US 9,028,354 B2Granted

Hydraulic regeneration apparatus

AssigneeLighting Hybrids

InventorsDaniel S. Johnson, D. Jude Hueber, Jr., Jonathan L. Reynolds

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Abstract

A hydraulic motor/pump regenerator system for recovering energy from the moving vehicle having high efficiency and precise control, thereby allowing the maximum amount of energy to be recovered and reused, is described. Three, fixed-displacement pump/motors are used to enable the system to recover and reapply energy at efficiencies expected to be above 70% in most circumstances. The invention is not limited to the use of three fixed displacement hydraulic units since using more units may in some drive cycles further improve efficiency. By selecting an appropriate combination of pump/motor units for providing the driveshaft torque required by the driver, embodiments of the present invention generate high recovery efficiency at any speed.

Claims22

Dependent claims

Hydraulic regeneration apparatus for a motor vehicle having an engine, a transmission and a drive shaft, said regeneration apparatus comprising:

at least two fixed displacement hydraulic pump/motors;
a sun gear rotatably disposed between said transmission and said driveshaft;
a first planet gear in meshing communication with said sun gear;
a second planet gear in meshing communication with said sun gear;
at least two hydraulic clutch members, a first hydraulic clutch member of said at least two clutch members for rotatably engaging a first of said at least two pump/motors with said first planet gear, and a second hydraulic clutch of said at least two clutch members for engaging a second of said at least two pump/motors with said second planet gear;
a low-pressure hydraulic accumulator containing pressurized fluid;
a high-pressure hydraulic accumulator containing pressurized fluid;
a multifunction hydraulic manifold for placing said first pump/motor in fluid communication with said low-pressure accumulator and said high-pressure accumulator, and for placing the second pump/motor in fluid communication with said low-pressure accumulator and said high-pressure accumulator, for controlling the output torque of said first pump/motor and said second pump/motor to said driveshaft, and for controlling the torque absorbed by said first pump/motor and said second pump motor from said driveshaft;
a vehicle throttle position sensor;
a brake pedal position sensor;
and an electronic control system for receiving pressure information from said high-pressure accumulator and low-pressure accumulator, brake pedal position information, and throttle position information, and for controlling said multi-function hydraulic manifold.

8 more elements

Hydraulic regeneration apparatus for a motor vehicle having an engine, a transmission and a drive shaft, said regeneration apparatus comprising:

at least two fixed displacement hydraulic pump/motors;
a sun gear rotatably disposed between said transmission and said driveshaft;
a dog clutch for mechanically isolating said sun gear from said driveshaft;
a synchronizer plate for matching the speed of rotation of said sun gear to the speed of rotation of said driveshaft;
a first planet gear in meshing communication with said sun gear for rotatably engaging a first of said at least two pump/motors;
a second planet gear in meshing communication with said sun gear for rotatably engaging a second of said at least two pump/motors;
a low-pressure hydraulic accumulator containing pressurized fluid;
a high-pressure hydraulic accumulator containing pressurized fluid;
a multifunction hydraulic manifold for placing said first pump/motor in fluid communication with said low-pressure accumulator and said high-pressure accumulator, and for placing the second pump/motor in fluid communication with said low-pressure accumulator and said high-pressure accumulator, for controlling the output torque of said first pump/motor and said second pump/motor to said driveshaft, and for controlling the torque absorbed by said first pump/motor and said second pump motor from said driveshaft;
a vehicle throttle position sensor;
a brake pedal position sensor;
and an electronic control for receiving pressure information from said high-pressure accumulator and low-pressure accumulator, brake pedal position information, and throttle position information, and for controlling said multi-function hydraulic manifold.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/786,414Filed 5 Mar 2013 · us provisional application
Priority: 5 Mar 2012
Published: US 2014/0087916 A127 Mar 2014
Granted: 12 May 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B60K 6/48
Characterised by the architecture of the hybrid electric vehicle: parallel type
B60W 10/06
Including control of propulsion units: including control of combustion engines
B60K 6/12
Prime-movers comprising combustion engines and mechanical or fluid energy storing means: by means of a chargeable fluidic accumulator
B60W 10/196
Including control of braking systems: acting within the driveline, e.g. retarders