Gear Rattle Noise Reduction Device for Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Abstract

To provide a tooth noise reducing device of a hybrid electric vehicle which can reduce tooth hit noise in accompany with fluctuation of engine rotational state while evading deterioration of fuel consumption at the time of the normal traveling.SOLUTION: An engine is directly connected with any rotation element, a motor generator is directly connected with any other rotation element, a drive shaft of a drive wheel is always connected through a final reduction gear with the remaining rotation element, and a planetary gear mechanism whose rotation elements are not fixed, and which does not have a friction element is arranged in a driving system. An alternative magnetic pole rotator which alternatively has different magnetic pole parts in a circumferential direction is fixed to any rotation element in an immobile manner, and a polarity detection sensor which detects polarity and an electric magnet are arranged facing the same magnetic pole part of the alternative magnetic pole rotator. When the selection range a range detection sensor detects is N range, an excitation signal which is reversed polarity to the polarity of the magnetic pole part of the alternative magnetic pole rotator detected by the polarity detection sensor is outputted into the electric magnet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for reducing the meshing noise of a hybrid electric vehicle, and more particularly to a device for reducing the meshing noise of a hybrid electric vehicle in which a planetary gear mechanism disposed in a drive system has no friction elements and none of the rotating elements are fixed.

Background Art

[0002] A planetary gear mechanism is used in a hybrid electric vehicle as a differential device that adds and subtracts the driving forces of two drive sources and outputs one driving force. In a hybrid electric vehicle, an electric motor is also used as a generator for power recovery (regeneration), and these are generally collectively referred to as a motor generator. In recent years, there are those that use two motor generators. For example, one is mainly used as an electric motor and the other is mainly used as a generator.

[0003] As a hybrid electric vehicle equipped with two motor generators together with an engine, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1 below. In this hybrid electric vehicle, two planetary gear mechanisms are arranged opposite to each other in the drive system. A first motor generator is connected to the sun gear of one planetary gear mechanism, an engine is connected to the planetary carrier, and the ring gear is connected to the drive shaft of the drive wheels. A second motor generator is connected to the sun gear of the other planetary gear mechanism, the planetary carrier is fixed to the transmission housing, and the ring gear is connected to the drive shaft of the drive wheels integrally with the ring gear of the one planetary gear mechanism. That is, one planetary gear mechanism has no friction elements such as brakes and clutches, and none of the rotating elements are fixed. Also, drive sources such as an engine and a motor generator are directly coupled to each rotating element of the planetary gear mechanism. Also, the common ring gear is constantly coupled to the drive shaft of the drive wheels via a final reduction gear.

[0004] In this hybrid electric vehicle, when the N (Neutral) range is selected, neither the first motor generator nor the second motor generator generates driving force. On the other hand, since the engine may rotate even in the N range, in that case, the first motor generator idles together with the sun gear of one of the planetary gear mechanisms, and no driving force is transmitted to the drive shaft. At this time, the planetary carrier of one of the planetary gear mechanisms, that is, the pinion gear and the ring gear are in a floating state. As a result, all the gears from the pinion gear to the final reduction gear are in a floating state. In that state, when the rotational state fluctuates due to so-called engine idling fluctuations, the pinion gear and the ring gear sway within the backlash and the tooth surfaces hit each other. And this hitting of the tooth surfaces acts on all the gears up to the final reduction gear, and the play of those gears may leak into the passenger compartment as a tooth rattle sound.

[0005] Therefore, in Patent Document 1 below, a parking gear is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the common ring gear of the two planetary gear mechanisms, and a parking mechanism is constituted by this parking gear and a parking pole meshing therewith. When the P (Parking) range is selected, the protrusion of the parking pole is inserted into the tooth groove of the parking gear to prevent the rotation of the common ring gear. A short cylindrical ring-shaped and elastically deformable sliding member is loosely fitted on the outer periphery of this parking gear, and a part of this sliding member is adhered to the protrusion of the parking pole. The sliding member is constituted by a rubber ring or the like. The parking pole is configured to be separated from the parking gear when in the N range position.

[0006] Therefore, when the N range is selected, a part of the cylindrical ring-shaped sliding member is separated from the parking gear, and the opposite part is brought into sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the teeth of the parking gear. As a result, a braking force acts on the parking gear, that is, the ring gear common to the two planetary gear mechanisms, due to the frictional force acting between the parking gear and the sliding member, restricting movement in the rotational direction. As a result, all the gears from the ring gear to the final reduction gear are stopped, reducing the gear clash noise. When the protrusion of the parking pole meshes with the parking gear, the sliding member is pushed into the tooth groove thereof.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] However, in the gear clash noise reduction structure when the N range is selected described in Patent Document 1 above, since the sliding member loosely fitted around the outer periphery of the parking gear is composed of a rubber ring or the like, it is difficult to completely avoid the sliding member coming into sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the teeth of the parking gear except when the N range is selected. Therefore, for example, if the sliding member comes into sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the teeth of the parking gear during normal driving, the fuel consumption may deteriorate due to the frictional force.

[0009] As another configuration for suppressing the meshing noise caused by such backlash, for example, the structure of a split gear can be cited. As is well known, a split gear divides one gear into, for example, two ring-cut states in the axial direction, interposes a gear spring between the two, and biases them in opposite rotational directions to eliminate apparent backlash, thereby suppressing the meshing noise. However, since such a split gear structure always eliminates backlash, the frictional force increases during the meshing rotation of the gears, which may deteriorate the fuel efficiency during normal driving. As a structure for reducing the backlash of gears, for example, a structure in which a tolerance ring is interposed between the shaft and the gear can be cited, but similarly, the frictional force during the meshing rotation of the gears increases, which may deteriorate the fuel efficiency during normal driving.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to provide a device for reducing meshing noise in a hybrid electric vehicle that can effectively reduce the meshing noise associated with fluctuations in the engine rotation state during N-range selection while avoiding deterioration of fuel efficiency during normal driving.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] In a device for reducing meshing noise in a hybrid electric vehicle for achieving the above object, in a vehicle meshing noise reduction device in which an engine is directly coupled to any one of the rotating elements, a motor generator is directly coupled to any other rotating element, and a drive shaft of a drive wheel is constantly coupled to the remaining rotating element via a final reduction gear, and a planetary gear mechanism having no fixed rotating element and no friction element is disposed in the drive system. At least one alternating-pole rotor that is fixedly attached to the rotating element, rotates synchronously with the rotating element, and has magnetic pole portions with alternately different polarities in the circumferential direction; a polarity detection sensor that is disposed opposite to the magnetic pole portions of the alternating-pole rotor and detects the polarities of the magnetic pole portions of the alternating-pole rotor at the opposing positions; an electromagnet that is disposed so as to face the same magnetic pole portions as the magnetic pole portions of the alternating-pole rotor facing the polarity detection sensor and can be excited with different polarities; a range detection sensor that detects a selected range for a transmission provided in the vehicle; and a control unit that outputs an excitation signal to the electromagnet. The control unit includes an arithmetic processing unit, a storage device communicably connected to the arithmetic processing unit, and an input / output device communicably connected to the arithmetic processing unit. The arithmetic processing unit executes a process including outputting an excitation signal having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the magnetic pole portion of the alternating-pole rotor detected by the polarity detection sensor to the electromagnet when the selected range detected by the range detection sensor is the N range.

Advantages of the Invention

[0012] As described above, according to the present invention, since the gravitational force of the electromagnet acts on the magnetic pole portion, the rotating element to which the alternating-pole rotor is attached is fixed, so that all the gears from the rotating element to the final reduction gear of the drive wheels are fixed, and the meshing noise can be effectively prevented. On the other hand, in a state where a driving range is selected, if the excitation signal to the electromagnet is stopped, no gravitational force acts between the electromagnet and the alternating-pole rotor, so that deterioration of fuel consumption is avoided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the gear rattle noise reduction device for a hybrid electric vehicle of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a drive system of a hybrid electric vehicle to which the gear rattle noise reduction device of the present invention is applied. This vehicle is a hybrid electric vehicle in which, in addition to the engine 1, two motor generators 2 and 3 are mounted, and mainly the front wheels 6 are driving wheels, but it is an all-wheel drive vehicle that also transmits the driving force to the rear wheels 7 via the all-wheel drive coupling 20. In this embodiment, both the first and second motor generators 2 and 3 are housed in the transmission housing 17. Note that the drive battery that exchanges power with the first and second motor generators 2 and 3 is not shown.

[0015] Inside the transmission housing 17, two planetary gear mechanisms 4 and 5 are arranged. Among them, the planetary gear mechanism on the upstream side in the driving force transmission direction is defined as the first planetary gear mechanism 4, and the planetary gear mechanism on the downstream side is defined as the second planetary gear mechanism 5. Among the rotating elements constituting the first planetary gear mechanism 4, the planetary carrier C1 is coupled to the engine 1, the first motor generator 2 is coupled to the sun gear S1, and the ring gear R1 is spline-fitted to the power split drive gear 33. Between the engine 1 and the planetary carrier C1, a damper 30, an input drive gear 31, and an input driven gear 32 are interposed. However, since no slipping element, such as a torque converter, is interposed therebetween, the engine 1 and the planetary carrier C1 are directly coupled. Also, the sun gear S1 is directly connected to the first motor generator 2. Further, as will be described later, since no disconnecting element, such as a clutch (the clutch is also a friction element), is interposed between the front wheel drive shaft 18 of the front wheels 6, which are the main drive wheels, and the power split drive gear 33, the ring gear R1 and the front wheel drive shaft 18 are always coupled.

[0016] On the other hand, among the rotating elements of the second planetary gear mechanism 5, the sun gear S2 is directly connected to the second motor generator 3, the ring gear R2 is fixed to the transmission housing 17, and the planetary carrier C2 is spline-fitted to the power split driven gear 34. This power split driven gear 34 meshes with the power split drive gear 33 that is spline-fitted to the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4. Also, a transfer drive gear 35 integrally formed with the power split driven gear 34 meshes with a transfer driven gear 36, and this transfer driven gear 36 is coupled to the front wheel drive shaft 18 of the front wheels 6 via the front wheel final reduction gear 8. The front wheel final reduction gear 8 is composed of a differential gear mechanism (not shown) and a hypoid gear 8a. Therefore, as described above, the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 is always coupled to the front wheel drive shaft 18 of the front wheels 6, which are the main drive wheels, via the front wheel final reduction gear 8.

[0017] In addition, the rear-wheel output shaft 37 that rotates integrally with the transfer drive gear 35 is connected to the propeller shaft 38 via the all-wheel drive coupling 20, and this propeller shaft 38 is coupled to the rear-wheel drive shaft 19 of the rear wheels 7 via the rear-wheel final reduction gear 39. The rear-wheel final reduction gear 39 is composed of a differential gear mechanism (not shown) and a hypoid gear 39a. The all-wheel drive coupling 20 can adjust the fastening state (fastening force) between the rear-wheel output shaft 37 and the propeller shaft 38 by a control unit 12 described later, and thereby can adjust the driving force distributed to the rear wheels 7. In a hybrid electric vehicle equipped with two motor generators 2 and 3, as is well known, shift control can be performed by adjusting the rotational speeds and outputs of those motor generators 2 and 3.

[0018] Also, in this embodiment, the first motor generator 2 is mainly used as a starter and a generator (regenerator) for the engine 1, and the second motor generator 3 is mainly used for driving the vehicle and as a generator (regenerator). Further, reference numeral 40 in the figure is a parking gear that rotates integrally with the power split drive gear 34 and the transfer drive gear 35 and also integrally with the propeller shaft 38. Similar to an existing parking gear, this parking gear 40 engages with a protruding portion of a parking pole (not shown) within the tooth groove of the parking gear 40 to fix the gear train of the drive system including the propeller shaft 38.

[0019] On the outer periphery of the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4, an alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 as shown in FIG. 2 is integrally attached. FIG. 3 shows a part of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 in a state where the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 of FIG. 2 is attached to the outer periphery of the ring gear R1. This alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 is, for example, in a shape obtained by dividing a thin cylindrical body in the circumferential direction and joining permanent magnets with different polarities on the radially outer surfaces of the arc-shaped cross-sections alternately in the circumferential direction, and is a thin cylindrical body as a whole. As a result, magnetic pole portions 9a with different polarities are formed alternately in the circumferential direction. This cylindrical alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 needs to have a certain length in the axial direction so that the polarity detection sensor 10 and the electromagnet 11 described later arranged in the axial direction can face the same magnetic pole portion 9a. In this embodiment, the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 is tightly inserted into the cylindrical alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9, and as shown in FIG. 4, it is fixed by a retaining ring 41 such as a clip in a state where the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 is fitted on the outer periphery of the ring gear R1. Since this alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 needs to be stationary with respect to the ring gear R1, an adhesive or the like may be used to fix the two.

[0020] Also, at a portion of the transmission housing 17 facing the outer peripheral surface of this alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9, a polarity detection sensor 10 and an electromagnet 11 are attached in parallel in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9. Specifically, the polarity detection sensor 10 has a polarity detection portion, and the electromagnet 11 has a magnetic field generation portion, and they are arranged so as to face the same magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9. As the polarity detection sensor 10, for example, a magnetic pole sensor using a Hall element can be used. As is well known, when a magnetic field approaches with a current flowing through the Hall element, a Hall voltage in a direction orthogonal to the current is generated. The Hall voltage is proportional to the magnitude of the magnetic flux density and also has different voltage directions depending on the polarity of the magnetic field, that is, the magnetic pole. Thereby, the polarity of the magnetic pole portion 9a facing the polarity detection sensor 10 can be detected. Also, the electromagnet 11 is required to be excitable with different polarities, which can be easily dealt with, for example, by reversing the direction of the applied current.

[0021] The vehicle is equipped with a control unit 12 for controlling the rotational speeds and outputs of the first and second motor generators 2 and 3, and for controlling the engagement state of the all-wheel drive coupling 20. This control unit 12 is configured with a computer system such as a microcomputer. This computer system is configured with an arithmetic processing unit 13 having an advanced arithmetic processing function, a storage device 14 communicably connected to the arithmetic processing unit 13 and capable of storing programs and data, and an input / output device 15 also communicably connected to the arithmetic processing unit 13 and performing data and signal exchanges with the outside, similar to existing computer systems. Also, this control unit 12 can communicate with other in-vehicle control units (not shown). The polarity of the magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 detected by the polarity detection sensor 10 is input to this control unit 12. Also, range position information selected by, for example, a select lever is input to this control unit 12 from the range detection sensor 16. Further, an excitation signal is output from this control unit 12 to the electromagnet 11. Note that the number of arrangements of the arithmetic processing unit 13, the storage device 14, and the input / output device 15 may each be plural.

[0022] FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the arithmetic processing for outputting an excitation signal executed by the control unit 12. This arithmetic processing is executed according to a program stored in the storage device 14, for example, at every predetermined sampling period. First, in step S1, it is determined whether the range position information detected by the range detection sensor 16 is in the N (neutral) range. If it is in the N range, the process proceeds to step S2, and if not, the process proceeds to step S4.

[0023] In step S2, after reading the polarity of the magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 detected by the polarity detection sensor 10, the process proceeds to step S3.

[0024] In step S3, an excitation signal having a polarity opposite to the polarity detected in step S2 is output toward the electromagnet 11 and then the process returns.

[0025] In step S2, after stopping the output of the excitation signal to the electromagnet 11, it returns.

[0026] In this arithmetic processing, when the N range is selected, the polarity of the magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 facing the polarity detection sensor 10 is read, and an excitation signal having a polarity opposite to that of the magnetic pole portion 9a (strictly speaking, the magnetic pole of the magnetic field generation portion of the electromagnet 11 has a polarity opposite to that of the magnetic pole portion 9a) is applied to the electromagnet 11. Since the electromagnet 11 also faces the magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 facing the polarity detection sensor 10, when an excitation signal having a reverse polarity is applied to this electromagnet 11, an attractive force acts between the magnetic pole portion 9a and the electromagnet 11. While the attractive force of this electromagnet 11 acts on the magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9, the rotation of the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 is restricted or blocked, and the ring gear R1 is in a fixed state. On the other hand, when the output of the excitation signal to the electromagnet 11 is stopped, the magnetic field to the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 disappears, and no attractive force or repulsive force acts on the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9.

[0027] Similar to a general hybrid vehicle, in this hybrid vehicle, when the N range is selected, neither the first motor generator 2 nor the second motor generator 3 generates any driving force (torque). On the other hand, since the engine 1 may be rotating, the first motor generator 2 idles together with the sun gear S1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4, so that no driving force (torque) is transmitted to the downstream side (downstream side in the driving force transmission direction) from this. At this time, the planetary carrier C1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4, that is, the pinion gear P1 and the ring gear R1 are in a floating state. As a result, all the gears from at least the pinion gear P1 to the front wheel final reduction gear device 8 are in a floating state. In that state, when the rotational state fluctuates due to the idling fluctuation of the engine 1, the pinion gear P1 and the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 swing within the backlash and the tooth surfaces hit each other. Then, this hitting of the tooth surfaces acts on all the gears up to the front wheel final reduction gear device 8, and the play of those gears may leak into the passenger compartment as a tooth rattle sound.

[0028] In this embodiment, when the N range is selected, the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 is fixed by the attraction of the electromagnet 11, so all the gears from this ring gear R1 to the front-wheel final reduction gear 8 are fixed. Therefore, even if the tooth surfaces of the pinion gear P1 and the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 come into contact due to the rotational state variation associated with the idling variation of the engine 1, the contact does not act on the gear train on the downstream side in the driving force transmission direction from that point, and as a result, the tooth rattle noise can be reduced. On the other hand, when a range other than the N range is selected, the output of the excitation signal to the electromagnet 11 is stopped, and neither the attractive force nor the repulsive force acts on the alternating-pole rotating body 9. Therefore, during normal driving, deterioration of fuel consumption associated with, for example, an increase in the frictional force of meshing rotating gears is avoided.

[0029] Note that in the N range, since the vehicle is generally considered to be stopped, even if the excitation signal to the electromagnet 11 has the same polarity as the polarity of the magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating-pole rotating body 9, it is considered possible to fix the gear train on the downstream side in the driving force transmission direction from the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4. However, if this is done, the magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating-pole rotating body 9 attempts to move in a direction away from the electromagnet 11, and the moving force rotates the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4. Due to the rotation of this ring gear R1, there is a possibility that tooth rattle noise will occur in the gear train on the downstream side in the driving force transmission direction. For these reasons, in this embodiment, an excitation signal having a polarity opposite to the detected polarity of the magnetic pole portion 9a is applied to the electromagnet 11.

[0030] As described above, according to the gear rattle reduction device of the hybrid vehicle of this embodiment, the polarity detection sensor 10 and the electromagnet 11 are arranged in parallel so as to face the same magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 that rotates synchronously with the ring gear R1. When the N range is selected, an excitation signal having a polarity opposite to that of the magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 detected by the polarity detection sensor 10 is applied to the electromagnet 11. As a result, a rotational restraint force acts on the ring gear R1 (rotating element) to which the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 is attached due to the attractive force acting between the magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 and the electromagnet 11, whereby the ring gear R1 is set in a fixed state. Therefore, all the gears from the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 including the planetary carrier C1 directly coupled to the engine 1 to the front-wheel final reduction gear 8 are fixed, and gear rattle can be effectively prevented. On the other hand, in a state where a range other than the N range, for example, a driving range is selected, by stopping the excitation signal to the electromagnet 11, no attractive force acts between the electromagnet 11 and the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9, so that deterioration of fuel consumption during normal driving is avoided.

[0031] Further, in a so-called two-motor hybrid vehicle in which the second motor generator 3 is interposed in the drive system on the downstream side of the drive force transmission direction of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 to which the first motor generator 2 and the engine 1 are coupled, the first planetary gear mechanism 4 often has no friction elements such as clutches and brakes, and the gear rattle in the N range of such a hybrid vehicle can be effectively reduced.

[0032] The vehicle gear rattle noise reduction device according to the embodiment has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, an excitation signal is output to the electromagnet 11 under the condition that the N range is selected. However, for example, a case where the driver accidentally selects the N range during running is also conceivable. In such a case, since the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 coupled to the front wheel drive shaft 18 continues to rotate, for example, the polarity of the magnetic pole portion 9a of the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 detected by the polarity detection sensor 10 is not stable. Therefore, in such a case, it is also possible not to output an excitation signal to the electromagnet 11.

[0033] Also, in the above embodiment, the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 is fixed to the outer periphery of the ring gear R1 of the first planetary gear mechanism 4 so that both rotate synchronously. However, the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 may be attached to any rotating element of the planetary gear mechanism, and the object to be attached is not limited to one. As is clear from the above, in the gear rattle noise reduction device of the present invention, the alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9 is used for the purpose of fixing the rotating element of the planetary gear mechanism in a floating state by the attraction of the magnetic field. Therefore, as long as it is a rotating element to be fixed, the attachment object may be any rotating element, or there may be a plurality of attachment objects.

[0034] Also, in the above embodiment, the polarity detection sensor 10 and the electromagnet 11 are directly attached to the transmission housing 17. However, these may be indirectly attached to the transmission housing 17 via, for example, a bracket or the like, as long as they are fixed to the rotating alternating magnetic pole rotating body 9.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0035] 1 Engine 2 First Motor Generator 3 Second Motor Generator 4 First Planetary Gear Mechanism S1 Sun Gear (Rotating Element) C1 Planetary Carrier Rear (Rotating Element) R1 Ring gear (rotating element) 5 Second planetary gear mechanism 6 Front wheel 8 Front wheel final reduction gear 9 Alternating-pole rotating body 9a Magnetic pole part 10 Polarity detection sensor 11 Electromagnet 12 Control unit (control part) 13 Arithmetic processing unit 14 Memory device 15 Input / output device 16 Range detection sensor 17 Transmission housing 18 Front wheel drive shaft

Claims

1. In a gear rattle reduction device for a hybrid electric vehicle in which an engine is directly connected to any one of the rotating elements, a motor generator is directly connected to any other rotating element, and a drive shaft of a drive wheel is constantly connected to the remaining rotating element via a final reduction gear, and a planetary gear mechanism having no fixed rotating element and no friction element is disposed in the drive system, an alternating-pole rotating body that is fixedly attached to at least one of the rotating elements, rotates synchronously with the rotating element, and has magnetic pole portions of alternately different polarities in the circumferential direction; a polarity detection sensor that is disposed to face the magnetic pole portions of the alternating-pole rotating body and detects the polarities of the magnetic pole portions of the alternating-pole rotating body at the facing positions; an electromagnet that is disposed to face the same magnetic pole portions as the magnetic pole portions of the alternating-pole rotating body facing the polarity detection sensor and can be excited with different polarities; a range detection sensor that detects a selected range for a transmission provided in the vehicle; a control unit that outputs an excitation signal to the electromagnet, and the control unit includes an arithmetic processing unit, a storage device communicably connected to the arithmetic processing unit, and an input / output device communicably connected to the arithmetic processing unit, wherein the arithmetic processing unit executes a process including outputting, to the electromagnet, an excitation signal having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the magnetic pole portion of the alternating-pole rotating body detected by the polarity detection sensor when the selected range detected by the range detection sensor is the N range. A gear rattle reduction device for a hybrid electric vehicle is characterized by this.

2. The gear rattle reduction device for a hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a second motor generator is interposed in the drive system on the downstream side in the driving force transmission direction of the planetary gear mechanism including the rotating element to which the engine is connected.

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