US 2003/0188900 A1 · Hybrid electric vehicle having alternate power sources

Abstract

A hybrid electric vehicle having alternate fuel sources is shown. The hybrid vehicle includes an AC/DC converter for storing a direct current voltage in a storage device such as a battery. A fuel converter converts a composition fuel into a combustible material preferably hydrogen. The combustible material is stored in a combustible material storage device. The charging of a battery and the storage of the combustible fuel occur at least one of prior to the starting of and the operation of the hybrid electric vehicle. A driving system includes a direct current motor and a combustible material engine. A control device enables the driving system to be powered by the direct current voltage or the combustible material. Preferably the combustible material is hydrogen. A hydrogen fuel cell is responsive to hydrogen to produce a direct current voltage for charging a battery or driving the direct current motor.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A hybrid electric vehicle comprising

an alternating current to direct current converter for producing and storing a direct current voltage in a direct current voltage storage device;
a fuel converter for receiving a fuel in a first state and converting said fuel into a combustible material in a second state and for storing said combustible material in a combustible material storage device;
a driving system for transporting a hybrid electric vehicle, said driving system including
a direct current motor operatively coupled to said driving system and to said direct current voltage storage device, said direct current motor being responsive to a stored direct current voltage for driving said driving system in response to a first control signal;
a combustible material engine operatively coupled to said driving system and being responsive to stored combustible material for driving said driving system in response to a second control signal;
and
a control device operatively connected to said direct current motor and to said combustible material engine to selectively apply at least one of said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said combustible material engine to enable said driving system to be driven by at least one of said direct current voltage and said combustible material.

4 more elements

A dual fuel source for a motor vehicle comprising

an alternating current to direct current converting system located on a motor vehicle, said converting system being adapted to receive an alternating current voltage and being responsive thereto for producing a direct current voltage;
a direct current voltage storage device located on said motor vehicle for storing said direct current voltage;
a fuel composition system located on said motor for converting a composition fuel in a first state into a combustible fuel in second state;
a composition fuel storage device located on said motor vehicle for storing said composition fuel;
a combustible fuel storage device located within said motor vehicle for storing said combustible fuel;
a driving member located within and for driving said motor vehicle, said driving member including
a direct current drive motor responsive to stored direct current voltage for driving said driving member in response to a first control signal;
a combustible fuel motor responsive to the combustible fuel stored in said combustible fuel storage device for driving said driving member in response to a second control signal;
and
a control device operatively connected to said direct current drive motor and to said combustible fuel [motor] engine to selectively apply at least one of said first control signal to said direct drive motor and said second control signal to said combustible fuel motor to enable said driving member to be driven by at least one of said direct current voltage and said combustible fuel.

7 more elements

A motor vehicle having a dual fuel source comprising

input located on a motor vehicle adapted to be operatively connected to an alternating current voltage source;
an alternating current to direct current converter located on said motor vehicle and being operatively coupled to said input for receiving said alternating current voltage and producing a direct current;
a direct current control circuit operatively connected to said converter for producing a direct current voltage having a predetermined electrical characteristic;
a direct current voltage storage device located on said motor vehicle and operatively connected to said direct current control circuit for storing said direct current voltage;
a composition fuel storage device within said motor vehicle for storing a composition fuel in a first state;
a fuel conversion device operatively connected to said composition fuel storage source for receiving said composition fuel in said first state and converting said organic fuel into a combustible fuel in a second state;
a combustible fuel storage device located within said motor vehicle for storing said combustible fuel;
a driving member located within and for driving said motor vehicle, said driving member including
a direct current drive motor responsive to stored direct current voltage for driving said driving member in response to a first control signal;
a combustible fuel engine responsive to the combustible fuel stored in said combustible fuel storage device for driving said driving motor in response to a second control signal;
and
a control device operatively connected to said direct current drive motor and to said combustible fuel engine to selectively apply at least one of said first control signal and said second control signal to said direct current drive motor and to said combustible fuel engine to enable said driving member to be driven by at least one of said direct current voltage and said combustible fuel.

9 more elements

A hybrid electric vehicle having a driving system driven by a direct current motor powered by a battery and a internal combustion engine powered by a combustible fuel and a Battery charging device adapted to be connected to a source of alternating current for charging the battery, said hybrid electric vehicle comprising

A fuel converter for receiving a combustible fuel in a first state and converting said combustible fuel into a combustible material in a second state and for storing said combustible material in a combustible material storage device;
and
A control device operatively connected to and controlling said direct current motor for driving said driving system in response to a first control signal and said combustible material engine for driving said driving system in response to a second control signal, said control device being adapted to selectively apply at least one of said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said combustible material engine to enable said driving system to be driven by at least one of said direct current voltage and said combustible material.

The method of driving a motor vehicle with alternate fuel sources comprising the steps of

producing with an alternating current to direct current converter a direct current voltage;
storing said direct current voltage in a direct current voltage storage device;
receiving with a fuel converter a fuel in a first state and converting said fuel into a combustible material in a second state;
and
storing said combustible matter in a combustible matter storage device.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hybrid electric vehicle having alternate power sources

Life of this patent

Hybrid electric vehicle having alternate power sources

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34