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US 4,309,620 AGranted
Flywheel electric transmission apparatus
AssigneeCalspan Corporation
InventorDitmar H. Bock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a preferred embodiment, the flywheel electric transmission system is made up of three electric machines and a flywheel and is adapted for use in an automobile. The first electric machine is driven or energized by a prime mover such as a heat engine and is selectively clutched to the second machine. The flywheel and the armatures for both the first and second machines rotate as a unit. The third machine is connected to the second machine through gearing and, under the control of a computer, supplies excess electrical power to or consumes excess electrical power from the first and second machines that are functioning as either a motor or generator as required. In a second embodiment, the energy source is a battery pack.
Claims49
A flywheel electric transmission including:
- a first electric machine;
- a second electric machine adjacent to said first machine and adapted to be connected to a load shaft for rotation therewith;
- a kinetic energy storing device operatively associated with said first and second machines and carrying the armatures therefor;
- and
- means for recycling excess electrical power generated between said second machine and said kinetic energy storing device.
2 more elements
A flywheel electric transmission including:
- first electric machine means having an armature and a field structure and adapted for being mechanically driven by a prime mover;
- second electric machine means having an armature and a field structure;
- flywheel means carrying the armatures of said first and second machine means so as to rotate as a unit therewith;
- and
- control means for causing one of said machine means to act as a generator and one of said machine means to act as a motor.
2 more elements
A flywheel electric transmissions including:
- first electric machine means having an armature and a field structure and adapted for being mechanically driven by a prime mover;
- second electric machine means having an armature and a field structure;
- third electric machine means mechanically connected to said second machine means and having an armature and a field structure and being adapted for driving a load;
- flywheel means carrying the armatures of said first and second machine means so as to rotate as a unit therewith;
- clutch means for selectively mechanically connecting said first and second machine means;
- and
- control means for causing at least one of said machine means to act as a generator and at least one said machine means to act as a motor and to activate said clutch means in response to operator inputs and the rotational speeds of said first and second machine means and said flywheel means.
4 more elements
For use in a vehicle having an engine, accelerator and brakes, a flywheel electric transmission including:
- first electric machine means having an armature and a field structure and adapted for being driven by the engine of a vehicle;
- second electric machine means having an armature and a field structure;
- flywheel means carrying the armatures of said first and second machine means so as to rotate as a unit therewith;
- and
- control means for receiving inputs indicative of the actuation condition of the accelerator and brakes of the vehicle and the rotational speeds of the field structures of said first and second machine means and flywheel means and in response to said inputs to cause one of said machine means to act as a generator and one of said machine means to act as a motor whereby surplus energy is stored in said flywheel means and withdrawn as required.
2 more elements
For use in a vehicle having an engine, accelerator and brakes, a flywheel electric transmission including:
- first electric machine means having an armature and a field structure and adapted for being driven by the engine of a vehicle;
- second electric machine means having an armature and a field structure;
- third electric machine means mechanically connected to said second machine means and having an armature and a field structure and being adapted for driving a vehicle;
- flywheel means carrying the armatures of said first and second machine means so as to rotate as a unit therewith;
- clutch means for selectively mechanically connecting said first and second machine means;
- control means for receiving input indicative of the actuation condition of the accelerator and brakes of the vehicle and the rotational speeds of the field structures of said first and second machine means and flywheel means and in response to said inputs to cause at least one of said machine means to act as a generator and one of said machine means to act as a motor and to activate said clutch means whereby surplus energy is stored in said flywheel means and withdrawn as required.
3 more elements
A flywheel electric transmission for supplying power to a variable demand load from an essentially constant power source and including:
- first electric machine means having an armature and a field structure and adapted for being constantly connected to an essentially constant power source;
- second electric machine means having an armature and a field structure;
- flywheel means for storing and supplying energy in response to load demands and carrying the armatures of said first and second machine means so as to rotate as a unit therewith;
- control means for causing one of said machine means to act as a generator and one of said machine means to act as a motor in response to operator inputs and the rotational speeds of said first and second machine means and said flywheel means whereby energy is stored in or withdrawn from said flywheel means in response to varying load demands.
1 more element
A flywheel electric transmission for supplying power to a variable demand load from an essentially constant power source and including:
- first electric machine means having an armature and a field structure and adapted for being constantly connected to an essentially constant power source;
- second electric machine means having an armature and a field structure;
- third electric machine means mechanically connected to said second machine means and having an armature and a field structure and being adapted for driving a load;
- flywheel means for storing and supplying energy in response to load demands and carrying the armatures of said first and second machine means so as to rotate as a unit therewith;
- clutch means for selectively mechanically connecting said first and second machine means to thereby mechanically connect a power source and a load;
- and
- control means for causing at least one of said machine means to act as a generator and at least one of said machine means to act as a motor and to activate said clutch means in response to operator inputs and the rotational speeds of said first and second machine means and said flywheel means whereby energy is stored in or withdrawn from said flywheel means in response to varying load demands.
4 more elements
A drive for a vehicle comprising:
- a power source;
- an electric device including rotatably mounted first and second armatures and first and second field structures;
- an output shaft connected to transmit rotary power to the vehicle drive output;
- means coupling said power source directly to said first field structure;
- means coupling said second field structure to said output shaft;
- flywheel means connected to said armatures for concurrent rotation therewith;
- and
- means for exciting each of said field structures.
5 more elements
A drive for a vehicle comprising:
- a power source;
- an electric device including rotatably mounted first and second armatures and first and second field structures;
- an output shaft connected to transmit rotary power to the vehicle drive output;
- a third field structure mounted for rotation with said output shaft and having a third armature in surrounding relation thereto;
- means coupling said power source directly to said first field structure;
- means coupling said second field structure to said output shaft;
- flywheel means connected to said armatures for concurrent rotation therewith;
- and
- means for exciting each of said field structures.
6 more elements
A drive for a vehicle comprising:
- an engine having a rotary output;
- an electric device including rotatably mounted first and second armatures and first and second field structures rotatable with respect to said armatures;
- an output shaft connected to transmit motive power to drive the vehicle;
- first coupling means for coupling said engine to said first field structure;
- second coupling means for coupling said second field structure to said output shaft;
- a cylindrical flywheel supporting said armatures for concurrent rotation therewith;
- and
- means for exciting separately each of said field structures.
5 more elements
A drive for a vehicle comprising:
- an engine having a rotary output;
- an electric device including rotatably mounted first and second armatures and first and second field structures rotatable with respect to said armatures;
- an output shaft connected to transmit motive power to drive the vehicle;
- a third field structure mounted for rotation with said output shaft and having a third armature in surrounding relation thereto;
- first coupling means for coupling said engine to said first field structure;
- second coupling means for coupling said second field structure to said output shaft;
- a cylindrical flywheel supporting said first and second armatures for concurrent rotation therewith;
- and
- means for exciting separately each of said field structures.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.