Granted Patent B2

US 7,261,661 · App. 11/217,923 · Granted Aug 28, 2007

Assignee: General Motors Corporation

Abstract

Claims (64)

1. A hybrid electro-mechanical transmission comprising:

an input member for receiving power from a power source;

an output member for delivering power from the transmission;

a single motor/generator;

an energy storage device for interchanging electrical power with said motor/generator;

three planetary gear sets utilizing first, second and third members;

wherein said first, second and third planetary gear sets are coaxially aligned;

wherein said motor/generator annularly circumscribes at least one of said planetary gear sets;

first, second and third interconnecting members each continuously interconnecting a different one of said members of one of said planetary gear sets to another different one of said members of another of said planetary gear sets; and

four torque-transmitting mechanisms operative to connect said members of said gear sets with other members or with a stationary member and selectively engagable alone or in pairs to provide a reverse mode powered only be said motor/generator, a launch mode powered only by said motor/generator, and at least five fixed forward speed ratios powered by said power source and with selective assisting power by said motor/generator.

2. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 1 , wherein said first member of said first planetary gear set is continuously connected with said input member;

wherein said first member of said third planetary gear set is continuously connected with said output member;

wherein said first interconnecting member continuously connects said second member of said first planetary gear set with said first member of said second planetary gear set;

wherein said second interconnecting member continuously connects said third member of said first planetary gear set with said second member of said second planetary gear set; and

wherein said third interconnecting member continuously connects said third member of said second planetary gear set with said second member of said third planetary gear set.

3. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 2 , wherein said first torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connects said input member with said third member of said first planetary gear set to thereby cause all members of said first planetary gear set to rotate at a speed of said input member.

4. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 2 , wherein said second torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connects said third member of said first planetary gear set with said stationary member.

5. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 2 , wherein said third torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connects said third member of said third planetary gear set with said stationary member.

6. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 2 , wherein said fourth torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connects said interconnected second member of said first planetary gear set and first member of said second planetary gear set with said output member.

7. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 2 , further comprising a control unit for regulating electrical power interchange between said energy storage device and said motor/generator.

8. A hybrid electro-mechanical transmission comprising:

an input member for receiving power from a power source;

an output member for delivering power from the transmission;

a single motor/generator;

an energy storage device for interchanging electrical power with said motor/generator;

three planetary gear sets utilizing first, second and third members;

said first member of said first planetary gear set being continuously connected to said input member;

said first member of said third planetary gear set being continuously connected with said output member;

a first interconnecting member continuously connecting said second member of said first planetary gear set with said first member of said second planetary gear set;

a second interconnecting member continuously connecting said third member of said first planetary gear set with said second member of said second planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously connecting said third member of said second planetary gear set with said second member of said third planetary gear set;

said motor/generator being continuously connected with said third interconnecting member for common rotation therewith; and

four torque-transmitting mechanisms operable for selectively connecting selected ones of said members of said planetary gear sets with selected ones of said input member, said output member, a stationary member or other of said members of said planetary gear sets to establish an electrically variable reverse mode powered only by said motor/generator, a forward mode powered by said motor/generator and selectively also by said power source; and at least five fixed forward speed ratios between said input member and said output member.

9. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 8 , wherein said first, second and third planetary gear sets are coaxially aligned.

10. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 9 , wherein said motor/generator annularly circumscribes at least one of said planetary gear sets.

11. The electro-mechanical transmission of claim 8 , wherein said interconnecting members are concentric.

12. A hybrid electro-mechanical transmission comprising:

an input member for receiving power from a power source;

an output member for delivering power from the transmission;

a single motor/generator;

an energy storage device for interchanging power with said motor/generator;

three planetary gear sets utilizing first, second and third members;

one of said members of said first planetary gear set being continuously connected with said input member;

one of said members of said third planetary gear set being continuously connected with said output member;

said motor/generator being continuously connected to one of said members of said third planetary gear set not continuously connected with said output member;

a first torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connecting said one of said members of said first planetary gear set continuously connected with said input member with another one of said members of said first planetary gear set;

a second torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connecting one of said members of said first planetary gear set not continuously connected with said input member with a stationary member;

a third torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connecting one of said members of said third planetary gear set not continuously connected with said motor/generator with said stationary member;

a fourth torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connecting one of said members of said second planetary gear set with said member of said third planetary gear set continuously connected with said output member;

a first interconnecting member continuously connecting a member of said first planetary gear set with a member of said second planetary gear set;

a second interconnecting member continuously connecting a member of said first planetary gear set not interconnected by said first interconnecting member with a member of the second planetary gear set; and

a third interconnecting member continuously connecting a member of said second planetary gear set not interconnected by said first or second interconnecting members with said member of said third planetary gear set that is continuously connected with said motor/generator.

13. The hybrid electro-mechanical transmission of claim 12 , wherein said first, second and third members of each of said planetary gear sets include a ring gear member, a sun gear member and a carrier member; wherein said ring gear member of said first planetary gear set is continuously connected with said input member;

wherein said carrier member of said third planetary gear set is continuously connected with said output member;

wherein said carrier member of said first planetary gear set is continuously connected with said carrier member of said second planetary gear set via said first interconnecting member;

wherein said sun gear member of said first planetary gear set is continuously connected with said ring gear member of said second planetary gear set via said second interconnecting member; and

wherein said sun gear member of said third planetary gear set is continuously connected with said motor/generator and is continuously connected to said sun gear member of said second planetary gear set via said third interconnecting member.

14. The hybrid electro-mechanical transmission of claim 12 , wherein said first torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connects said ring gear member of said first planetary gear set with said sun gear member of said first planetary gear set.

15. The hybrid electro-mechanical transmission of claim 12 , wherein said second torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connects said sun gear member of said first planetary gear set with said stationary member.

16. The hybrid electro-mechanical transmission of claim 12 , wherein said third torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connects said ring gear member of said third planetary gear set with said stationary member.

17. The hybrid electro-mechanical transmission of claim 12 , wherein said fourth torque-transmitting mechanism selectively connects said carrier member of said second planetary gear set with said carrier member of said third planetary gear set.

18. The hybrid electro-mechanical transmission of claim 12 , wherein selective engagement of selected ones of said four torque-transmitting mechanisms alone or in pairs provides at least five fixed forward speed ratios whether or not power flows through said motor/generator.

19. The hybrid electro-mechanical transmission of claim 12 , wherein said first, second and third planetary gear sets are coaxially aligned; and

wherein said motor/generator annularly circumscribes at least one of said planetary gear sets.

Assignments (13)

Continuity (1)