# US 12,005,976 B2 · Hybrid tractor truck > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,976 B2 - Document ID: US12005976B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/096,093 - Filed: 2020-11-12 - Published: 2022-05-12 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-12 - Assignees: Electrocamion Inc. - Applicants: Electrocamion Inc. - Inventors: Larry Bolduc - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005976B2 ## CPC - B62D 53/06: Semi-trailers - B62D 53/08: Fifth wheel traction couplings {(tractors for handling trailers in terminals B62D49/007)} - B62D 53/061: {of flat bed or low loader type or fitted with swan necks (detachable swan necks B62D53/065; swan neck-fifth wheel couplings B62D53/08)} - B60L 2200/28: Trailers - 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) - 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 ## Abstract The hybrid tractor truck can have a cabin supported by a frame, the frame including two transversally spaced apart beams extending behind the cabin, a fifth wheel supported by the frame behind the cabin, a front axle bearing front wheels, at least one rear axle supported by the frame behind the cabin, the at least one rear axle bearing rear wheels, a heat engine located in an engine compartment supported by the frame in front of the cabin, the heat engine drivingly connected to said at least one rear axle; and an electric machine supported by the frame behind the at least one rear axle, the electric machine being drivingly connected to the at least one rear axle, and at least one battery electrically connected to the electric machine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hybrid tractor truck having a cabin supported by a frame, the frame including two transversally spaced apart beams extending behind the cabin, a fifth wheel supported by the frame behind the cabin, a front axle bearing front wheels, at least one rear axle supported by the frame behind the cabin, the at least one rear axle bearing rear wheels, a heat engine located in an engine compartment supported by the frame in front of the cabin, the heat engine drivingly connected to said at least one rear axle; and an electric machine supported by the frame behind the at least one rear axle, the electric machine being drivingly connected to the at least one rear axle via a shaft, and at least one battery electrically connected to the electric machine; wherein the at least one rare axle is two rear axles, including at least a first rear axle and a second rear axle; wherein the first rear axle has a first differential drivingly connected to the heat engine via a primary shaft, and connected to the corresponding wheels via transversal shafts, the second rear axle has a second differential connected to the primary shaft via the first differential and connected to the corresponding wheels via other transversal shafts, wherein the shaft is a tertiary shaft, wherein the electric machine is connected to the second differential via the tertiary shaft, the tertiary shaft being connected to the secondary shaft via the second differential. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 1 wherein the at least one battery is supported by the frame between the cabin and the fifth wheel, further comprising a radiator supported at a rear wall of the cabin, and a cooling fluid line fluidly connecting the radiator and the electric machine, the radiator being operable to cool the electric machine, the electric machine being selectively operable to receive power from the at least one rear axle and store said power in the form of electrical energy in the batteries, or to drive the at least one rear axle using the electrical energy of the batteries. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 1 wherein the hybrid tractor truck is a heavy truck having more than 100 ton in capacity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 3 further comprising at least two batteries, one on each side of the truck. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 1 further comprising a radiator supported at the rear wall of the cabin, and a cooling fluid line fluidly connecting the radiator to a heat exchanger in thermal exchange contact with and the at least one battery, the radiator being operable to cool the at least one battery. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 1 wherein the heat engine has a cooling fluid system, further comprising fluid lines fluidly connecting the heat engine's cooling fluid system to a heat exchanger in contact with the at least one battery. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 1 further comprising machine flanges extending transversally outwardly from a housing of the electric machine, beam flanges extend transversally inwardly from beams, vertically overlapping the machine flanges and secured to the machine flanges via bushings. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 1 wherein each beam includes a corresponding beam extender projecting rearwardly from a rear end of a corresponding parent beam. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 8 wherein the beam extenders extend vertically more broadly than the parent beams and form side walls of a electric machine housing, further comprising a top cover plate extending above electric machine and secured to top of the side walls, and a bottom cover plate extending below electric machine and secured to the bottom of the side walls. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 1 further comprising a computer, a gas pedal in the cabin, the gas pedal communicatively coupled to convey an acceleration signal to the computer, a battery capacity sensor communicatively coupled to convey a battery capacity signal to the computer, the computer being configured to drive the at least one rear axle based upon both the acceleration signal and the battery capacity signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 10 wherein the computer is further configured to automatically operate electric machine based on an indication in the acceleration signal that no acceleration is requested by the driver. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The hybrid tractor truck of claim 10 further comprising a brake pedal communicatively coupled to convey a braking signal to the computer, the computer being configured to drive the electric machine to brake the at least one rear axle based upon both the acceleration signal and the battery capacity signal. ### Claim 13 A method of retrofitting hybrid capacity to a tractor truck having a cabin supported by a frame, the frame including two transversally spaced apart beams extending behind the cabin to corresponding rear ends, a fifth wheel supported by the frame behind the cabin, a front axle bearing front wheels, at least one rear axle supported by the frame behind the cabin, the at least one rear axle bearing rear wheels, a heat engine located in an engine compartment supported by the frame in front of the cabin, the heat engine drivingly connected to said at least one rear axle; the method comprising: Assembling a beam extender to the rear end of each one of the beams, the beam extenders extending rearwardly from the beams; Securing an electric machine to the beam extenders; Drivingly connecting the electric machine to the at least one rear axle; Mounting at least one battery to the tractor truck, and Electrically connecting the at least one battery to the electric machine. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein said mounting the at least one battery to the tractor truck includes mounting the at least one battery directly or indirectly to the frame, between the cabin and the fifth wheel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising mounting a radiator to a rear wall of the cabin and fluidly connecting the radiator to the electric machine. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein said drivingly connecting the electric machine to the at least one rear axle includes perforating an aperture in a rear wall of a differential and connecting the electric machine to the differential via a shaft. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising mounting a radiator to a rear wall of the cabin and fluidly connecting the radiator to a heat exchanger in thermal exchange contact with the at least one battery. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising fluidly connecting a heat exchanger in thermal exchange contact with the at least one battery to a cooling fluid system of the heat engine. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising positioning a top cover plate above the electric machine and securing it to the beam extenders, and positioning a bottom cover plate below the electric machine and secured it to the beam extenders. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising installing a controller to the tractor truck, connecting the controller to receive an acceleration signal from the gas pedal, and connecting the controller to receive a battery capacity signal from the at least one battery. ### Claim 21 A hybrid tractor truck having a cabin supported by a frame, the frame including two transversally spaced apart beams extending behind the cabin, a fifth wheel supported by the frame behind the cabin, a front axle bearing front wheels, at least one rear axle supported by the frame behind the cabin, the at least one rear axle bearing rear wheels, a heat engine located in an engine compartment supported by the frame in front of the cabin, the heat engine drivingly connected to said at least one rear axle; and an electric machine supported by the frame behind the at least one rear axle, the electric machine being drivingly connected to the at least one rear axle, and at least one battery electrically connected to the electric machine; wherein the at least one rear axle is two rear axles, including a first rear axle and a second rear axle; wherein the first rear axle has a first differential drivingly connected to the heat engine via a primary shaft, and connected to the corresponding wheels via transversal shafts and planetary gearing, the second rear axle has a second differential connected to the primary shaft via the first differential and connected to the corresponding wheels via a other transversal shafts and planetary gearing, wherein the electric machine is connected to the second differential via a tertiary shaft, the tertiary shaft being connected to the secondary shaft via the second differential. ### Claim 22 A hybrid tractor truck having a cabin supported by a frame, the frame including two transversally spaced apart beams extending behind the cabin, a fifth wheel supported by the frame behind the cabin, a front axle bearing front wheels, at least one rear axle supported by the frame behind the cabin, the at least one rear axle bearing rear wheels, a heat engine located in an engine compartment supported by the frame in front of the cabin, the heat engine drivingly connected to said at least one rear axle; and an electric machine supported by the frame behind the at least one rear axle, the electric machine being drivingly connected to the at least one rear axle, and at least one battery electrically connected to the electric machine; wherein each beam includes a corresponding beam extender projecting rearwardly from a rear end of a corresponding parent beam; wherein the beam extenders extend vertically more broadly than the parent beams and form side walls of a electric machine housing, further comprising a top cover plate extending above electric machine and secured to top of the side walls, and a bottom cover plate extending below electric machine and secured to the bottom of the side walls.