Method for Operating a Hybrid Powertrain

Abstract

A method for operating a hybrid drive train of a motor vehicle includes: starting the motor vehicle solely with the aid of an electric machine; engaging a torque converter lockup clutch for rotationally fixing an impeller of a torque converter to a turbine wheel of the torque converter, wherein the turbine wheel is rotationally fixed to the electric machine; and engaging a clutch in order to drivingly connect the impeller to a motor vehicle drive unit, in order to start the motor vehicle drive unit.

Claims

1-12: (canceled)

13. A method for operating a hybrid drive train (1) of a motor vehicle (2), comprising: starting the motor vehicle (2) solely with an electric machine (4); after starting the motor vehicle (2), engaging a torque converter lockup clutch (10) for rotationally fixing an impeller (6) of a torque converter (5) to a turbine wheel (7) of the torque converter (5), the turbine wheel (7) rotationally fixed to the electric machine (4); and after engaging the torque converter lockup clutch (10), engaging a clutch (8) in order to drivingly connect the impeller (6) to a motor vehicle drive unit (9) and thereby start the motor vehicle drive unit (9).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the clutch (8) is disengaged before starting the motor vehicle (2).

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising disengaging the torque converter lockup clutch (10) before engaging the clutch (8).

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising engaging the torque converter lockup clutch (10) after starting the motor vehicle drive unit (9).

17. The method of claim 13, wherein a driving connection between the torque converter (5) and a transmission output shaft (14) is disconnected before engaging the clutch (8).

18. The method of claim 13, wherein engaging the clutch (8) comprises engaging the clutch (8) when a rotational speed of the impeller (6) of the torque converter (5) corresponds to a rotational speed of a rotor (11) of the electric machine (4).

19. A hybrid drive train (1) configured for implementing the method of claim 13.

20. A hybrid drive train (1) for a motor vehicle (2), comprising: a transmission (3); an electric machine (4) drivingly connected or drivingly connectable to the transmission (3); a torque converter (5), a turbine wheel (7) of the torque converter (5) rotationally fixed to the electric machine (4); and a clutch (8) for drivingly connecting a motor vehicle drive unit (9) to an impeller (6) of the torque converter (5).

21. The hybrid drive train (1) of claim 20, wherein the impeller (6) is rotationally fixable to the turbine wheel (7) with a torque converter lockup clutch (10).

22. The hybrid drive train (1) of claim 20, wherein the impeller (6) is always connected to the clutch (8).

23. The hybrid drive train (1) of claim 20, wherein the impeller (6) is drivingly connectable to the motor vehicle drive unit (9) with the clutch (8).

24. The hybrid drive train (1) of claim 20, wherein a rotor (11) of the electric machine (4) is rotationally fixed to the turbine wheel (7).

25. The hybrid drive train (1) of claim 20, wherein a rotor (11) of the electric machine (4) is always drivingly connected to a transmission input shaft (12) of the transmission (3).

26. The hybrid drive train (1) of claim 20, further comprising a shift element (13), a driving connection between the turbine wheel (7) and a transmission output shaft (14) disconnectable with the shift element (13).

27. A motor vehicle (2) comprising: a motor vehicle drive unit (9); a hybrid drive train (1) comprising, a transmission (3), an electric machine (4), a torque converter (5), and a clutch (8), the electric machine (4) drivingly connected or drivingly connectable to the transmission (3), a turbine wheel (7) of the torque converter (5) rotationally fixed to the electric machine (4), wherein the motor vehicle drive unit (9) is drivingly connectable to an impeller (6) of the torque converter (5) with the clutch (8).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The subject matter of the invention is diagrammatically represented in the FIGURE. Wherein:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a motor vehicle including a hybrid drive train according to example aspects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

[0029] The hybrid drive train 1 of a motor vehicle 2 represented in FIG. 1 includes a transmission 3, an electric machine 4, and a torque converter 5. The transmission 3 is drivingly connected to the electric machine 4. In particular, a transmission input shaft 12 is drivingly connected to a rotor 11 of the electric machine 4. The electric machine 4 also includes a stator 15, which is rotationally fixed to a fixed housing 16. The electric machine 4 is designed as an internal rotor, by way of example. Alternatively, an embodiment as an external rotor is possible.

[0030] The torque converter 5 includes an impeller 6 and a turbine wheel 7. The turbine wheel 7 is rotationally fixable to the impeller 6 with the aid of a torque converter lockup clutch 10. In addition, the turbine wheel 7 is always connected to the rotor 11 in a driving manner, in particular in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0031] The hybrid drive train 1 includes a clutch 8, with the aid of which the impeller 6 is drivingly connectable to the motor vehicle drive unit 9. The impeller 6 is always drivingly connected to the clutch 8, in particular to a clutch component.

[0032] The transmission 3 includes a shift element 13, with the aid of which the driving connection between the turbine wheel 7 and a transmission output shaft 14 is disconnectable. The transmission 3 also includes further shift elements and gear sets, which are not represented in FIG. 1.

[0033] An operation of the hybrid drive train 1 is described in the following. In particular, the way in which a starting of the motor vehicle drive unit 9 can be implemented in the case of the hybrid drive train 1 is described.

[0034] Initially, the electric machine 4 is energized and the motor vehicle 2 is driven in a purely electric manner. In this operating condition of the hybrid drive train 1, the clutch 8 is disengaged. Thereafter, the torque converter lockup clutch 10 is engaged in order to achieve a rotationally fixed connection between the impeller 6 and the turbine wheel 7. Since the turbine wheel 7 is drivingly connected to the rotor 11 of the electric machine 4, the rotor 11 drives the turbine wheel 7 and, therefore, the impeller 6 as well. In this operating condition, the impeller 6 is therefore driven by the turbine wheel 7.

[0035] At a point in time at which the impeller 6 has the rotational speed of the rotor 11 of the electric machine 4, the torque converter lockup clutch 10 and/or the shift element 13 are/is disengaged. In addition, the clutch 8 is engaged in order to implement a driving connection of the impeller 6 to the motor vehicle drive unit 9. The motor vehicle drive unit 9 is driven by the impeller 6, and the motor vehicle drive unit 9 is started.

[0036] A starting operation of the motor vehicle 2 with the aid of the motor vehicle drive unit 9 can take place as follows. Initially, the clutch 8 can be engaged and a starting operation of the motor vehicle 2 can take place via the torque converter 5. In this operating condition, the motor vehicle drive unit 9 drives the impeller 6. In addition, the impeller 6 drives the turbine wheel 7, wherein the torque converter lockup clutch 10 is disengaged. After a starting operation of the motor vehicle 2, the torque converter lockup clutch 10 is engaged.

[0037] Modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments illustrated or described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. In the claims, reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description and the drawings may be recited. Such reference characters are enclosed within parentheses and are provided as an aid for reference to example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings. Such reference characters are provided for convenience only and have no effect on the scope of the claims. In particular, such reference characters are not intended to limit the claims to the particular example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0038] 1 hybrid drive train [0039] 2 motor vehicle [0040] 3 transmission [0041] 4 electric machine [0042] 5 torque converter [0043] 6 impeller [0044] 7 turbine wheel [0045] 8 clutch [0046] 9 motor vehicle drive unit [0047] 10 torque converter lockup clutch [0048] 11 rotor [0049] 12 transmission input shaft [0050] 13 shift element [0051] 14 transmission output shaft [0052] 15 stator [0053] 16 housing