Granted Patent B2

US 7,169,073 · App. 11/035,183 · Granted Jan 30, 2007

Abstract

Claims (27)

1. A powertrain having an electrically variable transmission comprising:

a prime mover;

a first motor/generator unit;

a second motor/generator unit;

a stationary transmission housing;

first and second selectively engageable torque-transmitting mechanisms;

first, second, and third planetary gearsets each having first, second, and third members;

an input shaft interconnecting said prime mover with a first member of said second planetary gearset and a first member of said first planetary gearset;

said second member of said second planetary gearset being continuously interconnected with said first motor/generator unit and selectively connectible with said second member of said first planetary gearset through said second selectively engageable torque-transmitting mechanism;

said third member of said second planetary gearset being continuously interconnected with said second motor/generator unit;

said first member of said third planetary gearset being continuously connected with said second motor/generator unit;

said second member of said third planetary gearset being continuously drivingly connected with a transmission output;

said third member of said third planetary gearset being selectively connectible with said transmission housing through said first torque-transmitting mechanism; and

said first and second torque-transmitting mechanisms being selectively engaged to provide a first mode of transmission operation and a second mode of transmission operation respectively.

2. The powertrain having an electrically variable transmission defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a third torque-transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to connect said second motor/generator unit with said transmission housing; and

said third member of said first planetary gearset being continuously connected with said transmission output.

3. The powertrain having an electrically variable transmission defined in claim 1 further comprising:

each of said planetary gearset consisting of a sun gear member, a ring gear member and a planet carrier assembly member having a plurality of pinion gear members rotatably mounted on a carrier member and meshing with both said sun gear member and said ring gear member.

4. The powertrain having an electrically variable transmission defined in claim 3 further comprising:

said first member of said first planetary gearset being a carrier member, said second member of said first planetary gearset is a sun gear member, and said third member of said first planetary gearset is a ring gear member;

said first member of said second planetary gearset is a carrier member, said second member of said second planetary gearset is a sun gear member, and said third member of said second planetary gearset is a ring gear member; and

said first member of said third planetary gearset is a sun gear member, said second member of said third planetary gearset is a carrier member, and said third member of said third planetary gearset is a ring gear member.

5. The powertrain having an electrically variable transmission defined in claim 3 further comprising:

said first member of said first planetary gearset being a ring gear member, said second member of said first planetary gearset is a sun gear member, and said third member of said first planetary gearset is a carrier member;

said first member of said second planetary gearset is a carrier member, said second member of said second planetary gearset is a sun gear member, and said third member of said second planetary gearset is a ring gear member; and

said first member of said third planetary gearset is a sun gear member, said second member of said third planetary gearset is a carrier member, and said third member of said third planetary gearset is a ring gear member.

Assignments (13)