# US 12,179,738 B2 · Drive train configurations for a vehicle with multiple reversible engines

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- Number: US 12,179,738 B2
- Document ID: US12179738B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/868,686
- Filed: 2022-07-19
- Published: 2023-01-26
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2021-07-20
- Assignees: Hyliion Inc.
- Applicants: Hyliion Inc.
- Inventors: Patrick Sexton; Jay Kevin Neutzler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179738B2

## CPC

- B60L 1/02: to electric heating circuits
- B60W 20/13: in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
- B60L 1/003: {to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors}
- B60L 1/006: {to power outlets}
- B60L 1/10: with provision for using different supplies
- B60L 7/10: Dynamic electric regenerative braking (B60L7/22 takes precedence)
- B60L 50/53: in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
- B60L 50/61: by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
- B60L 55/00: Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 10/26: for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
- B60W 10/30: including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
- B60L 2220/42: with use of more than one motor
- B60W 2510/244: Charge state
- B60W 2710/0688: Engine temperature
- B60W 2710/088: Temperature
- B60W 2710/244: Charge state
- B60W 2710/246: Temperature
- B60W 2710/30: Auxiliary equipments
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- 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
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Systems and methods of providing a configurable powertrain in a vehicle are disclosed. The powertrain is capable of operating in a plurality of powertrain configurations and includes one or more reversible generators, a battery system, a motor/generator (M/G), and one or more drive axles. The generators generate and supply electrical power to the battery system, the M/G, an external power source, or a combination thereof. The battery system selectively supplies electrical power to the generators, the M/G, the external power source, or a combination thereof. The one or more generators also selectively supply cooling to the battery system, a cab of the vehicle, a trailer or external enclosure or structure of the vehicle, or a combination thereof. The powertrain configurations of the vehicle include operating the components of the powertrain in various combinations based on demands of the vehicle and/or external power sources or structures.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A powertrain for a vehicle, comprising:
a first generator configured to operate in a first mode to burn one or more fuels to generate electrical power and operate in a reverse cooling mode to receive electrical power to generate cooling;
a second generator individually operable from the first generator and configured to operate in the first mode to burn one or more fuels to generate electrical power and operate in the reverse cooling mode to receive electrical power to generate cooling;
a battery system configured to selectively receive the electrical power from the first generator, the second generator, or a combination thereof and provide electrical power to the first generator, the second generator, or a combination thereof to operate the first generator, the second generator, or the combination thereof in the reverse cooling mode; and
a motor/generator (M/G) coupled to one or more drive axles and configured to selectively receive the electrical power from the first generator, the second generator, the battery system, or a combination thereof to provide rotational power to the one or more drive axles to propel the vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The powertrain of claim 1, wherein the first generator is configured to selectively supply the electrical power to the second generator to operate the second generator in the second reverse cooling mode, the battery system to charge or maintain a state of charge (SOC) of the battery system, the motor/generator (M/G) to propel the vehicle, an external power source, or any combination thereof when operated in the first mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The powertrain of claim 1, wherein the second generator is configured to selectively supply the electrical power to the first generator to operate the first generator in the second reverse cooling mode, the battery system to charge or maintain a state of charge (SOC) of the battery system, the motor/generator (M/G) to propel the vehicle, an external power source, or any combination thereof when operated in the first mode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The powertrain of claim 1, wherein each of the first generator and the second generator is configured to selectively supply cooling to the battery system, a cab of the vehicle, a trailer of the vehicle, a building, enclosure, or structure external to the vehicle, or any combination thereof when operated in the second reverse cooling mode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The powertrain of claim 1, wherein the M/G is electrically coupled to the first generator, the second generator, and the battery system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The powertrain of claim 1, wherein the M/G is configured to operate in a regenerative braking mode and be driven by the one or more drive axles of the vehicle to generate electrical power and supply the electrical power to the first generator, the second generator, or a combination thereof to operate the first generator, the second generator, or the combination thereof in the reverse cooling mode, the battery system to charge or maintain an SOC of the battery system, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The powertrain of claim 1, further comprising: a system controller configured to control operation of the first generator and the second generator in each of the first mode, the reverse cooling mode, and a non-operational (off) mode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The powertrain of claim 7, wherein the system controller is configured to operate both the first generator and the second generator in the first mode and the reverse cooling mode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The powertrain of claim 7, wherein the system controller is configured to operate the first generator in the first mode and the second generator in the reverse cooling mode and further configured to operate the first generator in the reverse cooling mode and the second generator in the first mode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The powertrain of claim 7, wherein the system controller is configured to operate either the first generator or the second generator in the first mode or the reverse cooling mode to the exclusion of the operation of the other generator.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The powertrain of claim 7, wherein the system controller is configured to control delivery of the electrical power from the first generator, the second generator, and the battery system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The powertrain of claim 1, wherein the first generator, the second generator, the battery system, or a combination thereof are connected to an external power source.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The powertrain of claim 1, wherein the first generator, the second generator, or the combination thereof are configured to selectively receive electrical power from the external power source to operate the first generator, the second generator, or the combination thereof in the reverse cooling mode to provide a cooled airflow to the battery system, a cab of the vehicle, a trailer of the vehicle, a building, enclosure, or structure external to the vehicle, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The powertrain of claim 13, wherein the battery system is configured to selectively receive electrical power from the external power source to charge or maintain an SOC of the battery system.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The powertrain of claim 14, wherein the first generator, the second generator, the battery system, or a combination thereof are connected to the external power source and configured to selectively supply electrical power to the external power source.

### Claim 16

A method of operating a vehicle, comprising:
providing a powertrain for a vehicle, the powertrain comprising a first generator, a second generator individually operable from the first generator, a battery system coupled to each of the first generator and the second generator, and a motor/generator (M/G) coupled to one or more drive axles;
operating the first generator in one of a first mode to burn one or more fuels to generate electrical power or a reverse cooling mode to receive electrical power to generate cooling;
operating the second generator in the other of the first mode to burn one or more fuels to generate electrical power or the reverse cooling mode to receive electrical power to generate cooling; and
selectively supplying electrical power from the first generator, the second generator, the battery system, or a combination thereof to the M/G to provide rotational power to the one or more drive axles to propel the vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising: operating the second generator in a first mode to burn one or more fuels to generate and supply electrical power to the first generator to operate the first generator in the second reverse cooling mode, the battery system to charge or maintain a state of charge (SOC) of the battery system, the motor/generator (M/G) to propel the vehicle, an external power source, or any combination thereof, or operating the second generator in a reverse cooling mode to receive electrical power to generate and supply cooling to the battery system, a cab of the vehicle, a trailer of the vehicle, a building, enclosure, or structure external to the vehicle, or any combination thereof when operated in the second reverse cooling mode.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising: selectively supplying the electrical power to the battery system from the first generator, the second generator, or a combination thereof; and providing electrical power from the battery system to the first generator, the second generator, or a combination thereof to operate the first generator, the second generator, or the combination thereof in the reverse cooling mode.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising: operating the M/G in a regenerative braking mode to generate electrical power and supply the electrical power from the M/G to the first generator, the second generator, or a combination thereof to operate the first generator, the second generator, or the combination thereof in the reverse cooling mode, the battery system to charge or maintain an SOC of the battery system, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising: connecting the first generator, the second generator, the battery system, or any combination thereof to an external power source; and selectively receiving electrical power from the external power source to operate the first generator, the second generator, or combinations thereof in the reverse cooling mode to provide a cooled airflow to the battery system, a cab of the vehicle, a trailer of the vehicle, a building, enclosure, or structure external of the vehicle, or any combination thereof; selectively receiving electrical power from the external power source to charge or maintain an SOC of the battery system; or selectively supplying electrical power from the first generator, the second generator, the battery system, or a combination thereof to the external power source.