Hybrid module for arrangement in a drive train of a motor vehicle

A hybrid module (1) is installed a drive train of a motor vehicle between a combustion engine and a transmission and has an electric machine and a clutch installed in a common housing (2). The hybrid module (1) further has an air supply entrance (7) for introducing cooling air into the hybrid module (1). The air supply entrance (7) is an oval with a short axis directed toward the combustion engine and the transmission. Thus, the hybrid module has a short extent between combustion engine and transmission, and also allows a sufficiently large quantity of air to be supplied into the hybrid module.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to German Patent Appl. No. 10 2012 110 365.8 filed on Oct. 30, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a hybrid module for arrangement in a drive train of a motor vehicle between a combustion engine and a transmission. The hybrid module has an electric machine and a clutch installed in a common housing. An air supply means introduces cooling air into the hybrid module.

2. Description of the Related Art

Manufacturers offer motor vehicles, in particular passenger cars, optionally with or without a hybrid module. Accordingly, either the transmission is flanged directly on the combustion engine or the hybrid module is placed between the combustion engine and the transmission. In latter case, the hybrid module has a flange on one side for connecting to the combustion engine and a flange on the opposite side for connecting to the transmission. The positions of the flanges or screw connections preferably are exactly coaxial on both sides of the hybrid modules so that, when using the combustion engine and the transmission in a motor vehicle without a hybrid module, both can be screwed directly to one another.

DE 10 2005 003 077 A1 discloses a hybrid module of the type described above. Air slots are provided in the housing of the hybrid module disclosed in DE 10 2005 003 077 A1 for introducing air to cool the hybrid module. These air slots pass through the housing radially on the outside in its region directed toward the transmission.

The object of the invention is to provide a hybrid module with a relatively small extent, with respect to its ability to be arranged between engine and transmission, while allowing a sufficiently large quantity of air to be supplied into the hybrid module.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a hybrid module that has an oval air supply means with the short extent of the oval directed toward the combustion engine and the transmission.

The oval air supply means and its arrangement allow a relatively large hydraulic cross section to supply a sufficient quantity of air, while having a relatively small extent in the longitudinal direction of the hybrid module, and particularly in the extent of the hybrid module between the combustion engine and the transmission.

The air supply means has a stub of oval design on the outside. The hydraulic cross section of the air supply means also preferably is of oval design.

The air supply means preferably has an air divider for dividing the air flow into partial flows, thereby admitting air to different regions of the hybrid module. Accordingly, the oval air supply facilitates placement of the air divider.

The air divider preferably is connected to the stub in the region of the short extent of the oval. As a result, partial cross sections can be formed in the hydraulic cross section and have a relatively small ratio of length to width extent. Thus, the individually formed partial cross sections have a large length/width ratio.

The hybrid module preferably can be screwed to the combustion engine and the transmission, and the screw connection are exactly coaxial on both opposite sides of the hybrid modules. The screw connections on the opposite sides of the hybrid module thus are identical. Thus, the combustion engine and the transmission can be connected directly via the same screw connections when no hybrid module is to be used.

The hybrid module preferably is designed so that the electric machine is arranged radially on the outside and the clutch radially on the inside.

The invention thus cools the hybrid module with an air supply means that is of oval design and with the short extent of the oval directed toward the combustion engine and the transmission. The air supply means has a relatively large cross section to introduce sufficient cooling air into the hybrid module. The hybrid module can be relatively narrow so as to require little installation space. As a result, the hybrid module has an air supply with a large cross section, and the coaxial flanges or screw connections on opposite sides of the hybrid module where the connection with the combustion engine and the transmission takes place enables the hybrid module easy to mount.

Further features of the invention will emerge from the appended drawing and the description of the preferred exemplary embodiment represented in the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A hybrid module1is to be arranged in a drive train of a motor vehicle. The hybrid module1has a housing2. The housing2has a first side3that can be connected to a combustion engine and a second side4that can be connected to a transmission. The sides3and4have plane-parallel bearing faces5and6for engaging and bearing against corresponding bearing faces of the combustion engine and the transmission. Bores or threaded bores (not shown) in the housing2near the bearing faces5and6and enable the hybrid module1to be screwed to the combustion engine and the transmission. The positions of the connections on both opposite sides3and4of the housing2are exactly coaxial so that, when no hybrid module1is to be provided, the combustion engine and the transmission can be screwed directly to one another.

The hybrid module1comprises an electric machine, not illustrated, arranged radially outside within the housing2and a clutch, likewise not illustrated, arranged radially on the inside within the housing2.

An air supply entrance7is provided to cool the hybrid module1. The air supply means is an oval with a short extent of the oval between the sides3and4of the housing2, so that the short extent of the oval is directed toward the combustion engine and the transmission. The air supply entrance7has a stub8of oval design on the outside. The air supply entrance7has a hydraulic cross section9that also is of oval design, with this oval being oriented in a corresponding manner to the outer oval of the stub8.

The inner contour of the stub8and the contour of the hydraulic cross section9, is arranged, with respect to the arrangement of the ellipse, in a corresponding manner to the outer contour of the stub8. As a result, the stub8has a small wall thickness.

The air supply entrance7thus has a relatively large cross section to introduce sufficient cooling air into the hybrid module1. In this case, the hybrid module1, specifically the housing2, can have a relatively narrow construction so as to require little installation space. The oval air supply entrance7has a large cross section and is made easy to mount by the coaxial flanges or screw connections on the left and right sides3and4of the housing2.

The air supply entrance7has an air divider10for dividing the air flow into partial flows, for admitting air to different regions of the hybrid module1. The air divider10is connected to the stub8in the region of the short extent of the oval.