A vehicle is operable in three modes of operation. The vehicle includes a first electromagnetic device, a second electromagnetic device electrically coupled to the first electromagnetic device, and an engine coupled to the first electromagnetic device and configured to drive the first electromagnetic device to provide electrical energy. In each of the three modes of operation, whenever the engine drives the first electromagnetic device to provide the electrical energy, the first electromagnetic device operates without providing the electrical energy to an energy storage device.

A unitary system for an electric-assist bicycle generates signals indicative of power input to a drive system of the bicycle when a rider pedals the bicycle, considering torque applied by the rider, as well as the cadence or speed of the rider's pedaling. Direction of pedaling is also measured using the system. The system utilizes fixed, hard-wired, contactless electronics, namely first and second inductance coils that are non-equally-spaced circumferentially around a first axis, and which generate a first electrical signal indicative of torque based on lateral movement of a conductive or otherwise magnetically permeable rotatable member relative to the coils, and which generate second and third electrical signals indicative of pedaling cadence and direction based on eccentric relative rotational movement of the conductive or otherwise magnetically permeable rotatable member relative to the first and second inductance coils.

A multimode clutch may be adapted for selectively connecting and disconnecting front and/or rear axles from respective internal combustion engine and electric motor powertrains connected to such front and rear driving axles in a through-the-road hybrid vehicle. For example, the engine may be part of a front axle driven powertrain connected to the front wheels, while the motor may be part of a separate rear axle driven powertrain connected to the rear wheels, or vice versa. By selective disconnection of an axle not being actively driven, a real time reduction in parasitic losses may be achieved, leading to higher overall operating efficiencies. The multimode clutch offers greater flexibility over the use of standard friction clutches; each multimode clutch may provide four distinct operational modes for accommodating a wide diversity of driving conditions. For example, bi-rotational freewheeling of the rear axle may occur whenever the motor is not in use.

A method of operating a first electric machine and a second electric machine in a vehicle drive includes operating the vehicle drive in a first operating mode by operating the first electric machine to regulate electrical power at a bus to maintain a first voltage on the bus and operating the second electric machine to consume electrical power from the bus. The method includes operating the vehicle drive in a second operating mode by operating the first electric machine to consume electrical power from the bus and operating the second electric machine to regulate electrical power at the bus to maintain a second voltage on the bus. A sum of the electrical power regulated by the first electric machine, the electrical power losses, and the electrical power consumed by the second electric machine is zero in the first operating mode and in the second operating mode.

A method for learning engine clutch kiss point of a hybrid vehicle is provided. The method includes adjusting a speed of a driving motor to be reduced when a deceleration event is generated in front of the hybrid vehicle and adjusting a speed of an engine to be synchronized with the speed of the driving motor. An engine clutch that connects the engine with the driving motor or disconnects the engine from the driving motor is engaged to start and then a kiss point of the engine clutch is learned by detecting the kiss point that is generated when the engine clutch is in a slip state.

A system and method of controlling engine clutch engagement during TCS operation of a hybrid vehicle are provided. The method includes determining whether a TCS is operating and upon determining that the TCS is operating, determining a compensation value for early engagement of an engine clutch during the TCS operation based on a difference between a front wheel speed and a rear wheel speed and a slip amount of front wheels. Additionally, the method includes determining whether engagement of the engine clutch is capable of being started based on the compensation value and starting the engine clutch engagement. Since the engagement of the engine clutch is controlled based on the speed of non-drive wheels during TCS operation, the engagement stability of the engine clutch is improved and the amount of time required to engage the engine clutch is decreased.

The invention relates to a method for determining a characteristic curve of a hybrid separating clutch of a hybrid vehicle without a test stand, wherein the hybrid separating clutch separates or connects an internal combustion engine and an electric motor and the hybrid separating clutch is slowly actuated on the basis of a position which the hybrid separating clutch assumes in an unactuated state, and a clutch characteristic curve is determined as a function of a clutch torque over a path of the hybrid separating clutch. In a method by which a characteristic curve of the hybrid separating clutch can be reliably defined without a test stand, a clutch torque which underlies the characteristic curve of the hybrid separating clutch is determined from the torque of the internal combustion engine in the case of a running internal combustion engine and a motion state of the electric motor which brakes the internal combustion engine while the hybrid separating clutch is moving.

A vehicle drive includes a gear set, a first motor/generator coupled to the gear set, a second motor/generator at least selectively rotationally engaged with the gear set, an engine at least selectively coupled to the gear set and selectively coupled to the second motor/generator, and a clutch configured to selectively engage the second motor/generator to the engine. The first motor/generator and the second motor/generator are electrically coupled without an energy storage device configured to at least one of (a) provide electrical energy to the first motor/generator or the second motor/generator to power the first motor/generator or the second motor/generator and (b) be charged by electrical energy from the first motor/generator or the second motor/generator.

The invention relates to a method for increasing the availability of a hybrid separating clutch in a hybrid drive train of a motor vehicle, wherein the hybrid separating clutch is disposed between an internal combustion engine and an electric traction drive. In the method where even in the event of a fault the motor vehicle continues to be driven, the hybrid separating clutch is controlled by a hydrostatic actuator, and when a malfunction of the hydrostatic actuator is detected, for actuation of the hybrid separating clutch which is engaged in the non-actuated state, the last state of the hydrostatic actuator detected by a control mechanism is used for estimation of a minimum clutch torque which can be transmitted.

A method is provided to start a combustion engine in a hybrid powertrain, comprising a gearbox with input and output shafts; a first planetary gear, connected to the input shaft and a first main shaft; a second planetary gear connected to the first planetary gear and a second main shaft; first and second electrical machines respectively connected to the first and second planetary gears; one gear pair connected with the first main shaft, and therefore with the first planetary gear and the output shaft; and one gear pair connected with the second main shaft. The method comprises: a) connecting an output shaft of the combustion engine with the input shaft of the gearbox, via a coupling device arranged between the output shaft and the input shaft; and b) controlling the first and second electrical machines to start the combustion engine.