# US 9,434,375 B2 · Drive system and method of driving a vehicle

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- Number: US 9,434,375 B2
- Document ID: US9434375B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/410,596
- Filed: 2013-06-26
- Published: 2015-07-23
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-06-27
- Assignees: Scania CV AB
- Applicants: Scania CV AB
- Inventors: Niklas Pettersson; Mikael Bergquist; Anders Kjell; Mathias Björkman; Johan Lindström
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434375B2

## CPC

- B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC]
- B60K 6/365: with the gears having orbital motion
- B60K 6/48: Parallel type
- B60L 7/18: Controlling the braking effect (B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence)
- B60L 15/2009: {for braking}
- B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems
- B60W 20/13: in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
- B60W 30/18063: {Creeping}
- B60W 30/1886: {Controlling power supply to auxiliary devices}
- B60L 2200/18: Buses
- B60L 2240/12: Speed
- B60L 2240/421: Speed
- B60L 2240/423: Torque
- B60L 2240/441: Speed
- B60L 2240/443: Torque
- B60L 2240/485: Temperature
- B60L 2240/507: Operating parameters
- B60W 10/184: with wheel brakes
- B60W 2510/244: Charge state
- B60W 2710/105: Output torque
- B60Y 2400/421: Dog type clutches or brakes
- 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
- Y10S 903/93: Conjoint control of different elements
- 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
- 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
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A drive system and a method of driving a vehicle in which the drive system includes a combustion engine, a brake device for braking the vehicle, an electric machine, an energy storage connected to the electric machine, at least one electric assembly operated by electric energy and a planetary gear including a sun wheel, a ring wheel and a planet wheel holder. A control unit is adapted to, when the vehicle is in motion, a driving moment is demanded and a coupling member is in a first position, based on a comparison between the demanded driving moment and a necessary moment required for operation of the electric assembly, control at least one of the combustion engine, the brake device and the electric machine such that desired electric energy is provided for operation of the electric assembly.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A drive system for a vehicle comprises:
a combustion engine including an output shaft;
a gear box including an input shaft;
a brake device with which the vehicle is braked;
an electric machine including a stator and a rotor;
an energy storage connected to the electric machine;
at least one assembly operated by electric energy from the energy storage;
a planetary gear including a sun wheel, a ring wheel and a planet wheel holder;
a coupling member movably arranged between a first position in which it allows rotation of the sun wheel, the ring wheel and the planet wheel holder in the planetary gear with different rotation speeds and in a second position in which it locks the sun wheel, the ring wheel and the planet wheel holder in relation to each other such that they rotate with the same rotation speed;
wherein the output shaft of the combustion engine is coupled to the sun wheel of the planetary gear to directly connect the engine to the planetary gear such that rotation of the output shaft causes rotation of the sun wheel, wherein the input shaft of the gear box is connected to the planet wheel holder of the planetary gear such that rotation of the input shaft causes rotation of the planet wheel holder, and the rotor of the electric machine is connected to the ring wheel of the planetary gear such that rotation of the rotor causes rotation of the ring wheel; and
a control unit controlling, when the vehicle is in motion, a driving moment is demanded, and the coupling member is in the first position, based on a comparison between the demanded driving moment and a necessary moment required for operation of the at least one assembly, at least one of the combustion engine, the brake device, and the electric machine to provide desired electric energy for operation of the at least one assembly.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The drive system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit receives information concerning a charge level of the energy storage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The drive system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls at least one of the combustion engine, the brake device , and the electric machine based on a comparison between the charge level of the energy storage and a limit level for the charge level of the energy storage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The drive system according to claim 3, wherein the control unit, when the energy storage has a lower charge level than said limit level, controls the combustion engine to provide a necessary high rotation speed for generating electric energy and the electric machine such that it generates at least as much electric energy as the at least one assembly consumes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The drive system according to claim 3, wherein the control unit, when the energy storage has a lower charge level than said limit level, controls the brake device to apply a braking moment such that the vehicle is driven with the demanded moment and controls the electric machine such that it generates at least as much electric energy as the at least one assembly consumes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The drive system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the coupling member such that it is moved to the second position as soon as the vehicle reaches a speed at which it is possible to lock the output shaft of the combustion engine to the input shaft of the gear box.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The drive system according to claim 1, wherein the brake device is a wheel brake in the vehicle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The drive system according to claim 1, wherein the assembly is a compressor in AC-equipment.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The drive system according to claim 1, wherein the output shaft of the combustion engine is connected to the sun wheel of the planetary gear, the input shaft of the gear box is connected to the planet wheel holder of the planetary gear and that the rotor of the electric machine is connected to the ring wheel of the planetary gear.

### Claim 10

A method of driving a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises:
a combustion engine including an output shaft;
a gear box including an input shaft;
a brake device with which the vehicle is braked;
an electric machine including a stator and a rotor;
an energy storage connected to the electric machine;
at least one assembly which is operated by electric energy from the energy storage;
a planetary gear which comprises a sun wheel, a ring wheel and, a planet wheel holder; and
a coupling member which is movably arranged between a first position in which it allows rotation of the sun wheel, the ring wheel and the planet wheel holder in the planetary gear at different rotation speeds and in a second position in which it locks the sun wheel, the ring wheel and the plant wheel holder in relation to each other such that they rotate with the same rotation speed; and
wherein the output shaft of the combustion engine is coupled to the sun wheel of the planetary gear to directly connect the engine to the planetary gear such that rotation of the output shaft causes rotation of the sun wheel, the input shaft of the gear box is connected to the plant wheel holder of the planetary gear such that rotation of the input shaft causes rotation of the planet wheel holder, and the rotor of the electric machine is connected to the ring wheel of the planetary gear such that rotation of the rotor causes rotation of the ring wheel, the method comprising:
controlling at least one of the combustion engine, the brake device, and the electric machine such that desired electric energy for operation of the at least one assembly is provided when the vehicle is in motion, a driving moment is demanded, and the coupling member is in the first position, based on a comparison between the demanded driving moment and a necessary moment required for operation of the at least one assembly.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving at the control unit, information concerning a charge level of the energy storage.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of controlling at least one of the combustion engine, the brake device, and the electric machine is also based on a comparison between the charge level of the energy storage and a limit level for the charge level of the energy storage.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The drive system according to claim 12, further comprising:
controlling the combustion engine to provide a necessary high rotation speed for generating electric energy and controlling the electric machine such that it generates at least as much electric energy as the at least one assembly consumes when the energy storage ha a lower charge level than the limit level.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, further comprising controlling the brake device such that it applies a braking moment such that the vehicle is driven with the demanded moment and controlling the electric machine such that it generates at least as much electric energy as the at least one assembly consumes.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, further comprising controlling the coupling member such that it is moved to the second position as soon as the vehicle obtains a speed at which it is possible to lock the output shaft of the combustion engine to the input shaft of the gear box.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

A computer program product including a non-transitory data storage medium and a computer program comprising computer program code readable by a computer stored on the medium, the code enabling a computer to implement a method according to claim 10 when the computer program code is executed in the computer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

A vehicle comprising a drive system according to claim 1.