Trailer-based energy capture and management

• US 10,245,972 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyliion Inc. (Hyliion Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyliion Inc. (Hyliion Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Healy, Thomas Joseph, Weber, Eric F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, James A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Triggs, James J
• Application Number:
  US15/721,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20180086227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/001 one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0444 Arrangement on a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2018 for braking on a slope
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/28 Trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/10 Vehicle control parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/24 Coasting mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/18 : Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 : Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/148 : Semi-trailers, articulated vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 : Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/181 : Hill climbing or descending
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/18125 : Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/182 : Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/52 : Engine fuel consumption
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/60 : Control of electric machines, e.g. problems related to electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/216 : by solar panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/301 : for position or displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/304 : Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/61 : Arrangements of controllers for electric machines, e.g. inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 59/04 : driven from propulsion unit on trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/08 : Component parts or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a towed vehicle for use in combination with a towing vehicle, the towed vehicle having an electrically powered drive axle configured to supply supplemental torque to one or more wheels of the towed vehicle and to thereby supplement, while the towed vehicle travels over a roadway and in at least some modes of operation, primary motive forces applied through a separate drivetrain of the towing vehicle;

an energy store on the towed vehicle, the energy store configured to supply the electrically powered drive axle with electrical power and further configured to receive energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in a regenerative braking mode of operation, and wherein the energy store on the towed vehicle includes a battery or battery array;

an auxiliary power unit (APU) interface to supply electrical power from the energy store to the towing vehicle; and

an inverter coupled between the battery or battery array and the APU interface to supply AC power to the towing vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the towing vehicle; and

a heating, ventilation or cooling system on the towing vehicle, the heating, ventilation or cooling system coupled to receive electrical power from the energy store on the towed vehicle via the APU interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a step-down DC-DC power supply coupled between the battery or battery array and the APU interface to supply DC power to the towing vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 2,

wherein the separate drivetrain of the towing vehicle is coupled to a fuel-fed engine of the towing vehicle to provide the primary motive forces;

and

wherein for stopover operation and without idling of the fuel-fed engine, the energy store powers the heating, ventilation or cooling system on the towing vehicle.

4. An apparatus comprising:

a towed vehicle for use in combination with a towing vehicle, the towed vehicle having an electrically powered drive axle configured to supply supplemental torque to one or more wheels of the towed vehicle and to thereby supplement, while the towed vehicle travels over a roadway and in at least some modes of operation, primary motive forces applied through a separate drivetrain of the towing vehicle;

an energy store on the towed vehicle, the energy store configured to supply the electrically powered drive axle with electrical power and further configured to receive energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in a regenerative braking mode of operation, and wherein the energy store on the towed vehicle includes a battery or battery array;

an auxiliary power unit (APU) interface to supply electrical power from the energy store to the towing vehicle; and

an electrical cable for transferring electrical power from the energy store on the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle and for bidirectionally conveying data between the towing vehicle and at least a battery management system of the towed vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a control interface in the towing vehicle, the control interface coupled to the battery management system of the towed vehicle via the electrical cable,

the control interface providing one of more of;

in-towing-vehicle display of state of charge for the energy store on the towed vehicle;

a switch or control of a switch to enable and disable supply of electrical power to the towing vehicle; and

mode control for selectively controlling an operating mode of the battery management system, wherein in at least one selectable mode, energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in the regenerative braking mode is used to bring the energy store to a substantially full state of charge, and wherein in at least another selectable mode, state of charge is managed to a dynamically varying level based at least in part on uphill and downhill grades along current or predicted route of travel.

6. The apparatus of claim 5,

wherein the control interface is integrated with a heating, ventilation or cooling system on the towing vehicle, the heating, ventilation or cooling system powered from the energy store on the towed vehicle at least during some extended periods of time during which an engine of the towing vehicle is off.

16. The apparatus of claim 4,

wherein the battery management system controllably maintains a desired state of charge (SoC) of the energy store during the over-the-roadway travel.

7. A method comprising:

supplying supplemental torque to one or more wheels of a towed vehicle using an electrically powered drive axle on the towed vehicle to supplement, while the towed vehicle travels over a roadway and in at least some modes of operation, primary motive forces applied through a separate drivetrain of a towing vehicle;

supplying the electrically powered drive axle with electrical power from an energy store on the towed vehicle, the energy store configured to receive and store energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in a regenerative braking mode of operation, and wherein the energy store on the towed vehicle includes a battery or battery array;

supplying electrical power to the towing vehicle from the energy store on the towed vehicle by way of an auxiliary power unit (APU) interface; and

using an inverter coupled between the battery or battery array and the APU interface to supply AC power to the towing vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

supplying electrical power from the energy store on the towed vehicle to a heating, ventilation or cooling system on the towing vehicle.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using a step-down DC-DC power supply coupled between the battery or battery array and the APU interface to supply DC power to the towing vehicle.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

selectively controlling an operating mode of a battery management system, wherein in at least one selectable mode, energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in the regenerative braking mode is used to bring the energy store to a substantially full state of charge, and wherein in at least another selectable mode, state of charge is managed to a dynamically varying level based at least in part on uphill and downhill grades along current or predicted route of travel.

14. The method of claim 13,

wherein the selective control is provided from a control interface of a heating, ventilation or cooling system on the towing vehicle.

17. The method of claim 8,

wherein the separate drivetrain of the towing vehicle is coupled to a fuel-fed engine of the towing vehicle to provide the primary motive forces;

and

wherein for stopover operation and without idling of the fuel-fed engine, the energy store powers the heating, ventilation or cooling system on the towing vehicle.

10. A method comprising:

supplying supplemental torque to one or more wheels of a towed vehicle using an electrically powered drive axle on the towed vehicle to supplement, while the towed vehicle travels over a roadway and in at least some modes of operation, primary motive forces applied through a separate drivetrain of a towing vehicle;

supplying the electrically powered drive axle with electrical power from an energy store on the towed vehicle, the energy store configured to receive and store energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in a regenerative braking mode of operation, and wherein the energy store on the towed vehicle includes a battery or battery array;

supplying electrical power to the towing vehicle from the energy store on the towed vehicle by way of an auxiliary power unit (APU) interface;

transferring electrical power from the energy store on the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle via an electrical cable; and

bidirectionally conveying data between the towing vehicle and at least a battery management system of the towed vehicle via the electrical cable.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a control interface in the towing vehicle, the control interface coupled to the battery management system of the towed vehicle via the electrical cable,

the control interface including one of more of;

in-towing-vehicle display of state of charge for the energy store on the towed vehicle;

a switch or control of a switch to enable and disable supply of electrical power to the towing vehicle; and

mode control for selectively controlling an operating mode of the battery management system, wherein in at least one selectable mode, energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in the regenerative braking mode is used to bring the energy store to a substantially full state of charge, and wherein in at least another selectable mode, state of charge is managed to a dynamically varying level based at least in part on uphill and downhill grades along current or predicted route of travel.

12. The method of claim 11,

wherein the control interface is integrated with the heating, ventilation or cooling system on the towing vehicle, the heating, ventilation or cooling system powered from the energy store on the towed vehicle at least during some extended periods of time during which an engine of the towing-vehicle is off.

18. The method of claim 10,

wherein the battery management system controllably maintains a desired state of charge (SoC) of the energy store during the over-the-roadway travel.