US 8,798,828 B2Granted

Kinetic energy recovery and electric drive for vehicles

OwnerLester J. Erlston, Michael D. Milesinventors

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Abstract

A kinetic energy recovery and electric drive system for automotive vehicles comprises an electric pancake motor-generator (11, 211) having its stator housing (14, 214) coupled, combined or integrated with the gearbox housing (18, 218) of a gearbox (216) or final drive mechanism (16) and its rotor shaft (12, 212) oriented vertically and perpendicular to the drive-shaft (21, 234) or drive axle (20) of the vehicle. In certain embodiments the pancake motor rotor (10, 110, 210) may be fitted or integral with a perpendicular peripheral stiffening flange (113A, 113B, 213) in which is located a plurality of equally spaced permanent magnets (32, 132) of alternating polarity that electromagnetically engage with electromagnets (128A, 128B) of the pancake motor-generator stator. To facilitate retrofitting to existing vehicles the system may include an autonomous hybrid controller (316) that includes at least one sensor (322) to detect motion of the vehicle and/or motor without requiring any interface or integration with the vehicle's subsystems.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A kinetic energy recovery and drive mechanism for a powered vehicle such as an automobile, bus, truck, rail vehicle or other similar powered vehicles, the powered vehicle including a driveshaft (21, 234) coupling an internal combustion engine (227) and a transmission (17, 217) to a final drive mechanism (16, 262) which is coupled via one or more axles (20, 260) to one or more wheels (29, 226), the driveshaft (21, 234) and axles (20, 260) axially arranged in a horizontal orientation;

the kinetic energy recovery and drive mechanism comprising:
a pancake format, large diameter motor (11, 211) having a stator in a stator housing (14, 214) and a rotor (10, 110, 210) having a rotor shaft (12, 212) rotatable about a vertical axis;
and
a right angle gearbox (216) mounted such that the right angle gearbox housing (18, 218) is fixedly coupled to the stator housing (14, 214);
the pancake format, large diameter motor (11, 211) further being mounted so that the axis of rotation of the rotor shaft (12, 212) is oriented substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular relative to the driveshaft (21, 234) of the vehicle so that a diameter of the motor (11, 211) extends in a plane substantially parallel to the driveshaft (21, 234);
and
the right angle gearbox (216) being affixed to or integral with the stator housing (14, 214) of the pancake format motor (11, 211) and including a right angle bevel gearset (239) that engages the vertical rotor shaft (12, 212) to the horizontal driveshaft (21, 234) to enable the perpendicular transmission of drive from the vertical rotor shaft (12, 212) to the horizontal driveshaft (21, 234) of the vehicle;
thereby enabling the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) to be mounted in the vehicle driveline for a low center of gravity and with minimal encroachment on vehicle interior space or ground clearance.

5 more elements

The kinetic energy recovery and drive mechanism for a powered vehicle such as an automobile, bus, truck, rail vehicle or other similar powered vehicles, the powered vehicle including a driveshaft (21, 234) coupling an internal combustion engine (227) and a transmission (17, 217) to a final drive mechanism (16, 262) which is coupled via one or more axles (20, 260) to one or more wheels (29,226), the driveshaft (21, 234) and axles (20, 260) axially arranged in a horizontal orientation;

the kinetic energy recovery and drive mechanism comprising:
a pancake format, large diameter motor (11, 211) having a stator in a stator housing (14, 214) and a rotor (10, 110, 210) having a rotor shaft (12, 212) rotatable about a vertical axis;
and
the final drive mechanism (16) having a final drive housing (18) fixedly coupled to the stator housing (14, 214);
the pancake format, large diameter motor (11, 211) mounted so that the axis of rotation of the rotor shaft (12, 212) is oriented substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular relative to the axle (20, 260) of the vehicle so that a diameter of the motor (11, 211) extends in a plane substantially parallel to the axle (20, 260);
and
the final drive mechanism (16, 262) including a right angle bevel gearset (239) that engages the vertical rotor shaft (12, 212) to the horizontal axle (20, 260) to enable the perpendicular transmission of drive from the vertical rotor shaft (12, 212) to the horizontal axle (20, 260) of the vehicle;
thereby enabling a pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) to be mounted to the final drive mechanism (16, 262) for low center of gravity and with minimal encroachment on vehicle interior space or ground clearance.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/808,664Filed 19 Dec 2008 · us provisional application
Priority: 19 Dec 2007
Published: US 2011/0320074 A129 Dec 2011
Granted: 5 Aug 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification32 codes

F16H 33/02
Gearings based on repeated accumulation and delivery of energy: rotary transmissions with mechanical accumulators, e.g. weights, springs,…
B60K 6/26
Characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs: characterised by the motors or the generators
B60K 6/52
Architecture of the driveline characterised by arrangement or kind of transmission units: driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
B60L 3/0061
Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train: relating to electrical machines