KR101129669B1 - Torque converter for hybrid electric vehicle and oil pressure control method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention can use the engine and the motor as a drive source at the same time, and also can be applied to a vehicle that can cut off the driving force of the engine or motor, and can run with only one drive source, and can improve the cooling performance of the friction material of the engine clutch A torque converter for a hybrid vehicle and a hydraulic control method thereof are disclosed.

The torque converter for a hybrid vehicle of the present invention is connected to an engine power shut-off clutch that transmits or cuts off engine power, a rotor hub disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the engine power cut-off clutch, a rotor hub that transfers driving power of the motor, and the engine power cut-off clutch. The front cover receiving the driving force of the engine or motor, the impeller rotating connected to the front cover, disposed opposite to the impeller, and positioned between the turbine, the impeller and the turbine to transfer the driving force to the transmission, A flow passage provided between a stator for converting to the impeller side, a lockup clutch installed between the turbine and the front cover to directly transfer the driving force of the front cover to the transmission, and a hydraulic passage for operating or releasing the engine power shut-off clutch. When operating the lockup clutch The lockup clutch operating pressure passage, the lockup clutch release pressure passage for releasing the lockup clutch, the engine power shutoff clutch operating and releasing pressure passage for activating or releasing the engine power shutoff clutch, and the engine power shutoff clutch for cooling the engine power shutoff clutch. A cooling passage.

Torque, converter, flow path, hybrid, cooling flow path, lockup clutch, engine power off clutch

Description

Torque converter for hybrid electric vehicle and oil pressure control method of the same}

The present invention relates to a torque converter for a hybrid vehicle and a hydraulic control method thereof, and more particularly, an engine and a motor can be used as a driving source at the same time, and in addition, the driving force of the engine or the motor can be cut off and the vehicle can be driven by only one driving source. The present invention relates to a torque converter for a hybrid vehicle and a hydraulic control method thereof, which are applied to a vehicle and can improve the cooling performance of a friction material of an engine clutch.

In general, a hybrid vehicle operates not only an engine using gasoline or diesel but also a motor by electric power supply, thereby creating synergy effect on driving, improving fuel economy and reducing environmental pollution. Such hybrid vehicles include a hard type (also referred to as a hard type or a full type) in which a motor or an engine is selected and used as a driving source for driving a vehicle, and the motor is an auxiliary driving source when a large force such as acceleration or climbing is required while the engine is always driven. It can be divided into soft type (soft type, also known as Mild type).

The hard type hybrid vehicle has a configuration in which a vehicle can be driven only by a motor when a large driving force is required, that is, when the vehicle starts, and only by an engine during normal driving. In addition, when the soft type hybrid vehicle requires a large force such as acceleration or climbing while the engine is always driven, the motor is assisted to drive the vehicle, and the driving force of the motor is cut off. The engine is driven only by the engine. In the state where the motor of such a soft type hybrid vehicle is not driven, charging is performed by the driving force of the engine.

Since the hybrid vehicle of the hard type is driven by the motor or the engine alone, the motor installed in the vehicle must have a sufficiently large capacity. In addition, the soft type hybrid vehicle may always drive the vehicle using the driving force of the engine and may use the motor as a driving source to reduce the fuel efficiency improvement, which is an advantage of the hybrid vehicle.

Therefore, it is necessary to develop a torque converter that can use an engine and a motor as a driving source, respectively, as a driving force, which is an advantage of a hard type hybrid vehicle, and at the same time satisfy the fuel efficiency improvement effect of a soft type hybrid vehicle.

The hydraulic control method of such a hybrid vehicle is disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0001869 registered and filed by the present applicant. According to the technique disclosed in the above publication, only a driving source selected from an engine and a motor may be applied to driving of a vehicle through a three-way configuration of oil, and thus may correspond to a design condition of the vehicle.

In particular, in the technique described in the above publication, the lockup clutch operating pressure circulates around the engine power shutoff clutch to cool the heat generated around the engine power shutoff clutch, and the lockup clutch operating pressure is maintained at a constant state. Therefore, when the lock-up clutch operating pressure is maintained for a long time, there is a problem that the function of cooling the engine power shut-off clutch is deteriorated.

Therefore, the present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to continuously cool the oil around the engine power shut-off clutch even when the lock-up clutch operating pressure and the engine power shut-off clutch operating pressure is operated for a long time. This circulation is to provide a hybrid vehicle torque converter and its hydraulic control method that can maximize the cooling performance to increase the durability of the torque converter.

In order to achieve the object as described above, the present invention, the engine power shut-off clutch for transmitting or blocking the power of the engine, a rotor hub disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the engine power shut-off clutch to transfer the driving force of the motor, the rotor hub and A front cover connected to the engine power shutoff clutch to receive a driving force of an engine or a motor, an impeller connected to the front cover to rotate, a turbine disposed to face the impeller, and transmitting a driving force to a transmission, the impeller and the turbine A stator positioned between the stator to change the flow of oil from the turbine to the impeller, a lockup clutch installed between the turbine and the front cover to directly transfer the driving force of the front cover to a transmission, the lockup clutch, and the engine power To activate or deactivate the shut-off clutch Includes a flow passage through which the hydraulic pressure passes, the flow passage includes a lockup clutch operating pressure passage for operating the lockup clutch, a lockup clutch release pressure passage for releasing the lockup clutch, and an engine power cutoff for operating or releasing the engine power shutoff clutch. A torque converter for a hybrid vehicle including a clutch operating and releasing pressure flow passage and an engine power cut clutch cooling passage for cooling the engine power cut clutch.

Preferably, the pressure supplied to the engine power shutoff clutch cooling passage is made smaller than the pressure supplied to the lockup clutch operating pressure flow passage and the engine power shutoff clutch to a pressure supplied to the operating pressure flow passage.

The front cover is preferably provided with an oil distribution port through which the oil supplied to the engine power shut-off clutch cooling passage is moved to the lock-up clutch release pressure passage.

In addition, the present invention is to supply the hydraulic pressure of the oil pump to control the engine power shut-off clutch to transmit or shut off the driving force of the engine to the front cover, the hybrid lock-up clutch to control the driving force of the engine or motor directly to the transmission In the control method of a vehicle torque converter, the lockup clutch operating pressure is supplied to the lockup clutch operating pressure passage for operating the lockup clutch, and the lockup clutch release pressure is supplied to the lockup clutch release pressure passage for releasing the lockup clutch. And controlling the engine power cutoff clutch operating pressure flow path to supply the engine power cutoff clutch operating pressure flow, and supplying a cooling oil to the engine power cutoff clutch cooling flow path to discharge the lockup clutch release pressure flow path. Of automotive torque converter Provides a hydraulic control method.

When the lockup clutch is in the off state and the engine power shutoff clutch is in the on state, the release pressure of the lockup clutch is supplied to the engine power shutoff clutch through the oil outlet and returned to the oil pump to cool the friction materials of the engine power shutoff clutch. It is preferred to be controlled to.

In the present invention, even when the lock-up clutch operating pressure and the engine power shut-off clutch operating pressure are continuously operated in a hybrid vehicle torque converter, the cooling oil continues to pass through the engine power cut-off clutch cooling channel, thereby removing friction materials of the engine power cut-off clutch. Cooling has the effect of maximizing the cooling performance to increase the durability of the torque converter.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a torque converter in a half sectional view for explaining an embodiment according to the present invention.

The torque converter of the present invention is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of an engine power cut clutch 1 and an engine power cut clutch 1 that transmits or cuts power of an engine (not shown), and a rotor hub that transmits driving force of a motor M ( 3), the front cover (5) rotates by receiving the driving force of the engine power shut-off clutch (1) or the rotor hub (3), and the impeller (7) and the impeller (7) which are connected to the front cover (5) and rotate together. A turbine 9 for transmitting a driving force to a transmission coupled to the stator 11, a stator 11 positioned between the impeller 7 and the turbine 9 to change the flow of oil from the turbine 9 to the impeller 7 side; And a lockup clutch 13 which directly connects the driving force of the engine or motor M to the turbine 9.

The engine power shutoff clutch 1 may be connected to the crankshaft of the engine and installed on the center shaft 21 to receive the driving force of the engine. That is, the center shaft 21 may receive the driving force of the engine, and a plurality of first friction materials 1a are rotatably coupled to the center shaft 21. In addition, the second friction materials 1b, which are in frictional contact with the first friction materials 1a and connect or cut off power of the engine, are rotatably disposed about the rotation axis. The second friction materials 1b may be coupled to the front cover 5 side.

And one side of the first friction material (1a) or the second friction material (1b) is arranged a piston 23 which is operated by hydraulic pressure so that the first friction material (1a) or the second friction material (1b) can be in contact with each other or blocked. do. In the present invention, the piston 23 controlled by the hydraulic pressure to contact or block the first friction material 1a and the second friction material 1b is such that only the first friction material 1a and the second friction material 1b come into contact with each other. It does not matter where it is arranged if it serves to release or release the contact state, in the embodiment of the present invention disposed between the front cover 5 and the second friction material (1b) structure that can be moved in the axial direction by hydraulic pressure An example of this is explained.

The piston 23 may be disposed on the shaft supporting the front cover, it is preferably arranged in a structure that is moved in the axial direction by the hydraulic pressure.

In other words, the engine power shut-off clutch 1 is to transmit or block the driving force of the engine to the front cover 5, and is operated by hydraulic pressure, and friction materials of the single plate or the multi plate are in friction contact or release of contact with each other. It has a structure that can be.

Such an engine power shut-off clutch 1 may be disposed in the inner space of the rotor hub 3 which transmits the driving force of the motor M. As shown in FIG.

The rotor hub 3 may be rotated about a rotation axis by transmitting a driving force of the motor M, and is integrally coupled to the front cover 5. In addition, the rotor hub 3 may be provided with an internal space in which the above-described engine power shut-off clutch 1 may be disposed, and the internal space may have a structure in which hydraulic pressure is supplied or discharged. That is, the rotor hub 3 is a rotor of the motor M and at the same time connected to the front cover 5 may have a structure in which the driving force of the motor M can be directly transmitted to the front cover 5.

As described above, the front cover 5 preferably has the same rotation shaft 25 as the piston 23.

On the other hand, the front cover 5 is provided with another oil outlet 5a into which oil circulating inside the torque converter is introduced into the rotor hub 3.

And the structure of the front cover 5, the impeller 7, the stator 11 and the like can be applied to known techniques known in the art. Therefore, detailed description of the configuration of the front cover 5, the impeller 7, the stator 11, the lock-up clutch 13 and the like will be omitted.

Meanwhile, the embodiment of the present invention uses the lockup clutch operating pressure passage 31, the lockup clutch release pressure passage 33, the engine power shutoff clutch operation and release pressure passage 35, and the engine power shutoff clutch cooling passage 37. Include. Here, since each of the flow paths 31, 33, 35, and 37 is the same as the path through which the oil pressures P1, P2, P3, and P4 are moved, the flow path number is assigned to an arrow indicating the flow path of the hydraulic pressure. do.

Four of these flow paths 31, 33, 35, 37 may be provided along the axis and may be provided with holes through which oil can pass in the radial direction of the axis.

That is, the embodiment of the present invention has four different flow paths 31, 33, 35, 37, and in particular, further comprises an engine power cut clutch cooling flow path 37 for cooling the engine power cut clutch 1. It is.

The pressure P4 of the oil supplied through the engine power shutoff clutch cooling flow passage 37 is preferably supplied at a lower pressure than the lockup clutch operating pressure P1 supplied to the lockup clutch operating pressure flow passage 31.

Further, the pressure P4 of the oil supplied through the cooling passage 37 for cooling the engine power shutoff clutch 1 is the engine power shutoff clutch operating pressure supplied to the engine power shutoff clutch actuation and release pressure flow passage 35. It is preferable to supply at a low pressure as compared with (P3).

2 is a diagram for explaining a hydraulic operation process of the present invention, Figures 3 to 6 are views for explaining the operation of the engine power shut-off clutch and the lock-up clutch in accordance with the control of the hydraulic pressure. As described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6 will be described in detail the operation of the shut-off clutch and shut off of the engine power under the control of the hydraulic pressure.

3 is a view for explaining the operation of the hydraulic pressure when the lock-up clutch is in the off (non-operation) state, the engine power shut-off clutch is in the off (non-operation) state.

A controller (not shown) controls the lockup clutch / engine power shutoff clutch control valve (not shown, hereinafter referred to as valve) so that the lockup clutch 13 is turned off and the engine power shutoff clutch 1 is turned off.

Then, the operating pressure P1 for operating the lockup clutch 13 is not acting, and the lockup clutch release pressure P2 for releasing the lockup clutch 13 is supplied through the lockup clutch release pressure passage 33.

The lockup clutch release pressure P2 acts in the direction in which the piston of the lockup clutch 13 is released, and the lockup clutch operating pressure P1 can be discharged to the oil tank side.

At this time, the engine power cutoff clutch operating pressure P3 for operating the engine power cutoff clutch 1 and the oil pressures P3 and P4 of the cooling flow path 37 for cooling the engine power cutoff clutch 1 do not act. .

However, the lock-up clutch release pressure P2 described above is returned to the oil pump through the engine power shut-off clutch cooling passage 37 while being moved toward the engine power shut-off clutch 1 through the oil outlet 5a of the front cover 5. do. That is, the lock-up clutch release pressure P2 is supplied at a pressure of about 4 bar as shown in FIG. 2, and then passes through the oil outlet 5a and then the first friction material 1a of the engine power shut-off clutch 1. It can be returned to the oil tank while passing around the second friction material 1b.

Subsequently, FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the operation of hydraulic pressure when the lockup clutch is in an on (operation) state and the engine power shut-off clutch 1 is in an off (non-operation) state.

The controller (not shown) controls the lockup clutch / engine power shutoff clutch control valve (not shown, hereinafter referred to as valve) so that the lockup clutch 13 is turned on and the engine power shutoff clutch 1 is turned off.

The operating pressure P1 for operating the lockup clutch 13 is supplied through the lockup clutch operating pressure passage 31. And the lockup clutch release pressure P2 which releases the lockup clutch 13 does not operate.

That is, the lockup clutch release pressure P2 is discharged to the oil tank side, and the lockup clutch operating pressure P1 presses the piston of the lockup clutch 13 to contact the front cover 3.

 Then, the cooling oil P4 supplied through the cooling passage 37 is operated to cool the engine power shutoff clutch 1. At this time, the pressure of the cooling oil (P4) acts as a lower pressure than the lock-up clutch operating pressure (P1).

Then, by the pressure P4 of the cooling oil, the cooling oil is moved through the oil outlet 5a while circulating around the first friction material 1a and the second friction material 1b of the engine power shut-off clutch 1 and then locks up. It returns to the oil tank via the clutch release pressure flow path 33.

Therefore, the first friction material 1a and the second friction material 1b of the engine power shutoff clutch 1 are continuously cooled.

In this control, the engine is not used as the driving force, but the driving of the vehicle is performed using only the motor.

In the following case, a hydraulic control method for driving a vehicle using a motor and an engine at the same time or using only an engine as a driving source will be described.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining an operation process of hydraulic pressure when the lockup clutch is in an off (non-operating) state and the engine power shutoff clutch is in an on (operating) state.

The controller (not shown) controls the lockup clutch / engine power shutoff clutch control valve (not shown, hereinafter referred to as valve) so that the lockup clutch 13 is turned off and the engine power shutoff clutch 1 is turned on.

The operating pressure P1 for operating the lockup clutch 13 is returned to the oil tank while being released, and the lockup clutch release pressure P2 acts.

That is, the lockup clutch release pressure P2 acts in the direction in which the piston of the lockup clutch 13 is released.

And the engine power cutoff clutch operating pressure P3 is supplied through the engine power cutoff clutch operating pressure flow path 35.

The piston 23 of the engine power shutoff clutch 1 is moved in a direction in which the first friction material 1a and the second friction material 1b are in contact with each other, so that the driving force of the engine is transmitted to the front cover 5.

At this time, the lock-up clutch release pressure P2 described above causes the piston of the lock-up clutch 13 to fall off the front cover 5 and at the same time a part of the oil shuts off the engine power through the oil outlet 5a of the front cover 5. The first friction material 1a and the second friction material 1b of the clutch 1 are discharged to the oil pump side through the engine power cut clutch cooling flow passage 37.

That is, when the lock-up clutch release pressure P2 is applied to about 4 bar (see FIG. 2), cooling of the first and second friction materials 1a and 1b is continued while a pressure of about 2 bar is applied in the reverse direction of the cooling flow path 37. It is made of.

6 is a view for explaining the operation of hydraulic pressure when the lockup clutch is in an on (operation) state and the engine power shut-off clutch 1 is in an on (operation) state.

The controller (not shown) controls the lockup clutch / engine power shutoff clutch control valve (not shown, hereinafter referred to as valve) so that the lockup clutch 13 is turned on and the engine power shutoff clutch 1 is turned off.

The lockup clutch release pressure P2 for releasing the lockup clutch 13 is released and the lockup clutch operating pressure P1 for operating the lockup clutch 13 is supplied through the lockup clutch operating flow path 31.

That is, the lockup clutch release pressure P2 is discharged to the oil tank side, and the lockup clutch operating pressure P1 contacts the piston of the lockup clutch 13 to the front cover 3.

And the cooling oil P4 for cooling the engine power cut off clutch 1 is supplied along the engine power cut off clutch cooling flow path 37.

Then, the pressure P4 of the oil passing through the engine power shut-off clutch cooling flow path causes the oil to cool around the first friction material 1a and the second friction material 1b while cooling the lockup clutch through the oil outlet 5a. The oil is discharged to the oil pump through the release pressure passage 33.

In this way, the oil passing through the engine power shutoff clutch cooling channel 37 is circulated while cooling the first friction material 1a and the second friction material 1b of the engine power shutoff clutch 1 continuously.

The oil distribution path of the present invention is composed of four lines (4 ways) to control the hydraulic pressure.

Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention can perform the cooling function of the engine power shut-off clutch in the entire region in which the torque converter is operated, thereby increasing the durability of the torque converter.

1 is a half sectional view of a torque converter for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a table for explaining the hydraulic operation of the torque converter of the present invention.

3 is a view for explaining a state in which the lockup clutch is turned off (inactive) and the engine power shutoff clutch is turned off (inactivated) according to the hydraulic control state of the present invention.

4 is a view for explaining a state in which the lock-up clutch is turned on (operated) and the engine power shut-off clutch is turned off (non-operated) according to the hydraulic control state of the present invention.

5 is a view for explaining a state in which the lockup clutch is turned off (non-operated) and the engine power shut-off clutch is turned on (operated) according to the hydraulic control state of the present invention.

6 is a view for explaining a state in which the lockup clutch is on (operation) and the engine power shut-off clutch is on (operation) according to the hydraulic control state of the present invention.

Claims (7)

Engine power cut clutch, which transmits or cuts the power of the engine, A rotor hub disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the engine power shut-off clutch and transmitting a driving force of a motor; A front cover connected to the rotor hub and the engine power shutoff clutch and receiving a driving force of an engine or a motor; An impeller connected to the front cover and rotating; A turbine disposed facing the impeller and transmitting a driving force to a transmission; A stator located between the impeller and the turbine to change the flow of oil from the turbine to the impeller; A lockup clutch installed between the turbine and the front cover to transmit a driving force of the front cover to a transmission; A hydraulic passage through which the lock-up clutch and the engine power shut-off clutch are operated or released; The flow path is A lock-up clutch operating pressure passage for operating the lock-up clutch, A lockup clutch release pressure passage for releasing the lockup clutch; An engine power shutoff clutch operating and releasing pressure passage for operating or releasing the engine power shutoff clutch, An engine power cut clutch cooling passage for cooling the engine power cut clutch, The pressure supplied to the engine power shutoff clutch cooling passage is A torque converter for a hybrid vehicle, wherein the pressure supplied to the lock-up clutch operating pressure flow path and the engine power shut-off clutch are smaller than the pressure supplied to the operating pressure flow path. delete The method according to claim 1, The front cover And an oil outlet port through which the oil supplied to the engine power shutoff clutch cooling passage is moved to the lockup clutch release pressure passage. Control of the torque converter for the hybrid vehicle to supply the hydraulic pressure of the oil pump so that the engine power shut-off clutch transmits or shuts off the driving force of the engine to the front cover, and the lock-up clutch transfers the driving force of the engine or motor directly to the transmission. In the method, Control to supply the lock-up clutch operating pressure to the lock-up clutch operating pressure passage for operating the lock-up clutch, Controlling the lockup clutch release pressure to be supplied to the lockup clutch release pressure passage for releasing the lockup clutch; To control the engine power cutoff clutch operating pressure to be supplied to the engine power cutoff clutch operating pressure flow path, Cooling oil is supplied to the engine power shut-off clutch cooling passage to be discharged to the lock-up clutch release pressure passage, The pressure of the cooling oil supplied to the engine power shutoff clutch cooling passage is The hydraulic control method of the torque converter for a hybrid vehicle, wherein the lock-up clutch operating pressure and the engine power cut-off clutch operating pressure are smaller than each other. delete The method according to claim 4, Cooling oil supplied to the engine power cut clutch cooling passage A hydraulic control method of a torque converter for a hybrid vehicle that is moved to the lock-up clutch release pressure passage through an oil distribution port provided in a front cover. The method according to claim 4, When the lockup clutch is in the off state and the engine power shutoff clutch is in the on state, The release pressure of the lock-up clutch is supplied to the engine power shut-off clutch side through the oil outlet and returned to the oil pump, and is controlled to cool the friction materials of the engine power shut-off clutch.

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