Flexible hybrid drive system for vehicle stability control

• US 20060108161A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Feliss, Norbert A., Flechsig, Karl A., Gillis, Donald R., Lee, Sylvia L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,874,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.285
• 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 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid drive system for integrated vehicle stability control. Specifically, the hybrid drive system includes a multi-wheeled vehicle, a drop-in electric drive motor, and a master controller. The multi-wheeled vehicle is originally configured for propulsion using an internal combustion engine. That is, the present invention is suitable for powering legacy vehicles. The internal combustion engine capable of driving at least one wheel of the multi-wheeled vehicle. The remaining wheels of the multi-wheeled vehicle are not driven by the internal combustion engine. The drop-in electric drive motor is adapted to independently drive at least one remaining wheel on the multi-wheeled vehicle. The master controller is coupled to the drop-in electric drive motor. The master controller controls speeds of the remaining wheels driven by the electric drive motor to provide propulsion and overall stability management for the multi-wheeled vehicle.

Claims

1. A hybrid drive system for integrated stability control, comprising:

a multi-wheeled vehicle originally configured for propulsion using an internal combustion engine, said internal combustion engine capable of driving at least one wheel of said multi-wheeled vehicle, wherein said multi-wheeled vehicle comprises remaining wheels not driven by said internal combustion engine;

a drop-in electric drive motor adapted to independently drive at least one remaining wheel on said multi-wheeled vehicle; and

a master controller coupled to said drop-in electric drive motor for controlling speeds of remaining wheels driven by said drop-in electric drive motor to provide propulsion and overall stability management for said multi-wheeled vehicle.

2. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said drop-in electric drive motor is adapted to independently drive a first and second remaining wheel, wherein said master controller controls speeds of said first and second remaining wheels to provide said propulsion and said overall stability management.

3. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery coupled to said drop-in electric drive motor for providing electrical energy to said drop-in electric drive.

4. The hybrid drive system of claim 3, wherein said battery is scalable in size to match the power output of said internal combustion engine.

5. The hybrid drive system of claim 10, further comprising:

a stability control manager for determining proper speeds of said remaining wheels depending on encountered driving conditions to provide said stability control management.

6. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said master controller directs said drop-in electric drive motor to apply more power to a first remaining wheel to provide said propulsion and said overall stability management.

7. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said master controller directs said drop-in electric drive motor to apply regenerative braking to a first remaining wheel to provide said overall stability management.

8. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said master controller controls speeds of wheels driven by said internal combustion engine and said drop-in electric drive motor to provide said overall stability management.

9. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said multi-wheeled vehicle comprises two wheels.

10. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said multi-wheeled vehicle comprises at least four wheels.

11. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said drop-in electric drive motor is adapted to drive a first remaining wheel and a second remaining wheel on the same axle but in opposite rotating directions.

12. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said drop-in electric drive motor applies a “

dithering”

motion to a first remaining wheel and a second remaining wheel on the same axle.

13. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said drop-in electric drive motor in coordination with said master controller applies a “

venting”

action to a first remaining wheel.

14. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said master controller selectively turns-off said internal combustion engine in preference to keeping on said drop-in electric drive motor.

15. A hybrid drive system for integrated stability control, comprising:

a multi-wheeled vehicle originally configured for propulsion using an internal combustion engine, said internal combustion engine capable of driving at least one wheel of said multi-wheeled vehicle, wherein said multi-wheeled vehicle comprises remaining wheels not driven by said internal combustion engine;

a plurality of drop-in electric drive motors each adapted to independently drive a respective remaining wheel on said multi-wheeled vehicle; and

a master controller coupled to said plurality of drop-in electric drive motors for independently controlling speeds of said remaining wheels to provide propulsion and overall stability management for said multi-wheeled vehicle.

16. The hybrid drive system of claim 15, further comprising:

a battery for providing electrical energy to corresponding drop-in electric drive motors driving said remaining wheels.

17. The hybrid drive system of claim 15, wherein said master controller directs a respective electric drive motor to apply more power to a corresponding remaining wheel to provide said propulsion and said overall stability management.

18. The hybrid drive system of claim 15, further comprising:

a stability control manager for determining proper speeds of said remaining wheels depending on encountered driving conditions to provide said stability control management.

19. The hybrid drive system of claim 15, wherein said master controller directs a respective electric drive motor to apply regenerative braking to a corresponding remaining wheel to provide said overall stability management.

20. The hybrid drive system of claim 15, wherein said master controller controls speeds of wheels driven by said internal combustion engine and controls speeds of said remaining wheels driven independently by respective electric drive motors to provide said overall stability management.

21. The hybrid drive system of claim 15, wherein said master controller provides for driving of said multi-wheeled vehicle solely through respective electric drive motors driving said remaining wheels.

22. The hybrid drive system of claim 15, wherein said multi-wheeled vehicle comprises three wheels.

23. The hybrid drive system of claim 15, wherein said multi-wheeled vehicle comprises four wheels.

24. The hybrid drive system of claim 15, wherein said multi-wheeled vehicle comprises more than four wheels.

25. A hybrid drive system for integrated stability control, comprising:

a drop-in electric drive motor adapted to independently drive a wheel on a multi-wheeled vehicle, said multi-wheeled vehicle configured for propulsion using an internal combustion engine; and

a master controller for controlling a speed of said wheel using said drop-in electric drive motor for propulsion and stability management of said multi-wheeled vehicle.

27. The hybrid drive system of claim 25, further comprising:

a stability control manager for determining proper speeds of said wheel depending on encountered driving conditions to provide said stability control management.

28. The hybrid drive system of claim 25, wherein said master controller directs said drop-in electric drive motor to apply more power to said wheel to provide said propulsion and said overall stability management.

29. The hybrid drive system of claim 25, wherein said master controller directs said drop-in electric drive motor to apply regenerative braking to said wheel to provide said overall stability management.

30. The hybrid drive system of claim 25, wherein drop-in electric drive motor provides supplemental driving power for propelling said multi-wheeled vehicle.

26. The hybrid drive system of Clam 25, wherein said wheel is a coasting wheel not being driven by said internal combustion engine.