Rotary machine for vehicle

Abstract

A rotary machine for a vehicle has a housing, a pressure exerting mechanism, a rotary shaft, a rotary body, a power transmission clutch assembly and an electric motor. The rotary machine is selectively driven by the electric motor and an external drive source. The mechanism is located in the housing. The rotary shaft is rotatably supported by the housing, and one end of the rotary shaft protrudes from the housing. The rotary body is coaxially located on the rotary shaft on the protrusion side and is operatively connected to the rotary shaft. The rotary body forms a cylinder having an open end at one end and a closed surface at the other end, and the closed surface is adjacent to the housing. The power transmission clutch assembly is placed between the rotary body and the rotary shaft. The electric motor is at least partially located in the cylinder.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A rotary machine for a vehicle having an external drive source to drive the rotary machine, the rotary machine comprising: 
 a housing;    a pressure exerting mechanism located in the housing;    a rotary shaft rotatably supported by the housing to drive the mechanism, one end of the rotary shaft protruding from the housing on a protrusion side;    a rotary body coaxially located on the rotary shaft on the protrusion side, the rotary body being operatively connected to the rotary shaft to form a first power transmission path between the rotary body and the rotary shaft, the rotary body forming a cylinder having an open end at one end and a closed surface at the other end, the closed surface being adjacent to the housing;    a first power transmission clutch assembly located in the first power transmission path for selectively transmitting power between the rotary body and the rotary shaft; and    an electric motor at least partially located in the cylinder for selectively driving the rotary shaft, the electric motor including a rotor and a stator.    
     
     
         2 . The rotary machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotary body including: 
 a connecting portion extending substantially in a radial direction of the rotary shaft to a peripheral end of the rotary body; and    an outer cylindrical portion connected near the peripheral end of the connecting portion and extending substantially parallel to the axis of the rotary shaft away from the housing, the outer cylindrical portion being operatively connected to the external drive source for transmitting power from the external drive source to the first power transmission path, an inner space being defined by the connecting portion and the outer cylindrical portion.    
     
     
         3 . The rotary machine according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a power transmission cutting means located in the first power transmission path for cutting the first power transmission path when torque transmission exceeds a predetermined value between the rotary body and the rotary shaft.  
 
     
     
         4 . The rotary machine according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a damping member located in the first power transmission path.  
 
     
     
         5 . The rotary machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is detachable from the open end of the rotary body.  
     
     
         6 . The rotary machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the electric motor includes a power cable for supplying the electric motor with electric power, and the power cable exits from the open end of the rotary body.  
     
     
         7 . The rotary machine according to  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a support member fixed to the housing and extending over an outer circumference of the cylinder to the electric motor, the stator being supported by the support member.  
 
     
     
         8 . The rotary machine according to  claim 7 , wherein a position of the support member is adjustable with respect to the electric motor in the direction of the axis of the rotary shaft.  
     
     
         9 . The rotary machine according to  claim 7  further comprising: 
 a bearing supporting the rotary shaft and one end of the support member.  
 
     
     
         10 . The rotary machine according to  claim 7 , wherein the support member includes: 
 a housing side support member detachably fixed to the housing, the housing side support member extending over the outer circumference of the cylinder; and    a stator side support member detachably fixed to the housing side support member, the stator side support member being located near the stator.    
     
     
         11 . The rotary machine according to  claim 7 , wherein the support member includes a through hole in an oblong shape that extends in a direction of an axis of the rotary shaft.  
     
     
         12 . The rotary machine according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a second power transmission clutch assembly located in a second power transmission path between the electric motor and the rotary shaft.  
 
     
     
         13 . The rotary machine according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first and second power transmission clutch assemblies is a one-way clutch assembly.  
     
     
         14 . The rotary machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the first and second power transmission clutch assemblies are one-way clutch assemblies, and the first and second power transmission clutch assemblies are located in the cylinder.  
     
     
         15 . The rotary machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure exerting mechanism includes a compressor for exerting pressure on fluid.  
     
     
         16 . The rotary machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the compressor further includes a variable displacement unit for varying its displacement per rotation of the rotary shaft, and the displacement of the compressor is controllably decreased to zero.  
     
     
         17 . A rotary body for transmitting power from an external drive source to a pressure exerting mechanism, a protrusion side of a rotary shaft protruding from a housing, the rotary body and an electric motor being coaxially located on the rotary shaft on the protrusion side for selectively driving the rotary shaft, the rotary body comprising: 
 a connecting portion connected to the rotary shaft and extending substantially in an radial direction of the rotary shaft to an peripheral end, the connecting portion being located between the electric motor and the housing; and    an outer cylindrical portion connected to the peripheral end and extending substantially parallel to the axis of the rotary shaft away from the housing, whereby an inner space is defined by the connecting portion and the outer cylindrical portion, the inner space accommodating a substantial portion of the electric motor.    
     
     
         18 . The rotary body according to  claim 17  further comprising: 
 a power transmission clutch assembly placed between the rotary body and the rotary shaft for selectively enabling power transmission between the rotary body and the rotary shaft.  
 
     
     
         19 . The rotary body according to  claim 18 , wherein the power transmission clutch assembly is a one-way clutch assembly.  
     
     
         20 . A method of providing a rotary body and an electric motor to a main body of a rotary machine, the main body including a pressure exerting mechanism and a rotary shaft for driving the pressure exerting mechanism, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing the rotary body with an inner space with an open end;    attaching the rotary body to the rotary shaft in such a manner to face the open end away from the housing; and    placing a substantial portion of the electric motor in the inner space after the attaching step.    
     
     
         21 . The method of providing the rotary body and the electric motor to the main body of the rotary machine according to  claim 20 , wherein the placing step includes the steps of: 
 providing a support member for supporting the electric motor, the support member having an oblong hole for adjusting the support member in an axial direction of the rotary shaft;    attaching the support member to the housing via bolts through the oblong holes; and    adjusting a relative location of the support member with respect to the electric motor and the housing.    
     
     
         22 . The method of providing the rotary body and the electric motor to the main body of the rotary machine according to  claim 20  further comprising the steps of; 
 removing the electric motor from the inner space of the rotary body while the rotary body is being attached to the main body; and  
 placing the electric motor in the inner space while the rotary body is being attached to the main body.