Abstract:
A hydrostatic pump-motor unit ( 35 ) including a clutch assembly ( 43 ) and a pump-motor portion ( 45 ) disposed within a housing assembly ( 51,55,57 ). An intermediate drive shaft ( 21 ) extends through the entire axial extent of the unit ( 35 ) and is surrounded by a hollow shaft member ( 63 ). The housing assembly ( 51,55,57 ) supports the drive shaft ( 21 ) by means of a pair of bearing sets ( 67,71 ), and the hollow shaft member ( 63 ) is supported relative to the housing assembly by means of a pair of bearing sets ( 75,79 ). The pump-motor portion ( 45 ) includes an axial piston cylinder barrel ( 115 ) surrounding the shaft member ( 63 ) and splined thereto. The clutch assembly ( 43 ) is operable to selectively clutch and de-clutch the drive shaft ( 21 ) and the hollow shaft member ( 63 ). Having the drive line extend through the pump-motor unit ( 35 ) substantially improves the packaging of the overall drive system.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a hydrostatic pump-motor unit, and more particularly, to such a unit which is intended for use in a vehicle drive system which also includes a mechanical transmission and drive line. As used herein, the term “drive line” will be understood to mean and include, but not be limited to, a conventional rear wheel drive type of prop shaft.  
           [0002]    The hydrostatic pump-motor unit of the present invention may be used in connection with a variety of vehicle drive systems, but it is especially adapted for use in a vehicle drive system of the type in which torque is transmitted to the drive wheels from a mechanical transmission during part of the operating cycle, and from the hydrostatic unit during the remainder of the operating cycle, and the invention will be described in connection with such a system. It should be understood that for purposes of the present invention, the vehicle drive system may involve the transmission of torque from the hydrostatic unit to the drive wheels in lieu of torque from the mechanical transmission, or in addition to such torque.  
           [0003]    More specifically, the present invention is especially advantageous when utilized as part of a vehicle drive system having regenerative braking capability, although it should be clearly understood that the present invention is not so limited. In such a system, and assuming by way of example only that the vehicle is of the rear wheel drive type, the primary drive torque is transmitted from the engine through the conventional mechanical transmission and then by means of a conventional drive line to the rear drive wheels. During braking (i.e., at any time during a “deceleration-acceleration” cycle,) the braking energy is transmitted to the hydrostatic pump-motor unit, which is then acting as a pump, and charges a high pressure accumulator. When the vehicle is subsequently accelerated, the hydrostatic pump-motor unit operates in a motoring mode, and the high pressure stored in the accumulator is then communicated to the pump-motor unit, and its output torque is transmitted to the vehicle drive line.  
           [0004]    It will be understood by those skilled in the art that there are several reasons why the present invention is especially suited for use in a drive system of the type described above which has regenerative braking capability. First, such a system typically includes not only the high pressure accumulator referred to, but also a low pressure accumulator, and the presence of these two accumulators adds substantial size to the overall drive system, thus making packaging of the system especially challenging.  
           [0005]    Secondly, a hydrostatic pump-motor unit which is being used in a system of the type described above needs to include the capability of being selectively clutched to, or de-clutched from, the main vehicle drive line, which further complicates the packaging of the entire system.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hydrostatic pump-motor unit for use in a vehicle drive system which overcomes the problems described above.  
           [0007]    It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide such an improved pump-motor unit which makes it possible to substantially reduce the overall packaging size of the drive system, as well as the complexity of the drive system.  
           [0008]    The above and other objects of the invention are accomplished by the provision of an improved hydrostatic pump-motor unit adapted for use on a vehicle having a drive system including an engine, a transmission, and a drive line operable to transmit driving torque from the transmission to a drive axle. The hydrostatic pump-motor unit defines a housing including a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port, the housing defining a pumping cavity and disposed therein, a rotatable cylinder barrel defining a plurality of generally axially oriented cylinders, and a piston disposed for a reciprocable movement in each cylinder. The unit includes a swashplate disposed adjacent the barrel and having the pistons in engagement with the swashplate as the cylinder barrel rotates.  
           [0009]    The improved hydrostatic pump-motor unit is characterized by the unit having bearings adapted to fix the location of the housing relative to the drive line. A hollow, generally cylindrical shaft member is adapted to surround the drive line and is surrounded by, and non-rotatably fixed relative to, the cylinder barrel. A clutch assembly is disposed adjacent a first end of the shaft member and includes a first clutch member adapted to be fixed for rotation with the drive line and a second clutch member fixed for rotation with the shaft member. A clutch assembly has a first condition in which the first and second clutch members are out of driving engagement, and a second condition in which the first and second clutch members are in driving engagement. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle drive system of the type with which the pump-motor unit of the present invention is especially well suited.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is an axial cross-section of one embodiment of the entire hydrostatic pump-motor unit of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary axial cross-section similar to FIG. 2, showing primarily the clutch assembly of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary axial cross-section showing only the pump-motor portion, and on a slightly smaller scale than FIG. 3. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]    Referring now to the drawings, which are not intended to limit the invention, FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle drive system of the type with which the present invention is especially well suited. The vehicle shown schematically in FIG. 1 has four drive wheels W, although it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to a vehicle having four wheel drive, but could also be used with a vehicle having only two wheel drive, and in that case, the two drive wheels could be either rear drive wheels or front drive wheels. Operably associated with each of the drive wheels W is a conventional type of wheel brake B, the details of which form no part of the present invention, and the wheel brakes B will be referred to only briefly hereinafter.  
         [0015]    The vehicle includes a vehicle drive system, generally designated  11 , which includes a vehicle engine  13  and a transmission  15 . It should be understood that the particular type of engine  13  and transmission  15  and the construction details thereof form no part of the present invention and therefore, will not be described further herein.  
         [0016]    Extending rearward from the transmission  15  is a drive line, generally designated  17 . In the subject embodiment and by way of example only, the drive line  17  includes a forward drive shaft  19 , an intermediate drive shaft  21  (see FIG. 2), a rearward drive shaft  23 , an inter wheel differential  25  and left and right rear axle shafts  27  and  29 .  
         [0017]    The drive system  11 , in the subject embodiment, also includes left and right forward axle shafts  31  and  33 , respectively. Referring still primarily to FIG. 1, in addition to the “mechanical” elements already described and which are fairly conventional, the drive system  11  also includes a hydrostatic pump-motor unit, generally designated  35 , and disposed forwardly of the pump-motor unit  35  is a valve manifold  37 . Attached to a forward portion of the valve manifold  37  is a low pressure accumulator  39 , and attached to a rear portion of the valve manifold  37  is a high pressure accumulator  41 . It should be understood that the valve manifold  37  and the accumulators  39  and  41  are not essential features of the present invention, and therefore, the construction details of each is not illustrated or described herein. Instead, the general function and operation of each will be described briefly, but only to the extent necessary to describe the several operating modes of the pump-motor unit  35  of the present invention.  
         [0018]    Referring primarily to FIG. 2, the pump-motor unit  35  will be described in somewhat more detail now, and even greater detail in connection with the description of FIGS. 3 and 4. The pump-motor unit  35  includes a clutch assembly, generally designated  43  and a pump-motor portion, generally designated  45 . In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, it may be seen that the intermediate drive shaft  21  extends completely through the hydrostatic pump-motor unit  35  and has, at its forward end, a universal joint coupling (only partially shown)  47  for connection to the forward drive shaft  19 . Similarly, the intermediate drive shaft  21  has, at its rearward end, a universal joint coupling  49 , for connection to the rearward drive shaft  23 .  
         [0019]    Referring still primarily to FIG. 2, the clutch assembly  43  includes a clutch housing  51  which is bolted to a forward flange  53  of a pump-motor housing  55 . Bolted to the rearward surface of the housing  55  is a port housing  57  which defines an inlet port  59  and an outlet port  61 . Typically, the inlet port  59  and outlet port  61  would both be plumbed to the valve manifold  37 . Surrounding a major portion of the axial length of the intermediate drive shaft  21  is a hollow, generally cylindrical shaft member  63 , having its inside diameter radially spaced apart from the outside diameter of the intermediate drive shaft  21 .  
         [0020]    In accordance with another important aspect of the invention, a forward portion  65  of the intermediate drive shaft  21  is rotatably supported, relative to the clutch housing  51 , by means of a ball bearing set  67  while a rearward portion  69  of the intermediate drive shaft  21  is rotatably supported relative to the port housing  57  by means of a ball bearing set  71 . The shaft hollow member  63  includes forward portion  73  which is rotatably supported relative to the pump-motor housing  55  by means of a ball bearing set  75 , while a rearward portion  77  of the shaft member  63  is rotatably supported relative to the port housing  57  by means of a roller bearing set  79 . It should be noted that all of the bearing sets  67 ,  71 ,  75  and  79  are shown only schematically in FIG. 2.  
         [0021]    Referring now primarily to FIG. 3, the clutch assembly  43  will be described in some detail. Disposed within the clutch housing  51  is an enlarged, externally splined portion  81  of the intermediate drive shaft  21 . Surrounding the portion  81  is a clutch pack, including a set of internally splined clutch disks  83 , and interleaved with the disks  83  is a set of externally splined clutch disks  85 , the clutch disks  85  being in splined engagement with a clutch cage  87 . The clutch cage  87  surrounds the clutch pack, and includes a radially extending portion  89  which is in splined engagement at its inner periphery with a set of external splines  91  formed about the forward portion  73  of the shaft member  63 . Thus, the clutch cage  87  is fixed to rotate with the shaft member  63 . Disposed immediately adjacent the radially extending portion  89  is a reaction member  90 , preferably fixed to the portion  89 , the primary function of the reaction member  90  being to provide rigidity to the entire clutch cage  87  whenever the clutch pack is loaded axially (engaged).  
         [0022]    Disposed immediately adjacent the clutch pack (clutch disks  83  and  85 ) is a clutch apply piston  93 , and disposed forwardly (to the left in FIG. 3) of the piston  93  is a ball ramp actuator  95 , including an input ramp plate  97 , an output ramp plate  99 , and a plurality of cam balls  101 . As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the input ramp plate  97  has its axial position, relative to the intermediate drive shaft  21 , fixed by some form of axial retention and bearing arrangement, generally designated  103 , the details of which are not essential features of the invention.  
         [0023]    Disposed radially outwardly of the ball ramp actuator  95  is an electromagnetic coil assembly, generally designated  105 , the function of which is to receive an electrical input signal, such as from the vehicle microprocessor, and initiate actuation of the ball ramp actuator  95 . This is accomplished by the coil assembly  105  generating an electromagnetic field which is intersected by the input ramp plate  97  such that, when the coil assembly  105  is energized, rotation of the input ramp plate  97  is retarded somewhat which, in turn, causes ramping of the cam balls  101  on the ramp surfaces defined by the ramp plates  97  and  99 , thus causing the output ramp plate  99  to be forced rearward (to the right in FIG. 3). Such rearward movement of the output ramp plate  99  overcomes the bias, in a forward direction, caused by a spring member  107 , so that the output ramp plate  99  biases the clutch apply piston  93  rearward to load the clutch disks  83 ,  85 . When such loading is applied to the clutch disks  83 ,  85 , the shaft member  63  will thereafter rotate at the same speed as the intermediate drive shaft  21 . When there is no such loading on the clutch disks  83 ,  85 , the shaft member  63  remains substantially stationary within the stationary pump-motor housing  55 .  
         [0024]    It should be understood by those skilled in the art that, although the clutch assembly  43  is illustrated as including a friction disk and ball ramp actuator type of clutch assembly, the present invention is not so limited. For example, the clutch assembly could be friction disks electro-hydraulically actuated, or could comprise a mechanical dog clutch (and a synchronizer, if necessary) actuated electro-mechanically, or could be whatever other known type of clutch and actuator meets the particular size, cost and operating criteria for the particular vehicle drive line installation.  
         [0025]    Referring now primarily to FIG. 4, the pump-motor portion  45  will be described in some detail, recognizing that the construction details of the pump-motor portion  45  are not, in general, essential features of the present invention. The pump-motor housing  55  defines an internal cavity  111 . As was best seen in FIG. 2, the hollow shaft member  63  extends into and axially through the entire extent of the internal cavity  111 . The shaft member  63  includes a set of external splines  113 , and disposed about that region of the shaft member  63  is a cylinder barrel  115  which includes a set of internal splines  117  in splined engagement with the external splines  113 . Thus, the cylinder barrel  115  is non-rotatable relative to the shaft member  63  but in accordance with a primary aspect of the present invention, the cylinder barrel  115  surrounds the shaft member  63 , and therefore, also surrounds the intermediate drive shaft  21 .  
         [0026]    The cylinder barrel  115  defines a plurality of cylinder bores  119 , and disposed for reciprocating motion within each cylinder bore  119  is a piston  121 . Each piston  121  includes a generally spherical head  123  which is received within a piston shoe (or “slipper”)  125 . The piston shoes  125  are retained in contact with a swashplate  127  in a manner generally well know to those skilled in the art and which forms no part of the present invention. The swashplate  127  is shown in FIG. 4, by way of example only, as being of the “swash and cradle” type although, those skilled in the art will understand that the swashplate  127  could also be of the trunnion type. In the subject embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the swashplate  127  is shown in its neutral (zero displacement) position because the pump-motor portion  45  is of the variable displacement type although, within the scope of the present invention, it would be possible for the pump-motor portion  45  to be of the fixed displacement type.  
         [0027]    Those skilled in the art of drive systems of the type shown in FIG. 1 will understand that for the pump-motor portion  45  to be used in that type of drive system, it would be preferred that the pump-motor portion be of the variable displacement type. However, the particular mechanism by which the displacement of the swashplate  127  may be varied, from the neutral position shown in FIG. 4 toward a maximum displacement position in either direction therefrom, is well know to those skilled in the art, does not form an essential part of the invention, and will not be described herein. It is believed to be sufficient for purposes of this specification to merely point out that the displacement of the swashplate  127  would typically be varied by means of a piston and servo-type arrangement, in response to variations in a control pressure, which would typically be communicated to the pump-motor portion  45  from the valve manifold  37 .  
         [0028]    At the rearward end of the cylinder barrel  115  is a valve plate  129  which defines a plurality of inlet and outlet ports  131 , by means of which the cylinder bores  119  are in cyclical communication with the inlet port  59  and with the outlet port  61 , in a manner well know to those skilled in the art.  
         [0029]    Although the use of the pump-motor unit  35  of the present invention in the drive system  11  shown in FIG. 1 is not an essential feature of the invention, it will be described briefly hereinafter to explain further the structure, function, and some of the benefits of the present invention. During “normal” operation of the drive system, i.e., when the vehicle is travelling along the highway at a generally constant velocity, no signal is being transmitted to the electromagnetic coil assembly  105  which is capable of energizing the coil  105  which, therefore, is in its “OFF” condition. With the coil assembly  105  in its OFF condition, the ball ramp actuator  95  is in its centered, neutral condition, under the influence of the spring member  107 , and the clutch apply piston  93  has no substantial axial load applied thereto. With no load on the apply piston  93 , the clutch disks  83  and  85  are not loaded into engagement but instead are in a “disengaged” condition, such that no torque is being transmitted from the intermediate drive shaft  21  to the hollow shaft member  63 . In this disengaged condition, the shaft member  63  and the cylinder barrel  115  are able to remain stationary within the pump-motor housing  55 , and the swashplate  127  remains in its neutral position shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0030]    In the disengaged condition described above, the drive system  11  operates in a conventional manner, i.e., drive torque from the engine  13  is transmitted by the transmission  15 , and the drive line  17  to the inter-wheel differential  25 , and from there, by means of the left and right rear axle shafts  27  and  29  to the rear drive wheels W. In this disengaged mode of operation, the drive system  11  operates in substantially the same manner as it would if the pump-motor unit  35 , the valve manifold  37  and the accumulators  39  and  41  were not present.  
         [0031]    When it is necessary for the vehicle to decelerate, and the operator begins to depress the vehicle brake pedal, the initial movement of the brake pedal (not shown herein) results in a signal being communicated to both the valve manifold  37  and to the coil assembly  105 , such that two things occur. The first is that the coil assembly  105  is energized, causing ramp-up of the ball ramp actuator  95  and engagement of the clutch disks  83  and  85 , in the manner described previously, such that the hollow shaft member  63  is now fixed to rotate with the intermediate drive shaft  21 . The second result of the brake pedal being depressed is that a signal is received at the valve manifold  37  which then communicates an appropriate control pressure to vary the displacement of the swashplate  127 , and preferably in the system shown, the angle and direction of displacement of the swashplate  127  would correspond generally to the amount of braking “effort” applied by the vehicle operator.  
         [0032]    As a result of the above-described “engagement” operation, the pump-motor portion  45  is now being driven by the drive line  17  and is acting as a pump, such that high pressure fluid is pumped out of the outlet port  61  to the valve manifold  37  and from there to the high pressure accumulator  41 , such that the kinetic energy of the moving vehicle is converted to hydraulic energy, and is “stored” within the accumulator  41 , as the vehicle gradually comes to a stop. Depending upon the amount of braking effort exerted by the vehicle operator, the individual wheel brakes B may also be utilized in bringing the vehicle to a complete stop, although it is probably desirable in such systems to size the pump-motor unit  35  and high pressure accumulator  41  such that all normal braking operations are performed using only the hydraulic system, and the wheel brakes B are needed only in the case of an emergency.  
         [0033]    When it is subsequently desired to accelerate the vehicle from a stop, such as by the operator depressing the accelerator pedal, an appropriate signal is communicated to the hydrostatic pump motor unit  35 , and specifically, to the valve manifold  37 . As a result of the signal indicating a need for vehicle acceleration, the valve manifold  37  communicates a control pressure to move the swashplate  127  “over-center” to an appropriate displacement in which the pump-motor portion  45  will now operate as a motor. In the “motoring” mode of operation, the valve manifold  37  will permit the high pressure fluid stored in the accumulator  41  to flow from the accumulator  41  through the valve manifold  37  to the inlet port  59 , and from there into the cylinder bores  119 . With pressurized fluid in the bores  119 , the cylinder barrel  115  is now being driven and that drive torque is transmitted to the shaft member  63 , and from there through the clutch disks  83  and  85  to the drive line  17 , and specifically, to the intermediate drive shaft  21 .  
         [0034]    Thus, it may be seen that the novel arrangement of the intermediate shaft  21  and the pump-motor unit  35 , in accordance with the present invention, provides a greatly improved packaging of the drive system  11 , compared to the arrangement which would result from the use of the known, prior art axial piston pump and clutch assembly.  
         [0035]    The invention has been described in great detail in the foregoing specification, and it is believed that various alterations and modifications of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading and understanding of the specification. It is intended that all such alterations and modifications are included in the invention, insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims.