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US 9,174,741 B2Granted
Hybrid powertrain system
AssigneeMcMaster University
InventorsPiranavan Suntharalingam, Ali Emadi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid powertrain for an aircraft may include a drive shaft, the drive shaft, an internal combustion engine to selectably drive the drive shaft, a propeller coupled to the drive shaft and an electric motor having a stator and a rotor and operable to selectably drive the drive shaft. The drive shaft may extend through the electric motor. The rotor may be coupled to the drive shaft to rotate with the drive shaft and the rotor is a flywheel for the internal combustion engine.
Claims27
A hybrid powertrain for an aircraft, the powertrain comprising:
- a) a drive shaft, the drive shaft rotatable about a drive axis;
- b) an internal combustion engine detachably connected to the drive shaft to selectably drive the drive shaft;
- c) a propeller coupled to the drive shaft;
- d) an electric motor having a stator and a rotor positioned axially between the internal combustion engine and the propeller and operable to selectably drive the drive shaft, the drive shaft extending through the electric motor, the rotor coupled to the drive shaft to rotate with the drive shaft;
- the powertrain is operable in a first mode and a second mode:
- in the first mode the internal combustion engine and the electric motor are both connected to the drive shaft and drive the propeller, the rotor rotates with the drive shaft and is a flywheel for the internal combustion engine;
- and
- in the second mode the internal combustion engine is detached from both the drive shaft and the electric motor, the rotor rotates with the drive shaft and only the electric motor drives the propeller without having to overcome the braking force of the internal combustion engine.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.