Transaxle test device and test method

Abstract

To ensure the quality of a completed transaxle without increasing the size and cost of the test equipment or increasing mechanical loss.SOLUTION: A first motor 101 and a second motor 102 mounted on a transaxle 100 are connected to each other so as to be capable of transmitting power therebetween. Then, electric power is supplied to the first motor 101 to rotate it, and the rotational driving force is transmitted to the second motor 102 to cause the second motor 102 to perform regenerative operation. In this state, an inspection of the transaxle 100 is performed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a testing device and a testing method for a transaxle of a vehicle that uses a motor as a drive source. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 shows a driving test device for a motor (EV motor) and an inverter (EV inverter) provided in a hybrid vehicle (HEV). Specifically, a prime mover (AC dynamo) provided in the test device is connected to the output shaft of the EV motor, and the EV motor is driven while applying a load similar to that of an actual vehicle by the prime mover, thereby performing a performance test of the EV motor and the EV inverter. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-35380 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above test equipment requires a prime mover and a prime mover inverter to apply a load to the EV motor, which leads to an increase in size and cost of the test equipment. In particular, when multiple EV motors are tested simultaneously using one test equipment to shorten the test time, the same number of prime movers as the EV motors are required, which significantly increases the size and cost of the test equipment. In addition, in this case, the output shaft of each EV motor and the rotating shaft of each prime mover must be connected via a coupler such as a chain or sprocket, which increases mechanical loss.

[0005] Furthermore, EV motors and EV inverters that are determined to be normal by the above test equipment must be assembled into the transaxle in that combination. If they are assembled into the transaxle in a different combination, assembly errors will occur, and the quality of the finished transaxle cannot be guaranteed.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to guarantee the quality of a completed transaxle without increasing the size and cost of the testing equipment or increasing mechanical loss. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a testing device for a transaxle equipped with a motor and an inverter, the testing device having a power supply that supplies power to a first motor and a second motor mounted on the same transaxle or different transaxles, and a connecting portion that connects the first motor and the second motor to each other in a motive manner.

[0008] The present invention also provides a method for testing a transaxle equipped with a motor and an inverter, comprising the steps of: connecting a first motor and a second motor mounted on the same transaxle or different transaxles so that power can be transmitted between them; supplying electric power to the first motor to rotate it, and transmitting this rotational driving force to the second motor to operate the second motor in regenerative mode, and inspecting the transaxle in this state.

[0009] In this way, in the present invention, the first motor and the second motor are connected to each other so that power can be transmitted between them. In this case, the first motor is supplied with power to rotate and the second motor is operated in a regenerative manner by the rotational driving force, so that the transaxle can be tested while applying a load to the first motor. This eliminates the need to provide a prime mover and a prime mover inverter for applying a load to the first motor in the test device, so that the test device can be made smaller and less expensive. In addition, the second motor is operated in a regenerative manner by the rotational driving force of the first motor, and this power is used as power to drive the first motor, so that energy can be saved. Furthermore, in the present invention, the transaxle is tested with the motor and the inverter mounted, so that no combination error between the motor and the inverter occurs after the test, and quality can be guaranteed.

[0010] The first motor and the second motor are mounted, for example, on the same transaxle. For example, a transaxle of a hybrid vehicle (HEV) having an engine and a motor as a drive source for the wheels is equipped with a motor for driving the wheels and a motor for generating electricity using the rotational driving force of the engine. The transaxle for the HEV is set in a test device, and one of the two types of motors can be designated as the first motor and the other as the second motor.

[0011] The first motor and the second motor are mounted, for example, on different transaxles. For example, a transaxle of an electric vehicle (BEV) having only a motor as a drive source for the wheels is equipped with only a motor for driving the wheels. Two BEV transaxles can be set in a test device, and the motor of one BEV transaxle can be the first motor and the motor of the other BEV transaxle can be the second motor. Effect of the Invention

[0012] As described above, according to the present invention, the quality of the completed transaxle can be guaranteed without increasing the size and cost of the device or increasing mechanical loss. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a test device for an HEV transaxle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a testing device for a BEV transaxle according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of a conveyor line including a testing device for a BEV transaxle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] 1 shows a transaxle testing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The testing device 1 of this embodiment is a device for testing a transaxle 100 for a hybrid vehicle (HEV) having an engine and a motor as drive sources for driving the wheels.

[0016] The transaxle 100 has a first motor 101 for driving the wheels, a second motor 102 for generating electricity using the rotational driving force of the engine, a differential gear 103 connected to a rotating shaft 101a of the first motor 101, left and right rotating shafts 105, 106 attached to the differential gear 103, and an inverter 104 electrically connected to the first motor 101 and the second motor 102. An end of the rotating shaft 102a of the second motor 102 and ends of the rotating shafts 105, 106 are exposed to the outside of the casing of the transaxle 100.

[0017] During normal running of a vehicle incorporating the transaxle 100, the first motor 101 is in power running mode, driving the wheels with power supplied from a battery. On the other hand, during engine braking of the vehicle, the first motor 101 is in regenerative running mode, generating electricity with an external force input in reverse to the rotating shaft 101a. The second motor 102 is usually in regenerative running mode, generating electricity by rotating the rotating shaft 102a with the rotational driving force of the engine, but is in power running mode to drive a starter when the engine is started. As described above, both the first motor 101 and the second motor 102 can be operated in both power running mode and regenerative running mode.

[0018] The test device 1 has a power source 2 electrically connected to the inverter 104 of the transaxle 100, a connecting portion 3 that connects the first motor 101 and the second motor 102 of the transaxle 100 so that power can be transmitted between them, and a differential lock 6 that regulates the differential of the differential device 103.

[0019] The power supply 2 includes, for example, an AC power supply and a converter that converts the AC power supply into a DC power supply.

[0020] The connecting portion 3 has a sprocket 4a attached to an end of the rotating shaft 105, a sprocket 4b attached to the rotating shaft 102a of the second motor 102, and a chain 5 stretched across both sprockets 4a, 4b.

[0021] With the transaxle 100 set in the test device 1 as shown in Fig. 1, a test is first performed with the first motor 101 as the drive motor and the second motor 102 as the generator motor. Specifically, power is supplied to the first motor 101 via the power source 2 and the inverter 104 to rotate the rotating shaft 101a, whereby the rotating shaft 102a of the second motor 102 is rotated via the differential device 103, the rotating shaft 105, the sprocket 4a, the chain 5, and the sprocket 4b. At this time, the differential movement of the differential device 103 is restricted by the differential lock 6.

[0022] As described above, when the first motor 101 is rotationally driven while being coupled to the second motor 102 so as to be capable of transmitting power, a rotational resistance is applied to the first motor 101 due to the resistance for rotating the rotating shaft of the second motor 102. At this time, the rotational resistance applied to the first motor 101 can be adjusted by supplying power to the second motor 102 via the power source 2 and the inverter 104 as necessary and applying torque to the second motor 102 in a forward direction (a direction that reduces the rotational resistance) or a reverse direction (a direction that increases the rotational resistance).

[0023] For example, when the first motor 101 is driven to rotate, power is supplied to the second motor 102 to give a torque in the opposite direction, and a rotational resistance equivalent to that during actual vehicle running is applied to the first motor 101, thereby making it possible to test the transaxle 100 under conditions equivalent to those during actual vehicle running. For example, the noise during running can be inspected by measuring the volume of sound generated from the transaxle 100 while driving and rotating the first motor 101 with a rotational resistance equivalent to that during actual vehicle running as described above.

[0024] In addition, the power generation performance of the second motor 102 can be tested by rotating the first motor 101 without supplying power to the second motor 102 and measuring the amount of power generated (voltage) per rotation of the second motor 102 at this time.

[0025] In addition, by supplying the power generated by regenerative operation of the second motor 102 to the first motor 101 via the inverter 104, the power supplied from the power source 2 to rotate the first motor 101 can be reduced, thereby achieving energy savings.

[0026] Next, a test is performed with the second motor 102 as a drive motor and the first motor 101 as a generator motor. Specifically, power is supplied to the second motor 102 via the power source 2 and the inverter 104 to rotate the rotating shaft 102a, whereby the rotating shaft 101a of the first motor 101 is rotated via the sprocket 4b, the chain 5, the sprocket 4a, the rotating shaft 105, and the differential device 103.

[0027] At this time, the rotational resistance applied to the second motor 102 can be adjusted by supplying power to the first motor 101 via the power source 2 and the inverter 104 and applying torque in a forward direction (a direction that reduces the rotational resistance) or a reverse direction (a direction that increases the rotational resistance).

[0028] For example, by supplying power to the first motor 101 and adjusting the torque, a rotational resistance equivalent to that experienced when the engine's starter is driven is applied to the second motor 102, and the volume of the sound generated by the transaxle 100 can be measured to check the noise generated when the engine is started.

[0029] In addition, the performance of the rotation sensor can be inspected by driving the second motor 102 to rotate without supplying power to the first motor 101, and calculating the deviation between the actual rotation speed of the first motor 101 at this time and the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 101a of the first motor 101 measured by the rotation sensor.

[0030] In addition, by supplying the power generated by regenerative operation of the first motor 101 to the second motor 102 via the inverter 104, the power supplied from the power source 2 to rotate the second motor 102 can be reduced, thereby achieving energy savings.

[0031] As described above, in this embodiment, the first motor 101 and the second motor 102 provided in the transaxle 100 are drivably connected to each other, and one is used as the drive motor and the other as the generator motor to test the transaxle 100. In this case, there is no need to provide the test device 1 with a prime mover and a prime mover inverter for applying resistance to each of the motors 101, 102, so that the test device 1 can be made smaller and less expensive.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the transaxle 100 equipped with the first motor 101, the second motor 102, and the inverter 104 is set in the test device 1 and tested. Therefore, if the transaxle 100 is determined to be a non-defective product in this test, the combination of the first motor 101, the second motor 102, and the inverter 104 will not be changed thereafter, and the quality of the transaxle 100 can be guaranteed.

[0033] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below, but the same points as the above embodiment will not be described again.

[0034] In the above embodiment, the first motor 101 and the second motor 102 are mounted on the same transaxle 100, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied even when these motors are mounted on different transaxles. For example, Fig. 2 shows a test device 1 for testing a first transaxle 200 equipped with a first motor 201 and a second transaxle 300 equipped with a second motor 301. These transaxles 200, 300 are for electric vehicles (BEVs) that have only a motor as a drive source for driving the wheels.

[0035] The first transaxle 200 has a first motor 201 for driving the wheels, a first differential 202 connected to a rotating shaft 201a of the first motor 201, left and right rotating shafts 204, 205 attached to the differential 202, and a first inverter 203 electrically connected to the first motor 201. The second transaxle 300 has a second motor 301 for driving the wheels, a second differential 302 connected to a rotating shaft 301a of the second motor 301, left and right rotating shafts 304, 305 attached to the differential 302, and a second inverter 303 electrically connected to the second motor 201. The motors 201, 301 are operated in a power running mode in which the rotating shafts are driven by electric power supplied from a battery during normal vehicle running, and are operated in a regenerative mode in which the rotating shafts are generated by an external force reversely input to the rotating shafts during engine braking of the vehicle.

[0036] The test device 1 has a power source 2 electrically connected to the first inverter 203 and the second inverter 303, a connecting portion 3 that connects the first motor 201 and the second motor 301 so that power can be transmitted between them, and a differential lock 6 that regulates the differential between each differential device 202, 302.

[0037] The connecting portion 3 includes a sprocket 4c attached to the end of the rotating shaft 204 of the first transaxle 200, a sprocket 4d attached to the end of the rotating shaft 304 of the second transaxle 300, an intermediate shaft 7, sprockets 4e, 4f attached to both ends of the intermediate shaft, and a chain 5 stretched between sprockets 4c, 4e and between sprockets 4d, 4f.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 2, with the first and second transaxles 200, 300 set in the test device 1, a test is first performed with the first motor 201 as the driving motor and the second motor 301 as the generating motor. Specifically, power is supplied from the power source 2 via the first inverter 203 to the first motor 201 to rotate it. As a result, the rotating shaft 301a of the second motor 301 is rotated via the first differential 202, the rotating shaft 204, the sprocket 4c, the chain 5, the sprocket 4e, the intermediate shaft 7, the sprocket 4f, the chain 5, the sprocket 4d, the rotating shaft 304, and the second differential 302. At this time, the differential of each of the differentials 202, 302 is restricted by the differential lock 6.

[0039] As described above, when the first motor 201 is rotationally driven in a state where it is coupled to the second motor 301 so as to be capable of transmitting power, a rotational resistance is applied to the first motor 201 due to the resistance for rotating the rotating shaft of the second motor 301. At this time, the rotational resistance applied to the first motor 201 can be adjusted by supplying power to the second motor 301 via the power source 2 and the second inverter 303 to give torque as necessary.

[0040] For example, when the first motor 201 is driven to rotate, power is supplied to the second motor 301 to give a torque in the reverse direction, and the noise generated from the first transaxle 200 is measured in a state in which a rotational resistance equivalent to that experienced when the actual vehicle is running is applied to the first motor 201, thereby enabling the noise generated during running to be inspected.

[0041] In addition, the power generation performance of the second motor 301 can be tested by rotating the first motor 201 without supplying power to the second motor 301 and measuring the amount of power generated (voltage) per rotation of the second motor 301.

[0042] In addition, the performance of the rotation sensor can be inspected by driving the first motor 201 to rotate without supplying power to the second motor 301 and calculating the deviation between the actual rotation speed of the second motor 301 at this time and the rotation speed of the second motor 301 measured by the rotation sensor.

[0043] Furthermore, the electric power generated by the regenerative operation of the second motor 301 can be returned to the power source 2 via the second inverter 303 for charging, thereby achieving energy conservation.

[0044] Next, the same test as above is performed with the first motor 201 as the generator motor and the second motor 301 as the drive motor. The specific test contents are the same as above except that the generator motor and the drive motor are swapped, so a detailed explanation is omitted. In this way, the two transaxles 200, 300 can be inspected.

[0045] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 shows a case where a test is performed while the transaxles are sequentially sent by the conveyor C. In this embodiment, a test is first performed with the motor of the transaxle 200 as the driving motor and the motor of the transaxle 300 as the generating motor. The specific test procedure is the same as that of the embodiment in FIG. 2. After this test is completed, the sprockets 4c and 4d of the connection part 3 of the test device are removed from the rotating shafts 204 and 304 of the transaxles 200 and 300, and the transaxles 200 to 400 are transported in the direction of the arrows by the conveyor C, after which the sprocket 4c is attached to the rotating shaft 304 of the transaxle 300, and the sprocket 4d is attached to the rotating shaft 404 of the transaxle 400. In this state, a test is performed with the motor of the transaxle 300 as the driving motor and the motor of the transaxle 400 as the generating motor. The specific test procedure is the same as that of the embodiment in FIG. 2. By repeating this procedure, the transaxles transported along the conveyor C can be sequentially tested. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1 Test equipment 2 Power supply 3 Connecting part 4a~4f sprocket 5 Chain 6. Diff-lock 7 Intermediate shaft 100, 200, 300 Transaxle 101, 201 1st motor 102, 301 2nd motor 103, 202, 302 Differential device 104, 203, 303 Inverter

Claims

1. A test device for a transaxle equipped with a motor and an inverter, A transaxle testing device having a power supply that supplies power to a first motor and a second motor mounted on the same transaxle or different transaxles, and a connecting portion that motively connects the first motor and the second motor to each other.

2. 2. The transaxle testing device according to claim 1, wherein the first motor and the second motor are mounted on the same transaxle.

3. 2. The transaxle testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first motor and the second motor are mounted on different transaxles.

4. A test method for a transaxle equipped with a motor and an inverter, comprising the steps of: a step of coupling a first motor and a second motor mounted on the same transaxle or different transaxles so as to be capable of transmitting power between each other; a step of supplying power to the first motor to rotate it, and transmitting the rotational driving force to the second motor to operate the second motor in regenerative mode, and inspecting the transaxle in that state.

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