Hybrid Drive Unit Clutch Synchronizer Power Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current plug-in hybrid vehicle technologies face inefficiencies in power transmission, high material costs, and difficulty in meeting performance requirements for climbing, acceleration, and maximum electric traveling speed due to complex power transmission paths and structural limitations.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid drive unit with two clutches and a synchronizer for shifting, which includes a main traction motor, integrated starter-generator, differential, and decelerating devices, allowing for efficient power output and mode switching between pure electric drive, hybrid parallel drive, and charge-traveling series operation, optimizing energy use and reducing material costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If planetary gear set is used for power coupling and electric variable transmission for shifting, then power coordination and variable speed can be realized, but power transmission loss increases due to converting mechanical energy into electric energy and then back to mechanical energy
Solution Approach 1:
The power transmission system is segmented into distinct mechanical and electrical pathways. The mechanical pathway includes the planetary gear set for speed variation, while the electrical pathway handles power coordination between engine and motor. This segmentation allows direct mechanical power transmission without unnecessary electro-mechanical conversion, reducing energy loss while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
A clutch mechanism is introduced as an intermediary component to selectively engage or disengage the connection between the engine and the planetary gear set. This allows the system to switch between direct mechanical power transmission and electrical power coordination, optimizing energy efficiency while maintaining versatility in different operating conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If planetary gear set is used for power coupling, then power coordination can be realized, but the requirements for material costs and manufacturing of planet gear carrier become very high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the shifting function from the planetary gear set by introducing a separate clutch mechanism. This allows the planetary gear set to focus solely on power coordination without the added complexity of integrated shifting mechanisms, thereby reducing manufacturing requirements and material costs while maintaining power coordination capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic engagement and disengagement of the clutch to achieve shifting effects, rather than relying on a complex, statically integrated shifting mechanism within the planetary gear set. This dynamic approach simplifies the structural requirements of the planet gear carrier, reducing manufacturing complexity and material costs.
3Device complexity
If single clutch is used for power coupling and without shifting, then structure is simple and power transmission efficiency is high, but it is very difficult to meet all design requirements in terms of climbing, acceleration performance and maximum electric travelling speed simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The power transmission system is segmented into two independent clutch mechanisms: one for engine power coupling and another for motor power coupling. This segmentation enables the system to independently control and optimize power delivery from each source, achieving adaptability for various performance requirements such as climbing, acceleration, and maximum speed while maintaining relatively simple structural design.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-clutch configuration provides multi-functionality by enabling the system to operate in multiple modes: pure electric drive, hybrid parallel drive, and charge-traveling series operation. Each clutch can be independently controlled to engage or disengage power sources, allowing the system to adapt to different performance requirements without increasing overall structural complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A series/parallel hybrid electric drive unit for vehicle comprises an engine (1), a main traction motor (2), an integrated starter-generator (3), a differential (4), a first shaft (main haft) (5), a first stage decelerating device (9), a second stage decelerating device (10), a first clutch (6), a second clutch (7) and a synchronizer (8). The synchronizer (8) is slidably arranged on the first shaft (5) which is connected to the first stage decelerating device (9) or the second stage decelerating device (10) by the synchronizer (8), respectively. The hybrid electric drive unit of the invention has a compactly-arranged internal structure and an efficient and appropriate internal connection, and a switch between connection and disconnection of respective hybrid power sources and wheels and a shifting among operating modes and gear positions of the hybrid drive system can be realized.