US 7,104,347 B2Granted

Hybrid vehicles

AssigneePaice LLC

InventorsAlex J. Severinsky, Theodore Louckes

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A hybrid vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine, a traction motor, a starter motor, and a battery bank, all controlled by a microprocessor in accordance with the vehicle's instantaneous torque demands so that the engine is run only under conditions of high efficiency, typically only when the load is at least equal to 30% of the engine's maximum torque output. In some embodiments, a turbocharger may be provided, activated only when the load exceeds the engine's maximum torque output for an extended period; a two-speed transmission may further be provided, to further broaden the vehicle's load range. A hybrid brake system provides regenerative braking, with mechanical braking available in the event the battery bank is fully charged, in emergencies, or at rest; a control mechanism is provided to control the brake system to provide linear brake feel under varying circumstances.

Claims41

Dependent claims

A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine controllably coupled to road wheels of said vehicle;
a first electric motor connected to said engine nd operable to start the engine responsive to a control signal;
a second electric motor connected to road wheels of said vehicle, and operable as a motor, to apply torque to said wheels to propel said vehicle, and as a generator, for accepting torque from at least said wheels for generating current;
a battery, for providing current to said motors and accepting charging current from at least said second motor;
and
a controller for controlling the flow of electrical and mechanical power between said engine, first and second motors, and wheels,
wherein said controller starts and operates said engine when torque require to be produced by said engine to propel the vehicle and/or to drive either one or both said electric motor(s) to charge said battery is at least equal to a setpoint (SP) above which said engine torque is efficiently produced, and wherein the torque produced by said engine when operated at said setpoint (SP) is substantially less than the maximum torque output (MTO) of said engine.

4 more elements

A method of control of a hybrid vehicle, said vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine capable of efficiently producing torque at loads between a lower level SP and a maximum torque output MTO, a battery, and one or more electric motors being capable of providing output torque responsive to supplied current, and of generating electrical current responsive to applied torque, said engine being controllably connected to wheels of said vehicle for applying propulsive torque thereto and to said at least one motor for applying torque thereto, said method comprising the steps of:

determining the instantaneous torque RL required to propel said vehicle responsive to an operator command;
monitoring the state of charge of said battery;
employing said at least one electric motor to propel said vehicle when the torque RL required to do so is less than said lower level SP;
employing said engine to propel said vehicle when the torque RL required to do so is between said lower level SP and MTO;
employing both said at least one electric motor and said engine to propel said vehicle when the torque RL required to do so is more than MTO;
and
employing said engine to propel said vehicle when the torque RL required to do so is less than said lower level SP and using the torque between RL and SP to drive said at least one electric motor to charge said battery when the state of charge of said battery indicates the desirability of doing so;
and
wherein the torque produced by said engine when operated at said setpoint (SP) is substantially less than the maximum torque output (MTO) of said engine.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/382,577Filed 7 Mar 2003 · division
Priority: 14 Sep 1998
Published: US 2003/0217876 A127 Nov 2003
Granted: 12 Sep 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification107 codes

B60L 53/00
Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles
B60H 1/004
For vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell: for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid…
B60H 1/3222
Using compression: characterised by the compressor driving arrangements, e.g. clutches, transmissions or multiple drives
B60K 1/02
Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units: comprising more than one electric motor

Family

Application60/100,095Us provisional application · filed 14 Sep 1998
Application60/122,296Us provisional application · filed 1 Mar 1999
Application09/264,817Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 9 Mar 1999
Application09/392,743Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 9 Sep 1999
Application09/822,866Parent of this division · filed 2 Apr 2001
US 2003/0217876 A1Pre-grant publication · published 27 Nov 2003
US 6,554,088 B2Parent of this division
US 6,338,391 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application09/822,866Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,209,672 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2001/0039230 A1Published application
US 7,104,347 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.