Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

James D Hendrickson

Henryk Sowul

Norman K Bucknor

Madhusudan Raghavan

Alan G Holmes

Tejinder Singh

Donald Klemen

John A Diemer

Michael Roland Schmidt

Steven Patrick Moorman

Chinar S Ghike

Bret M Olson

Philip C Lundberg

John R Czoykowski

Craig S Ross

Brendan M Conlon

Patrick S Portell

Khwaja M Rahman

Christopher Jay Weingartz

Brian W Whitmarsh

Joshua E Lehrmann

Patrick B Usoro

Jy-Jen F Sah

Shawn Harold Swales

Joel M Maguire

Anthony L Smith

Peter E Wu

Pete R Garcia

Giles D Bryer

Hong Yang

Douglas John Dwenger

Joel H Gunderson

Zhe Xie

Alexander M Bilinski

Andrew P Oury

Richard A Pashnik

Mikael B Mohlin

David J Varda

Robert Benson Parrish

Phillip D Hamelin

Yujiro Suwa

Gustavo Cibrian Salazar

Robert Keith Dunlap

William F Miller, Iii

Brian E Tooman

Per-Gunnar Bjorck

Nicholas Compton

Ted T Selever

Terry S Johnecheck

Michael H Pohl

Jeffrey A Tymitz

Jacqueline Nava

Ian A Stines

Jason Mitchick

A structural battery pack includes a bottom cover, a bottom cell carrier, multiple battery cells, a cooling ribbon, a top cell carrier, and a top cover. The bottom cover has a rectangular shape that defines a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction. The bottom cell carrier is coupled to the bottom cover, and defines multiple bottom holders. The bottom holders are arranged in a hexagon pattern that defines multiple rows in the longitudinal direction and multiple columns in the lateral direction. The top cell carrier is coupled to the top cover, defines multiple top holders, and includes an interconnect board that interconnects the battery cells. The top holders are arranged in the hexagon pattern. The battery cells are installed in the bottom cell carrier and the top cell carrier. Each battery cell has a cylindrical shape. The cooling ribbon is installed between the battery cells along the rows.

Structural battery pack

A system for assessing health of a cell group within a module of a battery pack includes a controller having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded. One or more sensors are configured to obtain a series of respective average cell group voltages at different stages. The controller is adapted to obtain a measured voltage (V) of the cell group at a calibration event occurring after the third stage. The controller is adapted to calculate a predicted voltage (V) of the cell group based in part on a sum of a disparity factor (&#x394;V) and a third stage cell group voltage (V). The cell group is controlled based at least partially on a difference between the measured voltage (V) and the predicted voltage (V).

Assessment of cell group health in a battery pack

A motor vehicle vacuum driven hydraulic balance system includes a housing. A shaft rotatably supported in the housing has a longitudinal bore to deliver oil flow to a plurality of ports created in the shaft. A vacuum flow passage communicates with both the longitudinal bore and an oil sump. A first delivery passage is created in a portion of the housing, the first delivery passage in direct communication with the longitudinal bore. An electrical oil pump pumps oil from the oil sump to the longitudinal bore through the first delivery passage. Axial rotation of the shaft creates a partial vacuum in the longitudinal bore acting to vacuum drag oil from the oil sump through the vacuum flow passage to the longitudinal bore in addition to a volume of the oil delivered to the longitudinal bore by the electrical oil pump.

Vacuum driven hydraulic balance system

An electro-mechanical drive unit connectable with first and second motor/generators includes an output member, a stationary member, a gear-train, and a torque-transmitting device. The drive unit also includes a compound planetary gear arrangement having a ring gear structure, first and second sun gears, and a carrier structure. The gear arrangement includes first, second, third, and fourth junction points and has a double-pinion assembly having a first pinion gear in mesh with the first sun gear member and a second pinion gear in mesh with the first pinion gear and with the ring gear structure. The gear arrangement is operatively connected to the second motor/generator at the first junction point via the gear-train and to the first motor/generator at the fourth junction point. The output member is operatively connected to the second junction point. Furthermore, the torque-transmitting device is engageable to ground the third junction point to the stationary member.

Wide-node drive system

An electric machine assembly includes a rotor assembly that includes a plurality of rotor parts including a reference rotor part and a first control rotor part. Each rotor part is rotatable about a longitudinal axis and mechanically separated from another rotor part along the longitudinal axis. The first control rotor part is controllable to rotate while aligned with the reference rotor part with a zero or near zero skew angle relative to the reference rotor part. The first control rotor part is also controllable to rotate while unaligned with the reference rotor part with a non-zero skew angle relative to the reference rotor part. The electric machine assembly further includes a rotor controller that is configured to control the degree of skew angle between the control rotor part and the reference rotor part.

System and method for electric motor field weakening with variable magnet skew

A torque converter clutch (TCC) release fluid lubrication system for a motor vehicle transmission includes a first fluid line, a second fluid line and a third fluid line. The first fluid line supplies TCC apply fluid to the TCC. The second fluid line receives TCC release fluid from the TCC. And the third fluid line supplies a first lubrication fluid to the transmission. The TCC release fluid and the first lubrication fluid combine into a second lubrication fluid that is fed into the transmission.

Torque converter clutch release fluid lubrication

A method of controlling a hydraulic control system for a dual clutch transmission includes controlling a plurality of pressure and flow control devices in fluid communication with a plurality of clutch actuators and with a plurality of synchronizer actuators. The clutch actuators are operable to actuate a plurality of torque transmitting devices and the synchronizer actuators are operable to actuate a plurality of synchronizer assemblies. Selective activation of combinations of the pressure control solenoids and the flow control solenoids allows for a pressurized fluid to activate at least one of the clutch actuators and synchronizer actuators in order to shift the transmission into a desired gear ratio.

Method of controlling a dual clutch transmission

A hydraulic control system for a dual clutch transmission includes a plurality of pressure and flow control devices in fluid communication with a plurality of clutch actuators and with a plurality of synchronizer actuators. The clutch actuators are operable to actuate a plurality of torque transmitting devices and the synchronizer actuators are operable to actuate a plurality of synchronizer assemblies. Selective activation of combinations of the pressure control solenoids and the flow control solenoids allows for a pressurized fluid to activate at least one of the clutch actuators and synchronizer actuators in order to shift the transmission into a desired gear ratio.

Control system for a dual clutch transmission

A method of executing an electric-only (EV) mode transition in a vehicle includes determining vehicle operating values using a control system, processing the values to identify the transition, and executing the transition to or from the first or second EV mode. The transition is executed by selectively engaging and disengaging the input brake to zero, and by using the first and/or second traction motor to synchronize slip across the input brake. When the transition is from the first to the second EV mode or vice versa, the control system may use multiple speed and torque control phases to enter multiple intermediate modes, e.g., a pair of engine-on electrically-variable transmission modes and a fixed gear mode. A vehicle includes an engine, an input brake, first and second traction motors, and a transmission driven via the motors in a first and second EV mode. The vehicle includes the control system noted above.

Method and system for controlling an EV mode transition in a two-mode hybrid vehicle

A hydraulic control system includes a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid for providing a pressurized hydraulic fluid, a main line circuit in fluid communication with the source of pressurized hydraulic fluid, a regulation valve in communication with the source of pressurized hydraulic fluid, the regulation valve moveable between a plurality of positions, and a lubrication valve in communication with the regulation valve, the lubrication valve moveable between a plurality of positions. A lubrication circuit and a cooling circuit are in communication with the lubrication valve. The regulation valve allows pressurized hydraulic fluid to communicate with the lubrication valve after the main line circuit is saturated, the lubrication valve allows fluid communication between the regulation valve and the lubrication circuit until the lubrication circuit is saturated, and the lubrication valve allows fluid communication between the regulation valve and the cooling circuit and the lubrication circuit after the lubrication circuit is saturated.

Transmission hydraulic control system having independently controlled stator cooling flow

A powertrain is provided that includes an engine as well as a transmission having an input member and an output member. The powertrain also includes a motor/generator that has an energizable stator, a first rotor and a second rotor (i.e., a dual rotor motor). Both of the rotors are rotatable via energization of the stator. A first torque-transmitting mechanism, referred to as the engine clutch, is selectively engagable to connect the engine for common rotation with one of the first and the second rotors. A second torque-transmitting mechanism, referred to as the motor clutch, is selectively engagable to connect the first rotor for common rotation with the second rotor. The transmission input member is continuously connected for common rotation with the other of the first and second rotors.

Powertrain with dual rotor motor/generator

A composite cover for a portion of a motor vehicle transmission has an integral, internal heat sink to which an electronic controller is attached. The cover, which may be fabricated of any temperature appropriate plastic or composite, closes off and protects that portion of a motor vehicle transmission having electrical and electronic components such as valves, solenoids, motors and sensors. Spaced from the inside surface of the cover where it is subjected on both sides to flow of transmission fluid is a plate or heat sink. An electronic controller is disposed on the outside of the cover and attached by heat transferring mechanical fasteners such as studs or bolts to the plate inside the cover. Preferably, the housing of the controller also includes a heat sink.

Composite cover with integral heat sink

An electric torque converter has a torque converter input member connected to the first node of a differential gear set representable by a lever diagram having first, second, and third nodes. A motor/generator is connected to the second node. The third node is connected to an input member of a transmission gearing arrangement. A brake is selectively engagable to ground the first node to a stationary member. Engagement of the brake provides a regenerative braking mode and an electric-only driving mode, with the motor/generator connected to the transmission gearing arrangement through the differential gear set. Various clutches may be provided for lock-up or selective connection of the engine, including arrangements which reduce motor/generator torque required for engine starting while in electric-only driving. A method of operating a vehicle maintains the engine speed at an optimum level to the extent possible given battery charge levels and operator commands.

Electric torque converter for a powertrain and method of operating a vehicle

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Belleville, MI, United States of America

James D Hendrickson