# US 9,517,689 B2 · Hybrid powertrain unit for motor vehicles with a device for transmission to a further axle of the motor vehicle

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- Number: US 9,517,689 B2
- Document ID: US9517689B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/714,675
- Filed: 2015-05-18
- Published: 2015-12-17
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2014-06-17
- Assignees: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
- Applicants: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
- Inventors: Andrea Piazza; Marco Garabello; Gianluigi Pregnolato; Fabio Pesola
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517689B2

## CPC

- B60K 6/445: Differential gearing distribution type
- B60K 6/26: characterised by the motors or the generators
- 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
- B60K 6/48: Parallel type
- B60K 6/547: the transmission being a stepped gearing
- B60K 6/52: Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
- B60K 2006/4841: {the gear provides shifting between multiple ratios}
- B60K 2025/005: {driven by electric motors forming part of the propulsion unit}
- B60K 2025/022: {by a mechanical transmission}
- F16H 2037/101: {Power-split transmissions with one differential at each end of a continuously variable transmission, i.e. CVT}
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y10S 903/906: Motor or generator
- Y10S 903/91: Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
- Y10S 903/914: Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
- Y10S 903/919: Stepped shift
- 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
- F16H: GEARING
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A hybrid powertrain unit comprises an engine, and a gearbox device with a primary shaft connectable to an engine shaft via a clutch. The gearbox device comprises a secondary shaft with an output pinion meshing with a first crown wheel of a differential, the casing of which is rigidly connected to the casing of the gearbox device. The unit comprises an electric machine configured to function as an electric motor and an electric generator, having a shaft connected by a transmission to a second crown wheel of the differential. In the transmission, arranged between the electric machine shaft and the second crown wheel is an engagement device that can be driven via an actuator. The electric machine shaft is connected to the engine shaft, on a side opposite to the gearbox device. The transmission includes a gear for driving a transmission shaft connected to a further axle of the vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hybrid powertrain unit for a motor vehicle, comprising:
an internal-combustion engine;
a gearbox device including:
at least one primary shaft, that can be connected to a shaft of the internal-combustion engine by a clutch device;
at least one secondary shaft, an axis of which is parallel to and at a distance from an axis of said at least one primary shaft and which carries an output pinion;
a plurality of pairs of gears corresponding to a plurality of forward gear ratios, in which one of the gears of each pair of the plurality of pairs of gears is rigidly connected in rotation with respect to one of said at least one primary and secondary shafts and the other is freely rotatable with respect to the other of said at least one primary and secondary shafts; and
a plurality of gear-selection devices for coupling in rotation each of said freely rotatable gears with the shaft on which it is mounted;
a differential, having a first crown wheel meshing with said output pinion of said at least one secondary shaft of the gearbox device;
an electric machine adapted to operate both as an electric motor and as an electric generator and having a casing rigidly connected to a supporting structure of said powertrain unit, and a shaft connected by a transmission to a second crown wheel of said differential;
an engagement device arranged, in said transmission, between the shaft of the electric machine and the second crown wheel of the differential; and
an actuator arrangement for actuating said engagement device;
wherein the shaft of the electric machine is connected to the shaft of the internal-combustion engine at an end thereof opposite to an end connected to the gearbox device; and
wherein said transmission that connects the shaft of the electric machine to said second crown wheel of the differential includes a gear for driving a transmission shaft connected to a further axle of the vehicle different than an axle associated with two output shafts of the differential.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The unit according to claim 1, wherein said gear for driving the transmission shaft connected to the further axle of the vehicle is arranged between said second crown wheel of the differential and said engagement device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The unit according to claim 1, wherein said gear for driving the transmission shaft connected to the further axle of the vehicle is arranged between said engagement device and the shaft of the electric machine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The unit according to claim 1, wherein said transmission that connects the shaft of the electric machine to said second crown wheel of the differential includes at least one gear-reduction jump constituted by a belt transmission.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The unit according to claim 4, wherein said transmission for connection between the shaft of the electric machine and said second crown wheel of the differential includes the at least one gear-reduction jump provided by said belt transmission and at least one further gear-reduction jump provided by meshing of a gear with said second crown wheel of the differential.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The unit according to claim 4, wherein said transmission for connection between the shaft of the electric machine and said second crown wheel of the differential includes three gear-reduction jumps: a first gear-reduction jump provided by said belt transmission, and two further gear-reduction jumps provided by two pairs of gears meshing together.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The unit according to claim 6, wherein:
the shaft of the electric machine has an axis parallel to and arranged at a distance from axes of the two output shafts of the differential;
said belt transmission that provides the first gear-reduction jump connects a first pulley, rigidly connected to the shaft of the electric machine, to a second pulley, rigidly connected to a hollow shaft, that is mounted coaxially with respect to the two output shafts of the differential and that is axially traversed by one of said output shafts of the differential;
the pair of gears of the two pairs of gears that provides a second gear-reduction jump of the two further gear reduction lumps includes a first input gear, rigidly connected to said hollow shaft, and a first output gear;
the pair of gears of the two pairs of gears that provides a third gear-reduction jump of the two further gear reduction lumps comprises a second input gear and a second output gear constituted by said second crown wheel of the differential; and
the first output gear of the second gear-reduction jump and the second input gear of the third gear-reduction jump are coaxial and connected together.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The unit according to claim 7, wherein the first output gear of the second gear-reduction jump and the second input gear of the third gear-reduction jump are connected in rotation with two shafts, which are aligned to one another and can be connected by said engagement device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The unit according to claim 7, wherein the first output gear of the second gear-reduction jump and the second input gear of the third gear-reduction jump are connected in rotation to one another via a same shaft.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The unit according to claim 9, wherein said engagement device is arranged between said belt transmission and the shaft of said electric machine.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The unit according to claim 1, wherein said engagement device is a clutch engagement device, and the actuator arrangement comprises an electromagnetic or electrohydraulic actuator and an electronic unit for control of said actuator.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The unit according to claim 4, wherein the shaft of the electric machine is connected to the shaft of the internal-combustion engine by an auxiliary belt transmission including an endless belt engaged on a first pulley, which is connected to the shaft of the electric machine, and on a second pulley, which is connected to the shaft of the internal-combustion engine.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The unit according to claim 12, wherein arranged between one of said first and second pulleys of said auxiliary belt transmission and the respective electric-machine and internal-combustion engine shafts is a further engagement device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The unit according to claim 13, wherein said further engagement device is arranged between the shaft of the internal-combustion engine and said second pulley.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The unit according to claim 13, wherein said further engagement device is arranged between the shaft of the electric machine and said first pulley.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The unit according to claim 12, wherein said belt transmission that connects the shaft of the electric-machine to the shaft of the internal-combustion engine also controls one or more auxiliary devices of the motor vehicle, the one or more auxiliary devices including one or more of a compressor of an air-conditioning system and a source of negative pressure for a braking system.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The unit according to claim 16, wherein the belt of said auxiliary belt transmission is engaged on one or more further pulleys for actuation of said one or more auxiliary devices.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The unit according to claim 16, wherein said second pulley is connected in rotation to a third pulley that controls, by a further belt transmission, the one or more auxiliary devices.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The unit according to claim 16, wherein said further belt transmission controls a tubular shaft, which is arranged coaxially with respect to the shaft of the electric machine and is in turn connected by another engagement device to the one or more auxiliary devices, which are also mounted coaxially with respect to the shaft of the electric machine.