Mechanical system in a vehicle transmission

Abstract

The utility model relates to a mechanical system in a vehicle transmission. In one example, a mechanical system in a vehicle transmission includes: a first one-way clutch included in a first gear combination rotationally coupled with an output shaft and a pump shaft; and a second one-way clutch included in a second gear combination, the second gear combination being arranged parallel to the first gear combination, the second gear combination also being rotationally coupled with the output shaft and the pump shaft; the number of gears of the first gear combination is not equal to the number of gears of the second gear combination.

Description

[0001] Related Application Comparison Table

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 480,142, entitled “Pump Assembly in Transmission and Method of Operating a Pump Assembly,” filed on January 17, 2023. The entire contents of the above application are hereby incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a transmission with a mechanical assembly configured for bidirectional input. Background Art

[0004] Some vehicles have adopted transmissions because they improve the responsiveness and operating efficiency of the prime mover. In addition, some transmissions use electric or hydraulic motors that can easily provide forward and reverse drive rotational inputs to the transmission, allowing the vehicle to effectively switch between forward and reverse drive. The bidirectional rotation of the motor hinders the use of power take-off (PTO) systems, which are used to drive auxiliary devices in the transmission system, and pump systems that provide lubrication to the transmission components when the transmission system is not powered, especially pump systems that require unidirectional rotational input.

[0005] Attempts have been made to provide PTO functionality in certain vehicle systems. For example, Horsfall et al. in US Pat. No. 10,336,187 B2 disclose a planetary power take-off device for a vehicle transmission. The power take-off device includes a clutch and a brake unit that can change the gear ratio of the power take-off device, thereby expanding the operating range of the device. In addition, Horsfall's device is configured to drive the output shaft in both forward and reverse directions.

[0006] The inventors have recognized that the Horsfall device and other previous PTO devices have certain disadvantages. For example, the Horsfall device may be bulky, complex and expensive compared to devices that cannot drive the output shaft in both directions. Therefore, the Horsfall device may have limited applicability, especially in applications where space is limited. In addition, due to its complexity, the Horsfall power take-off device may be prone to degradation. In addition, if the pump system or PTO system including a bidirectional pump is able to drive the pump in both directions, the maximum pressure of the bidirectional pump may be limited and reduced relative to a unidirectional pump. Therefore, the maximum pressure limitation of the bidirectional pump may make it unable to provide hydraulic power to auxiliary equipment with higher pressure requirements, such as a charging pump. In addition, the use of a bidirectional pump may increase the cost of the PTO / pump system compared to a unidirectional pump. Other previous PTO systems use an additional motor to drive the PTO pump. The additional motor increases the cost and complexity of the PTO system. Utility Model Content

[0007] The inventors have recognized the above problems and developed a mechanical assembly that at least partially overcomes the above challenges. In one example, the mechanical assembly includes a mechanical system in a vehicle transmission, including: a first one-way clutch included in a first gear combination, the first gear combination being rotationally coupled to an output shaft and a pump shaft; and a second one-way clutch included in a second gear combination, the second gear combination being arranged in parallel with the first gear combination, the second gear combination also being rotationally coupled to the output shaft and the pump shaft; wherein the first and second gear combinations have unequal numbers of gears.

[0008] The mechanical assembly can be a pump assembly having a first one-way clutch configured to engage with the output shaft when the output shaft rotates in a first direction. The pump assembly also includes a second one-way clutch that engages with the output shaft when the output shaft rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The pump assembly also includes a first gear set or combination that rotationally couples the first one-way clutch to the output shaft, and a second gear set or combination that rotationally couples the second one-way clutch to the output shaft. The one-way clutch cooperates with the gear set to unidirectionally drive the pump of the pump assembly when the output shaft rotates in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. In another example, the first and second gear sets can include unequal numbers of gears so that the pump can receive a one-way input when the output shaft rotates in a forward drive direction and a reverse drive direction. Therefore, various types of pumps can be used in the pump assembly when the pump assembly is not driven by a prime mover, such as during a towing operation of a vehicle or machine.

[0009] It should be understood that the above summary is intended to introduce in a simplified form the concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is solely determined by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 A portion of a vehicle is shown with a transmission including a power take-off (PTO) assembly and / or a pump assembly.

[0011] Figure 2A-2B Shows Figure 1 The power path through the PTO assembly is shown with the prime mover rotating in the opposite direction.

[0012] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 Configuration of one-way clutch in pump assembly shown.

[0013] Figure 4 Shows the Figure 1An example of a mechanical assembly connected to a transmission output shaft that is configured to drive operation of a pump.

[0014] Figure 5 Shown through Figure 4 A method of lubricating transmission components of a mechanical assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] A power take-off (PTO) assembly is provided for a transmission that is capable of providing a unidirectional input to a PTO device when the prime mover rotates in both forward and reverse drive directions. This allows the operating window of the PTO assembly to be expanded compared to previous systems that use a clutch to decouple the PTO from the transmission during reverse. In addition, the PTO assembly described herein can also use a unidirectional pump as a PTO device as needed. Using a unidirectional pump reduces the possibility of degradation of the PTO assembly compared to a bidirectional pump and can increase the space efficiency of the assembly as needed, while reducing the cost of the assembly.

[0016] In order to enable the assembly to provide a one-way input to the PTO device, the assembly includes a pair of one-way clutches. When the prime mover rotates in a first direction, one of the one-way clutches is configured to engage the shaft of the prime mover or the output shaft of the PTO assembly. Conversely, the other one-way clutch is configured to engage with the prime mover shaft or the output shaft of the assembly when the prime mover rotates in a second direction. In addition, the assembly also includes a mechanical branch for transferring rotational energy between the first one-way clutch and the output shaft or the prime mover shaft. However, one of the mechanical branches is configured to change the rotational direction of the rotational energy passing through the branch. In this way, when the prime mover switches the direction of rotation (for example, during forward and reverse drive modes), the PTO device can be driven in a single direction. Therefore, compared with previous PTO systems, the PTO device can be driven continuously in a wider range of transmission operating modes. In addition, if necessary, complex control strategies can be avoided, that is, disconnecting the output connection of the prime mover from the transmission to enable the transmission to drive in reverse when the PTO is operating.

[0017] Additionally, the transmission may further include a pump assembly having a dual clutch system similar to that relied upon by the PTO assembly. The pump assembly may allow the pump to provide lubrication to the wet clutch of the transmission even in vehicle modes where the prime mover is not providing power to facilitate movement of the transmission. For example, during towing operations, the prime mover may be deactivated but the transmission may be forced to rotate. In the absence of lubrication, the clutch may degrade as the transmission rotates. One method of providing lubrication to the transmission during towing operations includes adding a lubrication circuit that relies on a pump driven by the transmission output shaft. In order to be able to operate in both forward and reverse towing directions, a bidirectional pump may be required, which may be costly and limited by the size of the available pump.

[0018] Alternatively, as described herein, various types of pumps, including one-way pumps, fixed pumps, variable displacement pumps, and other readily available pumps, can be used to continuously lubricate the transmission during unpowered rotation of the transmission (e.g., rotation without prime mover power) by coupling the above-mentioned pair of one-way clutches to the extended output shaft of the transmission. The transmission can rotate in either forward or reverse directions, but the pump can be driven uniformly in a single direction. In this way, regardless of the direction of rotation of the output shaft, the pump can draw lubricating oil from the oil pan of the transmission and deliver the oil to the lubrication passages of the transmission.

[0019] Figure 1 A vehicle is shown with a transmission including a PTO assembly configured to drive a PTO device in a rotational direction during forward and reverse drive. Figure 2A-2B The power path through the PTO assembly during forward and reverse drive operation is shown. The pump assembly can also be connected to the Figure 1 On the output shaft of the transmission to deliver lubricating oil to the transmission's wet clutch under certain conditions (such as when the vehicle is being towed). Figure 3 An example of a clutch arrangement showing the pump assembly relative to the output shaft, Figure 4 The configuration of the pump assembly is shown. Figure 5 An example method of operating a pump via a pump assembly during a towing operation is described.

[0020] Figure 1 A vehicle 100 is described with a drivetrain 102 (e.g., an electric drivetrain or a hydraulic drivetrain). In one example, the vehicle 100 can be an electric vehicle (EV), such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV). All-electric vehicles can be particularly useful due to their reduced complexity and therefore reduced potential points of component degradation compared to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). However, HEV implementations can also be used where the vehicle includes an internal combustion engine (ICE). The vehicle 100 can be a light, medium, or heavy-duty vehicle. In one specific use case, the vehicle can be a tractor with a front loader. However, in other examples, the vehicle can also take a variety of forms.

[0021] The transmission system 102 includes a transmission 104 (e.g., a gearbox). The transmission 104 can be rotationally coupled to a first prime mover 106 and a second prime mover 108. However, in other examples, the transmission system 102 can omit the second prime mover. The first prime mover 106 and the second prime mover 108 are configured to rotate in clockwise and counterclockwise directions so that the transmission can operate in a forward drive mode and a reverse drive mode. The first prime mover shaft 109 provides a rotational connection between the first prime mover 106 and the PTO assembly 111 and the transmission 104. In addition, the second prime mover shaft 113 can provide a rotational connection between the second prime mover 108 and the transmission 104. The first prime mover shaft 109 and the second prime mover shaft 113 can both be shafts that can be rotationally coupled to the first prime mover 106 and the second prime mover 108, respectively.

[0022] In one example, one or both of the prime movers 106 and 108 can be electric motors. However, one or both of the prime movers can also be hydraulic motors. In the electric motor example, the prime mover can include a rotor and a stator, and the rotor and the stator electromagnetically interact during operation to generate power. In addition, the prime mover can also be a motor generator, which also generates electrical energy during regenerative operation. In addition, in one example, the prime movers can have similar designs and sizes. In this way, the manufacturing efficiency of the system can be improved. However, in other examples, the prime movers can have different sizes and / or component designs.

[0023] In addition, when the prime movers 106 and 108 are electric motors, they can be specifically configured as multi-phase motors, and electrical energy can be provided by using a first inverter 110 and a second inverter 112. For example, electrical energy can be supplied to the first prime mover 106 through the first inverter 110. Similarly, electrical energy can be supplied to the second prime mover 108 through the second inverter 112. The above-mentioned inverter and other inverters described herein can convert direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC), and vice versa. Therefore, the prime movers 106, 108 and other prime movers can be AC ​​machines. For example, in one use case, the prime movers 106, 108 and the inverters 110 and 112 can be three-phase devices. However, we also envision motors and inverters configured to operate using more than three-phase devices. The electrical connection between the inverters 110 and 112 and the prime movers 106 and 108 is represented by electrical connectors 114 and 116 (e.g., multi-phase wires, busbars, combinations thereof, etc.), respectively.

[0024] Inverters 110, 112 may receive direct current from at least one electrical energy source 118 (e.g., a traction battery, an energy storage device such as a capacitor, a combination thereof, and / or an AC generator). Arrow 105 indicates that electrical energy flows from electrical energy source 118 to prime movers 106, 108. Alternatively, each inverter may draw electrical energy from at least one different energy source. When both inverters 110, 112 are connected to one energy source, the inverters may operate at similar voltages. Alternatively, if both inverters 110, 112 are connected to different electrical energy sources, in some examples, they may operate at different voltages. In the hydraulic motor example, prime movers 106, 108 are typically configured to convert hydraulic pressure into torque.

[0025] The transmission system 102 also includes a PTO assembly 111. The PTO assembly 111 includes a PTO device 119 driven by gears, shafts, clutches, etc. When the first prime mover 106 rotates in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction, these gears, shafts, and clutches are configured to provide a unidirectional input to the PTO device 119. These rotational directions may correspond to forward and reverse drive modes, and vice versa.

[0026] The PTO device 119 can be a one-way pump. Specifically, in this example, the one-way pump can be a one-way charging pump that provides pressurized hydraulic fluid to the clutch. In other examples, the PTO device can be a one-way working pump that provides pressurized hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic motor (e.g., a hydraulic cylinder in a motor) for power operation, or a one-way steering pump that provides pressurized hydraulic fluid to a steering system. The working pump can be used to drive vehicle implements, such as a front-end loader, a hydraulic bed, a compactor, an auger, combinations thereof, and the like.

[0027] The PTO assembly 111 also includes a first one-way clutch 120 and a second one-way clutch 121. In the illustrated example, the one-way clutches 120, 121 are coaxially disposed with the first prime mover shaft 109. Alternatively, the one-way clutches 120, 121 may be coaxially disposed with an output shaft 122 in the PTO assembly 111. When the first prime mover 106 rotates in a first direction, the first one-way clutch 120 is configured to mesh with the gear 123 through the first prime mover shaft 109 and rotate the drive gear 123. Thus, when the first prime mover 106 rotates in a first rotational direction, the first prime mover 106 is configured to selectively mesh with the first prime mover shaft 109. Conversely, when the first prime mover 106 rotates in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, the first one-way clutch 120 is configured to idle. As described herein, during clutch idleness, torque transmission between the shaft and the gear associated with the one-way clutch is inhibited. When first prime mover 106 rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction, second one-way clutch 121 is configured to mesh with and drive gear 124 through first prime mover 106. Conversely, when first prime mover 106 rotates in the first direction, second one-way clutch rotates freely.

[0028] Using two one-way clutches, which are configured to idle in opposite rotational directions, the mechanical branches (expanded here) to which they are connected can be driven in reverse when the first prime mover 106 rotates in the opposite direction. In other words, when the prime mover (such as the first prime mover 106) rotates clockwise and counterclockwise, one of the clutches and the power path is driven while the other remains inactive. For example, when the prime mover rotates clockwise, the first clutch and the first power path are driven, while the second clutch and the second power path remain inactive. For another example, when the prime mover rotates counterclockwise, the second clutch and the second power path are driven, while the first clutch and the first power path remain inactive. Therefore, during both the forward drive and reverse drive processes of the transmission system 102, the PTO device 119 can obtain a one-way input.

[0029] One or both of the one-way clutches 120 and 121 may be roller-type one-way clutches. For example, a roller-type one-way clutch may include spring rollers and a ramp on the inner raceway. Another example is a sprag-type one-way clutch. A sprag-type one-way clutch may include a plurality of asymmetric sprags having arc-shaped surfaces, so that the clutches can transmit torque between the inner and outer races of the respective clutches when rotating in one direction, and can rotate freely when rotating in the other direction. In other examples, one or both of the one-way clutches may be ratchet-type one-way clutches.

[0030] There may be at least two mechanical branches, consisting of multiple sets of parallel mechanical branches. For example, the transmission system 102 shows that the first mechanical branch 125 rotationally couples the first one-way clutch 120 to the output shaft 122. In contrast, the second mechanical branch 126 rotationally couples the second one-way clutch 121 to the output shaft 122. The second mechanical branch 126 reverses the rotational direction of the mechanical power flowing through the branch. In this way, the PTO device 119 is driven by the one-way input when the first prime mover 106 rotates clockwise and counterclockwise. A set of parallel mechanical branches includes the first mechanical branch 125 and the second mechanical branch 126, which can selectively drive and couple the first prime mover shaft 109 to the output shaft 122 through the first one-way clutch 120 and the second one-way clutch 121, respectively. More generally, the first and second mechanical branches are arranged in parallel, allowing power to be transmitted between the first prime mover shaft 109 and the output shaft 122 through each path under different rotation conditions of the first prime mover shaft 109.

[0031] In the illustrated example, mechanical branches 125 and 126 include gears. However, in other examples, at least one mechanical branch may include a chain and / or belt to transfer mechanical power between the associated clutch and output shaft 122. Gears as described herein include teeth, and the mechanical connection between the gears involves meshing of the teeth. The gear ratio in each mechanical branch 125, 126 may be selected based on the PTO output speed target, the size and speed range of the first prime mover 106, etc.

[0032] The first mechanical branch 125 in the example includes a first set of gears 127, and the second mechanical branch 126 includes a second set of gears 128. A set of parallel gear sets may include or contain the first set of gears 127 and the second set of gears 128. The first mechanical branch 125 includes a different number of gears than the second mechanical branch 126, wherein the number of gears in the first set of gears 127 is different from the number of gears in the second set of gears 128. To achieve reverse rotation, the second set of gears 128 includes an even number of gears, while the first set of gears 127 includes an odd number of gears. Specifically, the first set of gears 127 includes three gears: gear 123, gear 129, and gear 130, and the second set of gears 128 includes two gears: gear 124 and gear 131. However, the first set of gears may include five or seven gears, and the second set of gears may include four or six gears. The number of gears in the gear set may be selected based on various factors, such as the target ratio of the mechanical branch, the speed range of the prime mover, the space constraints of the surrounding vehicle system, the shaft structure, etc.

[0033] The gear 129 in the first mechanical branch 125 can be called an idler gear and rotates on the idler shaft 132. In addition, the gear 123 in the first mechanical branch 125 can be coupled to the first one-way clutch 120 (e.g., an outer race) or incorporated into the first one-way clutch 120. Therefore, the gear 123 can extend radially from the outer raceway of the first one-way clutch 120. In addition, the gear 130 in the first mechanical branch 125 can be fixedly connected to the output shaft 122 or connected to the output shaft 122. For example, the gear 130 can be connected to the output shaft 122 by welding, splines, crimping, integral molding, combination, etc.

[0034] The gear 124 in the second mechanical branch 126 can be coupled or combined with the second one-way clutch 121 (such as an outer raceway). In addition, the gear 131 in the second mechanical branch 126 can be fixedly connected or combined with the output shaft 122. For example, the gear 131 can be connected to the output shaft 122 by welding, spline connection, crimping, integral molding, combination, etc.

[0035] Bearings 115 and 117 are connected to the first prime mover shaft 109 and the output shaft 122, respectively. Bearings 115, 117 and other bearings described herein may include inner raceways, outer raceways and roller elements (such as cylindrical rollers, spherical rollers, tapered cylindrical rollers, etc.). The bearings can be rollingly coupled with and support a complementary shaft (e.g., a shaft connected to the bearing). When the bearing couples and supports the shaft to which it is connected, the bearing can facilitate the rotation of the shaft. The bearings can be mounted in a housing of the transmission. In addition, the bearings can be connected to opposite sides of the idler shaft 132.

[0036] As shown by arrow 134, the PTO device 119 can be connected (eg, hydraulically connected) to one or more auxiliary devices 133. For example, a hydraulic connection can be established between the PTO device 119 and the auxiliary devices 133 using hydraulic lines, conduits, etc.

[0037] Gears 135 and 136 may be mounted on the first and second prime mover shafts 109 and 113 of the prime movers 106 and 108, respectively. In some examples, the gear 135 may be fixedly connected to the first prime mover shaft 109 so that it rotates together. For example, the gear 135 may be connected to the first prime mover shaft 109 by splines, welding, press fitting, integral molding, combination, etc. In another example, a clutch (e.g., a friction clutch and / or a synchronizer) may be used to connect the gear 135 to the first prime mover shaft 109 so that the shaft and the gear can be rotationally coupled and decoupled according to the operating conditions of the transmission. For example, when the vehicle is stationary, the first prime mover 106 may be decoupled from the transmission, but if necessary, the auxiliary device 133 may be driven by the PTO device 119. However, it is understood that adding a separation clutch may increase the cost and complexity of the system. In other examples, the first prime mover shaft 109 may also be connected to the transmission 104 using chains and / or belts, additional gears, shafts, etc.

[0038] The gear 136 may be fixedly connected to the second prime mover shaft 113. For example, the gear 136 may be connected to the second prime mover shaft 113 by splines, welding, press-fitting, integral molding, combination, etc.

[0039] Gears 135, 136 are each connected to (e.g., meshed with) gear 141 of a planetary gear set 137 in transmission 104. Planetary gear set 137 may include a shaft 140 that connects gear 141 to sun gear 142. Gears 135 and 136 may be mounted on different sides 144 and 146 of transmission 104, respectively, to enhance packaging and provide a more balanced weight distribution in drivetrain 102, as desired. Side 144 is disposed opposite side 146, where side 144 is one side of planetary gear set 137 and side 146 is directly opposite side 144 through a centerline of planetary gear set 137. More generally, the axes of rotation of gears 135 and 136 and prime movers 106 and 108 may be parallel to one another.

[0040] In the illustrated example, friction clutch 148 is connected to shaft 140 and is configured to selectively couple the shaft rotation to output shaft 150. However, in other examples, the transmission may omit friction clutch 148, or the transmission may be of a different structure. Friction clutches, including friction clutch 148, as described herein, may include two sets of plates configured to frictionally engage and disengage each other when the clutch is opened and closed. Therefore, the amount of torque transmitted through the clutch can be adjusted according to the degree of engagement of the friction plates. Therefore, the friction clutch described herein can operate with different amounts of engagement (e.g., continuously adjustable within the engagement range of the clutch). In addition, the friction clutch described herein can be a wet friction clutch, and lubricant passes through the wet friction clutch to extend the service life of the clutch. However, dry friction clutches can also be used in other examples. Friction clutch 148 and other clutches described herein can be adjusted by hydraulic, pneumatic and / or electromechanical actuators. For example, a hydraulically operated piston can be used to induce clutch engagement of the friction clutch. However, in other examples, solenoid valves can also be used for electromechanical clutch actuation.

[0041] The sun gear 142 in the planetary gear set 137 can be connected to the shaft 140. In addition, the planet gears 152 in the planetary gear set 137 can be connected to the sun gear 142. In addition, the planet gears 152 can be mechanically coupled to the ring gear 154 in the planetary gear set 137, so that the planet gears 152 can drive the ring gear 154 or be driven by the ring gear 154. When mechanically coupled, the teeth of the planet gears 152 can mesh with the teeth of the ring gear 154.

[0042] A shaft 156 may extend from the ring gear 154 and have a friction clutch assembly 158 mounted thereon. The friction clutch assembly 158 may include a synchronizer 160 connected in series with a friction clutch 162. Connecting the synchronizer 160 in series with the friction clutch 162 may improve the efficiency of the transmission when operating in second gear. In detail, the synchronizer 160 allows a portion of the shaft 164 to be disconnected from the friction clutch 162 and rotate freely when the system is operating in second gear. Therefore, when the synchronizer 160 is disengaged, the plates in the friction clutch 162 may not rotate. In contrast, when the synchronizer 160 is engaged, the shaft 164 and the shaft 156 of the ring gear 154 rotate synchronously. The synchronizer 160 is configured to synchronize the speeds of the shaft 156 and the shaft 164 coupled to the friction clutch 162, and mechanically lock the rotation of the shafts 156 and 164 when engaged. In order to improve the compactness of the system, the friction clutches 148, 162 and the output shaft 150 may be arranged coaxially. To achieve this coaxial arrangement, the sun gear 142 may include an opening 168 through which the output shaft extends. However, other clutch, shaft and / or gear arrangements may be used in other examples.

[0043] In the illustrated example, the friction clutch 162 is configured to ground the ring gear 154. However, other clutch configurations are also contemplated. For example, in another embodiment, the friction clutch can ground the carrier 179. To achieve grounding of the ring gear, the friction clutch 162 can include a housing having a portion of a friction plate thereon, the friction plate being fixedly connected to a stationary component, such as a transmission housing, such as the transmission 104. A bearing 170 can be mounted between the shaft 156 and the output shaft 150 to allow these shafts to rotate independently under certain conditions.

[0044] In the illustrated example, the output shaft 150 includes output interfaces 172, 174 (e.g., yokes, splines, combinations thereof, or other suitable mechanical interfaces) configured to be connected to an axle (e.g., a front axle or a rear axle) via a shaft, a joint (e.g., a U-joint), a chain, a belt, a combination thereof, etc. For example, Figure 4 1 shows the interface of the output shaft 150 to the axle via output interfaces 172, 174, as further described below. The axle may include a differential rotationally coupled to the axle shaft, which in turn is rotationally coupled to the drive wheels. In other examples, the output shaft may include a single output interface connected to an axle shaft (such as a front axle or a rear axle).

[0045] A disconnect clutch 176, 178 may be provided for each output interface 172, 174. Thus, the disconnect clutches 176, 178 may be configured to mechanically couple and decouple the output shaft 150 from the output interfaces 172, 174. In this way, the functionality of the transmission may be further expanded to enable single-axis and multi-axis operation. For example, when additional traction is required, four-wheel drive may be used, and when additional traction is not required, two-wheel drive may be used to reduce transmission system losses and tire wear. In this way, the handling performance of the vehicle is improved. The disconnect clutches 176, 178 may be dog clutches, synchronizers, friction clutches, combinations thereof, or other suitable clutches. In some examples, dog clutches and / or synchronizers may be used specifically as axle disconnect devices, which may reduce losses when the clutch is disengaged compared to friction clutches.

[0046] The planetary gears 152 rotate on a carrier 179 of the planetary gear set 137. The carrier 179 is rotationally coupled to the output shaft 150. The planetary gear set 137 can be a simple planetary gear set including only the sun gear 142, the ring gear 154, the planetary gears 152 and the carrier 179. The use of a simple planetary gear assembly can improve the compactness of the transmission system compared to more complex planetary gear assemblies such as multi-stage planetary gear assemblies and Lavigne-Aux planetary gear assemblies. Therefore, the transmission system has less space constraints on other vehicle components, thereby expanding the applicability of the system. In addition, when a simple planetary gear set is used instead of a more complex gear arrangement, the losses in the transmission may be reduced. However, we have also considered transmissions using other gear arrangements, including transmissions that do not use planetary gear arrangements.

[0047] Depending on the gear ratio of the transmission, mechanical power can reach the output shaft 150 through the carrier 179, or from the sun gear 142 to the output shaft. The transmission 104 can be shifted between different working gears (such as power shifting). The shifting operation may include engaging the friction clutch 148 and disengaging the friction clutch 162, or vice versa.

[0048] like Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle 100 also includes a control system 192 with a controller 193. The controller 193 may include a microcomputer whose components include a processor 194 (e.g., a microprocessor unit), input / output ports, and an electronic storage medium 195 (e.g., a read-only memory chip, random access memory, survivability memory, data bus, etc.) for executable programs and calibration values. The storage medium is programmed with computer-readable data representing instructions executable by the processor for performing the methods and control techniques described herein and other variants that are anticipated but not specifically listed.

[0049] The controller 193 may receive various signals from sensors 196 that are coupled to various areas of the vehicle 100, particularly the transmission 104. For example, the sensors 196 may include a pedal position sensor configured to detect the depression of an operator's actuation pedal, such as an accelerator pedal and / or a brake pedal, a speed sensor on the transmission output shaft, a state of charge (SOC) sensor for an energy storage device, a clutch position sensor, and the like. The motor speed may be determined by the power sent to the motor by the inverter. The input device 197 (e.g., an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a drive mode selector, a PTO mode selector, a two-wheel and four-wheel drive selector, a combination thereof, and the like) may further provide input signals indicating the operator's vehicle control intent. For example, a button, switch, and / or touch interface may be included in the vehicle to enable the operator to switch between a two-wheel drive mode and a four-wheel drive mode.

[0050] Upon receiving Figure 1 After receiving signals from various sensors 196, the controller 193 processes the received signals and uses various actuators 198 of vehicle components to adjust the components based on the received signals and the instructions stored in the memory of the controller 193. For example, the controller 193 may receive an accelerator pedal signal indicating that the operator requires an increase in vehicle acceleration. In response, the controller 193 may command the prime movers to operate and increase the mechanical power from the first and second prime movers 106, 108 to the transmission 104. When the prime movers are multi-phase electric motors, the control instructions may be sent to inverters, such as inverters 110, 112. Under certain operating conditions, the controller 193 may be configured to send instructions to the clutches 148, 160, 162, 176 and / or 178 to engage and disengage the clutches. For example, the control instructions from the controller 193 may be sent to a clutch assembly, such as the friction clutch assembly 158, and in response to the received command, the actuator 198 in the clutch assembly may adjust the clutch according to the command to engage or disengage the clutch. For example, other controllable components in the vehicle may function in a similar manner with respect to sensor signals, control commands, and actuator adjustments.The controller 193 may be configured to control the friction clutches 148, 162 to synchronously shift between two operating gears of the transmission.

[0051] Figure 1 as well as Figure 2A-2B and Figure 4-5 An axis system 101 is provided for reference. The Z axis can be a vertical axis (e.g., parallel to the gravity axis), the X axis can be a lateral axis (e.g., a horizontal axis), and / or the Y axis can be a longitudinal axis. The Y axis of the axis system 101 can be parallel to the towing direction of the vehicle 100. However, in other examples, other orientations of the axes can also be used.

[0052] The transmission 104 has two clutches, enabling it to operate as a two-speed transmission. However, in other embodiments, additional clutches may be added or omitted from the transmission, enabling it to operate with more or fewer gears. Thus, in other embodiments, the transmission may have three or more speeds.

[0053] Figure 2A-2B The mechanical power paths 250 and 252 through the PTO assembly 111 are respectively described when the transmission system 102 is operated in the forward drive mode and the reverse drive mode, respectively. The first prime mover 106 and the PTO assembly 111 are shown in the figure. The first one-way clutch 120 and the second one-way clutch 121 shown in the figure include an inner ring gear 200 and an outer ring gear 202 and an internal component 204 that helps to achieve the one-way clutch function. As previously described, the internal component 204 may include rollers, wedges, ratchet devices, etc.

[0054] Specific to Figure 2AIn one example, the forward drive mode may be associated with first prime mover 106 rotating in a clockwise direction. However, in other examples, the forward drive mode may be associated with the prime mover rotating in a counterclockwise direction.

[0055] When the first prime mover 106 rotates in the clockwise direction, the first one-way clutch 120 is engaged, and mechanical power is transmitted from the first prime mover shaft 109 to the gear 123 through the first one-way clutch 120. Conversely, when the first prime mover 106 rotates in the clockwise direction, the second one-way clutch 121 rotates freely, so that mechanical power is not transmitted from the first prime mover shaft 109 to the gear 124. In this way, the PTO assembly 111 can transmit mechanical power through one of the parallel mechanical branches, while giving up transmitting mechanical power through the other mechanical branch.

[0056] The development of the power path 250 is as follows: mechanical power is transmitted from the first prime mover 106 to the first prime mover shaft 109. The power path then splits into a first branch 254 and a second branch 256. The first branch 254 provides mechanical power to the PTO assembly 111, and the second branch 256 provides mechanical power to the downstream transmission components (such as the first prime mover shaft 109). Figure 1 135) described in the above description provides mechanical power. In the first branch 254, mechanical power is transmitted from the first prime mover shaft 109 to the gear 123 through the first one-way clutch 120. Then, the power is transmitted from the gear 123 to the idler gear 129. Then, the power is transmitted from the idler gear 129 to the gear 130, and then from the gear 130 to the output shaft 122. Then, the power is transmitted from the shaft to the PTO device 119. In this way, power is transmitted through the first mechanical branch 125, and power is not transmitted through the second mechanical branch 126. In this way, power only flows through one of the parallel mechanical branches, thereby achieving a one-way drive of the PTO device 119.

[0057] Specific to Figure 2B In one example, the reverse drive mode may be associated with rotating first prime mover 106 in a counterclockwise direction. However, in other examples, the reverse drive mode may be associated with rotating the prime mover in a clockwise direction.

[0058] When the first prime mover 106 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the second one-way clutch 121 is engaged, and mechanical power is transmitted from the first prime mover shaft 109 to the gear 124 through the second one-way clutch 121. Conversely, when the first prime mover 106 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the first one-way clutch 120 rotates freely, so that mechanical power is not transmitted from the first prime mover shaft 109 to the gear 123. In this way, the PTO assembly 111 can transmit mechanical power through one of the parallel mechanical branches, while giving up transmitting mechanical power through the other mechanical branch.

[0059] The power path 252 also includes a first branch 258 that directs power to the PTO assembly 111 and a second branch 260 that directs power to the downstream transmission components. However, in the first branch 258, mechanical power is transmitted from the first prime mover shaft 109 to the gear 124 through the second one-way clutch 121. Next, the power is transmitted between the gear 123 and the gear 131. Then, the power is transmitted from the gear 131 to the output shaft 122, and then from the output shaft 122 to the PTO device 119. In this way, power is transmitted through the second mechanical branch 126, and power is not transmitted through the first mechanical branch 125. In this way, power flows through only one of the parallel mechanical branches, thereby achieving a one-way drive of the PTO device 119. In this way, the PTO device 119 can obtain mechanical power when driving in both forward and reverse directions, thereby expanding the operating window of the PTO assembly 111. Customer appeal will also be increased. In a vehicle (such as a front loader), it may be particularly ideal to drive the PTO in both forward and reverse directions. However, the transmission system described herein can be used in a variety of vehicles.

[0060] The mechanical power of the power path 250 and the power path 252 may be rotational power. The rotational energy of the rotational power may be transmitted between components through torque.

[0061] The transmission of the vehicle may additionally or alternatively include a pump assembly having a configuration similar to Figure 1-2B The pump assembly can be used to operate the pump when the vehicle is in a mode where the prime mover is not actively powering the vehicle transmission to rotate. Instead, rotation of the vehicle wheels and associated axles can force the transmission to rotate, and the wheels and axles can be rotatably coupled to components of the transmission. For example, during vehicle towing, the vehicle can be towed in a forward direction, such as a direction associated with forward drive, or in a reverse direction, such as a direction associated with reverse drive.

[0062] During this forced movement of the transmission, the wet clutch of the transmission, e.g. Figure 1Any of the clutches 148, 160, 162, 176, and / or 178 may experience non-ideal contact and friction, which, if not lubricated, may result in clutch degradation. In some examples, a mechanical disconnect device may be used to disconnect the transmission from the axle to keep the transmission stationary. However, in some cases, such a device may not be installed. In such cases, in order to mitigate clutch degradation without relying on expensive and complex lubrication oil circuits, while enabling the pump to operate regardless of the direction of traction, the pump assembly may include a set of one-way clutches arranged in a similar manner as described above to enable a one-way pump to be used in the pump assembly. The pump assembly may be connected to the output shaft of the transmission. In one example, the output shaft may be lengthened, for example, to a greater length than an output shaft without a pump assembly used in a conventional transmission, so as to enable the pump assembly to be coupled to the output shaft. The lengthening of the output shaft may provide packaging space along the output shaft to position the one-way clutch of the pump assembly along the output shaft. For example, the pump assembly may be located in a Figure 1 The first area 301 or the second area 303 represented by the dashed rectangle in FIG. Figure 1 The output shaft 150 of the transmission 104 is connected.

[0063] Figure 3 The first one-way clutch 300 and the second one-way clutch 302 are illustrated as an example. Figure 1 The output shaft 150 of the vehicle 100 is connected. The first one-way clutch 300 and the second one-way clutch 302 can together form a multi-clutch. The first one-way clutch 300, the second one-way clutch 302 and the output shaft 150 can be centered around the axis 307. When centered around the axis 307, the first one-way clutch 300, the second one-way clutch 302 and the output shaft 150 can be radially positioned around the axis 307 (for example, radially positioned around the axis). The shaft 307 can be parallel to the Y-axis of the shaft system 101. The shaft 307 can be the rotation axis of the first one-way clutch 300, the second one-way clutch 302 and the output shaft 150. The first one-way clutch 300, the second one-way clutch 302 and the output shaft 150 can rotate around the axis 307, for example by rotating around the axis 307. The shaft 150 can be driven by a motor from a prime mover (such as Figure 1 The first one-way clutch 300 and the second one-way clutch 302 can also rotate freely around the shaft 150.

[0064] Each one-way clutch 300, 302 includes an inner race 304 and an outer race 306 separated by an internal component 308 (e.g., a roller, a sprag, a ratchet device, etc.). Each outer race 306 can be positioned around the internal component 308, such as surrounding or radially surrounding the internal component 308. Similarly, the internal component 308 can be positioned around each inner race 304, such as surrounding or radially surrounding the inner race 304. Each inner race 304 can be rigidly connected to the output shaft 150, wherein each inner race 304 can rotate in the same direction as the output shaft 150. Each outer race 306 can freely rotate about the inner race 304 complementary to the outer race 306 and the output shaft 150. When idling, the outer race 306 may not receive torque from the output shaft 150. Similarly, each outer race 306 can be selectively coupled to the inner race 304 complementary to the outer race 306. When selectively coupled to the complementary inner race 304, the outer race 306 can rotate in the same direction as the inner race 304 and be driven by the inner race 304. For example, the outer race 306 of the first clutch 300 can be selectively coupled to the inner race 304 of the first clutch 300. The outer race 306 of the first clutch 300 can freely rotate about the inner race 304 of the first clutch 300 and the output shaft 150. Similarly, the outer race 306 of the second clutch 302 can be selectively coupled to the inner race 304 of the second clutch 302. The outer race 306 of the second clutch 302 can freely rotate about the inner race 304 of the second clutch 302 and the output shaft 150.

[0065] The one-way clutches 300 and 302 can be referred to Figure 1-2B The one-way clutch of the PTO assembly is configured as described above. The first one-way clutch 300 may be referred to herein as the first clutch 300 alternately. Similarly, the second one-way clutch 302 may also be referred to herein as the second clutch 302. The first clutch 300 is included in the first gear assembly 310, Figure 3 Only the first clutch gear 312 surrounding the first clutch 300 is shown in FIG. The mechanical system may include a first gear combination 310 and a second gear combination 314, which include the first clutch 300 and the second clutch 302. In one embodiment, the first gear combination 310 and the second gear combination 314 (including the first clutch 300 and the second clutch 302) may be Figure 1 The first region 301 of the gear assembly 300 is coupled to the output shaft 150 and surrounds the output shaft 150. The first clutch 300 and the second clutch 302 may surround the output shaft 150. For an example of this embodiment, the first gear assembly 310 and the second gear assembly 314 including the first clutch 300 and the second clutch 302 may be arranged at the output shaft 150. Figure 1 The second clutch 302 is coupled to the output shaft 150 at the second region 303 and surrounds the output shaft 150. The second clutch 302 is included in the second gear combination 314, Figure 3 Only the second clutch gear 316 surrounding the second clutch 302 is shown. Each of the first clutch 300 and the second clutch 302 can be a self-locking clutch that locks or engages with the output shaft 150 in opposite rotational directions relative to each other. Therefore, the clutches can also rotate freely in opposite rotational directions relative to each other.

[0066] For example, the first clutch 300 can be fixedly coupled to the first clutch gear 312, so that the rotation of the outer ring 306 of the first clutch 300 forces the first clutch gear 312 to rotate in a common direction. In other words, the first clutch gear 312 rotates synchronously with the outer ring 306 of the first clutch 300. Arrow 318 indicates the rotation direction of the output shaft 150, which is also the locking and unlocking direction of the inner and outer rings 304 and 306 of the first clutch 300. The unlocking direction of the inner race 304 of the first clutch 300 can be represented by the first arrow 318a, and the locking direction of the inner race 304 of the first clutch 300 can be represented by the second arrow 318b. The bending directions of the first arrow 318a and the second arrow 318b are opposite to each other. When locked, the inner race 304 of the first clutch 300 can be selectively coupled and rigidly connected to the outer race 306 of the first clutch 300. When locked, the outer race 306 of the first clutch 300 may rotate together with the inner race 304 of the first clutch 300 and be driven by the inner race 304 of the first clutch 300. When the shaft 150 rotates in the direction of the first arrow 318a, the inner race 304 of the first clutch 300 may be unlocked from the outer race 306 of the first clutch 300, and the outer race 306 of the first clutch 300 may rotate freely without receiving rotational energy from the shaft 150. When the shaft 150 rotates in the direction of the second arrow 318b, the inner race 304 of the first clutch 300 may be locked with the outer race 306 of the first clutch 300, and the rotational energy may be transmitted from the shaft 150 to the outer race 306 and the first clutch gear 312. When the first clutch 300 is locked with the output shaft 150, the first clutch gear 312 may rotate in a counterclockwise direction along the Y axis indicated by the arrow 320. When the first clutch 300 is locked on the output shaft 150 , the output shaft 150 and the first clutch gear 312 may rotate in a counterclockwise direction along the Y-axis of the shaft system 101 .

[0067] Likewise, the second clutch 302 can be fixedly coupled to the second clutch gear 316 so that the rotation of the outer race 306 of the second clutch 302 forces the second clutch gear 316 to rotate in a common direction. Therefore, the second clutch gear 316 can rotate synchronously with the outer race 306 of the second clutch 302. Arrows 322 indicate the locking and unlocking directions of the inner and outer races 304 and 306 of the second clutch 302. The unlocking direction of the inner race 304 of the second clutch 302 can be indicated by a first arrow 322a, and the locking direction of the inner race 304 of the second clutch 302 can be indicated by a second arrow 322b. The bending directions of the first arrow 322a and the second arrow 322b are opposite to each other. When locked, the inner race 304 of the second clutch 302 can be selectively coupled and rigidly connected to the outer race 306 of the second clutch 302. When locked, the outer race 306 of the second clutch 302 can rotate together with the inner race 304 of the second clutch 302 and be driven by the inner race 304 of the second clutch 302.

[0068] When the shaft 150 rotates in the direction of the first arrow 322a, the inner race 304 of the first clutch 300 may be unlocked from the outer race 306 of the second clutch 302, and the outer race 306 of the second clutch 302 may rotate freely without receiving rotational energy from the shaft 150. When the shaft 150 rotates in the direction of the second arrow 322b, the inner race 304 of the second clutch 302 may be locked with the outer race 306 of the second clutch 302, and the rotational energy may be transmitted from the shaft 150 to the outer race 306 of the second clutch 302 and the second clutch gear 316. When the second clutch 302 is locked with the output shaft 150, the second clutch gear 316 may rotate in a clockwise direction relative to the perspective shown by the arrow 320. When the second clutch 302 is locked on the output shaft 150, the output shaft 150 and the second clutch gear 316 may rotate in a clockwise direction relative to the Y-axis of the shaft system 101.

[0069] The bending direction of the first arrow 318a is the same as the direction of the second arrow 322b, and is opposite to the direction of the first arrow 322a. The bending direction of the second arrow 318b is the same as the first arrow 322a, and is opposite to the second arrow 322b. The bending direction of the first arrow 322a is opposite to the first arrow 318a, and the bending direction of the second arrow 322b is opposite to the second arrow 318b. When the output shaft 150 rotates in the direction of the first arrow 318a and the second arrow 322b, the first clutch 300 is separated from the output shaft 150, and the second clutch 302 is locked with the output shaft 150. When the output shaft 150 rotates in the direction of the second arrow 318b and the first arrow 322a, the first clutch 300 is locked with the output shaft 150, and the second clutch 302 is unlocked from the output shaft 150. The outer ring 306 of the first clutch 300 and the first clutch gear 312 can rotate freely, while the outer ring 306 and the second clutch gear 316 of the second clutch 302 are driven by the output shaft 150. When driven by the output shaft 150, the second clutch gear 316 can rotate around the shaft 307 in the direction of the second arrow 322b, such as self-rotation. When the output shaft 150 drives the outer ring 306 of the first clutch 300 and the first clutch gear 312, the outer ring 306 of the second clutch 302 and the second clutch gear 316 can rotate freely. Under the drive of the output shaft 150, the first clutch gear 312 can rotate around the shaft 307 in the direction of the second arrow 318b, such as self-rotation.

[0070] It is understood that the locking direction and the unlocking direction of the first clutch 300 and the second clutch 302 can be opposite. For example, in another configuration of the mechanical system 305, the shaft 150 rotates in a clockwise direction relative to the perspective along the axis 307 to lock the first clutch 300 and unlock the second clutch 302, and the shaft 150 rotates in a counterclockwise direction relative to the perspective along the axis 307 to unlock the first clutch 300 and lock the second clutch 302.

[0071] The figure shows a first pulling direction 332 and a second pulling direction 334 relative to the mechanical system 305. The first pulling direction 332 and the second pulling direction 334 can be parallel and opposite to each other. The first pulling direction 332 and the second pulling direction 334 can be parallel to the shaft 307. The first pulling direction 332 and the second pulling direction 334 can be the pulling directions of the vehicle that accommodates the mechanical system 305. For example, the first pulling direction 332 can be a forward pulling direction and the second pulling direction 334 can be a reverse pulling direction.

[0072] Reference Figure 1, when the first clutch gear 312 and the first clutch 300 are connected to and positioned around the output shaft 150, the gear 123 and the first one-way clutch 120 can be connected to and positioned around the first prime mover shaft 109. Similarly, when the second clutch gear 316 and the second clutch 302 are connected to and positioned around the output shaft 150, the gear 124 and the second one-way clutch 121 can be connected to and positioned around the first prime mover shaft 109.

[0073] The first and second gear assemblies 310, 314 may include Figure 4 The pump assembly 400 is shown in FIG. As described above, the pump assembly 400 may be coupled to the output shaft 150 via the first clutch 300 and the second clutch 302. When coupled to the pump assembly 400, the rotational energy of the output shaft 150 is transferred to the pump assembly 400. Figure 1 The transmission 104 can be Figure 1 The PTO assembly 111 in the embodiment is coupled to the output shaft 150. Figure 4 The transmission 104 can be connected to the vehicle's prime mover (e.g., Figure 1 106 in the embodiment of the present invention). The first clutch gear 312 of the first gear combination 310 and the second clutch gear 316 of the second gear combination 314 can be positioned adjacent to each other along the output shaft 150, between the output interfaces 172 and 174 of the output shaft 150, and between the PTO assembly 111 and the output interface 174. It will be appreciated that the relative position and orientation of the pump assembly 400 along the output shaft 150 and relative to the PTO assembly 111 and the output interfaces 172, 174 are non-limiting, and variations in position and orientation are possible in other examples.

[0074] The first clutch gear 312 of the first gear combination 310 can be rotationally coupled to the first pump shaft gear 402. The first pump shaft gear 402 can be fixedly coupled to the pump shaft 404, and the pump shaft 404 rotates synchronously with the first pump shaft gear 402. The pump assembly 400 includes a mechanical system for transmitting rotation from the output shaft 150 to the pump shaft 404, wherein the mechanical system includes the first gear combination 310, the first clutch 300, the second gear combination 314, and the second clutch 302. The first and second gear combinations 310, 314 can be the first mechanical branch and the second mechanical branch of the pump assembly 400, respectively. Each of the first and second gear combinations 310, 314 can have at least one one-way clutch, such as the first clutch 300 for the first gear combination 310 and the second clutch 302 for the second gear combination 314. The first gear combination 310 can selectively connect the output shaft 150 with the pump shaft 404 through the first clutch 300, thereby transmitting rotational energy from the output shaft 150 to the pump shaft 404. The second gear combination 314 can selectively connect the output shaft 150 with the pump shaft 404 via the second clutch 302 , thereby transferring rotational energy from the output shaft 150 to the pump shaft 404 .

[0075] The second clutch gear 316 of the second gear assembly 314 can be rotationally coupled to the second pump shaft gear 406, which is also fixedly coupled to the pump shaft 404 via the intermediate gear 408 of the second gear assembly 314. For example, the intermediate gear 408 can operate as an idler gear. When the first clutch gear 312 is engaged, rotational energy can be transferred from the output shaft 150 to the pump assembly 400 via the first gear assembly 310. Similarly, when the second clutch gear 316 is engaged, rotational energy can be transferred from the output shaft 150 to the pump assembly 400 via the second gear assembly 314. As described above, reference Figure 1-2B In the mechanical branch of the PTO assembly 111, the first gear assembly 310 and the second gear assembly 314 respectively include different numbers of gears. Figure 4 The first gear combination 310 is shown to have two gears and the second gear combination 314 is shown to have three gears, but other numbers of gears may be present without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in other examples, the first gear combination 310 may have four gears or six gears, and the second gear combination may include five gears or seven gears. By adopting different numbers of gear combinations, the bidirectional rotation input of the output shaft 150 can achieve unidirectional rotation of the pump shaft 404. Regardless of whether the output shaft 150 rotates in a first direction complementary to the fixed direction, or rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction and the fixed direction, the pump shaft 404 can rotate in a fixed direction (e.g., a fixed rotation direction) therein.

[0076] For example, during towing of the vehicle in the forward direction, one or more axles 410 of the vehicle may rotate due to the rotation of the wheels 412. Towing in the forward direction may also be referred to as forward towing in this article. The forward direction may be the first towing direction 332. The rotation of one or more axles 410 of the vehicle may be transmitted to the output shaft 150 through the output interfaces 172, 174. The output shaft 150 may rotate in a first direction corresponding to forward towing (e.g., a forward drive direction). During towing in the forward direction, the output shaft 150 may rotate in a counterclockwise direction from the angle indicated by the arrow 320 in one example. However, in other examples, the traction in the forward direction may drive the output shaft 150 to rotate in a clockwise direction, and the rotation direction described below may also be reversed accordingly.

[0077] During forward traction, when the output shaft 150 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the first clutch 300 may be locked and drive the first gear combination 310 to rotate, while the second gear combination 314 may be free to rotate on the pump shaft 404 when the second clutch 302 is separated from the output shaft 150. For example, the locking of the first clutch 300 may drive the first clutch gear 312 of the first gear combination 310 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. The engagement of the first clutch gear 312 with the first pump shaft gear 402 may cause the first pump shaft gear 402 to rotate in a clockwise direction, thereby forcing the pump shaft 404 to rotate in a clockwise direction. The rotation of the pump shaft 404 may drive the pump 414 to operate, wherein the pump 414 may be configured to operate only when rotating in a clockwise direction.

[0078] During reverse traction, the output shaft 150 may rotate in a clockwise direction, causing the second clutch 302 to lock and the first clutch 300 to disengage from the output shaft 150 and rotate freely. Reverse traction of the vehicle may be referred to herein as reverse traction. The reverse direction may be a second traction direction 334. The second gear combination 314 may drive the pump shaft 404 (and the pump 414) to rotate, and the rotation of the pump shaft 404 in turn causes the first gear combination 310 to rotate accordingly.

[0079] The output shaft 150 can rotate in a second direction corresponding to reverse traction (e.g., reverse drive direction). For example, when the second clutch 302 is locked and engaged with the output shaft 150, the second clutch gear 316 can rotate in a clockwise direction. The engagement of the second clutch gear 316 with the intermediate gear 408 causes the intermediate gear 408 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. The engagement of the intermediate gear 408 with the second pump shaft gear 406 in turn drives the second pump shaft gear 406 to rotate in a clockwise direction. Therefore, the pump shaft 404 and the pump 414 can also rotate in a clockwise direction, allowing the pump 414 to operate.

[0080] Since the number of gears in the first gear combination 310 is different from that in the second gear combination 314, for example, the number of gears in the first gear combination 310 is an even number and the number of gears in the second gear combination 314 is an odd number, the rotation of the pump shaft 404 may be limited to one direction regardless of the traction direction. The one-way rotation of the pump 414 is limited regardless of whether the output shaft 150 rotates in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction. The suction direction of the pump 414 and the direction of the pressure generated by the pump 414 may remain unchanged regardless of how the wheels 412 and the axle 410 of the vehicle rotate.

[0081] It is understood that the forward rotation direction and the reverse rotation direction of the output shaft 150 can be opposite to the above description. For example, the pump 414 can be configured to operate only when rotating in the counterclockwise direction. In this example, when pulling in the forward direction (such as the first pulling direction 332), the shaft 150 can rotate in the clockwise direction. Similarly, when pulling in the second pulling direction 334, the shaft 150 can rotate in the counterclockwise direction. In this example, when the shaft 150 rotates in the clockwise direction, the first clutch 300 can be configured to lock, and when the shaft 150 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the second clutch 302 can be configured to lock. The first gear combination 310 and the second gear combination 314 can drive the pump shaft 404 to rotate in the counterclockwise direction. The pump shaft 404 can drive the pump 414 in the counterclockwise direction.

[0082] As described above, the pump 414 can draw lubricating oil 416 (e.g., engine oil) from a transmission sump (e.g., sump 418) and deliver the lubricating oil 416 to the lubricating oil passage of the transmission 104. The sump 418 can be installed in the transmission 104. The sump 418 can be formed by or included in a feature of the transmission 104 (e.g., a housing of the transmission 104). The sump 418 can store the lubricating oil 416. The lubricating oil 416 can drip into or otherwise return to the sump 418 after lubricating the components of the transmission 104 (e.g., gear sets and shafts). Therefore, during non-vehicle prime mover-driven movements (e.g., towing operations), by continuously lubricating the transmission clutch, degradation caused by friction generated during clutch rotation can be reduced. Figure 4 The pump assembly 400 shown in FIG. 4 can use various types of pumps, including low-cost one-way pumps, which can be fixed or variable. In the case where the pump 414 is a fixed pump, a disconnect system can be added between the first and second pump shaft gears 402, 406 and the pump shaft 404. For example, when the vehicle is operating in a power mode, such as when the rotation of the axle 410 and the wheel 412 is driven by the prime mover, the additional disconnect system can reduce losses.

[0083] In addition, in one example, as described above, pump 414 may be a PTO device operated by PTO assembly 111. Thus, when the vehicle is operated in a mode in which output shaft 150 is rotated by a prime mover, pump 414 may be operated based on power transmitted from the prime mover through PTO assembly 111 to pump 414. In this operating mode, pump assembly 400 may be disconnected from pump shaft 404. When the prime mover is deactivated or not engaged with output shaft 150, pump assembly 400 may be connected to the pump shaft to lubricate the transmission assembly when the transmission assembly is moving.

[0084] For example, refer to Figure 1 , gear 123 and first one-way clutch 120 can be coupled to and positioned about first prime mover shaft 109 as part of a first mechanical branch of transmission 104. Figure 1 , gear 124 and second one-way clutch 121 may be connected to and positioned around first prime mover shaft 109 as part of a second mechanical branch of transmission 104 . Figure 3 The mechanical system 305 in the embodiment includes a first clutch 300 and a second clutch 302, which can be connected to the output shaft 150. The first gear combination 310 composed of the first clutch gear 312 and the first clutch 300 can be the third mechanical branch of the transmission 104. The second gear combination 314 composed of the second clutch gear 316 and the second clutch 302 can be the fourth mechanical branch of the transmission 104. In this example, with reference to the first one-way clutch 120 and the second one-way clutch 121, the first clutch 300 can be the third one-way clutch of the transmission 104. Similarly, with reference to the first one-way clutch 120 and the second one-way clutch 121, the second clutch 302 can be the fourth one-way clutch of the transmission 104.

[0085] As another example, the mechanical system 305 consisting of the first clutch 300 and the second clutch 302 can be coupled to Figure 1 The first region 301 of the output shaft 150. Additionally or alternatively, the second mechanical system of the mechanical branch consisting of the third one-way clutch and the fourth one-way clutch may be coupled to Figure 1 The second region 303 of the output shaft 150. The third one-way clutch and the fourth one-way clutch may be mechanically and functionally identical to the first one-way clutch and the second one-way clutch, respectively.

[0086] As another example, a mechanical system 305 consisting of a first clutch 300 and a second clutch 302 can be coupled to a second region 303 of the output shaft 150. Additionally, or alternatively, a second mechanical system of a mechanical branch consisting of a third one-way clutch and a fourth one-way clutch can be coupled to the first region 301 of the output shaft 150. The third one-way clutch and the fourth one-way clutch can be mechanically and functionally identical to the first one-way clutch and the second one-way clutch, respectively.

[0087] The mechanical system 305 consisting of the first clutch 300 and the second clutch 302 can mechanically couple each shaft (such as the output shaft 150, the first prime mover shaft 109 or the second prime mover shaft 113) to the pump assembly (such as the pump assembly 400). Similarly, the second mechanical system consisting of the third one-way clutch and the fourth one-way clutch can mechanically couple each shaft (such as the output shaft 150, the first prime mover shaft 109 or the second prime mover shaft 113) to the pump assembly. The mechanical system 305 and / or the second mechanical system can be used interchangeably in any combination on the first area 301 or the second area 303.

[0088] Figure 5 A method 500 is shown for providing lubricant, such as lubricant 416, to a transmission of a vehicle in a vehicle mode in which the transmission output shaft is not rotating via power transmission from a vehicle prime mover. In one example, the vehicle may be Figure 1 The vehicle 100 is provided with Figure 1-2B PTO assembly 111 and Figure 4 Pump assembly 400. During lubrication, positive or negative traction may be responsible for transferring rotational energy from the output shaft to the pump shaft of the pump assembly.

[0089] At 502 of the method, the vehicle is towed in a towing direction. For example, the vehicle may be towed in a forward or reverse direction relative to the forward drive and reverse drive directions of the vehicle. The output shaft is rotated at 504, wherein the direction of rotation of the output shaft depends on the towing direction. For example, if the vehicle is towed in a forward direction, the output shaft may rotate in a first direction, and if the vehicle is towed in a reverse direction, the output shaft may rotate in an opposite second direction.

[0090] At 506, when the output shaft rotates, the pump shaft also rotates. The pump shaft can be driven to rotate, thereby driving the operation of the pump. The pump shaft is connected to the output shaft through a first gear combination and a second gear combination, and the gear combinations are arranged in parallel with each other and have different numbers of gears, such as unequal numbers of gears. For example, the number of gears in the first gear combination is an even number, and the number of gears in the second gear combination is an odd number, and vice versa. Depending on the rotation direction of the output shaft, the rotation of the output shaft can be transmitted to the pump shaft through one of the gear combinations.

[0091] For example, when the output shaft rotates in a first direction, the first clutch of the first gear combination connected to the output shaft can be locked and the gears of the first gear combination can be forced to rotate. The second gear combination can rotate freely. The rotation of the gears of the first gear combination causes the pump shaft to rotate in a given direction, thereby operating the pump. When the output shaft rotates in a second direction, the second clutch of the second gear combination connected to the output shaft can be locked and the gears of the second gear combination can be driven to rotate. The first gear combination can rotate freely. Compared with the first gear combination, the number of gears of the second gear combination is not equal, and the rotation of the gears of the second gear combination causes the pump shaft to rotate in a given direction, thereby operating the pump. In this way, while the output shaft rotates, the pump also operates in different directions. When the pump is working, lubricating oil is sucked from the oil pan of the transmission into the lubricating oil channel of the transmission and distributed to parts prone to friction, such as the clutch of the transmission.

[0092] In this way, components of a vehicle transmission can be lubricated in vehicle mode, in which the components are in motion without the need for active propulsion by a prime mover. By arranging two gear combinations in parallel, which extend between the output shaft of the transmission and the pump shaft of the pump, the two gear combinations can transmit the rotation of the output shaft to the rotation of the pump shaft. The two gear combinations include clutches that are locked in opposite rotational directions, which allows one of the gear combinations to drive the pump shaft to rotate when the output shaft rotates in the forward direction, while the other gear combination drives the pump shaft to rotate when the output shaft rotates in the reverse direction. By configuring an unequal number of gear combinations, the direction of rotation of the pump shaft is the same regardless of the rotation of the output shaft. Therefore, various types of pumps can be used, including one-way pumps, and transmission components can be lubricated during towing operations, etc. through a low-cost, high-efficiency strategy.

[0093] The technical effect of the pump assembly is that the pump can operate when the vehicle's prime mover is not engaged with the output shaft, regardless of the direction of rotation of the output shaft.

[0094] The present disclosure also provides support for a mechanical system in a vehicle transmission, the system comprising: a first gear combination, including a first one-way clutch rotationally coupled to an output shaft and a pump shaft; and a second gear combination, including a second one-way clutch arranged parallel to the first gear combination, the second gear combination also rotationally coupled to the output shaft and the pump shaft, wherein the first and second gear combinations have unequal numbers of gears. In a first example of the system, the first one-way clutch is configured to drive the pump shaft to rotate when the output shaft rotates in a first direction corresponding to forward traction of the vehicle, wherein the second one-way clutch rotates freely when the output shaft rotates in the first direction. In a second example of the system that optionally includes the first example, when the output shaft rotates in a second direction corresponding to reverse traction of the vehicle, the second one-way clutch drives the pump shaft to rotate, wherein when the output shaft rotates in the second direction, the first one-way clutch is engaged. In a third example of the system, one or both of the first and second examples may be selected, and the pump shaft rotates in a fixed direction regardless of whether the output shaft rotates in the first direction or the second direction. In a fourth example of the system, optionally including one or more or each of the first to third examples, the rotation of the pump shaft operates a pump to draw lubricating oil from the oil pan of the transmission into the lubricating oil passage of the transmission. In a fifth example of the system, optionally including one or more or each of the first to fourth examples, when the pump shaft rotates, the friction clutch of the transmission is lubricated. In a sixth example of the system, optionally including one or more or each of the first to fifth examples, the system further includes: a power output assembly coupled to an output shaft or a prime mover shaft of the vehicle, the power output assembly including two mechanical branches, each mechanical branch having at least one of a plurality of one-way clutches, the one-way clutch being configured to engage with the output shaft or the prime mover shaft in opposite rotational directions. In a seventh example of the system, optionally including one or more or each of the first to sixth examples, the pump shaft drives the one-way pump to operate. In an eighth example of the system, optionally including one or more or each of the first to seventh examples, when the rotation of the output shaft is not driven by the prime mover of the vehicle, the mechanical system forces the pump shaft to rotate. The present disclosure also provides support for a method of a transmission, the method comprising: transmitting rotation of a transmission output shaft to a pump assembly, wherein the rotation of the output shaft is not driven by a prime mover, the pump assembly comprising a first one-way clutch, the clutch being included in a first gear combination, a second one-way clutch being included in a second gear combination, wherein the first gear combination and the second gear combination comprise different numbers of gears. In a first example of the method, transmitting the rotation of the output shaft to the pump assembly comprises rotating a pump shaft of the pump assembly in a fixed rotational direction, wherein the rotation of the output shaft comprises rotating the output shaft in a first rotational direction and a second opposite rotational direction.In a second example of the method, optionally including the first example, the method further includes the first one-way clutch engaging with the output shaft when the output shaft rotates in a first rotational direction and the second one-way clutch is disengaged from the output shaft, wherein the second one-way clutch engages with the output shaft when the output shaft rotates in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction and the first one-way clutch is disengaged from the output shaft. In a third example of the method, optionally including one or both of the first and second examples, the output shaft extends relative to another output shaft of the transmission that is not coupled to the pump assembly. In a fourth example of the method, optionally including one or more or each of the first to third examples, the output shaft rotates when towing a vehicle having a transmission. In a fifth example of the method, optionally including one or more or each of the first to fourth examples, the pump shaft of the pump assembly rotates in the same direction regardless of whether the vehicle is towed in a forward drive direction or a reverse drive direction. The present disclosure also provides support for a transmission system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a power output assembly coupled to a prime mover shaft or an output shaft through a set of parallel mechanical branches, different branches in the set of mechanical branches are configured to engage with the prime mover shaft or the output shaft in opposite directions, and a pump assembly coupling the output shaft to a pump shaft, the pump assembly comprising a first gear combination with a first one-way clutch and a second gear combination with a second one-way clutch, the first and second one-way clutches being configured to lock in opposite rotational directions. In a first example of the system, the parallel mechanical branch group includes a third one-way clutch and a fourth one-way clutch, each of which is coupled to the prime mover shaft or the output shaft. In a second example of the system, the first example may be selected to include, and each branch of the parallel mechanical branches has a different number of gears. In a third example of the system, one or both of the first and second examples may be selected to include, the power output assembly transmits mechanical power from the prime mover shaft or the output shaft to the power output device. In a fourth example of the system, which optionally includes one or more or each of the first to third examples, the system further includes: a disconnect system arranged between the gears of the first and second gear combinations and the pump shaft so as to disconnect the connection between the first and second gear combinations and the pump shaft when the vehicle is driven by the prime mover.

[0095] Figure 1-4An example configuration of relative positioning of various components is shown. If the elements shown in the figure are in direct contact or directly coupled to each other, then at least in one example, these elements can be referred to as direct contact or direct coupling, respectively. Similarly, at least in one example, the elements shown as adjacent or adjacent to each other can be adjacent or adjacent to each other, respectively. For example, elements that are in face-to-face contact with each other can be referred to as face-to-face contact elements. Another example is that, at least in one example, the elements are placed separately from each other, with only space in the middle and no other elements, which can be referred to as being placed separately from each other. For example, relative to each other, the elements displayed above / below each other, relative to both sides of each other, or relative to the left / right side of each other can be referred to as such elements. In addition, as shown in the figure, in at least one example, the topmost element or element point can be referred to as the "top" of the element, and the bottommost element or element point can be referred to as the "bottom" of the element. The top / bottom, upper / lower, upper / lower used in this article can be relative to the vertical axis in the figure to describe the positioning of each element in the figure relative to each other. Therefore, in one example, the element displayed above other elements is vertically positioned above other elements. For another example, the shapes of the elements depicted in the figure may be referred to as having these shapes (such as circular, linear, planar, curved, rounded, chamfered, beveled, or similar shapes). In addition, in one example, elements that are coaxial with each other may be referred to as coaxial elements. In addition, at least in one example, elements that are shown to intersect with each other may be referred to as intersecting elements or intersecting with each other. In addition, in one example, elements that are displayed within another element or displayed outside another element may be referred to as intersecting elements. In other examples, elements that are offset from each other may also be referred to as such. Even further, elements that are coaxial or parallel to each other may also be referred to as such elements. Further, the axis around which the element rotates may be referred to as the axis of rotation.

[0096] Please note that the control and estimation routine examples contained herein can be used in various powertrain, electric drive and / or vehicle system configurations. The control methods and routines disclosed herein can be stored as executable instructions in a non-temporary memory and can be executed by a control system including a controller combined with an electronic controller, various sensors, actuators, and other transmission and / or vehicle hardware. Therefore, the actions, operations and / or functions described can be graphically represented as codes that will be programmed into the non-temporary memory of a computer-readable storage medium in a vehicle and / or transmission system control system. The various operations, operations and / or functions illustrated can be performed in the order shown, in parallel, or omitted in some cases. Similarly, the processing order is not necessarily required to achieve the features and advantages of the examples described herein, but is only for ease of illustration and description. Depending on the specific strategy used, one or more of the actions, operations and / or functions illustrated can be repeatedly performed. If necessary, one or more method steps described herein can be omitted.

[0097] Although various embodiments are described above, it should be understood that these embodiments are examples only and not limitations. It is obvious to those familiar with the relevant technology that the disclosed subject matter can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the subject matter. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. Therefore, the configurations and routines disclosed herein are exemplary in nature, and these specific examples should not be regarded as restrictive because there can be many variations. For example, the above-mentioned technology can be applied to power systems containing different types of propulsion sources, including different types of prime movers, internal combustion engines and / or transmissions. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of various systems and configurations, as well as other features, functions and / or attributes disclosed herein.

[0098] The following claims particularly point out certain combinations and subcombinations regarded as novel and non-obvious. The claims may refer to "an" element or a "first" element or the equivalent. The claims should be understood to include one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Other combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features, functions, elements, and / or properties may be claimed by amendment of the present claims or by presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such claims, whether broader, narrower, equal, or different in scope to the original claims, are also deemed to be included in the subject matter of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A mechanical system in a vehicle transmission, characterized in that include a first gear assembly including a first one-way clutch rotationally coupled to the output shaft and the pump shaft; as well as a second gear assembly including a second one-way clutch arranged in parallel with the first gear assembly, the second gear assembly also being rotationally coupled to the output shaft and the pump shaft; The number of gears in the first gear combination and the number of gears in the second gear combination are not equal.

2. The mechanical system of claim 1 , wherein the first one-way clutch is configured to drive the pump shaft to rotate when the output shaft rotates in a first direction corresponding to forward traction of the vehicle, and the second one-way clutch rotates freely when the output shaft rotates in the first direction.

3. The mechanical system of claim 2, wherein the second one-way clutch drives the pump shaft to rotate when the output shaft rotates in a second direction corresponding to reverse traction of the vehicle, and the first one-way clutch rotates freely when the output shaft rotates in the second direction.

4. The mechanical system of claim 3, wherein the pump shaft rotates in a fixed direction regardless of whether the output shaft rotates in the first direction or the second direction.

5. The mechanical system of claim 1, wherein rotation of the pump shaft operates a pump to draw lubricating oil from an oil sump of the transmission into a lubricating oil passage of the transmission.

6. The mechanical system of claim 1 wherein a friction clutch of a transmission is lubricated when the pump shaft rotates.

7. The mechanical system as described in claim 1 also includes a power output assembly coupled to the vehicle output shaft or the prime mover shaft, the power output assembly includes two mechanical branches, each mechanical branch has at least one one-way clutch, and the one-way clutches of different mechanical branches are configured to engage with the output shaft or the prime mover shaft in opposite rotation directions.

8. The mechanical system of claim 1, wherein the pump shaft drives a unidirectional pump.

9. The mechanical system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical system forces the pump shaft to rotate when a prime mover of a vehicle is not driving the output shaft to rotate.

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