Engine-Electric Machine Assembly With Shaft-Driven Coolant Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing engine-and-electric-machine assemblies in hybrid electric vehicles suffer from low integration level, excessive components, high weight and volume, and high cost, with energy utilization ratios needing improvement.
Innovation Solution
The rotation shaft of the electric machine is connected to a coolant pump, driven to provide coolant, enhancing integration and energy utilization by eliminating the need for separate power sources and reducing component count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the engine and electric machine are simply mechanically integrated with a flywheel and torsional shock absorber, then the assembly can be manufactured with conventional methods, but the integration level remains low and the weight and volume are excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the engine and electric machine into a unified structure where the electric machine is directly coupled to the engine's crankshaft, eliminating the need for separate flywheel and torsional shock absorber components. This integration reduces the number of parts while maintaining manufacturability through conventional assembly methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The crankshaft serves multiple functions: it acts as both the engine's rotating component and the electric machine's rotation shaft. This multi-functionality reduces the overall component count and improves integration level without compromising ease of manufacture.
2Ease of manufacture
If the engine and electric machine are simply mechanically integrated with a flywheel and torsional shock absorber, then conventional components can be used, but the weight and volume of the assembly are too high
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the engine and electric machine into a single integrated assembly with direct coupling, the patent eliminates redundant components like the flywheel and torsional shock absorber, thereby reducing the overall weight and volume of the assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes unnecessary intermediate components (flywheel, torsional shock absorber) from the traditional mechanical integration scheme, keeping only the essential crankshaft connection, which significantly reduces weight and volume.
3Loss of energy
If the rotation shaft is connected to a coolant pump, then the energy utilization ratio is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation shaft of the electric machine is designed to serve dual functions: driving the electric machine operation and simultaneously driving the coolant pump. This multi-functionality improves energy utilization by using the rotation shaft's motion for cooling purposes without adding a separate power source, while the complexity increase is minimal as it involves a straightforward mechanical connection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration improves energy utilization, reduces energy consumption, and lowers manufacturing costs while achieving a more compact and reliable assembly.
Implementation Method 1
while rotating the rotation shaft drives the coolant pump to provide coolant to the electric machine
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses an engine-and-electric-machine assembly, which solves the problem of the powertrain assemblies in the prior art that has low energy utilization ratio. The engine-and-electric-machine assembly includes an engine (8) and an electric machine (9), a crankshaft (7) being provided in the engine (8), the crankshaft (7) including a main body (7-1) and an extension section (7-3) that extends out to the exterior of the engine (8), the extension section (7-3) forming a rotation shaft (6) of the electric machine (9), and a rotor (3) of the electric machine (9) being mounted on the extension section (7-3), wherein a terminal of the rotation shaft (6) is connected to a coolant pump, a rotor of the coolant pump (13) is mounted to the rotation shaft (6), and while the rotation shaft (6) is rotating the rotation shaft (6) drives the coolant pump to provide coolant to the electric machine (9). The present disclosure, by connecting the rotation shaft (6) of the electric machine (9) to the coolant pump, can enable the pump to be highly integrated into the system and reduce manufacturing cost.