HYBRID DRIVE MODULE WITH OPTIMIZED ELECTRIC MOTOR ATTACHMENT

1 . A hybrid drive module, comprising:

a torque converter including:

a cover formed of a first piece of material;

an impeller; and,

a turbine; and,

a rotor carrier:

made of a second piece of material different from the first piece of material;

arranged to non-rotatably connect to a rotor for an electric motor; and,

including a connection element:

formed from the second piece of material and including at least one first rivet non-rotatably connecting the cover and the rotor carrier; or,

made of a third piece of material partially embedded in the second piece of material and non-rotatably connected to the cover.

2 . The hybrid drive module of claim 1 , wherein:

the connection element is formed from the second piece of material;

the rotor carrier includes a shoulder portion with a surface;

the at least one first rivet extends from the surface in an axial direction; and,

at least a portion of the surface is engaged with the cover.

3 . The hybrid drive module of claim 2 , wherein the rotor carrier is non-rotatably connected to the cover solely by the at least one first rivet.

4 . The hybrid drive module of claim 1 , wherein the connection element:

is made of the third piece of material; and,

includes at least one second rivet non-rotatably connecting the rotor carrier and the cover.

5 . The hybrid drive module of claim 4 , wherein:

the connection element includes a shoulder portion with a surface;

the at least one second rivet extends from the surface in an axial direction; and,

at least a portion of the surface is engaged with the cover.

6 . The hybrid drive module of claim 4 , wherein the rotor carrier is non-rotatably connected to the cover solely by the at least one second rivet.

7 . The hybrid drive module of claim 1 , wherein the connection element:

is made of the third piece of material in a form of a plate;

includes a surface in contact with the cover; and,

is non-rotatably connected to the cover by at least one weld.

8 . The hybrid drive module of claim 7 , wherein the rotor carrier is non-rotatably connected to the cover solely by the at least one weld.

9 . The hybrid drive module of claim 1 , further comprising:

an input part arranged to receive torque; and,

a disconnect clutch including:

at least one first clutch plate non-rotatably connected to the rotor carrier;

an inner carrier non-rotatably connected to the input part;

at least one second clutch plate non-rotatably connected to the inner carrier; and,

a piston plate axially displaceable to open and close the clutch.

10 . A method of assembling a hybrid drive module including a rotor carrier made of a first piece of material and including at least one rivet, comprising:

inserting the at least one rivet through at least one respective opening in a cover for a torque converter, the cover made of a second piece of material different from the first piece of material;

deforming the at least one rivet to fixedly secure the rotor to the cover;

fixing an impeller for the torque converter to the cover; and,

installing a turbine and stator for the torque converter.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one rivet is formed from the first piece of material.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one rivet is formed of a third piece of material, different from the first piece of material and fixed to the first piece of material.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

non-rotatably connecting at least one first clutch plate for a disconnect clutch to the rotor carrier;

non-rotatably connecting an inner carrier for a disconnect clutch to an input part arranged to receive torque for the hybrid drive module;

non-rotatably connecting at least one second clutch plate for the disconnect clutch to the inner carrier; and,

installing a piston plate axially displaceable to open and close the disconnect clutch.

14 . A hybrid drive module, comprising:

a torque converter including:

a cover formed of a piece of material;

an impeller; and,

a turbine; and,

a rotor carrier:

formed of a piece of aluminum different from the piece of material;

arranged to non-rotatably connect to a rotor for an electric motor; and,

including a connection element:

formed of a piece of non-aluminum material different from the piece of material;

partially embedded in the piece of aluminum; and,

non-rotatably connected to the rotor carrier and the cover.

15 . The hybrid drive module of claim 14 , wherein the connection element includes at least one rivet passing through the material forming the cover and non-rotatably connected to the cover.

16 . The hybrid drive module of claim 15 , wherein:

the connection element includes a shoulder portion with a surface;

the at least one rivet extends from the surface in an axial direction; and,

at least a portion of the surface is engaged with the cover.

17 . The hybrid drive module of claim 15 , wherein the rotor carrier is non-rotatably connected to the cover solely by the at least one rivet.

18 . The hybrid drive module of claim 14 , wherein the connection element:

is an annular plate;

includes a surface in contact with the cover; and,

is non-rotatably connected to the cover by at least one weld.

19 . The hybrid drive module of claim 18 , wherein the rotor carrier is non-rotatably connected to the cover solely by the at least one weld.

20 . The hybrid drive module of claim 14 , further comprising:

an input part arranged to receive torque; and,

a disconnect clutch including:

at least one first clutch plate non-rotatably connected to the rotor carrier;

an inner carrier non-rotatably connected to the input part;

at least one second clutch plate non-rotatably connected to the inner carrier; and,

a piston plate axially displaceable to open and close the clutch.