Granted Patent B2

US 7,399,246 · App. 11/403,239 · Granted Jul 15, 2008

Abstract

Claims (18)

1. A hybrid powertrain including a hybrid transmission comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a first electric motor/generator unit;

a second electric motor/generator unit;

a planetary gearset having five members rotating on substantially the same axis and capable of rotation at five different speeds, wherein the rotational speeds of two of said members are necessary and sufficient for determining the speeds of the other three of said members and wherein one of said members is connected with said internal combustion engine, a second of said members is connected with said first electric motor/generator unit, and a third member is connected with said second electric motor/generator unit;

transmission output gearing means; and

said second electric motor/generator unit being connectible with said transmission output gearing means through a first torque-transmitting mechanism, a fourth member of said planetary gearset being connectible with said transmission output gearing means through a second torque-transmitting mechanism, and a fifth member of said planetary gearset being connectible with said transmission output gearing means through a third torque-transmitting mechanism.

2. The hybrid powertrain including a hybrid transmission defined in claim 1 , wherein said planetary gearset having five members is comprised of three simple planetary gearsets, each of said simple planetary gearsets comprising a sun gear, a ring gear, and a planet carrier assembly, which is comprised of a plurality of pinion gears rotatably mounted on a planet carrier.

3. The hybrid powertrain including a hybrid transmission defined in claim 1 , wherein said planetary gearset having five members is comprised of a single compound planetary gearset, comprising a first sun gear and a second sun gear, a first sun gear and a second ring gear, and a planet carrier assembly, which is comprised of a plurality of pinion gears rotatably mounted on a planet carrier, subdivided into a first set of pinion gears and a second set of pinion gears and disposed in meshing relationship wherein said first set of pinion gears engages said first sun gear, said first ring gear and said second set of pinion gears and wherein said second set of pinion gears engages said second sun gear, said second ring gear, and said first set of pinion gears.

4. A hybrid powertrain including a hybrid transmission comprising:

an engine;

a first electric motor/generator unit;

a second electric motor/generator unit;

a planetary gearset having five members rotating on substantially the same axis and capable of rotating at five different speeds, wherein the rotational speeds of two of said members are necessary and sufficient for determining the speeds of the other three of said members and wherein one of said members is connected with said internal combustion engine, a second of said members is connected with said first electric motor/generator unit, and a third of said members is connected with said second electric motor/generator unit;

three selectively engageable torque transmitting mechanisms; and

a transmission output comprising transmission output gearing means having three members connectible between said three output members by individual selective engagement of said three torque transmitting mechanisms to establish an input split mode of operation, a first compound split mode of operation, and a second compound split mode of operation between said engine and said transmission output.

5. The hybrid powertrain including a hybrid transmission defined in claim 4 further comprising:

said engine, said first electric motor/generator, and said second electric motor/generator being continuously interconnected with respective ones of said three members.

Assignments (11)