Starter and retarder element, and method for operating a starter and retarder element

1. A start-up and retarder element disposed in a drive train of a vehicle along a power flow between a drive motor ( 1 ) and a vehicle transmission ( 3 , 3 ′, 19 , 20 , 21 ), and the start-up and retarder element comprising:

a hydrodynamic transfer element ( 5 , 5 ′) and a planetary gear set ( 4 ),

the hydrodynamic transfer element ( 5 , 5 ′) comprising at least a first functional wheel ( 11 , 11 ′) and a second functional wheel ( 12 , 12 ′) which together form a working chamber ( 13 ),

the working chamber ( 13 ) being fillable with fluid, in a controllable manner, in order to set a hydrodynamic transfer torque,

the planetary gear set ( 4 ) having a ring gear ( 6 ), a sun gear ( 7 ), and a planet carrier ( 8 ) supporting a plurality of planetary gears ( 9 ),

the first functional wheel ( 11 , 11 ′) being disposed so as to be rotatable and being directly drivingly connected to one of the ring gear ( 6 ) or the sun gear ( 7 ), and the first functional wheel ( 11 , 11 ′) being fixable to a stationary component ( 14 ) by only a single shift element ( 15 ),

the other of the sun gear ( 7 ) and the ring gear ( 6 ) being either directly drivingly connected to a drive shaft ( 10 ) of the drive motor ( 1 ) or directly drivingly connected to the drive shaft ( 10 ) of the drive motor ( 1 ) via a torsional vibration damper ( 2 ),

the second functional wheel ( 12 , 12 ′) being disposed so as to be rotatable and being connected to the planet carrier ( 8 ), and the planet carrier ( 8 ) being either connected or connectable to a transmission input shaft ( 16 ) of the vehicle transmission ( 3 , 3 ′, 19 , 20 , 21 ),

when the first and the second functional wheels ( 11 , 11 ′; 12 , 12 ′) of the hydrodynamic transfer element ( 5 , 5 ′) respectively function as an impeller and a turbine, either a start-up function or a driving function can be set, and

when the first and the second functional wheels ( 11 , 11 ′; 12 , 12 ′) of the hydrodynamic transfer element ( 5 , 5 ′) respectively function as a rotor and a stator, a retarder function of a hydrodynamic retarder can be set.

2. The start-up and retarder element according to claim 1 , wherein the first functional wheel ( 11 , 11 ′) is directly drivingly connected to the sun gear ( 7 ), the second functional wheel ( 12 , 12 ′) is drivingly connected to the planet carrier ( 8 ), and the ring gear ( 6 ) is drivingly connected to the drive shaft ( 10 ) of the drive motor ( 1 ).

3. The start-up and retarder element according to claim 1 , wherein the first functional wheel ( 11 , 11 ′) is directly connected to the ring gear ( 6 ), the second functional wheel ( 12 , 12 ′) is connected to the planet carrier ( 8 ), and the sun gear ( 7 ) is connected to the drive shaft ( 10 ) of the drive motor ( 1 ).

4. The start-up and retarder element according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrodynamic transfer element ( 5 ′) comprises a third functional wheel ( 18 ), which is disposed between the first functional wheel ( 11 ′) and the second functional wheel ( 12 ′) such that a hydrodynamic torque converter, in which the first, the second and the third functional wheels ( 11 ′, 12 ′, 18 ) function as the impeller, the turbine and a stator is simulated when the start-up or driving function is implemented.

5. The start-up and retarder element according to claim 1 , wherein the planet carrier ( 8 ) is shiftably connectable to the transmission input shaft ( 16 ) by a first clutch (K 1 ), and the sun gear ( 7 ) or the ring gear ( 6 ) that is connected to the drive shaft ( 10 ) of the drive motor ( 1 ) is shiftably connectable to the transmission input shaft ( 16 ) by a second clutch (K 2 ).

6. The start-up and retarder element according to claim 1 , wherein the sun gear ( 7 ) or the ring gear ( 6 ) that is connected to the drive shaft ( 10 ) of the drive motor ( 1 ) and the planet carrier ( 8 ) are couplable to one another by an input-side clutch (K 0 ).

7. A method of operating a start-up and retarder element, disposed in a drive train of a vehicle along a power flow between a drive motor ( 1 ) and a vehicle transmission ( 3 , 3 ′, 19 , 20 , 21 ), the start-up and retarder element comprises a hydrodynamic transfer element ( 5 , 5 ′) and a planetary gear set ( 4 ), the hydrodynamic transfer element ( 5 , 5 ′) comprises at least a first functional wheel ( 11 , 11 ′) and a second functional wheel ( 12 , 12 ′) which together form a working chamber ( 13 ), the working chamber ( 13 ) is fillable with fluid, in a controllable manner, in order to set a hydrodynamic transfer torque, and the planetary gear set ( 4 ) has a ring gear ( 6 ), a sun gear ( 7 ), and a planet carrier ( 8 ) which supports a plurality of planetary gears ( 9 ), the first functional wheel ( 11 , 11 ′) is disposed so as to be rotatable and is directly drivingly connected to one of the ring gear ( 6 ) or the sun gear ( 7 ), the first functional wheel ( 11 , 11 ′) is fixable to a stationary component ( 14 ) by only a single shift element ( 15 ), the other of the sun gear ( 7 ) or the ring gear ( 6 ) is either directly drivingly connected to a drive shaft ( 10 ) of the drive motor ( 1 ), or directly drivingly connected to the drive shaft ( 10 ) of the drive motor ( 1 ) via torsional vibration damper( 2 ),the second functional wheel ( 12 , 12 ′) is disposed so as to be rotatable and is connected to the planet carrier ( 8 ), and the planet carrier ( 8 ) is either connected or connectable to a transmission input shaft ( 16 ) of the vehicle transmission ( 3 , 3 ′, 19 , 20 , 21 ), when the first and the second functional wheels ( 11 , 11 ′; 12 , 12 ′) of the hydrodynamic transfer element ( 5 , 5 ′) respectively function as an impeller and a turbine, either a start-up function or a driving function can be set, and when the first and the second functional wheels ( 11 , 11 ′; 12 , 12 ′) of the hydrodynamic transfer element ( 5 , 5 ′) respectively function as a rotor and a stator, a retarder function of a hydrodynamic retarder can be set, the method comprising the steps of:

building up a hydrodynamic transfer torque in order to implement a start-up procedure by filling the working chamber ( 13 ) of the transfer element ( 5 , 5 ′);

driving one of the ring gear ( 6 ) or the sun gear ( 7 ), as the drive element of the planetary gear set ( 4 ), via the drive motor ( 1 );

fixing the other of the sun gear ( 7 ) or the ring gear ( 6 ), that is connected to the first functional wheel ( 11 , 11 ′) and is fixable on the stationary component ( 14 ) by the shift element ( 15 ), via the engagement of the shift element ( 15 ) when a speed of rotation of the planetary gear set element crosses zero; and

driving the transmission input shaft ( 16 ) with the planet carrier ( 8 ), which is connected to the second functional wheel ( 12 , 12 ′) in a rotationally fixed manner, and functions as the driven element of the planetary gear set ( 4 ).

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising, after the shift element ( 15 ) is engaged, reducing the hydrodynamic transfer torque by at least partially draining the working chamber ( 13 ), and correspondingly reducing the drive torque of the drive motor ( 1 ).

9. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising, during a braking procedure with a fixed first functional wheel ( 11 , 11 ′), building up the hydrodynamic transfer torque, which is effective as braking torque, by at least partially filling the working chamber ( 13 ).

10. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising, during a stopping procedure, building up the hydrodynamic transfer torque by at least partially filling the working chamber ( 13 ),

correspondingly increasing a drive torque of the drive motor ( 1 ), and

disengaging the shift element ( 15 ).

11. A start-up and retarder element, disposed in a drive train of a vehicle along a power flow between a drive motor and a vehicle transmission, the start-up and retarder element comprising:

a hydrodynamic transfer element having at least first and second functional wheels which together form a working chamber, the working chamber communicating with a hydraulic circuit which controllably fills the working chamber with fluid to set a hydrodynamic transfer torque between the first and the second functional wheels;

a planetary gear set comprising a ring gear, a sun gear, and a planet carrier which rotatably supports a plurality of planetary gears;

the first functional wheel being rotatable and drivingly connected to one of the ring gear and the sun gear, the first functional wheel being connectable, via a shift element, to a stationary component such that when the shift element is engaged, the first functional wheel is rotationally fixed to the stationary component;

the other one of the ring gear and the sun gear being drivingly connected to a drive shaft of the drive motor and shiftably connectable to the transmission input shaft by a second clutch;

the second functional wheel being rotatable and directly connected to the planet carrier, and the planet carrier being shiftably connectable, via a first clutch, to the input shaft of the vehicle transmission; and

the first and the second functional wheels being controllable such that the hydrodynamic transfer element functions either as a hydrodynamic start-up element or a driving element, when the first and the second functional wheels function as an impeller and a turbine, and the hydrodynamic transfer element functions as a hydrodynamic retarder, when the first and the second functional wheels function as a rotor and a stator.