GB2346123A - Hybrid vehicle with starting from rest assisted by an electric motor - Google Patents

Hybrid vehicle with starting from rest assisted by an electric motor Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2346123A
GB2346123A GB9901659A GB9901659A GB2346123A GB 2346123 A GB2346123 A GB 2346123A GB 9901659 A GB9901659 A GB 9901659A GB 9901659 A GB9901659 A GB 9901659A GB 2346123 A GB2346123 A GB 2346123A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
motor vehicle
electric motor
gearbox
engine
road wheels
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9901659A
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GB9901659D0 (en
Inventor
Carl Charles Bourne
James Marco
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MG Rover Group Ltd
Original Assignee
MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MG Rover Group Ltd filed Critical MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority to GB9901659A priority Critical patent/GB2346123A/en
Publication of GB9901659D0 publication Critical patent/GB9901659D0/en
Publication of GB2346123A publication Critical patent/GB2346123A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60K6/00—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00
    • B60K6/20—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
    • B60K6/42—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs characterised by the architecture of the hybrid electric vehicle
    • B60K6/48—Parallel type
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W20/00—Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles
    • B60W20/40—Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60K28/00—Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions
    • B60K28/10—Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle 
    • B60K28/16—Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle  responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60K6/00—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00
    • B60K6/20—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
    • B60K6/50—Architecture of the driveline characterised by arrangement or kind of transmission units
    • B60K6/52—Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L50/00—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle
    • B60L50/10—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines
    • B60L50/16—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W10/00—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function
    • B60W10/02—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of driveline clutches
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W10/00—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function
    • B60W10/04—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of propulsion units
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W10/00—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function
    • B60W10/04—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of propulsion units
    • B60W10/06—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of propulsion units including control of combustion engines
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W10/00—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function
    • B60W10/04—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of propulsion units
    • B60W10/08—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of propulsion units including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units, or advanced driver assistance systems for ensuring comfort, stability and safety or drive control systems for propelling or retarding the vehicle
    • B60W30/18—Propelling the vehicle
    • B60W30/18009—Propelling the vehicle related to particular drive situations
    • B60W30/18027—Drive off, accelerating from standstill
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units, or advanced driver assistance systems for ensuring comfort, stability and safety or drive control systems for propelling or retarding the vehicle
    • B60W30/18—Propelling the vehicle
    • B60W30/1819—Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W20/00—Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W2510/00—Input parameters relating to a particular sub-units
    • B60W2510/02—Clutches
    • B60W2510/0241—Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W2520/00—Input parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
    • B60W2520/28—Wheel speed
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units, or advanced driver assistance systems for ensuring comfort, stability and safety or drive control systems for propelling or retarding the vehicle
    • B60W30/18—Propelling the vehicle
    • B60W30/18009—Propelling the vehicle related to particular drive situations
    • B60W30/18109—Braking
    • B60W30/18118—Hill holding
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
    • Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
    • Y02T10/62—Hybrid vehicles
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
    • Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
    • Y02T10/7072—Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

In a motor vehicle having an engine 10, a clutch 11 and a gearbox 12 an electric motor 13 is provided to provide a driving effort to the motor vehicle to start it from rest. This reduces or eliminates slippage of the clutch 11 when it engages to couple the engine 10 to the gearbox 12.

Description

A Motor Vehicle This invention relates to motor vehicles and in particular to motor vehicles having an internal combustion engine driving one or more wheels through a variable ratio gearbox and a coupling to connect the engine to the gearbox.
It is a problem with such motor vehicles that when starting from rest on a very steep hill a large amount of heat energy has to be dissipated in the coupling.
Where the coupling is a friction clutch, this usually means that the clutch has to be larger and heavier than if it were specified for transmitting torque during normal driving and problems of wear and durability occur. Other couplings such as torque converters have similar problems since separate heat exchangers are often necessary to remove the heat.
It is an object of this invention to provide a motor vehicle in which the above problems are alleviated..
According to the invention there is provided a motor vehicle having an engine, a transmission system to transmit drive from the engine to one or more driven road wheels and a coupling interposed between the engine and the transmission system to selectively engage and disengage the drive therebetween wherein the motor vehicle further comprises at least one electric motor to provide a driving effort to the motor vehicle at least when the motor vehicle is starting from rest to assist with engagement of the coupling.
The transmission system may comprise of multi speed gearbox having an input shaft operatively connected to the coupling and an output shaft operatively connected to a drive means used to transmit drive from the gearbox to one or more driven road wheels.
The electric motor may be drivably connected to the input shaft of the gearbox. Alternatively, the electric motor may be drivably connected to the output shaft of the gearbox or there may be a number of such electric motors each directly driving one of the road wheels of the motor vehicle.
The motor vehicle may have four driven road wheels and an anti-lock braking system to prevent skidding of the road wheels, the or each electric motor being used to supply additional power to the driven wheels of the motor vehicle in the event wheel lock being sensed.
A switch may be provided to select electrical assistance during take-up from rest.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing of which : Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of part of the transmission system of a first embodiment of a motor vehicle according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view similar to Fig. 1 showing a first modification to the first embodiment; Fig. 3 is a graph of power absorbed by a coupling during a time which includes the motor vehicle moving off from rest; Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view of part of the transmission system of a second embodiment of a motor vehicle according to the invention; and Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of part of the transmission system of a third embodiment of a motor vehicle according to the invention.
With reference to Fig. 1 there is shown an internal combustion engine 10 and part of a transmission system. The transmission system is arranged to transmit drive from the internal combustion engine 10 and from an electric motor 13.
The transmission system has a multi-speed gearbox 12 driven by the engine 10 through a coupling in the form of a friction clutch 11 which is selectively engageable by an operating linkage (not shown) to connect or disconnect drive between the engine 10 and an input shaft 19 of the gearbox 12. The gearbox 12 has an output shaft in the form of a propeller shaft 20 to transmit drive from the gearbox 12 to the wheels of the motor vehicle through a differential (not shown).
The electric motor 13 is operatively connected to the input shaft 19 by means of a drive belt 14, being powered by a battery 5 and controlled by an electronic control unit (ECU) 15 arranged to receive signals indicative of the speed of the engine 10 and of the input shaft 19 from a pair of speed sensors 21,22. Additional control signals forth ECU 15 are optionally provided by a torque sensor 6 on the input shaft 19, a throttle sensor 7 indicating the position of a driver's accelerator pedal or some other indication of engine torque and a clutch sensor 8 indicating the position of a driver's clutch pedal or some other clutch release component.
The energy ordinarily dissipated in the clutch 11 when the vehicle moves off from rest is shown in Fig. 3 as the area under the graph. It will be appreciated that this is very considerable if the vehicle is on a steep hill when repeated starts or poor driver control usually results in rapid heating of the clutch 11 and high wear.
To minimise the amount of energy generated in the clutch 11 the ECU 15 is operable to engage the electric motor 13 for a short period of time during start-up from rest. This reduces the torque which the clutch 11 is required to transmit and thereby reduces the energy which the clutch 11 is required to dissipate. If necessary, the electric motor 13 can be operated until the speed differential across the clutch 11 is substantially zero or until a pre-determined speed difference is reached.
If required, the clutch may be actuated automatically by centrifugal action or by servo actuation which may be under the control of the ECU 15. A torque converter, fluid flywheel or magnetic powder coupling may also be used if appropriate. Similarly, other forms of gearbox may be used, e. g. an epicyclic or a continuously variable (CVT). The vehicle may have a hybrid power train and be a driven solely by the electric motor if required, e. g. in heavy traffic or urban conditions.
With reference to Fig. 2 there is shown a modification to the transmission system described above in which the ECU 15 is also connected to an anti-lock braking system controller 16 and to an accelerator pedal sensor 17. On low friction surfaces such as ice, a sudden change in the supply of torque from the engine 10 to the driving wheels such as produced when going from a driving state to an overrun state can result in locking of one or more of the driven wheels even though no braking force is being applied from the braking system of the motor vehicle. To reduce the risk of this happening the ECU 15 is signalled by the anti-lock controller 16 to cause the electric motor 13 to supply a small amount of driving power to the respective wheels if locking is sensed to have occurred.
With reference to Fig. 4 there is shown an internal combustion engine 110 and part of a transmission system for a hybrid motor vehicle. The transmission system is arranged to transmit drive from the engine 110 and from an electric motor 113.
The transmission system includes a multi speed gearbox 112 driven by the engine 110 through a friction clutch 111 which is selectively engageable by an operating linkage (not shown) to connect or disconnect drive between the engine 110 and an output shaft 119 of the gearbox 112. The gearbox 112 has an output shaft 120 to transmit drive from the gearbox 112 to a pair of drive shafts"D"to the wheels of the motor vehicle.
The electric motor 113 is operatively connected to one end of the output shaft 120 and is powered by a battery 105 controlled by an electronic control unit (ECU) 115 arranged to receive signals indicative of the speed of the engine 110 and the input shaft 119 from a pair of speed sensors 121,122.
The gearbox 112 has a number of input gear wheels 130 each supported on an input shaft 119 and meshing with a respective one of a number of output gear wheels 131 supported on the output shaft 120. In the conventional manner of a synchromesh gear box, one of each pair of intermeshing gear wheels 130,131 is fast with its respective shaft 119,120 and the other of each pair is engageable with the other shaft 119,120 by a synchromesh clutch to provide different gear ratios.
Drive from the output shaft 120 is transmitted to the drive shaft"D"by a pair of intermeshing gear wheels 135,136.
During take-off from rest, the ECU 115 energises the electric motor 113 so as to provide a driving effort to the motor vehicle. This reduces the torque which the clutch 111 is required to transmit and thereby reduces the energy which the clutch 111 is required to dissipate.
With reference to Fig. 5 there is shown a third embodiment of the invention in which a hybrid motor vehicle 210 is provided with an internal combustion engine 220 driving two rear wheels 214 of the motor vehicle 210-and in which two front wheels 212a, 212b are driven directly by electric motors 216a, 216b. The engine 220 is drivably connected to a manual gearbox 218 through a friction clutch 211.
The gearbox 218 has an output shaft 219 driving a rear differential 217 which transmits drive to the rear wheels 214.
An electronic control unit (ECU) 214 is provided to control the operation of the engine 220 and also the two electric motors 216a, 216b. The ECU 214 is arranged to receive a signal from a position sensor 235 attached to an accelerator pedal 236 used to provide a driver input of required power and a signal indicative of the road speed of the vehicle from a road speed sensor 221.
When the ECU 214 senses that the motor vehicle 210 is at rest, it switches to a mode of operation in which depression of the accelerator pedal 236 will not only result in a power demand being sent to the engine 220 but also to the two electric motors 216a, 216b. This mode of operation will continue until the rotational speed of the engine 220 as sensed by speed sensor 222 is substantially the same as the speed of an input shaft 223 of the gearbox 218 as sensed by a sensor 224. The ECU 214 will then switch off the electric motors 216a, 216b and the motor vehicle 210 reverts to normal operation.
In a modification of the third embodiment of the invention a switch 228 (shown dotted on Fig. 5) is provided to produce a driver controlled input of when an assisted start is required. In this case simultaneous operation of the engine 220 and the electric motors 216a, 216b can be demanded by the driver by operating the switch 228. Subsequently, the electric motors 216a, 216b can be switched off by the ECU 214 either when the switch 228 is no longer being operated or when the difference between the engine speed and the input speed to the gearbox is substantially zero.

Claims (8)

  1. CLAIMS 1. A motor vehicle having an engine, a transmission system to transmit drive from the engine to one or more driven road wheels and a coupling interposed between the engine and the transmission system to selectively engage and disengage the drive therebetween, wherein the motor vehicle further comprises at least one electric motor to provide a driving effort to the motor vehicle at least when the motor vehicle is starting from rest to assist with engagement of the coupling.
  2. 2. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 in which the transmission system comprises a multi speed gearbox having an input shaft operatively connected to the coupling and an output shaft operatively connected to a drive means used to transmit drive from the gearbox to one or more driven road wheels.
  3. 3. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 2 in which the electric motor is drivably connected to the input shaft of the gearbox.
  4. 4. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 2 in which the electric motor is drivably connected to the output shaft of the gearbox.
  5. 5. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 2 in which there is an electric motor directly driving one of the road wheels of the motor vehicle.
  6. 6. A motor vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim in which the motor vehicle has four driven road wheels and an anti-lock braking system to prevent skidding of the road wheels the or each electric motor being used to supply additional power to the driven road wheels of the motor vehicle in the event of wheel lock being sensed.
  7. 7. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 in which a switch is provided to select assistance from the or each electric motor during take-off from rest.
  8. 8. A motor vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 1 as modified with reference to Fig. 2, or with reference to Fig. 4 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.
GB9901659A 1999-01-27 1999-01-27 Hybrid vehicle with starting from rest assisted by an electric motor Withdrawn GB2346123A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9901659A GB2346123A (en) 1999-01-27 1999-01-27 Hybrid vehicle with starting from rest assisted by an electric motor

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9901659A GB2346123A (en) 1999-01-27 1999-01-27 Hybrid vehicle with starting from rest assisted by an electric motor

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GB9901659D0 GB9901659D0 (en) 1999-03-17
GB2346123A true GB2346123A (en) 2000-08-02

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GB9901659A Withdrawn GB2346123A (en) 1999-01-27 1999-01-27 Hybrid vehicle with starting from rest assisted by an electric motor

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Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004058530A3 (en) * 2002-12-25 2005-01-27 Toyota Motor Co Ltd Control device of hybrid drive unit
WO2006089669A1 (en) * 2005-02-22 2006-08-31 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag Drivetrain of a motor vehicle and method for operation of the drivetrain
DE102005045841A1 (en) * 2005-09-24 2007-03-29 Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag Drive train for motor vehicle, has internal combustion engine producing driving torque, and two-stage transmission device that is formed such that it automatically switches between transmission stages based on drive end rotational direction
WO2013012379A1 (en) * 2011-07-15 2013-01-24 Scania Cv Ab Parallel hybrid system and method pertaining to a parallel hybrid system
DE102021115097A1 (en) 2021-06-11 2022-12-15 Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG Torque transfer device and method for drag starting an internal combustion engine

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4416360A (en) * 1979-10-27 1983-11-22 Volkswagenwerk Aktiengesellschaft Drive for automobile automatic transmission
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US7261670B2 (en) 2002-12-25 2007-08-28 Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha Control device of hybrid drive unit
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