A range extender assembly and vehicle

Abstract

The application provides a range extender assembly and a vehicle, the range extender assembly comprising: an engine and an electric machine; the engine comprising a cylinder body and a crankshaft arranged in the cylinder body, an axis of the cylinder of the cylinder body extending along a horizontal direction; the electric machine comprising a housing and a stator, a rotor and a rotor shaft arranged in the housing, the housing being fixedly connected with the cylinder body, the rotor shaft being coaxially arranged with the crankshaft, the rotor being fixedly connected with the rotor shaft, and the stator being oppositely arranged with the rotor along an axial direction of the rotor shaft. The horizontal engine structure effectively reduces the overall height of the range extender assembly and reduces the occupied space in the height direction, the fixed connection between the housing and the cylinder body realizes the integration of the engine and the electric machine, effectively improves the torque transmission efficiency, the axial magnetic flux electric machine reduces the axial dimension of the electric machine structure, reduces the height and axial dimension of the range extender assembly, is beneficial to the miniaturization design of the product, does not need to occupy a large vehicle layout space, and improves the driving comfort.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of vehicle technology, specifically relating to a range extender assembly and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology and the improvement of living standards, people have put forward higher and higher requirements for vehicles. Among them, range-extended vehicles have received widespread attention because they combine the advantages of pure electric drive and long driving range. As the core power component of range-extended vehicles, the compactness and integration of the range extender assembly have an important impact on the space utilization, lightweight level and cost control of the whole vehicle.

[0003] In related technologies, range extender assemblies typically include an engine and an electric motor, arranged sequentially along the crankshaft axis. Due to limitations in the connection structure between the two and the structure of the motor itself, the axial and radial dimensions of the range extender assembly are relatively large, resulting in a bulky overall size and low integration. This makes it difficult to meet the layout requirements within the limited space of the vehicle's front compartment, thus restricting the flexibility of the overall vehicle layout and further improvements in driving comfort. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems, this application is made in order to provide a range extender assembly and vehicle that overcomes or at least partially solves the above problems.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows: In a first aspect, this application proposes a range extender assembly, the range extender assembly comprising: an engine and an electric motor; The engine includes a cylinder block and a crankshaft disposed within the cylinder block, wherein the cylinder axis of the cylinder block extends in a horizontal direction; The motor includes a housing and a stator, a rotor, and a rotor shaft disposed within the housing. The housing is fixedly connected to the cylinder block, the rotor shaft is coaxially arranged with the crankshaft, the rotor is fixedly connected to the rotor shaft, and the stator and the rotor are arranged opposite to each other along the axial direction of the rotor shaft.

[0006] Optionally, the range extender assembly further includes fasteners, the crankshaft includes a connecting portion extending toward the motor, the connecting portion is provided with a mounting step, the rotor shaft is provided with a mounting portion on the side facing the connecting portion, the mounting portion abuts against the mounting step and is fixedly connected to the connecting portion by fasteners.

[0007] Optionally, the motor further includes a bearing, and the rotor shaft further includes a support portion, which is disposed at the end of the mounting portion away from the crankshaft, and the bearing is sleeved on the support portion.

[0008] Optionally, the diameter of the support portion is smaller than the diameter of the mounting portion.

[0009] Optionally, the range extender assembly further includes a flywheel connected to the crankshaft near the motor.

[0010] Optionally, the stator includes a first stator disk connected to the housing, and the rotor includes a rotor disk, the rotor disk being disposed at a distance from the first stator disk; The first stator disk is disposed on the side of the rotor disk opposite to the crankshaft, or the rotor disk is disposed on the side of the first stator disk opposite to the crankshaft.

[0011] Optionally, the rotor disk is connected to the outer periphery of the rotor shaft, and the rotor disk is fixedly connected to the rotor shaft.

[0012] Optionally, the rotor disk and the rotor shaft are integrally formed.

[0013] Optionally, the stator further includes a second stator disk, the first stator disk and the second stator disk are arranged at a distance from each other, and the rotor disk is disposed between the first stator disk and the second stator disk.

[0014] Optionally, the motor is cooled by at least one of liquid cooling and air cooling.

[0015] Optionally, the range extender assembly includes a controller, the controller including a housing and a power module; The outer casing is located on the side of the housing opposite to the cylinder body, and the power module is located inside the outer casing and is electrically connected to the motor.

[0016] Optionally, the range extender assembly includes an exhaust pipe and a noise reduction mechanism, wherein the exhaust pipe is connected to the bottom of the engine and the noise reduction mechanism is connected to the exhaust pipe; The noise reduction mechanism includes a mounting base, a speaker, a microphone, a connecting pipe, and a communicating pipe. The speaker is disposed in the mounting base. The connecting pipe is connected to the speaker and the exhaust pipe, and the connecting pipe is connected to the exhaust pipe. The microphone is connected to the communicating pipe, and the communicating pipe is connected to the exhaust pipe.

[0017] Secondly, this application proposes a vehicle that includes the aforementioned range extender assembly.

[0018] In this embodiment, the range extender assembly includes an engine and a motor; the engine includes a cylinder block and a crankshaft disposed within the cylinder block, wherein the cylinder axis of the cylinder block extends horizontally; the motor includes a housing and a stator, a rotor, and a rotor shaft disposed within the housing, wherein the housing is fixedly connected to the cylinder block, the rotor shaft is coaxially disposed with the crankshaft, the rotor is fixedly connected to the rotor shaft, and the stator and the rotor are disposed opposite to each other along the axial direction of the rotor shaft.

[0019] By extending the cylinder axis horizontally, the piston's movement direction is perpendicular to the vehicle's height, creating a horizontal engine structure. Compared to traditional vertical engines, this effectively reduces the overall height of the range extender assembly, lowering its center of gravity and facilitating a flatter chassis layout. It also significantly reduces the space occupied by the powertrain structure in the vertical direction, providing more space for the passenger compartment and electrical equipment. Furthermore, the fixed connection between the housing and cylinder block integrates the engine and motor. The coaxial arrangement of the rotor shaft and crankshaft ensures that the rotor shaft's rotation center axis coincides with the crankshaft's rotation center axis, effectively improving torque transmission efficiency, avoiding energy loss during transmission, and contributing to improved system stability. The fixed connection between the rotor and rotor shaft provides high connection stability between the rotor and stator, enhancing transmission reliability and enabling seamless torque transmission between the rotor and rotor shaft. The stator and rotor are positioned axially opposite each other along the rotor shaft, forming an axial flux motor, significantly reducing the axial dimensions of the motor structure. This significantly reduces the height and axial dimensions of the range extender assembly, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the product. It does not require a large amount of overall vehicle layout space, providing more space for the passenger compartment and the vehicle's electrical equipment, and improving driving comfort.

[0020] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application.

[0021] The vehicle described in this application has the same or similar advantages as the prior art and the aforementioned range extender assembly, which will not be elaborated here. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of a range extender assembly described in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is one of the schematic diagrams of a portion within a range extender assembly as described in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3This is a second schematic diagram of a portion within a range extender assembly as described in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This application describes the motor of a range extender assembly. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure; Figure 5 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of the motor of a range extender assembly according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the engine structure of a range extender assembly described in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a partial structural diagram of an engine for a range extender assembly as described in an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Reference numerals: 10-Cylinder block; 11-Crankshaft; 20-Housing shell; 21-Rotor shaft; 30-Fastener; 111-Connecting part; 112-Mounting step; 211-Mounting part; 26-Bearing; 212-Supporting part; 15-Flywheel; 41-Housing shell; 12-First working piston; 13-Second working piston; 22-Rotor disc; 23-First stator disc; 24-Second stator disc; 16-Engine inlet; 17-Engine outlet; 43-Motor inlet; 44-Motor outlet; 51-Connecting end; 52-Muffler; 53-Exhaust end; 61-Mounting seat; 62-Connecting pipe; 63-Connecting pipe; 64-Microphone; 65-Speaker. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail. Examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0025] The terms "first" and "second" in the specification and claims of this application may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more. Furthermore, "and / or" in the specification and claims indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0026] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0027] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] Reference Figures 1 to 4 This document illustrates a schematic diagram of a range extender assembly according to an embodiment of this application. The range extender assembly may specifically include: an engine and a motor; the engine includes a cylinder block 10 and a crankshaft 11 disposed within the cylinder block 10, wherein the cylinder axis of the cylinder block 10 extends horizontally; the motor includes a housing 20 and a stator, a rotor, and a rotor shaft 21 disposed within the housing 20, wherein the housing 20 is fixedly connected to the cylinder block 10, the rotor shaft 21 is coaxially disposed with the crankshaft 11, the rotor is fixedly connected to the rotor shaft 21, and the stator and rotor are disposed opposite each other along the axial direction of the rotor shaft 21.

[0029] Specifically, in this embodiment, "horizontal direction" refers to the spatial vector direction perpendicular to the vehicle's height direction. In other words, when the range extender assembly is arranged in the vehicle's engine compartment, by setting the cylinder axis of the cylinder block 10 to extend horizontally, the movement direction of the engine piston is perpendicular to the vehicle's height direction, forming a horizontal engine structure. This effectively reduces the overall height of the range extender assembly, lowers its center of gravity, facilitates a flattened layout of the vehicle chassis, and significantly reduces the space occupied by the power structure in the height direction, providing more space for the passenger compartment and the vehicle's electrical equipment.

[0030] In this embodiment, the engine and motor are integrated through the fixed connection between the housing 20 and the cylinder block 10. The rotor shaft 21 is coaxially arranged with the crankshaft 11, ensuring that the rotation center axis of the rotor shaft 21 coincides with that of the crankshaft 11. This effectively improves torque transmission efficiency, avoids energy loss during transmission, and contributes to improved system stability. Furthermore, the fixed connection between the rotor and rotor shaft 21 ensures high connection stability between the rotor and stator, enhancing transmission reliability and enabling seamless torque transmission between the rotor shaft 21 and the rotor. The stator and rotor are arranged axially opposite each other along the rotor shaft, forming an axial flux motor, significantly reducing the axial dimension of the motor structure. This substantially reduces the height and axial dimension of the range extender assembly, facilitating miniaturization and freeing up more space in the vehicle's layout, thus providing more room for the passenger compartment and the vehicle's electrical equipment.

[0031] It should be understood that in the embodiments of this application, the "horizontal direction" is located in a plane perpendicular to the vehicle's height direction, but this application does not limit the specific direction of the cylinder axis in this plane. In actual arrangement, the cylinder axis can extend along the length direction of the vehicle, or it can extend laterally along the width direction of the vehicle, or it can form a certain angle with the length / width direction of the vehicle. Specifically, it can be adaptively adjusted according to the layout requirements of the vehicle's engine compartment and the avoidance relationship between the range extender assembly and surrounding components.

[0032] In this embodiment, the rotor shaft 21 and crankshaft 11 are coaxially arranged, meaning that the rotation center axis of the rotor shaft 21 and the rotation center axis of the crankshaft 11 coincide in space on the same straight line, eliminating the parallel or intersecting axis relationships present in traditional powertrains. Therefore, this application eliminates the need for intermediate transmission mechanisms such as belts, gears, and couplings, achieving direct power transmission between the engine and generator, effectively improving torque transmission efficiency and avoiding energy loss during transmission. Furthermore, the coaxial structure makes the axial force flow of the powertrain smoother, significantly reducing additional bending moments and vibration excitation caused by axis misalignment, thus contributing to improved system stability. In this embodiment, the coaxial arrangement of the rotor shaft 21 and crankshaft 11 can include an implementation where the rotor shaft 21 and crankshaft 11 are integrally formed, or an implementation where the rotor shaft 21 and crankshaft 11 are separately formed and rigidly connected; this embodiment does not limit the specific implementation.

[0033] Specifically, in this embodiment, the fixed connection between the rotor and the rotor shaft 21 means that there is no degree of freedom for relative rotation between the rotor and the rotor shaft 21. They constitute a rigid connection body that cannot move relative to each other, enabling torque transmission between the rotor shaft 21 and the rotor without hysteresis. For example, the rotor and rotor shaft 21 can be locked together using fastening bolts and corresponding flange structures, or connected via interference fit press fitting (such as heat fitting process), key / spline, or other key connection structures. This embodiment does not limit the specific connection method between the rotor and rotor shaft 21.

[0034] For example, in the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 7 As shown, the cylinder block 10 includes a first cylinder and a second cylinder (not shown in the figure). The first working piston 12 and the second working piston 13 are respectively connected to the crankshaft 11 and are located on the same side of the crankshaft. The first working piston 12 corresponds to the first cylinder and the second working piston 13 corresponds to the second cylinder.

[0035] This arrangement creates an inline two-cylinder configuration for the first and second cylinders. In practice, the cylinder axes extend horizontally. Compared to traditional vertical engines, this arrangement significantly reduces the overall engine height, facilitating the miniaturization of the range extender structure. Simultaneously, since the main components of the burst pressure and reciprocating inertial force are in the horizontal plane, the vertical overturning moment is reduced, thus helping to lower the structural strength requirements of the cylinder block and crankcase, and also contributing to the lightweight design of the range extender assembly. Furthermore, in the horizontally inline two-cylinder layout, the horizontal inertial force component remains dominant, making it easier to isolate vibrations transmitted to the vehicle body through the rigidity design of the range extender assembly mounts. This avoids the resonant frequency of the mount system, improving the vehicle's NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) performance.

[0036] Optionally, in this embodiment, the first cylinder and the second cylinder can be respectively disposed on opposite sides of the crankshaft 11. In this case, the main burst pressure and inertial force of the first working piston 12 and the second working piston 13 can be self-balanced in the horizontal plane, so that the bearing 26 is subjected to more balanced force, which is beneficial to reduce the bending deformation of the crankshaft 11 and improve the reliability of the shaft system.

[0037] Optionally, in this embodiment, the range extender assembly further includes a fastener 30. The crankshaft 11 includes a connecting portion 111 extending toward the motor. The connecting portion 111 is provided with a mounting step 112. The rotor shaft 21 has a mounting portion 211 on the side facing the connecting portion 111. The mounting portion 211 abuts against the mounting step 112 and is fixedly connected to the connecting portion 111 by the fastener 30. In this way, by providing the mounting step 112 in the connecting portion 111, a precise axial and radial positioning reference is provided for the mounting portion 211 of the rotor shaft 21. During assembly, the mounting portion 211 of the rotor shaft 21 abuts against the step surface of the mounting step 112. Radial centering is achieved using the assembly surface (such as a cylindrical surface or a conical surface) of the mounting step 112, thus achieving automatic alignment of the crankshaft 11 and the rotor shaft 21 without relying on complex tooling fixtures. This effectively limits the radial movement of the rotor shaft 21 relative to the crankshaft 11, resulting in high coaxiality between the two, reducing the imbalance of the rotating components, suppressing centrifugal vibration under high-speed operation, and giving the axial flux motor good air gap uniformity.

[0038] In this embodiment, the mounting part 211 abuts against the end face of the mounting step 112 and is locked with a fastener 30 (e.g., a bolt) to form a flange-type connection structure. During operation, the fastener 30 simultaneously bears the preload tension and the shear force during torque transmission. The torque transmission between the rotor shaft 21 and the crankshaft 11 can be partially shared by the friction of the mating surface of the mounting step 112, thereby effectively reducing the shear load borne by the fastener 30 and lowering the risk of the fastener 30 breaking due to shear fatigue.

[0039] Furthermore, the rigid support structure formed by the mounting part 211 abutting against the mounting step 112 enhances the cantilever stiffness of the free end of the crankshaft 11, effectively suppressing the deflection deformation of the rotor shaft 21 during high-speed rotation, and improving the operational stability and service life of the powertrain. During assembly, positioning is completed simply by fitting the mounting part 211 of the rotor shaft 21 against the mounting step 112 of the crankshaft 11 and inserting the fastener 30 for locking, significantly reducing assembly difficulty and manufacturing costs. Moreover, during after-sales maintenance or replacement of motor components, the motor and engine can be separated by removing the fastener 30 without damaging the mating surfaces, improving maintenance convenience.

[0040] Optionally, in this embodiment, the motor further includes a bearing 26, and the rotor shaft 21 further includes a support portion 212. The support portion 212 is disposed at the end of the mounting portion 211 away from the crankshaft 11, and the bearing 26 is sleeved on the support portion 212. In this way, by providing a support portion 212 extending away from the crankshaft 11 on the rotor shaft 21 and sleeved on the support portion 212, a radial support point is added at the end of the rotor shaft 21 on the basis of the original main shaft support of the crankshaft 11, which constitutes an auxiliary support for the rotor. This shortens the cantilever length of the rotor shaft 21, improves the bending stiffness of the rotor shaft 21, and effectively suppresses the centrifugal deflection of the rotor under high-speed rotation, prevents interference between the disc rotor and the stator, and makes the motor have better air gap uniformity, thereby improving the stability and safety of motor operation.

[0041] In this embodiment, a bearing support (not shown) may be provided inside the motor housing 20. The bearing 26 can be connected to the bearing support, which accommodates and fixes the bearing 26. This allows the rotational load of the rotor shaft 21 to be directly transferred to the motor housing 20, transferring the bending moment on the motor side originally borne by the crankcase to the more rigid motor housing 20, thus avoiding excessive bending stress on the crankshaft 11 due to cantilever stress. For example, the bearing support can be integrally cast with the housing 20, providing good structural continuity and effectively blocking the vibration transmission path, reducing vibration excitation on the engine side, and thus improving the NVH performance of the range extender assembly. Alternatively, the bearing support can be a separate structure from the housing 20; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0042] Optionally, in this embodiment, the diameter of the support portion 212 is smaller than the diameter of the mounting portion 211. Since the support portion 212 mainly bears radial support and experiences relatively small forces, a smaller diameter reduces the radial space required by the support portion 212 and also reduces the weight of the shaft, which is beneficial for miniaturization and lightweight design of the product. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the bearing 26 located on the support portion 212 is correspondingly reduced, lowering the drag torque and friction loss of the bearing 26, which helps improve the operating efficiency of the motor, and reduces the rotational inertia of the rotating parts, which is beneficial for improving the dynamic response speed of the system.

[0043] For example, the shoulder of the support portion 212 can serve as an axial positioning reference for the inner ring of the bearing 26, and in conjunction with a shaft elastic retaining ring or a lock nut, achieve reliable axial positioning of the inner ring of the bearing 26. For example, the specific value by which the diameter of the support portion 212 is smaller than the diameter of the mounting portion 211 can be set according to actual needs, and this embodiment of the application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0044] Optionally, in this embodiment, the range extender assembly further includes a flywheel 15, which is connected to the end of the crankshaft 11 near the motor. In this way, when the rotational inertia of the single rotating rotor in the motor is limited and cannot fully absorb the torque pulsations generated by the engine operation, energy can be stored through the larger rotational inertia of the flywheel 15, and energy can be released during compression, intake, and exhaust processes. This effectively reduces the rate of change of angular acceleration of the crankshaft 11, significantly smooths out the speed fluctuation rate caused by insufficient rotor motor inertia, thereby improving the smoothness of engine operation, reducing the instantaneous impact load during engine start-stop, reducing starting resistance torque, and improving the start-up success rate and durability of the range extender assembly after multiple start-stop cycles.

[0045] Specifically, in this embodiment, a single-rotor axial flux motor structure is adopted, which differs from a dual-rotor axial flux motor. In this application, when the rotational inertia of the motor rotor itself does not completely offset the inherent torque fluctuation of the engine, the flywheel 15 is set up to utilize its large rotational inertia to store energy and smoothly transition the output torque of the engine. This not only effectively reduces the speed fluctuation rate of the crankshaft 11 system and improves the low-speed combustion stability of the engine, but also transmits a stable speed to the generator rotor, reducing the adjustment frequency and current surge of the motor controller, and providing better dynamic compensation for the single-rotor axial flux motor range extender under certain operating conditions.

[0046] For example, in this embodiment, the flywheel 15 can be sleeved on the connecting part 111 of the crankshaft 11, or the flywheel 15 can be installed on the end face of the crankshaft 11 by fasteners 30 (e.g., bolts), so that the crankshaft 11, flywheel 15, and rotor shaft 21 are arranged in sequence, reducing assembly process costs and improving maintenance convenience. This embodiment does not limit the specific installation method of the flywheel 15.

[0047] Optionally, in the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 4 As shown, fasteners 30 (e.g., bolts) can be sequentially inserted into rotor disk 22, rotor shaft 21, and flywheel 15 and fixed on mounting step 112 of connecting part 111. That is, the rotor disk 22, rotor shaft 21, and flywheel 15 can be fixed simultaneously by the same fastener 30, improving assembly convenience and reliability.

[0048] Optionally, in this embodiment, the stator includes a first stator disk 23 connected to the housing 20, and the rotor includes a rotor disk 22, with the rotor disk 22 and the first stator disk 23 spaced apart. The first stator disk 23 is located on the side of the rotor disk 22 facing away from the crankshaft 11, or the rotor disk 22 is located on the side of the first stator disk 23 facing away from the crankshaft 11. This forms a planar air gap for the motor through the rotor disk 22 and the first stator disk 23, thus creating a single-rotor, single-stator configuration. The first stator disk 23 being located on the side of the rotor disk 22 facing away from the crankshaft 11, or the rotor disk 22 being located on the side of the first stator disk 23 facing away from the crankshaft 11, means that the first stator disk 23 can be positioned on the left and the rotor disk 22 on the right, or vice versa, allowing for flexible arrangement according to actual needs.

[0049] In this embodiment, for example, when the first stator disk 23 is positioned on the side of the rotor disk 22 away from the crankshaft 11, the rotor is closer to the main bearing 26 of the crankshaft 11, which helps to shorten the rotor cantilever length and improve shaft rigidity. When the rotor disk 22 is positioned on the side of the first stator disk 23 away from the crankshaft 11, the rotor is closer to the external cooling area of ​​the housing 20, which facilitates heat dissipation from the rotor disk surface. Therefore, the range extender assembly of this application can flexibly arrange the rotor and stator design to adapt to different thermal management strategies and dynamic design requirements.

[0050] Optionally, in this embodiment, the rotor disk 22 is connected to the outer periphery of the rotor shaft 21, and the rotor disk 22 and the rotor shaft 21 are fixedly connected. This allows the inner edge of the rotor disk to directly contact the outer cylindrical surface of the rotor shaft 21, resulting in a short and direct torque transmission path. It eliminates the need for indirect connection of the rotor disk via an intermediate flange or bracket, significantly shortening the force flow path, reducing power loss in intermediate transmission links, and significantly improving the overall torsional stiffness of the shaft system. This helps to increase the system's natural frequency and avoid torsional resonance at engine idling or under normal operating conditions. Furthermore, the fixed connection between the rotor disk 22 and the rotor shaft 21 eliminates any degree of freedom for relative rotation between them. Combined with the connection of the rotor disk 22 to the outer periphery of the rotor shaft 21, the outer cylindrical surface of the rotor shaft 21 can be used as the radial positioning reference for rotor disk assembly. This ensures that the rotation center of the rotor disk completely coincides with the axis of the rotor shaft 21, providing high-precision positioning and effectively reducing mass eccentricity caused by assembly errors, resulting in better motor operation stability.

[0051] For example, in this embodiment, the outer peripheral wall of the rotor shaft 21 can be configured as a positioning stop that matches the center hole of the rotor disk 22 to achieve radial positioning of both. The fixed connection between the rotor disk 22 and the rotor shaft 21 can be achieved by using multiple fastening bolts distributed circumferentially to press the rotor disk 22 onto the shoulder or flange of the rotor shaft 21, or by using an interference fit heat fitting process, etc. The specific fixing method of the rotor disk 22 and the rotor shaft 21 is not limited in this embodiment.

[0052] Optionally, in this embodiment, the rotor disk 22 and the rotor shaft 21 are integrally formed. This provides high connection strength between the rotor disk 22 and the rotor shaft 21, eliminating the mechanical connection interface (such as flange face, keyway, or bolt hole) between them. This eliminates the risk of relative rotation caused by fit clearance, loose fasteners 30, or fretting wear of the contact surface, effectively avoiding impact noise caused by loose connection, and improving the quietness and long-term reliability of the powertrain. Furthermore, it also reduces material loss and manufacturing processes.

[0053] In the embodiments of this application, optionally, as shown... Figure 5 As shown, the stator also includes a second stator disk 24. The first stator disk 23 and the second stator disk 24 are arranged at a distance from each other, and the rotor disk 22 is disposed between the first stator disk 23 and the second stator disk 24. In this way, by arranging the first stator disk 23 and the second stator disk 24 at a distance from each other and sandwiching the rotor disk 22 between them, a double air gap structure of two stator disks and a single rotor disk is formed. This allows the two stator disks to simultaneously apply electromagnetic force to the rotor disk located in the middle, enabling the single rotor disk to couple twice the electromagnetic torque at the same time. This significantly improves the torque density and power density of the motor and avoids the problem of a surge in rotational inertia caused by simply increasing the diameter or stacking thickness of the rotor disk.

[0054] In this embodiment, the rotor disk is located in the middle of the two stator disks. The first stator disk 23 and the second stator disk 24 can be symmetrically arranged relative to the rotor disk 22, making its radial positioning more stable and helping to maintain the uniformity of the air gap on both sides. In addition, the structure of the double stator disk and single rotor disk in this application shortens the cantilever length of the rotor shaft 21, increases the critical speed of the rotor system, and enables the motor to operate smoothly over a wider speed range.

[0055] Optionally, in this embodiment, the mounting portion 211 of the rotor shaft 21 near the support portion 212 may have a stepped portion, and the rotor disk 22 abuts against the stepped portion, thereby providing a precise axial and radial positioning reference for the connection between the rotor disk 22 and the rotor shaft 21 through the stepped portion. During the assembly process, the rotor disk 22 abuts against the stepped portion, and radial centering is achieved using the assembly surface (such as a cylindrical surface) of the rotor shaft 21, so that the automatic alignment and assembly of the rotor disk 22 and the rotor shaft 21 can be achieved without relying on complex tooling fixtures.

[0056] Optionally, in this embodiment, the motor cooling method is at least one of liquid cooling and air cooling; that is, the motor cooling method can be liquid cooling, air cooling, or a combination of both. For example, liquid cooling can be achieved by setting irregularly shaped cooling channels inside the first stator disk 23 and / or the second stator disk 24, or at corresponding positions on the motor housing 20. The cooling channels are connected to the engine's coolant circulation system, utilizing the flow of coolant within the channels to efficiently remove heat generated by the stator core and windings. For example, air cooling can be achieved by using the airflow driven by the rotation of the rotor shaft 21 to cool the surface of the rotor disk 22, or by utilizing the oncoming wind generated by vehicle movement to flow through the heat dissipation fins and internal cavities of the motor housing 20, achieving convective heat exchange. This allows the range extender assembly to select the most suitable cooling strategy based on power level and application scenario (such as on-board range extender or portable power supply), improving heat dissipation efficiency.

[0057] In the embodiments of this application, for example, such as Figure 6 As shown, the range extender assembly may have an engine coolant inlet 16 and an engine coolant outlet 17, as well as a motor coolant inlet 43 and a motor coolant outlet 44. Coolant is introduced into the engine's liquid cooling passage through the engine coolant inlet 16 to cool the various components within the engine, and the cooled medium that has absorbed heat is output through the engine coolant outlet 17. Similarly, coolant is introduced into the motor's liquid cooling passage through the motor coolant inlet 43 to cool the various components within the motor, and the cooled medium that has absorbed heat is output through the motor coolant outlet 44.

[0058] For example, in embodiments of this application, liquid cooling can be used in high-power-density vehicle scenarios to ensure good thermal stability of the motor during prolonged high-load power generation. In portable charging power supplies or low-power scenarios sensitive to noise and complexity, air cooling can be used, eliminating the need for water pumps, radiators, and piping, thus simplifying the system structure. Furthermore, this application may also include a hybrid cooling mode combining liquid and air cooling. For instance, based on the liquid-cooled main circuit, air cooling can be used to assist in cooling the motor housing 41 or the controller, forming a dual protection mechanism. This allows the motor to continue operating at a reduced rating even in extreme high-temperature environments or when the cooling system partially fails, preventing thermal runaway and significantly improving the range extender's environmental adaptability and reliability.

[0059] Optionally, in this embodiment, the range extender assembly includes a controller, which includes a housing 41 and a power module. The housing 41 is located on the side of the housing 20 away from the cylinder block 10, and the power module is located inside the housing 41 and electrically connected to the motor. This direct mounting of the controller housing 41 to the motor housing 20 away from the engine ensures that the power module encapsulated within the housing 41 is physically and tightly fitted to the motor body. This shortens the length connecting the power module output to the motor stator winding, significantly reducing stray inductance and parasitic capacitance in the circuit. This effectively suppresses voltage spikes and electromagnetic interference generated by the power switching devices during high-frequency chopping, reduces the voltage withstand requirements of the power devices, reduces the design difficulty of the buffer circuit, and improves the electromagnetic compatibility of the system with sensitive electronic equipment. Furthermore, positioning the housing 41 on the side of the housing 20 away from the cylinder block 10 forms a backpack-like connection structure, allowing the controller housing 41 and the motor housing 20 to share mounting surfaces and fasteners 30, eliminating the need for a separate mounting bracket or suspension structure for the controller and significantly reducing the number of components.

[0060] In this embodiment, the power module is electrically connected to the motor to control its power. Additionally, the power module can also be electrically connected to the engine to control the power of both the engine and the motor. For example, in this embodiment, the power module can be an SPCU (Smart Power Control Unit), integrating the hardware and software functions of both an ECU (Engine Control Unit) and a GCU (Generator Control Unit).

[0061] In this embodiment, optionally, the outer shell 41 and the housing 20 can be integrally formed, or the outer shell 41 protrudes from the side of the housing 20 opposite to the cylinder body 10. This creates a shared-shell design between the control mechanism's outer shell 41 and the motor's housing 20, reducing the volume of the motor control structure and increasing the connection strength between the outer shell 41 and the housing 20. This helps reduce misalignment caused by vibration, thermal cycling, or suspension displacement, reduces leakage at the sealing interface, and lowers the risk of relative slippage and wear failure compared to plug-in assembly. Furthermore, the integral forming of the outer shell 41 and housing 20 reduces material loss and manufacturing processes. Also, the protrusion of the outer shell 41 from the side of the housing 20 opposite to the cylinder body 10 makes the electrical control structure a structural extension of the motor housing 20 body, reducing the number of mating interfaces and tolerance accumulation between the housing 20 and the outer shell 41, and improving the continuity of heat conduction in this area.

[0062] Optionally, in this embodiment, the range extender assembly includes an exhaust pipe and a noise reduction mechanism. The exhaust pipe is connected to the bottom of the engine, and for example, the exhaust pipe can extend horizontally. The noise reduction mechanism is connected to the exhaust pipe. The noise reduction mechanism includes a mounting base 61, a speaker 65, a microphone 64, a connecting pipe 62, and a connecting pipe 63. The speaker 65 is disposed within the mounting base 61. The connecting pipe 62 is connected to both the speaker 65 and the exhaust pipe, and the connecting pipe 62 communicates with the exhaust pipe. The microphone 64 is connected to the connecting pipe 63, and the connecting pipe 63 communicates with the exhaust pipe. Thus, the mounting base 61 protects and mounts the speaker 65, the connecting pipe 62 facilitates the flow and transmission of sound waves from the speaker 65 and the airflow sound waves within the exhaust pipe, and the connecting pipe 63 facilitates the flow and transmission of sound waves from the microphone 64 and the airflow sound waves within the exhaust pipe. The microphone 64 collects the original noise signal from the exhaust pipe, driving the speaker 65 to emit an anti-phase sound wave with the same frequency, opposite phase, and equal amplitude as the original noise. The two sound waves meet and superimpose during propagation, using the principle of destructive interference to cancel out the energy of the original noise, thus reducing exhaust noise. Furthermore, the noise reduction mechanism is small in size and lightweight, facilitating flexible control.

[0063] For example, in this embodiment, the noise reduction mechanism may further include a noise reduction controller (not shown), which is electrically connected to the speaker 65 and the microphone 64 to realize the circuit connection between the speaker 65 and the microphone 64. Specifically, the speaker 65 is located in the mounting base 61, forming an in-situ active noise reduction closed loop for the noise inside the exhaust pipe, and the microphone 64 can extract the low-frequency order pulsation signal of the exhaust with high fidelity, providing a basis for the noise reduction controller to generate accurate anti-phase sound waves. The speaker 65 can inject anti-noise into the flow field inside the exhaust pipe efficiently through the secondary sound source structure formed by the connecting pipe 62 to achieve destructive interference, thereby significantly improving the ability to suppress the low-frequency roaring noise of the range extender assembly without excessively increasing the exhaust back pressure.

[0064] In this embodiment, optionally, the connecting pipe 62 is connected to the top of the exhaust pipe, and the connecting pipe 63 is connected to the bottom of the exhaust pipe. This positions the connecting pipe 62 and the connecting pipe 63 on opposite sides of the exhaust pipe, preventing interference between the speaker 65 connected to the connecting pipe 63 and the microphone 64 located within the connecting pipe 63. Furthermore, by utilizing the acoustic modal characteristics of the exhaust pipe in the vertical direction and the layered principle of the natural upward transmission of hot air, optimized configuration of the secondary sound source and error sensing structure in terms of phase and thermal environment can be achieved, improving the destructive interference efficiency of low-frequency noise and reducing the thermal load on precision electronic components.

[0065] In this embodiment, the noise reduction mechanism can be installed, debugged and replaced as an independent component on the production line or in the aftermarket without requiring complex modifications to the main exhaust structure, thus improving the modular design and maintenance convenience of the range extender assembly.

[0066] In the embodiments of this application, optionally, as shown... Figure 1 As shown, the exhaust pipe includes a connecting end 51, a muffler 52, and an exhaust end 53 that are interconnected. The muffler 52 is connected between the connecting end 51 and the exhaust end 53. The connecting end 51 is connected to the bottom of the engine. The muffler 52 extends horizontally, and a noise reduction mechanism is connected to and communicates with the exhaust end 53. Thus, the connecting end 51 connects the exhaust pipe to the engine, and the muffler 52 reduces noise from the exhaust gases. The muffler 52 extends horizontally and is positioned at a low level below the engine to avoid spatial conflicts with chassis beams, subframes, battery packs, or other electrical equipment. Furthermore, the exhaust end 53 discharges the gases, and the noise reduction mechanism is connected to it. The noise reduction mechanism further reduces noise before the gases are discharged, lowering the noise generated during exhaust. This creates an acoustic chain of noise source control, path attenuation by the muffler 52, and terminal noise reduction by the noise reduction mechanism, improving the overall noise reduction effect. Furthermore, the noise reduction mechanism is located at the exhaust end 53 at the end of the exhaust pipe, so that the airflow is pre-cooled through the connection end 51 and the muffler 52, thereby reducing the heat insulation requirements of the noise reduction structure and reducing costs.

[0067] Optionally, in this embodiment, the muffler 52 may include a cylindrical body and a first intake muffler pipe, a second intake muffler pipe, an exhaust pipe, a first partition, and a second partition disposed within the cylindrical body. The first and second partitions are spaced apart and connected to the inner wall of the cylindrical body. The first and second intake muffler pipes pass through the first and second partitions respectively and are arranged side-by-side at the bottom of the cylindrical body. The exhaust pipe passes through the first and second partitions respectively and is disposed at the top of the cylindrical body, located between the first and second intake muffler pipes. The first intake muffler pipe is connected to and communicates with the connecting end 51, and the exhaust pipe is connected to and communicates with the exhaust end 53. Thus, the first and second partitions form a rigid support system similar to a space truss, improving the overall structural stability of the muffler 52. Furthermore, the first and second intake mufflers are arranged side by side at the bottom of the cylinder, and the exhaust pipe is arranged at the top, forming a U-shaped airflow channel with bottom inlet and top outlet, which prolongs the residence time of the airflow inside the muffler 52.

[0068] In this embodiment, the first intake muffler has a primary silencing structure. Specifically, the primary silencing structure can be located on the first intake muffler between the first and second partitions, and includes multiple arrayed silencing holes. The second intake muffler has a secondary silencing structure. Specifically, the secondary silencing structure can be located on the second intake muffler between the first and second partitions, and includes multiple arrayed silencing holes. Thus, after the airflow enters the first intake muffler from the connection end 51, it enters the main chamber through the primary silencing structure, achieving the first cross-sectional expansion and sound wave reflection attenuation. Subsequently, the airflow enters the second intake muffler and then re-enters the main chamber through the secondary silencing structure, achieving the second expansion and silencing. This forms a dual-pipe, dual-stage silencing path, causing the sound waves to undergo multiple expansions, throttling, and phase superpositions, significantly improving the insertion loss of mid-to-high frequency noise. Simultaneously, the exhaust pipe is located at the top of the cylinder and between the two intake pipes, causing the sound waves to undergo a longer propagation path and multiple interface reflections within the chamber, further enhancing sound energy dissipation.

[0069] Optionally, in this embodiment, the connecting end 51 includes an arc-shaped tube, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the arc-shaped tube decreases sequentially along the direction from the connecting end 51 to the muffler 52. Specifically, when gas enters the connecting end 51 from the engine outlet, it is usually in a state of high static pressure and low flow velocity. Setting the arc-shaped tube of the connecting end 51 to a cross-sectional convergence can convert some of the available static pressure into dynamic pressure, allowing the airflow to flow more closely from the inner side of the bend to the subsequent horizontal muffler 52, suppressing large-scale separation vortices and recirculation zones, thereby achieving the effect of guiding and accelerating the exhaust gas. In addition, the arc-shaped structure sets the deflection in the exhaust direction to a smooth curvature rather than a sharp bend or right angle structure. Combined with the cross-sectional convergence, this can further reduce the local loss coefficient and is also conducive to a more uniform distribution of thermal stress.

[0070] And / or, in this embodiment, the exhaust end 53 includes an arc-shaped exhaust port with its outlet facing downwards. This arc-shaped exhaust port, compared to a right-angled shear edge, weakens the sharp edge separation and strong shear layer at the outlet, thus reducing broadband noise components related to the cutting of the exhaust airflow. Furthermore, the downward-facing outlet of the arc-shaped exhaust port makes the downward-spraying exhaust airflow more easily diffused by the ground structure, weakening its upward force and reducing the risk of hot airflow being re-entered into the engine compartment, air intake, or other sealed areas. Moreover, the downward-facing outlet of the arc-shaped exhaust port dissipates jet energy in the near-ground region, reducing the likelihood of dust or fine particles being lifted to a higher position and coming into contact with body gaps or other structures compared to a horizontal or slightly upward-facing outlet. In scenarios involving wading or flooded roads, the downward-facing arc-shaped exhaust port reduces the risk of water being drawn into the exhaust pipe tail end due to high-speed exhaust, thus facilitating a more controllable exhaust path.

[0071] Optionally, in this embodiment, the diameter of the muffler 52 is larger than the diameter of the connecting end 51, and the diameter of the muffler 52 is larger than the diameter of the exhaust end 53. This allows the muffler 52 to use a larger diameter than the connecting end 51 and the exhaust end 53, forming a low-position, large-section pressure-stabilizing transmission path, reducing flow loss and velocity levels in the horizontal extension section, thus achieving lower friction and momentum loss. Furthermore, the larger muffler 52 can have a larger transmission volume, which is beneficial for absorbing and attenuating low-to-medium frequency pulsations during airflow transmission, resulting in better noise reduction.

[0072] For example, the specific value by which the diameter of the muffler 52 is greater than the diameter of the connecting end 51 can be the same as or different from the specific value by which the diameter of the muffler 52 is greater than the diameter of the exhaust end 53. In this embodiment of the application, the specific value by which the diameter of the muffler 52 is greater than the diameter of the connecting end 51 and the specific value by which the diameter of the muffler 52 is greater than the diameter of the exhaust end 53 are not limited, and can be set according to actual needs.

[0073] This application also provides a vehicle that includes the aforementioned range extender assembly.

[0074] For example, in the embodiments of this application, the vehicle type may include small cars, medium-sized cars, sedans, trucks, trailers, CDVs (Car Derived Vans), MPVs (Multi-Purpose Vehicles), SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles), etc. The specific type of vehicle is not limited in the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, the range extender assembly of this application can also be applied to aviation equipment, such as drones or manned aircraft, etc. Additionally, the range extender assembly can also be applied to portable charging power supplies, etc. The specific application type of the range extender assembly is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0075] In summary, the vehicle and range extender assembly of the embodiments of this application may include at least the following advantages: In this embodiment, the vehicle includes a range extender assembly, which comprises an engine and an electric motor. The engine includes a cylinder block and a crankshaft disposed within the cylinder block, wherein the cylinder axis of the cylinder block extends horizontally. The electric motor includes a housing and a stator, a rotor, and a rotor shaft disposed within the housing. The housing is fixedly connected to the cylinder block, the rotor shaft is coaxially arranged with the crankshaft, the rotor is fixedly connected to the rotor shaft, and the stator and rotor are arranged opposite each other along the axial direction of the rotor shaft. By arranging the cylinder axis of the cylinder block to extend horizontally, the piston's movement direction is perpendicular to the vehicle's height direction, forming a horizontal engine structure. Compared to a traditional vertical engine, this effectively reduces the overall height of the range extender assembly, lowering its center of gravity, which facilitates a flatter chassis layout and significantly reduces the space occupied by the powertrain in the height direction, providing more space for the passenger compartment and the vehicle's electrical equipment. Furthermore, the fixed connection between the housing and the cylinder block integrates the engine and the motor. The coaxial arrangement of the rotor shaft and crankshaft ensures that the rotation center axis of the rotor shaft coincides with that of the crankshaft, effectively improving torque transmission efficiency, avoiding energy loss during transmission, and contributing to improved system stability. The fixed connection between the rotor and rotor shaft also provides high connection stability between the rotor and stator, enhancing transmission reliability and enabling seamless torque transmission between the rotor shaft and rotor. Additionally, the stator and rotor are axially opposed along the rotor shaft, forming an axial flux motor, significantly reducing the axial dimension of the motor structure. Therefore, this application substantially reduces the height and axial dimension of the range extender assembly, facilitating miniaturization design, reducing the need for large vehicle layout spaces, providing more space for the passenger compartment and vehicle electrical equipment, and improving driving comfort.

[0076] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0077] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A range extender assembly, characterized in that, The range extender assembly includes: an engine and an electric motor; The engine includes a cylinder block (10) and a crankshaft (11) disposed within the cylinder block (10), wherein the cylinder axis of the cylinder block (10) extends in a horizontal direction; The motor includes a housing (20) and a stator, a rotor and a rotor shaft (21) disposed within the housing (20). The housing (20) is fixedly connected to the cylinder block (10), the rotor shaft (21) is coaxially disposed with the crankshaft (11), the rotor is fixedly connected to the rotor shaft (21), and the stator and the rotor are disposed opposite to each other along the axial direction of the rotor shaft (21).

2. The range extender assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The range extender assembly also includes fasteners (30), the crankshaft (11) includes a connecting portion (111) extending toward the motor, the connecting portion (111) is provided with a mounting step (112), the rotor shaft (21) is provided with a mounting portion (211) on the side facing the connecting portion (111), the mounting portion (211) abuts against the mounting step (112) and is fixedly connected to the connecting portion (111) by fasteners (30).

3. The range extender assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The motor also includes a bearing (26), and the rotor shaft (21) also includes a support (212). The support (212) is located at one end of the mounting part (211) away from the crankshaft (11), and the bearing (26) is sleeved on the support (212).

4. The range extender assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The diameter of the support part (212) is smaller than the diameter of the mounting part (211).

5. The range extender assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The range extender assembly also includes a flywheel (15) connected to one end of the crankshaft (11) near the motor.

6. The range extender assembly according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The stator includes a first stator disk (23) connected to the housing (20), and the rotor includes a rotor disk (22), which is disposed at a distance from the first stator disk (23). The first stator disk (23) is disposed on the side of the rotor disk (22) away from the crankshaft (11), or the rotor disk (22) is disposed on the side of the first stator disk (23) away from the crankshaft (11).

7. The range extender assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rotor disk (22) is connected to the outer periphery of the rotor shaft (21), and the rotor disk (22) is fixedly connected to the rotor shaft (21).

8. The range extender assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rotor disk (22) and the rotor shaft (21) are integrally formed.

9. The range extender assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The stator also includes a second stator disk (24), the first stator disk (23) and the second stator disk (24) are arranged at intervals relative to each other, and the rotor disk (22) is arranged between the first stator disk (23) and the second stator disk (24).

10. The range extender assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motor is cooled by at least one of liquid cooling and air cooling.

11. The range extender assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The range extender assembly includes a controller, which includes a housing (41) and a power module; The outer casing (41) is located on the side of the housing (20) away from the cylinder (10), and the power module is located inside the outer casing (41) and electrically connected to the motor.

12. The range extender assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The range extender assembly includes an exhaust pipe and a noise reduction mechanism. The exhaust pipe is connected to the bottom of the engine, and the noise reduction mechanism is connected to the exhaust pipe. The noise reduction mechanism includes a mounting base (61), a speaker (65), a microphone (64), a connecting pipe (62), and a connecting pipe (63). The speaker (65) is disposed in the mounting base (61). The connecting pipe (62) is connected to the speaker (65) and the exhaust pipe respectively, and the connecting pipe (62) is connected to the exhaust pipe. The microphone (64) is connected to the connecting pipe (63), and the connecting pipe (63) is connected to the exhaust pipe.

13. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes the range extender assembly as described in any one of claims 1-12.

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