Electrical systems for electric powered vehicles

• US 20040065488A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Capital LLC
• Original Assignee: Electric Cycle Company
• Inventors: Hightower, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,228,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/12 with circuits controlled by relays or contactors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/16 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/427 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/00 Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function for propulsion of purely electrically-propelled vehicles with power supplied within the vehicle B60L50/00 - B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/00 Motorcycles characterised by position of motor or engine rider propulsion with addition source of power, e.g. auxiliary combustion engine or electric motor B62M6/00; frames characterised by position of engine B62K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Systems and techniques are disclosed relating to electric motor applications. The systems and techniques are described in the context of an electric powered vehicle. The electric powered vehicle includes a drive wheel, an electric motor configured to rotate the drive wheel by delivering power thereto, a speed sensor configured to monitor rotational speed of the drive wheel, and a controller configured to limit the power delivered to the drive wheel to a maximum level over a range of rotational speeds monitored by the speed sensor.

Claims

1. An electric powered vehicle, comprising:

a drive wheel;

an electric motor configured to rotate the drive wheel by delivering power thereto;

a speed sensor configured to monitor rotational speed of the drive wheel; and

a controller configured to limit the power delivered to the drive wheel to a maximum level over a range of rotational speeds monitored by the speed sensor.

2. The electric powered vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a throttle configured to control the power delivered to the drive wheel when the power is below the maximum level.

3. The electric powered vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to limit rotational acceleration of the drive wheel to a maximum acceleration over a second range of rotational speeds monitored by the speed sensor.

4. The electric powered vehicle of claim 3 further comprising a throttle configured to control the rotational acceleration of the drive wheel when the rotational speed of the drive wheel is outside the second range of rotational speeds monitored by the speed sensor.

5. The electric powered vehicle of claim 3 wherein the electric motor is further configured to produce torque, the power delivered to the drive wheel being a function of torque produced by the electric motor, and wherein the controller is further configured to limit the rotational acceleration of the drive wheel by limiting a rate of change of the torque produced by the electric motor over the second range of rotational speeds monitored by the speed sensor.

6. The electric powered vehicle of claim 4 further comprising a voltage source, and wherein the controller is further configured to limit the rate of change of the torque produced by the electric motor by limiting a rate of change of voltage applied to the electric motor from the voltage source.

7. The electric powered vehicle of claim 1 wherein the electric motor is further configured to produce torque, the power delivered to the drive wheel being a function of torque produced by the electric motor, and wherein the controller is further configured to limit the power delivered to the drive wheel to the maximum level by controlling the torque produced by the electric motor over the range of rotational speeds monitored by the speed sensor.

8. The electric powered vehicle of claim 7 further comprising a voltage source, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the voltage applied to the electric motor from the voltage source over the range of rotational speeds monitored by the speed sensor to control the torque produced by the electric motor.

9. The electric powered vehicle of claim 1 wherein the electric motor is further configured to produce torque as a function of input voltage, the power delivered to the drive wheel being a function of the torque produced by the electric motor, and wherein the electric powered vehicle further comprises a voltage source coupled to the electric motor, the controller being configured to limit the power delivered to the drive wheel by computing the torque required to maintain the maximum level as a function of the rotational speed monitored by the speed sensor, and controlling the input voltage to the electric motor from the voltage source to produce the computed torque.

10. The electric powered vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is programmable to set the maximum level

11. A method of controlling an electric powered vehicle having a drive wheel, the method comprising:

rotating the drive wheel by delivering power thereto,

monitoring rotational speed of the drive wheel; and

limiting the power delivered to the drive wheel to a maximum level over a range of rotational speeds.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the electric powered vehicle further comprises a throttle, the method further comprising allowing the throttle to control the power delivered to the drive wheel when the power is below the maximum level.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the electric powered vehicle further comprises an electric motor coupled to the drive wheel, the power delivered to the drive wheel being a function of torque produced by the electric motor, and wherein the limiting of the power delivered to the drive wheel comprises controlling the torque produced by the electric motor over the range of rotational speeds.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the electric powered vehicle further comprises a voltage source coupled to the electric motor, and wherein the controlling of the torque produced by the electric motor comprises controlling voltage applied to the electric motor from the voltage source.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the electric powered vehicle further comprises an electric motor coupled to the drive wheel, the power delivered to the drive wheel being a function of the torque produced, and a voltage source coupled to the electric motor, the torque produced by the electric motor being a function of voltage applied to the electric motor from the voltage source, and wherein the limiting of the power delivered to the drive wheel comprises computing the torque required to maintain the maximum level as a function of the monitored rotational speed, and controlling the voltage applied to the electric motor from the voltage source to produce the computed torque.

13. The method of 11 further comprising limiting rotational acceleration of the drive wheel to a maximum acceleration over a second range of rotational speeds.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the electric powered vehicle further comprises a throttle, the method further comprising allowing the throttle to control the rotational acceleration of the drive wheel when the monitored rotational speed of the drive wheel is outside the second range of rotational speeds.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the electric powered vehicle further comprises an electric motor coupled to the drive wheel, the power delivered to the drive wheel being a function of torque produced by the electric motor, and wherein the limiting of the rotational acceleration of the drive wheel comprises limiting a rate of change of the torque produced by the electric motor over the second range of rotational speeds.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the electric powered vehicle further comprises a voltage source coupled to the electric motor, and wherein the limiting of the rate of change of the torque produced by the electric motor comprises limiting a rate of change of voltage applied to the electric motor from the voltage source.

20. An electric powered vehicle, comprising:

a drive wheel;

means for rotating the drive wheel by delivering power thereto;

means for monitoring rotational speed of the drive wheel; and

means for limiting power delivered to the drive wheel to a maximum level over a range of rotational speeds.

21. The electric powered vehicle of claim 20 further comprising a throttle configured to control the power delivered to the drive wheel when the power is below the maximum level.

22. The electric powered vehicle of claim 20 further comprising means for limiting rotational acceleration of the drive wheel over a second range of rotational speeds.

23. The electric powered vehicle of claim 22 further comprising a throttle configured to control the rotational acceleration of the drive wheel when the rotational speed of the drive wheel is outside the second range of rotational speeds.

24. The electric powered vehicle of claim 20 wherein the means for rotating the drive wheel produces torque as a function of input voltage, the power delivered to the drive wheel being a function of the torque produced, and wherein the means for limiting the power delivered to the drive wheel comprises means for computing the torque required to maintain the maximum level as a function of the monitored rotational speed, and means for controlling the input voltage to produce the computed torque.

25. An electric powered vehicle, comprising:

a drive wheel;

an electric motor coupled to the drive wheel;

a voltage source coupled to the electric motor;

a speed sensor arranged to monitor rotational speed of the drive wheel; and

a controller configured to control voltage applied to the electric motor from the voltage source to limit power delivered by the electric motor to the drive wheel to a maximum level over a range of rotational speeds monitored by the speed sensor.

26. The electric powered vehicle of claim 25 further comprising a throttle coupled to the controller, the throttle being configured to control the power delivered to the drive wheel when the power is below the maximum level.

27. The electric powered vehicle of claim 25 wherein the controller is further configured to control the voltage applied to the electric motor from the voltage source to limit rotational acceleration of the drive wheel to a maximum acceleration over a second range of rotational speeds.

28. The electric powered vehicle of claim 27 further comprising a throttle coupled to the controller, the throttle being configured to control the rotational speed of the drive wheel is outside the second range of rotational speeds monitored by the speed sensor.

29. The electric powered vehicle of claim 25 wherein the controller is further configured to control the voltage applied to the electric motor from the voltage source over the range of rotational speeds monitored by the speed sensor by computing torque of the electric motor required to maintain the maximum level as a function of the rotational speed monitored by the speed sensor, and controlling the voltage applied to the electric motor from the voltage source to produce the computed torque.

30. An electric powered vehicle, comprising:

a drive wheel;

an electric motor configured to rotate the drive wheel by delivering power thereto;

a throttle having a range of positions;

a controller configured to control the electric motor to deliver the power to the electric motor at a level that varies up to a maximum level as a function of the throttle position; and

a plurality of resistors each being capable of being switched into the controller, wherein the maximum level depends on which ones of the resistors are switched into controller.