JP2000234631A - Pulse modulating system torque converter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a clutch also serving as a continuously variable transmission with a simple structure by controlling quantity of transmission energy by intermittently connecting and disconnecting the clutch. SOLUTION: The guide circuit of a magnetic circuit is arranged on one side of a clutch. This guide circuit constitutes a magnetic circuit such as attracting the clutch existing on the opposite side by guiding a clutch pulse width driving magnetic circuit. The opposite side clutch is composed of a contact point flexibly movable by division and soft iron, and generates attraction by the magnetic circuit and a closed circuit. With such constitution, a pulse width imparted to a pulse width driving circuit is varied, and contact time of the clutch is driven in a rectangular wave shape to convert torque. When using a high speed pulse by the smoothing action (inertia and springiness) of a mechanical system and the action of a reverse rotation preventive mechanism 5, torque is smoothly converted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for easily realizing a stepless mechanical torque converter by intermittently (pulsing) modulating the connection and disconnection of a clutch.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Although several types of stepless mechanical torque converters have already been put to practical use, the present invention is superior to the conventional type in terms of simplicity and control of mechanical parts and efficiency. Since the method using pulse modulation has no half-clutch state in theory, a converter with zero loss can be realized.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A torque converter is realized by a pulse modulation system by integrating a gear system and a clutch system with fewer parts.

(Explanation of Principle) Since the present invention was devised by replacing an electric DC-DC converter with a mechanical system, first, the operation principle of an electric circuit already put into practical use will be described with reference to FIG. (Reference 1: Transistor technology
In this circuit, when SW is turned ON / OFF by pulse width modulation in this circuit, when there is no D diode, if the input and output reach equilibrium, average Iin = average Iout Pout / Pin = duty (on) ratio. The effective energy transmitted is the inductance L
Energy is dissipated, resulting in a duty ratio (<100%). However, if there is a diode of D, due to the inertia of the inductance of L, injection continues into C even at the time of SW off, and the energy of the inductance is partially transferred downstream, and the remaining part is charged at the next charge. Used for cycle. For this reason, electric energy is saved between input and output (about 90% of current commercial products are saved). Vin × Iin = Vout × Iout Also, Vout ≦ Vin and Iout ≧ Iin
Becomes This circuit is generally used for step-down (current up). The part consisting of L and C is generally called a low-pass filter or a smoothing circuit. Some manufacturers call the D diode a flywheel diode. In addition, there is a method called synchronous switching method in which a diode is replaced with SW.
Are required, but can also be realized in mechanical mode. In this case, the first clutch is disengaged and
It is necessary to connect the first clutch to the stationary wheel using the above clutch. (Reference 2: Transistor technology
(January 1998, p. 299, CQ Publishing)

If this system is to be realized by a mechanical system, the following paraphrase is possible. However, in this correspondence,
Since the power source side tries to keep the rotation speed constant against the force of the power supply trying to keep the voltage constant, the voltage (V)
Corresponded to the rotation speed (ω). According to this correspondence, the correspondence between L and C is reversed when the normal correspondence of V corresponds to the force. Voltage V → ω Angular velocity Current I → T Torque Power flow P (V × I) → P (ω × T) Capacity C → J Moment of inertia Inductance L → K Torsional rigid spring Diode D → G Reverse rotation prevention gear (See FIG. 2) Show)

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The operation of the torque converter according to the present invention will be described below. A first object of the present invention is to realize a transmission system with zero energy loss, and a second object is that the rotation speed is almost steplessly variable (therefore, the torque is also variable). The first purpose is to turn the clutch ON / OFF in a pulsed manner.
Then, if there is no intermediate state (half clutch), it can be reached theoretically. However, this alone generates idle time on the input side, and the receiving side is difficult to use due to rotation fluctuations. Also, the transmitted energy is part. Therefore, as inferred from the electric circuit, it is necessary to add a smoothing section and a reverse rotation preventing mechanism, which also serve as a temporary storage section for energy. This achieves the second purpose. In this device, the rotation speed is reduced ωout <ωi
Since only n is possible, the power (in) side is used by raising it to the maximum number of revolutions required in advance by a gear or the like. The pulse modulation operates like a gear with a variable number of teeth to achieve its purpose. Also, instead of the pulse width, the pulse width is constant,
Changing the frequency is the same in principle. It is not impossible that the pulse modulation of an appropriate period allows the mechanical system to sufficiently operate only with the moment of inertia and the spring characteristic which exist naturally in the mechanical system. These structures are shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The power input on the input side is represented by torque (T) / angular velocity (ω). The relationship between the input and output of the angular velocity is ω (out) = (contact duty ratio) × ω (in) When the energy loss in the middle can be neglected, Power (in) = Power (out), and thus T (out) = (1 / (contact duty ratio)) · T
(In).

FIG. 6 shows the relationship between energy, torque, and ω when it is assumed that Power (in) is constant. If the above relationship is traced temporally, first, the flow of power between the power source (1) and the flywheel (2) is as follows:
Since the power more than the inflow from the source temporarily flows to the clutch side, the energy of the flywheel decreases, and the angular velocity decreases. During the time period of contact off (hereinafter the same as clutch disengagement), the outflow power after the flywheel becomes zero. During this time, the power (in) energy is used to restore the flywheel speed, increasing the flywheel's energy storage. That is, the angular velocity increases. In the steady state, it returns to the original angular velocity. At the time of clutch on, energy is transmitted to the flywheel in the torque filter through the spring. If the clutch is turned off at this point, the energy that remains in the spring system as it is is pulled back by the clutch and is wasted as vibration. However, due to the reverse rotation preventing function, the energy in the torque filter continues to flow to the load even when the clutch is off. Also, the energy remaining in the spring system at the next ON is replenished in the next cycle, and transmission without energy loss is performed in principle. This allows Tin ≦ Tout (same as the function of the inductor and diode in the electric circuit). As described above, the torque / angular velocity conversion with zero energy loss is performed.

[0008] (Switching frequency) Consideration of timing and the like will be described below. In the case of an engine having a four-cylinder four-cycle engine on the source side, an inertia system is usually built in the engine so as to operate smoothly at about 900 rpm. That is, 900 rpm / 41/2 = 1800 times / minute = 30 times /
Even with intermittent power supply for seconds, there is a portion that stores enough inertial energy to smooth enough. Therefore, no additional flywheel or the like is normally required. The electromagnetic clutch is operated at 30 cycles / sec while changing the duty ratio.
When N / OFF is performed, during the short ON period, the necessary torque can be extracted from the energy temporarily stored in the flywheel. Therefore, the present invention can be put to practical use at a repetition frequency of about 30 times / second. This is a mechanically feasible area.

From the microscopic point of view (in terms of energy transfer efficiency), the clutch ON operation is the same as that after the collision of two masses. In general, when the inertial objects m1 and m2 move as a unit after the collision, an inelastic collision occurs, and a part of the kinetic energy is lost as internal energy or the like. Before the collision, if m2 is stationary and m1 collides at the velocity v, and after the collision it moves at the common velocity v ', the momentum is preserved because it is a separate system, so (Ref. 3: Studying physics Hagiwara et al., Page 12, 1997
M1v + m2 × 0 = (m1 + m2) v ′ v ′ = (m1 / (m1 + m2)) v On the other hand, the energy loss is ΔE = 1/2 · m1 · v ² −1 / 2 · (m1 + m2) v ′ ² = 1/2 · m1 · v ² −1 / 2 · (m1 + m2) (m1 / m1 + m2)) ² v ^{2 = 1/2 · m1 ·} v 2 -1/2 · (m1 2 / (m1 + m2)) v 2 = 1/2 · m1 · v 2 (1-m1 / (m1 + m2)) = 1/2 · m1m2 / (m1 + m2) ^{v 2} this ΔE is turned into the internal energy of the combined system at the time of union, it is soon dissipated. To avoid this, m2 = 0 (make the mass of the clutch as low as possible.) However, since it is meaningless to make the mass including the load zero, a spring is connected between this m1 and the load to shorten the clutch connection. The time should be such that only the spring properties are mainly visible to the other party, so that the dynamic mass of the clutch does not increase. The transmitted energy is
It is stored in the spring of the next stage, but when the clutch comes off,
This causes the clutch to rotate in the reverse direction. In order to avoid this, if a reverse rotation prevention function equivalent to a diode is inserted or this section is fixed to a stationary object only (using the second clutch), the energy stored by the spring property drives the lower stage. It is a net force to do.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (1) A guide circuit for a magnetic circuit is provided on one side of a clutch. (2) This guide circuit guides the clutch pulse width drive magnetic circuit and forms a magnetic circuit that attracts the clutch on the opposite side. (3) The clutch on the opposite side is made of soft iron or the like and a contact that can move flexibly by splitting or the like. (4) The pulse width applied to the pulse width drive circuit is made variable to drive the clutch contact time in a rectangular wave.
Perform torque conversion. By using the smoothing action (inertia and spring property) of the mechanical system and the action with the reverse rotation prevention mechanism, the torque can be smoothly converted by using a high-speed pulse. FIG. 7 shows an example in the case of both forward and reverse use.

[0011]

According to the present invention, a mechanical system has not been put to practical use.
When pulse width or pulse period modulation is used, an infinitely variable transmission and clutch can be realized with a simple structure.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an electric circuit diagram equivalent to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a reverse rotation prevention mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a movable pole piece.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a configuration in which an electromagnet is incorporated in a drive shaft flywheel.

FIG. 6 is a principle diagram of transmission of drive torque.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a configuration in which switching between a forward gear and a reverse gear is unnecessary.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 power source 2 movable magnetic pole piece 3 flexible support 4 torque filter 5 reverse rotation prevention mechanism 6 electromagnet 7 magnetic circuit 8 drive shaft flywheel incorporating electromagnet 9 reverse gear mechanism 10 forward flywheel 11 reverse flywheel 12 forward / reverse switching reverse Prevention mechanism 13 Torque filter composed of spring and flywheel 14 Output flywheel

Claims (2)

[Claims] An amount of transmitted energy is controlled by intermittently connecting and disconnecting a clutch. 2. A transmission energy loss is minimized by having a reverse rotation preventing function and transmitting the energy stored in the spring system during transmission to the load side even during disconnection.