the planetary gear mechanism to the second shaft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle power output device according to claim 5, wherein the planetary gear mechanism includes: a sun gear connected to the first shaft, a ring gear to which a rotational drive force of the first power transmitting mechanism is transmitted, a planetary gear that meshes with each of the sun gear and the ring gear, and a carrier that rotatably supports the planetary gear in such a state so as to be coupled to the drive shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle power output device according to claim 6, wherein the second power transmitting mechanism is configured by a chain or a belt wound around the second one-way clutch unit and the carrier or by a gear. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle power output device according to claim 1, wherein the first one-way clutch unit includes a ring body disposed to surround an outer circumferential surface of the second shaft and an inner circumferential surface of the ring body including a plurality of trenches having a circular arc sectional shape formed along a circumferential direction with roller bearings and elastic members operatively provided in respective trenches formed in the ring body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle power output device according to claim 8, wherein the roller bearings are biased toward a cam surface by the elastic members to contact the cam surface in a state wherein the second shaft and the ring body are stationary and the roller bearings are fixed between the cam surface and the outer circumferential surface of the second shaft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle power output device according to claim 9, wherein when the second shaft rotates in a clockwise direction, the ring body rotates in the clockwise direction and wherein when the second shaft rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the roller bearings move away from the cam surface to enable the second shaft to idly rotate relative to the ring body. ### Claim 11 A vehicle energy regenerating device that converts a rotational drive force of a drive shaft to electric energy, the vehicle energy regenerating device comprising: a first rotary electric machine having a first rotor; a second rotary electric machine having a second rotor; a first shaft that rotates in conjunction with the first rotor; a second shaft that rotates in conjunction with the second rotor; a planetary gear mechanism capable of transmitting a rotational drive force between the drive shaft and the first shaft; a power transmitting mechanism capable of transmitting a rotational drive force between the second shaft and the planetary gear mechanism; clutch means for permitting transmission of the rotational drive force from the second shaft to the planetary gear mechanism and for blocking transmission of a rotational drive force from the planetary gear mechanism to the second shaft; and a one-way clutch unit that transmits a rotational drive force of the second shaft to the power transmitting mechanism and locks motion of the power transmitting mechanism in blocking transmission of the rotational drive force from the planetary gear mechanism to the second shaft by the clutch means; wherein if only the first rotary electric machine is driven, a rotational drive force of the first rotor is transmitted to the drive shaft via the first shaft and the planetary gear mechanism, if both the first rotary electric machine and the second rotary electric machine are driven, the rotational drive force transmitted from the first rotor to the first shaft and a rotational drive force transmitted from the second rotor to the power transmitting mechanism via the second shaft and the one-way clutch unit are combined by the planetary gear mechanism to be transmitted to the drive shaft with a rotational speed increased, and if the drive shaft is rotated, a rotational drive force transmitted from the drive shaft to the planetary gear mechanism is transmitted to the first rotor via the first shaft without being transmitted to the power transmitting mechanism by action of the one-way clutch unit and the clutch means, to perform regeneration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle energy regenerating device according to claim 11, wherein the planetary gear mechanism includes: a sun gear connected to the first shaft, a ring gear to and from which a rotational drive force is transmitted from and to the power transmitting mechanism, a planetary gear for meshing with each of the sun gear and the ring gear, and a carrier that rotatably supports the planetary gear in such a state so as to be coupled to the drive shaft; and the clutch means is provided for the ring gear. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle energy regenerating device according to claim 12, wherein the ring gear has a first ring gear for engaging with the power transmitting mechanism and a second ring gear for meshing with the planetary gear; and the clutch means includes: a first connection shaft connected to the first ring gear and a second connection shaft that is provided coaxially with the first connection shaft and is connected to the second ring gear, an outer ring member surrounding one end part of the second connection shaft, a plurality of first engaging members are connected to the first connection shaft and are disposed at predetermined intervals along circumferential direction of the second connection shaft between the second connection shaft and the outer ring member, a pair of rollers is disposed between the first engaging members adjacent to each other, a cam surface is formed in an outer circumferential surface of one end part of the second connection shaft and is in contact with the pair of rollers to press the pair of rollers against an inner circumferential surface of the outer ring member and fix the pair of rollers by wedge action, an elastic member is disposed between the pair of rollers and biases the rollers toward the cam surface, a recess formed in one end surface of the second connection shaft, and a plurality of second engaging members inserted into the recess in such a state so as to be fixed to the other end surface of the first connection shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The vehicle energy regenerating device according to claim 12, wherein, the power transmitting mechanism includes: an annular gear bonded to an outer circumferential surface of the one-way clutch unit, a first idle gear that meshes with the annular gear, and a second idle gear that meshes with the first idle gear and the ring gear. ### Claim 15 A vehicle energy regenerating device for converting a rotational drive force of a drive shaft to electric energy, the vehicle energy regenerating device comprising: a first rotary electric machine having a first rotor; a second rotary electric machine having a second rotor; a first shaft that rotates in conjunction with the first rotor; a second shaft that rotates in conjunction with the second rotor; a planetary gear mechanism capable of transmitting a rotational drive force between the drive shaft and the first shaft; a power transmitting mechanism capable of transmitting a rotational drive force between the second shaft and the planetary gear mechanism; and clutch means for permitting transmission of the rotational drive force from the second shaft to the planetary gear mechanism and blocks transmission of a rotational drive force from the planetary gear mechanism to the second shaft; wherein if only the first rotary electric machine is driven, a rotational drive force of the first rotor is transmitted to the drive shaft via the first shaft and the planetary gear mechanism, if both the first rotary electric machine and the second rotary electric machine are driven, the rotational drive force transmitted from the first rotor to the first shaft and a rotational drive force transmitted from the second rotor to the power transmitting mechanism via the second shaft and a one-way clutch unit are combined by the planetary gear mechanism to be transmitted to the drive shaft with a rotational speed increased, and if the drive shaft is rotated, a rotational drive force transmitted from the drive shaft to the planetary gear mechanism is transmitted to the first rotor via the first shaft without being transmitted to the power transmitting mechanism by action of the clutch means, to perform regeneration.