PIEZOELECTRIC POWERED VEHICLES AND MOTORS

• US 20060273693A1
• Filed: 04/26/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Drexel University
• Original Assignee: Drexel University
• Inventors: Genis, Vladimir, Soukhomlinoff, Alexandre
• Granted Patent: US 7,443,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/339
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/10 directly from oscillating movements due to vehicle running motion, e.g. suspension movement resilient suspensions having dampers accumulating utilisable energy, e.g. compressing air, B60G13/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

One or more piezoelectric elements are employed to generate electrical energy from one or both of the mechanical energy of a moving part of a conventional engine or vehicle or the combustion energy of an internal combustion engine. The generated electrical energy can be stored and used to power an electric motor in order to supplement the power generated by the conventional engine.

Claims

1. A hybrid piezoelectric motor, said device comprising:

at least one moving part,

at least one piezoelectric element positioned to contact at least a portion of said at least one moving part to thereby generate electrical energy as a result of a force exerted on said piezoelectric element by contact with the portion of said moving part, and

an electric motor operably connected to said at least one piezoelectric element for conversion of electrical energy generated by said at least one piezoelectric element to mechanical energy.

2. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one moving part is a moving part of an engine that is not powered by electrical power.

3. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at least one moving part is selected from the group consisting of a piston and a crankshaft.

4. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said moving part comprises a plate or hammer affixed to said moving part, which plate or hammer contacts said at least one piezoelectric element as a result of movement of said moving part.

5. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 4, wherein said engine is powered by a fuel selected from the group consisting of gasoline, diesel fuel, oil, ethanol, methanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), bio-diesel, and hydrogen.

6. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an energy storage device operably connected to said at least one piezoelectric element for storing electrical energy generated by said at least one piezoelectric element.

7. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said engine is an internal combustion engine including at least one combustion chamber, and

at least one piezoelectric element positioned in said combustion chamber such that combustion occurring in said combustion chamber exerts a force on said at least one piezoelectric element to cause said at least one piezoelectric element to generate electrical energy, and

wherein said an electric motor is operably connected to said at least one piezoelectric element positioned in said combustion chamber for conversion of electrical energy generated by said at least one piezoelectric element to mechanical energy.

8. A hybrid piezoelectric motor, comprising:

an internal combustion engine including at least one combustion chamber,

at least one piezoelectric element positioned in said combustion chamber such that combustion occurring in said combustion chamber exerts a force on said at least one piezoelectric element to cause said at least one piezoelectric element to generate electrical energy, and

an electric motor operably connected to said at least one piezoelectric element for conversion of electrical energy generated by said at least one piezoelectric element to mechanical energy.

9. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 8, wherein said engine is powered by a fuel selected from the group consisting of gasoline, diesel fuel, oil, ethanol, methanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), bio-diesel, and hydrogen.

10. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an energy storage device operably connected to said at least one piezoelectric element for storing electrical energy generated by said at least one piezoelectric element.

11. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 8, comprising at least two piezoelectric elements located in each said combustion chamber.

12. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one said piezoelectric element is toroidal or annular in shape.

13. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 8, comprising at least three piezoelectric elements located in each said combustion chamber.

14. A hybrid piezoelectric motor as claimed in claim 13, wherein one said piezoelectric element is positioned at a first end of said combustion chamber, one said piezoelectric element is positioned at a second end of said combustion chamber and one said piezoelectric element is toroidal or annular in shape and located at an internal periphery of said combustion chamber.

15. A hybrid piezoelectric vehicle, comprising:

at least one piezoelectric element positioned in said vehicle to generate electrical energy as a result of a force exerted on said piezoelectric element,

an electric motor operably connected to said at least one piezoelectric element for conversion of electrical energy generated by said at least one piezoelectric element to mechanical energy; and

a drive system for propelling said vehicle using said mechanical energy.

16. A hybrid piezoelectric vehicle as claimed in claim 15, further comprising an engine that is not powered by electricity.

17. A hybrid piezoelectric vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein said engine is powered by a fuel selected from the group consisting of gasoline, diesel fuel, oil, ethanol, methanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), bio-diesel, and hydrogen.

18. A hybrid piezoelectric vehicle as claimed in claim 16, further comprising an energy splitter for alternately or simultaneously transmitting the mechanical energy from said engine and said electric motor to said drive system.

19. A hybrid piezoelectric vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein said at least one piezoelectric element is operably associated with a moving part of said vehicle such that movement of said moving part exerts a force on said at least one piezoelectric element.

20. A hybrid piezoelectric vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one piezoelectric element is operably associated with a moving part of the engine of said vehicle.

21. A hybrid piezoelectric vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one piezoelectric element is operably associated with a moving part selected from the group consisting of a shock absorber and a drive shaft.

22. A hybrid piezoelectric vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein at least one one said piezoelectric element is operably associated with a moving part of the engine of said vehicle and at least one said piezoelectric element is operably associated with a moving part selected from the group consisting of a shock absorber and a drive shaft.

23. A hybrid piezoelectric vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least one said piezoelectric element is located in a combustion chamber of the engine of said vehicle.

24. A hybrid piezoelectric vehicle as claimed in claim 22, wherein at least one said piezoelectric element is located in a combustion chamber of the engine of said vehicle.