The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 10, 2011
Filed:
Nov. 12, 2008
Atsushi Tabata, Okazaki, JP;
Yutaka Taga, Aichi-gun, JP;
Atsushi Tabata, Okazaki, JP;
Yutaka Taga, Aichi-gun, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota-shi, JP;
Abstract
Vehicular drive system which is small-sized and/or improved in its fuel economy. A power distributing mechanism, which is provided with a differential-state switching device in the form of a switching clutch Cand a switching brake B, is switchable by the switching device between a differential state (continuously-variable shifting state) in which the mechanism is operable as an electrically controlled continuously variable transmission, and a fixed-speed-ratio shifting state in which the mechanism is operable as a transmission having a fixed speed ratio or ratios. The power distributing mechanismis placed in the fixed-speed-ratio shifting state during a high-speed running of the vehicle or a high-speed operation of engine, so that the output of the engineis transmitted to drive wheelsprimarily through a mechanical power transmitting path, whereby fuel economy of the vehicle is improved owing to reduction of a loss of conversion of a mechanical energy into an electric energy. The mechanismis also placed in the fixed-speed-ratio shifting state during a high-output operation of the engine, so that the required electric reaction of first electric motor Mcan be reduced, whereby the required size of the first electric motor M, and the required size of the drive systemincluding the electric motor Mcan be reduced.