Motor vehicle accessory to increase power supply and reduce fuel requirements
First Claim
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.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A power control system may include at least one of batteries, a motor, and a data logic analyzer that can interpret certain variable conditions of a transport, such as a tractor trailer, moving along a road or highway. The data can be used to determine when to apply supplemental power to the wheels of a trailer to reduce fuel usage. One example device may include at least one of: a power creation module that generates electrical power, a battery which store the electrical power, a motor affixed to a trailer axle of a trailer which provides a turning force to the trailer axle when enabled to operate from the stored electrical power of the battery, and a motor controller configured to initiate the motor to operate according to a predefined sensor condition.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method comprising:
-
replacing an existing suspension assembly of a trailer with a hybridizing suspension assembly, wherein the hybridizing suspension assembly includes a frame, a suspension, one or more drive axles, and at least a first one of a plurality of electric motor-generators coupled to provide, in a first mode of operation, an assistive motive force at at least one of the drive axles and, in a second mode of operation, a regenerative braking force, the hybridizing suspension assembly configurable with wheels and tires to allow the trailer to roll along a roadway when motivated by a fuel consuming engine of a tractor to which the trailer is mechanically coupled in a tractor-trailer vehicle configuration; coupling a controller 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 the roadway, using the one or more sensor inputs; transitioning, based on a first sensor input and by the controller, the first one of the electric motor-generators between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation; and transitioning, based on a second sensor input and by the controller, a second one of the electric motor-generators between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. 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; the suspension assembly including a first electric motor-generator 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; a first energy store from which energy is supplied to power the first electric motor-generator in the first mode of operation and to which energy is supplied in the second mode of operation; and a controller operatively coupled between the first electric motor-generator, a second electric motor-generator, and one or more sensor inputs to independently transition each of the first and second 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 electric motor-generator between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation; and wherein, based on a second sensor input, the controller transitions the second electric motor-generator between the first, the second, and the third mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification