Electric propulsion system

• US 20040263099A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BluWav Systems LLC (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: BluWav Systems LLC (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Salatino, John A., Maslov, Boris A., Pavlov, Kevin J.
• Application Number:
  US10/809,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20040263099A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/400.24
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/46 with more than three phases
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/16 DC brushless machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/32 Driving direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/429 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/465 : Slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 : by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 : Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 : relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 : relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 : Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 : using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 : characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 : charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 : Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/31 : for starting of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 : for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 : Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 : Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

Disclosed is a propulsion system for an electric car or other vehicle with potentially better performance—power, efficiency, range—than a gasoline vehicle, at a competitive cost. The motor control system can dynamically adapt to the vehicle'"'"'s operating conditions (starting, accelerating, turning, braking, cruising at high speeds) and other inputs and parameters. That consistently provides better performance. Isolating the vehicle'"'"'s motor or generator electromagnetic circuits allows effective control of more independent parameters. That gives great freedom to optimize. Adaptive motors and generators for an electric vehicle are cheaper, smaller, lighter, more powerful, and more efficient than conventional designs. An electric vehicle with in-wheel adaptive motors delivers high power with low unsprung mass and high torque and power-density. Total energy management of the vehicles entire electrical system allows for large-scale optimization. An adaptive architecture improves performance of a wide variety of vehicles, particularly those that need optimal efficiency over a range of operating conditions.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle, comprising:

one or more electric motors and/or generators,

wherein at least one motor and/or generator is an adaptive electric machine comprising two or more electromagnetic circuits that are sufficiently isolated to substantially eliminate electromagnetic and electrical interference between the circuits.

2. A vehicle, comprising:

two or more wheels, and

one or more electric motors, each mounted in an in-wheel, near-wheel, or direct-drive manner,

wherein at least one motor is an in-wheel motor with torque density of at least 20 Nm/kg and comprises a multiphase machine having a rotor, a stator, the stator comprising a plurality of stator core elements, the plurality of stator core elements being arranged in groups, each group of stator core elements being associated with a corresponding one of the phases of the multiphase machine, the stator core elements in each group being structurally and electromagnetically isolated from the stator core elements in each other group, and a controller for controlling electrical flow in each group of stator core elements independently of electrical flow in each other group, whereby each phase of the multiphase machine is controlled independently of each other phase.