IP Library › Granted Patent US 12686257
Granted Patent B2
US 12686257 · App. 18/294,446 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Hybrid drive system for a motor vehicle

Inventors: Thomas Lechthaler (Stuttgart, DE); Kai Heukelbach (Koengen, DE); Bernhard Ziegler (Rechberghausen, DE); Jan Velthaus (Stuttgart, DE); Lukas Rube (Pluederhausen, DE); Bernd Koppitz (Winterbach, DE)
Assignee: Mercedes-Benz Group AG
B60K6/387B60K6/24B60K6/48
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12686257
App. No.
18/294,446
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hybrid drive system for a motor vehicle has an input shaft via which torques provided by an internal combustion engine can be introduced into the hybrid drive system, a drive shaft disposed coaxially with the input shaft, an electric engine which has a stator and a rotor, and a torque converter which has a impeller, a converter cover connected to the impeller in a manner fixed against rotation, and a converter hub which is connected to the converter cover in a manner fixed against rotation. The converter hub is connected to the rotor in a manner fixed against rotation. The system further has a separable clutch having a disc pack, a clutch chamber in which the disc pack is received, an operating piston, and an associated operating chamber. Via the separable clutch the converter hub can be connected to the input shaft in a manner fixed against rotation.

Claims (29)

1 . A hybrid drive system ( 10 ) for a motor vehicle, comprising:

an input shaft ( 14 ) which is rotatably mounted around an axis of rotation ( 12 ) and via which torques provided by an internal combustion engine introducible into the hybrid drive system ( 10 );

a drive shaft ( 18 ) disposed coaxially with the input shaft ( 14 );

an electric engine ( 20 ) which has a stator ( 22 ) and a rotor ( 23 );

a torque converter ( 24 ) which has an impeller ( 26 ), a converter cover ( 28 ) connected to the impeller ( 26 ) in a manner fixed against rotation, and a converter hub ( 30 ) which is connected to the converter cover ( 28 ) in a manner fixed against rotation, wherein the converter hub is connected to the rotor ( 23 ) in a manner fixed against rotation;

a separable clutch ( 34 ) having a disc pack ( 36 ), a clutch chamber ( 38 ) in which the disc pack ( 36 ) is received, an operating piston ( 40 ), and an associated operating chamber ( 41 ), wherein via the separable clutch ( 34 ) the converter hub ( 30 ) is connectable to the input shaft ( 14 ) in a manner fixed against rotation;

a feeding conduit ( 46 ) which is flowable through by oil and via which at least a part of the oil flowing through the feeding conduit ( 46 ) is introducible into the operating chamber ( 41 ) as operating oil to operate the operating piston ( 40 );

a cooling conduit ( 42 ) via which the separable clutch ( 34 ) and the electric engine ( 20 ) are providable with a cooling oil; and

a first control slide ( 52 ) via which a flow volume of the cooling oil is adjustable, wherein to displace the first control slide ( 52 ), and thus to adjust the flow volume, at least a part of the oil flowing through the feeding conduit ( 46 ) is appliable to a first hydraulic active surface ( 54 ) of the first control slide ( 52 ) via the feeding conduit ( 46 );

wherein the torque converter ( 24 ) has an interior ( 32 ) for receiving converter oil and is at least partially and directly delimited by the impeller ( 26 );

wherein the cooling conduit ( 42 ) is a direct connecting conduit designed between the interior ( 32 ) of the torque converter ( 24 ) and the clutch chamber ( 38 ) of the separable clutch ( 34 ) and runs into the converter hub ( 30 ), wherein via the cooling conduit ( 42 ) the disc pack ( 36 ) of the separable clutch ( 34 ) and the electric engine ( 20 ) are suppliable with the converter oil from the interior ( 32 ) of the torque converter ( 24 ).

2 . The hybrid drive system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a second control slide ( 58 ) with a second hydraulic active surface ( 62 ) that is connected in parallel with the first hydraulic active surface ( 54 ) of the first control slide ( 52 ) by flow technology, wherein at least a part of the oil flowing through the feeding conduit ( 46 ) is appliable to the second hydraulic active surface ( 62 ) via the feeding conduit ( 46 ) to displace the second control slide ( 58 ) and thus to adjust the flow volume.

3 . The hybrid drive system ( 10 ) according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a first spring device ( 56 ) via which the first control slide ( 52 ) is displaceable and which is assigned to the first control slide ( 52 ); and

a second spring device ( 60 ) via which the second control slide ( 58 ) is displaceable and which is assigned to the second control slide ( 58 );

wherein the first spring device ( 56 ) and the second spring device ( 60 ) have different spring characteristic curves.

4 . The hybrid drive system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein in a first switch position of the first control slide ( 52 ) for pressures in the feeding conduit ( 46 ) lower than a pre-determined limit value, a conduit part having a large cross-section is switchable.

5 . The hybrid drive system ( 10 ) according to claim 4 , wherein in a second switch position of the first control slide ( 52 ) for pressures in the feeding conduit ( 46 ) lower than a pre-determined limit value and greater than a pre-determined second limit value, at least two conduit parts are switchable off.

6 . A hybrid drive system ( 10 ) for a motor vehicle, comprising:

an input shaft ( 14 ) which is rotatably mounted around an axis of rotation ( 12 ) and via which torques provided by an internal combustion engine introducible into the hybrid drive system ( 10 );

a drive shaft ( 18 ) disposed coaxially with the input shaft ( 14 );

an electric engine ( 20 ) which has a stator ( 22 ) and a rotor ( 23 );

a torque converter ( 24 ) which has an impeller ( 26 ), a converter cover ( 28 ) connected to the impeller ( 26 ) in a manner fixed against rotation, and a converter hub ( 30 ) which is connected to the converter cover ( 28 ) in a manner fixed against rotation, wherein the converter hub is connected to the rotor ( 23 ) in a manner fixed against rotation;

a separable clutch ( 34 ) having a disc pack ( 36 ), a clutch chamber ( 38 ) in which the disc pack ( 36 ) is received, an operating piston ( 40 ), and an associated operating chamber ( 41 ), wherein via the separable clutch ( 34 ) the converter hub ( 30 ) is connectable to the input shaft ( 14 ) in a manner fixed against rotation;

a feeding conduit ( 46 ) which is flowable through by oil and via which at least a part of the oil flowing through the feeding conduit ( 46 ) is introducible into the operating chamber ( 41 ) as operating oil to operate the operating piston ( 40 );

a cooling conduit ( 42 ) via which the separable clutch ( 34 ) and the electric engine ( 20 ) are providable with a cooling oil; and

a first control slide ( 52 ) via which a flow volume of the cooling oil is adjustable, wherein to displace the first control slide ( 52 ), and thus to adjust the flow volume, at least a part of the oil flowing through the feeding conduit ( 46 ) is appliable to a first hydraulic active surface ( 54 ) of the first control slide ( 52 ) via the feeding conduit ( 46 );

wherein in a first switch position of the first control slide ( 52 ) for pressures in the feeding conduit ( 46 ) lower than a pre-determined limit value, a conduit part having a large cross-section is switchable;

wherein in a second switch position of the first control slide ( 52 ) for pressures in the feeding conduit ( 46 ) lower than a pre-determined limit value and greater than a pre-determined second limit value, at least two conduit parts are switchable off.