System and method for cranking an engine
AssigneeTransportation IP Holdings, LLC
InventorsAjith Kuttannair Kumar, Bret Worden, Jeffrey Louis Daigle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method includes a secondary energy storage system (SESS) and a control system. The SESS is configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle and conductively connected via switch devices to a primary battery and a cranking device of the vehicle. The control system is configured to control the switch devices to close a conductive path to discharge electric current from the SESS for powering the cranking device to rotate an engine shaft during a cranking operation. The control system is configured to control the switch devices to open the conductive path and prevent discharge of electric current from the SESS after the cranking operation is complete.
Claims20
A cranking system comprising:
- a secondary energy storage system (SESS) configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle and conductively connected, via switch devices, to a primary battery and a cranking device of the vehicle;
- and
- a control system configured to control the switch devices to close a conductive path to discharge electric current from the SESS for powering the cranking device to rotate an engine shaft of an engine during a cranking operation, and
- responsive to the cranking operation successfully starting the engine, the control system is configured to control the switch devices to electrically disconnect the SESS from the primary battery and the cranking device, which blocks discharge of electric current from the SESS.
A method comprising:
- controlling, via a control system, one or more switch devices to close a conductive path to discharge electric current from a secondary energy storage system (SESS) to power a cranking device of a vehicle to rotate an engine shaft of an engine during a cranking operation, the SESS configured to be disposed onboard the vehicle and conductively connected via the one or more switch devices to a primary battery and the cranking device;
- and
- responsive to the cranking operation successfully starting the engine, controlling the one or more switch devices to electrically disconnect the SESS from the primary battery and the cranking device, which blocks discharge of electric current from the SESS.
A power delivery system comprising:
- an engine including an engine shaft and configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle;
- an alternator mechanically coupled to the engine shaft;
- a primary battery conductively connected to the alternator via at least a first switch device;
- a secondary energy storage system (SESS) conductively connected to the alternator via at least a second switch device and conductively connected to the primary battery via at least a third switch device;
- and
- a control system configured to close the second switch device to establish a conductive path between the SESS and the alternator for supplying electric current from the SESS to power the alternator to rotate the engine shaft during a cranking operation, and
- responsive to the cranking operation successfully starting the engine, the control system is configured to open the second switch device and one of:
- (i) open the third switch device or (ii) maintain the third switch device in an open state to electrically isolate the SESS from the primary battery and the alternator, which blocks discharge of electric current from the SESS.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.