# US 10,118,505 B2 · Motor vehicle accessory to increase power supply and reduce fuel requirements

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- Number: US 10,118,505 B2
- Document ID: US10118505B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/797,536
- Filed: 2017-10-30
- Published: 2018-05-24
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-05-01
- Assignees: Hyliion Inc.
- Applicants: Hyliion Inc.
- Inventors: Thomas Joseph Healy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118505B2

## CPC

- B60L 15/2045: {for optimising the use of energy}
- B60K 17/356: having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels
- B60L 1/02: to electric heating circuits
- B60L 7/10: Dynamic electric regenerative braking (B60L7/22 takes precedence)
- B60L 7/18: Controlling the braking effect (B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence)
- B60L 8/003: {Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems}
- B60L 15/2009: {for braking}
- B60L 15/2018: {for braking on a slope}
- B60L 50/50: using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
- B60L 50/53: in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
- B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75)
- B60L 53/00: Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
- B60L 58/10: for monitoring or controlling batteries
- B62D 59/04: driven from propulsion unit on trailer
- B62D 63/08: Component parts or accessories
- B60K 1/00: Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00)
- B60K 2001/001: {one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle}
- B60L 2200/28: Trailers
- B60L 2240/10: Vehicle control parameters
- B60L 2240/423: Torque
- B60L 2240/642: Slope of road
- B60L 2260/24: Coasting mode
- B60Y 2200/148: Semi-trailers, articulated vehicles
- B60Y 2200/91: Electric vehicles
- B60Y 2300/181: Hill climbing or descending
- B60Y 2300/18125: Regenerative braking
- B60Y 2300/182: Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
- B60Y 2300/52: Engine fuel consumption
- B60Y 2300/60: Control of electric machines, e.g. problems related to electric motors or generators
- B60Y 2400/216: by solar panels
- B60Y 2400/301: for position or displacement
- B60Y 2400/304: Acceleration sensors
- B60Y 2400/61: Arrangements of controllers for electric machines, e.g. inverters
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A power control system may include at least one of batteries, a motor, and a data logic analyzer that can interpret certain variable conditions of a transport, such as a tractor trailer, moving along a road or highway. The data can be used to determine when to apply supplemental power to the wheels of a trailer to reduce fuel usage. One example device may include at least one of: a power creation module that generates electrical power, a battery which store the electrical power, a motor affixed to a trailer axle of a trailer which provides a turning force to the trailer axle when enabled to operate from the stored electrical power of the battery, and a motor controller configured to initiate the motor to operate according to a predefined sensor condition.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for use in a tractor-trailer vehicle configuration as a hybridizing suspension assembly, the apparatus comprising:
a suspension assembly including a frame, a suspension, and one or more drive axles;
a plurality of electric motor-generators;
the suspension assembly including at least a first one of the electric motor-generators coupled to provide, in a first mode of operation, a motive rotational force at at least one of the drive axles and to provide, in a second mode of operation, a regenerative braking force;
an energy store from which energy is supplied to power the plurality of electric motor-generators in the first mode of operation and to which energy is supplied by regenerative braking in the second mode of operation; and
a controller operatively coupled between the plurality of electric motor-generators and one or more sensor inputs to independently transition each of the plurality of electric motor-generators between the first, the second and at least a third mode of operation, during motion of the tractor-trailer vehicle over a roadway, using the one or more sensor inputs;
wherein, based on a first sensor input, the controller transitions the first one of the electric motor-generators between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation; and
wherein, based on a second sensor input, the controller transitions a second one of the electric motor-generators between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a tractor and a trailer of the tractor-trailer vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the first and second ones of the electric motor-generators are coupled to provide the motive rotational force at drive axles of a trailer of the tractor-trailer vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the first and second ones of the electric motor-generators are coupled to provide the motive rotational force at drive axles of a tractor of the tractor-trailer vehicle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the first one of the electric motor-generators is coupled to provide the motive rotational force at a drive axle of a trailer of the tractor-trailer vehicle; and
wherein the second one of the electric motor-generators is coupled to provide the motive rotational force at a drive axle of a tractor of the tractor-trailer vehicle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the suspension assembly is configured as a retrofit assembly for attachment beneath a trailer of the tractor-trailer vehicle as a replacement for an existing suspension assembly thereof which lacks a drive axle to boost fuel efficiency of the tractor-trailer vehicle configuration.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the energy store is further configured to receive at least one of compressed air energy and flywheel energy.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a cooling system coupled to the energy store and configured to cool the energy store.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8,
wherein the energy store includes a battery array, and wherein the battery array is submerged within a non-conductive fluid of the cooling system.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the controller is couplable to receive signals from a controller area network bus (CANbus) or electronic control module (ECM) interface of a tractor of the tractor-trailer vehicle and responsive to at least some signals received therefrom.

### Claim 11

A method comprising:
replacing an existing suspension assembly of a trailer with a hybridizing suspension assembly, wherein the hybridizing suspension assembly includes a frame, a suspension, one or more drive axles, and at least a first one of a plurality of electric motor-generators coupled to provide, in a first mode of operation, an assistive motive force at at least one of the drive axles and, in a second mode of operation, a regenerative braking force, the hybridizing suspension assembly configurable with wheels and tires to allow the trailer to roll along a roadway when motivated by a fuel consuming engine of a tractor to which the trailer is mechanically coupled in a tractor-trailer vehicle configuration;
coupling a controller between the plurality of electric motor-generators and one or more sensor inputs to independently transition each of the plurality of electric motor-generators between the first, the second, and at least a third mode of operation, during motion of the tractor-trailer vehicle over the roadway, using the one or more sensor inputs;
transitioning, based on a first sensor input and by the controller, the first one of the electric motor-generators between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation; and
transitioning, based on a second sensor input and by the controller, a second one of the electric motor-generators between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
coupling an energy store to receive energy regenerated by the plurality of electric motor-generators.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
coupling the energy store to further receive at least one of compressed air energy and flywheel energy.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11,
wherein the first and second ones of the electric motor-generators are coupled to provide the motive rotational force at drive axles of the trailer of the tractor-trailer vehicle.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11,
wherein the first and second ones of the electric motor-generators are coupled to provide the motive rotational force at drive axles of the tractor of the tractor-trailer vehicle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11,
wherein the first one of the electric motor-generators is coupled to provide the motive rotational force at a drive axle of the trailer of the tractor-trailer vehicle; and
wherein the second one of the electric motor-generators is coupled to provide the motive rotational force at a drive axle of the tractor of the tractor-trailer vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
coupling the controller to a controller area network bus (CANbus) or electronic control module (ECM) interface of the tractor to receive and respond to at least some signals received therefrom.

### Claim 18

An apparatus for use in a tractor-trailer vehicle configuration as a hybridizing suspension assembly, the apparatus comprising:
a suspension assembly including a frame, a suspension, and one or more drive axles;
the suspension assembly including a first electric motor-generator coupled to provide, in a first mode of operation, a motive rotational force at at least one of the drive axles and to provide, in a second mode of operation, a regenerative braking force;
a first energy store from which energy is supplied to power the first electric motor-generator in the first mode of operation and to which energy is supplied in the second mode of operation; and
a controller operatively coupled between the first electric motor-generator, a second electric motor-generator, and one or more sensor inputs to independently transition each of the first and second electric motor-generators between the first, the second and at least a third mode of operation, during motion of the tractor-trailer vehicle over a roadway, using the one or more sensor inputs;
wherein, based on a first sensor input, the controller transitions the first electric motor-generator between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation; and
wherein, based on a second sensor input, the controller transitions the second electric motor-generator between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:
a second energy store from which energy is supplied to power the second electric motor-generator in the first mode of operation and to which energy is supplied in the second mode of operation.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The apparatus of claim 18,
wherein at least one of the first and second electric motor-generators is coupled to provide the motive rotational force at drive axles of a trailer of the tractor-trailer vehicle.