Disclosure of Invention
The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Therefore, the invention provides a power system to reduce the energy consumption and the production cost of the whole vehicle.
The invention further provides a vehicle.
The power system comprises an engine, a clutch, a transmission, a second motor, a power battery, a first differential mechanism, a second motor, a motor output shaft and a power battery, wherein the first input shaft and the output shaft are selectively connected with the engine through the clutch, a driving gear and a first driving gear for series connection are fixedly arranged on the first input shaft, an adapter and a first driven gear are arranged on the output shaft, the adapter is used for connecting the output shaft and the first driven gear, the first differential mechanism is connected with the first motor, the motor output shaft of the second motor is provided with a driven gear for series connection, the driven gear for series connection is in transmission connection with the driving gear for series connection, and the first end of the power battery is connected with the first motor, and the second end of the power battery is connected with the second motor.
According to the power system provided by the embodiment of the invention, the path between the second motor and the engine is short, namely, the transmission connection can be realized by directly passing through the motor output shaft and the first input shaft, so that the transmission loss is low, the whole vehicle energy consumption is reduced, the transmission parts are reduced, the production cost is reduced, and the transmission efficiency of the power battery is higher.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the power system further comprises a controller configured to control the engine to operate in a high efficiency operation interval and to control the adapter to disconnect the first driven gear and the output shaft when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset series control strategy, and to form a series transmission path through the engine, the clutch, the first input shaft, the drive gear for series connection, the driven gear for series connection, the second motor, the power battery, the first motor, the first differential to enter a preset series control mode.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the power system further comprises a second differential in driving connection with the output shaft, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate in a high efficiency operation interval and to control the coupler to couple the first driven gear and the output shaft when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset first preset power-assisted control strategy, and to form a first mechanical transmission path through the engine, the clutch, the first input shaft, the first driving gear, the first driven gear, the coupler, the output shaft, the second differential, and to enter a first preset power-assisted control mode through the second motor, the driven gear for series connection, the first input shaft, the first driving gear, the first driven gear, the coupler, the output shaft, the second differential.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate in a high efficiency operating interval and to control the adapter to couple the first driven gear and the output shaft and form a first mechanical transmission path through the engine, the clutch, the first input shaft, the first drive gear, the first driven gear, the adapter, the output shaft, the second differential, and a first electric transmission path through the power battery, the first electric machine, and the first differential when the obtained vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset first preset parallel control strategy, to enter a first preset parallel control mode.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate at a high efficiency and to control the coupling to couple the first driven gear and the output shaft when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a first preset cooperative control strategy, and to form a first mechanical transmission path through the engine, the clutch, the first input shaft, the first driving gear, the first driven gear, the coupling, the output shaft, the second differential, and a power generation transmission path through the engine, the clutch, the first input shaft, the driving gear for series connection, the driven gear for series connection, the second electric machine, the power battery to enter a first preset cooperative control strategy mode.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the clutch is a double clutch and comprises a first clutch and a second clutch, the transmission further comprises a second input shaft, the first input shaft is selectively connected with the engine through the first clutch, the second input shaft is selectively connected with the engine through the second clutch, a second driving gear is arranged on the second input shaft, a second driven gear is arranged on the output shaft, and the second driven gear is meshed with the second driving gear.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate in a high efficiency operation range and to control the adapter to disconnect the first driven gear and the output shaft and form a second mechanical transmission path through the engine, the second clutch, the second input shaft, the second drive gear, the second driven gear, the output shaft, the second differential, and form a second power transmission path through the second motor, the series driven gear, the series drive gear, the first input shaft, the first clutch, the second input shaft, the second drive gear, the second driven gear, the output shaft, the second differential to enter a second preset power control mode when the obtained vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset second preset power control strategy.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate in a high efficiency operation interval and to control the adapter to couple the first driven gear and the output shaft and form a second mechanical transmission path through the engine, the second clutch, the second input shaft, the second drive gear, the second driven gear, the output shaft, the second differential, and form a second power transmission path through the second motor, the series driven gear, the series drive gear, the first input shaft, the first drive gear, the first driven gear, the adapter, the output shaft, the second differential to enter a third preset power control mode when the obtained vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset third preset power control strategy.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate in a high efficiency operation interval and to control the adapter to disconnect the first driven gear and the output shaft and form a second mechanical transmission path through the engine, the second clutch, the second input shaft, the second drive gear, the second driven gear, the output shaft, the second differential, and form a power generation transmission path through the engine, the first clutch, the first input shaft, the driving gear for tandem, the driven gear for tandem, the second electric machine, the power cell to enter a second preset cooperative control strategy mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a second preset cooperative control strategy.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate in a high efficiency operating interval and to control the adapter to disconnect the first driven gear and the output shaft and form a second mechanical transmission path through the engine, the second clutch, the second input shaft, the second drive gear, the second driven gear, the output shaft, the second differential, and form a first electric transmission path through the power battery, the first electric machine, and the first differential to enter a second preset parallel control mode when the obtained vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset second preset parallel control strategy.
According to some embodiments of the invention, a third driving gear is arranged on the second input shaft, a third driven gear is arranged on the output shaft, the third driven gear is meshed with the third driving gear, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate in a high-efficiency operation interval and control the adapter to disconnect the first driven gear and the output shaft when the acquired vehicle parameter information meets a fourth preset power assisting control strategy, and a third mechanical path is formed through the engine, the second clutch, the second input shaft, the third driving gear, the third driven gear, the output shaft and the second differential, and a fourth preset power assisting control mode is formed through the second motor, the driven gear for series connection, the driving gear for series connection, the first input shaft, the first clutch, the second input shaft, the third driving gear, the third driven gear, the output shaft and the second differential.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate in a high efficiency operation interval and to control the coupler to couple the first driven gear and the output shaft, and to form a third mechanical path through the engine, the second clutch, the second input shaft, the third driving gear, the third driven gear, the output shaft, the second differential, and to form a first transmission path through the second motor, the driven gear for series connection, the driving gear for series connection, the first input shaft, the first driving gear, the first driven gear, the coupler, the output shaft, the second differential to enter a fifth preset boost control mode when the obtained vehicle parameter information satisfies a fourth preset boost control strategy.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate in a high efficiency operation interval and to control the coupler to disconnect the first driven gear and the output shaft and form a third mechanical transmission path through the engine, the second clutch, the second input shaft, the third driving gear, the third driven gear, the output shaft, the second differential, and form a power generation transmission path through the engine, the first clutch, the first input shaft, the driving gear for tandem, the driven gear for tandem, the second electric machine, the power battery to enter a third preset cooperative control strategy mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a third preset cooperative control strategy.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the controller is further configured to control the engine to operate in a high efficiency operating interval and to control the adapter to disconnect the first driven gear and the output shaft and form a third mechanical transmission path through the engine, the second clutch, the second input shaft, the third drive gear, the third driven gear, the output shaft, the second differential, and form a first electric transmission path through the power battery, the first electric machine, and the first differential to enter a third preset parallel control mode when the obtained vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset third preset parallel control strategy.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the second driving gear and the third driving gear are fixed on the second input shaft, a first synchronizer is arranged on the output shaft, the third driven gear and the second driven gear are arranged on two sides of the first synchronizer so as to share the first synchronizer, or a first half synchronizer and a second half synchronizer are arranged on the output shaft, the first half synchronizer is used for coupling or decoupling the second driven gear, and the second half synchronizer is used for coupling or decoupling the third driven gear.
According to some embodiments of the invention, a transmission chain or an intermediate gear for series connection is arranged between the driving gear for series connection and the driven gear for series connection, at least one intermediate gear for series connection is arranged, and the coupler is a synchronizer or a clutch.
A vehicle according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the invention comprises the power system of the above embodiment.
Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
Detailed Description
Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The following describes a power system S according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to fig. 1 to 3, and the present invention also proposes a vehicle having the above power system S.
As shown in fig. 1-3, a power system S according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention includes an engine 220, a clutch, a transmission 100, a first motor 250, a first differential 260, a second motor 210, and a power battery 270, wherein the transmission 100 includes a first input shaft 11 and an output shaft 20, and wherein the clutch can control engagement and disengagement between the engine 220 and the first input shaft 11, i.e., it can control whether the engine 220 outputs power. The first differential 260 is provided with a first differential driven gear, and the first motor 250 and the first differential 260 are driven by the driven gear to transmit the power of the first motor 250 to the first differential 260. In this way, the first motor 250 can be operated alone when the engine 220 is not operated, so that the power performance of the vehicle can be ensured, and the driving mode of the vehicle can be enriched.
The first input shaft 11 may be selectively connected to the engine 220 via a clutch, the first input shaft 11 is provided with a driving gear 4a for serial connection, the motor output shaft 211 of the second motor 210 is provided with a driven gear 212 for serial connection, and the driven gear 212 for serial connection is in driving connection with the driving gear 4a for serial connection. That is, the first input shaft 11 and the second motor 210 are in driving connection with each other through the driven gear 212 for tandem and the driving gear 4a for tandem. In this way, the transmission path between the first input shaft 11 and the second motor 210 is short, and thus, transmission loss is small, thereby reducing the overall vehicle power consumption, and the required transmission components are reduced, thereby reducing the production cost.
Further, when the power battery 270 needs to be charged, the engine 220 is in driving connection with the first input shaft 11, and the first input shaft 11 and the motor output shaft 211 are in driving connection with each other through the driving gear 4a for serial connection and the driven gear 212 for serial connection, so that the engine 220 can provide power for the second motor 210, and the second motor 210 converts the power into electric power and stores the electric power in the power battery 270.
And, the first input shaft 11 is further provided with a first driving gear 1a, and the output shaft 20 is provided with an adapter and a first driven gear 1b. That is, when the second motor 210 needs to be in driving connection with the output shaft 20, the second motor 210 may be first in driving connection with the first input shaft 11 through the driven gear 212 for serial connection and the driving gear 4a for serial connection, the first driving gear 1a on the first input shaft 11 and the first driven gear 1b on the output shaft 20 mesh-drive, and the coupling engages the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20, so that it is possible to transmit the power of the second motor 210 to the output shaft 20.
Therefore, the path between the second motor 210 and the engine 220 is short, that is, the transmission connection can be realized directly through the motor output shaft 211 and the first input shaft 11, so that the transmission loss is less, the whole vehicle energy consumption is reduced, the transmission required parts are reduced, the production cost is reduced, and the transmission efficiency of the power battery 270 is higher.
The power system S further includes a controller configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high-efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to disconnect the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20 and to form a series transmission path through the engine 220, the clutch, the first input shaft 11, the driving gear 4a for series connection, the driven gear 212 for series connection, the second motor 210, the power battery 270, the first motor 250, and the first differential 260 to enter a preset series control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset series control strategy. That is, when the vehicle selects the preset series control strategy, the engine 220, the second motor 210 and the first motor 250 are all in operation, the clutch is engaged, the engine 220 outputs power to the transmission 100 through the clutch, the first input shaft 11 transmits power to the second motor 210 through the driving gear 4a for series connection and the driven gear 212 for series connection, the second motor 210 converts mechanical energy of the engine 220 into electric energy, and when driving required energy is smaller than the converted electric energy, the second motor 210 transmits a part of the electric energy to wheels to drive the vehicle, and the rest of the electric energy is used to charge the power battery 270. When the driving required energy is equal to the converted electric energy, the second electric motor 210 outputs the electric energy to the wheels entirely to drive the vehicle. The wheels may be front wheels of the vehicle or rear wheels of the vehicle. Of course, the power battery 270 may also transmit kinetic energy to the wheels through the first electric machine 250 and the first differential 260.
In this way, the series transmission path of the power system S is short, so that the transmission loss is small, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the whole vehicle, and the transmission required components are reduced, thereby reducing the production cost.
In order to describe the present embodiment in more detail, in the present embodiment, the vehicle parameter information includes a vehicle speed. In addition, the preset series control strategy in the present embodiment includes determining that the vehicle parameter information satisfies the preset series control strategy when the vehicle speed is lower than a first preset threshold (e.g., 40 km/h). It should be noted that, the vehicle generally travels in a non-high-speed road condition for a long time, so that the possibility of low-speed traveling is relatively high, and therefore, the vehicle is controlled to travel mainly in a series control mode, so that the energy consumption of the whole vehicle is reduced, and the fuel consumption of the whole vehicle is reduced.
In addition, in order to further improve the technical solution of the present embodiment, the vehicle parameter information further includes electric quantity information of the power battery 270, and the preset series control strategy in this embodiment includes determining that the vehicle parameter information satisfies the preset series control strategy when the vehicle speed is lower than a first preset threshold and an electric quantity value corresponding to the electric quantity information is lower than a first preset electric quantity value (for example: 70%), and determining that the vehicle parameter information does not satisfy the preset series control strategy when the vehicle speed is lower than the first preset threshold and the electric quantity value corresponding to the electric quantity information is higher than the first preset electric quantity value. Meanwhile, when the controller judges that the vehicle parameter information meets the preset series control strategy, the vehicle is controlled to enter a series control mode, and when the controller judges that the vehicle parameter information does not meet the preset series control strategy, the vehicle is controlled to enter a pure electric control mode so as to control the engine 220 not to enter a working state, so that the fuel consumption is reduced, and the fuel consumption of the whole vehicle is further reduced.
It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the vehicle parameter information may further include air conditioner operation information and/or light usage information, that is, the situation that the number of accessed high-power consumption devices is large is small, and the first preset electric quantity value may be intelligently increased. For example, when the total power of the connected high-power consumption equipment is larger than A (100W), the first preset electric quantity value is set as a (for example: 80%), and when the total power of the high-power consumption equipment is smaller than A, the second preset electric quantity value is set as b (for example: 60%), so that different electric quantity values can be set according to different power requirements, normal operation of the power consumption equipment can be ensured, and energy consumption of the mechanical energy converted into electric energy of the engine 220 can be reduced, thereby reducing energy consumption of the whole vehicle.
In this way, when the controller determines that the preset series control strategy is met according to the obtained vehicle parameter information, the engine 220 is controlled to operate in the high-efficiency operation region, and the power system S is controlled to enter the series control mode, because the engine 220 operates in the high-efficiency operation region, the energy output by the engine 220 is generally higher than the energy required for driving, therefore, a part of energy is used for driving the vehicle and the rest energy is used for charging the power battery 270 through controlling the power system S to enter the series control mode, so that the purpose of reducing the energy consumption of the whole vehicle is achieved.
In addition, the engine 220 of the present embodiment mainly operates in a high-efficiency operation region, and thus, the possibility of low-rotation speed or high-rotation speed operation of the engine 220 is reduced, thereby extending the service life of the engine 220.
In addition, the main purpose of the present embodiment is to control the power transmission system to mainly operate in the series control mode, so that the pure electric drive is only used as an auxiliary drive mode, so that the battery capacity of the power battery 270 of the present embodiment may not need to be set large, thereby reducing the accommodating space requirement of the power battery 270 and reducing the purchase cost of the power battery 270.
Further, the high efficiency operation interval of the present embodiment, that is, the rotation speed of the engine 220 is between (2000-3000 r/min).
As shown in fig. 1-3, the first input shaft 11 is provided with a first driving gear 1a, the output shaft 20 is provided with a first driven gear 1b, the first driven gear 1b is meshed with the first driving gear 1a, and the power system S further includes a second differential 230, where the second differential 230 is in driving connection with the output shaft 20. That is, the first input shaft 11 and the output shaft 20 may be in driving connection with each other through the first driving gear 1a and the first driven gear 1b.
And, the controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate and the coupling to couple the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20 and form a first mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the clutch, the first input shaft 11, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the output shaft 20, and the second differential 230 to enter a first preset direct drive control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a first preset direct drive control strategy. That is, at this time, the engine 220 may be drivingly connected with the second differential 230 through the first input shaft 11 and the output shaft 20. Further, a driving connection is achieved between the first input shaft 11 and the output shaft 20 through the first driving gear 1a and the first driven gear 1 b. At this time, the engine 220 may directly output power through the first input shaft 11 and the output shaft 20. The output shaft 20 is provided with a first output gear 27, the second differential 230 is provided with a second differential driven gear, and the first output gear 27 is meshed with the second differential driven gear for transmission.
In this embodiment, the first driving gear 1a and the first driven gear 1b are two-gear mechanical gears of this embodiment, and the speed ratio interval is 4-5, which corresponds to the speed ratio between the fourth gear and the fifth gear in the related art.
To explain the present embodiment in more detail, the first driving gear 1a and the first driven gear 1b in the present embodiment may be a medium speed gear pair. The vehicle parameter information includes a vehicle speed. In addition, the preset direct-drive control strategy in the embodiment includes determining that the vehicle parameter information satisfies the preset direct-drive control strategy when the vehicle speed is higher than a first preset threshold (e.g., 40 km/h) and lower than a second preset threshold (e.g., 75 km/h).
The embodiment meets the medium-speed driving requirement of the vehicle by setting the second gear mechanical gear.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high-efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to couple the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20, and to form a first mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the clutch, the first input shaft 11, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the coupling, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, and to form a first booster transmission path through the second motor 210, the driven gear 212 for series connection, the driving gear 4a for series connection, the first input shaft 11, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the coupling, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, to enter a first preset booster control mode, when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset first preset booster control strategy. That is, the engine 220 may form a first mechanical transmission path to the second differential gear 230 through the first input shaft 11 and the output shaft 20, and the second motor 210 may also form a first power transmission path through the driven gear 212 for tandem, the driving gear 4a for tandem, the first input shaft 11, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the coupling, the output shaft 20, and the second differential gear 230 to the second differential gear 230. Therefore, the two parts of power are coupled at the output shaft 20 and the second differential mechanism 230 and then output in common, and in the hybrid mode, the second motor 210 can regulate speed, so that the second differential mechanism 230 can synchronously receive the power from the engine 220 and the second motor 210 in a balanced manner, and the smoothness and coordination of transmission are improved.
According to the embodiment, when the vehicle parameter information determines that the first preset power-assisted control strategy is met, the engine 220 is controlled to operate in a high-efficiency operation interval, and when the energy output by the engine 220 is lower than the energy required for driving, the rotation speed of the engine 220 is not required to be increased, and the energy compensation can be directly performed through the second motor 210, so that the time of the engine 220 operating in the high-efficiency operation interval is increased, the possibility of the engine 220 operating in the high rotation speed and the low rotation speed is reduced, and the service life of the engine 220 is prolonged.
The first driving gear 1a and the first driven gear 1b of the present embodiment are intermediate speed transmission gear pairs on the basis of the present embodiment, and on the basis of the engine 220 driving the intermediate speed transmission gear pairs, energy is supplied through the second motor 210 in a power-assisted manner, thereby achieving a smooth and rapid low-speed boost to intermediate speed.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to couple the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20, and to form a first mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the clutch, the first input shaft 11, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the coupling, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, and to form a first electric transmission path through the power battery 270, the first motor 250, and the first differential 260 to enter a first preset parallel control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset first preset parallel control strategy. That is, at this point the first motor 250 may drive the first differential 260 and the engine 220 may drive the second differential 230. Specifically, the engine 220 is in driving connection with the second differential 230 through the clutch, the first input shaft 11, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the output shaft 20 and the second differential 230, and the first motor 250 may power the first differential 260. In this way, under the first preset parallel control mode, the first motor 250 can perform speed regulation, so that the first differential 260 and the second differential 230 can synchronously receive the power from the engine 220 and the second motor 210 in a balanced manner, and the smoothness and coordination of transmission are improved. And the first electric transmission path is shorter, and the transmission efficiency is high.
The first driving gear 1a and the first driven gear 1b of the present embodiment are intermediate speed transmission gear pairs on the basis of the present embodiment, and on the basis of the engine 220 driving the intermediate speed transmission gear pairs, energy is supplied through the second motor 210 in parallel, thereby realizing low-speed smooth and rapid lifting to the intermediate speed.
According to the embodiment, when the vehicle parameter information determines that the first preset parallel control strategy is met, the engine 220 is controlled to operate in a high-efficiency operation interval, so that when the energy output by the engine 220 is lower than the energy required for driving, the energy compensation can be directly performed through the first motor 250 without increasing the rotating speed of the engine 220, thereby increasing the time of the engine 220 operating in the high-efficiency operation interval, reducing the possibility of the engine 220 operating in the high rotating speed and the low rotating speed, and further prolonging the service life of the engine 220. In addition, the first motor 250 performs energy compensation through the first electric transmission path, and the energy loss of the whole vehicle is further reduced due to the short transmission path of the first electric transmission path.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high-efficiency operation and to control the coupling to couple the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20 when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies the first preset cooperative control strategy, and to form a first mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the clutch, the first input shaft 11, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the coupling, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, and a power generation transmission path through the engine 220, the clutch, the first input shaft 11, the driving gear 4a for tandem, the driven gear 212 for tandem, the second motor 210, and the power battery 270 to enter the first preset cooperative control strategy mode. That is, when the engine 220 is drivingly connected with the first input shaft 11 through a clutch, the first input shaft 11 may transmit power to the second motor 210 through the meshed transmission of the driving gear 4a for series connection and the driven gear 212 for series connection, so that the second motor 210 may generate electricity and transmit the electricity to the power battery 270 to form an electricity generation transmission path. And, the engine 220 may be drivingly connected to the first input shaft 11 through a clutch, the first driving gear 1a on the first input shaft 11 is engaged with the first driven gear 1b on the output shaft 20, and the first driven gear 1b is engaged with the output shaft 20 through an adapter, so that the first input shaft 11 and the output shaft 20 may be drivingly connected, and then the first output gear 27 on the output shaft 20 is engaged with the second differential driven gear, so that a first mechanical transmission path may be formed. The first mechanical transmission path and the power generation transmission path may cooperate to constitute a first preset cooperative control strategy mode, at which time the engine 220 may perform power output through engagement of the first driving gear 1a and the first driven gear 1b, and power generation through the driving gear 4a for tandem connection. I.e., the generation of electricity by the second motor 210 is achieved while normal running of the vehicle is not affected.
When the vehicle parameter information determines that the first preset cooperative control strategy is satisfied, the present embodiment controls the engine 220 to operate in a high-efficiency operation interval and controls the first synchronizer 26 to engage the driving gear 4a for series connection, so that when the energy output by the engine 220 is higher than the energy required for driving, a part of the energy is used for driving the vehicle, and the rest of the energy is converted into electric energy by the second motor 210 and is output to the power battery 270 to charge the power battery 270, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the engine 220.
It should be noted that, the vehicle parameter information in the present embodiment may be an electric quantity.
Electric quantity |
Mode of operation |
Function of |
C<70% |
Preset cooperative control mode |
Drive and power generation synergy |
C≥70% |
Pure electric control mode |
Pure electric drive |
1-3, Wherein the clutches are dual clutches 240, and the dual clutches 240 include a first clutch 241 and a second clutch 242, and the transmission 100 further includes a second input shaft 12, that is, the first input shaft 11 is selectively connected to the engine 220 via the first clutch 241 and the second input shaft 12 is selectively connected to the engine 220 via the second clutch 242. Further, a second driving gear 2a is provided on the second input shaft 12, a second driven gear 2b is provided on the output shaft 20, and the second driven gear 2b meshes with the second driving gear 2 a.
As such, the controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate and form a second mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the second driving gear 2a, the second driven gear 2b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230 to enter a second preset direct drive control strategy mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a second preset direct drive control strategy. That is, at this time, the engine 220 may be drivingly connected to the second differential 230 through the second input shaft 12 and the output shaft 20. Further, a driving connection is achieved between the second input shaft 12 and the output shaft 20 through a second driving gear 2a and a second driven gear 2 b.
In this embodiment, the second driving gear 2a and the second driven gear 2b are three-gear mechanical gears of this embodiment, and the speed ratio interval is 2-3, which corresponds to the speed ratio between six gears and seven gears in the related art. The embodiment meets the high-speed driving requirement of the vehicle by setting the three-gear mechanical gear.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high-efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to disconnect the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20 and form a second mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the second driving gear 2a, the second driven gear 2b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, and form a second power transmission path through the second motor 210, the driven gear 212 for series connection, the driving gear 4a for series connection, the first input shaft 11, the first clutch 241, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the second driving gear 2a, the second driven gear 2b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230 to enter a second preset power control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset second power control strategy. That is, the controller controls the coupling to disconnect the transmission connection between the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20, so that the engine 220 can implement the second mechanical transmission path through the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the second driving gear 2a, the second driven gear 2b, the output shaft 20 and the second differential 230, and the second motor 210 can implement the second power transmission path through the driven gear 212 for series connection, the driving gear 4a for series connection, the first input shaft 11, the first clutch 241, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the second driving gear 2a, the second driven gear 2b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, the power of the engine 220 and the second motor 210 is combined at the second differential 230, so that the second preset power-assisted control mode can be entered, so that the second motor 210 can be speed-adjusted, so that the second differential 230 can receive the power from the engine 220 and the second motor 210 in a balanced and synchronous manner, improving the smoothness and coordination of transmission.
In this embodiment, when it is determined according to the vehicle parameter information that the second preset power-assisted control strategy is satisfied, the engine 220 is controlled to operate in the high-efficiency operation interval, and the second driving gear 2a and the second driven gear 2b are controlled to mesh, so that when the energy output by the engine 220 is lower than the energy required for driving, the rotational speed of the engine 220 is not required to be increased, the energy compensation can be directly performed through the second motor 210, thereby increasing the time when the engine 220 operates in the high-efficiency operation interval, reducing the possibility that the engine 220 operates in the high rotational speed and the low rotational speed, and further prolonging the service life of the engine 220.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high-efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to couple the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20, and to form a second mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the second driving gear 2a, the second driven gear 2b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, and to form a second power transmission path through the second motor 210, the driven gear 212 for series connection, the driving gear 4a for series connection, the first input shaft 11, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the coupling, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230 to enter a third preset power control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset third preset power control strategy. That is, the second motor 210 may realize the second power transmission path through the driven gear 212 for series, the driving gear 4a for series, the first input shaft 11, the first clutch 241, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the output shaft 20, and the second differential gear 230, that is, the second motor 210 may transmit to the second differential gear 230 through the driven gear 212 for series, the driving gear 4a for series, the first input shaft 11, the second input shaft 12, and the output shaft 20, so that the third power transmission path may be realized, and the second mechanical transmission path of the engine 220 may be combined, so that the third preset power control mode may be realized. In this mode, the second electric machine 210 may be speed-regulated, so that the second differential 230 can synchronously receive power from the engine 220 and the second electric machine 210 in a balanced manner, thereby improving the smoothness and coordination of transmission.
In this embodiment, when it is determined according to the vehicle parameter information that the third preset power-assisted control strategy is satisfied, the engine 220 is controlled to operate in the high-efficiency operation interval, and the first driving gear 1a and the first driven gear 1b are controlled to mesh, so that when the energy output by the engine 220 is lower than the energy required for driving, the rotational speed of the engine 220 is not required to be increased, the energy compensation can be directly performed through the second motor 210, so that the time of the engine 220 operating in the high-efficiency operation interval is increased, the possibility of the engine 220 operating in the high rotational speed and the low rotational speed is reduced, and the service life of the engine 220 is further prolonged.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to disconnect the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20 and form a second mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the second driving gear 2a, the second driven gear 2b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, and a first electric transmission path through the power battery 270, the first motor 250, and the first differential 260 to enter a second preset parallel control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset second preset parallel control strategy. That is, at this point the first motor 250 may drive the first differential 260 and the engine 220 may drive the second differential 230. Specifically, the engine 220 is in driving connection with the second differential 230 through the first clutch 241, the first input shaft 11, the second driving gear 2a, the second driven gear 2b, the output shaft 20 and the second differential 230, and the first motor 250 may power the first differential 260. In this way, under the second preset parallel control mode, the first motor 250 can perform speed regulation, so that the first differential 260 and the second differential 230 can synchronously receive the power from the engine 220 and the second motor 210 in a balanced manner, and the smoothness and coordination of transmission are improved.
According to the embodiment, when the second preset parallel control strategy is determined to be satisfied according to the vehicle parameter information, the engine 220 is controlled to operate in the high-efficiency operation interval, so that when the energy output by the engine 220 is lower than the energy required for driving, the energy compensation can be directly performed through the first motor 250 without increasing the rotation speed of the engine 220, thereby increasing the time of the engine 220 operating in the high-efficiency operation interval, reducing the possibility of the engine 220 operating in the high rotation speed and the low rotation speed, and further prolonging the service life of the engine 220. In addition, the first motor 250 performs energy compensation through the electric transmission path, and the energy consumption of the whole vehicle is further reduced due to the short transmission path of the electric transmission path.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high-efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to disconnect the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20 and form a second mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the second driving gear 2a, the second driven gear 2b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230 and form a power generation transmission path through the engine 220, the first clutch 241, the first input shaft 11, the driving gear 4a for series connection, the driven gear 212 for series connection, the second motor 210, the power battery 270 to enter a second preset cooperative control strategy mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a second preset cooperative control strategy. That is, the dual clutch 240 is simultaneously driven with the first input shaft 11 and the second input shaft 12, so that the engine 220 can transmit power to the second motor 210 by meshing the driving gear 4a for series connection and the driven gear 212 for series connection when being drivingly connected with the second input shaft 12 through the second clutch 242, thereby allowing the second motor 210 to generate electricity and transmit the electricity to the power battery 270 to form an electricity generation transmission path. And, the second input shaft 12 may transmit power to the output shaft 20 through the meshing transmission of the second driving gear 2a and the second driven gear 2b, and transmit power to the second differential 230 through the output shaft 20 to form a second mechanical transmission path. The second mechanical transmission path and the power generation transmission path may cooperate to form a second preset cooperative control strategy mode, at which time the engine 220 may perform power output through the second driving gear 2a and power generation through the series driving gear 4a, that is, power generation of the second motor 210 is performed while normal running of the vehicle is not affected.
In this embodiment, when it is determined according to the vehicle parameter information that the second preset cooperative control strategy is satisfied, the engine 220 is controlled to operate in a high-efficiency operation interval, so when the energy output by the engine 220 is higher than the energy required for driving, a part of the energy is used for driving the vehicle, and the rest of the energy is converted into electric energy by the second motor 210 and is output to the power battery 270, so as to charge the power battery 270, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the engine 220.
It should be noted that, the vehicle parameter information in the present embodiment may be an electric quantity.
Electric quantity |
Mode of operation |
Function of |
C<70% |
Preset cooperative control mode |
Drive and power generation synergy |
C≥70% |
Pure electric control mode |
Pure electric drive |
As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the second input shaft 12 is provided with a third driving gear 3a, the output shaft 20 is provided with a third driven gear 3b, and the third driven gear 3b is engaged with the third driving gear 3 a.
As such, the controller is configured to control the engine 220 to operate and form a third mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the third driving gear 3a, the third driven gear 3b, the output shaft 20, and the second differential 230 to enter a third preset direct drive control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a third preset direct drive control strategy. That is, at this time, the engine 220 may be drivingly connected with the second differential 230 through the first input shaft 11 and the output shaft 20. Further, a transmission connection is achieved between the first input shaft 11 and the output shaft 20 through a third driving gear 3a and a third driven gear 3 b.
In this embodiment, the third driving gear 3a and the third driven gear 3b are the first gear mechanical gear of this embodiment, and the speed ratio interval is 7-9, which corresponds to the speed ratio between the second gear and the third gear in the related art.
In addition, the vehicle of the embodiment operates in the series control mode under the condition of low-speed (< 45 km/h) operation, and only the medium-speed gear pair, the high-speed gear pair and the rapid acceleration gear pair are required to be reserved, so that the whole driving requirement of the vehicle can be met. The embodiment adopts a first gear mechanical gear as a rapid acceleration gear pair to realize acceleration transmission. Therefore, the present embodiment reduces the number of gear pairs required, both the volume of the transmission 100 and the cost of the transmission 100, compared to the gear pairs of the transmission 100 in the related art.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high-efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to disconnect the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20 and form a third mechanical path through the engine 220, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the third driving gear 3a, the third driven gear 3b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, and form a third transmission path through the second motor 210, the driven gear 212 for series connection, the driving gear 4a for series connection, the first input shaft 11, the first clutch 241, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the third driving gear 3a, the third driven gear 3b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230 to enter a fourth preset assist control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a fourth preset assist control strategy. That is, the second motor 210 may implement the third transmission path through the driven gear 212 for series connection, the driving gear 4a for series connection, the first input shaft 11, the first clutch 241, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the third driving gear 3a, the third driven gear 3b, the output shaft 20, and the second differential 230, that is, the second motor 210 is transmitted to the second differential 230 through the first input shaft 11, the second input shaft 12, and the output shaft 20, so that the third transmission path may be implemented, and the second mechanical transmission path of the engine 220 may be combined, so that the fourth preset assist control mode may be implemented. In this mode, the second electric machine 210 may be speed-regulated, so that the second differential 230 can synchronously receive power from the engine 220 and the second electric machine 210 in a balanced manner, thereby improving the smoothness and coordination of transmission.
According to the present embodiment, when it is determined that the fourth preset power-assisted control strategy is satisfied according to the vehicle parameter information, the engine 220 is controlled to operate in the high-efficiency operation interval, and when the energy output by the engine 220 is lower than the energy required for driving, the rotation speed of the engine 220 is not required to be increased, and the energy compensation can be directly performed through the second motor 210, so that the time of the engine 220 operating in the high-efficiency operation interval is increased, the possibility of the engine 220 operating in the high rotation speed and the low rotation speed is reduced, and the service life of the engine 220 is further prolonged.
The third driving gear 3a and the third driven gear 3b of the present embodiment are a sudden acceleration gear pair on the basis of the present embodiment, and on the basis of the engine 220 driving the sudden acceleration gear pair, energy is supplied through the second motor 210 in a power-assisted manner, so that the hundred-meter sudden acceleration performance of the whole vehicle is improved.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high-efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to couple the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20, and to form a third mechanical path through the engine 220, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the third driving gear 3a, the third driven gear 3b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, and to form a first transmission path through the second motor 210, the driven gear 212 for series connection, the driving gear 4a for series connection, the first input shaft 11, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the coupling, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230 to enter a fifth preset assist control mode when the obtained vehicle parameter information satisfies a fifth preset assist control strategy.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high-efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to disconnect the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20 and form a third mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the third driving gear 3a, the third driven gear 3b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, and form a power generation transmission path through the engine 220, the first clutch 241, the first input shaft 11, the driving gear 4a for series connection, the driven gear 212 for series connection, the second motor 210, the power battery 270 to enter a third preset cooperative control strategy mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies the third preset cooperative control strategy. That is, the controller controls the coupling to disconnect the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20, so that the engine 220, when drivingly connected with the first input shaft 11 through the first clutch 241, may transmit power to the second motor 210 through the meshed transmission of the driving gear 4a for series connection and the driven gear 212 for series connection, thereby allowing the second motor 210 to generate electricity and transmit the electricity to the power battery 270 to form a power generation transmission path. And, the second input shaft 12 may also transmit power to the output shaft 20 through the third driving gear 3a and the third driven gear 3b mesh transmission, and transmit power to the second differential 230 through the output shaft 20 to form a third mechanical transmission path. The third mechanical transmission path and the power generation transmission path may cooperate to constitute a third preset cooperative control strategy mode, at which time the engine 220 may perform power output through the third driving gear 3a and power generation through the series driving gear 4 a. I.e., the generation of electricity by the second motor 210 is achieved while normal running of the vehicle is not affected.
In the embodiment, when it is determined according to the vehicle parameter information that the third preset cooperative control strategy is satisfied, the engine 220 is controlled to operate in a high-efficiency operation interval, and when the energy output by the engine 220 is higher than the energy required for driving, a part of the energy is used for driving the vehicle, and the rest of the energy is converted into electric energy by the second motor 210 and is output to the power battery 270, so as to charge the power battery 270, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the engine 220.
The controller is further configured to control the engine 220 to operate in a high efficiency operation section and to control the coupling to disconnect the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20 and form a third mechanical transmission path through the engine 220, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the third driving gear 3a, the third driven gear 3b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230, and a first electric transmission path through the power battery 270, the first motor 250, and the first differential 260 to enter a third preset parallel control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a preset third preset parallel control strategy. That is, at this point the first motor 250 may drive the first differential 260 and the engine 220 may drive the second differential 230. Specifically, the engine 220 is in driving connection with the second differential 230 via the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the third driving gear 3a, the third driven gear 3b, the output shaft 20 and the second differential 230, and the first motor 250 may power the first differential 260. In this way, under the third preset parallel control mode, the second motor 210 can perform speed regulation, so that the first differential 260 and the second differential 230 can synchronously receive the power from the engine 220 and the second motor 210 in a balanced manner, and the smoothness and coordination of transmission are improved.
In this embodiment, when it is determined according to the vehicle parameter information that the third preset parallel control strategy is satisfied, the engine 220 is controlled to operate in the high-efficiency operation interval, and the rotation speed of the engine 220 is not required to be increased, and energy compensation can be directly performed through the first motor 250, so that the time of the engine 220 operating in the high-efficiency operation interval is increased, the possibility of the engine 220 operating in the high-rotation speed and the low-rotation speed is reduced, and the service life of the engine 220 is further prolonged. In addition, the first motor 250 performs energy compensation through the electric transmission path, and the energy consumption of the whole vehicle is further reduced due to the short transmission path of the electric transmission path.
The controller is further configured to form a first pure electric transmission path through the second motor 210, the driving gear for series 4a, the driven gear for series 212, the first input shaft 11, the first driving gear 1a, the first driven gear 1b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230 to enter a first preset pure electric control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a first preset pure electric control strategy. That is, the power generated by the second electric motor 210 can be output to the second differential 230 through the first input shaft 11 and the output shaft 20, so that the pure electric drive of the vehicle can be realized.
The controller is further configured to form a second pure electric transmission path through the second motor 210, the driving gear for series 4a, the driven gear for series 212, the first input shaft 11, the first clutch 241, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the second driving gear 2a, the second driven gear 2b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230 to enter a second preset pure electric control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a second preset pure electric control strategy. That is, the power generated by the second electric motor 210 can thus be output to the second differential 230 through the first input shaft 11, the second input shaft 12, and the output shaft 20, so that the pure electric drive of the vehicle can be achieved.
The controller is further configured to form a second pure electric transmission path through the second motor 210, the driving gear for series 4a, the driven gear for series 212, the first input shaft 11, the first clutch 241, the second clutch 242, the second input shaft 12, the third driving gear 3a, the third driven gear 3b, the output shaft 20, the second differential 230 to enter a second preset pure electric control mode when the acquired vehicle parameter information satisfies a third preset pure electric control strategy. That is, the power generated by the second electric motor 210 can thus be output to the second differential 230 through the first input shaft 11, the second input shaft 12, and the output shaft 20, so that the pure electric drive of the vehicle can be achieved.
In this embodiment, the pure electric driving path includes at least three pure electric driving paths, and according to different requirements, the pure electric driving paths intelligently enter different pure electric control modes so as to meet different requirements of vehicle running.
As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the second driving gear 2a and the third driving gear 3a are fixed to the second input shaft 12, the first synchronizer 26 is provided on the output shaft 20, and the third driven gear 3b and the second driven gear 2b are provided on both sides of the first synchronizer 26 to share the first synchronizer 26. That is, the first synchronizer 26 is shared between the third driven gear 3b and the second driven gear 2b, which is advantageous in reducing the number of synchronizers in the transmission 100. Also, when the first synchronizer 26 is coupled with the third driven gear 3b, the third driven gear 3b rotates in synchronization with the output shaft 20, so that power transmission between the second input shaft 12 and the output shaft 20 can be achieved. Alternatively, when the first synchronizer 26 is coupled with the second driven gear 2b, the second driven gear 2b rotates synchronously with the output shaft 20, and power transmission between the second input shaft 12 and the output shaft 20 can be achieved.
As shown in fig. 3, the output shaft 20 is provided with a first half synchronizer 28 and a second half synchronizer 29, wherein the first half synchronizer 28 is used for coupling or decoupling the second driven gear 2b, and the second half synchronizer 29 is used for coupling or decoupling the third driven gear 3b. That is, the first half synchronizer 28 can individually control the coupling of the second driven gear 2b, and the second half synchronizer 29 can individually control the coupling of the third driven gear 3b. For example, the first half synchronizer 28 may couple the second driven gear 2b and the output shaft 20, and the second half synchronizer 29 may couple the third driven gear 3b and the output shaft 20, so arranged that the second driven gear 2b and the third driven gear 3b may be coupled with the output shaft 20 at the same time.
As shown in fig. 1 to 3, a transmission chain is provided between the drive gear 4a for tandem and the driven gear 212 for tandem, and the driven gear 212 for tandem and the drive gear 4a for tandem are connected by the transmission chain, so that it is not necessary to drag a counter gear at the time of tandem power generation, and the problem of low tandem power generation efficiency can be avoided.
Further, a tandem intermediate gear is provided between the tandem driving gear 4a and the tandem driven gear 212, and at least one tandem intermediate gear is provided.
As shown in fig. 1, the coupling may be a synchronizer 24, and the synchronizer 24 not only can ensure normal mode switching of the power system S, but also can play a role of buffering, so as to avoid rigid collision between the first driven gear 1b and the output shaft 20. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 2, the clutch 25 may be a clutch 25, where the torque capacity of the clutch 25 is relatively large and may carry a slip and friction condition, so that when switching between different modes, the accuracy of controlling the rotational speed and torque of the output shaft 20 does not need to be high when the clutch is a synchronizer, thereby facilitating mode switching control of the power system S and reducing damage to the transmission 100.
A vehicle according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the invention includes the power system S of the above-described embodiment. Wherein, during running of the vehicle, if the vehicle speed is in a low speed state, i.e. the vehicle speed is lower than 40km/h, the power system S operates in a series power generation mode, in which the engine 220 operates in a high rotation speed region, for example, 2000-3000rpm, and the power of the engine 220 is used for power generation. And when the electric power storage amount of the vehicle is higher than the preset electric power balance point value, for example, 80% or 70%, the power system S is switched from the series power generation mode to the pure electric drive mode, namely, the vehicle is driven by the second motor 210 to realize running, so that the aim of reducing the whole energy consumption of the vehicle can be achieved.
If the vehicle speed is in a medium speed state, namely, the vehicle speed is 40-75km/h, the series charging mode is switched to the parallel driving mode, namely, the power system S can be in a first gear. Or when the vehicle speed reaches a high speed state, i.e. the vehicle speed is higher than 75km/h, the power system S may be switched from the first gear to the second gear of the parallel mode.
That is, when the vehicle is running at a low speed, the power of the engine 220 and the second motor 210 are in series to drive and store the vehicle, and when the vehicle is running at a medium speed and a high speed, the power of the engine 220 and the second motor 210 are in parallel to drive the vehicle. Therefore, the power system S omits the mechanical gear of the low gear, which reduces both the cost of the power system S and the switching control between gears, thereby reducing the control complexity.
In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings are merely for convenience in describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element being referred to must have a specific orientation, be configured and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the present invention.
In the description of the present specification, reference to the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples," etc., means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments or examples.
Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.