Two motor electric drive hybrid transmission

Abstract

A two motor electric drive hybrid transmission for a vehicle. The two motor electric drive hybrid transmission allows both electric motors to provide propulsive force during engine on and engine off operations when desired. The two motor electric drive hybrid transmission also provides improved and flexible operating configurations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hybrid transmission comprising:
 an input shaft;   a first clutch assembly;   a first shaft coupled to said first clutch assembly;   an input planetary gear set coupled to said first shaft;   a first electric motor coupled to said input planetary gear set;   an output planetary gear set coupled to said input planetary gear set;   a second electric motor coupled to said output planetary gear set; and   an output shaft coupled to said output planetary gear set,   wherein said first clutch assembly selectively couples said input shaft to said first shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The hybrid transmission of  claim 1 , wherein said first clutch assembly is a disconnect clutch. 
     
     
         3 . The hybrid transmission of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly coupled to an input carrier of said input planetary gear set; and   a third clutch assembly coupling an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set to said transmission housing, wherein:   said first shaft is coupled to said input carrier,   said first electric motor is coupled to a sun gear of said input planetary gear set,   an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set is coupled to an output carrier of said output planetary gear set,   said second electric motor is coupled to an output sun gear of said output planetary gear set,   said output carrier of said output planetary gear set is coupled to said output shaft,   said second clutch assembly selectively couples said input carrier to said output ring gear, and   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said output ring gear to said transmission housing.   
     
     
         4 . The hybrid transmission of  claim 3 , wherein said input planetary gear set and said output planetary gear set amplify the torque applied by said first electric motor and said second electric motor to said output shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The hybrid transmission of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly coupled to an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set; and   a third clutch assembly coupling an output carrier of said output planetary gear set to said transmission housing, wherein:   said first shaft is coupled to said input ring gear,   said first electric motor is coupled to a sun gear of said input planetary gear set,   said input ring gear of said input planetary gear set is coupled to said output carrier of said output planetary gear set by said second clutch mechanism,   said second electric motor is coupled to an output sun gear of said output planetary gear set,   an input carrier of said input planetary gear set and an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set are coupled to said output shaft, and   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said output carrier to said transmission housing.   
     
     
         6 . The hybrid transmission of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly;   a third clutch assembly;   a fourth clutch assembly;   a fifth clutch assembly; and   a sixth clutch assembly, wherein:   said second clutch assembly, said third clutch assembly, and said fourth clutch assembly are coupled to said first shaft,   said second clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to an output sun gear of said output planetary gear set,   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to an input carrier of said input planetary gear set,   said fourth clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to an input sun gear of said input planetary gear set,   said fifth clutch assembly selectively couples said input sun gear to said transmission housing,   said sixth clutch assembly selectively couples an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set to said transmission housing,   an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set is coupled to an output carrier of said output planetary gear set,   said second electric motor is coupled to said output sun gear, and   said output carrier is coupled to said output shaft.   
     
     
         7 . The hybrid transmission of  claim 1 , wherein said first clutch assembly is a one way clutch. 
     
     
         8 . The hybrid transmission of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly;   a third clutch assembly; and   a fourth clutch assembly, wherein:   said second clutch assembly, said third clutch assembly, and said fourth clutch assembly are coupled to said first shaft,   said second clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to an output sun gear of said output planetary gear set,   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to an input carrier of said input planetary gear set,   said fourth clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to an input sun gear of said input planetary gear set,   an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set is coupled to an output carrier of said output planetary gear set,   said first electric motor is coupled to said input sun gear,   said second electric motor is coupled to said output sun gear of said output planetary gear set,   an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set is coupled to said transmission housing, and   said output carrier is coupled to said output shaft.   
     
     
         9 . The hybrid transmission of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly;   a third clutch assembly;   a fourth clutch assembly; and   a fifth clutch assembly, wherein:   said second clutch assembly, said third clutch assembly, and said fourth clutch assembly are coupled to said first shaft,   said second clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to an output sun gear of said output planetary gear set,   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to an input carrier of said input planetary gear set,   said fourth clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to an input sun gear of said input planetary gear set and said first electric motor,   said fifth clutch assembly selectively couples an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set to said transmission housing,   an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set is coupled to an output carrier of said output planetary gear set,   said second electric motor is coupled to said output sun gear of said output planetary gear set, and   said output carrier is coupled to said output shaft.   
     
     
         10 . A hybrid powertrain comprising:
 an input shaft;   a first clutch assembly;   a first shaft coupled to said first clutch assembly;   an input planetary gear set coupled to said first shaft;   a first electric motor coupled to an input sun gear of said input planetary gear set;   an output planetary gear set coupled to said input planetary gear set;   a second electric motor coupled to an output sun gear of said output planetary gear set; and   an output shaft coupled to said output planetary gear set,   wherein said first clutch assembly selectively couples said input shaft to said first shaft.   
     
     
         11 . The hybrid powertrain of  claim 10 , wherein said first clutch assembly is a disconnect clutch. 
     
     
         12 . The hybrid powertrain of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly coupled to an input carrier of said input planetary gear set; and   a third clutch assembly coupling an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set to said transmission housing, wherein:   said first shaft is coupled to said input carrier,   an input ring gear coupled to an output carrier of said output planetary gear set,   said output carrier is coupled to said output shaft,   said second clutch assembly selectively couples said input carrier to said output ring gear, and   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said output ring gear to said transmission housing.   
     
     
         13 . The hybrid powertrain of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly coupled to an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set; and   a third clutch assembly coupling an output carrier of said output planetary gear set to said transmission housing, wherein:   said first shaft is coupled to said input ring gear,   said input ring gear is coupled to said output carrier by said second clutch mechanism,   an input carrier of said input planetary gear set and an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set are coupled to said output shaft, and   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said output carrier to said transmission housing.   
     
     
         14 . The hybrid powertrain of  claim 13 , wherein said input planetary gear set and said output planetary gear set amplify the torque applied by said first electric motor and said second electric motor to said output shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The hybrid powertrain of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly;   a third clutch assembly;   a fourth clutch assembly;   a fifth clutch assembly; and   a sixth clutch assembly, wherein:   said second clutch assembly, said third clutch assembly, and said fourth clutch assembly are coupled to said first shaft,   said second clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to said output sun gear,   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to an input carrier of said input planetary gear set,   said fourth clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to said input sun gear,   said fifth clutch assembly selectively couples said input sun gear to said transmission housing,   said sixth clutch assembly selectively couples an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set to said transmission housing,   an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set is coupled to an output carrier of said output planetary gear set,   said second electric motor is coupled to said output sun gear, and   said output carrier is coupled to said output shaft.   
     
     
         16 . The hybrid powertrain of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly;   a third clutch assembly;   a fourth clutch assembly; and   a fifth clutch assembly, wherein:   said second clutch assembly, and said third clutch assembly are coupled to said first shaft,   said second clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to an input carrier of said input planetary gear set,   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to said input sun gear,   said fourth clutch assembly selectively couples said input sun gear to said transmission housing,   said fifth clutch assembly selectively couples an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set to said transmission housing,   said first shaft and said first electric motor are coupled to said output sun gear,   an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set is coupled to an output carrier of said output planetary gear set,   said second electric motor is coupled to said output sun gear, and   said output carrier is coupled to said output shaft.   
     
     
         17 . The hybrid powertrain of  claim 10 , wherein said first clutch assembly is a one way clutch. 
     
     
         18 . The hybrid powertrain of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly;   a third clutch assembly;   a fourth clutch assembly; and   a fifth clutch assembly, wherein:   said second clutch assembly, said third clutch assembly, and said fourth clutch assembly are coupled to said first shaft,   said second clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to said output sun gear,   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to an input carrier of said input planetary gear set,   said fourth clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft and said first electric motor to said input sun gear,   said fifth clutch assembly selectively couples an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set to said transmission housing,   said input sun gear is coupled to said transmission housing,   an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set is coupled to an output carrier of said output planetary gear set,   said second electric motor is coupled to said output sun gear, and said output carrier is coupled to said output shaft.   
     
     
         19 . The hybrid powertrain of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly;   a third clutch assembly; and   a fourth clutch assembly, wherein:   said second clutch assembly, said third clutch assembly, and said fourth clutch assembly are coupled to said first shaft,   said second clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to said output sun gear,   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to an input carrier of said input planetary gear set,   said fourth clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to said input sun gear,   an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set is coupled to an output carrier of said output planetary gear set,   an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set is coupled to said transmission housing, and   said output carrier is coupled to said output shaft.   
     
     
         20 . The hybrid powertrain of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a second clutch assembly;   a third clutch assembly;   a fourth clutch assembly; and   a fifth clutch assembly, wherein:   said second clutch assembly, said third clutch assembly, and said fourth clutch assembly are coupled to said first shaft,   said second clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to said output sun gear,   said third clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to an input carrier of said input planetary gear set,   said fourth clutch assembly selectively couples said first shaft to said input sun gear,   said fifth clutch assembly selectively couples an output ring gear of said output planetary gear set to said transmission housing,   an input ring gear of said input planetary gear set is coupled to an output carrier of said output planetary gear set, and   said output carrier is coupled to said output shaft.