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Motor vehicle accessory to increase power supply and reduce fuel requirements

  • US 10,118,505 B2
  • Filed: 10/30/2017
  • Issued: 11/06/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for use in a tractor-trailer vehicle configuration as a hybridizing suspension assembly, the apparatus comprising:

  • a suspension assembly including a frame, a suspension, and one or more drive axles;

    a plurality of electric motor-generators;

    the suspension assembly including at least a first one of the electric motor-generators coupled to provide, in a first mode of operation, a motive rotational force at at least one of the drive axles and to provide, in a second mode of operation, a regenerative braking force;

    an energy store from which energy is supplied to power the plurality of electric motor-generators in the first mode of operation and to which energy is supplied by regenerative braking in the second mode of operation; and

    a controller operatively coupled between the plurality of electric motor-generators and one or more sensor inputs to independently transition each of the plurality of electric motor-generators between the first, the second and at least a third mode of operation, during motion of the tractor-trailer vehicle over a roadway, using the one or more sensor inputs;

    wherein, based on a first sensor input, the controller transitions the first one of the electric motor-generators between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation; and

    wherein, based on a second sensor input, the controller transitions a second one of the electric motor-generators between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation.

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